The annual Christmas choir competition brings out the real O’Neal spirit during the holiday season with spying, sabotage and sexual advice. In the end, however, Eileen’s choir manages to channel their inner Sister Mary Clarence and throw down a “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” performance that leaves us feeling all warm and fuzzy–just how Christmas is intended. And that’s the real gift from last night’s episode.
The Real O’Neals hit all the right notes with their winter finale “The Real Christmas.” What starts as a slow melody about Eileen’s competitive nature and plot for her choir to beat Sheila’s Episcopalian choir eventually crescendos into a festive and fresh holiday mashup of “O Holy Night” with “The Greatest” by Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar.
Why is it, when well-constructed mashups like these play we just can’t seem to help ourselves? We smile and enjoy the guilty pleasure whether we are willing and/or able to admit it out loud. It’s time to let go of the shame we feel when we give up on what we were supposed to do for the day and end up watching “Sister Act 2” on TBS. Again.
Before ending on such a high note though, there is some pitchy and unholy behavior going on. First, Eileen recruits Jimmy to spy on Sheila’s choir with a GoPro, but then Jimmy is forced to be a double-agent and spy back on his mother’s choir after Sheila catches him spying on her. When Eileen discovers this betrayal, she makes him be a double-double agent and has him falsely inform Sheila of what song they will be performing at the competition. Did you get all that?
The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree with Kenny’s desire for the spotlight as well. When newcomer Brett (Sean Grandillo) joins the choir and steals his solo, Kenny seeks revenge in order to get it back. By telling Brett wrong rehearsal times, pushing the sick member to cough on him and trying to get him to drink dairy beverages (very bad for the vocals), Kenny gets Brett to quit the choir, but only after Brett confesses he is also gay and joined the choir to be closer to Kenny. And then they kiss. Did you get all that?
Why is it, when we learn that someone actually likes us we feel comfortable enough to let down our guard and show some real vulnerability?
Back at home, Shannon decides to give her boyfriend something only she can give him this Christmas. Based on some bad advice, Pat assumes Shannon is giving up her virginity and, in his fatherly way, tries to let his daughter know that sex isn’t a holiday gift. Luckily, we learn Shannon made a Wes Anderson inspired mini diorama instead for her boyfriend, but Pat’s advice on sex didn’t fall flat.
When Kenny and Eileen realize how bad they have been behaving they decide to rewrite their Christmas tune and bless us with a get-up-and-dance musical hit. Kenny starts with “O Holy Night” and Brett enters from the aisle adding “The Greatest” lyrics for an honestly good song. It doesn’t win first place, but it does beat the Episcopalians.
The Real O’Neals highlight many ah-ha moments when we ask the “why is it?” questions in real life prompted by scenes in the show. Season two has finally found its groove by capturing those real life moments that we all relate to among the funny ha-ha moments. This is especially evident from the funniest scene in the entire episode–Kenny’s “I’m gay” montage. It is the show’s ah-ha moment by acknowledging Kenny’s coming-out theme for the series is overdone and too much. That we can relate to and are glad to see the coming-out based series coming into its own.
What did you think of the finale? Leave your comments.
(Photo: ABC/John Fleenor)
ABC’s The Real O’Neals returns Tuesday, January 3.
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