Guest Star Goodness: Kellie Martin on Satisfaction “…Through Self Discovery” 

I’ve got to give it to Adriana. She’s persistent and I like that about her. She schedules an appointment with Neil, under a different name of course, claiming she needs a legitimate financial advisor. Whatever amount she lists as her assets clearly impresses Neil, but he still refuses to entertain her offer. Good, Adriana was just testing him anyway. She’s really there to set him up on a date. And although Neil claims he’s not interested, he eventually decides to go.

Kellie Martin’s Jennifer mistakes Neil for the limo driver when he arrives. Recently divorced and unsure how to jump back into the dating game (or if that’s even what she wants), her friends have hired Neil to be her date for the night. She’s clearly reluctant to go along with this scheme, but almost from the moment they get into the limo it’s evident that Neil understands exactly what she needs. And even though she wasn’t a tequila person (or a much of a dancer) before, maybe it’s time for her to try new things.

When they get to the club and Jennifer’s girlfriends are dancing, both Neil and Jennifer admit that it isn’t their scene. Neil asks about her marriage and Jennifer admits she and her husband David were too focused on themselves and their careers to have kids. But the reason they broke up was because Jennifer knew something was off her in marriage. She thinks she chose her partner to hide from herself. Jennifer never really figured out who she was when she was with David and now that they’re no longer together she’s discovering all these part of herself she never realized existed. Not all of them are great, but when Neil asks if she would’ve been happier not knowing about those parts of herself she says no. She realizes she wanted herself to be someone she wasn’t. Neil asks who she wants to be now and tells Jennifer if she does what feels right, everything else will fall into place.

I’m enjoying Neil’s journey as he continues to stumble towards enlightenment. Adriana knew Jennifer needed Neil. We have no idea how many escorts work for her, but Adriana continues to see something in Neil that make her want to work with him. She hasn’t become the successful businesswoman she is today without taking risks and knowing what her clients want. So it’s no surprise that even though Jennifer seemed to be fighting her attraction to and connection with Neil from the beginning of the night, she eventually lets go. After ten years of being in a relationship where she was hiding from herself, isn’t it time?

Other Developments

Anika is such an interesting kid. I don’t love that she keeps such a huge secret from her parents, but I do love that she doesn’t really let them get away with anything. I’m still on the fence about Stephanie. On the one hand, it’s nice that Anika feels she’s got an adult to talk to. Her parents often seem too busy for her and Anika does need some parental guidance. But I just worry that Stephanie doesn’t make great choices, even if she’s the only one around when Anika needs someone. And I’m not sure how Anika became the type of person who believes you should say (or sing) your feelings, but I like that she won’t cut Neil any slack. She knows that their forced family outing is only a photo-op to make him look good for the judge. She knows he doesn’t mean even one word of the speech he’s writing to give in court. I’ll admit it, I was totally fooled by Neil daydream of saying what he really wanted to in court. Of course I know why he didn’t, but I was really proud of him there for minute. I get it though. We all do things from time to time that we really don’t want to do. It’s a part of life.

When Grace confronts Stephanie about Anika, we get a really interesting peek into how their childhood must have been – and what made these two sisters into the women they are today. Stephanie accuses her sister of hating her life and taking it out on her child. Ouch. That was a tough scene to watch, but it was also essential in giving us some insight into why Grace is so serious about joining the workforce again and essentially “rebranding” herself. Maybe it’s Stephanie’s words and/or her inability to connect with Neil that sends her back to Simon, but we knew she wasn’t done with him so it’s not a surprise. And this is good for Simon as well, considering his financial straits. He went to Adriana to take his career to the next level, but she didn’t seem that impressed. We know she was was comparing him to Neil, so even now Neil continues to have influence over his life without Simon even realizing it.

Question
I’m a little confused about Donna. Neil ostensibly goes to the bowling alley to apologize for his actions. But then Donna tells him she’s bringing a civil suit against him for ruining her life. She clearly has a bone to pick with one-percenters and I guess Neil’s as good a target as any, but I don’t understand how her suit isn’t frivolous. I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be tossed out immediately, so I guess Donna is going to play a role in Neil’s enlightenment. But this had better get more interesting quickly, or I’m gonna check out of this subplot.

Great line

Adriana: “You don’t have to give up everything to find out who you really are.”

Satisfaction airs Thursdays at 10/9c on USA Network.