MDMA

MDMA is the fourth episode of the first season of Red Oaks.

Synopsis
It’s Karen’s birthday and, unbeknownst to her, David has not made any plans. All he knows is that he will have the house to himself that evening, because his parents are planning to go see the movie Cocoon after couples’ therapy. When David tells Nash this, Nash chastises him and instructs David that he must prepare a birthday surprise for Karen, or else she will become interested in other men. Nash covers for David all afternoon so that he can buy Karen red roses – not yellow or pink, Nash warns, because yellow signifies friendship and pink are for pregnant women. As David rushes home to lay out champagne, chocolate strawberries, and rose petals for Karen, Barry invites Karen to the opening of his art show that night. Karen declines the invitation, because she plans to spend the evening with David.

Wheeler has agreed to deal coke at the club for Ganz so that he can have “more than twelve bucks to his name” and impress Misty. Misty invites Wheeler to dinner that night. An elated Wheeler accepts, but then Misty clarifies that dinner will be a double date with her and Steve, and Wheeler will be the date for her cousin, Pam. Wheeler is deflated, but still agrees to go.

At couples’ therapy, Sam complains about Judy’s insistence that he stick to a healthier diet after his heart attack. Judy, on the other hand, is concerned that she has never been able to get to know herself because she and Sam got married so young. Neither takes the other’s concern seriously. Their therapists suggest that Sam and Judy try the drug MDMA to be more receptive to each other. Judy is quick to embrace the idea and Sam is resistant, and the therapists give them doses of the drug to take later.

As David goes to meet Karen at a restaurant, he gets a flat tire on his bike. He arrives late to the restaurant, and discovers that he should have made a reservation. David and Karen are forced to sit at the restaurant bar, which is full of rowdy sports fans who keep bumping into David and Karen. Karen is clearly not happy.

At the same restaurant, Wheeler’s double date is a minor trainwreck. Pam is pessimistic and inappropriate, Wheeler’s attempts to diffuse tension do not go over well, and Steve mocks both Pam and Wheeler. After leaving the restaurant, Pam drinks an entire bottle of Schnapps and passes out in the back of Steve’s Jeep. The group ends up in a high school parking lot. Wheeler bets Steve that he can’t climb to the top of the school gymnasium in 90 seconds. Steve immediately accepts and begins climbing up the building, giving Wheeler the opportunity to talk to Misty alone. Misty mentions that she is interested in enrolling in the dental hygienist program at the local community college, which Wheeler encourages.

David tries salvaging his birthday date with Karen by taking her back to his house for a “special birthday dessert.” They are horrified to find Sam and Judy half-naked and high on MDMA in David’s living room. Sam and Judy have also drank the champagne that David laid out for Karen’s birthday. Karen flees the house when Sam and Judy try hugging her, and decides to end the night with David. She drives to Barry’s art show, where Barry shows her that the first photo he has sold is of her; he bought it himself.

The next morning, David apologizes to Karen with some yellow flowers he picked from his front lawn. She accepts the flowers, and seems to forgive him. Immediately afterwards, she receives a delivery of red roses from Barry, and appears to be conflicted.

Music
Hard Times - The Jetzons

Renegade - Loosely Tight

This Must Be Love - Blue Shoes

Hot Summer Night - Geoff Grace

Woman Make Man - M

Five Over Four - Dick Walter

Strut - Sheena Easton