The ending of It’s Not Like That episode 2 left us with questions. How would Merritt deal after hearing about Lori and Malcolm’s kiss? It’s quickly covered on It’s Not Like That season 1 episode 3, and he is not holding it in. Meanwhile, David starts to question if he’s made the right decision.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from It’s Not Like That season 1 episode 3.
We start the episode with a flashback, as Malcolm thinks back to the church yard sale. He’s thinking of how Jenny talked about Grace and the meaning of it, but the focus in the present day is about moving on. Malcolm is ready to give away some of Jenny’s things, but he also wants the children to make some decisions for themselves. That brings up a lot of feelings and thoughts about the situation.
Merritt turns to one person about Lori and Malcolm on It’s Not Like That
Merritt knows that he can’t keep what he’s heard to himself, but there is only one person he can talk to about it. I will acknowledge that he doesn’t lash out at Lori too much — the level of anger is about the same as it’s been from the beginning of the series, and I can completely understand his mental place right now.
He turns to Flora, asking her if he things their parents are hooking up. Flora decides to ask outright. Not quite if it’s Lori, but if Malcolm is seeing anyone right now. He denies it, and he’s not lying. He and Lori called things off.
Things take a turn in the episode, but Merritt is onto something. I just love that he continues to turn to Flora for help and support. The two of them are leaning on each other, and it’s just perfect.
At the same time, Merritt refuses to go to David’s for the weekend. Even Casey isn’t interested in doing that. They bring up all sorts of reasons why they don’t want to go, including the lack of consistent WiFi. While at school. Dakota is actually nice to Casey, sharing that her dad moved into the same condo place, and it’s known for a lot of divorced dads to go to. Hearing that, Casey is adamant that she’s not going. So, Lori and David need to come up with another plan.
Lori and David decide to attempt to bird nest
Lori hears about bird nesting, so she decides to suggest that to David. The children remain in their home, and the parents are the ones to switch houses. It seems like a great idea at first, but things take a turn during the night.
David attempts to connect with his children again by showing Casey some wrestling moves, but that takes an angry turn for Merritt, who storms out of the house to talk to Flora. After that, David decides it’s time to help with the junk closet, and that’s when he starts to think back on his marriage to Lori. He thinks of all the good times, and it’s clear that he’s starting to struggle with regret.
Meanwhile, Lori is struggling to relax at David’s place. When she puts on his T-shirt (because she forgot her own PJs), she starts to think of times with him, and she immediately freaks out. She decides to call Malcolm, who heads over there with some PJs to help talk her through her feelings, which include jealousy that David gets to reinvent himself with a new place, and she is stuck in the house that they bought together.
Of course, as Malcolm is leaving — actually to head over to David to help him through his feelings — Merritt and Flora see Malcolm leaving David’s place. Merritt points out that Lori is staying there that night, so is something going on between them? It certainly seems like it. However, it’s not that that really bothers Merritt. David getting his own place and the possibility of Lori moving on means that his parents aren’t going to get back together, and that’s what he was really hoping for. It’s hard not to feel for him as he deals with all these emotions.
Over at the house, after speaking with David, Malcolm realizes that he does need to move on. So, he asks David to help set him up with someone, and he does just that. There’s a lot of support for Malcolm moving on.
One thing the two adults do realize is that bird nesting doesn't work. They need their own spaces, and that means the children will need to deal with that. David does make it clear that they will head to IKEA, Target, and wherever they need to go so Merritt and Casey can decorate their rooms the way they want to.
Malcolm’s children realize that they do need to move forward on It’s Not Like That
Throughout the episode, the twin sisters fight over items. Well, sort of. When Pen goes through the room and is unable to find their mom’s jewelry box, she accuses Flora of taking it. Flora didn’t take it, but Pen won’t believe her. I don’t think we do find out what happened to that jewelry box in the end, but Flora does come with a peace offering — Jenny’s blue dress.
As the two come to terms with everything that’s happened, they head downstairs to help Justin (who ended up almost in a fight at school, but Casey brought that to an end) sort through the items. He has been focused on creating piles — keep, donate, unsure — and he would like his sisters’ help to do this. Pen sticks around to help while Flora goes out in her mom’s old car with Merritt.
In the end, the children come to terms with what they need to do. Pen even smiles as she sees a woman with a baby pick up Jenny’s old sun hat and try it on, leading to Pen suggesting that it suits her and she should have it. It’s such a mature moment and so beautifully written that it’s hard not to shed a tear.
In the end, Merritt decides that he needs to tell someone else about what he’s seen. He decides he has to tell David about Malcolm and Lori, and now we’ll need to wait a week to see how that turns out.
It’s Not Like That airs on Sundays on Wonder Project on Prime Video.