Unforgettable episode. I can see it over and over again, never gets boring. It's wonderful, with a lot of memorable scenes. The script is perfect, a wonderful job of Sussanah Grant and the rest of the crew, not to mention the soundtrack and the swing band BBVD (Jumpin Jack, very good choice). Begins with likely one of the best (or simply the best) starting scene of an episode of the whole series. The four older siblings and Kirsten, plus Sarah, all ice skating. Claudia helps Charlie a little while he talks about the lounge night he's planning for Salinger's. And just then, is showed Paula Devicq's talent from Canada in figure skating (according to internet biographies, she practiced in Vancouver since she was little), and as Claudia says to Charlie watching Kirsten, "If I were you, I'd marry her" (so would I). He just says, "what a woman huh?" happily looking at his fiancee. Also, Bailey is going faster and little by little takes Sarah to join him. And then, Sarah takes Charlie, who takes Kirsten, who takes Julia and finally she takes Claudia. One of the greatest moments of the series, the six persons with most appearances, all ice skating as a happy family, smiling and laughing (and Griffin watching from outside). I know each one of them had and still have their own personal lives, but it's clear that in that skating rink, the six were really happy. Many times in interviews (including A Family Album) the actors said that even behind scenes, the cast wanted each other like a family (surely despite some disagreements they could have had in different moments), and frankly, this scene is a clear proof of that. Although ends with Claudia's accident, still doesn't erase the happiness and the beautiful moment. When the family arrive home from the skating rink, Kirsten recalls that Claudia was given Darvax as painkillers and asks Charlie to take her to bed. She and Julia find wedding presents, one spitton that they dislike (from a Charlie's friend), checks, and a coupon for a read with Miss Corso, the SF psychic. Her aunt Roberta (I guess from Ellie's side) with some ear problem, sent it, and Charlie thought she was the aunt who got out of rehab (I guess Gene's sister). He "jokingly" says how excited he is to enter her family, and when they hear Claudia singing glory hallelujah, she says jokingly says "you're one to talk" (how wonderful is Claudia). The next day she goes to the psychic for her aunt, despite being skeptic, and Miss Corso guesses everything right, the very good match, Charlie's past as a womanizer that lasted til the early stages of the relationship, that now he has that out of his system for good, but fails to mention his name, calling him Rob. Still, she says Kirsten and her fiancee will dance at the wedding and spend a long happy life together (she guessed that right too). This makes Kirsten to think about dancing because Charlie doesn't really dance. Before going to bed, after a shower, she tells him about the reading and how she dated a guy named Rob in college for a month, but went bad as he was "a total pig". Still she asks him to take dance lessons for their wedding, he's reluctant, but she says she'll pay, and makes him say yes. Charlie struggles in their dancing lessons, and the teacher (a funny man) thinks he should give her more freedom and not hold her too tight, and she should show more trust (surely because she doubts about his dancing). Still, in their second day, they don't dance well and he asks her to find someone else if he's a bad partner. She doesn't want somebody else, but he thinks about Rob "Sausage", who maybe now has a fat bank account and friends with taste. She adds rythm, so he leaves her alone in the lessons, going to the restaurant. Later, at the house, Julia tells Charlie that Kirsten came home, grabbed a beer and went upstairs, so he explains his dancing problems. He wonders why is a big deal if he didn't know, so Julia tells him that every girl dreams to dance with her husband and think they'll live happily ever after. She teaches him how to dance (like their dad teached her), and he accepts. With the one, two, three, and now with less pressure, Charlie learns quickly and they happily dance. He tells her that Griffin should know and care as much as her about the dancing, she deserves that. She doesn't answer, and makes some spins without any problem. This was one of the most memorable scenes of the episode and the show because usually Charlie and Julia don't share many good moments. Also, considering Neve's passion for dance, this surely is one of her favorite scenes of the whole series, it's obvious she enjoyed it.
In the meantime, Griffin was fired from the bike shop (because bad attitude) so Julia arranges his employment at Salinger's. Of course Charlie doesn't like him (Griffin didn't show any respect to him yet), so after one absence, he fires him. Julia lies saying he gave him the wrong start date so her brother rehires him, and then she finds out that Griffin didn't show up because "things got crazy, there was no way" (I'll just laugh). She wants to go to a concert from a band that could be Soul Asylum, and he agrees, but at the night, she waits alone, and the band was other one. She sees Justin with a new girl, and the next day at school, he bothers her for what she did, telling she prefers a guy who stood her up like Griffin instead of him. So Julia finally confronts Griffin at the restaurant, for being elusive, so he says he's like a cat sometimes. Also, he's not good at the job and when he breaks fragile glasses, Charlie fires him. The next day at school, Julia discuss with him because his lack of attention and cherish towards her, for not even mentioning her name. On the other hand, following the forced start between Bailey and Sarah, it's shown that he's not ready, he still misses Jill and Sarah feels uncomfortable with him. He makes her cut a class, fool around in a park, and a police officer gives them a warn (1x18). He wanted her to play along, but she refused and preferred to go home. Next day, they go to the concert with Julia, but they leave, and Bailey plans to take her to Seattle, in a similar way he did with Jill in 1x14 (though that time they went to the south). She obviously refuses to leave and makes him drive her home. Then, he convinces her of keep trying because they have to know each other, and that means he has to be spontaneus sometimes. The next time they go to a movie, but when he wants to fool around, she leaves upset telling he should be special. Sarah finally confides in Julia, about how she feels like she's dating James Dean (again 1x18), and she's told that Bailey is treating like Jill. At the lounge night in Salinger's, Sarah tells him the reasons to break up, and wonders why he wants to do Jill's stuff, if the relationship wasn't good and ended bad. She hoped Bailey could be the guy he was dreaming of, but he's not ready yet. When she dumps him, Bailey is stunned because he though things could be worked out. But Sarah shouldn't blame him, in season premiere he said he wasn't ready to date again, she pushed for this. Also, the relationship with Jill wasn't well read by Sarah. They actually were happy, she was a mess if she was on drugs, but there were great times for them. And he really loved her, so that tells how things really were.
Claudia, with her arm broken because the accident, is saddened when she fears she might not be able to play the violin again after Ross suggests Charlie to take her to another doctor. She shares a moment with Ross and Tess in the restaurant, and then, Charlie tries to comfort her saying there are 98% that her arm will heal perfectly. She's afraid for the 2%, and recognizes something bad about her, that she wants to be able to play the violin knowing she's the best. As usual, Claudia's story has the spark which lightens up the episode. Her scenes while being in painkillers reminded me season 1 Claudia, funny and wonderful. It's good she didn't change at all. As for Owen, his absence went unnoticed, but sure Bill took care of him during the day and the others in the night.
To finish, there's the lounge night at Salinger's. Is not a success, Bailey is worried about the cost, and Charlie thinks it will be built slowly. Then Julia goes to the alley to "work", take out the garbage, and Griffin appears and does something nice, giving her a helmet so she is protected when they ride somewhere. After Sarah leaves, Charlie invites Kirsten to dance. Seems that he apologized in the morning for the failed lessons because now they both were in good mood. He confirms he's sure about dancing, and they start, in what turns out to be another nice and magical moment, unforgettable, again showing an amazing chemistry, even the lines here were perfectly written. He tells he made a few changes on his life "since he had his cereal read". He saw two images, one of "good old Rob" with a beer and pressing remote control (which makes her laugh), and the other one at their wedding: she looks beautiful, he doesn't look bad too, and everyone looking at them dancing saying they are perfect for each other and that they lived happily ever after. They happily kiss, he tries to twirl her, but this time he miscalculates (Kirsten is a little bit taller than Julia). Still, they both laugh and keep dancing, faster than before with Jumpin Jack. Neither Bailey or Claudia are in the mood, so he takes her to dance, and they happily enjoy it. These were some of the happiest moments of the series, and again I felt that the cast really joyful, enjoying the dancing. At the end, Charlie, Kirsten, Bailey and Claudia spent a great and unforgettable time dancing, like if they really lived happily ever after.
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