Side Order of Life Episode Rating Graph

Seeking comfort following her breakup with Ian, Jenny impulsively buys an $1800 designer handbag while shopping with her overbearing mother (Susan Blakely). When Vivy vehemently reacts to the purchase as a feeble attempt to compensate for her breakup with Ian by filling her life with unnecessary material goods, Jenny donates the bag to a charity shop. Other plot lines involved Jenny introducing an F. Scott Fitzgerald fan/historian to a carpenter who discovered one of the writer's diaries in an old desk he purchased; the two discover they have something in common when they meet after he sells the diary at auction for $800,000. Becca decides to remain in Los Angeles and invites Ian to dinner; he declines, then changes his mind after he and Jenny have an unpleasant meeting while tending to Vivy after a chemotherapy session. While dining out alone, Jenny calls her phone friend who, unbeknownst to her, is seated at the bar waiting for a take-out order in the same restaurant.

Assigned a story about a teenaged whiz kid (Cody Kasch), winner of a word definition bee, Jenny succeeds in reuniting him with his estranged mother. She discovers her father's regular deposits into her bank account are the results of investments he made with the money she won while unwillingly participating in childhood beauty pageants at the behest of her mother. Vivy has a date with the visiting editor of In Person's sister publication in Mexico, much to Rick's dismay. Jenny's date with her mysterious phone friend is postponed when Vivy, suffering anxiety due to a partial hair loss resulting from increased chemotherapy treatment, calls upon her for comfort.

Jenny volunteers to write a story about up-and-coming Vietnamese artist Amh Thuy, but soon discovers her mother's background story is far more interesting. Rick volunteers to be a Big Brother to a young Hispanic boy who hopes to use the program as a means of finding a husband for his mother. He decides Rick isn't a viable candidate when he sees him interact with Vivy and correctly perceives his feelings for her run deep. Jenny discovers her father forfeited a promising career as an artist in order to raise a family. Ian and Becca take the next step in their developing relationship. Jenny's phone friend calls, tells her he thinks he's falling in love with her, and promises they'll meet as soon as he returns from a business trip. Previews of the next episode suggest he may not be the hunk Jenny has imagined him to be.

Prompted by an interview with a doctor who theorizes that one's first love sets one's course in life and lasts forever, Jenny searches for her own. She discovers he's an award-winning photojournalist and contacts him via his website. Coincidentally he's in Los Angeles and the two reunite. He confesses he still has feelings for her and invites Jenny to take a sabbatical from work and travel with him around the world. She accepts, then declines after giving the matter more thought. Vivy is diagnosed with medicinal menopause and her doctor prescribes unusual treatment to counteract the symptoms. Rick meets with Jenny's mother and is amazed to find her blatantly flirting with him. (Note: Try to Remember, the 8th show in production order, was aired out of sequence, as the 7th[7])

It's debutante season, and Jenny is assigned a story about Dylan Graham, a young debutante at UCLA and daughter of a gubernatorial candidate. While trying to figure out what is disturbing the deb, she meets with her father for lunch, on his birthday. Her father is reticent, though he appreciates her gift of a camera, and hints vaguely that he is about to make a change in his life. Jenny meets with Vivy, Rick, Ian and Becca to have drinks and dinner before going to cover a 'pre-deb party' of Dylan's. Becca, trying very hard to impress, burns dinner while comparing Jenny's poise to 'Jackie O'. Jenny heads to the party, and, in the middle of it, Dylan is arrested for stealing several thousand dollars of merchandise while being videotaped. As she is bundled into the car, she asks Jenny to take a picture of her. Confused by Dylan's behaviour, Jenny turns to the photographs she took of her, and in them, Dylan confesses to being in love with her best friend, Hannah. Meanwhile, Jenny's father has given Ian the Mustang that they had been working on. Concerned, he goes to see Jenny, and they wind up in bed together, but Jenny stops things before they do more than kiss. Jenny speaks to Dylan, and tells her to live her life in a way she won't regret. Ian confesses to Becca about the incident with Jenny, increasing her doubts that she can't keep up with his history with Jenny. Jenny apologizes to Becca, and Dylan meets with Hannah (shot silently, at a distance, while a song by The Indigo Girls plays). Mr. McIntyre leaves a note that reads 'Margot' on a workbench, and drives off on his motorcycle.

Second part of the Season Finale. On the advice of her psychiatrist (guest star Carrie Fisher), Jenny buries her cell phone and attempts to forget 'Cell Phone Man'. Rick assigns her a piece for In Person on a blind man who is restoring classic music pieces for digital use. When her psychiatrist recommends she make an effort to stop seeing things that aren't there as she develops her pictures, she turns to him, and he tells her not to let anyone give up her gift. Cell Phone Man (Steven Weber is revealed) returns from China and has his sister, a police detective, trace Jenny's phone. He shows up at In Person, where Becca is using Jenny's phone. Becca refers to her fiance, Ian, and Cell Phone Man, believing Becca to be Jenny, and that she is back with Ian, leaves. After Jenny ceases to see the psychiatrist, Vivy reveals that she unburied Jenny's phone, giving it back to her when Jenny comes to help her makeup at the wedding. Cell Phone Man shows up at the wedding, and objects during the ceremony. Jenny overhears him, and reveals herself from the back of the church, leading him outside. In each other's arms, Cell Phone Man introduces himself as 'James', and they kiss.