Episode Report Card Sara M: D+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Honor Thy Agent
By Sara M | Season 9 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.24.2005
We finally meet Melissa Gilbert's mom, who is played by one Louise Fletcher, best known as Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. That's right -- Nurse Freaking Ratched is guest-starring on this show. She won an Oscar, and she is on this show. It's very sad. Nurse Ratched paces around the office and tells RevCam that, contrary to what we just heard from Melissa, she doesn't need all the help her daughter insists on providing for her. Nurse Ratched exposits that Melissa has an MBA and works for an oil company. RevCam asks Nurse Ratched how she goes about her daily life, and Nurse Ratched says she has her groceries delivered and a driver takes her to her doctor. RevCam asks who cooks the groceries, and Nurse Ratched replies that restaurants deliver, too. Meanwhile, this lady hardly looks so infirm so as not to be able to cook for herself. I think she's just lazy. Nurse Ratched says that Melissa Gilbert pays for lots of strangers to help her out, when all she wants is for Melissa to visit more often "and help when she's asked." Yes, well, if independence was really so important to Nurse Ratched, you'd think she'd just send the hired help away. It's not like she's locked in some mental asylum run by a control freak bent on subverting the will of her inmates. Cue the Violins of Sudden Realizations as Nurse Ratched suddenly realizes that there's a reason why she's been sent into this strange man's office to talk about her ability to keep house. "This isn't the first stop on the way to the nursing home, is it?" she asks.
Shockingly, the usually well-stocked Promenade has no hydrangeas for sale. Ruthie asks if she can go to the bookstore to buy a book for school while Lucy calls around town to find a place that sells these rare flowers. Lucy agrees, and Ruthie takes off. Lucy does an "I'm SUSPICIOUS" eye-narrow as she watches Ruthie walk away.
RevCam has gone back to talking to Melissa. She denies that she hates her big oil company job, although she admits that she hates her boss. Good for you, Melissa, but I thought the issue here was Nurse Ratched, and her selective independence. RevCam breaks it down: he doesn't think Nurse Ratched needs Melissa's help. Melissa says she does, because she's in her seventies. "How is she gonna get to the doctor, and eat, and take care of the house if I don't provide that for her?" Melissa asks. I don't understand how someone could be as stupid as Melissa. In fact, I don't understand this storyline at all. Why is Melissa sending paid help to her mother's house if her mother doesn't want or need the help, and why doesn't Nurse Ratched just refuse the help her daughter is trying to force on her? What is the relevance of how Melissa feels about her job? RevCam says Nurse Ratched's only problem appears to be that her bad eyesight makes it impossible for her to drive, adding that the church has a driving service that Nurse Ratched is free to take advantage of, even though she's not a member of said church. RevCam says he could even introduce Nurse Ratched to the church seniors group, so she can have friends who look out for her. Melissa says this is unacceptable, as it is her duty to take care of her mother and make sure she is provided for at all times. Just keep taking on those unnecessary hardships and then complaining about them, there, Melissa.