Disney Channel premiered a new episode of Sydney to the Max on Friday, June 4th. The show’s third season has handled some pretty heavy topics so far and this latest episode is no exception. “What's Eating Olive Rozalski?” tackles how children are affected by Divorce in both Sydney’s and Max’s stories.
(Disney)
Sydney’s Story
It’s Sunday night and Sydney asks Max if Olive can sleep over again, which would be her third night in a row. He’s hesitant because the girls have school tomorrow, but after Sydney butters her dad up with flattery, he agrees to call Olive’s mom to ask if she’s okay with it. In the kitchen, Max video calls Olive’s mom and learns that she and her husband are going through a divorce, giving her blessing for the added night under those circumstances.
Max returns to the living room, telling Sydney that Olive can stay another night. Olive heads upstairs and Max asks Sydney to hang back for a minute. “Why didn’t you tell me Olive’s parents are getting divorced?” Sydney is shocked because Olive hasn’t mentioned it. Max confesses that when his parents got divorced, he felt like his world was ending. Sydney wonders why Olive is pretending like nothing is wrong. “Everybody handles these things differently,” Max tells her. Sydney asks her dad if she should tell Olive that she knows. “Olive will tell you when she’s ready,” he cautions her. Sydney heads upstairs, deciding to play it cool.
Olive has pulled out makeup for Sydney to do a makeover. “Before we start, there’s something I should tell you,” Olive says. Sydney immediately hugs her friend, telling her she can say anything and she’s there for her no matter what. Olive just wanted to say that she got blush on her bench. “Why all the emotion?,” Olive asks. “I just hate to think you’ve been carrying a secret for who knows how long?” Referring to the makeup, Olive says it was just a few minutes ago, but then realizes what’s going on, asking Sydney if she found out about her parents. Sydney apologizes. “They’re the ones getting divorced, not me.” Olive seems to be in denial about how much her life is going to change.
At school, Sydney sees Olive trying to recruit a new student for her Emergency Preparedness Club (EPC). A girl she’s talking to says “It sounds like you’re prepared for everything” in response to Olive’s list of examples. Olive then says that there are some emergencies you can’t prepare for, describing an earthquake tearing your house apart and sweeping everything you know and love away. The other student gets scared off and Sydney rushes in, asking Olive if she’s okay. “I just realized this club is useless,” Olive tells her. “If I can’t prepare for everything, why should I prepare for anything?” Olive quits the club she founded.
After school, Olive pulls out her math homework in Sydney’s room, but Sydney wants to talk more about why she quit EPC. Olive tries to talk instead about a word problem from her homework. “Olive, stop changing the subject. You’re obviously upset about your parents. Talk to me.” Olive tells Sydney she just wants to forget about it and hang out with her best friend.
Max accepts a pizza delivery from Enzo’s Pizza by returning delivery man Iggy, who has been promoted to “Senior executive delivery dude.” Sydney comes downstairs upset, telling Max that Olive quit EPC and won’t talk about the divorce. Max reminds her that Olive needs to deal with it in her own way. “Everything in her life is up in the air right now,” he tells his daughter. He suggests that before Olive goes home, they should all enjoy a nice and quiet pizza dinner.
Gathering in the kitchen, Grandma Judy returns from her annual “Undisturbed girl’s weekend” and Olive watches as she playfully interacts with Max and Sydney. Looking upset, she gets up and starts to walk away, but Sydney stops her. “I’m never going to have this again,” Olive cries, referring to the family atmosphere at the dinner table. “Everything’s falling apart. I mean, who am I going to live with? Where am I going to spend my holidays?” Sydney promises to help her figure things out, but Olive announces that she’s not going home.
Sydney, Max and Grandma Judy find Olive in Sydney’s room to console her. Olive apologizes for ruining dinner and they all agree that she didn’t. Max shares his own sadness when his parents divorced, adding that “My mom and I became our own little family.” Sydney tells Olive that when her mom passed away, her home felt broken, too. “And the three of us became our own great family.” Max adds another important lesson he learned – “I learned, Olive, that your mom and dad love you even if they’re not together.” Max and Judy take their leave, giving Olive and Sydney some space as they hug it out.
An hour later, Sydney and Olive come downstairs to the living room and Olive announces that she’s going home. “I’m proud of you, Olive,” Max tells her. “You guys were right. My family may be changing, but we’ll still be a family, just different.”
Max’s Story
Max’s dad, Doug (Tom Wilson, Back to the Future), has come to watch his son while Judy goes on her annual “Undisturbed girl’s weekend.” Judy steps into the kitchen when the phone rings and Doug talks to Max about their weekend plans, having bought tickets to the Daredevils game. Judy comes back in and announces that her trip is cancelled because her friend has the flu. “My do not disturb weekend got disturbed before it even started.” Doug offers to get a motel room for the weekend, but Max begs his mom to let his dad stay there.
Later, Judy finds Doug in the living room watching TV and he offers to vacate so she can read her book. They begin to reminisce about the table lamp they bought together, which they found in a pet store. Doug used his ukulele to charm the clerk to convince them to sell the lamp. Max walks in and sees his parents getting along and Judy asks her ex-husband to play the song that got them the lamp. After the song, Max runs to the kitchen to call Alisha, telling her that his parents are miraculously getting along “I think they could get back together!” He wants to try and help bring them back together with a romantic dinner and Alisha offers to come over and help him cook.
Alisha gives Max a hug when dinner is ready and tells him she needs to get home. Max calls his parents to the living room where he has set a table for them. “I just wanted to make you a special dinner, to thank you for…” Max hadn’t thought this part of the plan through. “Being such great parents?,” Doug asks and Max agrees. He announces the appetizer court, emphasizing specific words: “Artichoke hearts with a kiss of olive oil.” Max returns to the kitchen and Judy tells Doug that she thinks Max is trying to get them back together. The lights dim and soft jazz starts playing. “What do we do now?,” Doug asks. “We let him down gently,” Judy answers. When Max returns, Judy thanks him for making them dinner, but tells him she and Doug are not getting back together even though they’re getting along. “But I saw you,” Max says defensively. “You were laughing and having fun. Can’t you just be married again?” Max storms off upstairs. “We’re never going to be a family again!”
Judy and Doug find Max in his room, apologizing if they gave him the wrong idea. “It’s fine. So we’re not a family anymore. I’ll get over it,” Max says, clearly still upset. They both reaffirm that they love him and will always be his parents and his family, even though they’re not together. Judy adds that just because they’re divorced doesn’t mean they can’t get along and be friends. Max agrees that it was nice seeing them laughing and having fun together.
Back in the living room, Max joins his parents for dinner and confesses that Alisha made it. Doug asks if Max has a crush on Alisha and he denies it, but Judy adds that it’s a huge crush. Doug offers to teach Max how to play the ukulele to impress Alisha, bragging that it’s how he won over Judy. “You won me over in spite of the ukulele,” Judy jokes.
Sydney to the Max returns next Friday, June 11th, with another big-theme episode called “Do the Write Thing.” Here’s the official episode description from Disney Channel:
Sydney suspects her teacher Ms. Anderson has assigned everyone in her class historical figures to write about based on their race. When Sydney talks to her classmates, they confirm her suspicions and explain how uncomfortable they felt when they received their assignments. The students agree it’s time to stand up for themselves and elect Sydney as their spokesperson to talk to their teacher. In the ’90s, Vice Principal Virmani arranges for a local reporter to interview Leo about his work as founder and president of the school’s computer club, the same club he encouraged his buddy Max and his cousin Alisha to join. Leo provides a great interview and highlights of his work and is excited until the story runs, incorrectly featuring a picture of Max with the title of Club President.