Not as good as the last episodes, this one shows how Claudia starts recovering herself from the assault, Charlie and Kirsten distanced by their jobs (and limited screentime I can say), Julia meeting a new guy at college and the most relevant fact: shows Bailey's relapse into alcoholism. Claudia meets Todd, an old friend musician (who never appeared before in the series), who asks her for a date. They go out to safe places, music sessions, and when he walks her home to the front of the door, he kisses her but she feels she's not ready, and gets into the house alone, saying sorry, "but I can't". The next day, she talks to Julia, who convinces her to trust her instincts, only she can find a way to overcome what happened. Finally, she accepts going out with Todd, but takes things slowly. Todd probably doesn't seem the perfect guy for Claudia. I would have liked to see Artie back, but maybe the writers never considered his return. Anyway, Claudia is, little by little, finding happiness again, as meeting Todd makes her return to play the violin. Ross couldn't convince her of this 3 episodes ago but someone had to. Good for Claudia. Meanwhile, Julia meets Adam, an student out of college who is spontaneus and can easily write stuff, unlike her, who after her book is struggling with new things to write. By the way, Adam's dad died years ago and his mother left him after that, so he has been on his own since then. Julia's story about him almost leave Adam out of the college, so she offers him a chance to register at CFA (although he couldn't finish school). He agrees if she learns to be spontaneus, by inventing stories to people in the historical ship he works. This was a good story for Julia, an improvement for her writing skills, for now keeps her focused in that and not in dating.
Probably for bad timing, Charlie and Kirsten are too busy with their jobs and can't spend much time together. Charlie is at the factory trying to sell a bedroom set but he can't promise how many weeks will take to produce them. The buyer pushes, so Daphne, who seemingly was hired to help in the expo (mentioned last episode), applies her telemarketing experience and tells the buyer that in 4 weeks the product will be ready. When Charlie arrives home, Kirsten is tired at night to hear his issues about the factory, she starts to listen and he tries to explain her how Daphne secured a sale. Anyway, she falls asleep on the table so I guess he took her to bed. He is tired in the morning to hear her issues with neurological drug studies, where she says how a doctor is reluctant to approve the project. She gets ready to leave and asks him to be on the dinner party to support her, he says he will but falls asleep. In the night, he goes with Kirsten to the event for her job, she being the project leader for drug studies (like gabapentin) but doesn't pay much attention to the talks with doctors with his phone ringing. For this, she allows him to leave early to go to the expo so he can help Daphne, given that this work could launch his designs. The next day, Daphne helps him to sell the products and is there with him at the exposition, and uses a different way to call the attention for possible buyers: she hires two women to promote a bed. He calls Kirsten to be there with him but, stuck at her job, she can't get in time. When the convention finishes, Charlie tells her that it went well and he wanted to share the day with her, but she couldn't as her boss made her work late. He implies that she could make a concesion, but she says they are both busy and doesn't know what to do about it. Finally, next day, he calls her from his office (she was in her office too), and they agree in catching up by phone, remembering one of the times they went to a bed and breakfast in Napa (I guess last summer), and the sex they had there. This distance between them reminded me a little of 3x02, but it seems different now (I kind of miss those simpler times). Those times were somehow happier, probably because they were raising the little Owen and they were in the house. And that's one of the results caused by season 5, Charlie and Kirsten got to live their own life together but there was a cost for the series then: less family moments. Also, in seasons 2-3, their jobs were easier, she was a teacher and he managed the restaurant, lunch and dinner shifts. I didn't like much their story today as in other episodes of this season, I hope she gets pregnant soon because when the jobs interferes into marriage, childs are the safeguards, the perfect reason to spend family time together and the only thing persons are able to put above work. About this, today Diana was missing so if Charlie, Kirsten, Daphne were busy, who took care of her? Claudia? Or some unknown babysitter? This is the only time I felt like her absence was unjustified. Also, was good that Daphne, being good at marketing, could feel useful for the convention but I don't like the idea of she working with Charlie. It's bad that he spent more time with Daphne during the day of work than with Kirsten. He wanted his wife there with him and that's why the best for them would be to limit their work time. In any case, the episode Desperate Measures should be a guide for Charlie and Kirsten in these cases where they seem distanced by their jobs, just remember that heartbreaking moment, and they would turn anything down, put everything aside just to be together.
To finish, Owen, after a basket game, which Bailey didn't attend, spends time at Hughley's place, whose father discriminates Victor for being gay. Victor talks to Bailey, because Hughley's dad won't let his kid in the Salinger house with the nanny, so Bailey decides to take Owen away from that place. Still, he doesn't talk to the kid about not discriminate so later Victor handles the situation and confronts Owen when he starts to avoid him. This leads Victor to talk to Bailey about his neglect of Owen, (finally!!), saying that he is not his parent and considers stepping aside. He doesn't want to be the nanny for Bailey to take off whenever he wants. At the same time, Bailey becomes a womanizer just as Charlie was pre season 1 and even sleeps with Megan, the sister from Will's new girlfriend, Deborah. Will confronts him at the restaurant, mad because Megan was a virgin (from Tulsa) and she is sad given that Bailey never called her the day after (still, Bailey's excuses were really funny). Joe notes this but for now remains quiet, not without giving to Bailey a disappointing look. So Bailey reconsiders his lifestyle and tells Owen he has been distracted since Sarah left (the truth), and that he is the most important person for him. Anyway in the last scene, it is proved that Owen doesn't mean that much to Bailey as Sarah did, because he is shown to be drinking again. I know that Bailey got lost since 6x04, even though seemingly he relapsed when Holly dumped him. And somehow he is alone because seems that Julia and Claudia are not paying attention to him. In past seasons Claudia always watched everyone and tried to keep the family in line. Only Joe, Victor and Will realized today Bailey's change of behavior. Once again, this should remember everyone that Owen being with Bailey and not with his true adoptive parents (Charlie and Kirsten) is a mistake from late season 5. About Hughley'case, it was well handled but it's a pity that the writers chose Owen's only friend to discriminate Victor, he appeared since season 5.
Probably for bad timing, Charlie and Kirsten are too busy with their jobs and can't spend much time together. Charlie is at the factory trying to sell a bedroom set but he can't promise how many weeks will take to produce them. The buyer pushes, so Daphne, who seemingly was hired to help in the expo (mentioned last episode), applies her telemarketing experience and tells the buyer that in 4 weeks the product will be ready. When Charlie arrives home, Kirsten is tired at night to hear his issues about the factory, she starts to listen and he tries to explain her how Daphne secured a sale. Anyway, she falls asleep on the table so I guess he took her to bed. He is tired in the morning to hear her issues with neurological drug studies, where she says how a doctor is reluctant to approve the project. She gets ready to leave and asks him to be on the dinner party to support her, he says he will but falls asleep. In the night, he goes with Kirsten to the event for her job, she being the project leader for drug studies (like gabapentin) but doesn't pay much attention to the talks with doctors with his phone ringing. For this, she allows him to leave early to go to the expo so he can help Daphne, given that this work could launch his designs. The next day, Daphne helps him to sell the products and is there with him at the exposition, and uses a different way to call the attention for possible buyers: she hires two women to promote a bed. He calls Kirsten to be there with him but, stuck at her job, she can't get in time. When the convention finishes, Charlie tells her that it went well and he wanted to share the day with her, but she couldn't as her boss made her work late. He implies that she could make a concesion, but she says they are both busy and doesn't know what to do about it. Finally, next day, he calls her from his office (she was in her office too), and they agree in catching up by phone, remembering one of the times they went to a bed and breakfast in Napa (I guess last summer), and the sex they had there. This distance between them reminded me a little of 3x02, but it seems different now (I kind of miss those simpler times). Those times were somehow happier, probably because they were raising the little Owen and they were in the house. And that's one of the results caused by season 5, Charlie and Kirsten got to live their own life together but there was a cost for the series then: less family moments. Also, in seasons 2-3, their jobs were easier, she was a teacher and he managed the restaurant, lunch and dinner shifts. I didn't like much their story today as in other episodes of this season, I hope she gets pregnant soon because when the jobs interferes into marriage, childs are the safeguards, the perfect reason to spend family time together and the only thing persons are able to put above work. About this, today Diana was missing so if Charlie, Kirsten, Daphne were busy, who took care of her? Claudia? Or some unknown babysitter? This is the only time I felt like her absence was unjustified. Also, was good that Daphne, being good at marketing, could feel useful for the convention but I don't like the idea of she working with Charlie. It's bad that he spent more time with Daphne during the day of work than with Kirsten. He wanted his wife there with him and that's why the best for them would be to limit their work time. In any case, the episode Desperate Measures should be a guide for Charlie and Kirsten in these cases where they seem distanced by their jobs, just remember that heartbreaking moment, and they would turn anything down, put everything aside just to be together.
To finish, Owen, after a basket game, which Bailey didn't attend, spends time at Hughley's place, whose father discriminates Victor for being gay. Victor talks to Bailey, because Hughley's dad won't let his kid in the Salinger house with the nanny, so Bailey decides to take Owen away from that place. Still, he doesn't talk to the kid about not discriminate so later Victor handles the situation and confronts Owen when he starts to avoid him. This leads Victor to talk to Bailey about his neglect of Owen, (finally!!), saying that he is not his parent and considers stepping aside. He doesn't want to be the nanny for Bailey to take off whenever he wants. At the same time, Bailey becomes a womanizer just as Charlie was pre season 1 and even sleeps with Megan, the sister from Will's new girlfriend, Deborah. Will confronts him at the restaurant, mad because Megan was a virgin (from Tulsa) and she is sad given that Bailey never called her the day after (still, Bailey's excuses were really funny). Joe notes this but for now remains quiet, not without giving to Bailey a disappointing look. So Bailey reconsiders his lifestyle and tells Owen he has been distracted since Sarah left (the truth), and that he is the most important person for him. Anyway in the last scene, it is proved that Owen doesn't mean that much to Bailey as Sarah did, because he is shown to be drinking again. I know that Bailey got lost since 6x04, even though seemingly he relapsed when Holly dumped him. And somehow he is alone because seems that Julia and Claudia are not paying attention to him. In past seasons Claudia always watched everyone and tried to keep the family in line. Only Joe, Victor and Will realized today Bailey's change of behavior. Once again, this should remember everyone that Owen being with Bailey and not with his true adoptive parents (Charlie and Kirsten) is a mistake from late season 5. About Hughley'case, it was well handled but it's a pity that the writers chose Owen's only friend to discriminate Victor, he appeared since season 5.