Out of Practice Wiki
Advertisement
New Year's Eve
Season 1, episode 11
1x11-5
Lydia is dating Crystal's father
Episode Information
Airdate

December 19, 2005

Written by

Joe Keenan

Directed by

Philip Charles MacKenzie

Episode Guide
Previous

Guilt Trip

Next

Yours, Mine or His?

.

New Year's Eve is the eleventh episode of Out of Practice.

Plot[]

Oliver opens the door and greets Regina, who shoves a box of cookies into his hands. She's way too lonely to keep them in her apartment. Last year, she spent a week watching Xena reruns in a fudge coma. Ben says she's lucky she had to work on Christmas because they had to choke down two huge dinners: one at Lydia's and one at Stewart's. At Stewart's, Crystal cooked and seemed to have gotten every recipe off a marshmallow bag. Regina says the missed the hospital party, where the entertainment was their dad and his all-doctor singing group, the Medtones. They talk about New Year's Eve plans. Oliver deduces that they have no plans. They're all in a dry spell. Oliver says they should throw a wild New Year's party. If they can't score, they're totally pathetic. Oliver goes to get his address book.

The doorbell rings and it's Lydia, dropping off leftovers. Oliver comes back out with his book, talking about the party. Lydia looks forward to it, despite knowing they don't want her there. She likes wit and culture. They're going for hot and stupid. Ben says she can come and she guilts them as she leaves. She passes Stewart in the doorway and he hears about the party. He says he and Crystal were looking for something to do. They have also brought leftovers. Oliver tries to dis-invite them, but he mistakes his intention and says the Medtones would be happy to perform, to his kids' horror.

At the hospital, Stewart finds Oliver and breaks the news that the Medtones can't perform for the party because they got another gig at a nursing home. They agreed to make a donation to a charity. Stewart leaves and Lydia, who had overheard this, asks Oliver how much it costs to bribe a nursing home. It took $500, but it's the best money he ever spent.

A man comes up behind Lydia and asks if he can't trouble her for a moment, mistaking her for a man. He flirts with her and asks where he can get a good cup of coffee. She tells him about the diner across the street. He's in town visiting his daughter who works at the hospital. He introduces himself as Gavin. When she introduces herself, he says his ex-wife had a cousin named Lydia. That's a lie, but it gave him the chance to say ex-wife. She says he's forward, not like her ex-husband. He invites her to get coffee with him. She asks him to wait for her to get freshened up and she'll go.

The doorbell rings and Ben lets Arthur and Glen into the party. Regina's surprised that Oliver let Ben invite those geeks, but Oliver says it'll improve their chances of scoring if the women don't have good alternatives. Arthur shows off his tux t-shirt. Oliver assures Regina that he invited enough cool guys to balance them out. He's not worried about the competition because the other cool guys are gay.

Ben sits down next to Jennifer and offers her a glass of champagne, which she takes. She hasn't made any resolutions because she's waiting to see what she regrets in the morning. He leaves her to check the door, but tells her to stay right there. While he's gone, Oliver starts to flirt with her. He says he's a cosmetic surgeon and he looks at faces and figures out what he'd do to improve them, but with her, he has nothing. She says it might have worked if he'd waited for her to finish her drink first. Ben comes back and tries to cut back in, but Oliver asks if she's an actress. She was in an American Express commercial. The bell rings and Ben tries to get Oliver to get it so he can get back to Jennifer, but Oliver just calls that it's open. Ben pulls Oliver into the kitchen in frustration. They fight over Jennifer. Oliver offers to help Ben get another woman. Regina comes in and says she just met the hottest woman and starts describing Jennifer, so both her brothers say she's taken. She likes Jennifer anyway. Oliver says she's straight. She was talking about an ex-boyfriend. Regina knows, but before Frank, she dated Vanessa for six months. She's bisexual. Ben still thinks he's claimed her. Regina leaves to go back to Jennifer.

Regina finds Jennifer talking to Arthur, but she just tells him to leave. All three Barnes siblings give Jennifer their attention. She asks if there's tequila. They don't think so, but when she says tequila makes her a wild woman, Regina goes to get some. Before she leaves, she sabotages Oliver by how his wife is and says it'd be cool if her water broke tonight and they had a new year's baby. Oliver tells Jennifer Regina's just off her meds. Ben says Oliver should follow her to make sure she's okay. The bell rings and Oliver says he'll get it, but sits back on the couch saying he has a cramp. Jennifer starts massaging his leg as Ben goes to get the door. Jennifer tells him they've thrown a great party.

At the door are the Medtones. They only had to perform at the nursing home until bedtime. They start to sing, but Oliver stops them, saying they should wait until everyone has arrived. They join the party. Oliver tells Ben that he was so careful to balance the cool to geek ratio and they've messed it up. When the bell rings again, Oliver hopes it's more gay guys. It's actually Lydia and Gavin. They point Gavin to the bar and Lydia brags about Gavin. Ben and Oliver are horrified that she'd so interested in Gavin, but she points out what they're doing at their party is even worse.

The oven bell rings and Ben sends Oliver to get it while he shoos the Medtones away from the women. Once Oliver is gone, Ben offers to show Jennifer the rest of the apartment.

Stewart spots Lydia and asks her about Gavin. Lydia asks about him being dateless, but he says she's downstairs and will be up any minute. He asks Gavin about his time in the service.

Oliver asks Arthur about Jennifer and is told that she went off with Ben. The door bell rings again. It's Crystal. She says hi to Stewart and is shocked to see her father, Gavin, there as well.

Gavin asks if this is where Crystal's meeting her date. She says yes and introduces Stewart as Dr. Barnes, her boss, disguising that she's dating him. Crystal calls Stewart into the the kitchen to talk to him about "work stuff."

In the kitchen, Stewart is confused. Crystal's dad is protective of her and would be so upset if he found out she was dating her boss again. Stewart's shocked that she slept with her boss before. Crystal tells him that her dad and her old boss fought. Really, her dad fought.

Gavin come into the kitchen, saying that's enough shop talk at the party. Gavin still can't believe that Lydia knows Crystal. Gavin thanks Stewart, saying Crystal says he's a good boss, much better than past bosses who took advantage of her. He's still paying damages to Mr. Detweiler. He doesn't regret it. Gavin asks about Crystal's boyfriend. When Ben comes into the kitchen with Jennifer, she lies and says Ben is her boyfriend. Oliver takes the opportunity to nab Jennifer back and take her into the living room. Gavin wants to know more about Ben and goes to the living room, followed by Ben and Crystal.

Stewart wonders what Lydia was thinking, dating Crystal's father. She says she didn't know, but she won't let Stewart ruin it for her.

Gavin learns that Ben's a marriage counselor and says it means he takes marriage seriously. Crystal says they're very serious. He asks Ben if he likes guns. Gavin collects them. Ben is very nervous. Lydia pulls Gavin out, saying they should get that nightcap. Gavin wants to meet more people first. He asks about Stewart's date, the one he mentioned right before Crystal came in. Stewart stutters, but when Regina comes back in with the tequila, he introduces her as his date. He says he'll take her coat. She doesn't have one, so he offers to find her one and pulls her into the coat closet. Gavin says he feels sorry for Regina because Stewart looks old enough to be her father.

Stewart and Regina emerge from the coat closet. He asks if he can get her a drink and she asks for several. Oliver takes the bottle from Regina and offers Jennifer some tequila. Stewart "introduces" Regina to Gavin and Lydia. Lydia says she can't imagine what her mother must be thinking, with Regina dating an older man. Regina says she's a tough old broad. Lydia asks Gavin again to leave. Lydia goes to powder her nose before they leave. Ben takes Crystal's drink to freshen it up.

In the kitchen, Jennifer tells Ben she likes his girlfriend. He says she's not his girlfriend and in two minutes, he'll get rid of her. Jennifer says he shouldn't get rid of her. The three of them could have some serious fun together. Ben is shocked. Oliver objects that he thought she liked him. She says that he comes with Crystal. Oliver goes to find another woman to bring back to Jennifer. Jennifer tells Ben not to be shy, to bring Crystal in there and they'll do some shots. She kisses him. Just then, Gavin comes in and is angry at what he sees. Jennifer says she'll just leave. Regina goes to check on her. Gavin tells Crystal what happened and the whole group starts to argue. Oliver comes back with another woman, asking if anyone's seen Jennifer. He rushed back out again. Gavin tries to attack Ben again and the truth comes out. Crystal says she loves Stewart and he's the best thing that happened to her. Lydia comes back in to Gavin. He tells her that they've all been lying to them. He reveals the truth to her, not knowing that she already knows. She says she needs to go home and lie down and asks Gavin to take her. Gavin says Stewart needs to take care of Crystal, or he knows what'll happen. He leaves. Stewart thanks Lydia for getting Gavin out of there, but she didn't do it for him. Stewart then realizes that if it works out for Lydia and Gavin and him and Crystal, Lydia will be his mother-in-law. Crystal goes to get him a drink.

Oliver comes back into the kitchen saying that Jennifer and Regina are nowhere to be found. Ben says the party was a bust. Oliver says it's quitter talk and it can still be salvaged, but when the Medtones start singing, they just take shots.

Ben and Oliver are cleaning up the apartment. Oliver says he'll just turn in. Ben asks if he's sure, as it's only half an hour until midnight. Regina comes in. They ask if she's back to brag. She starts to, but then confesses that Jennifer took her to a bar, got some drinks, and last Regina saw, left with another women and two guys from Cirque du Soleil. Oliver reviews that both their parents have dates and they're all alone. They're all out of wine, but Ben says more wine won't solve their problems. Arthur then comes out of the bedroom with a woman and leaves with her. Ben goes to open another bottle of wine.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Special Guest Star[]

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Notes and Trivia[]

Gallery[]

See Also[]

A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here.

Advertisement