The episode starts off good enough with some funny gags at Ann's expense on turning 36.Schneider's birthday poem to her is a bit mean but it is still funny. She tells her daughters than she doesn't want a party as she obviously doesn't want to celebrate being so called over the hill . Then she meets with a handsome plastic surgeon who's a client of her advertising firm. He makes her feel really good when shes down in the dumps about turning 36 and falling into the over 35 crowd. So much so that she mistakes his kind words as maybe a possible romantic interest. This prompts her to tell him to drop off her advertising proposal after he reviews it at her now suddenly on again birthday party. Barbara and Schneider sense a change in her at the party , she is now confident ,happy and glowing ,that is until she answers the door and sees the handsome plastic surgeon with a much younger girl on his arm. It doesn't help any that Julie recognizes her as a former classmate just a few years older than she. This sends Anne into a downward spiral where she retreats to her bedroom and does a self examination of her now middle aged life. This is where it bogs down a little and becomes the Bonnie Franklin show with her talking to herself and giving herself the one over and adding little anecdotes about middle age.
While I applaud Ms Franklin for she was a really good actress , this all by myself , feel sorry for me ,one woman act gets boring really quick. It gets heavy handed and whiny and she wants the audience to get all "Aww poor Annie feelings" . Then of course she feels better after giving herself a pep talk and she eventually goes back out to the party at the end and dances with a male friend. The acting was really good for the most part and for once Julie and Barbara treated her with respect and put her front and center. Too bad Julie was rarely portrayed as a loving daughter in this fashion. Oh and a couple goofs , Franklin was actually 33 when this episode aired and the actress playing his date was 24 making it impossible that she was a senior in HS when Julie was a junior since Phillips was only 18 at the time. 7/10
While I applaud Ms Franklin for she was a really good actress , this all by myself , feel sorry for me ,one woman act gets boring really quick. It gets heavy handed and whiny and she wants the audience to get all "Aww poor Annie feelings" . Then of course she feels better after giving herself a pep talk and she eventually goes back out to the party at the end and dances with a male friend. The acting was really good for the most part and for once Julie and Barbara treated her with respect and put her front and center. Too bad Julie was rarely portrayed as a loving daughter in this fashion. Oh and a couple goofs , Franklin was actually 33 when this episode aired and the actress playing his date was 24 making it impossible that she was a senior in HS when Julie was a junior since Phillips was only 18 at the time. 7/10
