With only one episode left, Ordinary Joe has destroyed almost all of Joe’s essential relationships. Can they be repaired, or will the series end in disarray?
During Ordinary Joe Season 1 Episode 12, Rockstar Joe alienated everyone important in his life, and Nurse Joe and Jenny grew even further apart and closer to other people.
Cop Joe was the only likable Joe left on-screen.
While the other Joes made a mess of their lives, Cop Joe took responsibility and did whatever he could to help Jenny, Ray, and Lucas through Lucas’s surgery.
Part of him seemed bitter that they kept Lucas a secret from him until they needed something, but Cop Joe still showed to donate blood and talk things out with Jenny. He knew how to communicate.
Jenny never intended to keep it a secret as new flashbacks showed Jenny was always torn between her past with Joe and her future with Ray, who supported her through a rough time. As we saw in Ordinary Joe Season 1 Episode 7, Jenny had a speech prepared.
She reiterated how everything happened too soon, and she had big dreams she wanted to fulfill.
Joe: I always knew you had bigger dreams than me.
Jenny: No, they all included you. What I was going to say back then was wait for me.
While Joe and Jenny reached an understanding, thankfully, they did not cross a romantic line. They would have made things worse for Ray, who seems terrified enough that he will lose his family.
Ray is in an awkward situation since he raised Lucas, and he is Lucas’s father in every way that counts, but he felt like a failure since he couldn’t help by donating blood for the surgery.
It took guts that Ray admitted that his insecurity kept Jenny from telling Joe the truth. It was also telling that Joe freaked out the minute the lights went out, but Jenny and Ray were used to complications with Lucas’s condition.
Now that Joe has been allowed to see Lucas again, how will the dynamics change? Will he be just a family friend, or will Jenny and Ray tell Lucas the truth?
How much torture does the series plan to put Nurse Joe and Jenny through? They’ve been apart more they’ve been together.
Will any of Joe’s romantic relationships be intact by the end of the season? Jenny seemed happier winning legal cases in Atlanta, celebrating with her friends, and singing karaoke with Barrett.
While she admitted she missed Joe and Chris, Jenny also revealed that she grew up too fast.
Her talk with Cop Joe about dreams may mean that she had to get married and have a baby and put her dreams on hold.
Nurse Joe was also being tempted back home. He and Kinsley seemed like good friends at first. They both cared about Chris’s well-being.
She challenged him not to be so serious, which helped their adaptive clothing presentation. It was fun, and the department thought Joe and Kinsley were a couple.
When Chris asked Joe about liking two girls, we saw the parallels coming, especially when Kinsley spent the night because of the storm. They snuggled on the couch, discussing how Kinsley changed Joe for the better.
She kissed him. Will Joe stop it and remember his vows, or are Joe and Jenny doomed?
Rockstar Joe has become an absolute jerk while on tour. While he’s always been a diva, he’s now developed a full-on diva personality. He wouldn’t listen to anyone’s advice about the blizzard.
He cared about seducing the nutritionist, Dionne, and driving his dad’s old Porsche, which fit his new persona.
He alienated everyone else who dared to suggest that he make peace with Amy or postpone some tour dates because the storm worsened.
Both Kokoro and Frank grew tired of Joe’s attitude and quit.
Kokoro: There are 100 people that work on this tour. Just because your name is on the marquee doesn’t mean you’re the only one who matters.
Joe: Actually, it’s exactly what it means.
No matter who was to blame, Joe had no right to end his and Amy’s marriage on a voicemail message. The tour was in New York. He should have informed her in person.
Even if he felt their marriage was over and he had moved on, that was harsh. He accused Amy of never loving him, but did he love her?
He seemed to blame her for the miscarriages and that she miraculously became pregnant with Bobby’s child.
Amy was devastated and asked Eric if she was throwing away her marriage to have her miracle baby. She felt so alone.
Amy: At this point, I feel like I’m choosing my miracle over my marriage. I just didn’t think I’d be doing this alone.
Eric: For the record, you’re not alone. You have a village and that includes me.
Rockstar Joe’s drinking became so bad that he fell off the stage while performing with a pre-teen fan. He’d become the kind of drunk he hated in Uncle Frank.
Uncle Frank tried to point it out, and Joe dared to suggest Uncle Frank relax and drink with him. That is something an alcoholic should never do.
Frank lost it and quit on his nephew, in a similar way that Cop Joe and Nurse Joe wouldn’t enable Frank’s drinking any longer.
You know what, kid? I love you. I do and I promised my brother that we’d always look out for each other’s family. I can’t work for you anymore.
Frank
Will the DUI be enough of rock bottom to turn his life around and ask for help? Uncle Frank swallowed his pride and asked Cop Joe for help getting reinstated on the police force. It’s what family does.
Over to you, Ordinary Joe Fanatics. Will Rockstar Joe survive that crash, and if so, will he become a better person?
Are Nurse Joe and Jenny’s marriage doomed? What will be answered in the season finale? Chime in below in the comments.
Remember, if you missed an episode, you can watch Ordinary Joe online via TV Fanatic.
Ordinary Joe airs on Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.