Teleplay:  Michelle Nader & Amy Cohen
Story:  Jay Scherick & David Ronn
Director: Andy Cadiff

Episode Length: 21:50

Guest Stars:

Rating: n/a

Rating:  TV- PG - D

First Broadcast: March 4, 1998

Storyline #1: The Fellowship of the Ring
At a morning Staff meeting, Paul announces that he's planning on getting engaged to Claudia.  In a show of support, the guys go with Paul to the ring shop to pick one out.  While Paul shows off his notoriously cheap side, Mike wonders aloud if he would ever tie the knot, and comes to the conclusion that he came the closest with Lauire earlier this year.  When he arrives back at the office, he finds her sulking about not having a date on Valentine's Day for the first time in 18 years.  (Something that Mike can say about himself as well.)  So he and Laurie get back together for old times sake.  But when she finds Paul's ring in Mike's coat, she assumes it's for her and says yes.  Mike wants to  know the question.  Mike shows up in the office the next day a nervous wreck, trying to decide whether to tell Laurie the truth, or go ahead and get married.  Not helping is the fact that Paul wants his ring back.   Mike is able to stall Paul by demanding payment up front.  Paul thinks of a way to propose to Claudia anyway, using the daily press conference to make a public plea.   However, things go horribly wrong when the timing goes off and a band interupts the news of a fire.  Meanwhile, back at Mike's apartment, he comes to terms with this new engagement and begins to embrace it.  He talks with Laurie about growing old together and comes to the realization that this is what he wants.  So, he takes back the ring and proposes right this time.  The end of the episode shows Paul replaying the footage from the failed press conference and trying to propose yet again.

Storyline #2: Skeet Shooting
Seems like Stuart and Stacy don't have any Valentine's Day plans either.  So Stuart comes up with the idea that he and Stacy should go out.  Stacy declines, saying she's trying to get into Skeet Ulrich's Birthday Bash.  Stuart claims he knows someone close to Skeet and can get them into the party.  He later confides that he doesn't even know who Mr. Ulrich is.  The evening arrives and Stuart tries to lay on the charm.  He tries to act nice, and suggest they do something else.  All the while they are standing in line waiting to get into the club.  When they reach the front of the line, Stuart tries to get them in by using the name Chang.  But to his shock, he finds Bondek is on the list.  Later, at the Landmark, Stacy confides that she got them on the list, but was happy that she got to spend time with Stuart.   Gentlemen that he is, Stuart then asks when they are going to sleep together.

Review: The Marrying Men I

Overall, an engaging episode.  Clearly, Mike is at his frentic best as he tries to wiggle out of his new engagement.  And Paul revels in his neuroses as he prepares to get hitched.  But something just doesn't feel right.  Thank goodness Stuart and Stacy save the show.

First off, does anybody really think that Mike and Laurie will stay together?  I know sitcom devices can strain credibility, but these two don't look like they'll last.   Sure, I said in earlier reivews that these two had genuine chemistry.  And they still do.  But Mike isn't ready to be tied down any more than Laurie is.  I doubt it will work.

(By the way, that poll announced at the end of the episode seems a little cheesy.   The next episode is next Wednesday, meaning that the show has already been shot.   If it had been a month layoff, or over the summer, I might be inclined to believe that the vote would matter.  But do you really believe that they haven't already predicted the outcome and shot the episode accordingly?  Plus, it's a little disturbing to think that stories are being written by poll results.  This ain't the White House.)

That being said, I also enjoyed the sight of Laurie parading around as a proud fiance'.   Last we saw of her, she reveled in her independence and was looking for anything but a commitment.  The turnaround is remarkable.  But dog gone it, she's just so cute.

Seems that Paul and Claudia are finally wrapping up their courtship.  Seems like only yesterday that these two got together.  While I still have trouble seeing what Claudia sees in Paul, she is definitly the man for him, as so elequently stated by Stuart.

Stuart's courting of Stacy was definitly a quality storline.  We've seen how Stuart feels about women.  And we've seen just how outspoken Stacy is.  There couldn't be a more mis-matched couple.  (Except Stuart and Carter.)  Stacy should have been a little more wary of Stuart's meddling, but it paid off in the end.   And it was good to see that Stacy still remarkably holds a shred of respect for Stuart.

So next week, we find out whether either of these two couple will get married.  My bet is that Paul and Claudia will make it, but Mike and Stacy will not.  I only hope that Paul's impending marriage won't be a ticket off the show.  I don't think James is ready for the big time just yet.

Rating [5 pt. scale]: 4.0

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