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S06.E22: Patriot Games

formerlyfreedom

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formerlyfreedom

formerlyfreedom

Alex's worst nightmare is realized when she gets news that she has to share the Valedictorian title with her number one competitor, Sanjay! Both sets of parents get equally caught up in the rivalry and convince Principal Brown to let them break the tie via a gym grade they both have not completed - a one mile run. Elsewhere, Gloria is studying for her upcoming U.S. citizenship test and a visit from Javier throws her off her game, and Mitch and Cam blindly agree to join a protest against a local restaurant that they are actually secretly excited about.
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readster

readster

Of course, remember folks if you are a "nerd" you can't do PE or any type of sports, remember. That is just ridiculous they both are tied except for the gym grade. That is so contrived even for this show. Also, Gloria is studying for her US citizen test? Um... she has been married to Jay how long and they had a kid together. I have no problem seeing Javier though. 

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biakbiak

biakbiak

(edited)

I know several people who are married to Americans but haven't become US citizens (or didn't for many years) because they don't want to renounce their citizenship from their native countries.

Edited by biakbiak
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readster

readster

That wasn't a bad episode and I really enjoyed Cam and Mitch's take on things. This was a funny episode, especially at the end with everyone but Sanjay's mom liking the ending. However, the principal is a moron. What is with ABC having all school principals being guys that probably cheated getting their Type 75s? I mean, upset he missed a tile demonstration? Because you know, school principals just sit in their office or monitoring halls and giving detentions. They have no lives. *rolls eyes*

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DrSpaceman

DrSpaceman

I actually liked this episode.

Co-valedictorians happen all the time. ANd gym can very easily be a deciding factor because much of it is based on physical rather than mental talents. Plus I thought it was an interesting scenario to settle it.

I didn't really care for them becoming BF-GF though. I would have preferred a different ending.

I did enjoy Cam and Mitch for once as well. It is tough to keep track of EVERYTHING from EVERY company that you might not like from them. If you look hard enough, you will find something you don't like. Pick and choose your battles.

Didn't really care much about Gloria being a citizen. Frankly I thought she was already. Plus its hartd to top Apu from the Simpsons in his test ("Just say slavery")

It was a "Hey its that girl" moment for me though......the woman doing the interview is on Labrats on Disney

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Tiggertoo

Tiggertoo

(edited)

I thought it was taking place on a Saturday, hence the principal's Home Depot comment. I enjoyed this episode. No Haley though.

Edited by Tiggertoo
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DrSpaceman

DrSpaceman

That wasn't a bad episode and I really enjoyed Cam and Mitch's take on things. This was a funny episode, especially at the end with everyone but Sanjay's mom liking the ending. However, the principal is a moron. What is with ABC having all school principals being guys that probably cheated getting their Type 75s? I mean, upset he missed a tile demonstration? Because you know, school principals just sit in their office or monitoring halls and giving detentions. They have no lives. *rolls eyes*

I like the principal.

I don't think its so much what else he had to do, but more the fact he wanted them to just be co-valedictorians in the first place, they insisted on a way to prevent that, then they end up as co-valedictorians anyway. Just a waste of his time.

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CleoCaesar

CleoCaesar

That was definitely one of the best episodes in recent memory. Gloria's awful American accent actually had me cackling for a long time.

 

Really liked Alex and Sanjay too. Was nice to see his snotty ambitious parents again AND nice to see Javier too. Good continuity, show!

 

Mitch and Cam had some good lines and it was good to see them being a team and not sniping at each other for stupid reasons.

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purplemouth

purplemouth

(edited)

Oh wow, I really related to Mitch and Cam's storyline tonight. I was having a crisis of conscience today between going to Michael's or Hobby Lobby. I chose Michael's and was disappointed. Hobby Lobby is a terrible person (YMMV), but he has more variety!

 

Gloria's American accent was hilarious.

Edited by purplemouth
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anna0852

anna0852

I really liked seeing Jay's motivations for Gloria to become a US citizen. I can see how her ties to Javier can undermine his confidence a little. Although one scene of Javier was not enough!

 

As distasteful as I found Manny's TH about estate taxes, he did pick up on something I was thinking. Gloria has 2 children under 18 that are US citizens when she is not. What happens if Jay dies? That could be a terrible tangle to sort out especially when you consider all the references that have been made to Gloria being illegal at some point.

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Beach Party

Beach Party

I didn't think would be fair to have a head-to-head race between a male and female.  They don't make girls run against guys in neither Olympic level nor high school track.  Possibly to spare teen boys who are still in puberty from getting skunked by female peers!!

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Latverian Diplomat

Latverian Diplomat

Co-valedictorians happen all the time. ANd gym can very easily be a deciding factor because much of it is based on physical rather than mental talents. Plus I thought it was an interesting scenario to settle it.

 

At my hometown  high school, the valedictorian was almost always a girl, and gym grades were often a factor, since for the boys the gym grade amounted to "you get a C if you are not on the football team". 

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rollerblade

rollerblade

If Gloria has a green card, why does she and Jay have to wait in separate lines at airport immigration? Permanent residents and citizens go through the same lines.

 

Also, she doesn't have to renounce her Colombian citizenship either, because Colombia allows dual citizenships. Gloria probably just haven't gotten around to it. After all, it's not that important unless she wants to vote, or work at places that requires citizenship (ie: air traffic controller, run for office), or serves on jury duty (which apparently she is interested in! lol)

 

Bad research, writers. Bad.

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readster

readster

At my hometown  high school, the valedictorian was almost always a girl, and gym grades were often a factor, since for the boys the gym grade amounted to "you get a C if you are not on the football team". 

Had a friend of mine who went a school like that. If you weren't on the football or basketball team you were considered a lost cause. Same went for the girls in soccer or basketball. He has said that has changed since it was 20 years ago but its shocking that things were like that but then again if you were going to have a baby and were a teacher you were told to resign. That did take me out of the episode a bit since it was a girl vs a guy, my wife did crack up several times with Alex on the treadmill. Her line: "couldn't wardrobe have found a better sports bra, she looks like she is about to flop out of that shirt." 

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mwell345

mwell345

 

That was definitely one of the best episodes in recent memory. Gloria's awful American accent actually had me cackling for a long time.

 

I liked it too, and this is the second episode in a row I've liked, after pretty much giving up on the season.  They finally found their footing.   Good to see Javier again, and laughed at Gloria's accent, and at a couple of things Jay said.

 

The family that wears on me are the Dunphys. Phil was good, but  I just don't think they're adding much anymore - maybe because the kids are older. 

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readster

readster

Luke still is having a talking problem and I noticed that Gould does roll his mouth a lot when he talks. I wonder if he had oral surgery for his wisdom teeth or something. 

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Chicken Wing

Chicken Wing

(edited)

Dare I say that I actually enjoyed this episode? Still a long ways from the Modern Family of yesteryear (because it feels like that long ago), but better than most episodes as of late.

 

Gloria's exaggerated Texan accent cracked me up. And where exactly is she supposed to wear those shorts? Why didn't Jay just cut to the chase and give her crotchless underwear with an American flag pinned to it? I did think Jay's actual reason for wanting her to get US citizenship was kind of sweet, feeling like she's still tied to her old life in Colombia and to Javier. And speaking of Javier, more, please. I love when Javier is on.

 

Teenage!Luke continues to scare me so let's move on from that.

 

The Adventures of Alex and Sanjay Patel continue, and of course Sanjay actually likes her. It was a little too sappy that the story ended with them making out, maybe because Alex showed no signs of ever liking Sanjay in any sort of way until he happened to say that he liked her. I can't decide if it's better or not that Sanjay was being genuine, because I was totally expecting him to fake her out and zip off down the track as soon as she started in for the kiss. Might have been funnier that way, but I guess I'm glad they didn't do that. Can't blame the principal for being miffed at missing the tile demonstration when they just ended up doing what he suggested in the first place. I don't care if he was planning to spend the day clipping his toenails - it's still better than schlepping all the way to school on a Saturday for nothing.

 

It's very unusual to see Mitch and Cam in a storyline together that doesn't involve them snipping at each other. I agree with them that some people just take things too far and you can find a reason to hate anything and everything if you try hard enough. Just let it go and stop wasting time protesting this one company because they once did business with that other company that's owned by that guy who used to be roommates with the person who did that thing 20 years ago. Who cares.

Edited by Chicken Wing
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cpcathy

cpcathy

Sometimes I wish the show was just Cam and Mitchell, and sometimes I wish it was just Phil.

Loved the nondescript protest signs. "Stop doing what you're Doing" cracked me up!

I can't stand Jay sometimes, and I've never, ever seen what Gloria would see in him besides money.

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Unraveled

Unraveled

I didn't realize gym was based on actual athletic ability. Throughout most of my middle school and high school years, it was mostly about effort. For example, the Presidential Fitness Test. We passed if we actually finished the mile, even if it was mostly walking. I've always gotten an A because I always participated and made some effort even though I'm very unathletic.

 

Co-valedictorian was very common in my school, mostly because we didn't weigh grades. (Though I guess even then it wouldn't have made too much of a difference, since most of us honor students took the same honors/AP classes.) I would imagine a race to determine the winner wouldn't be allowed.

 

There was one quarter in middle school where a teacher tried to give the people who sucked at athletics a C. That changed and the teacher stopped teaching at our school the next year.

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meep.meep

meep.meep

I liked the episode.  But my kids school always had lots of co-valedictorians - my daughter said "We had 8 valedictorians!"  Aggressive overachievers are our specialty.

 

In California public high schools, gym is optional after two years.  There's no way that two aggressive intellectual overachievers like Alex and Sanjay would have taken gym as seniors - they would have needed brownie point classes for their applications.  And clearly Alex would have smoked him in the race.

 

Benjamin Bratt can stop by anytime.

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readster

readster

Every time Benjamin Bratt shows up. I think there is no way in Hell Gloria and Javier had a kid that looked likes Manny. Gloria and Cam could've had a kid that looks like Manny.

 

  I know its because of casting but I have known, grew up with and seen many kids where you go: "Those are your parents?" and vice versa. I seen very heavy people have incredibly skinny and hot offspring and then I've seen ones that look great, work out, have good jobs and then their kids not only don't look like them but have no personality that is close to them. It happens, genetics are funny that way.

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Blakeston

Blakeston

The whole concept of having a footrace between a boy and girl, where the winner gets the higher grade in gym, was absurd. I can look past absurd plotlines if they're really funny, but that just wasn't. 

 

I was relieved, though, that Sanjay was being genuine, because I was convinced he was going to run ahead of her the second she let her guard down.

 

And I hated the Mitch/Cam plotline, mostly because it feels like a rehash of a bunch of different Frasier episodes. I loved that show, but get some new material, Levitan.

 

I'd love to live in this world, though, where there aren't any blatantly bigoted organizations like Chik-Fil-A, so gay people have nothing better to do than protest a business that has no real connection to anti-gay causes.

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readster

readster

 

The whole concept of having a footrace between a boy and girl, where the winner gets the higher grade in gym, was absurd. I can look past absurd plotlines if they're really funny, but that just wasn't.

 

 That is why I ranted on principals on ABC shows. It is getting ridiculous, its not funny when they do stupid things like this and also say something even more stupid like: "I could be seeing a floor tile demonstration." or my favorite on The Middle: "I could be ruining my ex-wife's second marriage." Trust me, I've seen some bad principals but even they would never say or do something like this. Basically we are to see school principals either so stuck on "the rules" for school or they have nothing better to do in their lives than do things that would make people go: "What is wrong with you?"

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Eolivet

Eolivet

"We're here! We're queer! We don't support companies who donate to Super PACS that don't support healthcare benefits for same-sex partners."

 

I enjoyed that story so much. Starting with the glittery tears of the Irish potato famine.

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VCRTracking

VCRTracking

 

I like the parents different reactions to their kids making out. Sanjay's dad was proud while the mom was horrified and Claire thought it was cute while Phil was like "that's enough!"

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evilmindatwork

evilmindatwork

If Gloria has a green card, why does she and Jay have to wait in separate lines at airport immigration? Permanent residents and citizens go through the same lines.

 

Also, she doesn't have to renounce her Colombian citizenship either, because Colombia allows dual citizenships. Gloria probably just haven't gotten around to it. After all, it's not that important unless she wants to vote, or work at places that requires citizenship (ie: air traffic controller, run for office), or serves on jury duty (which apparently she is interested in! lol)

 

 

This!! I am a dual citizen.

 

Green card holders do not have to wait in the non-citizen line at the airport! It's also super lazy because when you come back from abroad the line sign does say "American Citizen and Green card holder." Paraphrasing...All the writers had to do was pay attention at LAX. 

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truthaboutluv

truthaboutluv

the line sign does say "American Citizen and Green card holder."

 

 

It says "Citizens and Permanent Residents."  Yeah as soon as Manny said the line about Jay wanting to avoid the customs line, I called bullshit on that. 

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spanana

spanana

(edited)

As long as you changed for gym and made an effort to participate, everybody passed gym in my school.  Didn't matter if you sucked or not.

 

But anyway, the logic behind the Alex storyline made no sense but I liked it all the same.  I liked the whole episode.  Whatever.  I thought Alex/Sanjay were cute.  Gloria and her American accent were amazing and I liked the Mitch/Cam plot for once.  

 

Or maybe I was just on a high from the lack of Haley.  Plus I liked seeing Claire and Phil actually supporting Alex for once and putting all of their focus on her without complaint.  More so Phil.  Every now and again we get Claire supporting Alex, but Phil never seems remotely interested in anything she does so I enjoyed seeing him actually going to bat for her and getting genuinely involved in the shenanigans without resorting to crazy cat lady jokes at her expense.

Edited by spanana
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peeayebee

peeayebee

I thought that was a pretty good ep. I think my favorite part was just the little thing where Cam swivels around in his chair and says, "Well well well. Looks like the janitor fixed my chair."

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roctavia

roctavia

The race didn't bother me... Since it wasn't so much to determine a grade ( at least not for official academic purposes ) but something both kids agreed to as a tie breaker, given that there was nothing else left to differentiate who should be valedictorian.

Grading gym should be based on effort, but I had many a GPA ruined by a C in gym because I couldn't run the mile in under a certain time or meet other presidential fitness requirements despite always putting in a good effort. That was in jr high vs high school, but it does ( or did) occur and it sucks.

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stormy weather

stormy weather

I didn't like seeing Jay pushing Gloria so hard to get US citizenship. Like others pointed out, it's not like she needs it to keep living with him and raising Joe, she is perfectly fine doing those things with her Colombian citizenship. I think his attitude was pretty selfish, and it still came across as "I'm so insecure in this relationship because I'm old and grumpy and rich while your ex husband is young and hot that I'm going to cut all ties you have with him and your country so that you feel more "mine" to me". I wouldn't want to renounce the citizenship of the country I was born and raised in for years just because my new husband tells me to, especially if there's no actual reason why I should. Was Manny born in the US, though?

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DrSpaceman

DrSpaceman

Every time Benjamin Bratt shows up. I think there is no way in Hell Gloria and Javier had a kid that looked likes Manny. Gloria and Cam could've had a kid that looks like Manny.

 

 

That is so true.  Manny definetly looks like a Gloria/Cam combination

The whole concept of having a footrace between a boy and girl, where the winner gets the higher grade in gym, was absurd. I can look past absurd plotlines if they're really funny, but that just wasn't. 

 

I was relieved, though, that Sanjay was being genuine, because I was convinced he was going to run ahead of her the second she let her guard down.

 

And I hated the Mitch/Cam plotline, mostly because it feels like a rehash of a bunch of different Frasier episodes. I loved that show, but get some new material, Levitan.

 

I'd love to live in this world, though, where there aren't any blatantly bigoted organizations like Chik-Fil-A, so gay people have nothing better to do than protest a business that has no real connection to anti-gay causes.

 

 

To be fair I think the Principal thought the whole thing was ridiculous as well and he was mainly doing this to appease the parents and the kids.  And he just didn't have the energy to fight with them over this, probably based on past interactions with these parents over such things that he knows just eat up his time (i.e. CLaire last week with Luke)

 

And I think the point of the Mitch-Cam storyline was just the opposite, there are SO MANY organizations that don't fully support gay causes to the degree they would like that Cam and Mitch just figured you have to pick and choose your battles and you can't fight every single one

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Ottis

Ottis

That was definitely one of the best episodes in recent memory.

 

 

Agree, after a cringe-worthy season so far. Everone in this episode acted relatively reasonably. No screechy, ridiculous acting out.

 

Though it makes no sense for Alex and Sanjay to get together just as they are each leaving for college. Yes, the colleges are not that far apart geographically, but just heading to two different places at that age disrupt relationships. Most people break up when they head to college.

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freespeech

freespeech

I liked Alex as a kid. Ariel Winter is still a good actress - she can really act.

 

However, I think the writers of the show have done a disservice to her. She's portrayed as bitter and - well  I don't know what else. Judgmental?  

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readster

readster

I liked Alex as a kid. Ariel Winter is still a good actress - she can really act.

 

However, I think the writers of the show have done a disservice to her. She's portrayed as bitter and - well  I don't know what else. Judgmental?  

I completely agree and now they are getting her and Sanjay together. They have either written her as "the smart girl can't dress or knows how to get a guy." To the fact it's: "I'm smarter than you!" They should have just had be awkward but you know... dating or doing it where Phil and Claire and yes, Haley aren't constantly acting like they don't know how to relate to her or calling her a social moron.

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shura

shura

I wondered the same thing about Manny. Was he born here? How is he a citizen?

 

I think he mentioned he was born in Miami or something when they were drinking "tequila" with Luke.

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