Quick Thoughts: THE NEW NORMAL, "Blood, Sweat and Fears"

The New Normal continues to be a show that I sorta like but want to love, and "Blood, Sweat and Fears" didn't really help its case.

Before, I've said that this show's better when it jumps off its soap box and focuses on the family aspects. By that logic, I should've really enjoyed the episode because it had zero politically commentary and a lot of Bryan and David coming to terms with fatherhood. The thing is, most of the half-hour fell flat. Bryan not having the stomach to be in the delivery room was too convenient, as was the rally to arms moment when David had to deliver someone else's kid. It all felt very cliched in my opinion, and Rocky's sub-plot about being in over her head didn't break the mold either.

I guess I liked the bits involving Goldie renting space to start up her own store because it was some much needed plot development for someone this show's forgotten, but the fact that she's been mostly a prop for the majority of the season meant that the last shot of her opening the door to her new space for the first time didn't have the impact it should have. If The New Normal gets picked up for a second season, Adler and Murphy need to figure out what to do with Goldie and fast... but I thought the same thing about Quinn years ago.

I guess in the end, "Blood, Sweat and Fears" wasn't an offensive bad episode of television. It was just kind of a bore, and sometimes that's an even worse transgression.