Synopsis of I Want Love
Written by Gillian Drutchas
The episode opens as Ally is dreaming of Glenn. Glenn in the unisex, Glenn dancing, Glenn walking down the street with Ally, Glenn posing for sexy photos....But just as they are about to kiss, Ally wakes up.
A frustrated Ally gets out of bed, but the beginnings of another day are disturbed by her ringing doorbell. Images of Glenn immediately flash through her mind, but she is disappointed to find that instead of Glenn, her visitor is Jenny.
A clearly flustered Jenny tells Ally that she kissed Raymond and is "a total slut". She says that she does not want to end up with Raymond, and that even though she wants love, she is worried that she is attracted to "the guys that are wrong". Ally responds saying that "the ones that are wrong can't hurt you, it's the ones that are right that are the killers," as various images of Glenn and finally Larry appear in her mind.
At the office, Glenn and Raymond are discussing Jenny. Raymond is convinced Glenn is upset with him for kissing Jenny, but Glenn denies it. Glenn finally tells Raymond that is he really likes Jenny, he can date her...but only if he's serious. When Raymond asks about Glenn and Ally, Glenn reiterates what Ally told him in the last episode. She thinks he's just a boy, and is not inclined to date someone she doesn't see a real future in. And Glenn has to run to the Staff meeting.
On the way Glenn runs into Francis, Jenny's mother, played by Jacqueline Bisset. When Jenny sees her, she asks "Who's dead?" When her mother says that no one is, Francis then explains that something has come up. Before Jenny can escort her mother into her office, Richard sees her, and it is clear that he is quite taken with Francis.
In Jenny's office, her mother explains that she was fired from her job, instead of being promoted, as she originally thought, because the investment firm where she worked did not like her new fianci. Her mother's engagement is news to Jenny. Who asks if "This is what you came to tell me instead of who's dead?" Her mother then admits that she really came to hire the firm to take her case, since she is suing her former employer. She's heard wonderful things about John Cage and wants him to handle it. But since he is missing, Ally agrees to take the case, even though the case starts the next day.
When Raymond tries to talk to Jenny about their kiss, Jenny says it was a mistake, but Raymond says that he can't just forget it. Jenny objects, as her ex-boyfriend is his best friend. Raymond admits it's an obstacle, but he wants to go out with her anyway. Jenny wants to think about it, and Raymond wants to know, "If the answer is no, would you mind if I asked your mother out?"
At the bar, Elton John is singing. Ling complains, "They have a new singer here? I can't keep up." Nelle is shocked that Ling doesn't know who he is. At another table, a disappointed Richard tells Raymond that he has to have Francis, and thinks that maybe he can lure her into his hole.
Upstairs, Ally is complaining to Glenn that she is missing Elton John at the bar because she has to prepare for trial the next day. When Glenn comments that he heard that Sting sang there last year, Ally says that he and her boyfriend sang to her. When Glenn asks what happened to him Ally admits that they broke up and she has been in between relationships for forever. Glenn then says that he had a dream about her. In the dream, he and Ally were at a Lake. She wanted to water ski, but was afraid to grab the rope. Just then Jenny walks in, looking for her mother, who is just arriving as well, along with her fianci, Tim. He is clearly much younger, probably even younger than Jenny. Clearly Ally, Glenn, and especially Jenny are shocked.
Then next day, Ally is telling Jenny that, despite her wishes, she cannot lose her mother's trial on purpose. Jenny thinks that her mother's relationship is just about sex and it's gross. When Jenny tells her mom the same thing, she says, "When I was your age, I wanted everything in a man. And now, I compartmentalize." But Jenny insists that she does not want her mother to win.
In the Unisex, Correta, Elaine, and Nelle are touching up their makeup. Corretaremarks to Elaine that the office is a very sexually charged workplace, but she is "not getting any." Elaine says she isn't either. Nelle wants to know if that's appropriate talk. When they ask if Nelle the same question she rolls her eyes saying, "all I have to do is snap my finger." It's clear the other two don't believe her.
Richard and Francis enter the unisex. When Richard tries to make a pass at her, by showing her John's redecorated hole and boasts about his money, she tells him that he has bitten off more than he can chew and he can't even kiss her without ending up on the floor. To prove her point, does just that.
In the court room, the head of her investment bank testifies that marrying a twenty year old boy undermines the trust that clients invest in her. Ally wants to know if he would feel the same way if it were a 50 year old man and a 20 year old woman. He says he would. When she asks what he knows about Tim, he knows very little, but says it is unimportant, because appearances are really all that matter. Ally wants to know if she went with him, a 63 year old man, to one of his parties, does that mean he should lose his job? He says no, because she is clearly in her forties. Ally imagines picking him up, and throwing him across the room.
In Ling's courtroom, she rules against a man appearing in her courtroom with a complaint about damage done by some faulty wax because his case was not interesting enough to be on television.
Back in Ally's courtroom, one of the defendant's clients is on the stand, explaining why he felt uncomfortable trusting his fortune in Mrs. Shaw's hands, because of the implications of her relationship. Ally and Glenn converse quickly and decide not to cross examine this particular witness, but they do lock eyes.
We then flash to the therapist's office, where she explains that she could not move. Ally then says that she read an article, that since the world changed in September everyone is having sex. Apparently their new attitude is, why live for tomorrow, why not today? This upsets Ally because her whole world is based on tomorrow, and she terrified of the prospect that there might not be a tomorrow. Her therapist thinks she just wants to sleep with Glenn. He wants to know if it is possible she could find love with him.
Back in the office, Corretaand Elaine want to invite Nelle and Ling to a girl's night out. Nelle thinks they just want her and Ling around to attract men, but agrees to go anyway.
Ally thinks Francis is going to testify, and show the jury that her affair is not frivolous. Jenny wants to know why Tim wants to be with her mother and not with someone younger. He says that he can "excite younger women but he can't fulfill them. Younger women are looking for men to complete their lives, to provide the missing pieces of contentment. It is the older woman who knows that she has to find that for herself, and then find someone to share it with." Ally is so shaken by his words she almost topples over. Francis wants to know if she mentioned that he graduated from Yale, but it doesn't matter anyway. Jenny can't believe she wants to spend forever with Tim, but Francis doesn't think that she should run from him just because he may not be right for tomorrow, even if he is right today. Tim says that is another thing about younger women, "they tend to run, scared."
In the hallway, Richard tries to make another pass at Francis, but she keeps catching him when he quotes song lyrics, and finally walks out.
Glenn is in Nelle's office, and Nelle wants to know what's wrong. He says that women are wrong because they only see him as a "GQ model, pretty boy." When Nelle replies with a sarcastic remark, he tells her that she doesn't know who or what he is, but she says, "neither does Ally." She thinks that Glenn is too perfect looking, and that "Ally goes for damaged goods."
In Ling's courtroom, a law suit over the music in a ruined wedding causes Ling to order the musicians to come in and play for her.
In Ally's courtroom, Francis is on the stand. She argues that the our perceptions of marriage need to be changed. She thinks it's wrong that we cling to the illusions that married people should have everything in common and should be the same age. She says that she loves Tim, and even if it does make her a fool, she is probably not the biggest fool in the courtroom.
At the office, Ally asks Elaine is she thinks of her as a fool. Elaine says it is obvious that she wants to date Glenn, but that she feels that it would be a mistake for some reason. Ally thinks is because he is too young. But Elaine doesn't think so. She thinks that 31 only seems old to Ally because she has only had two serious relationships in her life, and that means that she is too picky about men. Ally thinks she just knows what she wants, but Elaine thinks she is just clueless.
Glenn walks in and tells Ally that he thinks Francis is speaking to them sometimes. He thinks she is trying to tell Ally that "the real fools are the ones who are too practical for their own happiness." Ally thinks their relationship is over, but Glenn doesn't think so. He asks her out and tells that if she is not interested, that's okay, but if she is saying no because she it too mature to say yes, that's not.
Back in the courtroom, the defendant's attorney pretty much argues the same things that his witnesses have been arguing on the stand throughout the trial. Ally closes by arguing that "if you truly love someone, how can it be a wrong choice?" As Ally says this, the orchestra in Ling's courtroom next door begins to play. She goes on a tirade of romantic statements, using the classic movie, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner as an example. As she says these things the music swells. She finishes by saying, "that even when love does come along, there is no guarantee that it is going to stay." At which point, the orchestra begins to play the "Shout" song, and Ally gets the Jury to sing it along with her.
Meanwhile, Ling is clearly enjoying the orchestra in courtroom.
Francis thinks that closing arguments were unorthodox, but seemed to work. Jenny tells her mother that if she really loves Tim, then she should marry him. Francis says that no matter what happens in the courtroom, she has won.
Back in the courtroom, the Jury finds in favor of Francis and orders the defendant to write a blank check. When the Judge says they can't do that, they order the defendant to pay her $670,000.
Back in the bar, Elton John in singing, and everyone seems to be having a great time dancing. That is except Ally, who is quietly watching, and finally ends up leaving early.
Up in her office, Glenn joins her, wondering why she left Elton John, and then wants the answer his earlier question about a date. She says that because she is older and a woman, she is smarter about love she knows that either one of two things would happen. "It wouldn't work out, and that would be very awkward because we work together. Or it would work out and that would be a disaster." She goes on to ask, "Did you ever consider that if we were to go out, and we started seeing each other over and over and over again, we might start spending the night together....It could get serious...We could even fall in love...and I'd get crushed, because that's what happens." Glenn thinks it's all about fear, but Ally says that she is just practical and that she promised herself that when she died, it would be written on her tombstone that "She was practical."
We see Glenn leave the office and slowly wander home. Meanwhile, Ling, Nelle, Correta, and Elaine are out together and having a great time. When Glenn gets to his apartment, Ally is waiting there for him. She wants to know why he left without saying goodbye. But Glenn is confused. Ally wanted to tell him the same thing. But they agree confusion is start. As they say goodnight, they shake hands, but neither wants to let go. Ally decides to kiss Glenn. "She says that it didn't change her life, but it wasn't terrible either." She leaves to walk home as Glenn watches her walk away.
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