Season 6, Episode 12: Bad Behavior

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Written by: Melissa Rosenberg and Allan Heinberg
Directed by: Harry Winer

Co-starring Harris Shore as Dr. Miller, Pamela Salem as Ms. Shaw, Angelo Tiffe as Buyer, Jillian Bach as Deborah, Jilana Stewart as Megan, Barry Sigismonde as Stan, Brandon Michael DePaul as Hughley, and Craig Warner as Singer.

Transcribed by Rachel

Bailey comes into the house. It's clear that he has been out all night long. He hears Victor and Owen coming out to leave for school, so he quickly runs upstairs and pretends like he's coming downstairs. Owen busts him, saying that he wasn't in his room earlier. Bay says that he was out exercising. Owen wants to know why Bailey can wear the same clothes two days in a row. Victor says they will ponder that on their way to school. Owen reminds Bay about his basketball game after school and the fact that his friend Hughley is spending the night. Bay says that he'll see him there, but he pulls Victor aside and tells him that he can't stay until the end of the game, so he hopes Victor can bring Owen home. Victor wants to know if he has another all-nighter planned. Bay tries to deny it while Victor and Will give him a look. Bay says he has dinner plans. Victor leaves. Will asks him if he's slept in his bed all week. He's not keeping score, he's just jealous. Bay asks about Will's new girlfriend, Deborah. Will says they are doing fine, but their going responsibly, excruciatingly slow and now with her sister in town , it will go even slower. Bailey offers to have dinner with them. He'll distract the little sister and Will and Deborah can go have some fun. Will says that she's only 18 and from Tulsa. With Bailey's new attitude Will is just a little concerned. Bay says it isn't like that. Holly had a good point, it isn't time for him to settle down yet so he should get out of the house and out of his head and just relax and little bit, prove to himself that there is more than one person out there for him. He tells Will to call Deborah. He will take excellent care of her little sister.

Credits

Factory
Charlie is showing his newly designed bedroom set to a potential buyer. He describes the hand-crafting, the imported wood, talking about the time they take to make each set special. The buyer wants to know how much time. Charlie says it varies. The buyer wants a specific time, if it's six weeks it's going to be hard to sell to people. Daphne interrupts saying that she has to discuss the fax from Sao Paulo with Charlie. She pulls him aside. She is helping him with the customers while they get ready for the expo. She learned in telemarketing that the first lesson of sales is to close the deal. You need to find out what they want and promise it to them. Charlie says he isn't going to lie to his customers. He doesn't need to lie, he'll just be a little late. Everyone is late...even his own contractors. They need to get the orders. Didn't Charlie say that the business was about to go belly up? Charlie acknowledges that. Daphne goes back to the customer. She promises that they'll ship in four.

College of Fine Art
Julia is in a writing class. The professor assigns them to just write. Julia asks about word count, syntax, but the professor tells her to just write. She sits there looking at her page while everyone else around her writes. She notices one guy in the corner is writing furiously.

Elementary school
Owen's team wins their basketball game. Victor compliments Hughley's father, Stan on his son's playing. Stan says that he needs to work on his defense. Victor asks what time he'll come to pick Hughley up. Stan asks if Bailey will be there. Victor says that he will, later on, but Victor will be with the boys in the evening. Hughley's father goes over to talk to the boys. He has an idea. Why don't they go out for pizza and then Owen can spend the night with them? Owen asks Victor if he can go. Victor says it isn't really his decision, it's Bailey's. Owen tells him that if Bay has a problem, he can come pick Owen up later. Victor watches the boys leave feeling uncomfortable about what just transpired.

CFA
Julia chases after the student in her class who was writing so much. She wants to know why he didn't turn in his piece. He says that it stunk. They get in the elevator together. Julia grabs his notebook from him. She looks his story over. It's very good. The grammar and spelling are a bit off, but very good. She asks again why he didn't hand it in. He doesn't know, he thought he could make it better. She doesn't understand. She doesn't think her writing is good, so she doesn't write anything. He writes two solid pages and it is good. He thanks her. She's sorry to dump it on him, but she just put all of herself into a book and now she can't write anything. She has to come up with a character by Friday and she has nothing. She looks at him and he can just write. She wants to know how he does it. He uses tons of coffee, plenty of fried foods and he keeps himself in a constant state of yearning. Yearning for what? Respect, material objects, sex... She's tried all of that, is there anything else? The elevator door opens and he leaves. She realizes she doesn't even know his name.

Orchestra Hall
Claudia is going back in after the intermission. She runs into an old friend, Todd Marsh. They played together in the city orchestra in junior high. She says he looks really different. He acts very nervous around her. She asks if he still plays. He admits that he's a "sell-out session musician" guy. Claudia can't believe he works on albums. He asks if she's touring or playing with an orchestra. He's shocked to hear she doesn't play anymore. She says that she should get back to her seat. He has an extra seat in the second row of the orchestra if she would like to join him. It would be a shame to waste it. Claudia agrees to go with him.

Kirsten and Charlie's apartment
Charlie comes home to find an exhausted Kirsten. They both apologize for not calling during the day, they meant to. Charlie tells Kirsten about his day with the buyers, how Daphne started to ruin his presentation, but ended up completely saving his tail. Half of them agreed to carry his stuff in their stores. He thinks she's a sales genius...or a sales idiot savant. He walks into the dining area to find Kirsten asleep.

Salingers
Joe comes over to serve coffee to Bailey, Will, Deborah and her sister. They wave him off, they're getting ready for the rest of their night. Deborah's sister asks what they are planning for the rest of their night. She read an article about a club, Kingdom Come. Deborah says no, it's a real meat market. Bay says it isn't that bad. Will asks how he got in. He knows the guy that owns it. He could get them in. Deborah thinks it's a little late. The sister says they can go home to bed and Bailey will take her. They get up and leave. Deborah asks Will how long he's known Bay. Will says his whole life. Deborah doesn't like him.

Charlie and Kirsten's apartment
Charlie wakes up and asks Kirsten what time it is. It's late. She's late for everything. Dr. Miller is going to be at the cocktail party that night, so they have to have a pitch ready for a new drug study. She reminds Charlie about the party. He's going to be there. She needs all the support she can get. This was what she wanted to gossip about to Charlie the day before. This doctor is the last hurdle for them, but he thinks that psychopharmelogical studies peaked in the 1970s. He's going to go into his own private practice. Kirsten turns around and see that Charlie has fallen asleep.

Music studio
Claudia watches while Todd plays back-up strings for a hip hop band. Later they leave the studio. Claudia thinks he was great, but Todd thinks he's a hack. He tells her that she could do it too. If she can sight read the only thing she needs to do is go out with him. Claudia asks what he means. He meant that there is a party that night, he could introduce her to some of the people he works for. It's just the guys he plays with and the people who book their sessions. It doesn't have to be a date at all, they could even meet there. Claudia agrees to go.

Boat Museum
Julia finds the mystery man from school giving tours at a boat museum. He is telling a wild story about a submarine being sunk by t-shirts caught in the water intake. Julia tells him he's very creative, Adam Matthews. He admits that the true story isn't worth the price of admission. Julia asks him about the creative writing assignment. She thought she might write about him. He doesn't understand, isn't she supposed to create a character? She couldn't find him in the face book and that made her think about how he didn't hand in his assignment and how he wouldn't tell her his name. There is no Adam Matthews enrolled at CFA, right? Adam says that he needs to get back. She could have asked the school, but she wanted to hear it from him.

Living room
Will comes in to find Bailey playing video games. Will asks Bay if he had fun the night before. Victor comes in and Bay gets up and leaves Will hanging. He's sorry, but Owen is spending another night at Hughley's, so they don't need Victor. Bailey totally spaced it and forgot to call and cancel. Victor asks if Hughley's father called and talked to Bay. No, Owen did. Victor tells Bay about what happened at the game. He knows the vibe and he thinks Stan Ward doesn't want his son anywhere near Owen's gay nanny. Bailey gets ready to leave. Victor wants to know what he's doing. He's going over to get Owen and bring him home. Victor says that Owen won't understand. That's okay, Bay doesn't want Owen to understand. Victor says that Bay needs to talk to him. Bay doesn't know what he would say. He just wants him out of there. Bay says that he will talk to him, Victor won't have to worry about this anymore.

Cocktail party
Kirsten is discussing the drug trial with Dr. Miller. Charlie is first beeped, then gets a phone call from Daphne. Charlie goes over in the corner to talk to her. Kirsten tells him to just leave. He needs to get ready for the expo.

Outside the house
Claudia and Todd are coming home from their evening. She didn't realize it would be an audition. He says that is wasn't, it was just a jam session. She thinks her pitch was off, but he tells her that she has perfect pitch. His booking agent is going to call her about a film score this week. Claudia doesn't think she can do it, she'll need to practice. Todd says she can't. They never know what the music will be 'til they get there. Claudia thinks it's horrifying. Todd says it is at first, but then it's kind of liberating. You learn that you will make mistakes, but you listen to yourself and how you blend with the rest of the instruments and it's okay. You learn how to trust your instincts. Claudia isn't sure if she can, but he tells her she can. He moves in and kisses her. She breaks away and goes inside, apologizing.

Coffee house
Adam is telling Julia about his mother. She's been gone for four years backpacking in the Outback. She sends post cards, but no money. She took off after his dad died. All he left behind was debt. It's sad, but it's true. Julia can't believe how hard it must be for him, not only can't he get grades or credit, but he doesn't get feedback like all of them do. She asks if he's tried to get financial aid. If he goes to the dean of admission, he'll recognize Adam. He doesn't want to risk it. He found out that he liked to write in the hospital after his dad died. His mom asked him to write the obituary. He made up a whole second career for him. At the house people kept coming up to him and asking about all the interesting things he had made up for his father. Since then writing...he wants to keep doing what he's doing. He wants to be around the professors, the people who know how it's done.

Salingers
Will is waiting for Bailey at the bar. Will asks where he's been. Joe says he was supposed to be there an house ago. He wasn't with Megan by any chance was he? Bay asks who Megan is. She's Deborah's sister, the girl who he had sex with last night. Didn't he know that she was a virgin? Bailey can't believe it. How was he supposed to know it? She was practically begging for it. Will says that she is a wreck because the jerk that she had the misfortune of sleeping with for the first time didn't even have the decency to call her. Bailey tries to apologize, but Will says it won't work. Bay says that he said no to her about 100 times. She was going home with somebody... Will asked him to not take advantage of her. Why did he have to go and sleep with her? What's the matter with him? Will leaves. Bay turns to see Joe watching the whole incident.

Expo
Charlie is on the phone with Kirsten. She said that she would be there. He needs her for the moral support. She says that she will try and make it. Charlie hears shouting coming from his booth. Daphne has hired two very sexy women to get into the bed. The furniture buyers are getting into bed with them and having their pictures taken. Charlie asks if the women are naked under the sheets. Daphne doesn't answer, asking instead if Kirsten is coming. They could really use her help. Charlie isn't sure that this is the image he wants for the company. Daphne hopes he brought more order forms, they're almost out. Charlie can't believe how good she is at this.

Shed
Julia comes outside to find Claudia playing the violin. Julia wonders what she's doing. Claudia isn't sure. She knows that Julia told her to trust her instincts, but they're all over the place. This really cute guy tried to kiss her, but she got all scared. He's nice and smart and plays the violin, but he seems like this very sophisticated person. He has his own job and his own car. Again she's looking at someone who is so far ahead of her that she'll have to race to keep up with him. She might have to move too fast. Julia thinks maybe he isn't the guy for her, but Claudia disagrees. She wanted to kiss him, she just doesn't know if she's ready. Julia tells her that she is the only one who can know. Claudia misses her instincts.

Owen's bedroom
Victor comes up to find Owen. He thought they were going to the comic book store. Owen says that he doesn't want to go. Victor asks him who he is and what he did with Owen. Owen gets up and tries to go outside, but Victor stops him and asks what is the matter. Wherever Victor is, Owen isn't. What did he do? Owen says that Victor is a faggot. Victor doesn't say anything for a moment, then asks "what?" Owen starts that Hughley says that he... Victor asks him to not use that word again. He's not yelling at Owen, but does he even know what the word means? Owen knows that it's bad, Hughley says. Victor asks what else Hughley said. That he would make Owen one too. Victor thought Bailey was going to talk to Owen about his. Owen wants to know what he did. Victor says nothing, that Bailey was going to explain. Victor says that the first thing Owen should know is that every single person in the world is different. Some people like DC Comics and some like both. Owen comments that he likes both. Victor acknowledges that you can like both. He goes on that it isn't good or bad, it just is what it is.

Expo
Charlie wants to know where Kirsten is, she was supposed to be there four hours before. Daphne points her out running through the hall. She can't believe she missed the whole thing. She asks how it went. Daphne announces that it was a huge success. Charlie walks away without saying anything. She tried to get away, she is the project leader. Charlie knows that she's important, that's why he went to her event the night before. Kirsten points out that he was taking calls on his cell phone all night before he left early. The day went incredibly well and he wanted to share it with her. To be with her at all anymore would be great. Kirsten says that she's busy. He knows, but she needs to try harder. Kirsten says that someone will have to make a concession. Which one of them will it be?

CFA
Adam runs up to Julia asking who Aaron Martin is. She couldn't even change his initials? She was supposed to create something, not just write about him. Julia says that she changed all kinds of things. Both of his parents are dead, which is more like her than him and he's from Des Moines. Adam points out that "Aaron" is going to school without paying tuition. It's just an assignment, he's the only person who's going to see it, she's not going to publish it. Yeah, but it was a professor who happened to notice the 900 similarities between "Aaron" and Adam. Julia asks what happened. The professor checked up on him like Julia did, found out there is no student named Adam Matthews, called the president and he's done. He is banned from the campus. Julia never meant to do this. When she said she was blocked, he never realizes that she was that far gone.

Kitchen
Bailey comes home to find Victor cleaning up the kitchen. He thanks him. He had a computer meltdown at the restaurant. Victor guesses that Bay didn't have a chance to talk to Owen yet. Bay says know, but he's going to. Victor hopes so, because Owen was afraid that he was going to turn him into a faggot. Bay can't believe it. Owen's words, not Victor's, actually Hughley's, but Victor can imagine where he got it. Owen didn't know what it meant, only that he didn't want to be one. Bay asks what he said to Owen. He told him the truth, he had to and he seems to be okay with it now, but he wasn't supposed to have that conversation with him. Bailey knows, but he didn't know how to talk to him. Victor points out that he isn't Owen's parent. Bay needs to talk to him about it. Victor realizes that Bay has a lot on his mind now, but if Victor being there is making it easier for Bay not to be, then maybe he shouldn't be around. Don't get him wrong, he cares about Owen a lot and that Owen cares about him, but Bailey is the one he needs. Victor leaves.

CFA
Julia chases after Adam. He says that he has to get out of there. Julia may have a solution for him. She talked to someone that she knows who is on the board (Evan) and he read Adam's stuff and thinks he's great. If he applies he should be able to get in. Adam asks how. He needs to fill out the form and check the box marked "financial aid." Adam doesn't think it'll work, the president is totally against him. His spelling is terrible. Julia will help him. He'll just get his high school to send his transcripts.... Adam walks away, he never finished high school. His mom was gone and he needed to work. Why does she think that his grammar is so lame? That he can't spell? Julia thinks that he can still get a place. Adam asks her to leave him alone.

Backyard
Owen comes out to find Bailey shooting baskets. Owen asks what he's doing. He's waiting to practice with Owen. He's going to spend the day with him instead of Victor. Owen thinks that's cool. Bay needs to talk to him first. First of all, he's sorry that he's been AWOL lately because there's been some stuff going on since Sarah left that's been kind of distracting. Owen wants to know what kind of stuff. Bay wants him to know that one thing will never change, how important Owen is to him. He cares about him more than anything else and that will never change. They start to play basketball.

Sidewalk café
Claudia thanks Todd for coming. She wanted to talk to him about the other night. She can't keep doing this. He interrupts her saying the same thing. He might have been able to fool her for a little while longer, but sooner or later he would laugh and spit milk through his nose or lose his contacts and trip over his own feet. Claudia asks what he's talking about. His sister dresses him. The clothes, the hair, the clip-on earring. His sister does it all. She says hello to Claudia, by the way. He's still the same geek he was in junior high school. Between work and school and extra-curriculars, he just doesn't have the time for a girlfriend and he's sure she could tell by the ultra-lame kiss, but when he saw her he thought that he finally had a second chance with her and he didn't want to ruin it by being himself. He apologizes. Whatever she came to say, she should just say it. She was just going to ask if he could still get her into that film score gig? They're band geeks...they have to stick together. He smiles and she does too.

Boat museum
Adam is finishing his tour when Julia shows up. She has been thinking and he isn't being fair to himself. She was thinking about high school and her sister just checked out the whole GED thing. It's not going to be a problem. She'll help him with his grammar and spelling. He thanks her, she's done enough for him already. She wants to know what he is afraid of. He thanks her for the free therapy. No, she kept his secret when he was afraid that people would find out he wasn't registered, but now is he afraid of having his work judged like everybody else? He asks if she's afraid. She's afraid to try anything new so she wrote about him. He agrees that he might apply for school but not until she deals with her stuff too. She agrees, if he thinks she has something to deal with, then she will. He gets her to climb up on the ship. He introduces her as a colleague of his. She's the tour guide on a frigate in Seattle, that he's sure they would all like to hear about. She should tell them all about her frigate. Isn't it the SS Spontaneous? She tries to beg off, but then starts telling about the SS S. Adam watches as she starts to spin a tale.

Charlie's office
It's late. Charlie calls Kirsten at her office. They didn't really have a chance to talk the other night and it's worrying him. They need to find a way to stay connected. She wants to know how. He says they should have dinner together a few nights a week, or go away to Napa again. She asks where. He wants to go to the bed and breakfast where she wore the red silky number. The thing he ripped off her with his teeth? She thought she was in high school with all of his groping. The zipper was broken and it wasn't groping, it was caressing. She's always liked that word, caressing. Can he say it again...no, she wants him to start from the beginning and remind her of the whole evening. He starts to tell her about their romantic walk back home. She was cold, so she put her hand in his pocket. They weren't even through the door when she started with the whole ear thing...

Kitchen Bailey comes in to find a huge mess in the kitchen. He starts to pick it up. He puts the milk away and grabs a bottle of beer from the refrigerator. He pulls the cap off and starts drinking while he does the dishes.
Notes:

This is the first review I've had to write since hearing the news that Party of Five will be cancelled after this season. I'm sure that as the season draws to a close I will have quite a few more thoughts about the series, but this week I just want to thank the cast and crew of Party of Five for an incredible six year run. This series has covered, and hopefully, will continue to cover a great deal of ground. We have seen the Salingers grow from five lost children into a fully reformed family. There have been some incredible highs and a few lows. I hope that years from now when dramas are discussed that Party of Five retains its place as one of the more unique dramas of its time.

I would like to start this week by the story that blew me away this week. Bailey. It took me a little while, but I just kept looking at him thinking his behavior seemed to familiar. I knew that he was going to drink, but I didn't know right away that he was drinking already. He was so manic, like when it was all starting to fall apart his freshman year of college. Scott Wolf should be commended for his incredible acting. He really has this character nailed.

In a related story we have Victor and Owen facing the challenging topic of sexual identity. I'm not sure when I first knew what it was to be gay, but I know that I have never had to face the kind of behavior that Hughley's father was exhibiting. Victor is put in a real jam, but he works it out in a very responsible fashion. This is a great story to tell. It would be appropriate anywhere, but especially for a show set in San Francisco. I like Victor more and more each week. Man, I'm ready for him to become a Salinger!

Once again we have a somewhat dramatic shift from Claudia. I have to assume that she and Julia talked all the way from New Haven to San Francisco and this is what has prepared her to tentatively start returning to her old life, or maybe even a new life. The new friend seems like a good addition. I loved his speech to her right before he kissed her. Hopefully we'll see him again and I'm always delighted to see Claudia using her musical talents.

Well, we're moving down the scale here. Julia. Why? Again and again she has to put her nose where it doesn't belong and turn to a man to make her feel validated. Before the show is over I would like some explanation of why she acts this way. Make it make sense to me. Please!!!

And finally, Charlie and Kirsten. Please, can we have consistency? Any at all? Last week Kirsten was telling Charlie to follow his dreams no matter what, to take what he needed to make it happen. Now this week he is critical of her for not dropping everything that matters to her in order to stand next to him in a booth. That doesn't make any sense to me at all. And thank goodness Daphne met Luke and Charlie approves of him, since clearly he's the one taking care of Diana while Charlie and Daphne sell furniture and Kirsten gets her drug trial going. This just doesn't seem to be tracking.

A pretty good episode which seemed to be setting things up for February. Clearly we are going to see more on the Bailey front. What happens to this family when the foundation slips again? Should make for some good angsty drama...just what I like!

Copyright ©2000 by Rachel Vagts. All rights reserved.
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