Ep 5. Fountain of Youth

Jeff and Audrey find out that their fertility doctor is the spitting image of each other's significant other, except for a small difference. With Jeff and Audrey's friends reminding them that they each have a history of cheating with lookalikes, their paranoia sets in, and they start to see the resemblance to each other's partners everywhere - even at a high-end restaurant with seats reserved under the name "Mr. and Mrs. Bingham." Meanwhile, Russell meets a woman named Trish, whom he nicknames "Tiger," whom he believes will be his fountain of youth. Despite her having completely different interests and a senior citizen's love of bingo, Russell is determined to keep her interested and act young.

Russell and Trish's initial connection is based on their apparent age gap, but it becomes apparent that Trish seems to have little to no patience with Russell's antics. This belief is supported when he surprises her at her bingo game and makes a scene, resulting in her hesitations being confirmed. Additionally, Jeff and Audrey's fears and paranoia over the lookalike phenomenon are escalated when they run into their doppelgangers at a restaurant, but their friends continuously remind them that their fears are baseless and irrational.

In an attempt to counteract their fears, Jeff and Audrey decide to have a "lookalike date" where they dress up as each other's partner. This experiment ends up highlighting the differences between their actual partner and their respective fertility doctor, leading them to overcome their fears and move on from their paranoia. The episode ends with Russell and Trish reconciling and promising to work on their relationship, and Jeff and Audrey resolving to trust each other more in their own relationship.

Overall, "Fountain of Youth" was a strong episode for Rules of Engagement, dealing with relatable ideas like paranoia in a relationship and the desire for youth and vitality. The comedic elements of the episode were well-executed as always, and the storyline for Russell and Trish showed potential for further exploration. For fans of the show, this episode was a must-see, and for new viewers, it provided a great introduction to the show's core themes and humor.