Dean: How could you be so nice to someone who's so mean to me?
Lillian: [sighs] Well, the thing you have to understand is that Michael hasn't had an easy life. You get love from me and your father every day. Michael isn't blessed with that type of love. There are things he misses out on that we take for granted.
Dean: So, he's allowed to beat me up?
Lillian: The reason Michael lashes out is because he's angry.
Dean: What could he possibly be angry about? He gets to keep everyone's lunch money every day.
Lillian: Well, it's complicated. I think the big part of it is the fact that his parents aren't there to support him the way we do for you.
Dean: Then he shouldn't have killed them.
Lillian: [scoffs] He didn't. Dean. Michael shared with me that the reason his mother's not around is because she's not able to take care of him. She had to go into a mental hospital. It happened a few years ago, when he was around your age, and he hasn't seen her since.
Dean: Oh. That is bad. Wait, does that mean if something happens to you and Dad, I have to live with Kim?
Lillian: [sighs] First off, nothing is gonna happen to us, but it's important to put yourself in someone else's shoes. That's why I helped him. I can't imagine how hard his life must be. Does that make sense? [Dean nods] Right. And I hope you remember that I'll always be proud of you. Now, get some rest. Got a big day tomorrow. Good night.
Dean: Good night, Mom.
Adult Dean: Despite the years of bullying, I found myself genuinely feeling sorry for Michael and his mom. Pretty sure he still killed his father, though.

Adult Dean: In our family, eating in the dining room was reserved for special occasions, like holidays, or when Grandma came over and Mama had something to prove. Even more rare... my dad giving my brother a beer.
Lillian: Bill, the boy is only 20.
Bill: If he's old enough to fight for his country, he's old enough to drink.
Lillian: I guess you're right. Enjoy your first beer.
Kim: I think I'll have one, too.
Lillian: Uh, sit. You not ready for your first beer. [Bruce winks at Kim] I saw that.

Kim: So what? I missed one meeting. I was tired. Stop making a big deal about this.
Lillian: It is a big deal. You can't just miss a meeting with a college recruiter because you felt tired. When I was applying, I met with every recruiter I could, whether I felt like it or not.
Kim: I know. And your applications were perfect, and your interviews were perfect, and your GPA...
Lillian: Was not perfect. I made a "B." Once.
Kim: I've told you a million times, I'm not sure I even want to go to college.
Lillian: Bill, you'd better get your daughter.
Adult Dean: Kim and I both knew that if mom referred to us as our father's children, we needed to be out of range of anything she could throw.
Kim: College is my decision, not yours. [slams door]
[cut to Kim and Dean staring at Kim's now-detached door]
Lillian: Go ahead. Slam another door.

Lillian: Well, just make sure that she treats you right, too.
Dean: What do you mean?
Lillian: Well, I noticed that you do a lot of things that she likes to do, but not a lot of things that you like to do.
Dean: That's not true.
Lillian: So you like The Lawrence Welk Show?
Dean: Yeah. I... like the bubbles.
Lillian: Mm-hmm. My point is, Dean, you don't have to change who you are to make a girl like you.
Bill: Well, I changed for you. You made me get rid of my conk.
Lillian: And you're welcome for that. But Dean is perfect the way he is.
Dean: Thanks, Mom. I get it. I won't let her boss me around.
Lillian: Okay, baby. And I'll make sure to have that brown suit pressed and ready for the Bar Mitzvah.
Dean: Oh, Charlene wants me to wear black.
Lillian: Oh, Lord.

Bill: You two have a complicated relationship.
Lillian: Well, it's tricky with mothers and daughters.
Kim: I'm all packed.
Lillian: If that little piece of cloth is what you call "clothing," then clearly, I need to check everything else in your little suitcase.
Kim: What? You don't trust me to do anything.
Lillian: If you're referring to that trip with your friends, then the answer's still no.
Kim: I'm going to college soon. Why can't you let me go away for one weekend? What's the difference?
Lillian: The difference is college is not in the back of a van driven by a boy named Kwame.

Dean: I-I-I guess it's okay if I tell you guys. [sighs] I saw Coach Long sneaking out of the house when I spent the night, and he... he said he was headed to his second job, and he made me promise not to tell Cory, and it's been eating me up inside because I don't want to spill the beans. But Cory thinks I'm acting jealous because he won Student of the Week and I didn't.
Adult Dean: Uh-oh. She knew something. I could tell.
Lillian: Well, I didn't wanna say anything, but Vivian was a little... [groans] about Cliff at practice.
Bill: Viv's always a little [groans].
Lillian: No, this time it was more [groans] than [groans]. I was uncomfortable.
Bill: It's probably nothing. Then again, Cliff was acting a little you-know-what when I dropped Dean off at the sleepover.
Lillian: Remember the last time he was acting like that? It was when that thing happened.
Bill: Oh.
Adult Dean: Oh, speak English, people!

Kim: Can you believe Wendy? Going off on me for no reason at all.
Lillian: I did not appreciate her tone.
Kim: Right?
Lillian: But she definitely had a good reason.
Kim: Wait, so you're taking her side?
Lillian: Baby, I'm always on your side, but that doesn't mean you're right.
Kim: Well, then, she's more wrong.
Lillian: You have been working here for less than a month. Workplaces have hierarchy and politics that you need to learn before you start going around trying to change things. It'd be like me going to one of your parties and trying to show all your friends how to do the Watusi. Now, how would you like that?
Kim: Ugh, I get it. [laughs]
Lillian: Now go get me some French fries to go with this milkshake. But don't let that Wendy anywhere near my food.

Tammy: Um, well, I made some of your favorite butter cookies like I used to.
Lillian: [laughs] Well, oatmeal raisin is his favorite.
Bruce: Mama's right. They... used to be.
Lillian: Used to be? I guess you've been over there tasting everybody's cookies.
Tammy: Um...
[As Tammy offers a cookie to Dean, Lillian shoots him a stern look]
Adult Dean: Nope. I wasn't about to end up in the hospital, too.

Adult Dean: Yeah, let me just dust this for the fifth time.
Bill: [plays piano and sings] ♪ You could stumble, you could fall ♪ ♪ Just keep smiling through it all ♪ [talks] What do you think?
Lillian: So you do want my help?
Bill: I'm just trying to write a Saturday night song. You keep trying to make it all Sunday morning.
Lillian: Working with you stresses me out. I can see why your bandmates are always stoned.
Dean: Ooh! [chuckles] [exits]

Dean: W-What are we doing here? The ice cream place is next door.
Lillian: I know, I know, but since we were in the neighborhood, I thought we'd catch a little bit of your father's audition. You know I wrote most of the bridge.