Episode 111--"therapy"

Writer Susan Shilliday Director Marshall Herskovitz Air Dates 1/12/88, 6/7/88, 4/18/89 Guest Star

Marshall Herskovitz as Dr. Nicholson, Courtney Beghart as Carla, Maxx the Dog as Grendel

Synopsis

Nancy and Elliot try marriage counseling

Summary

It's Eliott's birthday and there's a party at work where Nancy and Elliot ask Hope and Michael if they think counseling might be a good idea. They go to Dr. Bob Nicholson, a friend of Gary's from childhood. While they're checking around, Michael tells everyone. They go to see Dr. Nicholson and it sorta blows up, but they're working on it.

In the meantime, Hope, Ellyn and Michael are playing Scrabble when the matter came up that Ellyn got a tattoo saying "Mellow Yellow" with a picture of a rose (on her derriere) when she was 16 and had just gone to a Donovan concert. Michael blows the secret of the tattoo while playing basketball with the guys, it makes the rounds, and Nancy spills it accidentally at a party in front of Woodman, who didn't know.

Continuing in therapy, we see issues of money sex and control. Nancy tries to be more appealing for Elliot, but he doesn't respond and it gets awkward. Then Elliot tries to be nice, takes the kids to the park, and Nancy gets to draw. They end up in bed, possibly a good resolution.

Notes

Ethan is 6, Brittany 3

Nancy and Elliot have been married for 12 years, Hope and Michael for 5

Woodman's first name is Steve

Opener clip of Nancy taking Elliot's hand, Ellyn playing scrabble and the guys at basketball

Grendel appears.

Fashion

Michael's Philadelphia Eagles shirt makes its first (?) appearance in the basketball game.

Quotes

"I am not lying. I am observing a discreet silence." --Hope

--"I won't be obvious. Nancy's going to give me the name of a good children's hair cutter." --Hope

--"Honey, Janey won't need a haircut for another two years." --Michael

--"I want to be prepared." --Hope

"Don't apologize. I'm not done yelling at you yet." --Ellyn to Michael

Analysis

• Cindy Isaacs has ferreted out this charming bit of trivia:

"When Michael, Elliott and Gary are plying basketball outdoors, the court walls are covered in graffiti. The most prominent graffiti is a large spray-painted heart contaning the words 'Liberty + Ed'." [Note: Scriptwriter Liberty Godshall is married to series creator/writer/director Ed Zwick. Also, the heart had a large arrow drawn through it--very sweet.]

• Along the graffiti theme, the other items read "Overbrook Rules" and, up in the corner, to the left of the basketball goal, "painted by Adam Lustig [and] David Larks."

• There are some shots of Hope, Nancy, and Melissa in the park which might be from the opening credits, though I don't think so (pardon my bookmarker to myself here).

• This is a very real, very tough episode. I wish they'd done a little more to show how Elliot might be frustrated with his life and how Nancy played into that, though without cutting back on the fact that he is more the responsible party.

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