Life in Pieces

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Life in Pieces
Life in Pieces.png
Genre Sitcom
Created by Justin Adler
Starring <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Composer(s) Rob Simonsen
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 22 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time 21 minutes
Production company(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Distributor 20th Television
Release
Original network CBS
Picture format HDTV 1080i
Original release September 21, 2015 (2015-09-21) –
present
External links
Website

Life in Pieces is an American sitcom television series created by Justin Adler. CBS ordered the series on May 8, 2015.[1] The show debuted on September 21, 2015, and was picked up for a 22-episode full season on October 27, 2015.[2] On May 11, 2016, CBS renewed the show for a second season.[3]

Synopsis

The series chronicles the lives of three generations of the Short family as told from the point of view of each character based on their own version of events. Each episode is told as four short stories, one for each branch of the Short clan, with some connections related to the characters' events.

Cast

Main cast

  • Colin Hanks as Greg Short:[4] Husband of Jen Short; youngest child and younger son of John and Joan Short; younger brother of Matt Short and Heather (Short) Hughes; father of baby daughter Lark Short
  • Betsy Brandt as Heather (Short) Hughes:[4] Wife of Tim Hughes; oldest child and only daughter of John and Joan Short; older sister of Matt and Greg Short; mother of Tyler, Samantha, and Sophia Hughes
  • Thomas Sadoski as Matt Short:[4] Recently divorced; middle child and oldest son of John and Joan Short; brother of Heather and Greg Short; dated Colleen Brandon Ortega until the end of season 1 episode 17. He and Colleen got back together in season 1 episode 21. They got engaged in season 1 episode 22
  • Zoe Lister-Jones as Jen Short:[4] Wife of Greg Short; a lawyer; mother of baby daughter Lark
  • Dan Bakkedahl as Dr. Tim Hughes:[4] ENT doctor; husband of Heather (Short) Hughes; father of Tyler, Samantha, and Sophia Hughes
  • Angelique Cabral as Colleen Brandon Ortega:[4] Granddaughter of Tonita; owns a male puppy named "Princess"; dated Matt Short until the end of season 1 episode 17. She and Matt got back together in season 1 episode 21. They got engaged in season 1 episode 22
  • Niall Cunningham as Tyler Hughes:[4] Oldest child and only son of Tim and Heather Hughes; brother of Samantha and Sophia Hughes; dated Clementine from season 1 episode 5 until they married before season 1 episode 22
  • Holly J. Barrett as Samantha Hughes:[4] Middle child and older daughter of Tim and Heather Hughes; sister of Tyler and Sophia Hughes
  • Giselle Eisenberg as Sophia Hughes:[4] Youngest child and younger daughter of Tim and Heather Hughes; sister of Tyler and Samantha Hughes
  • James Brolin as John Short:[4] Retired airline pilot; husband of Joan; father of Heather (Short) Hughes, Matt Short, and Greg Short; owns a female Yorkie named Tank since season 1 episode 18
  • Dianne Wiest as Dr. Joan (Pirkle) Short: Wife of John Short;[5] therapist; mother of Heather (Short) Hughes, Matt Short, and Greg Short; daughter of GiGi Pirkle

Recurring cast

  • Ann Guilbert as GiGi Pirkle: Mother of Joan; widow (husband was Winston); lives at Hidden Harbor (Retirement Community)
  • Jordan Peele as Chad: ex-fiancé of Colleen
  • Hunter King as Clementine: dated Tyler from season 1 episode 5 until they married before season 1 episode 22
  • Martin Mull as Gary Timpkins: neighbor and patient of Joan; a recent widower
  • Susan Park as Dr. Sally Hong, Jen's OB/GYN
  • Tonita Castro as Tonita: Colleen's grandmother
  • Bella Shepard as Lexie: one of Samantha's friends
  • Ashley Wolff as Jenna: one of Samantha's friends
  • Andrew McKeough as Jayden
  • Martin Starr as Oscar: an exterminator; a field worker for "Scram! Trappers" animal control & pest removal
  • Stephnie Weir as Bernadette
  • Rhys Darby as Teddy

Episodes

Each episode, except for the pilot, uses four words to describe the stories, hence the "Pieces" in the series title.[citation needed]

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod.
code		 U.S. viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" Jason Winer Justin Adler September 21, 2015 (2015-09-21) 1AYG01 11.28[6]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "First Date": Matt and Colleen return from their first date, but her ex-fiance Chad is still living at her house, and Matt is living with his parents Joan and John, so they end up getting caught having sex in the car.
  • In the second story, "The Delivery": Jen's vagina is ripped during childbirth and needs her husband Greg's help in recovery.
  • In the third story, "The College Tour": Tim and Heather tour a college campus for their son Tyler. In the hotel, their daughter Samantha gets her first period and their younger daughter Sophia learns Santa is not real.
  • In the fourth story, "The Funeral": John celebrates his 70th birthday with a mock-funeral for himself. His children Matt, Greg and Heather participate with their families.
2 "Interruptus Date Breast Movin'" Jason Winer Justin Adler September 28, 2015 (2015-09-28) 1AYG02 8.71[7]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Interruptus": Joan calls the entire family together to talk after Matt walks in on her having sex with John.
  • In the second story, "Second Date": Matt has financial and car troubles while on his second date with Colleen.
  • In the third story, "Breast-Feeding": Jen has trouble producing breast milk for her baby.
  • In the fourth story, "Movin' Out": Heather has hired ex-convicts to help her family move to their new house which is located across the street from her parents, John and Joan.
3 "Sleepy Email Brunch Tree" Jeremy Garelick Brad Copeland October 5, 2015 (2015-10-05) 1AYG03 8.91[8]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Sleep Deprived": Repeated caring for their infant daughter Lark has made Jen and Greg very sleepy. Troubles with a policeman begin when the sleepy Greg gets stopped during a night diaper run while driving at 14 MPH.
  • In the second story, "Heather Sends an Email": With only 10 minutes remaining, Heather tries to handle interruptions while writing and sending an email.
  • In the third story, "Colleen Meets the Family": Matt coaches Colleen on how to connect with the family when he invites her to brunch with them. They like her so much that they couldn't help but mention how they like her more than Matt's first wife. She didn't know that Matt had any wives.
  • In the fourth story, "The Felling": Tim has a very bad reaction to espresso while John, Matt and Greg try and fail to chop down a tree in Greg's backyard.
4 "Prison Baby Golf Picking" Jason Winer Kirker Butler October 12, 2015 (2015-10-12) 1AYG04 7.84[9]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Chad's Last Meal": Before Chad is to go away to jail for tax evasion, he gets one last meal with Matt, Colleen, and her grandmother Tonita, after which he runs away.
  • In the second story, "Triangle": Greg tries to remain neutral between Jen and Joan, but his siblings praise him when they think that he stood up to Joan for questioning Jen's parenting skills.
  • In the third story, "New Beds": Sophia hates sleeping alone at the new house and has had a peanut stuck up her nose for two weeks.
  • In the fourth story, "Tim's Great Round": Matt, Greg and Heather each try to discourage Tim from beating John at a round of golf. During the last hole, John has a surprising way of getting Tim to lose.
5 "Babe Secret Phone Germs" Claire Scanlon Rolin Jones October 19, 2015 (2015-10-19) 1AYG05 8.47[10]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Tyler's Girlfriend": When Tyler introduces his gorgeous new girlfriend Clementine to the family, Tim and Heather accidentally make things awkward.
  • In the second story, "Work Secrets": Matt and Colleen are caught making out at work by an annoying coworker, Will (Ken Marino).
  • In the third story, "First Cellphone": Without her parents' knowledge, John buys Sophia a cell phone.
  • In the fourth story, "Germs": Jen and Greg vow to not become germaphobes.
6 "Ponzi Sex Paris Bounce" Jason Winer Lesley Wake Webster November 5, 2015 (2015-11-05) 1AYG06 7.88[11]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Ponzí": When Matt and Colleen catch Chad trying to dognap Princess, Chad pitches them a skincare direct selling venture.
  • In the second story, "Sex Green Light": Jen and Greg keep trying to get intimate for the first time since Lark was born.
  • In the third story, "Paris": Heather quits going to her longtime hairstylist, Lynette (Alex Borstein), but tells her that it's because she's moving to Paris next week.
  • In the fourth story, "Bounce House": Tim ruins Samantha's birthday party by letting them watch the R-rated horror movie, Alien.
7 "Nanny Tent Earrings Cheeto" Jason Winer Elizabeth Tippet November 12, 2015 (2015-11-12) 1AYG08 7.99[12]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Nanny": When Jen and Greg interview potential nannies for Lark, they find it difficult to find any that they trust. They end up choosing Tonita.
  • In the second story, "Tent Diving": While Tim, Matt and Greg are camping, their attempt to deal with some tent "crashers" goes badly wrong.
  • In the third story, "Colleen's New Earrings": Heather falsely accuses Matt of using money she loaned him to buy Colleen earrings.
  • In the fourth story, "Cheeto": John makes a wooden puppet named "Cheeto" for Lark that various family members use to surprise and/or scare each other.
8 "Godparent Turkey Corn Farts" Chad Lowe Maggie Mull November 19, 2015 (2015-11-19) 1AYG09 8.35[13]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Godparent": Jen and Greg debate who should be Lark's godparent.
  • In the second story, "The Mexican Market": Tim and Sophia search for a quick replacement for Heather's spoiled turkey.
  • In the third story, "The Maize Runner": At the Harvest Festival, Samantha sneaks into the corn maze with her boyfriend, Aiden (Griffin Gluck).
  • In the fourth story, "Can't Keep It In": Joan invites their neighbor Gary Timpkins to Thanksgiving dinner, during which everyone has a bad reaction to Colleen's cauliflower rice dish.
9 "Hospital Boudoir Time-Out Namaste" Fred Goss Alec Sulkin November 26, 2015 (2015-11-26) 1AYG07 7.61[14]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "First Night Out": When Jen cuts her finger and Greg takes her to the hospital, they finally have the first quality alone time they've had in months.
  • In the second story, "Boudoir Photos": Heather gives Tim a sexy anniversary gift.
  • In the third story, "Time-Out": Sophia is punished after Heather hears her swearing.
  • In the fourth story, "Namaste Noshery": John takes Samantha and Sophia to a restaurant where everything is named after feelings.
10 "Burn Vasectomy Milkshake Pong" Jason Winer Greg Malins December 10, 2015 (2015-12-10) 1AYG10 8.24[15]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Controlled Burn": When Jen is anxious about returning to work, Heather and Tim advise Greg to make Jen angry at him.
  • In the second story, "Vasectomy": Heather questions herself after Tim gets a vasectomy at her urging.
  • In the third story, "Milkshake": Joan learns her credit card has been stolen when strange packages she never ordered start arriving.
  • In the fourth story, "Ping-Pong": When Greg and Matt finish a game of ping-pong that an accident interrupted years ago, one of them loses a tooth.
11 "College Stealing Santa Caroling" Phil Traill Barbara Adler December 17, 2015 (2015-12-17) 1AYG11 10.26[16]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "College": Tyler announces his plans for being in a band with Clementine instead of going to college.
  • In the second story, "How Joan Stole Christmas": Joan apologizes for hijacking Lark's first Christmas from Jen and Greg.
  • In the third story, "A Gift From Santa": When Samantha sneaks out with her friends to the mall, she gets lice from the mall Santa's beard and she gets caught when a photo of her with the mall Santa is posted online.
  • In the fourth story, "John Goes Caroling": Colleen goes with John to meet with his Air Force buddies for their annual tradition of dirty Christmas caroling.
12 "Bite Flight Wing-Man Bonnie" Helen Hunt Justin Adler January 7, 2016 (2016-01-07) 1AYG12 9.27[17]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Bite": Sophia has a run-in with Pete (Sage Correa), the son of Tim and Heather's new friends.
  • In the second story, "Flight": Greg and Jen attempt to take different flights on a vacation.
  • In the third story, "Wing-Man": Matt and John try to help Gary get back in the dating scene.
  • In the fourth story, "Bonnie": Matt's ex-wife, Bonnie (Brenda Song), shows up with a proposition.
13 "Party Lobster Gym Sale" Ken Whittingham Brad Copeland January 14, 2016 (2016-01-14) 1AYG13 9.15[18]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Gym": Greg decides to get in shape after getting winded playing charades.
  • In the second story, "Party": While Tim and Heather have a get-away, the kids host a house party featuring Tyler's band.
  • In the third story, "Garage Sale": When Joan has a garage sale, Heather and Jen take the opportunity to sell some unwanted gifts at their own secret garage sale.
  • In the fourth story, "Lobster": A Maine lobster sent to Tim by a friend goes missing.
14 "Will Trash Book Spa" Jason Winer Kirker Butler January 21, 2016 (2016-01-21) 1AYG14 8.78[19]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Will": Jen helps John and Joan with their will.
  • In the second story, "Trash": Tim, Heather and their kids have a contest to see who generates the least trash.
  • In the third story, "Book Deal": Colleen asks Matt to illustrate a children's book she is writing.
  • In the fourth story, "Couple's Massage": A couple's massage at a day spa for Greg and Jen doesn't turn out to be as relaxing as they expected.
15 "Soccer Gigi TV Mikey" Lisa Statman Lesley Wake Webster February 4, 2016 (2016-02-04) 1AYG15 9.09[20]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Coach Matt": Matt takes over for Tim as coach of Sophia's soccer team, the "Bobcats", and has to deal with the kids' parents.
  • In the second story, "Tyler's First Car": Tyler and Clementine visit his great-grandmother Gigi Pirkle (Ann Guilbert), who has lost her driving license and wants to give her car to Tyler.
  • In the third story, "TV Sleeper": After Greg discovers restful sleep on the den couch, Greg and Jen find a creative solution to their sleeping woes.
  • In the fourth story, "Cousin Mikey": Joan's cousin Mikey (Greg Grunberg) comes by for a visit and seems to annoy the whole family.
16 "Tattoo Valentine Guitar Pregnant" Jason Winer Alec Sulkin February 11, 2016 (2016-02-11) 1AYG16 9.35[21]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Tattoo": Tim makes a spelling error when getting a tattoo, made by Lois (Kat Von D), to surprise Heather for Valentine's Day.
  • In the second story, "Valentine": After Matt scrambles to make some last minute dinner plans for Valentine's Day with Colleen, he ends up having to also invite his parents.
  • In the third story, "Guitar": When Tyler and Clementine go to a guitar store, the salesman, Ian (Josh Groban), repeatedly hits on her.
  • In the fourth story, "Pregnant": After Greg and Jen discuss possibly having another child, they are visited by a stork.
17 "Hair Recital Rainbow Mom" Ken Whittingham Elizabeth Tippet February 18, 2016 (2016-02-18) 1AYG17 9.34[22]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Johnny Flyer Black": John tries to make himself look younger by dyeing his hair black, much to the dismay of the family.
  • In the second story, "Sophia's Piano Recital": Heather worries that Sophia's piano recital will be a disaster.
  • In the third story, "Invisible Rainbows": Jen, Greg and Lark go to an over-the-top "6-month birthday" party for Wilhelm full of overachieving parents who make them panic about getting Lark into a good preschool.
  • In the fourth story, "Mama Mia": Matt meets Colleen's mother, Mia (Mercedes Ruehl), for the first time. Later, Colleen breaks up with Matt.
18 "Sexting Mall Lemonade Heartbreak" Rebecca Asher Maggie Mull February 25, 2016 (2016-02-25) 1AYG18 9.21[23]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "What's Wrong With Heather?": Heather accidentally sends Tyler a sexy text message intended for Tim.
  • In the second story, "Irving Rosenblatt": Jen and Greg advise Samantha to talk in person to her social-media boyfriend, Irving Rosenblatt (Alek Brett Cole).
  • In the third story, "Lemonade": After John's new pet, a Shetland pony named Lemonade, ends up being unsuitable for their home, Joan gets him a Yorkie named Tank.
  • In the fourth story, "Girls' Night": Heather and Jen console Colleen and Matt over their break-up.
19 "Pestilence War Famine Death" Phil Traill Greg Malins March 3, 2016 (2016-03-03) 1AYG19 8.40[24]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Pestilence": Greg and Jen have their exterminator, Oscar, and his wife, Tulip (Ayden Mayeri) over for dinner. Later, a rat is shown dragging away Greg's signed Playboy magazine.
  • In the second story, "War": John and Joan disagree with their neighbors, Darryl (J.B. Smoove) and Pam (Pam Trotter), about who gets to use the hot tub when new property lines are drawn.
  • In the third story, "Famine": Matt and Colleen make an effort to be friends.
  • In the fourth story, "Death": John's heart stopped beating for 15 seconds during his minor nose surgery that Tim performed.
20 "Prank Assistant Gum Puppy" Chad Lowe Barbara Adler March 10, 2016 (2016-03-10) 1AYG20 8.55[25]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • In the first story, "Senior Prank": A drunk Heather and Tim switch letters around on a sign at Tyler's school, which causes trouble for Tyler.
  • In the second story, "Jen's Hot Assistant": Greg gets jealous of Jen's handsome new assistant, Jake (Gregg Sulkin).
  • In the third story, "Chewing Gum": Sophia gets gum stuck in her hair at Joan's house.
  • In the fourth story, "Puppy Love": John and Colleen secretly meet together along with their dogs at a dog park.
21 "Cinderella Fantasy Prom Dougie, Part 1" Phil Traill Joe Cristalli March 31, 2016 (2016-03-31) 1AYG21 7.23[26]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Presented as Part 1 of combined Episode 21 & Episode 22
  • In the first story, "A "Cinderella Story": Tim believes wearing a Cinderella dress during March Madness is good luck, so he refuses to take it off in hopes that his alma mater's basketball team, the Gophers of Mount St. Gary's, will win.
  • In the second story, "The Secret Life of Greg Short": Greg fantasizes about what to write in a birthday card for his boss, Chase (Jerry Lambert).
  • In the third story, "Prom Night": Before Tyler goes to the prom, he receives unsolicited advice from his parents and grandparents regarding sex. At the prom, when Clementine gives Tyler a purity ring, he responds by asking her to marry him.
  • In the fourth story, "Matt's Choice": Jen sets Matt up on a blind date bowling with her coworker, Dougie (Fortune Feimster). Later, Matt and Colleen get back together.
22 "Crytunes Divorce Tablet Ring, Part 2" Chad Lowe Justin Adler March 31, 2016 (2016-03-31) 1AYG22 7.23[26]
<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Presented as Part 2 of combined Episode 21 & Episode 22
  • In the first story (#5), "CryTunes": Greg quits his job after creating a public funding campaign for his own invention, the "CryTunes" baby monitor that turns sounds of baby crying into soothing music. Also, Jen learns that she is pregnant.
  • In the second story (#6), "Divorce": John and Joan reveal a secret they've kept from their kids for 35 years: they have been divorced since 1980 (the year before Greg was born).
  • In the third story (#7), "Tablet": Heather and Tim try to make up for missing Samantha's Student of the Month Ceremony at school.
  • In the fourth story (#8), "Ring": Matt's plan to pop the question to Colleen at their book party keeps getting delayed by several family revelations: a remarriage proposal, a pregnancy, a lost job, and a recent teenage marriage. However, he does successfully propose to Colleen in his parent's bathroom.

Broadcast

The show debuted on September 21, 2015 on CBS.[27] The first five episodes aired on Mondays, before it was moved on November 5, 2015, to a new time slot of 8:30 p.m. ET/PT (7:30 p.m. CT) on Thursdays, directly after CBS finished its NFL broadcasts.[28]

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 63% approval rating with an average rating of 6.6/10 based on 38 reviews. The website's consensus reads "Life in Pieces strong cast delivers funny, offbeat stories even if they're not always relatable".[29] On Metacritic, the series holds a score of 64 out of 100 based on 24 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[30]

References

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External links

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