Credits | Summary | Quotes | Did You Notice?
Episode #4.19 | Original Airdate 04/04/2002
Written by Tracy Poust & Jon Kinnally (Story by Sally Bradford)| Directed by James Burrows | Eric McCormack (Will Truman) | Debra Messing (Grace Adler) | Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland) | Megan Mullally (Karen Walker) | GUEST CAST: Tom Poston (Norman) | Eileen Brennan (Zandra) | Steve Paymer (Steve) | Peter Mackenzie (Mean Guy) |
Summary: Will returns from his parents home after going through their things to get a beloved garden gnome from his childhood, which he nicknames "Squatsie". This newly aquired garden ornament prompts Will and Grace to start using their apartment's community area to garden. However, after Grace accidentally hits the gnome with a shovel, destroying it, she blames it on their gardening neighbour, who has been less than welcoming to them. Will decides to get back at him by doing damage to his prize tomatoes, but instead ends up comforting the man who has become obsessed with his tomatoes.
Meanwhile, Karen tells Jack that Stan's former business partner, Norman, needs an actor for a commercial for his store, Seņor Mattress. Jack wants the part, but Karen isn't convinced that he can play straight. At this point, Jack plants one on Karen and she casts him right away.
Jack is delighted, however he later worries about being typecast as a straight character and turns down Karen's next job offer. Jack complains to his acting teacher Zandra, but she chews him out for turning down a paying job and convinces him to go back to Karen and beg for the job again. But Karen refuses, and in the end, she ends up taking over Jack's role.
Quotes
KAREN: Honey, I'm gonna stop you right there, otherwise I'll never be able to drink solid foods again.
Did You Notice...
~Will's parents decided to seperate in the previous episode, "Cheatin' Trouble Blues".
~Tom Poston, who plays Stan's former partner, Norman, is married to Suzanne Pleshette, who plays Karen's mother. The line where Norman says Karen is "like family" may be an in-joke about this.
~The last time Karen and Jack held auditions was in "Cheaters". They used rulers to measure the applicants, which is what Karen meant when she said "I'll bring the rulers".
~Karen's bisexuality is shown here again when she appears in bed with a woman in the end.
~Jack worries that taking the role of a straight man will get him typecast. In real life, Sean Hayes doesn't disclose his sexuality because he's afraid of being typecast.
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