Party of Five s05e25 Episode Script
Otherwise Engaged
1 Everybody wants to live like they wanna live and everybody wants to love like they wanna love and everybody wants to be closer to free closer to free welcome to party of five: a family album.
I got the script, like any other, sort of, audition, um, and read it and had a reaction to this particular script, like, I'm sure, everyone who read it, where, um, I turned to the girl that I was with at the time, I put it down, and I just sort of had tears in my eyes, and I said, "I have to do this.
" we saw him the first-- the first day-- sec--he was, like, the second or third actor, and we both said, um, yepthat's it.
shh.
listen.
Just to keep you up to date-- and don't take this the wrong way-- but I'm going crazy here.
so unless I come up with some kind of nanny soon, I'm gonna have to sell you off to white-slave traders.
now, I know that's not how you pictured yourself growing up, but, hey welcome to the club.
the next 2 people we cast, uh, were, uh, Lacey--Claudia-- and Matthew, as Charlie, and we cast both of them off a videotape from New York, which is a terrible way to cast people.
you're eating your lunch, and you're fast-forwarding through the tapes, and everyone's going, "that's bad.
" "Oh, that's the wrong look.
" "there's a blonde.
" Scene 2.
guess what.
I'm gonna be a screaming girl in the crucible.
no kidding, claud.
a screaming girl? sounds like a great part.
yeah.
Well, I don't actually have any lines.
I just scream a lot.
wanna see? aah! stop it! Stop it! god, you're good there was so much, sort of, sunshine in her face.
and she was so-- it wasn't exactly how she did the scenes.
it was just an essence of her.
what do you mean, you pawned it? I had no choice.
look, I mean, lessons are real expensive, and we're kind of strapped right now.
Owen has no one to take care of him.
I guess I had to choose between my violin and a nanny for my baby brother.
sorry, Ross.
I'm sorry.
we were having a very difficult time with the role of Charlie.
I was hurtin'.
I needed a job.
I was studying in New York, um, and just doing whatever I could do to get by.
and, uh, went into an audition in New York, went on tape.
I remember with Matthew, we were sitting and looking at him, and he was kind of green-- it was very bad lighting, very bad sound-- and somebody said quiet! Wait a second.
look at this guy.
and we all stopped and looked at Matt's--Matthew's tape.
and we went, "oohh" 10 seconds later, we would have gone through that tape, and we would never have seen Matthew.
and I think I was the one who said, "I don't know if he's attractive enough.
" Matthew, on the back of his headshot-- we joke about it-- it said, "can operate farm equipment.
" I'd grown up in Wyoming my whole life.
that's the guy we got to have.
that's the kind of flexibility you need.
most likely to appear on hee haw.
we flew him out to read with Scott, who'd already been cast.
well, Matthew was the first, uhPerson I really talked to of the rest of the cast, actually, at his audition.
we were walking down the hallway, and it was just one of those awkward moments when 2 people are just getting to know each other.
and I was trying to find some sort of common ground or something.
and I turned to him and said "it's funny.
you know, uh wolf, fox.
" fox, wolf--you know.
I said"Yeah.
" kind of strange.
that was kind of-- that was our first heart-to-heart.
you let everyone think you're this great guy just trying to hold his family together.
you're just like a father to us.
even if we know it's a lie.
in trying to cast Julia, we were looking for a 15-year-old.
and we couldn't find anybody.
and we had gone through everyone in Los Angeles and a lot of other cities as well.
and every time we went to the network, they kept, um, they kept sending us back out and saying, "please find someone a little more mature, a little more--" I hate to use the word "sexy" for a 15-year-old, but essentially that's what we were looking for.
neve came in, read, walked out, and I remember all of us turning to Susan edelman, who was our casting director, and saying, "why are you just sitting here? get on the phone!" I really liked this guy, and he dumped me, Bailey.
and you don't know what to say 'cause you don't know how that feels.
and you can't tell me that it's gonna be ok 'cause you don't know that it is.
god, there's no one.
you know, there's no one to tell me what to do.
please, Bailey please just go away.
ok? and finally, they brought us, um, you know, to fox and to Columbia, and they paired us up, you know, as a family, and it was really special.
all of us were waiting in the waiting room, and then they invited Lacey, neve, Scott, and I into the room.
like, well, "should we tell them? should we tell them?" and I thought it was definitely bad news.
and they told them that, you know, guess what, you know, you guys are our family, our salingers and congratulations.
you're the salingers.
we got it.
It was great.
it was very, very exciting.
salinger, party of 5.
we just went nuts, and we're hugging each other, and we all just sort of huddled up and just, sort of, were looking around, just looking at each other's eyes.
and everyone was sort of short of breath and excited.
but you could (snaps fingers) sense right there that this was gonna be something that was--was very special.
you knew that we were going someplace.
kids and dogs, which has presented problems throughout the course of the show.
assistant director: take 7.
one of the funniest things that I remember was, uh, we were doing the pilot, and it was the first scene we shot.
and I think it might have been the first scene in--shot, ever, of party of five.
and neve had to hold the baby (baby fussing) (crying) and this baby is just crying-- screaming and crying.
(crying) shh shh shh Party take one This baby just does not want to be changed, doesn't want to be on the set, just is not interested in anything, and she has to hug him.
(baby talking) (giggling) 28-David, take 6, pickup lines.
(crying) don't start.
(crying louder) Just the look on her face--i felt so badly for her.
waaaaah! I even offered at one point-- I was, like, "Bailey can change the baby in this scene.
" but she was just struggling through it.
and that was, like, our first taste of what it was gonna mean to be working with babies (hiccups) and with dogs.
(ruff) I used to get all the scenes with him.
not that I didn't like him, but he was always slobbering on me, and he was fat.
he's sweet, though.
come on.
be a real dog for once.
we have this phrase, uh-- "just look at the dog.
" (grrrr) and it came from the pilot, because-- it was about mid-- it was maybe, like, 12:30 at night.
and because of the permits they had at this house, we had to get this shot and move on.
and, literally, guys are running in with stands and lights-- running--and things are wobbling and they're-- "rolling! Rolling! let's go!" and someone leans in-- the director leans in and says, "at the end of the shot, look at the dog.
" and, you know, of course, being, you know, actor boy, I kind of said, "why?" and about 8 people turned and just went, "just look at the dog!" so that became our little slogan for "don't ask questions.
just do what we need you to do.
" I think we had 3 weeks to shoot the pilot and to create a family and to make these brothers and sisters believable.
you missed dinner, you know.
it's ok.
I'll grab something.
you know what I mean, Julia.
you missed dinner.
so what? It's not the end of the world.
it's the one thing we agreed to do together.
this is 6 months after their parents have passed away.
and there's, sort of, all these strange dynamics going on.
ok.
So tomorrow we go to Mr.
Graham and we ask him for an advance.
no.
why not? it's an emergency.
because we've got to seem in charge! we've got to seem like we can handle everything ourselves, like a normal family, or else they have an excuse to split us up.
great, Charlie.
thanks.
thanks a lot.
Towards the end of the episode, the most important thing turned out to be the family and their relationships and connections with each other.
Julia, I figure there is so much that I don't know that all I can do is grab on to the stuff that I'm sure of.
you know, like, the five of us, the five of us have to stay together as long as we can.
it just feels right, doesn't it? it's the same thing with this dinner thing.
it's just--i know we have to keep that going.
why? because it matters.
it matters to me.
it matters to the others.
and I know it would have mattered to mom and dad.
I don't think people tuned in at that point, and to this point, to see a group of actors pretending to love each other.
you actually see a group of people who care about each other.
how about that? we just might manage.
So what's everyone having? shove over, Charlie.
glad you made it.
too bad Kirsten couldn't come tonight, huh, bay? Kirsten? Who's Kirsten? she's our new nanny.
oh, yeah? where's the sourdough? he's got it.
so you finally hired someone? yeah.
We have a new nanny.
I want the sourdough.
fine.
it's yours.
eww, gross! You took a bite out of it.
so what's this Kirsten like? she--she's very professional.
yeah do I need a number 2 pencil for the test? Sarah.
"my darling Sarah" you're Sarah, too? she's my namesake.
go on.
whoo-hoo! I passed! Ok? I got my cat, um I have no idea.
i--do I have a cat?! you're giving me a cat? I didn't even know I had a cat, I swear to god! I have a cat?! when did I get a cat? ok.
So I guess this is kind of like a consolation prize, right? lose a mother, gain a pet? hey what episode did that happen in? was that my adoptive parents? did they give me a cat? so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on her, you know, while I'm gone? the cat! I remember that.
I had a cat for one episode, and he was in a cage because he didn't want to be held during the scene.
now I remember.
it's an orange cat.
I remember the cat.
Ok.
all right.
I did have a cat.
the, uh--tshh--i didn't even know I had a cat, so that ques--trigger.
I have no idea.
Barney.
I don't know.
what was the cat's name? well, Amanda just hates traveling with me.
I mean, stuck in that box all day, who can blame her? the cat really--ok.
all right.
Good.
Coming up, the salingers' most dramatic Thanksgiving and how the party almost ended before it began when party of five: a family album continues.
Dinner is served.
Bailey made dinner? can you believe they only give you 6 meatballs in a can? is that a ripoff? gosh, we must have done 6 or 7 episodes before it even started airing.
and it was doing really bad in the beginning.
you think it's always gonna be like this for us? no.
maybe these are the good old days.
I remember that, in the beginning, I was a little bit frustrated and--and, like, you know, "why aren't people catching on to this?" there's a way to handle these people.
not that I have the slightest clue what it is.
All I could do was keep working, keep going to work and hoping we weren't gonna get told that morning that we were done.
what do you got? nothing! what do you got? Nada! what do you got? Zilch! and for a while, our first season, that's what it was like.
you know, we'd come to work and just really hope that this wasn't gonna be the day where they say we couldn't do it anymore.
Walter alcott was released from prison last week.
he wants to see you.
the Thanksgiving episode in the very first season was one of my favorites, when they deal with the drunk driver who killed their parents.
are you saying you want to see him? I'm not sure.
forget it.
he can shove his apology.
it doesn't do me any good.
it was one of the first more really, really dramatic episodes that we had-- well, they're all pretty dramatic.
but, uh, you know, a really big episode that we had done together.
I'm Claudia salinger.
(doorbell rings) I'm their youngest daughter.
I just wanted to see what you look like.
My brother, he's gonna walk soon, and they're not gonna see it because of you! because you had a few drinks! and you got in your car, and you went through that intersection, and you killed them! the only thing I can do for you is tell you that we're gonna be ok.
go see him, Charlie.
it'll help.
yeah, him.
no, us! I'm telling you, it's hard.
but it's not the hardest thing in the world to say, "I forgive you.
" yes, it is.
out of these sad, hard moments come these revelations, and you see these characters go through that and come out better or smarter or, um, or just, you know, wise, more wise.
hey, how come some of the headstones have stones on them? some people like to leave something behind, kind of as a way of showing they were here.
I think the one thing about party of five and the salinger family are the issues they face are timeless.
it doesn't matter whether you're living in the 1930s, the 1970s, or the 2010s.
the issue of family getting along with one another, loving one another, frustrating one another, the issue of family helping one another are issues that have always existed and will always exist.
pez? Ha ha! Sure.
Why not? that's a good idea.
hey, you know what, claud? you're it.
what? Hey, no fair.
hey, no fair! (laughing, shouting) During the period of time where it looked like we were going to get canceled and they started these letter-writing campaigns and these, uh, save-our-show campaigns, and we--people really responded well to the show, and had a lot to do with keeping us around.
the response we got was over-- I mean, really, like buckets and buckets and buckets of fan mail, and not the fan mail that you'd think.
we'd get these petitions from law firms signed by lawyers and, uh, paralegals and secretaries and the janitorial staff.
I mean, everyone would sign these big-- big petitions.
yeah.
I remember we got-- we got one petition, uh, with something like 300 names, um, all written in exactly the same handwriting.
that small, loyal audience that we did have is what made us stay on the air.
I, uh, had an imaginary friend when I was a kid.
no kidding? that's supposed to be a sign of real sensitivity.
trivia.
interrogator: what was the name of the imaginary friend you made up to impress Kirsten? uh, ha ha ha! what is his name? does it start with a "h"? (whispering) Damn.
uh, there's a middle initial, isn't there? um (droning) how am I doing? could be wolfman-- what's the first one? Lloyd.
Lloyd l.
Loomis.
Lloyd.
W.
Loomis.
Lloyd w.
Loomis.
Lloyd w.
Loomis.
oh, man.
It could've been--i uh, 900.
well? well? yes! Uh, what college did I want to go to? uh (softly) Boston university? (suppressed giggling) you got into college? Hampshire state? Hampshire state? How can clau--oh! my no--oh! my dimples do something.
it's the dimples.
what? my dimples quiver or something.
when something's going on, they pulse.
they pulse.
interrogator: how old was Bailey when he had his tonsils removed? oh, that's a recent one.
say ahh.
ahh.
that was just from last episode.
ahh, you had them out when you were 12? is it my tonsils, Dr.
Bob? you don't have any tonsils, fella.
took 'em out when you were 8.
(buzzing) (whispering) Damn.
Love is in the air but marriage isn't when party of five: a family album returns.
So, school starts tomorrow.
(surf pounding) would you believe it? where did the summer go? who knows, you know? maybe it'll be a great year.
maybe.
I don't think I was really what they had in mind originally for Sarah.
when I was sitting in the waiting room full of-- full of girls with tons of makeup on, and, you know, like these--these great figures and bombshell-looking, and, um, they were older.
they were probably, you know, like, mid 20s, and I was 16.
I'm not her, Bailey.
I'm not Jo.
I came around, and I'm kind of-- kind of goofy and nerdy, and so Sarah became that, too.
I was trying to figure out something to say to you-- something helpful-- and all I could think of is oy.
that pretty much sums it up.
oy.
yeah.
somehow, the two of us have a chemistry or I don't know what.
you know, there's a lot of different words for it.
what? do I have something on my face? we're here.
oh.
well, thanks for the lift.
thanks for all the lifts this summer.
sure.
oh.
Here.
you gotta jiggle it.
(unbuckling) there you go.
thanks.
good night.
good night.
Scott came on a show that I was doing called kids incorporated.
I was 12, and I remember, like, being oh, my gosh, this guy is the older guy, and here he comes, and he's so cute, and he's got dimples, and he's going to be on our show.
aren't you just dying to see him? I mean, you know, he'll probably have an accent.
he'll probably say, "hello, darling, it's me.
" when I saw him the first day, um, my first day on party of five, it was very weird, 'cause I didn't think he'd remember me, and he did.
being a new cast member, I can--i can imagine how exciting it must be for them, you know, being on the show, before I'd--Scott being the hunk that he is! um so I was pretty nervous, and I remember it just kind of, like, walking, walking on the lot, going, "ok, I'm going to go in there.
I'm going to try not to be a dork.
let's hope this goes well and they don't fire me my first day.
" originally, Jennifer was supposed to be on the first 9 episodes, but after 2 hours of working with her, you saw what a marvelous, marvelous, incredible talent she was.
once we recognized what kind of a wonderful talent we had in Jennifer, we would've been fools had we let her go.
what a woman, huh? if I were you, I'd marry her.
hey, Kirsten, teach me how to do that.
I thought the wedding episode where Charlie, uh, backs out of his marriage with Kirsten was, uh, was beautiful, and Matthew did some beautiful work in that episode.
I want to get married.
I want to marry you.
ha! That's a good thing, because 9,000 bucks says there's a wedding in our immediate future.
no.
You don't understand.
I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kirsten.
I know that.
I do.
only, I'm not ready.
I'm not ready for the rest of my life to start today.
I think that his experience through his relationship with Kirsten-- you know, he learned a lot from that Give Bailey a little room there.
here we go.
he learned a lot about himself.
little closer in.
now, everybody say forever! forever! forever! forever! forever! the wedding was really--ha ha! that was, uh, uh, f-for me that was really great as an actress to play what happened to that couple.
Charlie, where have you been? nowhere.
just driving.
just driving and-- and--and thinking and trying to figure it all out.
and, ok! ok? I love you.
and--and I'm sorry.
and--yeah.
yes.
I'm saying yes.
'cause saying no is pretty much saying good-bye, right? and I don't want that, Kirsten.
I don't.
so.
so let's do it, ok? let's just do it.
the truest part of that episode and the hardest to feel, because it was so hard, was when she-- she knew she couldn't marry him because she didn't believe him anymore.
I'm afraid to marry you.
I'm afraid of the day you're going to walk in that door and say, "I don't want you anymore.
" I won't say that.
I don't believe you.
I love you, but I don't believe you, and I can't take that chance, because I would die, Charlie.
That's why I'm going to walk away from you.
and from these children who I love.
I believe in happily ever after.
to be honest with you, I still want Charlie and Kirsten together.
I want them together.
I mean, other people come up to me and say they want them together.
I want them together.
I want them to find their way back to each other.
I don't know that-- if that'll happen.
we'll see.
The nominees for best television series drama are And the winner is party of five.
everybody wants to be one evening full of all this, so exciting.
I watched the tape, and I, like, jumped up on my chair.
I'm, like, such an idiot.
but I was so shocked.
I was just, like, glued to the television watching them, and I was so incredibly happy and proud and just amazed.
Lacey and Scott and neve and Matthew and Paula like, all jumping up and down in their chairs, tears falling down their face, and they were going to the stage with Chris and Amy, and I was bawling.
I mean, the show was kind of lingering.
is it gonna go? is it not? I think the golden globe really kind of gave us a push, and I think a lot more people started watching it, actually, because of that exposure.
Here we go.
Uh his almost-wedding with Kirsten.
god, are you handsome, Charlie.
and a potential furniture design job in Seattle.
he shaved? Charlie? one for one.
$32,000 a year? $65,000! ha ha! Can you say rich, Owen? wow.
oh, man.
That's a tough one.
how many women have you slept with? I have no idea.
do you even remember all their names? I'm not 100% sure I knew them all to start with.
this is horrible.
well, I've failed.
Coming up, we go behind the scenes with Jeremy London and Jennifer Aspen plus scenes from the landmark intervention episode, when party of five: a family album continues.
The show couldn't have been as successful as it's been without great casting, and not only did that mean getting the family intact, but also all the people that they've brought in, the love interests and the people that have really become part of the family are all just such great actors and great people.
solid gold hey, Scott, would you make me a sandwich, please? what do you need? uh, peanut butter and spinach.
I get to wear, like, the coolest threads ever.
look at these pants.
milk? it's time to get naked.
shut up, Jeremy.
heh heh! you're gonna get me in trouble.
yeah.
they're airing this, you know.
I have a boyfriend who's going to be watching, going-- oh, come on.
oh, my god! these guys are so after my hottie girlfriend.
you can tell him about us.
It's ok.
(shrieking) shut up! that's how rumors get started, you dummy! I really don't mind.
shut up.
I'll take him on.
shut up.
where is he? who is he? shut up! I'll beat his ass.
Pfft! fillin' up my life with music interrogator: how much fun do you guys have on this show? whenever Jennifer actually really does get naked, we have a lot of fun, but besides that-- Jennifer, shrieking: Jeremy, stop it! it's, like, the best to be Daphne and to be, like, this free spirit and to be able to be goofy and dorky.
it's so much fun.
you have no idea.
you should all try it at home.
All I need is for you to get the hell out of my way.
bay-- I mean it, Charlie.
no! get out of my way! no! come on.
you son of a bitch! aah! oh, my god.
Bailey! the most gratifying thing for me, personally, was the-- the story revolving-- my character's alcoholism.
Claudia on answering machine: it's me.
when are you coming home? call.
Bye.
gonna need another pitcher first.
give me another pitcher, please.
I gotta cut back on the partying.
can we get another? you are all my witnesses.
I am swearing off all forms of partying until I write 10 pages on a poem about a guy named prudence.
this was just a bonus beer for setting a new personal record-- 180 minutes of consecutive studying.
they basically built the story over an entire year.
happy birthday to you whoo! whoo! Whoo! well, that pretty much sucked.
Blow it out, sweetie.
yeah.
whoo! uhh.
Bailey.
w-who the hell put that there? what's goin' on? He's ripped.
oh, my god.
he's what? drunk.
really drunk.
ok, so it's a little messed up, but it's more fun that way, right? hey, what did you expect? I never done this before.
you expect a first-time clown not to make any mistakes? huh?! I want my mommy.
oh, god, don't cry.
he's crying.
hey, come on.
let's get out of here.
I'm talking to my friend here.
I'm teachin' him how to be a man.
bay, I said come on.
I said I'm talk-- Charlie! oh, my god.
if I had to pick like a--a scene that would be my favorite, it's probably the scene where Scott sort of loses it with everybody.
god, do you-- what? What, now you want to give me a lecture on screwing up? talk about hearing it from the master.
I got a better idea, Charlie.
how about we talk about you instead? actually--actually, you know what? I bet some of this would be educational for grace.
Bailey-- I don't wanna hear it.
sure you do.
of course you do.
I mean, how much do you actually know about Charlie's sexual history? stop it, Bailey.
has he cheated on you yet? give it time.
He will.
he's cheated on every other girl he's been with.
Why not you? shut the hell up, Bailey! yeah, the whole episode she's struggling with-- she feels like she's betraying her brother by, you know, ganging up against him, and--and--yet inside, she knows she's actually helping him.
has anyone seen my coat? that's it? yeah, claud, that's it.
no.
no, no, no, no, no, no.
no, no, I can't take this, Bailey.
I mean, you can't do this anymore.
Claudia-- no, Bailey, I mean it.
that's it.
That's it.
I mean, if--if you don't-- if you don't get help, I don't wanna see you.
you can't talk to me, and--and and you can't talk to Owen, and you can't come over to the house, and I'm not gonna come see you, and I'm not gonna call you, and I'm not even gonna think about you.
Claudia, just-- no! I love you more than anyone else.
I love you the best.
you know that.
this is the only thing that I have that I can take away from you to make you stop.
either you get help right now or get out of here.
In that scene, he was so-- he was so angry and so sad and so vulnerable, and it's amazing to me the things that-- that he pulls out of-- he pulls out of himself and out of his heart and his soul.
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Coming up highlights from last season and Lacey chabert takes her trivia challenge, when party of five: a family album returns.
Oh, gosh.
I mean, this is really making me nervous.
oh! I know this.
Um Whitman or something or waltman or some poet or something.
oh, what is it? Whitman.
Walt Whitman.
the teacher even one of Whitman's most popular teachers.
ding ding ding! very good.
The incredi-bra.
the incredi-bra.
yes, that's right.
I can't believe I remembered that.
Uh, which of those? Claudia has avoided, uh, gambling and swearing.
right, and that's why you're acting like such a bitch.
don't say, "bitch"! oh, no.
Charlie, what happened to you? how long am I gonna be stuck in here? How are you feeling? ok.
(coughing) any soreness in the throat? a little.
Owen and claud ok? yeah.
they're fine.
Owen's at home with Sarah.
difficulty swallowing? mm-hmm.
Some.
loss of appetite? yes.
fatigue? yes.
wanna take a minute? nausea? Vomiting? (vomits) Charlie.
yes.
ok.
You know the drill.
Lots of shows have done stories about ill--illness, and they've done it incredibly well.
we thought, how can we tell a story about illness that is specific to this family? I mean, guys take a look at me.
I'm when I'm feelin' like this, which is more every day, I can't--i can't cook, I can't eat, I can barely move.
I mean, how am I supposed to take care of claud and Owen? what happened to the family when the person who's in the position of responsibility becomes the person who needs the care? you guys are great when I feel like hell, when I'm flat on my back, or I've got my head in the toilet.
you make me dinner.
you bring me the cold washcloth, tuck me in by the TV.
but let me feel ok for one day, let me want to do something else besides being sick-- wait.
I-is this about that fishing trip? what, are you mad that we didn't want you to go, we didn't want you wading around in freezing cold water in the middle of nowhere? you--you made me afraid to take a chance.
you could have gotten sick.
heh.
Claudia, I am sick.
but staying in that bed with the covers pulled up to my chin and the two of you spoon-feeding me chicken soup I mean, maybe if I got out of here once in a while and lived a little bit, maybe that'd be what makes the difference.
all of the time that we've seen Charlie, he's always been this person that sort of felt like fate was against him.
and if any phone call were to ring in the middle of the night, it was gonna be bad news.
how's the patient? (coughing) Does that answer your question? well the congestion's loose.
that's a good sign.
how long am I gonna be stuck in here? well, ahh, what can I tell you? um, your color's got room for improvement.
but it's not-- is it that serious? no.
He--he's just got a ways to go before the infection's gone.
but judging from his energy and the fact that he's alert, I'd say it looks, you know not that bad.
I'm sorry.
could you, um could you say that again? No, it's just, um right.
right.
could you give I'm sorry, could you just give me a second here? When he found out that he was in remission and that he was fine, that was really the first time that we've seen him that he felt like, "my god," you know, "I got a second chance here.
" I'm back.
Coming up, Lacey chabert and Claudia salinger both grow up and a very special thank-you to the fans, when party of five: a family album returns.
Salinger, Claudia.
size? um medium? how about extra-small? (girls laugh) um, small's fine.
I guess.
locker 38.
suit up.
ok.
burgess, Kate.
ooh! Sorry.
Sorry.
Lacey, obviously, is the--the one of the four of us who has changed the most since we began.
it's just unbelievable.
what is this, claud, like some big emergency or something? yeah, it is.
I just got my period.
oh.
these have wings.
wings? what is that about, huh? uh, I don't think these are right.
Here.
it's a little strange, you know, growing up in real life and on television, knowing that all these people are watching you and kind of monitoring, you know monitoring what you look like every week and how you're changing.
why is it so impossible that I could have feelings about--about you know, guy stuff?! I mean, just because, I don't know, I mean, I may be small for my age-- well, I do, ok?! I mean, i--i do have those feelings.
so you better just get used to it.
I remember when I was 13, you know, I was--i wouldn't have been able to handle all what she handles.
ay, Claudia.
sometime, the heart do what it want without asking the head.
I had never kissed anyone before, and I hadn't had a boyfriend or anything yet, and so, you know, I read the script and went, "ok.
" you know, I had no idea, like, what to do.
(time after time playing) It was really nervous, you know? I was pretty nervous on set.
I'd never done this before.
And even knowing it's fake, you know, it was still-- there was some part of me that, you know, felt it was real.
Doing a--a show like this is the--one of the few chances we get to actually sort of talk directly to the audience.
(fans clamoring) Oh, my god! my god! if they hadn't stuck with the show, there may not have been the second season for my character to even exist, um, so I owe them an especially huge thank-you.
our fans have really you know, they've been so supportive of our show, and I believe they're a huge reason, you know, why we're still on.
and it's great to know that they're supportive because they--they really care about the characters.
thank you.
Heh heh.
I would say just thank you, and we're glad that, you know, we're glad that they're there.
everybody that comes up to me on the street and, you know, says something about the show is always so positive.
Hey, Matthew! I've never had people come up to me and say bad stuff, which is really nice.
stage announcer: Jennifer love Hewitt! I would just say thank you, and I'd give them all a big hug if there was time, but there's not.
neve Campbell and Paula devicq! and Scott wolf and Lacey chabert! I hope that, uh that everybody out there who is a fan of the show and has been a fan of the show knows how grateful we are for your for how loyal you guys are.
and you, first of all, had a lot to do with keeping us on the air in the first place, and we've tried to continue working hard here to give you the best show we can, and I hope you're still enjoying it.
from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
I got the script, like any other, sort of, audition, um, and read it and had a reaction to this particular script, like, I'm sure, everyone who read it, where, um, I turned to the girl that I was with at the time, I put it down, and I just sort of had tears in my eyes, and I said, "I have to do this.
" we saw him the first-- the first day-- sec--he was, like, the second or third actor, and we both said, um, yepthat's it.
shh.
listen.
Just to keep you up to date-- and don't take this the wrong way-- but I'm going crazy here.
so unless I come up with some kind of nanny soon, I'm gonna have to sell you off to white-slave traders.
now, I know that's not how you pictured yourself growing up, but, hey welcome to the club.
the next 2 people we cast, uh, were, uh, Lacey--Claudia-- and Matthew, as Charlie, and we cast both of them off a videotape from New York, which is a terrible way to cast people.
you're eating your lunch, and you're fast-forwarding through the tapes, and everyone's going, "that's bad.
" "Oh, that's the wrong look.
" "there's a blonde.
" Scene 2.
guess what.
I'm gonna be a screaming girl in the crucible.
no kidding, claud.
a screaming girl? sounds like a great part.
yeah.
Well, I don't actually have any lines.
I just scream a lot.
wanna see? aah! stop it! Stop it! god, you're good there was so much, sort of, sunshine in her face.
and she was so-- it wasn't exactly how she did the scenes.
it was just an essence of her.
what do you mean, you pawned it? I had no choice.
look, I mean, lessons are real expensive, and we're kind of strapped right now.
Owen has no one to take care of him.
I guess I had to choose between my violin and a nanny for my baby brother.
sorry, Ross.
I'm sorry.
we were having a very difficult time with the role of Charlie.
I was hurtin'.
I needed a job.
I was studying in New York, um, and just doing whatever I could do to get by.
and, uh, went into an audition in New York, went on tape.
I remember with Matthew, we were sitting and looking at him, and he was kind of green-- it was very bad lighting, very bad sound-- and somebody said quiet! Wait a second.
look at this guy.
and we all stopped and looked at Matt's--Matthew's tape.
and we went, "oohh" 10 seconds later, we would have gone through that tape, and we would never have seen Matthew.
and I think I was the one who said, "I don't know if he's attractive enough.
" Matthew, on the back of his headshot-- we joke about it-- it said, "can operate farm equipment.
" I'd grown up in Wyoming my whole life.
that's the guy we got to have.
that's the kind of flexibility you need.
most likely to appear on hee haw.
we flew him out to read with Scott, who'd already been cast.
well, Matthew was the first, uhPerson I really talked to of the rest of the cast, actually, at his audition.
we were walking down the hallway, and it was just one of those awkward moments when 2 people are just getting to know each other.
and I was trying to find some sort of common ground or something.
and I turned to him and said "it's funny.
you know, uh wolf, fox.
" fox, wolf--you know.
I said"Yeah.
" kind of strange.
that was kind of-- that was our first heart-to-heart.
you let everyone think you're this great guy just trying to hold his family together.
you're just like a father to us.
even if we know it's a lie.
in trying to cast Julia, we were looking for a 15-year-old.
and we couldn't find anybody.
and we had gone through everyone in Los Angeles and a lot of other cities as well.
and every time we went to the network, they kept, um, they kept sending us back out and saying, "please find someone a little more mature, a little more--" I hate to use the word "sexy" for a 15-year-old, but essentially that's what we were looking for.
neve came in, read, walked out, and I remember all of us turning to Susan edelman, who was our casting director, and saying, "why are you just sitting here? get on the phone!" I really liked this guy, and he dumped me, Bailey.
and you don't know what to say 'cause you don't know how that feels.
and you can't tell me that it's gonna be ok 'cause you don't know that it is.
god, there's no one.
you know, there's no one to tell me what to do.
please, Bailey please just go away.
ok? and finally, they brought us, um, you know, to fox and to Columbia, and they paired us up, you know, as a family, and it was really special.
all of us were waiting in the waiting room, and then they invited Lacey, neve, Scott, and I into the room.
like, well, "should we tell them? should we tell them?" and I thought it was definitely bad news.
and they told them that, you know, guess what, you know, you guys are our family, our salingers and congratulations.
you're the salingers.
we got it.
It was great.
it was very, very exciting.
salinger, party of 5.
we just went nuts, and we're hugging each other, and we all just sort of huddled up and just, sort of, were looking around, just looking at each other's eyes.
and everyone was sort of short of breath and excited.
but you could (snaps fingers) sense right there that this was gonna be something that was--was very special.
you knew that we were going someplace.
kids and dogs, which has presented problems throughout the course of the show.
assistant director: take 7.
one of the funniest things that I remember was, uh, we were doing the pilot, and it was the first scene we shot.
and I think it might have been the first scene in--shot, ever, of party of five.
and neve had to hold the baby (baby fussing) (crying) and this baby is just crying-- screaming and crying.
(crying) shh shh shh Party take one This baby just does not want to be changed, doesn't want to be on the set, just is not interested in anything, and she has to hug him.
(baby talking) (giggling) 28-David, take 6, pickup lines.
(crying) don't start.
(crying louder) Just the look on her face--i felt so badly for her.
waaaaah! I even offered at one point-- I was, like, "Bailey can change the baby in this scene.
" but she was just struggling through it.
and that was, like, our first taste of what it was gonna mean to be working with babies (hiccups) and with dogs.
(ruff) I used to get all the scenes with him.
not that I didn't like him, but he was always slobbering on me, and he was fat.
he's sweet, though.
come on.
be a real dog for once.
we have this phrase, uh-- "just look at the dog.
" (grrrr) and it came from the pilot, because-- it was about mid-- it was maybe, like, 12:30 at night.
and because of the permits they had at this house, we had to get this shot and move on.
and, literally, guys are running in with stands and lights-- running--and things are wobbling and they're-- "rolling! Rolling! let's go!" and someone leans in-- the director leans in and says, "at the end of the shot, look at the dog.
" and, you know, of course, being, you know, actor boy, I kind of said, "why?" and about 8 people turned and just went, "just look at the dog!" so that became our little slogan for "don't ask questions.
just do what we need you to do.
" I think we had 3 weeks to shoot the pilot and to create a family and to make these brothers and sisters believable.
you missed dinner, you know.
it's ok.
I'll grab something.
you know what I mean, Julia.
you missed dinner.
so what? It's not the end of the world.
it's the one thing we agreed to do together.
this is 6 months after their parents have passed away.
and there's, sort of, all these strange dynamics going on.
ok.
So tomorrow we go to Mr.
Graham and we ask him for an advance.
no.
why not? it's an emergency.
because we've got to seem in charge! we've got to seem like we can handle everything ourselves, like a normal family, or else they have an excuse to split us up.
great, Charlie.
thanks.
thanks a lot.
Towards the end of the episode, the most important thing turned out to be the family and their relationships and connections with each other.
Julia, I figure there is so much that I don't know that all I can do is grab on to the stuff that I'm sure of.
you know, like, the five of us, the five of us have to stay together as long as we can.
it just feels right, doesn't it? it's the same thing with this dinner thing.
it's just--i know we have to keep that going.
why? because it matters.
it matters to me.
it matters to the others.
and I know it would have mattered to mom and dad.
I don't think people tuned in at that point, and to this point, to see a group of actors pretending to love each other.
you actually see a group of people who care about each other.
how about that? we just might manage.
So what's everyone having? shove over, Charlie.
glad you made it.
too bad Kirsten couldn't come tonight, huh, bay? Kirsten? Who's Kirsten? she's our new nanny.
oh, yeah? where's the sourdough? he's got it.
so you finally hired someone? yeah.
We have a new nanny.
I want the sourdough.
fine.
it's yours.
eww, gross! You took a bite out of it.
so what's this Kirsten like? she--she's very professional.
yeah do I need a number 2 pencil for the test? Sarah.
"my darling Sarah" you're Sarah, too? she's my namesake.
go on.
whoo-hoo! I passed! Ok? I got my cat, um I have no idea.
i--do I have a cat?! you're giving me a cat? I didn't even know I had a cat, I swear to god! I have a cat?! when did I get a cat? ok.
So I guess this is kind of like a consolation prize, right? lose a mother, gain a pet? hey what episode did that happen in? was that my adoptive parents? did they give me a cat? so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on her, you know, while I'm gone? the cat! I remember that.
I had a cat for one episode, and he was in a cage because he didn't want to be held during the scene.
now I remember.
it's an orange cat.
I remember the cat.
Ok.
all right.
I did have a cat.
the, uh--tshh--i didn't even know I had a cat, so that ques--trigger.
I have no idea.
Barney.
I don't know.
what was the cat's name? well, Amanda just hates traveling with me.
I mean, stuck in that box all day, who can blame her? the cat really--ok.
all right.
Good.
Coming up, the salingers' most dramatic Thanksgiving and how the party almost ended before it began when party of five: a family album continues.
Dinner is served.
Bailey made dinner? can you believe they only give you 6 meatballs in a can? is that a ripoff? gosh, we must have done 6 or 7 episodes before it even started airing.
and it was doing really bad in the beginning.
you think it's always gonna be like this for us? no.
maybe these are the good old days.
I remember that, in the beginning, I was a little bit frustrated and--and, like, you know, "why aren't people catching on to this?" there's a way to handle these people.
not that I have the slightest clue what it is.
All I could do was keep working, keep going to work and hoping we weren't gonna get told that morning that we were done.
what do you got? nothing! what do you got? Nada! what do you got? Zilch! and for a while, our first season, that's what it was like.
you know, we'd come to work and just really hope that this wasn't gonna be the day where they say we couldn't do it anymore.
Walter alcott was released from prison last week.
he wants to see you.
the Thanksgiving episode in the very first season was one of my favorites, when they deal with the drunk driver who killed their parents.
are you saying you want to see him? I'm not sure.
forget it.
he can shove his apology.
it doesn't do me any good.
it was one of the first more really, really dramatic episodes that we had-- well, they're all pretty dramatic.
but, uh, you know, a really big episode that we had done together.
I'm Claudia salinger.
(doorbell rings) I'm their youngest daughter.
I just wanted to see what you look like.
My brother, he's gonna walk soon, and they're not gonna see it because of you! because you had a few drinks! and you got in your car, and you went through that intersection, and you killed them! the only thing I can do for you is tell you that we're gonna be ok.
go see him, Charlie.
it'll help.
yeah, him.
no, us! I'm telling you, it's hard.
but it's not the hardest thing in the world to say, "I forgive you.
" yes, it is.
out of these sad, hard moments come these revelations, and you see these characters go through that and come out better or smarter or, um, or just, you know, wise, more wise.
hey, how come some of the headstones have stones on them? some people like to leave something behind, kind of as a way of showing they were here.
I think the one thing about party of five and the salinger family are the issues they face are timeless.
it doesn't matter whether you're living in the 1930s, the 1970s, or the 2010s.
the issue of family getting along with one another, loving one another, frustrating one another, the issue of family helping one another are issues that have always existed and will always exist.
pez? Ha ha! Sure.
Why not? that's a good idea.
hey, you know what, claud? you're it.
what? Hey, no fair.
hey, no fair! (laughing, shouting) During the period of time where it looked like we were going to get canceled and they started these letter-writing campaigns and these, uh, save-our-show campaigns, and we--people really responded well to the show, and had a lot to do with keeping us around.
the response we got was over-- I mean, really, like buckets and buckets and buckets of fan mail, and not the fan mail that you'd think.
we'd get these petitions from law firms signed by lawyers and, uh, paralegals and secretaries and the janitorial staff.
I mean, everyone would sign these big-- big petitions.
yeah.
I remember we got-- we got one petition, uh, with something like 300 names, um, all written in exactly the same handwriting.
that small, loyal audience that we did have is what made us stay on the air.
I, uh, had an imaginary friend when I was a kid.
no kidding? that's supposed to be a sign of real sensitivity.
trivia.
interrogator: what was the name of the imaginary friend you made up to impress Kirsten? uh, ha ha ha! what is his name? does it start with a "h"? (whispering) Damn.
uh, there's a middle initial, isn't there? um (droning) how am I doing? could be wolfman-- what's the first one? Lloyd.
Lloyd l.
Loomis.
Lloyd.
W.
Loomis.
Lloyd w.
Loomis.
Lloyd w.
Loomis.
oh, man.
It could've been--i uh, 900.
well? well? yes! Uh, what college did I want to go to? uh (softly) Boston university? (suppressed giggling) you got into college? Hampshire state? Hampshire state? How can clau--oh! my no--oh! my dimples do something.
it's the dimples.
what? my dimples quiver or something.
when something's going on, they pulse.
they pulse.
interrogator: how old was Bailey when he had his tonsils removed? oh, that's a recent one.
say ahh.
ahh.
that was just from last episode.
ahh, you had them out when you were 12? is it my tonsils, Dr.
Bob? you don't have any tonsils, fella.
took 'em out when you were 8.
(buzzing) (whispering) Damn.
Love is in the air but marriage isn't when party of five: a family album returns.
So, school starts tomorrow.
(surf pounding) would you believe it? where did the summer go? who knows, you know? maybe it'll be a great year.
maybe.
I don't think I was really what they had in mind originally for Sarah.
when I was sitting in the waiting room full of-- full of girls with tons of makeup on, and, you know, like these--these great figures and bombshell-looking, and, um, they were older.
they were probably, you know, like, mid 20s, and I was 16.
I'm not her, Bailey.
I'm not Jo.
I came around, and I'm kind of-- kind of goofy and nerdy, and so Sarah became that, too.
I was trying to figure out something to say to you-- something helpful-- and all I could think of is oy.
that pretty much sums it up.
oy.
yeah.
somehow, the two of us have a chemistry or I don't know what.
you know, there's a lot of different words for it.
what? do I have something on my face? we're here.
oh.
well, thanks for the lift.
thanks for all the lifts this summer.
sure.
oh.
Here.
you gotta jiggle it.
(unbuckling) there you go.
thanks.
good night.
good night.
Scott came on a show that I was doing called kids incorporated.
I was 12, and I remember, like, being oh, my gosh, this guy is the older guy, and here he comes, and he's so cute, and he's got dimples, and he's going to be on our show.
aren't you just dying to see him? I mean, you know, he'll probably have an accent.
he'll probably say, "hello, darling, it's me.
" when I saw him the first day, um, my first day on party of five, it was very weird, 'cause I didn't think he'd remember me, and he did.
being a new cast member, I can--i can imagine how exciting it must be for them, you know, being on the show, before I'd--Scott being the hunk that he is! um so I was pretty nervous, and I remember it just kind of, like, walking, walking on the lot, going, "ok, I'm going to go in there.
I'm going to try not to be a dork.
let's hope this goes well and they don't fire me my first day.
" originally, Jennifer was supposed to be on the first 9 episodes, but after 2 hours of working with her, you saw what a marvelous, marvelous, incredible talent she was.
once we recognized what kind of a wonderful talent we had in Jennifer, we would've been fools had we let her go.
what a woman, huh? if I were you, I'd marry her.
hey, Kirsten, teach me how to do that.
I thought the wedding episode where Charlie, uh, backs out of his marriage with Kirsten was, uh, was beautiful, and Matthew did some beautiful work in that episode.
I want to get married.
I want to marry you.
ha! That's a good thing, because 9,000 bucks says there's a wedding in our immediate future.
no.
You don't understand.
I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kirsten.
I know that.
I do.
only, I'm not ready.
I'm not ready for the rest of my life to start today.
I think that his experience through his relationship with Kirsten-- you know, he learned a lot from that Give Bailey a little room there.
here we go.
he learned a lot about himself.
little closer in.
now, everybody say forever! forever! forever! forever! forever! the wedding was really--ha ha! that was, uh, uh, f-for me that was really great as an actress to play what happened to that couple.
Charlie, where have you been? nowhere.
just driving.
just driving and-- and--and thinking and trying to figure it all out.
and, ok! ok? I love you.
and--and I'm sorry.
and--yeah.
yes.
I'm saying yes.
'cause saying no is pretty much saying good-bye, right? and I don't want that, Kirsten.
I don't.
so.
so let's do it, ok? let's just do it.
the truest part of that episode and the hardest to feel, because it was so hard, was when she-- she knew she couldn't marry him because she didn't believe him anymore.
I'm afraid to marry you.
I'm afraid of the day you're going to walk in that door and say, "I don't want you anymore.
" I won't say that.
I don't believe you.
I love you, but I don't believe you, and I can't take that chance, because I would die, Charlie.
That's why I'm going to walk away from you.
and from these children who I love.
I believe in happily ever after.
to be honest with you, I still want Charlie and Kirsten together.
I want them together.
I mean, other people come up to me and say they want them together.
I want them together.
I want them to find their way back to each other.
I don't know that-- if that'll happen.
we'll see.
The nominees for best television series drama are And the winner is party of five.
everybody wants to be one evening full of all this, so exciting.
I watched the tape, and I, like, jumped up on my chair.
I'm, like, such an idiot.
but I was so shocked.
I was just, like, glued to the television watching them, and I was so incredibly happy and proud and just amazed.
Lacey and Scott and neve and Matthew and Paula like, all jumping up and down in their chairs, tears falling down their face, and they were going to the stage with Chris and Amy, and I was bawling.
I mean, the show was kind of lingering.
is it gonna go? is it not? I think the golden globe really kind of gave us a push, and I think a lot more people started watching it, actually, because of that exposure.
Here we go.
Uh his almost-wedding with Kirsten.
god, are you handsome, Charlie.
and a potential furniture design job in Seattle.
he shaved? Charlie? one for one.
$32,000 a year? $65,000! ha ha! Can you say rich, Owen? wow.
oh, man.
That's a tough one.
how many women have you slept with? I have no idea.
do you even remember all their names? I'm not 100% sure I knew them all to start with.
this is horrible.
well, I've failed.
Coming up, we go behind the scenes with Jeremy London and Jennifer Aspen plus scenes from the landmark intervention episode, when party of five: a family album continues.
The show couldn't have been as successful as it's been without great casting, and not only did that mean getting the family intact, but also all the people that they've brought in, the love interests and the people that have really become part of the family are all just such great actors and great people.
solid gold hey, Scott, would you make me a sandwich, please? what do you need? uh, peanut butter and spinach.
I get to wear, like, the coolest threads ever.
look at these pants.
milk? it's time to get naked.
shut up, Jeremy.
heh heh! you're gonna get me in trouble.
yeah.
they're airing this, you know.
I have a boyfriend who's going to be watching, going-- oh, come on.
oh, my god! these guys are so after my hottie girlfriend.
you can tell him about us.
It's ok.
(shrieking) shut up! that's how rumors get started, you dummy! I really don't mind.
shut up.
I'll take him on.
shut up.
where is he? who is he? shut up! I'll beat his ass.
Pfft! fillin' up my life with music interrogator: how much fun do you guys have on this show? whenever Jennifer actually really does get naked, we have a lot of fun, but besides that-- Jennifer, shrieking: Jeremy, stop it! it's, like, the best to be Daphne and to be, like, this free spirit and to be able to be goofy and dorky.
it's so much fun.
you have no idea.
you should all try it at home.
All I need is for you to get the hell out of my way.
bay-- I mean it, Charlie.
no! get out of my way! no! come on.
you son of a bitch! aah! oh, my god.
Bailey! the most gratifying thing for me, personally, was the-- the story revolving-- my character's alcoholism.
Claudia on answering machine: it's me.
when are you coming home? call.
Bye.
gonna need another pitcher first.
give me another pitcher, please.
I gotta cut back on the partying.
can we get another? you are all my witnesses.
I am swearing off all forms of partying until I write 10 pages on a poem about a guy named prudence.
this was just a bonus beer for setting a new personal record-- 180 minutes of consecutive studying.
they basically built the story over an entire year.
happy birthday to you whoo! whoo! Whoo! well, that pretty much sucked.
Blow it out, sweetie.
yeah.
whoo! uhh.
Bailey.
w-who the hell put that there? what's goin' on? He's ripped.
oh, my god.
he's what? drunk.
really drunk.
ok, so it's a little messed up, but it's more fun that way, right? hey, what did you expect? I never done this before.
you expect a first-time clown not to make any mistakes? huh?! I want my mommy.
oh, god, don't cry.
he's crying.
hey, come on.
let's get out of here.
I'm talking to my friend here.
I'm teachin' him how to be a man.
bay, I said come on.
I said I'm talk-- Charlie! oh, my god.
if I had to pick like a--a scene that would be my favorite, it's probably the scene where Scott sort of loses it with everybody.
god, do you-- what? What, now you want to give me a lecture on screwing up? talk about hearing it from the master.
I got a better idea, Charlie.
how about we talk about you instead? actually--actually, you know what? I bet some of this would be educational for grace.
Bailey-- I don't wanna hear it.
sure you do.
of course you do.
I mean, how much do you actually know about Charlie's sexual history? stop it, Bailey.
has he cheated on you yet? give it time.
He will.
he's cheated on every other girl he's been with.
Why not you? shut the hell up, Bailey! yeah, the whole episode she's struggling with-- she feels like she's betraying her brother by, you know, ganging up against him, and--and--yet inside, she knows she's actually helping him.
has anyone seen my coat? that's it? yeah, claud, that's it.
no.
no, no, no, no, no, no.
no, no, I can't take this, Bailey.
I mean, you can't do this anymore.
Claudia-- no, Bailey, I mean it.
that's it.
That's it.
I mean, if--if you don't-- if you don't get help, I don't wanna see you.
you can't talk to me, and--and and you can't talk to Owen, and you can't come over to the house, and I'm not gonna come see you, and I'm not gonna call you, and I'm not even gonna think about you.
Claudia, just-- no! I love you more than anyone else.
I love you the best.
you know that.
this is the only thing that I have that I can take away from you to make you stop.
either you get help right now or get out of here.
In that scene, he was so-- he was so angry and so sad and so vulnerable, and it's amazing to me the things that-- that he pulls out of-- he pulls out of himself and out of his heart and his soul.
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Coming up highlights from last season and Lacey chabert takes her trivia challenge, when party of five: a family album returns.
Oh, gosh.
I mean, this is really making me nervous.
oh! I know this.
Um Whitman or something or waltman or some poet or something.
oh, what is it? Whitman.
Walt Whitman.
the teacher even one of Whitman's most popular teachers.
ding ding ding! very good.
The incredi-bra.
the incredi-bra.
yes, that's right.
I can't believe I remembered that.
Uh, which of those? Claudia has avoided, uh, gambling and swearing.
right, and that's why you're acting like such a bitch.
don't say, "bitch"! oh, no.
Charlie, what happened to you? how long am I gonna be stuck in here? How are you feeling? ok.
(coughing) any soreness in the throat? a little.
Owen and claud ok? yeah.
they're fine.
Owen's at home with Sarah.
difficulty swallowing? mm-hmm.
Some.
loss of appetite? yes.
fatigue? yes.
wanna take a minute? nausea? Vomiting? (vomits) Charlie.
yes.
ok.
You know the drill.
Lots of shows have done stories about ill--illness, and they've done it incredibly well.
we thought, how can we tell a story about illness that is specific to this family? I mean, guys take a look at me.
I'm when I'm feelin' like this, which is more every day, I can't--i can't cook, I can't eat, I can barely move.
I mean, how am I supposed to take care of claud and Owen? what happened to the family when the person who's in the position of responsibility becomes the person who needs the care? you guys are great when I feel like hell, when I'm flat on my back, or I've got my head in the toilet.
you make me dinner.
you bring me the cold washcloth, tuck me in by the TV.
but let me feel ok for one day, let me want to do something else besides being sick-- wait.
I-is this about that fishing trip? what, are you mad that we didn't want you to go, we didn't want you wading around in freezing cold water in the middle of nowhere? you--you made me afraid to take a chance.
you could have gotten sick.
heh.
Claudia, I am sick.
but staying in that bed with the covers pulled up to my chin and the two of you spoon-feeding me chicken soup I mean, maybe if I got out of here once in a while and lived a little bit, maybe that'd be what makes the difference.
all of the time that we've seen Charlie, he's always been this person that sort of felt like fate was against him.
and if any phone call were to ring in the middle of the night, it was gonna be bad news.
how's the patient? (coughing) Does that answer your question? well the congestion's loose.
that's a good sign.
how long am I gonna be stuck in here? well, ahh, what can I tell you? um, your color's got room for improvement.
but it's not-- is it that serious? no.
He--he's just got a ways to go before the infection's gone.
but judging from his energy and the fact that he's alert, I'd say it looks, you know not that bad.
I'm sorry.
could you, um could you say that again? No, it's just, um right.
right.
could you give I'm sorry, could you just give me a second here? When he found out that he was in remission and that he was fine, that was really the first time that we've seen him that he felt like, "my god," you know, "I got a second chance here.
" I'm back.
Coming up, Lacey chabert and Claudia salinger both grow up and a very special thank-you to the fans, when party of five: a family album returns.
Salinger, Claudia.
size? um medium? how about extra-small? (girls laugh) um, small's fine.
I guess.
locker 38.
suit up.
ok.
burgess, Kate.
ooh! Sorry.
Sorry.
Lacey, obviously, is the--the one of the four of us who has changed the most since we began.
it's just unbelievable.
what is this, claud, like some big emergency or something? yeah, it is.
I just got my period.
oh.
these have wings.
wings? what is that about, huh? uh, I don't think these are right.
Here.
it's a little strange, you know, growing up in real life and on television, knowing that all these people are watching you and kind of monitoring, you know monitoring what you look like every week and how you're changing.
why is it so impossible that I could have feelings about--about you know, guy stuff?! I mean, just because, I don't know, I mean, I may be small for my age-- well, I do, ok?! I mean, i--i do have those feelings.
so you better just get used to it.
I remember when I was 13, you know, I was--i wouldn't have been able to handle all what she handles.
ay, Claudia.
sometime, the heart do what it want without asking the head.
I had never kissed anyone before, and I hadn't had a boyfriend or anything yet, and so, you know, I read the script and went, "ok.
" you know, I had no idea, like, what to do.
(time after time playing) It was really nervous, you know? I was pretty nervous on set.
I'd never done this before.
And even knowing it's fake, you know, it was still-- there was some part of me that, you know, felt it was real.
Doing a--a show like this is the--one of the few chances we get to actually sort of talk directly to the audience.
(fans clamoring) Oh, my god! my god! if they hadn't stuck with the show, there may not have been the second season for my character to even exist, um, so I owe them an especially huge thank-you.
our fans have really you know, they've been so supportive of our show, and I believe they're a huge reason, you know, why we're still on.
and it's great to know that they're supportive because they--they really care about the characters.
thank you.
Heh heh.
I would say just thank you, and we're glad that, you know, we're glad that they're there.
everybody that comes up to me on the street and, you know, says something about the show is always so positive.
Hey, Matthew! I've never had people come up to me and say bad stuff, which is really nice.
stage announcer: Jennifer love Hewitt! I would just say thank you, and I'd give them all a big hug if there was time, but there's not.
neve Campbell and Paula devicq! and Scott wolf and Lacey chabert! I hope that, uh that everybody out there who is a fan of the show and has been a fan of the show knows how grateful we are for your for how loyal you guys are.
and you, first of all, had a lot to do with keeping us on the air in the first place, and we've tried to continue working hard here to give you the best show we can, and I hope you're still enjoying it.
from the bottom of my heart, thank you.