S03.E02: The Twins, The Trustee, And The Very Big Trip

[Primetimer]

And the ones Brenda isn't pitching, '90s fashion is in our visual aids for 'The Twins, The Trustee, And The Very Big Trip'!

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[Primetimer]

Dylan and Brenda REALLY hate living together, but there's a major principle involved.

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[TeeVee329]

Wait a second...is one of those girls in the Steve pictures Tori from "Saved By the Bell"?!?!

[LucyHoneychrrch]

YES. It's Tori from Saved By The Bell. And interestingly, they're not twins, they're triplets. They did a series of seriously regrettable Parent Trap sequels for Disney back in the 90s.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/The_Parent_Trap_IV-_Hawaiian_Honeymoon.jpg

[MyAimIsTrue]

I vaguely remember this episode, pretty much only the final scene with Brenda driving away as Kelly and Dylan walk off together but something tells me that's not a bad thing.

Shmattes. Any proper use of Yiddish makes me happy and reminds me of my grandmother (whose name, sadly, was not Rose.)

[Tooch]

Haven't listened yet but I hope they talk about how great that Scarlet Sundress of Betrayal is on Kelly. I'd wear that shit tomorrow (and could, because it's going to be 70 degrees in the northeast all week because we are all DOOMED).

[sinkwriter]

 

Or...stop champing his gum like a cow. I'm getting TMJ just looking at this stunod.

 

I swear Johnny Depp used to chomp on his gum like that on 21 Jump Street, as well. Not as often, but just as obnoxiously.  

 

This pictorial comment made me laugh hard:  "Fuck you too, Cindy." - Julia Child.   Haaaaaaaaaaa!

[SoupThrower]

Jim I think talks about his dad in Thanksgiving that Season. I think it was about not fighting in Vietnam. Next season that was Cindy's dad I think.

You can tell this episode that Dylan really just checked out with his relationship Brenda.

[Lisin]

Regarding the gum thing... he only does this in the summer no? So is it like... I don't know, being outside makes him crave a cigarette even more or something? I have so many questions! 

[SoupThrower]

You could use Brandon's, Dylan's and David's hair as a ramp for a Hot Wheels car.

Brenda irks. Brenda's French irks and Brenda getting a trip to Paris for being a bitch irks even more.

Regarding the gum thing... he only does this in the summer no? So is it like... I don't know, being outside makes him crave a cigarette even more or something? I have so many questions!

Probably gave up and went back to smoking after the summer episodes.

Edited December 21, 2015 by SoupThrower

[John Ramos]

I remember how up in arms this episode got the American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Gum. Rightly so.

[Tooch]

I want to say there's also some business with Jim's parents when Brenda gets engaged to fucking Stuart at age 18 after only dating him for 3 weeks, and for some reason Jim's mom is totally THRILLED about it and there's extra tension because she's such an idiot or something? I can't remember. And yes there's definitely something with the goddamn homeless veteran who comes to lecture everyone on Thanksgiving and gives Jim a hard time for not going to Vietnam--as if THAT is something to be ashamed of considering how much that war sucked.

[txhorns79]

They did a series of seriously regrettable Parent Trap sequels for Disney back in the 90s.

 

If by regrettable, you mean awesome, then yeah.  Oh who am I kidding, they are terrible and Hayley Mills should be embarrassed. 

 

 

Brenda irks. Brenda's French irks and Brenda getting a trip to Paris for being a bitch irks even more.

 

Brenda's fake French-woman is a highlight for me.  I think it's because she's very committed to the deception, and later on in the season when we see Reeck again, Brenda, rather than just confessing she isn't French, awesomely doubles down and continues pretending to be French Brenda (Frenda?) even when the rest of the family is giving her big WTF? looks. 

[Carmen MacCodykins]

Only Jim's mom comes for the anniversary party (and both of Cindy's parents); his dad is presumably deceased.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Brenda's fake French-woman is a highlight for me.  I think it's because she's very committed to the deception, and later on in the season when we see Reeck again, Brenda, rather than just confessing she isn't French, awesomely doubles down and continues pretending to be French Brenda (Frenda?) even when the rest of the family is giving her big WTF? looks. 

 

Best part?  When we see poor pathetic Nat say hello "Reek."

[marny]

So, a week ago, Brenda didn't have ID to get back across the border, but now she's able to get on a plane to leave the country on no notice?

[TeeVee329]

So, a week ago, Brenda didn't have ID to get back across the border, but now she's able to get on a plane to leave the country on no notice?

 

A bunch of time has passed since Brenda got busted in Mexico and now.  She and Dylan were sneaking around in the s3 premiere, for what, like six weeks?

[marny]

A bunch of time has passed since Brenda got busted in Mexico and now.  She and Dylan were sneaking around in the s3 premiere, for what, like six weeks?

Ah, you're right! I forgot about the time jump.  I guess we assume she got a passport at some point?

[Carmen MacCodykins]

The gum-chomping is INSUFFERABLE!!! I did not realize how freaking often he does it. It has been much too long since you last named the ways in which Brandon could die in an episode, and oh, how I miss it these days.

[Hollysdower]

I think it's strange that they didn't drive 2 underage girls going to Europe for the first time to the airport themselves. Yeah, they would have had to film at the airport or get an airport set to use, but it's kinda weird when Jim says, "If I don't stop talking you're gonna miss the plane," and then they get on an airport shuttle instead of a plane.

 

This was a tough one to get through, watching alone, between Steve's gross attempts to get a leg over (get 2 legs over?), Brenda's insistence that she is in the right, and Jim's clueless refusal to budge. But the writers must really think the audience is stupid if they think they can pull off a statutory rape accusation BETWEEN 2 UNDERAGE TEENS.  COME ON!

Edited December 22, 2015 by Hollysdower

[SoupThrower]

If by regrettable, you mean awesome, then yeah.  Oh who am I kidding, they are terrible and Hayley Mills should be embarrassed. 

 

Brenda's fake French-woman is a highlight for me.  I think it's because she's very committed to the deception, and later on in the season when we see Reeck again, Brenda, rather than just confessing she isn't French, awesomely doubles down and continues pretending to be French Brenda (Frenda?) even when the rest of the family is giving her big WTF? looks. 

 

What was the name? Brenda Duvoir? Oh man. 

[MissEwa]

Steve's "Let's do it. Let's go for it." sex thing is so so so so uncomfortable. *shudder*

[txhorns79]

I mentioned this during the last episode, but I have to reiterate, because it becomes so much worse this episode: It is not okay that Jim is using his position as Dylan's trustee to solve a problem he is having with his daughter.  It is wrong on a number of levels, but most importantly, the trustee isn't supposed to use his position to benefit himself.  I actually think Brenda is being a big old drama queen about the whole thing, but that act by Jim totally puts me on her side because it is so out of line.       

Edited December 22, 2015 by txhorns79

[rab01]

txhorns - totally right. Jim should have gotten fired (not just as trustee but from the firm) and sued for that conversation. The beneficiary owes no duties whatsoever to the Trust. The Trustee, however, does owe those duties and as soon as Jim started even thinking that way, he should have resigned as Trustee.

That said, nothing can ever make me Team Brenda. She was such a drama queening entitled brat.

[whatwouldRigginsdo]

Yes, I also remember Jim talking about having issues with his Dad when he was younger. It was about him being anti-war and he & his Dad having differing opinions.

By the way, Tara & Sarah (& Dave), I am enjoying this podcast so much. I cannot thank you enough for doing this. I always find myself talking back to you guys & laughing each time I listen. Can't wait for your take on the "Summer of Deception" episodes!

[MostlyC]

Ah yes, the epic Dylan walks away with Kelly (in a red dress!) while Brenda gets on the bus to LAX.

 

I adored Kelly during the summer of deception.  She seemed to be the only one who actually had qualms about the whole thing.  

 

Wow- the wardrobe department must have really hated Ian during this episode.

 

I truly wonder what happened to the doublemint triplets.  Did one of them work on Saved by the Bell?

[Stilllovingjj]

You can ready more about Leanna(who is now 45! I feel old!) one of the twins (triplets IRL) who went on to play Tori in Saved By the Bell here: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/leanna-creel-tori-saved-bell/story?id=33930887

Watching Dylan check out was painful. Not as painful as the idea of watching Brandon chomp on his gum through the entire Summer of Deception, but still a bummer to watch.

[STOPSHOUTING]

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who made an involuntary "ewwww" sound, out loud while wearing headphones, when Steve said in the clip "All right, studmania out of control," before Tara and Sarah even started discussing it. Between that and Steve's short-shorts this is a an episode that seems to require both eye AND ear bleach.

BTW, weren't all three of those triplets in tons of stuff before 90210 and Saved by the Bell? I seem to recall an entire Disney movie based around them that, I admit, I kind of adored as a kid.

 

PS: Wither Double Trouble? #SagalTwinsForever!!! Am I the only '80s/'90s kid who gleefully tuned into Kate and Ally, hoping it was another reboot of that franchise? Sooooo disappointed.

 

... EDITED TO ADD that A) I should really stop commenting before I listen to the entire podcast and B) WTF with this storyline? I know they wanted to get rid of Doherty, for a myriad of reasons, but teenagers playing house WOULD get on each other's nerves, eventually. The first three days they'd be eating fast food, screwing constantly and staying up till dawn. It would be freaking awesome. Talk to me in three or four weeks, or months, not days, 90210! Also, didn't Brenda arrive with four giant suitcases she made Dylan schlep around? That wasn't enough clothing options for 72 hours?

Edited January 25, 2016 by STOPSHOUTING

[FozzyBear]

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who made an involuntary "ewwww" sound, out loud while wearing headphones, when Steve said in the clip "All right, studmania out of control," before Tara and Sarah even started discussing it. Between that and Steve's short-shorts this is a an episode that seems to require both eye AND ear bleach.

BTW, weren't all three of those triplets in tons of stuff before 90210 and Saved by the Bell? I seem to recall an entire Disney movie based around them that, I admit, I kind of adored as a kid.

PS: Wither Double Trouble? #SagalTwinsForever!!! Am I the only '80s/'90s kid who gleefully tuned into Kate and Ally, hoping it was another reboot of that franchise? Sooooo disappointed.

... EDITED TO ADD that A) I should really stop commenting before I listen to the entire podcast and B) WTF with this storyline? I know they wanted to get rid of Doherty, for a myriad of reasons, but teenagers playing house WOULD get on each other's nerves, eventually. The first three days they'd be eating fast food, screwing constantly and staying up till dawn. It would be freaking awesome. Talk to me in three or four weeks, or months, not days, 90210! Also, didn't Brenda arrive with four giant suitcases she made Dylan schlep around? That wasn't enough clothing options for 72 hours?

In the late 1980s the Disney channel made a couple of movies trying to re-boot The Parent Trap and the triplets were in one of them as triplets. I wouldn't say they were anything close to stars, but I remembered them.