Episode Guide

Season 2

Episode 16- The Bride of Tupperman

The Case

Alan Tupperman hires Blue Moon to find a woman. The twist is that he doesn't know who she is. He wants them to find his perfect mate,one he'd be willing to marry. Maddie doesn't want the case, Blue Moon isn't a dating service. David convinces Maddie to do it. They start looking for this woman and it quickly becomes apparent that Maddie and David are interpreting Tupperman's requirements very differently. They decide that they will each find this 'perfect woman' on their own and present both choices to Tupperman for him to choose. He appears to choose David's woman, but later they find out he actually chose both and is already married! They go to Connecticut to confront him and find David's woman dead and Tupperman in the hospital from a car accident. Dave and Maddie find Tupperman in the hospital and David figures out Tupperman's scheme during the commercial break.

What's Really Going on Chris?

Maddie's date cancels on her and she's annoyed because she hates to eat dinner alone. David offers to take her out and she doesn't say no. Unfortunately they can't agree on what to do- they have different tastes in music, food, movies etc. They never actually go on the date because Alan Tupperman shows up with his case.
Later, when they go looking for Alan Tupperman's' woman,' David and Maddie have a discussion about what the 'ideal' woman is, of course they disagree. David interprets Tupperman's list of requirements as someone who looks good, has motor skills, is young and hot, turns the flame up and what every man wants, a woman that makes him feels like a man. Maddie interprets the list as a mature, intelligent woman with substance. She tells David that he just described an oversexed packhorse with a g-string and a lobotomy. She asks what about companionship, laughter, and fun? A mate should be your friend-someone to share a life together. David says Tupperman's list means she has to be willing and female and that love isn't blind. He explains that the woman you love should be more important than water or air or Monday Night Football. Maddie responds that men always think below their belt buckle, that given a choice between physical beauty and emotional substance they always choose physical beauty. David finds this ironic coming from Maddie, Miss made-a-million-bucks-off-my-physical-beauty-but-not-a-dime-off-my-emotional-substance Hayes.

Chris's Obsessive Analysis

This episode is really interesting because it shows how Maddie and David both view romance and love. Their views differ, but as usual they are both right and wrong (which is always what makes their arguments so great!!)
Maddie and David essentially take very stereotypical views on love. To David, love is about passion. It's about finding someone that you are attracted sexually to, that makes a man feel like a man and becomes becomes more important than air or water. Maddie's true love is a friend. A companion you can share a life with. It's really more interesting to me what they left out. David's description of love and finding a lifelong mate is devoid of any emotional attachment other than sexual. Why is that? He can't seriously believe a long term relationship can be based solely on looks or sex, he's not that juvenile or stupid. Does he avoid emotional attachments in order to keep things 'simple' or because he's afraid to get hurt? And what about Maddie? She is not that naive or stupid herself to believe that physical attraction or sex is not important to a long term relationship. Why does she completely negate it's importance? As a model did she tire of being men's object of physical beauty? Or is she insecure about how she looks as she ages and therefore resents it's importance (and the attention she got in the past) to men? These questions are all answered later in the series. What is kind of funny is that they both describe how they feel about each other (or will) and they don't know it yet. Maddie becomes as important to David as water or air. David is a friend that Maddie has fun with, laughs with and is a constant companion.

Memorable Moments

Maddie and David trying to figure out where to go on their 'date'
David and Maddie discussing the perfect woman
Maddie interviewing prospective women
Maddie telling David he looks 'naked' without his strut
Maddie and David on the plane
David breaking into Tupperman's house with Maddie's shoe

Links

Back to the Episode Guide main page
The next episode, "North by North DiPesto"
Brian's "The Bride of Tupperman" page
Aubrey's Blue Moon Banter page for this episode