Growing Up Fisher Episode 1.02 Blind Man's Bluff

After 20 years of keeping his blindness a secret at his job as an attorney, Mel decides it's time to come clean. He brings Elvis wherever he goes, wears sunglasses and uses a cane to help his footing (which also doubles as a weapon when cars get a little too close for comfort). But Mel's partner/brother at the firm, Glen, the man who helped Mel fool so many people in past, warns that it could affect business - especially with their biggest and most loyal client, Tom. What if he drops them the second he finds out about the lie? Mel admits Glen's probably right about the risk and agrees to keep pretending he's sighted just for Tom.

Meanwhile, Henry bemoans his recent awkward encounter with Jenny, the cute girl down the hall from his dad's new place. Runyen recognizes the problem right away and snaps into makeover mode. He gives Henry a new look: fashionable hair, sunglasses, the works. Henry owns it while he walks Elvis - and gets mistaken for a blind kid outside a cupcake shop. He goes with it for the free cupcake samples, but it pays off big time when a cute girl (older, too - 14!) takes notice. She walks him home and even touches his shoulder. Henry's head-over-heels - until she spots him with his dad. He panics and borrows Mel's glasses, Elvis, the whole deal. She's none the wiser and gives Henry her number (which basically means they're dating now). Despite this, Mel cautions his son about lying, encouraging Henry to just be himself. Deep down Henry knows he's right and tells his crush the truth - that he's not blind and that he is super awkward. Appalled, she reveals her true interest in handing over her phone number: babysitting. Henry's way too young for her. On the plus side, Jenny happened to overhear Henry and finds his extreme awkwardness charming.

Not so charming, on the other hand, is Joyce's obsession with becoming Katie's BFF. Her repeated attempts at mother-daughter bonding all fail miserably, until her community college study buddy, Amelie, bridges the gap by snagging free tickets to an Arcade Fire concert. Joyce may not know the band, but her interest makes her seem way cooler (and way younger) than she is, with the added bonus of having Katie helping her accessorize. That being said, when Amelie reveals a fake ID for Katie, Joyce puts an end to the charade and neither mother nor daughter attend the concert. Even so, the experience brings them closer together.

Mel and Glen - both still pretending Mel can see - entertain Tom at a dinner meeting until Mel accidentally burns a check (candles can be so quiet sometimes). To Glen's dismay, this spurs Mel to tell his client the truth, heeding his own advice to Henry. They brace for the worst, but instead Tom calls Mel a superhero, way more impressed than angry about being lied to for 20 years. With the crisis averted and Mel empowered, the brothers exit the restaurant - and Mel almost gets hit by a car in the crosswalk. He swats it with his cane on instinct, only to discover it was Tom's very expensive car. So much for averting the crisis.