The Hills: "Meet The Parents"

Original Air Date: August 27, 2007

Heidi has a proposal for Spencer: come home to Colorado that weekend to meet her parents. Sounds great, but that weekend is the barbecue he'd been planning with Brody for a while. He changes his mind, and agrees to join her.

Spencer breaks the news to Brody at STI Motorsports, who is pissed though understanding. Spencer is in love, after all.

Audrina and J/B are at the beach. While J/B admits that Lauren is a good friend to be concerned about Audrina, he insists that there is nothing to worry about. J/B will be good to Audrina... until he pisses her off. That sound you hear is me swooning at the sheer romance of this guy.

Packing for the Colorado trip, Spencer tries to get some "intel" on Heidi's family. How much do they know -- about them living together, the engagement, etc. As Heidi talks to her mom everyday (really? because I could swear the only people she ever talked to on the phone were Spencer and, until a few months ago, Lauren), the family will know as much as they possibly can. Spencer's questions make me wonder if he is merely nervous, or if he's trying to figure out how to schmooze Lauren's parents. Methinks it would be the latter.

The Boulevard Lounge. Lauren extends an invite to the BBQ to Audrina and to Lo (who looks cute in a straw fedora). It's the first summer barbecue, and does this mean that Lauren and Brody are friends? Of course -- Lauren reminds them that she tends to remain friends with her exes. The conversation turns to J/B, who still confounds Lauren. This confusion is thrilling to Audrina, who likes being kept on her toes. Which to my ears sounds "I like it when guys fuck around with me and who needs commitment when the guy in question is HOT?" but maybe that's just me being paranoid.

Crested Butte, Colorado looks gorgeous. All mountainy and whatnot. Spencer and Heidi get off a small plane and drive to Heidi's, where her cute mom jumps up and down excitedly until Heidi gets out of the car. Heidi's blond family engulf Spencer in hugs, then sweep the couple into the house.

Back in Malibu, Brody's barbecue is in full swing. Frankie gets the details on Spencer's absence from Brody, and both share a laugh at the thought of Spencer riding horses in the wilderness. At that moment, Spencer calls Brody to say hi from CB. Brody is only too happy to remind Spencer of what he is missing, the most important being the ladies. Lauren, Audrina, and Lo arrive, with J/B rounding out the pack. Predictably, there is touch football and frolicking in the waves. The football is a bit rougher than expected, as Brody seems to have broken something.

In Colorado, Heidi's family go shopping in town for souvenirs. Heidi's stepfather checks in with Heidi, making sure that she's okay. She says sweetly that she wanted someone like her daddy (aw), but I'm confused -- her stepdad doesn't look like a controlling svengali type with abnormally large teeth. At lunch, stepdad takes Spener aside for a talk. Dad is concerned about building trust, and Spencer asserts that his love for Heidi is enough. Dad, though, won't let go of his belief that friends outside of therelationship. Where is Heidi's support system in case something goes wrong? Smarty pants Spencer doesn't have a respose to that.

Back in Malibu, Audrina notices that J/B's been ignoring her for much of the afternoon. Brody comes back from the hospital, his arm bandaged up. The sight of the X-ray confirming the damage sends Lauren and Audrina into fits of laughter.

Heidi and her mom talk about what happened with Lauren, and the new relationship with Spencer. While Heidi doesn't want to talk about Lauren, she is resolute in her faith in Spencer. He's her everything, and she doesn't need anything else.

Night has fallen in Malibu, and Lauren and Brody have a talk by the bonfire. Lauren apologies for laughing at Brody's arm, though she asserts that the sight of a huge cast for such a small injury was amusing. Even he can't deny that.

Heidi and Spencer have dinner with the family at their restaurant. Mom expresses an interest in coming out to L.A. to help them set up their new place, which reminds Spencer of Heidi's little painting adventure. Mom moves in for dig, saying that their relationship needs to bear some tough times to make sure it's strong to survive marriage.

Brody and Lauren talk about losing their best friends by the fire, then drink a little more.

Heidi excuses herself to the restroom, which mom uses to ask Spencer about why Lauren is no longer in Heidi's life. To her, Spencer asked Heidi to choose between the two, leaving Heidi without a best friend. Spencer tries to characterize Lauren as a spoiled, selfish, immature girl who was unwilling to share Heidi with him, but Heidi's mom doesn't look convinced. It's still her belief that a heart as big as Heidi's had room for them both, but Heidi, back from the ladies room, shuts down the conversation with a terse "Why are we talking about Lauren?"

Lauren and Audrina talk about Heidi. Audrina, newly empowered as Lauren's roommate/BFF, mirrors Lauren's emotions. Lauren remembers that her ex Jason hated Heidi, but recognized how important it was for Lauren to have her as a friend. Lauren tearfully (and perhaps tipsily) collapses against Audrina. Lauren goes into the beach house to get drinks, finding that J/B left Audrina's helmet on the couch. It finally becomes real to her -- J/B isn't going to commit, and is not her boyfriend. Audrina cries a bit, so Lauren cheers her up by reminding Audrina that J/B came to to the beach in combat boots. Besides, she loves Audrina, and isn't that more than enough?