An excellent episode by Liberty Godshell, with more memorable remarks than
most others, more than most tv series which run for years. Once getting
past Angela's first remark about love is when you look into "someone's"
eyes and into "their" soul, it's clear sailing. Directed by Mark
Piznarski [‘Halloween,’ ‘Pressure,’ ‘Betrayal’].
Angela realises she doesn't even have a "like" life. At the museum, where they show a breast (well, in a drawing), the teacher emphasises the most important thing to remember: "staying with the group." Typical school. That's what everyone should learn at a museum.
Angela has written a letter where she rationalises her feelings about Jordan, claiming she's now over him. She shares the letter with Rayanne, unlike Rayanne, who frequently keeps her own counsel. When Jordan comes over and is "nice to me, like out of nowhere," she's ecstatic. Who cannot relate to this? She pays close attention to how he likes his coffee and is intrigued that he's in a group and writes songs. As a contrast, Kyle and Sharon are locked in an embrace, a sort of exhibit for some younger students.
Brian reminds Angela ("...so Chase") that she borrowed his Malcolm X. Like he cares about the book. Angela has another actual conversation with Jordan after he finds the letter Rayanne has ("brilliantly," according to Rayanne, or drunkenly) lost. Angela creates this Rayanne-ish explanation that it's not about him, but another guy who died ("he's dead"). Maybe she met him when she lived in France. (Poor Jordan gets a stream of unconsciousness, lies upon lies. Then she doesn't believe he didn't read the letter.) It's a great scene with Angela upset that he read her intimate thoughts, then incensed when they didn't hold his interest. That leads to the revelation that he isn't much of a reader, which brings them closer.
So Angela is pre-men while Patty is told by Camille that she may be pre-menopausal. When she tells Graham she may be pregnant, though "I put the stupid thing in," he looks hurt and she adds, "I mean the diaphragm."
There is the first clue that Danielle likes Brian. Perhaps she will take Angela's surplus men in future. Angela attends a Frozen Embryo rehearsal that Tino misses. She's so vain, she probably thinks his song is about her. Jordan drops her home and she can't stop talking. Worse, she wants to talk about his poor reading ability ("I can read. Just not that good."). They kiss parked in front of her house and she does a gleeful dance to some pretty music. One can't help but wonder if anyone was glancing out at her. There are spies everywhere.
As the third act begins, the mood is lighter. Angela is drinking coffee the way Jordan likes it. She's all smiles and says, "I can go out on dates, right?" After Patty's long explanation of the ground rules, Danielle asks if they'd have to meet him if they already knew him, possibly considering Brian.
Full of surprises, Sharon defends Rayanne. When Kyle says something about Rayanne's sex life, Sharon shuts him up saying, "I just think there's a lotta great reasons to hate her without dragging in her sex life."
There's some snappy editing with Angela practising her line of "hi" and then actually saying it. She manages to get herself a sort of date with Jordan, which puts her ahead of girls who have slept with him. Angela's parents are as nervous as Angela. And Brian doesn't help when he says, "You just look like you're going to a costume party as someone else." Of course, since Patty has just said, "It's only Brian," maybe he's feeling extra superfluous. Brian and Angela then have what seems a lot like a lover's quarrel. He says he explained "The Bicycle Thief" to her. Did they go together?
Meanwhile, Jordan remembers he has something to do, and ditches his buds, but can't bring himself to meet Angela's parents, not knowing how loveable they are. Angela is devastated and curls up on her floor.
The last act begins with the same shot as the beginning, with Angela lying in bed, saying: "This life has been a test. If it had been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do." She kind of tosses it out there, without dramatising it.
In contrast to Angela, Rayanne and Sharon discuss sex, after saying they hate each other. "Go ahead, ask me anything. Go ahead. It's like relaxing." "You're so weird." "Duh squared." As they have this heart-to-heart, a fluorescent bulb sizzles noisily above them.
In the on-again, off-again relationship, Angela says she doesn't want to hear "his side. I never want to see him again."
Rickie talks to Jordan, who says he didn't feel like meeting her parents. And then he adds that she (Angela) "makes too big a deal about everything. She makes everything too complicated." Duh.
Patty is relieved she's not pregnant, not noticing that Graham is disappointed. As usual, her grief is someone's joke. Angela finds the thought of mom being pregnant hilarious.
The episode ends with Brian and Angela playing catch. He asks, "What did your parents think of Jordan Catalano. Were they, like, revolted?"
The correct tv-type ending would be for Jordan to drive up, apologise,
so they kiss and make up. The so-called way is to fade out and it's very
satisfying. An episode of contrasts where I was left wondering many things,
not the least of which is why Jordan can't read.
MIDPOINT ANNOUNCEMENT - JORDAN