After Lois is out of town, Malcolm and Hal got into a fight leading Malcolm to get expelled from his house. Malcolm lives with his girlfriend in her attic, as Hal put signs for "Missing Malcolm".

Krusty gets elected to Congress in part to help get the flight path for Springfield Airport diverted from directly over Homer's house, but falls in line with the conservatives once he's there.

To toughen up Bobby, Hank decides to send him to Cotton's old boot camp, unaware that lawsuits have altered the severe conditions. When Cotton hears of the new "softer" side of the camp, he declares mutiny & takes over as camp Sargeant and promptly places Bobby in "The Hole".

After the trophy wife of a recently released prison inmate is murdered, Goren plays on the man's paranoia to find a connection to another inmate with a hit list.

When Daniel Showalter, a disgruntled former telemarketer, returns to his old workplace with a shotgun, Fisher & Diaz gets two funerals - for one of Showalter's victims as well as Showalter's himself, who committed suicide at the scene. This results in some issues between David and Federico at the funeral home, when Federico wants to turn away the killer's family. He feels that Showalter's parents are as guilty as their son; they should have known he was capable of murder and done something to stop him. But Federico is overruled and when the day of Showalter's funeral arrives, an exasperated David has had enough of Federico's moral superiority. "You can't ever really know a person", he tells Federico, "and if you think you can, you're living in a dream world".
David's not referring just to the Showalters; lately he's discovering he doesn't know as much about Keith - and his relationship with him - as he thought. Whereas David has been confident about their future together, he is stung to find out that Keith is not so optimistic. "Get real", Keith snaps, "You and I are living day to day and you know it".
Claire is in a similar situation. She's falling hard for Phil, describing him to Russell - her fellow student and new friend - as "the first guy who ever understood me". But later she's surprised and hurt when Phil informs her that he's seeing other women. As he explains it, "Until you really get to know someone, it just seems the way to go".
In contrast, Nate and Lisa appear to be in sync. At a barbecue they tell David and Keith that they never fight. "We've known each other for so long", Lisa says, "I guess we just understand each other". She doesn't however, let them know about their squabbles over shopping, laundry detergent and the safest way to clean Maya's ears.
Temporarily removed from all this is Ruth, who's been helping her sister. Sarah phoned her, claiming she'd hurt her back and needed Ruth to pick up a Vicodin prescription for her. But when Ruth arrives in Topanga, she learns the truth - Sarah is in the throes of withdrawal. She's being tended by Bettina, a strong, straight-talking woman who grabs the Vicodin before Sarah can get her sweaty hands on it. Ever the caretaker, Ruth pitches in making egg salad and at one point helping tie Sarah to her bed. When Sarah struggles, Ruth threatens to break her arm. And she means it. A suddenly compliant Sarah looks at Ruth in shock - she didn't know she had it in her.

Without Brian, Justin has no way of paying his college tuition and faces dropping out of school. Justin's mother recommends he ask his father for the money, but his dad refuses. After imploring a financial aid officer to defer tuition until after he graduates, Justin learns that it has already been paid. Ethan thinks Justin's dad changed his mind, but Justin knows the truth. He stops by the loft to thank Brian, who again urges him to work with Michael on the comic book. Meanwhile, Brian interrupts a quiet evening at home for Ben and Michael, who end up accompanying him to Babylon. Brian's continuing need for Michael's companionship since Justin left puts a strain on Michael's relationship with Ben, who suggests that he find his own apartment. Ted and Emmett's first sexual experience proves extremely satisfying for both. But Emmett's sexual rendezvous with a flight attendant, with whom he had made a date prior to becoming involved with Ted, severely tests Ted and Emmett's newfound romance. Meanwhile, Melanie and Lindsay argue about having a second child. Lindsay does not want to be pregnant again and tells Melanie to bear the child herself, if she wants it so desperately. Melanie confides her fears about motherhood to Debbie, who offers reassurance.

A terrifying vision leads to Johnny's involvement with a man who suddenly disappears.

Coming Soon...