4-18 Uncle Daddy

Summary by: Laura

Orginal Air Date: 1997-02-28

Writer: Steve Young

Director: Jeff McCracken

Capsule Summary: Eric's girlfriend has a kid.

Extendo Summary: The episode opens with Eric making out with a girl, Kelly, at Chubbie's. They've been going out for three nights in a row, and it's starting to get serious, relatively. Kelly invites Eric back to her place (Eric: "Yay"), where she introduces him to her six-year-old son, Ryan.

        Eric decides he is ready to have a serious, adult relationship, kid and all. He surprises Kelly by coming back, first, and by being really good with Ryan. He is also very romantic, saying all the right things, etc.

        Meanwhile Cory, Shawn and Topanga are preparing for the SATs. Shawn keeps getting some kind of painful lock-up of the brain whenever a question is posed requiring too much thought; meanwhile Eric, in the background, gets questions right, since his experience taking the SATs seven times have apparently paid off. Cory tells Eric he should take them again. "Maybe the eighth time is the charm. You could go to college!" Eric declines, since he is happy with his life: good job, good girl, good kid.

        After a day of spending time with Ryan, Eric and his young charge unwind at Chubbie's. Cory, Shawn and Topanga enter and ask Eric to play pool with them. Eric wants to play, but Ryan doesn't want to be left alone; Eric promises to be close by, however, and gives him money for ice cream. A few moments later, when Eric asks Ryan to watch a shot he's lining up, he realizes Ryan has disappeared.

        Cut to Kelly's apartment, where Eric is telling Kelly about how he flipped out at Ryan after finding him outside on the curb. Turns out fatherhood is pretty hard. Kelly tells him he doesn't need to be a dad just because she is a mom, and he still has a lot of opportunities open to him in his life. Eric insists he's not looking to get out of the relationship--with Kelly or with Ryan--but Kelly tells him he shouldn't settle down with her just to be a nice guy, because it would make them both unhappy. If he ever wants to come back, however, "you know where we live." Kelly goes to tend to Ryan, and a sad Eric leaves the apartment.

        Eric goes back home where Cory is fighting with Alan about use of the family car. Inspired by a few weeks of pseudo-parenting Eric stands up for Alan and tells Cory to go to his room. He then makes the predictable revelation that he has decided to take the SATs over again.

Quotes:

"Whoever wants to come can come but for the love of GOD no more talking!"  --Eric

"Ahh, my little Cory. With your get-smart-quick schemes. No, my friend, for me the good ship S. S... S... A. T. has sailed."  --Eric

Highlights:

  • Eric and Kelly tell each other about themselves.
    Eric: "Let's start with me." (smiles winningly) "That's pretty much it."
  • Kelly: "Diana is the baby-sitter."
    Eric: "Ooh. Role-playing. Okay, I wanna be the commander-in-chief of the allied armies."
  • A hard SAT question gives Shawn brain-freeze, and Cory has to help him stumble out the window.
  • Eric: "She took me to her apartment."
    Cory: "Wa-ha-how! Details!"
    Eric: "Okay, ah, nice apartment, hardwood floors, has a kid, overlooking the park..."
    Cory: "Whoa, Eric. How did she get an apartment overlooking the park?"
    Eric: "Cory, I said she has a kid."
    Cory: "Now, does she get the afternoon sun?"
  • Shawn urgently asks about "the baby", which he persists in saying even when he's well aware of Ryan's correct age.
    Eric (talking to Kelly about Cory): "You know, I really like hanging out with him now."
    Cory (entering with Shawn): "Hey, Eric!"
    Eric (evenly): "Not now, get out of here."
    Shawn: "Where the baby?"
    Eric: "Get out of here now."
    Cory: "Hi Kelly, I'm Cory, and this is Shawn."
    Shawn: "No, really, where's the baby?" (looks under the table; Cory hits him) "What? It's a valid question."
    Kelly: "He's back there at the pinball machine."
    Shawn (turning to see Ryan): "Ohhhh, do you mind if I go over there and play with the baby?"
    (a few scenes later) "Hey, it's the baby!" and (slowly, after an SAT brain-freeze) "The ba-by's... gone?"
  • A gag where Eric tells Cory from the bathroom "it's not like I'm planning my June wedding," then emerges in a tux, results in Eric wearing a tux for the whole scene. This is not explained; in fact, it is only mentioned against at the end of the scene when Alan enters, commanding, "Take off my tuxedo." Eric protests, "Awww, but I'm so cute!" And that's it.

Cake Watch: Cory explains, "I told [Shawn] that there were no SATs and that Saturday was just cake day at school. And perhaps some creme brulee." Cory and Shawn both smile angelically and chorus, "Mmmm."

Note to Self: Topanga nibbling on Cory's ear = really creepy.

Episode Themes: Eric's Potential

Rating: 4. Kind of serious, yeah, but Eric is sweet, and he has some good moments.

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My head is full of silly ideas that in no way reflect the ideas or opinions of the cast, crew, producers or affiliates of the show Boy Meets World, with which I am not affiliated. Likewise, my opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Lance and Eskimo Enterprises and its affiliates, although they may reflect the individual opinions of Lance and/or Eskimo.