The Affair

Episode: 4

Production Code: AM104

First Air Date: September 29, 1997

Writer: David E. Kelley

Director: Arlene Sanford

# of Times Richard said Bygones: 3

Recurring Characters:

Ronald Cheanie

Guest Stars:

Kathy Baker as Katherine Dawson
Brett Cullen as Professor James Dawson
Jerry Hardin as a Minister
Jenjer Vick as a Secretary

Synopsis:

A moment to make Ron Popeil proud: Elaine showed Ally her latest invention, a face bra. "There's no embarrassing way to earn money," Richard on the Hannibal Lecter-like contraption.

It’s really enough to make any skinny girl dive into the deep end of the Chunky Monkey as Ally learns that the Professor she once had an affair with passed away and his wife expects her to be pallbearer. "It's like one day I have to deal with the two sure things in life, death & adultery," Ally. Perfect timing as usual this is also the day Ronald asks her to spend the weekend with him. "She's always a little tickled by drama, in time she'll look back at this day & want to relive it," Elaine says what all us viewers are thinking. "They have knobs," Elaine on the absurdity of closed doors, you can just here that rim shot from the drum player as its said.

Ally’s an impeccable guilt collector as she remembers meeting the Prof’s kids and agrees to Mrs. Dawson’s request to speak at the funeral. Ally is so melodramatic she even tells Renee that this means she cheated on everyone she'll ever be with because of the adultery. "I thought for the eulogy it might help to be intimate," Elaine pointedly giving Ally info on Dawson.

Brilliant lines: "Try not to look at it as negative, a lot of his former students will be there, think of it as a class reunion, instead of a punch bowl there'll be a casket. Reunions are meant to allow the more successful to inform the less successful that that's what they are, less than you & I? We were more, especially me, I may be the most." Richard To Ally. "Life is all attitude, tonight is a night for you to feel good about yourself" a Fishism. "It's a party for everyone to come & look at you dead," Georgia on wakes. "Because we look good doing it, they're expensive & people know it," Richard on Cigar smoking. "Sometimes I toss some jewel Fishisms her way & she just stares back with blanks," Richard wondering if Ally likes him.

Ally visualized her foot in her mouth after saying the wake was a wonderful night, one of the rarely well placed visual stunts. Dawson's daughter recognized Ally at the wake leading to the not so family oriented Fourth of July fireworks. Ally lies about the depth of her relationship to assuage Katherine, with Billy’s assurances that she’s doing the right thing. Ronald hates that Ally confided in her ex- and it just happens to be put out the trash day on her block.

The minister made Ally uncomfortable saying Dawson loved others besides his family. "Plug the firm," Richard to Ally about the eulogy, always thinking, well, sort of. "The thing about funerals, the guest on honor is always dead," Ally remarked awkwardly. She rambled at first & then said Dawson was everything that the canned funeral book said he was & was very devoted to his family, too much Touched by an Angel for your average FOX fan. Not that Ally could ever end one of her misadventures on a completely good note, she ends up with foot in mouth syndrome again as she accidentally blurts out that Dawson really did mean something to her.