Posted by Dustin on 08.03.2008 at 3:23 pm

This past week’s episode was probably the best episode yet. The episode started off with Tom and Trina having a dinner party for Brad and Sylvia. Brad had just written an article on how more couples were experimenting with open marriages. The article has been commissioned to be turned into a book. Brad was planning to go to the Palomino Club, a big sex club in town, to do research. He invited them all and also said he would like to interview them. Susan seemed game, but Bruce didn’t want to go or be interviewed.

Before bed that night, Bruce finally admitted to Susan that the night of the blackout he was with Melinda, and they kissed then and also later at the Puzzlerama party. Susan seemed miffed, but not overly angry. The next morning she told Bruce she wanted to go to that club with Sylvia and Brad, she felt they needed to go. She wanted to control the sex, not let the sex control their marriage.

Trina meanwhile tried to smooth things over with Janet, attempting to bake her some muffins. Cooking isn’t her thing, apparently Tom does most of it, as she burned the muffins and they were stuck to the pan. She and Janet had a laugh over it.

Later Janet went to return Trina’s pan, only to find her and Susan talking. It seems Susan and Bruce were going to the club and she wanted Trina and Tom to go. Janet learned about the trip and announced she wanted to go too! She felt it was something Roger was getting into, because he came to the party here the day of the blackout. She borrowed a sexy red dress from Trina, and Trina and Susan dolled her up. Susan called Bruce, who was meeting Roger to talk about possibly getting him a job at his company. She asked him to bring Roger to the club tonight.

The women all arrived at the club, where the boys already were. Janet saw this one woman coming onto Roger. The woman told Janet she was a lucky woman to be with Roger. Later Roger and Janet got a tour of the backroom at the party! They disappeared into it while Susan told Bruce she really wanted to take Brad and Sylvia home. He agreed, so Tom and Trina said they would make sure Roger and Janet got home.

Meanwhile, Laurie and her teacher Doug were now doing it like rabbits. The presidential political conventions were coming up, and Laure got the idea to watch the republican convention at her parent’s house. She said everyone would be out for the night and what better place to watch it than an actual republican home. Unfortunately what they didn’t count on was her parents coming home early and with guests! Laure and Doug hid behind a bar while they had to listen to her parents getting high on pot and then begin to . . . well . . . you know.

Trying to sneak out, Laurie and Doug got caught. Bruce was furious that Laurie was with an obviously older man, and even more upset when he found out this was her summer school teacher. Brad, Sylvia and Doug basically all ran out of the house as the fight began. Laurie called her parents out, not wanting a lecture when they were getting high and about to do who knows what with those two freaks. Bruce announced that ever since moving here this family had spiraled out of control. He was going to take back control, he didn’t know how, but he had to think on it. He then stormed off.

At Roger and Janet’s, their son Rick was having a pong party with his friends. BJ showed up with Samantha, who then whooped everyone’s butt at pong. Rick got the idea to play spin the bottle. He ended up having to spend two minutes in the closet with Sam. He asked why she came, she said BJ brought her. Rick claimed he had been friends with BJ his whole life and she was just a project for him, a hurt bird to take care of. She then called Rick out, saying it was obvious how he felt about BJ and she was not trying to take him away. Rick planted a kiss on her, and she planted her fist on his face! Samantha stormed out and BJ followed. Samantha told him that she doesn’t like going to parties, she does drink and she doesn’t play games. He said neither does he, and they kissed. Later as they headed home they caught the drama going on inside BJ’s home through the open back door the others fled out of earlier.

Over at Tom and Trina’s, the party from the club was still going on. Roger kept getting hit on by this one girl, and Janet had a talk with Tom. She thought Roger wanted this, but it was something she couldn’t do. She didn’t think any of Tom’s friends would ever want her. Tom gave her a kiss and told her she was a very beautiful woman, and “this” would only serve to bring Roger back home to her in the end. Janet went to see Roger, saying she’d be leaving and if he wanted to stay . . . As it turned out, he didn’t, he was doing this as he thought it’s what she wanted. The whole night was her idea he reminded her. They then left together.

My Thoughts
I really loved this episode. I felt for once I was engaged in every story, even the kids who I normally find boring and filler. I think it was bringing everything to a head, even with the kids, that made this episode so good. All the stories finally started intertwining.

I was actually shocked that Susan was not more angry at Bruce for the kisses, but then I started thinking . . . I think it’s clear it’s been Susan all along who has had a thing for Roger these many years. Does Roger like her? That part I’m still fuzzy on. But it’s starting to make sense, especially why she’s so gung-ho to go party with Brad and Sylvia. I think Bruce isn’t giving her what she needs. What she needs (or wants) is Roger, so maybe she’s looking for substitutes?

I love the whole thing with Tom and Trina closing their marriage because of the turn-about going on. Tom and Trina weren’t able to play, and Susan and Bruce seem to almost be taking up the reigns. Meanwhile you had the hilarity that was Roger and Janet misunderstanding what the other wanted and ending up in that backroom. Oh I really wanted to know what happened back there, if anything!

Tom planting a kiss on Janet was ironically the hottest part of the whole episode, if not the whole season. The look on her face was priceless and I think Tom actually would go there if given the chance!

I also loved Janet and Trina basically becoming closer friends. At the end when Janet saw Trina’s photographs it’s like she was really seeing Trina, commenting that she’s actually an observer of the world and people around her and that she has misjudged her. Trina said she had misjudged Janet as well. Aww, BFFs!

Laurie and her teacher were hilarious in this episode when they were stuck behind the bar listening to her parents. I don’t know how she could have held out as long as she did. I was squirming along with her thinking “Oh this is so gross she’s going to listen to her parents having an orgy! Permanent lifelong scars!”

Even BJ, Rick and Samantha entertained me in this episode, which was the most shocking part. I think it was the fact they went where I initially thought they were going at the beginning of the season . . . making Janet and Roger’s son gay and in love with his best friend. Samantha called him out on it, ironically while they were in the closet. His reaction was to just kiss her, which pretty much sealed the deal. Oh what Janet will think of this when she finds out.