♫"Whoa, I feel like shit! This must be LOOOOOOVE!"♫
In General
- For all their perverted tendencies, The Hormone Monsters genuinely care for the kids they are taking care of. Although misguided (as hormones often are), they did everything with the kids' best interests and nature in their minds.
- The fact that Nick's parents are very Happily Married and still in love after all these years, with a great sex life to boot. And they're also very much involved in their kids' lives and despite being somewhat inappropriate at times, they really do go out of their way to reassure Nick that they understand and empathize with the issues he's going through.
- Their warmth even extends to Nick's friends. They consider Andrew family and treat Jay infinitely better than his own family does, which Jay obviously appreciates more than anything.
- Coach Steve clearly cares about all the kids, although he shows it in some pretty bumbling ways.
- Jessi and Matthew's friendship. Matthew is normally mean and bitchy to just about everyone, EXCEPT Jessi, in fact she's the only one he's even remotely nice to and considers a friend, and he hasn't insulted her once, and he often takes the time to insult EVERYONE.
- Nick, Judd and Leah have a typical sibling rivalry, but they're always there for each other.
- Despite being a deadbeat stoner and constantly fighting with her mother, Jessi's father loves her and puts her happiness before anything else.
- Maury's father-like relationship with his dicks.
Season 1
- Nick gives Andrew his pants after the latter jizzed himself and ruined his own pants (though it didn't help that Andrew tried to clean them in the toilet).
- Coach Steve accidentally buys marshmallows for Jessi instead of pads/tampons, but it's still nice that he tried to help her.
- Leah is very helpful and informative to Nick when he's writing his book report on a romance novel.
- Even though it's a joke, Jessi's conversation with her vagina is not only pleasant but informative. It ultimately teaches her that her body is not scary.
- After Barbara gets upset at Marty and accuses him of not loving her like he used to, he dresses up as Gustavo from the romance novel she's been reading. Sure, he messes it up a little, but it shows how much he cares about her.
- Nick declining a helicopter ride with a girl he likes because Andrew is afraid to fly.
- Missy closing her curtains around her face to Squee when Andrew asks her to be his girlfriend.
- Coach Steve falls in love with the first woman to show him the slightest piece of attention, but she sees him as only a friend (due to her possibly correct assumption that he has some sort of intellectual disability). When she reveals this to him, he isn't upset or insulted but overjoyed to have a friend.
"You want to be friends? I can't believe you're putting me in the friend zone! That's like the number one zone!"
- Jessi and Matthew go along with Jay's magic act despite previously mocking him for trying it.
- Judd constantly insults Nick but is quick to say that he doesn't hate him and is happy to see him getting along with Tallulah.
- Maurice and Connie's meeting, in what's implied to be the first time they've seen each other in a while, during Andrew and Missy's kiss. They happily remember their first kiss back in Pangea, after the dinosaurs left in their rocket ships.
Maurice: It's good to see you Connie.
Connie: It's good to smell you.
- Nick happily helps Leah get revenge on Daniel after the latter assaults her at a party.
- It's a little weird, but Elliot comforting Jay after Nick reconciles with his mom is still sweet.
Jay: This is nice.
Elliot: You're wrong Jay. It's dyno-might.
- Andrew and Maurice crying in each other's arms after Missy breaks up with him.
- Jay and Jessi find comfort in each other to avoid their troubled families.
- Maurice's Heroic Sacrifice in "The Pornscape." Not only that, but when he pulls up his "sleeve" when preparing to fight, you can see Connie's name tattooed on his arm. Aww, he really does love her.
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
- In "The New Me" Natalie returns comes to camp after coming out as trans and is getting treated badly from both the girls and the boys. Jessi comes to her defense and befriends her and they end up having a very strong friendship.
- Jay and Lola's relationship is equal parts heartwarming and hilarious. They are actually perfect for each other but that doesn't erase how their insanity fuels the other.
- After Nick bombs the talent show, Jessi tries to comfort him. He blows her off, but it's still sweet that she tried to look out for her friend, especially as everyone else seems to hate him.
- Seeing Andrew and Nick reconcile their friendship at the end of "Poop Madness" after all the shit they put each other through for the first three episodes is really sweet.
- Jay reassures Lola that she is beautiful after she becomes self-conscious about being 6 months older than him.
- At the end of "A Very Special 9/11 Episode", after feeling bad about taking advantage of Coach Steve's naivete for not knowing the significance of 9/11 other than it being his birthday, Matthew leads the bus in singing Happy Birthday to You! to him.
- Nick Starr contemplates bringing one of his parents with him to survive the end of the world. When he obliquely asks them via a hypothetical question, they both respond that they would rather die together, which is implied to be the only reason Nick Starr doesn't go through with inviting one of them to the ark.
- At the end of "The Funeral", Shannon ultimately lets Jessi live with Greg, seeing how unhappy living in the city has made her.
- Missy accepting "Mosaic Missy" as all parts of herself in her identity crisis in "Horrority House".
- The Gratitoad is the first supernatural being that isn't a Hormone Monster who doesn't torment everyone he talks to. He helps Jessi get over her anxiety and depression.
- "What Are You Gonna Do?"
- Duke helping out Nick when he's stuck as a lost soul and telling off Rick when the latter (seemingly) nonchalantly agrees with Nick giving up on himself.
- Even though she couldn't hear him, Maury tearing into Matthew's mom for being judgmental is still a really sweet gesture.
Maury: Matthew, step out of the room. I'd have a word alone with your mother...
[Matthew stands in the hallway, as glass-breaking sounds come from the kitchen and loud stomps shake the pictures on the wall]
Maury: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, KIM?! YOU'VE GOT THE BEST GOD DAMN KID IN THE GAME, SO GET THE FUCK ON BOARD BEFORE YOU LOSE HIM!
- Marty tells Andrew he's proud of his son after Andrew slaps him in the face.
- After Matthew comes out to his father, his dad reveals that he knew all along. And he accepts his son the way he is, which is a huge contrast to how his mother reacted.
- The ending of "What Are You Gonna Do?" is a CMOH for Nick, when he takes the advice of his friends by breathing for four seconds (Andrew), accepting every facet of yourself (Missy) and being grateful for what you have (Jessi). He also reconciles with Connie.
Season 5
- "The Shane Lizard Rises"
- The Shame Wizard has breakfast with Coach Steve, wherein he confides his insecurities with his friend.
- When Jessi asks what Nick's doing at the hospital, Elliot covers for him by telling her that he's the one who got his penis in a vacuum cleaner.
- Lola's mom's parole officer is able to give the kids (minus Andrew) good advice about accepting their bodies' imperfections.
- Jay is overjoyed that he can share his love of magic with a friend in Charles Lu.
- "Thanksgiving":
- Shannon and Greg are enjoying each other's company during their Thanksgiving meal. After much of the series with the two having a strained relationship, seeing them together like this makes Jessi happy.
- Jay spends the episode stealing food for his feast because he has nothing at home. However, when he realizes that Lola is also alone and hungry on Thanksgiving, he gives her all the food instead. Even though he wants to pretend he hates her, he still truly cares about her.
- Andrew realizes that his father's angry on Thanksgiving because it's the first one they spent without their grandfather. In an effort to end the cycle of constant anger in the Glouberman family, Andrew tries to have a heart-to-heart with him, letting Marty express emotions besides anger for a change and admit he does miss and love his father.
- Even though Jessi's the reason Samira broke up with her, Ali still lends an ear when Jessi asks for a shoulder to cry on for her troubles.
- Andrew, after getting some advice from Simon Sex, lends Jay an ear when the latter is sad about being a sidepiece.
- Matthew taking Jessi's side when she and Ali are accused of cheating on Samira. The same boy who takes vicious delight in exposing the details of any and all rumors in the school regardless of accuracy doesn't even hint that Jessi might be lying in his broadcast. The two don't get a lot of friendship moments in the 5th season, but he still has her back.
- After Jay makes a big show of wanting Lola back, she accepts and the two are happy together... at least until the relationship falls apart again.
- In the Christmas episode, Lola's Mom's P.O. Rodney comes to check on, and share a meal with, Lola that they both like, but is weird, after both of them got a post card from the latter's mom saying she wouldn't be home again.
- Matthew helps Jay out after the latter hits rock bottom.
- Surprisingly, Leah and Val's relationship in "Sugarbush". After a disaster first time having sex, and the advice of open communication from Diane and Elliot, the two have a honest talk about what they like that leads to their second time being more enjoyable.
- Andrew meets a girl who is equally bad at skiing as himself and has a good time with her.
- Andrew refuses Walter's offer to become his hate worm as he wants to help Nick, not hate him.
- Quinta calls Missy to apologize for what happened at Thanksgiving and offers to help her younger cousin with her hair.
- Missy accepts Jessi's apology so that they can be friends again.
- Missy gets over her hate by being her loving self. This also turns Rochelle into a love bug. Also combined with awesome.
- After three whole seasons since their kiss at the in-school sleepover, when it seemed like Jay and Matthew had a one-time fling together, Matthew realizes that he has true feelings for Jay and at the very end of the season, Jay happily returns his feelings and the two of them become more or less an official couple.
- In a way it's also kind of sweet how Jay, in his own way, tries to let Lola down and explain they're toxic together, gently.
Season 6
- When Maury questions if Andrew watched his spinoff show, he says he didn't because he can't watch stuff with friends in them, implying he considers Maury his friend.
- Matthew brings Jay home to meet his parents, and his father is absolutely delighted to meet his son's boyfriend. His mother is still upset with her son's homosexuality, but is clearly making an effort to be accepting.
- It's small, but Edward is nudging his wife towards acceptance by watching a sitcom that can help normalize the ideas for middle America without being too offensive. He does just seem to like sitcoms in general but it really does help people adjust, so Will & Grace is a small step.
- After trying a whole episode to introduce Matthew as his "same sex partner" to his whole family and being rejected every single time, Jay instead introduces him to Coach Steve who meets him with nothing but support.
- Elliot reveals his horrible upbringing to Nick, bringing the two closer together.
- When Maury attempts to defend Andrew to Flanny, stating that he has a good heart and deserves love, Flanny suddenly realizes that Maury loves Andrew. This convinces him to give Andrew another chance.
Flanny: You genuinely love that little maniac.
- Monica is able to empathize with Missy and help her daughter out after the latter has her first period.
- Caitlin and Jessi bond for the first time after the former helps with the latter's yeast infection and the latter reassures the former by revealing that she herself was born via C-section.
Caitlin: Wow. Well, knowing you're a C-section baby, that actually makes me feel a little better.
Jessi: Really?
Caitlin: Yeah, like, maybe this kid will be as awesome as you are.
- Andrew and Bernie wake up together (because their FaceTime kept going after they fell asleep).
- Missy tells Elijah that she's fine with going slow if that's what he wants.
- After being previously resistant to the idea of being a parent, Connie finally decides that she wants to help Maury raise their child.
- The next episode shows her happily playing with Montel after Maury brings the baby to Bridgeton.
- Jay cooks a romantic dinner for his and Matthew's one month anniversary.
- Bernie comforts Andrew after Barbara walks out on Marty.
- After spending so much time hating Caitlin for dating her dad, Jessi now has a cordial relationship with her father's girlfriend, as shown when they promise to text each other now that Jessi's moving in with her mom at the latter's new apartment.
- After Shannon reveals that she's sad that Jessi doesn't hang out with her anymore, Jessi reassures her mother that she still loves her.
- "Dadda Dia!" demonstrates that Rodney is there for Lola no matter what.
- He brings Lola to the hospital after she burns her tongue on a hot pocket.
- He tries to warn Lola that she shouldn't trust Bros 4 Life.
- After Bros 4 Life show their true colors, Rodney visits Lola to try and comfort her.
- The Knights of St. Joseph are able to get Lola to realize that Rodney is the father she never had.
- "The You That’s in Your Heart" is a song that is sung by Connie and Montel about how Hormone Monsters raise their kids gender neutral until puberty, which is when the young Hormone Monster can decide their own gender identity with no expectations.
- Jay is surprisingly accepting of Elijah's lack of sex drive, considering how he was the main enforcer of toxic masculinity in the past. He's become a far more sensitive person over the seasons, even complimenting Elijah's 'butterflies' (representation of attraction)on sounding lovely.
- Coach Steve is able to get Jay to accept himself by saying that he "misses the Jay who was my bestest buddy".
- After having serious marital problems for the whole season that almost cultivated in a divorce, Marty finally mends the bridge with Barbara (albeit through Andrew) by admitting that he's afraid that he isn't enough for her anymore and thought she would see him as less of a man if he admitted it, apologizing for his jerkass behavior and asserting that he doesn't want to live without her in his life.
- Lola caring for Jesse (actually her infant sister in her body) the entire day, having mistaken Jesse for having been accidentally drugged. This includes picking her up off the floor, standing up for her at school, comforting her while she cries, and potentially even having cleaned her up after she defecated in her leggings. (Jesse's body is shown in clean clothes in the next scene.) It goes to show that, similarly to Jay, Lola is a sweet girl beneath the dysfunction of her horrendous upbringing. When she said she saw Jesse as a new sister, she meant it.
- Nick learns to appreciate his father's loving affections after understanding how toxic his grandfather was to him as a child. When Nick switches bodies with Seamus, he uses the advice Elliot himself gave his son to return him to his kinder self, and give him the closure he desperately needed as a kid.
Season 7
- "Big Mouth's Going to High School (But Not for Nine More Episodes)"
- After he sees Caleb in distress, Matthew immediately goes to assist and comfort him.
- Missy realizes that she's happy with having Elijah as her high school boyfriend, even if she can't do sexual things with him.
- "The Ambition Gremlin":
- Marty and Barbara are proud of Andrew for getting an A on his book report, with the former even showing physical affection and giving his son a dollar.
- While Gil and Joe are, by their own admission, entirely unequipped to have an asexual boy as a client, they still try to support Elijah and be considerate of his boundaries. When he considers trying masturbation, rather than push him like other hormone monsters would, they assure him that it's okay if he doesn't want to do it.
- "Day Tripping":
- Judd shows a soft side by playing with his shroom supplier's child and going to help him when he hurts his arm. Nick recognizes this and decides not to rat Judd out to their mom.
- Jessi shows Matthew's sister Brittney that boys can marry other boys. This makes Matthew nervous as his parents try to hide that from his siblings. Brittney excitedly tells her parents what she's learned. While they're initially put off, Matthew calling them out encourages them to sit the family down and explain (in their own awkward way) that some people, including Matthew, are gay, and that they'll love any of the other kids if they end up gay.
- "Graduation":
- When Caleb worries ending the news show will end their friendship, Matthew offers to spend nearly every Saturday getting coffee with him. During their last broadcast, Matthew takes time to thank Caleb's work as cameraman. Caleb even lets Matthew hug him.
- While he loses them by getting too graphic, Andrew encourages the other graduating middle schoolers to fondly remember the times they had together. Even Jessi, who's been nothing but cynical about middle school, sheds tears.
- Mona, who's usually just been callous to Gil and Joe, bids them a fond farewell when Missy and Elijah seem to be parting ways.
- "Panic! At the Mall":
- The whole episode is a very sweet showcase for Matthew and Caleb's friendship, but several moments stand out:
- When Caleb finds out his backpack is no longer manufactured and starts to have a panic attack, Matthew comforts him as best he can and gently suggests alternate avenues where they can look for a replacement.
- Later on, when Caleb becomes overstimulated and runs out of the thrift store, Matthew not only comforts Caleb but offers him a plan for a new backpack/security object. He leads Caleb back into the store (having asked the staff to lower the lights and paid the loud teenagers to leave), asks him to describe what he loved about his backpack, and tries out new options with him, eventually settling on a leather satchel.
- Caleb, in turn, helps Matthew with clothes shopping as best as he can, and once he has become less overstimulated, he helps Matthew pick out a perfect back-to-school outfit.
Other
- "My Furry Valentine":
- The interactions the Hormone Monsters have with their kids are downright adorable. The winner would have to be when Nick finds Connie at Lola's party and tells her that he's glad he has her in his life. Out of context it looks just like a love confession.
- Matthew and Jessi spend the day being single together. Matthew's attempts at being nicer are a lot less labored than they were in previous episodes, hinting that this might signal a real change for him.
- Jessi accepting her mother's relationship with Dina and telling her that she deserves happiness (after some encouragement from Matthew).
- Matthew finally meets another openly gay boy who swaps phone numbers with him.
- Judd inviting a girl up to his room for a candlelit dinner, coupled with his trained raccoons developing feelings for each other.
- Diane and Elliot don't get mad at Nick for blowing up at them because they understand that this is just part of him growing up.
- After dealing with the awkward tension between him and Gina from last season, Nick casually bumps into her at Lola's party and, after some awkwardness, sincerely wishes her a happy Valentine's Day with no ulterior motives whatsoever. Gina, for her part, returns the gesture resulting in no hard feelings between them.