Your Cheatin' Heart Production #177-414 Tape Date:November 21, 2003 Original Airdate: January 23, 2004 Starring Amanda Bynes (Holly Tyler) Jennie Garth (Valerie Tyler) Wesley Jonathan (Gary Thorpe) Leslie Grossman (Lauren) Michael McMillian (Henry) Nick Zano (Vince) Allison Munn (Tina) Guest Starring Ed Kerr (Rick) Co-Starring Patrice Jennings (Waitress) Kara Houston (Girl) Danneel Harris (Kate) Tracey McCall (Tyhler) Written by Lesley Wake Webster Directed by Shelley Jensen EPISODE SYNOPSIS/REVIEW We have kind of missed the happy-go-lucky and free-spirited Holly Tyler of earlier in the season, with all the romantic turmoil swirling around her. Watching her bound down the steps to open "I'm Sorry, So Sorry" was the last we've seen her truly happy. But tonight, we get some temporary closure on the love triangle that has played out around her as Holly sees Henry has moved on -- perhaps being over Holly -- and Holly's set to move on, as she realizes all the talk about Vince was right on the money. And there's more change as Val meets a new man in her life -- who just happens to be an old man in her life. Holly, Gary, Tina and Henry are trying to figure out what to order at the usual starting point, the diner, and Henry twits Holly over not being able to decide between a salad or a sandwich. Holly tells Tina in confidence she'd like to be with Vince, but is still sensitive to Henry's feelings. Tina suggests they fix Henry up, so they go to the pantheon of half-naked salesmen, the clothing store F & A (not referred to by name in the show). The girls see that Gary has started to work there, and they all go gaga over his half-naked form. Tina in particular likes what she sees. Henry then walks in with a girl, whom he met at Princeton. They've exchanged e-mails, but that's all Henry will let on. Seeing that Henry's moved on, and especially hearing it from his lips, so can Holly. Holly shows up at Vince's pad, and she immediately tells him they can be seen together in public. Before Vince can say anything, a scantily-clad girl comes out of his bedroom. Holly leaves, and Vince pursues. Vince claims he didn't know that he couldn't see other people, and he wasn't sure how long it was going to take Henry to get over Holly. Quite simply, he was in no hurry to wait for Holly. Holly says, "I would have waited those two years, but you couldn't even wait three weeks," and leaves. She then consults Val about the exchange, a little morose that Val agrees with Vince. Remember, Val is still a little skittish about Holly and Vince being together. Holly then calls Val on using reverse psychology, and then claims she will prevail because she's going to "reverse your reverse". She promises to give Vince another shot and punctuates it with a well-placed "Hah!". Holly then goes back to Vince's place and after some conversation, his neighbor Tyhler opens up the locked door from the outside (apparently she has key access) and grabs a DVD. Vince tells her, "You're killing me!" and Holly and Vince have another blow-up. Vince tells Holly that all Tyhler is to him is a "neighbor", and vows to try to make it work as friends between the two of them. He adds that there will be no guarantees, all he can do is try. But Holly says those are "all the wrong things". The woman returns and asks Vince what kind of beer he'd like her to get him. Vince again tells her "You're killing me!!!" and Holly leaves angrily. Holly, "shattered", then returns to the loft, breaking up the reunion between Rick and Val. Holly's upset that life isn't like the movies she saw as a child ("Ice Castles", anyone? What the hell is Lynn-Holly Johnson doing now, anyway?). Tina comes, tells Holly she heard about what happened at Vince's, and brought a surprise to cheer her up: Gary, in his work uniform. Gary tells Holly, "I love you, and you can touch my abs." And Holly says "I love you too, but that's just disgusting!" The episode ends with all three of the other women making excuses to touch Gary as Holly, confused as ever, but still managing to smile as we fade out. As they did last season with "The Game", WILAY is now inserting new characters in order to further complicate the principals' lives. Ed Kerr pops in as Val's new boyfriend Rick (he will be back next week for "Skyrink Sucks" and will be a presence throughout the rest of the season). He's just put in the episode by way of introduction, with the premise that they were high school sweethearts, he being engaged now, but still quite intrigued with each other. As with her previous script, Lesley Wake Webster does a yeoman job of capturing Holly's reactions to Vince's boorishness, and Amanda Bynes gets it out of her mind that when the cameras stop, she'll be with Nick, and leaves it all on the stage, capturing Holly's pain perfectly with a minimum of histrionics. (How deep can the hurt be, though, if next show Holly and Vince are chummywummy planning Gary's party?) Copious displays of anatomy tonight ruled as well as Jennie Garth displayed her belly button, damn close to her "90210" physique. And for the ladies, Wesley Jonathan half naked. What's not to like there, gals? So the bottom line of the triangle now is, for all intents and purposes, it's over. Holly's cooled over Vince, Henry's moved on, and we're not sure if Holly is really over Henry despite the fact that he's seeing someone new -- and vice versa. Michael McMillan fans, note that he now takes a few episodes off, and he will return later in the season as Holly's study buddy in "The Interview". SHOW NOTES Ed Kerr begins a multiple-episode run as Rick, an old school chum of Valerie's. Michael McMillan will take a number of weeks off and return later in the season. This show also introduces "F & A", a clothing store that more than a little resembles Abercrombie and Fitch. In only this first installment, the male staff members work without shirts. Ensuing episodes will have the staff clad as usual. Where would Vince get a bail bonds T-shirt, anyway? From "What I Like About You" Fan Site at ABNOW! (http://www.amandabynesnow.com/wb/)