This is a witty, light soufflé full of choice ingredients.
Written by Ellen Herman, directed by Mark Piznarski. The editing is deft,
harking back to earlier episodes, like ‘Dancing in the Dark.’
Angela is driving Red, but can't stop talking. "Ever get obsessed with your rear-view mirror?" Jordan asks her when they will have sex and Angela turns it into a joke. She clearly is not ready.
She learns that Cynthia Hargrove ummed with Jordan, though they may not have actually gone out. As Angela describes how people have sex, walking in slow motion, the camera flashes on a guy sneezing, blowing his nose. Some other guy is rubbing himself. Unusual juxtapositions.
Angela isn't hungry and Patty compares her to Princess Di. "We're not running a restaurant." At least not yet. Graham actually affirms Patty's decision that Danielle must have a flu shot. Danielle gets revenge by asking if they were referring to "foreplay."
Then there's the nail-biting scene where Angela's in the kitchen eating, like Princess Di. Jordan shows up ("I've had this dream, only without the cold cuts") and they do their own so-called Tom Jones eating scene. Jordan says Tino has found a place they can go (to ummm). When Angela asks if they'll be breaking and entering, he says "just entering." Then Patty confronts Angela, who's relieved it's just about the cold cuts. Patty says she wants to meet Jordan because Angela likes him. Jordan says, "So you like me?"
Act II begins with Sharon and Angela chatting about boys. Angela wants to believe Sharon broke up with Kyle to avoid losing her virginity, in her quest to find a graceful way of saying no, or at least "later." She's had plenty of practice saying no to Brian, just not politely.
Jordan meets Graham and Hallie, or vice-versa. Graham says, "So you guys are going to a party." Jordan says, "Is that what Angela said?" This would have tipped off Patty, not Graham. Angela practically begs Graham to make her stay home, but he tells her it's fine, enjoy yourself, lose your cherry. She looks almost as vulnerable as the closing shot in the doctor's office, after the doctor has also refused to suggest an age when sex is expected.
Cynthia Hargrove is at the abandoned house with some girls. The happy couple must wait, increasing the tension, as Angela points out. It's like waiting to see the doctor "only I didn't even get a magazine to read." [Sort of like the scene in A Night At Casablanca, where Groucho is locked in the closet and says to let him out or at least toss him a magazine.]
Angela makes up an excuse to leave, saying she should follow Rayanne. Jordan doesn't offer to help her, but also doesn't beg her to stay.
In Act III, Patty asks Graham what Jordan is like. "You know." When Hallie offers a detailed assessment, Patty thanks her. The restaurant idea has been introduced by Brad, who is very Brad-like.
Another bathroom scene with Sharon and Rayanne discussing sex as it relates to Angela. Rayanne describes something Mickey Rourke did and one of the anonymous bathroom girls asks, "Does he, like, go to this school?"
Angela and Sharon chummily sitting on Graham and Patty's bed watch an adult video that is, of course, Camille's. This is in response to Angela's questions. So like her mom advising Patty, Sharon tells Angela that once you cross that barrier, you can't go back. Then she tells Angela she must talk to Jordan because "you have this tendency to shut people out." Sweet. Angela agrees and borrows Brian's bicycle, after telling him she's totally selfish.
Graham finds what he assumes is Patty's tape and there's a lot of sniping and snapping about their sex life before they move on to discussing the restaurant, forgetting to pinpoint the tape's origin.
At Jordan's, Angela has a new story. It was the flu shot. He says, "Don't lie," pointing out that "I never lied." Act III ends with Jordan implying that Angela is abnormal for not wanting to have sex.
Angela finds the tape just as Graham walks in. When he sees her with it, she says, "I don't want to talk about it." Neither does he.
She leaves her bag with the tape on the bus, so Rickie and Brian find and view it. When Angela tells Rickie it's actually Sharon Cherski's, he is skeptical. Rickie, in the girls bathroom, tells Angela sex should be special, like a miracle, "like seeing a comet or just feeling like you've seen one." Cynthia Hargrove pops out of the stall and says that's so beautiful before asking Angela a surprising question.
Patty says Graham gets the cat nicer food than she does; are they talking about cat food? Even Patty and Graham don't do it. The phone rings, they discuss the restaurant and Graham dozes off. Graham says he didn't sleep that night. Thinking about the restaurant or the "kind of loony" Hallie? Just a theory.
The end is adorable. Brian discusses sex with Angela, delighted to learn that girls even think about sex. During their neat little chat, Graham is on the couch, although he'd probably like to be somewhere else. Anywhere else.
Patty is leaving and sees Jordan returning the bike. He knows who she is, since he saw her at least from the back. She must suspect. And she looks right at him.
Then there's this cryptic exchange between Brian and Jordan. Brian says it's his bike and when Jordan asks if Angela's home, Brian says "I'm not sure."
Jordan doesn't want to discuss what did or didn't happen. Naturally, that's all Angela wants. (A neat parallel with Patty and Graham, and must kissing lead to intercourse? [‘Dancing In The Dark.’]) The adolescents have a cute little discussion and, even though they seem to be parting, Jordan says, "Bye, I'll see you tomorrow."
As Brian might put it, Angela is conflicted. She obviously wants sex to just happen because that's so romantic. She'd like to have sex with Jordan if that would help their relationship stay on course, but of course (as Sharon pointed out) it would never be the same. Cut to Graham, still on the couch, looking even more uncomfortable. Brian has left the bike for her and she rides off with no hands. Not a care in the world. "People always say you should be yourself, like yourself is a definite thing, like a toaster or something. Like you can know what it is, even. But every so often I'll have, like, a moment, where being myself and my life right where I am is, like, enough." And a bird dives down right after Angela. Highly cool.
It is a fine treatment of teen sex without being silly about it, as
compared to, like, any "90210" episode with the Virgin Donna.
Actually, no comparison. There's a parallel with Graham faced with starting
his own restaurant and Angela starting her sex life. Both major decisions.
MIDPOINT ANNOUNCEMENT - PATTY