Season 3 begins with Paul going to the doctor for his battle with Parkinson’s. A new character is introduced, played by Michael J. Fox, who deals with Parkinson’s in real life. Paul takes Jimmy on a wild car ride on a race course, with Paul taking the wheel. Gaby notices that Paul is getting sicker and sicker, so she brings up the topic of marriage to him. Everyone in the office loves his girlfriend, Julie, but Paul is very against it because he doesn’t feel the need to get married at all. Julie is also originally against the idea, but after having both Liz and Gaby plan her wedding, she falls more and more in love with it. This, of course, leads to a disagreement between the couple.
Brian and Charlie are expecting a baby; Ava is due any day! But both of them constantly go back and forth on whether or not they want Ava in their lives at all. Nanny Liz really doesn’t want them to have her as involved due to a fear of her becoming too attached. After visiting her, Brian ultimately breaks down and invites Ava to be part of the baby’s life. It was a very impulsive decision, but he knows it will matter down the line.
Liz has a lot going on in her life. Her son Matthew moved back home after losing his job and is driving Liz nuts because she feels like she has to constantly baby him. Derek isn’t a big help either, as he tends to play the “good cop” parent while Liz feels like she’s always the bad guy.
Sean is doing great as he still has the food truck. He is trying to move on from his mistakes and rekindle the relationship he had with his family. He is also trying to save enough money so he can move out of the pool house. Jimmy and Alice don’t mind, though.
A life-changing moment happens for Alice; she is on her way to getting into college. A coach at a university on the other side of the country is in Pasadena to recruit soccer players for the team. She goes to Alice’s soccer game. Jimmy, Gaby, Liz, Brian, Sean, Paul, and many others are in the stands cheering her on. The coach takes a liking to Alice, and she sets up an interview.
During the interview, Alice visibly seemed upset about something and turned down the offer. Sean is the first to find out, and he is surprised. Alice makes him swear not to tell Jimmy, but of course, he ends up telling him. It is then learned that Alice turned down the offer because she is scared to go away; she isn’t ready to say goodbye to everyone. Both Jimmy and Sean urge her to take a leap, or else she will regret it down the road. Even though she is grieving, Alice agrees to this. The episode ends with Paul and Julie realizing their love for each other is very strong. They end up tying the knot, and Alice gets into that college.
This was a great start to the new season. There are many life-changing events happening for most of the characters, so audience members get to see them grow. It is very sad that Paul is getting sick, but the comedic elements are able to provide a nice balance. It is also very clear that all of the characters are there for him. One of the most unique aspects about this show is that the majority of the characters are incredibly likable and relatable, which makes for great drama and comedy.
Rating 9/10