C.C. proposes having a debutante tea party for Maggie's entrance into high society. Maggie picks Fran to plan the party, but Maxwell and Niles are worried that Fran's middle-class background will make her stand out in a bad way.
This episode contains examples of:
- Be Yourself: The Aesop in the episode. The party is a hit after Fran stops feeling pressured to conform.
- The Big Rotten Apple: During Maxwell's lessons with Fran.Maxwell: All right, repeat after me: "Mark went on a lark after dark in Central Park."Fran: Gee, I hope he has a gun.
- Brick Joke: At the start Fran tells Maggie to wrap the best grab bag present in aluminum foil so she knows which one it is. At the end, Maggie tells Fran to take the first grab bag present — guess which one she gets.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Everybody's amazed that Fran and C.C. are actually agreeing about having a party for Maggie, including Fran herself.Fran: You know, I agree with Miss Babcock. I know, it was an ugly shock to me, too.
- Pygmalion Plot: Maxwell and Niles try to give Fran a crash-course in upper-class etiquette.
- Shout-Out: The entire episode, both the plot and title, is one to My Fair Lady.
- Sophisticated as Hell: Despite adopting a posh accent, Fran still invokes Yiddish as a Second Language.Fran: Please excuse me for being tardy, but I was on the phone with my mother, and she can be such a yenta.
- What's a Henway?:
- After learning what Fran's got planned for the party, C.C. says "Ah, my fears are allayed. Maggie's social future rests securely in your capable hands.", before walking away cackling. Fran, however, shrugs it off, saying "Well, at least her fears are getting a-laid."
- During the party, Fran tries to make small-talk with Maureen Wentworth:
Maureen: What a lovely artifact. Is it Mayan?Fran: No, it's his-en.
