Justin visits SF for the 25th anniversary party of his parents. Griffin asks him to watch and talk to Julia about Ned because the guy is hitting her. Initially Justin refuses thinking he's just jealous, but Griffin tells that he wouldn't ask him help if it wasn't really needed (after all they hate each other, and Justin wanted Julia to leave Griffin in 4x22), so convinced, accepts. Incredibly, Mrs Thompson welcomes Julia and Ned (by the way, Ben, Justin's brother is absent), and the bad guy lets Julia dance with Justin for a brief time. Justin tries to talk to Julia, but everything turns out like Will's visit in Misery Loves Company: he realizes that Ned is a possesive and a bad guy, but without Julia's cooperation, he can't help her and returns to Yale. Also, after Justin's short breakfast with Julia, Ned finds out because his roommate Ray saw them, and gets mad because she lied. Enraged because she doesn't understand how he feels, he hits her again, and when he regrets it, she, in tears, says it was her fault. Justin was suspicious, as Julia lied to him by the phone saying she was sick so he wouldn't see her bruises, but like I said, he confronted Ned, saw all the doors closed to help Julia, and he left. Clearly it's not the right time yet to end Julia's bad relationship.
Charlie, Kirsten and Diana are walking by the park (what a picture), and a little girl comes with a soccer ball tells them "your baby is very pretty". Kirsten feels flattered by this, saying like she would have bathed Diana and put her a pink jumper or a yellow one, while Charlie jokes about Diana being an athlete. Anyway, leaving the yet dreamworld, she says she can't forgive Paul as she blames him for not having children, that she can't return to how it was before. Charlie tells her not to give up yet even though she is not really convinced. There are probably 2 reasons of why he'd say this: First, he went though hell with the cancer and knowing she was with Paul, so now he feels like it's not fair for him because he spent the last year and a half thinking he lost her for good. Second, he thinks that deep inside she really wants to be with Paul, so he tried to be selfless. She takes his bad advice and in other quiet dinner, she tells Paul she had a day as usual, sale al Macy's and that she though they could go to Cannon Beach to have a vacation. Paul knows he let her down and even says he looks at himself worst. He says that their problems'll follow so he asks her to be honest. Kirsten loves him, but she says it's over, and he agrees saying he knows. Later, at the house, Kirsten tells Charlie that it wasn't easy and saddened wonders what she will do now, she saying she can't face Paul. Charlie puts his arm on her shoulder and offers her moving to the house. They go to the lawyer Levitton, who is surprised that Kirsten is not alone there. She asked Charlie to be there, she has been through a lot and needs him to take care of her. She says that Paul is not to blame for the divorce and she blames herself, while looking at Charlie (that look implied her feelings are still there). Levitton believes they are together after learning that Daphne left, so she has to correct her. The lawyer starts the process and then, in private, reminds Charlie the Daphne's file, though he says that chapter is over. In the night, Kirsten takes the attic to sleep and shares a nice moment with Charlie remembering when they had the keys exchange (Homework) and talk about how they took care of each other many times. Here, their deep love was in the air (really nice scene), and they say "Who would have thought", referring to all the things that happened to them in 5 years, including Diana, as her crying interrupts the moment. They wish each other good night and she seems touched, just as in S'Wunnerful Life. Next day, she goes to get her stuff and when returns home, she finds Charlie with the files. In one single moment, Charlie tells Kirsten that he was thinking something about last night, she thinks that is about being together and says that might not be the best time now (might be too soon), but he interrupts and talks about Daphne's file. And so Kirsten's hopes starts to fade away, Charlie wants to find Daphne. This story was well handled for one side (Kirsten's failed marriage ending, Charlie taking care of her) but for the other side, Daphne's file kind of shadowed the story. The scene at the attic was perfect, Kirsten was really touched and Charlie seemed happy remembering the keys moment, but then he forgot it. It's like her feelings wall is down but his wall is still there and now he chose to be crazy about Daphne's file. I know they just can't get back together now, right after the divorce, Kirsten knows that herself, but would have been much better if they started to take care of Owen and Diana. They could focus on them, and then, in time, they could talk about their love story and how it folllows. Sadly, Daphne's file will mean bad news, excessive drama and will indirectly cause big damage in the family. To finish this part, the farewell between Kirsten and Paul wasn't showed, and considering his words in 5x20, I guess he kindly gave her his blessing to be with the Salingers, he knows she loves them and that she belongs there. On the other hand, I think that Owen and Claudia should have shared a scene with Kirsten today, both being happy to see her in the house.
As for the rest, Claudia falls for Cody, despite Griffin's advice and they kiss after a concert where their band played. A light up story. And Sarah helps Albert to find a job but all turns out in disaster when in the night he sneaks into the building and shoots a neighbour with Bailey's gun. Sarah and Bailey feel guilty, despite that their neighbour is finally out of danger. He suggests moving to a safer neighbourhood, another place, but she wants to stay, telling him she feels safe with him, because Bailey protects her like no one else can. An entertaining story that proves to Sarah that she can't help everybody.
Since this episode, when finally, finally Kirsten divorces from Paul and when the mini storyline of the robber in for Bailey and Sarah ends, I consider that season 5 takes a new road. This first part of season 5, overall, showed a decline in the level of the series. The first stages of Julia-Ned relationship were not good, not entertaining enough, only in the last few episodes where the real problems began, turned interesting. On the other hand, the story for baby Diana was well developed for Daphne's side, with her struggles of being a mother. But for other side, there were two problems: first, it was too long, and second, contradicted the storyline of the first 4 seasons of the series. Was pretty annoying and shocking the treatment of nurses, Bailey, Charlie himself, for Charlie-Daphne story, that treated things like if they were somehow married. That's the worst mistake of this part of the series, it made believe people from outside that the couples were Charlie-Daphne and Kirsten-Paul, something that goes totally against the real plot, the real love story of the series and the true parents of the house. That's why I save Kirsten and Daphne's actions, because the two characters felt bad in their respective places and at the end, Daphne left the Salinger house and Kirsten divorced from Paul (for the record, their marriage lasted 1 year and a half, aug 1997-jan 1999). Anyway, it took too long. As for Bailey-Sarah's story in the loft, was always entertaining, and showed some of the best of Sarah's qualities. Was the solid side of this part, except for Will's appearance and Bailey's brief selfish behavior. Claudia, as usual, had a great role, missing and keeping the family united, including Griffin. Too bad that she had to be away from the family in 7 episodes, because she is the soul of the series. Owen, initially was well developed, spending time with Kirsten (his former nanny and adoptive mother), but since Diana's birth, he was left alone and jealous until Bailey's rescue. It was like all the caring and loving that the family did for him in the first 4 seasons was forgotten, even by himself. So in many ways, this was the worst part of the series. There were good lonely moments, but overall, the true Salinger family was nowhere to be found, they were all divided, basically forgetting all what happened in the past seasons, that made the show special. You can rewatch season 1, an episode early season 2 or 3, critical moments of Bailey's alcoholism, or even family moments in Charlie's cancer and it's hard to believe how weird and separated was each family member. In this part of season 5 the series declined the level.
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