Skyrink Sucks Production #177-415 Tape Date: December 5, 2003 Original Airdate: January 30, 2004 Starring Amanda Bynes (Holly Tyler) Jennie Garth (Valerie Tyler) Wesley Jonathan (Gary Thorpe) Leslie Grossman (Lauren) Nick Zano (Vince) Allison Munn (Tina) Guest Starring Anicka Kaywood (Jill) Ed Kerr (Rick) Written by Caryn Lucas and Wil Calhoun Directed by Steve Zuckerman EPISODE SYNOPSIS/REVIEW Wil Calhoun is best known other than being the co-creator of "What I Like About You" as one of the writers who helped build the "Friends" franchise into legend and gave the characters new dimensions. Recently, Wil and his co-executive producer Caryn Lucas have been called upon three times in the past six shows to help send the series into new orbits, and the "Friends" influence is undeniable now. With "The Odd Couple", Wil and Caryn broke up Holly and Henry. "The Hospital" had them set Holly and Vince loose with an unguarded moment turning into a lingering kiss. And tonight, their script "Sky Rink Sucks" begins a mini-arc of three episodes that tries to determine if Vince and Holly can't at least be friends, if not lovers. And they're off to a rocky start tonight, it seems, until Vince gets a brainstorm to validate another of the group's lasting dynamics -- the friendship between Holly and her best friend Gary Thorpe. For some other reason, Gary Thorpe's 18th birthday is a full eight-and-a-half months after his 17th one. Holly is planning to throw a big party for him (celebrating the next day) and means to invite lots of people. She wants to close down a club in the city rather than take the Thorpester to the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers (whence this episode's name, "Sky Rink Sucks"). Vince enters and tries to commandeer the party plans. He says that Gary should have the party at a club (which was her original intention), and he has a club in mind due to his great connections as a bike courier. Holly thinks Vince wants to take the club over because of the girls angle, and we all know Holly has a problem with Vince and other women from last week's show. She still insists that they're going to Skyrink. Gary comes to the loft and talks to Holly about their adventures and friendship. Then he drops the bomb: he does not want to go to Sky Rink. Seems that Vince has corraled him and played up the girls at the club angle. Gary wants to go to the club to forget about Jill, who he thought he saw earlier in the day. Holly tells Gary to go to Vince's club. At the diner, Holly and Vince argue about his telling Gary about the club. While they're arguing, Jill (the sixth WILAY appearance for Anicka Haywood, now seriously nipping at Stephen Dunham's heels) happens by! As Holly eyes Jill, she stars to run, but Holly nabs her. Jill tells Holly in confidence that her adventures in France were all an act. Everything was staged to lead Gary to believe that there was someone else overseas -- but it was all lies. Truth is, she never moved, never went to France, and did find someone else, right in good old New York City. Holly then chews Jill out for lying to the guy she considers her best friend. Planning the party is one thing, but it's more important than whether or not Gary should know the truth about Jill. And as before, Vince and Holly are poles apart. Vince wants to tell him, but not Holly. They actually decide to hold the party at 3D, also known as "The Loft". Then comes Gary's birthday! Gary enters and says he saw Jill again (but didn't talk to her), assuming that Jill is in town for his party and that Holly and Vince made it happen. Vince cuts him short, telling him the truth about Jill's not going to France. And Holly adds that she's seeing someone else and that it was all a cover of lies. Gary is appreciative of Vince eventually telling him, but very sore at Holly for not telling him the day before when they talked. He leaves the party, having pretty much crossed Holly off his list. Vince needs to prove to Gary that Holly really does care for him, and has an idea. He goes back to the diner and has acquired the security tape for the hour that Jill was at the diner. Calling Gary back to 3-D, he plays the tape for Gary, and sees all of Holly's argument with Jill. Gary comes to learn that Holly's anger at Jill is more than he could ever muster, and that Holly really is in tune with Gary's feelings after all. The episode ends with Gary and Holly still watching the tape and reveling in their renewed friendship. Ed Kerr returns as Val continues with her newly-reminted with the soon-to-be-married old flame Rick. Tonight Calhoun and Lucas give us the impression that Rick and Val might be connecting -- and there looks to be maybe some allegiances shifting in Rick's heart. Lauren and Tina are pretty much hovering around the edges this week, and Henry has three weeks off starting tonight. It all centers around Holly tonight, as Amanda Bynes is a constant presence on the screen. Without the bulkiness of subplots, we can track Holly's every emotion as they unfold over the two days of the story. Hot on the heels of "The Hospital", Wil and Caryn give us friction and conflict as the friendship of Vince and Holly goes through several stages, and we see that extremely gallant move of Vince's that seems to cast a magical wave over the entire show. Happily for us, they also give us a few moments to bask in the renewed friendships of Holly and Gary, Holly and Vince, and Val and Rick. Almost like we were invited to the party, in fact. And they stocked this one again with a ton of brilliantly-composed lines delivered by the entire company. Standing out: Gary running after Jill's subway car and then running into "a guy with no pants who said he's be Jill for a dollar". Honorable mention: Val, who spends most of the second half eating birthday cake, asks Holly "Gary isn't coming back, is he?" This was one of the more enjoyable and satisfying entries in recent memory, and the fact that this reviewer had his own birthday the day this episode aired...well, we all want someone as nice as Holly throwing us a party. And when Amanda Bynes is doing what she's capable of, you better believe party. SHOW NOTES Anicka Haywood makes her sixth appearance as Jill, her most recent appearance being a brief walk-on in "Absence Makes the Heart Grow...Never Mind". NEXT LINE, PLEASE HOLLY: Why are you trying to drive a wedge between me and my best friend? VINCE: What are you -- HOLLY: You went behind my back and told Gary about the club and those girls! VINCE: Okay, you know, a little loud. HOLLY: Well, I'm gonna get louder! VINCE: Listen, Gary was at my apartment, we were having a conversation, and I casually mentioned the thing about the club. HOLLY: Ohhh, you casually mentioned? VINCE: It just came up! HOLLY: Oh my God, you are such a liar! VINCE: I'm a liar? You know what? You're right. I am a liar because Gary brought it up and there was nothing casual about it! I believe his exact words were, "How can I get out of going to that stupid Sky Rink?" HOLLY: You know, I think you're using Gary's birthday as an excuse to be with a bunch of girls! VINCE: I don't need Gary to be with a bunch of girls! I got plenty of girls! HOLLY: Oh, so that's what this is about? You started this whole thing just to tell me how many girls you have! VINCE: That was my master plan! I came here hoping to run into you to get you to pick a fight with me so I could blurt out how many girlfriends I have! HOLLY: I knew it! From "What I Like About You" Fan Site at ABNOW! (http://www.amandabynesnow.com/wb/)