SEASON 2

EPISODE 7: BACK TO THE GARDEN

Man comes home for lunch. Slices up a lemon. Pops in a porno flick. Perhaps many mens' idea of the perfect lunch hour...why eat bacon when you can pull on your pork?

Well, maybe not so perfect...you're not supposed to die, you're supposed to wake up! But the lemon falls out of the man's mouth.

Keith has a dream about David that is more romantic than an old Cary Grant movie. He awakens to realize that he no longer loves Eddie, and soon enough, pretty much tosses Eddie out. I thought this disposal of the Eddie character was a bit too tidy and quick, and I didn't think Eddie was all that bad a guy.

Young Taylor has been complaining of a stomachache for some time, and the whole situation has Keith overly stressed out.

Claire has been invited to Sarah's home in Topanga Canyon. In spite of Ruth's vehement "The answer is no!", Claire is going. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe, even though they had that long hearty talk last episode, Ruth hasn't fully forgiven her sister's misdeeds. Still her "no" is about as effective on Claire as saying nothing at all.

Margaret and Bernard Chenowith have split over Bern's affair with the young bimbo at that spa. Maggie went and got herself a fancy condo in Westwood, which she gleefully shows off to Brenda. Margaret ends up in tears, and tells Brenda to leave. When Brenda tries to offer support, feeling somewhat contrite about having slapped Margaret some time back, Margaret just bites Brenda's head off.

Okay, there must be someone besides me who cannot buy Nate not knowing what Astroglide is!!! As much sex as that man has had??? Give me a break!!! Keith gives David a call simply to tell him that Eddie is gone from the picture. David is not sure about Keith's intentions, but accepts a date with him tomorrow night.

Vanessa is comfortable enough around Rico's cousin Ramon, who is helping to repair the mold damage, to wear a nightie in front of him. Rico, on the way out to work, doesn't feel too comfortable leaving them alone.

Nikolai is grumpy at work, and Ruth, who still feels lonely and can't understand why! invites Robby to eat with her. While they eat, Robby talks about his life in Planspeak, and Ruth has abruptly decided she is sick of that lingo. Maybe because that morning Claire "got" to her with her rationale for going to Sarah's. See, when Ruth's own weapons are used against her, she CAIN'T TAKE IT!!! SHE JUST CAIN'T!!! So rather rudely and coldly tells Robby she isn't interested in the Plan or anything to do with it. Poor Ruth is so lonely, so alone, why won't anyone like her? Remind me never to eat dinner with this woman...inviting Robby to eat with her and then being so unappreciative of his company. Ugh!!! I don't know if I can take much more of this.

At the funeral of the deceased lemon-biter, Nate meets a rabbi named Ari (Molly Parker) and has a connection with her. He immediately senses she's someone he can really talk to about all of his fears and hesitations.

Claire arrives in Topanga, and meets Sarah's bohemian artist friends, including Fiona Kleinschmidt, the woman who ended up with the first slice of Nate's pie.

Rico is going crazy imagining his wife having an affair with Ramon, and excuses himself from work early. He comes home to the sound of moaning, and is shocked to find Ramon rear-ending not Vanessa, but some guy!!!

Keith stands David up, and David is fighting-mad, feeling very stupid and wondering if Keith is playing mind-fuck games with him. He finds out that Taylor has been hospitalized for appendicitis.

Claire meets a guy at Aunt Sarah's named Toby (Stark Stands). They make out a little, and Claire tells Toby she isn't prepared for sex. Toby says he doesn't even want to have sex with her. Okay, so why make out then??? Toby launches into some shpeel about sex without love being less than satisfying, and acts "all enlightened and shit" as Claire would put it. Really, he just seems to be an arrogant ass.

Rabbi Ari and Nate have a talk about what a soul mate is and what it's all about. Nate confesses he isn't always honest with Brenda, and has never been truly honest with the women in his life.

While Nate is struggling to understand his own behavior and motivation, Brenda is just acting out on hers, or at least she fantasizes about acting out. Feeling alienated by her mother and separated from Nate, she attempts to play sex games with him. But Nate's too serious, seeking his soul mate. They both have needs, and neither's needs are being fulfilled by the other at this time.

Claire brings a tape of '60s songs home to Ruth, and gets a glimpse of what Ruth might have been like if she hadn't turned into such a morose person.

Brenda's storyline has become supremely interesting at this point. Keith's and David's story is definitely interesting and progressive, with Taylor's situation adding lots of good stuff. Rico's is a little boring. Ruth's is very exhausting, yet still interesting...I don't want it to seem like I think the writing or story is bad...in fact it's very well done, because Ruth is constantly making me want to scream lately!!! Nate's own struggles are a good storyline, and Claire's is very progressive. So far, Season 2 is a very strong season. I give this episode an A or A+ too.