The Birds and the Frozen Bees

"The Birds and the Frozen Bees"
Season 7: Episode 24(171 / 231 episodes)
Network	ABC-TV
Air date	May 10, 1995
Written by	David Forbes
Directed by	Gail Mancuso
Episode Guide
Previous	The Blaming of the Shrew
Next	Couch Potatoes

The Birds and the Frozen Bees was the 24th episode of Season 7 of Roseanne, also the 171st overall series episode. It was written by David Forbes, and was directed by Gail Mancuso. It originally aired on ABC-TV on May 10, 1995.

Synopsis

Roseanne is upset over the possibility that David may like a girl more than Darlene, who may lose David if she doesn't fight for him.

Plot summary

At the start of th episode, Darlene and Jackie are bemusedly watching as D.J. attempts to thaw out a bee he had caught and frozen; David walks past with no reaction whatsoever once he learns what is going on.  When the bee finally awakens and takes flight (much to Jackie's astonishment) Darlene promptly smacks it against the window with a newspaper.

Later on, Darlene, Roseanne and Jackie are watching the O.J. Simpson trial.  Roseanne suggests that Darlene go see a movie with David, since she herself is worn out from her pregnancy and cannot go; Darlene replies that it would be awkward considering her recent history with David.  Abruptly calling David into the room, Roseanne points out that while the two of them are friends again, they both claim to be over their feelings for one another; thus, they can spend the day together perfectly fine.  The instant Darlene and David leave, she cheerfully remarks to Jackie, "They're gonna get back together."

The next morning, Roseanne repeatedly refuses to let Mark into the house to borrow some pliers; her apparent attempts to teach him etiquette are quickly shown to be her latest way of ticking him off.  When her daughter comes in, after much prodding and poking from Roseanne, Darlene admits she enjoyed spending time with David and that she still has feelings for him- feelings she thinks may be reciphrocated.  Roseanne's satisfaction at this is shattered when David announces that he has a date planned for that evening; Darlene leaves the room, visibly distressed.  

Roseanne later consults Dan about her mistake in shoving them together, but he places the blame squarely on her for not anticipating  David's potential change of heart.  She calls David into the room and interrogates him about his feelings for his date, subtly attempting to get him to admit he still likes Darlene; however, David quickly sees through her carefully-worded ruse and claims he has no romantic interest in Darlene, leaving.  Despite Dan's exasperation with her meddling, Roseanne stubbornly refuses to admit defeat, claiming she saw an intense look in David's eyes when they were discussing Darlene.

Darlene later attempts to engage David in normal conversation, but once again finds it awkward to even be in his presence.  Roseanne talks with her on this when she loses her nerve and leaves the kitchen; when Darlene claims she cannot go back in if David rejects her, Roseanne relents.  As Darlene heads for her room, however, Roseanne draws her back by telling her that she nearly lost Dan to a cheerleader once; she overcame that obstacle by going up to Dan in front of his football buddies and telling him she loved him, in front of them.  

Scared but freshly determined, Darlene returns to the kitchen and tells David her feelings in a rush of uncharacteristic emotion; she still loves him, but admits that he has little reason to love her back, especially after the way she hurt him earlier in the year.  She finishes by saying that she only wants to know what his feelings are; she does not want to risk getting hurt unless there is an actual chance they will get back together.  After listening to her in amazement, David tells her he won't hurt her, and embraces her- proving that Roseanne was right in that he still has feelings for Darlene.  David wonders aloud if he can still keep his single date, then resume going out with Darlene again.  Darlene's sarcastic dominant attitude resurfaces immediately in response, and David backs down and kisses her.  Roseanne watches smugly from the living room, muttering to herself: "Cheerleader, my ass!"

Note: Sarah Chalke, who plays the part of Becky Conner-Healy, does not appear.