S04.E19: A Night to Remember

[Vyk]

From TV Guide:

Barry plans big, romantic gestures for Lainey on prom night.  Adam is thrilled when a nerdy but cute junior asks him out.

Discuss tomorrow's new episode here.

[Skyfall]

Oh look, Rowan can do great things with actual writing!

Also I was rolling at, "FIGHT OVER YOUR PROM PRINCESS!"

[TDT]

Good seeing Rowan B in a complete 180 from Riley Matthews.. supposedly this is a recurring role

[readster]

What an enjoyable episode, but loved the fact that mom was the real Jackie. 

[Skyfall]

1 minute ago, TDT said:

Good seeing Rowan B in a complete 180 from Riley Matthews.. supposedly this is a recurring role

I hope she's upped to a series regular (bet she was cast before GMW was ended), she's good just needs proper writing.

Just now, readster said:

What an enjoyable episode, but loved the fact that mom was the real Jackie. 

AFG must be in touch with everyone from his past...

[shoregirl]

 Maybe that means we will get the real Ruben Amaro Jr.  Now that he is done ruining the Phillies as their gm.

[Starscream]

So real Adam's prom date was the wacky polygraph examiner from NCIS.

[Vyk]

RLS right at the beginning, with Murray holding her on his lap!  After that, neither she nor Murray were seen again.

Geoff and Erica are a go again, it seems.  I guess this time, the timing was right for them.

Reluctant though I am to admit this, Johnny and Carla were used to just the right amount this time, and none of it made me want them to go away.  Just the right amount of comedy in their scenes.

Adam clicked very well with Jackie.  And I love that the real-life Jackie played Jackie's mom.  And Beverly beating Adam to making a romantic gesture to win her back was hilarious, as was Jackie's mother seeming like a near-perfect match for Beverly in terms of appearance, sweater-wearing, and personality.

Barry and Lainey's storyline ended sweetly, though I think that Lainey's reason for not going to prom was pretty weak.  That was exactly why she should've gone.

Good episode.  I think this season's finally found its footing.

6 hours ago, shoregirl said:

 Maybe that means we will get the real Ruben Amaro Jr.  Now that he is done ruining the Phillies as their gm.

Ooh, I'd just love to hear this.  What's that all about?

[shoregirl]

Nothing really just a bitter Phillies fan.   When he was named GM the Phillies had just won the world series. He made some trade that would keep them contending , a good thing at the time, but pretty much completely ruined the farm system. He had a nickname of Ruin Tomorrow jr. When the Phillies were not contending anymore and he should have been trading their best players so they could start rebuilding their farm system, he held on to them and a couple of them like Cliff Lee ended up hurt so he wasn't playing and the phillies didnt get anything for him lile they would have when they stopped conteding. He also fired a beloved manager that the players loved with only 6 weeks left in the season  and brought in a manger who less then 2 years later quit in the middle of the season .

[DrSpaceman73]

I enjoyed the episode despite not caring about Geoff and Erica one bit.  There on again/off again parts every few minutes were funny though. 

Is that really the Phillies GM?  I had no idea, don't follow baseball that closely. 

They threw in a whojackie reference. 

And even as a sci fi fan, I tend to agree about Lord of the Rings.  I can barely make it through the movies, let alone the books

[readster]

Quote

And even as a sci fi fan, I tend to agree about Lord of the Rings.  I can barely make it through the movies, let alone the books

My thing is, I enjoy sci-fi and fantasy, but as someone who enjoyed both the book and movies, I know where Adam was coming from. I'm someone who loves Harry Potter but hates Twilight. Who really enjoys magna, but didn't get into Dragonball Z until much later. I can enjoy Waiting for Godto but want The House of Bermuda Ald to burn. It just goes towards engagement and tastes. 

[proserpina65]

I know it's minor, but it bugs me when people on shows set in the 80s talk about going "to prom".  I was in high school then, and we always said "the prom".  Seems to me this is something that started in the early 2000s, or the late 90s at the earliest.  I will allow that perhaps it's a regional thing, but I grew up about an hour away from Philly, so not exactly a different region.

Other than that personal bugaboo, I really enjoyed this episode.  I loved Adam finding a girl so nerdy she thinks Star Wars is too commercial.  I loved Barry's over-the-top prom plan, and Murray's refusal to pony up more than $80.  I loved Erica and Geoff going back and forth with their other prom dates, and their finally finding the right moment.  I loved Beverly being the one who fixes things with Adam's prom date.  And although I do love The Lord of the Rings, I was amused by Adam's "all they do is walk and talk" complaint - because that's how I feel about a lot of The Two Towers (especially the crappy movie) - and his hunting down the pre-internet form of googling the plot: Cliffs Notes.

Edited March 30, 2017 by proserpina65
mispelled Geoff

[Cowgirl]

I laughed out loud at the Cliff Notes subplot.  

It was SO nice to see Rowan Blanchard play a character that is not practically special needs!  She's a nice match for Adam.  Also, like many posters above, I loved the fact that Real Jackie played the mom. I also laughed at Adam hating Lord of the Rings--I'm the same way! I'm a voracious reader of many genres, and I love fantasy books, but I have never been able to get through The Hobbit or any other Tolkien book.  There's just too much description. (And I promise I'm not an uneducated troglodyte!) 

One thing that bugged the hell out of me was the fact that Evie was not in sight.  I thought the only reason Goeff (Jeff? Sp.?) broke up with Erica is that it made Evie too sad, so I assumed he got back together with Evie.  She is an organizer, so you think she'd be helping out with the prom and throwing either longing or hateful looks at Goeff. 

[joanne3482]

I didn't like that they had Barry do essentially a "promposal."  When I was growing up (I graduated in 92), there was no big overture to ask someone to the prom. It was just "Hey want to go to the prom with me?"   

[Cowgirl]

I agree @joanne3482. (I graduated in 1986.)  Also, this is probably a bit too nitpicky, but where did Barry come up with $160 for the two pulls of the fire alarm?  I just figured that the gym teacher didn't rat him out.  

I did laugh when he told Barry to soak his rayon shirt with his boy tears. 

Oh and my biggest laugh of the night was Barry going through the five stages of grief with the JTP's help.  My favorite was "bargaining" and Matt just giving in and taking the hockey stick.  Also, Hubba Bubba soda pop must've been a real thing, but I never came across it here in Wyoming.  I miss Hubba Bubba gum!

Edited March 30, 2017 by Cowgirl

[DrSpaceman73]

4 hours ago, readster said:

My thing is, I enjoy sci-fi and fantasy, but as someone who enjoyed both the book and movies, I know where Adam was coming from. I'm someone who loves Harry Potter but hates Twilight. Who really enjoys magna, but didn't get into Dragonball Z until much later. I can enjoy Waiting for Godto but want The House of Bermuda Ald to burn. It just goes towards engagement and tastes. 

I'm more into sci fi than fantasy, so that has a lot to do with it.  I don't care much about Harry Potter either.  I don't dislike it, but I've never read the books and probably never will.  Seen a few of the movies and they are OK.  Same with Lord of the Rings, I can take it or leave it with the movies, but mostly leave the books.  I did read The Hobbit, it was OK, enjoyable, but didn't make me want to rush and read the rest.  I get the impression Adam is much the same way. 

[Traveller519]

Matt is such a welcome addition to the JTP! His genuine insight and empathy is tremendous contrast to the other sycophants who would only occasionally speak up. Both in the class during the the test and of course trying to help Barry through the five stages of grief.

"No, these aren't my Alley Horses!"

[Whimsy]

3 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

I didn't like that they had Barry do essentially a "promposal."  When I was growing up (I graduated in 92), there was no big overture to ask someone to the prom. It was just "Hey want to go to the prom with me?"   

'91 grad here and no one did "promposals" either.  I personally think they're dumb and adds a lot of pressure on these poor young boys. 

[tennisgurl]

I still love Matt, he's my favorite member of JTP! I loved him taking the hokey stick when Barry was "bargaining". I also loved the coach giving Barry a hug after he got dumped in front of everyone. "Did my girlfriend just dump me?" "Yes, Goldberg, in front of 100 of your judgmental peers."

Loved that they used real Jackie as TV Jackie's mom! I hope she pops up again, she and Adam seemed to be really on the same page. Is Real Adam still in touch with a bunch of his old friends, or is he just finding everyone on Facebook?

I also enjoyed watching Muscles and Dave Kim running commentary on Jackie and Adam. "You guys really don't know what a Fast Girl is do you?"

[Skyfall]

1 minute ago, tennisgurl said:

I still love Matt, he's my favorite member of JTP! I loved him taking the hokey stick when Barry was "bargaining". I also loved the coach giving Barry a hug after he got dumped in front of everyone. "Did my girlfriend just dump me?" "Yes, Goldberg, in front of 100 of your judgmental peers."

Loved that they used real Jackie as TV Jackie's mom! I hope she pops up again, she and Adam seemed to be really on the same page. Is Real Adam still in touch with a bunch of his old friends, or is he just finding everyone on Facebook?

I also enjoyed watching Muscles and Dave Kim running commentary on Jackie and Adam. "You guys really don't know what a Fast Girl is do you?"

STOP BEING SO INVOLVED DAVE KIM!

[biakbiak]

12 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

. Is Real Adam still in touch with a bunch of his old friends, or is he just finding everyone on Facebook?

He apparently is in touch a few of them work on the show.

[reggiejax]

I liked this episode, but I could have done with the latest round of nonsense that is the Geoff/Erica subplot. Especially since it led to the worst appearance yet of the Rush kid. I think we all could have done without seeing that pasty, doughy, blob the Rush kid calls an upper body.

[rmontro]

On 3/29/2017 at 10:08 PM, readster said:

What an enjoyable episode, but loved the fact that mom was the real Jackie. 

I enjoyed that also.  Not only that, but she did a great job playing the mom.

[Rowsdower]

10 hours ago, rmontro said:

I enjoyed that also.  Not only that, but she did a great job playing the mom.

Agreed.  It's because she's a professional actress.  This wasn't one of the usual walk-on cameos.

[Arynm]

I totally guessed cliff notes for the work around for Adam and my daughter (18) had no idea what they were. After I congratulated myself on my stellar parenting, I told her all about them. She was amazed that that was "a thing" I hope she doesn't get any bright ideas

Real Adam must be a very good friend for so many of his childhood buddies to still be in touch.

[Utpe]

CliffsNotes!!!

It was nice seeing Rowan Blanchard after Girl Meets World (2014 - 2017) was canceled.  I guess she really is a versatile actor.  Maybe being on a show outside of Disney gave her the opportunity to shine.

I'm glad to see Matt is still around.  I thought the writers were going to drop the ball and have him as a one-off character.

That ending was so sweet.  I can't believe Adam F. Goldberg actually managed to get his real prom date to play the mother.

Oh, and Hubba Bubba bubblegum soda!  I forgot how sugary those drinks were back then.  I was more of a Jolt Cola fan though.

[Cowgirl]

Forgot to mention earlier that I wonder if the prom dress was Jackie's actual dress from the 80's?  If not, the wardrobe dept. did a great job.  The bow was just a little floppier on the reinacted picture, as if had lost some of it's 80's zing, so that's what made me wonder if it was the original and not a recreated dress.

I re-watched this weekend and noticed that Johnny's girlfriend Carla, who came as Jeff's date, grabs Ruben and starts dancing with him, and when he tries to look at something else, she grabs his whole head and makes him focus on her.  It's one of those funny little background things when they are pulling back into a wider shot as Erica and Jeff are slow dancing while everyone else is fast dancing. 

Edited April 3, 2017 by Cowgirl
Remembered Carla's name!

[Rowsdower]

2 hours ago, Cowgirl said:

Forgot to mention earlier that I wonder if the prom dress was Jackie's actual dress from the 80's?  If not, the wardrobe dept. did a great job.  The bow was just a little floppier on the reinacted picture, as if had lost some of it's 80's zing, so that's what made me wonder if it was the original and not a recreated dress.

From Adam F. Goldberg‏'s Twitter feed:

Quote

Yes, that is my prom date @JackieRGeary playing the mother to her TV self. And yes, we perfectly re-created that giant pink bow.

[Cowgirl]

Aw!!  Thanks for letting us know that @Rowsdower.  

My senior prom date in 1986 wore a white tuxedo and top hat and had a white cane, just like Barry!  His top hat brim was bigger though. Barry's doesn't look as dapper. 

[shura]

Maybe the brim wasn't in the budget. Yo-Yo Ma doing amazing yo-yo tricks can't be cheap.

[Vyk]

On ‎4‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 11:50 AM, Cowgirl said:

I re-watched this weekend and noticed that Johnny's girlfriend Carla, who came as Jeff's date, grabs Ruben and starts dancing with him, and when he tries to look at something else, she grabs his whole head and makes him focus on her.  It's one of those funny little background things when they are pulling back into a wider shot as Erica and Jeff are slow dancing while everyone else is fast dancing. 

Speaking of Carla, I'm greatly confused about her.  Isn't she supposed to be Erica and Lainey's friend?  Last season, she was at Erica's pajama party in "Lucky," and they were both arrested together for shoplifting.  But nowadays, she and Johnny bag on pretty much everyone who gets embarrassed in some way, including Erica and Lainey.  So which is she?

[Cowgirl]

Yeah, I'm with you -- she's been one of the most inconsistent bits of writing in this show. They must really think the audience is stupid.  

In fact, before the pajama party you mentioned, she was Johhny's girlfriend in the episide a year or two prior where he asked Erica to a dance. At the end of that episode it's revealed he was going to take both of them to the dance because that's how he rolled.  Ugh. 

[biakbiak]

Or perhaps she is just one of those people who change their personality based on theit significant other it's not that uncommon particularly in high school.

[ByTor]

On 3/30/2017 at 6:21 AM, shoregirl said:

He also fired a beloved manager that the players loved with only 6 weeks left in the season

Off topic, I will always deeply resent him for that!  I'm STILL mad at Mitch Williams, so I guess I can kinda hold a grudge :)