Ep 20. The Mourning Son

The Mourning Son is the 20th episode of season 8 of the popular sitcom Will & Grace. The episode revolves around the death of Leo Markus, the husband of Grace (played by Debra Messing), who died while on a mission in Iraq. The episode is emotional and explores how the characters deal with the grief of losing someone close to them.

At the beginning of the episode, Will (played by Eric McCormack) and Grace are grappling with the sudden loss of Leo. Will is trying to be supportive but is uncomfortable with the amount of crying that is going on around him. Grace, on the other hand, is inconsolable and has to be coaxed into eating and preparing for the funeral. Karen (played by Megan Mullally) offers to handle the funeral arrangements, but Grace insists on handling them herself. This creates tension between the two friends.

At the funeral, all of Leo's colleagues from the army show up, including his commanding officer. Grace is having a hard time processing her grief and is struggling to keep it together. Karen tries to make light of the situation, but it only makes things worse. Will is trying his best to be supportive, but he can't help but feel like he's intruding on a family's private grief.

As the episode progresses, Grace begins to have angry outbursts and lashes out at Karen and Will, telling them they don't understand what she's going through. Will recognizes that Grace needs someone to talk to who understands her situation and suggests she go to a grief counselor. Grace reluctantly agrees, and her counselor provides her with some tools to help her start to move forward with her grief.

Meanwhile, Jack (played by Sean Hayes) has been hired by Leo's commanding officer to perform at the army base. Jack is still dealing with the aftermath of his recent breakup with Stuart, and he's feeling lonely and vulnerable. When he gets to the base, he discovers that the commanding officer has a surprising connection to him. This connection helps Jack to feel more connected to the military and provides him with the validation he needs to start to heal from his breakup.

As the episode comes to a close, Grace begins to come to terms with her grief. She starts by apologizing to Karen and Will for her outbursts and begging them to forgive her. She then agrees to let Karen handle some of the funeral arrangements. This gesture shows her starting to let go of her need to control everything. It also shows her starting to come to terms with her loss.

Finally, the entire gang gathers to say goodbye to Leo. They share stories of their time with him and reflect on the impact he had on all of their lives. The episode ends with Grace looking out over the ocean, finding comfort in the knowledge that Leo's memory will live on.

The Mourning Son is a heart-wrenching episode that shows the power of grief and the importance of having people around you to support you as you work through it. It's a poignant reminder to cherish the time we have with the people we love and to never take them for granted.