Episode Report Card Deborah: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT "Until A Little Light Gets Through"
By Deborah | Season 2 | Episode 9 | Aired on 11.18.2004
Luke and Grace are in the Girardi garage. They're just sitting there, not saying anything. The Piano Music of Poor, Overlooked Youngest Child plays. Grace seems to be considering the previously unrealized fact that she might not be the only one with family problems. She doesn't seem to know what to say, but at least she knows not to say the kind of useless crap that makes things worse. The door opens and Joan comes in: "Huh. So Luke and Grace really are in the garage. I thought Mom was having a mini-stroke. What are you doing in here?" Grace: "Studying." Joan sizes them up: "No…you're not studying." Grace must think it'll be five more seconds before Joan leaps to the right conclusion, but she overestimates Joan's cluefulness. Joan says to her brother, "You're pouting because everybody forgot your birthday." Luke: "Wouldn't you?" Oh lord, can you imagine the wailing and rending of garments if Joan's birthday were forgotten? Joan: "Yeah, but…it's the deposition." Luke: "Oh, so it's all about Kevin again? That makes it okay?" Joan: "Dude! Just take it easy on them, okay? When they remember, they'll feel so guilty, they'll buy you a car." That doesn't cut much ice with Luke. Joan pulls something out from behind her back: it's the stunt kite Luke wanted. She smiles: "Didn't have time to wrap it." Luke comes over to take it from her and look at it. He looks at it for a while and finally says in a quiet voice, "The kite." And here come the waterworks. I can count on one hand the number of episodes of this show I've gotten through without crying. Joan looks kind of anxious. Luke sniffles, saying, "I never got it." Joan: "Yeah, well. It's only a few years late. Sue me." He gives her a broad smile. Grace pipes up: "I got you something, too." She walks over and pulls out a piece of paper. Oh, my God. I wasn't expecting that. She opens it up and shows it to him, and he says, "Our secrecy contract." The camera's only on them now, and we can't see Joan. I am freaking out. Grace rips it up. Luke is too stunned to speak. Grace puts her hand his neck and leans over and kisses him. Frink and I are plotzing: "Show Joan! Show Joan's face! Aaagh!" The camera angle switches so it's behind them, and when they separate, Joan's expression is priceless. She's not as all-out surprised as I would have expected; I was counting on open-mouthed dumsquizzlement mixed with sisterly horror. Instead, it's more like…bemused alarm. Luke and Grace both turn to Joan at the same time to take in her reaction. Her expression doesn't change at all as her eyes shift from Luke to Grace.
Will and Helen are getting into bed. Will, master of sensitivity, asks, "Did you like her?" Oy. How many years have you been married to this woman? Can you really not read her even when she's being openly hostile? Helen: "Like her? Will…she's me." Will: "She's you?" Helen: "Yeah. If I were shorter or political and…didn't have, you know, a soul." Will says he can't believe she's threatened by "this woman." Helen says she's not threatened by her. Actually, I'd look into being threatened if I were you, Helen. Word to the wise. As Helen starts looking at the newspaper, she says she just doesn't understand why he tells Lucyfer everything about them. Will denies doing that: "She's my boss. We talk." Helen suddenly says, "Oh, my God." I figure she's just noticed today's date on the newspaper.