TAMIE SHEFFIELD 

This episode, written by D.B. Cooper and Anthony L. Greene and directed by Julie Jordan, stars Tamie Sheffield as Darcy, a shy woman raised in a sheltered environment who’s tired of playing it safe and wants Olivia (Amy Lindsay) and Cooper (Tiffany Hendra) to find her a “worldly, experienced man” to help her get out of her shell. She’s not a virgin; she tells Cooper about a time when she was working as a teacher’s assistant at Reno University when she had sex with a fellow T.A. named Harvey (Micheal C. Tucker), and we see that scene in flashback, but she’s relatively inexperienced with men and relationships in general.

They set her up with Nick (Ronnie Gene Blevins), who was born and raised in Las Vegas and loves gambling and going to strip clubs. His last relationship was with a stripper named Diamond (Symone Humphris), and we see him watching her strip on stage and then having sex with her in her dressing room. But he says that now he’s tired of wild women like Diamond and is looking for a more down-to-earth woman who isn’t jaded by everything.

Because Darcy is so inexperienced, Cooper offers to accompany her to Las Vegas to meet Nick and coach her through the date. They take a limo, which is driven by Ryan, to get to Vegas. Once there, Cooper introduces Darcy and Nick in a casino and then leaves them alone to get to know each other. Diamond shows up, hits on Nick right in front of Darcy, and invites him to come to her club to “party.” Nick tries to blow her off, but Darcy pretends to be cool and offers to go with him. So they go to the club and sit awkwardly at a table, trying to make small talk, as Diamond strips on stage.

Cooper and Ryan find out about Diamond and go to the strip club, where Cooper flashes her boobs to the bouncer to get him to let them in and find Nick alone, saying Darcy split. They convince him to go after her, assuming she’s back in her hotel room. Sure enough, that’s where Nick finds her. He apologizes to her, and they end up having sex. Meanwhile, Cooper and Ryan secretly watch them through the window.

The episode ends with Ryan complimenting Cooper’s breasts. She thanks him and kisses him on the cheek, indicating that she’s softened her attitude toward him.

I didn’t really feel this episode. In terms of the story, it made no sense for Darcy and Nick to end up together. I mean, their sex scene was great. I wish Tamie Sheffield had done a lot more softcore. She could have been a great long-term softcore actress, but I just didn’t buy that her character would give in to someone like Nick. It feels like it was done because all this show’s clients end up together, and Cooper and Olivia are supposed to be such perfect matchmakers. But even Olivia made a comment in the previous episode about how all of their clients keep having sex on the first date. So this isn’t a favorite episode of mine, but it’s still worth watching.

Chacebook rating: THREE STARS

Jason Majercik is selling this UNRATED 3-disc DVD set of Black Tie Nights season 1 for $29.99. Email him at quinn_nash@hotmail.com for his softcore inventory list.