Angela gets to tell the viewer her dream, but Patty is frustrated at first. Then Delia tells Sharon about her dream and wants Sharon to consult her friend, Rayanne Graff. "We're not friends," Sharon insists.
Despite jumping around, nothing is wasted or awkward. It feels right. Patty enters during a fight with Graham and Hallie. Graham says he needs some air, the same reaction he had with Patty in ‘Strangers.’
Jordan is back and reduced to babbling incoherently, as Angela was when she first met him. Saying we have to use all these words in a sentence, not in the same sentence. Had he said "obviously," it could have been Angela's line.
Brian goes through many changes in this episode. He keeps asking about Delia, now learns he has been replaced by Rickie, although he takes it better than his later terror of his own making.
With Rayanne out of the picture, Angela confides in Sharon, who says, "Chase-face, you're like shaking." Angela is starved. Sharon has, in fact, had a dream where she's with Rayanne.
Brian finds it ironic that Jordan can ask a girl's number, but can't face Angela Chase— not that Brian can— and Jordan learns a new word. After refusing to intercede, Brian can't help himself.
And that's just the first act.
Rickie is pleased that Delia likes him, a first for him, as far as he knows. Patty finally gets to tell her daughters about her dream, although she censors it. She tells them "eventually you want reality." Is that Graham? He has a dream.
One of my favourite scenes (played over and over) is when Jordan recites Brian's script to Angela. Sharon's expressions are priceless. Meanwhile, Brian overhears and groans when Angela says, "What you just said was truly amazing." "I know," says Jordan, before running off to homeroom. Brian's having a conniption fit and he's late for homeroom, too. This is under two minutes of incredibly moving entertainment. End Act II. The momentum is maintained. The series has built to the point where the smallest glances and touches convey worlds of meaning.
Brian tells Rickie he told Jordan what to say. "You're using Jordan Catalano," observes Rickie. "Oh my god, you're right." Rickie wishes he could reciprocate Delia's feelings.
Hallie gives Graham astute advice on how to please Patty, by acting jealous. "I call it considerate."
Another amazing sequence. Brian reads the letter in a voice-over while Jordan copies and delivers it. It is an exceptional letter, even the closing of "Sincerely Jordan." I guess he's avoiding the "L" word.
Brian and Angela discuss the letter, although she says it's too personal to go into detail. Brian is curious as to how she liked it. What part she liked best. She says "You must have worked hard... tutoring him." Then Jordan begins talking to her. He seems about to tell her he didn't write it. He sort of does. "I don't want to pretend..." She interrupts him, but he describes his dreams, the most intimate Jordan gets. In his dreams, he knows what to say to make things right. He really does care. Brian observes their makeup kiss. What hath Brian wrought?
Act IV. By this time, knowing this is really the end makes everything much more poignant. It kicks off with the second "duh squared" scene, where Sharon finally admits she is Rayanne's friend. "Maybe not the one you want, but...."
Rickie tells Angela, "You realise that Brian wrote that letter?" She has a Patty reaction, saying of course she does. In fact, even after she hears it, she finds it hard to believe... at first.
There's the sweet scene with Delia and Rickie being friends. She's like a younger Hallie. She goes for what she wants.
Patty meets Jordan finally and they hit it off. Maybe he reminds her of the wild Tony Poole. After about a gallon of milk, he tells her that if Tino calls, "I'm not here."
Graham is cooking up a storm with Hallie his waitress. There's a tender scene between these two. Nothing is spoken, but Hallie's expressions are like a whole story.
Finally, Angela has to ask: "Brian! Brian, look at me!" He won't say he wrote the letter, but slips and says, "I meant every word." It looks like she at last realises that what everyone has been telling her is true, Brian ("the source of all pain") loves her.
Jordan interrupts and Angela does a cute Jordan imitation. Hey! Brian, too. Then they drive off into the sunset, so to speak. And there are many interpretations of the various glances by Angela towards Brian.
And then ABC canceled it. And so it goes.
So what is the meaning of television? That there will be great programs and that they will die. The great will die, but we're all gonna die. At least we will have dreams, and maybe be responsible enough to live them.
MIDPOINT ANNOUNCEMENT - ANGELA My So-Called Life isn't over yet.
What lesson can be drawn from this experience?
Television sucks. Try to think of a television drama that lasted for more than one season, which didn't focus on medics or police. Something about just regular, non-professional persons.