bringing Claire along. They stay with Lisa, a co-op member and
vegetarian who still carries a torch for
Nate. Back in LA, David jumps at the chance to take care of
Taylor while Keith is at work. Brenda joins
her mother Margaret in an effort to catch her husband having
an affair, and later gets carried away with
Scott, an impossibly cute man she met at a bar. And Ruth
attempts to "draft her own blueprint" for
happiness by reconnecting with former
friends.
Ruth takes a
singular interest in the death of a single woman with no friends or relatives.
Brenda,
in search of a literary muse,
turns to one of her massage clients, a prostitute named Melissa.
David's promising relationship
with Ben Cooper, a public defender, is thrown for a loop when
Keith arrives for comfort,
albeit briefly. Claire is disgusted with her friend Parker for getting another
girl to take her SATs, and is
intrigued when Gary admits there's a "sexual tension" between them.
And Nate's relationship with
Brenda takes an unexpected turn.
Directed by: Michael
Engler ~ Written by: Christian Taylor
A comparison-shopping
widow brings a feisty Mitzi Huntley back into Nate and David's lives, with
yet another offer from
Kroehner. Ruth's estranged sister Sarah arrives for an unexpected visit that
proves cathartic for both of
them, as well as the budding artist in Claire. Thanks to Nikolai's influence'
a vodka-fueled family dinner
casts a shadow on some happy news from Nate and Brenda. Federico
and Vanessa find their
marriage frayed by a house in serious need of expensive repair, and David's
unabated desire for Keith
hinders him from committing to a new beau.
Directed by: Dan Attias
~ Written by: Jill Soloway
A Jewish funeral at Fisher
& Sons leads Nate to seek spiritual guidance from an intense female rabbi.
Visiting her Aunt Sarah,
Claire is surprised to meet an intriguing boy her own age amidst Sarah's
hard-partying "artist"
friends. Brenda's prostitute pal Melissa inspires some unusual fantasies. Keith
warms up to David after a medical emergency involving his
niece Taylor. Ruth invites Robbie to
dinner to spare herself
another lonely evening, but his chatter renews her appreciation for the beauty
of a silent home. Federico's
suspicions about his cousin Ramon's intentions towards Vanessa prove
remarkably
misguided.
Directed by: Alan Taylor
~ Written by: Scott Buck
Christmas signals the one-year
anniversary of Nathaniel's death, and gets everyone thinking
about
their last moments with him.
Brenda's book research nearly turns her fantasy world into a reality.
Nate and Brenda are shocked by
Margaret Chenowith's very special guest for Christmas Eve.
Ruth's Christmas dinner brings
David closer to Keith; meanwhile, Nikolai is stuck on Ruth's couch
for a long convalescence with
two broken legs. Claire's taste for bad boys drives her away from a
well-meaning new boyfriend, and into an online relationship
with a dangerous man from her past.
Federico stirs up conflict in
his family when he reveals the truth about Ramon. Nate receives a gift
from a biker's widow that just
might help him live his own life to the fullest.
Directed by: Michael
Cuesta ~ Written by: Alan Ball
Nikolai proves to be a
terrible patient, and Ruth's limits are tested when she uncovers the truth
behind his injuries. Brenda's
escapades may be helping her write, but her feelings about being
engaged grow more muddled -
especially after Billy's release from the hospital. David is happy to
get closer to Keith, even as
Keith is increasingly troubled by his sister's recurring drug habit and
its impact on Taylor. Nate
gets some news from ex-flame Lisa that adds to his growing doubts
about marriage. Claire can't
seem to escape Billy's influence, artistic or otherwise
Directed by:
Alan Poul ~ Written by: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Although David is mending
fences with Keith, it becomes apparent that their relationship still
needs some ironing out - and
Karla's got a secret that isn't going to make the going any
smoother.
Claire takes a questionable
approach to her new photography hobby, and grapples with a future
beyond high school. Ruth is
ready to move things along with Nikolai, but he might be happy right
where he is. Brenda's
engagement anxiety leads her and Melissa on a sexual adventure in unlikely
Orange County. Nate assesses
his past and opens up to Lisa, but her reaction is far from
hospitable.
Directed
by: Miguel Arteta ~ Written by: Rick
Cleveland
Nate and Brenda seek advice
from Rabbi Ari, who leads them to a more honest place in their
relationship. Ruth's need to
control the lives of Nikolai and Claire help her realize that she may
be the one who needs assistance. When Federico gets
suspicious about an elderly woman's
"natural" death, he
inadvertently places Vanessa under scrutiny. A disgruntled former client
files a lawsuit against Fisher
& Sons, masterminded by an old friend over at
Kroehner's.