Will & Grace Recap: “Grandpa Jack”

Will & Grace has always been an important show that tackled social issues without ever shoving ideology down a viewer’s throat.

“Grandpa Jack,” could have easily been the season’s best episode because Jack is so endearing to his new grandson. However, with the Harvey Weinstein scandal plaguing Hollywood (and the world), this week feels tone-deaf to the current issues relevant today. It’s unfortunate because Jack and Will’s storyline is so good that it gets dragged down by such a sad B-plot but nevertheless, it’s still a relatively fun thirty minutes.

Let’s start with the good first in “Grandpa Jack”: the arrival of Jack’s child aged grandson on his doorstep. Turns out Jack’s son Elliot moved to Texas and married a conservative woman who led to the two falling out of touch due to a big argument. Grandson, Skip, is excited at the prospect of meeting his grandfather which is why he sneaks out when the family is visiting the city. While Will is ecstatic at the idea of his friend being a grandfather, Jack is initially revolted at his age. However, he quickly realizes that Skip is gay, or very feminine, and the two bond immediately before learning that he’s being shipped away to a conversion camp.

At “Straighten Arrow” boys and girls are encouraged to follow gender norms as well as heterosexuality by their newly-wed counselors (played by Jane Lynch and Andrew Rannell). Obviously, the two are both fighting their natural attraction to the same gender, but Will arrives to trick Andrew Rannell’s counselor into a hot make-out. The scene is funny, but Sean Hayes steals the show in “Grandpa Jack,” during his heart-to-heart with Skip.

More from Show Snob

• The Santa Clauses season 2, episode 6 recap “Wanga Banga Langa!”
• Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 1, episode 7 preview: Non-spoiler thoughts for Part VII
• Goosebumps season 1, episode 6 recap: “Night of the Living Dummy”
• Beacon 23 season 1, episode 3 recap: “Why Can’t We Go on as Three?”
• Upload season 3, episode 2 recap: “Strawberry”

While Elliot argues that his father shouldn’t judge his family for their beliefs, Jack still chooses to sit down with his grandson to let him know he isn’t broken. Holding his face, the grandfather encourages the kid to always be himself even if his parents won’t understand him. It’s a speech that a lot of LGBTQ kids probably needed/wanted to hear growing up and Will & Grace executes it perfectly.

By the end, even Elliot is open to a reconciliation with his estranged father in “Grandpa Jack”. Turns out, when Skip announced that he wanted to leave camp, his dad finally saw the place for what it is. The idea of forcing his son to be someone he’s not disgusted him so much that Elliot took Skip out of there immediately. While his wife is still hesitant, the two ultimately decide to let Jack take his grandson to his first Broadway play. He’s so ecstatic that he cries and it’s nice to know that Michael Angarano will be sticking around the series a little longer.

The B-Plot of “Grandpa Jack,” is what crashes and burns pretty quickly. There are plenty of funny jokes from Karen about Grace needing to start dating again. While this is all fine and good, it’s Karen’s sexual harassment of her coworkers that is disturbing. In the age where sexual harassment in the workplace is still a really serious issue (just watch the news nowadays), it would have been nice to see Will & Grace discuss the topic with as much finesse as the A-plot.

Next: Will & Grace Recap: “Emergency Contact”

Nevertheless, the revival has been consistently funny and there isn’t a chance that one poor storyline will drag the series down in the ratings. With so many hot topics in the world right now, here’s hoping the show is able to tackle as many as possible to raise awareness.