Tis’ The Season

Season: 4

Episode: 06

Production Code: AM-406

First Air Date: November 27, 2000

Writer: David E. Kelley

Director: Arlene Sanford

# of Times Richard said Bygones: 0

Song Robert Sings: Joni Mitchell's "The River", you can purchase Roberts version here!

Guest Stars:

Robert Downey Jr. as Larry Paul
Marlo Thomas as Lynnie Bishop
Jamie Gertz as Kimmy Bishop
Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh
Gerry Becker as Attorney Myron Stone
Dakin Matthews as Stark.
Peter Mackenzie as Kendall Stevens
Emmett Shoemaker as Jacob Ray
Sara Van Horn as Jury Forewoman

Synopsis:

The lonely-hearts club grows three sizes each holiday season.

Charter member Elaine was exhausted by visions of lovey-dovey couples dancing in her head. Larry suggested that song is a great comfort good, so Elaine in a red dress instead of red curls performed her finest Star Search rendition of "Tomorrow." Applause was a nice stocking stuffer but better yet, Santa delivered a dinner invite from Mark.

Is Elaine’s personality too big for happiness with the bland Mark?

According to John’s latest client the aforementioned Santa delivers nothing but heartache. Anchorman Kendall Stevens dispelled the Claus myth for the "good" of children and was promptly fired. Ling’s hilarious politically incorrect accusation to a little boy that he’s retarded for believing, contributed nicely to the losing cause.

Not that John was above perpetuating myths himself. Kimmy declared her attraction to singers so John attempted to tune his nose whistle in the key of Axl Rose. Wisely ignoring Richard’s Tom Jones instructions, The Biscuit put his own indelible though equally car accident ugly spin on leather rock. Mick needn’t hang up the microphone yet, even if Kimmy and her mom Lynnie (That Girl Marlo Thomas) were swooning.

Do you like the constant crooning or are some of these people too often hitting notes out of dog’s hearing ranges?

Robert Downey Jr. proved vocally rich, invoking a combination Don Henley and Springsteen on a piano solo emotionally drenched in the saddest lyrics you’ll ever want to hear. Larry informed Ally that he couldn’t share in her love of Christmas because his son Sam lives in Detroit with a mother whom he never married. Sweetheart that Larry is, he tried to get in the spirit for her with a blinking red nose, but when he got to the children line in "White Christmas" Ally still had to help him through.

Should Ally be with someone who has so much emotional baggage to pile on top of her own?

Easily the most touching the series has been since the high point blimp episode. Somehow so sad and yet I’m somehow so glad I saw it.