Daddy Dearest (Sonny Boy)

Season 1, Episode 9, Aired
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Episode Summary

A disastrous dinner party convinces Michael he and David have nothing in common. He tries to break up with David, who surprises Michael by asking him to move in with him. A trip to the emergency room reminds Melanie that she has no legal rights where Gus is concerned. Brian agrees to her and Lindsay's request that he relinquish his parental rights to Gus, much to Justin's dismay. After spending an unpleasant evening with his own alcoholic and abusive father, Brian changes his mind at the last minute. Emmett becomes addicted to cyber sex.

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9.2
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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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  • David invites Mike to have dinner with his friends. Mel and Linze want Brian to sign over his rights to Gus. Emmett struggles with his characteristics. Justin continues to live with Brian. Brian visits his father.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By breezy2281, Aug 13, 2008 Report Abuse
    This episode was hilarious but emotional at the same time. It starts out with Emmett cybering on the computer with other men. When the guy asks when they are going to hook up for real, Emmett freaks out. He is about to delete his screen name and profile of the person he made that he wishes he was, when this profile actually shows up and starts talking to him. Thinking he is going crazy, Emmett starts seeing this guy everywhere; the gym, Babylon, and his home. Whether or not he is hallucinating or going crazy his profile/cyber character helps him grow some balls and get lucky. He shows up to meet some guy he met on the net who turns out to not be what he expected, as Emmett wasn't what this guy expected either. Emmett decides to take the bull by the horns and use his new personality on this man. I thought it was hilarious when he ordered Ted to go talk to this guy at Babylon that he'd been staring at for three hours. Meanwhile, Linze and Mel have to bring Gus to the hospital because he is sick. When the staff won't allow Mel back because she's not a legal guardian of Gus, Mel freaks out on a homophobic nurse, using some choice words that i would've used but cannot write in here. Brian shows up and is allowed back, and when he finds out Mel isn't i thought he was going to freak out too. This incident sparks Mel and Linze to ask Brian to sign over his parental rights so Mel can legally adopt Gus. He agrees to it but Justin protests this. After listening to Justin's speeches all night Brian goes to see his father in a bar. His father doesn't seem to know Brian is gay and we learn that he was somewhat abusive to Brian when he was younger. He had asked Brian for money, which Brian had already come prepared with. After his father said he never should have been a family man Brian realizes his father will never change. Brian later shows up at Mike's door drunk and Mike puts him to bed. Brian cries a little in bed knowing his father will never change, and he will never have the one he wanted. Brian later changes his mind about signing over his rights. I was starting to see that Brian cares a little about it, though as usual he tries to show that he doesn't. Also, Mike deals with his own issues, wondering why he hasn't met any of David's friends. Brian asks why David never picks him up at the bar, and Mike says because David doesn't like his friends. When Mike confronts David about why he's never met any of his friends, David invites him to have dinner with some of them. Mike gets help from the guys and Justin to get what he needs to make the dinner party go smoothly, which did until Mike mentioned to one of David's friends that he was familiar and that he in fact had given Mike crabs once. At the end of the episode David and Mike talk and they both seem to be wanting to say something serious. Mike thinks it is over between them because they are two different people, so when he says this David announces that he wants Mike to move in with him. Great episode.moreless

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  • A look in Brian's past

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By luv4brian, Jul 03, 2007 Report Abuse
    This episode was great because everyone seems to love to hate Brian because of his uncaring nature. Maybe ther's a reason for the way that he acts though... and in this episode it explains everything. We here first meet his dad, who in many ways is very much like Brian. He gives off a self-centered, unsympathetic vibe about him, perhaps the very reason Brian is the way he is. He tells Justin that it's time to let go of his dad, when he's struggling to do the same with his own father. When Melanie wants legal parental rights for Gus, she asks Brian to give up his, which he first agrees to do, only after talking to Justin, realizes that Gus needs the father figure that Brian never had. This episode is moving because it shows Brian's love for Gus, something that we haden't really seen before.moreless

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  • Turns out Brian does have unresolved daddy issues.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By rewindyourtime, Jun 03, 2007 Report Abuse
    We get a glimpse into Brian's upbringing in this episode, and find out a little about why he is the person he is. His father obviously did a big number on him--he was abused and ignored by him. And despite Brian's advice to Justin to forget his own father, Brian still can't seem to let go of his. But I can understand his advice to Justin. Even though his own father continues to hurt him through his neglect, he tries to warn Justin to forget his own father to try to spare him years of pain. No wonder Brian has committment issues and is adverse to the idea of love. His father never gave him any indication of his love, and at this point we don't know how his mother treated him, but we can assume she wasn't your typical caring and enthusiastic soccer mom. Who can blame Brian for how he is? After this episode, it's hard to reprimand him for his attitudes and behavior. I mean, any child who doesn't feel loved by his parents is sure to be screwed up. I think Brian's going to see his father and his refusal to give up his parental rights to Gus had a lot to do with Justin. Okay, maybe I'm just trying to find some sort of connection between them because it's how I want to see it, but I really believe that even at this early point in their relationship, Justin has an influence over Brian. It's Justin who constantly brings up the parental rights issue with Brian, who tells Brian that it's obvious he cares for and loves Gus. And in the end, Brian refuses to give up his son. Who's to say that would've happened without all of Sunshine's nagging? You can't help but love the kid for making Brian a better person. Already Brian is a better parent than his father simply because he wants his son.

    This episode also brought to light the issue of parental rights as seen by institutions in the U.S. Non-biological parents, like Melanie, are refused the right to accompany their children to the medical exam room without adoption documents. And though it is legal, it really shows you all the obstacles that same-sex couples have to go through in order to obtain the same privileges as heterosexual couples.moreless

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  • Scarily Realistic.

    9.9
    "Superb"
    By tiewashere, Jan 18, 2007 Report Abuse
    This episode was so frightening because it showed how horrible our society is towards homosexuals. When that women would not let Melanie into the hospital was just a wonderfully acted/written/delivered scene. This episode really showed you the horrors of living in America. This episode was the first time we see lesbian sex on camera.

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  • Parental rights

    7.8
    "Good"
    By SMGslayer97, Dec 19, 2006 Report Abuse
    As shameful as think Melanie was treated at the hospital that evening that Gus became ill and how bad I felt for her I understand Brian's apprehension at giving up his parental rights. He loves his son more then he even thought he could, he is so sweet with him as well.

    I particurlarly love Brian in this episode as he not only stand up for Melanie, someone who isn't exactly his favorite person. But also shows some real human love and emotion when it comes to his son, Gus. Watching him trying to sign the papers and then just looking at Gus is so sweet.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Music: "Good Love" by Patria; "Kissy Kissy" by Azure; "Heaven 99" by A Digital Blonde; "Down & Dirty" by Shannon McNally; "Lonesome & Hurting" by Vern Checchoo; Bad Case Of Loving You" by Robert Palmer Edit
    • While there is a lot of nudity on the series, Michelle Clunie (Melanie) is the first cast member to do a full frontal nude shot in this episode. Edit

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  • Allusions

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    • Porn Title: Dawson's Crack This parodies the WB teen drama Dawson's Creek, which focused on the problems and trials of aspiring film maker Dawson Leary and his friends Joey, Pacey & Jen. Edit
    • Ted: Then we'd better get busy. Right, Professor Higgins?
      Emmett: Right, Pickering! We'll turn you from a simple flower girl into a lady!

      This is a classic allusion to Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw. In this play, which was later made into the musical My Fair Lady, two English gentlemen, Higgins and Pickering, make a bet that that the good Professor can transform an incoherent, street-wandering flower girl (Liza) into a properly-speaking duchess in time for a royal affair. Edit

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