Ted comes up with the idea for a longer-lasting light bulb and the company loves it, so when Linda comes to him with an idea of a scented light bulb, he's less than enthusiastic to help her.  He's selfesh and wants to make sure his bulb doesn't get lost in the shuffle.   However, Linda ends up taking her idea to Veronica, who green lights the project.  Phil and Lem produce her a prototype and thanks to the confidence that Veronica makes her have, Linda's bulb is loved by the company.  They end up abandoning Ted's project, and he goes home trying to think of a new way to impress the company.

Meanwhile, Veronica wanted Ted to hire Stella (Khandi Alexander), Lem's mother at the beginning of the episode, but he refused out of respect for Lem.  Lem apparently doesn't want anyone to know he's the son of the great scientist Stella, especially, when she begins having an affair with Dr. Bhamba.  It also doesn't help that she never approves of his work and makes fun of him for working at Veridian.

So desperate to the company, Ted decides to try and hire Stella at the company and takes her out to dinner.  He brings Phil in case anything sciencey comes up.  However, Phil has a few too many grown up drinks and tells off Stella for never approving of her son's work.  She comes to visit Lem at the end and gives him the approval he's been yearning for.