Ep 3. Kelly, Meet Christine

Coach is an American sitcom television series that follows the story of a head coach of a college football team, Hayden Fox, portrayed by Craig T. Nelson, who struggles to balance his professional life with his personal life. In season 1 episode 3, titled "Kelly, Meet Christine," the episode revolves around the story of Kelly, Hayden's daughter, who is a freshman in college.

The episode starts with Hayden driving Kelly to the airport for her flight back to college. While on their way, Hayden informs Kelly that he has arranged for her to meet his new girlfriend, who is also a professor at the college, Christine Armstrong, portrayed by Shelley Fabares. Kelly is immediately reluctant to the idea, as she believes that Hayden is not yet over her mother, who passed away a few years ago. However, Hayden convinces her to at least meet Christine once before making any judgments.

When Kelly arrives at the airport, she is greeted by Christine, who takes her to her dorm room. During the drive, Christine talks to Kelly about her interests, but Kelly is unresponsive. Christine assumes that Kelly is angry because Hayden is dating again, but Kelly denies it. Later, when Christine drops Kelly off at her dorm room, Kelly tells her that she doesn't like her and doesn't want Hayden to date her.

Meanwhile, Hayden is busy with his football team's practice, during which his assistant coach, Luther, informs him that there is a new quarterback, Stuart Rosebrock, who has joined the team. To Hayden's surprise, Stuart is a complete natural, and he seems to have better skills than Hayden's present quarterback. Hayden sees potential in Stuart and decides to make him the new starting quarterback.

However, during the game, Stuart gets injured, and the team loses the game. Hayden feels guilty for putting too much pressure on Stuart and decides to go and talk to him. In a heartfelt conversation, Hayden tells Stuart that he believes in him and that he should continue playing football. Stuart is inspired by Hayden's words and agrees to keep playing.

Back at Kelly's dorm, Christine tries to make a connection with Kelly and invites her to come to her father's comedy show. Kelly is hesitant, but she eventually agrees to go. At the show, Kelly is initially bored, but towards the end, she is seen laughing with Christine. Kelly realizes that Christine is not trying to replace her mother, but instead, she wants to be a part of their lives.

At the end of the episode, Hayden returns to Kelly's dorm and tries to convince her to give Christine a chance. Kelly agrees and tells Hayden that she will try to get to know Christine better. Hayden is thrilled and thanks Kelly for understanding.

Overall, Coach season 1 episode 3 showcases the challenges of family dynamics and relationships. The episode portrays Hayden as a loving father who is struggling to move on after the death of his wife, and his daughter, Kelly, who is trying to come to terms with her father's new relationship. The episode ends on a hopeful note as the father-daughter duo acknowledges the importance of accepting change and moving forward.