‘SPEECHLESS’: Top 5 moments from episode ‘W-H–WHEELCHAIR P-L–PLANET’
Speechless picks right up from last week with JJ having to produce a film in one night.
JJ wants to attend film school at NYU. He has to complete his application and make a movie by tomorrow. He enlists the help of his family, Izzy and Kenneth. Maya is not on board with JJ moving to New York, so she boycotts the film project refusing to help. JJ puts sister Dylan in charge of keeping the production rolling.
The film will be called “Wheelchair Planet” and will show everyone in a wheelchair except for one lone person who walks instead. The ambulatory character (played by Jimmy) will be the odd one out, which will make a point about how we look at disabilities.
JJ wants to apply to film school in New York, and Maya is dropping subtle hints about her feelings in tomorrow's all-new #Speechless! pic.twitter.com/9FLhEtrTTP
— Speechless (@TV_Speechless) February 28, 2019
Things do not turn out exactly as planned, but JJ still finds a way to produce a film with his unique perspective.
Here are the top 5 moments from this week’s episode of Speechless on ABC.
I’m not the lowest box.
The family gets started on film production. They get resourceful when JJ insists they need a second camera. Jimmy reveals a security camera he purchased that is hidden in a teddy bear. Dylan finds a megaphone and Jimbo begins looking at the college application. Jimmy responds with both surprise and glee when he discovers that his income bracket is “not the lowest box”.
Put your fingers in my ears.
Some of the ways JJ tackles the obstacles of being non-verbal are so amusing (and effective!). Maya is being a sourpuss about the idea of JJ moving to New York for college. She begins sharing stories of horrific accidents encountered by wheelchair users in NYC. JJ uses his board to tell Kenneth, “Put your fingers in my ears”. He then hysterically proceeds to spell “la la la la la” on his board for Kenneth to speak while holding his fingers in JJ’s ears.
https://twitter.com/Speechless_ABC/status/1101660141475160064
Aha! No! It’s Mr. DiMeo.
Jimmy’s sanity takes a dive when he mistakes Izzy for Maya from behind. The dark curly hair fools him. Thinking it’s Maya, he begins massaging Izzy’s shoulders with words of consolation meant for Maya. The awkwardness that was already apparent between Jimmy and Izzy now looms even larger.
As if he could not be further traumatized, Jimmy mistakes Izzy for Maya again. He makes matters even worse when he develops a plan to try to fool Izzy into thinking he is JJ. If Izzy mistakes Jimmy for JJ, Jimmy thinks he will feel less embarrassed.
Jimmy sits in the wheelchair with a hoodie pulled over his head pointing to the word board. Izzy is almost fooled for a second but then responds with “Mr. Dimeo?” for verification. Without skipping a beat, Jimmy replies with “Aha! No! It’s Mr. DiMeo” assuming his scheme worked. Watching Jimmy suffer through all the awkwardness is hysterical.
Where’s the scene?
The group ends up at the school to complete the final scenes of the film. Maya encounters Dr. Miller who is at the school early for her power walk. The principal reminds Maya that JJ’s independence is what Maya has been working so hard for all these years.
Maya decides to help with the movie and things are coming together. They have the final scene to shoot where all the wheelchair users engulf Jimmy, the monster who walks. Dylan captures the shot from the air, or so we think. The family gathers at home to review the footage. The footage stops and Maya asks, “Where’s the scene?” The big finale is missing.
We learn that Dylan sabotaged the movie by not actually recording the last scene. She does not want JJ to leave. Maya reminds Dylan that she will move out one day, too, but that they will always still have each other. So, now what? Is JJ’s movie doomed?
https://twitter.com/Speechless_ABC/status/1101548859484852224
I made a movie about being DiMeo.
JJ edits the footage to highlight the uniqueness of his family. He documents their antics as well as their commitment to one another in trying to help JJ make the movie. JJ thought his movie would be unique if it was about disability. It turns out that it was really unique because of his whole family. He announces, “I made a movie about being DiMeo.”
Ray’s Corner:
We are hard pressed to find an episode of Speechless without some goofiness from Ray. This week Ray and Kenneth are both terrified about their secret activities being revealed on the teddy bear security camera. The two steal the bear/camera and Ray acts like he is performing surgery on the bear to remove the camera. He gently pulls the camera from the bear like a surgeon removing an organ only to find a message saying the film can be found on the “SneakyBearCam cloud”.
We now wait to find out what NYU thinks of JJ’s film. It is always good to see the DiMeos supporting one another and their high jinks make it all the more enjoyable! What were your favorite moments from Speechless this week?
Writer, interviewer in metro Atlanta. Always ready to talk TV and movies. Wife, mom, special needs advocate.
