Suburgatory Season 1 Episode 2
Suburgatory
Season 1

Ep 2. The Barbecue

  • TV-NR
  • October 5, 2011
  • 21 min
  • 7.4  (284)

Tessa, the 16-year-old daughter of George Altman, has moved with her father from Manhattan to the suburbs after he discovers a box of condoms under her bed. In "The Barbecue", the second episode of the first season of Suburgatory, Tessa struggles to fit in at her new school where her designer clothes make her stand out. Meanwhile, her father George (played by Jeremy Sisto) tries to make a good impression on the neighbors by hosting a barbecue. Tessa, uninterested in making friends with her peers, invites all her friends from the city, dressed in urban-chic clothes, to come to her home. They all make fun of the suburbanites and their way of life, while Tessa becomes annoyed with their superiority.

At the barbecue, George is introduced to the Parker family, who seem to be the most respected family in the neighborhood. George is pleased to get to know them until he is shocked to see that their teenage daughter, Dallas (played by Cheryl Hines), is dressed in a revealing outfit to her own barbecue and smokes a cigarette, making it clear that not everything is what it seems in suburbia. George is disappointed to discover that even though the neighbors are polite, they gossip and judge each other just as much as the people in Manhattan do.

Meanwhile, Tessa's affluent and overbearing new best friend, Lisa, annoyed by Tessa's lack of enthusiasm for the school's social scene, hijacks George's barbecue and turns it into a pool party, despite the fact that no one brought a swimsuit. Tessa, feeling guilty for dragging her dad to this new life, tries to make amends and the two eventually bond over their dislike of the suburbs.

The episode plays with the irony of the suburbs, with the parents behaving like teenagers and the teenagers behaving like adults. It also touches on the theme of identity crisis, with Tessa and George both trying to figure out who they are outside of their familiar urban environment. The show uses humor and satire to take jabs at suburban life and its inhabitants, making fun of their strict rules and culture, but also acknowledging their shared humanity and struggles.

"The Barbecue" sets up the series with its main themes and characters, introducing the audience to the contrast between Tessa's city life and her new suburban world, as well as the colorful cast of eccentric characters that populate it. The episode also establishes the dynamic between Tessa and her father, laying the foundation for their relationship, which serves as the emotional core of the show. Overall, "The Barbecue" is a fun, irreverent, and engaging episode that sets the tone for the rest of the season.

Description
Watch Suburgatory - The Barbecue (s1 e2) Online - Watch online anytime: Buy, Rent
Suburgatory, Season 1 Episode 2, is available to watch and stream on ABC. You can also buy, rent Suburgatory on demand at Amazon, Vudu, Google Play online.
  • First Aired
    October 5, 2011
  • Content Rating
    TV-NR
  • Runtime
    21 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    7.4  (284)