Episode Report Card Manimal: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Reckoning
By Manimal | Season 1 | Episode 6 | Aired on 11.17.2001
Meanwhile, back at the ranch: Sydney has attached her watch to the safe's door, which tells her when she's rolled the dial to the correct numbers of the combination. I guess that's easier than the old-school method of smashing your ear next to the dial and listening for the tumblers to click. The door swings open, and she grabs the code machine, which conveniently fits in her beaded handbag. On her way out, she sticks the bug under one of the blindingly white desks, just as the tweed cap falls off the motion sensor. The alarm goes off.
Dixon. Smythe. Dixon is "tempted" by the art, but not sure. Smythe points out that he's come down by 10%. Dixon points out that 10% is not 20%. That Dixon: a master of the Socratic method.
Sydney leaves the office just as Curly-Top heads back that way, gun drawn. Sydney realizes that the guard is coming to check everything out, so she tries the door, but it's auto-locked.
Oh, man. Another commercial for Ocean's 11. I. Cannot. WAIT. I could happily watch commercials for Ocean's 11 for at least an hour.
Curly-Top races down the hallway to the office door, but no one's there. The camera pans up to Sydney, perched atop water pipes above his head. Of course, the pipes start steaming, and she grimaces, unable to touch anything. She manuevers herself over as silently as possible while Curly-Top fumbles with the keys. She looks like she's in massive pain. Curly-Top opens the door, finally, and looks inside. Sydney takes the moment to swing off the large pipes she was on and to grab a smaller (and presumably non-scalding hot) one. She then does some gymnastic parallel bar move where she swings around the bar and winds up above the pipe, holding herself in a plank position, purse clutched in her teeth. Good Lord. Please give Jennifer Garner, her stuntwoman, her trainer, and her dentist a medal. That is no mean feat. Curly-Top leaves, satisfied, and Sydney drops to the floor and runs.
Gallery. Smythe tells Dixon that he won't charge him the tax just as Sydney -- sporting a French accent so terrible that it makes Pepe Le Pew sound like a native -- appears and says, "Chéri? Ah zeenk ah pwefer zee Lahmborhgheeni." She has a very credible dissatisfied-mistress moué on her face. Dixon says, "You are zee barthday girl!" and takes her arm. Before they leave, he hands his stogie to Smythe and asks, "Could you do something wiz zees?"
Los Angeles, City of Secret Singers. Francie is trying on a bizarre series of garments trimmed with faux fur. She points out that Charlie has never sung, anywhere, even in places like the shower or the car. Sydney vetoes a faux-fur wrap, saying it's too "I'm with the band." Francie frets that if Charlie had a good voice, she would've heard it. She levels a look at Sydney and pleads with her to be there, because Charlie might not be good. Sydney says that of course she'll be there, but that it might actually be the start of something great, and leaves as she tells Francie to raid Sydney's closet. Francie says, "Thanks. But I've got boobs." But apparently not a whole lot of tact.