Stoic Midwest husband and dad, Tom gets laid off from a car assembly line and makes the extraordinary decision to provide for his family by following his dream of becoming a professional bowler. Tom begins his new career with the loving okay from his wife, Jen the unfaltering support of Archie, his mentor and the proud owner of Archie’s Lanes: Home of the Curly Fry, the cautious backing of his protective mom, Helen, and the encouragement of his son, Sam.
Written by Sophie and last updated on Feb 08, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Tom Smallwood, gets laid off from his factory job and makes the decision to follow his dream of becoming a professional bowler.
The episode was rated 7,11 from 79 votes.
Tom must choose between loyalty to his mentor, Archie, and money when his first TV interview leads to a new sponsorship deal, but he can only feature one logo on his bowling shirt: Archie Lanes, Home of the Curly Fry, or Powell Mortuary. Also, Jen’s boss stifles her creativity at the salon.
The episode was rated 7,23 from 65 votes.
Looking for ways to make extra cash, Tom considers selling his prized baseball card collection so he can treat Jen, who’s been working extra hours at the salon.
The episode was rated 7,29 from 56 votes.
When Tom's bowling idol, Rick Rholla (Will Greenberg), falls on hard times, Tom invites him to stay at his home until he's back on his feet. However, Tom and his family quickly learn that Rick is the worst houseguest to have around.
The episode was rated 7,35 from 34 votes.
Tom worries about his mom's safety after she gets stuck in a laundry basket.
The episode was rated 7,40 from 40 votes.
Helen unexpectedly ghosts Archie, and Tom discovers that Archie's been keeping a HUGE secret.
The episode was rated 7,46 from 37 votes.
As Tom and Archie prepare for the pre-tournament qualifier, they lay out strict rules for Tom's family to follow to ensure Tom keeps his head in the game and qualifies for the World Series of Bowling.
The episode was rated 7,50 from 32 votes.
When Pete's mother, Helen, agrees to a date with Archie - 10 years after he initially asked her out - Pete and his wife, Jen, reluctantly attend a very awkward double date with them to help ease Helen's nerves.
The episode was rated 7,74 from 35 votes.
Tom asks Archie to listen to a podcast about the power of positivity in the hope that he'll adopt a more constructive, less critical coaching style.
The episode was rated 7,75 from 40 votes.
When Tom travels out of town for his first bowling tournament, he has the rough realization that his bowling idols are now his rivals. Also, Helen comes to help Jen at home and work while Tom's away, but she gets into an argument with Jen's boss, putting her daughter-in-law's job in jeopardy.
The episode was rated 7,79 from 42 votes.
When Tom's mentor and coach, Archie, suffers a heart attack just days before the World Series of Bowling, Tom struggles with whether to stay with him in the hospital or leave to compete in the biggest tournament of his career.
The episode was rated 7,88 from 33 votes.
