About a Boy Episode 1.04 About a Girl

Marcus' science lab partner Hannah Bickleman is torturing his soul; he's in love. He's pretty sure he's not getting an invite to her birthday party, so he wants Will to teach him the art of seduction. That's when Dakota pulls up outside; she's attending the talk circle Fiona's hosting for the moms in Marcus' grade in an attempt to negotiate some friends for him. Will invites Dakota to stop by afterwards, but she's done with him. Next door, Fiona opens the discussion with her talking stick, focusing on Hannah's mom, Joanne. Marcus' old school had a mandatory all-inclusive invite policy, but the Berkeley moms aren't having it, beyond advising Marcus to join a sports team. After the moms leave, Dakota commiserates; middle school is tough for everyone. Fiona invites her to stay for a glass of wine and a fledgling friendship is born. The next day at school, Hannah passes Marcus a party invitation... then asks him to pass it to the kid sitting next to him.

After school, Marcus commiserates with Will, who advises that girls like bad boys. Just then, Dakota pulls up for a yoga session in Fiona's backyard. Deciding to practice his own bad boyishness, Will takes off his shirt and pretends to fix his motorcycle. Despite Fiona's advice to look inward, Dakota can't help but look at Will's manly pulchritude. The next day at school, Marcus tries to sell himself as a bad boy to Hannah, causing her to nearly blow up the science lab. He spills the whole story to Fiona when she comes down to the principal's office to pick him up - he's no bad boy! After persuading Hannah's mother to invite Marcus to the birthday party, Fiona balls out Will for his bad boy advice. But Will stands his ground; Marcus needs game to get noticed by Hannah! After Fiona storms off, Marcus pokes his head through the dumbwaiter, over the moon to have received an invite to Hannah's party! Could playing the bad boy have paid off?

Convinced his own game is suffering, Will marches over to Dakota's apartment. He's just offered a heartfelt apology when a cranky lady opens the door and tells him to get lost. Luckily, Dakota lives across the hall, and she's ready to get it on, since she just dropped her kids at Hannah's birthday party. They're ripping each other's clothes off when Dakota mentions what a nightmare the party will be. Some crazy lady convinced Hannah's mom to invite a pale kid with the horrible nickname Mucus. The seduction slams to a halt when Will and Dakota realize they have to get to the birthday party on the double - Mucus is Marcus! In fact, Marcus is standing next to the chip table looking pathetic after all of his moves are rebuffed. Will hatches a plan to extract Marcus, while Dakota tricks Hannah into a bathroom. There, Fiona asks her to dance with Marcus. Hannah has the power to make a difference - she can do a mean thing or a really good thing. Hannah screams and runs out of the room. Will runs up to beg Fiona and Dakota for money; they need to bribe the DJ so he won't play Marcus' requested slow jam, which will result in utter humiliation. No bribes are needed, however; in a surprise move, Hannah agrees a dance. It's only one dance - but it's the absolute best moment in all of Will's young life.