Episode Report Card M. Giant: A | 3 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Dead and Buried
By M. Giant | Season 5 | Episode 12 | Aired on 08.20.2005
I don't know how many days or weeks have passed, but Brenda's peering through that same window at her incubating daughter while Ma Chenowith stands next to her, listening to the doctor give good news: Willa's doing well. The doctor's ready to permanently remove the feeding tube and send her home in another 24 hours. Brenda gets confirmation that there's no sign of spina bifida or Downs, or anything else from that scary test, at least not yet. Brenda looks at the doctor gratefully, then looks back at her daughter, then does a double take as Nate has suddenly taken the doctor's place. He's wearing the doctor's clothes and everything, like he Quantum Leaped into the doctor's body. This walking malpractice suit bitches, "Great. So she'll seem normal for a while, until whatever's fucked up about her shows up." Ma Chenowith tells Brenda this is good news, and Nate tells her to "Shut up, Marge, you fucking idiot." Heh. He thinks Willa's prematurity is connected to the blood test. "There's something wrong with our baby. You should never have had it." Brenda sighs miserably and runs her hand through her hair. Ma snaps her out of it by telling her not to "shit all over" the good news. Brenda thanks the doctor, who's back in his body, and he leaves the Chenowiths alone.
Ruth's watching a rerun of Just Shoot Me in her bathrobe. I'm sure that's relevant somehow, but I just can't put my finger on it. Maybe there's a clue in the title. George walks right in and sits down next to her on the sofa, remarking that the back door's open. "Yes, I suppose someone could just come in and murder me in cold blood. Which would be a blessing." Rather than making fun of Ruth's wardrobe, George says she just needs time, but Ruth says she feels worse every day. She can barely remember life before Nate, and says she can't live without him. George says she can, for Maya. Ruth says, "They've taken Maya. I'll probably never see her or her sister again. If her sister even survives." George says she'll get through it, but she doesn't want to. "This is the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone," she insists. "I just want it to end." George offers to take care of her: "You did it for me. Now it's my turn." "To do what?" Ruth snaps. To stomp around the house acting all distant and put-upon, beg David not to leave, and plot how to dump her? But she clarifies, "Feel helpless while you watch me lose my mind?" George just wants to hold her. She lets him. We cut away before he starts moving all of her stuff down to the bomb shelter.
Cut to David in the office, telling his partners that he has no intention of selling the family business. Rico tells David to buy him out then, and warns him that the place is worth $2 million. So he bought 25% of the business for $75,000 three years ago, and now wants half a million to get out three years later? Greedy much? He asks Brenda what she wants to do. She says she doesn't really care. David gapes at her in betrayal. "Sorry, David, I don't," although it sounds like she called him "dude," which I would have preferred. Maybe the Fishers would have liked her more if she dropped a "dude" every once in a while. David realizes he doesn't care either. "Why am I fighting for something that I've always been ambivalent about?" he asks the room. "Habit," says Brenda, using one word to sum up the driving force behind her and Nate's relationship for God knows how long. Thanks, Brenda, for rendering sixty-three recaps completely superfluous. David agrees to put the funeral home on the market. "Coo'," Rico grins.