WrestleMania is three weeks away, and for Miz and Maryse this is the final stretch before their daughter is born. Miz is worried about missing the biggest show of the year, while Maryse is more concerned with cravings and swelling. Her only request is that Mike is present during labour, something the show has made clear he would never miss. If you want children and you're a WWE Superstar, timing is everything. Miz has no regrets, however. "It was the Fourth of July, you know. I got a hot dog, a beer, and a hot ass hot wife. What do you expect me to do? America!"
A new addiction takes ahold of Maryse this week, while simultaneously torturing Miz. A $600 Black Truffle Pasta tossed in a Pecorino Romano Cheese Wheel is the culprit. Maryse, in what I can only assume to be blissful satisfaction, goes cross-eyed with every bite. Her exaggerated facial expressions were tremendous throughout the episode. As we saw last week, the Mizanin's are, shall we say, frugal. Miz, looking to save a few bucks, decides to recreate the dish at home. As you can imagine, "Chef BoyarMiz" is not nearly as tasty, but the noble effort does not go unnoticed.
Marjo is back and has another hilarious outing. She's Miz & Mrs.' crazy side character, akin to Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm) or Rafi (The League). It's a tried and true sitcom staple. She never overstays her welcome and always does something memorable. On this episode, she accompanies her daughter to CPR classes, despite her very vocal hatred towards school. Not only do they show up late to class, but Marjo falls asleep and starts snoring within minutes. She proceeds to incorrectly apply the defibrillator to the manikin and callously exclaims that it's dead. The teacher suspects that she is drunk. I concur.
Back at home, Miz is upset that he failed to attend the course. He says that he is a "100% kind of guy." We see this later in the episode when he changes his schedule to go stroller shopping. As someone who has a similar car seat, it was amusing to see how much he struggled taking it out of the vehicle. Just pull the latch, man! Back to the CPR fallout, though. Marjo instigates by going around calling herself the new daddy. An annoyed Miz chases her outside and sprays her with water. In a retaliation made for the SRS File, Marjo throws dog poop on his newly washed Audi.
The show manages to balance the lightheartedness with serious life discussions. Maryse is informed by her doctor that she will require a Caesarean section because of a previous back operation. She is not sure how she feels about it. The baby's health remains their primary concern. They go to see their doctor to ask questions about how to proceed. You can tell that the Miz is nervous by the comments he is making. He's seeking reassurance, wanting to make sure that everything will turn out okay. You can feel the emotion of that appointment while watching the scene.
We end in earnest, once again, like an episode of Full House, with Mike and Maryse at the dinner table having a heart-to-heart conversation. Miz even bought them both a plate of that fancy spaghetti, of which Maryse was not allowed to eat (doctors orders). I'm sure he wishes he knew that beforehand. He feels that he is letting Maryse down by being on the road all the time and wants everything to be perfect for her. After teasing an envelope, we learn that Miz, with the help of Dolph Ziggler, earned his Infant CPR Certificate one night before an event. The kicker, he did it in his gear.
With that, we've reached the halfway point of Miz & Mrs.' debut season, and so far I can't complain. The half-hour runtime keeps the pace breezy, and the tone never wavers. The characters are quirky and not afraid to be themselves. It's nice to watch a show that, deliberate or not, is a showcase for being thoughtful and caring. So far, there has been no fabricated friction, just love. Certified Superdad marks another delightful entry into this surprise hit. It won't blow you away, but if you've enjoyed what you've seen so far, you won't be disappointed.