July 28, 2011
Emergency club meeting: Leaving on a jet plane
I’m going out of town for a few days, so I won’t be posting anything until probably next weekend. Until then, entertain yourself with these two hilarious Funny or Die videos, one new, one classic:
1. Donna Martin has a problem.
2. “Pacey Witter is the greatest character in television history. Ever. Period.”
July 27, 2011
BSC #83, Stacey vs. the BSC: You’re Fired
Geez, Kristy, were you born in a barn?
Summary: Stacey has been spending a lot of time with Robert and his friends (which is why she kept missing meetings and jobs in Jessi and the Troublemaker), and the BSC girls don’t like it. Stacey’s started to feel more mature than the other girls and wonders if she’s outgrowing them and the club. She gets so caught up with her new friends that she misses more jobs, keeps showing up late to meetings, and complains (to herself) about the BSC girls’ perceived immaturity.
Admittedly, the girls are being a bit childish, especially Dawn and Mary Anne, who are basically spying on Stacey. They show up at her house while she’s throwing a party for a bunch of her new friends; the only BSC girl she invited was Claudia, who felt strange not telling the other girls about the party. The girls are helping their charges put on a talent show, and Stacey skips out on it so she doesn’t have to see them, which upsets Charlotte, who was nervous about playing the piano there.
This is the last straw for the BSC girls, who lay out everything Stacey’s been doing lately. They’re especially mad at her for hurting Charlotte (which I agree was a pretty rotten move for her to make). Stacey announces that she’s tired of Kristy being bossy, of having to come to meetings three times a week, and of the BSC girls’ immaturity. She quits, and Kristy tries to save face by firing her, but either way, Stacey’s out of the club. The final scene is her going to Charlotte’s piano recital at 5:30 on a Friday.
Thoughts: I remember being so shocked by this book when I first read it. People don’t leave the BSC! It’s like the mob – the only way you get out is when you die!
“Kristy reported that Melody did not live up to her name.” Ha!
Why would Dawn agree to go to a place called Burger Town? And why would Kristy and Mary Anne take her there? They’re just asking for a night full of whining.
Charlotte knows how to correctly use an apostrophe. Charlotte is smarter than most American adults.
Stacey calls Mallory meek, but I wouldn’t say that’s true at all. Dorky, yes; meek, no. Mary Anne’s the meek one.
Kristy, I don’t think you can fire someone from a club. Nice try, though.
July 26, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 2.22, Parental Discretion Advised: “We Won’t Survive This”
Go cry, emo boy
Summary: This week’s movie-night offering, The Age of Innocence, is interrupted when Dawson decides he’s sick of sad love stories. He and Joey talk about love stories, happy endings, blah blah blah. She thinks sad love stories are more powerful than happy ones. She notes that the characters in the movie continue loving each other despite the negative circumstances around them.
The next day, Dawson asks Gail for advice on how to handle a situation in which someone has done something bad (obviously talking about Mike possibly getting drugs). She tells him she’s going to go to Philadelphia and accept the job she was offered there. Dawson goes to the Potters’ house to pick Joey up for school, and Mike tells them they can use the closed-for-renovations Icehouse to study for their finals.
Jen tells Jack that she’s been researching teen suicide for a class, and has learned how many teens consider it. Grams shows up and asks Jen to come home. Jen declines, saying that she’s going to learn from Jack how to take care of herself. Pacey’s father drops him off at school in his cruiser; Pacey overhears something on the radio about cops staking out the Icehouse. He asks his father to leave Joey alone since her life is good right now. Sheriff Witter complains about how Pacey’s been acting since Andie left, telling him that no girl is worth screwing up his life over.
Dawson goes to the Icehouse after school and admits that he saw Mike with his friend who seemingly gave him drugs. He’s mad that Mike would use his family’s business to traffic drugs after talking about how much he wants to change. Dawson calls him selfish, and when Mike says he’s “stuck,” Dawson tells him to get himself unstuck without hurting his family.
Gail and Mitch discuss Dawson’s living arrangements after she goes to Philadelphia; she knows Dawson’s happy in Capeside. Mitch complains that she’s doing what’s best for her, not their son. He seems shaken to hear that she’s leaving the next day. Sheriff Witter shows up at the Icehouse looking for Mike while Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen, and Jack are there studying. The sheriff asks Mike about his drug-dealing friend, and Mike claims that his recent visit was just social.
Joey asks Mike if everything’s okay; she’s upset that the police are harassing him. Mike conceals himself in the office with a bagful of drugs while Jack bugs Jen about their living arrangements. She takes this to mean that he wants her to move out of his house. Jack just wants her to consider Grams’ view. He adds that Mr. McPhee is going to have to sell the house soon and they’ll have to find somewhere else to live. Jen flippantly replies that she’ll just have to kill herself then.
As something fiery flies through a window of the Icehouse, Sheriff Witter confronts Pacey about a call he got from his guidance counselor reporting that Pacey’s not completing his finals. He tells Pacey he shouldn’t be hanging out at the Icehouse with a known felon. The sheriff orders his son to get his things to go home, and when Pacey says no, his father hits him. Inside, the other kids realize the Icehouse is on fire.
Pacey runs inside as Joey goes looking for Mike, who yells for her to get out. Jen freezes and Jack grabs her, getting her out of the building. Dawson gets a fire extinguisher, but instead of using it on the flames, which are too big to combat, he breaks the window to the office and frees Mike. Everyone gets out all right, but the Icehouse is in bad shape. Dawson suspects that Mike is somehow to blame and urges him to tell the police what’s going on.
Joey calls Dawson a hero, but he says the situation is “too tragic to have a hero.” Sheriff Witter tells Pacey that Mike has to be lying to him. There’s no way someone would randomly commit arson in Capeside. Sheriff Witter tries to send Pacey home, ribbing him in front of some colleagues and saying he’s upset because Andie left. Pacey hits him, telling him never to touch him again and warning him to shut up about Andie. He adds that Mike is ten times the father Sheriff Witter ever was.
Mike and Bessie discuss insurance until Joey asks why the fire is being investigated as arson. She tries to get Mike to promise that he had nothing to do with what happened. He looks her straight in the eye and tells her has no idea who started the fire. Dawson tells his parents about Mike and they urge him to tell the police. Gail argues that Joey’s in danger and needs Dawson’s strength.
Jack asks Jen why she didn’t move when she saw the fire. She tells him that she doesn’t remember what happened. She assures him that she’s not the sort of person who would kill herself, but when she saw the fire, she didn’t care enough to get out. Jack encourages her not to push away the people who love her.
Dawson goes over to Joey’s and tells her that a) Mike is dealing drugs again and b) the fire is at least partly his fault. Joey insists that her father told her the truth when he said he wasn’t responsible for the fire. Dawson tries to convince her to go to the police and work out a deal for Mike. She blasts him for getting involved and begs him to stay out of the situation, not just for her family but for their relationship. “We won’t survive this,” she warns. Dawson tells her that if she won’t be responsible, he will.
Dawson, Joey, Gail, and Mitch all go to Sheriff Witter, who wants Joey and Mike’s help getting the arsonist. He notes that Mike’s putting the Potters in danger, but Joey just wants the family to be together. She still trusts her father. Once they’re alone, Joey tells Dawson that she doesn’t appreciate being backed into a corner. He argues that there’s no other option. Joey says he feels that way because he sees the world as black and white, while she sees the gray.
Mitch and Gail talk about how successful they’ve been in raising Dawson. Mitch is happy that Dawson felt he was able to count on them. He asks Gail to stay in Capeside and put the family back together. Gail says she prayed for Mitch to come back, and when it didn’t happen, she started thinking that going to Philadelphia was the right choice. She tells Mitch that he wants what they used to have, and they’ll never have that again. She thinks Philadelphia is right for both of them. She’s moving in the hopes that whatever they lost will be found again.
Jen goes back to Grams’ house, telling her grandmother that her return is conditional. First, she wants to discuss the reasons they had their falling-out in the first place. She never felt comfortable or that she was good enough. Jen also wants Grams to support her rather than judge her. Grams agrees to this. Jen says she doesn’t need a legal guardian, but she wants a family. She wants the two of them to take care of each other. “I don’t want to be alone anymore,” she says. Grams feels the same. Jen has one more condition: that Jack come live with them as well. Grams has no problem with that either.
Sheriff Witter finds Pacey on a pier and expresses a little pride over his son hitting him. Andie called and Sheriff Witter talked to her; he thought she was sweet and admits that he knows nothing about her. However, he feels like he knows even less about Pacey. Andie told him a little about what the two of them have been through and called Pacey her hero. Sheriff Witter called the school and got Pacey permission to make up his finals. He apologizes for not being the kind of father Pacey felt he could talk to. Then, on Andie’s urging, he hugs his son. Pacey cries over missing Andie, and his father comforts him.
Joey tells Mike that she met with the police, then asks if he’s dealing drugs again. He starts crying and admits that he is. Joey just wants to know why. Mike says he wanted to provide for the family rather than just help them get by. She argues that he served his time and was supposed to get a new start. Mike feels like a failure and was too weak to admit it to his daughters. Joey’s angry that he ruined what she and Bessie worked for, adding that she could have died in the fire. Mike’s sorry but doesn’t know how to fix things. “I’m sorry, too,” Joey says, pulling up her shirt to reveal that she’s wearing a wire for the police.
Mike goes outside to find Sheriff Witter waiting for him. Bessie’s there as well but won’t speak to him or Joey. Dawson’s also hanging around, and he tells Joey that she did the right thing. She disagrees, saying he did the right thing. Joey hopes that one day she can forgive Mike, and she’s not sure she’ll be able to forgive herself, but she knows she won’t be able to forgive Dawson. “There are certain circumstances that love cannot overcome,” she tells him, “and from now on, I don’t want to know you.”
Thoughts: This was actually a really good episode! I’m sad that I’m so surprised!
I don’t think I buy Joey wearing a wire, though. Admittedly, I’m torn – I know she felt like she didn’t have a choice, and that she was mad at Mike for what he did, especially for lying about it, but this was a pretty harsh move. On the other hand, I also thought she forgave him fairly quickly when he came back. The whole story arc was kind of inconsistent.
Can we stop with the opening scenes where Dawson watches a movie that fits the theme of the episode?
With all the daddy issues on this show, you’d think it was created by Joss Whedon.
Hey, I’m done with the second season! That went fast.
July 25, 2011
SVH #96, The Arrest: It Sucks to Be a Wakefield
Jessica is pretty much perfect here – look at that body language
Summary: Elizabeth is officially in trouble. She’s been arrested for involuntary manslaughter, and her reward is a night in lockup. Her defense attorney is kind of a jerk, so Ned fires him and plans to take on her case himself, with help from Steven. (Yes, Steven is exactly the person I would want working to keep me out of prison.) Though Liz still can’t remember most of the night of the accident that killed Sam, Steven gets her to focus enough to remember seeing lights, which makes them think there was another car on the road.
Elizabeth is also dealing with everyone at school shunning her, except Enid. Todd wants to reconnect with her, but she avoids him, and he winds up spending time with Jessica. Jessica’s decided that she needs to get revenge on Elizabeth for killing Sam, and stealing Todd is the best idea she can come up with. She uses Sam’s death a bit to get his sympathy (though part of her emotions are sincere), and by the end of the book, Jess and Todd are making out, though Todd is thinking of the other twin the whole time.
Margo continues her cross-country tour of horror by killing the kid she was babysitting, stealing from his parents, and taking a bus to Texas. She only gets off there because the voice in her head, which she thinks is too tired to speak to her directly, sends her a sign in the form of the song “Money.” Margo sees a photo in a newspaper and thinks it’s of her, but it’s really of Elizabeth. And then, for some reason, she kills the old woman who’d bought the paper.
Lila’s mom Grace is coming to visit from Paris, and Lila will NOT shut up about it. Grace brings her annoying boyfriend along with her, so Lila isn’t able to get the one-on-one time she’d hoped for with the mother she hasn’t seen in 14 years. She’s understandably ticked, but also doesn’t make much of an effort to reconnect with her mom. She comes home one day and finds Grace crying in the house, which makes her realize that she’s not the only one dealing with a difficult situation.
Olivia gets Nicholas cast on a reality dating show called Hunks, where a guy goes out with three girls and the girls get to talk about the experience on TV. The first date is with a biker chick and the second is with a girl who won’t stop giggling. The third is with a very nice girl named Ann, but the events of the date don’t go smoothly, so Nicholas thinks he’s 0 for 3. When they go back on the show, the first two girls trash Nicholas while Ann gushes over how romantic their evening was and agrees to go out with him again.
Pamela tries to tell Bruce that her reputation is all a rumor: She went out with a guy named Jake and would only kiss him, but he told everyone at Big Mesa that they had sex. Every subsequent guy she went out with told the same lie, and eventually everyone started to believe that Pamela was giving the milk away for free. Too bad Bruce and Pamela are harassed by some Big Mesa before she can explain everything, so he never finds this out. Pamela also decides to transfer to SVH but doesn’t get a chance to tell Bruce before it happens, so he’s surprised to see her at school one day.
Steven’s been hanging around the house a lot, despite his parents’ insistence that he stay at school, and Jessica’s mad that he’s paying more attention to Elizabeth than to her. Whatever. Steven needs a roommate, and someone named Billie is interested, but since Steven’s at home, there’s no time for them to meet. Eventually Steven gets a message to Billie saying to just move in whenever. He doesn’t learn until the move-in is already underway that Billie’s a girl.
Thoughts: Why did Steven get a two-bedroom apartment if he doesn’t have a roommate yet?
Nicholas considers himself “business-like, but with an edge of flamboyance and originality.” Since when?
Maria Santini? Shut up, ghostwriter.
Lila says she’s pretty sure Grace doesn’t like purple, but when she goes to meet her, she wears purple. Ghostwriter, it’s like you’re not even trying.
There’s a weird section where all of the characters interact in some way (Todd almost hits Pamela with his car, Lila and Nicholas almost get into an accident) that seems like a lot of work for nothing. Maybe the ghostwriter was spending too much time on this section to get other important details right, like Maria’s last name.
Nicholas wears green slacks. Dear Nicholas: why?
Nicholas: “I’m swearing off women forever after this.” Oh, yeah? I hear Tom McKay is single….
I know I’m talking a lot about Nicholas, but when did he become friends with so many people at SVH? He never went there. And why do they all call him Nick?
July 24, 2011
BH90210 1.17, Stand (Up) and Deliver: Stay in School, Kids
There's a lot of brown in this scene
Summary: Andrea tells Brandon that he should run for president of the student government, noting that no one knows him well enough to hate him. Dylan tells Brenda that he has to go to Mexico that weekend to see his dad. She wants to go, too, but that’ll never happen. David announces Brandon as a candidate for junior class president, and now it seems Kelly wants a piece. At home, Jim and Cindy are happy to hear the news; Brandon was planning to run for the office back in Minnesota anyway. Brenda tells Cindy that she feels a little lost.
Kelly, Donna, and Brenda go to the new hot club in town, where a woman named Sky is doing stand-up. She talks about her high school experience, which involved developing a battle plan. Brandon works on his campaign speech, which Steve thinks is lame. Last year’s junior class vice president dated a bunch of girls so he could “nail their votes.” He urges Brandon to “go for the jugular.” Brandon isn’t sure he has the killer instinct Steve thinks he needs.
After Sky’s set, she chats with Brenda and they briefly bond over being new kids in high school. The next comedian, Jack, makes some snide comments about Kelly, and Brenda shoots back some insults that entertain the audience. At home the next day, Brenda tells her parents that she was excited to participant in a coffeehouse performance. They’re not listening, so she tells Jim she’s pregnant. Kelly and Donna come by and Kelly tells Brendon she knows how to help him with the campaign. She appoints herself campaign manager, which is news to the manager he already hired, Andrea.
Andrea admits to Brandon that she was originally going to run for president but backed out because she didn’t want to lose. Brandon notes that he doesn’t want to lose either, which is why he needs her help. Brenda reminds Kelly and Donna that Sky invited them to the club for a political event, but now she’s the only one who wants to go. When she arrives, she learns about an environmental rally the next day; she wishes she could go but she has school. She’s jealous that Sky dropped out of high school and gets to do all sorts of interesting things. At school, Brenda looks into the GED.
Jim and Cindy tell Brenda there’s no way they’re going to let her drop out of school. She notes that she’s not quitting, just getting her diploma early. She wants to learn from people, not memorize things for tests. Cindy and Jim tell her about the ridiculous dreams they had as teenagers, pointing out that there’s a difference between fantasy and reality. Brenda does the typical teenager snit about how her parents don’t understand.
Kelly takes Brandon’s picture for his campaign, while Andrea wants to focus on the issues. Brenda announces that she’s leaving school, so now Brandon has a crisis to solve this week. Brandon starts schmoozing the voters as Kelly asks David to make him a campaign video. David says it would be a conflict of interest since he’s broadcasting the candidates’ debate later in the week. Kelly tries to win him over with the offer of a date. “I wonder what Geraldo’d do in this situation,” Brandon says.
Brenda chats with some guy of Michael, telling him she’s trying to make amateur night at the coffeehouse. Kelly blasts her for talking to Michael, who’s Brandon’s opponent. She’s worried that Brenda gave away some sort of campaign secrets. Brenda works on her act at the coffeehouse with Sky and Jack. Sky mentions that she needs a housesitter while she goes out of town for a few days, and Brenda offers to help her out.
Kelly and Andrea watch Brandon’s campaign video, which could easily pass as the credits for a ’90s TV show. Andrea notes that it doesn’t mention anything he’ll do if he wins. She’s fed up with the campaign and walks out. Brandon doesn’t seem too thrilled to be left with just Kelly working for him. Kelly flirtatiously tells him to go after what he wants. Brandon notes that Steve would hate this (what, Kelly becoming Brandon’s flavor of the week?).
Brenda tells her parents she’s moving out. (Apparently she doesn’t understand that housesitting is a temporary thing.) Once she’s gone, Brandon turns her bedroom into his campaign headquarters. Cindy and Jim are afraid that Brenda will want to stay at Sky’s beyond the three days she’ll be there. Brenda admits to Sky that she was a little worried when her parents didn’t put up a fight, but they’ve been so preoccupied with helping Brandon that they’re too busy to care what she does.
The next day, Brenda wears some of Sky’s clothes to school, where she sees Brandon’s video. Kelly tries to give David some pointers for the debate so he’ll give Brandon an edge, slipping in her phone number. Brenda spots Brandon schmoozing a guy he hates and tells Andrea she can’t believe he let Kelly manipulate him into doing this. She also acts snobby toward Kelly, saying she’ll understand responsibilities when she’s living on her own. (Responsibilities like feeding Sky’s fish.)
Brenda comes home to Sky’s apartment to find guys taking a bunch of her stuff. They’re not robbing her, they’re repossessing her things. She tries to call Sky but can’t reach her. After the repo men leave, Jack shows up with dinner (a can of Spaghettios). Next, Kelly, Donna, Steve, Brandon, and a bunch of other students arrive to have a campaign meet-and-greet. Too bad there’s no food and the water’s now been shut off.
David comes with his camera, and Jack takes over, asking how many of the students know what Brandon stands for. Then the lights go out. Brenda complains that her friends crashed, not thinking she might have a life (ha!), and Brandon replies that she could have offered up the apartment. Brenda thinks Kelly’s jealous of her friendships with Sky and Jack, so she’s turned to Brandon for comfort. She tells her brother that considering his behavior, he’ll make a good politician. Everyone leaves, so it’s just Brenda alone in her utility-less apartment.
Just before the debate, Kelly tells Brandon he doesn’t need to talk about the real changes he wants to bring to the school until he’s been elected. Michael predicts that Brandon will get the majority of the vote; he’s lost so many campaigns that he has the instinct to know how his competitors will do. Michael notes that Brandon’s popular and has run a great campaign. Brandon naively says that people won’t vote for him just because he has a good video and has talked to people. Michael has the actual skills to be president. They share some ideas and wish each other luck.
During the debate, Brandon offers the students some superficial things he plans to do. Michael points out the flaws in his plan while simultaneously mentioning his own experiences in a leadership position (but in a nice way). Brandon admits that he’s not qualified to be president, but Michael is. Everyone’s upset to learn that Brandon’s throwing his support to his opponent. Brenda and Andrea are proud, though. Kelly and Brenda make up, and then David tells Kelly he’s planning to collect on their deals.
Jim is happy to learn that Brandon dropped out of the race, since he hated how he was campaigning. Brenda comes home seeking food and the paperwork she needs to get her GED. Cindy and Jim consider begging her to come home for good, but decide against it. Sky returns and learns that she’s had all of her stuff repossessed. She tells Brenda that real life is hard, and admits that she went out of town because she needed to get money from her parents.
Just before amateur night is supposed to begin at the coffeehouse, Brenda gets cold feet but ends up doing her act anyway. Her family shows up just in time to see it. She talks about her experiences moving out, and how being on your own is about being your own person. She’s found herself right on-stage, so she’s not going to leave high school. She ends up giving her GED test to Sky. Back at home, Brandon tells Brenda he’s jealous of what she got to experience. Though he did enjoy having the bathroom to himself.
Thoughts: Whatever, Dylan would never wear a turtleneck.
Random girl: “Aren’t you Brandon Walsh’s sister?” Brenda: “I feel like Ferris Bueller’s sister.” One, nie pop-culture reference. Two, I just mentioned Jennifer Grey in the last episode – creepy.
Jim and Cindy don’t try to keep Brenda from leaving because they don’t think there’s anything they can do. I guess they forgot the part where she’s the child and they’re the adults.
Why does Brenda keep going to school after she decides to drop out? Man, she can’t see anything through.
July 23, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 2.21, Ch…ch…ch…changes: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
I wouldn't want to leave him either, Andie
Summary: Dawson watches Casablanca and works on an assignment for his film class on character changes. Joey doesn’t understand why he’s making such a big deal out of something that should be easy for him. She suggests that he interview someone. Dawson decides to do his final on-camera, which would be appropriate for a film class. Joey won’t help him out, though.
Andie’s surprised to see her father in the house, having been summoned back to Capeside by Jack. He wants to take her back home to Providence. Andie notes that she’s about to take finals, telling him she won’t leave. Mr. McPhee makes it clear that she doesn’t have a choice. Jack promises Andie that he didn’t know about this turn of events.
Dawson asks Jen to talk about her year for his video final. At first she thinks it’s a bad idea, but then she decides that it could be good for her. However, she’ll only talk about her haircut. Dawson also can’t get Jack to do a video interview, since he’s busy with actual problems right now. After another failed attempt with Joey, Dawson convinces Pacey to talk about how his year has gone. Pacey doesn’t see anything special about the 180 he did this year, though he went from pariah to hero in just a few months. He admits that he’s waiting for someone to expose him as a fraud. Dawson turns off the camera, and Pacey tells him that despite Andie’s best efforts and his own behavioral change, he’s failing.
Andie tells Pacey that Mr. McPhee is taking her and Jack back to Providence. She’s upset that he wants to help her and reunite the family, but he’s been absent and now wants to take her away from her life. However, she’s resigned to doing what he wants her to do. Pacey urges her to fight, but she doesn’t have much time, since Mr. McPhee wants to leave the next day.
Jen runs into Jack on a pier and he tells her about Mr. McPhee’s return. She encourages him to look on the bright side, since the family reunion could make things better. Jack replies that she should do the same with her own family, since she’s not the same girl who was sent to live with Grams. Dawson visits the Icehouse, which the Potters are renovating, and sees how happy Joey is. Dawson asks Mike if he can interview him for his film project.
Pacey drops by the McPhees’ and asks Jack why they have to leave so soon. Jack tells him there’s pretty much no way to stop their departure. Pacey meets Mr. McPhee, who says Andie’s doctors are the ones pressing them to come back to Providence. Pacey argues that Andie’s built a family and support system in Capeside. Mr. McPhee replies that Andie’s his responsibility.
Pacey notes that Mr. McPhee knew about her condition when he sent her to Capeside and basically abandoned her. Mr. McPhee says he’s being selfish by wanting her to stay. Pacey tells him he’s asking him to let Andie stay for both of them. Mr. McPhee won’t budge. Meanwhile, Jen calls her mom in New York and asks how her parents would feel about her going home.
In exchange for the interview with Mike, Dawson ineptly works at the Icehouse, which turns Joey on. (Eck.) Later, in the interview, Mike talks about how he lost everything he loved and was ashamed of the actions that put him in jail. He wondered if Joey and Bessie could forgive him for his crimes and for what he did to their mother. Joey listens in for a while, then leaves.
Jack asks Mr. McPhee to move into the family home in Capeside instead of moving them all back to Providence. He’s sure that Pacey can give Andie the help she needs. He notes that Mr. McPhee hasn’t given her a choice in the matter. Mr. McPhee replies that Andie and their mother need serious medical attention (nice of him to notice after all this time); he also seems to think Jack has problems since he’s gay. Jack tells him it would damage Andie to leave Pacey right now.
Pacey asks Andie to go out on a date for what will probably be their last night together. Andie resists since she has a lot to do to get ready for her move, but she decides they both need a night out.
Back at the Icehouse, Mike talks to Dawson about trafficking drugs, but Joey interrupts, telling Dawson he’s being intrusive. She doesn’t want her father to have to relive such a hard time in his life. Dawson says he’s focusing on the changes Mike has made. Joey tells Dawson that if he wants to do his project on something real, he should be his own subject. He admits that he can’t because he’s afraid he’ll prove he’s not enough for Joey.
Andie tells Jack that Mr. McPhee has relented and given her the choice between staying in Capeside and going to Providence. However, she’s thinking about not staying. She knows that seeing Tim was an indication of a major problem, and she hates being a burden to her family. Andie tells Jack that even if she goes to Providence, he should stay in Capeside. He’s always selfless and she wants him to think about himself for once.
Packed up to leave, Jen goes to Grams’ house to say goodbye, then stops herself from going inside. At the Icehouse, Dawson apologizes to Mike for making him talk about painful memories. Mike admits that he’s not sure how much he’s changed, but he’s trying. Joey tells Dawson that her life is perfect right now. (Way to just ask for something to ruin it, there, Joey.) All she needs is a white picket fence. He tells her he just wants to make her proud of him. She assures him that that’s already happened.
Jack informs his father that he’s staying in Capeside no matter what Andie decides to do. He knows he can’t live with Mr. McPhee the way things are. Mr. McPhee admits that he feels like he’s to blame for Jack being gay. Jack replies that he is the way he is and there’s nothing that can change it. Mr. McPhee encourages him to change his sexuality; he doesn’t know “how anyone could choose that kind of life.” Jack knows that if he goes back to Providence, he’ll sacrifice his happiness in an attempt to make his father proud of him.
Pacey and Andie go back to the spot where they first met. She starts crying, saying it’s because she’s happy to be with him. She knows she’s not getting better, and she’s made the decision to go to Providence. The two decide not to say goodbye.
Dawson goes to visit Joey bright and early the next morning, showing her the white picket fence he started making for her. Jack rushes to the bus station, where Jen’s about to head off…but not to New York. Her parents told her that they’re not ready to let her come home. They also thought she was trying to get more money out of them. Jen decided that she might as well just leave Capeside on her own.
Jack tells Jen that if his mom were capable of understanding what’s going on with him, he thinks she would be okay with him being gay. Parents are supposed to love their children unconditionally. “It is worse to be incapable of loving than to not be loved,” he says. He crumples up Jen’s bus ticket and invites her to stay at his house.
Leaving the Icehouse, Dawson sees Mike with a coworker and a bag of drugs. He decides not to mention it to Joey. Jack says goodbye to Andie and Mr. McPhee, the latter of whom says he knows he’s not a good father but he does want Jack to be happy. Pacey arrives, not to say goodbye but to thank Andie for helping him change. He reminds her of their promise to one day be together again. Dawson shows Joey his film project, which talks about change and love and blah, blah, blah, she fell asleep. Good for her.
Thoughts: So Mr. McPhee will get Andie help after she has hallucinations, but when his wife had a full mental break, he left her and their teenagers to fend for themselves. Nice guy.
Who, exactly, is Andie’s family and support system in Capeside, beyond Jack and Pacey? Because Dawson, Joey, and Jen barely ever talk to her.
In the same vein, when did Jack and Jen become such good friends? Did I miss it?
I’m sure that bag just has flour in it, Dawson. You know, since they cook at the Icehouse. Anyone buying this?
July 20, 2011
BSC Mystery #19, Kristy and the Missing Fortune: Go for the Gold
Nothing suspicious here...just digging holes in the middle of the night...
Summary: Kristy learns that one of her ancestors was a woman named Christina Thomas who vanished from her family’s home, Squirelot, under mysterious circumstances. Some documents and a bunch of gold went missing at the same time. The BSC girls start investigating, thinking they’ll be able to spend the gold once they recover it.
At the same time, they’re volunteering to help clean up an arboretum in town. A development company wants to buy it and tear it down, but there’s also another interested buyer. If the girls (and a bunch of their sitting charges) can help clean it up in time, the buyer will save it. However, strange things seem to be happening while the girls are working at the arboretum, and they think someone’s sabotaging the clean-up effort.
Thanks to some good, old-fashioned research, Kristy discovers that one of Christina’s relatives, Mildred, lives in Stoneybrook. Kristy visits and learns that Christina ran away because her brother wanted to force her into a common-law marriage that would help him get access to her inheritance. Christina was going to elope with a guy named Henry, who had to go off to fight in the Civil War before they could leave. The story is that Christina went after him, but he died. No one knows what really happened, and all they have to go on is a letter Christina wrote Henry.
More research turns up the revelation that the arboretum is Squirelot. The BSC girls then use Christina’s letter to figure out that she had hidden something for Henry on her family’s land. They do some digging, looking for the treasure, but don’t get a chance to clean up before the potential buyer comes by to see the arboretum. She decides not to buy the land, so all their hard work might be for nothing. Oh, and Cokie’s been lurking, seemingly listening in on the girls’ conversations.
Kristy uses a book about Stoneybrook’s history to figure out the rest of the mystery: There was a full moon the night Christina ran away, and she was trying to tell Henry to stand in a certain spot at Squirelot because the moon would illuminate her hiding spot. The girls head to the arboretum in the middle of the night (aided and abetted by the ever-helpful Charlie), but before they can find the hiding spot, they realize Cokie’s followed them. She explains that Mildred is her grandmother, and she told Cokie some of what Kristy was looking into. If there’s gold at Squirelot, she wants in.
Cokie and the BSC girls wait until the moon comes out, then dig under the tree it illuminates. They find a locket with a picture of Christina (who looks a lot like Kristy), the lease to Squirelot, and a letter telling Henry that Christina took the gold with her. The lease states that Squirelot is to go to Henry; if he dies, it goes to the town. Cokie’s disappointed that there’s no treasure, but the BSC girls are just happy that they’ve saved the arboretum after all. It’s not all good news, though: Kristy and Cokie might be related.
Thoughts: I like that the girls solved the mystery with books and brains. And it was an actual mystery, unlike some of the plots these mysteries try to pass off as suspenseful.
Trivia: Nannie loves the Knicks.
Squirelot is a stupid name.
There’s some nice continuity here with Kristy saying that Mallory talking about Jackie’s loose tooth made her queasy. She’s mentioned in previous books (I think even the very first one) that one of the things she hates most is loose teeth.
I would think Claudia, as an artist, would know how to spell “statue.”
July 19, 2011
BH90210 1.16, Fame is Where You Find It: Laverne and Surly
This.
Summary: Some guy named Kirk steals a woman’s purse in the park, then pulls a knife on the girl who catches him. It turns out to be a scene in a TV show called Keep it Together. One of the day players can’t make it, so someone picks Brandon, who’s hanging out in the park, to fill in. As he gets made up, he tells the makeup artist that Brenda would freak out if she found out where he was, since she wants to be an actress and loves the show. He admits that he hasn’t watched it for a while. Which explains why he doesn’t recognize that the makeup artist is really the show’s lead, Lydia.
Brandon does his scene with Lydia, and the director’s impressed. So impressed that Brandon gets offered more scenes later on. Brenda complains to Kelly, who tells her that she went to elementary school with Lydia. Brandon asks Brenda to fill in for him at the Peach Pit, which is the last thing she wants to do. She tells him that the star, Sean, is leaving the show over a salary dispute, so she’s not surprised that they’re looking for a guy. Brandon offers to give Brenda more drawers in the bathroom if she helps him out. She asks him to throw a shirt in as well.
Apparently the deal goes through, as Brandon takes Brenda to the Peach Pit to talk to Nat. He promises he’ll only be gone for a couple of weeks at the most. Nat thinks he could become a star and be done with the Peach Pit forever. At school, David wants to interview Brandon for the radio. Brandon thinks he’s making too big a deal out of a small role, especially since other kids at West Beverly grew up in the industry. David tells everyone about Brandon’s role, and suddenly he’s the talk of the school.
Brenda complains to Kelly and Donna about how she was always the one who wanted to be famous. Kelly tells Brandon that everyone’s excited that he’s hanging out with Lydia. A limo arrives with Lydia inside and takes Brandon to the studio. Lydia signs an autograph and Brandon asks her if it bothers her to always have people coming up to her. She says it would bother her more if they didn’t. Lydia thinks Brandon could have a recurring role on the show, since the lead is being written out. She tells him she doesn’t give just anyone a ride to work.
Brandon and Lydia film a kissing scene numerous times, a task Brandon doesn’t find too difficult. After heading home for dinner, he tells his parents he’s going to a networking event. He’s also planning to be tutored on the set instead of going to school. Lydia arrives to pick up Brandon, and Brenda gets flustered at the idea of talking to her. She tells Lydia she knows Kelly and Donna, but Lydia doesn’t seem to remember them. Brandon steals back the shirt he gave to Brenda. Brenda tops off her horrible night by sucking as a waitress.
Lydia takes Brandon around at the networking party, and a girl (trivia: it’s Melissa Rivers) warns him that he’s the “flavor of the week.” Brandon notes that Lydia doesn’t like anyone there. They talk about their kissing scene and how weird it is to kiss in front of a bunch of people. Lydia says she wants to be “respected as an actress and satisfied with [herself] as a person” when her career is over. (Her publicist wrote that for her.) As Brenda tries very hard not to cry at the Peach Pit, Sean (who played Kirk in the first scene) arrives at the party and sees Lydia kissing his “competition,” Brandon. (And she’s totally hoping he’s watching.)
The next morning, Brenda tells Brandon she’s not going back to the Peach Pit. She also thinks he’s getting a big head. Brandon says that just because his new “lady” is in the public eye doesn’t mean he’s changed. She says Lydia’s a snob who has a new guy every week. (But Brandon has a new girl every week, so what’s the difference?) Brenda thinks Brandon’s already changed. At school, she complains to Kelly and Donna about everything going on in her life. Donna tells her to quit, and Kelly tells her not to take waitressing so seriously. Brenda realizes that she can turn the job into an acting experience.
Brandon finds out one of his big scenes has been cut; Lydia tells him they’re rewriting the whole script. Sean is sticking around, apparently because he didn’t want to leave Lydia. Brenda dresses as a ’50s waitress from Brooklyn and plays the role of Laverne at the Peach Pit. It goes much better than her first day on the job. Brandon’s day, however, is going poorly: Sean gets to throw water in his face a bunch of times. Dylan and Steve show up at the Peach Pit, and Nat tells them “Laverne” has been terrific for business.
Sean complains about Brandon’s acting, and the director says that Lydia pushed for him to be around more. He threatens to recast since Brandon isn’t giving him anything he can work with. “Laverne,” Kelly, and Donna are leading a lip-synching session at the Peach Pit when Brandon arrives. Andrea tells him that everyone loves Brenda. Everyone talks to Brandon about Keep it Together, but only Andrea notices that he’s not happy. At home, Brenda tells her parents about Laverne (who was inspired by an actual waitress). Jim’s surprised she’s not spending all her tips, but she wants to save up for “something special.”
Lydia tracks down Brandon in the park where they first filmed, and he accuses her of using him to get back at Sean. She claims she’s not that calculating. If he were her flavor of the week, she wouldn’t have come looking for him. Lydia says that Brandon makes her feel like she doesn’t have to pretend to be someone. He says he liked her until Sean came back. Lydia says he was never really gone, but she claims that Brandon wasn’t a rebound guy. She says the director really liked him and wants to test market his character.
Kelly, Donna, Dylan, Steve, and Andrea go to the Walshes’ for Brandon’s TV debut, only he’s been cut out of the show and replaced with Sean. Steve tells him not to feel bad; even his mom, a TV star, has been cut out of scenes. Dylan thinks he lucked out since the show’s so horrible. After everyone leaves, Brenda says Brandon’s more forgiving of Lydia than she is. He tells her to keep her job at the Peach Pit, but she doesn’t want it, even with all the money she’s making. Besides, she’s made enough money to pay for what she was saving for: acting lessons.
Thoughts: That Brandon outfit is easily the worst thing I’ve seen on anyone on this show. So far.
Dear Jim, please don’t introduce Brenda as “Brandon’s better half.” “Better half” means significant other.
I think I might have had Kelly’s denim vest with the daisies on it when I was kid. And if I didn’t, I definitely wanted it.
Brenda as Laverne is actually pretty hilarious. She needs her own spin-off.
The actress playing Lydia could pass for Jennifer Grey. I think it’s the hair.
While looking for a photo for this post, I found two awesome things. One is this blog post about the sets and locations in the episode. The other is this Tumblr featuring outfits from the series. “Fame is Where You Find It” is currently the episode on the first page, which makes it even more awesome. Sadly, there’s no picture of Brenda as Laverne, but you can see one here.
July 17, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 2.20, Reunited: Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me
Oh, Pacey. They don't understand you like I do
Summary: Everyone’s at Dawson’s for movie night, and they all find it a little strange that they’re in the same room at the same time. Joey and Jen note that they’re “a long shot off from 90210-land friends forever.” No one planned the group time; apparently Dawson invited Pacey (and Joey), he invited Andie, she invited Jack, and Jen lives there now. Pacey says they’re this close to being at the Peach Pit. Then there’s a pillow fight. Sadly, there are no fatalities.
Sometime later, Pacey is shocked to see that Andie’s dyed her hair brown. He asks her out, but she tells him she has to study and take care of her mother. He suggests that she take the night off, but she insists she can’t. She also gets overly frustrated over having the wrong textbook with her. Jack tells Pacey she’s just extra sensitive because of the new hair (which she dyed herself). Now alone, Andie spots a guy and tears up.
Joey asks Dawson if they can do something different tonight from their usual dinner and a movie. He says they try to be spontaneous, but she says even their spontaneity isn’t that spontaneous. Their one-month anniversary is coming up, and she wants to do something fun. Dawson says they’re boring people and are incapable of being spontaneous. He’s really just trying to hide the fact that he has a surprise in store for Joey.
Gail encourages Jen to give Grams a call, but Jen doesn’t know what to say and doesn’t think Grams would listen anyway. Even if she moved back home, the peace wouldn’t last. She thinks she and Grams just aren’t meant to fit into each other’s lives. Gail knows how that feels. They decide to have a girls’ night together. Meanwhile, Mitch and Ms. Kennedy go to the same restaurant Dawson takes Joey to. Unaware that there were two Leery parties, the maître d’ has given Dawson’s reservation to his father.
Andie goes to see her therapist, who thinks Abby’s death has brought up unresolved issues from Tim’s death. Andie has told the therapist about seeing Abby in her room, but now she’s trying to downplay it. The therapist wants her to come back later to be evaluated in case she needs medication. When Andie gets in her car to go home, the boy is there. “Did you tell her about me?” he asks. She says it won’t be a secret for long, and she doesn’t want to lose him. Andie gets very emotional and he comforts her.
Jen asks Gail if she’s tried to get Mitch back. Gail thinks it’s pointless, since “you can’t connive or entice love. By definition, it has to find its way to you.” Jen mentions Gail’s job offer in Philadelphia, and Gail says she’s waiting for a sign that she should go. That sign might be the smell of smoke and the fire alarm going off.
Dawson, Joey, Mitch, and Ms. Kennedy wind up sharing a table and some very awkward conversation. Ms. Kennedy offers to help Dawson get a summer internship in L.A., which he rejects, since she told him he wouldn’t be able to make it there. She tells him she’s a fan of his enthusiasm. Joey pulls Dawson aside and he complains about having to spend time with a woman who trashed him. Joey tells him to stop letting her get the best of him. Just then, Jen and Gail show up.
Pacey and Andie hang out at her house, where she sees the boy in the kitchen and blasts him for arriving late. She’s frustrated to have them both there at the same time. Pacey goes to the kitchen and hears Andie talking. The boy, who she calls Brown, tells her to choose between the two of them, but she refuses. Pacey enters the kitchen and doesn’t see anyone there with Andie.
Joey tells Jen the cast of characters at the restaurant; Joey’s prepared for disaster but Jen thinks things will be okay. While Ms. Kennedy’s away from the table, Dawson tells Mitch that Gail’s there, adding that she’s going to run off to Philadelphia and leave things unfinished. If Mitch even slightly wants to work things out with Gail, he can’t let her leave. In the restroom, Gail and Ms. Kennedy run into each other. Gail says she might leave, which Ms. Kennedy says would be fair to Mitch. Gail changes her mind, saying she’ll let him decide what’s fair.
Pacey accuses Andie of talking to another guy on the phone; she insists there was no phone call and there’s no other guy. He’s worried about her unpredictable moods, so if there’s no other guy, he can’t help thinking that she’s having psychiatric problems. Pacey asks her to explain the photos she’s been looking at of her family, which include her with brown hair. He wants to know why she’s gone back to looking like she did three years ago. Andie accidentally breaks a lamp with the photo album and says she’s going to bed. Pacey looks at one of the pictures, which includes Brown.
Gail and Jen get their own table (even though Mitch and Ms. Kennedy couldn’t), and while Gail complains about all the happy couples around, Jen teases that she’s a romantic. Someone sends a bottle of wine over to the other table, where Ms. Kennedy is going on and on about movies. Joey gets on her case about saying that Dawson could be big in Hollywood after she trashed him before.
Jack comes home to find Pacey cleaning up the broken lamp. Pacey tells him something’s really wrong with Andie, and Jack says he’s also heard her talking to herself. Pacey says that he heard Andie calling someone Brown, which makes Jack freeze. Andie joins them, announcing that Brown is Tim, and she’s been seeing him. She insists that he’s really there. Then she runs off and locks herself in a bathroom.
Joey continues to pick a fight with Ms. Kennedy, claiming she wants her and Dawson to confront their issues. Joey and Dawson ask Ms. Kennedy to repeat exactly what she said to Dawson about his movie. She says it has to do with Dawson’s potential, and Dawson notes that she can’t judge that since she’s a teacher in a small town. Joey tells Ms. Kennedy that if she only focuses on “life’s meaner bites,” it’s because she’s bitter. Ms. Kennedy decides that’s her cue to leave.
Dawson pulls Joey aside and asks why she started pushing Ms. Kennedy’s buttons just after telling him to be civil. Jen joins them and the girls tell Dawson they have a plan in the works. Mitch goes over to Gail’s table and asks her to dance, thanking her for the wine. She doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He asks if she’s going to take the Philadelphia job; he’d like her to stay, claiming it’s for Dawson’s sake. The song they’re dancing to ends before they can get any farther.
Jack and Pacey try to get into the bathroom, where Andie sees Tim in her mirror and smashes it. Pacey tries to convince her that they don’t think she’s crazy. He asks her to tell him what Tim’s saying, but Tim tells Andie that she can’t trust anyone else because they don’t understand. Pacey says he understands Andie, if not the situation. Tim promises Andie that he’ll make her better.
Andie doesn’t want to choose between the two guys, but Pacey tells her she has to, and he’d like her to pick him. He promises he won’t give up on her like she’s never given up on him. After a long pause, Tim goes away and Andie opens the door. The guys put her to bed and Jack decides he needs to call their father.
Pacey doesn’t think Mr. McPhee will be there for Andie any more than he was for his own wife. Jack says he has the resources to help her. The last time this happened, everyone ignored it until it was too late. The doctors said that Andie was grieving so much that she created someone to experience it with. Jack regrets not being able to do anything for her. Pacey decides he’s right and needs to call their father.
As they head home, Gail thanks Jen for giving her the sign she was waiting for. She knows that no matter how far away she goes, she’ll never be able to let Mitch go. She doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to let her go either. Just then, she spots Mitch and Ms. Kennedy sharing a romantic moment together.
Dawson and Joey are having their own romantic moment in a canoe, and she wants to know if he planned their evening with the intentions of “closing the deal” at the end of the night. They admit they’ve both thought about having sex. But apparently tonight won’t be the night. Andie wakes up to find Pacey with her, and he assures her that everything’s going to be fine. She tells him she’s scared, and he admits that he is, too. He promises she won’t lose him.
Thoughts: Mitch takes Dawson’s reservation, then won’t leave the restaurant? Nice.
Aaaaaaaand now I’m really in love with Joshua Jackson.
You know the real reason Dawson and Joey shouldn’t be together? They’re boring.
I hope someone calls Child Protective Services on Mr. McPhee. He left his teenagers in charge of his mentally unstable wife – while one of those teenagers is herself mentally unstable – without any other adult supervision. Jerk.
July 16, 2011
SVH #95, The Morning After: Here Comes the Crazy
I didn't realize Pamela's ex was an escapee from Grease
Summary: Despite the title, it’s been a few days since the ending of A Night to Remember. Sam’s dead, Elizabeth survived the crash, the twins aren’t speaking, and everyone’s depressed. Elizabeth also hasn’t spoken to Todd, as she’s embarrassed about how she acted with Sam at the prom. She doesn’t remember the events surrounding the crash and has no idea that Jessica spiked her drink. Jessica’s furious with Elizabeth for killing Sam, but she also feels bad about the alcohol and her role in the accident.
Three weeks after Sam’s death, the police come to the Wakefields’ house to question Elizabeth. (Way to do your job, cops.) Jessica’s worried at first that they found out she spiked the drinks, but they’re clueless. The cops press Elizabeth to tell them what happened before the crash, but she can’t remember any of it. She insists that she wasn’t drinking, despite how high her blood alcohol level was at the time of the accident. Without any answers and unsure whether Elizabeth is telling the truth, the police arrest her for involuntary manslaughter. Jessica says nothing about what she did.
Lila’s also depressed because of what happened with Nathan at the prom – or, more accurately, what she thinks happened with him. A meeting with him, Mr. Cooper, and her father makes her realize that the encounter was completely innocent, but that just makes her more depressed, since now she thinks something’s wrong with her. She keeps blowing off her friends and skipping school while her father tries to figure out what to do to get her back to her normal self. Finally George decides there’s only one person who can help her: her mother, Grace. He calls her and asks her to come back to Sweet Valley. When Lila finds out, she’s thrilled.
Bruce stakes out Big Mesa High to find out who the girl was who saved him the night of the prom. He learns that her name is Pamela Robertson, but she doesn’t seem to be very popular at her school. He takes her out and they discover that they have a ton in common with each other. Everything’s going great for Bruce until Amy tells him Pamela has a reputation as a slut. He decides he still wants to be with her, but when he takes her some flowers, he sees her getting out of a car and kissing a guy she appears to have spent the night with. Pamela insists that nothing happened and that she loves Bruce (after one day? Uh-huh), but he won’t listen.
Olivia and Nicholas have become friends. She’s offered $1,000 for one of her paintings; in exchange, she has to speak at a fundraiser. When she arrives for the fundraiser, she learns that a) there isn’t one, and b) the guy who wants to buy her painting is Harry, some rich 18-year-old she’s seen hanging around her art class. Olivia’s first response should be fear over a guy who lied to get her to come to his house, but she thinks he’s cute, so she’s going to get to know him better. She also agrees to help Nicholas find a girlfriend, most likely with the help of a TV dating show called Hunks.
Oh, and there’s a crazy chick named Margo who’s making her way across the country, lying about her name and killing children. Fun!
Thoughts: The cops wait three weeks to question Elizabeth? They didn’t arrest her at the scene, after finding out how drunk she was? To paraphrase Principal Snyder, “The police of [Sweet Valley] are deeply stupid.”
I wish they hadn’t skipped over Sam’s funeral, especially since Elizabeth went to it. They already cram enough into these books; they couldn’t spare a few pages for that?
“Artists don’t carry umbrellas.” Olivia, you make no sense. I guess artists don’t use logic either.
If Harry’s parents are so rich, why do they have wicker furniture?
