Episode 216--"courting nancy"

Writer
Susan Shilliday
Director
Ken Olin
Air Dates
5/2/89, 9/5/89
Guest Star
Charles Stratton as Drew; Timothy Carhart as Matt Enright; Richard Cummings, Jr as Mark Harriton; Andra Millian as Angel Wasserman; Holly Fulger as Hollis Amato
Synopsis
As Nancy settles in with a new boyfriend and gets her book accepted, Elliot makes a huge play for her affection and forgiveness, confessing his affair.
Summary
Elliot and Angel start brainstorming together a little, which makes Michael feel left out, but also asking if Angel is interested in Elliot. In the meantime, Nancy keeps pounding the pavement and gets a publishing agreement for her book. The women gather at Melissa's where she delivers the news that it will be on the spring list for Uppington Press. Elliot shows up at the house with a great insurance plan from D.A.A. that needs to be signed. He's extremely excited and genuinely happy for her regarding the book. His real reason for coming to see her was to confess that he misses her and wishes that they could get back together. She's very unsure and doesn't really want him back, but firm at the same time.

Matt brings Nancy roses to celebrate--it seems that they've slept together, but not at the house and he's never stayed over. Angel plies Michael with questions that reveal her interest in Elliot, and he advises her not to get involved. Nancy and Hope go to a diner for lunch, talking about the book and Elliot's desire to get back together. Elliot sends a book and a Heath bar to Nancy.

Elliot bemoans his situation to Michael and Angel, accepting that he was a good father, but not so great as a husband. They debate if he should confess the Sheryl Eastman affair. Matt stays over, but not for the night. Elliot calls in the middle of the night and figures out that she's not alone. Elliot goes to one of Matt's hardware stores (where there's a lifesize sign of him with a moving arm that waves) but chickens out of meeting him. He then calls to see if he and Nancy can get together to talk sometime soon. She goes to the office after work the next day and he professes how much he's changed, admits that he's treated her badly, and confesses about the affair. She doesn't take it in a particularly good way, showing how humiliated she was that everyone knew but her. She finally softens a bit, seeing that he's really trying to apologize, but they still don't get anywhere.

Matt takes Nancy bowling and asks about the package Elliot sent her (a Kate Greenaway book with a Heath bar). Matt sees that Elliot wants her back, though she disagrees and says he won't get her. Matt and Elliot then proceed to give her a series of increasingly elaborate presents (a bowling ball, rooms full of flowers, remodeled fireplace, an aquarium setup, pickup truck picnics, home haircuts, large trees for the yard) during a video sequence.

Nancy uses Melissa for her author photo and we see how nervous and excited she is about the process. She then goes to meet Matt by a lake and he suggests going hunting (why, I don't know). Nancy talks to Hope and ends up expressing great sympathy for Elliot, that she understands his change. She tries to get Hope to see how single-minded Hope is in her devotion to Michael, saying that someday Michael will do something so unpredictable and hurtful that it won't even seem like him and then perhaps Hope will understand what it's like.

When Elliot comes over that night, Nancy seems very happy to see him, almost like a kid again. He's brought her a new leather case to carry her art in. She shyly offers to show him the paintings that she's done for the book and he's extremely supportive. They joke a little about getting back together and how much money they could save on the lawyers. He kisses her hand and she takes his, smiling back.

Notes
  • Michael briefly lived with Sally Overmeyer
  • Ellyn roomed with Fran Hutchins and Wendy Reynolds in college, both of whom wouldn't speak to her, but for different reasons
  • Opener clip of the women celebrating
  • Mark was a CIA intern one summer
  • We don't know the people, Brock and Joy, that Matt and Nancy are bowling with, though Patricia Wettig bowls her own strike
  • Ellyn attacks lip pencils
  • "soda" is used

    • Ethan's vision will be fine.
    Fashion Music Quotes
    "You've never intended anything in your whole life." --Nancy to Elliot

    "Why is it that every time I talk to you about Elliot, I end up defending him?" --Nancy to Hope

    "There's just something about the way his mind works." --Nancy

    Analysis