Episode
Living Single: Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Overview
Max and Regine are surprised to learn that Synclaire has yet to sleep with Overton, even though they took the vacation to the Bahamas together. They encourage her to take the next step, but Synclaire is uncertain. She and Overton finally agree to have a romantic evening at his apartment the following night, as Kyle is out of town. After they experience a series of mishaps (including Overton's allergy to Synclaire's perfume), Synclaire admits that she is paralyzed with fear. She tells him that she is just not ready, and that she is feeling too much pressure from her friends. They decide to wait. Khadijah refuses to consider that her string of bad luck may have been caused by a broken chain letter. Tag: Khadijah ecstatic over accidents, unaware that chain letter was returned. Music: ""Touch Me"" by Samantha Fox; ""Me So Horny"" by 2 Live Crew; ""Strangers in the Night"" (Frank Sinatra), hummed by John Henton
Details
- Series
- Living Single
- Season
- Season 2
- Episode
- Episode 9
- Air date
- 1994-11-03
- Runtime
- 30 min
Episode context
Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder is Episode 9 in Season 2 of Living Single. It aired on 1994-11-03. The runtime is 30 min.
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Episode 8: Trick or Trust
When Khadijah drops by Scooter's house on an errand before the Halogen Records Halloween party, Regine discovers a fax from a woman telling Scooter how much she had enjoyed the previous night. Khadijah finds a bottle of perfume under the sink, and grows increasingly suspicious. Khadijah, Regine and Scooter are embarrassed when they are the only ones in costume at the party because everyone else donated their costume money to charity. Khadijah gets upset when several women are surprised to learn that Scooter has a girlfriend, and orders him to introduce her to every woman at the party. He finally asks about her territorial behavior, and she tells him about the fax and perfume. He says that he had a business dinner with one of the company's artists, and that the perfume is a promotional item. He tells Khadijah that she needs to trust him, and points out that she is so devoted to her work that she has been neglecting him. Khadijah vows to correct this problem. Overton, Synclaire and Kyle
Episode 10: Double Indignity
Max takes a job as a telemarketer, unaware that her sleazy boss is a scam artist who sells subliminal tapes that do not contain subliminal messages. She is arrested while talking on the phone with Khadijah. Meanwhile, Overton sets up surveillance and begins recording all the girls' phone calls in the hopes of catching a prank caller. When the public defender assigned to represent Max proves to be woefully incompetent, she decides to represent herself. She points out that the boss was the only person to run, and cites this as evidence that the employees didn't realize they were committing a crime. She adds that she was making a personal call at the time that the police raided the building, and proves this through Overton's tape. The judge dismisses the case, and all the other employees ask Max to represent them. The judge recommends Max to the public defender's office, which hires her immediately.
Tag: Identity of prank caller revealed.
More episodes from this season
Episode 7: Am I My Sister's Keeper?
Overton's younger sister, Olivia, comes for a visit, and Overton is extremely protective of her. When Overton can't make their planned trip to the botanical gardens, Olivia suggests that she could go to a movie with Kyle (with whom she had been flirting). Overton catches them kissing in the hallway and throws a bucket of water on Kyle, ruining his suit. Meanwhile, Regine decides to become a vegetarian, and forces her beliefs on her roommates by throwing out all the meat. Khadijah plots to convert her back to meat-eating by holding a barbecue and giving her nothing to eat but celery. Regine does not give in, but she and her friends agree to respect each other's values. After a pep talk from Synclaire, Olivia finally musters the courage to ask her brother to stop treating her like a kid.
Tag: Kyle douses Overton with water, then puts out fire with one drop. John (Henton) waves and says good night to audience.
Episode 11: My Cups Runneth Over
Regine's doctor recommends that she undergo breast reduction surgery to alleviate her chronic back problems. After the surgery, Regine loses her self-esteem and begins throwing herself at men. Kyle assures her that she doesn't look any different, and states that her confidence and personality are what make her attractive to men. Kevon and the other neighborhood children blame Overton when a greedy ice cream man (who had been operating in the middle of winter) suffers a heart attack while reaching in the back of the truck for the Nutty Buddy that Overton had ordered.
Tag: Regine poses for photos at doctor's office.
Music: ""Accentuate the Positive,"" sung by Kim Coles; ""The Way We Were"" (Barbra Streisand), sung by Kim Fields
Episode 6: School Daze
In the hopes of spending more time with Synclaire, Overton enrolls in the art appreciation class she is taking at the night school. When the teacher marvels over one of Overton's first observations, he begins to hog the spotlight, leaving prize pupil Synclaire feeling crowded and unappreciated. She asks Overton to drop the class, but he refuses, as he feels he has uncovered a new talent. After Synclaire skips the class, Overton is overcome with guilt. Synclaire explains that she needs a place to call her own, as she is overshadowed at home and work. Overton agrees to drop the class, but decides to take an architecture course because he had enjoyed being back in school so much. Kyle places Khadijah on a strict budget to help solve her financial woes. Khadijah can't handle the prospect of buying generic foods and going without luxuries such as videos and microwave popcorn.
Tag: Synclaire paints a portrait of her friends.
Episode 12: Thanks for Giving
Everyone is surprised by Regine's companion at Thanksgiving dinner--a charming, overweight parcel delivery guy named Darryl who does not meet any of image-conscious Regine's usual date criteria. When Scooter calls Khadijah and tells her that he wants to ask her something at the dinner, she and her friends believe that he is going to propose. She is shocked when he instead tells her that he has been offered a chance to manage a female R&B group and accompany it on a world tour. Scooter becomes angry when Khadijah does not offer her blessing. The group breaks off into boy and girl factions, who each rant about the opposite sex. When everyone re-assembles for dinner, Darryl's touching prayer prompts Khadijah to re-consider and allow Scooter to pursue his dream.
Episode 5: Bristle While You Work
Regine convinces her boss, Mary, to consider having her boutique advertise in Flavor. Regine annoys Khadijah by crashing the pitch meeting. Mary agrees to purchase the ad if she finds the campaign acceptable, but suggests that the duo work on it together. Regine and Khadijah argue constantly, and decide to pitch individual ideas. When Mary expresses her disgust at the suggestions, Khadijah apologizes and promises that she and Regine will work together. Regine complains that Khadijah doesn't respect her, but Khadijah claims that Regine pushes people around because she underestimates her own intelligence. Their brainstorming results in a good slogan, and they rush off to tell Mary. An unemployed and extremely bored Max gets on Overton's nerves by appointing herself his apprentice and following him everywhere (even to his basement sanctuary, ""Overland""). She surprises him by installing the new water heater, but starts a fire when she forgets to install the steam release valve.
Tag: Max's
Episode 13: A Hair-Razing Experience
Kyle suggests that his firm take advantage of the untapped financial potential of Africa by creating a mutual fund, and volunteers to handle the project personally. Lawrence informs Kyle that the firm is concerned about using Kyle as a representative, as his appearance--specifically his hair--isn't ""corporate"" enough. Kyle does not want his career to be curtailed over such a trivial matter, so he considers getting a haircut. However, he then suffers a nightmare in which he turns into a jester who obeys his bosses' every whim (and is forced to dance before Queen Max). He calls a meeting and informs his bosses that his hair is a symbol of his pride in his African heritage. He had believed that the firm made its decisions based on merit, and will not compromise himself. Kyle learns that only Lawrence was worried about his hair, and that his concerns were dismissed. The African mutual fund is approved, and Kyle receives a promotion. Meanwhile, Khadijah is distraught when she continually mi
Episode 4: Working Nine to Nine-Fifteen
Max drives the girls crazy by spending all her time at their apartment (even having her calls forwarded). They rejoice when Evans and Bell call her back to work. However, Max is frustrated by the loss of her clients and office and the realization that the partners will never stop punishing her for her mistake. She quits during her first day. Khadijah insists that she has acted rashly, and advises her to ask for her job back. Max refuses, insisting that a better offer will come along. After a week of rejections, Max is finally offered an interview. Although the interview goes very well, the firm decides to hire someone else. Max begins to lose confidence, although her friends assure her that she is an excellent lawyer. Max breaks down and calls Evans and Bell to plead for forgiveness, but hangs up without speaking to them. Meanwhile, Overton and Regine become convinced that an elderly woman in Max's building has committed a murder. Kyle finally talks to the woman and discovers that the
Episode 14: There's No Ship Like Kinship
Khadijah's long-time friend Sheri accepts a job as a columnist at Flavor. She quickly makes friends with Synclaire, and the two go out to lunch every day and constantly joke around at the office. An annoyed Khadijah claims that their antics are disrupting the office, but she is actually very jealous. After she loses her temper and stomps off to her room during a game of Clue at the apartment, Synclaire confronts her. Khadijah apologizes and admits that she has been feeling left out. Sheri quits her job at Flavor, as she earned more money free-lancing. Overton suffers from insomnia after buying a new box spring. He does not sleep for days, and behaves erratically. When he goes upstairs to check on Khadijah and Synclaire, he falls asleep on Khadijah's bed.
Tag: Everyone tries to get slumbering Overton out of Khadijah's room.
Music: ""Confunction Junction,"" sung by Kim Coles and Rosie O'Donnell
Episode 3: They've Gotta Have It
Regine grows weary of her tendency to date vain, tiresome men. She feels as though she is just going through the motions. Synclaire gives her a brochure about a seminar intended to help women break their dependence on men. When Regine attends her first session, she is shocked to find that Max is taking the class. The instructor assigns the students to take themselves on a date, but Regine and Max are so bored alone that they decide to go out together. Max explains that she took the seminar because she was not fulfilled by her one-night stands, and realized she had hit rock bottom when she slept with Kyle. She tells Regine that there is nothing wrong with seeking a relationship, as long as you don't base your self-worth on whether you have a man. They agree that they are doing just fine spending the evening without men. It is then revealed that Max and Regine are at a strip club. Overton sends Synclaire gifts from a secret admirer, but decides to call it off when she constantly speculat
Episode 15: Singing the Blues
After observing the depressing lack of talent at the cafe's open mike night, the group persuades Kyle to sing the following week. Overton agrees to perform his stand-up comedy act in exchange for Kyle's participation. Kyle starts out well as he performs ""When I Fall in Love,"" but begins stuttering when Max enters in a low-cut gown and sits directly in front of him. He runs out of the cafe, thus ensuring Overton's victory. Max teases him mercilessly about his failure, while Overton believes that Kyle's unresolved feelings for Max are responsible for the incident. He urges him to get back on stage to prove himself. Kyle delivers a brilliant performance of ""My Funny Valentine."" He sings most of the song directly to a swooning Max. While the girls needle Max, Kyle thanks Overton for his advice, which he believes has freed him from Max's influence. At that moment, Max looks over her shoulder and smiles at Kyle seductively. He returns her gaze. ""Oh Lord! There they go again!"" Overton sighs.