Ep 21. A Love Story

Bob and Emily are at home when they receive an unexpected visit from Howard Borden, one of Bob's patients. Howard is upset because his wife has left him, and he doesn't want to be alone. Bob suggests he join a social club, but Howard insists that he needs love in his life. Emily thinks Howard is sweet, but Bob's pessimism tells him that trying to fix someone's love life is a lost cause.

Later, Bob has a session with Jerry, a successful, suave businessman who never has trouble with women. Jerry confides in Bob about his dating woes with a girl named Betty, who he's never been able to get close to. Bob suggests that Jerry ask Betty to his office for therapy, giving him a perfect opportunity to talk to her about his feelings.

Jerry's session with Betty does not go as planned, as she completely shuts down and refuses to talk about anything personal. Despite Bob's reservations about getting involved in a patient's love life, he can't resist the opportunity to take on this challenge. Bob starts trying to figure out what makes Betty tick. He gets her to open up about her childhood, her insecurities, and her fears. She trusts him deeply and begins to see him as a friend.

Meanwhile, Howard has joined an indoor tennis league, but it's not quite the social club he was hoping for. All of his teammates are grumpy, and they keep trying to one-up each other. In the midst of all this, Howard meets a woman named Virginia. She thinks Howard is charming and begins to flirt with him. Howard is ecstatic - he's never been in a situation where a woman has shown interest in him.

Back in the office, Bob is making progress with Betty. She's opening up about her feelings and fears, and Bob is able to give her perspective and advice. However, their sessions are interrupted when Jerry bursts into the office, desperate for advice. Betty had agreed to go on a date with him, but now she's decided to cancel at the last minute. Bob gently chastises Jerry for relying on him too heavily and dismisses him from the office.

Bob and Betty are left alone, and Bob takes the opportunity to open up about his own love life. He tells her about how he met Emily and how she changed his life for the better. He encourages Betty to give Jerry a chance and to be open to love. His advice works - Betty agrees to go on the date with Jerry after all.

As the episode comes to a close, we see how things have changed for Howard. He's still happily playing tennis and flirting with Virginia, but he's also made new friends in the process. His loneliness has been assuaged, and he's rediscovered his joie de vivre. Meanwhile, Jerry and Betty are on their date, and things are going well. They discover that they have a lot in common and enjoy each other's company.

The episode ends with Bob and Emily at home, discussing their day. Emily is amused by Bob's attempts to interfere in his patients' love lives, but Bob just shrugs it off. He feels like he's made a difference in someone's life, and that's what matters most.

End of episode.