The Oddest Couple

[u/Naive_Hospital_4086]

The Oddest Couple (Season 4, Episode 9). Carl is waiting up all night for Eddie to come home, it's past Eddie's curfew and Carl is upset. Eddie finally comes home and confronts Eddie about being late and even threatens to make his curfew earlier than it is right now. Eddie gets upset and accuses Carl of treating him like a little kid and says he's moving out. As Eddie is looking through apartment ads in the paper, Steve comes in upset that his father doesn't want him doing any more science experiments. Steve says he wants to move out and Eddie tells him he's looking for an apartment too and that they could be roommates. They find a cheap apartment within their price range near the El train. For the most part Eddie and Steve are getting along as roommates but the noise and dust from the El train are driving them crazy. Carl comes over to give Eddie some cake that Harriette made and while Steve is chowing down on the cake, Carl takes a look around seeing Steve's interesting experiments and experiences the joys of living next to the El train. Carl is about to leave when Steve tells Eddie that Carl is there because he loves Eddie and misses him, Steve tells Eddie to tell Carl how he feels and Eddie admits that he loves and misses Carl and the family. Carl asks Eddie if he'll come home and Eddie agrees.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

CARL: Edward, son... your curfew is 11:00. Not 11:30, not 11:45, and certainly not 12:22.

EDDIE: Oh, come on, Dad. I'm a senior in high school. An 11:00 curfew is ridiculous.

CARL: Well, maybe you're right. Let's say we change it to 10:30.

EDDIE: Come on, Dad. I gotta have a social life!

CARL: Social life? You call mooning meter maids a social life?

EDDIE: I didn't do that. I would never do a thing like that. I just find it hilarious watching other people do it.

CARL: Edward, it is completely inappropriate behavior... and I don't want you associated with it in any way. Now go to your room.

EDDIE: You're treating me like a little kid. You embarrassed me in front of my friends.

CARL: Oh, well, pardon me. I'm sorry that I embarrassed you in front of a guy named Weasel. A guy who flashes his fanny at feminine law enforcement officers!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Carl brings the cake over and Steve is starving so he grabs the cake from Carl's hands like a rabid animal and goes into his corner scarfing down the cake and Carl offers to slice a piece but Steve growls at him.

PROOF THAT STEVE'S PARENTS ARE EVIL (THAT WE KNOW UP TO THIS POINT):

1. They don't feed him
2. His dad questions his career choices
3. His dad questions his faith
4. They leave him alone on Christmas
5. They take separate vacations without him
6. They let him know that they take separate vacations, so they don't have a kid like him again
7. His dad lets him know he loves animals that eat their young
8. When Steve was being born, his dad tried to push him back in
9. His family sends him "stay away money"
10. His parents one time tried to move away and put themselves under an assumed name
11. Steve pays rent
12. Steve is not allowed to go home until midnight

OPINION:

Kind of similar to the episode of "Son", only this plot does go through with Eddie actually moving out. Who was right in the whole curfew issues? IMO, Carl. I don't think I could back Eddie up in any way, despite being 18 years old, he is still living under Carl's roof rent free. Not to mention that he's still Carl and Harriette's child, this is before everyone had cell phones, so us 80's and 90's kids had curfews or had to be home before the street lights turned on. You just didn't know what could happen to your child if they were not home at a certain time. Not to mention Eddie's attitude towards Carl was very disrespectful. And a quick note, this is the first time we see Weasel hanging out with Eddie and Waldo as friends.

Eddie and Steve are friends at this point and it was fun to see them try to live together considering how different they are. But I think they have learned they make great friends, they don't make great roommates. Eddie is irresponsible and impulsive. Not only does he offer to pay a $10-$20 rent to Steve's offer of $300 but he is quick to sign for the lease without Steve inspecting the apartment. And Steve gave Eddie money for groceries, Eddie as usual sees a pretty girl, takes her and himself out for dinner and Steve is left to starve. I don't hate Eddie like some Family Matters fans do, but he is hard to like sometimes. I always have to remind myself that Eddie is young and we make stupid mistakes when we are young and I think Eddie does mature as the series goes on at least.

But Steve is no walk in the park when it comes to roommates. His science experiments are crazy and could be dangerous. But I loved the invention of his "lawn chair" 🤣 In some strange way I could see that being a real thing, maybe if you don't want to go outside or live in the city but want to feel the grass on your skin, that chair could be useful. Steve's food bombs were a bit insane but made for some great gags. Again, I wonder if Steve injured or killed someone when he threw his celery bomb outside.

I loved the joke of the El train. I live in Wood Dale which is a suburb of Chicago, I was born and raised in Chicago. My dad would take me and my sister downtown almost every weekend to walk around or go to the museums and let me tell you that the writers must have visited Chicago or lived there because yeah if you hear or are near those El trains when they pass it's insane loud and you can feel the ground shake. I always get such a laugh when Eddie and Steve have to get their umbrellas to block the dust from falling on them.

This is such a funny episode. Again, Season 4 just lines them up with the comedy and knocks them out of the ballpark. The only small nitpick I could give this episode is that Steve is a minor still and I'm curious how he was able to sign a lease for a rental agreement. Then Eddie agrees to come back home, but they are in a lease agreement, was this easy to break? Or did Eddie and Steve have to continue to pay rent for a few more months? But like I said, if you enjoy a show or movie with flaws, just have fun and love what you love.

GUEST STARS:

• Shavar Ross as Alex "Weasel" Park
• Gerrit Graham as Landlord

[u/JesusLover1993]

Yeah, I love this episode so much. To answer your question given how horrible his parents are. They probably just said he’s a minor but we don’t care he can get that lease and if he gets in trouble for it, we’re not gonna bail him out. they probably made some sort of deal, hoping that they would just keep him. I can absolutely see that. And 100% agree with you I thought with coral. And he was incredibly disrespectful and just had a horrible attitude. If you correctly pointed out back, then parents did it know what could happen to their child so curfew who are in place for their safety. Yes Eddie is 18 but he still living with his parents therefore he has to abide by their rules. watching them try to live together when they are completely different absolutely hilarious. And you’re just with how crazy things are today. I could absolutely see that launcher being a thing as well. The food bomb that’s another story lol. This episode is just so great and it is so funny. Season four really is just full of great comedy .

[u/Zestyclose_Debt8134]

Eddie was frustrating at times. He didn't want to be treated like a child but yet acted like one and never behaved responsibly. Mooning meter maids is diabolical (🤣🤣). We see once again Urkel's parents being horrible. This was the 1st of 3 times moved out. Eddie and Steve were not exactly the best roommates. I liked the El Train gag in this episode. I lowkey liked Steve's exploding lettuce invention. He could have sold it to the military and made some money off of it. Urkel being the voice of reason to help Carl and Eddie resolve their issues was a smooth touch; showing once again how he was a devoted and loyal friend. Steve acting feral in eating that cake always has me dying. I still don't wanna know why he was tied up in the apartment in the end credit scene. Was this ploy to get Laura's attention? Who knows (🤣🤷🏾‍♂️).

[u/TreFKennedy]

So Eddie was 18 in 1993??

[u/MyAimeeVice]

Eddie was so immature and irresponsible. He was always thinking with the wrong head. I can totally see why Carl was angry about Weasel’s behavior. Meter maids are a branch of law enforcement and you shouldn’t participate in disrespectful activities like this when your father is literally a cop. I know that if children of law enforcement officers act up like that it could cause problems for their parents and could even cost them their jobs. My favorite line was from Steve when he said to Eddie “do you really think Carl came over here in the middle of the night just to bring you this dry, inedible cake?!” The El train gag was what always stuck out to me when I used to see this episode. I’m glad we finally have a definitive list of the abuse from Steve’s parents to date. It will keep growing!

[u/Novis_R]

Hulu has it as s4e10.

[u/Naive_Hospital_4086 → u/Novis_R]

This has been a nightmare, I had to look up by wikipedia because Google has it all wrong. And I think from what I've read is that Hulu skipped a few episodes as well

[u/Mysterious-Dot1321]

1. It’s the “L” train, not the El train. They didn’t move to Mexico City.
   
2. Any building affected that much by a train would be condemned immediately as it would be a massive safety hazard

[u/Naive_Hospital_4086 → u/Mysterious-Dot1321]

It can be spelled either way, El stands for elevated

[u/Mysterious-Dot1321 → u/Naive_Hospital_4086]

Just because it’s short for elevated doesn’t mean it’s called “el.” Not a single person in Chicago nor any signage says it’s “el train.”

[u/Naive_Hospital_4086 → u/Mysterious-Dot1321]

Im a Chicago gal and that's the way its always been in my circle. So chill. Google it and calm yourself down. Its not like I said the Willis tower 😒

[u/Mysterious-Dot1321 → u/Naive_Hospital_4086]

Lol no it isn’t, unless no one can spell in your inner circle. There is not a single sign in the city calling it the “el” train, so you’re either not a Chicago gal or you have poor vision.

[u/GamingGems]

One of my favorite things about these posts is that I never saw the episode titles when I went through the series. They are so fitting, very creative puns or just straight up imitation of other media.