Ep 3. Tricky Dick

The episode "Tricky Dick" from season 3 of 3rd Rock from the Sun follows the adventures of the Solomons as they continue their mission to study and understand human behavior on Earth.

The episode begins with Dick (John Lithgow), the leader of the group, receiving a package in the mail containing an old, broken record player. Despite the fact that it does not work, Dick becomes obsessed with fixing it, believing that it will unlock some kind of secret about human behavior. His efforts to repair the record player quickly become all-consuming, and he begins neglecting his duties as a college professor and as the head of the Solomon household.

Meanwhile, Sally (Kristen Johnston) is experiencing a crisis of her own. She has been having vivid and disturbing dreams about Harry (French Stewart), the Solomon's resident goofball. In her dreams, Harry is a suave and sophisticated ladies' man, completely different from the bumbling buffoon she knows in reality. Sally becomes convinced that these dreams are some kind of premonition, and sets out to make them a reality by transforming Harry into the dream man of her subconscious.

As Dick's obsession with the record player deepens, he becomes increasingly erratic and unpredictable. He spends hours locked away in his laboratory, conducting experiments that seem to have little purpose or meaning. Eventually, his behavior becomes so strange that his colleagues and students begin to suspect that he is losing his mind.

Meanwhile, Sally's attempts to transform Harry into her dream man are met with resistance. Harry is uncomfortable with his new persona, and struggles to live up to Sally's expectations. In the end, he realizes that he cannot be someone he is not, and that Sally must accept him for who he is.

As the episode draws to a close, both Dick and Sally come to important realizations about the nature of human behavior. Dick realizes that sometimes, the things that seem most important are not actually important at all, and that he needs to prioritize his responsibilities as a member of the Solomon team. Sally, on the other hand, learns that she cannot force people to become someone they are not, and that true happiness comes from accepting others for who they are.

In the end, the Solomons emerge from their various crises stronger and more self-aware than ever before. Though they may never completely understand human behavior, they continue to learn and grow, always striving to become better observers and participants in the strange and wondrous world around them.