FAMILY LAW – Season 1 Episode 5 – SPOILERS

Agigail (Jewel Staite) dreams about having sex with her husband Frank (Luke Camilleri), from whom she is separated. Then four things happen in rapid succession. The receptionist at Svensson & Associates quits without notice; Lucy (Genelle Williams) peeks out of the shower to discover her mother-in-law Shirley (Jessica Van Der Deen) taking a crap; Danielle (Yvonne Chapman) suggests that she and her fiancé Daniel (Zach Smadu) open a joint bank account; and Harry’s lover Carmen (Laura Soltis) walks into his office and tells him he gave her the clap.

With her parents visiting, Maggie (Ali Liebert) has been working 12-hour shifts, leaving her wife Lucy to deal with most of that. The previous episode (“Mama Don’t Preach“) dealt with Maggie’s desire to have children and Lucy’s lack of enthusiasm for that idea, so Maggie’s absence during her parent’s stay might be related to that. Maggie wants to have kids, and wants Lucy to understand why.

Daniel has a history of breaking off relationships before they qualify as common law. He moved in with Danielle almost two years ago, so it is not unexpected that the thought of sharing his finances gives him pause. After Abby explains to him how having children will change his life, he goes jogging and gets what he believes to be a vision of his own future as he watches a bickering couple and their child. Daniel returns home and breaks off his engagement.

Harry (Victor Garber), who has had three marriages, seems to have more difficulty relating to his first wife and their daughter Abigail than to his subsequent spouses and their children. We have not yet seen his second wife (Daniel’s mother). Wife number three (Lucy’s mom) is deceased. Harry wants offspring without wives, but his kids are not like that. Daniel and Lucy want wives without offspring. Abby is the only one who fantasizes about being married with children.

This week’s client is Ira Rubinek (Brian Markinson), whose daughter Miriam (Carmel Amit) went to school with Daniel. Ira’s wife suffers from Alzheimer’s and is institutionalized. Ira is dissatisfied with his wife’s treatment wants her moved to a different facility, but Miriam has power of attorney and disagrees. While this case is brewing, and because Svensson & Associates has no receptionist, Harry is served with a lawsuit launched by Carmen. To avoid unwanted publicity, Harry asks Abigail to represent him. Carmen, coincidentally, is represented by Abigail’s old firm (the one that fired her).

Both Maggie and Lucy are (perhaps overly) relieved when Maggie’s parents go home.

MAGGIE: “So this is what happens? You have kids. You give them everything. You love them to bits, and then they grow up and can’t wait to get rid of you.”
LUCY: “Seems to be the natural order of things. I guess that’s one in my column for not having kids.”

Maggie gives her an exasperated look, and walks off in a huff. We hear the song “Another Life” by Flower Face.

“‘Cause I loved you then and I love you now
What does this all mean, what’s it all about?
If it’s not enough we can let it die
And I will see your face in another life”

Abby impresses her old boss by getting Candace to accept Harry’s settlement offer along with a genuine apology from him. Meanwhile, in court, Daniel wins the case for Ira when Abby introduces surprise evidence, which was a surprise to Ira as well, because it was misleading, and was not contested by the other side. One is not sure if even Daniel was aware that Abby planned to introduce that evidence. Despite Abby’s unconventional and probably unethical approach to things, it all works out. Ira and his daughter resolve their disagreement outside of court.

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Seasons One through Three of FAMILY LAW cam be streamed on The CW.
In Canada, Season Three will begin airing on Global TV this winter.
In Australia, Seaaons Two and Three can be streamed on 9Now.