Back Up, Dancer

Back Up, Dancer is the 2nd episode of the seventh season and 148th overall.

Jack starts his gig as one of Janet Jackson's back-up dancer. Will begins to neglect Vince as Grace's depression over her marriage worsens.

Synopsis[]

A dance-off sponsored by Penzoil[]

Jack starts his gig as a back-up dancer for Janet Jackson, who impulsively decides that one dancer be let go. Jack, being the newest member is pitted against Artemus Johnson, the guy who had been in the company the longest, in a dance-off.

A newly divorced Karen visits Jack in the studio and sees Artemus, who is revealed to be a former lover and the two get back together. Deeply infatuated with her rebound guy, Karen asks Jack to let Artemus win but a furious Jack refuses. During the dance-off, Karen hopelessly pleads with Jack to lose and he ultimately gives in. Artemus then and there breaks up with Karen, saying he only used her to win against Jack. However, Janet Jackson reconsiders and decides that she only needs four dancers, effectively firing both Jack and Artemus.

Do I look like I became gay yesterday?[]

Back up — "When you date Will, you kinda date Will and Grace."

Grace is depressed after her failed marriage and Will tries by supporting her emotionally, even at the cost of spending less time with his boyfriend Vince. When an emotional Grace calls Will while having an important dinner with Vince and his superior officer, Will leaves to attend to her. Vince later confronts her, telling her that she is affecting his relationship with Will because she is too needy. This prompts Grace and Vince to bicker, with the two asking Will to choose between them.

Though he deeply cares for Vince, Will chooses Grace because they have been friends for a long time, and how dating him means also means dating Grace, as well. Vince however, calls him out, saying he is only dating Will and won't settle for less. Before Vince could leave, Will promises to work on things. When Vince sees Grace's wedding album, he and Grace bond over it.

Cast[]

Main[]

Guest[]

Janet Jackson (Herself)
Bobby Cannavale (Vince D'Angelo)
Will Arnett (Artemus Johnson)
Steve Ryan (Lieutenant)
Andrew Ableson (Choreographer)

Notes[]

This was part of Janet Jackson's comeback to acting role in nearly two decades. Several months prior to her appearance, she hosted Saturday Night Live and her infamous Super Bowl performance with Justin Timberlake.
Jack and Artemus dance-off to Janet Jackson's The Pleasure Principle (1986).
Grace does her "whoa" expression again in this episode.

Cultural references[]

When Jack mentions he needs sleep because he needs to be "in control", he is referring to Janet Jackson's 1986 album Control.
Deciding to cut down the numbers of dancers to five, Janet Jackson states that she feels a "connection between Jackson and 5", a clear reference to the band The Jackson 5, composed of her siblings.
- Jack cluelessly tells Janet that five is "the number of people in a ménage à trois," which is a sexual relation between three people.
During the end credits, Jack claims he had danced with "two of the three greatest dancers of our time", after his stint dancing for Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson, who both appeared as themselves. The third "great dancer", Madonna, appeared but as the office manager Liz in season 5 thus did not get to dance with Jack.

Media[]

Quotes[]

I've gotta find the ladies' room. It's true what they say: You don't buy tequila. You rent it. — Karen

Jack:	Hey, great entrance.
Janet Jackson:	Thank you. It costs a little extra, but I make up for it by having all of you guys pay for your own costumes.

Like a Sicilian woman's eyebrows, we could not be kept apart. — Artemus Johnson

Grace:	You know, this is really bad timing. You getting involved with someone while I'm going through all this.
Will:	You're right. This is worse than when I arranged to have my grandmother die the day you wanted to see the Lizzie McGuire movie.

it's a shame so many racial epithets have fallen out since the civil rights movement. — Will

Vince:	This is a relation-ship. If one of the crew goes overboard, the ship sinks.
Will:	No, it doesn't. That's a terrible metaphor.
Vince:	You're a terrible metaphor!
Will:	That's a comeback?!
Vince:	You're a comeback!

—when Will ditches Vince for Grace

Vince:	That's a nice dress.
Grace:	Vera Wang.
Vince:	Do I look like I became gay yesterday?

—looking at Grace's wedding album

Vince:	This is Leo?
Grace:	Yeah.
Vince:	He looks shifty. Give me his license, I'll have his car booted.
Grace:	Thank you, Vince.