S03.E18: Midlife...Now What?

[Primetimer]

But the thought of picking up on one and leaving the other behind sends him into fantasies of his future...and apparently also give him gas?

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[Primetimer]

Cindy's still jealous of Jim's sexy secretary, but the real dog is a different balding goon.

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[Narla]

A sorta sappy comment before I even listen - I broke my ankle yesterday. Not badly, but I'm in one of those stupid boot things and it hurts. Last night, having hobbled home from the ER, I lay on my bed waiting for the painkillers to kick in and trying to figure out what was going to make me feel better. I came to the conclusion that the only thing I wanted was a new episode of this podcast. I wanted something that was going to be both funny and cranky with a thin layer of nostalgia and I could come up with nothing else that would make me feel better. I ended up re-listening to EHG's catfish coverage as a placeholder, but this morning -- still swollen and still in pain -- I'm freaking delighted to be able to sit back and listen to this. I know this week's episodes haven't been your collective favourites, but I am so grateful to have your snark to keep me company today.

[DonitsYum]

They saved thousands on the effects budget by using Luke Perry's actual forehead creases.

[Tooch]

One thing bugging me as a now mature adult with healthy hatred for what a colossal douche Dylan became with the advent of The Triangle is that he clearly doesn't think much of either of his "loves". His vision for the future involves Brenda as a haggard and naggy mother of ten and Kelly as a shallow, ditzy gold digger. What the fuck?

It's not that surprising about Kelly because honestly I don't think they ever did a good job establishing why Dylan even falls for Kelly aside from lust and a desire to break away from his overly intense relationship with Brenda. When Steve or someone makes a "what did you guys win, Gloomiest Couple?" joke at Dylan I snort because seriously.

[Nanna]

Okay, so shoot me: I really want the suit future Kelly is wearing (minus the hat). Also, Dylan is a jerk. This may be a surprise to you, whiny stick insect, but nobody is forcing you to go out with any of these girls. Just go to Paris and knock up someone else, if that's what you prefer.

[MissEwa]

One thing bugging me as a now mature adult with healthy hatred for what a colossal douche Dylan became with the advent of The Triangle is that he clearly doesn't think much of either of his "loves". His vision for the future involves Brenda as a haggard and naggy mother of ten and Kelly as a shallow, ditzy gold digger. What the fuck?

It's not that surprising about Kelly because honestly I don't think they ever did a good job establishing why Dylan even falls for Kelly aside from lust and a desire to break away from his overly intense relationship with Brenda. When Steve or someone makes a "what did you guys win, Gloomiest Couple?" joke at Dylan I snort because seriously.

This is one of the many many many things that bothers me about this whole storyline. Dylan might be "in love" with both Kelly and Brenda but he doesn't seem to like either of them. He's been making that clear since the whole love triangle started. 

Both those fantasies are so gross, and the Brenda one is particularly weird. Is there anything that Brenda has done up to this point that suggests that she wants sixteen kids? Is it just because she's from the Midwest? She's a drama queen who wants to take acting lessons, and doesn't she end up being the one in the gang who takes off overseas to pursue her professional dreams first?

I know these are Stupid Dylan's Stupid Fantasies but they're so dumb. All they prove is that he should cut both Kelly and Brenda loose, drive his stupid Porsche into the sunset back to Anne's stupid ranch and they can be stupid miserable rich people together on another show that I will never ever ever watch. 

 

Dotti has clearly been raiding Samantha Sanders' Star Trek collection. 

[marny]

I'm scrutinizing the propeller hat brooch because I cannot fathom why that pin would exist in the world! Could it be some sort of fruit bunch and the propeller is the leaves? Is it a partial dragonfly sitting on a rock? Is she wearing it upside down and it's some sort of flower? I MUST KNOW.

[Petunia13]

The propeller hat pin, for when an occasion is too formal to wear an actual propeller hat, but not festive enough for a silver pin of a hat with two beer cans depicted on the side.

[marceline]

I can't tell you how many women at my church wore that outfit Future Kelly is wearing. I'm just waiting for her to start the prayers for the sick and shut-in.

[Pogojoco]

Both those fantasies are so gross, and the Brenda one is particularly weird. Is there anything that Brenda has done up to this point that suggests that she wants sixteen kids? Is it just because she's from the Midwest? She's a drama queen who wants to take acting lessons, and doesn't she end up being the one in the gang who takes off overseas to pursue her professional dreams first?

Yeah, I thought this as a kid seeing this for the first time and think the same thing now- nothing about Brenda's entire history on this show indicates she wants a huge traditional family. If anything, she'd want the opposite. 

 

Stupid Dylan. Stupid show.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Pogojoco

[Petunia13]

^Yes I think Dwayne Wayne's mother wore it visiting her chipmunk at Hillman.

[helent]

Attention tv and film makers: if you show a character skeevily staring at a woman, and we're clearly meant to think this is gross, you maybe shouldn't also include the shot that focuses on the woman's bum, or guess what, you are no better than the skeeve you're pretending to disdain.

Edited March 4, 2016 by helent

[Nanna]

I'm glad you're scolding Brandon for his obnoxious gum chewing. It might be the thing I hate the most, people chewing gum loudly and visibly. And Brandon chewes worse than anyone. Yuck!

[profreader]

UGH with the gum chewing. Like he's Just Some Regular Joe. ECCH.

Man, I feel for Gabrielle Carteris. I think they must have been going for a Jennifer Grey type when they were casting -- and it's not her fault that they went with her -- but oh my god, every time I see a screencap it looks like could be playing one of the moms.

The loudmouth masseuse is right out of THE WOMEN (where a manicurist lets slip that Norma Shearer's husband is carrying on with That Vixen Joan Crawford...) Hilarious.

A side note: I was listening to this on the train and of course I'm practically giggling out loud and having to stifle myself... Sarah and Tara, you know, you both are Terrific Ladies. Just terrific.

[AndySmith]

Dotti has clearly been raiding Samantha Sanders' Star Trek collection.

 

No, as we saw in her previous appearance, Dottie has her own Star Trek collection.

 

And no haircuts for Brenda after childbirth, evidently.

 

Is it just me, or does SD look like a Kardashian in that pic?

 

with the latest hot jams from Janet Jackson, probably.

 

More likely, whatever was on the 90210 soundtrack...Shanice or Cathy Dennis?

[Bob Lassiter]

The worst way nomination:

Double-teamed by Eckhouse AND Burt Reynolds. They'd have to be pried off like Velcro.

[ShellSeeker]

I always opt for the lip wax, to be on the safe side, so that doesn't bother me. But when I took my daughter to Great Clips to get her first haircut, the stylist asked me, "Are you mom or grandma?" Now I'll admit I was older (41) when I had her, but it wasn't Story-on-60-Minutes old. Guess who didn't get a tip that day?

[Onfire444]

Ha! That's a horrible thing for that Super Cuts woman to say, but at least you now have a pretty funny story to tell!

[CeeBeeGee]

I have to say, destroying the Silver/Taylor marriage that quickly is--kind of cruel. It's really not good story-telling IMO--the writers threw away years of a potentially great series of character arcs (Jackie maturing into motherhood, not making the same mistakes she did with Kelly, Kelly learning to lean on a stable father figure, middle-aged love) to make a cheap point about how All Dads (Want to) Cheat in Beverly Hills. It's really sad. I can't remember what happens to the marriage after this but I assume they'll divorce.

That said--I am rather impressed at how subtly the writers are developing Brandon's gambling problem. The only reason I know he will eventually develop a serious problem is because the podcast reminded me. They have tiny, rationalizable moments of Brandon talking about making best, and it's so quick or so seemingly "normal" (the Super Bowl bet--everyone bets on the Super Bowl, right?) that you don't realize what's happening to Brandon. That is well done.

[Scarlett45]

On 9/2/2020 at 10:21 PM, CeeBeeGee said:

I have to say, destroying the Silver/Taylor marriage that quickly is--kind of cruel. It's really not good story-telling IMO--the writers threw away years of a potentially great series of character arcs (Jackie maturing into motherhood, not making the same mistakes she did with Kelly, Kelly learning to lean on a stable father figure, middle-aged love) to make a cheap point about how All Dads (Want to) Cheat in Beverly Hills. It's really sad. I can't remember what happens to the marriage after this but I assume they'll divorce.

They could’ve had a lot of potential with the storyline, but are we really surprised that Jackie and Mel had problems? Jackie was a recovering addict, and Mel had chronically cheated on his ex-wife. 
 

Not that people can’t change, but Mel didn’t cheat because David’s Mom’s illness kept her from being a partner (sexual or otherwise), he cheated cause he liked sexual variety with pretty women. Jackie was gorgeous but add in a new baby in middle years and a relatively new relationship I’m not surprised grass was greener somewhere else. They do get divorced, and get back together (living not married) and separate again (which was pretty realistic.