Brothers Season 1 Episode 3, “Little Woody,” turns Woody and Ma Mac’s disagreement into a quiet battle inside Matthew’s home. Ma Mac wants Woody to stop digging into the past, while Woody is determined to find out if there is any truth to the possibility that he and Matthew could actually be brothers.
Neither one is ready to give in, even if Woody eventually wants Ma Mac to believe that he has.
Ma Mac Wants Woody and His Family Gone
Ma Mac knows Woody is looking into her past relationship with his father, and she wants his questions to stop. She also knows that simply telling him to leave it alone is unlikely to work.
Instead, she starts trying to convince Matthew that having Woody and his family around is becoming a problem and that it would be better if they left. Her efforts begin to work on Matthew, even if the rest of the family is not as eager to see them go.
Woody has another problem hanging over him at the same time. The Travis Brothers still expect him to pay his debt.
He comes up with a temporary solution and drags Joy into it. Woody has the calls from the Travis Brothers redirected to her and asks her to pretend that the family has gone to Hawaii. Joy is not convinced this is a particularly good idea, but she goes along with it.
Surprisingly, it works. The Travis Brothers believe Woody and his family have left, buying him some time.
Unfortunately for Woody, Ma Mac is much closer to home and much harder to avoid.
Matthew Learns That Charm Won’t Be Enough to Become Governor
Matthew has his own problems away from the family drama as he spends time campaigning with Gwen.
Connecting with people comes naturally to him, but Gwen warns that being likable is only part of running for governor. Matthew gets a rather quick demonstration of what she means when someone asks him a detailed question about housing regulations and taxes. He does not know how to answer.
Gwen steps in to help, but she also makes it clear that Matthew needs to know more about the issues if he wants his campaign to be taken seriously. She gives him podcasts to listen to, and Matthew actually puts in the work.
When he later encounters the same woman, things go much better. This time, he understands the issue and is able to give her a detailed answer.
For all his natural ability to win people over, Matthew is starting to realize that the campaign will require more from him.
Why Does Woody Buy Matthew’s Family a Puppy?
Back at the house, Woody needs enough time for his daughter to complete the DNA test that could finally give him answers about his connection to Matthew. His solution is a puppy.
Woody gives the dog to Matthew’s family, immediately winning over the children. Matthew is far less enthusiastic about suddenly having a puppy in the house.
Then the dog damages something supposedly inherited from Matthew’s father. What Matthew does not know is that the heirloom is part of Ma Mac’s plan.
It works well enough to push him over the edge. Matthew orders Woody to take the puppy away, and Woody does as he is asked.
The decision does not last very long.
Matthew sees how badly losing the dog affects his family and changes his mind. He and Woody return to the adoption agency to get the puppy back, although reversing the decision comes with a rather expensive price tag. They have to make a $5,000 donation to the Humane Society before bringing the dog home again.
With the puppy back, the tension between Woody and Matthew settles down. The same appears to be true between Woody and Ma Mac.
Woody tells her he will stop searching for answers about the past. For Ma Mac, that should put an end to the problem, except Woody is lying.
He is still secretly working with his daughter on the DNA test, which means the question hanging over Brothers since the premiere is very much alive. For now, Ma Mac thinks she has won, while Woody has simply found a more secretive way to keep looking for the truth.
