Kirstie

Maddie hosts a dinner party for Arlo's new girlfriend Melissa (Lindsey Kraft), a graduate student whom he met in the building, and her snooty parents (Geoff Pierson and Valerie Mahaffey) who are both history professors at Columbia. To bone up, Maddie watches The History Channel all night, but the station has programmed a Hitler marathon. Thelma pretends to be Maddie's maid, while Frank goes to pick up Professor Danniker, Maddie's date and "academic buffer" for the evening. The night is a disaster, as Thelma eats some of Frank's "special" gummy candy, Frank has to step in for Danniker, who got drunk and passed out in his limo, and Maddie has to dodge the advances of Melissa's amorous mother. After Melissa insults Arlo's family and friends, he says he is proud to have people in his life who will go to such great lengths to help him.

Thelma's ex-husband Duke (George Wendt), a professional pool player, is in town to tell Thelma his womanizing days are over. Maddie finds a ring in Duke's coat pocket, fears that the two will get remarried, and freaks out over the prospect of losing Thelma. But Maddie couldn't be more wrong about Duke's intentions. Meanwhile, a bird gets loose in the apartment, causing Frank to slip and break Maddie's Tony Award.

When Maddie encounters the real Madison Banks (Kristen Johnston), a waitress whose audition (and name) she stole over 25 years ago, she asks what she can do to make things right. The real Maddie suggests that they exchange lives for an evening, but she soon kidnaps Frank until the current Maddie agrees to a re-do of the audition in front of the original director.

After firing a stagehand named Mickey (John Travolta), Maddie consoles him with a one night stand, but then can't get rid of him. Frank asks Lucila, Arlo's crush, to be his tango partner in a dance competition.

Maddie's over-the-top attempt to give Arlo a special first Christmas with her is upended when he invites her abrasive mother (Cloris Leachman) as a surprise.

Maddie promises to be present for a home-cooked meal that Arlo offered to prepare for her, but she runs into an old flame (Richard Burgi) after a performance of her show, and decides to hook up with him rather than head home for Arlo's dinner.