I wonder what's keeping your brother.
[ Sighs ] Oh.
Okay, everybody else has a boyfriend.
I can't at least have a roll?
No one eats before Freddie gets here.
Otherwise, it's not family dinner.
Oh, so it's like the opposite of Olive Garden.
"If you're here, you're not family."
No one gets a roll. Danny has one.
Oh, what the hell, man? I'm hungry.
We're all hungry, Danny. Check your privilege.
[ Sighs ]
Okay, well, I can't just wait around all night.
I could be hanging out with Nick.
My boyfriend.
That's right. Nick's my boyfriend now.
Did you ever tell him you just wanted him for sperm?
Of course not, Sharon.
He's Nick Harper.
I have to be very selective
about the information I share with him.
Nick remembers me as the valedictorian from high school,
not someone who holds parking spaces for extra cash.
[ Gasps ] Oh, my God. I found gum in my pocket.
I'll give you $1,000 for it.
Sorry, outside food counts as food.
[ All sighing ] Everybody, just relax.
Freddie will be here soon,
and we can enjoy a nice dinner as a family.
Oh, I knew he'd come for me.
[ Sighs ] That's it. I'm eating.
I'm sorry we're late.
That's okay. [ Door closes ]
You guys are here now. That's all that matters.
Yeah, it's my fault.
Lunch ran long with my family.
Lunch always runs long with my family. [ Chuckles ]
Lunch?
Were we sitting here so long it rolled into tomorrow?
No, they just like to make a whole day of it.
We tried to get out of there,
but then everybody started telling stories,
and then they pulled out the guitars.
It was amazing.
I‐I was in the middle of a conga line.
I thought it was the line for the bathroom,
but then it just took off.
[ Chuckles ]
Celia, I‐I thought you came from a broken home.
Oh, it's pretty broken.
Like cousin Maria's punch bowl.
[ Both laugh ]
No, but really.
Oh, I mean, there are divorces, step‐siblings, new mommies,
and one baby uncle, but, you know,
bring them all together, and they just
really know how to have a good time.
What's a baby uncle?
Oh, a baby uncle is what happens
when you have a 29‐year‐old stepgrandmother.
I would watch that show. Mm‐hmm.
I'm eating this roll.
I don't care if it ends our friendship.
Okay, fine. Let's eat.
Freddie, I made your favorite, baked ziti.
And I burned the edges a little, just the way you like.
And also the middle and the top.
Thanks, but I'm still kind of full from lunch.
Celia's family had three whole tables full of food.
I've never seen anything like it.
And it wasn't even a special occasion.
It was just a regular lunch.
Who roasts a whole pig for regular lunch?
It was crazy.
And then I looked into his eyes, and it was sad.
But then I tasted it, and it was delicious.
I love food that's sad and delicious.
[ Chuckles ]
Can we please stop talking about lunch now?
You're gonna make dinner jealous.
We're here to have our own fun.
Okay, okay, but real quick,
let me show you this picture
of Celia's baby uncle in a bolo tie.
Right?
Show me the picture.
Oh, send it to me.
♪♪
Eight‐hour feasts and conga lines?
Celia completely misrepresented herself.
My favorite thing about her was her broken home.
You want to take that again? You know what I mean.
It meant that I would always have the better family.
The fun family.
In every couple, one side is the favorite,
the other is the obligation.
I thought I was a shoo‐in for the favorite.
Which is why I haven't been trying very hard.
This has been you not trying hard?
[ Scoffs ] When Ted Jr. got married,
I didn't know which side of the family I was
until I got to the wedding.
That's when her family gave them a lake house
next to their lake houses.
Now they got Ted Jr. for Thanksgiving,
and I get a "video hug" on my birthday.
[ Scoffs ] See? I don't want that.
I thought I already won.
Won what? It's not a contest.
That's what the loser family says.
Uh, I don't have a loser family.
[ Chuckles ]
Where did you spend the holidays
when you and Cheryl were still married?
With hers, but that's only 'cause my family ‐‐
Oh.
Loser.
♪♪
Can you believe I've been in LA this long
without a single game night?
Yeah, well, I've been in LA for three weeks,
and the only celebrity I've seen is Rick Fox.
And for some reason, I've seen him six times.
I stopped getting excited six times ago.
[ Chuckles ]
We never had game nights growing up.
My mom always said they were the devil's work
and are just a gateway drug to Ouija boards and naked Twister.
Ooh, I want to go to your mom's game night.
No.
Tonight is gonna be the best game night.
It has to be.
I've got to remind the kids that we're the better family.
Back in Iowa, our game nights were legendary.
We used to call them the Raines Games.
[ Chuckles ] In high school,
Freddie used to stay home on a Saturday night
just to play games with me.
I've seen pictures of him in high school, and, uh,
I don't think that's why he had to stay home.
Oh, my gosh, I just realized ‐‐ the teams are uneven.
Oh, that's okay.
I've been your teammate for 20 years.
I'll let Danny handle it tonight.
I'll be the scorekeeper.
And for the record, I can be bought.
Torch accepted.
It is about to get [snaps fingers] hot.
Oh, the other teams are gonna be in trouble tonight. Mm‐hmm.
We've got a good connection.
We are so good, we can...
Win.
Finish each other's sentences.
Dammit, Danny, get your head in the game.
We're gonna start with a game of Celebrity.
Ooh, what's Celebrity?
Is that when we all do celebrity impressions?
Because I do a really good Viola Davis.
[ As Viola Davis ] "How. To Get Away.
With Murder." [ Gasping ]
That was excellent. I know.
I was like, "Where did Lane go?"
[ Chuckling ] Yeah. But no.
Celebrity is a game where you try to guess a celebrity
based on your teammate's clues.
The first round, you can use as many words as you want,
but the second round, you can only use one word.
That's when it gets really fun.
Let's do this!
[ Normal voice ] Please don't do that.
I didn't grow up with sports. Sorry.
[ Door opens ]
Hey, Mom. We're here.
Why are you dressed like
T.J. Maxx "Queen's Gambit"? [ Door closes ]
Are ‐‐ Are ‐‐ Are those nude pantyhose?
No, I just finally shaved my legs.
Ah.
Um, Nick, of course you know my mother,
and this is her best friend, Sharon,
who's on holiday from Waterloo.
And this is Danny,
who owns this delightful abode. [ Chuckles ]
Also known as the garage.
The bedroom still smells like a muffler.
Are you the one who wrote that review?
Mm‐hmm.
It's so nice to be here, Mrs. Raines.
Thanks for inviting me. I didn't.
I mean, nice to see you. [ Chuckles ]
The teams are uneven again.
You have to play. I don't want to play.
I want to be scorekeeper.
Scorekeeper gets to drink.
I'd also like to be scorekeeper.
[ As Viola Davis ] "How. To get away.
With drinking."
[ Chuckling ] Oh.
Nick, let me get you something from the kitchen.
No, Jackie, let me get you something.
You've been volunteering all day. [ Chuckles ]
She's amazing.
She won't let anyone do anything for her.
[ Normal voice ] Uh‐huh.
Where do you volunteer these days, Jackie?
Children... with pets...
who need legs.
Children with pets who need legs!
Do the children need legs, or do the pets need legs?
We're not allowed to ask. Ah.
Uh, Jackie, will you help me in the kitchen?
Yes, it would be my pleasure, Mother.
Ugh.
So, Nick, how long have you been in LA?
I moved here after college.
And how many times have you seen Rick Fox?
None.
But here's something cool ‐‐
I saw an actual fox when I was hiking at Griffith Park.
A real fox? Well, that's boring.
[ Whispering ] Okay. What's going on?
Why are you being weird on family fun night?
[ Whispering ] What do you mean? I'm not being weird.
Nicholas, would you like your drinks on the rocks
or...sans rocks?
Whatever you're having.
[ Chuckles ]
[ Whispering ] See? He loves this Jackie.
[ Whispering ] You're lying to him.
Of course I'm lying to him.
I worked in real estate long enough to know
you have to stage a place to get someone to sign a lease.
I'm the model unit.
Then once he falls in love with this,
he'll be ready to deal with
the rusty pipes and the leaky basement unit.
Also known as my Taco Bell tattoo and my night screams.
When did you get a tattoo?
I wish I could remember.
Just get on board with the model unit
and sell, sell, sell, okay? Okay.
Well, I'm selling something tonight, too.
What do you mean?
Danny already bought you as a mid‐century modern.
He's not expecting [Chuckling] new appliances.
I'm not talking about me and Danny.
I'm talking about this family.
Tonight is about showing Freddie and Celia
that we're the best.
You sell me. I'll sell that.
Ah! That point goes to Danny and Jean.
Damn right it does! [ Chuckles ]
Now, let's do something fun and switch up the teams.
Yeah, except us, right? 'Cause we're on fire.
And I do not want to be with any of these losers.
I think we're okay with that.
[ Sighs ]
Celia, wait until you see
Freddie and Jackie together.
Oh, they're so good.
It's like they have their own language.
We used to call them "Frackie."
Oh, wait, so I'm with Nick now?
Mm. That works.
No, wait. No, that ‐‐ that doesn't seem right.
They're both hot to game night.
New to game night. What?
Yeah, it's fine.
Nick, you're with me. Mm.
Okay, this is gonna be fun. Mm‐hmm.
Let the Raines Games continue! [ Chuckles ]
I'm going to drink every time she says "Raines Games."
I'm gonna drink anytime anybody says anything.
I'm on holiday.
Yeah. [ Glasses clink ]
He's an actor.
His hairline is the shape of a toaster.
David Schwimmer. Yes.
Dunkin' Donuts.
Ben Affleck. Yes!
I never remember his name.
Michael Bublé. Yes!
Whoo! Time.
That is gonna be hard to beat.
Yeah! Who's the loser now?
Suck it, suck it, suck it, suck it, suck it, suck it!
Okay, I'm glad you're having fun,
but don't tell my family to suck it.
Okay, sorry. I withdraw my suck‐its.
Celia and Nick, you're up.
Okay. [ Clears throat ]
Um, no idea. Pass.
Ugh, I hate him. Pass.
Okay. Ooh, okay.
She's that girl from the TV.
Um, she has the cutest bernedoodle.
Uh, she brought back jelly sandals.
[ Imitates buzzer ] Was that a minute?
It was all I could take.
Well, good effort.
Let's not forget it's their first Raines Games.
Mm, their first what?
Raines Games. Mm.
What kind of games?
Raines Games.
How ‐‐
Raines ‐‐ Oh, I see what you're doing.
Okay, babe, go, go, go, go, go.
Alright, Freddie! Come on! Whoo!
Here we go. Here we go. Come on, Freddie.
Oh, okay, okay, uh, uh, he was in that movie
that I thought I was gonna hate, but then I loved it.
Ooh, I know what this is. No idea.
Uh, he's big.
I have a poster of young him in my room.
No idea. I know.
I saw him at Whole Foods buying 20 chicken breasts.
I saw Rick Fox buying a pork chop at Ralph's.
No idea.
Uh. Do you smell‐l‐l‐l‐l what ‐‐ blank ‐‐ is cooking?!
Chicken?
Sharon: [ Imitates buzzer ]
The Rock.
Uh, Danny, help me get dessert. Mm‐hmm.
What was that? Were you trying to lose?
Of course not. I just didn't get your clues.
It doesn't matter. It's just a game.
What?
Okay, what's going on with you?
Nothing.
You know what? I think we're gonna go.
Nick, I'm gonna grab my purse.
Seriously, Jackie, what's going on?
Y‐You don't care that we're losing?
You're the most competitive person in the family.
I don't care about stupid things anymore.
I've evolved.
Jackie, you missed a job interview yesterday
'cause you were watching YouTube videos of cats
who are afraid of cucumbers.
Why is it every cat? It's like all of them.
Do they think it's a snake?
Okay, fine, I haven't evolved.
But you need to shut your mouth, because I'm doing something.
But you guys can't leave.
We haven't played Charades yet.
One word ‐‐ sounds like "brownies."
I made brownies!
Somehow, I have fallen ass‐backwards
into a beautiful relationship with Nick Harper.
The only way that keeps going
is if he doesn't find out who I really am.
So you've been lying to him?
Nonstop. I had to.
And I think he's starting to fall in love with fake Jackie.
She volunteers for charities,
drives an electric car, has a savings account.
I mean, I'm starting to fall in love with fake Jackie.
[ Chuckles ] Who's fake Jackie?
Oh.
Hey, Nick.
Bonjour.
Uh, what's going on? We gonna have Round Two?
We gotta have Round Two.
Otherwise, you guys won't be able to suck it.
Don't tell your mom I said that.
Celia, let's get out of here.
Well, guys [scoffs] you can't leave.
We're having fun.
Jean, I don't know how to break this to you ‐‐
I'm probably the only one that's having fun... [ Door opens ]
...and I'm not even having that much fun.
[ Sighs ] But this was supposed to save me
from computer hugs on my birthday
and holidays spent alone.
I'm not giving up without a fight.
Oh, my God. Jean, I knew something was up.
It's not a big deal. It's only one Christmas.
What's one Christmas?
Uh... What were you talking about?
What are you talking about?
You told me you told her.
I was going to.
Mom, we're spending Christmas with Celia's family.
Oh. Okay.
Well, I guess we know who lost this round.
Hey, you just lost your family.
But we won everything else.
Mm.
What's Christmas without my kids?
Who's gonna crawl in bed with me
while I read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"?
Am I gonna have to settle in for a long winter's nap
all by myself?
Aw, that sounds...
You know, Jean, it ‐‐ it is normal
for families to grow and get more complicated.
And Freddie has commitments to Celia's family now.
Eventually, Jackie will have other commitments, too.
You know, there may be some holidays
where you're gonna have to be flexible.
"Flexible" is just the therapy word for alone.
You know, Danny, we're not all therapists.
Some of us are realists.
You know, people who keep it real.
Well, come on, Sharon.
You're a few years ahead of Jean on this.
How did you all figure out the holidays
with Ted Jr.'s wife's family?
Well, I wanted him to come spend Thanksgiving with me. Mm‐hmm.
He invited me to spend Thanksgiving with all of them.
I said, "I'd rather you stick me in the oven with the turkey."
And now I eat Thanksgiving alone at the bowling alley.
'Cause I like their stuffing.
Okay, Jean, you're gonna have to communicate.
That's really the only way to work these things out.
Okay, two things.
Sharon, you've been
having Thanksgiving dinner at the bowling alley?
I invite you every year.
Your stuffing's dry.
What's the second thing?
Danny's right.
I think we need the Raines Stick.
Ooh, she's bringing out the big guns.
But ‐‐ But not a gun, right?
Better.
We made the Raines Stick as a way to communicate.
The rules are simple.
Whosever holding the stick has to talk about their feelings.
Oh.
Oh, that's actually a real group exercise
we use in, uh, interventions and family therapy.
You get three points for crying, minus two for yelling,
and you lose your turn if you blame your mother.
Well, in therapy,
we call blaming your mother a breakthrough.
And you just lost 30 points. [ Stick rattles ]
Damn it! Why are you so competitive?
Oh, I don't know. I blame my ‐‐
Never mind.
♪♪
[ Stick rattles ]
My place.
Lane, we have to go.
What a weird family.
♪♪
[ Stick rattles ]
My place. No.
[ Sighs ] You can't say no to the Raines Stick, Celia.
Of course you can't.
♪♪
[ Stick rattles ]
Welcome to the first Los Angeles Raines Stick circle.
I'm gonna lay out a few ground rules.
Unless you're the scorekeeper ‐‐ that's me ‐‐
there's no talking unless you're holding the stick.
Can I be scorekeeper, too? No talking without the stick.
This isn't a game.
Then why is there a scorekeeper?
Okay, I'll go first.
[ Chuckles ]
I think you all know how important game nights
and Sunday dinners and all the holidays are to me.
That's what keeps us connected, keeps us close,
and I'm not ready to give some of them up.
So I just want to say that I'm willing to
let you guys spend another holiday with Celia's family,
but I'm keeping Christmas.
Okay, can I have the stupid stick?
You lose two points for insulting the stick,
but go ahead.
Thank you. [ Sighs ]
Jean, we see you practically every day.
And it's great.
I love that you've made me a part of your family.
I just want my family to have the same opportunity
with Freddie ‐‐ to make him a part of ours.
And I'm sorry, but you're just gonna have to get used to
the fact that we have to share some holidays from now on.
So...we are spending this Christmas with my family.
It's not your decision.
[ Gasps ]
Oh, sorry.
[ Gasps ]
But how could Christmas not be my decision?
I'm Santa.
Okay, Freddie promised that from now on,
we would split all holidays evenly.
It's only fair.
You guys just couldn't let me be happy, fake Jackie.
Happy, fake Jackie was doing great with Nick.
Happy, fake Jackie was making love with Nick
on a nightly basis.
1,000 points for Jackie.
[ Grunts ]
I wasn't gonna say anything, but I was planning on
taking everyone to Hawaii for Christmas.
Mom. And I'm dying.
Don't even joke!
And I'm pregnant. Oh, Jean.
Okay, fine.
Oh. My turn. Wow. Uh, okay.
I'm, uh ‐‐ I'm more used to facilitating
these kinds of exercises, but, um,
might take a minute for me to check in with
my own feelings.
Um, whoa, let me see.
Let me see.
I think, first, I'd like to thank you all
for having me here. [ Imitates buzzer ]
Is there a time limit on this?
No. Next. I don't want to.
You've got the stick. You've got to talk.
Well, that's not entirely true.
Danny, you don't have the stick.
Okay, um... [ Clears throat ]
I'm trying to start this new family with Celia,
but I'm feeling all kinds of pressure from my old family.
Well, one member.
He's talking about me. You don't have the stick.
Danny, I'm not gonna warn you again.
Celia, I want to have Christmas with you.
Mom, I‐I‐I want to have Christmas with you, too.
Ugh, see?
Everyone is mad at me, and this sucks!
I don't think I really understand.
Just tell us how you feel.
No, I understand the game.
Together: It's not a game.
What I don't understand is why you guys
spend all of your time together arguing
about when you'll get to spend more time together
instead of enjoying your time together.
It's a waste of time.
I haven't seen my brother for four years,
so get over yourself and appreciate what you have,
'cause it could all be taken away from you.
By me, if you make me play another game.
[ Stick rattles ] This is a damn game!
♪♪
See?
Christmas can be any day you make it.
Aww, you're right, Cookie.
It doesn't matter when we celebrate,
as long as we're together.
Oh, I really like this.
Feels like Christmas back home. Ah?
You know, 'cause, in Australia, our seasons are reversed.
So you have Fourth of July in the winter?
Jean, we don't have Fourth of July.
So you just go from the third to the fifth?
Oh, we're messing with you, Danny.
[ Laughing ] Yeah.
Merry Christmas, Mom.
Merry Christmas, Jean. I made some buñuelos. Aww. Ah!
They're like a cross between a doughnut and a beignet.
My Abuela always makes them at Christmas.
They're almost as good as your brownies.
Oh, well, if you think my brownies are good,
you should taste my Christmas cookies.
Next year.
Because we're going to do every other, right?
Yes, Mom, we signed the napkin‐contract.
[ Chuckles ]
Hey, guys, Nick and I are here. Ah.
Yeah, that's right. We're still together.
He knows I'm unemployed,
and the only time he sees fake Jackie is in the bedroom.
And I'm okay with that.
Okay, guys. [ Chuckles ]
I even showed him my Taco Bell tattoo.
And what did you say, Nick?
Uh, well, first, I made a joke
about thinking outside the bun.
Seriously, guys, clean it up. It's Christmas.
I said I like this Jackie better.
Aww. Hear that?
I'm wearing shorts, and I didn't even shave my legs.
Aww. [ Chuckles ]
Alright, come on. We got Christmas beer,
Christmas wine, Christmas vodka.
We are going to drink until we see Santa.
This is a fun family.
A what? A fun family.
A what? A fun family?
Uh, it'll never be enough for her, Nick.
Come on.
[ Chuckles ]
Hey, Danny, do you know what this is?
Hmm...
It's mistletoe. I think it's rosemary.
Do you want to kiss me or not?
Let's do this! [ Chuckles ]
♪♪
Okay, so we're gonna try game night again.
But this time, no pressure, no weirdness,
and no whatever Danny was doing.
What ‐‐ winning? No one's gonna win?
Danny.
I promise I'll try.
Okay, so, how about next Thursday?
Oh, I can't. It's Nick's birthday.
Do we want to roll the dice that they'll still be together?
Freddie.
Oh, actually, we're out anyway.
It's my uncle's first birthday.
And then we have to watch my stepgrandma deejay.
Alright, h‐how about two Thursdays from now?
Nope, nope, we can't.
We got Jimmy Buffett tickets.
Yeah, but once he does "Margaritaville,"
we can go, right?
Jean, I'm not gonna have this argument again.
His catalogue is deeply underrated.
How about the Friday?
Ooh, can't.
I'm going to brunch with Rick Fox.
He finally wore me down.
Well, this is terrible.
We don't know how long it's gonna be
before we're all in a room together.
Guys, we're here now.
I'll get Taboo.
I'll heat up the pizza rolls.
Prepare to suck it!
Danny's gonna be scorekeeper.
I don't like who I am right now.
♪♪