'Speechless' Episode 23: Can Maya Survive Her First Summer Away From JJ?
The DiMeos are kicking off one eventful summer on the upcoming season finale of "Speechless." Can doting mother Maya (Minnie Driver) survive her first summer without JJ (Micah Fowler) by her side?
After struggling with the idea of JJ going on a 10-week long summer camp on his own, Maya ultimately realized that in order for her oldest son to thrive, she would have to take a step back and give room for JJ to grow.
Therefore, in the next episode titled "C-A–CAMP," the DiMeos are off on an early summer adventure as they gear up and accompany JJ on his flight to camp. Maya gets a surprise at the airport, although it is not clear whether this surprise is a good or bad one, or if it will affect JJ's trip in any crucial way.
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Did Maya make a good decision when she let JJ go to camp all summer, or will she end up regretting it eventually? She will certainly be sad and miss the son she has been spending summers with in the previous years, as seen in this promotional image. In it, the DiMeo matriarch is seen looking fondly at the scrapbook JJ made of their past summer adventures. What brand new experiences will JJ have, and what other realizations will Maya get about her growing son?
On the other hand, summer will also give the middle DiMeo child, Ray (Mason Cook), the perfect opportunity to reinvent himself, while patriarch Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) and youngest child Dylan (Kyla Kenedy) will be turning the trip to camp into an opportunity for a father/daughter bonding.
The freshman comedy has garnered critical acclaim since its debut on ABC last year, and part of what makes it all work is that it does not try too hard to be anything more than a comedy about a typical family with real everyday problems.
The cast and crew recently appeared on the Paley Center for Media purple carpet in Beverly Hills. And in a panel moderated by Variety's Debra Birnbaum, series creator Scott Silveri shared that his goal has never been to "depict disability writ large."
"I just wanted to talk about this one family," Silveri said.
Fowler, who plays the show's groundbreaking character, JJ, has also been inspiring people with special needs like himself to aspire for more independence and to not let their disabilities bog them down.
"The disabled community can see to always go after your dreams and to always conquer any challenge that comes your way," Fowler said.
The season finale of "Speechless" airs on Wednesday, May 17, at 8:30 p.m. EDT on ABC.
