Episode Report Card Niki: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Pictures
By Niki | Season 3 | Episode 10 | Aired on 12.13.2001
Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire over at Karen's, where the gang is snuggled on a couch, sucking candy canes and playing charades. Eli's trying to figure out the title of the Christmas movie Karen is acting out. He finally guesses, "A Christmas Carol," and Karen's face lights up. She collapses onto the couch, laughing, as Jessie asks, "Mom, were you being that Carol woman from the bank?" Karen cops to it, and Jessie declares that she's such a dork. Karen swats her playfully as the doorbell rings. It's Sam, toting a small child. "Happy happy, everybody!" he announces, shaking off the snow and saying how bad the storm is getting. Karen comes forward and hugs the kid, saying, "Hi, Jamie! I didn't expect to see you!" The kid just stands there, unsmiling and unresponsive. Sam explains that Janine got stuck in the city, so he thought Jamie could hang out with them until she made it home. He glances at Judy to see how she's reacting. She's thrown, but trying to take it in stride. Karen says to Jamie, "I haven't seen you since your ninth birthday. Do you remember me?" He stares at her warily and says, "Yeah. You broke my bouncy." What a doll. Everyone laughs as if the kid is adorable and Karen says he's right. "Mom!" Jessie chides, sounding embarrassed. "What can I say? I'm a vigorous jumper!" She asks if he remembers Jessie and Eli. He barely glances at them and mutters something affirmative. Sam pulls off the kid's toque and points to Judy, saying she's the "really cool friend" he told him about. Jamie looks at Judy like he knows exactly what "really cool friend" means. She smiles warmly and sticks out her hand, saying, "Hey Jamie. How ya doing?" He shakes it and says a soft hi.
Judy makes a motion and says she'll go get her stuff, but Karen interjects that it's way too nasty to go outside at the moment. She suggests they stay and have dinner, since she has a ton of food. Sam starts to protest, saying something stupid about driving in bad weather being a "manly challenge," but everyone shoots him down. He crouches next to Jamie and asks what he thinks; does he want to have dinner there? Jamie shrugs and agrees. Jessie asks if he wants to play charades and says he can be on her team. Jamie starts to relax and smile for the first time, and agrees. Eli teases that Jessie could really use the help. They bustle the kid off to the living room, leaving Judy and Sam alone for a minute. Judy smiles after the kid and gushes, "Oh my god, he is so cute!" Sam sighs, "Yeah," as if he really doubts it, and then asks if she's okay with the way things are turning out. She assures him she is, saying that she just wishes she had a present for Jamie. She jokingly wonders if it's okay to give him cash. Sam mutters something about Judy not bringing him a present, either. Jamie appears in the doorway, interrupting their chummy little exchange by announcing, "I need my markers." He stands there staring at them, expressionless. Any second now he'll be starting in with the "redrum" and the finger crooking. "Oookay," Sam says, pulling on his coat and heading out to the car to get the kid's art supplies. Judy turns to smile at Jamie, who shoots her a withering look before turning on his heel and heading back into the living room.