Saving Grace, Again (Part 1) is the 8th episode of the seventh season and the 147th overall.
Grace goes on her first date after her divorce when she hears a message from her ex-husband Leo. Jack and Karen set each other up for the perfect dates.
Synopsis[]
Grace Adler is open for business[]
Come one, come all!
To help Grace cope from her recent divorce, Will sets her up with Alan, a guy who works at his firm. They seemingly have a good time but when Grace comes home, she receives a sentimental message from Leo on her machine. Leo's message mentions the plans they had for what would have been their anniversary. Grace, clearly affected by it, decides not to go on any more dates.
The next day, Will learns from Karen and Jack (who know the codes to their answering machine) about Leo's message. Grace shares that she and Leo planned to go to the roof of the Peninsula Hotel to commemorate where they shared their first moment together as a married couple. Will becomes protective of Grace, who is thinking of going and waiting for Leo, and they argue.
Like married people do[]
Inspired by Will setting up Grace on a date, Jack and Karen task themselves to set each other up on blind dates. As Karen wanted someone who would "occasionally bring [her] flowers", Jack brings Karen's gardener as her date, much to her disgust; while Karen brings a closeted man who is married, infuriating Jack, as well. They realize that they could not find better dates for each other because they don't think anyone is good enough, and that the only person good enough for them is each other.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Eric McCormack (Will Truman)
- Debra Messing (Grace Adler)
- Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland)
- Megan Mullally (Karen Walker)
Guest[]
- Harry Connick, Jr. (Leo Markus) (voice only)
- Patrick Fabian (Alan)
- John P. Connolly (Gardener)
- Karl T. Wright (Wayne)
- Christian S. Anderson (Man)
Notes[]
- Harry Connick, Jr. does not appear in this episode, but voiced the answering machine message.
- The qualifier "Again" on the title of the episode is because there had already been an episode Saving Grace during the first season where Will saves Grace's career by going on a date with her client.
- Grace mentions that Karen set her up with their Sharon, their lesbian UPS carrier, who may have been the same delivery woman who appeared in the episodes Advise and Resent and The Honeymoon's Over (played by Kathleen Archer).
Cultural references[]
- Jack's disgust at Grace's resolve to start dating again comes from the double entendres ("Grace Adler is open for business", "Come on, come all", "Attention, hikers. All trails lead to Mount Grace"), prompting Jack to rhetorically ask, "Why do you have to be so graphic?".
- While discussing Grace's heavy make-up, Will mentions that it looks like a little clay mountain that the clay-animated children's TV series Davey and Goliath (1961-1973) can be shot on her face.
- Will dances to George Michael's 80's classic "Faith".
- Karen claims that she set up the "Governor of Jersey with his boyfriend", referring to the scandal involving former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey and his then-lover Golan Cipel.
Media[]
Quotes[]
I don't understand why they used to paint everybody so fat. It's disgusting. Although, Jesus did look pretty hot a couple of times. — Jack
You know, I just don't have time for all this getting-to-know-ya crap. I just want somebody who gets me. Somebody who's comfortable in my world, and makes me laugh, and occasionally brings me flowers. Somebody who likes kittens, and the hardcore bondage scene. — Karen
| Will: | I got us a special treat. Stockard Channing reading The Secret Life of Bees. |
| Grace: | Ugh. Audiobooks. Just another plot to shove books down our throat. |
| Will: | Yeah. This reading thing has gotten out of hand. I hear they're pushing this junk on kids now. |