Will & Grace

Season 2 Episode 9

I Never Promised You An Olive Garden

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Episode Summary

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I Never Promised You An Olive Garden
AIRED:
Tired of Rob and Ellen's low-rent taste in dining, Will and Grace start hanging with a pair of hip downtowners they meet at a sushi joint. But as the new pals paint the town, Rob and Ellen see red when they catch their best friends lying to avoid plans to dine at their favorite eatery: a coupon-crazy Italian chain in Secaucus. Meanwhile, Jack's inner child gets a little pick-me-up when he joins Karen at a PTA meeting at her kid's school.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • Will & Grace want to try some new things and Karen enlists Jack's assistance for a parent teacher conference.

    9.0
    By sduvoisin, Nov 06, 2011
    Here is a fine example of the episode layout where Karen and Jack play off of their chemistry (and do it so well) and Will & Grace have their own subplot. This is also when there is no subplot connecting the two stories. A brief interaction is all that exists to keep the show from devloving into the Will & Grace show and the Karen & Jack show. However we get a chance to see the amazing chemistry that Karen & Jack share when they are interacting with one another. We get to see that Karen's cruelty exempts no one (not even Jack) but we get to see Jack experience some personal growth. Of course the dilemnia that Will & Grace experience is one that all friends can relate to. It's called a slump and the humor attached to it depicts so well that human discourse of what do you do when you want to try something new but your current friends don't. It's a little wacky and farefetched and within moments of the Apartment/Elevator scene you know a screw-up/mistake is coming. However you can't help but sit back and watch as the two friends embarass themselves in front of new friends while insulting the old ones.moreless

  • I love Will & Grace more than any show but this episode is not my favorite storyline.

    5.3
    By matrix103, Oct 12, 2007
    Their were some parts I like and didn't like so I loved the part when after Will & Grace went to that club and Will was walking out of his room saying "Ouch" "Ouch" over again and he had those glasses on and then he fell down the stairs again and said "Ouch" LOL!. But I think it was rude for Rob & Ellen too ask to go to another Restaurant and if you ask me Rob & Ellen are spoiled big time and I myself would not be that rude. And why did Ellen have to call the British guy and his girlfriend "The Weirdos"?. So I still love Will & Grace but this episode is not all that great. So I give this episode 1 out of 6 stars.moreless

  • Will & Grace try to be Frasier.

    6.4
    By rb1962, Aug 07, 2007
    As I watching this episode I kept wondering what was wrong, ... and then I got it. The plot line about Will & Grace trying to hide their plans from their "old" friends, running in and out of rooms, was very reminiscent of several Frasier episodes, the big difference, however, being that the writers on Frasier proved to be masters at farce. Their scene construction abilities could not be improved. The situation on this episode verged on the embarassing (and I hate comedy of embarassment). So I couldn't wait for the story to move back to Jack and Karen's adventures. Those scenes were mostly collections of one-liners.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

Eric McCormack

Eric McCormack

Will Truman
Debra Messing

Debra Messing

Grace Adler
Megan Mullally

Megan Mullally

Karen Walker
Sean Hayes

Sean Hayes

Jack McFarland
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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

J.T. Larsen

J.T. Larsen

John

Guest Star

Tamlyn Tomita

Tamlyn Tomita

Naomi

Guest Star

Steve Valentine

Steve Valentine

Kai

Guest Star

Leigh-Allyn Baker

Leigh-Allyn Baker

Ellen

Recurring Role

Tom Gallop

Tom Gallop

Rob

Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (2)

    • In this episode, the way the scenes are arranged make it seem like it's a little out of order. First, Will and Grace are running around trying to keep Naomi and Kai a secret from Rob and Ellen. Then, it cuts to Karen and Jack at the school where Karen enters the principal's office and Jack meets John. Next, we see Will and Grace with morning hangovers. Then, Jack and John are still talking as Karen is about done with her meeting. This would technically mean that Jack, Karen, and John would have spent the night at the school, which couldn't possibly be true.

    • Despite Will moving constantly as he moves, his blanket keeps changing positions on every camera angle.

  • QUOTES (8)

    • Grace: Kai has been arrested with Greenpeace 3 times! I wanna get arrested.
      Jack and Karen: (in unison) Go outside in that outfit!

    • Kai: So, you guys married?
      Will: No, I'm gay. This is my friend.
      Kai: (to Naomi) Pay up, honey.

    • Ellen: Why do we have to sit with all the weirdos?
      Grace: No, it's fun. It's family style.
      Will: Yeah, it's family style. Later, the waiters come over and tell you what a disappointment you are to them.

    • Karen: Honey, Stan can't make it. He's having some work done on his Mercedes. Or his ... kidneys ... I wasn't really paying attention.

    • Grace: (Talking about Naomi and Kai's partying) This whole week has been wild.
      Will: I know. They're crazy.
      Grace: They're fantastic.
      Will: I hate them.
      Grace: Me too.

    • Grace: (Looking down her shirt) Oh, my god. When did I get my nipple pierced?
      Will: (Looking down Grace's shirt) That's your earring.

    • Karen: You call me down to this godforsaken place, to tell me my kids made the honor roll?! Honey, my time is precious! Call me when one of them gives birth at the prom!

    • Will: Holy hangover, Batgirl.

  • NOTES (2)

  • ALLUSIONS (2)

    • Episode Title: I Never Promised You An Olive Garden

      This is a refence to a book, a film, and a song, the most famous of which is the 1971 hit "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden," by Lynn Anderson.

    • Will: Holy hangover, Batgirl.
      This is in reference to the famous line spoken by Burt Ward as Robin on the original Batman series with Adam West.

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Season 2 Episodes

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