Once again, Eileen Heckart gives her audience here a glimpse into how a simple line can have so much more meaning when you say it in a certain way. It's girl's game night because their husbands are out of town, and they have purposely excluded Mother Buchannan because she cheats at the games they've played in the past, at least according to what her daughters-in-law believe. Of course, they have other reasons for not wanting her there, especially their discovery that all of their engagement rings were cubic zirconia, not the real diamonds they thought they were. This creates tension between Alex and the other ladies who have their rings appraised while Alex intends to trust her husband. They find out that Mother Buchannan is the one who actually bought the rings which creates a stand-off (or as Emma calls it "blackmail") where nobody will come out the winner.
This episode is as memorable for its many funny moments in addition to the plot in general. As they play scrabble, several of the players drop hints to Mother Buchannan about what they've discovered, and there's also a very funny reference to Charlotte Ross's ring having a fly hidden under the stone. But as we learn about Mother Buchannan here, she did what she felt was right at the time, and as she explains her reasoning, she actually proves how right she was. Of course, she doesn't want this to make them like her or trust her anymore because it is obvious that she is enjoying the game with them as much as they enjoy playing it with her. It becomes obvious that there is a genuine affection for her in spite of her often brusque personality, and that makes this all the more memorable. That gives "The Ring of Truth" several different definitions, making the title of the episode a perfect metaphor for five characters whose bonding becomes more obvious in spite of the facade of dislike towards one of them.
This episode is as memorable for its many funny moments in addition to the plot in general. As they play scrabble, several of the players drop hints to Mother Buchannan about what they've discovered, and there's also a very funny reference to Charlotte Ross's ring having a fly hidden under the stone. But as we learn about Mother Buchannan here, she did what she felt was right at the time, and as she explains her reasoning, she actually proves how right she was. Of course, she doesn't want this to make them like her or trust her anymore because it is obvious that she is enjoying the game with them as much as they enjoy playing it with her. It becomes obvious that there is a genuine affection for her in spite of her often brusque personality, and that makes this all the more memorable. That gives "The Ring of Truth" several different definitions, making the title of the episode a perfect metaphor for five characters whose bonding becomes more obvious in spite of the facade of dislike towards one of them.