Friends with Benefits
Updated 2008-07-11 09:21:36
Trina's high school sweetheart, Luke, happens to be in town. He's still carrying an obvious torch for Trina, which makes Tom both worried and jealous. And when a bad weather system strands Tom in San Francisco overnight, he only gets more worried about Trina and Luke, which drives him right into the arms of sultry blonde stewardess Bobbi. And when Tom comes home to find a dripping-wet Luke standing in the rumpus room… well, let's just say insecurity isn't a good look on him. Not even the mustache can compensate. Although Tom, Trina and Luke end up in a three-way, Tom ducks out because he's jealous of the shared history Trina and Luke have. Trina coaxes him back in. So to speak.
Meanwhile, the Millers' marriage continues to fissue. This time, Bruce has volunteered Susan for the Ladies' Auxiliary, a charity run by his boss's wife. Susan resents that Bruce didn't consult her on how best to use her time, and when she's later asked to join the organization full-time, she decides that Bruce's career can do fine without her involvement and balks at the invite. Later in the bathroom, she has a chat with Bruce's colleague Melinda, who explains the hazards of her job with, "Sure, I lie a little every now and then, but I'm still being true to myself. I know exactly who I am." This inspires Susan to call Bruce on his jerkitude; she also does a little lying of her own and joins the Auxiliary.
Another husband who's having a bad go of it: Roger. He finally gets the nerve to ask for a raise at the insurance-sales job that he haaaaaaaates , and instead, he finds out that it's layoff day and he's being let go. And then, he's so dazzled by Janet's attending-the-benefit get-up, he lies to her about getting fired, so she thinks he got a raise. When she gets to the charity benefit later, she's asked to join the Ladies' Auxiliary, so her night's only getting better. And when Tom twirls her out onto the dance floor -- never has it been so good to be Janet Thompson. Roger just sits and watches her glow.
Meanwhile, in The Children, Won't Someone Think of the Children? , the writers have sensibly packed BJ and Ricky off to "camp" for two weeks, so we don't see them at all. Laurie has a rocky final exam in her philosophy class -- it's an oral exam, and she doesn't follow the assignment to apply unfettered self-expression to her own life. She goes back to the classroom later that evening and blurts out to Teacher Doug that if she had really gone by the "honest expression" criteria, she would have told the whole class she was hot for teacher. Doug's all, "Then how fortunate for us both that class is over." And at last, there is lengthy liplock.
Line of the night: "This one's a bit of a mad scientist, isn't she?" -- Drunken Rita Pierce, to Susan, regarding Janet's miracle stain-removing powers.
Runner-up: "Your 'authentic self'? Honey, I have no idea what that is." -- Bruce, unwittingly uttering to Susan what might turn out to be exhibit A in the 1979 case Miller vs. Miller .
MVP of the night: Grant Show, who does a fabulous job of finally showing the cracks in Tom's cool façade.
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