"Couple's Therapy" is the thirteenth episode of Season 2 of Tom Goes to the Mayor, and the twenty-sixth episode of the series overall. It originally aired on August 28th, 2006.
Synopsis[]
Tom embarks on a couple's cruise in an attempt to bond better with his wife Joy, only to find that the Mayor is also on board (also trying to bond better with Joy). Joy, however, is not on the cruise, having plans of her own.
Plot[]
The episode begins with the Mayor watching a PSA about Jefferton's oil turtles. Janeane Garofalo explains that the oil turtles live in the manmade lake, and need the water to be oily in order to survive. The Mayor pledges to continue dumping oil into the lake to save the turtles. After that, Tom comes in to lodge a complaint, and shows the Mayor video evidence. The electric company installed a pylon over the Peters's house, which is causing fires from the residual electricity, and causing Tom's stepsons to develop tumors. The Mayor sees no issue, but decides to have his temporary assistant, Joy Peters, look into the matter further. He calls Joy, but Tom's phone rings. The Mayor is confused, especially since Joy never mentioned she was married. He takes this to mean that Tom and Joy are having marital problems. Tom admits that there is a problem, and he isn't sure what to do. The Mayor, saying that he also has relationship issues with Joy, suggests Captain Pat's Couples Retreat, a relationship therapy cruise on the manmade lake.
Some time later, Tom is on board the ship alone after Joy refuses to go on the cruise. Using some sightseeing binoculars, Tom is able to see his house from the boat, but notices strange men going into his house while Joy is there. The Mayor arrives and greets Tom, asking if Joy is on board. Tom says no and explains she had things to do at home. Therapy orientation is about to start, and the Mayor leaves Tom alone. He tries calling Joy, asking if she's going to be alone that night, but gets Tom's phone again and hangs up. At orientation, Captain Pat Lewellen introduces himself, explains briefly what the goal of the cruise is, and asks everyone to introduce themselves. The Mayor goes first, says that his partner is Joy Peters, and the other couples applaud him. Tom goes next and explains his situation, but is met with silence from the other guests. Later that night, Tom tries recording a video message for Joy, but the Mayor enters his cabin and interrupts. He says the captain suggested he and Tom be partners for the cruise since Joy isn't there. Before Tom can protest, the Mayor hops into bed and pretends to go to sleep. He tries calling Joy again, trying to start some phone sex, but Tom picks up again and he hangs up.
The following day, the couple's therapy begins. Captain Pat leads the couples, Tom, and the Mayor through exercises like body painting and communicating without using words. In between exercises, Tom looks through the ship's binoculars and sees more men going in and out of his house. He even sees Joy squirming around on the bed while a few men are in the room. Tom gets upset, and the Mayor comes out to check on him. Tom explains what's going on. The Mayor says that Tom needs to jump ship and get home to Joy. Tom does so, and jumps into the oily lake. He swims to shore and runs for home, followed by several oil turtles. When he gets home, he tells the turtles to wait for him outside. Electrical discharge from the pylon in the yard sets the oil turtles shells on fire and they continue to follow Tom. Tom bursts into his bedroom and yells at Joy, demanding to know what the men in there are doing. Joy says that she already explained to him that she was planning to have a toilet installed in the bed and the men are builders. Tom sees all the construction equipment and the toilet bowl in the mattress. Tom starts apologizing for not trusting Joy. But, the now flaming oil turtles crawl their way inside the house, setting the house ablaze. The resulting explosion makes the electrical pylon fly into the air and land on Captain Pat's cruise ship, setting it on fire as well.
A few days later, everyone that survived the fires and explosions meets up at Gulliver's for Tom's apology mixer. Tom and the Mayor chat about the situation, and Tom says that he feels partially responsible for the disaster. The Mayor bluntly says Tom should feel responsible as they look over their fellow burn victims.