Bittersweet

[blondie44]

Bittersweet

Starring Jessica Biel as Sara Campbell, a 25-year-old Minnesota native who has disappointed her family and her friends when she decided to up-and-take off after lying to her loved ones about going to join the Navy, when she was only 19. Her father, Mark Campbell (Dennis Quaid) was a Navy man, and was rather proud of his oldest daughter (oldest child too) wanting to follow him in his footsteps. Sara's mom, Denise Campbell (Rene Russo) was very supportive of her daughter and her decision, and supported her husband as he decided to write Sara a check for $15,000 to help her financially as she experiences the Navy life. But Sara's intentions weren't exactly pure and innocent as everyone had thought. She lied and deceived her parents and her two younger siblings: Tim Campbell (Will Estes), who was then 17, and Rhiannon Campbell (Mandy Moore), who was then 15 at the time. Instead of going into the Navy as everyone had thought, she took the money from her father and herself and "disappeared" without a trace. After realizing they didn't get a forwarding address for contacting Sara, Mark and Denise head down to the Navy Recruiting Office, where they are shockingly surprised that they (the Navy, or any of the other military databases) have any record of her being enlisted/registered. After hearing this, Sara's parents are floored and confused to where Sara is. Then after six long years of losing contact with Sara, the Campbell family is once-again shockingly surprised by an unannounced guest popping up on their doorstep early one morning--Sara (now 25) and back in town for good. The family's reactions are all over the board: Mark is happy to see that his daughter is alive and healthy yet isn't too happy for her stunt six years ago, Denise is speechless and very short with her eldest daughter after all these years of worrying and fearing the worst, Tim (now 23) and Rhiannon (now 21) aren't truly happy to have their older sister back-who caused their family to worry and devastated for the past six years. Sara, herself, gets an unwelcomed surprise visitor at her parents' home... her estranged husband, Frankie Martinez (Freddy Rodriquez) and their 2-year-old son, Lucas (both of whom Sara just up and abandoned during the middle of the night one night after coming to a realization about her life choices). Watch how the Campbells re-accept Sara back into their family once again (if at all), as well as Frankie and Lucas- who want nothing more than to continue their life together with Sara (whether back in Texas, or here in Minnesota).


Cast:
Jessica Biel as Sara Campbell-Martinez
Dennis Quaid as Mark Campbell
Rene Russo as Denise Campbell
Will Estes as Tim Campbell
Mandy Moore as Rhiannon Campbell
Freddy Rodriquez as Frankie Martinez
*unknown* as Lucas Martinez

[blondie44]

EPISODES

Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Sara arrives on the Campbell doorstep early one morning, shocking and stunning her whole family. But soon after hugs and kisses are shared, tensions are on the rise, especially when Denise strongly gives Sara the cold shoulder, and Sara is not welcomed to join Tim and Rhiannon when they go out for coffee. A saddened Sara shares a heart-to-heart with Mark, who later lets his anger and disappointment get the best of him when talking to Sara. Mark firmly tells Sara that she is to repay them back for the $15,000 they once gave her.

Ep2: Sticking Together:
While Mark and Denise are away at work, Sara is left to try to mingle and spend time with Rhiannon and Tim. Tim tries his best to "at least give her a chance", as where Rhiannon wants nothing to do with Sara and firmly tells Sara that to her face. A devastated, hurt Sara runs off and leaves the Campbell house (to go for a walk to clear her head). When she returns, a truly upset Denise is there wanting to have a talk with her. Denise is about to blow her top when Sara starts crying and claiming to be "the victim", Denise lets Sara have it and gives her a piece of her mind rather harshly (yet well-deserved). (At the end of the episode) The Campbell family gets a knock on the door from another surprise visitor--Sara's estranged husband-Frankie, along with their toddler son, Lucas.

Ep3: All The Way From Texas:
Sara becomes outraged that Frankie (and Lucas) followed her up to her family home, after claiming to make it clear to him that she is not happy within her marriage and an unfit mother. Mark and Denise, along with Tim and Rhiannon, want to know the whole story about Sara's marriage to Frankie, and Sara's motherhood to Lucas. Sara becomes upset when her parents override her decision for Frankie to leave, as Mark and Denise grant Frankie and Lucas their approval to stay. The Campbell family is told about Sara's past history over the past six years, her moving to Texas, her meeting/marrying Frankie, giving birth to Lucas, her job as a truckstop waitress, and her decision to (once again) run away from her problems when times get rough. Frankie announces to Sara, in front Denise and Rhiannon, that he wants to work out their marriage and raise Lucas together still. Denise and Rhiannon find his speech romantic and sweet, however, Sara remains dead-against staying with Frankie and Lucas---which sparks interest in Denise about her daughter's headstrong decision.

[blondie44]

Ep4: Private Issues:
To escape from her such-harsh reality, Sara heads out to drown her sorrows at the local bar. When Mark, Tim, and Frankie end up finding the now-extremely unsober Sara, she resists all contact with the three guys and refuses to leave the bar with them, causing a huge scene in the bar. Meanwhile, Rhiannon becomes mortified and anything-but-happy when she learns she had gotten chlamydia from her unfaithful boyfriend, who's been sleeping around with two other girls besides Rhiannon. Rhiannon, rightly so, dumps her cheating boyfriend and becomes mortified that she must go to the doctor's office to inform her doctor (Catherine Hicks) that she has chlamydia.

Ep5: Just Grow Up, Already:
After having a stressful day at the office, Denise takes out of her anger on a sobbing, whiney Sara who is once again complaining about her unhappy marriage with a husband who loves her too much, and being a young mom to a 2-year-old son who "won't leave her alone". Mark suggests that Sara and Frankie enroll into marriage counseling, but Sara announces she wants nothing to do with Frankie and Lucas ever again. Denise and Mark give her an ultimatum: go to marriage counseling (paid by her parents) and work out their differences OR Sara will have to move out and live somewhere else. Meanwhile, Tim's new girlfriend, Ashley (Ashley Johnson) and Rhiannon hit it off really well, much to Tim's dismay after Ashley begins to cancel plans with Tim to do stuff with Rhiannon.