Episode Report Card Niki: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT In a Whole Lot of Shhh
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 5 | Aired on 11.27.2000
The scene that follows shifts quickly between shots of the dinner party and Eli's room, as each of the Sammler men finds his groove. Rick starts blathering about the "key to understanding this project" as we get a shot of Eli's amp cord being plugged into the guitar. It's almost sexual. Rick is struggling for words and trying to hit his stride. He stands. Eli flops on his bed, cradling his guitar on his lap. Something sparks in Rick. He's not faking it anymore. He's off to the conference room, charged with an idea. Lily looks like she's grinding her teeth. Eli diddles with his guitar strings and starts to get into the music. Rick, gesturing madly and walking around the model, spouts off about "this new signature on the city." Eli really starts strumming. Rick does, too. He's painting a grandiose picture in the Heads' heads. Their complex will be the first thing people see from the air when they arrive by plane. It will be...He can't express it in words. He gestures for them to hold on, finds a marker, and he's off. As he describes the concept, Rick's hand flies passionately over the paper around the model, sketching a virtual city. He's on fire. Eli is too (in his mind...work with me). He's up walking around his room, biting his lip, and really pouring himself into the guitar. Everyone has gathered around the conference table, marveling at the image Rick's creating before them. Everyone except Lily, that is. She's sitting glumly at the table and watching through the glass partition. When he's finished creating, Rick steps back, throws up his hands triumphantly, and proclaims his creation a "new urban valley." The Heads like it...they liiiike it. Rick's got them. Eli's sitting again, but he's still playing his heart out. The music crescendos over the scene as someone steps up behind Lily with a bottle of wine. It's Miles. He startles her when he offers to refill her glass. Rick, meanwhile, is rapt, shading in his drawing to add depth. Lily frowns and hugs her arms around herself.
After commercials, we find Rick pulling into Lily's driveway. What a quiet ride home that must've been. As Lily unbuckles her seatbelt, Rick goes to follow. She tells him she can get in by herself. He asks if she wants to "tag up" tomorrow. She gives him a short affirmative. He thanks her "for tonight." "Don't mention it," she says tersely, and I think she means it literally. Rick pulls her in for a kiss. Oblivious, much? Lily starts up the walk then returns, appearing at his window with this warning: "Don't ever give me that look again." Rick pleads ignorance. She clarifies: "That silencing look. That editorial look." Lily sounds like she's choking back tears. Rick looks appropriately ashamed and repentant as he nods. He apologizes, and Lily digests it for a moment before thanking him. They both look sad. Lily asks if he's okay. He says he thinks so. He admits that the night wasn't what he expected. She assures him that it went well; Miles looked pleased. Rick affirms that everyone was pleased. He looks close to tears. I think he meant things didn't go as he'd expected with her. She asks if he wants to come in, but he begs off. They kiss again. He watches her as she walks toward the house then he's out of the truck, apologizing again for the look. He admits he could feel himself doing it, but he couldn't stop it -- the "dad mask." He adds, "It's just that this is important, and I want it." He apologizes one more time and promises that it won't happen again. Lily says she hopes not. They say goodnight again, but this time it's for real.