My Name Is Earl - Season 01 - Episode 04 - Faked His Own Death

While atoning for stealing from a convenience store, Earl (Jason Lee) spots Natalie (guest star Beth Riesgraf), a very needy, clingy girl whom he broke up with by faking his own death. After getting some advice about women from Catalina (Nadine Velazquez), Earl decides that he and Randy (Ethan Suplee) must go tell Natalie the truth so he can cross her off his list. Luckily for him, the blow is softened by the presence of Natalie's new boyfriend Dirk (guest star Dax Shepard), who seems absolutely perfect for her. Just when Earl thinks he's free of her, Dirk takes a hint from him and fakes his death to break up with Natalie. Earl believes that he should tell Natalie about Dirk in order to be in the karmic clear, but Catalina convinces him that it's much better to keep this from her than to crush her spirit. So Earl decides to merely be nice to her, a seemingly harmless act that traps them back in a torturous relationship.