Episode Report Card Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Cat-In-Hat
By Niki | Season 1 | Episode 19 | Aired on 04.02.2000
Cut to Karen running to answer the door. It's Leo -- the young naked doctor, only this time he's wearing clothes. And a cycling helmet. He wheels in his bike, oblivious to the fact that Karen is struck dumb by the sight of him. He'd asked her earlier what she was doing that night, and apparently interpreted her response of "make dinner for my kids, maybe do a load of laundry" to mean "not a lot, feel free to drop by unexpectedly." He points out that she has potatoes in her hair (what wild woman doesn't?) and they laugh, which breaks the tension. She asks if he's hungry, nervously looks around, and heads into the kitchen. He looks around too and then follows her.
After commercials, we find ourselves at the dinner table with the four of them: Karen, Eli, Jessie, and Leo. The kids watch in awe, and Karen looks extremely uncomfortable, as Leo woofs, slurps, sucks, and generally inhales everything on the table. He's moaning and grabbing at food like a starving man, prompting Jessie to ask if he's homeless. Actually, the question was probably prompted by his table manners and the fact that he's sporting one of those scruffy pseudo-beards. He tells them he lives in the city, and Eli is amazed that he rode his bike all that way. "Anybody want this?" Leo asks, pawing the last biscuit. Uh no, you take it. Really. Jessie wants to know how Leo and Karen know each other. From work, Karen says quickly. Eli asks if Leo is a lawyer. No, Leo laughs, he's a doctor. Jessie thinks that's cool, especially for "someone so young." Apparently Karen's feeling the heat, and she gets up to get more ice.
While she's gone, Leo demonstrates just how close he is to the maturity level of the kids. Jessie asks him to look at her thumb, which she thinks she jammed at tae kwon do. He wiggles it around and asks her if it hurts. When she says no, he says it's fine. Jessie insists he didn't really look at it. He did so, he says defensively. Jessie asks if he's a real doctor, or just some optometrist. He's "like, a real MD" he sneers, and then challenges her by asking, "What belt are you?" Eli says she's going for her black belt on Saturday, and Leo pops up, pulls his shirt up, and slaps his bare, hairy (and remarkably taut) belly. He tells Jessie to give him her best shot. She deals him a blow that makes him grunt like a wheezy pig and takes his breath away. But he still insists she didn't hurt him. What is it with male pride macho bullshit on this episode? Then again, everyone who displays it does have the maturity level of a thirteen-year-old. Sucking up the pain, Leo tries to create a diversion by grabbing a nearby basketball. He asks Jessie if it's hers, and you can tell he's dying to kick her ass and reclaim his manhood. When he learns it's Eli's, Leo challenges him to "shoot some hoop." Why not? After the free, home-cooked meal you just invited yourself to, the dishes will naturally wash themselves, right? Karen asks where they're going -- you can tell she's not impressed that Leo hasn't even thought to help her clean up -- and then reminds Eli he's got homework. Leo promises they'll just be a few minutes, kisses her on the cheek, and tells her dinner was great. Then he goes to play. Jessie looks knowingly at her mom.