[1-16] Kiss Me, Stupid
Up [1-1] Pilot [1-2] The Great Pretender [1-3] The Apartment [1-4] Pride & Prejudice [1-5] The Rivals [1-6] A Star is Born [1-7] Grand Illusions [1-8] The High and the Mighty [1-9] Meet Tommy Dugan [1-10] The Competitors [1-11] Dog Day Afternoon [1-12] Criss Cross [1-13] Bye Bye Love [1-14] Starting Over [1-15] Gabby's Song [1-16] Kiss Me, Stupid [1-17] An Affair to Remember [1-18] Snowbound [1-19] Striptease [1-20] Deaf Becomes Her [1-21] Hot in the City [1-22] Bone Free [1-23]The Mayor who came to Dinner [1-24] Mayor over Miami

 

Writer: Sarah Dunn
Producers: Jeff Lowell & William Barnett
Director: Lee Shallat Chemel


Episode Length: 22:16
Guest Stars:

Luke Perry: Spence Kaymer
Faith Prince: Claudia
Kim Dickens: Veronica
Anney Globbe: Melissa

Rating:#29 15.5 million viewers 10.3 rating 16 share

Rating:  TV-PG

First Broadcast: February 11, 1997

Opening sound: Cupid's Dart

 

Storyline #1: The One with All the Jealousy
Spence, as you recall, used to live with Carter until he left him, twice. Well, on Valentine's Day 1997, Spence is back in town and wants to pay Carter a visit along with a woman friend. Mike, who is already set up with Nikki's friend, agrees to come over as plan B. Spence arrives at Carter's and eventually, so does Mike when Veronica doesn't pan out. It is then when Spence confesses he's getting married ... to a woman ... and wants Carter to be the best man. Carter, however, is still infatuated with Spence and is still debating whether or not to try and woo him. Finally, he decides on a new couse of action: acting as if he and Mike are living together to try and make Spence jealous. This does not succeed although it does make Mike a little uncomfortable. Later, at the bar with all the gang there after failed dates, Veronica shows up and attempts to take Mike back for the evening. However, when Spence and Melissa, the fiance', follow up, Mike sticks by Carter's side, allowing Stuart to leave with Veronica.

Storyline #2: Strawberry Fields Forever
Paul seems to have the best date of the evening, up until a point. When Paul blindfolds Claudia to give her wine and tell her of an upcoming carriage ride, he also feeds her a strawberry. Little does Paul know that Claudia is allergic to strawberries. After rushing her to a hospital, he joins the gang at the bar. When Claudia is released, she joins Paul, only to return to the hospital after Paul serves her a stawberry daquiri.

Review: Kiss Me, Stupid

Overall, a mixture episode. The plotlines intertwined more than usual leaving for a more Seinfeld-looking show. There were also bits of story concerning Stuart's annual Valentine's Night by himself and the continuing thread of James chasing Nikki as well as some more to the story involving Mike and Veronica but these stories simply served to enhance the triangle between Mike, Carter, and Spence. The idea of Mike having to "play gay" was inspired. Plus, the strawberry killing was a good way to work Paul into the story, although with Paul trying to kill off his date, this might be the end of Faith Prince on the show. Once again, the show used a holiday to get the episode started. (Stop doing that!) But the end product turned out to be alright. However, the James-Nikki thing continues to grate on me. Please either put them together or separte them. This should not take half a season to resolve, as it looks like it's going to.

Rating [5 pt. scale]: 3.5

 

Did you notice ...

Danielle, the assistant DA who Mike went out with in Starting Over, had her wisdom teeth removed, which is why she didn't go out with Mike?
Nikki's friends for Mike included: Suzanne, Veronica, & Katy?
Nikki's date was Kevin?
In the credits, Sarah Dunn is now listed as the Executive Story Editor?
Spence was mentioned in The Apartment?

 

Top 10 Lines

10. Mike: (to Paul) "You can come in late, as long as you promise not to tell me 'what you mean'."
9. Carter: "Tonight is just a friendly extension of the olive branch."
    Stuart: "Is that an euphamism?"
8. Veronica: "I'm not going to sleep with you tonight."
    Mike: "I'm not going to sleep with you either."
7. Carter: (when Spence comes back straight) "Hell, I might come back white."
6. Veronica: "You're not Stuart, are you?"
    Stuart: "No."
5. Spence: "Still doing the whole angry, black man thing?"
    Carter: "Yeah, well it seems to work for me."
4. James: "Right now, she's probably laughing at his little jokes, laughing at his little stories."
   Stuart: "What does he do?"
    James: "He's a comedian."
3. Mike: "You know Manhattan, such a conservative town."
2. James: (on Veronica) "Am I dreaming or did someone set this up to make me crazy?"
1. Spence: "I've found out a lot about myself the past year. And the fact is, I'm straight."

 

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