Just when it seems that The Mick cannot get any more outlandish than “The Grandparents” episode along comes “The Balloon.” A clown named Sully, a bad balloon, the family competing to see who can throw Ben the best pretend birthday party and Chip trapped on a shetland pony all combine to blow Granny Hitler out of the water.
The episode begins with Ben suddenly swallowing everything he can get his hands on and mouth around. Mickey takes him to the doctor who tells his worried aunt that everything should pass. At the appointment, Mickey realizes the kid is acting out because his parents are missing.
She also learns that Ben had a birthday the previous week and no one said anything. At home, while Jimmy cuts his toenails and the rest of the family watch television, Mickey goes off on Sabrina and Chip for not remembering their brother’s birthday.
Jimmy saves the day by suggesting that they tell Ben his birthday is the upcoming weekend and that they throw him a party then. Everyone agrees and Mickey tells Jimmy to find someone like the legendary Sully the Spectacular from their childhood days.
Mickey and Alba come in the house with a giant birthday cake and they practice their “happy birthday” rap. As they head to the back garden, they find that the entire place is full of balloons, rides, games and a slew of kids. Mickey also notices that Ben is not impressed by any of this.
Jimmy arrives with the Sully, who looks pretty bedraggled. Both Sabrina and Chip are derisory about the older clown until he “rips a bird right out of the air.” Sabrina is slightly less impressed but Chip is awed by Sully’s talent.
Sully is sent in the house and Mickey tells Ben to tell his guests to head in to see the clown. The kid phrases it a bit awkwardly “Hey guys, go in the house and get a clown to blow your butt.”
Chip tells Sabrina that he has gotten Ben the best gift ever, a real pony. Sabrina goes to bring the party back outside while Chip signs for the animal. He has the delivery man help him on the back of the pony. The thing takes off with a panicked Chip trapped on its back.
Sabrina finds that her brother is missing and so is the pony. She goes back in empty-handed and as Mickey is sarcastically telling her off, Alba tells Mickey that there is a problem.
The entire family, sans Ben and Chip, head upstairs to the bathroom and find Sully passed out in the tub. He has a syringe case and a spoon on the tub beside him. Everyone suspects the worst and Mickey pulls a load of balloons from Sully’s mouth.
At the end of this long stream of balloons is one filled with something. It lands on the floor and Ben swallows it. Mickey send Jimmy out to find some syrup of ipecac and he comes in with a bottle of booze.
Mickey then “goes in” by shoving her fingers down Ben’s throat. Everyone, but Ben, starts gagging. Meanwhile Chip makes it back to the party on the shetland pony. The tiny horse is out of control and heads straight for the birthday boy.
Jimmy saves Ben by throwing himself in front of the running pony. Sully comes down and starts eating the birthday cake. He explains that he is not a drug addict, he is diabetic.
Ben finally throws up the balloon and everything works out for the best. At the end of the episode, Ben swallows something else.
The Mick this week was hysterically funny. The scene in the kitchen where Mickey has her fingers shoved down Ben’s throat and Sabrina stands there gagging was comedy platinum.
So too was Chip on the back of the “out of control” pony. “Just kill me now,” he says miserably as the animal heads where it wants to.
This episode was a perfect example of just how well this show works as an ensemble piece. Everyone had at least one, if not two, star turns. Sofia Black-D’Elia and Thomas Barbusca killed it this week. D’Elia’s emotions flashing across her face during the “Do you want me to go to jail,” scene and her face in the kitchen was just brilliant.
Barbusca, on the back of the tiny horse, was beyond funny. Olson as usual effortlessly knocked it out of the park, as did Jimenez and MacArthur. Jack Stanton, as Ben, managed to make his character funny, confused and weird all at once.
The Mick is easily the funniest thing that FOX have come up with in a while. (Even better than The Grinder.) If you are not watching this irreverently funny comedy right now, you should be.
Cast:
- Kaitlin Olson – Mickey
- Sofia Black-D’Elia – Sabrina
- Carla Jimenez – Alba
- Thomas Barbusca – Chip
- Jack Stanton – Ben
- Scott MacArthur – Jimmy
Guest starring John Ennis as Sully the Clown.
extremely insensitive to portray an addict overdosing in the name of comedy. I stopped watching after the she tries to revive him. I see from what you wrote that he is actually supposed to be diabetic. It is still wrong to use a drug overdose as part of a comedy skit. I lost my son to a heroin overdose.
They should be ashamed of themselves. i won’t watch anymore of the series.