S02.E06: Bill’s New Friend

[chitowngirl]

After Bill befriends Dean's music teacher, Bill and Lillian attend a party at his house and the evening takes an unexpected turn; with their parents away, Dean, Bruce and Kimmake their own plans for the night.

[Cress]

Lillian was right that it was a swingers party, but Bill didn't tell her. At first, when I saw Alan pinch that lady's butt, I thought he was just a creep cheating on his wife, but then people started talking about a jacuzzi.

Bruce is talking about going to college, saying he could go free to Bill's university. Is that so we can get more plot lines with Bruce? That could be interesting.

[OLynn33]

Glad Bruce has made an appearance. 

As a kid I remember Tupperware parties and fondue parties. I do not recall a bowl with a bunch of keys in it. Thank god. 😱 😭

Edited July 27, 2023 by OLynn33

[chitowngirl]

It was nice to have the 3 siblings just doing sibling things without fighting and then wordlessly bonding together about the ending being “fine”. And Dean got to do more college stuff than his older siblings! 

[Sarah 103]

I liked the idea of the episode, but not the execution. 1969 seems far too early for a key party, especially one  in Montgomery Alabama. New York, San Fransisco, L.A, those cities would maybe be the absolute edge of plausible.

Bill's unease socializing with white people didn't quite ring true based on the industry he's in. The entertainment industry was far more mixed and integrated than most, so it seems as though he would have spent more time around White people in a quasi-equal capacity than other Black people in that time and place. Also, unless he's teaching at HBCU, the faculty where he would be teaching would be a mix of White and Black professors.

If they wanted make Bill uneasy and uncomfortable around White people socially, have him spend the entire dinner on edge, thinking almost everything is a potential slight, and then looking to Lillian who will nonverbally let him know that everything fine's and it isn't what he thought. 

I wished we had gotten to see Bruce, Kim, and Dean interacting together for an extended period of time. We really don't know what the silbing dynamic is like when it's the three of them together. Maybe the only theatre still showing Easy Rider is further away, as is the party Kim wants to go to. The three of them end up having a crazy adventure together, instead of Dean going off on his own and Bruce and Kim having a heart to heart talk. 

[Raja]

2 hours ago, Cress said:

Lillian was right that it was a swingers party, but Bill didn't tell her. At first, when I saw Alan pinch that lady's butt, I thought he was just a creep cheating on his wife, but then people started talking about a jacuzzi.

Bruce is talking about going to college, saying he could go free to Bill's university. Is that so we can get more plot lines with Bruce? That could be interesting.

I used to think Vietnam veterans, especially a disabled one  got that full ride GI Bill, live and learn. In full TV tradition of course Bruce would stay home to go to college. But I am surprised given his parents they hadn't yet renewed a college push for their eldest son who got interrupted by the draft and then reenlistment.

Edited July 27, 2023 by Raja

[Raja]

9 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

I liked the idea of the episode, but not the execution. 1969 seems far too early for a key party, especially one  in Montgomery Alabama. New York, San Fransisco, L.A, those cities would maybe be the absolute edge of plausible.

Bill's unease socializing with white people didn't quite ring true based on the industry he's in. The entertainment industry was far more mixed and integrated than most, so it seems as though he would have spent more time around White people in a quasi-equal capacity than other Black people in that time and place. Also, unless he's teaching at HBCU, the faculty where he would be teaching would be a mix of White and Black professors.

If they wanted make Bill uneasy and uncomfortable around White people socially, have him spend the entire dinner on edge, thinking almost everything is a potential slight, and then looking to Lillian who will nonverbally let him know that everything fine's and it isn't what he thought. 

I wished we had gotten to see Bruce, Kim, and Dean interacting together for an extended period of time. We really don't know what the silbing dynamic is like when it's the three of them together. Maybe the only theatre still showing Easy Rider is further away, as is the party Kim wants to go to. The three of them end up having a crazy adventure together, instead of Dean going off on his own and Bruce and Kim having a heart to heart talk. 

I truly thought he was at an HBCU as their family integration experience seems very easy to this Dean's younger brother who grew up in White Flight segregation in Los Angeles.

The end joke with Bill thinking they wanted to see him for themselves when the other  Black couple in the Swingers party flashed by I don't know how to take. As a jazz lover high school teacher and already on the social outlaw class of swinging maybe it is realistic they went there. They would in a porn movie in a few years

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, Raja said:

The end joke with Bill thinking they wanted to see him for themselves when the other  Black couple in the Swingers party flashed by I don't know how to take.

Bill throught it was about race (the swinging didn't start until the Black couple left), but it wasn't about race, because there was another Black couple there. Dean's teacher correctly thought that Bill and Lillian would not be interested in that kind of party.

2 hours ago, Raja said:

I used to think Vietnam veterans, especially a disabled one  got that full ride GI Bill, live and learn.

My understanding is that Vietnam Veterans received less generous benefits than thier WWII or Korean War counterparts. They did not get nearly as much money/coverage for tution or other benefits. I'm not sure why, but that's what I've read. 

[Cress]

20 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Bill's unease socializing with white people didn't quite ring true based on the industry he's in. The entertainment industry was far more mixed and integrated than most, so it seems as though he would have spent more time around White people in a quasi-equal capacity than other Black people in that time and place.

Sure, but that would be work colleagues, not friends. And we saw his interaction with the music people working for Marvin Gaye in New York. Bill was trying to impress them, but it didn't seem like he was comfortable and relaxed, like they were friends. He might have a similar relationship with any white coworkers at his college. Maybe he never dines with his white coworkers. He did say he goes to parties for Lilian's government job.

I think with the music teacher, Bill finally met a white guy that he could really be friends with and want to hang out with, not because they worked together.

Edited July 28, 2023 by Cress

[jah1986]

I enjoyed this episode and the mini West Wing reunion (Charlie and Josh!). I loved how the kids act just like their parents in certain situations. I also liked seeing Kim and Bruce have a real conversation. They do have typical tv sibling interactions, but they are also shown to care about each other too.

Hah, Lillian bought that Tupperware.

It's nice for Dean to see that there's a future for him in college.

[Browncoat]

Aargh! It would have been nice to have Dean get excited over something more unusual than an Erlenmeyer flask -- which the girl then refers to as a beaker!  Come on, scientists, get it together!  At least he was able to geek out a little more (and more accurately) when she showed him the lab.

I called key party before Lillian did.  The Jell-o mold salad part cracked me up.  I think it was the looks between Lillian and Bill that made those scenes.

I think Bill was uneasy not just because it was white people, but also because it was all new people.  I mean, they're going to a party where he knows exactly one person besides his wife.  I'd be uneasy, too!

[chitowngirl]

When Bill said to Lillian about going to the dinner party that he has gone to MANY of her work parties, I was cheering in my head! I have attended SO MANY of my husband’s work things that I have reminded him of that when it is time to go to one of my VERY FEW work parties.