Hope Against Hope (S05E07)

With Hunter gone, Ben feels like a failure as a parent. Despite Michael's declaration that they did all they could to prevent the teen from leaving, Ben remains unconvinced, and he continues to worry about Hunter's whereabouts. Michael tries to rouse Ben to join him at a Gay and Lesbian Center meeting to organize a protest against Proposition 14, which would strip gays of existing legal rights for same-sex couples. At first Ben refuses to go, but then he surprises Michael by making an appearance. Struggling financially, Lindsay allows her mother, Nancy (recurring guest star Pixie Bigelow), to persuade her to give up the tiny one-bedroom apartment she has been living in with Gus and move into her parents' huge house. Lindsay is convinced that her mother has changed, but Melanie warns her that such total transformations simply do not happen. When Nancy invites a man to dinner as a potential suitor for her daughter, Lindsay must remind her thwarted mother that she is a lesbian. Lindsay tells Melanie that she was right, but Melanie graciously refuses to say, "I told you so". Instead, she invites Lindsay to stay the night. An obsessed Brian confronts Brandon, the new Adonis who threatens Brian's position as "hottest guy in Pittsburgh". Brian is so frustrated by the interloper that he bans him permanently from Babylon on dubious grounds. When Brandon asks what he can do to regain entry to the club, Brian issues a challenge: Whoever can have sex with the 10 hottest men first will win. If Brandon wins, he can come back to Babylon; if Brian wins, he can have Brandon sexually. Realizing that he and Brian will never be a couple like Ben and Michael, Justin finally leaves Brian and moves in temporarily with them. An inebriated Brian shows up late at Ben and Michael's house and angrily confronts Michael, deepening the existing rift between the two old friends. Justin decides that he needs his own space, and his real estate agent mother, Jennifer (recurring guest star Sherry Miller), helps him find a place in his price range--a one-room dump with a common bathroom. Lust compels Ted to keep having sex with Troy instead of getting his revenge for his past humiliation by Troy. But Emmett continues to prod Ted to get his payback. Brian thinks Ted is being foolish to give up the best sex of his life for some obscure principle. When Ted finally confronts him, Troy is hurt, admitting that he really likes Ted. And it's clear that the feeling is mutual. (Warner Bros. UK)