As we progress into the season, the episodes become less about jokes and more about lessons. That's why you might not see as many quotes from now on. Enjoy!
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Episode 10: The Diary
SYNOPSIS
Bill is fed up with being picked last for baseball in gym class, so he takes charge and prank calls the gym teacher in an effort to convince him to turn the tables. However, one of the calls goes awry and Bill is caught; he confesses to being tired of being picked last, and the gym teacher lets him pick the teams. Little does Bill know, the gym teacher is going out with his mother. Lindsay hitchhikes with Kim Kelly, which spurns a dinner between her parents and Kim's mom. Harold and Gene decide to delve into Lindsay's diary to learn the truth about what she has been doing with Kim, but only find a scathing entry about how they themselves are robotic and stuck in a monotonous routine. Gene tries to spice things up, but Harold isn't having it. Eventually they both realize that it's okay to have things stay the same if they are both happy with it.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Yes, adults can learn from the kids.
Gene and Harold (Lindsay's parents) learn the hard way that eavesdropping never ends well, and Coach Fredericks learns that it pays to listen and try a new perspective. Unlike most episodes of this show, where the kids learn lessons, this one focuses on the adults learning from the kids. This is an important lesson for adults in contact with kids; relationships are mutual, and both parties, young or old, can learn from each other. Adults are not always absolutely knowledgeable and kids aren't always wrong.
MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
The Amboy Dukes "Journey to the Center of the Mind" (1968) This fast rock song plays at the very beginning of the episode when Kim and Lindsay are hitchhiking. It conveys a sense of thrill with the rhythmic drums and minor chords in the lyrics. The lyrics also convey a sense of adventure, which is what Lindsay feels when hitchhiking with Kim.
XTC "No Language in Our Lungs" (1980) This song plays during the gym class where Bill is picked last. The lyrics are representative of Bill's feelings: there is no language in his lungs, no muscle in his tongue, that allows him to speak out in the moment against being picked last.
Bill Conti "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" (1976) This is an iconic song that stems from (possibly) the most famous sports movie franchise of all time, the Rocky series. The song inspires images of great courage, determination, and success. This is why it's so ironic that it's used in a baseball gym class scene that focuses on Bill Haverchuck, one of the least athletic characters in this series. Though Bill does achieve great success in catching the ball, it's only the first out of the game, and the celebration he does stops him from doing any better than his mediocre best.
BEST QUOTES
"Everybody's got parents, Gene, even hookers." -Harold
"Oh my god, Lindsay, your parents are swingers." -Kim
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Episode 11: Looks and Books
SYNOPSIS
Lindsay agrees to borrow her parents' station wagon to help Daniel and the band move equipment, even though she knows she shouldn't. She wrecks the car and gets grounded, and decides that she will stop hanging out with the freaks and re-join the mathletes. Lindsay's comments about how the freaks' futures are a lost cause gets to Daniel, and he worries that he won't ever become anything. Lindsay ultimately decides, after re-entering the competitive world of math league, that she is better off with the freaks.
Sam tries to feather his hair and look cool for Cindy, but it doesn't work, and he ends up embarrassed. Mr. Rosso assures him that being cool is all about believing that you're cool.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Being cool is all about confidence.
One of the things that I have always struggled with is self-confidence, and I think we all have. Sam struggles with it in this episode, but Mr. Rosso assures him that just believing that you're cool can make you cool. It's my personal belief that you first need to believe that you can succeed before you become able to succeed.
MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
Joe Jackson "Look Sharp" (1979) This song actually plays twice throughout the episode, and has a double meaning. First, it plays when Lindsay is in the station wagon before the crash. In this case, it's literally asking her to pay attention to the road. The second time it plays is when Sam walks through the school in his sky blue Parisian night-suit. In this case, it's making fun of him for not looking sharp (looking stylish).
J. Geils Band "Flamethrower" (1981) This song is honestly silly, and it's in no way trying to be serious. It's about a girl who is normal during the day, but exceptional during the night. The song plays when Sam is pumping himself up with his new Parisian night-suit. The use of the song is ironic, since Sam is obviously not a flamethrower. The sexual vibe of the song is totally not applicable to Sam, so the juxtaposition really highlights Sam's lack of 'coolness.'
Supertramp "Take the Long Way Home" (1979) This symphonic rock song is the perfect episode closer. The chord structure reminds us of all of the closing songs from movies and TV series, sounding like the feeling you get on the way back from a vacation when you drive back into your hometown. The song plays during the resolution of the episode, when Lindsay reconnects with the freaks and things are as they should be.
BEST QUOTES
"I heard my mom say to her girlfriend, 'Any guy with feathered hair is foxy.'" -Bill
Episode 10: The Diary
SYNOPSIS
Bill is fed up with being picked last for baseball in gym class, so he takes charge and prank calls the gym teacher in an effort to convince him to turn the tables. However, one of the calls goes awry and Bill is caught; he confesses to being tired of being picked last, and the gym teacher lets him pick the teams. Little does Bill know, the gym teacher is going out with his mother. Lindsay hitchhikes with Kim Kelly, which spurns a dinner between her parents and Kim's mom. Harold and Gene decide to delve into Lindsay's diary to learn the truth about what she has been doing with Kim, but only find a scathing entry about how they themselves are robotic and stuck in a monotonous routine. Gene tries to spice things up, but Harold isn't having it. Eventually they both realize that it's okay to have things stay the same if they are both happy with it.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Yes, adults can learn from the kids.
Gene and Harold (Lindsay's parents) learn the hard way that eavesdropping never ends well, and Coach Fredericks learns that it pays to listen and try a new perspective. Unlike most episodes of this show, where the kids learn lessons, this one focuses on the adults learning from the kids. This is an important lesson for adults in contact with kids; relationships are mutual, and both parties, young or old, can learn from each other. Adults are not always absolutely knowledgeable and kids aren't always wrong.
MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
The Amboy Dukes "Journey to the Center of the Mind" (1968) This fast rock song plays at the very beginning of the episode when Kim and Lindsay are hitchhiking. It conveys a sense of thrill with the rhythmic drums and minor chords in the lyrics. The lyrics also convey a sense of adventure, which is what Lindsay feels when hitchhiking with Kim.
XTC "No Language in Our Lungs" (1980) This song plays during the gym class where Bill is picked last. The lyrics are representative of Bill's feelings: there is no language in his lungs, no muscle in his tongue, that allows him to speak out in the moment against being picked last.
Bill Conti "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" (1976) This is an iconic song that stems from (possibly) the most famous sports movie franchise of all time, the Rocky series. The song inspires images of great courage, determination, and success. This is why it's so ironic that it's used in a baseball gym class scene that focuses on Bill Haverchuck, one of the least athletic characters in this series. Though Bill does achieve great success in catching the ball, it's only the first out of the game, and the celebration he does stops him from doing any better than his mediocre best.
BEST QUOTES
"Everybody's got parents, Gene, even hookers." -Harold
"Oh my god, Lindsay, your parents are swingers." -Kim
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Episode 11: Looks and Books
Lindsay agrees to borrow her parents' station wagon to help Daniel and the band move equipment, even though she knows she shouldn't. She wrecks the car and gets grounded, and decides that she will stop hanging out with the freaks and re-join the mathletes. Lindsay's comments about how the freaks' futures are a lost cause gets to Daniel, and he worries that he won't ever become anything. Lindsay ultimately decides, after re-entering the competitive world of math league, that she is better off with the freaks.
Sam tries to feather his hair and look cool for Cindy, but it doesn't work, and he ends up embarrassed. Mr. Rosso assures him that being cool is all about believing that you're cool.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
Being cool is all about confidence.
One of the things that I have always struggled with is self-confidence, and I think we all have. Sam struggles with it in this episode, but Mr. Rosso assures him that just believing that you're cool can make you cool. It's my personal belief that you first need to believe that you can succeed before you become able to succeed.
MUSIC FROM THIS EPISODE
Joe Jackson "Look Sharp" (1979) This song actually plays twice throughout the episode, and has a double meaning. First, it plays when Lindsay is in the station wagon before the crash. In this case, it's literally asking her to pay attention to the road. The second time it plays is when Sam walks through the school in his sky blue Parisian night-suit. In this case, it's making fun of him for not looking sharp (looking stylish).
J. Geils Band "Flamethrower" (1981) This song is honestly silly, and it's in no way trying to be serious. It's about a girl who is normal during the day, but exceptional during the night. The song plays when Sam is pumping himself up with his new Parisian night-suit. The use of the song is ironic, since Sam is obviously not a flamethrower. The sexual vibe of the song is totally not applicable to Sam, so the juxtaposition really highlights Sam's lack of 'coolness.'
Supertramp "Take the Long Way Home" (1979) This symphonic rock song is the perfect episode closer. The chord structure reminds us of all of the closing songs from movies and TV series, sounding like the feeling you get on the way back from a vacation when you drive back into your hometown. The song plays during the resolution of the episode, when Lindsay reconnects with the freaks and things are as they should be.
BEST QUOTES
"I heard my mom say to her girlfriend, 'Any guy with feathered hair is foxy.'" -Bill
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