Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | 514 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Half the Battle
By Couch Baron | Season 4 | Episode 8 | Aired on 2010.09.12
In Don's office, he and Faye are discussing some boring research when he suggests they go to dinner. Faye, however, is far too savvy to let him get away with this oh-by-the-way method of asking her for a date, and points out he asked her to dinner the first time she was in his office and she turned him down, so what does he think has changed? It's not clear if she put it together that he witnessed her over-the-phone evisceration of her boyfriend, and he doesn't cop to it, instead somewhat lamely offering that he just thought the timing might be right. She goes with that, but suggests he ask her out properly "instead of tacking it on to a work day like an afterthought," so he asks if Saturday night is far enough in the future, and she replies, "Not normally, but you're in luck." Indeed. They wrap it up, and after Faye exits, Don kind of looks both apprehensive and excited, like he's not sure what he's getting himself into but he also can't wait to find out. Given my recent affinity for Faye, I know the feeling.
FRANCINE! God, how I've missed you. She comes in bearing a serving bowl, I'm assuming for the party, and Betty wastes no time in telling her how Henry is mad at her, but when Francine asks why, she only sighs that she just wants to get through the weekend, prompting Francine to point out that it's a two-year-old's party, and she'll have help. "And no one cares." HA! Stick around, girl. However, Francine then gets a look of realization, and she proves to be in the ballpark when she asks if "he" is coming; Betty replies that she told "him" about it. "Now I can only hope he won't show up and ruin it." In her defense, the last time she talked to him, he was barely in a condition to remember her name. Betty then tells Francine about the encounter with Don and Bethany, the latter of whom she describes as "all of fifteen," and if that's true maybe she's more precocious than I gave her credit for. Betty goes on to admit that she "misbehaved," prompting Francine to ask why she lets Don bother her. "We see him walking out with the kids some weekends. Carlton calls him 'that sad bastard.'" I usually try to come up with something slightly wittier than this, but "it takes one to know one" really seems to have a handle on this particular situation. Rather than go there, however, Betty snaps that any seeming patheticness on Don's part is an act, and he's living the life. "He doesn't get to have this family and that." Francine shakes her head warily: "Oh, Betty. You have terrible luck with entertaining." HA! Twice in one scene, and she's totally right, too. I think Betty should throw Henry out and settle into a nice Boston marriage with Francine here. After Betty nods in resignation, Francine considers what to say for a moment, but then counsels her to be careful, as Don has nothing to lose and she has everything. Betty takes in her friend's sage counsel...