'The Mick' Season 2, Episode 5 'The Invention' Recap: Ben's Bright Idea and Chip's Dorky Club [SPOILERS]

After a two-week hiatus, FOX’s “The Mick” Season 2 is back with an all-new episode titled “The Invention.” It’s your typical no-brainer (literally) episode as Mickey (Kaitlin Olson) and Alba (Carla Jimenez) do everything in their power to help Ben (Jack Stanton) have the best science project ever. There’s only one catch though—his science teacher wants him to double up his medicine intake because he’s been imagining dark things lately. Meanwhile, Chip (Thomas Barbusca) tries his best to keep his Acorn Boys Club together as his members become tired of what they’ve been doing since they were kids. Jimmy (Scott MacArthur) pitches in to help.

The Science Project

As Mickey picks Ben up from school, the guidance counselor and his science teacher bring him out to talk to Mickey. Lately, Ben has had dark, violent thoughts and the counselor recommends amping up his ADHD medication. And not only that, Ben has been missing out on school projects too. Mickey has none of it and vows to keep him away from meds and still be able to come up with a great science project—even though it’s due that weekend.

Back home, Mickey rants to Jimmy, Alba, and Sabrina (Sofia Black-D’Elia) about why she hates the idea of having Ben take meds. But it turns out that he’s been using it for quite some time now, and if he ever gets off of it, he won’t be able to think creatively. Mickey decides to help Ben think without having to take meds. Alba jumps in, too.
Later, they start asking Ben what he wants to do for his science project. Now without a of meds, Ben spurts out random useless things like a vest and toilet pants. Clearly, nothing good is going to come out of it, so Mickey tries to have him work out and eat some fish (cause nothing else says creative than tuna fish!) Ben spurts out another round of useless ideas like a hat you can pee in, a tree that sings, a basketball he can dunk, sparkling milk, and a butt you don’t have to wipe. Again, nothing was accomplished so Mickey and Alba take it upon themselves to think of something for Ben, but they end up being stuck in a creative rut as well.

Running out of options, they decide to take some of Ben’s meds. Mickey is against Ben taking it, but since they’re adults, she figured that they could. They both take it, and their brains go haywire. They’re actually very active now, but still without great ideas for Ben’s project. Then Mickey realizes that Ben only needs to have a unique booth design because the invention will follow after it’s completed. They head over to the school and create Ben’s booth, complete with lights, stage design, and an empty glass box for whatever the invention will be. Since the project is the only thing missing, Mickey asks for another pill, which already ran out. Because of this, Alba thinks of an excuse so Ben wouldn’t have to pass a project: if his invention gets “vandalized,” then he might be excused for actually not having it. They proceed to wreck Ben’s booth and move on to the others because it would seem weird if Ben’s is the only one that was thrashed.

The Acorn Boys

In a secluded area, Ben meets his secret club. He is the president of the Acorn Boys, and they’re meeting for another prank idea. However, one of them suggests that they should put an end to the Acorn Boys because of how it’s becoming a thing for kids. Chip lashes out and tells them that he’d bring in something undeniably sick that would make them regret ever wanting to break up the Acorn Boys.

Later, Chip goes through Jimmy’s stuff to look for something “cool” to bring. Jimmy catches him, and Chip tells him about what the members of his club want. Jimmy feels the same way because he’s been through it too. He asks Chip for $400 so he could fix his problem. Jimmy arrives at their clubhouse and brings out the real surprise—a crossbow. The boys are amazed and they try it out by shooting bottles and random toys. After Jimmy’s demo, he leaves and refuses the boys to have the crossbow, even if Chip paid for it.
The next day, Chip steals the crossbow, brings it to the clubhouse and accidentally shoots one of the boys in the shoulder. Back in the house, Jimmy notices that the crossbow is gun and sets out for the clubhouse. As the boys freak out over what to do, Jimmy bangs on their door. They hide the crossbow and pretend that everything’s fine, with Chip forcibly removing the arrow and hiding the wound as blood spurts out. Jimmy tries to interrogate them, but Chip tells him that the Acorn Boys never lie. As soon as he leaves, the boys bring their friend to the hospital, but only leaves him at the door.

The Bright Idea

Back in the house, Sabrina and Jimmy discover Ben’s violent drawing of his teacher. He realizes that Ben must have taken the crossbow as his science project and they both panic. Meanwhile, the school reels from a “vandalism” attack on the science projects. However, Ben suddenly comes in with a large bag. Sabrina and Jimmy arrive just in time to save Ben’s teacher, thinking that he might shoot her with the alleged crossbow. But what Ben actually brought was a vest that he made for his teacher, so she can stay organized and clean.

They all explain what they did to his teacher, and she appreciates what Ben made her. Mickey emphasizes that Ben made it without ever being on meds, to which the teacher wonders why Ben made the vest given how his “invention” was “vandalized.” Mickey shrugs it off and leaves.
That night, Jimmy figures out that the Acorn Boys were the ones who stole the crossbow. Chip decides to finally put an end to the club by setting their clubhouse on fire.

‘The Mick: The Invention’ Overall Verdict

Ever since “The Mick” premiered, I’ve learned to love the show for its sometimes dank humor and shallow (but highly effective) laughs. “The Invention” does this again, albeit tapping on to the underlying issues of using drugs to fuel a kid’s development and friendships that goes beyond childlike things. Ben is once again my favorite act for tonight’s episode, as he never fails to deliver a convincing role of a sweet kid with hidden violent tendencies.
“The Mick” continues next Tuesday with “The Matriarch,” 9/8c on FOX.