Episode Report Card Niki: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Chaos Theory
By Niki | Season 3 | Episode 7 | Aired on 11.22.2001
Inside, Rick surveys the ruins of Thanksgiving dinner, and tries to hide his surprise at finding Tiffany there. Raoul wanders out from the kitchen, and Tiffany introduces him to Rick. Rick looks befuddled. He asks where the kids are, and Tiffany says they're upstairs changing. Too bad she means clothes, and not personalities. Rick heads for the stairs.
Lily's busy reliving the less perfect aspects of her childhood Pie Nights. Little Lily tries to lift a huge pie onto a counter that's higher than her head, and the pie slips and falls to the ground. Angry Mom Hands scold her and grab her chin so hard that they squish her cheeks. Pie Night bites, if you ask me.
Rick finds Lily feeling sorry for herself, and she announces that she's "never going to do this again." Rick fights the urge to get it in writing, and instead says that he's "so sorry." Lily says she was stupid to think it was even possible to have the happy family she wanted. Rick argues that it isn't. Lily says that even if the kitchen hadn't caught fire, Grace and Jessie are at each other's throats, and Eli wants to be anywhere but there, and Judy is more concerned with her "stupid non-boyfriend" than she is with being with the family. "And you thought one family dinner was going to change all that?" Rick asks gently, putting an arm around her shoulder. Lily cries and says she doesn't know what she thought. "Life just goes by, Rick. You know? When we're not looking. It just goes by. We can't let it, Rick." He kisses her forehead. Lily snuffles and says she'll be down in a minute.
Downstairs, Jessie asks what time Karen is supposed to be back from dinner. Eli says she didn't go. Jessie starts to say that that's not possible, then trails off, realizing that it is. Rick enters the kitchen, and Grace asks how Lily is doing. Oh, now she cares. Tiffany tries to put a good spin on things, and asks if anyone else is hungry. Everyone is starving, so they take stock of the ruins and see what they can salvage. Raoul offers up the champagne he was going to take to his sister's place. "I love leftovers," Tiffany chirps.
Judy pulls up outside, just ahead of Sam. They each offer to take a powder, but Sam insists that Judy should stay. She admits that she wasn't really willing to leave, anyway. They stare awkwardly at one another for a second until Sam says, "Hi Judy." Judy melts and says they should just grow up. "Okay, you first," Sam smiles. Judy smiles back and heads for the house. Sam grins to himself and follows.