Charlie realizes Jake's classmates know the words to all of his jingles, and he is inspired to craft the fourth-grade musical with unusual results.
Tropes:
- Bittersweet Ending: Alan and Judith are heading for a divorce but Jake comforts his dad and the school play with Charlie's jingles are a success.
- The Cake Is a Lie: Charlie is upset because Alan lied to him, saying that he lured him to Jake's school with the promise of "donuts and loose women". Alan apologizes and admits he honestly thought there'd be donuts.
- Call-Back: The final jingle that the class did for the play, was the same jingle that Charlie was working on in season one episode 3.
- Child Hater: Charlie points out that he doesn't like kids, except for Jake.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: Charlie takes a pitcher of margaritas into a sippy cup disguised as a ice cream sundae for having to deal with the kids at Jake's school. Alan also does this when he gets slapped with divorce papers and he takes Charlie's drink.
- Irony: Alan helped Judith trick Charlie into helping with the fourth grade musical, much to Charlie's irritation, because he believes that it will lead to him and Judith reconciling. By the end, not only is Judith officially divorcing Alan, but Charlie takes over being in charge of the musical.
- Lyrical Dissonance: Charlie's jingles sound cute for the school play but lyrically are about deodorant, bug spray that won't kill your cats and women looking prettier with Hammerstein Beer.
- Pet the Dog: After a talk with his uncle Charlie about what to do about his parent's divorce, Jake goes to his dad Alan and comforts him with a big hug going "it's okay, dad", a father-son moment that doubles as both Heartwarming and
Tear Jerker. - Shout-Out: When the school children get out of control once he leaves the room and they start throwing paper all over the place, Charlie compares the situation to Lord of the Flies.
- Stepford Smiler: Charlie says Alan is this to Jake, as Jake believes his dad isn't sad. Charlie assures him that his dad is sad; he's just too busy trying to keep Jake from being sad as well.
- What Do You Mean, It's for Kids?: In-Universe example. The children at the school play singing Charlie's jingles (from "Hammerstein Beer" about women and beer to the promise of a bug-killing spray that promises it won't kill house cats), leading to many looks of shock from their parents watching in the crowd.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Charlie's reaction to realizing that Alan luring him to the meeting was just part of a plan to get back together with Judith.Charlie: Hold on, hold on. So you roped me into this because you think that the three of us collaborating on a fourth grade tribute to the Industrial Revolution will somehow lead to you getting back together with your allegedly gay ex-wife?Alan: ...It's easy to make anything sound stupid, Charlie
