Ep 21. Cheryl's Day Off

According To Jim season 1 episode 21, titled "Cheryl's Day Off," centers around Jim's wife, Cheryl, taking a day off from her responsibilities as a stay-at-home mom and wife. Right from the beginning of the episode, Jim senses trouble when Cheryl decides that she wants to have a day for herself, which includes indulging in some quality time at the spa and getting pampered. Being a typical husband, Jim assumes that Cheryl can't handle being away from her family and managing life without her.

As Cheryl gets ready to leave, Jim plants a seed of doubt by sharing his unfounded fear that their two-year-old daughter, Ruby, might injure herself in his absence, knowing very well that he is the more "carefree" parent. It doesn't take long for things to go awry, as well-intentioned as Jim's fears might have been.

Cheryl's day off begins to go haywire after Jim fails to understand the simple instructions she left for him on caring for their daughter. Jim takes Ruby out for a walk to the park, only to end up with her stuck halfway up a tree. Panicked, Jim calls his brother-in-law, Andy, for help, but to no avail. Then, he turns to Dana, his friend's wife, who is the mother of two and someone Jim looks up to for parenting advice. Dana's terrifying advice further complicates matters, and Jim's fear of injuring Ruby or any parenting blunder becomes a daunting task.

Meanwhile, Cheryl's day of relaxation goes entirely awry as well, as she learns that her trusted and highly recommended massage therapist has lost her license. Then, Cheryl realizes that her supposed day off is not all it is cracked up to be, and she is just as concerned about their daughter's well-being as Jim.

As the day progresses, Cheryl tries to get in touch with Jim, only to find out that he is doing a terrible job taking care of Ruby - Jim had taken Ruby to work and had no clue about properly caring for her needs. For instance, After treating his co-workers to a great lunch, complete with a beer-fueled search for Ruby's pacifier, Jim forgot the baby in the car. Cheryl is understandably furious at Jim, who is scrambling to fix the mess he has created, but just as they are about to sort everything out, a hilarious twist causes even more chaos.

There are several funny scenes in the episode, including one where Jim has to feed Ruby with a dropper after he loses a tooth in a sandwich, and another where he tries to give her a bath and then resorts to using the dishwasher. Ultimately, the episode shows how even the most organized parents can have a tough time when a curveball is thrown their way, and how it's important to be able to improvise and think on one's feet.

The episode takes a lighthearted and funny approach to tackle the theme of balancing career and parenting. At the end of the episode, both Cheryl and Jim learn an important lesson and that although it's important to just take some time off from parenting or work, it is essential to understand and keep abreast of little details about their child and take the necessary parenting responsibilities seriously.