3/30 - "Eight Simple Rules For Dating a Celebrity"

[Steve M.]

Patrick learns the rules of dating famous celebrity Alex the hard way after unknowingly being interviewed by a writer, who turns the story into tabloid fodder. But after being read the riot act from Cheri, Patrick begins to become paranoid that everyone around him is a reporter snooping for a story.

[Steve M.]

Warm up the video recorders, boy and girls, this episode is sure to be a classic! :lol: :lol:

[hurricaneez1]

Steve M.,
Ya gotta get a TiVO or DVR man.....best purchase I ever made.;)

[Steve M.]

Originally posted by hurricaneez1
Steve M.,
Ya gotta get a TiVO or DVR man.....best purchase I ever made.;)

I'm working on it! :)

[Dragonflies]

Originally posted by Steve M.
Warm up the video recorders, boy and girls, this episode is sure to be a classic! :lol: :lol:

I second that ;)

:D :lol:

[hurricaneez1]

Very, VERY interesting episode. It was kinda funny....I turned it on about 5 minutes in (DVR allows you that freedom ;) ) and saw 2 things that really confused me:

1. Patrick having to buzz the gate to get in;

2. Alex asking Cherie if she remembered Stevie

I was like, "What the hell?". I nearly laughed my ass off when I rewatched the whole thing and found out it was a sort of flashback episode. Very well done.

Overall I give it a 8 out of 10. Great format and Cherie was hilarious.

[Steve M.]

Oh, this one was priceless! Watching Patrick self-destruct was a laugh and a half! :lol: And I was stunned by how Mr. Talbot, the principal, was written. This is exactly how I envisioned the principal when I started dreaming up IWH fan fiction! (Well, almost.) More of this guy, please. :)

Anyone notice Stevie among the faces in the principal's window? :lol:

I agree, 8 out 10 here. The kooky therapist dragged it down a bit.

[hurricaneez1]

The kooky therapist dragged it down a bit

Couldnt agree more. Forgot to mention it in my original post.

One question though. Was this episode set in the present....meaning after the Oscars and after "The Peck-Peck" or is it set right after the incident they are describing in the flashbacks which I think would put it somewhere between "The Smarty Party" and "The Musical". If it the latter I would contend that this episode is being shown out of order for some reason.

[Steve M.]

Originally posted by hurricaneez1
One question though. Was this episode set in the present....meaning after the Oscars and after "The Peck-Peck" or is it set right after the incident they are describing in the flashbacks which I think would put it somewhere between "The Smarty Party" and "The Musical". If it the latter I would contend that this episode is being shown out of order for some reason.

I would say the flashbacks were set somewhere between the eariler episodes, with the current scenes after the later ones. . .though this could have been filmed to captialize on the lead-in from "8SR" - note the episode's title - and shelved until after "8SR" dealt with the loss of John Ritter. I sugest this only because in the show's opening titles, Patirck is seen in a still photo wearing a burnt-orange shirt with Franz Kafka's name on the chalkboard behind him. What was he wearing in the classroom scene? Which author was he discussing?

[hurricaneez1]

OK.....I have rewatched this episode and it is definately being shown out of order. IMO, based on the dialogue in the therapy scenes this probably was supposed to be episode #3.

I believe this would be about the time that John Ritter passed away and, because of the title, they may have bumped it til now. If it isnt a early episode being shown out of order alot of the dialogue between Cherie and Alex and the psychologist just doesnt make sense.

Anyone agree??

[HDfanLiz]

Originally posted by hurricaneez1
OK.....I have rewatched this episode and it is definately being shown out of order. IMO, based on the dialogue in the therapy scenes this probably was supposed to be episode #3.

I believe this would be about the time that John Ritter passed away and, because of the title, they may have bumped it til now. If it isnt a early episode being shown out of order alot of the dialogue between Cherie and Alex and the psychologist just doesnt make sense.

Anyone agree??

I believe you're exactly right because on TV Tome it says that it was the third episode to be produced. :) I remember seeing the title for a long time on TV Tome, because I wondered if it had anything to do with 8 Simple Rules.

I also agree that the therapist brought the episode down, when he left the phone off the hook with his mother it was unrealistic that Cherie & Alex would have continued talking. Still, it was hilarious when Cherie motioned for the therapist to call her, I laughed about that for awhile afterwards. :lol:

[hurricaneez1]

God I'm good!!!! :lol:

[Dragonflies]

Originally posted by hurricaneez1
God I'm good!!!! :lol:

:lol: ;)

[Steve M.]

Originally posted by Steve M.
I would say the flashbacks were set somewhere between the eariler episodes, with the current scenes after the later ones. . .though this could have been filmed to capitalize on the lead-in from "8SR" - note the episode's title - and shelved until after "8SR" dealt with the loss of John Ritter.

Well, I pretty much said the same thing in the quote above, but it looks like we're all agreed here anyroad! :)

[SapphireSkies]

Only low point was the therapist, I agree. He had too many issues of his own. What therapist doesn't, right? But aren't they supposed to be just a little more focused on you than on themselves? (Rhetorical.)

Interesting. So the flashback sequences were filmed in the early days of the series. Given that this was the third episode produced, that makes sense. I noticed, as Steve did, how the still of Patrick in the opening credits looked exactly like it came from the scene in Patrick's class as he was crumbling in paranoia. I could discern for a split second the instant where that title still was taken. Seemed curious to me that an episode airing this late in the season would be the source for a graphic that's been used in the opening credits since the second episode.

I wonder if the flashback story was the story as it was originally conceived. Minus the therapist. Having only watched the whole thing once thus far, but intending to supplement that in the days ahead, I don't recall the two actually relating all that much.

What seemed to happen, as noted by others on this thread, was that the tabloid reporter story was intended as one of the first few episodes, but out of respect to John Ritter's passing, had to be put on the backburner. So they decided to air it now, and tacked on the therapist session to kind of tie everything together. I'm thinking that the original story had nothing to do with therapy. Could be wrong. Just a theory.

Didn't work so well, though. The flashback story was great, but the therapist didn't work for me. At least that particular therapist. He was just too "out there." Different personality would have helped. Therapists can be totally funny without reverting to a child-like state.

So the flashback story. The first bits threw me, too. Alex had to buzz Patrick in. Thought he had the security code, and came and went as he chose. First real indication that this wasn't exactly current. Became like watching a rerun of an episode that I had missed from earlier in the season. Which was actually what it was for all intents and purposes. So a logical impression.

Great story, though. Patrick is filled with Cheri's and Stevie's words of warning, and it gets the best of him in class. Gotta love it as he has his nervous breakdown in front of everyone. :lol: Loved when Alex, Cheri and Stevie were talking about Patrick's trouble following that incident, and Alex does the Robert Redford in Spy Game thing with the people around them. :lol:

Loved also Alex's encounter with the principal and the ensuing comedy/drama. Totally dug Patrick's strength. He was awesome as he took his stand. That dude can fight his own battles, and with serious aplomb. Great stuff. Go, Patrick!

Scale of 1 to 10, I give it an 8. Big points especially for Alex, Patrick and the principal. Solid! Very nice!

[hurricaneez1]

I dont think the therapist scenes were shot much later than the flashback scenes. Seemed to me that they were maybe filmed around episode 5 if not earlier. They clearly were not shot around the time of the newest episodes.

[Faster]

But I'd be willing to say the therapist scenes were shot very late in the series and tacked on to the episode.

[hurricaneez1]

But I'd be willing to say the therapist scenes were shot very late in the series and tacked on to the episode

That may be true....but they clearly arent SET late in the series. Not the way Cherie talks about Patrick. Her attitude about him is clearly that of the first 5 epiodes.

[Faster]

Originally posted by hurricaneez1
That may be true....but they clearly arent SET late in the series. Not the way Cherie talks about Patrick. Her attitude about him is clearly that of the first 5 epiodes.

Word up.