Scott Baio Is 45...and Single

After eight weeks of working with Doc Ali and visiting ex-girlfriends for advice on why their relationships didn't work out, Scott was finally able to answer the question: Why is Scott Baio 45 and still single? As Scott himself put it, "It all stems from the fact that I'm always looking for the next best thing."

Tonight that search finally ended.

True, it looked like Scott was having a really hard time committing himself to the idea of buying a ring or drafting a prenup, but in the end he realized that Renee is the best thing that ever happened to him. And so, in a quiet moment at his graduation party, Scott pulled Renee aside and told her that he was ready to get married. While this confession wasn't dressed up with fancy fireworks or an elaborate proposal, it did feel genuine and it was an approach that fit in with Scott's personality. Had the moment been anything more glamorous than it was, I think it would have felt staged, and I feel as though the simple route proved to be the most heartfelt.

Of course, Renee had a few choice words to share with Scott tonight, too. As it turns out, Scott's not only shedding his bachelor life to become a husband, he's also going to be a daddy! And what better way to end the episode than to freeze-frame the look on Scott's face when he heard the news? What a perfect way to set the stage for a second series!

You can view clips from Scott Baio Is 45... and Single in our Online Video Guide.

"I felt like Michael Corleone, about to whack his brother Fredo." That's how Scott described the way he felt, just moments before "breaking up" with his buddy, Johnny V. True, it appears that this will be just a temporary split, but it was an important step that Doc Ali felt Scott had to take in order to shed his old lifestyle. And, as expected, Johnny didn't take the news well.

Earlier in the night, Doc Ali described Johnny as a "Scott Baio parasite" with an "agenda." She later went on to tell Scott that she viewed his friendship with Johnny as "counterproductive" and "toxic." As harsh as those words may seem, it was obvious that Scott wasn't disagreeing with her. It also became painfully obvious that Johnny finally went too far on the night of the mud-wrestling party. The fun and games came to an abrupt halt when a mud-covered Johnny insisted on hugging Scott. Rather than taking the hint when asked to back off, Johnny pushed on and taunted Scott by suggesting he needed to loosen up, because "it's a party." Perhaps it was that moment when Scott finally realized that he and Johnny needed to give their friendship some breathing room.

Amid all of this drama, I find myself becoming more and more a fan of Jason Hervey. Maybe it's because he played such a bully on The Wonder Years, but until recently I never really thought much of him. Now, after seeing him over the course of the last seven weeks, I've really come to admire the way he regards his marriage and the advice he offers Scott. When asked to comment on married life, Jason doesn't put on airs and paint a flawless picture, but he also doesn't take the opportunity to make a sarcastic joke for the sake of a laugh. Case in point: the time Scott asked Jason to comment on how sex changes after marriage. Rather than make a snide remark, he simply suggested that things do slow down in that department. I guess it's just nice to know that while there is a guy like Johnny in Scott's life, there's also someone like Jason to balance things out.

Well, this ride is almost over. Next week is the last episode and we'll finally get to see if this journey ends in a proposal or another breakup.

You can view clips from Scott Baio Is 45... and Single in our Online Video Guide.

After six weeks of visiting former flames and tackling various assignments from Doc Ali, Scott confesses that he just doesn't feel any different. He even questions whether this process is really the road he should be taking to end up at "happily ever after."

Refusing to be cast aside so easily, Doc Ali accuses Scott of bailing on the process, much like he bails on the women in his life. Scott begrudgingly admits she's right and he agrees to tackle his next two assignments: attending a cuddle party and severing ties with Connie, a friend with whom he enjoyed fringe benefits.

Hearing Scott describe Connie as the female version of himself, I was anxious to see how she would react to the "breakup." If she was really that similar to Scott, would she even care? Surprisingly, it sounded as though she was much more emotionally aware of their arrangement than he ever seemed to realize. She described her interludes with Scott as "sterile, uneventful" and "not passionate." Further building on those statements, she suggested that even when he was there, he wasn't really there. These were not at all the kinds of things I was expecting Scott's female equivalent to be saying. So maybe that's why I felt so bad when Scott uttered those terrible words no one in a romantic relationship ever wants to hear: "You and I should just be good friends." Ugh. Connie took it like a trooper, though, and agreed it was for the best.

Just as I was about to dial up Connie and offer my support, Johnny appeared, to help stir things up again. En route to a cuddle party (which is code for "sex party," according to Johnny), Scott and his two pals pondered the evening's possibilities. For Scott, the night was about stepping outside of his comfort zone; for Johnny, it was about deciding which flavored condom to use. It was certainly an interesting night (and not at all what Johnny was predicting), as men and women, decked out in their pajamas, gave each other massages and mooed like cows. I'm not really sure if the night benefited Scott the way it was supposed to, but Johnny did manage to walk away with one woman's phone number.

Next week, Doc Ali takes on Scott's friends, and things get ugly....

You can view clips from Scott Baio Is 45... and Single in our Online Video Guide.

Up until this point in the season, I was really entertained by this show. In previous episodes, Scott often displayed a fun, self-deprecating sense of humor and you could always count on Johnny to create some sort of self-involved drama. However, tonight's episode lacked the pizzazz to hold my interest for very long. Maybe it's because the one aspect I really enjoy is the awkwardness that ensues whenever Scott revisits one of his exes. Today he barely had a conversation with Sheila — the ex he was assigned to see this week — that amounted to anything more than her telling him (repeatedly) that he "shouldn't have children." It's not that I want to see Scott constantly battling obstacles, but I just didn't feel as though he made any real progress this week.

Sure, Scott spent some time at a preschool and he learned firsthand how messy playtime can be with kids, but he walked away from that experience asking, "How do parents do this on a regular basis?" To me, that sounded like Scott either still isn't ready to have children of his own, or maybe his ex was right... maybe he just isn't meant to have kids. Yet, he still maintained throughout the show that he plans on procreating. I guess I'm just a little confused because actions speak louder than words and something seems amiss here.

Tonight Scott also took Johnny and his pal Jason Hervey shopping. The mission? To find a gift for Renee's 17-year-old daughter, whom Scott has never met before. Now, before I get to the actual shopping experience, I have to note that I wasn't surprised when Doc Ali gave Scott the "hall pass" to meet Renee's daughter, but I was disappointed that he was allowed to see Renee again. I thought part of the deal from the outset was that Scott would not be allowed to see Renee for the duration of this process. Am I being too much of a stickler for the rules? Maybe so, but that's just one more reason I felt like this episode did little to further Scott's progress toward self-enlightenment.

OK, back to the shopping trip. The most we got out of Johnny tonight was that once you're a cheater, you're always a cheater (way to have your buddy's back there, Johnny). Aside from those words of wisdom, Scott also met a sweet old woman who revealed that her own marriage of 17 years ended in divorce because her hubby had a knack for shacking up in the neighbor's bed. Tsk- tsk. Though the story did lead Scott to the realization that if he doesn't learn from his past, he might lose Renee.

Next, Scott finally met Renee's daughter and they, too, spent the afternoon shopping. Aside from the numerous questions Scott faced from her, I think the most poignant moment came when Nick, a random guy in one of the stores, attempted to hit on Renee's daughter. For the first time, it appeared as though Scott was taking on a protective and fatherly role that emerged naturally. It was sweet to watch as Scott, comparing Nick to himself 20 years ago, kept a careful watch on the two of them as they exchanged numbers. So, maybe Scott wouldn't make such a bad dad after all... which is a good thing, if those recent baby rumors prove to be true!

Until next week...

You can view clips from Scott Baio Is 45... and Single in our Online Video Guide.

For those of you who haven't noticed yet, new episodes of Scott Baio Is 45... and Single air at 12:30PM/ET on Sundays. That's why this post is here sooner than usual. Well, that's part of the reason. The other reason is I’m heading to the Jersey shore in a few minutes and I wanted to make sure we covered the latest chapter in Scott's love life before I hit the beach. So, if you haven't seen this episode yet, stop reading now! For those of you who have, let's discuss....

It was good to see Nicole Eggert in this episode. Not only did she seem really grounded, but she also seemed to be able to give Scott some really useful advice, most notably, that being with someone too perfect could be boring. Since Scott always seems to be looking for the next best thing, I think that was something he really needed to hear.

As for this week's assignment from Doc Ali, well, I was a little surprised that she suggested he try a matchmaking service. Though it did make for an interesting segment and I thought it was funny how Scott compared the idea to "taking a kid to a candy store and then leaving them locked in the car." Yep, this episode definitely put Scott to the test with some very tempting moments.

We also learned firsthand from Scott who his ideal woman would be: "Blonde," "good body," "sense of humor" and "nice rack," were just a few of the items on his list. As Scott ran down a few of his other "requirements," I couldn't help but think Renee already seems to be all of those things! So, why does Scott still seem to be searching for something, or someone, else?

Before Scott had the chance to meet his "perfect match," he spent some time playing poker with his buddies. Of course, Johnny was there, and anywhere Johnny goes, trouble seems to follow, and sure enough, it did that night. Almost too predictably, a gorgeous blonde woman appeared at Scott's house to deliver pizza and a show. When the strip-tease act began, I started to wonder just how far Scott was going to let the act go, when he grabbed her by the hand and led her into another room. As he shut the door behind them, I really began to think maybe Scott had finally buckled! But in a valiant move, Scott opted to give the woman $200 in cash to leave quietly. He even told the "delivery woman" that she was a nice girl, but he just couldn't let the act go on. Scott then showed her to the door and Johnny was quick to follow her out. Now I can't help but wonder what happened between the two of them once that door closed. Hmmm...

Despite Johnny's attempt to sabotage Scott's celibacy, he somehow managed to accompany Scott on his blind date the next day. Though he didn't stick around, I was still surprised that Scott would even want to bring him along. At any rate, the woman that Scott was set up with, Julie, seemed pretty flawless to me, but Scott still managed to find something wrong with her. Somehow, Scott felt that her teeth were a little too perfect and that she had hands like an ape. Poor Julie. I can only imagine what she was thinking as she watched that episode.

Ultimately, Scott managed to keep his celibacy and his faithfulness in check this week. He even came to the conclusion that some of the things he liked best about Renee were her imperfections.

Next week Scott meet's Renee's daughter, and judging from the previews, she's bringing the firing squad with her!

As a girl whose first boyfriend cheated on her (more than once), I thought I was going to find myself feeling empathetic toward Julie McCullough. But after I watched her stand-up act, I started feeling sorry for her for another reason: Her routine wasn't funny, and by the time she got to the part where she was ridiculing Scott, it was just flat-out uncomfortable. Telling a room full of strangers that you once threw a whole bottle of beer at Scott Baio's head isn't really the kind of stuff that evokes laughter. Though I did find the story about how she met the woman with whom Scott cheated on her quite amusing. The idea of the two of them banding together and sending him an obscene Christmas card did manage to put a smirk on my face.

OK, now I'm feeling guilty for not liking Julie's act, but I can say that I liked her on Growing Pains. That much is true, and I did feel bad when she told Scott that she got her first AIDS test because of him. As she put it, "That's how much you cheated on me." So obviously, Scott wasn't the faithful type back then. But he did manage to accomplish his next assignment from Doc Ali, which was to revisit Julie and apologize for his roving eye. Oh, and I guess his roving hands, too. Heck, he even took the apology one step further by buying her a slice of pizza to make up for the one she had to buy herself on their date 20 years ago. That was definitely an "awww" moment for me. OK, so it was sort of a cheap move for him back in the day to not offer to pay for their date, but he's trying to redeem himself now, right?

Now on to Palm Springs... As Scott headed off with all of his guy friends (including tagalong Johnny), I started to wonder if something might really happen to challenge Scott's faithfulness to Renee. Meeting up with a bachelorette party and then bringing them back to your friend's place sure looked like trouble to me. Especially when Johnny kept trying to talk Scott into staying up and drinking more. Scott managed to resist the temptation, though, and he even managed to go to bed (alone) early.

As for Johnny, I almost don't know what to say. This guy is so dependent on Scott for a social life that I almost fear what might happen to him if Scott does decide to get married. When Johnny said outright that Scott "needs to be single for several more years, so I can enjoy myself," I couldn't help but think Scott's next assignment should be to kick this guy to the curb for the remainder of the process. Either that or Johnny needs to get a life coach of his own. Hopefully he's watching the show and that will be enough to help him see the light. Either way, he still gets the prize for the funniest line of the night, when he was pleading with the women from the bachelorette party to stay: "I know I’m not Chachi, but that's no reason to leave!" Apparently it is, Johnny.

Fortunately, Scott left Palm Springs on a high note by visiting a happily married couple who were able to put some of his matrimonial fears to rest.

Next week, it looks like Scott's going to face his biggest temptation yet... his perfect match. Oh, and whoever that scantily clad woman was that he leads into a small room and then shuts the door behind them.

Until then, let me know what you thought of tonight's episode....

View clips from Scott Baio Is 45... and Single in our Online Video Guide.

Scott Baio was my first. No, I don't mean that I was one of his many conquests. This isn't that kind of confession. Scott Baio was my first TV crush. True, I was probably still too young to even know what a crush was when I first met him as Chachi Arcola on Happy Days, but I did know that there was something special about him that kept me glued to the TV set whenever he was on. Or maybe I was just predestined to like him, since I was named after his on-screen (and off) girlfriend, Erin Moran. Whatever the reason, Scott has always been a favorite of mine and I'm really hoping that this season of Scott Baio Is 45... and Single won't permanently damage my happy thoughts of him. As luck would have it, it sounds like Scott's agent fears the same thing. Too bad they didn't have that conversation a little sooner.

At the beginning of the show, we learned that Scott is 45 and that he has a beautiful girlfriend named Renee. They've been together for a year and a half, and Renee is super-anxious for Scott to get down on one knee and propose. Heck, she's even keeping track of the calendar in anticipation of celebrating their one-and-a-half year mark together. My first thought here was, OK, maybe she's not the one for him, since the look of shock on Scott's face pretty much proved that these two are not on the same page together... but after learning about all of the other women Scott has loved and left behind, I started to wonder if maybe he really could use a life coach.

That's where Doc Ali comes in (after several other unconventional coaches were interviewed and given the boot). I like Doc Ali (aka "Dark Alley"). She has really taken the bull by the horns with Scott. First, she made him sign a contract of commitment to the program and then she really laid down the law by telling him he would have to revisit some of his exes, remain celibate and refrain from seeing Renee for the duration of the process. As Ali put it, Scott needs "clean time to get clear."

On the other end of the "like spectrum," I find myself not liking Scott's friend Johnny very much. My first impression was that this guy is just feeding off of Scott's fame (remember how intense he was with Scott's agent?). Even Scott himself implied Johnny's social life is probably hinging on the opportunities he gets by being Scott's "wingman." This guy seems really possessive of Scott's time. He even picked a fight with Erin Moran at the autograph session. I don't know, maybe fancy editing is to blame there, but this guy seems to be a bit much.

In the end we learned that Scott's biggest fear is that he'll die alone. Knowing that he "hits a wall" in relationships, it's understandable that he would have that fear... but something tells me that at the end of this process, we may just be watching Scott waltz down the aisle.

Let me know what you thought of this first installment....

Link to clips from Scott Baio Is 45... and Single in our Online Video Guide.