At the housewarming, lines were drawn in the sand. Tom and Trina are clearly willing to buy Bruce and Susan’s friendship…and possibly more. They showed up with a sweet fondue set and a video camera as gifts. Janet and Roger, on the other hand, ran through their checklist for the party she took over rather than simply helped with, and it was clear Roger had been through this routine many times. You just want to hug him, don’t you? I know I do!
In the meantime, BJ and Rick were showing some entrepreneurial spirit..selling off Bruce’s massive Penthouse collection piece by piece. Too bad they got busted by Rog & Janet, who packed up the whole box of magazines and schlepped them along to the party. Roger and Bruce were forced to give the boys a talk about how awfully they’ve behaved, but they could barely keep straight faces as they talked about the evils of airbrushing and the need to treat women with respect.
For her part, Janet was essentially the most horrifying version of Monica Geller ever. That is, the uptight goofball who has eleven kinds of hand towels and insists on people playing annoying party games instead of just letting them get drunk, eat fondue and make out at random, coupled with the episode where Monica was still an overweight adult virgin and would likely bristle at the fact, as Janet does, that Bruce has “smut” in the house. Of course, Janet’s not fat (or a virgin), but she does wear a disturbing amount of plaid. I don’t know what that means exactly, but I had to point it out.
Trina Decker is proving to be this show’s lovable little conniver. Sure, she ripped the party out from under Janet, but who could blame her? Plus she sure can rock the 70s fashion! Trina can tell Susan is struggling with the all the complexities of her current life and she’s there to help; whether it’s bringing out the hot hors doeuvres before Emily Post says it’s OK, or following Susan’s lead of ripping off some old, peeling wallpaper (she had a “breakthrough!”) and having Tom trace her entire body, complete with feathered hair, on the dry wall. Janet finally loosened up enough to put a recipe on the wall with the graffiti, but her walk on the wild side was short lived when she spied a drawing of herself next to the word “Killjoy!” on the wall.
Susan is obviously feeling her oats, and she’s still not sure how far she wants to take it, although her demeanor once she just relaxed at the party and started chatting with the Decker’s hot pals, Brad and Sylvia, made it clear she is destined for some changes. The question is simply to what degree and exactly how kinky those changes will be. And the cat’s out of the bag with Roger, who walked in on Bruce and Trina having a moment which culminated in a cheek kiss (though really, it was nothing) and Bruce confessed his and Susan’s “experimenting” to Roger. Outwardly, he’s appalled, but inwardly, he’s a mess. Basically, I don’t think he can believe that another dude got a crack and Susan and it wasn’t him. This could get interesting and it’s only a matter of time until uptight Janet’s suspicions are confirmed.
You know what’s not really interesting? Poor BJ’s plot with screwed up neighbor kid Samantha. This week, BJ gave her even more money–all of his and Rick’s Penthouse profits–which Rick pointed out were not all his to give! He’s also kind of right to give BJ crap about Sam, and it succeeds in the two of them getting back to kid basics and building a fort in the basement. I’m kind of hoping this plot gets dropped like a bad habit.
Lori made her move on Mr. Stevens–excuse me, Doug–this week, concocting a way to spend the whole day and night with him in an empty library and eventually planting one on him when the moment is right. He didn’t get way into it, but he didn’t back away qucikly either. I know I’m supposed to think this storyline is ooky, but Doug is not a whole lot older than Lori and they have a ton of chemistry and common interests, so really, what’s the big deal? I know, I know, it’d still be statutory rape, even if they’re cute together.
In the end, Susan told Roger that she wants to be open with him, and have all options “on the table”. And, also, on tape, as the Millers ended their evening by taping their lovemaking. Good thing there was no internet in ’76. I have a feeling Trina would have found a way to get that tape and post it on YouTube immediately. Of course, there’d also be the video of she and Tom having co-ed naked sexy time with Brad and Sylvia in their pool. Thank goodness for chlorine, right?
