Get Real

Summary
A colorful breaks down in Cicely, carrying a traveling  whose nonverbal " man" takes a fancy to Marilyn. But there's in store for Shelly when Holling takes note of her "inordinately large". Meanwhile, as Chris becomes captivated by the mysteries of magic, Joel hits the books after deciding on a.

Plot
On a small backwoods road, Ed is fixing a, when he spots a crowd of people trudging towards him. The group is apparently a circus troupe whose has broken down, and Ed points them towards Cicely, only a half mile away. He watches them pass in awe and wonder as a floats by.

On KBHR, Chris announces that the Ludwig Wittgenstein Masquerade and Reality Company has made an unscheduled stop in Cicely, thanks to a broken-down. The troupe is seen in the middle of town, gathered around their towed bus. Jugglers, children, and a bear mill around, and a young girl asks her father Steve, who heads the troupe, for her. A man separates himself from the group and begins quickly following and then overtaking Marilyn, bowing his head and introducing himself to her with a notecard as Enrico Bellati. She states her name and then he gestures towards his ring finger, then her hand to mean if she is married. Marilyn replies that she's available, but not interested, and walks off, leaving the man alone with a half-smile as he watches her walk away.

At his office, Joel is gloating over reading his medical school alumni newsletter as Marilyn walks in. He tells her about one of his smug classmates who got assigned to a remote place in Alaska, like he did. Joel feels glad but then reads of another classmate who he says was not a very good student, get an upscale position on, causing Joel to feel jealous as Marilyn bores him with trivial office supply needs. Joel rambles on about the mundanity of his position and Enrico is then seen standing outside the office window waving to Marilyn who does not look pleased at her newfound stalker at first but, after a smile and nod from him, she smiles slightly. Joel stops rambling and asks Marilyn who the guy is, to which she responds "the Flying Man", causing Joel to wonder.

At The Brick, Steve is entertaining Chris with magic, using the as a possible explanation for his mystical abilities. He and Chris then embark on a discussion of physics and the nature of reality. Steve, who received his in physics at, is amazed at Chris' knowledge, which comes solely from personal reading. At the bar, Holling serves a beer to a man and his bear, then walks over to Shelly who is sitting down massaging her feet which she explains have been in high-heel boots that don't fit her. Holling is fixated on her feet while she tells him about her parents, then walks away after she asks for her sock.

At Joel's cabin, Ed helps him look through his medical books, and Joel expresses his desire to study for the examination to gain an additional specialty in  with a subspecialization in. Since he will have to study night and day, he tells Ed that he won't be out very much, and Ed understands.

The next morning, Enrico walks with Marilyn, trying to get her to eat with him, before Chris airs his feelings about magic over the air. Joel walks down the street, engrossed in studying as the circus troupe practices around him. As he walks into his office, Joel formally meets Enrico as he waits for Marilyn with. Joel asks Enrico why he doesn't talk and then asks why he's here. Enrico points to Marilyn as she walks in and Joel goes into his office. After giving her the flowers, Marilyn says she doesn't have a but Enrico pulls one out of his jacket. She still refuses to go out with him but, after he refuses to leave, she finally gives in.

Chris and Steve walk down Main Street, discussing, then Chris walks into KBHR and Holling is there who explains to Chris about his issue with Shelly's feet. Chris explains what he thinks Holling is going through but it only seems to leave Holling more confused.

Adrienne, Steve's wife, passes by Joel on her way to Ruth-Anne's store to buy a and some  for her daughter's. As Maggie watches, Adrienne, and very accurately describes past events of her life, as well as the fact that she will fall in love again. Maggie is impressed by the accuracy of the reading, as well as its hopeful nature.

As Ed is zing Joel in his office, Marilyn announces that she is leaving for her.

At The Brick in their living room, Holling tries to explain to Shelly his feelings about her to the point of asking her to marry him. She questions his sudden proposal, getting mad at his previous standing up at the alter a year ago, and she wonders what else is bothering him. He eventually confesses the issue to be her feet, but when he tells her they are big, she gets upset and storms out.

Marilyn and Enrico Bellati are having dinner with Marilyn's parents, who say close to nothing. Enrico, who, merely responds with polite nods and appreciative hand gestures. Mrs. Whirlwind leans over to Marilyn, and tells her that she likes Enrico, to which Marilyn smiles.

Meanwhile, Shelly is at Maggie's house, explaining what happened between her and Holling. Maggie tries to reassure her that she is young and will find someone else, then goes on a rant about relationships and men, only leaving Shelly confused.

In Joel's office, he has dozed off after having been studying, when a soap bubble lands and pops on his mouth, waking him. He gets up to find Enrico sweeping his office floor and, in his examination room, questions Marilyn about her new boyfriend and his abilities, finding out his real name is Bob Wilson from.

Later that day, Marilyn and Enrico are having a picnic by a pond, and feeding the ducks. The two have grown close, and Enrico asks her to marry him. Marilyn understands his complex hand gestures flawlessly and tells him that she'll consider his offer.

Shelly returns to The Brick to get some things, finding Holling in a disheveled state, and questions him about what he said about her. He tries to explain and ask for forgiveness but she leaves again.

That night, Joel walks out of his office and sees the troupe performing down the street. He walks over and seems enraptured by the performance but stays back when Ed motions him over, claiming he has to study. While watching, Enrico gives Marilyn a special performance with a scarf which seems to cause her some concern at first but then she is smiling somewhat at the end.

The next morning, Maggie enters her house with groceries, calling out to Shelly about what she can make for dinner, only to find Shelly packed and ready to leave and return to Holling. A disappointed Maggie questions her leaving but Shelly explains things and then departs.

Joel is driving into town, when he passes Enrico, who he asks to give a lift who refuses because he is going to fly into town instead. Joel laughs and drives off and resumes studying, in a, as he drives into town, passing Enrico again, who is now sweaty and visibly exhausted. Ed meets Joel, and asks what they're going to work on, but Joel is amused by the circus preparations going on around him and decides to take a break.

At The Brick, Shelly and Holling make up and Maggie nervously approaches Adrienne to have her palm read. Adrienne sees many aspects of Maggie's personality, and detects a long. When Maggie asks specifically about love, Adrienne tells her, rather nervously, that she will have a tall, muscular, outdoorsy husband, and three lovely girls. However, the tone of her voice leads Maggie to conclude that she won't be happy.

At Marilyn's house, Enrico shows up and Marilyn tells him that she can't go with him. He is saddened and knows that he can't stay in Cicely. Marilyn watches with regret as he departs.

After Maggie leaves The Brick, she passes by Joel who is trying to and wants her to watch. She dismisses him and spots a handsome man with long blond hair ahead on the sidewalk, smiling at her as he puts something in the back of his vehicle. She looks back at Joel, who is clumsily juggling, and then approaches the man. Although he is her perfect man, she believes, and she knows that the sex would be great, she tells him that it's just not enough, and goes back to watch Joel juggle.

Quotes
Marilyn: Maurice needs some more. Joel: Yeah, there you go, right? Antifungal cream. That is what I do. I treat. I treat, s, s. Every once in a while I get lucky. I mean, something really challenging like an or. I'm not a physician. I'm a. ... Joel: When I finally complete this, no one's even gonna remember who Joel Fleischman is.

Steve: Now, think how old you are. Really concentrate. Visualize the number in your mind's eye but don't tell me. ... One of those pieces of paper has your age written on it. You are now gonna throw the and hit it. Chris: Aw, come on, man. Get out of here. Steve: No, no, no, no, no. Following the, I use a dimensional space-time equation to figure out the intersection of the dart with the target. Chris: Wait a second. With a dimensional space-time equation, you still only get a probability wave. Steve: Whoa. No flies on you. ... You're right. But in quantum physics, there are no absolutes. In a space-time continuum, you've already thrown that dart. ... Chris: Wait a second, man. You're still on shaky ground here. In the, there's two realities: one where I throw this here dart, and one where I don't, right, right? Steve: It's just a. Chris: Right. Incoming, Al! Woo!

Steve (to Chris): Physics always made me anxious. On the level, everything is so bizarre, so unfathomable. With, you have some control.

Chris: (on-air) When we think of a, the image that comes to mind is. Long, white beard, cone-shaped hat, right? You know. Well, in one version of this, the archetypal sorcerer retires, checks out of the conjuring biz. His reason? The s are taking over. The time for magic's coming to an end. Well, old Merlin should've stuck around 'cause those same rationalists trying to put a rope around reality suddenly found themselves in the land of physics, a land of s, s, and s, a place that refuses to play by, a place that refuses to play by any rules, a place much better suited for the Merlins of the world.

Chris: (to Holling) People notice things about their they don't like all the time: the way they chew their food or ; it's a necessary part of a real relationship. Personally, I'm not into that, but lots of folks seem to get over the hump and keep fueling the domestic fires. On the other hand, for me, when I begin to see flaws--chinks in the romantic armor--it's a ; a sure sign, you know, that love's about to skip out the back door. Adios. Finito, benito.

Maggie: I mean, I'm almost 30, and I'm beginning to realize that this whole idea of the is inherently flawed. I just don't think it can work. ... Well, because you're either lovers or you're wanting to be lovers or you're trying not to be lovers so you can be friends, but any way you look at it, is always looming in the picture like a, like an. Shelly: I like sex. Maggie: Well, of course. Of course you like sex. I like sex. But is it worth it? I mean, look at what you're going through. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we didn't have to worry about men? We wouldn't have to waste any time trying to be attractive for the opposite sex. We could wear whatever we wanted to wear. We could be. We wouldn't have to. Shelly: Why would we want to do that? Maggie: Well, it's just an example. Well, look at me, for instance. I haven't had a legitimate since Rick died. Shelly: You haven't had a date since Rick ate the satellite? Maggie: Well, I-I've had offers, but-but I just wasn't interested in any of them. Well, the point I'm trying to make is has given me a new perspective on life. Shelly: It has? Maggie: Yes. People think celibacy is a bad thing, but it's not. They think it's deprivation, but really it's an opportunity. It's an opportunity to find strength and. There have been lots of women who didn't, and they had great lives, satisfying lives. , um,,. Shelly: Who? Maggie: . She didn't need men at all. She lived alone in the jungle with total purpose and fulfillment with nothing but a group of apes. Shelly: Yeah?

Music

 * "Grand River" on Jumpin' the Strings by
 * "Little Girl Eyes" by
 * "Bolero" by
 * "" by
 * "" by

Trivia

 * Rich kid Evan Arnold from Joel's med school got sent to Alaska to the.
 * Howard Bateman is now at.
 * Chris is 28 (dialog).
 * Chris went to and the Wheeling.
 * Steven Gould went to and got a  at ; physics made him anxious.
 * Adrienne Gould got a ship at.
 * Marilyn just broke up with a guy.
 * Adrienne and "sees" she has been to California, Oregon, and England; tells her she's going to fall in love again.
 * Ruth-Anne's husband (Bill Miller) passed away 30 years ago.
 * Using his time to better himself, Joel decides to take the exam in  with a subspecialization in  (growth, aging, weight loss) which he says is a huge market.
 * For a, Chris knows a lot about physics.
 * Joel takes up.
 * Marilyn and Bellati have dinner with both her parents.
 * Shelly's earrings: fish (?) (talks about her sore feet with Holling), s (Holling admits he thinks Shelly's feet are big), black and white fish (confronts Holling about what he said)
 * Ed's movie references: 
 * Chris reads "" by on-air at the end.
 * Although featured in the opening credits, Barry Corbin (Maurice) does not appear in this episode.