F is for Family Season 2 Episode 9 Pray Away

Frank Murphy’s life as a blue-collar worker in the 70s, married with three kids, faces more challenges in season 2, episode 9 of F is for Family. In this episode, titled "Pray Away," Frank's younger son Bill begins to exhibit disturbing behavior that his parents are unsure how to handle. Meanwhile, the family's oldest son Kevin has gotten a job selling shoes, which is not without its own set of problems.

The episode begins with Bill Murphy watching a religious TV show called "The Hour of Power". While Frank is skeptical about religion, Bill starts to become more and more engrossed in the show, causing concern to his parents. Worried that the show's preacher may be putting negative influences on Bill, Frank forbids him from watching the program again. However, this only causes Bill to start praying more and seeking guidance from the preacher.

Frank and his wife Sue then decide to take Bill to their own church in the hopes that he will understand the true meaning of religion. Bill is taken in by the service, but there is still something unsettling about his behavior. Sue becomes uncomfortable when she witnesses Bill trying to "pray away the gay" after hearing the pastor's sermon about deviating from the norm.

While this is happening, Kevin's new job in shoe sales presents its own set of problems. He quickly becomes disillusioned with his new job due to his boss's manipulative practices in getting customers to buy expensive shoes they don't need. Kevin also becomes aware of a secret competition among the employees to see who can sell the most shoes, leading him to make a difficult decision.

The highlight of this episode is observing how Frank and Sue navigate their son's new interest in religion while facing their own doubts and misgivings about the subject. The show does a great job of tackling the topic of religion without being disrespectful or preachy. It allows the characters to have an honest conversation about religion, and the influence it can have on some people.

Another interesting aspect of this episode is the introduction of Kevin's character arc. Up until this point, Kevin has mostly been seen as the school rebel with a bad attitude. However, this episode shows a more vulnerable side to him, as he struggles to find a balance between doing what he's told at work and his conscience. It's refreshing to see a flawed character who begins to learn from his mistakes and grows throughout the season.

Overall, this episode of F Is for Family does an excellent job of juggling the stories of various characters while handling tricky subjects like religion, sexuality, and corporate greed in a tasteful and humorous way. "Pray Away" is a strong episode in an already strong season, highlighting the strengths of the show's writing and its ability to create relatable, flawed characters.