Death and divorce affect everyone differently, and that’s certainly something we see on It’s Not Like That season 1 episode 1. How do things change for two families who used to do everything together?
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from It’s Not Like That season 1 episode 1
The premiere opens with the rush of everyday life. Two parents are simply trying to get their children up and out of the door for school, and it’s clear that not everyone is talking with each other. However, this is just the start of a messy moment of change for all.
Malcolm struggles with his first sermon on It’s Not Like That
Throughout the first episode, we learn that Malcolm is heading back to church, ready to give his first sermon since his wife, Jenny, passed away. She is a constant thought in his head, and he is struggling with grief. However, that struggle is healthy, as he isn’t pushing it down, and he’s allowing himself to open up to Lori.
What I love about the ending of this moment is that Malcolm also knows that people need to ask for help. That’s exactly what he does during his sermon. It’s not the type of sermon he would usually give, and instead, it’s a focus on asking the congregation to help hold him up, and it is the healthiest and most mature thing that he can do.
Of course, the church is there for him. It is the Christian thing to do.
Lori gets back into the dating world (but not by choice)
Meanwhile, Lori is facing her own dilemmas. Her friend Gail signs her up for a dating app, and she decides that it could be time to get back out there. Not that she really wants to right now, and we get that cute moment teased from the It’s Not Like That showrunners of Lori turning to Malcolm to pick a guy.
In the end, she decides on a guy with the name CuppaJoe, because she finds it amusing. She wants a man with a sense of humor.
Things take a turn, though, when one night, Lori and Malcolm both head over to each other’s places to talk. They meet in the street in the rain, so they decide to go for a drive. While in the car, they kiss, and it’s the start of something new.
Or is it?
When Malcolm finds Lori’s earring in his car, he takes it to her place. They need to talk about this.
All the children are struggling with change on It’s Not Like That
Meanwhile, we get to see how death and divorce are affecting the children. Out of Malcolm’s three children, it’s Flora who seems to be struggling the most. She is turning away from God, unable to understand how he could allow his mom to get cancer and die. And it’s such an understandable and relatable question.
There’s also a moment of understanding how some people can’t ask for help. Flora is stuck with her hair growing longer, and while she tells her dad that she’s just trying to see how long it grows, she eventually tells Lori that it’s because her mom always cut her hair. Lori gets it, and with that, she gently suggests that she help. Flora has someone else to turn to for these moments, and Lori isn’t going to judge her for not asking. That grace is exactly what Flora needs.
Penelope is struggling, as well, as she wants to figure out a way to fit in. When Dakota, on the cheerleading team, decides that Casey — Pen’s best friend — is the one to bully, Pen decides that she will follow through with the bullying as well. She is trying to find her place, but she also feels guilty for everything, from kicking Casey off the cheer squad to making fun of her for wrestling. There’s sure to be more of this to come.
Then there’s Casey, who now needs to find something else to do at school, and she chooses wrestling. After all, her brother can help her with that, right? She soon sees how difficult it is, but everyone ends up supporting her. Both of her parents turn up, her dad turns up, Malcolm, Flora, and Justin are all there cheering her on. As Casey goes down and looks like she could be pinned, Pen stops and encourages Casey to keep trying.
It's what Casey needs to prove to herself that she can do this. She is able to get back up and pin the boy in the wrestling assessment, giving her the boost of confidence that she needs.
Meanwhile, her brother Merritt decides to quit wrestling, and he breaks up with his girlfriend. He is angry, and all he wants is for his parents to get back together. When he sees his dad bring home a woman and he finds out that his mom is on dating apps, he gets angrier about the situation.
He feels like there’s only one good thing in his life, and that’s Flora. He’s able to talk to her in a way that he never could, and Flora enjoys spending time with him. Where will this friendship go on It’s Not Like That?
It’s Not Like That airs on Sundays on Wonder Project on Prime Video.