The season starts off much like last season. Most episodes involve a problem that both the newlyweds, Steph (Kat Foster) and Jeff (Eddie Kaye Thomas) Woodcock, and the couple that has been married for 20 something years, Eddie (Brad Garrett) and Joy (Joely Fisher) Stark are involved in. What typically happens is that one of the couples (typically the Woodcock's) will face some issue. The other couple offers their advice based on their personal experience (or lack thereof). The couple with the problem follows the advice and somehow the other couple ends up with a similar problem.
Actually, while that formula was very present in the first season, it is toned down quite a lot here. While I enjoyed the formula, it was pretty predictable, so the shake-up is very welcomed. Instead, all four main characters seem to stand on their own a bit, like episodes like the one where the Starks' daughter, Allison (Krysten Ritter) and her boyfriend come back into town. Here Eddie (who was recently suspended at work by Jeff) has to look on as his daughter's boyfriend substitutes in his classes... and actually gets through. As a result, Eddie decides to loosen up and get back in touch with his rock-n-roll roots. Like I said, they break the standard 'Til Death formula a bit, even if they do fall into some of the more standard sit-com formulas as a result.
About halfway through the season, Eddie decides to give back to the community and become a Big Brother. But a computer glitch leads him being paired up with a 20-something Little Brother named Kenny (J.B. Smoove). Kenny forms the show's fifth wheel as a recently divorced man who can offer yet another perspective on the various problems that the show throws at the main characters. Interestingly enough, it's kind of hard to not see how much Kenny's role mirrors that of David Spade's character in the similar show, Rules of Engagement.
Other episodes have Joy and Eddie considering a vasectomy or a strange series of events that has Eddie and Steph going out together while Jeff and Joy also hang out. Awkward moments arise quite frequently from that episode as it feels like each person is dating their best friend's spouse. In another episode, Steph suggests to Jeff that they watch an adult tape together, meanwhile Eddie (and the rest of the teachers) think that this is an amazing opportunity for Jeff. Of course, when Eddie tries to suggest the same thing at his home... things blow up in his face a bit.
The Complete Second Season has a lot of good episodes going for it. Like I said, I literally barked out in laughter many times watching this show, and fans of sit-coms should enjoy the interaction between the five main characters a lot. While it is light on special features, it is still great to see.
