Ep 18. Down Time

Tessa is a sharp, smart-mouthed teenage girl whose father, George, uproots their life from the Big Apple to move to the suburbs of Chatswin after she discovers a box of condoms in her bedroom. In the eighteenth episode of the first season, Tessa is bored in the Chatswin suburbs with nothing to do since her friends are all busy with their own things.

George, being the good father he is, tries to take her out to do things, but they all fail miserably. Tessa loathes everything about suburban life and being cooped up in the house with nothing to do is not helping her situation. She is feeling frustrated and antsy and is desperate for something to take her mind off her boredom.

Being the creative, introspective girl she is, Tessa decides she is going to take up painting. She heads out to the local art store and, despite the pretentious and snobbish attitudes of the people there, she manages to find some supplies and heads home to get started on her new project.

While Tessa is painting, George finds himself in an equally frustrating situation. After discovering a strange smell in the house, George decides to embark on a mission to determine the source of the odor, which leads him down a path of unexpected allies and foes.

As Tessa begins to paint, she finds that she is actually enjoying herself and becomes completely engrossed in her painting. Before she knows it, hours have passed, and she has created a beautiful piece of art.

Meanwhile, George's quest to find the source of the odor has led him on a wild goose chase, taking him all around town and into some very interesting places. Along the way, he meets some new friends and learns some valuable lessons about the colorful cast of characters that populate the town of Chatswin.

Eventually, both father and daughter come to some realizations about life in the suburbs and the importance of finding something that they enjoy doing to help them through the mundanity of everyday life.

The episode ends with Tessa proudly displaying her painting to George, who is surprised and impressed by her hidden talent. Tessa has found a new hobby to occupy her time, and George has discovered that, despite the quirks and eccentricities of the suburbanites, there is something to be said for the sense of community that can be found in small-town living.