DIVORCE: DETENTE {FIRST SEASON FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The first season finale in this comedy-drama series about a middle-aged New York couple who find themselves facing the end of their long marriage. In this episode, Robert proudly shows off his plans for his "FunSpace USA" to his investors, who admit that his plan makes financial sense, while elsewhere Frances meets with lawyer Elaine, who vows to thoroughly investigate Robert's finances and hit him where it hurts. Tom and Lila, confused about which parent is to retrieve them from school, end up taking a long walk to Frances', during which Lila is knocked down by a reversing car. Frances and Robert rush to the ER, and though Lila is only mildly injured, Tom is wracked with guilt and the two parents vow to "do better" in attending to their children's upturned lives. At the grocery store, Diane has an odd encounter with a lost little boy, and Robert is later stunned to learn that his assets have been frozen, meaning he can't pay for the FunSpace USA spot and will likely lose it to another bidder.
At Frances' gallery opening, Diane reiterates her sense of relief in never having had children, and Frances happily thanks her friends and family for supporting her longtime dream. She finally admits to her father Donald that she had the affair, not Robert, and though unhappy with the news, he agrees not to tell her mother. Robert's lawyer Tony promises to address the money issue with Elaine after the weekend, urging Robert not to "do anything stupid" in the meantime, and Frances is surprised when Julian arrives at the gallery opening, admitting that he still "Googles her" all the time. Robert joins the party, but far from confronting his ex, he praises her efforts and thanks her for maintaining their family for so long, and the two share a not-so-divorced kiss. Later, he agrees over the phone to let her swap weekends and take the kids skiing – but as Frances drives Lila and Tom up to Windham, she is pulled over by the cops and realizes that Robert has spitefully reported her for violating their custody agreement. Shocked by his trick, she calls her ex and informs him that he's truly "lost everything now."
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 30, 1999 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:30:48
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 129829
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Comedy; Marriage; Divorce
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2016-2019
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Alison Benson … Executive Producer
- Aaron Kaplan … Executive Producer
- Sarah Jessica Parker … Executive Producer
- Sharon Horgan … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Paul Simms … Executive Producer, Writer
- Anna Dokoza … Co-Executive Producer
- Jesse Peretz … Co-Executive Producer, Director
- Tom Scharpling … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
- Jessica Levin … Producer
- Caroline Moore … Co-Producer
- Mick Aniceto … Associate Producer
- Liviya Kraemer … Associate Producer
- John Flavin … Associate Producer
- Patty Breen … Consulting Producer
- Cindy Chupack … Consulting Producer
- Jennifer Crittenden … Consulting Producer
- Gabrielle Allan … Consulting Producer
- Adam Resnick … Consulting Producer, Writer
- Hayes Davenport … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Keegan DeWitt … Music by
- Sarah Jessica Parker … Cast, Frances Dufresne
- Thomas Haden Church … Cast, Robert Dufresne
- Molly Shannon … Cast, Diane Clavowen
- Talia Balsam … Cast, Dallas Holt
- Tracy Letts … Cast, Nick Clavowen
- Sterling Jerins … Cast, Lila Dufresne
- Charlie Kilgore … Cast, Tom Dufresne
- Jemaine Clement … Cast, Julian Renaut
- Dean Winters … Cast, Tony Silvercreek
- Robert Forster … Cast, Donald
- J. Smith-Cameron … Cast, Elaine Campbell
- Yul Vasquez … Cast, Craig
- Geoffrey Owens … Cast, Gerald
- Jim Bracchitta … Cast, George Valdito
- Rick Crom … Cast, Don
- Jorge Chapa … Cast, Sebastian
- Danny Garcia … Cast, Gabriel
- Stephen DeRosa … Cast, Silent Partner
- Cade Lappin … Cast, Little Boy
- Ashlie Atkinson … Cast, Woman
- Teo Rapp-Olsson … Cast, Stuttering Stockboy
- Scott Drummond … Cast, Police Officer