Synopsis of The Obstacle Course
Written by TK
Ally and Renée's apartment
Larry and Jackson meet at the refrigerator in the middle of the night, both looking for a drink. Larry has Coke, Jackson has water. They're both wearing boxer shorts, but Larry has on a shirt while Jackson is shirtless and glistening (I swear, he was glistening). Larry mocks Jackson's physique and muscle-bound way of walking. Ally comes out, looking for Larry, and is mesmerized by Jackson's glistening body. When Jackson drinks from his bottle of water, Ally imagines the water running over his naked hairless chest. Larry figuratively wipes the drool from Ally's chin and drags her back into the bedroom. She pops out again, staring at Jackson, and Larry pulls her back in.
Cage & Fish conference room, Morning meeting
Richard saddles Ally with a case that starts trial today. Ally is defending a man who is being sued for fraud after meeting a woman through an online dating service. Jackson is defending Michael Pupnick, a man who is being sued for emotional distress for breaking up a wedding. Jackson says he needs a second chair. Richard asks John, but John says he's in a lull and can't. Mark and Nelle are busy with the Roberts trial. Richard turns to Ling, who says he should do it himself. Elaine comes in and tells John that Cassandra Lewis is here to see him. He is surprised, and goes to his office to see her.
John's office
Cassandra admits she came all the way to Boston to pursue John. John is flustered, but flattered and happy to see her. The decide to go have a nice lunch.
Court house
Larry and Ally run into each other. They quickly realize they're there for the same case, on opposite sides. They argue good-naturedly over who's beaten who in the past, and Ally says she's definitely going to win this time because you can't sue someone because you don't like the way that he looks. They wager a two-hour foot rub on the outcome of the case. Ally meets her client, Douglas McGrath, for the first time. She is a bit surprised to see that he is about three feet tall.
Cage & Fish conference room
Jackson is getting a deposition from Sylvie, the woman who is suing Jackson's client, Michael Pupnick, for emotional distress. The basic story is that Michael is Sylvie's ex-boyfriend, but now just a good friend, so Sylvie invited him to the wedding. During the ceremony, when the priest asked if anyone has any objections, Michael objected. Although Sylvie did finish the ceremony and
get married, she claims Michael ruined her wedding. Sylvie is a little hysterical at the end, and has a whole lot of attitude through the whole thing. Jackson can't help but mock her a bit, and her lawyer objects but is largely ignored by everyone at the table. Jackson's client, Michael, sits quietly next to him, and next to Michael is Ling, who apparently got talked into being second chair. Ling basically ignores the whole proceeding, and at one point actually pulls out a mirror and reapplies her lipstick while Sylvie is ranting. At the end, Michael flashes a Sylvie a smile across the table and she turns away in disgust.
John's office
John is freaking out to Richard about Cassandra flying all the way across the country to see him. Richard thinks John is being silly. Cassandra comes to the door, and Richard says that he'll have lunch with her if John won't. John tells Richard to get out, and Richard does, sneaking a little wattle-rub off Cassandra on the way. John tries to explain to Cassandra why he's so freaked: he just got out of a very serious relationship, and feels that that relationship deserves a kind of mourning period. Cassandra says that if John isn't in a place where he can get involved right now, she understands, but if he's not allowing himself to get involved right now because of some sort of sense of duty to and old relationship, then life is too short. She starts to leave and he says he'd still like to have lunch.
Court room
Larry's client, Rebecca, is on the stand, and Larry is questioning her. She explains how she originally used an online dating service to find someone who wasn't just interested in looks. She met Douglas, they emailed back and forth for six months, purposely never exchanging photos or talking about their appearance. She fell in love with him, uprooted her life in Illinois and moved to Boston. She says she can't see herself with a little person, and he should have disclosed that material information. Not doing so was fraud.
Court room
Ally is questioning Rebecca. Rebecca admits that he never misrepresented anything about himself literally, and that she never asked him how tall he was... although he never volunteered the info either. Rebecca says how much she looked forward to walking in the park with Douglas when the finally met, and how she couldn't do that with them being gawked at. Ally asks if Rebecca even went out with Douglas once to see if could work out, and Rebecca admits that she didn't. Douglas, sitting at the defendant's table by himself while Ally is up questioning, gets more and more depressed and embarrassed.
Court house meeting room
Ally tells Douglas that Rebecca's lawyer is willing to drop the case for a $10,000 settlement to cover Rebecca's legal fees, relocating expenses and lost wages for quitting her job in Illinois. Douglas refuses, saying he won't give in when he's being sued under the assumption that no one could ever love him because he's little. He tells her how his father was shot out of cannons for a living, and his father told him no normal woman could ever love him 'cause he's a freak. No matter what happens, Douglas wants to walk out of that courtroom with his head held high.
Cage & Fish conference room
Sylvie's lawyer, Mr. Milter, is now questioning Michael. Michael says that he love Sylvie, and he knows Sylvie loves him, and although he hadn't planned it, when he heard the words "speak now or forever hold your peace" he had to speak now. Sylvie says she loves Warren now. Michael says Sylvie is the love of his life, and he couldn't let her go just to preserve a ceremony. Mr. Milter is asking questions as if he were in front of a jury, and Jackson mocks him. Milter objects to Jackson's tone. Ling gets fed up and starts asking Michael the questions herself. When Michael talks about finding the one love of your life, it gives Ling and Jackson pause.
Restaurant
Cassandra tells John about how she just found herself thinking about him, so she decided to come visit. He's surprised she didn't call first, or see 3,000 miles and an obstacle to their relationship.
Court room
Douglas is on the stand and Ally is questioning him. He admits that he let Rebecca come all this way without knowing because, first of all, she did say that appearances weren't important, and secondly, because he was afraid if he told her that she wouldn't come. He was hoping that if she spent some time with him she'd get over the shock and remember all the things that made her fall in love with him in the first place.
Court room
Larry is questioning Douglas. Ally objects to Larry calling him Douglas and insists on Mr. McGrath. Ally later objects to one of Larry's questions, picking three reasons why it was objectionable. Larry mocks her for using three objections to one question. Judge Walsh overrules all three. Larry accentuates how Douglas let Rebecca totally move her life while knowing that his height might be an impediment to their relationship. Larry stresses how Rebecca and Douglas shared all sorts of intimidate details of their life over email, but Douglas purposely left out this huge part about his height.
Ally and Renée's apartment
Ally is upset with Larry for "beating up" Douglas in the court room and can't believe that he can believe in the merits of his case. Ally asks Larry if he wouldn't love her if she were three feet tall. Larry challenges her that if, when she first met him, he was three feet tall, they wouldn't be standing here today. Ally says appearance isn't important to her. Larry reminds her that she's already planning her first face-lift in a few years. Ally tells Larry that he's shallow and superficial and she's not going to sleep with him tonight. Ally asks him if when she's old and grey, he won't love her anymore. He says he'll still love her 'cause she'll still be tall.
Cage & Fish
Ally walks in with Douglas, telling him that they have closing arguments and then they're done, unless he wants to settle. He doesn't. Ling walks by and points out the midget to Nelle. Ally is disgusted and walks away with Douglas. Nelle admits to Ling that she's having an online relationship with a guy and has no idea what he looks like. Ling is horrified. Nelle says it's kind of a perfect relationship since she doesn't really like sex. Jackson comes over and says he needs to talk to Ling about the case.
Ling's office
Jackson tells Ling that he's in love with her. He broke off his engagement because of her and came to work at Cage & Fish because of her. He's tried to stay quiet, but their client today made him think that he can't just stay quiet anymore. Ling mentions Renée, but they both dismiss her quickly. Jackson asks Ling why she was so passionate and reckless the night they slept together, which was so not like her. Ling says she doesn't have those feelings for him anymore. He doesn't believe her. He looks like he might try to kiss her. She says she doesn't have time for this and walks out.
John's bathroom hideaway
John is amazed how women just find him so irresistible lately. John is still worried about lingering feelings for Melanie and the geographic distance between him and Cassandra. Richard gives John his usual mix of Fishisms, good advice and stupid advice. Richard then asks if he can go after Cassandra himself if John isn't interested. John gets defensive and is shocked that Richard would even ask such a thing. Richard can't get John to admit that he wants her for himself, so Richard says he's going to ask Cassandra to dance.
Court room, Ally's closing
Ally's closing is short and to the point. The jury frustratingly answers her rhetorical questions in unison. The judge scolds them and tells them not to do that. Ally calls Rebecca's lawyer sleazy.
Court room, Larry's closing
Larry's closing is also short and to the point.
Ling's office
Jackson comes in and tells Ling they're settling for $11,000 and everyone seems happy. Jackson tells Ling he's confused by her feelings. She says fine, he's confused. Jackson says he's not apologizing for his desires and walks out. Nelle comes in. Nelle says she's sensing chemistry between Ling and Jackson. Ling says it's nothing. Nelle asks Ling about the one night she spent with Jackson. Ling says she just lost control. Nelle asks why Ling isn't interested now. Ling just says, because. Nelle tells Ling that fear of losing control is not a good reason to run away from a man. Ling sarcastically thanks Nelle for the advice, given that Nelle's ideal man is online.
The bar
Vonda's singing. Ally and Renée are at a table talking. Renée says Jackson's pulling away. Ally says they sounded pretty close the other night. Renée says that was just sport sex, no eye contact. They both wonder where Jackson is now.
Richard finds Cassandra sitting alone, grabs a little wattle and asks her to dance. She says she'll wait for John. Richard says John gave him his blessing to go after Cassandra. Richard babbles on, managing to completely insult Cassandra in his own unique way, including calling her old. When John gets there, Cassandra punches John in the face and walks away. John goes down.
Ally and Renée's apartment
Renée says that Jackson dumped her because he's still in love with Ling. Ally is pissed, and asks Larry to beat up Jackson. Renée says she's really okay, Jackson was a little too smooth for her anyway. Larry makes a bit of fun of Ally for asking him to beat up Jackson. Ally tells him to watch himself 'cause he's still on thin ice for not loving her if she were half her size. Renée asks Ally to stay out of it. Ally says she's not good at that and she's pissed that Jackson used René. Renée suggests that maybe she was using him... and then has to admit that she wasn't.
Cassandra's hotel room
John knocks and Cassandra lets him in. John tells her that he never gave Richard a green light to go after her. Cassandra says fine, you can leave now. He continues to try to explain. He's been unable to make love work in his own office building, and can't imagine that he'd be successful over 3,000 miles. Cassandra says she didn't come to convince him that they should be in a relationship, she just came because she couldn't convince herself that they shouldn't be. John says he doesn't have an answer for her. Cassandra says that might be the answer she was looking for. John is confused. Cassandra asks him to help her with her bags. They share a moment when their hands touch on the handle of her luggage.
Unisex
Ling asks Richard if he thinks they'll ever get back together. He says he's sure they will someday because they're soul mates, they're both emotional guppies. And when they do, they won't have missed a beat, since they didn't really leave off anywhere.
Court room
The jury has reached a verdict. They find in favor of Rebecca and order Douglas to pay $70,000. Rebecca is happily surprised. Ally apologizes to Douglas. Douglas says he gets the message. Ally says it's only a verdict. Ally tells him he'll find love one day. They bid a fond farewell as Larry looks on in the now almost empty court room. Douglas walks out with his head held high.
Outside Cassandra's hotel
John tells Cassandra he's glad she came, but he's totally confounded. She's glad he's confounded. He asks if he's totally irresistible, and she says he is. He doesn't get it. She tells him now he'll know how she felt when she watched him drive away in L.A. The share a kiss and she leaves.
Music montage
Ling in Cage & Fish watching Jackson on the phone.
Larry and Ally on the couch, Ally is giving him the promised foot rub. Renée looks on, a little sadly.
Nelle is chatting on her computer, smiling and drinking a glass of wine.
Douglas is walking along the street, having a little trouble holding his head high.
Cassandra looking out her window in L.A.
John walking home through Boston.
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