Ep 21. The Parent Trap

Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from 1997 to 2002. The show follows the lives of Dharma Finklestein (played by Jenna Elfman) and Greg Montgomery (played by Thomas Gibson), a free-spirited woman and an uptight lawyer who fall in love and get married on their first date.

In season 5 episode 21, titled "The Parent Trap", Dharma and Greg's parents come to visit them for the weekend. Dharma's parents, Abby (played by Mimi Kennedy) and Larry (played by Alan Rachins), are hippies who live in a commune and have a very relaxed attitude towards life. Greg's parents, Kitty (played by Susan Sullivan) and Edward (played by Mitchell Ryan), are wealthy conservatives who live in a mansion and are very concerned with appearances.

The episode begins with Dharma and Greg preparing for their parents' arrival. Dharma is excited to see her parents, but Greg is nervous about seeing his mother, who disapproves of Dharma's unconventional lifestyle. When the parents arrive, they quickly clash over their differences, with Kitty criticizing Abby's parenting and Abby criticizing Kitty's materialistic values.

Despite the tension, the parents try to make the best of the weekend by participating in a "parent swap" activity where they switch partners and spend the day doing activities with each other's children. This leads to some humorous moments, as Abby tries to teach Edward how to meditate and Larry tries to teach Kitty how to play the guitar.

Meanwhile, Dharma and Greg have their own issues to deal with. Greg becomes jealous when he sees Dharma getting close to his father, who seems to appreciate her free-spiritedness. Dharma, on the other hand, becomes frustrated with Greg's uptightness and wishes that he could be more like her father.

As the weekend progresses, the parents begin to see each other in a different light and realize that they have more in common than they thought. Abby and Kitty bond over their mutual love of gardening, while Larry and Edward bond over their passion for golf.

In the end, the parents leave on good terms, with Abby and Kitty even exchanging phone numbers. Dharma and Greg reflect on their own issues and come to a compromise, with Greg agreeing to be more open-minded and Dharma agreeing to be more respectful of his boundaries.

"The Parent Trap" is a classic episode of Dharma & Greg that highlights the show's themes of love, acceptance, and family. It's a funny and heartwarming episode that reminds us that even people with vastly different worldviews can find common ground if they're open to it.