Episode Report Card Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Strangers And Brothers
By Niki | Season 1 | Episode 18 | Aired on 03.12.2000
Cut to the family coming through heavy wooden doors, and stepping up the synagogue's aisle. Yes, now I've decided that it was a synagogue. Anyway, they make their way single-file toward the front, where Phil's casket awaits. The camera is behind the casket, so we get to witness everyone's reaction like a voyeur. Barbara leans over, kisses his forehead, and sniffs.
Black-and-white Lily pops up to tell us about the night Zoe was born. The baby was coming early, and Lily couldn't find Jake anywhere, so her dad went to the hospital with her instead. He stayed even after Jake showed up. I don't really find that last part all that surprising, but she's in mourning, so I'll let it go.
Back at the synagogue, Lily's in front of the casket, and she breaks down. She sobs really hard and covers her face, and I think she says something about what is she going to do now. Jake steps up and rubs her arm. It's very convincing, and I can feel myself getting misty, dammit. I can't wait for this emotional wringer to be over so the show can get back to normal and we can maybe see Grace's hot young thing again, and maybe find out whatever happened to Judy's fling, Mr. Married. Okay, sadness has passed. Back to the show at hand.
Jake is next in line, so of course black-and-white Jake pops up first to give us some background on his relationship with Phil. He says Phil was the first grown-up he ever met who didn't look worried when he came into the room. "He liked me," Jake says simply, with a smile.
By contrast, at the casket Jake looks very somber. Grace approaches next, and bursts into sobs at the sight of her grandfather. After Grace comes Zoe. Her nose is scrunched and she looks really uncomfortable as she says "Grandpa?" Immediately, she starts backpedaling, saying she doesn't feel so good, and she asks Jake to take her out because she's going to be sick.
Cut to Lily walking out of the synagogue. She spots Judy and Aaron standing a little way down the hallway. Aaron is slouched over with his head down. Most of the time, his arms are wrapped tightly around his chest, but he lifts his hands once in a while to cover his face or rub his head. He's obviously feeling tense and overwhelmed, and Judy appears to be giving him a pep talk. Lily approaches, and Aaron's arm flies up to shield his face. Lily just smiles softly, and Aaron relaxes a little. He's unable to make eye contact, so he stares at the floor while telling his sisters he's really lucky to have them. Judy tells him hearing that makes them feel really good. Aaron immediately launches into a story about Roger, a guy at his group home, who has six sisters, and two of them are twins. But they don't know Roger. Aaron says Lily and Judy make him really lucky because they're a team. And his case worker, Sheila, she's also the best, she's like the "Babe Ruth of case managers." Aaron then jumps back to Roger, telling them that he's a Jesus fanatic, it's all the guy wants to talk about. Aaron tried to talk to Roger about Phil and the funeral, but "forget it -- that was a subject that just wouldn't stick." Roger's consuming passion is Jesus, which "frankly, can get pretty boring." When Lily and Judy laugh at this comment, Aaron relaxes a little more and looks pretty pleased with himself. Aaron and Judy tell Lily that he's a little bit nervous, and Aaron's hands get fidgety. Lily responds by telling Aaron that she feels better for having seen him, and then she pulls him close to thank him for coming. She also tells him that she knows Phil would be really happy that he came.