A friendly old man named Jimmy Holmes (guest star Paul Winfield) visits the Winslow household, claiming to be an old family friend. While Carl doesn't recognize him, he courteously allows Jimmy to stay, and he quickly bonds with the rest of the family. However, Carl soon learns that this mysterious stranger is much closer to the family than he initially claims.
Tropes seen in this episode:
- Aborted Arc: The episode ends with Jimmy reconnecting with his daughters, and it's implied that he would return as a recurring character. Sadly, this is the only episode that he appears in.
- An Aesop: Jimmy learns that he must own up to his past mistakes, not run from them. By earning his daughters' forgiveness, he is able to achieve proper closure with his family.
- Bittersweet Ending: Rachel and Harriette must live with the fact that they lost precious time with their dad, after spending their entire childhood thinking he was dead. However, they still love Jimmy very much, and are willing to forgive him for walking out.
- Brick Joke: While chatting about the decor in the living room, Carl tells Jimmy that the one thing he bought for the room was... some "red thing" that they keep near the stairs. Later on, when Jimmy is invited to sleep over for the night, Carl warns him that the couch is too uncomfortable to sleep on; he would know, since Harriette made him sleep there after he bought the red thing.
- Celebrity Paradox: In the cold open, Steve sings a bit of “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” by Tony Orlando and Dawn. Telma Hopkins (Aunt Rachel) was a member of that group.
- Cool Old Guy: Jimmy is friendly, great with kids, and tells amazing stories about his adventures out in the wild. The Winslows (and Steve) bond with him almost instantly.
- Disappeared Dad: Jimmy walked out on his family because he couldn't handle the responsibilities of fatherhood (he was only eighteen when he married his wife, Darlene). Darlene chose not to tell her daughters about his abandonment, instead telling them that he was killed in the Korean War.
- Foreshadowing:
- Jimmy is awestruck when he first meets Harriette, and is quick to comment on how beautiful she is. It feels a little off-putting at first... until you learn that this is the first time he's seen his daughter in decades.
- As Jimmy tells his story to the family, he acts especially close to Richie. This isn't just because he's a Cool Old Guy, he's Richie's grandfather.
- The Ghost: Rachel and Harriette’s mother, Darlene, is mentioned by name for the first time in the show.
- Group Hug: The episode ends with Jimmy, Harriette, and Rachel wrapped in a warm embrace. Then it Fades to Black.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: At the end, Jimmy finally musters up the strength to tell Harriette and Rachel that he's their father. Since Harriette was old enough to remember when her dad supposedly "died", she doesn't take the news well at all.
- Only the Knowledgable May Pass: Carl doesn't believe that Jimmy is his father-in-law at first, but gives him a chance to prove it by testing his knowledge of Harriette and Rachel. It takes Jimmy some time, but he eventually earns Carl's trust.Jimmy: Harriette's favorite cookies are chocolate chip.
Carl: Whose wasn't?
Jimmy: Uh... Rachel had a pet goldfish named Chubby.
Carl: ...Lucky guess.
Jimmy: Their mother's name was Darlene. Harriette and Rachel were both delivered at Regis Memorial Hospital by Dr. Thomas Bradshaw. Harriette has a small scar above her left knee from when she fell off her-
Both: Tricycle. - The Reveal: Jimmy "Holmes" is actually Jimmy Baines, Harriette and Rachel's father who was long presumed dead.
- Shoo Out the Clowns: There's a minor B-plot in which Steve tries emulating Jimmy and his amazing feats in order to impress Laura. She shoves him out of the house and their plot quickly wraps up, allowing more time for the episode's very somber finale.
- The Storyteller: Jimmy captivates the Winslows with an exciting story about him fighting off a grizzly bear in the wilderness.
- Taxidermy Terror: Played for Laughs. Laura screams in terror when she sees a bear's head peeking through the kitchen door; it's just Steve wearing a big bear skin rug.
- Tragic Keepsake: Jimmy still has the Valentine's Day card that Harriette made him when she was three, proving that he never stopped loving his children even after years of estrangement.
- Wham Episode: Harriette and Rachel reunite with their Disappeared Dad, whom they thought had been killed during the Korean War.
- Wham Line: When Jimmy reveals to Carl who he really is:Jimmy: See, I haven't been totally honest with you. My name isn't Jimmy Holmes, and I don't have a son.
Carl: I don't get it.
Jimmy: Carl... I'm Harriette and Rachel's father. - What Happened to the Mouse?: Do the kids (especially Richie) ever learn that Jimmy is their long lost granddad? We never find out.
