Greg's parents visit for Thanksgiving and Greg, who has tried and failed for his entire life to make them proud, is desperate to seal the deal this time. However, Katie's mother also makes an unexpected appearance, and Oliver invites Spencer Blitz to join them, though he is confined to the entryway because the rest of the house is outside the radius of his electronic monitoring device (he's under house arrest).
Barry Bostwick and Julia Duffy make their only appearance as Greg's parents.
Tropes:
- Everyone Has Standards: Anyone who knows Thomas and how he treats Greg agrees that he's going too far. Even his own wife calls him out for being an ass about it.
- Fatal Flaw: Thomas has such a disdain for technology that when trying to turn off the TV he has to be told it's not a real remote he's holding.
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Everyone dreads Greg's parents visiting, especially Katie since Greg's father never approved of her.
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Production Posse: Barry Bostwick was previously a regular in Spin City, produced by the show's creator Sarah Dunn. - Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Thomas leaves simply because Greg finally talks back.
- Secret Other Family: Greg's father Thomas has a secret second family in England, even naming his other son Greg so as to avoid confusing them.
- Special Guest: Barry Bostwick and Julia Duffy, two sitcom veterans, appear as Greg's parents.
- Thanksgiving Episode: The show's second consecutive Thanksgiving episode, and also the last.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: When Greg learns of his father's double life he is so enraged at his hypocrisy that he lets loose in a truly epic speech denouncing him. We subsequently learn that he has cut ties with his parents as a result of this incident.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Greg has spent his entire life vainly failing to appease his parents, particularly his father.
- Wham Line: Greg's mother Amanda drops one that was recorded.Amanda: Say what you will about Greg. He hasn't been hiding a second family in England for the last 20 years.
