Season 6, Episode 2: Naked

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Written by: Julia Dahl
Directed by: Daniel Attias

Co-starring Bob Morrisey as workshop leader, Whitney Rydbeck as Mr. Trimble, Frantz Turner as Mr. Burbeck, Gabriel Jarret as Anders, Rene Mujica as waiter
Transcribed by Rachel

Charlie and Kirsten are on their honeymoon in Mexico. Charlie is on the bed dealing out the cards. He is as red as a lobster. Kirsten calls out from the bathroom. He asks if he should call the doctor again. Kirsten comes into the room. She looks terrible. She hands him his aspirin, but she doesn't want to see him swallow, she couldn't handle that now. She wants to know who Montezuma was and why he is taking out his revenge on her. As they begin to play gin rummy their neighbors begin to have sexloudly. Charlie asks her to turn up the radio. She wonders how many times that is that day. He thinks it's five times. She asks if he's upset that they haven'tyou knowsince they got there. He says he's fine. She apologizes, but between his skin and her stomach He tells her not to worry. They are having a great honeymoon. They are not going to just play cards; as soon as his skin gets betterthey are interrupted by the people next door.

Bailey and Sarah's bedroom
Bailey gets out of bed. He tells her that's the last time. He's already late for work. She thinks she can change his mind. She crawls out of the bed toward him. He has two busy shifts at the restaurant and AA to squeeze in besides. She has stuff too. He asks if he looks fresh from When he was an hour late the day before the bus boys kept giving him looks like they knew why. She lays back and asks if he wants to go for a record. Bailey takes his shirt off.

Mexico
Charlie and Kirsten are still playing gin rummy while the neighbors continue to make noise. All Kirsten can say is "gin." She wants to know if she's winning yet. Charlie has lost count.

Credits

Kitchen
Claudia and Sarah are in the kitchen with Julia while they read through her book contract. They are so happy for her. Julia is a little overwhelmed. She still has to write it. Claudia asks her if this is a real book. It is. It's so real that it has a publication date, a minimum page count and a marketing plan. Sarah can't believe it. Like Oprah and stuff? She'll need to write a third of a chapter a day to keep up. Claudia asks about a movie deal. That will have to wait until after the book is finished, but there will be book signings and stuff like that. Julia wants them to read the proposal. They are both in it and she wants their help. She needs them to help her with the facts, what stuff happened and when. Claudia asks who Julia wants to play her in the movie. What about Sarah Michelle? Sarah thinks she's way too over-exposed. Julia tries to calm them down. They need to help her. Sarah wonders about Cameron Diaz. Claud thinks they would have to beef up Julia's role. Julia just sighs.

Mexico
Charlie and Kirsten are having breakfast outside. Charlie is wearing a hat and his nose is covered with zinc oxide. He points out an amorous couple, wondering if it is their neighbors. The waiter comes over and Charlie and Kirsten order. The waiter comments that the couple nearby just ordered the same thing. They can't believe it until the waiter points out an old couple dressed like Charlie and Kirstendown to the hat and nose treatment and the eternal game of gin rummy. The couple is there on their 30th wedding anniversary.

Charlie and Kirsten run home and rip their clothes off.

Grant High School
Claudia is outside studying when Cody shows up. He tries to make small talk with her, but she brushes him off. She wonders what he's doing there. He wants her to go see a band with him. They broke up. Doesn't he understand that? She gets up to leave. He wants to talk to her, get a cup of coffee or something. She tells him that it hurts to see him. It hurts him too so why can't they try and figure it out. She has told him all of the reasons. They just don't make sense together. He doesn't believe it, but she tells him he needs tothat's the way it is. He calls after her, but she walks away.

Daycare center
Daphne brings Diana to her new daycare center. She's having a hard time leaving the baby.

AA meeting
Sarah comes in looking for Bailey. He's talking with one of the other members. She realizes that she was interrupting. She tells them to go on, but then realizes that it's private. She says that she'll go, but Bailey says they are done. His friend gets up and wishes her good luck on her signature drive. She's surprised, but realizes that Bailey tells the group about things going on in his life, including her. Bay tells her that she can come to a meeting, but she says that she doesn't need to. She thinks that she's just jealous of all the things that they share. Bailey tells her that she shouldn't be.

College of Fine Arts
Julia's professor brings up her project in her seminar class. She is having trouble opening chapter one and would like some help. A woman in her class wants to know why they are talking about a project with a contract and a due date when just the day before they were discussing how result-oriented projects were bad for the creative process. The professor asks if Julia wants to discuss how the due date is affecting her process. She says that she's just glad she's at CFA so she doesn't have to deal with the pressure alone. A man in the class laughs. How can he comment seriously about someone's celebrity tell-all that is just somebody's idea of hot jacket cover material? Julia is clearly shocked by the comment. Even the professor tells him that it was pretty hostile. They all don't have to feel threatened because Julia has a book deal. Lots of people get these deals and nine times out of ten the publisher backs out later. They should all try to be adults and be on Miss Salinger's side.

Grant High School
Claudia is in physics class. Cody breaking into song on the lawn of the high school interrupts the class. All of her classmates flock to the open windows while she stays at her lab table, clearly embarrassed. Cody sings a song her wrote about wanting her back.

Bailey and Sarah's bedroom
Bailey and Sarah are making out. She tries to talk to him about AA, but he keeps kissing her. She wonders if he told them when things were great. Things are great now, but she is worried that it was too easy. He admitted that he was mad and then they just started sleeping together again. They never really talked about it. Bay says they will sometime, but now he wants to do something else. She agrees that later will work.

Mexico
Charlie and Kirsten are lying in bed. She says that she was kind of nervous. And her stomach hurt. Plus his sunburn. That didn't help. She also complains about way the egg crate mattress pad was bunching up. Yeah, but he wasn't exactly the long-distance runner that he's been known to be in the past. It's been a while, since before the wedding. She thinks it's okay at this point. They're married; it doesn't have to be the best sex every time. Yeah, but this was the worst. When they know each other this well Charlie doesn't think he likes the sound of this. She wonders how many surprises there can be at this point. He tells her that she's scaring him. In a way it's kind of a relief. They're going to have sex like a million more times. So, there's no pressure. No pressure at all.

Grant High School
Claudia is sitting down to eat lunch when a girl from her physics class sits down across from her. She introduces herself as Alexa. Claudia knows. She voted for her for prom queenand class president. She's sorry Alexa didn't win. Alexa thinks that's great, but she wants to know what the story was with Cody. Why did he sing to Claudia? Claudia doesn't think it's anyone's business. She's not going to talk about it. Alexa can accept that. She just wants to ask one question. He cheated on her, right? That's the only reason a guy like him would do something like that and why a girl like her would want to keep it a secret. Claudia confirms her suspicions. Alexa walks away.

Stilman Press
Julia comes in to find Evan. He thinks she has a question about the contract, but she really wants to talk to him about the book. She needs some metaphors for the gender traps that she got caught in growing up. Evan tries to put her off, but she follows him into his office. Doesn't she have some classmates she can bounce this off? She says no. What about at home? The people at home are all busy picking out the songs for the movie soundtrack. She just needs one or two minutes. He can't. This isn't how it works. He reads, she writes. He has eleven books in development; he can't sit down with all of them. Besides, there's a reason that a guy like him edits instead of writes. She thinks he's done some fantastic books. Those were just edits; he cut and pasted it. It's been a long time since he actually wrote. She is surprised to hear that he wrote a book. He didn't actually write it. He typed it. It would be a stretch to say it was writing. He gets a call. He would like to help, but he can't.

Salingers
Joe is at the bar. He offers to close up for Bailey that night. Heck, he'll do it all week. Bay says he only needs that night. Joe thinks he could use the extra time to spend with his girlfriendtalking, or whatever. Bay wonders when Joe needs to get back. Isn't Frannie expecting him? Joe didn't want to say anything during the wedding, but things are on the rocks with Frannie and they have decided to separate. He could use something to do instead of sit in his empty hotel room stewing about his troubles. Bailey agrees to let him cover for him at the restaurant. He can come by any other time. Bailey loves having him around. Joe apologizes for dumping it on Bay, but Bay tells him not to worry about it.

Daphne's apartment
Daphne is worn out from work and missed the baby all day long, but she's trying to work and make a living for both of them.

Grant High School
Claudia runs into Alexa in the hallway. She apologizes. Alexa asks her if it was horrible. Did she not have any choice; cause lots of guys have done that. Sometimes they are better boyfriends afterward. Claudia realizes that Cameron, Alexa's boyfriend cheated on her. She confirms it. Claudia had no idea. Of course, cause Alexa didn't make a big deal of it. Claud wants to know why she cares about what Claudia did. Alexa doesn't know, but she does.

Mexico
The neighbors are doing it again. Kirsten has a new theory. There must be more than two of them in there. Charlie doesn't get the physics of it. Kirsten thinks it's pretty self-explanatory. Not that. The bed is stronger than the sound they are making. Kirsten thinks there could be something or someone tied to the bedpost. He wants to know what made her think of that. She doesn't know. She came up with it awfully quick. Charlie continues to press her until finally she admits that it is something she has tried once or twice. She never told him. It was nothing. It was just something she did with the guy before they got together. Charlie wants more details. Did she try it a couple of times? More or less. He asks if it wasn't for her. She doesn't answer. Did she like it? She doesn't answer.

Restaurant
Sarah and Bailey are out for dinner. She is talking about changing her major. She thinks this is why it didn't feel right after she called off the engagement. She has never had any plans that he wasn't in. She's never had any plans at all. She's been lost. She is lost. Bailey gets really quiet. When she says that she feels lostwell, he's still there, sitting right there. She asks if he's mad at her again. He isn't. All he was saying was to not feel so lost, cause he's still there, to figure things out with. She still has him. She thanks him for talking with her. No matter what, it feels really good. Bailey isn't as sure.

House
Bailey opens the front door to find Cody. Claudia isn't home. He wants to come in and write her a note, but Bay won't let him. Cody tries to explain that things were hard between them and he should have brought it up, but now Claudia won't talk to him. Bailey says he understands. Cody asks what he should do now. Bay wishes that he knew.

Mexico
Charlie and Kirsten are playing shuffleboard. He asks why she didn't tell him about the "bed thing", "the getting tied up thing." He remembers her asking him when they first got together and he said that he hadn't done it. She commented that there was sex that Charlie Salinger hadn't had. He asked her and she said she hadn't done it either. Why didn't she tell him? Maybe she was embarrassed. Charlie doesn't think so. He thinks that she hoped that he'd say yes so they could try it together. She wonders what the big deal is. He doesn't care about the tying up; he just wants to know if there are things that she would like to do. She loves the sex they are having. Yeah, but it could be better. She's had better. She says no. Different, but not better. He can't believe that she's sparing his feelings. She tells him to stop. He will, but there will be a million more times that they'll have sex that could have been better if she had only said what she wanted.

Grant High School
Claudia finds Cody in the hallway. He's holding a rose. She begged him not to do this. He tells her that she'll get over it. She will, but that won't change what he did. She told him it's over. He isn't going to just get up. He can't do that. Alexa walks up and tells him that he will. Cody tells her that they are having a private conversation. He asks Claudia who Alexa is. She's just an observer who can't help seeing that this girl is done with you. Alexa wishes that she had half the courage that Claud does. Cameron asks what she's doing, but she tells him to shut up. Cody asks if this cheerleader is speaking for her. Claudia says that she is and she wants him to leave. He asks her to hear him out, but she tells him to leave again. Finally he does.

Daycare center
Daphne is playing with the baby. Her boss shows up. She's been down there for hours. She missed the baby so much the day before. He must know since he has kids. Doesn't it make him not want to work? He's very sorry, but he fires her. He tells her she can stay in the center as long as she likes.

Kitchen
It's late and Julia is sitting in front of her laptop. Claudia comes in for a drink. This must be the life of the writer whose muse has abandoned her. She looks like she's going to cry. She already has been. She's stuck and doesn't know what to say. Isn't it a memoir, can't she just write what happened? Julia could, but she also needs to write about what she learned, why it happened at all. Claudia asks what she did. Julia knows all the obvious things, but she needs something new, to make the book worthwhile. Claudia asks what the editor said. He said that she is the writer, she needs to figure it out. She shouldn't need anyone's help. If she's a writer she should have something to say, not need anyone's help. Claudia asks if she is saying that she isn't a real writer if she needs someone's help. Basically. That's the big lesson that she got from Ned? That she isn't who she should be until she doesn't need anyone else? That's really sad. That's like saying you shouldn't even try, that you're better off being alone.

Salingers
Joe is looking for the bitters at the bar when Bailey comes in. He's surprised to see Bailey. Bay says he had some receipts to go over. Wasn't he taking all week? Joe badgers him, but Bailey tells him to leave it alone. He's sorry, but things are not as smooth with Sarah as they look. It's up in the air with her and sometimes it's easier to deal with by not being with her. Joe doesn't understand how it's going to be helped by Bay talking to him. It's not something that Bailey can talk about easily. Joe tells him that claming up will only make it worse. Bay is trapped. If he lets Sarah know how bad he's still feeling then she'll feel bad and she'll resent him for making her feel bad. She's allowed to not know what she wants to do. They're okay now because she doesn't know how he feels, but as soon as she does, they are right back to where they were four months ago. Joe says he isn't in any position to comment on how relationships work, but he knows how relationships don't work. If this is his idea of okay, then he shouldn't say a word.

Mexico
Charlie is packing when Kirsten comes back from the boutique with a small bag. She found all kinds of cheap fabric scarves. She starts pulling scarves out. You could almost use them and throw them away. They're really soft and they wouldn't chafe you if you put them around your neck or your wrists. His wrists? That was her thought. Or would he rather play cards?

Grant High School
Claudia is walking out of school when Alexa calls her over. She's sorry about the fight the day before. She didn't belong there, butting in. Claudia thanks her. Alexa's friends have been dying to meet her. Does she have time to say "hi?"

Daphne's apartment
Daphne is feeding the baby while she talks about the next job she's going to get. It'll have not so long hours and she'll be able to sit in her "not so" supermom's lap the whole time. She'll start looking tomorrow. What's the rush? The next day is just as good. Jobs are like people you meet. The best ones come when you're not looking, like them.

Stilman Press
Julia comes into Evan's office. She checked with Clair and the next forty minutes of his schedule are free. She brought him a copy of the first chapter. He protests. This really isn't how it's done. He explained how he works. She knows, but she isn't his typical author. She's twenty years old and she's never done this before. He has two choices: she can do this alone and the book he gets by the deadline is not very special; or he can help her. He doesn't have to write it. He just has to listen. He just has to say what he thinks. He needs to edit her and she knows he can do that. When he gave her this book he asked her why what happened to her did. She doesn't have that answer yet, but she bets she could find it if someone would help her. He'll give her forty minutes. They sit down and start working.

Mexico
Charlie and Kirsten are lying in bed. She hopes he didn't think she was wimpy for using the knots she did. Not at all. Her point was well taken: fire safety. So, it was okay then? He thinks it was the best. The absolute best? Well, that still belongs to the night when they first got back together. Wow. That kind of makes her want to spill all of her secrets. He doesn't want her to do that. She should surprise him.

Bailey and Sarah's bedroom
She's really glad he's there. He asks if she has a minute. She brings up funny things that make you horny, like the backside of some convertibles or funny-shaped pretzels. He guesses. Sarah starts unbuttoning his shirt. He tries to talk to her again, but she continues about a guy in her bioethics class that was talking about a check-up. That made her think about those hospital gowns that open up in the back. That made her think about Bailey's cute little pink butt. She had to leave the room. She doesn't mean to be pushy, but could he kindly strip? Bay hesitates for a moment, but then does.

Notes:

One of my guilty pleasures this summer was HBO's "Sex and the City." When I watched this episode of "Party of Five" I almost felt like I had the wrong time slot. Instead of "Naked", this episode should have been called "Sex." There was a ton of sex in this episode. I didn't keep a running count, but I think there were at least 8 sexual acts during the course of the episode. That might have seemed gratuitous, but it all fit in a carefully weaved plot by Julia Dahl.

Bailey and Sarah have problems. Instead of talking they're spending all of their time in bed. I don't think that is an untypical response to relationship trouble. First they didn't do it for four months, now they're doing it all the time. Bailey's talk with Joe was a wonderful perspective on Bay's feelings. I felt awful for him as he tried to talk to Sarah at the end of the episode only to have them end up in bed again.

Charlie and Kirsten have been together for years. They haven't always been in a relationship, but there hearts have belonged to one another. It would be easy for them to settle into some complacency in their relationship after their marriage, but it is clear that they will work to keep things interesting. I think that we will find that Kirsten is much more unconventional than might be apparent at first glance. I look forward to learning more about her.

While her brothers were spending all of their time focused on sex, Claudia was dealing with the affects of not having sex. I have really got to give her a lot of credit for not backing down. Cody really wanted to try things again, to do it right this time, but Claudia wasn't going to give him a "do over." She was very hurt and I think she's smart to realize that she and Cody are in very different places in their lives right now. Even if they got back together, it's unlikely that things would work out again.

Well, week two with the inner Julia we find out that you don't have to do everything by yourself. Julia has swung from being needy to not being able to need anyone. There has to be a happy medium. I give her a lot of credit for standing up to Evan and telling him what she needs. This Julia has a lot of potential for becoming someone who will emerge from all the bad stuff in her past. I'm intrigued.

Finally, Daphne. I'm wondering why everyone is working and they are putting the baby in day care? Why wouldn't Daphne stay home with her during the day while Charlie and Kirsten work. That would seem to make the most sense. I did like the scenes with her. This complex character always leaves me wanting for more. I'm so glad to see her bonding with the baby and hasn't Diana gotten cute all of a sudden?

A very solid episode. This season is getting off to a very good start.

Copyright ©1999 by Rachel Vagts. All rights reserved.
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