Episode Report Card Aaron: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Dead Man Running
By Aaron | Season 2 | Episode 2 | Aired on 03.09.2002
Over at Ruth's storyline, she's arrived at the graduation ceremonies for The Plan. Some random old lady comes up and starts making small talk, explaining that her daughter will be graduating that evening as well. We get some more exposition on the fact that The Plan is really just a shady self-improvement group, and then Ruth and her new friend head inside to sit down. Up onstage, the group's leader (played by Alice Krige) is giving a speech. "I am Krige of Borg," she says. "You might remember me from such other self-improvement cults as Sesame Street, Sleepwalkers, and Star Trek VIII. Now lower your shields and surrender your dignity. Prepare to be assimilated. We will add your biological and horticultural distinctiveness to our own. Your family will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile." She's then followed by a number of her drones, who all give testimonials to their successes in The Plan. Robbie is one of them, and he just wants everyone to know that he swears to "build the life [he] always wanted to live." Ruth, however, is particularly touched by the story of one woman, who's still speaking "fiercely from the 'I'" even though her children won't even return her phone calls.
Okay, now I always thought I was without doubt the worst racquetball player in the world (and I've got the broken nose to prove it), but apparently David could give me a real run for my money as Keith kicks his ass all over the court. Aww, they're racquetball buddies again. How cute. Of course, Keith then feels the need to step on the joke by explaining it to anyone who wasn't watching last season. Yeah. Step off, Keith. That's my job. Anyway, Keith invites David to his niece's birthday party that afternoon, and David jumps at the chance to tag along like a little puppy dog. If only he'd jumped after a few of Keith's serves like that, he wouldn't have lost so badly.
School. DangerSlut runs up to Claire in the parking lot, and shouts that Peanut Testicle was high on "fry" when he passed out at school. Claire, much like myself, has no idea what "fry" is, which forces DangerSlut to explain that it's pot that's been soaked in embalming fluid. Ew. Why can't kids these days just snort rubber cement like we did? It takes Claire way longer than you'd expect to put two and two together and realize that Gabe must have stolen the stuff last week, but when she finally does, she's pretty pissed off.
Cut to the Brotherfucking Boudoir, where Brenda is laying out a plate of caviar and other hors d'oeuvres that sort of look as though they've been dipped in embalming fluid as well. Nate seems to agree with me, as he reminisces about a food stylist he used to date in Seattle who would put hairspray on food to make it look better for picture-taking. "They do stuff to food that is way worse than what we do to dead bodies, believe me." I'd also like to point out the subtle bit of foreshadowing right there for those of you who read spoilers. For those of you who don't, I'll instead point out that Peter Krause's head appears particularly rectangular in this scene. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door, and Brenda gathers herself to go answer it. "Tell me I look beautiful," she says. "You are beautiful," replies Nate with no small amount of sincerity. "Wow. You even mean that," she says before heading to the door.