"I loved Jordan Catalano so much, and talked about him so much, and
thought about him so much, it was like he lived inside me. Like he had
taken possession of my soul, or something. And then one day...I got over
him!"
Mark Pizznarski's script begins innocently enough, with Angela proclaiming that she's over Jordan... again. There's a bit of Flashdance in this visual episode, which relies a lot more on sight than on dialogue to make some subtle and provocative points, thanks to great direction by Jill Gordon.
As in the first scene, with Angela suddenly smiling and then dancing to Violent Femmes' "Blister in the Sun." Angela thinks she has her life back. Cut to breakfast, topped with real maple syrup, one of few real things in this episode. "It was like Jordan Catalano had been surgically removed from my heart and I was free."
The theme is that Rayanne wants to be Angela, perhaps to regain her innocence. As Rayanne tells Jordan: "she's so innocent that she, like, doesn't know she's innocent." It might have been depressing and joyless, but there is still humour punctuating the tragedy.
Like Brian's scenes where he's taping, creating a new style. Sharon telling him to tape "people hanging out where people hang out," as he aims at her chest. The scenes with Corey, first with Rayanne asking what kind of crackers he eats in his soup, then with Angela feigning interest in what he's saying as Jordan watches, trying to persuade herself "it's not because Jordan Catalano is watching."
Given the title, the actual act of betrayal might seem to be the episode's focus. Not really. Jordan and Rayanne drunkenly discuss Angela, then get into the back seat, with Brian observing, as usual. It really seems to have just happened, as such things supposedly happened in the Sixties when folks really got high. I guess these things do happen to some.
The Hallie-Graham stew thickens. Patty says, "Let's get together again, you and... " Hallie says "Brad." So Hallie knows Graham hasn't passed on the information that she and Brad broke up, another form of betrayal in the wings. Camille doesn't like "that Hallie person," but Patty feels comfortable because Hallie and Graham don't argue. Or do they? Another funny visual follows.
Sharon delivers a wonderful speech to Delia after Brian tells her about his big exposé. A speech Angela overhears. After Sharon spills the beans, Angela tells Rickie, "I thought she was over her jealousy of Rayanne. But I guess she isn't. Or else, why would she say something like that to me?"
"Because it's true," says Rickie, always grounded when it comes to others. End of Act II.
Sharon and Angela blame Brian for the incident, as if he instigated it, instead of just reporting it. There's a gym scene reminiscent of the workout scene in Flashdance. The bell rings and it's not clear exactly what the bell saved them from. Cut to a great Sharon and Rayanne confrontation, with Sharon saying she's not glad that Angela is hurt, even if it shows she was right about Rayanne. Then the wonderful Hallie scene where she brings take-out Chinese food into a restaurant and tells Graham, "I'm a Jewish girl from Texas. I'm your worst nightmare."
Rayanne tells Patty what happened, which Patty tactfully keeps from Camille. Maybe she doesn't want to stir up memories of Patty's youthful indiscretion.
Just in passing, Delia greets Rickie as she's leaving the bathroom, in a lovely bit of foreshadowing. A great moment occurs when Rayanne sees she got the part, but can't share her joy with Angela. Now she knows what Sharon felt like when Angela dropped her.
Jordan and Angela do have a conversation... sort of. About a pen. Angela is really pissed off. Next, with braids and highlights in her hair (remininiscent of someone), she throws herself at Corey. Rayanne breaks them up to tell Angela, in a very touching speech, how truly horrible she feels.
‘Betrayal’ concludes with a speech from "Our Town," by Thornton Wilder. One of these scenes where the play is a vehicle for letting the characters say what they can't come out and say, or it would seem corny, if nothing else. In true MS-CL fashion, Katimski balances it out, urging Angela to read. "Oh, come on, it's just a stupid play," maybe even implying the program is just a play. Then he tells Rayanne to not act, setting the scene by saying the character (in the play) "never fully appreciated what she had. Just imagine what that must feel like Rayanne." Like Angela a bit earlier with Rickie, Rayanne understands perfectly.
Accenting the play are the empty stage and two downbeat notes over the fadeout credit. A thoroughly satisfying episode. At the time, many thought "why'd Rayanne do that?" or that this was forcing things. However, the newer characters are successfully integrated into the continuing plot and they've added a new wrinkle to the Jordan-Angela relationship. Had they continued the "will Angela sleep with Jordan?" conundrum, it would have been interesting. With ‘Betrayal,’ many new shades of development have been added. They must really come to terms with their feelings.
It gives the viewer a much greater sense of urgency. Like, hey, what's
going to happen next time?
MIDPOINT ANNOUNCEMENT - JORDAN