When Val tells Fran that Danny Imperali and Heather Biblow are getting married, Fran goes on a shopping binge and becomes a shopaholic as a result.
Tropes:
- The Alcoholic: Well, in Fran's case, the Shopaholic.
- Big Damn Kiss: After Maxwell and Fran have a heart-to-heart about why she's using purchases to compensate for her depression, they can't resist sharing a huge kiss. It's so powerful that it knocks Fran out cold and cures her shopping disorder.
- Camp Straight: Niles and Maxwell act like gossipy women in this episode. Maxwell demands that Niles "dish" on the latest rumors, turns down snacks because of a diet ("I'm watching"), and cattily mentions that he's noticed Val gaining weight.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Invoked by the writers, who deliberately compare Fran's shopping addiction to alcoholism. The scene where Maxwell inquires about her problem is an alcohol intervention with different words: "Is there a history of shopping in your family? Do you have to make a purchase first thing in the morning?" Fran's denial ("I can stop any time I want to!") is equally similar to stereotypical alcoholic replies.
- Freudian Slip:Fran: God give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot exchange—uh, change!
- Gossipy Hens: Niles when breaking the news of the engagement to Maxwell and the kids.
- G-Rated Drug: Fran becomes addicted to shopping in order to cope with Danny's engagement to Heather Biblow. She even goes through withdrawals and has to have a "fix" via smelling shopping receipts.
- Inadvertent Entrance Cue: Fran claims that she's coping just fine with the news of Danny's engagement and "hasn't done anything strange or unusual." Niles immediately enters the scene asking "Who ordered the power drill?" It's the first of Fran's many purchases throughout the episode.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Fran gets back from a shopping trip and says she picked up a "few little trinkets." Gracie then enters and asks where she wants the hunky deliveryman to put the Soloflex (a home workout machine) that just arrived.
- Layman's Terms:Gracie: Daddy, I'm worried about Fran. She's compensating for feelings of inadequacy by acting out with obsessive compulsive behavior.Maxwell: Now Gracie, you spend more time in therapy than Daddy does, so, once again, small words?Gracie: She's nuts!C.C.: (with freezer burn on her tongue) Maxwell, what Gwacie's twying to say is that the woman's a sopaholic. Sowwy, fwezzuh buhn.
- Magic Kiss: How Maxwell manages to break Fran's addiction to shopping.
- Pet the Dog: C.C. is surprisingly nice in this episode, correctly identifying Fran as a shopaholic (she's even the first to use the term) and giving Maxwell the impetus to talk to Fran about the problem. C.C. even gets Gracie's name right, which is rare for her.
- Poor Man's Porn:Maxwell: Brighton, what on earth are you doing with a Victoria's Secret's catalog?Brighton: I'm just getting a jump on some Christmas shopping. [beat] Could I have her?Maxwell: Give me that!Niles: I'll throw that away for you, sir. [not-so-discreetly stuffs it in his coat]
- Rhetorical Question Blunder: Occurs when the Sheffields try to determine how Fran is feeling about Danny's engagement:Fran: How long have you people known me? What's the first thing I do when I get upset?Brighton: Eat a box of Mallomars!Maggie: Rent The Way We Were!Gracie: Uh...BLAME YOUR MOTHER!Maggie and Brighton: Good answer, good answer!
- Running Gag: Niles' repeated use of "You didn't hear it from me..."
- Serious Business: Played for Laughs with Fran realizing why she needs help. It's not the saddle she purchased, or the endless pile of useless junk that's accumulated in her room...it's the fact that she bought coral lipstick.
- Shown Their Work: Compulsive buying disorder
is an actual medical condition that can be caused by periods of stress, just like Fran's problem in the episode. Granted, it's not quite as similar to alcoholism as the show pretends. - Smoking Hot Sex: Fran not remembering the kiss that cured her:Fran: You know, it's strange. I think I'm over that whole shopping thing, but suddenly I've got such an urge for a cigarette.
- Tempting Fate: After Fran successfully goes a whole day without making any purchases, she joyfully declares that all she needs to do now is avoid the temptation to shop. Val immediately walks in to set up for a Tupperware party she's hosting at the Sheffield mansion.
- Title Drop: More than once.
- Tongue on the Flagpole: Tongue on the frozen snack, in C.C.'s case.
- Tropaholics Anonymous: Fran attends a Shoppers Anonymous support group.
