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EPISODES ~ Season 2 |
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Don't Go Changin' |
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| The show begins with Syd dreaming. She and her mother are at a
senior citizen's center or residence, where the elderly are doing their exercise class. Her mother reminds her
that her father is turning 60 the next day. At breakfast, Jim is reading the paper and is annoyed that a new vet practice in town is very commercial oriented; they even have a snow-cone machine in their lobby. This practice, owned by the Garibaldi brothers, has bought out longtime vet, Tom Wilburn. Syd and Joannie make plans for a surprise birthday party for Jim. Jim is not in good spirits. He feels aged. To add insult to injury, his accountant encourages him to sell his business and retire early, so he can invest the profits right away. The man says it's a young person's business these days, and Jim's practice is slowing down. The Garibaldi brothers paid Tom Wilburn a handsome price for his practice, he says; Jim should consider selling to them. Meanwhile, Robbie borrows a friend's car and it gets towed. He goes to Heather's, but she's still very angry with him and tells him to move out. Robbie asks his dad if he can move back home, but his father refuses and gives him a lecture on responsibility. Joannie and Syd both contribute financially to the household, he points out. Joannie is visited by Doug. His dog-walking gig fell through for the week. She pulls out a classified ad for a Junior Executive position at a pet care products company. He doesn't think he could do it, but she tells him he has lot of potential, and he agrees to try. They get him set up in a suit and mentally prepared for the interview. Later, however, he chickens out. He and Joannie run into each other and both apologize: he for chickening out, she for pushing him to change. He tells her that he ended up going for the interview the next day, and he got the job. She tells him she's so proud of him, and they embrace. At the clinic, Syd has a patient, Mr. Lemley (?), who is clearly flustered to be seen by a female doctor. He can't explain why he's there, and ends up leaving. He returns later, however, and explains that he's getting married in six weeks, but his fiance, Deb, is Jewish and wants him to convert. He has to be circumsized. She says she can do it, and starts to explain the procedure, during which he faints. She goes to see him later, and he is extremely apprehensive about it. When the time comes for the procedure, the moyle (spelling?) begins the ritual and uncovers the surgical instrument tray, but Deb comes running in. She apologizes for asking him to convert, and she'll marry him anyway. He decides to convert anyway, and wants to go through with the procedure, to show her how deeply he loves her. Back at the Hansen's, Jim is getting crabbier by the minute. He finds Heather mailing the records of a client: they're switching to the Garibaldis' practice. He finally decides to just do it, and tells Heather she needs to find another job - he's going to sell the business. Syd and Joannie are having trouble organizing Jim's party. First, Robbie refuses to attend. He has hockey tickets to a game, and the person who gave them to him is offering to let him crash at her place. Robbie is still upset that Jim wouldn't let him move back home. Later, the ladies receive a call from Ben's, the restaurant at which they were to have Jim's surprise party: pipes have burst and they have a flood. Syd says maybe they should ask to have it at O'Neill's (the bar at which Robbie works), and then Robbie will have to be there. On the big birthday, Jim is sitting and staring at the papers to sell his practice. He is about to sign them, when the phone rings. It's Robbie, and he needs Jim right away. When Jim gets there, Robbie's loaner car has been towed again. He wants to take Jim to dinner, to make up for the trouble. He takes him to a rather seedy looking place, and the waitress drops a cupcake on Jim's plate and mutters happy birthday wishes to him. Robbie apologizes that his birthday is being spent here. Jim says it's okay, and apologizes for being so cranky lately. The big 6-0 birthday has gotten to him. He also tells Robbie he can move back home. When they get home, Syd, Joannie, Doug, and plenty of friends and clients surprise Jim in the living room with a big surprise party. Some of the dogs are wearing signs that ask Jim not to give up his practice. The show ends with Syd dreaming. Her mother and she are in the living room, and Jim is asleep on the couch. The mother tells her that she's not around to take care of Jim anymore, and that will fall to Syd. Joannie has Hannah to look after, and Robbie is clueless. Syd covers up Jim with a blanket. Then Syd wakes up from her dream, and she's been asleep on one couch, while her father sleeps on the other. She goes and covers him up, kisses his cheek and whispers, "Happy Birthday, Dad". Scenes from next week's episode: it's a fantasy episode, exploring the character's secret dreams. |
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