The first episode of "It's Not Like That" opens with an introduction to our two central protagonists and their families. Pastor Malcolm, recently widowed after losing his wife, Jenny, has an estranged relationship with his oldest daughter, Flora. She's an outcast at school and struggling to fit in, given the significant time off she's had due to Jenny's death. Flora also seems to have feelings for Merritt, who we'll get to know soon.
We also meet Malcolm's youngest son, Justin, who has embraced religion but unfortunately is an easy target at school. He's ignored by some and bullied by one of the meaner kids in his class. Finally, there's Penelope, the middle child, who is best friends with Casey, Lori's daughter. Both of them are navigating the turbulent stage of puberty where everything feels like a major drama.
Malcolm is overprotective but clearly cares about his kids. In fact, he sits in the parking lot after saying goodbye to them and starts crying. They don't need him to walk them in anymore. He's overwhelmed by everything, but he's not alone here, as we'll soon see.
Meanwhile, Lori is newly divorced and has a tumultuous relationship with the kids' father, David. They got married quite young, and Lori fell pregnant with her oldest child, Merritt, quite quickly. David has always doubted their relationship, and after getting sober, he was still unhappy. When Jenny died, he realized he needed to make a change and used this as a springboard to branch out.
Merritt is Lori's oldest child and currently taking wrestling at school. Casey is her middle child and quite confident doing her own thing, which causes a rift with Penelope, who's desperate to get in with the cool kids led by the bitchy Dakota. Casey can see she's losing her best friend, so she decides not to take cheerleading and switches to wrestling instead.
The dynamics between Lori and her children are strained, and for Lori, this emotional strain culminates in tears in the parking lot, her car parked opposite Malcolm's. As we soon discover, the two are actually good friends who have leaned on each other through their respective tough times. Ironically, they are oblivious to the depths of their children's struggles.
Malcolm has been absent from Grace Community Church for nearly a year, but he's looking to get back into the swing of things. Harris, his friend and former Parrish, reassures him of this. As for Lori, she works at Flynn/Beck Public Relations, but her friend Gail wants her to get back into the dating world. Gail has set up a profile for her, and naturally, she has a ton of matches almost immediately. However, Lori is reluctant and unsure if it's a good idea. She broaches the idea with Malcolm that night, and the two go through her matches together.
Eventually, they settle on a guy called Cuppa Joe. When Merritt finds out that Lori is talking to other men, he decides to leave and stay at David's instead. However, David is constantly juggling different women and casual hook-ups. When he walks in and finds Merritt waiting, the kid can't catch a break and eventually storms out.
The next day at school, Merritt finds comfort in Flora. He opens up to her about how he resents that both David and Lori are starting over while he's stuck picking up the pieces of his life. The two do a great job of reassuring each other, and there's a clear connection there, even if Merritt does have a girlfriend... for now.
That night, Merritt took Flora's words to heart and made the difficult decision to end his relationship and quit wrestling. He also lashed out at Lori, stirring the pot by bringing up David's casual hook-ups with girls. Casey's decision to take up wrestling left her with a number of bruises, but unfortunately, it also made her the butt of jokes from Penelope, Dakota, and the popular girls on the cheer team. When a video of their antics went viral, Penelope was in hot water when everyone else found out.
With all of this chaos, it's easy to overlook Justin. He's still being bullied and rather quiet, but there's a tender moment between him and Malcolm that night as they cook meatloaf, just like Jenny used to. At least these two are getting on. Flora and Penelope are estranged from their father, and that's only growing as they get older. Both Malcolm and Lori head out that night, seeking solace in one another. They end up in the pouring rain together and, sitting in the car together, inevitably start kissing.
They're interrupted by Justin ringing Malcolm for help with his homework. The kiss definitely rattles both of them, and that night, Malcolm manages to open up to his kids. Flora decides not to go to congregation, admitting that Jenny's death has rattled her faith and belief in God. She's also not cutting her hair anymore because Jenny was the one who cut it initially. Malcolm supports her no matter what, and this soft touch also helps Penelope confront Dakota, standing up for Casey and demanding that she take the video down or she'll snitch.
Even if they're not getting on, it's clear there's still some respect there. That afternoon, everybody shows up for Casey's wrestling match with Trevor, the boy who has had her number the whole episode. Casey eventually does come out on top, and Penelope is even there to watch it happen.
Next, Malcolm gives his returning sermon at the church, explaining that he doesn't actually have one written and he's going off the cuff. He speaks from the heart and explains that he's not doing okay but he has faith that he will be. After leaning on the community and embracing them, we cut forward in time.
Malcolm finds Lori's earring in his car and returns it. Right now though, the kiss goes unanswered, and their future hangs in the balance.
