- Susan throws a surprise birthday party for Janet while trying to handle her feelings about Roger's kiss. Bruce rediscovers his affection for Melinda. Janet is considering a career as an advice columnist while Roger is offered a job in Cincinnati. Laurie confronts Doug about their future together, B.J. hears unexpected news about Sam, and Rick decides to get wasted.—Peter Brandt Nielsen
- Roger successfully applies for a more challenging job in construction security, but didn't realize it requires moving to Cincinatti and procrastinates telling his family. Doug takes Laurie to beach-volleyball with his mate Matt, seems unable to commit but ends up refusing an ideal teacher's post so their affair won't become inappropriate for her impending last school-year. The citizen band radio's Rick brought along for fun accidentally reveal Sam' lush mother is about to move them out of Swingtown. Hearing Melinda considers an offer from a rival firm, Bruce is lured into visiting her home secretly to talk her over, but Susan gets the impression they cheat on her, hence reconsiders having turned away Roger after their kiss.—KGF Vissers
- "Swingtown" - "Surprise" - August 29, 2008
Previously on: Janet started work at a newspaper; B.J. and Ricky played strip poker with Samantha and her cousin Lisa. B.J. was a perfect gentleman with shirtless crush Samantha, Ricky was scared by Lisa's boobies; Melinda claims Bruce was a perfect gentleman when they were alone together, when in fact he kissed her. Then he kissed her again, which Susan was not so psyched about; Tom and Trina and Bruce and Susan did the swinging thing again; Janet wanted Roger to get a new job so things could go back to the way they were, which Roger wasn't so psyched about; Roger told Ricky never to "settle"; Roger kissed Susan which Susan was and wasn't so psyched about.
As "Secrets" by Carly Simon plays Susan is wrapping a birthday gift for Janet. (We're never told which birthday it is). Bruce is not psyched about having dinner with the Thompsons, since Roger's been a "sad sack" ever since he was laid off. Susan says they have plenty to talk about like bowling and the White Sox. Bruce sadly points out that he's a Cubs fan and is surprised that by now she doesn't remember this.
Ricky presents Janet with a birthday pancake with a smiley face and whipped cream. Janet is rushing off to work so no time for funny pancakes. Ricky is annoyed she doesn't get her birthday off. Roger rushes in and says he'll take care of the post-pancake mess since it will probably be a few weeks since he can get her a proper present. Janet says landing a new job today would be present enough. Roger is interviewing for a job with an architecture firm that builds skyscrapers, as a safety assessor. Apparently his backgrounds in insurance and engineering make him the man for the job. Or so he hopes. Janet hopes so too, but if he doesn't she wants him to pursue work that's more realistic. (Apparently this is pie in the sky?) She says it's been over a month. He is aware how long it's been. They plan to meet at the Millers for her birthday dinner.
Over at Tom and Trina's the couple is waking up in bed with Anthony and Michelle. Trina looks like she's not feeling so well.
Roger is suited up for his interview and juggling the bottles that Janet told him to put out for the milkman as the doorbell rings. It is not the milkman, but Susan. They're both giddy to see each other. He says he wanted to call. Susan says she's been thinking. Him too. She says with everything that's happened this summer she doesn't blame him for the kiss, and thinks he was confused. He says he knew exactly what he was doing. She thinks they shouldn't see each other for awhile. He asks what about tonight. Susan thinks it will be horrible with the four of them chit-chatting. Roger says they should invite other people and make it a party. That way Janet gets the birthday she deserves and then he and Susan will stop seeing each other if that's what she wants. That's what she wants.
Credits Liz gives it up for love
Susan arrives at the Decker house to ask for Trina's help with the party as Anthony and Michelle are leaving. Awkward. Tom runs off to get Alka-Seltzer for his wife as Susan meets Trina by the pool to ask for her help. Trina plays off her illness and says she'll help Susan set up for the party. Susan says that's not the kind of help she needs and confesses Roger kissed her. Or that they kissed each other. She promises it won't go any further. She wonders what is wrong with her since he's her best friend's husband. Trina says that doesn't mean Susan can't have feelings for him. Susan, misunderstanding, says yes it does, and that unlike Trina she doesn't have a switch she can just turn on and off when it comes to sexual feelings like this. Trina, hurt, says she likes to think she's more complex than that. Susan apologizes saying she didn't mean to offend, just that she wishes she was more like Trina, that it would make all of this easier to deal with.
At the stock trader bar, Melinda is meeting with another firm for a drink in a back booth. As she shakes hands and heads back to the bar, Bruce says he hopes she's not getting in bed with Singer-Ross. She points out that it's none of his business who she gets in business with and isn't he not supposed to be talking to her per Susan's orders? He says he decides who he'll talk to. Seriously, he's worried that she's leaving their firm. She says she's just keeping her options open.
In the Miller driveway B.J. is on a CB with Ricky, apparently B.J. is "silver bullet" and Ricky is, hee, "ladykiller." Sam and Lisa ride up. Sam is "goldilocks" and Lisa is "kissing cousin." They decide to test out the radius of the CB's and ride off in opposite directions.
At the beach Doug and Laurie have rolled up to play volleyball with some of his friends. One of his friends comes up and Doug introduces her to Matt. Matt gives away Doug's cunning volleyball name "Spike" and calls her the pretty little thing that hijacked him for the summer. Laurie agrees to play and asks Doug to grab her a Coke from the cooler. He puts his head in and says something muffled back. She thought he said "I love you" so she says "I love you too." Turns out all he said was "all I have is Yoohoo." D'oh. Awkward.
At the paper. All the secretaries are crowded around Janet's desk laughing at her no-nonsense wisdom about the kind of girls you hang out with and the kind you marry, counseling one woman that her engagement has lasted an agonizing two whole years because of the whole "why pay for the cow/free milk" saying. The ladies are impressed. Henry the gay office manager arrives to counsel the ladies that lunch is over. He needles Janet for telling people how to run their lives. She says she does no such thing and that they value her opinion and those that claim they don't want it just don't realize they need it. Henry asks if she's heard the scuttlebutt about the departure of the paper's agony aunt Dear Trudy. Apparently, there was a drinking scandal. He thinks Janet should apply and has the test questions right in his hot little hand. She demurs briefly but quickly is firing the sheets into her typewriter. Sample question: Dear Trudy, every week I watch my neighbor's husband wax his Corvette and he's driving me wild. I'd like to polish his hot rod myself, help, signed Covetous in Kenosha. Janet immediately quips, "sounds like Covetous missed the day in Sunday school when they covered the ten commandments."
Roger is selling himself in the interview. Mr. Sullivan is ready to take a risk on Roger. Roger can start tomorrow. Mr. Sullivan likes his enthusiasm but points out that he'll need time to pack up, find a new place, and move. The job's in Cincinnati.
Lisa and Ricky have ridden to the beach with the CB's, while B.J. and Samantha are still at his house. As Ricky gets them ice cream pops they head to sit down and as they do he thanks her for not telling anyone about his freak out. Just as she says she hasn't told anyone he sits and activates the microphone on the CB in his back pocket enabling Samantha and B.J. to hear the whole conversation in which: Ricky admits to getting freaked out when Lisa took her top off, that he panicked; that B.J. is in love with Sam; and Lisa reveals that her mom thinks that Samantha's mom is an unfit mother and that she is taking Samantha away to live in Napierville next week. Needless to say B.J. and Samantha are now the ones who are freaked out.
At the beach the volleyball game comes to a close with Doug botching the game point. He wants a rematch, he has no takers. Matt likes Laurie since she ruined Doug's perfect volleyball record and the "milk carton theory" in one fell swoop. Apparently, none of Doug's previous girlfriends' lasted longer than a carton of milk. Hardly any make it past the one month mark so Doug must really like her surmises Matt. Or, offers Laurie, he's about to dump her.
Tom returns as Trina is leaving for the doctor. Tom's surprised she's going in for a hangover, she says it's just her regular check-up, but any viewer who has ever watched television before now realizes Trina is pregnant. Tom asks after Susan. Trina reveals that Susan kissed Roger, but that nothing has happened. Tom says a kiss between those two is definitely something. Trina feels guilty tracing this kiss back to Susan and Bruce meeting them and starting to experiment. Tom says pshaw, "we're not their parents." But, they are their friends, points out Trina, and she wants to help them.
Back at the paper Janet is finishing off the sample questions after work with Henry. He thinks she's so great that he wants to give the papers to the editor. She's unsure saying she won't need a job once Roger gets one. Henry points out that want and need are two different things. She says she'll think about it and on the spur of the moment invites him to the birthday party at the Miller house. (Again anyone who watches TV is now realizing that Janet doesn't know Henry is gay. She will find out, come to accept gay people and then Ricky will come out and Henry will help her through it.)
Back at the trader bar after work Melinda and Bruce are talking shop about hedging bets and trading etc. He appreciates being able to talk to a woman about the market. She wonders what he and Susan talk about. He thinks and says the kids and that just this morning baseball. At that moment she rhapsodizes about Jose Cardinale and they start talking excitedly about last night's Cubs game. He is so turned on now and tells her not to leave Lehman Pierce. She says if he wants to talk her out of it he needs to take her out for dinner tonight. He demurs because of the Janet dinner. She says his window of opportunity is closing and that tomorrow it might not be open.
At the Millers' Roger arrives and the party is in full swing. He tells Susan he got the job. And then drops the catch, just as Trina shushes everyone to say that Janet is coming. He says Cincinnati while everyone else yells "surprise!" Janet is so touched and sees Roger and Susan together and figures this is why they've been spending so much time together. She introduces Henry who drops the news about the possible Dear Trudy application. Janet asks after the interview. Roger only says that it went well. Janet is excited and says "fingers crossed" and then is even more excited to see that Susan has made pigs in a pickle.
Bruce arrives home and is surprised to see a full party when he thought it was just dinner. Susan apologizes and says she called him but that he'd already left.
Ricky is apologizing to B.J. but pointing out that since they're going to high school in two weeks that they will land "plenty of new chicks." B.J. points out that Ricky really doesn't get it. Ricky says he fully gets it: B.J. thought he was going to "nail" Sam and now he's pissed he wasted the whole summer. (Even in the '70s were teenage boys this dense?) B.J. says Ricky clearly knows nothing about girls. Ricky is not convinced B.J. does either, but B.J. points out he doesn't run away when they take their tops off. Ricky is embarrassed, walks into the Miller kitchen and promptly picks up the first discarded drink he sees, and then another.
Over at the bar Bruce is also drowning his sorrows saying what happened. Susan says she thought he'd prefer it to dinner with the Thompsons. He's not so sure saying he feels like a stranger in his own house. She says she knows what he means. They both look pensive and then Bruce asks Susan if she knows who Jose Cardinale is. She wonders why, "is he here?" (Really, is this the new litmus test for true love?) He smiles and laughs and walks away saying never mind. It's kinda sad. Trina and Tom observe and decide to divide and conquer.
Tom catches up to Susan who is ogling Roger in the kitchen putting candles on Janet's birthday cake. He asks when was the last time she was on an airplane. She says last year. He reminds her of what they say about oxygen masks. (Secure your own mask before helping others). He says she needs to make sure she's taking care of herself first. She turns back to look at Roger.
Trina finds Bruce out on the sun porch and asks after his general state of okayness. He says everyone's okay. Bruce says he had lots of plans- five year, ten year, wife, kids, job, house, better job, better house. Trina says perspective is a choice. He says you want perspective, try being the sole bread winner where people depend on you for everything. She tries to apologize and he cuts her off to say he's trying, doing the best he can. He muses that she's lucky, that everything she does is so effortless with Tom, god forbid life should throw her a real curve one of these days. Again, she's hurt.
Susan approaches Roger in the kitchen. Roger says the party was a mistake and that she was right and that they shouldn't see each other for awhile. She says with him in Cincy that won't be a problem. He tells her he didn't say yes and before he makes this decision he needs to know how she feels. She feels that he should discuss it with Janet. He begs to know if he's alone in "this." She says she doesn't know. He says he's falling in love with her. She tells him she can't handle it.
At the beach Laurie tells Doug if he's going to dump her he should get it over with. She brings up the whole awkward "I love you" thing. She doesn't want him to say anything he doesn't mean. He says that's not it. She starts school in two weeks, he hasn't decided whether he's going to take the job at her school. He doesn't want them to get ahead of themselves. Laurie says she knows exactly where she is, and when he figures out where he is, he should let her know and walks away.
Back at the party Tom and Trina are comparing notes. He notes that his talents may lie "more in the realm of physical therapy." Just as Trina is about to break the blessed news, Ricky busts through them wasted and angry. Roger grabs him and Henry tells him to take it easy, he's just a kid. Roger points out that he's his kid and he'll handle it. Janet says actually she'll handle it.
Bruce calls Melinda at the bar and makes plans to meet her, as he does so Susan overhears him saying he can't stand not seeing her everyday.
Janet is trying to shake some sense into Ricky, asking him what's wrong. He explains his B.J. woes. She says that nothing can come between Ricky and B.J. Ricky says that Samantha already has. Janet says that she and Ricky are a lot alike in that they cover up their feelings which can lead to something akin to the whack-a-mole game phenomenon they witnessed at Great America. They may whack their emotions down in one spot, she muses, but it will rear its head elsewhere. She tells him that that makes it harder for people to understand them. If he wants to keep B.J.'s friendship he should do something about it. Ricky gives her a big hug and apologizes for ruining her birthday. She scolds him about the drinking.
Trina, who has overheard all of this, comes to Janet and compliments her mom skills. She then spills her beans. Janet, of course, immediately wonders if it's Tom's. Trina says the math works in his favor. Janet is very happy for her and grabs the cigarette and drink Trina is blithely enjoying. She admits she hasn't told Tom yet since they didn't plan it. Janet says she loves surprises, and bets Tom does too. Trina hugs her.
Susan is cleaning up as Bruce lies that he has to go back to the office to get his briefcase. She lets him go, disbelief over him lying flooding her face.
At the beach Doug finds Laurie and tells her where he's at. He says he doesn't want to have to hide their relationship at school so... he's not taking the job. She wonders why he didn't just say "I love you." He thinks he just did.
As Henry leaves the party Janet tells him to submit her application for Dear Trudy. Tom and Trina take off, and tell Susan they're across the street if she needs them.
B.J. comes to ask Samantha if what Lisa said is true. It is, she's moving. She wants to know if it's true what Rick said. Just then Rick arrives and says it is true, B.J.'s got it bad for her and she's all he talks about. As a gesture of good faith he gives Samantha his CB, saying it should reach Napierville so she and B.J. can talk. Sam admits she doesn't want to go. B.J. would prefer if she stayed as well.
Tom and Trina lament they were unable to close Pandora's box for Susan and Bruce. Trina realizes they have to make their own mistakes. Tom compares her to a den mother looking out for her cubs. She smiles and says she wonders what it would be like to be a mother for real. Tom looks at her for a second and then says "oh, you almost had me there," thinking she's joking.
At the Miller house, Susan is cleaning up the living room as Roger enters. She say they certainly made a mess of things tonight. She tells him to take the job in Cincy, it's the best thing for everyone. He wonders if it is, don't they deserve a chance? Janet enters before Susan can answer saying she'll be back to help Susan clean. Susan says it's her mess. Janet thanks her saying she loved her party. They hug. As Janet goes to the door she says "come on Roger, all good things must come to an end." Susan says she's right and before he walks out, gives Roger a long, but totally chaste, hug and says goodbye. As he walks out, she spies Bruce's briefcase in the front hall.
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