Chandler & Co.: Series 1, Episode 4 – “The Devil You Know” (1994)

 

While both cases today are of the “I think my significant other may be stepping out on me” variety, they end up being a bit more original than that.    When one of their clients disappears after confronting her boyfriend about what they found, Elly and Dee are frantic to find her.  They’re forced to go to the police for help, where they’re subjected to all sorts of derisive remarks about P.I.s in general and the two of them in particular.

 

Hardly anyone on this show seems to approve of Elly and Dee’s work.  Although they’re definitely growing on Larry, he often regards them as inexperienced amateurs (and occasionally minor nuisances when they need help.)  Dee’s husband thinks being a P.I. is “inappropriate” and resents having to pitch in with housework and childcare because his wife, gasp! has a career.  Elly’s friends think she’s going through a bizarre post-divorce phase.  And now the police think they’re tawdry snoops who are just playing at being investigators.

 

This contact with the police leads to the second case of the episode:  the husband of the officer investigating their missing client asks Elly to follow his wife and see if she’s having affair.  Despite everyone, including Elly, pointing out that this notion is Bad Idea Jeans (a bit hard to anonymously tail someone who’s already met you and knows you tail cheating spouses,) she agrees to take the case.

 

We might blame Larry for that.  She regards his advice – essentially, don’t be ridiculous, because you’ll make an enemy of the police if things go south – as doubt of her abilities.    Naturally, since she’s Elly and she very much needs to prove herself capable, this leads her to accept the assignment.    Once she’s committed, though, Larry does pitch in; he immediately starts instructing her on the finer points of creating a disguise.

 

Other than that, not a whole lot for Larry today.  One small scene that I’m fond of – he pops up in the background (suitably camouflaged) while Dee meets with a potentially sketchy contact.  The two don’t interact before or after the meeting, so we don’t know if a) Dee asked him to come, b) Dee told him about it and he offered to come, or c) Dee told him about it and he just decided to come.  Either way, it’s nice to see him looking out for her.  Regardless of how much he rolls his eyes sometimes, he really is fond of Chandler & co.