Rating: 8.2
Sarah is pacing near a fish tank in the waiting room of the hospital. She finally gets frustrated and walks over to the receiving room, complaining that she has been waiting forever. She is surprised to see a cute guy sitting in the window instead of the nurse that was there before. He tries to figure out where he's seen her before, being completely unhelpful. She's sort of answering his questions but also trying to get some information on when the doctor will be able to see her. Finally she tells him her name and points out her form which is still sitting on the counter-top. He picks up the form and then remembers when she came into the hospital and that she had a head injury. He comments that the bruises are healing nicely. She is charmed and retorts, "Who are you, Doogie Howser?" He says he's Drew Bishop, and the doctor is his uncle, and he's interning for school. He says that he was observing in the ER when her boyfriend dropped her off. She makes it clear that that was not her boyfriend. He says pointedly, "I was just checking." Then he says he'll try to get her seen as soon as possible. As he's walking away with her form on a clipboard, she asks him if she put her phone number on the form, because she can't remember. He looks at it and says, yes, it's there. She smiles and says, "Just checking." He laughs and walks away.
Opening Credits
Julia and Griffin are giddily walking down the street looking a newspaper trying to find a great way to spend Griffin's money. Griffin comments on how much he loves saying, "Money is no object." They're giddy. He finds something on San Francisco Hot Springs: "Indulge with the one you love." They kiss. He lists what they offer, including mud baths, and then shows her the price. "Wow," she says, "must be imported mud." "Money's no object," he says. She mentions that money is so an object for her, and he says that they're splitting his settlement since he would never have even thought to sue if it hadn't been for her. She tells him to check the travel section and see how much it is to go to Maui.
Sarah and Bailey are in a coffee shop standing at the counter waiting for their coffees. Bailey is looking in a newspaper commenting that movies are good 'cause they're two hours long and there's no alcohol at them. Sarah tells him that's all well and good, but they've already seen every movie currently playing. "Not true," he says, "'The Sorrow and the Pity' at the Castro." She tells him to read the description, and once he does he realizes that that is not the movie for him. Their coffees arrive and they sit down at their table. His next suggestion is Peanuts on Ice. They laugh. He wonders if he's really that desperate. Sarah asks him if he'll need her around that afternoon. He says that it helps having her around, but if she has something.... It's nothing, she says, just something with her mom. He says he'll make it to tomorrow. He says it's been 6 days and 18 hours, almost 7 days. That's a week, and he's not going to throw it away. Besides, she can't watch over him 24 hours a day. She says she has to go to school. They pick up their coats to go, and as they're leaving he says, "There's no drinking at school. I love school."
Julia is in history class. The teacher is doing one of those wandering lectures that teachers only seem to do on TV. Julia is spacing out, looking out the window at a happy couple strolling down the sidewalk. She smiles. The professor asks a question and Julia tunes in to raise her hand and answer it correctly. The professor is pleased. Directly after answering the questions, she asks if she can be excused because she's feeling kind of nauseous. The professor says that of course she can go, and asks if she'll be all right. Cut to Julia at a pay phone. She tells Griffin she can't stop thinking about those mud baths. She tells him she got out early, and she'll meet him in fifteen minutes.
Drew and Sarah are walking out of a movie theater, and he's telling her that he can't believe that she didn't just out of her seat during this certain scene like everyone else did. She tries to play it off like she saw it coming, but then has to admit to him that she had already seen the movie. Yesterday, in fact. He says that they could have seen something else, and she makes up all these excuses while it was okay, and then he says, "So you wanted to go out with me that bad?" "Don't flatter yourself," she says. "It looks like I don't have to," he says. He asks he to coffee, and she tells him about the coffee shop she always goes to, but then says that she has to make a phone call first because a friend is sick. He goes to get the car while she heads towards a pay phone.
Claudia is feeding Owen in the kitchen. The kitchen is teeming with people. Grace walks in explaining to a photographer that they're operating under a budget, so the kitchen is sort of the "nerve center" of everything. "Sort of grassroots stuff," he comments. Claudia hears this and rolls her eyes. "So where do you want me?" Grace asks the photographer. She says she could pose with some of the staff, and he says he prefers candid. Graces asks one of her staff people if they got the fax from the mayor's office. Claudia says she brought it downstairs and it's on the table somewhere in the piles of paper. As soon and Grace finds it, Owen spills juice on it. Grace is really frustrated, and picks up Owen and tells Claudia to get him out of there. Claudia reminds Grace that Owen lived in the house first. Meanwhile, the photographer is busy taking pictures of Grace holding Owen, even though she looks terribly awkward. Claudia takes Owen and walks out.
Bailey is lying on the couch in his apartment channel flipping. Callie comes out of the bedroom in her robe and asks him if he's coming to bed. He says no, he's watching. "What are you watching," Callie asks. "TV," is his brilliant answer. She feels rejected and says, "Well, I'll be asleep in fifteen minutes and then you can sneak into bed." He reacts and she tells him that she feels totally ignored. She says that Sarah must have died or something for him to actually be home tonight. She complains that he sleeps in her bed, and he used to have sex with her, but he spends every waking hour with his ex-girlfriend. He says Sarah's helping him. Callie says she can help him. He says he's not so sure about that, and reminds her that she "doesn't do sick." He says that Callie was the only one who wasn't there for him. She reminds him how she used to cover for him with his family and clean up after him when he was puking. He says that all that stuff is about the drinking - after the fact. He says that when his family finally got together and decided to do something, she bailed. She says that's not fair, that he wanted to bail too, and that he didn't want her there. "I was sick, Callie," he says. He tells her he needs help, and she says, "So I'll help."
Commercial Break
Julia comes down into the basement with a load of laundry (her clothes are covered in mud from the hot springs) and finds Claudia sitting on the washer eating a bowl of cereal and reading the newspaper. Claudia shows Julia the front page of the Metro section where there is a huge picture of Grace holding Owen and smiling. The headline reads: "Grace Wilcox is saving grace for orphans." Claudia and Julia are both horrified. Grace comes down the stairs looking for the paper because she got a call that she was in the Metro section. She asks them if they read it, and was it good. Claudia hands her the paper as she walks away and says, "Good picture."
Bailey walks in the door of his apartment in sweats, wiping his forehead with a towel. Callie is trying to be little miss home-maker. She tells him he's just in time for home-made pizza, and she has a fridge full of different kinds of soda. She has not only gotten rid of every drop of liquor in the house (besides the cough syrup), but she has gotten rid of the bar in the living room. He doesn't react well to all of this, just sort of in shock and not really thanking her for all the trouble she's obviously gone through. She says, "I think we can do this. I'm gonna help you do this." He says that's cool. She says it was actually fun. They're sitting on opposite sides of the kitchen table, each munching on a piece of pizza. She says, "I mean, who needs a beer to have a good time, right?" He just kinda nods and munches, and she takes a bite, and there's silence.
Griffin is pulling his bed down from the closet where it lives (why is he still living in this dump?), and Julia and he quickly land on it soon after it hits the floor. Griffin comments that even after three showers he's still finding mud. Then he comments that he doesn't have any... y'know... they kinda used them all. She says that that's okay, 'cause she stopped by the drug store and got the family pack, and they're in her backpack which on the floor at the end of the bed. He reaches in to look for them and comes across a history quiz which has a big red F on it. He says, "You got an F?" "Yup," she says, "for fantastic." She reaches in to get the family pack. "Here we go, family pack," she says, "That's a little inappropriate, don't you think?" Griffin is still leafing through her history quiz. She blows it off, and he asks if the F is because they went to the hot springs yesterday. "I guess so," she answers, "It's just a stupid quiz. Who cares?" "I thought you did," he says. She tells him to forget about it, it doesn't even count on her final grade. He lets it go and they fall back on the bed, the quiz lying in the sun on the floor.
Bailey is walking up to Sarah's apartment building, and sees her in the lobby walking towards him. Just as he's about to go in he sees that she's actually meeting Drew, who is waiting in the lobby for her. She and Drew kiss hello, and Bailey does a quick about-face. Unfortunately, Sarah spots him from behind as she's walking out the door with Drew. He plays it off like he was just in the neighborhood and thought he'd stop by. She's worried about him, and keeps asking if he's okay. He's really awkward and can barely finish a sentence. Sarah introduces the two guys and they shake hands. Bailey tries to retreat, and Sarah tells him to wait. She tells Drew she'll just be moment and then walks a short distance away with Bailey. She's worried that he might have been drinking. He says he hasn't, but he wants to. He feels like one beer could be a reward or something for how many days he's been sober. He says right now the only thing keeping him from slamming one back is because he promised Sarah he wouldn't. He knows it's not fair, and she's got a life here, but.... She goes back to Drew and explains.
Charlie and Grace are at the counter in the kitchen of the Salingers' house and Charlie is saying how the article is getting sent out in this monthly mailing, and how maybe he and "the rugrats" should accompany Grace to this thing she's going to tomorrow to promote the whole family thing that seems to be so popular. Claudia is sitting at the table eating with Owen blowing bubbles in his milk and rolls her eyes. Grace says that that article wasn't entirely honest. He says, "This is politics!" Grace gets a phone call, and leaves the kitchen to take it. Claudia looks at Charlie pointedly and says, "Rugrats?" "It's a figure of speech, Claud," he says as he starts to eat. She says she won't stand up there and pretend like they're this happy little family. He says, "What's your problem now?" She says she doesn't want to act like a (she covers Owen's ears) whore. Especially for some stupid election when she can't even vote and if she could she wouldn't vote for Grace. Claudia says, "I know you're crazy about her Charlie but she doesn't care about us. She doesn't even like us." Charlie starts defending her, and then Graces comes back saying that she got in to speak (we don't know where), but it's at eight, so she has to go. Charlie reminds her not to cross her arms and kisses her goodbye. As Grace is rushing out the door, Claudia says goodbye to her and Grace distractedly says goodbye back. Charlie glares at Claudia and she looks at him innocently and says, "I didn't say anything."
Bailey and Sarah are in Sarah's room listening to music (Without Letting Go by Laurie Sargent). Sarah is on the bed and Bailey is on the floor looking through CDs. He asks her, "Is this my Talking Heads?" She is spaced out, but replies that yeah, he left it here when they were going out. He asks about Drew, and whether or not it's serious. She says she doesn't know, it was only going to be they're second date. He says he just asked because she never mentioned him, and apologizes if he screwed it up for her. She says Drew was very understanding and they're going to get together this weekend. She stretches and he realizes he's keeping her up and gets up to leave. She says it's not a big deal, just school tomorrow, and asks him how he's doing. "Better," he says, "better I guess." He says that this night was good for him, helped him keep his mind off things. He tells her that being with her is what helps, and takes her hand and starts rubbing it. She pulls her hand away and tells him to stop. He apologizes and blames it on old habit. She says things are different now. He says he know, and she's dating someone now, and that's great. She reminds him that he's dating someone too. She says she'll help him, but that he kinda has to learn to help himself too. She says he's doing great so far, but that she thinks he needs to make some serious changes, and get away from the things that make him want to drink. He takes her advice to heart. "Everything," he says. "Yeah, pretty much," she answers.
Commercial Break
Julia pulls up the shade in Griffin's apartment and says, "Hey you! Up and at 'em!" Griffin struggles to see in the sudden blazing sunlight and says, "Adam who?" She tells him he's beautiful in the morning and kisses him and hands him coffee. The coffee is about the only thing he can comprehend. She says it's amazing day and they should do something fun. He says sure, as long as it doesn't involve mud. She says they could pack up his bike and drive up to Drake's Beach through Marin. He says, "This afternoon?" She says, "Nope, after breakfast," and carries over two muffins to the bed. He asks her if she has school, and she says yeah, but nothing is going on there anyway. She picks spending time with him over learning about the Peloponesian (spelling?) War. He says it sounds cool, but not today. She says why not today, today is perfect. He says he has to replace the plugs on the biks. She asks how long it'll take. He says he has to go get the parts, so it could take all afternoon. He suggests they go Saturday. She catches on.
Callie is in the kitchen slamming things around making breakfast. Bailey is asleep on the couch and wakes up to the same blazing sunlight that Griffin was just struggling with, but to a loud pissed off girl-friend. "What's with all the noise?" he complains. She says she's just making breakfast. She asks him if he slipped up the night before and if that's why he's sleeping in the living room. He says, no, he didn't slip up, and thanks for the vote of confidence. She says, "Okay, so you didn't drink, and you were out late.... How is Sarah?!" He tries to explain, and she says that they had this conversation already, and she remembered him saying that he wasn't going to do that anymore and he was going to let her help. He gets her to calm down a little, and then tells her that she can't help him. She says she can if he'd just give her a chance. He says it's not that simple. He says, "This whole place, everything here, just reminds me of how much I want to drink. I put my key in the door, and my mouth starts to water, like that dog, Pavlov or whatever, 'cause I can't wait to get to the fridge and then I open the door and I remember and... it's like everywhere I turn, this whole place, everything in this place makes me wanna... makes me wanna dull the edges." "Including me?" Callie asks. "Yeah," he says, "I think so."
Grace is on the phone in the hallway of the Salingers' house. Claudia comes in and hands her fax and tries to get her attention. While Grace is on hold Claudia starts apologizing for being so rude and not giving her a chance. Grace cuts her off when the person she is waiting for comes to the phone, has a quick conversation, hangs up the phone, and is surprised to find Claudia still there waiting to finish. Claudia starts to continue her apology, and then switches tracks and tells Grace that she took a message from a reporter who wanted to do a follow-up on the metro section article, and wanted to get some shots of Grace with Claudia and Owen doing something fun. Graces is very pleased by the whole idea. Claudia goes on to say that they reporter suggested they meet at the Natural History museum later on in the afternoon. Charlie happens by and Grace says it's a great idea, and invites Charlie, but he can't make it.
Sarah is walking out of school to her car, and finds Callie there waiting for her. Callie says, "Are you at recess, or whatever?" "No, we're out for the day," says Sarah. Callie is having trouble saying what she came to say, and Sarah gets worried and asks if Bailey's okay. Callie says Bailey's fine. Sarah asks what Callie wants. Callie walks over to her and tells her to stop. Sarah doesn't understand. Callie says she's talking about all the time Sarah has been spending with Bailey. Sarah tries to back out of the conversation but Callie won't let her. Callie blames Sarah for telling Bailey to "get away" from Callie. Callie says that there are so many things he can do to stop drinking, but Sarah makes it all about Callie - about how she's this terrible person and a bad influence. Callie says Bailey feels bad about the accident, and Sarah is using that, because she doesn't want to see Callie and Bailey together... or maybe she wants to get Bailey to come back to her. Sarah is shocked, and says that that's not it at all, and that she's seeing someone else and she's moved on. Callie doesn't believe her. Sarah says that Bailey says he needs her... he needs her help. Callie asks her what's in it for her, and challenges her to say that she doesn't want him to come back to her... that it's not true. Sarah hestitates, looks Callie straight in the eye, and says, "It's not true," and gets into her car.
Griffin and Julia are on a street car. He's holding a gold necklace up that has a little leg for a charm. "It's a leg," he says. "A knee, actually," Julia corrects, and explains that he's supposed to wear it around his neck to remind the universe to look out for his knee. He thinks it's cool, and asks where she got it. She says she found it at this really cool arts festival in Union Square, and puts it on him. He realizes that she cut school, and gets all upset. He asks her what's going on, and why is she ditching school. They get off the street car, and she tells him that it's the end of the year and she's taking it easy. He says that he thought she cared about things like school and grades. She says everyone's slacking off, it's senior slump. He's still harping on it, and she doesn't understand why he's so stressed about it.
A koala bear on a tree. Claudia is trying to get Owen to say koala correctly. Grace is stressing because the reporter hasn't shown up yet. Claudia is trying to get Grace to take some interest in Owen. Grace keeps asking Claudia questions about the reporter, and Claudia is dodging them, and trying to get Grace and Owen interested in learning about koalo bears (they have two thumbs on each leg and they're marsupials). Grace decides that something isn't right, and they should go. Claudia says that even if the reporter isn't here, this is nice quality time, and Owen is loving it. She says they should stay and check out the dinosaurs. Grace says she's gotta find a phone, because if this is some kind of mix up she can't waste any more time. "That's what this is for you? A waste of time?" says Claudia. Grace doesn't pick up on what's going on and says, "C'mon, and I want to call. If there's no reporter we should go." Claudia tells her that it was all a setup, and there was no reporter, and Claudia just wanted to prove a point. Claudia says she knew the only way she could get Grace to spend any time with them was if Grace thought she was getting something out of it. Grace is just in shock, and doesn't know what to say. "Apparently I was right," says Claudia.
Callie walks in to the apartment to find Bailey packing up boxes. (Love Minus Zero-No Limit by Bob Dylan is playing.) She says she thought he'd be gone by now. "Tomorrow," he says, "I told you." She reminds him to pay rent for the next month 'cause that was the deal. He's left it on the mantle. She picks up the envelope off the mantle and throws it over her shoulder. "You've been drinking," he says. "Yeah," she says, "I guess my edges got a little too sharp." She suggests they sleep together one last time, and he pushes her away. She says, why not? That used to be his solution for everything, get drunk and get laid. He tells her not to do this, not to make it a bad breakup. She says it already is. She says she thought he was different. She used to say, oh, if I could just get a guy like Bailey... it turns out he treated her worse than any of them. And now he's just out the door. He stops her from leaving and tells her she's right, and he was awful to her, and he's sorry, but they both need a fresh start. He says she deserves to be with someone who won't treat her like that, and she's great, and he really does like her, and in a way, he loves her. "Yeah?" she says, "Well thanks for finally telling me."
Commercial Break: an ad for a chance to win a Jeep like Bailey's from Dr. Pepper if you watch the season finale.
Charlie is walking around the house upstairs yelling for Claudia. She comes out of a doorway downstairs and tells him to be quiet because Owen is sleeping. He comes down the stairs and they meet on the middle landing. She asks whats wrong and he asks what the hell she was thinking. She says if you want to talk to me, then talk, but don't yell, because she was right. Charlie can't believe she would pull a stunt like this. She and walks down to the base of the stairs and says, "You're yelling." He follows her, yelling, "No I am not yelling." He asks how she could do something so mean and manipulative, and she says that he told her to get to know Grace and spend some time with her. She tells Charlie how the minute Grace realized there was nothing in it for her, she took off. Charlie tries to defend Grace. Claudia says, "Fine, be mad at me, hate me. But that doesn't change the fact that she doesn't care about us. Not like Kirsten did. Kirsten wanted to be a part of this family. She loved that. But Grace, oh no." Charlie starts to get apologetic when he notices Claudia's tears, but he insists that Claudia's wrong about Grace, and that Grace is just really busy right now, and when everything calms down they'll all do something fun together. He suggests they get Owen and go to Disney Land or something. Grace overhears this last part from the top of the stairs. Claudia still doesn't believe that she's wrong about Grace. Charlie insists that Grace will want to do this. Grace walks away from the top of the stairs.
Julia is in her attic room brushing her hair when Griffin comes up the stairs. She's immediately defensive and tells him that she's getting ready for school, so not to worry. (She's wearing this great silver velvet shirt too! :) Griffin says their last fight was the strangest they've ever had, and that him ragging on her about school is pretty "freaky." She agrees. He says, "I love that you want to spend time with me." She tries to interrupt. He continues, "No, no, this is my apology, so just shut up. It's just when I saw you slacking off like that, it was just like, it wasn't you. Y'know, I always liked that you're so smart. You're like the smartest person I know. I mean, you read, and you know stuff... I mean, I love how I'll be ready to go somewhere, and you're like, I just gotta finish this chapter. That's cool. You're smart, and you still wanna be with me. Is that stupid?" She's touched, and sits next to him on the bed, and tells him that's not stupid. "And besides," he says, "somebody's gotta be the brains, and somebody's gotta be the looks, and I cannot do both." She laughs and pushes him over on the bed and starts kissing him. A few seconds later she pulls away from him. He's all concerned and asks what's wrong. "Nothing," she says with a grin, "I gotta get to school." He smiles.
Bailey and Sarah are in Bailey's apartment finishing up his packing. Callie is sitting at the kitchen table staring off into space. Sarah takes a box out the door to the Jeep. Bailey picks up a box and goes to talk to Callie. She asks for the key. He puts it on the table. Awkward silence. He tells her to take care of herself. She says, "I always do." He takes a last look at her and walks out. She is left sitting alone.
Charlie and Grace are in their bedroom. Grace is telling Charlie how she got a newspaper endorsement. He says that's great. She seems distracted, while he just can't take his eyes off her. He asks why she doesn't seem excited. She says, she's excited, and then explains why she's so withdrawn. She says she doesn't want to seem selfish, but this city council thing is really her top priority right now. She tells Charlie she overheard the Disney Land conversation, and she can't make those kind of promises. She knows she sounds awful and self-absorbed, but that's just the way it is right now, and she's sorry. Charlie says there's no reason for her to be sorry, but you can tell from the initial reaction on his face that he's a little shocked. She asks if they're okay, and he says yeah. She goes to take a shower. He's left lying on the bed a little miffed.
Sarah and Bailey are moving Bailey's boxes into the Salingers' house (why are none of the other Salingers' helping?). She's counting stairs. They're done. He says he guesses he's gonna owe here for this. "Yeah," she says, "pretty much for the rest of your life." They laugh. He says he could start tonight by taking her out to dinner anywhere she wants, but she says that's really sweet, but she can't, she's going out with Drew. He says, yeah, sure. She gets up and says, "So I'll see you?" "Yeah, I'll see you," he returns. She starts to leave, and he stops her, and then realizes he doesn't know what to say. She smiles and says, "Don't mention it," and walks out of the room. He's left sitting on a bare mattress alone. (Crash by Dave Matthews Band starts playing and continues through next scene.)
Griffin is coming out of the bathroom in his little apartment wearing a bathrobe and rubbing his wet hair with a towel. Julia is there all dressed up lighting the last of like a gazillion candles that are all over his room. She looks fantastic. He tries to tell her he can't believe that she did all this while he was in the shower, and that she looks incredible, but he can't seem to finish a sentence. She tells him that they're celebrating. She shows him her make-up history quiz. There's a big red A on the top. She starts kissing him and seducing him and telling him about what she's learned in history class. She continues lecturing and kissing and playing with his hands and leading him towards the bed. He's just smiling and sort of trying to respond. (I can't even do this scene justice, it's just so cute.) Finally, she starts pulling off his robe and pushes him down on the bed.
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Season 3 Episode Guide.