Episode #110 "The Favorite"

When Joan stops by with a strawberry pie that happens to be Butch's favorite, while Pamela is allergic to strawberries, Kimberly wonders aloud who her grandmother likes the best. Pamela tells Butch that Kimberly's right; their mom does like him best. The discussion continues when Butch, Pamela and the kids go to Bill and Joan's and learn that Joan is turning Pamela's old room into a cedar closet, while Butch's old room is the same as always. Pamela tells Joan she's sick of Butch being the favorite (which Joan denies) and storms out. In the car, Kimberly observes that this is going to be a good fight. Pam angrily tells Butch that his being the favorite has been the story of her whole life. She stops the car and tells him to walk home. Butch walks over to Elizabeth's where he tells Charlie that the whole thing's ridiculous. He can't help it if he's the favorite. He says that something he's always admired about Elizabeth is that she's never been jealous that Butch is Charlie's favorite. Charlie doesn't respond. Butch pushes, and Charlie tries to be diplomatic, but when Butch insists that he pick, Charlie says that his mom's the favorite. Pamela goes to Bill and Joan's to see Butch, who has moved back into his old room. She's there to apologize, but she immediately notices that Butch's room has been preserved like a museum. The room's even been painted. Pamela decides that she's not crazy, and Butch really is the favorite, while she's been the outsider. She take back her apology. A fight begins in which they both revert to their teenage selves with accusations flying. Butch throws Pamela's purse out the window, and Pamela retaliates by throwing out one of Butch's model cars. Bill and Joan try to intervene but no one really wants to discuss the problem. Butch suggests that they need the services of an impartial counselor. Butch, Pamela, Bill and Joan visit a psychiatrist, and Pamela tells her story. But things start going downhill when Bill admits hating his brother, who was always the favorite, and the psychiatrist suggests that Butch may feel guilty for being favored while also feeling responsible his whole family. Butch gets angry, Pamela has the sudden realization that she genuinely loves Bill and Joan, Butch grabs the psychiatrist's notes, and they take off. Later Bill tells his parents that he's sick of being their favorite. Love or hate him and Pamela, but do it equally. Butch tells Pamela she should tell their parents she loves them every day. Genuine emotion scares the hell out of them. And with a little prodding, Pamela admits to Butch that she has a favorite child too.