It’s Not Like That Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Cold Salami

Critic’s Rating: 4.2 / 5.0

4.2

The romantic lives of these characters are certainly complicated.

But the familial dynamics remain most compelling of all, and It’s Not Like That Season 1 Episode 5 was no exception as the hour focused on both.

Interestingly, this installment had us spending more time with the Soto and Jefferies kids, which was a nice reprieve, too.

It’s easy to look back on childhood and adolescence with the perspective we have as adults, and for the most part, things don’t seem that bad now that we’ve overcome them and have distance.

But what was nice about this our was how it really embodied the complexities of that stage of life for its younger characters, allowing them to be very human, even when they can be frustrating at times, too.

Merritt and Flora’s attempts at navigating their romantic relationship were messy and far from simple.

They were destined for mixed messages and communication issues.

But just when it felt like there could be some contrived, standard communication plot points that become a frustrating trope, we actually get those satisfying moments of them talking to each other.

It’s been nice to see Flora truly come out of her shell and blossom. Something as simple as going to a party felt like a significant step for her, given her history and tendency to be a loner.

Putting herself out there is major, and she learned quickly that it didn’t have to be so bad. She fell into such an easy rhythm playing beer pong and flirting with Merritt. Their chemistry was off the charts, and they were in a social environment where they got to truly thrive.

It was hard to miss the sparks, a great evolution from the two of them snatching hands away and pretending like they weren’t falling for each other the moment they came into each other’s line of sight at school.

Alcohol has a way of lowering inhibitions, and there was less of a show to put on. As a side note, Merritt’s drinking is very much concerning.

Of course, it led to Merritt’s ex approaching him and the two kissing.

Sadly, Flora didn’t watch them long enough to see Merritt realize it wasn’t what he wanted and gently push his ex away. She just basked in how troubling it was that maybe he didn’t feel half as fondly for her as she did for him.

I’m truly glad they finally talked, and he didn’t mince words when it came to explaining how important Flora is to him and why their relationship matters so much, given the timing in his life.

The idea that Flora is the only thing that makes sense to him carried a lot of emotional weight on its own.

They can’t figure everything else out in the world around them, but they know that they feel most themselves and happiest in the presence of each other.

I’m curious to see if Pen will spill the beans about them and how their parents will react to this new phase in their relationship.

Lori unwittingly fueled it by encouraging Flora in her time of need, when she was vulnerable and hurt.

The moment those two shared was one of the best of the hour.

And the timing of it played out well, too, considering that Lori had just been reflecting on Jenny and how she’d want her to be happy and remember to prioritize and look after herself instead of only pouring all of her energy into her loved ones all the time.

Malcolm genuinely tries to have these heart-to-heart moments with his children, and he’s had them with Flora, but it was sweet to see her just confide in Lori, and the two bond over missing Jenny, the boys, and the unknown.

It’s no easier to understand men, and one’s romantic life at 40-something, than it is as a teenager, and the prospect of grabbing a bite to eat and just talking was great. The moment was great because it offered a peek into how valuable Lori is to the Jeffries kids.

Her being around to help, especially for these young ladies as they come into their own, is exactly what Jenny would have wanted and hoped for.

It works both ways, too. It was amusing to see Pen jump right into action, helping out when Lori was confused about Cuppa Joe and where she stood with him. In small ways, her daughter and Pen were able to fill some of the void that Jenny left behind.

And Casey also shows that she could be such a great friend to Pen if she just let her be.

I maintain that Pen’s biggest issue with Casey is that the latter is so settled into herself, her identity, and self-assured, and that’s intimidating to Pen.

Pen doesn’t know how to handle that, and jealousy is a close cousin to admiration after all.

She hurt her wrist because it bothered her that even her teammates were admiring Casey’s athleticism and cheering her in, and Pen was trying to prove herself.

Her wrist looks bad, though. It’s no wonder any of the adults haven’t noticed it, but Casey is so perceptive.

She’s right in that if she doesn’t look after it now, she’ll do more damage, and she still won’t be any good during a routine.

If anything, she’ll be jeopardizing her safety and that of others.

Pen has glimmers of softness and can be such a sweet girl; she helps both her father and Flora with their appearance, and helps Lori, too, are all prime examples.

But then she treats Casey terribly, is threatened by Casey’s dynamic with Justin, and gets rude, and it just frustrates.

But Casey also delivered one of my other favorite moments from the hour when she was with her father.

David slipped up during It’s not like that Season 1 episode 4 , but I’m impressed by how he’s handling it. He dove right back into working the program, and he’s taking accountability. His way of explaining his screw-ups to his kids was very direct and honest.

And it was refreshing. He handled it brilliantly, especially when he gave Casey his first-year chip and asked her to hold onto it for him until he reached that milestone again. It gets her invested in the process, but it’s also a pledge to her.

He made it known that he’s holding himself accountable to and for her. It’s a promise he intends to keep. You can tell Lori has some concerns about him potentially relapsing again.

But what was nice was that Casey seems to understand things better than her mother may even realize. Reaching out to her father when she needed to get away was nice because it fosters that dynamic between them of actually reaching out in times of need.

Flora doing the same with Lori was great, too, leaning on those around her and trusting that they’d show up.

But Casey quietly stating they could go get ice cream right then was great for two reasons.

For one, she was spending time with her father when he needed it most. It’s no secret that he’s been desperately trying to reconnect with his kids, and he’s putting in the effort. Casey is finally meeting him halfway with that.

But for two, it felt like a nice acknowledgement that his sobriety is a day-by-day process. Sometimes, the reward is in fact making it through the day. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, acknowledging the small milestones leading up to the major one are important too.

Speaking of milestones, Malcolm continuing to date is a huge one for him, and what’s been nice is him having the support of most of his children in this process.

He and Grace are amazing. They have a really easy, nice chemistry.

You get the sense that they could really be something. The potential for them to have a really lovely romance rooted in something real and not superficial is strong.

She seemed genuinely interested in him and respected what he had to say about finding his calling, and even applied it to her call to teach. Grace is also understanding of his children and his job needing to take him away at times.

They even shared a great kiss.

Everything seemed to align just right, but that uncertainty with Lori still lingers.

Grace didn’t say anything outright, but she definitely took note of how he struggled to explain the degree of closeness he has to Lori these days, or how unusual it was for her to be hemming his pants.

And Lori’s boss definitely didn’t hold back, reminding her that she’s really fallen into this habit of centering so much of her life around Malcolm.

Now, she’s quietly grappling with her feelings for him as he seems to be moving on with someone else.

But his next challenge will be Justin. Justin is such a sweet kid with an old soul, and I love that banking appears to be a passion for him.

He was baking cookies for Grace, thinking that it was a gesture for his favorite teacher. But he had no idea that his father was dating her. Justin has appeared the most “fine” all this time, but this will likely be what pushes him over the edge.

It’s unlikely he’s ready for his father to start dating just yet, and the prospect of his relationship with his favorite teacher changing, as he fears she’ll take his mother’s place, is a whole new conflict.

Over to you, It’s Not Like That Fanatics! Share your thoughts!

It’s Not Like That streams Thursdays on Wonder Project via Prime Video

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