- Debra tries to convince Ray to go see a marriage counselor with her after she learns that two of their friends have gone.
- Debra wants to shampoo the rub before having Bernie and Linda over for dinner. Ray, as usual, will not help around the house at all. Ray says that every time they have people over, Debra creates a "fake" house, as that is not how the house looks normally. Ray says that all this extra cleaning is unnecessary. Bernie (Tom McGowan) and Linda (Maggie Wheeler) come over for dinner and during the meal they mention that they have been fighting a lot and recently started counseling. Bernie and Linda get all Kissy and mushy after applying their counseling techniques in front of Ray and Debra after they have had an argument.
Ray and Debra realize that they have also been fighting and go to the therapist - against Ray's firm protests. Debra is convinced that they need counseling, while Ray is not OK with the idea. Ray says that they do not need help and he believes that Pamela will side with Debra since she is a woman. Debra suggests going to a male therapist, but then Ray feels that Debra will say that the therapist is much more understanding of her feelings than Ray. Ray puts on a false front for the therapist Pamela (Nancy Lenehan). He agrees with everything that Debra says. Debra says she works hard, feels unappreciated and starts crying. Ray apologizes and says he works hard too and starts crying as well. Debra talks about how Ray leaves her alone with the kids while he plays golf and won't take any responsibility for anything in the house. Ray agrees again and says he uses golf in a passive aggressive way. Ray says that he knows he has to change, but he cannot help himself when he is back on the golf course.
Ray makes it seem like he is willing to work on his behavior and change his attitude. Ray talks about how he taped a football game over his wedding video and arranged a renewing of the vows to fix it. This gets Debra mad, and all riled up. Debra says that Ray is deliberating being the saint.
Marie is waiting for Debra and Ray as soon as they return from therapy. Ray and Debra end up having a fight in front of her with Debra accusing Ray of manipulating the whole thing and getting the therapist to side with him. Ray says that Debra went into therapy only to find what was wrong with Ray, and not to work on their marriage together. Debra calls Ray a big phony.
Marie decides to act as a counselor and listens to Debra complain that Ray doesn't help out around the house and Ray complain that he works hard too and needs a rest once in a while. while talking Ray blurts out that he wants Debra to be like his mother.
Ray just realizes that deep down he wants a mother and not a wife. He feels sick to the stomach and wants to rejoin therapy, but Debra assures him he is just lazy and doesn't want to explore this topic any further.
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