| “ | Great! Family game night ruins another Saturday. Mae just invited me for a Mae-ke Your Own Pizza Night. That's when you make pizzas at Mae's. | ” |
— Dawn
| ||
Family Matters is the twentieth episode in Season 1 of Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. It first aired on March 24, 2015 to 1.75 million viewers.
Plot
Summary
Every Saturday night, the Harpers have a family game night - Tom and Anne are crazy about it, but the quads hate it and want to hang out with friends instead. In hopes of ending the game night, they introduce their parents to a friendly couple of the same age, hoping that they will see them every Saturday instead. However, their plan backfires when Tom and Anne invite them and their children for a double family game night. The Harpers must escape from their own home after realizing that the family are weirdos.
Full Plot
It's a Saturday night and Dawn and her brothers have plans with their friends. But then, Anne and Tom ask the kids to stay inside for a family game night. Another perfect Saturday ruined by family game night. The quads can't take it anymore. They agree to confront their parents and tell them that they don't enjoy family game night. However, their parents guilt them into sticking around.
The following week, the quads figure out that the parents want to spend time with them because they don't have anyone else to hangout with. So, they trick the parents into making friends with another couple - Mr. Phil Milbank and his wife. Anne and Tom quickly hit it off with the Milbanks, thanks to the many things they have in common. Later on, Anne and Tom invite the Milbanks for the family game night the following Saturday. The quads are happy that the parents have someone else to spend the Saturday with.
Unfortunately, it turns out that the Milbanks have kids and are bringing them over for a full-family game night. That means the quads have to be there as well. The quads try to convince the Milbanks to leave by telling them how competitive Anne and Tom can be. But it turns out the Milbanks are even more competitive. As the games begin, it becomes clear that the Milbanks are very competitive and won't back down. To make things worse, the youngest boy, Phil Jr. keeps punching the Harpers on the stomach.
As the competition intensifies, the Harpers ask for a timeout to plan their strategy. They all complain about how competitive the Milbanks are. The parents apologize for forcing the kids to play with the Milbanks. But then the quads reveal that they are the ones who engineered the whole thing. The Harpers return to the living room ready to play. But when the Milbanks say "now it gets physical", the Harpers chicken out to go hide in the attic.
While in the attic, the Harpers are out of options on how to get rid of the Milbanks. Dawn suggests running out through the window but Tom decides to call the Milbanks and ask them to leave instead. Tom lies to Phil that they have gone to the hospital. He asks the Milbanks to leave but Phil refuses to leave saying that someone has to be left to watch over Squishy. The Milbanks call the police after hearing noise in the attic.
Out of options, the Harper sneak out of their own house through the window. On their way out, the Harpers run into the police. The police assume that they're breaking in but the Harpers insist that they're actually breaking out of their own house. The Harpers make it clear to the cops that they would rather spend the night in jail than go back in to face the Milbanks.
While locked up in jail, the Harpers have a fun family game night doing trivia about their relatives.
Cast
Main Cast
- Lizzy Greene as Dawn Harper
- Casey Simpson as Ricky Harper
- Mace Coronel as Dicky Harper
- Aidan Gallagher as Nicky Harper
- Allison Munn as Anne Harper
- Brian Stepanek as Tom Harper
- Gabrielle Elyse as Josie Cooper
Guest Cast
- Kurt Long as Phil Milbank
- Janelle Marra as Bonnie Milbank
- Olivia Sanabia as Jill Milbank
- Gabe Eggerling as Will Milbank
- Aaron Kunitz as Phil Jr. Milbank
- April Audia as Police Woman
Trivia
- This is the first episode not to premiere on a Saturday and instead it aired on a Tuesday The Same Day As The Hobbit The Battle Of The Five Armies Including The Hobbit The Motion Picture Trilogy Blu Ray Was Released.
- The second episode is Quadspiracy Theory.
- It premiered during the Nick Stars Takeover which featured new episodes of Bella and the Bulldogs, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, and The Thundermans, as well as the premiere of Make It Pop.
- This is the Season 1 Finale.
- The episode title is based on the TV show Family Matters from the 1990's.
- This episode marked the final appearance of Josie; who was then replaced by Lucy in Season 2. Then, in Season 3, she is replaced by Langer.
- This is the first episode where the Harpers go to jail.
- It is revealed the quads' have a uncle named Jackson and an Aunt named Wanda.