S01.E03: So This Is Rydell?

[Bort]

Airdate: April 13, 2023

[Sarah 103]

Huge YES to Jane and Richie getting together. I admire Richie for waiting and letting Jane make next move after he invited her to the dance. I don't know if they will be able to make it work, but I'm rooting for them.

This episode explained so much. It confirmed that Jane's mother is trying to pass and wants her daughters to be able to pass. I had questions about the Country Club subplot, but when the guide mentioned they had started admitting Italians five years ago, that seemed kind of early, but I was willing to roll with it. 

The town is in transition, which would easily explain the diversity of the high school. My guess is that sometime between the events of this series and the movie, the district redrew the borders, built a new school, or some combination of the above, which would explain/provide an in-universe explanation for why the school we see in the movie is less diverse than the school we are seeing in this series. 

I can accept a neighborhood in transition, but Buddy and Hazel living next to each other was far too implausible. 

The big musical number at the end felt very 1980s, but since the musical numbers exist outside of normal time, it worked for me. 

My guess/prediction is that the big dance or dueling dances (one at the Country Club and one at the Gym) will be the season finale. 

 

[Chaos Theory]

I wasn’t really expecting much from this show but each episode has gotten better then the previous one.  

the town in transition being the big source of animosity between the Socs and the Outcasts is a decent subplot.  Jane being able to easily pass for white and her mother wanting to be able to have her family be accepted totally by the upper crust is a decent plot point.

 

Buddy and Hazel living next to each other in the time period is a little implausible but it’s tv so I am going to let it slide because I kind of like the vibe.

Jane and Richie have fun chemistry.

Edited April 14, 2023 by Chaos Theory

[allonsyalice]

This show keeps getting stronger. I love that its just teenage girls being teenage girls. 
 

I love middle school Frenchy. (“IT LOOKS LIKE CAKE! BUT ITS MEAT!?” Same sis. Same.)

The country club bit made me so uncomfortable, like the mom trying to keep her coat when she sees the maid. It can’t be easy for her, hiding who she is for the sake of her daughters. It must be so much stress, but I love Janes mom and dad together. 
 

The idea of the town being really divided really works. I can’t wait to see more of Hazel. 

Olivia and Nancy are my faves so far. I’m gonna need Jane and Ritchie to do a duet.

[Riplet68]

I love the actress playing Jane's sister, Francesca (Frenchy)  She's got her voice down and I loved her reactions to the food.  Yes to Jane and Ritchie, and I hope the shy T-bird and the tom boy (I'm terrible with names) can get together....though it looks like the designer and tomboy are headed that way.  I'm having a hard time reconciling the beliefs of today with how the 50's were...but can just go with it for fun....it hasn't tried to be historically correct on anything so far.  I will have major eye roll moments though if they hook Buddy and Hazel up.  But will roll with it for a good time.

I'm imagining that Hazel's parents are involved with the space program, so have the ability to move into a California neighborhood that is near a bunch of engineering companies.  

I'm enjoying it....overall good plot, fun songs

[Rocknrollzombie]

Just getting more and more hooked into the show with each episode and hell yeah Jane and Richie kissed!!

 

As a person who is Mexican (born and raised in the us) I love the Latino characters,Jane, Oliva can’t forget about Richie (move over danny, a new og t-bird is my favorite now). I like the plot of Jane’s mom wanting to pass them off as Italian/white . During the country club party at the house I rolled my eyes at the lady complaining about “three new Mexican families”.

I can’t wait to see more of hazel as well. I also want to see Wally ditch the socs honestly. I adore  Nancy to pieces.

Edited April 14, 2023 by Rocknrollzombie

[rtms77]

The last song was way to modern for the times but it was fun.  
As for the town transition , that’s just modern writers forcing their modern values to fit the series and explain the diverse cast. I just tend to ignore it and go with it. The characters are interesting. Jane is a fav. And I do like her family situation. I love how she explained to Olivia she’s living in two different worlds yet can’t seem to find herself. 
 

I so want Hazel to join the Pink ladies. I have a feeling she and Wally are going to get backstabbed and find the elites don’t accept them as much as they think.

Does Rydells principle ever actually attend the school? 😂 

[Rocknrollzombie]

Mexicans did live in California in the 50s.. and grease/greaser was used mostly as an insult to Italians, Mexicans and Greeks which later became a subculture. 

[Sarah 103]

14 hours ago, allonsyalice said:

I’m gonna need Jane and Ritchie to do a duet.

YES! The big question is whether it's going to be a romantic love song, or an argument that happens through song, because I would happy with either one. 

13 hours ago, Riplet68 said:

Yes to Jane and Ritchie, and I hope the shy T-bird and the tom boy (I'm terrible with names) can get together....though it looks like the designer and tomboy are headed that way. 

The shy T-Bird is Shy Guy, and the tomboy is Cynthia. It's sad because Shy Guy has a real crush on Cynthia, and she isn't interested in him romantically. Something that I think the show is doing well is that Cynthia doesn't quite have the language or a label to put on what she feels, which is accurate for 1954. Cynthia really hasn't shown romantic interest in anyone yet, and the same is true for Nancy (the designer). 

13 hours ago, Riplet68 said:

I'm imagining that Hazel's parents are involved with the space program, so have the ability to move into a California neighborhood that is near a bunch of engineering companies.  

It's 1954 so it's a bit too early for the space program. California as a mjor center of aero-space doesn't really get started in a major way until the late 1950s with Sputnik and then NASA.   

[Chaos Theory]

I am not sure if I want the show to actually hook Hazel and Buddy up but to have them be…..secret friends I guess you might call it.  Having reasonable discussions on both their points of view on the world would be a novel concept.  None of us like to admit it but the white wealthy guy with all the breaks doesn’t have to be the villain of the story.  I like the idea that Buddy is actually a nice guy but lacks the vision that Jane has and having him be friends with Hazel even if just talking through their windows are bound to be interesting moments.  

Edited April 14, 2023 by Chaos Theory

[Sarah 103]

5 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

None of us like to admit it but the white wealthy guy with all the breaks doesn’t have to be the villain of the story. 

I don't think Buddy is the villian. He may be a bit clueless, but he's not evil or manipulative. His ex-girlfriend is closer to being the villian of the story than he is. 

[cmahorror]

Having watched all three episodes, I think I am for the season. I enjoy the characters and the songs, and the characters are not simplistic but seem to have at least some depth. Buddy, for instance, is not just some rich, white guy who doesn't care about Jane's feelings, he is torn between his family and friends and his feelings for Jane. Yes, it was stupid of his to lie to his buddy about what happened between him and Jane, but he did not do it maliciously. I actually think Buddy and Jane have more chemistry than her and Ritchie but that is just my opinion.

My biggest issue is that this could be called Glee: The Early Years and it would not change anything about the show except for the school and the names of the gangs. I even wondered if Dianna Agron had come back to play Susan, that is how much Madison Thompson reminds me of Quinn Fabray. I have no doubt that eventually she will become frenemies with the Pink Ladies, if not a Pink Lady herself. 

[Sarah 103]

13 hours ago, cmahorror said:

My biggest issue is that this could be called Glee: The Early Years and it would not change anything about the show except for the school and the names of the gangs. 

I understand its 2023 and almost nothing is getting made that isn't tied to an existing IP. That being said, I totally agree with you. This show would be far better if it wasn't tied to Grease. The people who cannot except anything other than the 1978 movie would not be nearly as upset. Change the name of the school, the names of the gangs, keep the creative team and cast, and I would still be watching and absolutely loving this series.