Ally is surprised to discover that the new client is a woman. "Et tu, Portia?" we see her thinking. The woman's name is Jerry Hill. She's played by Brenda Strong, who looked familiar to me. I checked the IMDB. Brenda was in lots and lots of movies, but I recognized her from The Craft, because that's the kind of movie I bother to remember. She was also in Sports Night and Starship Troopers. That Brenda gets around. Ally assesses the facts. The receptionist was fired for being overweight and therefore not attractive enough to do her job. Ally again balks at taking the case, fingering her chin and lower lip all the while. Ms. Hill says, "I need you, Ms. McBeal." Ally doesn't believe people should be judged on first impressions. Jerry Hill points out that Ally certainly seems to be judging her. Speaking of superficiality, I just have to say that Mark's looking pretty sweet in this scene. He has this new gelled-volume '80s thing going on with his hair, and his eyes are all sparkly hazel or green. He's also keeping his mouth closed, keeping me from imagining what some of my readers would say about his teeth. I don't care, though. I'd do him. Oh, wait. I forgot. I'm fat. Let me get back to doing my job until I get fired, then.

Richard tells Ally to do her job, too. "You want me to argue that it's okay to evaluate somebody based on looks?" Ally asks him. Ling appears and replies, "What else is there?" Ally tells her to go pluck an eyebrow, or at least pencil one in. Ooh! PUT DOWN! Not. Ling says, "You know, Ally, back when you were attractive, you didn't mind being judged on looks alone," and I think, "Dang! I can't believe they're addressing her anorexia like that!" But then Ling says, "Funny how principle pops up with wrinkles," and I say, "Eh." Ally threatens Ling with physical violence. Richard tells them to settle it on the dance floor. Ally hits him. I wish I worked at Fish & Cage so that Ally could hit me, and then I could beat the crap out of her before calling the cops and then suing her.