It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World

It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World is the 21st episode of the seventh season, and 167th overall.

Grace is obligated to spend time with her father Martin on his birthday. Jack sets Will up on a blind date.

Synopsis[]

We don't want the cat running off again[]

Grace gets a call from her mother saying that it will only be three of them for Grace's father's birthday. Dreading time alone with her parents, she tries to get Will to come with her at their home in Schenectady but Will instead agrees to go on a blind date set up by Jack.

Karen accompanies Grace to her parents' house and find out that her mother will also be leaving, being the understudy of a local production of Les Misérables. Grace is uncomfortable over the spending time alone with her father, because according to her, all he does is tell the same jokes about her childhood. Karen tells Grace that if she doesn't like the relationship she has with her father then she should work to change it by spending time with him, so Grace accompanies his father to play golf. While riding in the golf cart, Grace's dad takes a turn a little too quick and Grace flies off the cart and rolls down the hill.

When they get back to the clubhouse, Grace expresses to Martin her frustrations about their relationship, saying he is only interested in her is when he can make jokes about her, before storming off upset. Martin returns home and tries to fix things with her daughters by offering to have a sincere conversation. As they sit down, the bottom of Grace's chair gives out and her butt falls on the floor. Martin keeps himself from making a joke and tries to carry on the conversation and Grace recognizes her father's effort to make a connection with her. He tells Grace that he loves her, but that she needs to help him out and to not expect any miracles. She thanks him for trying and wishes him a happy birthday.

Pink'd[]

Mangirdle — I got it in the man's section at Victoria's Secret

Will agrees to go on a blind date Jack set up for him. when he arrives at the restaurant, he is surprised to see that the guy, Desmond, is actually blind. Desmond asks if he can touch Will's face to feel how good-looking he is and concludes that Will is a "dog". Upset, Will and angrily asks the other patrons to tell his date that he is attractive. When no one responds, Jack and a crew of cameramen burst into the room announcing that the whole date was a set up for OutTV's version of Punk'd called Pink'd.

Later, Jack comes over to get Will's signature on the release for Pink'd but Will refuses, saying he is humiliated and that Jack played on his insecurities about his appearance and throws Jack out. He comes back over a little later and tries to apologize to Will. Jack reassures Will that the whole thing was funny only because Will is actually attractive, and tries to sympathize with Will by revealing the "man-girdle" he is wearing because of his own insecurities. With Jack's girdle exposed, the crew of Pink'd comes out to surprise him, and Will gets his revenge. Jack unknowingly signs the release when Will tells him it is a "waiver for unlimited use in perpetuity around the universe".

Cast[]

Main[]

Guest []

Debbie Reynolds (Bobbi Adler)
Alan Arkin (Martin Adler)
Lee Majors (Burt Wolfe)
John Ducey (Jamie)
Christopher Gartin (Desmond)

Notes[]

Jordana Arkin's only writing credit for the show. Though they share the same last name, she is not related to Alan Arkin who guest starred in the episode.
The title of this episode is a play off the 1963 film, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
This episode marks Grace's father Martin's only onscreen appearance during the original series. He appears again during the revival series, but has been recast and played by Robert Klein.
- This is also the only episode where Martin and Bobbi appear together on-screen.

Cultural references[]

When Jack first mentions his new TV show to Will and Grace, he describes it as secret, and "very Wisteria Lane", after the fictional street where the mystery drama series Desperate Housewives is set.
- Coincidentally, Christopher Gartin who plays Will's blind date in this episode would later appear in Desperate Housewives.

Jack tells Grace that he imagines her father as "Judd Hirsch... America's cranky Jew".
As Jack mentions, his TV show Pink'd is a spoof on MTV series Punk'd, then hosted by Ashton Kutcher. During the revelation scene, Jack's outfit is similar to that of Kutcher's.
After Grace falls off in the golf course, Burt jokes if she saw a Titleist 4 down there. Titleist is an American brand of golf clubs.

Quotes[]

How's everything going with your dad? Has he stopped seeing you as a big joke? 'Cause when you figure out how he does it, tell me. — Karen

Burt Wolfe:	Burt Wolfe, semi-retired.
Karen:	Karen Walker... semi hard.