Alley Cats

Alley Cats
Episode	1.21
Written by	Jhoni Marchinko Alex Herschlag
Directed by	James Burrows
Release
Original network	NBC
Original airdate	May 6, 1999
Chronology
Previous	Saving Grace
Next	Object of My Rejection

Alley Cats is the 21st episode of the first season.

Will and Grace's friends Rob and Ellen admit that they feel Grace's competitiveness is getting out of hand. After a near death experience, Karen gets taught by Jack how to perform CPR.

Synopsis

Nailed!

During game night, Grace becomes visibly too intense competing with her friends Rob and Ellen, so the couple abruptly end the evening and leave. The next day, they admit to Will that Grace's competitiveness has gotten out of hand that they are not able to enjoy their friendly little games anymore. Will promises to talk to her about her the issue.

However, Grace, still oblivious of her friends' dilemma, buys Scrabble with a plan on winning again against her friends that night. When they finally confront her about her attitude, she retreats to her bedroom for the evening in shame.

Grace has seemingly changed her competitive attitude when she and her friends play at the bowling alley that Rob and Ellen are winning for the first time. Will, however becomes distressed, revealing his own aggressive competitiveness, proving Grace's point that Will is just as competitive as she is. Before Rob and Ellen could win the round, Grace, back as her old competitive self, scores a strike.

Resusci Andy

Karen recounts to Jack how her husband Stanley almost choked the night before, if not for the busboy who performed the Heimlich maneuver on him. She shares that the experience made her realize there are still unfinished business in their lives, especially concerning Stanley's will. Jack mentions he could have helped Stanley as he knew CPR, as well and agrees to teach Karen using a dummy. She soon gets herself the opportunity to do CPR on the technician who suffers a heart attack while fixing something in the office. Though Karen finds him repulsive, she reluctantly saves his life.

Cast

Main

• Eric McCormack (Will Truman)
• Debra Messing (Grace Adler)
• Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland)
• Megan Mullally (Karen Walker)

Guest

• Tom Gallop (Rob)
• Leigh-Allyn Baker (Ellen)
• John Capodice (Workman, Bernie)
• Lucky Vanous (EMS Worker)

Notes

• Jack's knowledge of CPR foreshadows his career later as a nurse.
• Stanley's mother Sylvia "The Goiter" is mentioned but does not appear. She is eventually seen in The Young and the Tactless.

Cultural references

• While playing charades, Grace acts out Mrs. Bateman and mimics the theme from Psycho (1959).
• The song featured at the ending as Grace scores the strike is from the 1981 British sports film Chariots of Fire.

Quotes

I don't know what I would do without Stan. I mean, what is the combination to the wall safe? Where is the key to the safety deposit box? What if he did something stupid and left all of our money to some school or something? I mean, look at me. I'm still shaking. — Karen

Jack:	Karen, even fashion victims can be choking victims.
Karen:	Are you sure? Maybe it's nature's way of thinning out the herd.

Ellen:	Good seeing you.
Rob:	Really good seeing you.
Grace:	Really, really good seeing you.
Ellen:	Okay, Grace. You win!