The fourth season of the television comedy series Mike & Molly began airing November 4, 2013, on CBS in the United States. The season is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with series new show-runner Al Higgins who replaced Mark Roberts serving as executive producer along with Chuck Lorre. On March 27, 2013, CBS announced that Mike & Molly would return for a fourth season of 22 episodes to air mid-season.[1][2][3] On October 9, 2013, it was announced that the fourth season would premiere on November 4, 2013, replacing cancelled comedy We Are Men.[4]
The series focuses on the title characters Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) and Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy), a couple who meet at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting in Chicago, Illinois. After Molly, a primary-school teacher (changing career to author this season), invites police officer Mike to give a talk to her class, they begin dating. As of the end of season 2, the two are married. Mike and Molly live in the home of Molly's mother Joyce (Swoosie Kurtz) and sister Victoria (Katy Mixon). Joyce is in an on-off relationship with widower Vince Moranto (Louis Mustillo), who is often seen at the house. Mike is regularly kept company by his best friend and partner in the police force, Carl McMillan (Reno Wilson). Other prominent characters in the series include Mike's mother Peggy (Rondi Reed), cafe worker Samuel (Nyambi Nyambi), and Mike and Molly's friend and co-Overeaters Anonymous member Harry (David Anthony Higgins).
In promos leading up the fourth-season premiere, CBS billed the series as The New Mike & Molly. Though the cast and setting remains essentially the same, the "new" refers to a reboot of the series from the previous season: Molly has quit her teaching job, and is now pursuing a career as a writer.[5] However, the season did retcon the pregnancy announcement from the third-season finale[6] - though the scene was removed from the US broadcast of the finale - to allow Melissa McCarthy to perform physical comedy throughout the season.[7]
When Molly finds herself at a crossroads between her career and her dreams, she makes a huge decision to leave her teaching job. While getting drunk with Joyce and Victoria, she reveals that she always wanted to sing in musicals, but it becomes clear that will not work out.
72
2
"The First and Last Ride-Along"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Bill Daly & Julie Bean & Mark Gross
Molly has a "mind-blowing" experience when she goes to Victoria's workplace, a funeral home, to research her novel. Meanwhile, Mike sneaks a peek at Molly's writing while she's out, and is caught by Joyce and Vince. Soon, all three are reading the steamy passages on Molly's computer.
74
4
"Careful What You Dig For"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Mark Gross & Carla Filisha & Brian Keith Etheridge
Molly meets her literary idol, J.C. Small (Susan Sarandon), a cynic who advises her to write about things in her life that she wouldn't want people to know. Meanwhile, Mike invites his mother to dinner for Thanksgiving in an effort to cheer her up.
75
5
"Poker in the Front, Looker in the Back"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Carla Filisha & Brian Keith Etheridge & Bill Daly
Molly believes her suspicious next-door neighbour, Mr. O'Donnell (Christian Clemenson), is up to no good and recruits Joyce to help her spy on him. Meanwhile, the guys get together for a poker game and end up sharing their dreams and aspirations.
76
6
"Shoeless Molly Flynn"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Crystal Jenkins & Aaron Vaccaro & Marla DuMont
Molly needs to adjust her spending habits if she wants to maintain harmony in her marriage. But she can't resist buying a pair of shoes on credit and it leads to a fight with Mike, making her decide to look for a job.
77
7
"They Shoot Asses, Don't They?"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Julie Bean & Mark Gross & Carla Filisha
Mike decides he needs to live every day like it's his last after being shot while thwarting a robbery. As a result, he tells Carl it's time for him to quit the police force.
78
8
"What Molly Hath Wrought"
Stephen Prime
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Brian Keith Etheridge & Bill Daly & Julie Bean
Frustrated with the progress and content of her novel, Molly decides to take a break from writing and accepts a job as a forklift driver at Vince's warehouse, with mixed results.
79
9
"Mike & Molly's Excellent Adventure"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Bill Daly & Julie Bean & Mark Gross
Molly wants to get Mike out of the house and suggests a salsa dance class. When Mike isn't thrilled with the activity, he asks Carl to replace him as Molly's dance partner, but gets jealous when he realizes they're having way too much fun.
82
12
"Mind Over Molly"
Phill Lewis
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Crystal Jenkins & Aaron Vaccaro & Marla DuMont
Molly grudgingly goes to a therapist, Dr. Gayle Rosen (John Michael Higgins), at Mike's urging. After walking out on a session, she returns and finds that her erratic behaviour is the result of finally having stability in her life (provided by Mike), which had been missing since her father died.
A confident Molly offers her wisdom to Samuel, who now wants to be a stand-up comic. Meanwhile, Molly's advice to Harry causes him to challenge his protective mother.
Molly looks to win some extra cash when she and the girls head to a riverboat casino for the weekend. Meanwhile, Mike and Vince try to enjoy some college basketball when the guys come over to watch TV.
Carl, Mike and Samuel take a road trip to Memphis to meet Carl's mother for the first time after Carl finds out she is alive, but ill. Meanwhile, Molly, Victoria and Joyce bond with Carl's Grandma, as she tries to explain why she lied to Carl all these years.
88
18
"Mike's Manifold Destiny"
Steve Prime
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Kevin Lappin & Connor Kilpatrick Teleplay by : Al Higgins & Julie Bean & Mark Gross
Mike and Carl arrest Molly's literary hero, J.C. Small, for a DUI. After Molly repeatedly prevents J.C.'s self-destruction, the writer offers to pay Molly to be her assistant and help her complete her latest novel.
90
20
"Sex, Lies and Helicopters"
Victor Gonzalez
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Aaron Vaccaro & Marla DuMont Teleplay by : Al Higgins & Julie Bean & Mark Gross
Molly catches Carl coming out of Victoria's room late at night, with all three parties agreeing that they cannot tell Mike. Things get more complicated when Carl sends Victoria a large stuffed bear that plays The Partridge Family song, "I Think I Love You".
91
21
"This Old Peggy"
David Trainer
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Bill Daly & Carla Filisha & Brian Keith Etheridge
Peggy's bathtub falls through the ceiling, and she admits she might have forgotten to turn the water off. After another shocking incident of forgetfulness in front of Mike, Carl and Samuel, Mike suggests Peggy see a doctor to get her condition diagnosed.
92
22
"Eight Is Enough"
David Trainer
Story by : Chuck Lorre & Al Higgins Teleplay by : Bill Daly & Carla Filisha & Brian Keith Etheridge
Molly is accepted into a prestigious writer's workshop at the University of Iowa in Iowa, which would have her living out of town for eight weeks. As the household now includes Peggy and the frequently sleeping-over Carl, Molly tries to find a way to break the news to Mike. Mike explodes when he finds out, but later confides in Carl that he is really worried Molly could become a famous writer and leave him.