Ep 8. Grace Really Under Fire

Grace Under Fire season 3 episode 8, titled "Grace Really Under Fire," sees Grace dealing with a lot of stress as she tries to balance work, motherhood, and dating. Things start to fall apart when she finally gets a shot at a big promotion at the refinery, only to realize how much it would take away from her time with her kids. Meanwhile, her new suitor, Rick, is pressuring her to spend more time with him, and Grace wonders if she can handle more than one major life change at once.

The episode opens with Grace juggling both work and childcare, as she rushes to get her kids to school and then make it on time for her shift at the refinery. She's feeling a little frazzled, but things seem to be going okay until she's called into her boss's office. The refinery is undergoing a major restructuring, and they want Grace to step up and take on a more demanding role as a supervisor. It's a huge opportunity, but Grace can't help but feel like she's already stretched too thin.

As she struggles with what to do, she turns to Rick, the handsome bartender she's been seeing for a few weeks. Rick's fun, carefree attitude is a nice break from Grace's stress, but he's also starting to push for more of her time. When he tries to plan a fancy date for them, Grace balks - she just can't afford the time or the money. Rick accuses her of being too uptight, and Grace starts to worry that he's right.

At home, Grace's kids are starting to feel neglected, too. Quentin wants to know why she's been so distant, and Libby is acting out in school. Grace tries to make it up to them by planning a fun family outing to the zoo, but it gets interrupted when she gets an emergency call from work. She rushes off, leaving the kids with Russell and Nadine, and when she gets back, she's too exhausted to do anything but crash on the couch.

It all comes to a head when Grace gets a call from the school - Libby got into a fight with a classmate. Grace tries to talk to her daughter, but Libby shuts her out, saying that she's never around anymore. It's a wakeup call for Grace, who realizes that she's been neglecting her kids in favor of work and dating. She decides to turn down the promotion and break things off with Rick, knowing that she needs to put her family first.

The episode ends on a bittersweet note, as Grace and her kids snuggle up on the couch and watch TV together. It's a simple moment, but one that feels like a victory for Grace - she may not have it all figured out, but she's trying her best to make things work.