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Season: 4 Episode: 16 Production Code: AM-416 First Air Date: March 19, 2001 Writer: David E. Kelley Director: Bill D‘Elia # of Times Richard said Bygones: 0 Guest Stars:
Robert Downey Jr. as Larry Paul
Synopsis: I love L.A. at least in the tacky, finally get out of the backlot sense of the place. Having just snapped the last shredding thread between him and Ling, Richard was ready for a lost weekend with the boys in La-La-land. He settled for John and left Ally in charge. A laugh riot in spite of yourself ensued before the plane even took off: The dynamic duo boarded with a faux baby and shoved it in the luggage compartment, a nod to Eddie Murphy with gas mask humor, and finally, Richard offered to draw up wills for everyone. Pending charges were dismissed. Count on one hand the number of times this show has left its usual setting, would you like to see it more often? Maybe Ally and Larry’s adventures in Grosse Pointe? It wouldn’t be a complete trip without the guys meeting gals, which would be like Ross not getting married. Richard was first as he spotted a kindy-gartner poolside (fine, Jane was 22, but really). They went up to his room, danced the hustle, of course, in her day that would be the Electric Slide as performed by Brenda on 90210; anyway, the cops busted in thinking she was a hooker. Pending charges were dismissed. The Beach Boys were the soundtrack for roller-blading on the boardwalk, did it seem off that Fish was with someone young enough to know them as the band that played with Uncle Jesse on Full House? Rewinding back to poolside, John splattered himself with SPF 100 when he became friendly with his second real-life Steve Martin ex (first Anne, now Bernadette Peters). Having previously found her speaking voice most grating, Bernadette was surprisingly appealing as the Ally stock character divorcee of the week, Cassandra, whom had been duped into an affair by her husband so that she wouldn’t get his money. Seeing John in a mature, non-quirky dancing to Tony Bennett way, do you think Cassandra is the one? Both men donned their super hero capes (or at least changed out of their tourist shorts) to save the damsels in distress. Jane’s acting agent had her acting as an escort and Richard rescued her from that E! story in the making. Meanwhile, John arranged a hefty settlement for Cassandra and she gave him a painting titled Gentle Soul. Then came the tender Road Rules goodbyes where everyone promises to keep in touch even though they’ve only known each other for half a minute. Ah, the sitcom right of passage, but it just wasn’t complete without a sleazoid European stashing something in their luggage, maybe next time. |