Andi Mack - General Discussion

[Just Here]

A promotional clip for the season premiere:

[Just Here]

They're going there...
Disney Channel's Andi Mack to feature groundbreaking gay story line (EW.com):

Quote

Cyrus will soon begin realizing that he also has feelings for Jonah. When he confides this to their other best friend Buffy (Sofia Wylie), he finds an understanding and supportive friend that the network hopes will serve as a role model for both kids and adults. Throughout the rest of the season, Cyrus grapples with his continued journey of self-discovery alongside his friends Buffy and Andi, as well as how to tell his new girlfriend and more.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Beat me to it by 8 minutes! It was so obvious he had a crush on Jonah! 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/andi-mack-character-come-gay-220027091.html

Edited October 25, 2017 by Superclam

[Skyfall]

Y’all beat me by 40 and 30 Minutes! I wish Riley and Maya had been the first ones but lol take Cyrus too.

[RedFire2000]

Knew it! They’ve been dropping hints of Jonah's crush on Cyrus from day one. 

[Mabinogia]

12 hours ago, RedFire2000 said:

Knew it! They’ve been dropping hints of Jonah's crush on Cyrus from day one. 

And that is something I love. It is pretty clear this was always the plan for Cyrus and not some last minute decision to try to have a "very special episode" only to be forgotten. I'm actually pretty excited about this and feel this show might actually be able to do the story justice. They've handled it well so far, dropping enough hints that this isn't coming out of nowhere, but also being subtle enough that if it didn't feel too obvious.

This show has really grown on me. I wish Girl Meets World had been as well thought out. I hope Andi Mack never goes down the road to absurdity that that one did.

[Skyfall]

Cyrus looking (and sounding?) different in the second half is further proof to me they held back the true season finale from the first season.

[Dejana]

Cyrus' coming out scene was really well done. The aftershow seemed overly careful to avoid the word "gay", I'm not sure if this is because they're making a point that it hasn't been revealed how he identifies yet, or that the Disney Channel is still uncomfortable with actual LBGTQ+ terminology,  which would be weird given that they approved the storyline. Though the whole premise of the series is built around Andi being the child of a teen mom, but has the show ever used the word "pregnant" onscreen?

Buffy had an interesting point that maybe Andi isn't ready for a boyfriend. They are just seventh-graders so I would definitely agree, but relationships at that age often aren't very serious. A high school girl wanting to go out with a seventh grader makes even less sense than when I thought they were supposed to be in the eighth grade, unless this is a district where eighth graders are in the high school. 

I wonder if Iris will start to suspect that Cyrus likes guys or if it will blindside her to learn about it.

Amber's big secret is that her family ran into some financial problems and that's why she has a job now. How old is she anyway, and why do I have a sinking feeling that Jonah will backslide with her at least once?

Didn't really care about Bex and Bowie, I think it would have been obvious even to my tween self that she wasn't ready to marry him.

Buffy's antagonistic love interest looks like a baby Miles Teller.

Very distracting, how this episode was supposed to have taken place over a short period of time but was obviously filmed in two stages that were many months apart. That's the tricky thing about ending a story with a cliffhanger, when your cast is still growing. At least Harry Potter movies had a gap of a year or two between release dates.

Edited October 28, 2017 by Dejana

[Skyfall]

Put this in the wrong thread last night.

Cyrus looking (and sounding?) different in the second half is further proof to me they held back the true season finale from the first season.

14 hours ago, Dejana said:

Cyrus' coming out scene was really well done. The aftershow seemed overly careful to avoid the word "gay", I'm not sure if this is because they're making a point that it hasn't been revealed how he identifies yet, or that the Disney Channel is still uncomfortable with actual LBGTQ+ terminology,  which would be weird given that they approved the storyline. Though the whole premise of the series is built around Andi being the child of a teen mom, but has the show ever used the word "pregnant" onscreen?

Buffy had an interesting point that maybe Andi isn't ready for a boyfriend. They are just seventh-graders so I would definitely agree, but relationships at that age often aren't very serious. A high school girl wanting to go out with a seventh grader makes even less sense than when I thought they were supposed to be in the eighth grade, unless this is a district where eighth graders are in the high school. 

I wonder if Iris will start to suspect that Cyrus likes guys or if it will blindside her to learn about it.

Amber's big secret is that her family ran into some financial problems and that's why she has a job now. How old is she anyway, and why do I have a sinking feeling that Jonah will backslide with her at least once?

Didn't really care about Bex and Bowie, I think it would have been obvious even to my tween self that she wasn't ready to marry him.

Buffy's antagonistic love interest looks like a baby Miles Teller.

Very distracting, how this episode was supposed to have taken place over a short period of time but was obviously filmed in two stages that were many months apart. That's the tricky thing about ending a story with a cliffhanger, when your cast is still growing. At least Harry Potter movies had a gap of a year or two between release dates.

See above. First half was supposed to be the first season finale but they held it for season 2 for some reason AND THEN combined it with a new episode.

[omgsowicked]

25 minutes ago, Skyfall said:

Put this in the wrong thread last night.

Cyrus looking (and sounding?) different in the second half is further proof to me they held back the true season finale from the first season.

See above. First half was supposed to be the first season finale but they held it for season 2 for some reason AND THEN combined it with a new episode.

Huh, I did think Cyrus looked a little different over the course of an hour! Combining S1 and S2 episodes would explain it.

I binged this show last month and fell in love. I've haven't watched Disney Channel since My Babysitter's a Vampire ended five years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised to see such a refreshingly authentic show like this on Disney. I enjoy the humor and I think they have done/will do a good job handling these "heavier" topics, and at an age-appropriate level (and in a way that doesn't feel like young viewers are being talked down to). I'm glad kids have a show like this and I'm enjoying it as an adult.

I didn't know anything about this show before I watched S1 (other than the Andi/Bex twist) but I saw the hints about Cyrus and was hoping Disney Channel would go for it, so I was extremely happy that they not only did, but that they always intended to (I've since caught up a bit online). I thought the coming out scene was well done by both actors (Cyrus and Buffy). I thought Buffy was the BFF MVP over the two episodes, supporting both Cyrus and Andi. I wonder if she'll get stressed out after a while, since Andi and Cyrus both like the same guy and therefore supporting one goes against the other (I liked Cyrus saying he wanted to laugh about the situation with Andi). Or if, when Andi finds out about Cyrus and his feelings, she'll think Buffy's advice about her not being ready for a relationship (which I think may be true) was for Cyrus's benefit rather than hers. Hopefully there won't be any big blowups because they're a great trio. I'm excited to see how everything goes with Cyrus (he's been my favorite since the first episode) and how this affects his relationships with his parents (all four of them, one of whom is a blabbermouth... hopefully she makes an exception for her own kid), his friends, and Jonah and Iris (who seems extremely sweet... I hope they can remain friends when she finds out because they seem to be a good match, personality-wise).

I'm glad they're softening up Amber, since she's been a bit of a one note character, but she'll have to show some major growth to everyone, not just Jonah, to actually redeem her. Like, I'm sorry her family has financial troubles but she was very manipulative toward Jonah, and nasty to Andi, so I can't feel too much for her just yet.

Unfortunately, I was too eager to see Cyrus's coming out scene to care at all about Bex and Bowie's will they/won't they (plus, I figured she'd say no). I'm surprised I didn't see Bex considering beauty school until she had a pamphlet in her hands, since she's been shown doing makeup several times. I think that would be a good idea for her.

[angora]

Oh my gosh, Cyrus's FACE when he was coming out to Buffy!  My heart - poor little guy!  Kudos to Buffy for being such an amazing friend.

[Mabinogia]

9 hours ago, angora said:

Oh my gosh, Cyrus's FACE when he was coming out to Buffy!  My heart - poor little guy!  Kudos to Buffy for being such an amazing friend.

That scene was just beautifully acted. These kids can still be a bit hammy at times, but that scene was so well done. My heart was breaking. And go Buffy! Her response was about as perfect as it could be. I kind of feel bad for her though, she's now surrounded by relationship drama! 

In a weird way I felt bad for everyone this ep. Poor Andi gets the boy of her dreams and can barely talk (I know that feeling!), Cyrus is crushing on his BFF's boyfriend. His poor girlfriend has no idea he's not interested, Amber has been knocked clear off her pedestal. Buffy has to deal with everyone else's drama. Bowie is about to get his heart broken (um, when proposed to is clearly a no), and Bex just got blindsided. And yet, this didn't feel like a sad or depressing ep. It was actually quite good. 

This little show is really surprising me. 

[neuromom]

 I haven’t gotten a chance to watch this episode yet. I’m looking forward to it. But can anyone tell me if we  really should expect relationship drama just because Cyrus is crushing on Jonah? Is Jonah gay or bi? Because if he’s not, there can be nothing to come of the crush.   I guess it could be a good lesson in life for Cyrus though 

[Dejana]

6 hours ago, neuromom said:

 I haven’t gotten a chance to watch this episode yet. I’m looking forward to it. But can anyone tell me if we  really should expect relationship drama just because Cyrus is crushing on Jonah? Is Jonah gay or bi? Because if he’s not, there can be nothing to come of the crush.   I guess it could be a good lesson in life for Cyrus though 

Well, as of the latest episode, Cyrus officially has a girlfriend who gave him his first kiss, so she might have a slight problem with him being attracted to a boy!

A thirteen year old coming to terms with being gay (or not straight, at least) can be a story in itself. Besides the personal drama with Andi, other kids might find out and bully him.

Lots of Disney shows like this get 4 or 5 seasons. Jonah may not be the only boy Cyrus ever likes and at some point, he could get another love interest. Most people don't end up with their first crush/love and it's generally for the best. It's good for kids to learn how to move beyond an initial disappointment and realize that better things are around the corner.

As for Jonah, I am very hesitant to believe that, in addition to finally acknowledging that gay teens exist, Disney is also ready to depict bisexuality on the same show. Still, I honestly feel like the writing/acting with the Cyrus and Jonah scenes so far do seem to be laying the groundwork for a story beyond, "It's totally okay for straight guys and gay guys to be friends, kids!" I do remind myself that it's a different generation than when I was this age, guys can be popular/cool without having to shun someone who isn't hypermasculine, and maybe Jonah is just from a family of huggers or something, because he seems to find a way to touch Cyrus a lot... Yet, Jonah seemed genuinely attracted to Amber and Andi now, and not like he's only dating girls because society says he should.

Now, I think the real reason TPTB held back Episode 13 of S1 until now was because of the Cyrus storyline. Originally, S1 had 13 episodes with the last one being "Who Wants Pizza?" until it was shelved to be part of S2. If last season had ended with Cyrus coming out to Buffy, there would have been no new shows for months afterward. I think Disney knew everyone wouldn't like this development and thought the best way to proceed was to let the storyline unfold onscreen rather than give the Helen Lovejoy crowd months to be outraged and dream up hypothetical worst case scenarios of how innocent children would be indoctrinated to "alternative lifestyles"! I mean, they're saying that now, but at least there are the actual episodes to see, and people will be able to judge for themselves each week.

So, if it turns out that Jonah is also not straight, I don't think TPTB will be saying so months/years ahead of time.

Edited October 30, 2017 by Dejana

[Mr. Sparkle]

@Dejana, you pretty much said what I was going to, but did a much better job than I would have. 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Superclam
I's grammar is no good.

[neuromom]

I finally saw the episode tonight and I found the scene with Cyrus and Buffy to be touching. I was tearing up as Cyrus was! And I liked how, as he was struggling to tell Buffy his feelings, that she was perceptive enough to ask him “are you jealous?”  She really didn’t appear all that shocked, which was so nice to see- that despite her competitiveness and what I perceived a bit of a self-centeredness , she really does know and care about her closest friends.

And as far as drama is concerned..it appears that Cyrus is at least pretending to be happy for Andi without being outright jealous of her. It appeared he was struggling more with coming to grips with his own feelings. Can’t wait for him to tell Andi! I think there is potential for more “drama” in the Bex/Bowie arena, if she indeed turns down his proposal. Somehow I see Andi taking it harder than Bowie though.

so cute how Bowie and Celia were bonding! I need a Bowie in MY life. I have a black thumb.

[Mabinogia]

11 hours ago, neuromom said:

so cute how Bowie and Celia were bonding! I need a Bowie in MY life.

I kinda love Bowie! But I get why Bex wouldn't say yes. I mean, he can't have been back all that long, they have to get to know each other again, there was zero indication this was going to happen. The poor thing was blindsided. I think Bowie will understand but this is going to send Andi over the deep end.

I'm also curious how things will be when she finds out how Cyrus feels. It is hard to know that your BFF has feelings for your boyfriend. I think it will change her relationship with Jonah, but she won't tell Jonah why she's being weird around him (well, weirder) when Cyrus is around. I'm sure misunderstandings will abound.

I'm also curious to see if they are going to have a character who isn't accepting, and who that might be. Like, would Jonah be weirded out to find out his friend likes him that way? There is a lot of potential in this storyline if they handle it well.

[Dejana]

Several scenes from the upcoming season were released before the premiere on Disney's Youtube channel, here are the ones that haven't aired yet:

 

 

 

[Dejana]

On 10/31/2017 at 0:22 PM, Mabinogia said:

I'm also curious to see if they are going to have a character who isn't accepting, and who that might be. Like, would Jonah be weirded out to find out his friend likes him that way? There is a lot of potential in this storyline if they handle it well.

Jonah is so easygoing about everything, almost too much so, that it would be a nice change of pace to see him truly rattled by something and acknowledging it. That sort of angle seems more likely for the writers to pursue, given the confines of the Disney Channel.

So, who/what is in the mysterious photo if not Bowie? Is this a Bex Ex the family doesn't know about? Does Bowie need to call Maury Povich? :)  On the Freeform version of this show, maybe...

[Mabinogia]

17 minutes ago, Dejana said:

Does Bowie need to call Maury Povich? :)  On the Freeform version of this show, maybe...

That was my first thought. OMG Bowie isn't really the dad!?!?! But I hope that is not true. I like Bowie. I love how Celia has taken to him. But it would be far more realistic that Bex isn't still madly in love with her high school boyfriend just because he got her pregnant and that in the years since she has met a more mature love (meaning she is more mature and the person she is now is not the person she was in high school, not that Bowie isn't mature enough). 

It is actually a great, and very adult twist. I expected the show, being for kids and on Disney, to take the more fairy tale approach of Andi's parents still being the love of each others  lives. It's great they messed with that and Bex has a different love. 

This show is actually impressing me with how in-childlike it is. 

I forgot to mention a moment that finally made me kind of like Amber. When she told Jonah she didn't want to be his sad friend she preferred being his mean ex-girlfriend. I thought that was a fun moment. Also, that girl has got amazing shoulders. When she was walking back into the restaurant I thought "damn" her shoulders are perfect, not a slope in sight. Just a weird thing I noticed, because mine slope to the point I can't keep a purse strap up like EVER, so I'm totally envious of her amazingly straight shoulders. 

[omgsowicked]

On 10/31/2017 at 0:22 PM, Mabinogia said:

I'm also curious to see if they are going to have a character who isn't accepting, and who that might be. Like, would Jonah be weirded out to find out his friend likes him that way? There is a lot of potential in this storyline if they handle it well.

 

 

3 hours ago, Dejana said:

Jonah is so easygoing about everything, almost too much so, that it would be a nice change of pace to see him truly rattled by something and acknowledging it. That sort of angle seems more likely for the writers to pursue, given the confines of the Disney Channel.

So, who/what is in the mysterious photo if not Bowie? Is this a Bex Ex the family doesn't know about? Does Bowie need to call Maury Povich? :)  On the Freeform version of this show, maybe...

I agree, I think it would be interesting to have super chill Jonah be rattled by something. If he weren't the object of Cyrus's affections, I think he'd be totally fine with it but since he is, I could see him not being sure how to act, like how Cyrus freaked out when he thought Jonah said he was girly. Maybe he'd act weird and second-guess everything he did, and then talk it out with Cyrus and they'd both be able to move forward with their friendship (because I'm not sure Jonah will like Cyrus back, though I think they'd be cute together). I think it would be good to show reactions other than "very accepting" or "totally against".

I didn't expect that ripped up photo to be anything other than a photo of Bowie, so that was an exciting twist. I don't think it's Andi's real dad, or someone the family would hate (because Bowie was already that guy). I was thinking he's someone Bex got very serious with who bounced when she told him about Andi. I like how the family has warmed up to Bowie, so I hope that sticks even though he's not marrying Bex.

I enjoyed the Chinese New Year stuff, though I thought that Jonah snagging a potsticker from the alter made no sense at all. He was very respectful and interested in the whole thing, and Andi explained the praying ritual to him, so in what universe would he ever think, "I can totally take something from the alter, no bigs". If he had done it before they started praying, it would make sense that he had no clue the food wasn't to be eaten. I just thought that was dumb.

I was getting tired of Buffy and Marty's banter last season and it's the same thing so far this season. Buffy's gigantic ego and Marty's disbelief about it. OK then. Did laugh at Cyrus's "girl brah" comment.

[Skyfall]

5 hours ago, omgsowicked said:

 

I agree, I think it would be interesting to have super chill Jonah be rattled by something. If he weren't the object of Cyrus's affections, I think he'd be totally fine with it but since he is, I could see him not being sure how to act, like how Cyrus freaked out when he thought Jonah said he was girly. Maybe he'd act weird and second-guess everything he did, and then talk it out with Cyrus and they'd both be able to move forward with their friendship (because I'm not sure Jonah will like Cyrus back, though I think they'd be cute together). I think it would be good to show reactions other than "very accepting" or "totally against".

I didn't expect that ripped up photo to be anything other than a photo of Bowie, so that was an exciting twist. I don't think it's Andi's real dad, or someone the family would hate (because Bowie was already that guy). I was thinking he's someone Bex got very serious with who bounced when she told him about Andi. I like how the family has warmed up to Bowie, so I hope that sticks even though he's not marrying Bex.

I enjoyed the Chinese New Year stuff, though I thought that Jonah snagging a potsticker from the alter made no sense at all. He was very respectful and interested in the whole thing, and Andi explained the praying ritual to him, so in what universe would he ever think, "I can totally take something from the alter, no bigs". If he had done it before they started praying, it would make sense that he had no clue the food wasn't to be eaten. I just thought that was dumb.

I was getting tired of Buffy and Marty's banter last season and it's the same thing so far this season. Buffy's gigantic ego and Marty's disbelief about it. OK then. Did laugh at Cyrus's "girl brah" comment.

Later girl bruh!

[omgsowicked]

A little disappointed with the Gabriel reveal... I thought it would be something bigger than that. Maybe we'll hear more in the future.

I'm glad Buffy made the team but now we have to deal with that rude ass team captain. I need the basketball coach to notice his attitude ASAP and give that kid a talking to. At the very least, someone needs to remind him that it's just middle school basketball. Chill, bro. Also, I'm not into the Buffy/Marty banter but I loved the last bit they did. Loosely quoted: "What happened to your awesome comebacks?" "They went missing, just like your fashion sense." "Oh, there it is." That was well-delivered.

Amber's trying way too hard but I'm glad that her intentions seem to be good. And I don't normally notice this but I had the closed captioning on, so I saw the lyrics written out... was that a love song playing during that last scene with Andi and Amber at the clothing shop? Ordinarily I'd handwave it but considering they've been Going There (tm), I'm not going to discount anything, lol. I'm surprised Amber didn't get a little suspicious of Andi buying one of her shirts... maybe if Andi keeps offering money for things, she'll think Jonah spilled the beans even though she was explicit about him not saying anything, as she mentioned one had to be with him.

Poor Cyrus and Iris... they get along so well, except for the romantic stuff. I like that they showed him being super excited about kissing her the first time (probably because it was a "first," rather than because he enjoyed it) and now that he's actively questioning himself, not at all the second time. I also like that he's still fangirling over Jonah's compliments. Cyrus needs time to figure things out but I really hope he tells Iris what's going on as soon as he can because she's very sweet and shouldn't think that she's done something wrong. Or maybe she'll start putting two and two together herself, I don't know.

[Dejana]

I doubt we've heard the last of Gabriel. The idea of not all relationships being good for a person, or moving on from an old love, seems to be a recurrent theme of the show. So, my feeling is that the clock is ticking on Andi and Jonah, not only because 13 year olds rarely find "the one" so soon in life, but that the show is out to make that specific point.

The writers are moving too fast on the Amber redemption, or maybe went too far with making her so horrid last year? Maybe she wasn't conceived as a long-term character initially. Interesting to see her give Andi advice about dealing with Jonah. His personality is going to wear on Andi before long.

I guess Cyrus and Iris won't be dragged out for too long, then? They are pretty compatible in all the other ways, so if he puts her off for generic reasons, she would probably still hold out hope. I wonder if she'll end up being the first person to whom he'll describe himself as "gay".

From what's been shown, I have a hard time buying that a school of this size wouldn't have a girls' basketball team, so I spend Buffy's storyline wondering about the potential Title IX violations.

Next week will give more answers about Bex leaving home... Did Celia and Ham not know about her pregnancy beforehand? I hadn't considered that possibility.

Edited November 11, 2017 by Dejana

[paulvdb]

I feel bad for Iris. She had this whole romantic evening planned with Cyrus and all she got was a quick kiss that doesn't even count as a kiss. Of course this is Disney Channel so not much more would have happened if Cyrus had been straight.

[neuromom]

 I can’t believe I am enjoying the show as much as I am. I’m not even part of the target demographic !

 I like that when Andi asked Bex if Gabriel was the reason she couldn’t marry Bowie, and she said it was possibly the reason she couldn’t marry ANYONE. It makes it more complex and real to me. It’s NOT about Bowie vs Gabriel, but about something internal for Bex. Very nice that Andi was able  to help her with her closure ceremony, without being overly dramatic and judgmental about Bowie.

 So how old is Amber supposed to be? I thought she was in ninth grader? And that Jonah was in eighth grade ?  And the other three are in seventh grade?   If Amber is actually working at a business, I would think she would be at least 15 1/2? Although I don’t know what the laws are these days .  That would put her as older than Jonah then I originally thought.  

At first I thought it was odd that the junior high did not have a girls basketball team. However when I saw how many kids came to try out, it seemed there were not many.  Maybe they’re just is not an interest for girls and basketball. I think my sons high school appears to be similar in size to this junior high, and they are barely fielding   A boys soccer team.  And they canceled tryouts for the girls team because of lack of interest .

 I kind of like the banter between Buffy and Marty .  He’s a sweet kid,  and I think he may be a good influence in grounding Buffy.

i hope Cyrus finds the courage to tell Iris. I’d be concerned that she would blame herself if he breaks up with her for generic reasons. It may be easier on her if she knows it’s NOT her.

 Can’t wait for next week. I’ve been wanting to know since the very beginning why Bex  left home 

Edited November 13, 2017 by neuromom

[Dejana]

5 hours ago, neuromom said:

 So how old is Amber supposed to be? I thought she was in ninth grader? And that Jonah was in eighth grade ?  And the other three are in seventh grade?   If Amber is actually working at a business, I would think she would be at least 15 1/2? Although I don’t know what the laws are these days .  That would put her as older than Jonah then I originally thought.  

At first I thought it was odd that the junior high did not have a girls basketball team. However when I saw how many kids came to try out, it seemed there were not many.  Maybe they’re just is not an interest for girls and basketball. I think my sons high school appears to be similar in size to this junior high, and they are barely fielding   A boys soccer team.  And they canceled tryouts for the girls team because of lack of interest .

I'm not sure where the show is supposed to take place but it films in Utah and there have been shots of the mountains in the outdoor scenes, so, going with that, according to the Utah Labor Commission's website:
 

Quote

At what ages are minors allowed to do certain jobs?

Minors can work in retail trade, in the restaurant industry, do office work and do other types of non-hazardous work beginning at age 14. Certain other types of work such as newspaper delivery, lawn care, babysitting, etc. can be performed at younger ages. There are hour restrictions that apply to minors under the age of 16. Child Labor Laws prohibit minors under 18 from working in 17 different occupations determined to be hazardous

So, Amber could be 14 and in the 9th grade and working afterschool hours. I could swear she mentioned that Jonah would be going to high school next year at some point, maybe to her HS friends teasing him. Andi turned 13 in the first episode, which took place in the middle of the school year. Many 7th graders reach 13 during the year and Cyrus/Buffy being in the same grade as her makes sense. Initially, the three of them seemed to view Jonah as this popular guy not on their level, which would fit with him being a year older than them.

Most of the high school teachers I know say they've seen a dip in extracurricular participation from the aughts to this decade. I know some high schools that pad out their numbers with letting middle schoolers take part in the sports teams, though usually with 8th as opposed to 7th graders. It's a tween sitcom, so Buffy joining the formerly all-boys team is the a simple but emphatic way to show a girl breaking barriers.

Edited November 14, 2017 by Dejana

[neuromom]

8 minutes ago, Dejana said:

I'm not sure where the show is supposed to take place but it films in Utah and there have been shots of the mountains in the outdoor scenes, so, going with that, according to the Utah Labor Commission's website:
 

So, Amber could be 14 and in the 9th grade and working afterschool hours. I could swear she mentioned that Jonah would be going to high school next year at some point, maybe to her HS friends teasing him. Andi turned 13 in the first episode, which took place in the middle of the school year. Many 7th graders reach 13 during the year and Cyrus/Buffy being in the same grade as her makes sense. Initially, the three of them seemed to view Jonah as this popular guy not on their level, which would fit with him being a year older than them.

Most of the high school teachers I know say they've seen a dip in extracurricular participation from the aughts to this decade. I know some high schools that pad out their numbers with letting middle schoolers take part in the sports teams, though usually with 8th as opposed to 7th graders. It's a tween sitcom, so Buffy joining the formerly all-boys team is the a simple but emphatic way to show a girl breaking barriers.

Thanks for the info!

and ironically, I was just talking to my son tonight about his soccer team. They barely had enough boys to make a team, and there was no girls team because there went enough girls. And he mentioned that a girlfriend of his really wanted to play but the coach said no. I told him that if she was seriously interested she should fight for it (I doubt she will. She will probably go out for basketball instead). Buffy is fortunate to have a progressive coach who places kids in the team based on their ability.

[Dejana]

Bex left when Andi's first word was "Mama"...said to Celia! Ouch. And Celia's first instinct was to be completely thrilled, while Ham at least considered how hurtful it would be to Bex. My inner nitpicker still wonders how Celia and Ham sidestepped all the paperwork/identification issues in the 21st century wiithout a formal adoption, but I know I have to handwave all that as Disney Magic.

Another kid show handwavium thing is the lack of parents at the hospital for Cyrus. Even if he only broke his thumb, I'm sure that IRL at least one of his for parents/stepparents would have been at the hospital and not let him out of their sight. I wonder whether or not we'll see a big Bar Mitzvah bash for him onscreen. 

Buffy got a nice lesson in the pitfalls of being too competitive.

Looks like Andi gets in trouble next week. Maybe she learns about the house being sold and rebels. I think the previews are making it look like Amber set her up, but I'm guessing that's not what will really happen.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Dejana

[paulvdb]

18 minutes ago, Dejana said:

My inner nitpicker still wonders how Celia and Ham sidestepped all the paperwork/identification issues in the 21st century wiithout a formal adoption, but I know I have to handwoven all that as Disney Magic.

Another nitpick: would none of their friends or neighbors have seen a pregnant Bex or have known that Bex was Andi's mother back when she was a baby? I had originally assumed that the parent switch had been planned before Andi was born but that is clearly not the case. So why did nobody ever tell Andi that Bex was her mother?

[Dejana]

1 hour ago, paulvdb said:

Another nitpick: would none of their friends or neighbors have seen a pregnant Bex or have known that Bex was Andi's mother back when she was a baby? I had originally assumed that the parent switch had been planned before Andi was born but that is clearly not the case. So why did nobody ever tell Andi that Bex was her mother?

The easiest storyline would have had Bex living somewhere else when Andi was born, so that no one in town ever knew about her having a baby. The young daughter being shut up inside to conceal her pregnancy as the mother fakes one and passes off the grandchild as her own, seems very old fashioned for 2004. I guess we're supposed to believe that the extended family and neighbors all minded their p's and q's enough for the truth not to slip out years earlier. Given what we've seen of Aunt Mei for one, it seems rather unlikely.  More Disney magic, I suppose...

Edited November 18, 2017 by Dejana

[Skyfall]

3 hours ago, paulvdb said:

Another nitpick: would none of their friends or neighbors have seen a pregnant Bex or have known that Bex was Andi's mother back when she was a baby? I had originally assumed that the parent switch had been planned before Andi was born but that is clearly not the case. So why did nobody ever tell Andi that Bex was her mother?

And @Dejana In this episode they gave us a reasonable explanation. Celia was acting like the mother and even the doctor thought she was the mother.

[Dejana]

2 hours ago, Skyfall said:

And @Dejana In this episode they gave us a reasonable explanation. Celia was acting like the mother and even the doctor thought she was the mother.

The doctor isn't the one filing the insurance paperwork... Great, now I'm wondering how Celia and Ham got Andi medical coverage, if there was never any sort of formal custody arrangement and in legal terms, they were grandparents, not parents/legal guardians. Companies these days (and schools) expect people to prove the children they claim as theirs, actually are, and it's much harder to sidestep/fake than in decades past.

If there had been a legal agreement, surely, it would have come up at some point when Bex showed up after such a long time and started overruling Celia's parenting decisions? After one of Bex's "I'm her mother!" declarations, Celia would've retorted, "That's not what the state says!" Their arguments have been plenty cutting/nasty at times (shockingly so, for the Disney Channel), so clearly, Celia didn't have that card to throw. It's also awfully convenient that Bowie never heard from any mutual friends about Bex's pregnancy or the new baby in the Mack family. He left town and there were no smartphones or Instagram in 2004, but there was still email...and Myspace. You know his band had one!

I know, the answer to everything is that it's a TV show, often light in tone and one for tweens at that, so things like logistics and legalities are beside the point. :)

Edited November 18, 2017 by Dejana

[Mabinogia]

Out of curiosity I just looked it up. If Bex agreed, Celia and Ham could be granted legal custody of Andi. After being told she was basically incapable of taking care of her daughter, being scared about all the things that could go wrong, and then hearing Andi call Celia "mama" I could see teenage Bex think she was doing the right thing by giving her parents custody. And she wouldn't be wrong, in that Andi had a permanent roof over her head, insurance, a good education, etc. All things a teenage Bex who just ran away from home couldn't have provided. 

"If the biological parents do not show up at the child custody hearing, or assert their wish for custody at the hearing, the court will likely grant custody to you as long as you have proven that you have a strong relationship with the child (or children) and that it is in the best interests of the child to live with you. Likewise, if the parents sign off on custody or transfer it to you, the court will respect this."

It's not out of the realm of possibility that Bex didn't go to the custody hearing, if there was one, because she either never got the notice because she moved around, or she was afraid to face her parents, or she just plain felt it was best for Andi if she stayed away. I think hearing Andi call Celia "mama" really, really threw Bex to the point she wouldn't fight for custody at that time. 

I'm sure the show isn't really concerned about the legality of it all, and that's fine with me. I like the story they are telling so I really hadn't given it a second thought. But it is interesting. I mean, basically Andi's mother abandoned her, so someone had to care for Andi. I can't imagine any court deciding to put her in foster care rather than let the grandparents who have been raising her continue to raise her. Of course then there's the matter of Brody and what his rights were in all this. 

I am surprised they went this route as I assumed that they hid Bex's pregnancy and pretended all along that Andi was Celia's baby. Now I wonder who in town knew the truth. 

[Dejana]

5 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Out of curiosity I just looked it up. If Bex agreed, Celia and Ham could be granted legal custody of Andi. After being told she was basically incapable of taking care of her daughter, being scared about all the things that could go wrong, and then hearing Andi call Celia "mama" I could see teenage Bex think she was doing the right thing by giving her parents custody. And she wouldn't be wrong, in that Andi had a permanent roof over her head, insurance, a good education, etc. All things a teenage Bex who just ran away from home couldn't have provided. 

"If the biological parents do not show up at the child custody hearing, or assert their wish for custody at the hearing, the court will likely grant custody to you as long as you have proven that you have a strong relationship with the child (or children) and that it is in the best interests of the child to live with you. Likewise, if the parents sign off on custody or transfer it to you, the court will respect this."

It's not out of the realm of possibility that Bex didn't go to the custody hearing, if there was one, because she either never got the notice because she moved around, or she was afraid to face her parents, or she just plain felt it was best for Andi if she stayed away. I think hearing Andi call Celia "mama" really, really threw Bex to the point she wouldn't fight for custody at that time. 

I'm sure the show isn't really concerned about the legality of it all, and that's fine with me. I like the story they are telling so I really hadn't given it a second thought. But it is interesting. I mean, basically Andi's mother abandoned her, so someone had to care for Andi. I can't imagine any court deciding to put her in foster care rather than let the grandparents who have been raising her continue to raise her. Of course then there's the matter of Brody and what his rights were in all this. 

I am surprised they went this route as I assumed that they hid Bex's pregnancy and pretended all along that Andi was Celia's baby. Now I wonder who in town knew the truth. 

I wasn't questioning that Celia and Ham could have been granted legal custody of Andi--of course, they were the natural candidates. It's just that in situations where the biological parent chooses not to...well, parent for 12 years, there's a bit more to resuming that role than coming back home and declaring, "I'm the mother now!"

With Celia being so dead-set against Andi learning the truth or anything changing about the arrangement at first, and thinking Bex was such an immature flake... A legal guardian probably would have some recourse to say, "Not so fast!" and make a court weigh in about Bex being a responsible adult first. And with their relationship being presented as extremely difficult, it's not like Celia never would have considered it.

Instead, Bex came back out of the blue to reclaim Andi, and Celia just got into arguments with Bex, stress excersised and cried about it all. That's what got people wondering if there ever was an adoption/guardianship/custody agreement/etc., or if it ws all just done informally, and that's how Bex so easily came back and in no time flat, completely took over Andi's care in a legal sense. A "We'll see what our lawyer has to say!" from Celia here (though having a change of heart before the credits), a pizza celebration there after Bex's parental rights are restored, and you've paid lip service to the technicalities without bogging the story down in drama. 

Edited November 19, 2017 by Dejana

[Mabinogia]

8 hours ago, Dejana said:

Bex so easily came back and in no time flat, completely took over Andi's care in a legal sense.

Did she? Is Bex Andi's legal guardian now? Is it because of that time she went to talk to the teacher? Because I doubt Andi is on Bex's insurance, since I doubt Bex actually has insurance from her little job at the consignment shop. And if Andi is still on her grandparents insurance most likely they are still her legal guardians and are letting Bex raise her. IDK, I just think throwing all that in is not something the target audience, basically kids, really needs. I doubt there are that many 8-12 year olds wondering who Andi's legal guardian is, at least I hope not. I would hope kids still have enough of a sense of imagination not to worry about such things. 

Now, if this were a Lifetime movie, yes, we need to deal with the legality of it all. But it's a half hour Disney Channel show so not really a priority in my mind. 

[Dejana]

5 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Did she? Is Bex Andi's legal guardian now? Is it because of that time she went to talk to the teacher? Because I doubt Andi is on Bex's insurance, since I doubt Bex actually has insurance from her little job at the consignment shop. And if Andi is still on her grandparents insurance most likely they are still her legal guardians and are letting Bex raise her. IDK, I just think throwing all that in is not something the target audience, basically kids, really needs. I doubt there are that many 8-12 year olds wondering who Andi's legal guardian is, at least I hope not. I would hope kids still have enough of a sense of imagination not to worry about such things. 

Now, if this were a Lifetime movie, yes, we need to deal with the legality of it all. But it's a half hour Disney Channel show so not really a priority in my mind. 

At the point where Bex decided Andi would be moving out, and Celia acted like she could do nothing to stop it from happening...it would seem so? Of course it's a nitpick. I acknowledged as much? It's not really surprising the show is glossing over boring life details.

To bring the discussion back to the actual show, I hope Buffy's jerk teammate gets kicked off the team and Marty gets his spot. Some of those guys are looking a bit long in the tooth for middle school, though!

Edited November 19, 2017 by Dejana

[Mabinogia]

Nothing wrong with nitpicking, we all do it. I just doubt we will get an answer on this particular one. They are a bit inconsistent about who can do what in regards to Andi. I'd like to think that, deep down, Celia knew it was right to let Andi go with Bex and to let Bex finally step up as a mother. So while she protested, because she doesn't want to lose Andi, she also wasn't going to legally go after her daughter for wanting to bond with Andi and be her mom. Given what Celia said this ep about how brave Bex was for leaving, I think she really, deep down, wanted Bex to come back and claim her place as Andi's mother, but when it happened, Celia wasn't ready to let go of Andi. 

Yeah, those "boys" are a bit old looking for middle school. They must have a really progressive meal plan at that school. I'm curious how the Buffy storyline is going to go. Is the jerk going to see the error of his ways and embrace Buffy as a teammate? That doesn't seem terribly realistic. Have we met Buffy or Cyrus' families yet? I did find it odd that Cyrus' parents weren't shown at the hospital at all, and at first I thought Buffy was hanging out with her grandmother, when she was with Juliette Mills. I remember it being references at some point that Buffy's mom (or both parents) were away? When she asked Bex for help with her hair. Do they travel for work? 

[neuromom]

I agree with the above nitpicks. Like, Bex walked out and was gone for 13 years, yet I thought when she returned home , Andi was all excited to see her “sister”, like they were raised together as sisters. So now we are told that apparently they haven’t spent any time together in 13 years?

And we are supposed to believe that it was some “great sacrifice” by walking away? Like she couldn’t stay home and raise her daughter with Celia’s assistance?  Not only that, she DIDNT notify Bowie that he had a child, thus depriving him of ANY of his parental rights? Though Celia and Ham hold guilt in that decision was well. Even if Bowie was as immature as Bex, HIS parents were deprived of their grandchild. 

I kniw, I’m thinking way to much about this. 

Oh, and Buffy’s Mom is overseas military. There was never a mention of her dad , as I recall.

and I can believe the pediatrician didn’t know who was the Mom. When my son had a pediatrician, he barely remembers my SON , let alone who the parent was.

Edited November 20, 2017 by neuromom

[Mabinogia]

15 minutes ago, neuromom said:

Oh, and Buffy’s Mom is overseas military. There was never a mention of her dad , as I recall.

Thank you. I knew she was away for some reason I just couldn't remember. 

I am a bit confused about the "sisters" thing. I was under the impression Bex would come home to visit, probably holidays at least, and always sent Andi letters and little gifts from her travels. But this ep did make it feel like she just vanished. 

I do think it was more selfishness than sacrifice that made Bex leave. She left because Andi didn't call her mom. I think it was best for Andi because if she had stayed she and Celia would be constantly at odd, constantly fighting and that would be a terrible environment for Andi to grow up in. So in the end she did do the best thing for her daughter, I just don't think she was really thinking about her daughters best interests at the time. I don't entirely blame her, she was pretty young and totally unprepared for motherhood. 

I just rewatched. So do people think that Bex and Andi will end up moving back into the house or are they going to minimize Celia and Ham's roles? I think it would be more interesting to have them all living under the same roof again but now that Bex and Celia seem to have made up maybe they feel there is no more story to tell there. 

Edited November 20, 2017 by Mabinogia

[neuromom]

2 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Thank you. I knew she was away for some reason I just couldn't remember. 

I am a bit confused about the "sisters" thing. I was under the impression Bex would come home to visit, probably holidays at least, and always sent Andi letters and little gifts from her travels. But this ep did make it feel like she just vanished. 

I do think it was more selfishness than sacrifice that made Bex leave. She left because Andi didn't call her mom. I think it was best for Andi because if she had stayed she and Celia would be constantly at odd, constantly fighting and that would be a terrible environment for Andi to grow up in. So in the end she did do the best thing for her daughter, I just don't think she was really thinking about her daughters best interests at the time. I don't entirely blame her, she was pretty young and totally unprepared for motherhood. 

I just rewatched. So do people think that Bex and Andi will end up moving back into the house or are they going to minimize Celia and Ham's roles? I think it would be more interesting to have them all living under the same roof again but now that Bex and Celia seem to have made up maybe they feel there is no more story to tell there. 

I like Lauren Tom, so I hope they keep Celia around! And I like Ham being the voice of reason..and optimism. I like his vibe with Andi too.

Im thinking that Bex and Andi May move back. Wasn’t Bex thinking of going back to school? (Cosmetology or something?) moving back home would make it easier to go to school. 

[neuromom]

So I was just rewatching , and I still don’t get why Baby Andi is somehow at fault for Bex leaving. She said “mama”, and apparently was facing Celia at one point. But she never reached out for Celia or anything. It was Celia who grabbed Andi, totally disregarding Bex’s feelings. You can see Celia fawning all over Andi in the background as Bex walked out. It was Ham who was in tune to Bex’s feelings.

also, come to think of it, Celia was calling Bex “Rebecca” in the flashbacks, but Ham was calling her Bex. I wonder if there is some meaning to that. 

[Aliconehead]

I wish there had been more flashbacks. I felt the Celua one was obviously skewed to making her look good but the Bex one seemed like it could have happened that way. I wish they had made it more obvious that the memory was skewed. I also wish that there had been more that showed that Andi preferred CeCe. And that mama scene would have been better if the baby had been crying, reached for CeCe and said mama. 

Babies call everyone mama. 

[Dejana]

On 11/19/2017 at 11:27 PM, neuromom said:

So I was just rewatching , and I still don’t get why Baby Andi is somehow at fault for Bex leaving. She said “mama”, and apparently was facing Celia at one point. But she never reached out for Celia or anything. It was Celia who grabbed Andi, totally disregarding Bex’s feelings. You can see Celia fawning all over Andi in the background as Bex walked out. It was Ham who was in tune to Bex’s feelings.

also, come to think of it, Celia was calling Bex “Rebecca” in the flashbacks, but Ham was calling her Bex. I wonder if there is some meaning to that. 

Ham respected Bex's wishes on how to be addressed while Celia was probably the type who found nicknames terribly informal, if not downright disrespectful. I suppose Andi is only Andi (as opposed to, IDK, Andrea) because Bex was around to name her. I have known a Celia type or two who wouldn't have been averse to changing the child's name to something more "suitable" once the mother was out of the picture.

 

16 hours ago, Aliconehead said:

I wish there had been more flashbacks. I felt the Celua one was obviously skewed to making her look good but the Bex one seemed like it could have happened that way. I wish they had made it more obvious that the memory was skewed. I also wish that there had been more that showed that Andi preferred CeCe. And that mama scene would have been better if the baby had been crying, reached for CeCe and said mama. 

Babies call everyone mama. 

My friend's kid called everyone "Dadda" to start, but this. Though even the child acting on this show was a bit rough in the early days, so with actual babies, forget it, we probably saw the best take out of ten for the limited amount of time Baby Andi was onscreen.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Dejana

[Dejana]

The Amber Redemption Tour hits a snag... I wonder where Iris was, this week? She seems like a really nice girl who isn't judgmental at all. Maybe she wasn't an option because their families know each other and would report back to Amber's parents. Anyway,  Amber seemed to be having a good time until she saw the phone with Jonah calling Andi. Of course Amber is responsible for her own actions, but I thought her comment basically blaming the way she acted last season on her feelings for Jonah making her a bit crazy, was really interesting. Andi said something similar, that time she asked if they were ever really friends, and being in Jonah's presence is practically an out-of-body experience for Cyrus, even after all this time. 

Bex and Bowie looked very comfortable together, and not just in a co-parenting sort of way. Nice way to tie Bex's cosmetology school studies into the main plot of the week. Wasn't it just a couple episodes ago that she was thinking about going back to school? Now she seems well into the course. I guess she'll graduate before the season is over, land a better job and be able to afford the house if Celia and Ham still move out. They seem to have made up, Bex and Celia, but I still don't picture them living under the same roof all of the time. And production-wise, they can re-dress the apartment set as Celia and Ham's new place, if we ever see it. 

So, the team captain who obviously belongs in high school is just a sexist. Where is the coach in all of this? 

Next week it looks like the school is doing that lesson in discrimination/prejudice where students are divided into teams, with one group getting more privileges and better treatment than the other.

During a commercial break, there was this music video with the actor who plays Jonah singing some Christmas song on an obvious street set, surrounded by a bunch of girls and fake snow. It was more "Disney Channel" than anything ever done on the actual show.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Dejana

[Skyfall]

1 hour ago, Dejana said:

The Amber Redemption Tour hits a snag... I wonder where Iris was, this week? She seems like a really nice girl who isn't judgmental at all. Maybe she wasn't an option because their families know each other and would report back to Amber's parents. Anyway,  Amber seemed to be having a good time until she saw the phone with Jonah calling Andi. Of course Amber is responsible for her own actions, but I thought her comment basically blaming the way she acted last season on her feelings for Jonah making her a bit crazy, was really interesting. Andi said something similar, that time she asked if they were ever really friends, and being in Jonah's presence is practically an out-of-body experience for Cyrus. 

Bex and Bowie looked very comfortable together, and not just in a co-parenting sort of way. Nice way to tie Bex's cosmetology school studies into the main plot of the week. Wasn't it just a couple episodes ago that she was thinking about going back to school? Now she seems well into the course. I guess she'll graduate before the season is over, land a better job and be able to afford the house if Celia and Ham still move out. They seem to have made up, Bex and Celia, but I still don't picture them living under the same roof all of the time. And production-wise, they can re-dress the apartment set as Celia and Ham's new place, if we ever see it. 

So, the team captain who obviously belongs in high school is just a sexist. Where is the coach in all of this? 

Next week it looks like the school is doing that lesson in discrimination/prejudice where students are divided into teams, with one group getting more privileges and better treatment than the other.

During a commercial break, there was this music video with the actor who plays Jonah singing some Christmas song on an obvious street set, surrounded by a bunch of girls and fake snow. It was more "Disney Channel" then anything ever done on the actual show.

And auto tune, doesn’t not forget the auto tune.

[Mabinogia]

That music video was just painful. He didn't even sound like a human being. It was very, very Disney. 

I am a little disappointed they went this direction with Amber. I think it could have been interesting to see Andi and her become friends, while Andi's friends still don't like her. Maybe they will get there, but making her the "villain" again is just too simple. 

Bex and Brodie are adorable. I hope they make it work because if not Andi's heart is going to be shattered. She is very invested in her parents' relationship. 

[Dejana]

1 hour ago, Skyfall said:

And auto tune, doesn’t not forget the auto tune.

Ugh, yes, the same light touch used for Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast.  Given that the Disney Channel likes to push the acting/singing/dancing triple threats (some of them are more "triple threats" but they are hyped, nevertheless), I'm surprised and impressed the network resisted the chance to make the Jonah character a singer who returns to his hometown school when he's not working. 

Edited November 25, 2017 by Dejana

[Rowsdower]

This week's main story undoubtedly was inspired by Jane Elliott's famous "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" exercise, which is impactful on schoolchildren and adults alike.

 

 

 

 

[neuromom]

The social experiment was interesting.  I know it’s been around for many years because they did at my school over 40 years ago . The fact that I remember it is a testament to what a powerful lesson it was. I wonder how many kids besides Andi had figured out the social experiment angle ? My guess is that this yonger generation is more “socially conscious “ than prior generations. That’s my perception anyway! 

I initally agreed with CeCe about Andi being “tougher than you think” - Until Bex actually told her, and Andi was upset because of the fact that “you guys just showed up but Andi Shack has been there MY WHOLE LIFE.” 

Bam. Made total sense ! And even though Bex was correct that Andi would be “crushed”, I don’t think she even had a clue as to the reason WHY.

yep. Bex and Brodie are cute! I enjoy his relationship with CeCe as well.