Episode Report Card Niki: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Judy Needs a Good Gluck
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 10 | Aired on 01.23.2001
We cut to the high school before they even say goodbye. The bell's ringing, as it always seems to be on this show. Grace is in the Spanish lab, grabbing a set of headphones, when Eli spots her. He approaches and starts chatting with her. Grace, naturally, is taken aback, and is wondering what the hell this is about. She asks how Carla is. Eli smiles and says that she's good. Grace says that she's cool and Eli agrees. I check my windows for any signs of flying pigs. Eli starts feeling Grace out about her relationship with Wannabe, saying it's weird that the two of them are friends. He's clearly trying to come to terms with his own relationship with Wannabe. Grace asks what he means. "I don't know. Because you're both so different?" he says. "Oh really?" she smart-asses, laughing. "Well, she's just a little out there," Eli says. Grace agrees wholeheartedly. "I can only imagine what she was like before rehab," Grace says. Eli looks stunned. Oopsie. Grace says she though that everyone knew about Wannabe's sordid past. Eli recovers from the shock and lies that he knows all about it, that Wannabe's talked with him about it. Grace says Wannabe talks with everyone about it (what a surprise) because it wasn't a big deal or anything. For our benefit, she exposits that Wannabe's parents found her pot, freaked out, and sent her to rehab. Can you actually send someone to rehab for pot? Seriously. That's weaker than Melanie Griffith's "rehab." Eli lies again that Wannabe told him about it. He's a really bad liar, by the way. Grace reiterates that Wannabe's cool, and sorry, but I'm still not buying it. She adds that it's good that Eli and Wannabe are so close. Eli suddenly decides he's got to go, and once he leaves, Grace lets out a big breath, and rests her forehead against her hand.
Meanwhile, Judy's still beating Paul the dead horse. She's lighting candles on her table while he lords over the sauté. He makes lame jokes about all the cooking utensils she has, wondering if one of them is a "medieval torture device." If only. He starts talking about his cooking philosophy, like anyone cares. Judy slinks around behind him and starts rubbing her hands up under his shirt. Um, ew. One thing you don't want to do is rub the hairy belly of a man who's standing directly in front of the pan that contains your dinner. "You are very distracting," Paul finally says, turning to face her. "I hope so," Judy answers. She's not that distracting, though, because Paul returns immediately to the pan, and to his cooking stories. Judy's like a deflated soufflé. She tries getting his attention by being serious. He continues cooking and tells her to shoot. She says she needs him to turn around. He does. Judy starts saying that she doesn't really connect to too many people anymore, and when she does, she's surprised. He says that surprise is good. She keeps stammering and dancing around her point, and he asks if she wants to discuss it while they eat. She sounds a little offended at the suggestion. She says she wants to talk now, just for a second. Paul looks a little peeved himself. He slaps one of the utensils on the stove and looks like he's biting his tongue. He takes a slug of wine. Judy hesitantly asks if he can just look her in the eye. He turns and cheeses, "Judy, I can look you in the eye anytime." He should really be hosting a game show somewhere. They look at each other for a few moments, and then he dives at her face, his lips at the ready. He drives her all the way across the kitchen, where she bumps up against the sink and her dish drainer. Silverware clangs for effect. Paul has suddenly turned into Mr. Gropey and Judy finally wrestles away from him. Major discomfort ensues. Dejected, he says that he though she.... And she says yeah...she's sorry, but she just wanted to talk for a second. He folds his arms and defensively says, "We can talk."