Natalie Martinez brought her A-game in this Amy Kindelán centric.
Ordinary Joe Season 1 Episode 8 explored why doing the right thing was so important to Amy.
It also showed the parallels of Joe and Uncle Frank’s relationship throughout the timelines.
Ever since she was a young teenager, Amy cared about justice. She wanted to attend protests, even though her father wanted her to be careful since they were Latina, and he didn’t want them to call attention to themselves.
Through flashbacks, we saw why Amy has grown so distrustful of cops and people in general. The cops arrested her dad for a robbery he never committed.
She tried to defend him and got into trouble herself. It makes total sense why she wanted to do the right thing in one timeline, even if it meant turning Bobby in. She hated it when rich, white guys got a pass.
Even more, she wanted to change things and make a difference by becoming a congresswoman and voicing her ideas, as her mom taught her as a kid.
Honey, the most important thing you will ever do is raise your voice for what you believe in. That’s what your father and I were arguing about today and that’s what you need to do at that protest today.
Amy’s mom
Amy had to deal with the pressure of planning a congressman’s funeral since Bobby’s wife was too distraught. Amy was also troubled and traumatized, but she tried to keep busy so she wouldn’t keep playing the shooting in her head.
She also kept avoiding Joe since more bombshells kept dropping about her and Bobby’s one-night stand, and she couldn’t deal with that on top of everything else.
It wasn’t until Amy’s parents arrived that Amy let herself melt down. Her mom told her that putting feelings in a box doesn’t always help.
It may keep her safe as her dad wanted, but it also hindered her chances of getting close to people.
Amy’s to Bobby was lovely, but she accidentally revealed her secret when she held up Bobby’s watch and described its importance.
Regina played it cool, but as she hugged Amy, she whispered she knew Amy had an affair with her husband.
Regina then decided to take away the one thing Amy wanted since she was a kid — being a congresswoman. That was some just revenge.
Amy had even more consequences coming when she finally confessed to Joe she slept with Bobby. Hopefully, he offers some understanding. He was practically having an emotional affair with Jenny.
Amy felt betrayed in the Cop Joe timeline when the Feds questioned her and destroyed her apartment. It made her feel like a kid again being wrongfully accused.
That’s why she worried that they did the wrong thing turning Bobby in if they would receive hate.
Cop Joe and Amy’s reset was adorable with how they named their likes and dislikes, especially Amy teasing she thought Billy Joel was dad rock.
They encourage each other to be honest, and I hope Joe goes back to being a beat cop.
Amy also helped Nurse Joe with Uncle Frank. They had never really interacted one-on-one before, and it was delightful to see they had such a strong friendship.
Amy wanted to protect Joe and Chris from Uncle Frank, so she took Chris home with her, and she and Eric tried to distract him.
However, Chris was an intelligent kid, and he needed answers on why his great uncle drank and destroyed his body.
Amy was so understanding and tried to compare it to how kids overplay video games, even when it gives them headaches. She explained it in preteen language.
Eric was super impressed with how she handled that situation, and Amy admitted that she now wants children.
It was so cute that Eric wanted kids too, but neither knew how to approach the topic.
They looked so thrilled to be on the same page. I’m glad that Amy was happy in two of the three timelines.
Eric: Did we just agree to adopt a kid?
Amy: Just so we’re on the same page.
Unfortunately, while Eric and Amy were reconnecting, Joe had a miserable day with Uncle Frank in two timelines.
It’s so difficult to see the disheveled and drunk version of him since he’s so steady in the other versions.
Why would Nurse Joe name Uncle Frank Chris’s godfather if he was so drunk and absent? He didn’t remember anything about Chris’s disability and just wanted to barge in there and give him a piggyback ride.
As he started coughing up blood in front of the child, both Joe and Amy knew it was time to take action and fast.
Joe became worried when he took Uncle Frank to the hospital, and he didn’t even remember the last time he was hospitalized and had his stomach pumped.
The two of them ran into Dr. Banks, who showed his compassionate side and offered to check Uncle Frank out.
Dr. Banks tells Joe privately that his uncle has hepatitis, which will worsen unless Frank stops drinking. He offered to help pay for rehab, which Joe initially refused.
However, after Dr. Banks apologized for how he treated Joe for years and he stated that Joe’d been a good husband, Joe reconsidered.
Dr. Banks: Once per a decade, I stop being a prick for a day to see if I can.
Joe: Thanks doc.
Hopefully, the two men can keep their truce. I’m sure Jenny would appreciate it.
In the Cop Joe timeline, Uncle Frank still blamed Joe for turning Bobby in. He was so bitter that he was suspended because of it.
Joe was bitter because he became a cop because of Uncle Frank.
Joe: I chose to be the detective you always wanted me to be.
Uncle Frank: You did? Cause you rolled on the mayor’s best friend and you embarrassed the force, detective.
Joe realized that he always made decisions based on what his uncle wanted, partly because he did have a hard time getting over Christopher Sr.’s death. He drank, and Joe didn’t want that to happen again.
However, Joe knew it was time for a reset. He didn’t enjoy detective work. He missed being a cop and actually catching the bad guys. Now, he needs to be strong enough to inform his department.
Over to you, Ordinary Joe Fanatics. Will Rockstar Joe forgive Amy? What other consequences will she face now that Regina wants to be the congresswoman and knows about the affair?
Do you think Dr. Banks has turned over a new leaf? Chime in below in the comments.
Remember, if you missed an episode, you can watch Ordinary Joe online right here via TV Fanatic.
Ordinary Joe airs at 10/9c on Mondays on NBC.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.