Melissa & Joey 2×07 ‘Mixed Doubles’ recap: Dancing around the tension

Mel starts the episode by sharing a glass of wine with Ariel, an associate played by Dilshad Vadsaria. While I find it tragic that most of the cast of Greek has found careers as perpetual guest stars, I love seeing them pop up in my favorite shows. The two ladies finish their very dangerous glasses of red wine on Mel’s cream-colored couch moments before Joe chases a blonde barista across the living room. After she exits, Joe explains that the crazy cappuccino jockey brought her late father’s urn so that the two could meet. Mel comments on the lack of depth in Joe’s dating pool and suggests he go out with “someone like her.” I jump out of my chair in anticipation of an actual proposition, but again, I’m left disappointed.

As we shed a tear for the ignorant, but inevitable soulmates, Ariel barges back into the house for her umbrella, which Joe takes as his opportunity to hit on her. Mel shuts him down, but Joe won’t take no for an answer and convinces her to set him up with Ariel. Meanwhile, Lennox enters with her boyfriend, Haskell. Man, do these kids have some creative names. Whatever they’re putting in epidurals these days, I’ll take two. Lennox shares the bad news that she’s been cut from the school blog for comparing her female gym teacher to the decade’s most overused example of communist leadership. She then has the same bright idea as every American housewife, to start a blog of her own.

Later, we find Mel in the kitchen giving up on a hilarious attempt to knit when Joe gets back from his date with Ariel. Though Joe doesn’t have much experience courting women who are smarter than he is, he tells Mel the date went swell. Then he fell in a well while ringing a bell.  But seriously, Joe and Ariel got along, and Joe even ran into a friend from business school during their date. He has to twist her arm, but Mel eventually agrees to let Joe give him her number.

The next day, Lennox waves off help from Ryder as well as an invitation to see a movie with Haskell for the sake of her blog. Sound like any of your social lives, fellow authors? Mel clues her in on her heartlessness as she walks out the door for her date with Clark, which seems like smash hit. He’s handsome, flattering, and is a walking musical encyclopedia, until Mel spills her fountain drink all over the divorce history section, turning Clark into a soggy, smeared mess.

Mel returns home to give Joe all the gory details when she gets a text from Clark inviting her out again. Joe, the expert arm-twister that he is (come on, look at those guns), convinces Mel to go on a double date with him and Ariel. Meanwhile, Lennox takes her aunt’s advice and spends the evening at home watching a movie with Haskell, but the romance is interrupted once again by her blog. The straw that breaks the Haskell’s back is a phone call for an interview, which Lennox answers as he walks out the door.

The following night, Haskell agrees to do his homework in Lennox’s presence after reading the apology post she wrote. Ryder barges in and offers the perfect idea for a blog name, which is also homage to their Aunt Mel’s first big break. His sister likes the idea of ‘Lennox Explains It All,’ which has been an actual blog on ABC Family’s website for about a month now.

On the double date, Joe laughs and flirts with Ariel while Mel fails to get a pulse from an inconsolable Clark. The tables turn when Joe drags Ariel onto the dance floor and finds that she has two left feet, and Mel discovers that Clark isn’t so bad once she has a few drinks in her he has a few drinks in him. Clark agrees to a dance, but takes off when he’s reminded of his wife again. As fate would have it, Ariel confesses that she’s had a terrible time and dumps Joe, leaving him alone with Mel. We already know that they make an incredible dance duo. However, the next morning we see Joe “say goodnight” to the same blonde from the opening scene.