Car Wash is the first episode of Season Three and the forty-seventh episode of Ally McBeal.
Synopsis[]
Ally has sex with a hunky stranger in a car wash who turns out to be the fiancé of her client. John loses touch with his inner Barry White and Whipper joins Renee in private practice.
Plot[]
Ally, soaking wet, drops by the office on a Saturday and runs into John Cage. He inquires about her appearance and she recounts her unbelievably steamy trip to the car wash. She was in the car, driving it through the wash, when suddenly the passenger door opened, spraying her with water. A gorgeous guy sat down, leaned over and the two began passionately kissing. Next thing Ally knew, she was being pulled out of the car and made love to him right there in the rinse cycle. Ally admits to John that she’s never felt such pure lust. Ally’s experience troubles John, because he’s always believed that women need an emotional connection with their partners to enjoy sex. Ally’s torrid tale throws a kink into his entire belief system and also adds to his current problem: he’s lost touch with his “inner Barry White.”
The next day, Richard gives Ally an important case involving the daughter of their biggest client. It’s days before her lavish wedding and the family priest is rescinding his offer to perform the ceremony. The bride, Risa, reluctantly tells Ally the reason: The minister caught her having sex with someone other than her fiancé. She begs Ally to fix the situation, without revealing her secret.
When the court refuses to intervene, Ally, Richard and Risa appeal directly to the Reverend. It’s then that Risa confesses why she had the fling. The groom-to-be is a terrible lover and she wanted one last chance at exciting, invigorating sex before becoming totally faithful. The Reverend relents, and Risa is so thankful she insists that Ally be one of her bridesmaids. At the elaborate ceremony, Ally is shocked to discover that the groom, Joel, is none other than car wash guy! Ally interrupts the proceedings, and inadvertently announces to the entire congregation that she slept with the groom. After a private conversation, the bride and groom decide to proceed. After all, the bride had a last minute fling herself. However, Ally, no longer a bridesmaid, interrupts again. She pulls Risa aside to tell her what a great lover Joel was, which makes Ally believe he is only after Risa’s money. Filled with anger and doubt, Risa calls off the ceremony.
Elsewhere, Whipper visits Renee and asks if she can join her in private practice. The two soon begin interviewing male associates – making them show off their bodies in order to get the job. And back at the firm, Elaine gives John a hand, so to speak, in getting his mojo back on track.
At Nelle's place, John emerges from the bathroom and enters Nelle's bedroom, where she waits. He walks to the nightstand, turns off the light and lights a candle. Nelle has put her book down and taken her glasses off. John takes off his robe, and reaches back to remove his undershirt, then rethinks it and just rips it off. Nelle's eyes widen. He sits on the bed and when he turns to Nelle, he finds Barry White singing to him instead. The music stops when Nelle calls his name and she asks him if he's all right. He says he thinks so, but that she looked a little different for a second. John again sees Barry White, but this time he isn't singing. He's talking and he sounds just like Nelle. Nelle/Barry says "Different how?" John tells her that she doesn't want to know. Nelle tells him that she is glad he's there. They kiss.
Script[]
You can find a transcript here and here.
Trivia[]
- Right before the end credits, during the musical montage, Ally gets her picture taken while wandering the city in her bridesmaid dress. The uncredited extra that who the picture is Melissa McCarthy.
- The episode won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special.
- First use of the nickname "Biscuit" for John.
- Kevin Fallon cited the sex scene as one of "TV's 13 Dirtiest Sex Scenes" in a column for The Daily Beast.
Songs[]
- Sweet Inspiration | Vonda Shepard
- Ally walking soaked to office after carwash.
- Cantata: "Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben", BWV 147: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, for Organ (Jesus, Bleibet Meine Freude) | Walter Rinaldi (Composer)
- Ally is asked to be a bridesmaid by the bride-to-be.
- Bridal Chorus for Organ (Here Comes The Bride) - From Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III | Walter Rinaldi (Composer)
- Bride walks down the aisle .
- Staying Power | Barry White
- John goes to Nell’s bed but Nell’s face turns into Barry White.
- You're the First, the Last, My Everything | Barry White
- <smallJohn Cage loses his mojo.>
- Venus Is Breaking | Vonda Shepard (cover by Bananarama)
- The bar.
- No Mistakes | Vonda Shepard
- Ally walking down street, takes photo of couple.
Starring[]
- Calista Flockhart as Ally McBeal
- Courtney Thorne-Smith as Georgia Thomas
- Greg Germann as Richard Fish
- Lisa Nicole Carson as Renée Raddick
- Jane Krakowski as Elaine Vassal
- Vonda Shepard as Herself
- Portia de Rossi as Nelle Porter
- Lucy Liu as Ling Woo
- with Peter MacNicol as John Cage
- and Gil Bellows as Billy Thomas
Special Appearances By
- Barry White as Himself
- Ray Walston as Minister Breyer
- Dyan Cannon as Whipper Cone
Guest starring
- Jason Gedrick as Joel
- Tracy Middendorf as Risa Helms
- Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh
- Edith Varon as Joel's Mother
- Richmond Shepard as Joel's Father
- Lillian Byrd as Mrs. Helms
- Alec Murdock as Mr. Helms
- Freeman Michaels as Daniel
- Scott Turney as Heckler #1
- Irene White as Heckler #2
- Laura Henry as Heckler #3
Uncredited
- T.J. Hoban as Shirtless Job Applicant
- Kyle Keris as Ring Bearer
- Jordan Pontell as Paalegal
Producers[]
- Jonathan Pontell - Co-Executive Producer
- Mitchel Katlin - Associate Producer
- [Jeffrey Kramer]] - Producer
- Mike Listo - Producer
- Steve Robin - Producer
- Pamela J. Wisne - Producer
- Robert Breech - Producer
- Peter Burrell - Coordinating Producer
- Nat Bernstein - Consulting producer
- Mitchel Katlin - Consulting Producer