Party of Five 6.9, Ties That Bind: Less Money, Mo’ Problems

February 28, 2015

Party of Five 6.9, Ties That Bind: Less Money, Mo’ Problems

This might be the worst publicity still I’ve ever seen. At least pretend to be happy, guys!

Summary: The Salingers gather at the house to discuss Griffin’s medical bills. Guess what, guys – hospitals are expensive! Julia suggests that they each give up a portion of their shares from the restaurant’s profits. She also offers to pay more than the others, but everyone agrees to chip in equally. They all think of things they can cut back on for a little while. Charlie and Kirsten pretend that they can completely afford trimming 30 percent off their monthly budget.

Griffin needs further surgery for nerve damage in his hand, and Julia approves it. Griffin doesn’t know that the Salingers are paying his bills. At the house, Bailey prepares for a yard sale while Will, who’s just moved in, tries to talk him into going to a party. (Apparently he works for the 49ers now.) Bailey doesn’t see the point since he never meets a woman he likes at those parties. Will thinks he’s messed up over Holly.

Charlie and Kirsten discuss their fertility treatments and how helping Griffin hurts their budget. Kirsten suggests postponing the treatments, which would give her time to take a job she wanted. Charlie would rather move forward, even if it means giving up luxuries like frozen yogurt. Kirsten makes up the difference a little by stealing sweetener packets. Hee. Holly shows up at Bailey’s yard sale and gets the cold shoulder.

Claudia visits Ross (hey, it’s Ross!) at his studio space and tells him she wants to start playing again. She can’t pay for lessons right now, but he’s willing to start her on credit. Holly goes to the Salingers’ and tells Bailey that she thinks she can get Griffin into a special rehab program at the hospital. Bailey questions her decision to come by the house instead of calling. He orders her to apologize for judging him based on one incident, and when she does, he asks her out again.

Daphne visits Griffin in the hospital, apologizing for crashing his motorcycle and injuring him. They decide that they don’t owe each other anything. Griffin asks who’s paying his hospital bills, and though she pretends she doesn’t know, she eventually admits that it’s the Salingers. He immediately leaves the hospital, but Julia tracks him down at home and blasts him for putting his recovery at risk. Griffin’s mad that Julia made decisions for him that left him in debt to the family.

Ross gives Claudia a lesson at the house, and though he says she’s doing well, she’s frustrated that she has to relearn some things. She announces that she signed up for a competition and needs to perfect what she’ll be performing. Bailey takes Holly to a football stadium so they can have a picnic on the field. He insists that it didn’t cost him anything since Will works for the 49ers. They’re saying nice, romantic things to each other when the sprinklers come on.

Charlie and Kirsten are trying to save money by living like the Amish. Charlie thinks they can also get her fertility drugs at a lower price from some not-so-legal back channels. Griffin has trouble working on his bike with one hand in a cast. Bailey and Holly go to a locker room to warm up in the shower (and make out, of course). They take the date back to her place, and after they have sex, she tells him that she’s surprised by the speed and intensity of their relationship.

Griffin calls his mother from a bar and asks her to let him stay with her for a few weeks while his father is out of the country. She says no because the Holbrooks are horrible people. Claudia’s nervous before her competition, sure she won’t win. Bailey and Holly’s date is interrupted by a guy she’s been seeing; he’s upset to learn that she’s seeing someone else now. Holly lies to Bailey about who came to the door.

Charlie and Kirsten meet their drug contact, who seems like a nice guy who just wants to help out people with problems because he and his wife also had fertility issues. Claudia doesn’t think she’s up to the level she was before, and Ross is surprised that she didn’t already know that. He thinks she was right to give up her lessons before because it gave her the chance to have a normal life. Kirsten realizes that she and Charlie got ripped off – their drugs are expired and the dealer is gone. Oh, and then their car gets booted because they have outstanding tickets.

Griffin tells Julia that he’s moving out of the shed – he can’t pay rent because he can’t work and earn the money for it. Julia assures him that he can still stay, but Griffin isn’t going to accept charity. She reminds him that they don’t have a business relationship, and that the Salingers didn’t just pick out a random person to help. Plus, he’s helped them plenty of times without any obligation. “It’s too late to say you’re not a part of this family,” Julia says. He took care of them, so now they’re taking care of her.

Holly worries that she’s freaked Bailey out by telling him how she feels. Charlie calls Bailey to ask for help getting his car back, and Bailey jumps at the chance to get the heck away from Holly. Kirsten and Charlie end up telling Bailey about the treatments, and he offers to help them with savings bonds. Kirsten wants to put the brakes on the process for now. She reminds Charlie that he wanted to trust fate – maybe fate wants them to hold off for a little while.

Ross tries to remind Claudia that not being the best at something doesn’t mean you’re not good. Claudia wishes she still had something to count on, like always winning. If she can’t be the best, she doesn’t want to play. Bailey tells Will that things with Holly are going awesomely, and he sees them on the edge of making a big commitment. He’s hanging out with Will right now so they can spend a little time apart, but then he calls Holly and ignores Will.

Griffin agrees to keep his things in the shed for now, but he tells Julia that he doesn’t want to be a burden or ask anyone for help. Daphne sees the two of them hugging and…is jealous? I don’t know. I don’t care. That whole thing is weird.

Thoughts: Holly, you can go away now.

I sure hope Victor’s watching both Owen and Diana, because neither kid is ever around. They weren’t even mentioned this week. Maybe Charlie should spend less time trying to have a baby and more hanging out with the child he already has.

What’s up with Claudia? When did she become like this? I thought maybe she was competing to win money, in which case her frustration would make more sense, but no, she’s just being weird.

I feel like there was a deleted scene between when Bailey leaves to get Charlie and Kirsten, and when he’s with Will, telling him how great things are going with Holly. All of a sudden, everything’s good?

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