RELATIVITY
EPISODE RECAP: Episode 13 "The Day the Earth Moved"
After
an opening sequence involving Isabelle and Leo, the episode
shows Rhonda on a blind dinnerdate with a Martina
fan from hell, then another date with the woman who can't stop
asking everyone she meets "Do I know you? You look so familiar!"
Afterwards,
Rhonda goes back to Isabelle and Leo's apartment where Isabelle
and Doug are chatting with Isabelle's old college friend, Suzanne,
a seismologist. Rhonda mentions her "aborted date from hell"
in which "I think I heard about every dyke social event from
the last three years--none of which, by the way, I was invited
to." Isabelle introduces Suzanne and mentions that she's
there to check out their apartment for earthquake preparedness.
Rhonda:
Okay, 'earthquake hysteria!' I really can't listen to that stuff
and live in Los Angeles simultaneously. Okay, I'm not even kidding. Suzanne: Denial is really important to you. Rhonda: it's my essence. Doug: Suzanne, you have to understand that the
lesbian people are very sensitive when in comes to earthquakes.We
don't know the reason why. Suzanne: I didn't realize that. Doug: Yes. Studies have been done. Suzanne. Ah. Doug: Oh yeah. Rhonda: if you guys are going to stand here and
talk about earthquakes then, uh, I'm going to go get a beer. Isabelle: (motioning to Rhonda's retreating back)
Leo's sister.
Doug
proceeds to flirt blatantly with Suzanne after Rhonda leaves,
and later asks Isabelle for her phone number. When Isabelle has
lunch with Suzanne a few days later, she asks Suzanne if she should
give Doug her number. Suzanne gives a noncommittal answer, and
Isabelle asks her who's she's dating as they sit down to eat.
Isabelle:
Are you still seeing that guy Brian? Suzanne: No, not for awhile, actually. Isabelle: Anyone? Suzanne: No, not exactly...why do I do that?
is it too embarrassing to just say "no, I'm not." Isabelle: Really? That's so surprising. You're
so gorgeous and successful, you're going to find someone. I mean,
should I give Doug your number? Suzanne. Yeah...actually, Isabelle, I was thinking...could
I have Rhonda's number? Isabelle: (looking surprised but smiling) Um...
The
scene cuts to Suzanne calling Rhonda. They chat on the phone for
a minute about earthquakes and Isabelle, and then Suzanne gets
to the point.
Suzanne:
Isabelle mentioned that you were wanting to get out a little bit
more in terms of dating-- Rhonda: Oh no, don't tell me, is this about a
blind date thing? Suzanne: Well, no-- Rhonda: Because I'm sorry, I barely know you
and I don't want to seem rude, but I'm really not interested in
meeting anyone ever again that I haven't already met - which I
realize limits my life in some capacity, but in this other way,
it just really makes the outlook for the rest of my life much
more peaceful and soothing. Suzanne: (slowly) Okay...right...You know, actually,
Rhonda, the person I'm thinking of you've actually already met. Rhonda: I have? Suzanne: Yeah, you have. (embarrassing silence
as Rhonda starts to understand) Suzanne: Um, have you had your place checked
for earthquakes? (grimaces at what she said and hides her face
in a pillow) Rhonda: (slowly, still not sure if she's reading
this right) No...
The
scene cuts to Suzanne arriving at Rhonda's house and giving her
earthquake survival tips. While they're sitting under the dining
room table (pretending there's an earthquake) Rhonda's teenage
brother walks in, sees them, and just mutters "um, I gotta..."
and then walks out again. After discovering who he is and then
looking embarrassed, Suzanne challenges Rhonda to visit the earthquake
simulator with Suzanne to get over her fear of earthquakes.
Later,
throwing frisbees in the park with Rhonda and Isabelle, Doug tells
Leo that he hopes Isabelle "makes it happen" with him
and Suzanne, and Leo breaks the bad news: "I think she's
more interested in Rhonda's number." He's shocked, but a
few minutes later, goes over to Rhonda and teases her about it.
Doug:
So I hear that you and Suzanne are topping the ol' Lesbian Charts? Rhonda: You know, it's like I'm going to knowingly
go into an earthquake simulator with her? Who is she to tell
me I have to face my fears? It's completely arrogant.
The
scene cuts to the next day, where Suzanne is showing Rhonda around
the earthquake simulator and telling her that she began having
earthquake dreams in college when "I started to come out,
so I think that's what the dreams were about." Rhonda sees
the mannequins sitting in the simulator and asks "Are these
other dates you've brought here before?" Suzanne repeats
back "dates," obviously pleased that Rhonda thinks of
this as a "date;" Rhonda quickly realizes what she has
said and changes the subject, asking Suzanne what she needs to
do. Suzanne directs her to sit on the sofa in the fake living
room, and then steps out of the room to turn on the simulator.
She turns it on low at first, then asks "Are you ready for
a bigger jolt?"
Rhonda:
Wait, can I get some company in here? You're not going to stand
out there, are you? Suzanne: No (coming in to sit on the sofa next
to Rhonda) Rhonda: Because I'm not a crash dummy Suzanne: (smiling) I know that. You're pretty
fragile. Rhonda: (laughing) This is so idiotic...You think
I'm going to be able to tell my grand kids about this? Suzanne: (seriously) If you want to.
Rhonda takes Suzanne's hand as the simulator begins, and as the
room rocks back and forth in the face earthquake, Rhonda says
"Okay, I'm scared. I'm really really scared." After
a few seconds the motion stops, and Suzanne asks "are you?"
Rhonda smiles and replies "yes." There is a long pause
as the two women look at each other, only a few inches apart,
and then Suzanne says seriously "I am too." She puts
her hands in Rhonda's hair and leans in to kiss her. After a long
kiss (by television standards) of ten seconds, Suzanne pulls back
and says quietly, "Rhonda, you've just survived the destruction
of Los Angeles." Rhonda smiles, clearly relieved and ecstatic
to have finally met someone like Suzanne, and closes her eyes
as Suzanne kisses her neck.
A
few minutes later, the scene cuts back to a restaurant booth where
Rhonda is holding Suzanne in her arms and stroking her hair. Suzanne
says half-jokingly, "I know I know you from somewhere"
(in reference to Rhonda's previous blind-date) and Rhonda, kissing
the top of her head, says seriously, "You do." The episode
concludes with a montage of various couples in the series, including
a shot of Rhonda and Suzanne holding hands, laughing, and talking
in the booth.
