S01:E03 The Club

[AgentRXS]

Quote

Dean stumbles upon some “racy literature” and shares it with friends at school. When he is caught by the school principal, Bill and Lillian navigate uncharted territory as parents and Dean learns that manhood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Original Air Date: October 6, 2021

[After7Only]

Thoroughly enjoyed the episode.  Pleasantly surprised mom was so progressive when it came to sex.   

[possibilities]

I like Dean's mom! 

[Snow Apple]

I was rooting for Dean's mom against Keisa's dad because we know and like her by now, but I'm thinking in 2021 terms. How she handled it was more realistic. And it's true Dean definitely shouldn't have pass on his knowledge to Keisa. 

[Browncoat]

Dean does need to learn when to keep his mouth shut, but I loved that his mother was so willing (and able!) to talk to him about all of the things.  I work in higher education, and I can't tell you how many times faculty members who teach Biology come to me with tales of how ignorant our students are about their own bodies.  And in the early 70s, when my mother thought I was ready for "the talk", she handed me a book and left the room.

I also appreciated how the sister's attitude toward the grown-ups' parties changed.

[theredhead77]

Loved this episode! Dean does need to learn what to share and when to keep quiet but that is part of growing up. Be cool.

Edited October 7, 2021 by theredhead77

[Bookish Jen]

I have to admit I snort laughed when Dean's friend asked when they would be getting their periods.

[Insert Username]

Even in 1968, I would be surprised at 12 year old boys thinking they get periods - that was the only part that absolutely did not ring true. Otherwise, the parents continue to be awesome

[Bookish Jen]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

Loved this episode! Dean does need to learn what to share and when to keep quiet but that is part of growing up. Be cool.

Yeah, but it was funny. Sad thing, is a lot of kids, even today, don't get a proper lesson in sex. 

All I know, is I want to be invited to Dean's parents' blue light party, looks like fun.

[Snow Apple]

2 hours ago, Insert Username said:

Even in 1968, I would be surprised at 12 year old boys thinking they get periods - that was the only part that absolutely did not ring true. Otherwise, the parents continue to be awesome

I don't know. My sister thought she was dying and this was in the late 70's. Nobody taught her. Lucky for me that she told me after she realized it's normal. That and reading Judy Blume. So although Dean's mom is awesome, many parents are like Kiesa's.

If a boy never heard of it, I wouldn't be surprised if they think this "period thing" that's whispered about happens to everyone.

Edited October 7, 2021 by Snow Apple

[Sarah 103]

When Dean asked why his mother didn't look at magazines as much as she used to, I'm surprised she didn't say something like "Your father stopped touring and was home more so I didn't miss him." 

I know it was the late 1960s and a different time, but seeing a 12 year old mix drinks felt wrong. If he had refilling coolers/buckets with ice and beers it wouldn't have bothered me, but it was uncomfortable seeing a 12 year old play bartender. 

The blue light party looked like a lot of fun. 

We learned that the older brother's name is Bruce; it may have been mentioned before and I just missed it.

[Yogisbooboo64]

I adore Elisha Williams as Dean....that is all.

[PRgal]

My mom told me how babies were made when I was five (circa 1985)...well, the scientific part, anyway.  I didn't exactly know HOW they were made until I was 10 when a girl asked me whether "mommies and daddies wore clothes to make babies."  I said yes and she shook her head.  If you REALLY think about it, we're both right.....She didn't specifically say pants!!!  Okay, TMI.  I'll stop now.

p.s. as for periods, mom showed me her pads.  I found out about tampons at school. 

[Bookish Jen]

2 hours ago, Yogisbooboo64 said:

I adore Elisha Williams as Dean....that is all.

He's definitely a find. I really like all the actors, but Dule Hill's gray is making me feel old.

[tennisgurl]

Dean's mom is awesome, I wish I had gotten that kind of sex talk when I was a preteen. The first time I really heard about how sex worked I was watching Jerry Springer at my friends house. Not the most comprehensive sex ed. Come on Dean, you have to keep the secret club a secret.

I liked how the daughter went from desperately wanting to go to the cool grown up party as a kid to thinking the grown up party is super lame as a teenager. And the hall monitor who is very particular about when he is on or off the clock. 

Dule Hill has become a real DILF hasn't he?

[Empress1]

When the friend fainted at school, I fell out. This was a great episode.

[Cherpumple]

This was a great episode. It took some surprising turns, and there were some genuine laugh out loud moments. I did get nervous when Dean's brother was mentioned, but it turned out to be fine. (Speaking of, I'm curious what they're going to do with his character. Rather than kill him off like Winnie Cooper's brother, I suspect that he might come home with a physical injury and/or PTSD.)

I loved how Dean's parents handled the magazine situation, especially the dad's interjections as the mom was explaining to Dean what makes a good man. On the other hand I was pretty grossed out by the principal when he got caught trying to keep one of the magazines. What a creep. Also, like last week, some of the elements didn't seem to ring true to the setting. Namely, why do so few of these kids have southern accents? 

[snarkylady]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Dule Hill has become a real DILF hasn't he?

Always was

[meatball77]

33 minutes ago, Cherpumple said:

 Also, like last week, some of the elements didn't seem to ring true to the setting. Namely, why do so few of these kids have southern accents? 

Suburban kids don't have accents.  Heavy accents are only a thing in rural areas and some specific urban areas, places where there is little movement of people in and out of the area.

[nodorothyparker]

I really loved this episode and I love Dean's mom, Lillian, even if for half a moment when she was answering why they were her magazines I thought we were about to find out she was bisexual, which is really not a conversation people would have been having openly with their kids in 1968. I love that both parents managed to be fairly level headed about the situation and didn't overreact as so many like Keisa's dad did. I was here in 2021 rooting for Lillian to lay Keisa's dad out too, but then I totally understood why she didn't.

My mom in the late '80s could barely manage leaving it up to the special health class where they separated the boys from the girls. She later handed me a very clinical health book and told me "don't get pregnant," leaving me to figure out the specifics of that from there.

All the kids were great in this episode, from the wildly uneven baseball card trades to the friend continually fainting to the hall monitor whose reactions were totally dependent to whether he was on or off the clock.

 

[possibilities]

I do wonder why they keep the wedding album in the basement.... Can't blame Dean for thinking he was interrupting something that was not meant for his eyes when he walked in on that.

[PRgal]

3 hours ago, Cherpumple said:

This was a great episode. It took some surprising turns, and there were some genuine laugh out loud moments. I did get nervous when Dean's brother was mentioned, but it turned out to be fine. (Speaking of, I'm curious what they're going to do with his character. Rather than kill him off like Winnie Cooper's brother, I suspect that he might come home with a physical injury and/or PTSD.)

I loved how Dean's parents handled the magazine situation, especially the dad's interjections as the mom was explaining to Dean what makes a good man. On the other hand I was pretty grossed out by the principal when he got caught trying to keep one of the magazines. What a creep. Also, like last week, some of the elements didn't seem to ring true to the setting. Namely, why do so few of these kids have southern accents? 

Maybe the kids lost their accents from watching too much TV. 

[Sarah 103]

4 hours ago, Bookish Jen said:

Dule Hill's gray is making me feel old.

Until I see him with gray hair in the summer/months after the show has finished production I maintain that the gray hair is not real and is the work of the hair/make-up department. That's my story and I'm sticking to it until proven otherwise.

[bybrandy]

My mom was Dean's mom when it came to me.  Full stop.  I am a generation removed from my oldest siblings (I was a this wasn't supposed to happen again kid) and they would tell a very, very different story of how my mom handled the same talk.  The birth control pill and the sexual revolution happened between the birth of my siblings and me so my poor mom who went into her marriage not knowing about erections was very certain that her post cosmo self was not sending me out in the world uninformed in any way.  

I appreciated the talk the way that she gave it but when I told my sisters the gist of the talk she gave me they were both shocked and a little bit uncomfortable that our mom had been so open on the topic with me.  So I love Dean's mom being so forthright and I like that Dean's dad was uncomfortable about the talk but not dismissive and not trying to stop anything.   

I didn't like it for her sake but it felt real the double standard for the sister.  I mean that wouldn't have happened with my mom in the 1990 when I was 12 but in 1970 when my sister was maybe?   Probably not really, but... like I said we got very, very, very different talks.  

[lovinbob]

17 hours ago, Bookish Jen said:

He's definitely a find. I really like all the actors, but Dule Hill's gray is making me feel old.

He is seriously hot.

15 hours ago, snarkylady said:

Always was

He was always handsome/charming, but now he's Dad handsome/charming --> hot. 

15 hours ago, meatball77 said:

Suburban kids don't have accents.  Heavy accents are only a thing in rural areas and some specific urban areas, places where there is little movement of people in and out of the area.

Eh, I'd suspect suburban kids in 1968 Alabama would have southern accents. I don't think the TV influence would have taken hold. I could see maybe Dean and his sister not having accents, because their parents are well educated and more worldly, but there would definitely be some kids in that mix with drawls. 

[After7Only]

2 hours ago, lovinbob said:

Eh, I'd suspect suburban kids in 1968 Alabama would have southern accents. I don't think the TV influence would have taken hold. I could see maybe Dean and his sister not having accents, because their parents are well educated and more worldly, but there would definitely be some kids in that mix with drawls. 

I rather not hear badly mangled southern accents.   So I'm fine with the show going accent free 🙂

[Lovecat]

"Can't we just whoop the boy like God intended?" is up there with "Stay out of grown folks' business!" on the list of lines that made me crack up.  Also when Harriett Tubman started lecturing Dean about thinking about boobs.  I think this show is starting to hit its stride, and I'm here for it.

[possibilities]

Now I'm thinking about Harriet Tubman's boobs! Never gave them a single thought before!

[andromeda331]

This episode was funny. I liked that Lillian was so open in talking with Dean. Dean really shouldn't have said anything. I liked the fainting boy. 

[Brian Cronin]

I really enjoy a lot of the show, but at the same time, they keep making such weird logistical writing choices. Like the boys all bringing their dad's nudie magazines to school, where they read them...on the school's front lawn...with the front covers extended in front of them to make it clear to everyone what they're reading. How does a scene like that get approved? There's lots of bits like that in the show. Odd little shortcuts to get where they want to go whether it makes sense or not. 

Still, the good things are more than well worth sticking around and hopefully they'll work on the logistical stuff (it's still odd, since Saladin K. Patterson is such a veteran TV writer). 

[DearEvette]

Really funny episode. 

I like seeing more of the students -- fainting Hampton, his fainting explainer friend, Hall Monitor Mike.

Dean looking through his father's stuff and seeing  the Red Foxx album vs. the Bill Cosby Album, at the time think Bill was the tamer of the two and his present adult self 'boy was I wrong.' Heh.

"Stupid, sexy Harriet Tubman."

I remember thinking the Jet Magazine beauty of the week was risque back in the day. 

Dean's mom was great!  And Dule Hill played t4elp;l,he awkwardness and embarrassment during that talk perfectly.

Poor Kesia's mother.  Dang.  To live with a guy like that.

[Roaster]

I missed this episode when it first aired but they just reran it (Nov 24).  It was quite funny.  Sexual fantasies about Harriett Tubman in the history book.  The Man Card.  The kid who kept fainting.

Kiesha's father - plenty of guys like that today, too.  "You're stealing my daughter's innocence."
 

[Scarlett45]

On 10/13/2021 at 8:12 PM, Brian Cronin said:

Like the boys all bringing their dad's nudie magazines to school, where they read them...on the school's front lawn...with the front covers extended in front of them to make it clear to everyone what they're reading. How does a scene like that get approved? There's lots of bits like that in the show. Odd little shortcuts to get where they want to go whether it makes sense or not. 

I agree with you, but I see that a lot in TV. Short cuts in the logic to get to the beats they want. 

[Brian Cronin]

6 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I agree with you, but I see that a lot in TV. Short cuts in the logic to get to the beats they want. 

Totally, but it stands out more in shows that seem like they have a bit more ambition than typical TV dreck, ya know?