Episode Report Card Deborah: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT La Vie En Rove
By Deborah | Season 1 | Episode 22 | Aired on 05.13.2004
Joan rounds a corner and runs into a guy dressed like a waiter and smoking a cigarette, who begins speaking to her in French about her relationship with Adam. Joan replies in French ("Oui, oui, oui") and when the guy launches into a much longer volley of French, she admits to being lost. He replies, "Really? But you have your French final very soon, so you should know what I'm saying." Joan looks around, and says, "Oh. So it's vous." She takes the Gauloise and stamps it out. "You want me to ace French? Why don't you make the language easier? Or make it…English?" He gives her a sarcastic thumbs-up: "English? Okay. I want, uh, you, to give to uh, your, boyfriend…a gift." Joan's pretty taken aback: "Whoa, you might be God, but you're a little clueless. We just started going out, very delicate time, way too soon for the gift thing. I'll -- I'll ace French instead. Je will ace français." Yeah, bonne chance avec that. French God insists that Adam needs something from her. She says she doesn't have time to get him a gift; she's got finals. He shrugs and starts walking away: "Okay. But before the finals, you give to him a gift." He wanders off with a Godwave as Joan stands there, incredulous. Credits.
Will and Toni are investigating a $3,000 robbery at a dry cleaning establishment. Will (channeling Lenny Briscoe again): "So…the cleaner gets taken to the cleaners. The irony: that's what I love about the job." They determine that the wiring to the security system was cut. Will asks the owner if there are any disgruntled employees who might have done this, but the owner says he has only one employee, who's been with him since 1978, adding (sort of under his breath), "I was fresh with her once…during the Clinton years." Will dismisses her as a suspect. Toni says a homeless man who sleeps across the street saw an old blue Honda. Will remembers that when a gift shop on the next block was robbed last month, it had the same alarm company as this dry cleaner: "And we have a vehicle ID. Why do they even bother to commit crimes when there are cops like us?"
School gym. It seems a lot bigger than I remember, but maybe it's the camerawork. We hear the voice of Coach Keady (Diane Delano). Yay! She's so awesome. And how cool that she's back just after I put her into a poll last week about which character we want to see more of (she's the one I was secretly rooting for, even though I thought Grace would win). She's sitting on a stool, watching her students run laps around the gym and lecturing them: "Cardiovascular exercise increases blood flow to the brain, thereby increasing your chances for higher grades on the finals." Friedman flops past her in an unathletic manner and mutters, "Then how come the football team can't spell?" I don't think the gym teacher actually heard that, but she calls out, "Mr. Friedman, you're flailing! It's unattractive." Bwah! I love her almost as much as I do Grace. And "flailing" is a great word. Note that The Friedman is wearing some kind of turtleneck dickie under his polo shirt. What the hell is up with that? Joan and Grace are jogging along, discussing The Gift. Grace thinks it's too early: "Iris gave him those shirts, and then they were toast." Joan: "You think this is news to me? Adam needs a gift." The teacher demands five pushups. Grace asks, "Did he say so?" Frink: "Straight back, Joan!" Her form is really crappy. Grace's isn't a hell of a lot better. Joan says Adam would never ask for a gift. Grace, naturally, wants to know how Joan knows he wants one. She just does. Grace: "Then you should know what it is." Joan: "You'd think." Coach Keady commands them to run again. Friedman struggles up off the floor as she adds, "Up! That means vertical, Mr. Friedman!" I guess whether Friedman is his first or last name is going to remain one of those eternal mysteries, like why your computer only acts up when the tech support person can't get to your desk.