Meet the New Boss - Recap

Adam finds Kristina making an amazing breakfast of "guilt pancakes" for
Haddie. She's willing to let him have some "comfort pancakes" from the
reject pile when he says it's his first day with a new boss, and he's
anxious. She didn't sleep last night. Kristina feels really bad about
how things unfolded the night before. Haddie comes downstairs and sees
right through the attempt. She passes on the pancakes, but it's okay
because Kristina bought her Hazelnut "guilt creamer". Haddie says
she'll take it black.

Amber is practicing a song when it's time to leave for school. Drew says
she wrote a song for 'the thing'. Amber says she's doing an open mike
night at a very small club. She doesn't need any advice, and they aren't
welcome to show up. Zeek offers to teach her some tunes by The Birds.

Haddie shows up for work after a time away. She tells Alex her absence
was due to SATs and student council. He tells her she needs a break. A
night out. He's going to take her on a real date. She says yes.

Adam finds a guy in the shop, carrying a skateboard and with Adam's name
written on his hand. Adam figures him for a delivery man and tells him
he can't use the skateboard anywhere on the property. The delivery guy
finds it ironic, since the company started out as a surf and skateboard
apparel company. Adam realizes he's talking to his new boss.

They get fish tacos from a street vendor. Adam made reservations at a
high-brow restaurant, but new owner dude says he can't stay sitting that
long. He came up with the capital to buy the shoe company by creating a
game. Adam plays the game.

Crosby is working on a play for the kindergarten class. Joel and Julia
arrive and note that the play is a disaster.

Haddie gets home from school and shuts Kristina out. Kristina calls her
back down to ask how her day was. She doesn't want to yell at Haddie
that she wants to redo her room. Haddie doesn't care about her room,
either. She claims she's not trying to bribe her. She just thinks it
would be fun for them to work together on it. Haddie is mad at Kristina
and verbalizes it. Kristina says that's fine. She'll be happy, and
Haddie can be mad. Haddie agrees to redo her room with Kristina.

Amber continues working on her song and is interrupted by Sarah who
claims she is there to pick up laundry. When Amber offers up her
laundry, Sarah says she is really just there to hear the song. She used
to listen to Seth's stuff, and give feedback. Maybe she can do the same
for their daughter. Amber agrees but says Sarah has to agree to be cool
about it. Sarah agrees. When Amber starts performing, Sarah tells her
she can't see her face. She's being very quiet, so Sarah asks her the
name of the song, and Amber says it's called the Graveyard song. Sarah
laughs at the title, and Amber decides she doesn't want to play for her.

Cory and Adam are going through the warehouse. He only knows what he
doesn't like. When Adam asks what he does want, Cory says pre-1999
stuff. Adam says "Before we got weird?" This makes Cory so happy, he
hugs Adam as he says "Yes!!"

Adam and Kristina are in bed, and she's playing Cory's game. He tells
her Cory made tens of millions of dollars from that game. She says he
hates Cory, and Adam says Cory should be working in a video store. He's
THAT guy. The scruffy kid, stoner dude. This could be it. Adam could be
out of a job. Kristina just wants to know how to work the game. Adam
gives himself a good talking to and decides he's going to try again
tomorrow. She continues playing the game. Adam says "I'm in hell. I'm in
frickin hell."

Haddie touches base with Amber. Amber says it's super easy to fix the
cell phone situation. She changes Alex' name in Haddie's phone, and he's
now Chloe. Super easy, Haddie is embarrassed to have not thought of it
herself. Haddie tells Amber all about Alex, and Amber can see why
Kristina and Adam made the decision they did.

Crosby is in Julia's office talking about how badly things are going
with the play. He wants Joel back, but he doesn't want to have to admit
he was wrong. Julia says he's going to have to eat crow, and ask Joel
for help.

Haddie finds Kristina in her room, showing her the paint samples.
Kristina asks her if they can work together on Friday, but she lies and
says she's going to the movies on Friday with Amber. They schedule
Saturday instead.

Amber is playing her music for Sarah and Sarah really likes it. But then
she wants a certain guitar lick in, and Sarah thinks she should leave it
out, keep it clean. She thinks that with the lights and the microphone
and everything, Amber's going to be nervous enough. Amber doesn't want
to hear it. She made Amber feel weird, and now she's nervous when she
wasn't before.

Zeek and Camille are talking to Sarah about what to wear to open mike.
They haven't been to one since Crosby was in a punk band called The
Burning Sensation. Zeek says he called Adam about it, and he knew
nothing about it. Sarah says they're not even sure anybody will get to
go. Amber says everybody can go, but there's a catch. She's not going to
be there. She's going to a movie with Haddie on Friday, and asks to
borrow the car. Sarah says yes, but no; what happened?? No big deal, she
just didn't feel like doing it. Sarah offers to take her to school but
Amber says no thanks. She'll take the bus.

Crosby arrives to ask Joel for help. He says his ego got the better of
him, and he doesn't think the kids should be punished for that. Or the
parents, for that matter. He begs Joel to come back or it's going to be
the biggest disaster in the history of California. Joel says he needs to
give it some thought. As Crosby is walking away, he tells him he was
kidding. Julia told him. He invites Crosby in for a beer.

Adam is at work and there's a party going on in Cory's office. Weed,
robots, gaming, loud music, etc. Somebody named Spider created a new
shoe idea. They have all sort of shoe ideas, but none of them are
logical or doable. Adam asks Cory into his office, and the boys give him
the "ooh, busted".

Adam gives him a cheerful earful about how this is a living breathing
company with employees who are petrified they are going to lose their
job. He asks Adam if that's how he feels, and Adam says that after what
he saw in Cory's office, that doesn't even begin to cover his fears.
Cory claims he knows exactly what he's doing. Adam tells him he doesn't
have a mission statement or a business plan. Cory says it's about
creativity, and it's not going to be that easy to figure out where they
went wrong. But he's going to be working on it, and he wants Adam to
work on it with him.

He tells Adam he likes him. He's a cool dude. He's smart. They're going
to go youth-oriented. It's going to be radical, and he just wants to
make sure Adam is up for it. Adam agrees.

Amber and Haddie rehearse their movie speech so they both say the same
things to anybody who asks. Haddie thanks her and says she will call her
when it's time to pick her up. Amber says she has to say something, and
she knows Haddie will get mad at her, but she has to tell her. She talks
honestly with her about Seth's drinking and drugs. Six months isn't that
long. Her dad went without for longer - and then he started using again.
Amber just wants her to be aware. Haddie thanks her.

Camille finds Sarah sitting on the floor in the dark in the laundry
room, worrying about how she hurt Amber. Camille tells her all she can
do is be there for Amber. She can't protect her. It's one of the
toughest things about being a parent.

Max is in bed reading when Adam goes in to say good night. He asks if
he's ever told Max he's a good kid, and Max says yes. Adam is lost in
his thoughts, and Max asks him why he's still there. He tells him Cory
thinks he's too old for his job. Max asks how old he is, and Adam says
41. Max admits that's pretty old.

Alex and Haddie go out on the roof to look over the city. He's set up a
couple of lawn chairs to watch a movie he's showing against the wall.
It's her third favorite movie ever. He called in some favors with the
security guard so they could have their date on the roof. They toast
with sparking water, to first dates. They kiss.

Amber is playing her guitar when Sarah comes in and asks about the
movie. She says it was fine. Sarah reminisces about how she plays a
chord funny, because her hand was too small. Seth taught her a
workaround. Sarah explains how she sees so much of herself in Amber, and
as a parent because you see so much of yourself, you transfer your
negatives to them as well. And it's not fair. She's very impressed with
Amber, and she wants her to just go out there and fly. Because she can.

Crosby reintroduces the kids to Joel, their most talented director back
from vacation. They are very happy to see him. He snaps the kids down to
quiet and well-behaved in no time. They all whisper-scream for him.

The whole family is downstairs, waiting for Amber. Zeek goes up to get
her. She has stage fright but he talks her down.

Adam tries to get his name out there as a job-seeker, but the headhunter
advises him that there's nothing out there. He leaves, and joins the
family at open mike night for Amber. Haddie gets a text from "Chloe" and
gently chides Kristina for being nosy.

Sarah tries to reassure Amber, who thinks maybe she should vomit so she
can feel better. Sarah tells her that if she gets overwhelmed, just
focus on mom and she'll be fine. Amber tells her mom that Sarah can fly,
too. She does her song, and it's awesome. She reminds Zeek of Seth.

Joel and Crosby work with the kids, Haddie and Kristina work on her
room. Adam checks in on them. Zeek, Sarah, Camille, Drew and Amber make
music together.

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