Falling Up

Season: 4

Episode: 15

Production Code: AM-415

First Air Date: February 26, 2001

Writer: David E. Kelley

Director: Oz Scott

# of Times Richard said Bygones: 1

Guest Stars:

Robert Downey Jr. as Larry Paul
Anne Heche as Melanie West
Fred Willard as Dr. Harold Madison
Rhea Perlman as a therapist
Wallace Shawn as Miss Clap‘s attorney
Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh
Eric Lutes as Eric Bennett
Clare Carey as Mary Clap
Kathryn Joosten as Sister Alice
Sy Smith as lead singer
Renee Goldberry as a singer
Vatrena King as a singer
Jill Brennan as Shirley
Betty A. Bridges as Foreperson

Synopsis:

Dreaming of oversexed nuns, elevator shafts, and falling out of airplanes? Yeah, well, that’s the time you count your blessings that you’re no longer seeing some odd guy singing about some chick named Mandy.

Ally was terribly freaked by her nightmare so she hopped into bed with Renee ’s lover. No, this doesn’t mean she’s ready for another Newsweek morality close-up; it was an accident, since before Jackson her roomy was all talk. At long last Renee has found a man though sex on the first date and a lusty duet that re-sparked Ling’s attention don’t bode well.

If you were a betting guy or gal, would you put your money on Renee and Jackson being a blink and you’ll miss it affair or are they going to the chapel?

Scan your memory and you’ll remember that John’s love Mel is allergic to such ‘altar’ed status. The shaky duo was put to the test when The Biscuit’s client wanted an annulment (an episode requirement) because his wife refuses to give birth to walking talking bathrooms (to paraphrase Nelle). The messy part happened when Melanie admitted that she doesn’t want babies, they’d interfere with her cut and run habit.

Was John being too Little House on the Prairie with his definition of marriage or were these truly irreconcilable differences?

The naked tearful look on Mel’s face as they broke up tempted one to call John a meany, but this is the guy who earlier told Ally that Larry would return, so those bonus sweet points balance things out. The consensus from all other directions (Rhea Perlman-cranky doctor, Fred Willard-cranky doctor) was that Ally should cut all the heartstrings that have Larry’s name on them.

Would it be possible for you to accept Ally with another man after Larry?

Never fear, because like the superhero that we wish him to be, Larry came home!!! (Excessive exclamations are sometimes very necessary, ignore that Seinfeld!) Feeling rather truck run her over-ish from all that head shrinking, Ally didn’t hesitate to ask how long he’d stay.

"Does forever work for you?" Larry asked. Um, yes.