February 26, 2012
BH90210 3.8, The Back Story: Blowing Smoke
Here's what you need, Brenda
Summary: Brenda, Kelly, Donna, Steve, and David are in an SAT prep class, though only David is nervous about the test. He wonders why everyone is retaking the test if it’s not a big deal. As they leave the class, a woman from the local news asks if anyone is willing to do an interview about the pressures they’re feeling pre-SAT. Brenda does an interview, but Steve interrupts to tell her the reporter is really from a sleazy news magazine called The Back Story. He’s mad because of an unflattering story they did on his mother.
At school the next day, Brandon and Steve discuss Nikki, who Brandon says he’s not interested in because she’s a sophomore. (I thought she was a freshman. Eh, whatever.) Steve is supposed to hang out with a girl who’s dating a college student named B.J. Harrison. Brenda’s stressed enough to want a cigarette; Kelly lectures her and reminds her that her parents would kill her if they knew about the habit she developed in Paris. Brenda adds that Dylan would, too, since he hates smokers. Kelly adds this to the list of Dylan-related secrets she’s keeping from Brenda.
Nikki asks Donna why everyone’s so anxious, because apparently she’s too dumb to realize what’s going on. Donna tells her that Brandon and Andrea are the only people not retaking the SAT. She adds that Brandon is often at the Peach Pit after school. The reporter from the day before stakes out West Beverly High so she can talk to Brenda. They go to a café and the reporter, Beth, asks Brenda to help her with a story that will break down stereotypes about Beverly Hills teens.
Brenda then heads to the Peach Pit to try to talk to Brandon, but he’s too busy. Nikki also wants his attention, but he barely notices her. Steve hangs out with B.J. and his girlfriend, complaining about all the work he has to do. B.J. offers him a master key to West Beverly High; it’ll give him access to every office, filing cabinet, and grade bank. It’s passed down from student to student every year, and Steve getting it is an honor. Steve isn’t sure, so B.J. gives him a few days to think about it.
After work, Brandon tells Brenda that Nikki makes him nervous. She seems too innocent for him. Brenda tells him about Beth’s offer, and Brandon thinks that after what happened to Samantha, it’s a bad idea. He advises her to talk to the vice principal, Ms. Teasley, first. Brenda has felt a little out of place since coming back from Paris; Donna’s always with David, and Kelly’s acting weird. Brenda wants to do something to make the school look good.
As the twins arrive home and greet their parents, Brenda accidentally drops a pack of cigarettes. This leads to a family meeting where everyone tells Brenda she’s being stupid. She thinks everyone’s overreacting. Cindy reminds her that she’s already had a cancer scare. (Ironically, that was the last time she was supposed to take the SAT.) Brenda denies that she has a problem, using the cliché that she can quit anytime. Jim challenges her to do just that.
Donna and David study some vocabulary as Kelly tells Brenda she’s glad Jim and Cindy found out she’s smoking. Brenda comes clean to Dylan, telling both him and Kelly that she’s already given up the habit. Dylan announces that he’s skipping the SAT to visit his dad in jail. Kelly defends him for not necessarily wanting to go to college. Later, Brenda takes Beth a yearbook and video scrapbook, telling her that she needs to talk to Mrs. Teasley. Beth wants to put the piece together first. She asks Brenda to skip class to help her out.
Andrea tells Brandon that the Blaze has a new sophomore-class representative: Nikki. Beth and Brenda watch the video scrapbook, and Brenda reveals Donna’s learning disability and Kelly’s past life as a slut. Oh, and she smokes with Beth. B.J. visits West Beverly, and Steve sees how beloved he is by Ms. Teasley. Brenda spends the rest of the school day with Beth, then goes to see Dylan, who can tell she’s been smoking. She promises to quit if he takes the SAT on Saturday.
Brandon gets rid of Nikki at the Blaze, and Andrea tells him to break it to her that he doesn’t want to date her. Brenda visits Beth while she’s editing, though she’s having trouble putting together the story she wants. Her producer, Dan, wants something a bit more exploitative. Ms. Teasley tells Brandon and Andrea about The Back Story‘s presence at the school, asking them to put an announcement in the paper telling students not to talk to them. Brandon realizes it’s too late for that and rushes off to find Brenda.
Dylan’s also looking for Brenda; he wants to say goodbye before he goes to see Jack. He adds that a girl named Nikki is looking for Brandon, and he did Brandon a favor by telling her how much he likes her. Dylan admits that he’s not taking the SAT, despite his deal with Brenda. Brandon advises him to keep his options open. Dylan suggests that he do the same. Brandon’s still annoyed that he can’t find Brenda, and he takes it out on Nikki, finally telling her that they wouldn’t work out if they dated. She’s confused.
Brandon finally finds Brenda at the library and tells her the school board doesn’t want people talking to Beth. Brenda blows him off. Brandon then heads to the Peach Pit to work, complaining to Steve that he has a lot of homework to do. Steve offers to make things a little easier with the master key. Brandon points out that things didn’t turn out so well the last time Steve cheated. He points out that Steve can either have a big GPA but worry about getting caught, or he can be happy with average grades.
Brenda comes home in time for her story to air on The Back Story. She’s stunned to see that it’s been edited to make the students seem like rich snobs with family problems. The segment host, who Brenda never talked to, says that Donna has a severe learning disability that her parents dealt with by sending her to Paris for a shopping spree. Kelly’s whole past and family are outed as everyone watches. Brenda tries to call her but can’t reach her, so she goes for a walk.
Brandon runs into Brenda on his way home and asks if she wants to be alone so she can smoke. Brenda thinks she’s earned it. He tells her that if she can get through this crisis without a cigarette, she can get through anything. He takes her home for ice cream instead. Brenda finally gets through to the Taylor/Silver house, but Kelly and David won’t talk to her. Meanwhile, Dylan visits Jack, who wonders why he’s skipping the SAT. He notes that Dylan has money, but he’ll only have respect as long as it’s there. If he works to get a college degree, no one can take it from him.
At the SAT, Tony Miller makes fun of Steve, who was described as being emotionally unstable on the Back Story piece. Brenda tries to talk to her friends, but they’re too mad. Brenda promises Kelly that she never said what the piece claimed she said about her. Dylan goes to another school to take the SAT. Beth goes by the Walshes’, where Brandon blasts her for stabbing Brenda in the back. Beth wants her to know that she quit and wants to make amends.
After the SAT, Brenda turns the tables on her friends by ignoring them. Brandon and Beth show up so Beth can apologize and assure Brenda’s friends that she wasn’t in on the negative parts of the piece. She also has an unedited version of Brenda’s interview to prove that she said nice things about her friends. The teens head to the Peach Pit, and Brandon pulls Nikki aside to apologize for yelling at her the day before. Then he kisses her, for no apparent reason, and she’s all happy.
Thoughts: What’s a grade bank? I mean, obviously it’s a place where grades are stored, but…well, what is it?
Actual funny moment: Brandon’s sarcastic “thanks, buddy!” to Dylan after Dylan said he told Nikki that Brandon likes her.
I don’t think you can just show up at any school and take the SAT. And I guess if Dylan thinks he can take it without any preparation, he either believes he’s smart enough to ace it or he doesn’t care. Probably that second one.
Ah, yes, Beth, the “I was only following orders” defense. Always a classic.
Really, Brandon? Two minutes ago Nikki bugged you, and now you want to make out with her? Boys are weird.
February 25, 2012
Dawson’s Creek 4.17, Admissions: Truth Will Out
"This letter entitles you to one (1) awkward storyline"
Summary: It’s lunchtime at Capeside High, and the topic of conversation, at least for Jen and Joey, is college. Joey and Dawson both get called to the administrative office with instructions to call home. The secretary tells them they’ve probably gotten college mail. They both call home and learn that Joey was accepted to Worthington while Dawson was rejected by NYU. Joey shares her news with Pacey, who’s very excited for her. She finds the situation surreal. Pacey wants to take her home to see the letter in person.
Jack and Jen go on a college binge, looking over all sorts of materials to review their options. Jack thinks they’ve both already decided on the University of New York, but Jen isn’t so sure anymore. At the B&B, Bessie and Bodie congratulate Joey and tell her they’re through her a celebratory barbeque the next day. Joey reads the acceptance letter herself and gets happy again.
At the Leerys’, Dawson tells Gail to stop looking at him with pity; he claims he’s fine with not going to NYU. Gretchen comes over to take Dawson out and cheer him up. He’s worried that his rejection from NYU will mean he also won’t get into USC. Gretchen notes that Mr. Brooks didn’t go to college and was successful in movie-making. Dawson realizes that he could use the money Mr. Brooks left him to make movies.
Jen talks to Frost about how Jack wants to go to school in New York. This leads to a discussion of her parents, who still live there. Frost notes that she gets very serious when she talks about her parents, or rather, avoids talking about them. Jen hasn’t seen her mother since the Thanksgiving she visited and hasn’t talked to her father in years. Frost wants to know why it’s so hard for her to talk about the last conversation she had with him.
Speaking of topics people don’t want to talk about, Pacey doesn’t want to discuss what Joey’s college acceptance will mean for their relationship. Joey then gets a letter from Worthington telling her she’ll need to pay $15,000 to attend. She and Bessie meet with Capeside High’s admissions counselor, who tells them that since the B&B is doing well, Joey doesn’t qualify for financial aid. Joey doesn’t want to take out student loans, so she’s resigned to giving up her dream of going to Worthington.
Joey and Bessie return home in time for the barbeque, which Bessie offers to cancel. Joey refuses, asking her not to tell anyone what she’s decided. She briefly talks to Dawson, who can tell that something’s wrong. Joey then tells Pacey that she can’t afford to go to Worthington. She doesn’t want to tell anyone else the news because she doesn’t want their pity.
Jen, Jack, Dawson, and Gretchen talk about New York, then toast Joey. Gretchen can tell from Pacey’s expression that something’s off. Jen tells Jack to cheer Dawson up about NYU by telling him New York sucks, but Jack points out that she’s been talking the city up for two years. She picks a fight with him and storms off.
Gretchen thinks Pacey’s feeling left out because everyone else is talking about college and he’s not going. She asks what he wants for the future. Pacey confides that Joey can’t go to Worthington after all, and he’s kind of happy about it. Jen admits to Jack that she’s afraid to go back to New York. He assures her that they don’t have to go there; he’ll be fine as long as they’re near each other. Mitch and Gail come to the barbeque and give Dawson an acceptance letter from USC.
Joey goes inside to cry, and when Dawson follows her, she tells him she can’t afford her school. He doesn’t think she should give up on her dreams because of money. After confirming that Worthington is what Joey really wants, Dawson offers her Mr. Brooks’ money. He reminds her that he’s supposed to do something great with it, and this would be something great. He gives her as long as she needs to think it over as long as she promises to consider it.
Sometime later, Joey goes by Dawson’s house, looking at the pictures of their friends in his bedroom. He notes that there are none of the two of them, and they’ll have to change that. She tells him she can’t accept the money – their friendship wouldn’t survive it. Dawson thinks that if their friendship could survive the previous summer, it can survive anything. Joey thinks he’s trying to do something noble because he feels sorry for her. He tells her he wants to fix something for her for once.
Jen goes back to Frost, ready to talk about the last time she saw her father. However, she can’t really remember it. Frost asks if anyone else was there who can help her remember. Dawson goes to Pacey’s to talk about Joey; Pacey thinks $15,000 is a lot to give someone without any strings. Dawson reminds him of all the hard work Joey has done to get into Worthington, and how she beat the odds and got in. He can’t sit by and watch her pass it up. Pacey admits that he can’t either.
Jen tracks down Drue and asks him what happened the last night they were together in New York. He’s shocked that she can’t remember. She invited him over because her parents were sending her away, and they got drunk, went for a walk, and went back to her place. Drue wants Jen to leave the past in the past and refuses to tell her what happened, saying he’s still working through it.
Pacey goes by the B&B, where Joey tells him she’s considering waiting a year until she’s financially independent, then reapplying to Worthington. He tells her that he and Dawson don’t want her to give up her dream. Drue visits Jen to apologize and tell her the rest of the story: Her parents caught them making out and her father called her a slut. But Drue was kicked out before he could observe anything else. He thinks Jen used him, and she apologizes.
Joey goes to see Dawson again and comes clean about lying to him about sleeping with Pacey. She felt like things between them were finally right again, and didn’t think Dawson would understand if she told him the truth. He gets that she didn’t want him to feel like he was no longer the most important person in her life.
Jen frets to Frost that she still can’t remember what happened the last time she saw her father. He tells her the truth will come in time. He continues that her behavior in New York was a cry for love, and her failure to remember is a way of punishing herself. If she keeps acting out, she’ll rob herself of something she deserves. She’s meant to shine in ways she can’t even understand.
Joey tells Pacey that she told Dawson something she should have a long time ago. He guesses what it is. Pacey admits that he was a little relieved when she decided not to go to Worthington because it meant he wasn’t holding her back. Joey denies that he’s ever held her back. He asks her to cut him loose if that ever changes. She refuses, saying that means she’ll have to let him go. Elsewhere, Jen gets a goldfish in an attempt to jog her memory. (Just go with it.)
Dawson goes to see Joey and tells her that he agrees that things between them were getting to be right again. He still wants her to have Mr. Brooks’ money. His feelings about her and Pacey sleeping together don’t matter; he thinks giving her the money is the right thing to do. She doesn’t resist, just hugging him and thanking him. Dawson thinks she’s going to have a great time at Worthington, and he wants to hear all about it.
Thoughts: The episode title is a little bit clever. It obviously refers to college admissions, but it also refers to various confessions made.
So it’s April (at least that’s when the episode originally aired) and Jack and Jen haven’t applied to schools yet? Yeah, they’re not getting in anywhere.
Let’s talk about Bessie’s hair. It’s bad. Good talk.
Joey strikes me as the sort of person who would have crunched the numbers before applying to Worthington. She says she did, but everything depended on her getting financial aid. Wouldn’t she have factored in the possibility of not getting it?
I think the more important topic for Jen and Frost to discuss is her insistence on going to school with or near Jack.
Is Michelle Williams really short or is Mark Matkevich (Drue) really tall? Or both? There’s a scene where they’re standing right next to each other and he looks like a giant while she looks like a dwarf. Okay, let’s look it up. Michelle is 5’4. I can’t find Mark’s height. But I did find out that Zach Braff originally auditioned for the role of Drue. So I can’t say I didn’t learn something today.
February 20, 2012
BSC #96, Abby’s Lucky Thirteen: Today I Am a Woman
Abby's much cuter in her picture on the left
Summary: Abby’s busy getting ready for her and Anna’s joint Bat Mitzvah, which makes her forget about a big math test – a huge problem since she’s already struggling in math. Just before the test, she buys what a guy tells her is a study guide. It’s pretty specific, but it helps her, so she feels pretty confident going into the test.
Unfortunately, one of the answers on the study guide was wrong, so Abby gets it wrong on the test – as do four other students. The teacher figures out that something strange is going on and suspends all of the students for cheating. Abby tries to plead her case about the study guide, since she didn’t realize it was fishy until she took the test. The teacher already has it out for her, though, thanks to Mrs. Stevenson coming in to read her the riot act about another test. The teacher, Ms. Frost, doesn’t believe Abby’s claims of innocence.
Abby doesn’t want to admit her suspension to her mother, so she pretends to go to school for the three days she’s off, then heads to the library. This gives her time to prepare for her Bat Mitzvah, but she still doesn’t know what to say in her speech. Her mom catches her at the mall and Abby spills the truth. She winds up grounded for a month, but fortunately, her mother believes her about the study guide and decides to talk to Ms. Frost again.
Back at school, Abby sees Mary Anne buying a “study guide” from the same guy who sold one to her. She takes Mary Anne and the fake guide to Ms. Frost, and now that she has a reliable witness with her, Ms. Frost believes her. She also apologizes for not giving Abby the benefit of the doubt before and allows her to retake the test. So Abby has a chance to improve her grade, and now she has a topic for her speech. At her Bat Mitzvah, she talks about how even small decisions can make big waves, and how she feels more adult now.
The twins’ family comes to Stoneybrook for the Bat Mitzvah, and all the BSC members attend. There’s a very sweet scene where Abby and Anna light the candles on their cake and dedicate each one to their family members and friends. They’re sad because their father isn’t there, but they hear their family members reminiscing about him and sharing happy memories.
In the B-plot, a bunch of parents in town ban TV in their houses, or at least drastically reduce the amount their kids can watch. The kids are angry but wind up making their own “episodes” of one of their favorite shows.
Thoughts: We get it, ghostwriter: We shouldn’t watch too much TV. I’m already reading your books – what more do you want?
The Arnold twins wear pinkie rings. Are they in the mafia?
Abby’s mom tops my list of awesome BSC parents. You do NOT want to mess with her.
Would eight-year-olds know about the old melodramas with villains tying women to train tracks? I don’t think I knew about those when I was that age.
Abby says her mother doesn’t have any siblings, but doesn’t she have a sister in a later book?
February 19, 2012
BH90210 3.7, A Song of Myself: There’s No I in Team (But There Is One in “Shut Up, Gil”)
"Do these pants make me look pretentious and annoying?"
Summary: Brandon, Brenda, and Dylan are back at West Beverly for their senior year. Kelly and Donna watch Brenda and Dylan, wondering how long they’ll stay together. David is surprised to see Nikki Witt, who has ditched San Francisco to live in Beverly Hills. Brenda, Donna, and Steve are senior buddies to incoming freshmen, though Steve is only there because it’ll look good on his transcripts (and so he can meet a hot girl). Instead, he’s paired with a guy named Herbert.
Brenda’s buddie is a girl named Sue who seems a little meek. She has Brenda show her to a bathroom, where she changes into a skin-baring outfit and smokes a cigarette. Brandon meets up with Andrea and learns that the Blaze has a new faculty advisor. Brandon actually wants to leave the paper, but Andrea refuses to let him quit. They meet their new advisor, Gil Meyers, who helps Andrea convince Brandon to stay put.
Kelly and Dylan end up in Spanish together; they haven’t talked since Brenda got back. Brenda’s also in the class and has no idea that anything should be awkward. Andrea thanks Mr. Meyers for being on her side about Brandon. Donna gushes to David about her freshman buddy, who turns out to be Nikki. She and David pretend they haven’t already met (and made out). Speaking of making out, that’s what Dylan and Brenda are doing, and Kelly doesn’t really want to see it.
Mr. Meyers meets with the newspaper staff for the first time to discuss content and layout. Andrea’s surprised that he thinks anything should change. Brandon tells her that Mr. Meyers is on her side since he said she was a good editor. She thinks she needs to go out of her way to show him how committed she is to the paper.
Dylan has dinner at the Walshes’; he and Jim are getting along a lot better. Meanwhile, Kelly complains to David about having to watch Brenda and Dylan make out all the time. He asks if she’s in love with Dylan, which she denies. David tells her about Nikki going to West Beverly and befriending Donna. When they’re with Donna, Nikki plays innocent, but when Donna’s away, she hits on David. Kelly encourages her to come clean to Donna.
Andrea and Mr. Meyers run into each other at the public library and discuss Brandon. Mr. Meyers wants to know if he’s motivated and a leader. Andrea suggests that he challenge Brandon with more responsibilities. Mr. Meyers agrees and recommends that Brandon take over as editor-in-chief. Andrea can be “the woman behind the man.”
Back at school, Herbert ruins Steve’s attempts to flirt with some poor, clueless girl. Nikki asks David if he’s going to tell Donna about their fling; she wants him to do it soon. Mr. Meyers teaches Whitman in Brandon and Andrea’s English class, then tells Brandon that he’s being promoted to editor-in-chief. Andrea is the least excited she’s ever been about anything.
Brandon runs into Nikki (the second time that day), then asks Mr. Meyers (who wants to be called Gil, because he’s all young and hip and stuff) if Andrea’s okay with him becoming editor-in-chief. He thinks Andrea is better for the challenge. Gil (bleh) thinks she needs to find other things to occupy her time. Brandon would rather be a team player than a leader, especially during his senior year, which he wanted to be a smooth ride. Gil just quotes Whitman to him.
Brenda and Dylan encounter Sue, who’s already picked herself up a boyfriend. Brenda wants Dylan to throw a barbeque for all their friends. Kelly tries to get transferred to an art class, which will require her to change her entire schedule. Elsewhere, David continues not telling Donna anything about Nikki.
Andrea pretends to be okay with her new position on the Blaze. When Brandon asks for the report she gave Gil on streamlining the paper, she tells him to do the job himself. He wonders why she backed him as editor-in-chief if she didn’t want him to have the job. Andrea points out that the alternative was trashing him. She walks away, telling Brandon he’ll have to run things without her.
Steve gives David a bunch of 45s so diners around town can play his music in jukeboxes. David doesn’t want it at the Peach Pit since Nikki and Donna each think she was the first person to hear the song. Steve advises him not to say anything to Donna. Kelly’s keeping his secret from Donna, and Nikki just wants them to break up so she can have David. David worries that Nikki will tell Donna. “Deny, deny, deny,” Steve tells him.
Brenda and Dylan bring home food for his barbeque, though Dylan admits that he’s never grilled anything in his life. As she’s cleaning up his living room, she finds an earring and asks who it belongs to. Dylan lies that it’s Iris’. At school, Kelly tells Dylan that her schedule has changed and gets her earring back. He assures her that he didn’t tell Brenda it was hers. He adds that if Kelly hadn’t changed her schedule, he would have changed his so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable.
Brenda and Donna run into Sue again; now she’s hanging out with a bunch of bikers and barely wearing clothes. Brenda’s surprised that Donna knows Sue, but Donna’s more surprised that Brenda didn’t pick up that Sue is Scott’s sister. Gil confronts Andrea for glaring at him during class, and she calls him out for not letting her answer any questions. He says he knew she knew the answers. Andrea announces that she’s quitting the paper since her work apparently doesn’t mean anything to him. Gil was apparently dumb enough not to realize she was annoyed.
Andrea continues that Gil obviously likes Brandon more than he likes her. He tells her that sometimes overachievers need to step back and be followers. She thinks that if she were a guy, Gil would congratulate her for being an overachiever. Instead, he’s teaching a guy to lead and a girl to follow. She addresses some double standards and asks Gil what Walt Whitman would have to say about his ideas.
Donna and Nikki discuss David, and Nikki says she’s glad Donna is okay with everything. She promises that nothing happened, but she met David over the summer. Donna’s mad that she pretended not to know him. Nikki says they only kissed, but that doesn’t make Donna feel any better – after all, kissing is all she and David do. Nikki notes that David stopped things from going any farther because of Donna. Donna decides to skip getting mad and get even instead.
Steve finds Herbert being hassled by some other students and stands up for him, calling him “my freshman.” Herbert agrees to stop calling him “sir” if Steve will remember his name. Brandon and Nikki officially meet, and she seems to have forgotten about her crush on David. Brenda finds Sue smoking in the bathroom and changing back into her good-girl clothes. Brenda admits that she knows who Sue is, adding that she was at Scott’s birthday party the night he died. She offers to be there for Sue, or to recommend a counselor who can help her.
Brandon is already in over his head with newspaper stuff, and Gil feels bad about pushing Andrea aside. He asks Brandon if he comes across as sexist. He laments that he’s read all sorts of studies about teachers favoring boys, but he never thought he would be one of them. Brandon says he would understand if Gil wanted to give the paper back to Andrea. Gil doesn’t like the idea but the guys know they need to do something.
Brandon tracks Andrea down at the library and shows her the Blaze’s new masthead: Both of them are listed as editors-in-chief. He wants them to work together as a team. Of course, Andrea’s on board. But first Brandon wants her to have some fun, so he takes her to Dylan’s barbeque. Donna brings Nikki, and she and Brandon are happy to see each other again.
Nikki pulls David aside to talk and begs him to tell Donna about them. She throws herself at him, but he tells her he loves Donna. Donna overhears, having arranged the set-up with Nikki. And then apparently everything’s forgiven. Plus, Nikki’s free to pursue Brandon. Brenda asks Kelly why she’s been so down lately, promising to find her a guy as great as Dylan.
Thoughts: I read somewhere that Nikki, Sue, and Herbert were brought on for a potential spin-off involving younger characters, but it didn’t work out. I can see why.
Sue is played by Nicholle Tom, who was later on The Nanny.
No one wants to call you Gil, Gil. Go away.
David, stop asking Steve for advice. No one has ever asked Steve for advice and been successful in whatever he has advised them to do.
Herbert, your tiny little ponytail is going to be a problem.
Donna’s idea of revenge is extremely weak. Girl needs to talk to Emily Valentine.
February 18, 2012
Dawson’s Creek 4.16, Mind Games: A Matter of Trust
Is this considered yellow journalism?
Summary: Pacey and Joey want to spend some time together (so they can have sex) but haven’t been able to be alone for two weeks. Drue interrupts their makeout session to announce that he has the results of the senior polls. He gleefully announces that class couple is Joey and…Dawson. Joey resorts to violence as Drue jokes that there were “dimpled chads for [Pacey] and some Ms. Jacobs chick.” She accuses him of rigging the polls, then says he messed with people’s emotions. Dawson arrives and claims he’s fine with the poll results.
Pacey asks Gretchen to take Doug out drinking and spend the night at his place, obviously so he and Joey can be alone. Gretchen guesses they had sex, and she’s way too proud of them. She promises not to tell anyone and agrees to spend the night elsewhere. Jen has another therapy session with Frost, talking about her friendship with Jack. Frost wonders if she would be able to trust Jack as a male friend if he were straight. He asks about Jen’s lack of female friendships and the bad decisions she made when she was younger, such as drunken sex.
Dawson visits Gretchen at the restaurant, where she learns that Mitch and Gail are going out of town for the weekend. This means she has another option for her evening activities. Joey goes to Pacey’s and they immediately start making out because now that she’s had sex, she just wants more. He assures her that they have the house to themselves for the night. Joey’s worried that since Gretchen knows they had sex, she’ll spread the news.
Jen and Jack have coffee across the street from Frost’s office, which leads Jack to believe they’re stalking him. He thinks she wants to learn something about Frost’s personal life. He tries to keep Jen from following Frost when he leaves his office, but he can’t. Gretchen stops by the beach house to get some things and Joey pulls her aside to make sure she’s not going to tell Dawson anything. Gretchen promises to keep quiet but warns that it’s not hard to guess what Joey and Pacey have been up to. Oh, and P.S.: She’s spending the evening with Dawson.
Jen and Jack follow Frost to a bookstore, where Jack shares his theory that men who read Anne Rice are gay. They’re unable to keep their presence hidden because they’re dorks. Frost mentions a poetry reading the next day, so of course Jen will be going to that. Joey and Pacey try to convince themselves that Gretchen’s evening at Dawson’s will be totally innocent. Both claim to be okay with Joey’s ex dating Pacey’s sister.
Dawson and Gretchen have a movie night, and when he sees that she’s brought a toothbrush, they discuss whether the night will turn into a sleepover. Gretchen decides they just need to put the idea of sex on the table and talk about it. Her first sexual experience was with her high school boyfriend, who Dawson hated. As we know, Dawson is a virgin, but Gretchen knows he still has feelings about the topic.
Dawson admits that he never considered it with Jen, and he was willing to wait with Joey. He admits that he always thought the two of them would lose their virginity together. Dawson wishes Joey and Pacey would just do it and put the final nail in the coffin. He tells Gretchen that when he asked Joey if they’d done anything, she said no, and he believes her. Dawson and Gretchen try to watch another movie, but now things are all awkward. She leaves, saying she was wrong about something.
The next morning, Joey gets up early to make Pacey breakfast, but she has to send him to the store to buy actual food. As he’s leaving, Dawson arrives looking for Gretchen. Pacey tries to keep him from entering the house but can’t. Joey hears them coming and stays out of Dawson’s line of sight. Jen and Jack go to the poetry reading, her claiming that Frost invited her. Jack points out that a therapist who would want to date his patient isn’t exactly respectable. He wonders why Jen wants Frost to like her so much.
Pacey tracks down Gretchen at Doug’s, and Dawson tells Pacey not to tell her he was looking for her. He admits that he thinks Gretchen has realized they’re not good together. Dawson leaves and Pacey tells Joey he needs to go to. Frost is late to the poetry reading, so Jack convinces Jen that he was never going to show up. He arrives at the last minute and sits with Jen and Jack, making Jen think she won this round.
Drue runs into Dawson at a coffee shop and mentions that he wanted the class-couple poll to bring some drama to the yearbook. He thinks Dawson’s concern for Joey just makes Drue right. Gretchen heads home and asks Joey how she, Dawson, and Pacey got into the mess they’re in. They’re constantly worried about hurting each other, so they’re overly nice all the time. Gretchen warns that the lies they keep telling to protect each other won’t solve anything.
Gretchen confronts Joey for telling Dawson that she and Pacey didn’t sleep together, saying it isn’t fair to Dawson or to the person trying to date him. Joey reminds her that she wasn’t there when everything went down, so she doesn’t understand the situation. Gretchen urges Joey to tell Dawson the truth – if not for her or Dawson, then for Pacey. When Pacey returns, Joey pretends she has to go help Bessie with something.
Pacey asks Gretchen what happened between her and Dawson, though Gretchen doesn’t think he really cares. She’s surprised to learn that Dawson came by looking for her. Pacey doesn’t know what’s going on but suspects that it involves him. Gretchen tells him to ask Joey. He presses her again, saying he won’t tell Dawson or Joey what she says. Gretchen finally tells him that Joey lied to Dawson about whether she slept with Pacey.
Jen and Jack try to make poetry-related small talk with Frost after the reading. Jack tries to get Jen to see that Frost is all wrong for her. Joey finds Dawson in the school computer lab and is surprised to learn that he’s started drinking black coffee. She notes that there are a lot of things they don’t know about each other anymore. Dawson says he’s not sure things were good when they told each other everything.
Dawson then apologizes for asking Joey if she and Pacey had sex. He thinks he’s sabotaging his relationship with Gretchen because he’s trying so hard not to repeat past mistakes. He wants to be “the guy who gets the girl.” Joey says he is, but Dawson points out that he didn’t get her. The topic changes to the senior polls, and Dawson reveals that he’s in the lab to replace his and Joey’s photo as class couple with Joey and Pacey’s.
Frost reveals that he knew Jen was following him and tells her they’ll discuss it in their next session. He thinks she was looking for the answer to a bigger question. She figures out that it has to do with trust, and now she’s realized that she can trust Frost. Dawson meets up with Gretchen, who assures him he didn’t do anything wrong. She wants him to always be honest because trust is more important than sex. He gives her a toothbrush.
Pacey thinks Dawson’s yearbook gesture was nice for Joey, since she was so upset about the senior poll. She wonders if they should have had sex on the boat, when they were alone. Now everything is about sex (not that it wasn’t before, really). Joey asks if Gretchen said something to Pacey after she left, but just asks her why she wants to know without answering the question.
Thoughts: Do teenagers really talk about sex this much? My friends and I never did. Of course, I don’t think anyone in my group of friends was really having that much of it, so maybe that’s not a good example.
Clear out so your little brother can get laid – is Gretchen the worst or best sister ever?
I kind of want Pacey and Gretchen’s surfboard-shaped coffee table.
February 16, 2012
SVH Super Thriller, Murder in Paradise: A Face Only a Mother Could Love
Was this cover supposed to attract male readers or something?
Summary: Alice wins a week at the Paradise Spa for seven people, so she takes the twins, Enid, Lila, and Lila’s mother Grace. Enid’s mom has to stay behind for work, so the mother-daughter trip is really mother-daughter-motherless Enid. To make things worse for Enid, she’s feeling particularly unconfident next to all the pretty people who work at the spa. And to make things doubly worse, the guy Elizabeth tries to set her up with prefers Jessica.
Oh, yeah, of course there are guys. Elizabeth and Jessica both find a spa employee named Chris hot; Jessica thinks he’s interested in her, but he really likes Liz. Jessica moves on to Chris’ friend Alex, and though the two guys hang out with all four girls, Enid still feels left out. Elizabeth has also connected with an employee named Katya, who’s kind of touchy on the subject of her mother.
Enid starts doing beauty treatments with Tatiana, the woman who runs the spa. Tatiana has a scar on her face an unhealthy obsession with talking about how beautiful the Wakefields are. Also, she totally brainwashes Enid and makes her want plastic surgery. Katya leads some spa guests on a hike and they end up at a white building that the employees are all mysterious about. When Tatiana learns of the trek, she yells at Katya. The next day, Katya’s dead.
Tatiana claims that Katya had a heart condition and being in the steam room killed her. She has no family, so they can’t get in touch with them, even though Alice had encouraged her to contact her mother and Katya hadn’t said anything about her mother not being around. Elizabeth starts snooping – er, investigating – and finds an ad in Katya’s possessions that shows she found out about her spa job through a publication for runaways. It turns out all the teens who work at the spa are runaways, including Chris and Alex. They also don’t get paid for their work.
During a trip to a waterfall, Alice disappears. The twins freak and try to call Ned, but the phones aren’t working. Liz uses her laptop and emails Ned while Jessica snoops in Tatiana’s office and finds a yearbook from Alice’s senior year at SVU – except Alice’s picture has been cut out of it. (Yeah, that’s not creepy at all.) As Elizabeth figures out that Enid’s being conditioned for plastic surgery, Jess finds out that all of the spa employees have had their appearances enhanced since they started working there.
Elizabeth goes out looking for Alice, and even though it’s dark and dangerous, Grace, the only adult left, is all, “Don’t get killed. See ya!” Thanks for playing, Grace. Jessica then tells Lila and Grace about all the plastic surgery and stuff. She gets an email Ned sent back to Liz saying that he remembers Tatiana as an SVU classmate who had a girl crush on Alice. Jessica manages to put together that Tatiana, a surgeon, wants to make herself look like Alice. Meanwhile, Elizabeth returns to the place of Alice’s disappearance, where Chris, clearly brainwashed, pulls her into a cave, then takes her to Tatiana.
The whole story eventually comes out: Tatiana trained her assistant to perform plastic surgery so she can make Tatiana look like Alice. Then they’ll kill Alice because twins are bad, or something. Jessica, Lila, and Enid arrive to save the day, and Enid’s brainwashing proves to be as weak as Tatiana’s villainy, so she overtakes her brainwasher. She also in effect brings down the spa, leading all the employees to have a “ding dong, the witch is dead” moment. She probably still feels ugly, though.
Thoughts: Elizabeth, you don’t have “the instinct of a journalist.” You’re just nosy.
I don’t think I could handle being friends with someone as insecure as Enid for more than five minutes. Shut up, Enid.
Elizabeth just worked things out with Todd after the Ken fiasco, and she’s hooking up with another guy. Todd, believe it or not, you actually deserve better.
Funny how Lila thinks Jessica is crazy for falling for a groundskeeper – Lila strikes me as exactly the kind of person who would sleep with her hot gardener.
A book with “murder” in the title shouldn’t take 128 pages to get to that murder.
“After dialing Olivia Davidson’s E-mail address….” Oh, 1995, you’re so cute.
GHOSTWRITER. STOP USING THE WORD “MAILLOT.” NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS.
February 14, 2012
Happy (Drue) Valentine’s Day!
I’m not wearing red or pink. I feel like Laine Cummings.
February 12, 2012
BH90210 3.6, Castles in the Sand: Now All They Do Is Remind Me of You
But he really dumped her for that haircut
Summary: Brenda and Rick are in a park in France, and she’s told him she’s really American. Then she calls him Dylan. But it’s not real anyway – Brenda’s dreaming on her flight back to the U.S. Donna says she can’t wait to see David, and Brenda says she can’t wait to see Rick. Er, Dylan. Speaking of Dylan, he and Kelly spent the night on the beach. Kelly’s happy that nothing happened, but Dylan thinks that sleeping next to each other isn’t nothing.
Andrea and a couple of her beach club kids interrupt Kelly and Dylan’s conversation about what kind of relationship they have now. Kelly hides in her sleeping back and Dylan gets Andrea to leave by pretending that he spent the night on the beach with a hungover friend. Kelly doesn’t think Brenda needs to know anything when she gets back. She thinks that when Brenda lands in California, Dylan will immediately remember what they had.
Steve and his purple shorts “manage” David at the beach club and get invited to a welcome-home party at the Walshes’ that night. David runs off to find Kelly and take her to meet Donna at the airport. Brandon and Brooke get the house ready for the party as Andrea and Steve claim they’re not jealous of their relationship.
Brenda arrives and asks why Dylan isn’t there. She asks her parents if this means they’re still anti-McKay. Jim and Cindy are impressed that she’s not screaming or crying. Cindy notes that if it weren’t Dylan, there would be some other guy to deal with. At least Dylan loves Brenda. Kelly, Donna, and David arrive at the party, and Brenda heads upstairs to the bathroom for a secret cigarette. She tells Kelly about Rick, saying she didn’t go with him because she loves Dylan too much.
Dylan shows up, having been summoned by Jim and Cindy, and he and Brenda have a happy reunion right in front of Kelly. Everyone tells Brenda about a clambake and sandcastle contest coming up at the beach club. Once the party’s over, Kelly reluctantly leaves Brenda alone with Dylan. Brenda gives him his present, something for his watch chain, and tells him it’s not a good idea for her to go to his place her first night back.
Brenda thanks her parents for inviting Dylan, telling them she agrees that things need to change. She loves Dylan but doesn’t want to lose her parents over him. She’s also very grateful for the Paris trip. Later, Brenda asks Brandon about Brooke and he admits that something seems off. At the Taylor/Silver house, David assures Kelly that he doesn’t think Brenda noticed anything strange about her and Dylan. He also doesn’t think Dylan will tell her anything. Kelly looks at a picture of herself and Brenda and mopes.
Brooke and Brandon have teamed up for the sandcastle contest, though she’ll have to do most of the work since he’s on the clock. She teases that she’ll just have to recruit Steve to help her. Andrea’s helping her kids with their castle. Dylan shows up to work with Brenda and Donna, but Kelly and David are MIA. Jackie wants Kelly to come to the club, but she doesn’t want to be there with Brenda and Dylan. David tells her to get over it before people start getting suspicious.
Brenda mentions Rick in front of Dylan and lies that he was their tour guide. Cameron’s being clingy with Andrea for some reason. Brandon has to leave Brooke to work on the castle by herself, since he has to help Henry with something. Brooke tells him Henry can fend for himself – he can’t be fired since he’s black. Brandon defends Henry for all his hard work, and Brooke says she didn’t mean anything by her comment.
The Taylor/Silvers arrive with Erin, and Brenda learns that Dylan helped Kelly babysit a couple weeks earlier. Mel invites everyone to their cabana later. Kelly decides to stay with her mother instead of hang out with Brenda and Dylan. David warns Steve that he might not be his manager for long, and Steve claims that he’s going through offers for David to perform. (Remember, he has to get David a gig within two weeks or he’s gone.)
Brooke and Brandon talk about Henry’s looted business, and Brooke spouts nonsense about minorities and riots. She thinks she and Brandon keep fighting because he’s intimidated by her. He calls her on her racial slurs, which just makes things worse. Dylan catches up to Kelly, who tells him things are unfolding exactly as she predicted. She’s staying away to make sure everyone’s happy.
Steve asks Henry to let David play at the clambake that night. Henry tells him he already signed a contract with another band. Brandon tries to call a truce with Brooke; the two of them decide to be more careful about their conversation topics. (Apparently her political annoyingness comes from her father.)
Andrea comes by looking for Cameron (didn’t we do this already?), bugging Brandon until he comes with her to find him. He’s in his mother’s cabana, and he tells Andrea he’s sad because they have to say goodbye. Cameron admits that he loves her, and she says he’s brave for being able to tell a girl how he feels about her. She knows boys twice his age who can’t do that. (Hmmm, I wonder who she’s talking about?)
As the sandcastles are judged, Brenda asks Kelly if she saw Dylan much over the summer. She has the feeling that he was seeing someone while she was gone. Dylan’s being too nice, and Brenda thinks he’s trying to make up for something. Kelly assures her that Dylan loves her. Brenda asks her not to say anything to Dylan. Steve intercepts the band signed for the clambake and offers them money to step aside.
Andrea and her kids beat all the teenagers in the contest, and Brooke tells Brandon he’s not sure why she worked at the club anyway – she can’t need the money since she’s Jewish and from Beverly Hills. Brandon wins some points with me by literally telling her to stop talking. He calls her out for making stereotypes, telling her that Andrea lives in a one-bedroom apartment. Brooke’s upset that they had another fight, but Brandon’s more upset with Brooke in general and tells her they’re done.
With the band nowhere to be seen, Henry scrambles to get a replacement and complains to Steve. After confirming that David can sing, Henry gives him a shot. (By the way: No. No, Henry, David can’t sing.) Steve takes credit with Kelly and Donna, who tell him to shut up so they can hear the song. Brenda admits to Dylan that she wondered a few times if he was with anyone else while she was gone. Then she tells him the truth about Rick. Dylan doesn’t repay the favor.
Steve has heard about Brandon and Brooke’s breakup, but Brandon just says he was ending his summer fling. He laments to Kelly that his summer wasn’t great. After the clambake, the friends hang out, noting they have about six days until their senior year begins. Kelly’s moping by the water, and Dylan joins her and apologizes for her getting the short straw in their situation. He can’t believe she wants him to go back to Brenda and forget everything that happened. She watches the water destroy everyone’s sandcastles and notes that nothing lasts forever.
Thoughts: The episode title makes me think of this, which keeps getting stuck in my head. (It’s also where my recap title comes from.)
Part of me feels sorry for Kelly, but she did bring this on herself.
I’m sorry, but the way Brooke says, “Jewish people are great with money!” cracks me up.
I can’t decide which is worse: David’s singing or David’s dancing. It’s a Sophie’s choice.
February 11, 2012
Dawson’s Creek 4.15, Four Stories: And How Does That Make You Feel?
If this happens on a trip you chaperoned, you're probably not going to be chaperoning any more trips
Summary: The seniors’ ski trip is over, and Jack wants to make sure everything’s okay between him and Jen after their near-sexcapades. She wonders what could have happened, such as her getting pregnant. Jack notes that they would have had to eventually explain to the child that Daddy loves Ryan Phillippe more than Mommy.
The chaperone informs Jen that he has a special punishment in mind for her because of her mini-bar raid. He’s also not happy with Drue. The chaperone goes off looking for Joey and Pacey, who Drue points out are on the bus already. Except that’s not them. The lovebirds are still in bed, and Joey doesn’t seem as happy about giving up her V card as Pacey probably expects her to be.
The rest of the episode is split into four parts, in an attempt to try something new:
“About Last Night”: Joey and Pacey, left behind at the lodge, get breakfast from a vending machine as he wonders if she plans to tell her sister she’s no longer a virgin. She says no, and she won’t be telling Gretchen either. Mostly he just wants to know what she would say about his “prowess” if she did discuss the event with someone. Later, Pacey gives Joey some chocolate to “commemorate” her loss of virginity. He tells her he could spend the rest of his life the way things are now.
Pacey thinks there should be a “morning-after discussion,” and Joey guesses that he still wants to know if he was any good. He pretends he just wants to know if she enjoyed herself. She says it was “nice.” He’s not happy with that response. Joey points out that she has no frame of reference for sex. Pacey wants to know if she had an orgasm, but Joey doesn’t think that’s important. She thinks her insecurity eclipses his. She doesn’t know how she compares to Tamara or Andie.
Pacey assures Joey that she was “great,” which is better than “nice.” She wants him to keep quiet about their sex life, but he thinks she really means Dawson. Joey doesn’t see a problem with not wanting to hurt him. Pacey doesn’t either; he just wants to have sex with his girlfriend without worrying about the drama that would come from Dawson finding out. Joey admits that if Dawson were there, she would tell him the truth. Pacey notes that Joey hasn’t touched him all morning.
Joey goes outside, where she cries and tells Pacey that being with him the night before made her feel safe. When she looks back on that night, she’ll remember his sweetness, not their awkwardness the morning after. She’s glad she had sex, and really glad it was with him. Then the two of them possibly pass the time by having another go at it.
“The Big Picture”: Dawson and Gretchen go to Mr. Brooks’ house to see Grams, who’s looking through his things in the garage. She tells Dawson that Mr. Brooks was very proud of his movie accomplishments. Grams wants to look through his things to find items that can be donated. Dawson doesn’t see the point since no one knew Mr. Brooks existed. He walks out but apologizes when Grams comes after him.
Dawson wonders why anyone would want to be here today. Grams assures him that his grief will pass. She knows how important closure is and suggests that Dawson spend some time in the house to figure out how to say goodbye. When Dawson later returns to the garage, Gretchen shows him a screenplay she found that Mr. Brooks wrote. They read from it and realize that Mr. Brooks was sweeter than they thought.
Dawson complains that only five people showed up to the funeral: him, Gretchen, Grams, Mitch, and Gail. If Dawson hadn’t crashed Mr. Brooks’ boat, no one would have been there. Gretchen points out that Mr. Brooks got to see his dreams come true. Dawson’s disappointed by what’s left to show for that: a garage with a bunch of stuff in it. That means that Mr. Brooks just decided to stop caring, and when he changed his mind, it was too late.
Gretchen assures Dawson that he won’t turn out like Mr. Brooks. Dawson lost a girl, too, but he picked himself off. Movies make Dawson come alive, and they made Gretchen want to be a part of his life. She feels like Mr. Brooks brought them together. Dawson tells her he likes her, then names a bunch of reasons why. Gretchen teases that as soon as he realizes how charming he is, he’ll use those powers for evil.
After telling Dawson to remember the nice parts of Mr. Brooks, Gretchen gives him some time alone in the garage. As he’s looking at movie posters, the lawyer from Mr. Brooks’ estate stops by and tells Dawson they need to discuss the man’s will. The lawyer has no idea who Mr. Brooks was; Dawson says he was a pain, but also a friend.
“Excess Baggage”: Jen reports for her punishment at the office of Tom Frost, a therapist. She feels uncomfortable lying on the couch, so she stands. She has no problem opening up or being honest. Then she tries to find out more about Frost. Jen wanders around the room, breaking the frame Frost’s diploma is in, and asks how old he is.
Frost gets Jen talking about herself again, though she thinks therapy isn’t right for her. She also doesn’t think she and Frost are a good match; he’s not very warm. He wants her to stay so they can work on communicating better. Jen gets her way, being dismissed early, and Frost tells her he’ll let the school know she fulfilled her requirement.
Before she leaves, Jen asks Frost if she’s completely screwed up. He says it’s too early for him to figure that out. But he thinks she’s scared, she’s angry with her parents, she has problems with men, she has a bad relationship with drugs and alcohol, and the fact that her best friend is gay is significant. Frost would love to delve deeper into her issues. Jen agrees to stay.
“Seems Like Old Times”: Joey runs into Dawson downtown, where he’s in line for a movie. She expresses sympathy over Mr. Brooks’ death and talks vaguely about the ski trip. He invites her to see the movie with him, but she asks to go somewhere and talk instead. They wind up at a diner, discussing the fact that Mr. Brooks put Dawson in his will. He’s inherited a bunch of money and is supposed to use it for “greatness.” He’s thinking college; Joey’s thinking a movie.
Dawson sense that Joey seems different, but she doesn’t tell him what happened with Pacey. They go for a walk and she apologizes for being gone when he needed her over the past few days. She tells him she made some big decisions. She feels like one day she’ll wake and realize friendship was all that mattered; if she’s not good at that, what does that mean? He assures her that she’s always been a great friend.
The two spend the evening talking and enjoying being together, then return to the movie theater. Just as Joey’s heading home, Dawson asks if something happened on the ski trip. He can’t shake the feeling that she and Pacey had sex. Joey tries to deflect, saying he asked a personal question. Dawson apologizes, agreeing that it’s none of his business. He just wants her to know that he’s letting go of their past problems and wants her to be happy.
Joey says that a few years ago, she was sure Dawson would be her first. No one else would have even crossed her mind, and definitely not Pacey. Dawson asks her what she’s saying. After a pause, Joey tells him that she hasn’t slept with Pacey. He’s very relieved. As she leaves, the camera pulls back to show which old movie is playing at the theater: His Girl Friday.
Thoughts: So is Dawson the only virgin left on the show? Sounds right.
The chaperone really sucks at chaperoning. But then again, Capeside High thought he could handle all those teenagers on his own, so it’s not completely his fault.
They buried Mr. Brooks the day after he died? Wow, fast.
I don’t think a teacher can “punish” a student with therapy. Who’s paying for that?
Also, Frost sucks. Find a new job, Frost.
February 8, 2012
BSC #95, Kristy + Bart = ?: The Friend Zone
I love the look on Kristy's face
Summary: We all know Bart has been Kristy’s “sort-of boyfriend” for a while, and now he wants to be her actual boyfriend. He lets her know by trying to make out with her during a movie, inviting her to a school dance, and introducing her to friends as his girlfriend. Kristy’s semi-clueless, since she thinks they’re in agreement about just being a little more than friends. She also isn’t sure she wants to be more than a little more than friends.
Bart drops by the Brewer/Thomas house one evening to watch a baseball game while Kristy’s babysitting. They get caught kissing, and Kristy realizes too late that she’s broken her mom’s rule about having a guy over when no adults are around. (It’s never been an issue; it’s always just been that Sam and Charlie couldn’t have girls over.) Since Kristy doesn’t think of Bart as her boyfriend anyway, she didn’t think about the rule. She gets grounded and blames Bart, even though he had no idea there was any rule.
With some help from Mary Anne and Jessi, Kristy decides to tell Bart how she feels (I know! A novel idea!). He tells her he wants a real relationship, not just one where they hang out and are really just friends. Kristy admits that she’s not ready for that. She thinks things will go back to the way they were, but it sounds like things are a little awkward instead. Poor Bart, stuck in the friend zone.
Kristy’s involved in the B-plot as well, as she comes up with a Guinness Book-like project for kids. It’s actually a good idea.
Thoughts: Kristy sure is a drama queen. Wait, why am I surprised? She’s also really annoying in this book; she comes across very arrogant and full of herself. And as mature as she tends to come across, at least in terms of watching kids, she really isn’t. Though I guess I have to admire her for admitting that she’s not quite ready to date. Of course, then the question is, why am I admiring a fictional character?
Grounding Kristy for breaking a rule is reasonable, but making her stay in her room the whole time is a little much.
Kristy calling Jessica for advice about boys seems kind of random, but I get the feeling that Jessi gives good advice.
Kristy gives Bart a hilarious written speech to tell him how she feels:
“Hi, Bart, how’s it going? I realize I hung up on you and that was rude. So I would like to clarify my position in terms of my feelings and in regard to the breakage of the house rule which you already know about. First of all, I have and will like you in the sense of being a friend, but I felt that the pressure which I was feeling from you was changing the way that I conceived of our friendship but maybe not in the direction that it was meant to happen in my own mind, and not in the sense of measuring up to what you expected in terms of me being a girlfriend or not.”
Girl, back away from the thesaurus.
Lindsey DeWitt has a dead fly collection. Someone please get that child some help.
