| No Ordinary Friends | |
| Season 1, Episode 11 | |
 | |
| Air date | 3 Jan, 2011 |
| Written by | Marc Guggenheim |
| Directed by | John Polson |
| Episode Guide | |
| ← previous "No Ordinary Sidekick" |
next → "No Ordinary Brother" |
Plot[]
After Jim saves Dave Cotten's life, he and Stephanie become fast friends with Dave, his wife, Michelle and their kids. But Jim begins to suspect that the Cottens may be leading their own secret lives. Meanwhile, Daphne throws her hat into the high school ring for student council president, and Katie reveals a secret to Stephanie about her relationship with Joshua - aka The Watcher.
Full Recap[]
The Powells meet to try and explain to Daphne that she has forgotten the last three months of her life. They finally demonstrate their powers, and then join hands and have her touch them, so that she can see and hear all of their memories of what happened.
Later, Jim is downtown when George calls to tell him that an $8 million painting was stolen from the Lindenberg Museum. However, Jim notices a man crossing the street, unaware of the bus heading for him. Jim shoves the man out of the way and then tries to slip away. The man introduces himself as Dave Cotton and insists on getting Jim's name so his wife can thank him. Jim reluctantly tells Dave who he is and leaves.
At the lab, Stephanie explains to Katie what happened, and dismisses Daphne's amnesia as teenage stress. Katie talks about her new boyfriend, unaware that he's really the Watcher, and Stephanie realizes that she's in love. However, she soon realizes that Katie is a virgin, and Katie explains that she waited in high school until she found the one, and she's still waiting. Stephanie assures her that the Watcher the feel the same way.
That night, Dave brings his wife Michelle and children Chloe and Troy to the Powell home to thank Jim for saving Dave's life. Jim reluctantly explains to Stephanie what happened. Michelle asks them over the next day for a barbecue to thank Jim, and Jim tries to refuse. However, Stephanie accepts. Afterward, Stephanie says that she wants to spend time with a normal family instead of dwelling on their superpowers. Jim doesn't like the idea, and worries that that they might give away their secret. They're interrupted when George calls to tell Jim that a silent alarm has gone off at the county museum.
At the museum, a hooded thief takes a painting and puts it in a carry case. Jim busts in and comes after the thief, who uses flash-bangs to distract him, but fails to take the painting as he escapes.
The next day at the police station, Jim tells George what happened, and that the thief was a professional. George wants to check out a boot print that the police found at the scene, but Jim begs off, explaining that he has a barbeque to attend. At home, Jim watches as Stephanie tries outfits at superspeed. She says that she feels she can relate to Michelle, and needs someone normal to hang out with. Stephanie then looks for her journal and discovers that it's gone, but Jim figures that it'll turn up.
The Watcher and Katie meet for drinks and he admits that she's changed his life. She starts to talk to him about her virginity, but then ducks the issue.
The Powells and Cottens get together, and Michelle thanks Stephanie for coming over. She explains that Dave's job in IT keeps them moving, and she's missed out on friendships. Jim and Dave go to the garage to get charcoal and Jim notices that Dave has an expensive watch. Dave has his old band's instruments in the garage, and Jim admits that he played in a band in high school. The families eat and Jim realizes that Chloe and Troy are uncomfortable going to a new high school. He has Daphne read his mind and thinks at her that she and JJ should show the new kids around. Daphne reluctantly agrees to help and they toast new friendships.
The next day, Daphne shows Chloe around the school, and tries to avoid the table that belongs to school classs president, Bailey Browning. Bailey comes over but Chloe casually insults her. Bailey storms off and Daphne explains that no one tries to oppose her. Chloe suggests that Daphne run for president and actually do something rather than think about it.
As JJ shows Troy around, he introduces her to Natalie. Natalie blows off JJ and goes to class, and JJ explains that he kissed her once. However, now she's ignoring him. Troy figures that Natalie wants a bad boy, no matter how smart she is.
At home that night, Stephanie says that she had fun with the Cottens, and Jim admits it was nice to spend time being normal. Stephanie says that Michelle invited her to drinks and she plans to accept, but Jim worries that the closer they get, the more they risk their secret.
At the Cotton home, Dave and Michelle share a drink. Dave goes out to the garage to get a new bottle... which is next to a set of black boots and the case that was used in the museum robberies.
The Watcher brings Katie back to her apartment and she awkwardly invites him in for a drink. He kisses her, and she stops him to explain that she's a virgin. The Watcher immediately says he has to go.
The next day, Jim admits to George that he's happy to have a normal couple to spend time with and talk about normal stuff. George admits he's there to talk about the art heist, and the thief has hit Boston and Seattle. Jim remembers that Dave worked in Boston and Seattle at the same time as the robberies, but he doesn't believe that Dave could be the thief. George suggests that Jim keep an eye on him, because the thief is on contract to get the specific painting and will go back to the museum.
At school, JJ finds Troy flirting with Natalie. He interrupts and Troy blatantly admits that he was hitting on Natalie. He taunts JJ until JJ swings at him and knocks him down.
Stephanie and Michelle are having drinks in the Powell kitchen, and Stephanie is soon drunk. She tells a secret and Michelle admits a secret of her own, and then Stephanie prepares to demonstrate her powers. Before she can, Jim returns home, realizes what's going on, and stops her. He gets her to bed and Michelle leaves.
Jim watches the museum and complains to George over the radio about the fact that the Powell family can't risk getting too close to normal people. He spots the thief going in and follows as the robber expertly bypasses the security system. Jim closes in and realizes the thief is wearing Dave's watch. He sets off the alarms and the thief slips through the doorway before a barred gate comes down. Him is caught inside and forced to rip the bars apart to escape.
Back at home the next morning, Jim tells a hungover Stephanie that he thinks Dave is the thief. Stephanie insists that it's all circumstantial, and the Cottens are just a normal family. Jim goes to talk to Dave, but assures Stephanie that he'll handle it diplomatically. At Dave's garage, Jim comments that the police have video of the thief wearing Dave's watch, and there have been heists in every town where Dave lived. Dave soon figures he's accusing him and walks away.
Daphne and Chloe hand out flyers for Daphne's candidacy, but she can hear the students thinking about all of their problems in school. Bailey comes by and offers insincere congratulations.
At Global Tech, Katie tries to explain what happened to Stephanie, who is busy looking for her journal. Stephanie finally slows down and listens.
The Watcher goes to see Dr. King and says that he's had enough and will no longer work for him, doing things that he's ashamed of. Dr. King warns that he won't be able to live without power, but the Watcher says that he's found something else to live with. His employer realizes that he's involved with Katie and warns that she'll never accept who he is and what he's done, but the Watcher says they'll see and leaves.
At the station, Jim blames himself for accusing Dave, and George suggests that he apologize. Jim goes to the Cotton home and looks for Dave. He finds the boots and case in the garage, and Michelle comes in to ask what he's doing. Jim tells her what he's discovered, and Michelle reluctantly admits that the boots and case belong to her.
Jim calls Stephanie over and asks her what he's supposed to do now. Stephanie says that Michelle is her friend and she'll talk to him. Michelle says that she hid the evidence, but Stephanie warns that the police will tear her life apart looking for evidence. Her friend explains that she took a job as an assistant at a museum when Dave was laid off, and a thief convinced her to help him with a heist in return for a share of the loot. After that, she kept doing it and it became a way of life. Stephanie says that she understands, but refuses to give Michelle a day to escape. Michelle reluctantly agrees to turn herself in and let George help her, but asks for the chance to tell Dave and her children first.
At school, Natalie approaches JJ and thanks him for standing up for her, and admits that he impressed her. She kisses him and leaves, and Troy overhears the entire exchange. He tells JJ that he flirted with Natalie to provoke JJ, so JJ could impress Natalie and get her back as a girlfriend.
Bailey and Daphne are giving their speeches. Bailey's is popular, and Daphne initially stutters through hers. However, she soon focuses on the fact that Bailey is campaigning about dances and candygrams. Instead, Daphne focuses on everything she's picked up from the students' thoughts about what is wrong with the school, and says that she knows what they want and will help them to get it. She leaves the podium to an enthusiastic round of applause.
At the lair, Jim tells George about Michelle, and George worries that Stephanie could be in danger. Jim insists that they can trust Michelle. Meanwhile, Stephanie secretly follows Michelle to an alleyway and realizes that she's selling the last painting to her fence. The fence gets out of his car and figures it's a set-up, and prepares to shoot Stephanie. Michelle leaps in the way and takes the bullet meant for her friend.
Michelle is taken to the hospital under police guard, and Stephanie comes to see her. She thanks Michelle for saving her life, and Michelle admits that she had no intention of stopping. Meanwhile, Dave is outside with Jim, and blaming himself for overlooking the truth. Jim assures him that everyone has secrets, and Dave thanks him for changing his life.
At home, Jim gets word that the police arrested the fence. Stephanie blames herself for running the Cottons' lives, but Jim says that they did what they had to. He tells his wife that it will take time to find someone they can trust with their secret, and Stephanie says that Katie might be that person.
Katie is at home waiting for a pizza delivery when the Watcher turns up at her doorstep. He apologizes for not handling her announcement well, and that things between them weren't what he signed up for. Now he's made a big choice, and he's chosen her. They end up in bed. Afterward, Katie gets up while he sleeps, but when she picks up his jacket, Stephanie's journal falls out of the pocket.