WHO'S WHO
Starring
Amanda Bynes (Holly Tyler)
Jennie Garth (Valerie Tyler)
Simon Rex (Jeff)
Wesley Jonathan (Gary Thorpe)
Guest Starring
Rebecca Gayheart (Dana)
Doug Sheehan (Craig Miller)
Anicka Haywood (Jill)
Jennifer Lothrop (Girlfriend)
Stephanie Brown (Niki)
Christopher DerGregroian (Waiter)
Story by
Hayes Jackson
Teleplay by
Sarah McLaughlin
& Lesley Wake
Directed by
Sheldon Epps
SYNOPSIS
A very busy Val can't go to a U2 concert Jeff has tickets for. The
tickets were given to Jeff by his ex-girlfriend Dana, a former model who
now works for Vogue magazine. Since Dana's boyfriend can't come and Val
forbids Jeff and Dana to go alone, Holly and Gary tag along. Over the
course of the evening in the luxury box, Dana and Holly become good friends, which Jeff thinks
will threaten Val's relationship with him. Holly is found out as she
accepts a gift dress from Dana after promising Val she would go dress
shopping with her. Holly then rightly questions the double standard of
Jeff accepting gifts when she can't...she just sees it as harmless
friendship. Jeff then tells Holly to cut off the friendship and return
the dress, sensing that Holly would be sucked into Dana's
"vortex". Holly makes Jeff realize that if she can't keep
seeing Dana, neither should he, and one ill-timed insult of Holly later,
the ties are severed.
Gary is also at the concert as well, and he
saves the life of a wounded real estate agent, Craig. Craig is so
grateful he rewards Gary with a trip (in the same luxury box) to see
"Bob the Builder on Ice", along with an escort for the
evening. At the ice show Gary makes a fool out of himself, continually
saying the wrong thing due to nerves. He claims that he's the most
nervous around the most beautiful women, and his admission ultimately
charms his date.
HIDING BOB
This was the final episode Jennie Garth taped before giving birth to her
second child on December 6, 2002. Val is not given an active role in
either subplot, and in fact shows up only minimally in the
episode. She is again seated at her table working on the computer,
and closes the show behind a dress rack. When mobile, she wears heavy
dark coats.
NEXT LINE, PLEASE
HOLLY: Hockey sucks! You know, the fights are fixed, like in
wrestling.
JEFF: You are so -- (pause) -- seriously, where did you hear that?
JILL: Everyone at the office is talking about how you saved Mr.
Miller's life. What'd it feel like?
GARY: Oh, it was a rush! I mean, the first time, you stand behind a man,
and your arms are wrapped around him, and you squeeze him tight -- ah,
y'know, I didn't mean it like -- (eats something)
WAITER: And for the young lady?
HOLLY: Oh, nothing. I can't stay...I just came by to give you...
DANA: What do you mean you can't stay? You sit your cute little tushy
down next to Niki!
NIKI: I know! And look at that figure! What do you do to stay in shape?
HOLLY: Oh, nothing, really...I just signed up for AP History, so my
backpack weighs like 40 pounds!
OUR REVIEW
Since Valerie is stuck between the office and New
Jersey doing PR work for the New Jersey tourism board (with all the swipes
at Jersey they could fit in the script -- hey, did I ever mention I
was from New Jersey?), she allows Jeff to squire
Holly and Gary to a U2 concert (probably at the Meadowlands, since there's
a New Jersey Nets sign in the luxury box). Also along for the ride is Jeff's ex-girlfriend,
Dana, a leggy and gorgeous model who has appeared in the pages of Maxim
magazine. She now works for Vogue, and since she has no little
sisters, "adopts" Holly, whose entrusted by Val to keep Jeff and
Dana somewhat apart. But Dana plies Holly with gifts, such as a dress
modeled by Natalie Portman for a Vogue shoot (of course we're gonna get to
see Amanda Bynes in it -- after all, this is the WB). But Jeff
finds out that Holly and Dana have bit it off, and he makes Holly take the
dress back to Dana. At a restaurant, Holly spots Dana and her gorgeous
friends, and tarries awhile before taking the dress back. When Jeff shows
up, Holly basically tells Dana that she's basically wrong to keep close
ties to Jeff when she threatens his relationship with Val. Holly shoots
back, "I'm not your little sister!" and Dana retorts, "My
little sister wouldn't be that uncool!" End of friendships, ongoing
and not, and Holly comes to her
senses.
Then there's the subplot, which just keeps Gary
visible, in which he saves the life of a real estate magnate (played by
soap opera stalwart Doug Sheehan). The millionaire send Gary a reward of
two tickets to "Bob the Builder On Ice" -- along with a comely
escort who's actually an intern for Craig's company. Gary tries to be
charming throughout the date (which looks like it's shot on the same set
the concert was filmed at), but his backup plan -- stuffing food in his
mouth when he says something stupid -- leaves him stuffed. But his date
understands, they lock lips, and all is well again.
The sophistication and worldliness of Holly
takes another step forward tonight, not just because Amanda Bynes has a
new set of WB image shots that play up her new more mature, teen-sexy
image. On tonight's WILAY episode she again runs with an older crowd.
Sure there are still parties and references to her high school life, but
there's more sophistication around her...hard to believe that this is
the same girl whose biggest dilemma once was how to sneak out of a spa
to see JC from 'NSYNC. Now she's got real issues on her plate, such as
handling herself well at a college party (last week) and how to sneak
Dana's favors past the disapproving noses of Jeff and Val. As Amanda
Bynes hinted at in her AP article a few months back, there's temptations
and demons tugging at this girl's being, and Amanda is playing every one
of these scenes like a pro. There are looks of torment when she's found
out by Jeff, quiet serenity over Valerie's in-house dress shopping
spree, and gleeful defiance giving Dana her comeuppance. Jennifer
Aniston had better watch her back...Amanda Bynes is surging now, showing
much the same level of comic skill with material that's just as solid.
Again next week Holly Tyler will find herself
in another social situation with another guy who turns out not to be the
real deal, and again next week she'll summon the courage of her
convictions to rise above it all, and again next week the WB will do
little or no promotion of the series, and again next week the TV columns
will ignore the series as they have over the last two weeks, thanks to
the flashy new competition, and again next week one or two critics will
probably trample this show's good name. Again next week, more of the
same...but I'll say it again...
Anyone who still thinks this program is kids'
stuff should watch next week's episode, and just tell me this show
doesn't stand among the very best comedy TV has to offer -- for any age.
And a large part of this has to go to Amanda Bynes, who basically drove
this ship and kept it afloat almost singlehandedly while Jennie Garth
was pregnant.
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EPISODE GALLERY
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Holly's home from school, greeting her sister Val, who's at
once home and not at home. |
Val is so busy doing PR work for the state of New Jersey
that she can't go out to help Holly choose a new dress for Liz'
party. |
In walks Jeff, all cool in his Bono shades...hint enough
that he's holding a quartet of tickets to a luxury box at a U2
concert...a gift from ex-girlfriend Dana. |
Val can't go, and neither can Dana's boyfriend, nor will Val
allow just Jeff to accompany Dana. |
Jeff reluctantly cedes his chance at seeing U2. |
But Holly recommends she go, and soon after Gary is signed
on. |
Val wants Holly to keep tabs on the ex-lovers. Any trouble,
go for the eyes. |
Holly and Gary are settling in, waiting for U2 to crank it. |
Jeff likes the implied power of the luxury box, holding sway
over those in the cheap seats. |
Jeff's ex-girlfriend, Dana, shows up, and Holly gives her a
grand welcome, making it clear that Jeff is taken. |
Holly takes pains to extol Val's
virtues. |
The house lights go up, and Holly continues to hit the Val
thing hard. Dana understands. (I know what you're
thinking..."Sheldon Epps"???) |
Dana seems to envy Holly's overprotectiveness of Val, and
wishes she had a little sister like Holly. |
The two get to talking about Vogue magazine, where Val
works, and Holly mentions a dress she saw Natalie Portman wear
in one ish. |
Since Holly needs a new dress for Liz' party and Dana just
happens to have it, she makes a gift of the dress to Holly. |
Also in the luxury box is Craig Miller, a wealthy real-estate
man, who is choking (probably on broccoli). |
Gary gives Craig the Heimlich, and Craig promises that he
will be rewarded. |
At home the next day, Dana calls Holly to let her know the dress
is ready. |
Jeff is not aware that Holly and Dana are growing closer... |
Holly tells Jeff about the Natalie Portman dress... |
...and Jeff nixes the idea of Holly having any further contact
with Dana. |
In Holly's eyes (and aren't they, though?) it's just friendship,
but Jeff sees the bigger picture...Holly will soon be sucked
into the "Dana Vortex" which has been known to swallow
innocent men whole. |
Val pops in with gift certificates for the time she's lost with
her sis and boyfriend. Holly eyes hers quizzically. |
Jeff gets one good for one romantic dinner. |
Holly reads hers. Good for one new dress shopping trip. |
How nice of Val to do that for her. |
Holly just doesn't have the heart to tell her she's got her
dress picked out -- and in hand -- already. |
At Copy That, Gary and Holly what the rich guy is going to give
him as reward for unchoking him. |
Jill, one of Craig Miller's interns, shows up with tickets to
"Bob the Builder on Ice"... |
...and his date for the evening, mainly, Jill. |
Gary's worried about blowing his suave in front of his
date... |
...so he decides to stuff his face with food every time he
catches himself saying something stupid. Bon appetit. |
Wonder what Holly Tyler would look like in Natalie Portman's
dress? |
One helluva lot better than Natalie Portman ever could. Holly
thanks Dana for the dress... |
...but then, Jeff walks in and sees Dana, and Holly wearing
Natalie Portman's dress. |
And after she promised Jeff she wouldn't... |
After Dana beats a hasty retreat, Holly has to explain it. |
Jeff knows that Holly is betraying Val by accepting the dress
from Dana. |
And Holly wants to know why accepting a dress from her is so
wrong when he can get U2 tickets. |
Jeff reminds Holly how much Val would be hurt if Val found out
she got a dress from Dana. |
But Holly reasons about just why Dana shouldn't still be in the
Tyler family tree....and Jeff realizes
she might be right. |
Holly promises to return the dress after Liz' party, but Jeff
quickly changes that timetable to "right now". But
before she returns the dress... |
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...let's just stare at it.
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Jill and Gary are sharing the Bob the Builder on Ice show,
watching the portly British construction worker build things
while on ice skates. |
Still, it gives Gary the opportunity to put his foot -- and his
food -- in his mouth (see Next Line Please for an example). Can
he eat it? YES HE CAN! |
Holly shows up at a Village watering hole to return the dress to
Dana. |
Holly's so adorable, Dana and her friend Niki are fighting over
her. But there's no need to fight... |
Holly shows up at a Village watering hole to return the dress to
Dana. |
Holly is intent on finishing the friendship, but Dana tempts her
with promised of dazzling makeovers. |
Another well-placed compliment from Niki sends Holly into a
double-air-kiss frenzy Tiffani Thiessen would be proud of. |
Jeff shows up and warns Holly she's sliding deeper and deeper
into the vortex. |
But one girl's vortex is another
girl's... |
At the table, Dana offers to take Jeff to the Hamptons for the
weekend while Val is away. Doesn't sit well with her. |
Holly has just seen the vortex in action, and Jeff refuses to
get sucked in again. |
Jeff and Holly get up to leave, and Jeff strictly tells Dana not
to do him any more favors... |
...and Holly tells Dana she's not her little sister anymore.
Dana then tells Holly that she's not cool enough to be her
sister.. |
Holly tells Dana to take back that dress from whence it came. |
Dana then ups the ante, throwing in Kate Hudson's shoes. |
It sounds like an offer too good to be true... |
...and it is, as Holly delivers her parting
shot. |
Over at the Sports and Entertainment Complex, Gary has had
enough food for six dates. And Jill wants him to walk her home. |
Gary appeals to a higher power
to deliver him home despite his bloatedness. |
But Jill thought Gary's nervousness was charming, and
after he explains it, Jill conspires to keep Gary from saying
anything else stupid. |
Holly wants to tell Val about the Dana episode, but Jeff tells
her just to say nothing. |
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Good idea or not? What do you think, Holly?
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Val has a special surprise: she's arranged to have a rack of
dresses brought in from Bloomingdale's for Holly to pick from. |
Holly is grateful, but she still feels the need to tell Val
about Dana. |
Jeff won't hear of it, so... |
...Holly spills the beans about something
else. |
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Episode ends before we get the Holly cocktail dress fashion
show! DAMN!
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ROLE CALL: The Other Faces |
REBECCA GAYHEART
Dana
Despite a checkered personal history, Rebecca Gayheart remains a
fan favorite. She first came to prominence from her work in
commercials for Noxzema facial cream. Her theatrical films have
included "Jawbreaker" and "Urban Legends: Final
Cut", and on TV she's starred in "Earth 2" and
"Beverly Hills: 90210".
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DOUG SHEEHAN
Craig
Doug Sheehan started out in the soaps "General
Hospital" and "Knots Landing". Since then he's
been a cast member of "Day by Day" and
"Clueless", made a handful of TV movies, and has had
sporadic guest appearances on shows as far back as
"Alice" and as recent as "Passions".
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