S04.E12: Radar Love

[Primetimer]

The stress of Brandon's love life leads him to look up...an old flame.

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[Primetimer]

There's plenty to be thankful for in the S04.E12 Visual Aids!

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[jenrising]

This episode was so boring. I actually rewatched because I wanted to see Rayanne again, but ugh. I'm still mad Emily wasn't crazy enough to murder Brandon. 

I was feeling disappointed that you guys didn't get to talk shit about a toddler again, but you made up for it with mental illness jokes. Thanks. Your terribleness soothes me. 

[dianajoy]

So, as someone who spent a number of her teen years (which coincided with the first airing of these episodes actually) in facilities for 'troubled teen girls', I'd have to say that there's no way in hell that any of that shit would've been allowed to go down at Downey House. Granted, I was in a place run by a Catholic order where I was more likely to see a nun than a teenage/early 20s guy, but I highly doubt the people in charge of any such program would ever let a bunch of fratbros have unfettered access to girls as vulnerable as that.

I'm not even sure if sorority sisters would've been welcome to do their charity work there to be honest. But KEG house? Definitely not.

[SoupThrower]

I like Brando with Emily. Better chemistry than with Saint Kelly.

Also shut up John, Dylan, Nana and Kelly. 

Giving cred to David Silver. He didn't have many lines but him laughing at Dylan getting busted by Kelly and Kelly saying she has terrible taste in boyfriends and him listening to the argument while eating. He's so much better without Donna and vice versa. 

Edited May 31, 2016 by SoupThrower

[Nanna]

Okay, so Brandon has used Emily's name as a synonym for a lunatic at least twice this season - and now she's suddenly his great lost love? Because he found a picture in his underwear drawer? Whatever. And didn't Brandon (rightfully) shout at Brenda when she ran out of gas, because any responsible driver etc.? But that doesn't count when it happens to him, I suppose.

[Nanna]

Oh, and Donna's insistence that Kelly ask Dylan to thanksgiving is every friend ever who's tired of listening to someone complaining non stop talking about a guy. "Ask him, let him turn you down and let's get this over with!"

[lovinbob]

I believe Jason Priestly and Christine Elise were dating at the time (or married?) so that may explain why she is his one true love.

Re: the chokers -- we really did wear an awful lot of chokers in the early/mid-90s.

I'm thinking Gabrielle Carteris must have been pregnant or recently had her baby -- might explain the terrible hair and clothes.

[John Ramos]

The only way Nana's Thanksgiving choker makes sense is if it's indicating she's on the path to BDSM.

[TeeVee329]

A question - after all his pissy, ridiculous rants at Kelly about Jackie re: Erin's custody, David was fine breaking bread with both of them on Thanksgiving?

[CicelyAlaska]

I did love Brenda's smugness when she was asked with what was going on with Kelly and Dylan. "Don't ask me."

I'm going to be that person. I'm currently living in San Francisco. If Emily lives there, there is no was she would be riding the trolley. It's for tourists and Tommy Wiseau. Also, who rents that sort of apartment to an 18 year old?

Also, pizza? You wouldn't go for some variety of Asian food?

I hate this show. Can't wait for the next episode. 

[JennB]

The only way Nana's Thanksgiving choker makes sense is if it's indicating she's on the path to BDSM.

I was having a good day. We were all having a good day. Why'd you have to go and ruin it?

[Cekrypton1]

Fun fact: Rayanne is now a countess, married to the 19th Earl of Devon.

[AndySmith]

Well, college is a time for experimenting...

If this show has confirmed one thing, it's that the 90s was not a kind decade to us when it came to fashion.

Edited May 31, 2016 by AndySmith

[AndySmith]

And she lives in a castle! And outranks Maggie Smith and Judi Dench and Paul McCartney and Patrick Stewart...

Looking at her resume, her career kind of fizzled out in the early 2000s. But, she did have a recurring stint years later on Private Practice, of all shows.

[Petunia13]

Chokers are really popular right now fashion wise in all the 90's styles. 

There was a lot of denim this episode not just on Rayanne (who wore 3 head to toe denim outfits). 

Christine Elise looks pretty as a brunette and a bit like Clea Duvall. She was dating Jason Priestley at the time this episode was taped and he asked that she come back for fun, according to Y&M. 

I so agree Ohnnnndreah's hair is getting Trumpian this season. Some of the shots posted earlier it looks like fiberglass insulation. 

[adam807]

Class of '96 had already been and gone. The Bev-Niners are the Class of '97, so the other show's freshman (and only, alas) year aired the season before while they were in high school.

Sigh, the things that I could know if my brain didn't contain that!

[Sarah D. Bunting]

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on the path to BDSM

i hate you john

[txhorns79]

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Class of '96 had already been and gone. The Bev-Niners are the Class of '97, so the other show's freshman (and only, alas) year aired the season before while they were in high school.

I did kind of wonder what Fox was thinking with that show.  If it had been successful, they'd end up having two shows running at the same time about young college students, likely covering similar material.   

Quote

If this show has confirmed one thing, it's that the 90s was not a kind decade to us when it came to fashion.

 

Eh, every decade has its fashion mistakes. 

And I have no idea what the writers/casting people were thinking with Jesse.  His "chemistry" with Andrea is flat, and I really have no clue why she would be attracted to him. 

[FozzyBear]

This episode is such a little distilled nugget of my Kelly hate. She's so damn needy for the rest of the series. Always upset all the time about all of it. She can not get through 10 minutes without finding a way to be let down or betrayed by someone. It's exhausting. Even at the time I remember thinking I couldn't handle having a friend who was such an emotional blackhole. 

[adam807]

I actually gasped and said "oh god!" aloud when I saw the Branden's hair pic. 

I LOVED Class of 96. I took AP Chemistry senior year of high school and that show aired the night before our lab class, which we could talk during as long as we were...labbing, and we were all over it like "is this what next year will be like?" (Spoiler: it wasn't.) Plus it had one of the boys from Dead Poets Society and Doogie Howser's girlfriend. What's not to love?

[txhorns79]

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I LOVED Class of 96. I took AP Chemistry senior year of high school and that show aired the night before our lab class, which we could talk during as long as we were...labbing, and we were all over it like "is this what next year will be like?" (Spoiler: it wasn't.) Plus it had one of the boys from Dead Poets Society and Doogie Howser's girlfriend. What's not to love?

I am just impressed someone else remembers it.  I don't remember it as well as you do, but I do recall it being a relatively decent show.  It makes me feel old to think that class would be having their 20 year reunion now if they were real!   

[bilgistic]

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Though Emily should take that hat off indoors.

She should take that hat off and burn it, and hire someone to follow her around to make sure she doesn't buy another one.

[FozzyBear]

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

She should take that hat off and burn it, and hire someone to follow her around to make sure she doesn't buy another one.

Oh they day will come when we will be begging Emily Valentine to put on a hat.  Begging her! 

[AndySmith]

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I am just impressed someone else remembers it

It was Gillian Anderson's first TV gig.

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Oh they day will come when we will be begging Emily Valentine to put on a hat

IIRC correctly, she does wear a hat during that era. It did not help.

Edited June 2, 2016 by AndySmith

[marny]

I had only remembered the reappearance of Emily with the weird Prince Valiant haircut, so I was relieved when I saw the hairstyle in the current visual aids and saw that Sarah and Tara weren't crazy for saying Emily looked cute.

[bilgistic]

19 hours ago, FozzyBear said:

Oh they day will come when we will be begging Emily Valentine to put on a hat.  Begging her! 

It looks like a small child's wig.

[Petunia13]

Wasn't Kelly the one who said a season ago "you broke up with Dylan so why do you care who he has dinner with?" To Brenda of all people? So why is she being all butt hurt now. You guys broke up. He doesn't have to clear his meal plans with you. Also she knows he's always been very close to Jim & Cindy (when they weren't hating him lol). 

Brandon sounded like such a tool bag on the phone to his mom on Thanksgiving. When he's not braying, he often has his smug and sarcastic way of communicating. 

I don't really like this retcon of Emily being the lost love of Brandon's life. They didn't get a long during their ship and during the break up and since he'd been very dismissive. Even when I was a kid I was confused by this pulled out of the ass plot point. 

I don't speak Spanish but to me Ahhhhhdrea's sounded pretty bad. I guess Jesse was trying to humor her since it's not impressive an educated Los Angelos native could say an introductory phrase in Spanish. 

[Petunia13]

Louise Brooks 

[MissEwa]

1 hour ago, Petunia13 said:

I don't really like this retcon of Emily being the lost love of Brandon's life. They didn't get a long during their ship and during the break up and since he'd been very dismissive. Even when I was a kid I was confused by this pulled out of the ass plot point. 

It's one where even thirteen-year-old me -- who pretty much bought everything this show was selling until probably mid-season five without question -- was like 'ehhhh, you're only doing this because they're boning in real life.'

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Princess Valiant.

[Petunia13]

[SoupThrower]

3 hours ago, MissEwa said:

It's one where even thirteen-year-old me -- who pretty much bought everything this show was selling until probably mid-season five without question -- was like 'ehhhh, you're only doing this because they're boning in real life.'

Considering all the other couples, I'll take this one over several others. 

[AndySmith]

Princess Valiant...the daughter of Prince Valiant and Louise Brooks, known for her many quirks, among them insisting her hair be cut and styled in the dark.

[CurlyATX]

You mean Noah and Donna? He was the worst.

[desertflower]

Even though the "Emily is my soul mate" storyline came out of nowhere, I did enjoy the San Fran scenes. They did have nice chemistry and she was more likeable when not trying be rebel girl with leather/guitar/motorcycle. I think it would've been nice if they followed through with them at the end of the series. She comes back with the bad haircut and they still have feelings but can't  because he's with Kelly. But later after he and Kelly are done, why not mention Emily again, even if it's offscreen? I think in the final season they should've mentioned that Brandon and Emily got back together and were happy. It would've been a nice closure to the long lost love thing.

[psychoticstate]

On 5/31/2016 at 11:30 AM, CicelyAlaska said:

I'm going to be that person. I'm currently living in San Francisco. If Emily lives there, there is no was she would be riding the trolley. It's for tourists and Tommy Wiseau. Also, who rents that sort of apartment to an 18 year old?

Also, pizza? You wouldn't go for some variety of Asian food?

I hate this show. Can't wait for the next episode.

I was wondering the same thing.  I've been to SF a few times.  How does Emily get that awesome (and big) apartment?  And is there only one trolley that runs in SF?   You know, show, ther are more than maybe 15 people in SF so the chance of Brandon just happening to bump into Emily . . . gah.  Whatever.

I would like to know exactly how you burn a turkey completely black.  With a blowtorch?  And there were side dishes so wouldn't you just eat the sides and maybe see if some of the turkey can be salvaged?  

What is it with side characters on this show who don't lock their doors?  First DeShawn doesn't keep his dorm room door deadbolted and pays the price with Brandon strolling in, braying and acting like he owns the place.  Now Emily apparently doesn't lock her door and her neighbor just waltzes in and out to snark about how "Emily knows best."  Like 500 times.

I would like some clarity on what Gabrielle Carteris ever did to the makeup/wardrobe department of this show.  I get she's pregnant but she's playing a college freshman - - put her in some oversized shirts and jeans, hide her behind a big notebook or a plant.  Something.  Anything other than some velour jumpsuit she found at Cher's yard sale.  And her hair.  Oy.  Aqua Net abuse was a thing in the 80s but can't they just put her hair on a ponytail?  Clip it back?  That mom 'do takes time; she's supposed to be pre-med (and those chokers aren't going to buy themselves.)  Just stop it.

Kelly and Dylan may be the rudest, tackiest guests ever.  You're invited guests in someone else's house.  Can you not shut it for 2 stupid hours to eat and be polite and then you can be rude assholes later?   I mean, Brandon is absent.  There is plenty to be thankful for. 

[CurlyATX]

I am a SF native and have to chime in on this one.  The entire freaking city is less than 7x7 square miles however in my entire twenties I only once ran into someone I went to hs with.  Once, at a mall, one girl.  So the odds that Brandon runs into Emily are really slim.   But this is along the same lines of folks running into people at airports- that also hasn't happened to me eve.

I'm imagining that Emily's parents are paying for that large apartment maybe out of guilt for ditching her and going to Greece?  Let's say they sold their home, made a nice tidy sum and figure, hey, the cost of living in Greece is fairly low, the least we can do is rent a nice 1000 sf apartment for our teen daughter living alone.  Or, maybe it's rent controlled from Emily's aunt or grandmother.  The crazy housing prices were why we sold our house and moved to the sprawl of Texas.

As for the turkey, my only guess is that she put it in the oven and left the house, which is the only way something gets that burnt and no one notices until it's too late.  And this is me spending WAY too much time thinking about this but if dinner were originally just Emily and neighbor, she would have just done something simple.  Heck, even when it was dinner for just the four of us, my mom cooked a turkey breast, potatoes (from a box), stovetop, gravy and cranberries from a can.  I'm sure she steamed some green beans too.  It wasn't until I was an adult did I realize how folks spent days cooking for the feast.  To be fair, my parents are immigrants and didn't really get the whole Thanksgiving thing, but tried.

[Petunia13]

I would have had no problem with Deshawn snapping Brandon's arm for what he did. 

[psychoticstate]

23 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

I am a SF native and have to chime in on this one.  The entire freaking city is less than 7x7 square miles however in my entire twenties I only once ran into someone I went to hs with.  Once, at a mall, one girl.  So the odds that Brandon runs into Emily are really slim.   But this is along the same lines of folks running into people at airports- that also hasn't happened to me eve.

I'm imagining that Emily's parents are paying for that large apartment maybe out of guilt for ditching her and going to Greece?  Let's say they sold their home, made a nice tidy sum and figure, hey, the cost of living in Greece is fairly low, the least we can do is rent a nice 1000 sf apartment for our teen daughter living alone.  Or, maybe it's rent controlled from Emily's aunt or grandmother.  The crazy housing prices were why we sold our house and moved to the sprawl of Texas.

As for the turkey, my only guess is that she put it in the oven and left the house, which is the only way something gets that burnt and no one notices until it's too late.  And this is me spending WAY too much time thinking about this but if dinner were originally just Emily and neighbor, she would have just done something simple.  Heck, even when it was dinner for just the four of us, my mom cooked a turkey breast, potatoes (from a box), stovetop, gravy and cranberries from a can.  I'm sure she steamed some green beans too.  It wasn't until I was an adult did I realize how folks spent days cooking for the feast.  To be fair, my parents are immigrants and didn't really get the whole Thanksgiving thing, but tried.

Yeah - - why wouldn't Emily and Rosie order something from Honeybaked Ham or Boston Market?  (I think it was Boston Chicken back in 1993 or 1994) but still .. . two single women, with one of them being 18 or 19, would probably order in or eat out.  And why is it that said 18 or 19 year old is doing all the cooking while Rosie is just bringing . . . herself and her bad shirts?   

Speaking of this episode (again), Emily's parents moved to Greece?  Huh?   Why is that point even necessary?  It was never brought up again.  Why wouldn't the Not-Mrs.Valentine living in that house just say the Valentines had moved?  It's not like Brandon is going to run to the airport to head to Greece.  

18 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

I would have had no problem with Deshawn snapping Brandon's arm for what he did. 

I would have had no problem with DeShawn snapping Brandon in half.  Not like it would be hard.  

[CurlyATX]

Ah, Boston Chicken! I loved that place.  The neighbor is obviously a weirdo who doesn't even bring a nice 7 layer dip, a pie, or even wine. 

Also, I don't get how parents so easily ditch their kids on tv.  It would have been a great adventure for Emily to live in Europe with her family.  And with her mental health issues, I'd have been worried about leaving her alone.

Hopefully the employees at the pizza place got double time for the holiday, having to deal with Brandon and the ladies. 

[SoupThrower]

On 14/07/2016 at 4:31 AM, psychoticstate said:

Can you not shut it for 2 stupid hours to eat and be polite and then you can be rude assholes later?   I mean, Brandon is absent.  There is plenty to be thankful for. 

Oh Kelly and Dylan were the worst. Slowly they have become the worst characters. I know people dislike Brandon worse but I would take Bran the Man over Kelly and Dylan. 

[CeeBeeGee]

On 6/2/2016 at 8:44 PM, Petunia13 said:

Wasn't Kelly the one who said a season ago "you broke up with Dylan so why do you care who he has dinner with?" To Brenda of all people? So why is she being all butt hurt now. You guys broke up. He doesn't have to clear his meal plans with you. Also she knows he's always been very close to Jim & Cindy (when they weren't hating him lol). 

I don't really like this retcon of Emily being the lost love of Brandon's life. They didn't get a long during their ship and during the break up and since he'd been very dismissive. Even when I was a kid I was confused by this pulled out of the ass plot point. 

I don't speak Spanish but to me Ahhhhhdrea's sounded pretty bad. I guess Jesse was trying to humor her since it's not impressive an educated Los Angelos native could say an introductory phrase in Spanish. 

UGH, fucking Kelly. I'm thinking she's regretting dumping him for John Sears but Dylan owes you NOTHING. I loved it when he said he liked Cindy's turkey better than Jackie's (and I love Jackie but even she admits her cooking isn't good). Repeat: Dylan owes you NOTHING. Climb a ladder and GTF over yourself.

Brenda's barely hidden smirk when she heard the argument was awesome. As long as she keeps her cards close to her chest (i.e., doesn't actively try to sabotage them), she's always be the irritant in that relationship, the thing that ruins it, the regret in Dylan's past, the idealized relationship and family life that he threw away. She deserves better but that's at least some satisfaction.

Oh God, Emily of the dead eyes and robotic voice is baaaaaaack. The thing is, off-camera couples generally don't have great chemistry on-camera--part of acting chemistry (romantic chemistry at least--actors can have all sorts of types of chemistry) is the curiosity and the "what if...?" under the surface of their interactions. They're past that IRL and she is just not a good enough actor to justify bringing her back. (I'm sorry, I hate bashing actors but there's no energy at ALL in her performance and never has been.)

In the pilot episode Ohhhhnnndrea spoke what sounded like pretty decent Spanish when she accused Brandon in class of screwing over Marianne RichGirlPartier.

Does John Sears know that this at-risk girl he's predating is...15? As in...she's underage and he could get arrested? 

[Scarlett45]

13 hours ago, CeeBeeGee said:

UGH, fucking Kelly. I'm thinking she's regretting dumping him for John Sears but Dylan owes you NOTHING. I loved it when he said he liked Cindy's turkey better than Jackie's (and I love Jackie but even she admits her cooking isn't good). Repeat: Dylan owes you NOTHING. Climb a ladder and GTF over yourself.

Brenda's barely hidden smirk when she heard the argument was awesome. As long as she keeps her cards close to her chest (i.e., doesn't actively try to sabotage them), she's always be the irritant in that relationship, the thing that ruins it, the regret in Dylan's past, the idealized relationship and family life that he threw away. She deserves better but that's at least some satisfaction.

Oh God, Emily of the dead eyes and robotic voice is baaaaaaack. The thing is, off-camera couples generally don't have great chemistry on-camera--part of acting chemistry (romantic chemistry at least--actors can have all sorts of types of chemistry) is the curiosity and the "what if...?" under the surface of their interactions. They're past that IRL and she is just not a good enough actor to justify bringing her back. (I'm sorry, I hate bashing actors but there's no energy at ALL in her performance and never has been.)

In the pilot episode Ohhhhnnndrea spoke what sounded like pretty decent Spanish when she accused Brandon in class of screwing over Marianne RichGirlPartier.

Does John Sears know that this at-risk girl he's predating is...15? As in...she's underage and he could get arrested?

Bolding mine- yes he does because he's a fucking creep and a predator. He likes the fact that she's vulnerable and underage because that makes her easy prey. Paul Johansson plays asshole SO WELL because I am rewatching One Tree Hill right now, and Dan Scott is such a jerk (reminds me of my own father a lot), with such a punchable face its too much!