As they plan a surprise birthday party for a friend, the girls recall prior birthday celebrations.
Tropes:
- Actor Allusion / Shout-Out: When Mr. Ha-Ha is about to reveal Dorothy's age in his "birthday roundup" during a flashback, Dorothy yells, "I'll punch your heart out, Ha-Ha!" One of Maude Findlay's (also played by Arthur) catch phrases on Maude was "I'll rip your heart out."
- Birthday Party Goes Wrong: The episode explores this trope, with the girls reminiscing about four particular birthday parties that went badly.
- Dorothy remembers when Rose threw her a surprise bash at a children's restaurant called "Mr. Ha Ha's Hot Dog Hacienda." Things only got worse when it turns out that all of the birthday boys and girls—Dorothy included—were invited onto stage to be recognized. It didn't help that Mr. Ha Ha himself was a Jerkass who enjoyed taunting Dorothy for the situation. It's salvaged when one of the children Dorothy shares her birthday with gives Ha-Ha a Pie in the Face on Dorothy's behalf.
- Rose talks about the last birthday she ever celebrated in St. Olaf, her hometown. She sets everything up and pretends that her husband Charlie planned a surprise for her but it was actually the year after Charlie had already died, so she spent the whole time talking to him as if he's there and telling him that she's decided to sell their home and move to Florida.
- Blanche, a Birthday Hater, recalls when Rose threw her a surprise birthday party at the house. She despised the idea at first—until it turned out that Rose invited all of the guys in her address book, which was the perfect present for her.
- Sophia shares the story of when she turned fifty and felt old and unaccomplished (she thought she was turning 48, but her birth certificate had been messed up at Ellis Island). Dorothy encourages her by pointing out how she managed to raise three healthy, happy children to successful adulthood while always keeping a positive attitude and food on the table, which makes her an incredible person.
- Clip Show / Flashback
- One-Person Birthday Party: Rose flashes back to when she celebrated her birthday alone, after the death of her husband.
