Ep 15. Smell the Umbrella Stand
- TV-NR
- February 7, 2005
- 21 min
-
7.9 (1,296)
Alan (played by Jon Cryer) is getting irritated with his brother Charlie's (played by Charlie Sheen) lifestyle, which involves sleeping with multiple women and not taking any responsibility. Meanwhile, Alan's son, Jake (played by Angus T. Jones) is having trouble at school, and his teacher suggests that he might have ADHD. Alan doesn't want to medicate his son, and instead tries to help him by changing his diet and implementing new routines.
At the same time, Charlie meets a woman named Mia (played by Emmanuelle Vaugier) who seems different from his usual flings. She's a professional pianist with a sophisticated taste in music and art, and Charlie is smitten. He invites her over for dinner, but is worried about what Alan and Jake will think.
With all these things going on, the episode revolves around the different family members trying to adjust to each other's lifestyles, and finding ways to compromise and work together. The title of the episode comes from a joke Charlie makes about how his fancy new girlfriend can smell the umbrella stand in the hallway, and Alan can't.
Throughout the episode, there are a lot of laughs and heartwarming moments, as the characters struggle to connect with each other despite their differences. Jake's ADHD subplot is sensitively handled, and there are some great moments between him and his father as they navigate their changing relationship.
As for Charlie's new love interest, Mia, she proves to be a potential gamechanger for the show. There's a sense that Charlie might be ready to grow up and settle down, or at least that he might be able to find someone who challenges him in a way that his usual flings don't. Mia is intelligent, independent, and confident, and she has a way of pushing Charlie out of his comfort zone.
Overall, "Smell the Umbrella Stand" is a fun, enjoyable episode that showcases the strengths of the show's cast and writing staff. It's not particularly groundbreaking, but it's a satisfying half-hour of TV that will leave viewers smiling.
