Episode Report Card Niki: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Pressure Cooker
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 4 | Aired on 11.20.2000
Glancing at the model, Lily proclaims, "My brilliant boyfriend!" She then says that he has to show it to his mom. Maybe she'll give him a gold star! Rick says that his mom thinks that everything he does is beautiful, and she'll probably tell him that Lily is beautiful before she even meets her. Whatever, Lily thinks. It'd just be a matter of time before she'd say it, anyway. They then shiver in horror at the thought of both their mothers being in the same room and proceed to bicker playfully over who's going to get the turkey. Rick claims that Lily can't even lift the turkey they'll need to get and then they proceed to list off -- for our benefit, really -- who'll be at dinner. You'll find out soon enough anyway, so here goes: Lily's mom, Rick's mom, their kids, Judy, and Aaron.
Rick hops on the Soliloquy Stool (tm Heathen) to reminisce about the first time he realized his mom was "cool." It was when everyone wanted to hang out at his house. On cue, his mother shows up at his door. Rick continues on the stool, remembering that when his friends would have trouble at home, they'd always come stay with Rick's family. And his mom was always "cool," no matter how many people there were. Rick's mom comes in and we get our first good look at her. She's one of those older women that always grace ads for retirement funds and vitamins: lean, fit, made up, and wearing clothing typical of someone twenty years younger. She greets Eli and the inevitable grumblings from Rick about schoolwork tumble out. Hip Granny proclaims exuberantly, "He's a senior! Who cares about homework?" Oh, I don't know...someone who actually wants to graduate? "Way to go, Grandma!" Eli says. Yeah, way to undermine all the things Rick and Karen are trying to do after you've been in the house for exactly eight seconds. Rick insincerely thanks her. Hip G announces that she'd like to hear Eli play, just as the phone rings. While Rick answers, Eli grabs Hip G's bags with a fantastic scowl. Hip G's not just cool, she's also in tune, and she can sense that something is amiss. Eli tells her they'll talk "sometime when he's not around," referring to Rick. Jessie comes bounding through the door, with Karen treading dully behind her. Karen and Peg -- Hip G's actual name -- exchange hugs and pleasantries. Hip G informs Karen that she "just got back from a retreat in Big Sur." It involved hiking and massages, and my warning bells are going off. My only experience with people who "retreat" is a former boss who is a self-proclaimed New Ager and is entirely looney tunes and is never shy about telling people what they should be doing with their lives. Not to say that all "retreaters" are such, but I've got my eye on Peg, just the same. Anyway, Jessie drags Peg off to look at her martial-arts trophies, and Karen hangs in the hallway waiting for Rick to get off the phone. Since he's talking to Miles, hanging up should be no mean feat. She looks at her watch and then mouths that she has to go -- she's got young doctors to schtup -- and Rick tries unsuccessfully to wrap up the call. Tired of waiting, Karen asks quietly whether Rick's going to keep the kids past Thanksgiving Day. He's getting an earful from Miles on the other side, and motions to her to wait a sec. She puts on her martyr face. Rick finally ends the call and tells her he'd love to have the kids all weekend. She says it's fine since she had them last Thanksgiving. As she makes to leave, Rick initiates some awkward questioning about her plans, no doubt remembering his lonely stalkeresque stroll through suburban neighborhoods last year. Karen insists that she's been invited to have dinner with some friends. She leaves as Rick wishes her a subdued "Happy Thanksgiving."