S04.E01: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

[Primetimer]

It's almost time for college, and everyone has to deal with the dumb decisions they've made around it.

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[Primetimer]

The Visual Aids are college-bound! Some of the reasons people ended up where they did are even valid.

Read the story

[Dave in Chicago]

"Stomp like a washerwoman" indeed. That shot is too much.

So were they very briefly hinting at Andrea having a sudden crush on Gil? Am I reading that correctly? He consistently treats her like dirt and was already accused of inappropriate student relations! Neither Andrea nor the show should be that stupid.

[AndySmith]

Andrea having any type of crush on Gil is just all sorts of wrong.

[Tara Ariano]

It is consistent with her character, though, to get obsessed with male authority figures. See also: Chris. And, in a minute, Dan.

[AndySmith]

That's true. It might be because Gil just bugged more than the other two?

[SoupThrower]

Whoever thought it would be a great idea for Brandon to do the punchy gesture thing is eugh. You don't do that. Really, you don't,

 

All the characters look the same except David who decided it would be a great time to grow. I dig Brandon's hair, makes him look younger than last season imo. They just made Nana look older. 

[SoupThrower]

Brandon shouldn't have done that but yeah you don't do those things.

 

Love Celeste. Wish she would have replaced Andrea or Donna but w/e. I thought Brenda was a massive jerk. They were stupid questions and Darla is a jerk but at least be not Brenda about it?

 

David should be slapped on the head for agreeing to live with Donna. Moving in with your girlfriend is fine but in the same place as your sister? Then you and your girlfriend are going to be in separate rooms and she's not going to sleep with you for a long time. Not your smartest moment, David. Wish they would have at least put him with Steve or something but yeah. 

 

I don't get how Failed Berkeley got the number for Brenda's dorm. Kelly, I always thought got the number via David since he didn't seem that surprised that she arrived to the party. I love how Donna says she'll keep it a secret regarding Kelly and Dylan but we find out that she tells Brenda anyway. 

 

Forgot Jill was a character. 

 

Also Gil comes back for one more episode. Andrea's last episode, the "I choose me" episode. 

[scarynikki12]

Was that Eve Simpson playing Grandma?

[itainttippithebird]

I thought Brenda's "it's just like everywhere, stop treating it like it's so exotic, there's no glamour to it" was a LEETLE rich, given that is LITERALLY THE WHOLE CONCEIT OF THE SHOW.

[kfree9]

Found out some interesting information about Cousin Lindsay, because I was questioning where I might know her from (she looked familiar to me in the visual aids). I didn't find anything familiar on her IMDB page, but in real life she's married to JONNY LANG, famous Blues, Rock guitarist. Also, she was on Kids, Incorporated (K! I! D! S!).

I also got a laugh looking at this episode's page because the director was Bill D'Elia, father of Chris who I do believe is either Tara or Sarah's mortal enemy?! Did he direct a lot of 90210?!

[gpgurl50]

Was that Eve Simpson playing Grandma?

Yup!  My thoughts as I was watching it.

[gpgurl50]

The entire first scene with Jill and Brandon, I really wanted to have Brandon put down the toaster. He was holding it like a child and it made him fully look like a robber. What was he planning to do? Throw it at her?

I also had to laugh at Nat's scene with Brandon and Brenda. I suppose that's a really nice way to fire someone.

[Judi Sunshine]

The little girl from "Kids Incorporated!"

[JennB]

@kfree9: Also, her sister is Ashley Johnson, who was little Chrissy Seaver on "Growing Pains."

[txhorns79]

David should be slapped on the head for agreeing to live with Donna. Moving in with your girlfriend is fine but in the same place as your sister? Then you and your girlfriend are going to be in separate rooms and she's not going to sleep with you for a long time. Not your smartest moment, David. Wish they would have at least put him with Steve or something but yeah.

 

In fairness, David and Kelly aren't really siblings.  I mean, their parents married when they were 16/17 and separated a year or so later.  Though I'm in complete agreement that moving in with Donna was pretty dumb.   

[picklekitten]

I also thought this was Brandon's bad haircut episode, but I guess he waited a little bit before doing his horrible, back to school hair cut. Way, way too short on the sides and too fluffy on top. It was painful to look at.

[TeeVee329]

Was that Eve Simpson playing Grandma?

 

THANK YOU!  She looked so familiar, but I couldn't place her!

[DonitsYum]

Brandon looks like he unexpectedly got his period that morning with that shirt tied around his waist.

[Kristen]

"It's like I'm not Brinda Wash, it's like I'm Brinda Beverly Hills!"

Season four, and she still can't say her name.

[kell710]

Damn, David really starts getting good looking upon this season! Why did I not see that as a kid?

[Petunia13]

He was a late bloomer.

[gingercoconut]

I remembered the first three seasons instantly without even watching along, but for some reason season four just didn’t do much for me. Remember some things but decided to watch along this time (somewhat, couldn’t even finish this episode on Hulu) but my biggest thing was the damn punch! I’m glad this was brought up, I was horrified. That’s bad even for Brandon.

 

Watched this Syfy show called Haven for awhile, in which some people living in a town in Maine are cursed with supernatural abilities that they don’t really want, and the main lady has to help them control their powers. Anyway, Jason Priestly shows up as a character who is just a dick, and knows it, but his curse is that people love him for no reason. I couldn’t help but feel like the writers were maybe ripping on Brandon Walsh because REALLY. He is the most unlikeable character ever. I knew this at twelve.

 

Remember perking back up to the show once Valerie Malone got there.

[Chicken Diablo]

Brenda had a job!

[SoupThrower]

Damn, David really starts getting good looking upon this season! Why did I not see that as a kid?

 

Because everyone paid attention to Luke and Jason. 

[SoupThrower]

In fairness, David and Kelly aren't really siblings.  I mean, their parents married when they were 16/17 and separated a year or so later.  Though I'm in complete agreement that moving in with Donna was pretty dumb.   

 

They did have a good sibling moment in the episode and they had good comedic 'stuff'

 

Moving in with Donna was so stupid because

a) Felice

b) We are going to have horny David and Donna saying she's not ready or waiting till marriage until he dumps her and gets on meth. Thank god next season he actually had someone who wasn't Donna. 

 

Though it would have been funny if Brandon, Cindy and Jim allowed David to stay in their place and Brenda comes back and is like "Why is David in my bed?"

[MissEwa]

Throw those shoes into the ocean by all means, but can Brandon be wearing them at the time? This whole look/attitude/persona is so awful. Squeaky-clean no-vices Brandon was unbearable but DudeBro Brandon is the absolute worst.

Andrea's shorts are bad but that pink singlet is atrocious. She is not a big girl at all but she has backfat rolls.

I feel like everyone and everything looks a bit grubbier this season? Like they've changed locations or lighting or something and everything is a bit less shiny-high-school. The beach looks unappealling and even when the sunny shots look kinda miserable.

[gpgurl50]

Watched this Syfy show called Haven for awhile, in which some people living in a town in Maine are cursed with supernatural abilities that they don’t really want, and the main lady has to help them control their powers. Anyway, Jason Priestly shows up as a character who is just a dick, and knows it, but his curse is that people love him for no reason. I couldn’t help but feel like the writers were maybe ripping on Brandon Walsh because REALLY. He is the most unlikeable character ever. I knew this at twelve.

 

His last appearance on that show is really satisfying, particularly if you think about his behavior on this show.

[WoodyCee]

We see Gil again at Andrea's going away party at West Bev. And I believe his hair is even more glorious.

[Tara Ariano]

I also got a laugh looking at this episode's page because the director was Bill D'Elia, father of Chris who I do believe is either Tara or Sarah's mortal enemy?! Did he direct a lot of 90210?!

 

Mine! And apparently he did; I think we mentioned him when he directed another recent-ish one.

[marny]

I'm dubious that Brandon had already worked off his gambling debt that Nat covered by then so...  As usual, no comeuppance for Brandon.

[FozzyBear]

Was there some Andrea/Gill stuff that got cut that makes her sceens with him make sense? What exactly are they going for? Are we supposed to believe they've been hanging out all summer? I don't get it at all.

[Jmallory]

I think we've discussed Gabrielle's pregnancy on another message board a while back, but we came to the conclusion based on when her daughter was born that she was conceived in August. I don't know when the started shooting season four, but Gabrielle was quite possibly very early in her pregnancy.

[sinnerforhire]

According to the recap site televisionofyore.com, this episode aired September 8,1993. It's possible it was shot in early August, but shows today usually start shooting in mid-July. But then, they may have shot two episodes at once like Melrose Place did, so maybe they didn't need as much lead time. In case you were wondering, that's how they fit in 30+ episodes in the same length of time that most shows only aired 22-24.

[profreader]

That stomp-stomp-stomp gif needs glurpy cement and / or fart noises added.

The looonnnng fade outs leaving the cast helplessly mugging remind me of the days when I was active on some soap boards -- they had a particular phrase for this: "Oven Stare." ("Did I... leave the oven on ...? Did I ... ? I ... may have?") Also of course known as Smell The Fart Acting, etc.

I wasn't a very constant viewer but whatever watching I did was pretty much wrapped up by this time. I'll be interested to see where it goes. I am pleasantly surprised by how much I like Celeste -- she seems just at ease and charming in a way most of them aren't.

I used to think (why?!) that Jason Priestly was the cutest of them all -- and I did sort of like this more jock-y look for him. But every time he makes a move or opens his mouth, it's ruined. Or as Brinda would say, runed.

[itainttippithebird]

 

Was there some Andrea/Gill stuff that got cut that makes her sceens with him make sense? What exactly are they going for? Are we supposed to believe they've been hanging out all summer? I don't get it at all.

 

Agreed! It was a jarringly fast set up, which actually would have been fine if not for the jarringly fast denouement in the same episode. Although, bottom line, I was glad it was dispensed with with a quickness, because, to quote Valerie Cherish, "I don't need to SEE that!"

Edited April 23, 2016 by itainttippithebird

[Rebecca]

Weirdly, "cousin Lindsey' aka Hayley, lives in Minneapolis now, or at least she appeared to at one point. Jonny Lang is from there. I remember her from Kids Inc. and that her sister played the youngest "new addition, the show needs a shakeup so we aded and aged a kid 6 years" kid on Growing Pains. They were never super famous but her sister is the same age as me so I remember them showing up on stuff at times when I was a kid.

[Panda Bear]

That b-roll shot is weird, but as someone who lives in Minneapolis and went to "the U," I can confirm that it's an actual building on the University of Minnesota campus and it still looks like that. I don't know why the shot appears so old-timey.

[MostlyC]

When I was in LA a few years back, I actually walked by the "beach apartment building" when I was on the beach. It's not an apartment building. It's a whole freaking house.

[Petunia13]

That is one of my dream homes. Just the apartment part was just fantastic. And if they have private parking and an in unit washer/dryer I think I'd be in love .

[radishcake]

Also does anyone know people who call their cousins "Cousin Bob"? I've always just called my cousins by their name. Weird.

[ZeroDiscipline]

Also does anyone know people who call their cousins "Cousin Bob"? I've always just called my cousins by their name. Weird.

No. No one does that. I don't even call my aunts and uncles Aunt Mary/ Uncle Dan. They are just Mary and Dan. Minnesota is not that backwards, Good Lord.

[ZeroDiscipline]

The Mall of America totally had a Planet Hollywood at this time in real life. It was a flagship client for the mall. There is no way that kid had not yet been to the big MOA, even my dad went there to see it, and buy me some Birkenstocks from the Birkenstock store. The Minneapolis Hard Rock Cafe closed a few years ago-- it was downtown, and not successful, and located, embarrassingly, across the street from First Avenue, the club you may remember as the location for "Purple Rain". The portrayal of Minneapolis is so terrible here. They should have made the Walshes from Wisconsin if they wanted to portray the midwest as this provincial and back woodsy. Minneapolis has never been anything like this. It is a bustling cosmopolitan city.

[ZeroDiscipline]

Ugh. I will always resent that Brenda was not able to take Dylan's phone call, and he didn't leave a message or call back. Would have altered history!

[CeeBeeGee]

 

On 4/21/2016 at 11:43 AM, SoupThrower said:

Love Celeste. Wish she would have replaced Andrea or Donna but w/e. I thought Brenda was a massive jerk. They were stupid questions and Darla is a jerk but at least be not Brenda about it?

Celeste was GREAT. What star power Jennifer Grant has, with that smile! BH was a fool not to sign her to a longer contract.

On 4/21/2016 at 8:26 PM, gingercoconut said:

I remembered the first three seasons instantly without even watching along, but for some reason season four just didn’t do much for me. Remember some things but decided to watch along this time (somewhat, couldn’t even finish this episode on Hulu) but my biggest thing was the damn punch! I’m glad this was brought up, I was horrified. That’s bad even for Brandon.

My mouth fell open at the mock punch. W.O.W.

On 4/22/2016 at 12:44 AM, MissEwa said:

I feel like everyone and everything looks a bit grubbier this season? Like they've changed locations or lighting or something and everything is a bit less shiny-high-school. The beach looks unappealling and even when the sunny shots look kinda miserable.

Yes! Definitely noticed that.

[Scarlett45]

On 4/25/2016 at 8:22 AM, radishcake said:

Also does anyone know people who call their cousins "Cousin Bob"? I've always just called my cousins by their name. Weird.

I know this post is 4yrs old- but usually only as an honorific. If your cousin was old enough to be your parent or grandparent it was disrespectful to call them by their first name. So “Cousin First Name” or “Aunt/Uncle” was appropriate.