DROP DEAD DIVA Advanced Review: “Home” (Season 4, Episode 2)

Another new episode of Drop Dead Diva entitled “Home” will air this coming Sunday (June 10), featuring guest stars Steven Culp (of Desperate Housewives fame) and John Ratzenberger (of Cheers fame) in stories that will greatly affect Jane (Brooke Elliott) and Kim (Kate Levering).

But first Stacy (April Bowlby) tells Jane that Grayson seems to be “connecting the dots” between Jane and Deb, especially after the slip that Stacy made to him in the season finale last year that “Jane is Deb”. Is Grayson really figuring things out? Jane doesn’t seem to think so, but Stacy isn’t going to relent on her presumption.

Meanwhile, Jane lands a case involving a 16-year-old CEO (guest star Jake T. Austin) of a video game company who wants to sue his father for not permitting him to go to South America to attend a huge computer expo. His dad (Steven Culp) is a widowed police officer, raising his son and daughter; but hiding a tragic secret. So as not to spoil the twist in the episode, I will leave out that one little reveal. However, I will say that despite the nature of why the father doesn’t want his son to leave the country is actually a very compelling story that has a touching end.

Kim, on the other hand, has to deal with her errant father (John Ratzenberger) who ends up, for better or worse, squatting in the lavish home of his former employer because he was short-changed on his retirement fund. It seems her dad wants to get what is owed him, but he goes about it in a not-so-legal way. The resolution to this storyline has to be seen to be believed, but it is a great case of David going after Goliath, knocking the giant down with a most unlikely weapon. You will have to tune in to see how Kim and Parker (Josh Stamberg) make their case and get what is due her dad.

Then there is the sub-plot of Jane dealing with her new guardian angel Lucas (new cast member Carter MacIntyre). Their relationship, to say the least, is contentious. Lucas is not like Fred and maybe that is exactly what Jane needs as we circle back around to Grayson possibly figuring out the truth about Jane/Deb. Lucas tells Jane, in no uncertain terms, that Grayson cannot find out the truth, reminding Jane about what happened to Grayson the last time he got too close to the truth – he was hit by a car and ended up in a coma.

Despite what her heart tells her – not to mention her budding relationship with Owen (Lex Medlin) – Jane relents and agrees with Lucas that Grayson cannot figure out the truth. This scene will assuredly touch the heartstrings of any long-time viewer; or for that matter, touch anyone with even the most remote amount of emotions.

And then you have the whole “pakery” storyline between Stacy and Nikki (guest star Kim Kardashian), which is the new business that the two ladies plan to start together after Stacy does some cooking therapy gone awry. I applaud Stacy for wanting to make something of herself now that she has put acting and modeling behind her, but going into business with a relationship coach, well, I’m not sure if that is the best bet.

“Home” is the second episode of the fourth season of Drop Dead Diva and it will air on Lifetime this Sunday, June 10 at 9 PM.