The Season 2 Finale of Lopez vs Lopez digs into the source of their family dysfunction.
Guest Star Tisha Campbell gets back to her sitcom roots as Dr. Brenda the Therapist on the season 2 finale of Lopez vs Lopez.
Lopez vs Lopez is TV show on NBC created by George Lopez, Mayan Lopez, and Debby Wolfe. The cast is made up of predominately Latino cast members. In the show, the Latino working class Lopez family often uses comedy to address may issues that Latinos face within their community and on a larger scale within society. The show stars George Lopez and his daughter Mayan as fictionalized versions of themselves along with supporting cast that consist of Matt Shively as Mayans partner named Quinten, Brice Gonzalez as Mayan and Quinten’s son Chance, Al Madrigal as Georges’ employee/friend Oscar, and Selenis Leyva as Mayans mother and Georges ex-wife Rosie.
A brief overview of the series pilot according to TV Line is that the series follows George and his Gen-Z daughter Mayan who has grown resentful of her dad. He was a serial cheater who betrayed her mom and routinely blew through the family’s income on gambling and getting drunk. An unspecified number of years have passed since he blew up their lives, and his daughter has only recently started let him back into her own. Lopez vs Lopez just finished its second season. The finale episode aired on Tuesday April 30, 2024 on NBC.
In the beginning of the season 2, George is adjusting to sober life post alcoholism abuse, living with his daughter Mayan and her family, and working for his self-owned moving company that is now back up and running since facing bankruptcy in the first season. Throughout season two, viewers see characters experience turmoil, financial issues, emotional immaturity, frustration, job loss, betrayal, inner conflict, and sobriety struggles all while using comedy or family bonds to cope or avoid adult conflict resolution in a multitude of unhealthy and stress induced ways.
In the finale, George jokes that he’s, “always a father, never a father of the bride,” in a scene with Mayan as she tries on a wedding dress that she was duped into testing out for her mother. From the first season, we see her mother Rosie constantly teasing, joking, and hoping that the stars align so that Mayan and her partner Quinten would get formally married. Mayan and Quinten have a son together. Their son Chance is a precocious, inquisitive, and outspoken 6-year-old who is often seen hanging out with his dog (Churro) and recording his families’ antics throughout the show. In many ways, Chance serves as a reminder to both his parents and grandparents that it’s important to communicate, self-reflect, and solve conflict in a mature manner. However, we see a lot of the unresolved and conflicting familial issues come to a head in the season 2 finale episode.
“Lopez vs George” is the title of the season 2 finale. In this episode, we see the family dysfunction reach a new level. George relapses by getting drunk and seemingly spending the night with his ex-wife Rosie ahead of her engagement party to her new beau, attorney Josue’ (played by Jamie Camil) and we also see Chance start to question and wonder how his grandmother is about to get married for the second time, when his parents haven’t gotten married even once yet. This is all happening while in the background, George and Rosie conspire together to get Quinten to propose to Mayan at Rosie’s engagement party to Josue’, in hopes that it will take some heat off of their current predicaments and minimize the spotlight on Rosie when she has to announce and suddenly call off her engagement.
Once Rosie and George’s failed plan comes to light and everyone is also made aware of Georges’ relapse in sobriety through his sudden truth revealing outburst,, in comes guest star Tisha Campbell as therapist Dr. Glenda Brenda.
Dr. Brenda is Mayans personal therapist who is makes a house call in hopes of helping this chaotic and dysfunctional family sort out their trauma, address their issues, and start a journey toward healing. Right out of the gate, the on-screen banter between George and Dr. Brenda, especially in the comedic moments, is top tier. Tisha shines in comedic sitcoms roles. Tisha has been a part of many hit comedy series since the 1980s. Some of her well known work includes her role as Gina on the long running hit show Martin alongside co-star and creator Martin Lawrence, as well as her role as Janet in the 5 season TV series My Wife and Kids alongside co-star Damon Wayans in which she won an Image Awards (NAACP) for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 2003.
Dr. Brenda helps the Lopez family get to the underlying causes of their issues, which when brought to the surface, is rooted in and often caused by George’s behavior. We see George break down when faced with the reality that his actions and consistent ability to make bad choices has caused his family anguish, hurt, embarrassment, and feelings of self-depreciation. Other issues that have been avoided are brought forth for Rosie as well for Mayan that they have both placed the blame on George’s antics for, when in reality some of their main issues stem from deeper internal factors about their own personal insecurities. With these new revelations and healthier communication processes, the family starts to see that therapy, honesty, and practicing mature conflict resolution can indeed help them to thrive and better behave in ways that positively impact their life and the life of their loved ones. Toward the end of the episode, Mayan realizes that she is ready to marry Quinten and formally become his wife. Rosie is shocked as well as overjoyed by this news, George is relieved, and Chance is excited as he records his mother’s “ring pop” candy proposal to his dad.
Dr. Glenda Brenda truly came in and did a great job with the Lopez family giving their in-depth level of dysfunction. Tisha would be a nice addition as a recurring character in Lopez vs Lopez given her vast experience in comedic sitcoms, great on-screen presence, and ability to bring a new, funny, and fresh character that has proved to gel on screen with the characters in the finale. Mayan and Dr. Brenda could have a great gal pal type of relationship which would play out nicely, given wedding planning and bridal events seem to be in Mayans near future. Tisha Campbell is also a musician and songstress. Maybe therapist-slash-wedding singer could be in the plans for Dr. Brenda…
If viewers will see Dr. Brenda or even the Lopez family back for a third season of Lopez vs Lopez is currently unknown. According to Variety, the fate of Lopez vs Lopez should be unveiled soon at NBC Upfront on May 13, 2024 in New York City.
Until then, you can catch both seasons of Lopez vs. Lopez streaming now on Peacock and NBC.