S06.E14: Fortunate Son

[MerBearStare]

3 hours ago, benteen said:

Wasn't there an episode too where Donna makes sure some kid actress has fun too?

Ugh, God I had forgotten about that. It's some child model who wanted to go to the circus instead of doing the photoshoot, so Donna dressed up like a clown (there's a joke in here about Donna's regular makeup and her clown makeup, but I'm not going to make it) and there was so much STUFF.

[ZeroDiscipline]

3 hours ago, benteen said:

Wasn't there an episode too where Donna makes sure some kid actress has fun too?

Yep. It's like only Donna can see the suffering in this cruel world. And the girl's mom was ever grateful that Donna butted into her life.

[Ions Earring]

Like the key-chain bottle opener- Stevie's letter opener is a utensil that will make someone happy at the right time. Ugly and seemingly worthless until someone needs it.

Edit- this should've gone in the other post..

Edited March 29, 2017 by Ions Earring

[ZeroDiscipline]

2 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

She even says how she read that some companies "are having day cares in the premises".  This was in the 80s and even now, there are few companies that do that.  As a working mom, this makes me so mad!  Add the fact that many of us make less money than men in our field.  It's like these people without kids assume that the moms have ALL these other options and leaving kids alone is just the easiest one. 

Been a working mom for 10 years, and all of this is true. My company built a brand-new headquarters about 15 years ago, and made a big show of asking all the employees what we desired most for the new building. #1 was a daycare center onsite, #2 was free/cheap parking. We got neither. The answer given was that insurance is just too outrageous to cover the costs of a daycare.

4 minutes ago, Ions Earring said:

Like the key-chain bottle opener- Stevie's letter opener is a utensil that will make someone happy at the right time. Ugly and seemingly worthless until someone needs it.

Sort of a metaphor for the character of Steve Sanders as well, eh? Except Ian Ziering is not ugly.

[Ions Earring]

On 3/28/2017 at 9:37 AM, CurlyATX said:

I love how we have this letter opener debate 2017 vs talking about the episode.

It's infinitely more interesting than last season's hypnotherapy arc.

[Uncle JUICE]

I don't understand how Donna was allowed to work at that store for the Rose Queen. Was it by royal decree? Did her family own the place? The insurance liability alone, given that the place is surrounded by razor wire, would have been insane, and she would have had to at least fill out some sort of paperwork, or undergo some training (you know that asshole's never been on the side of a cash register that has a drawer, and it's been demonstrated she can barely do math). Razor wire but not one of those super thick plexiglass booths? God this season is NOT good. I also hate what they're doing to Val as a character. 

[MCMLXXVII]

I don't wear mock turtlenecks but I understand them in theory. Like I love the look of a nice fitted black turtleneck, but then my neck gets hot and uncomfortable in the indoor heating, unless it's a super-thin material, which then defeats the purpose of keeping you warm when outdoors. The mock turtleneck wants to solve problems, but it just looks silly. 

[desertflower]

2 hours ago, MerBearStare said:

Ugh, God I had forgotten about that. It's some child model who wanted to go to the circus instead of doing the photoshoot, so Donna dressed up like a clown (there's a joke in here about Donna's regular makeup and her clown makeup, but I'm not going to make it) and there was so much STUFF.

Oh that was the worst. I had almost blocked that out. If i remember correctly she also looked like a slutty clown because she had one of her typical midriff bearing outfits on underneath. (Hey, I had a few midriff bearing shirts when I was young too, but there's a time and place, Donna!)

[allicatexp]

3 minutes ago, desertflower said:

Oh that was the worst. I had almost blocked that out. If i remember correctly she also looked like a slutty clown because she had one of her typical midriff bearing outfits on underneath. (Hey, I had a few midriff bearing shirts when I was young too, but there's a time and place, Donna!)

Also the child actor who played the model was god awful.

[CurlyATX]

Heck, how do we know that Donna can even work legally at the quickie mart?! The whole thing is ridiculous.

I like mock turtlenecks but only the sleeveless/halter types.  I can't wear any form of neck stuff as it's not flattering at all. 

Agree on Val- pick a lane.  Either try to make Kelly's life miserable (my vote) or suck up to her.  I do wish they had her intern at D&D with Amanda (much better idea) and later become Bill Taylor's newest wife (kind of a Poison Ivy thing).

[Jax7917]

I agree that Val was all over the place with wanting to be friends with the group and wanting to make their lives miserable , but after the first season or 2 that she was on , she became pretty consistent with trying to make Kelly miserable . Really I can't blame her , Kelly was a stank faced bitch from day one with Val 

[atlanticslide]

2 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I think the issue with Donna wasn't really about her race, age or wealth.  It was more about Donna butting into a situation she knew nothing about, involving people she just met.  Even if Donna had been the same race, socio-economic level and age of the woman whose life she was interfering with, it still would have been inappropriate for her to do so.       

Sure, but my point is that it's incredibly uncomfortable that this episode dealing with race issues (with such gems as "she's local" and "it's not Adopt a Black Family Month") ended with a black woman learning a lesson from a white woman.

[txhorns79]

Quote

Sure, but my point is that it's incredibly uncomfortable that this episode dealing with race issues (with such gems as "she's local" and "it's not Adopt a Black Family Month") ended with a black woman learning a lesson from a white woman.

I'd agree that the storyline wasn't well written. 

[MCMLXXVII]

18 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

Agree on Val- pick a lane.  Either try to make Kelly's life miserable (my vote) or suck up to her.  I do wish they had her intern at D&D with Amanda (much better idea) and later become Bill Taylor's newest wife (kind of a Poison Ivy thing).

Shoutout to "Poison Ivy"! I loved 80s/90s trashy erotic thrillers.

[CurlyATX]

15 hours ago, atlanticslide said:

Sure, but my point is that it's incredibly uncomfortable that this episode dealing with race issues (with such gems as "she's local" and "it's not Adopt a Black Family Month") ended with a black woman learning a lesson from a white woman.

Well, 90210 always seems to play this "Rich White Hope" card.  Brando helps that kid ("it sucks") whose mom is beating him, Donna helps this family.  Squash it and Racism Ending editorial of glory.  If she didn't get all SWF, Tara from rehab would have fit the bill.  Kelly helps the AISD patient (Blossom's big brother) and doesn't she do something with Jessica Alba's baby and a gay couple?

Is it weird that sometimes I go to that basketball episode (aren't you a little short?)  in the early seasons and rewind the clip where the kid brays back at Brandon who accuses him of not being a legit student at WBHS. 

[Molly Cule]

On 3/28/2017 at 9:31 AM, Sarah D. Bunting said:

Donna's welcome to hit us with some retroactive free pizza, however.

Same here, I was 9 when I started watching my 5yo sister alone on a regular basis. We mostly watched reruns of Three's Company and argued. It was fine. But I'll gladly take a call from the Ghost of Pizza Past.

[SoupThrower]

On 28/03/2017 at 1:43 PM, Jaclyn88 said:

I feel like David and Clare's relationship was the most pointless and anti climactic couple on a soapy tv show , which is why they were good together . There really was nothing big story line wise when they were together . It was just a normal relationship 

That's why it was so good.  It was so normal. 

On 28/03/2017 at 1:50 PM, TeeVee329 said:

I guess it was to keep Kelly and Valerie at odds, but I agree, there was some wonky writing going on with Valerie both legitimately falling in love with David and unable to let go of her schoolgirl crush on Colin.

I'm surprised they didn't go with Donna being jealous or Kelly hating that her brother and enemy are together

[Klaw]

On 3/29/2017 at 2:53 AM, atlanticslide said:

Instead, this episode was about a middle-aged black woman learning a lesson from a 20-year-old white woman who was raised by millionaires. 

So much this, atlanticslide!

 

On 3/29/2017 at 0:25 PM, txhorns79 said:

think the issue with Donna wasn't really about her race, age or wealth.  It was more about Donna butting into a situation she knew nothing about, involving people she just met.  Even if Donna had been the same race, socio-economic level and age of the woman whose life she was interfering with, it still would have been inappropriate for her to do so.       

You are right, of course that had Donna been 40something black woman from South Central LA her "concerns" would have still been out of line. However, add to the fact that she is a very young (barely out of her teens) white woman of privilege commenting (and criticising) the lives of black people she does not know (as if she has a right to) - well, that just screams racist privilege.  In my African American studies classes in college way back when, I had a really great professor who tied every current issue re: race relations in the US back to the institution of slavery. One of these was the privilege that white people, slaveowners or not (so that would include poor white people without means), had of demanding a black person's "papers" at any time or being able to demand an explanation for what a black person was doing at any time at any place. That right of ownership over a black person's body and being went up to the "privilege" of being able to rape and murder said black person with impunity. Ta Nehisi Coates book "Between the World and Me" also discusses these issues.

So Donna coming into that family's lives and basically asserting her value judgments on them, while she  may have had nothing but the best intentions, her actions are very racist and and problematic in a way that she and obviously the writers had no clue about. When the woman said "I don't have to justify myself to you" - it gave us only a glimmer about how deeply offensive Donna was. Same with her conversation with Lisa. There is a reason Lisa bristled at Donna's meddling that goes deeper than what the show was capable of exploring. (And of course having Donna come across as anything other than a fucking Saint was a non-starter). A better show would have had Lisa school her on just how obnoxious she was being and have had DONNA learning something as opposed to the poor, down trodden black people she "saved." /rant.

And this is yet another reason why it's good to have diversity in the writers' room!!!! This fucking show. Don't write about sh*t you obviously know nothing about. SMDH.

[CurlyATX]

I'm already cringing in advance for the arch where Brandon meets the angel-loving girl from the south.  Doesn't he try to cause a flurry by making out with her or something? I know I blocked it out. 

It's still amazing that a show set in LA would have almost no diversity in the cast or secondary characters.  I think the only character of color was Janet, right? The actress who played Gina is part Latino but her character isn't (Felice's sister and Donna's dad). 

[Earmuffs Mom]

1 minute ago, CurlyATX said:

I'm already cringing in advance for the arch where Brandon meets the angel-loving girl from the south.  Doesn't he try to cause a flurry by making out with her or something? I know I blocked it out. 

That's the beginning of Season 7.  Brandon is the worst there too.

[MCMLXXVII]

1 hour ago, CurlyATX said:

The actress who played Gina is part Latino but her character isn't (Felice's sister and Donna's dad). 

That's another thing that always stuck in my craw about that storyline. Yes, blah blah recessive genes are a thing- but that the show asked us to suspend belief about ethnic differences...in the late 90s! L.A. is full of Chicanas, how hard is it to have Dr. Martin cheat outside the family? Maybe pull an Arnold Schawznegger, or have him cheat with a close family friend?

[AndySmith]

But then we would have had Donna and Gina having grown up with the relationship of Rich Cousin/Poor Cousin...

[Klaw]

3 hours ago, Earmuffs Mom said:

3 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

I'm already cringing in advance for the arch where Brandon meets the angel-loving girl from the south.  Doesn't he try to cause a flurry by making out with her or something? I know I blocked it out. 

That's the beginning of Season 7.  Brandon is the worst there too.

Oh JESUS (TM Sarah D. Bunting)

Gah, I forgot about that episode. CRINGE Factor 1000. 

4 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

It's still amazing that a show set in LA would have almost no diversity in the cast or secondary characters.

Seriously.  I would almost forgive them for it, if they just had the sense to leave alone all the various THE!GANG!SOLVES!RACISM! storylines.

[AndySmith]

But...but...then we wouldn't have gotten The Electric Slide to Cure Racism, and the world would have been a much more sad place without it.

[CurlyATX]

Or remember that first season Latina girl- who witnessed a gang shooting and was living with Brandon for a week or something.  It's almost like the people of color are "touched by a Hillster". 

[Klaw]

7 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

Or remember that first season Latina girl- who witnessed a gang shooting and was living with Brandon for a week or something.  It's almost like the people of color are "touched by a Hillster". 

I do love, however, that, on occasion those POC "touched by a Hillster" (hee!) had the opportunity to put Brandon on blast. See the kid photographer who screamed at him for being a "user" and a racist and in that same episode the guy (DJ? Devo? Viveca Fox's boyfriend) who snarked that Brandon must've consulted his "Spike Lee Handbook." See also the basketball player who completely read Brandon for filth for assuming he was going to school out of district. And who can forget the glorious Jordan Bonner ("Brandon? Brandon of BEVERLY HILLS? You don't know SQUAT!"). Or the great Alex Diaz of the Denim Jacket of Political Intrigue and even Janet ("Hey, I wanted Anita Hill to come"). 

Of course those moments are fleeting as the POC always has to come to the realization that Brandon is just the best at White Savior-ing and be honored to become part of his token harem. See "Tamales of Racial Understanding." SMDH. 

[CurlyATX]

Yes, the times when a POC puts Brando on blast are my favorites.  The one with the basketball player is my favorite.  I just wish that they would continue to dislike him.  Instead, at the end, they always give Brando a pass for being stupid because he "means well".  NO- he doesn't mean well.  He's an ass! Even Alex Diaz finally gives in, right? I wish someone would call more of Brando's privilege.  But this was also before that term became part of the social norms.

"Tamales of Racial Understanding"... is that on the same menu as the "burritos of normalcy" that the ice skater wistfully longs for? 

[Sarah D. Bunting]

[Onfire444]

You would also think that if Joe was a quarterback at a UCLA-like college, he'd have spent plenty of time with diverse teammates and wouldn't sound like a such an ignoramous.