Season One

Credits | Summary | Quotes | Did You Notice? |

"Secrets & Lays"

Episode #1.17 | Original Airdate 03/23/99

Special thanks to Annie for writing the summary

Written by Dava Savel | Directed by James Burrows | Eric McCormack (Will Truman) | Debra Messing (Grace Adler) | Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland) | Megan Mullally (Karen Walker) | GUEST CAST: David Sutcliffe (Campbell) | Paul Gutrecht (Bartender) |

Summary: Plot 1: Ex-Factor
Will and Grace are packing for a weekend in away with Jack and Karen in Vermont, in a cabin. Jack and Karen arrive, Jack goes into a rap about their trip while Karen claps in rhythm. When Will leaves the room, Grace reminds them that the purpose of their trip is to take Will's mind off what would have been his and Michael's anniversary, under the guise of a fun, impulsive 'get-away' weekend.

Jack and Karen have no interest in what she is saying, Jack finds a scarf that was a birthday present to Will from Michael. Jack makes a puppet-hand out of the scarf, Grace grabs the scarf off Jack, sending him spinning round. Jack points out that no one took him on vacation when he broke up with "what's-his-face". Jack can't remember his name and so describes him as having bleached-hair, a tatto and a goatie to help them remember his name. Karen looks blank, declaring, "you just described a needle in a gay-stack!"

They arrive at the cabin, Grace is laddened with bags, mostly Karen's, who offers them a tip for carrying her luggage. Jack begins a discussion of who they would eat first if they were snowed in. Will claims Karen is out because, "there's nothing natural or digestable on her body." Jack puts himself out of the running because he is too petite. Will is nominated as the first because everyone simultaneously agresss Grace would be too "chewy!"

Plot 2: Ready, Steady, Cook...
A note has been left saying that Paul, the cook, has died. Over-come with grief, Karen declares, "God, Paul is dead? Now who the hell is going to cook dinner?!" Then, taking it upon herself, Karen decides to cook for them. She throws the car keys to Will and Jack, they land on the floor, leading Grace to explain, "Karen, the gay's don't catch!"

Karen sends Will off to get food in, Grace suggests that Jack joins him so that he doesn't have to be alone. Jack mocks Grace's unsubtlety by overtly winking as he agrees. Jack and Will leave. Grace thanks Karen for letting them use the cabin, then goes to put her bag in her room.

Plot 3: Into The Woods
Campbell, the handy-man/ski instructor, enters the cabin. When Grace returns, they recognise each other. They used to go to the same high school and dated for a while. They hug, both remarking how good the other looks, obviously still attracted to each other. Campbell asks Grace out for a drink, but she refuses because of Will. Karen rolls her eyes in the background, Campbell and Grace hug again, as he leaves, he tells her where to meet him if she changes her mind. Karen tells her to go after him, Grace insists that the weekend is about Will, Karen is annoyed at her for letting the opportunity pass her by.

Plot 1: You're Spramped If You Do...
Grace, Will and Jack are playing scrable while Karen is in the kitchen cooking. Will accuses Jack of cheating because "spramp" is not a real world. Karen backs-up Jack, which annoys Will further. Grace tells Jack to let it go, causing him to say, "I'm sorry, I forgot this was 'Will's' weekend." Grace kicks him under the table, quickly adding that it's "Will's weekend of fun" so that he doen't get suspicious, then she asks if he is having fun.

Uncertainly, he says yes. Simultameously, Karen, Jack and Grace say how glad they are. Will, noticing their over-reaction asks if the trip has anything to do with the fact that it would have been his and Michael's anniversary. Simultaneously, Karen, Jack and Grace deny it. After a pause they simultameously admit it. Will tells them it was a sweet idea, but unneccessary because he's fine.

Plot 2: Guess Who's Not Eating Dinner?
Dinner is done. Karen takes the tray out of the oven and puts it on the counter top, smelling it and making "Mmmm" noises. Grace, Jack and Will stare at the undercooked meat in horror. Karen, proud of her accomplishment, pours a dressing over it. After Grace has to ask what it is, Jack remarks, "I don't think it's dead yet!" Karen's smile disappears. Grace tries to reassure her, but ends up reaching for the phone to dial for pizza while Will disposes of dinner.

Plot 3: You're Spramped If You Don't...
While Jack goes to take his "disco nap", Will tells Grace that he's glad they came. Will goes upstairs, when he's gone, Karen tells her that there's still time for her to meet Campbell, poking Grace jokingly. Grace is still concerned about Will and refuses to go.

Getting hot and bothered, Karen envisions Campbell making moves on her. "You're steaming up the windows!" Graces informs her, then tells her to go to bed. Taking a bottle of alcohol with her, Karen retires to bed, leaving Grace to stare reflectively into the log fire.

Plot 3: Deal Me In
Jack and Karen are playing strip poker, as Karen deals she points out that after the next hand, one of them will be completely naked, then she asks, "honey, why are we doing this?" Jack reminds her that the aim is for both of them to get naked. Karen looks uncertain, then says, "and then...?" They both look puzzled, but are interrupted by a noise outside, the creature making the noise looks like a big, red matted-rodent, and makes its way round the back. Jack grabs a flahlight, shining it out the back door and into Grace's face. Jack screams, Grace screams and Karen screams. Jack lets her in, Grace hits him for scaring her. Karen asks where she was and Grace admitts that she was with Campbell, but can't stay the night with him because Will needs her, "I'm spramped if I do, I'm spramped if I don't!" Jack points out that this is the incorrect use of 'spramp' and proceeds to ask if she and Campbell did anything. Grace tells them they just kissed.

Looking unimpressed, Jack and Karen put their hands on their hips, Grace admitts that they also did some over he clothes stuff, leading Karen to remark, "I got further with Jack tonight!" Grace blames Karen for making her interested in Campbell, Karen feigns being upset, claiming she has feelings too, then Jack looks at her and they burst into laughter. Jack and Karen come up with a plan to lure Will away from the cabin long enough for Grace and Campbell to have an evening alone together.

Plot 3: Gaydar
Jack takes Will to a gay bar, Will looks around at the empty bar and asks, "Are you sure this is a gay bar?" Then Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' starts playing. Jack offers to buy Will a drink, Will hands him money.

Plot 3: The Cook, The Lawyer, His Roommate And Her Lover
Grace and Campbell are kissing on the sofa when Will returns early, he knocks at the door for Grace to let him in. Grace goes into panic and throws Campbell out onto the porch, locking the door after him. She opens the back door to Will. Campell knocks on the porch door, Grace tries to stop Will from answering, but fails.

Campbell, freezing, retrieves his jacket asking, "Am I moving? I can't feel my legs!" He decides it's best to leave. When he's gone Will asks what's been going on. Grace explains, claiming that she didn't tell Will about Campbell because she didn't want to upset him. Will says that he doesn't need protecting, that he's fine. When Grace asks why he's shrieking, Will replies, "Because I'm not fine!" He then admits that he misses Micheal. Grace sympathises.

As Grace tries to comfort him, Will worries that if "a neurotic wing-nut" like Grace can get on with her life, why can't he? Grace reassures him that he will be able to move on, eventually.

The End: Ex-Factor (Reprise)
Back at their apartment, Grace is telling Will about her and Campbell. She stops before getting to the good stuff, causing Will to exclaim, "Wow, it was that good?!" Grace denies this, replying, "No, it just doesn't happen that often, I have to ration." She goes to bed. Will finds Michael's scarf behind the pillow and puts it on.


Quotes
GRACE: Oh, God, look at it. There's, like, no one around.
JACK: My God, What if we got trapped here? Who'd we eat first?
WILL: Well, Karen's out, because there's nothing natural or digestible on her body. But I mean that as a complement.
KAREN: And I took it that way, honey.
JACK: Well, I'm out because I'm too petite. A good soup is all you're gonna from me. It would have to be someone with enough meat-slash-fat on him. Oh! Will! Try not to move around too much, it'll keep it tender.
GRACE: Wait a minute. How come no one wants to eat me?
JACK AND WILL [Together]: Too chewy.

-----

GRACE: Who's Cook?
KAREN: Our cook.
GRACE: Your cook's name is "Cook"?
KAREN: No, Grace, he has a name. I just don't remember it. No wait a minute, it'll come to me, it'll come to me... "Where are my damned eggs... Paul!" Paul. God, Paul is dead. Now who the hell is gonna cook for us?!
WILL: I guess this concludes the mourning period.
-----

KAREN: Honey, Campbell brought the wood in. Looks like he'll be leaving with it too.
-----

WILL: Just because you do this, [FLICKS HANDS] doesn't make it a word.
-----

GRACE: Ok, Jack, let it go.
JACK: Sorry, I forgot. This is Will's weekend. [GRACE KICKS JACK UNDER THE TABLE] Ow!
WILL: What was that?
GRACE: Uh... of fun! Will's weekend of fun. Are you having fun?
WILL: Yeah...
GRACE [ALL TOGETHER]: Good!
JACK [ALL TOGETHER]: Excellent, perfect, great!
KAREN [ALL TOGETHER]: Whoo!
WILL: "Overacted" said The New York Times. "Cheap and Transparent" said The Boston Globe. This doesn't have anything to do with the fact that this would have been Michael's and my anniversary?
GRACE [ALL TOGETHER]: No! Absolutely not...
KAREN [ALL TOGETHER]: No! Come on, get over yourself...
JACK [ALL TOGETHER]: No! That's ridiculous...
[BEAT.]
GRACE [ALL TOGETHER]: Ok, yeah...
KAREN [ALL TOGETHER]: Maybe a little...
JACK [ALL TOGETHER]: Ok, I guess so...
-----

JACK: I thought you were Big Foot's cousin, "Big Hair"!

Did You Notice...
~The descriptions for this episode listed guest star Tom Bosley as "the town barber-turned-hair stylist" who Will and Jack meet at the pub after ordering their drinks. Apparently, his scene was edited out because it just wasn't funny.

Back to Season One
Back to season list
Back to Show
Back to the main page