We start at that restaurant where Carrie Bishop worked. Veronica is now the hostess, and she opens her monologue just shy of a title star: "Normal - that's the watchword." I'm feeling the generous glow of a new season and am willing to go ahead and give her that gold star anyway:
Lorraine: Does this extend into real life? Should people start asking favors of you while you bask in the new season glow? I'm asking for a friend.
Democracy Diva: Unrelated, but I am wary of a season that begins with our badass blonde heroine working in the food service industry. It did not go well for Buffy.
We begin in the Mars Investigations Offices with Veronica tutoring Weevil in math. This scene not only gives us some adorable Veronica/Weevil time but also reminds us that the gang leader with the heart of gold is not only sweeter than he lets on, but smarter than the school system gives him credit for. He dismisses a word problem he doesn't want to answer by giving Bob the fictional Word Problem Guy some financial advice. I'm overselling this - that advice was basically, "Illegal stuff makes a lot of money!"
Lorraine: Because the gang leader with a heart of gold is also poor. So, you know.
Lorraine: Because the gang leader with a heart of gold is also poor. So, you know.
SEGUE MAGIC LIVES! I don't really have words for how excited I am about this. Actually that's not true. The problem is that I have too many words. I recorded over 20 minutes of video and it was only through sheer force of will and tenacity that I managed to get it under 4. It ends sort of abruptly, but that's the price I had to pay.
This was sort of an odd topic to revive this with, what with it not being particularly pop-culture-centric, but it was fun and I could talk about it forever (clearly). I might cobble together an extras video of some sort for all the things I dropped. It's mostly just place #2 that suffered.
This was sort of an odd topic to revive this with, what with it not being particularly pop-culture-centric, but it was fun and I could talk about it forever (clearly). I might cobble together an extras video of some sort for all the things I dropped. It's mostly just place #2 that suffered.
Warning - this episode is rated F for Feels. Please acquire tissues before proceeding with this recap. We open in a FLASHBACK! Fred is at her parents' house, packing up her stuff for her big move to join the graduate physics program at UCLA. Her dad is totally against her moving, saying that she's going to Hell-A and that if she meets one angel there, he'll eat the dogs. Dude. No. (L: She met Angel; LEAVE THE DOGS ALONE.)
He goes out to check the car for the millionth time. Fred realises that she's forgotten Feiginbaum, her stuffed bunny toy, which I mention only because it's relevant later. (S: AH. I DIDN'T CATCH THIS. AH. FEELS.)
He goes out to check the car for the millionth time. Fred realises that she's forgotten Feiginbaum, her stuffed bunny toy, which I mention only because it's relevant later. (S: AH. I DIDN'T CATCH THIS. AH. FEELS.)
My lovely closed caption tells me we are starting this episode with "disco woman vocalizing." Lorne is strutting down the hallways of Wolfram & Hart trying to sell The Grapes of Wrath in space to someone named Jerry. He hangs up that call and his assistant hands him another cell phone. Lorne tells this person that Big B (Jerry Bruckheimer then, yeah?) (K: YUP.) wants to know more details. He keeps up the showbiz talk until he finally makes it to Harmony's desk, greeting her warmly and complimenting her dress and hair. She does look lovely in pink.
Sweeney: I adore the fact that a Lorne/Harmony friendship is clearly a thing. I'm already completely sold on this episode.
Sweeney: I adore the fact that a Lorne/Harmony friendship is clearly a thing. I'm already completely sold on this episode.
Crazy Clone is in a bathroom somewhere, bandaging the wounds from Sarah stabbing her. There's a lot of blood and close-ups to give you that extra crazy vibe as Crazy Clone repeats, "I'm not Beth," over and over.
A child comes downstairs and steps in the trail of Crazy Clone's blood. SO UNHYGENIC. He opens the bathroom door because he's a stupid child and doesn't yet know to run far far away from the trail of blood. Crazy Clone motions to be quiet and ushers him into the bathroom with her.
A child comes downstairs and steps in the trail of Crazy Clone's blood. SO UNHYGENIC. He opens the bathroom door because he's a stupid child and doesn't yet know to run far far away from the trail of blood. Crazy Clone motions to be quiet and ushers him into the bathroom with her.
The episode begins with a totally delightful bit of opening credits manipulation that reminds me of Bewitched. The credits feature some fun upbeat music that continues even after the episode ends with the title.
Lorraine: I feel like this episode was telling us right from the beginning that it was going to be fantastic. I was sold 10 seconds into the episode. There was happy seal clapping involved.
Kirsti: The first line of my notes says "These credits remind me of Bewitched!". I'm glad we established our mindmeld only seconds into the episode, Sweeney.
Lorraine: I feel like this episode was telling us right from the beginning that it was going to be fantastic. I was sold 10 seconds into the episode. There was happy seal clapping involved.
Kirsti: The first line of my notes says "These credits remind me of Bewitched!". I'm glad we established our mindmeld only seconds into the episode, Sweeney.
Sweeney: It’s here, Traumateers! The beginning of the end! I feel like I can see the glorious light at the end of this shit tunnel.
Lorraine: While Sweeney and I were in California, during our goodbye brunch, we had a serious 15-20 minute conversation about the end of Fifty Shades, the amount of time we invested in it and how weird/awesome it will be when we're done. Thinking of the end gives me something like nauseous nostalgia. It's weird.
Sweeney: Before we dive into the nauseous nostalgia, the book begins with a page of thanks to various people who helped bring this book into being.
Lorraine: While Sweeney and I were in California, during our goodbye brunch, we had a serious 15-20 minute conversation about the end of Fifty Shades, the amount of time we invested in it and how weird/awesome it will be when we're done. Thinking of the end gives me something like nauseous nostalgia. It's weird.
Sweeney: Before we dive into the nauseous nostalgia, the book begins with a page of thanks to various people who helped bring this book into being.