Episode Report Card Niki: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT A Dream Deferred
By Niki | Season 1 | Episode 6 | Aired on 10.25.1999
Cut to Judy at the bookstore with the carpenter. He's the new interest? I'm all into suspending disbelief, but come on! The guy looks like a cross between a rat and a Neanderthal; he's all squinty eyes, pinchy nose, and frighteningly extended brow. He's showing Judy his drawings and tells her that one option is a "faux cart." Judy, not really getting the whole "faux" concept, asks him if the wheels will actually turn. Ratman flirtatiously tells her they won't because "they're faux wheels. As in faux-wheel drive." Oh, gag. They laugh at the clever caveman for a few seconds, until Lily and Rick walk in. Judy is surprised to see Rick. She introduces everyone around and then (pointedly?) forgets Rick's last name. After a few seconds of lame banter as to who is "the sister" in the store's name (Rick claims that he is. Okay, he's lame but at least he's pretty.), Neanderat, whose name is actually Marty, holds up his sketchbook for Lily to see the faux cart. He says that another option is a "big backsplash that hides the work space." Rick looks decidedly unimpressed. Judy's not, though. She bats her eyelashes about fifty times and resumes flirting with Marty, saying, "I'm supposed to ask about your art 'cause carpentry is just a side thing." Marty's all over the flirtation thing, but thank god we aren't able to hear his response because the director really wants us to pay attention to the looks passing between Lily and Rick. Rick busts in on the lovefest by asking Marty a practical question: "What about drainage?" It's a little thing, but it's a nice thing. Lily pipes up that Rick is an architect. Judy's back arches. Rick assures Marty that he's "just there as a friend." Marty stares hard at Rick, and I swear his nose twitches a few times before he responds: "Well, yeah, there are a few options for drainage." Silence. Marty exchanges an offended look with Judy, as though Rick just communicated via farts rather than words. More silence. "Such as?" Rick finally asks. Judy shoots him the stink-eye. "One option would be no drainage," says the clever troglodyte, grinning smugly. Lily's eyes dart nervously between the two men. Rick asks how they'd get a permit. "A lot of businesses get by without the paper," Marty condescends. Oh, he's shrewd, that rodent-man. Judy smiles proudly, because her man's smarter than Li-i-ly's. Rick and Lily exchange a look. Bolstered, Lily tells Marty that she thinks it would be a better idea for her and Judy to hash out a budget and then see what he can do with it. Rick watches her like a proud parent. You can almost see his lips moving as Lily makes her little speech. Judy watches incredulously, shooting death rays from her eyes.