44: Last Chance

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Synopsis
In the season finale, a lathered-up Ed (Tom Cavanagh) suspects that his romantic rival Dennis (John Slattery) plans to propose to Carol (Julie Bowen) but he feels helpless to derail their marital wedding train. Elsewhere, Warren (Justin Long) feels betrayed and tries to freeze out his friends Diane (guest star Ginnifer Goodwin) and Mark (guest star Michael R. Genadry) after catching them in an intimate moment while Molly (Lesley Boone) is asked to judge the Stuckeyville talent show whose performers include the clueless Phil (Michael Ian Black).

Overview
Ed struggles with the idea of `losing` Carol to Dennis when he thinks Dennis is about to propose. After behaving very strangely, and after a confrontation with Dennis, a glum Ed struggles to come to grips with the idea. Finally, after a ferris wheel ride at the fair, he visits Carol at home, as she is about to leave for a trip across the country with Dennis, and leaves her with a good bye gift--a duck named Charlie and a kiss. Mark and Diane put their feelings for each other on hold in an attempt to get Warren back in their lives. Warren eventually comes around, having no one else to hang out with. In the end, however, neither Mark nor Diane can ignore their feelings for each other, and Warren becomes `cool with it`. Molly is one of the judges at the Stuckeyville Talent Fair, and many of the gang try out their talents for her. Shirley can fall without bracing herself, Mike and Nancy try out an Archie and Edith Bunker ditty, and Phil claims to be able to juggle and ride a unicycle. At the show itself, Phil hires a double, who eventually wins first prize. Other entrants include the tap dancing return of Gavin Schraeder, the glass playing talent of Dr. Walter Jerome, and Kenny acting as a human target for tennis balls fed through a machine by Shirley.

Songs "Don`t Pull Your Love" - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds Stuckeybowl background music when Molly enters to see Ed at the beginning of the episode. "Yellow" - Cold Play During the `Most Talented Stuckeyvilleian` Contest. "Love Will Find A Way" - Pablo Cruise Stuckeybowl background music as Phil polishes his unicycle. "Lonely Day" - Phantom Planet Background music "Backwater" - Meatpuppets Background music Trivia Ten Bucks Mike bets Ed ten bucks to wolf whistle at a man. Despite Ed`s claims that this crosses a line, Mike claims no line has been established. Ed goes through with the bet, after bumping into Dennis and Carol. Stubbs Schemes Phil puts in a bid to enter the talent show as a unicycle riding juggler. When it comes down to it, he hires a "stunt double" to perform the trick for him, figuring no one will notice the guy looks little like him. Phil loses the prize to his own stunt double. Fine Food and Drink A local merchant claims it`s against his religion to discount cheese. Dennis is incredulous that Ed wants to order a bakery cake because he is taking Carol out to dinner. Ed counters by asking Dennis if he likes marzipan. Ed bursts in on Carol and Dennis`s dinner, chickening out of his real intent by reminding them to try the consomme. He later points out to Mike that a man doesn`t order braised short ribs unless there`s a special occasion. Warren tries to get Ed to commiserate with him by getting sloppy drunk. Ed compares his Dennis-Carol situation to purchasing a melon. Nicknames Mark tells Warren he can call him "Tubby" if it makes him feel better. Warren ignores him, and Diane uses the nickname instead. Phil insists on dubbing his tailor Gus "Antonio." Warren calls himself and Diane "Little D and Ches-cat."

Quotes "It's not nothing. It's definitely not nothing." - Ed Stevens (to Carol and Dennis`s assertion that nothing`s up) "The minute your lips came in contact, you vanished from Warren Cheswick's universe." - Warren Cheswick (as Mark and Diane try to make up with Warren) "You're going to buy a cake because I'm taking Carol out to dinner?" - Dennis Martino (incredulously, to a strange-acting Ed) "See you all tomorrow for our last class of the year, or as I like to call it, 'a complete and utter waste of time'." - Molly Hudson (dismissing her class) "I'm very fond of enormous pants, music that combines elements of heavy metal and rap, and most of all, skateboarding." - Warren Cheswick (attempting to make new friends) "I don't want her, ok? I just don't want to lose her." - Ed Stevens (explaining his feelings to Mike) "I don't have anyone else to hang out with." - Warren Cheswick (on why he`s forgiven Diane and Mark) "I think there will always be something between me and Ed." - Carol Vessey (when Dennis asks her about her relationship) "He's an attractive man..he's got nice eyes. I think they might be hazel." - Dr. Mike Burton (re: Dennis Martino) "Let me see you throw just one pin in the air and catch it." - Kenny Sandusky (disbelieving Phil`s talent) "If you go out with Diane Snyder, it means the terrorists win." - Warren Cheswick (when Mark tells Warren of his true feelings) "If you don't mind, I like my tailors to be called 'Antonio'." - Phil Stubbs (to Gus the tailor) "I feel a wave of great embarrassment on Phil's behalf." - Shirley Pifko (when Ed asks her what she thinks of Phil and his act) "We gotta get sloppy drunk and commiserate about the women that done us wrong." - Warren Cheswick (helping himself to Ed`s bar) "Not only is it over, it never really was." - Dennis Martino (on Ed and Carol`s romantic relationship) "You decided to go the safe route, just friends. Now you want to complain? You got just what you wanted." - Dennis Martino (on Ed and his behavior) "When I listen to the two of you sing that song, I feel like I'm--what's the best way to put this?--wanting to kill myself." - Molly Hudson (on Mike and Nancy`s version of All in the Family`s theme) "Four words: Get off your ass." - Molly Hudson (when Ed asks her advice) "Who can say no to a large, mechanical wheel?" - Carol Vessey (when Mike and Nancy get Ed and Carol on the ferris wheel together) "You, sir, are the most closed-minded ferris wheel operator I've ever run into." - Warren Cheswick (when the operator refuses to shorten the ride) "I came to give her a little going away gift." - Ed Stevens (when Dennis discover`s Ed at Carol`s) Pop Culture References Joe Pesci Scottie Pippin El Nino Donald Trump "All in the Family" (Archie Bunker)