The Mourning Son

The Mourning Son is the 20th episode of the eighth season and the 190th episode overall.

A funeral is held for Will's father and they gather at their home in Connecticut.

Synopsis[]

A funeral is held for George Truman who died from a heart attack following his big fight with Will. After the ceremony, friends and family gather at the Truman home where they honor George's memory by sharing their last moments with him. Will's friends are worried that he is feeling guilty that his last moment with his father was their argument over him being gay and wanting to have a baby. However, he insists that he is okay.

Will finds his mother Marilyn crying silently in the laundry room and the two discuss Will's "limitation" as someone who never shares anything with his family. She tells him that his father would have expressed how thrilled he is to learn that Will wants to have children of his own if only he shared it with them earlier. Will finally lets go and cries in his mother's arms.

Will sees Vince, who came to offer his condolences, and they express how much they missed each other.

Cast[]

Main[]

Guest[]

Notes[]

Will's brother Paul is mentioned by Sam as being at the wake, but does not appear.
Title is a play on "the morning sun".
This episode takes place entirely in various rooms in the Truman home in Connecticut. Unlike most episodes where the main characters pair off in two story lines, this episode is mainly about Will's family, with a few short scenes involving Karen and Tina, Paul and Grace, Jack and Jordie, and the other guests.
This is the last appearance of recurring characters Marilyn, Tina, Ellen, Rob, Larry, and Joe in the original run. All of them (except Tina) would eventually return for guest appearances during the revival series. This is also the final appearance of Paul, Jordie and Casey.
This is the fourth episode where the characters attend a funeral, after Alice Doesn't Lisp Here Anymore, 23, and Birds of a Feather Boa, although this episode starts after the ceremony.
Jack tells Will's nephew Jordan that he kind of looks like Rosie O'Donnell. O'Donnell portrayed Jack's son's mother, who used Jack's sperm for in vitro fertilization.

Cultural references[]

Jack mentions that during George's funeral, his nephew Jordie sang "Sunrise, Sunset" from the wedding scene on Fiddler on the Roof.
Jordie references the cult classic Valley of Dolls released in 1967. He also mentions re-enacting the sports-drama film A League of Their Own (1992) with his grandfather.
Karen implies that she was a mistress to former President Ronald Reagan, who died two years prior.

Media[]

Quotes[]

Here comes Will and Marilyn. Oh, his forehead is so shiny. I'm not going to say anything. You know, 'cause his dad's dead. — Jack

I personally think it's a weird time to get into a "Bewitched" marathon, but you can't judge how people grieve. — Sam

I didn't know whether to be brave for Jordie and Casey or cry it out. So, I cried bravely. You know, like a man, in a low voice, while I was changing the oil on my car. — Sam

Tina:	I wasn't crying. I was laughing. My hair was tickling my face.
Karen:	That's your laugh? Sounds like a squirrel orgy.

That's your story? That stunk. You're supposed to make him feel better about his dad, not worse about his friends. — Jack

I accidentally got shot by my partner. You know, we both need to be really clear what side you land on when you're having the "Let me pick the lock/No, let me shoot it off" debate. — Vince

Grace:	The fight you had with your father does not define your entire relationship. I mean, think about it. You and I fight all the time. It's almost a statistical impossibility that you and I are not going to be in a fight when we die.
Will:	Don't say statistics to me. I took your statistics final for you.
Grace:	Yeah and I still got a C.

Ellen:	This is so great. All of us together, sharing stories.
Rob:	I love you, honey.
Ellen:	Rob, why do you always have to ruin the moment?

My husband may not be dead, but my love for him is. So if you ever need a drinking buddy, I'll drink with you. Or if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'll drink with you. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love to drink. — Karen