S04.E09: ...gone to prom

[dubbel zout]

After a major setback, Devi feels the burden of telling a lie and must dig deep for a second chance. On prom night, the friends share their truths. 

[Paloma]

There was quite a bit of unrealistic stuff in this episode, starting with Devi's cleavage. The gown was beautiful and she looked great in it, but I found it hard to believe that her mother would let her wear something so revealing and even that Devi would be comfortable wearing it. She was literally busting out of it.

More unbelievable was that they were drinking straight vodka from the bottle, and it seemed to be quite a bit, yet none of them showed signs of drunkenness in either speech or being able to walk or stand steadily. I'm aware that drinking is common in teens, but these three do not drink regularly and should show the effects. It's also a bad message to send to teen viewers, that you can do that kind of drinking with no consequences.

[Scarlett45]

On 6/11/2023 at 2:44 PM, Paloma said:

There was quite a bit of unrealistic stuff in this episode, starting with Devi's cleavage. The gown was beautiful and she looked great in it, but I found it hard to believe that her mother would let her wear something so revealing and even that Devi would be comfortable wearing it. She was literally busting out of it.

More unbelievable was that they were drinking straight vodka from the bottle, and it seemed to be quite a bit, yet none of them showed signs of drunkenness in either speech or being able to walk or stand steadily. I'm aware that drinking is common in teens, but these three do not drink regularly and should show the effects. It's also a bad message to send to teen viewers, that you can do that kind of drinking with no consequences.

I think it’s unrealistic that their prom was at the high school 😂.

 

As far as the dress- a lot of young ladies wear more revealing things to prom/dances than they would on the daily (formal wear is more revealing in general- backless etc), Devi is 18 not 13 or 14, I can believe her mom generally wouldn’t care. The dress didn’t look like anything atypical for a formal event. The busting out was her posture- most of the time her breasts were contained. 
The drinking reminds me of “Donna Martin Graduates” from Beverly Hills 90219. Donna being flat out drunk made sense because she had nothing to eat worrying about fitting into her dress, and Tori Spelling played the hell out of it. 

[dubbel zout]

4 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I think it’s unrealistic that their prom was at the high school 😂.

Where else would it be? When I was in high school, all the proms were at their respective schools, and then the Rotary Club sponsored a an all-night post-prom party (to prevent drunk driving). They had photo booths, bands, etc., and served breakfast. I never went to prom, but everyone I talked to really liked it, as it was probably the only time all the high schools were in one place.

[peachmangosteen]

In my high school, the prom was sometimes held at another location and sometimes at the school. The After Prom was always at the school.

[Scarlett45]

17 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Where else would it be? When I was in high school, all the proms were at their respective schools, and then the Rotary Club sponsored a an all-night post-prom party (to prevent drunk driving). They had photo booths, bands, etc., and served breakfast. I never went to prom, but everyone I talked to really liked it, as it was probably the only time all the high schools were in one place.

All the proms I am familiar with were at a venue- usually a hotel or a ballroom. It was common for parents to rent hotel rooms so kids wouldn’t drink and drive, or we had limos that took us to house parties. But see what I know! (Not much😂)

 

11 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

In my high school, the prom was sometimes held at another location and sometimes at the school. The After Prom was always at the school.

Ah thank you!

[shapeshifter]

I think the Prom location depends upon several factors, including era, location (proximity to venues other than the school gym), and highest economic level of the student population.

Since Devi's school at least afforded to pay a couple of so-called chaperone teachers to fly across the country, and a significant number of students could afford to go too, it does seem that the prom would have been at a non-gym venue. 
But I didn't notice it being odd, perhaps because my youngest daughter is 34 (so it was a long time ago), and by the time any of them were in high school, I was a working single parent going to college, so somewhere between Devi's mom and Eleanor's mom WRT keeping track of what was going on with my teenage daughters. 😔

[GHScorpiosRule]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Where else would it be? When I was in high school, all the proms were at their respective schools, and then the Rotary Club sponsored a an all-night post-prom party (to prevent drunk driving). They had photo booths, bands, etc., and served breakfast. I never went to prom, but everyone I talked to really liked it, as it was probably the only time all the high schools were in one place.

My high school proms were always held at hotels. My school was in Maryland, the hotels in DC.

I think though, if you live in a small town, maybe the proms are held in the school?

But with this show set in LA, I would have thought the prom would be held at a hotel.

[Scarlett45]

44 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

My high school proms were always held at hotels. My school was in Maryland, the hotels in DC.

I think though, if you live in a small town, maybe the proms are held in the school?

But with this show set in LA, I would have thought the prom would be held at a hotel.

Yeah that’s what I was thinking. Given it’s a major metro area I would think that prom would be at a hotel. 

[Dani]

49 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

But with this show set in LA, I would have thought the prom would be held at a hotel.

Based on the schools I am aware of in the area, anything that is a common wedding venue will be used for prom. Lots of hotels and museums. Having it at the high school would definitely be strange. 

[possibilities]

5 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I think it’s unrealistic that their prom was at the high school 😂.

 

My school had its prom on site. Our school was a lot less fancy than Devi's, though. We didn't have 1/10 the number of clubs, for instance.

[SeanC]

I enjoyed this as an unorthodox approach to a prom episode, where our main characters never actually make it to prom.

[dubbel zout]

I liked that, too. And it probably made producing the episode a whole lot easier, heh.

[tennisgurl]

Oh yeah, having a prom episode without ever seeing prom outside the hallway was a unique way to handle the episode, plus save some money! I thought that all three girls looked great and very in character, but Devi's dress was my favorite. As for prom locations, my prom was at my high schools gym, but we were a small town rural school without a lot of money, its not impossible that Devi's much nicer more metropolitan school would have it in the gym, but I would guess they would spring for something nicer. 

Speaking of prom, Paxton's sub teacher love interest certainly went all out with her dress, that was a lot of splash for a chaperon gig! Glad that she and Paxton are finally getting together and that he's heading back to school, he's had a good arc this season.

I'm glad that they called back to the college recruiter guy telling Devi to tell her very unique and tragic story, I get why she wasn't ready for that at the time even if its obviously the right move. While part of it might be because she thinks it feels crass or doesn't want pity, I think some of it was also that she wasn't in the emotional place where she could talk frankly about her dad, this is the first time she's really been ready for that.

Edited June 20 by tennisgurl

[andromeda331]

All three girls looked great. I really like them telling each other what was going on with them on the side of the street. It was a really great scene. Fabiola deciding she doesn't want to go to Princeton after all the grief Devi gave her. I'm glad she did and she found a college that's a good fit for her.

Eleanor realizing she loved Trent.

For once I do get why Devi didn't want to tell anyone that she didn't get in anywhere. 

 

[shapeshifter]

9 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Fabiola deciding she doesn't want to go to Princeton after all the grief Devi gave her.

IRL, Fabiola might have wound up going to Princeton out of some mis-placed guilt. And it might have been just fine. 

[andromeda331]

12 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

IRL, Fabiola might have wound up going to Princeton out of some mis-placed guilt. And it might have been just fine. 

Yeah but I'm glad she ended up going to the college she wanted. 

[EtheltoTillie]

Also Fabiola’s changing schools frees up a spot for Devi to get in off the wait list.