My kids made their own lunches at that age. (And did their own laundry.) Which might be a bit of the humor, depending on how it hits—that it's not just Scott who could take on more household-running stuff, but that the kids are not as dependent on her nonstop managing as they were 5 years back.

That occurred to her this ep.

A special complicating aspect of the mess is that both kids are more than old enough to make their own sandwiches. And do their own laundry.

Okay. I'm clicking open a pen…

I could see Josh becoming less simple, actually, as a plot direction, and thus transforming gradually (and after being single more than 8 minutes) into a reasonable final pairing. Finally move out of the faint clinging tendrils of his high school glory days into a more interesting adult. Per interviews Rebecca sees…

I have a suspicion that soulmates are sort of like assigned college roommates—238 people, pair them off by surface compatibility—and no one wants to stick out by expressing doubt. "Maybe you're not my soulmate; heck, maybe I wasn't that good. I don't belong here. I should be tormented forever in The Bad Place if…

I do really like that in the past few seasons, chefs are not fazed by vegetarian and don't have a meltdown about only searing animal slices in butter being 'cooking.' Some even opt for vegetarian when they don't have to, and both Jim and Silva really focused on highlighting fresh vegetables and won.

NBC has all the episodes up, unlocked, now. Presumably so people can catch up: Thank NBC!

I think Jason's idea of hell, and Jianyu's of heaven, might overlap. Trevor may well have set Fake Jason up with a quiet, bare meditation space where he can eat plain rice, and all attempts at playing EDM result in the murmur of wind chimes in the distance.

I'm with Shirley on comfort food—it's supposed to be rich and comforting. If you want to make it healthy, serve it with a bunch of vegetables.

Of the first six dishes, five were chicken. 6/11 overall. That was weird.

He started off adorable. Then he is adorably newlywed to an adorable wife he clearly adores. Then he did a lot of treadmill work to prepare for Top Chef; power lifts though he could never get visible results; knows Edna Lewis's postage stamp…

For a lot of positions "dull" is a plus.

I have the impression he's divorced. If his ex became vegetarian, or just good with the kid deciding "Did you know chicken comes FROM CHICKENS?!!!" rolling with it is the wise parenting move.

We don't really understand the point system, even assuming it actually works. There's a theory that you get points for inspiring others' good works, and so Chidi is there based on getting partial credit for every good act motivated by his example or philosophizing. (it might also explain real Jianyu, as silently…

And I like that the story isn't "and it made me noble, just like Real Eleanor." That open-hearted nobility isn't the only outcome of very or mildly shitty circumstances.

In an interview, Bell decided that "nap" was the best yogurt flavor.

"Is kind to me" is simultaneously something very important in a partner, and the rationale of everyone stubbornly incanting "I am being very very very nice to this person, and that means they have to realize that they have been in love with me all along." Janice's 635 thousand something songs and stories show this to…

I've been disappointed at how many Sherlock adaptations take the basics of Irene Adler's story—she outwits Sherlock and her other pursuers, and escapes while marrying a man she chooses and respects—and decide those elements are right out the window. They keep the beauty and the matching wits, but reduce her to a…

A lot of the problem, I think, is that we don't view health insurance in an "insurance" way any more. I have home owner's, car, and life insurance, all of which I hope—even fully expect—to pay for every year and not see a dime from. It's there for the rare worst case, and it only works if tons of people just like me…