Let's Have Some Harmony Here

And now back to our regularly scheduled program....

Being that I watched most of this episode Thursday night, and then rewatched, this is far less a first impression than my writing on the first three.

That being said, I really enjoyed this episode far more than the Jal episode because of its humor as well its smaller moments (namely the unconventional romantic ones), as well as the balance that the show has struck so well so far. Each episode has been so entertaining, and while easy to watch, funny, and light hearted, also have a real strong amount of depth, drama, and pathos.


While most teen shows either abandon parents altogether, leaving one to wonder who in the world takes care of these kids, or streamlines them in with their own subplot about an adulterous affair, I am really impressed with the way adults and parents have been used on the series. The show is really reveling in the trope of childhood abandonment (with Cassie, Jal, and now Chris) but in such different ways. These aren't just deadbeat parents (not all of them at least) but each failing their children on different levels. That probably makes the show sound so much darker than it actually is, considering it of course is so fun to watch these kids drink, take E, and fuck.

The amount of sex and male nudity has me really pondering what it is about nudity and sex that we as Americans get so worked up about. For whatever reason, without even delving into the sex vs. violence exposure debate, we as a Americans find it so that any actor that is willing to bare it all (outside of pornography) is so daring and praiseworthy (i.e.: Viggo Mortensen's bathhouse scene in Eastern Promises), and yet here is an actor basically doing the same type of work on a weekly television series who probably is not receiving much praise at all. Meanwhile, he's showing a wide range of emotions, and not doing some hammy Russian accent.


Highlights:
-Angie coming to Chris's party, the music changing to "Lift Us Up" for what seems to be a forthcoming romantic moment, only to be ruined by Chris's erection
-"Speak for yourself, Casanova."
-Sid talking about his physical needs to a drunk girl
-everything about Michelle's boobs and the dramatic clincher of "Your eyes are supposed to fucking blur too."
-"Your stiffy is digging into my back."
-"Receipts don't cover Pop Tarts"
- Cassie abruptly asking Sid out on a date.
- The simple fact that Chris wasn't responsible for Peter's death. I was really expecting some really lame high drama there, but it instead hit the perfect note.