S02.E02: Forbidden Fruit

[chitowngirl]

Dean asks Jackie for advice; after a run-in with the law, Jackie decides to turn over a new leaf.

[possibilities]

I didn't like this episode much.

I don't get the whole forbidden fruit thing (I reealize it exists, but I don't get it, it just seems like a lot of hassle, to me), and I thought everything about the way that resolved was lazy writing. It's become a cliche that females "choose me" and it serves as an out for the males who would otherwise have to deal wth fallout of being chosen/or not, and also preserves the notion that women/girls have no actual desire for intimacy, none of which I think is interesting or credible storytelling.

I also thought the stuff between Lillian and her sister was 100% cliche, boring, and made both characters look bad. 

The season opener was bold and awesome, so it's like the second episode was a massive backlash against anything worth watching. 

[nelroy78]

17 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I didn't like this episode much.

I don't get the whole forbidden fruit thing (I reealize it exists, but I don't get it, it just seems like a lot of hassle, to me), and I thought everything about the way that resolved was lazy writing. It's become a cliche that females "choose me" and it serves as an out for the males who would otherwise have to deal wth fallout of being chosen/or not, and also preserves the notion that women/girls have no actual desire for intimacy, none of which I think is interesting or credible storytelling.

I also thought the stuff between Lillian and her sister was 100% cliche, boring, and made both characters look bad. 

The season opener was bold and awesome, so it's like the second episode was a massive backlash against anything worth watching. 

It definitely wasn’t as good as the premiere. Dean gets dumped by Keisa yet Keith helps get Jackie fired (the boss man didn’t like him just showing up like that) yet they get back together? After all that trouble Lillian goes to to get Jackie that job? That was effed up. He will never change. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by nelroy78

[Cress]

I liked that Dean thought of them like romance novel characters. I'm just glad that the love triangle is over.

[nelroy78]

9 hours ago, Cress said:

I liked that Dean thought of them like romance novel characters. I'm just glad that the love triangle is over.

At least Dean and Keisa don’t have to tell Broadrick now

Edited June 15, 2023 by nelroy78

[tennisgurl]

I'm glad that this love triangle is over quickly, the excitement of sneaking around has to get old, to me it just sounds exhausting. They're still really young, no need for things to get messy already. Not as good as the first episode, but still a fun time. 

Aunt Jackie certainly is something else. Oh Jackie...

[Bookish Jen]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

I'm glad that this love triangle is over quickly, the excitement of sneaking around has to get old, to me it just sounds exhausting. They're still really young, no need for things to get messy already. Not as good as the first episode, but still a fun time. 

Aunt Jackie certainly is something else. Oh Jackie...

Jackie was played by the very talented writer and comedian Phoebe Robinson. I thought she looked familiar.

[AyeshaTheGreat]

I forgot about this love triangle but I am glad it ended. Also, I am glad that Aunt Jackie's stay has ended. Things are hard enough at work for Lillian given her position but she didn't need her sister there flirting with all the men and telling all her business. 

Overall, I am glad that the show is back. And, I am happy that the two-episode premiere was just that and not a full summer dump, even if the future of the show is bleak.

[OLynn33]

7 hours ago, AyeshaTheGreat said:

even if the future of the show is bleak

I would offer the future of network television is bleak period. I hadn't heard that this particular show was on the bubble but the summer run seems to indicate that which is unfortunate. I enjoy this show.

Having said that what I do know is I will not be getting involved in any new show offerings from any of the networks this fall after the East New York debacle. Not bad enough the shows being offered now are nowhere near the quality of the 90s and early 2000s but they are being canceled for reasons that have nothing to do with viewership or lack thereof.

Edited June 17, 2023 by OLynn33

[Scarlett45]

On 6/14/2023 at 11:59 PM, Cress said:

I liked that Dean thought of them like romance novel characters. I'm just glad that the love triangle is over.

That seemed authentic to how Dean views the world. 

 

7 hours ago, AyeshaTheGreat said:

Overall, I am glad that the show is back. And, I am happy that the two-episode premiere was just that and not a full summer dump, even if the future of the show is bleak.

I know, they should just keep it on Hulu! It’s so cute and inexpensive to film. 

[Scarlett45]

On 6/14/2023 at 9:41 PM, possibilities said:

I don't get the whole forbidden fruit thing (I reealize it exists, but I don't get it, it just seems like a lot of hassle, to me), and I thought everything about the way that resolved was lazy writing. It's become a cliche that females "choose me" and it serves as an out for the males who would otherwise have to deal wth fallout of being chosen/or not, and also preserves the notion that women/girls have no actual desire for intimacy, none of which I think is interesting or credible storytelling.

I have always taken the “I choose me” to mean, “I don’t want your ass.” Not that women/girls don’t have any desire for intimacy, they just don’t want the emotional labor that comes with attending to a man/boy’s feelings they don’t care about. Keisa liked kissing Dean, and probably liked the attention from Broderick but she didn’t have the energy for all of that, so she ended it. 

[possibilities]

I guess it's true that I've never seen a lesbian character do the whole "I choose me!" scenario. But there are so few stories about us, that I can't even remember a triangle, either.

[Scarlett45]

19 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I guess it's true that I've never seen a lesbian character do the whole "I choose me!" scenario. But there are so few stories about us, that I can't even remember a triangle, either.

I could see that. Sorry. I can’t think of a lesbian triangle either (there are plenty of bisexual ones but I can’t think of one between three women). 
 

Also from the point of view of a hetero woman who was once a hetero girl Keisa’s age, I like that she ended things with Broderick and Dean if she wasn’t into either of them, rather than assuming one of them (likely Broderick) would give her social status. Dean had every right to be hurt (I think he really liked her) but it’s good to show that it wasn’t Broderick keeping them a part- it was Keisa. He’s liked her FOREVER and he’s always been the second choice for her- that has to sting, but that happens sometimes. 

[Sarah 103]

8 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I know, they should just keep it on Hulu! It’s so cute and inexpensive to film. 

It's a period peice. There is no way on earth the series is inexpensive to film.

As for the possibility of a season 3, depending on when the strike ends, there may not be time to write pilots and since the process of creating a new series is incredibly expensive, ABC may just decide to stick with The Wonder Years for another season because it's less expensive than cancelling it and creating something new. Also, a series can be sold into syndication after 4 seasons, so it if it gets a season 3, there's a better than average chance it will get a 4th season, because there is money to be made in syndication licensing. 

[andromeda331]

The first episode was better. Jackie was very annoying. 

I like that Dean likes romance books.