Caroline in the City Season 1 Episode 5 Caroline And The ATM

Caroline in the City is a romantic comedy TV series that aired for four seasons from 1995 to 1999. The show follows Caroline Duffy, a successful cartoonist living in Manhattan, New York, who juggles her career, her personal life, and her relationship with her boyfriend Richard.

Episode 5 of Season 1, titled "Caroline And The ATM," revolves around Caroline's struggle to withdraw money from an ATM machine. In the beginning, Caroline plans a romantic weekend away with Richard, but when the trip falls through, she goes to the ATM to withdraw some cash to enjoy the weekend in the city. However, she forgets her PIN number, and the machine eats her card. Caroline tries various ways to get her card back, but the machine keeps rejecting her.

Caroline's situation becomes even more complicated as she must make an important payment on her office space rent that depends on the withdrawal from the ATM. Desperate, she enlists the help of Richard, who suggests they try a different branch of the bank. Along the way, Caroline and Richard get sidetracked several times by various distractions, including a street performer, a jewelry store, and a hot dog vendor. As the day progresses, Caroline begins to get more and more anxious about getting her money back.

Meanwhile, Caroline's assistant, Annie, has arranged for a repairman to fix her toilet, but he keeps canceling and rescheduling her appointment. Annie offers to help Caroline by going to the bank for her, but Caroline is hesitant to hand over her PIN number. Annie decides to take matters into her own hands and makes several attempts to retrieve the card herself, but she too is thwarted by the ATM machine.

As the day wears on, Caroline becomes increasingly frustrated and upset, and she and Richard begin to argue. Caroline starts to think that Richard's lack of understanding is due to their different backgrounds. She assumes he grew up wealthy and never had to worry about money. However, Richard reveals to Caroline that he experienced similar financial struggles as a young man. He also admits that he loves her for who she is, not for her money.

The episode concludes with Caroline and Richard finally retrieving the card from the machine. However, they find out that Caroline's account has been frozen due to a mistake made by the bank. Caroline is furious and demands compensation for all the inconvenience she has suffered. The bank agrees to give her a free checking account and a line of credit, which Caroline happily accepts.

"Caroline And The ATM" is a charming and humorous episode that showcases the romantic tension between Caroline and Richard. It also demonstrates Caroline's determination to solve her problems and her loyalty to her assistant Annie. The episode highlights the importance of communication, trust, and understanding in relationships, while also poking fun at the absurdity and frustration of dealing with ATM machines.