[2-3] Wonder Woman

Writer: Jay Scherick & David Ronn
Director: Andy Cadiff

Episode Length: 22:15

Guest Stars:

Paula Marshall: Laurie

Linda Stephens: Mrs. Carol Parres

Sylvia Kaunders: Roberta

Melinda Wade: Nadine's Voice

Rating: n/a

Rating: TV-PG-DL

First Broadcast: October 8, 1997

Storyline #1: Finding the Perfect Woman
The past two weeks have seen Mike and Laurie grow very close. As they sleep together for the first time, both seem to really enjoy each other and look forward to continue the meaningless relationship. While enjoying lunch together, both express their desire to keep the relationship without commitment because neither are looking for it. Laurie announces she can't see Mike that night because she's having dinner with her mother. Mike tries to invite himself to dinner but Laurie declines. However, against his better judgement, he shows up and eats with the Parreses. Laurie decides to fake out her mom and pretends that she is looking to make a commitment to Mike. Mike plays along, but the idea starts to appeal to him. He starts to think he'd like to settle down with Laurie, only she seems to still be against it. At the bar, Mike asks for advice and Paul tells him she has to spend the night before she will start to care for him. Mike does all he can to get Laurie to stay over: singing her to sleep, feeding her turkey, and carrying her to bed. But in the morning, she still leaves. So that night, Mike tells her "I love you." Laurie has no response.

Storyline #2: 20,000 Leagues Under the Stuart
James has been skipping out on lunch recently and Stuart and Carter want to know where he's going. They follow James to the lake and find out James has been sailing a miniature boat during the noon recess. Once he's found out, James claimed he had hid his hobby because he thought he would be ridiculed, which Stuart is happy to oblige. But Stuart also feels James should enter the boat race held every day. Carter protests; that James's hobby should remain pure and his own. But James becomes intrigued and wants to enter. So Stuart puts a blender motor in the boat and the two head off to the race. When the race starts, James turns the engine on, and causes the boat to explode, leaving James in tears.

Storyline #3: Switching Secretaries
Jannelle wants a raise. But the Mayor says there's no room in the budget. However, when she returns to ask again, the Mayor wants her to become his secretary because his current assistant seems less than capable. Jannelle feels a little guilty about abandoning Mike, but the promotion more than makes up for it and she remains elated.

Review: Wonder Woman

Overall, a questionable episode. There were two main threads that were left open, making next week a must-see event. (Sorry NBC.) What will Mike do now that he doesn't have a secretary? Will Laurie ever say anything again? And what about those NFL bedsheets?

Once again, the show visits the premise of whether Mike is ready to settle down. As with Bye Bye Love last year, we see Mike trying to hang on to a girlfriend who isn't quite ready to settle down as much as Mike. The difference is Mike feels some sort of betrayal because Laurie refuses to invest herself emotionally in the relationship. Neither seem to want to get married. However, Mike remains disappointed throughout the episode that his feelings are not reciprocated through Laurie's attitude. I'm pretty sure Laurie is going to leave. After all, the past year's plots have all revolved around Mike looking for love. And having nearly two minutes of silence from Laurie after Mike drops his bombshell was uncomfortably funny.

Stuart teasing James was nothing new, although inventive. Instead of teasing him about being from Wisconsin, Stuart can now break out the naval cut-downs. Sure, Carter was being protective of James. After all, it's in Carter's nature to look out for someone being taken advantage of. But James's naiveté lends himself to falling into other's interests.

Well, we wondered why Jannelle was promoted to full-time cast member this year. Now, we know that Jannelle is moving up to work for the Mayor instead of Mike. This opens the door to let her interact more with the staff, which is I guess the way the writers are going to feed her more lines to justify the move up. Also, it opens the door for Mike to have a new secretary and a chance to bring new life to City Hall.

Rating [5 pt. scale]: 3.5

Did you notice ...

The Mayor had an assistant? (This is the first we've heard of her.)

The Staff gets enough time for lunch that James has time to sail his boat?

Stuart calls James Scooter?

Laurie's mom is named Carol Parres?

Laurie's sisters are named Kara and Jenny?

Top 10 Lines

10. Paul: (about Nadine) "If her IQ hits 40, she should sell."

9. The Mayor: (on voice mail to Mike) "Jannelle works for me now. Hope we're still on for lunch? Call Jannelle to confirm."

8. Carter: "How long can you keep going on having great meaningless sex?"
Mike: "What's the record?"

7. Paul: (on women) "They're all commitment-hungry bundles of pure evil!"
Mike: (to Jannelle) "Cancel Paul's lunch at the women's caucus."

6. Carter: (to James) "Is it personal, like a sick relative or personal, like a rash?"

5. Stuart: "When you said you spent last night shellacking Little James, you were being literal?"
James: "What did you think I meant?"
Stuart: "Nothing. Just forget what I said about buffing Little Stuart."

4. The Mayor: (about Nadine) "I fired her 2 days ago. She just hasn't checked her voice mail yet."

3. Stuart: (challenging James to install a blender) "Someone comes at you with an AK-47. What are you going to do?"
James: "I don't know. Make them a daiquiri?"

2. Mike: (singing to Laurie) "If that mockingbird don't sing, Momma's gonna ... do some other thing."

1. Mrs. Parres: "I have to go call Sylvia and tell her that her doctor son-in-law can kiss my ass!"

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