Episode Report Card Sars: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Lady Stays Vanished
By Sars | Season 3 | Episode 11 | Aired on 05.10.2003
Anyway, Russell responds to that question by telling her again that he loves her, which Claire takes as confirmation that he and Olivier did in fact give each other blowjobs. Hee. "I didn't say that," Russell defensives. "What, did you jerk each other off, then?" "I didn't say that either," Russell says. "Well, what are you saying?" Claire sneers. "That I love you! I mean, why can't you hear that?" Russell asks. Oh, that's nice -- the "your anger at my infidelity is about your issues" defense. You had me, Russ, and then you lost me. He grits out all intensely that she needs to "get over [her] wounded pride for one second" and realize that what they have is too good for her to throw away. Ew. Shut up, Russell. Claire says as much -- that it's not her who threw it away -- and also that the sculpture is "hideous" and she doesn't want it. Russell sees that he's losing the room and scrambles off the hood as Claire jumps into the car and snarls that maybe he can sell the sculpture "to your fucking boyfriend for another $500. I'm sure you were worth it." Sssssnap! Russell blithers that he doesn't want to live without her: "I can't." He's going to have to, she snorts, starting the car. "I'm not gonna give up," he creepies. "That's your fuckin' problem," Claire snaps, peeling out of the carport.
Brenda comes home with a bag of just-moved-in cleaning supplies -- a shout-out to Aaron, no doubt -- and has just started unpacking them when her phone rings. It's Zhora, calling to chastise her blithely for "freak[ing] out on Billy -- you really shouldn't do that, he's on medication. And you know how sensitive he is." Like so many things Zhora says, the words are all in English, and yet when you think about it for more than a second, it makes zero sense. No surprise, then, that we cut to a shot of Zhora swanning around her living room with a joint in hand. Brenda asks dryly if there's any other reason Zhora called. As it turns out, Zhora's mugging for the speakerphone does have another object: "Well…we're disposing of your father's ashes tomorrow, and I…thought you might want to be there. Also, move to the right a little; Bounty paid for that product placement." You may not have actually heard that last part. Brenda will take a Pasadena; she can't deal with Billy right now. Zhora huffs and picks up the receiver to tell Brenda that they "owe it to" Pa Chenowith, but Brenda correctly points out that "Dad's dead, he doesn't care." Zhora cares: "I'd like to at least pretend that we all love each other and that your father and I created something worthwhile -- I mean, just for a fucking hour, however long it takes dump his ashes, is that too much to ask?" Everything that's wrong with the Chenowith family is right there in that bit of Zhora's dialogue, really. Brenda, probably figuring that once she discharges this duty, she'll never have to see either Zhora or Billy again, relents and asks if Zhora's decided on a dump site. Not yet; they'll all meet at Zhora's at eleven-thirty, and "with any luck at all the whole ordeal'll be done by two." Brenda sighs that she'll be there.