Back With Love

[blondie44]

Back With Love

Theme Song: "Innocence" by Avril Lavigne

Starring Jean Smart as Sue Ellen Malenchek, a divorced mother of three kids and a recovering alcoholic who was just released from The Betty Ford Center recently. Sue Ellen returns back to her Sacremento home, where her arrival is awaited by her three beautiful children: 21-year-old Holly (Madeline Zima), 18-year-old Bryana (Mika Boorem), and 17-year-old Sam (Scotty Leavenworth). Sue Ellen checked into The Betty Ford Center 14 months prior, where she was released after 10 months, yet relapsed and was sent back for another four months. With Sue Ellen in rehab and her ex-husband gone, Holly, Bryana, and Sam are taken under the wing of Sue Ellen's loyal and caring best friend, Darlene Somers (Laurie Metcalf). Now, Sue Ellen has come back and some things has changed; for example, Sue Ellen is now a grandmother to a 6 month old baby boy, Rory. Sue Ellen's eldest daughter, Holly had dropped out of culinary school to raise her young infant son. Sue Ellen's youngest daughter, Bryana is currently dating a 20-year-old college-frat guy, Jake Davis (Jake McDorman). Lastly, Sue Ellen's youngest child and only son, Sam went from quiet, shy boy with a knack for drawing to moody, sarcastic kid with an attitude. Sue Ellen decides she's back and ready to restart the newfound sober side of life, and starts to reconnect with her children. Also, Sue Ellen is suppose to keep in contact with her sponsor, Renee Raddick (Wendy Raquel Robinson) and attend the occasional AA meetings.

CAST:
Jean Smart as Sue Ellen Malenchek
Madeline Zima as Holly Malenchek
Mika Boorem as Bryana Malenchek
Scotty Leavenworth as Sam Malenchek
unknown as Rory Malenchek
Jake McDorman as Jake Davis
with Laurie Metcalf as Darlene Somers
and Wendy Raquel Robinson as Renee Raddick

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Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Sue Ellen returns to her Sacremento home after her 14-month stay at The Betty Ford Center. Sue Ellen's arrival is awaited her best friend (Darlene), her three kids (Holly, Bryana, Sam), and her new 6-month-old grandson (Rory). Sue Ellen tries her best to grasp onto the changes that have happened since she left: Holly dropped out of culinary school and became a mother, Bryana is dating an older smooth college guy, Sam changed from shy and quiet to rebellious and moody, and Darlene's divorce has became finalized & back in the dating world.

Ep2: Just Be Happy:
Sue Ellen arranges to have a nice, family dinner with the kids, Bryana's new boyfriend Jake, and his parents (Ann Cusack, Bryan Cranston)---much to Bryana's dismay. Everything turns out great, Jake's parents get along with Sue Ellen, and Sue Ellen decides to accept Bryana and Jake's relationship. However, things goes from great to awry when Jake's parents get word about Sue Ellen being a recovering alcoholic after Sam throws a fit and starts yelling when Sue Ellen won't let him go with his friends to a concert (on a weeknight). Sue Ellen becomes saddened, depressed, and begins to be tempted to drink again---but instead calls her sponsor, Renee for moral support.

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Ep3: Family Therapy:
After a chat with Renee and Darlene, Sue Ellen decides to enroll herself, Holly, Bryana, and Sam into family therapy sessions. At first, the kids aren't supportive and "put up a fight", until Bryana and Holly realize how much family therapy sessions will be beneficial for Sue Ellen (and the kids) after Sue Ellen admits that she's feeling like she's slipping away and losing grip of her family. Yet Sam is reluctant to attend, even so much that he purposely skips out on meeting his mom and sisters at the session.

Ep4: Discoveries Of All Kinds:
Bryana comes across an empty bottle of scotch in the trashcan of Sue Ellen's bathroom, and jumps to conclusions of her mom starting to drink again--even after Sue Ellen desperately tells the truth that she was getting rid of her "stash" and poured it down the sink in her bathroom. Also, Holly comes across a series of e-mails from Sam to another male friend, and the details of the e-mails are a bit of "adult content", which brings out the curiousity in Holly, as she has a talk with Sam and hoping he will confess and spill the beans behind it all. But in return, Sam becomes to feel violated and ends up being reclusive and refusing to talk to Holly about such incident or in general.

Ep5: Higher Level:
Sue Ellen brings her family to church for the first time in years, after a suggestion in believing in a higher power by their therapist. The Malencheks bump with Jake's parents, Brenda and Bill (Ann Cusack, Bryan Cranston) once again, but this time after mass. Brenda's snooty and slightly stuck up attitude ends up rubbing Sue Ellen, Holly, and Bryana that wrong way as Brenda turns her nose up at Sue Ellen's request to help out at the Ladies' Luncheon. Later, Bryana tries to defend her mom when Jake comments about how his mom saw her mom at church, which ends up causing a spat between the lovebirds over their opposing mothers. Meanwhile, Holly struggles with Rory being colicky and crying at all time of the nights, and Sam still refusing to speak with his sister.

Ep6: Forgive And The Forgotten:
Holly gets Bryana to step in and try to convince Sam to speak with Holly, which results in Bryana getting down to the true reason why Sam has been so defiant and angst-ridden recently--he's upset with his mom and how she never went out of her way to call or write a letter to him while in rehab, she was more concern about Holly and Bryana and not so much with Sam. Sue Ellen overhears this and breaks down crying, as she ends up feeling like a failure of a mother. Also, Darlene gets asked out by the Malencheks' family therapist, Dr. Jim Sloane (Hugh Laurie), as she accepts. Darlene and Dr. Sloane go out on a lovely dinner date, and end up having a great time with plans of a second date as well.

Ep7: A Kiss, A Secret Kiss:
Sue Ellen drills Darlene for details about her date with Dr. Sloane. Sue Ellen learns that when Darlene and Jim kissed briefly before the end of date, Darlene felt sparks and ends up really liking Jim a whole lot. Meanwhile, Bryana accidently oversees Sam kissing another person--turns out to be his best friend, Andy (Max Thieriot). Bryana rushes to inform Holly of what she's seen of Sam and Andy. But as Bryana tells Holly of her news, Holly has some news herself for Bryana about Jake, and that he made a pass at Holly at a mutual friend's party recently.

ADDITION TO THE CAST:
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Jim Sloane
Max Thieriot as Andy Stephens

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Ep8: Fears and Tears:
Sam finally confesses to his sisters about his on-going secret relationship with Andy. Sam becomes mortified when Bryana and Holly encourage Sam and Andy to go public and just embrace it. Meanwhile, Sue Ellen begins to feel sorry for herself when Dr. Sloane starts to fill a lot of Darlene's freetime, so she calls upon Renee to help fill her void in her life. Renee tries her best to be a good friend to Sue Ellen, but can't seem to fill Darlene's shoes--causing her to encourage Sue Ellen to talk to Darlene about her true feelings.

Ep9: Return of Brenda:
While out antiquing with Darlene and Renee, Sue Ellen bumps into Jake's rude mom, Brenda (Ann Cusack) and another man whom is not her husband. Thus causing curiousity in Sue Ellen, she devises a plan to cause Renee and Darlene to distract Brenda, as Sue Ellen goes to find out how this man fits in with Brenda---turns out to be her "man-on-the-side". Brenda learns of Sue Ellen finding her about her cheating on Bill, which puts Brenda in an awkwardly uncomfortable position where she has to be nice to Sue Ellen, her family, and friends. Meanwhile, Bryana and Holly's talk has gotten to Andy, enough to cause him to come out to his longtime single mom (Sela Ward), who's very supportive and embraces it.

Ep10: Complications:
Holly discovers how complicated it is to be a good single mom, while dating like a regular 21-year-old at same time. Also, Darlene begins to feel like Jim/Dr. Sloane is making things awkward between her and Sue Ellen after Darlene accidently comes across some of Jim's notes after his session with Sue Ellen, who later requests to be referred to a different therapist so he can remain dating Darlene and everybody will be happy. Meanwhile, Jake and Bryana's relationship takes a hit when Jake shows no empathy when Bryana doesn't get accepted into her dream Ivy League college out East.

Ep11: What Once Was:
Bryana declines an invitation to attend a party at one of Jake's friends's apartments, which ends up infuriating Jake-who in the heat of the moment- announces that he's glad that she didn't get accepted to go out East, so she can still say in Sacremento and be with Jake. An upset Bryana brings up the fact that he unsuccessfully hit on Holly recently, which he ends up denying and calling Holly a liar. Elsewhere, Sam and Andy end up waiting Rory again as Holly works her third double shift this week, after filling in for her co-worker who's on maternity leave.

Ep12: What's For Dinner?:
Holly runs into Rory's father, Angelo (Wilmer Valderrama), who wants to take Holly and Rory out to dinner to make an attempt for abandoning them when Holly was six months pregnant with Rory. Holly reluctantly accepts his offer, but is oddly surprised that maybe Angelo has changed and matured--however, that idea simply went out the window when Angelo decide to leave the restaurant with the cute waitress and cutting the meal short in the process. Elsewhere, Darlene introduces Jim to her visiting parents, Ed and Paula, who simply loved the fact shes dating Jim and a therapist as well. Also, Andy's mom, Stephanie (Sela Ward) invites Sam over for dinner with Andy, herself, and her boyfriend Ted (Greg Kinnear), which turns out great, until the fact that Steph and Ted try to encourage Sam to come out to Sue Ellen (which he refuses to do, just yet anyway).

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Ep13: One Step Forward, Two Backward:
After Bryana foolishly agrees to taking Jake back as her boyfriend, Jake once again turns to fooling around on Bryana behind her back with Reagan Wheeler (Lauren Collins), the school's most promscious female student. Jake and Reagan are caught together by Sam and Andy, who know something is up with the two, especially since her reputation. Also, while out grocery shopping, Darlene overhears a juicy piece of gossip that will affect Sue Ellen and her kids greatly-- her longtime ex-husband, Steve is moving back to town. Darlene informs Sue Ellen in private about Steve's moving back, resulting in Sue Ellen to become upset and wanting to inform her children but doesnt know how to break it to them gently.

Ep14: Daddy's Home: Part One
The Malenchek family's lives are about to become even more complicated as Steve (Ted McGinley) drops by making a shocking, surprising visit to Sue Ellen and the kids. The kids become aware of the "true reason" why Sue Ellen divorced Steve. they were told that Steve cheated on Sue Ellen, but in all actuality, it was Sue Ellen that cheated on Steve (with Steve's also-married father, Tom) and that Steve isn't the biological father of both Bryana and Sam, and that their biological father is Steve's dad, Tom. Meanwhile, Bryana and Sam become overwhelmed by this new sudden change and together, suffer an identity crisis. Also, Holly becomes paranoid of what her dad will think of her becoming a mother at 21 and raising the baby alone, while Steve becomes gracious to the fact that he is a grandfather.

Ep15: Daddy's Home: Part Two
Steve tries to bond with Holly and Rory while taking his daughter and grandson with him for the weekend as he tries to win them over after years of no contact (thanks to Sue Ellen, who drove him away after they divorced when Sue Ellen confessed to affair with Tom, and Tom fathering two of "their" kids). Elsewhere, Bryana and Sam want Sue Ellen to introduce them to their biological father (who also happens to be their half-sister's grandfather), Tom (Ryan O'Neil) for the first time in 15 years. Sue Ellen, with Bryana and Sam, drive down to San Francisco to meet with Tom, who's now widowered and never remarried.

Ep16: Revelations And Discoveries:
Steve manipulates his own daughter (Holly) by bribing her with a $14,000 bond in Rory's name if she and Rory move across town and into Steve's condo with him. Also, Bryana discovers Tom's extensive liquor cabinet and learns from Tom about his long battle with alcoholism, causing her to realize both her biological parents are recovering full-blown alcoholics. In addition, even after only knowing Tom as his birthdad for one week, Sam decides to come out (of the closet) to a first taken back, then supportive Tom--who laters asks if Sue Ellen knows and learns how much Sam does not want Sue Ellen to find out. Elsewhere, Sue Ellen struggles to grasp onto her kids and her life as she finds herself heading downhill, causing her to be tempted to drink again--but reality sets in and Darlene offers a helping hand as she becomes a great friend (like usual) and helps Sue Ellen pick up the pieces and move on once again.

[blondie44]

"BACK WITH LOVE"


Cast Of Characters:
Jean Smart as Sue Ellen Malenchek
Madeline Zima as Holly Malenchek
Mika Boorem as Bryana Malenchek
Scotty Leavenworth as Sam Malenchek
unknown as Rory Malenchek
Laurie Metcalf as Darlene Somers
Ted McGinley as Steve Malenchek
Ryan O'Neil as Tom Malenchek
Max Thieriot as Andy Stephens
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Jim Sloane
Jake McDorman as Jake Davis
Wendy Raquel Robinson as Renee Raddick
Sela Ward as Stephanie Stephens