S02.E09: S-T-- STAR W-- WARS W-- WARS

[Drogo]

Two tickets to the premiere of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" promise a glorious night for JJ and Ray until JJ's pulled to the dark side by a pretty classmate who hopes to take Ray's ticket. Back at home, Maya, Jimmy and Dylan enjoy a rare night at home without the boys. Meanwhile, Kenneth's secret after-hours hangout at Lafayette is compromised when Dr. Miller discovers his late-night escapades.

[GRChereck]

Aww! :)

Also, Jimmy was in a punk band -- why am I not surprised? So was the fella who plays him:

Splitsider: John Ross Bowie Talks '90s New York Pop-Punk :D

Okay, so I'm not the biggest 'Star Wars' fan (I saw the original trilogy when it was reissued on the big screen in early 1997, but I haven't had much desire to revisit it on video or TV) -- not to mention that more ABC/Disney cross-promotion a week after a 'Bachelor' alum guest-starred seems to be pushing overkill -- but this must have really been a blast for the cast and crew, and the show hasn't lost sight of the character dynamics at its heart.

I was most psyched for the Dylan/parents grouping; it stands to reason that between JJ's needs and Ray's issues, the boys do tend to affect most of their parents' day-to-day decisions, and their sister usually ends up fending for herself. All three characters must be used to putting others' happiness ahead of their own by now, but Maya and Dylan relishing the opportunity to enjoy an evening at home without the boys while Jimmy (being quieter and less assertive than the ladies) has to be manipulated into doing and getting what he wants seemed an oddly appropriate angle for this plot to take.

The Kenneth/Dr. Miller plot wasn't a direct follow-up to their missed coffee-date in "R-O--Road T-R--Trip" (1x11), but I wasn't expecting it to be since that was quite a while ago anyway; I thought Kenneth exploring the school after dark was fun (he still had his keys from his old groundskeeping job), and his celebration for Miller at the end was sweet.

As for JJ/Ray, my biggest laugh the entire episode was how Logan said without hesitation, "I like screwin' over JJ" when Ray asked him if he liked 'Star Wars.' xD JJ realizing he wanted Ray (rather than his own date) to take him to the restroom was a sweet moment; JJ's confession that he's been missing Ray since Ray's been spending more time with Taylor seemed to come out of nowhere and I'm not sure it landed as well as, say, the beach-bonding session in "R-A-Y-C--Ray-Cation" (1x8), but I suppose it must have been a hard thing for JJ to admit given all their past tensions and teasing.

Edited December 7, 2017 by GRChereck
typo

[ItCouldBeWorse]

15 minutes ago, GRChereck said:

JJ realizing he wanted Ray (rather than his own date) to take him to the restroom was a sweet moment;

JJ never intended for her to do so, nor would she likely have been able to; I assume that she would have to help him pull his pants down, slide onto the toilet, and then reverse the procedure (Ray called it bathroom transfer.)  I'm actually kind of surprised that Dylan still does it with him, although I don't think there's anything wrong with her doing so.

Did it bother anyone else how much "free" frozen yogurt Kenneth was consuming?

Edited December 7, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[GRChereck]

15 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

JJ never intended for her to do so, nor would she likely have been able to; I assume that she would have to help him pull his pants down, slide onto the toilet, and then reverse the procedure (Ray called it bathroom transfer.)

Yeah, I could've worded that better -- I meant Ray taking JJ to the restroom was a sweet moment, plus I got the feeling that JJ realized he should've given Ray his second ticket in the first place rather than take his chances with a girl he knew wouldn't be able to do bathroom transfers (though JJ had planned to avoid drinking anything on his date, what if he'd ended up having to go anyway and Ray hadn't been able to get in the theater with Logan?).

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, GRChereck said:

Yeah, I could've worded that better -- I meant Ray taking JJ to the restroom was a sweet moment, plus I got the feeling that JJ realized he should've given Ray his second ticket in the first place rather than take his chances with a girl he knew wouldn't be able to do bathroom transfers (though JJ had planned to avoid drinking anything on his date, what if he'd ended up having to go anyway and Ray hadn't been able to get in the theater with Logan?).

He was blinded by lust; he didn't give sufficient thought to potential problems.  It's not fair, but he can't afford to be that carefree in life unless he's willing to wear adult diapers.

[Mystery]

My favorite line: "Don't make me make you say it." 

[GRChereck]

3 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Did it bother anyone else how much "free" frozen yogurt Kenneth was consuming?

Yup. xD It may not be a very big part of the budget, but it would suck if it ran out in the middle of serving kids at lunch. (Also, unless it's the fat-free kind, I imagine eating as much as Kenneth does kinda negates his gym workout!)

[ItCouldBeWorse]

7 minutes ago, GRChereck said:

Yup. xD It may not be a very big part of the budget, but it would suck if it ran out in the middle of serving kids at lunch. (Also, unless it's the fat-free kind, I imagine eating as much as Kenneth does kinda negates his gym workout!)

Yes to both, but it was the cost I was thinking of.  He's probably not entitled to eat it for free even during school hours, but at night, it's definitely stealing (from tax payers.)  I wasn't crazy about the free vending machine candy either.

[bros402]

3 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

JJ never intended for her to do so, nor would she likely have been able to; I assume that she would have to help him pull his pants down, slide onto the toilet, and then reverse the procedure (Ray called it bathroom transfer.)  I'm actually kind of surprised that Dylan still does it with him, although I don't think there's anything wrong with her doing so.

Did it bother anyone else how much "free" frozen yogurt Kenneth was consuming?

I was wondering why the machine had so much in it - I imagine they would clean the machine out!
 

31 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Yes to both, but it was the cost I was thinking of.  He's probably not entitled to eat it for free even during school hours, but at night, it's definitely stealing (from tax payers.)  I wasn't crazy about the free vending machine candy either.

With the free vending machine candy, Dr. Miller seems like the kind of character who would use that debug code, then put money into the machine later because she feels bad.

The celebration at the end was great, though.

This wasn't a bad episode, but it wasn't a great episode, I liked all of it, but it felt a bit uneven for some reason. I was just thinking it might've been nice if JJ's date had been fleshed out more, but I think it worked with how little she was fleshed out. I liked with the Jimmy-Dylan-Maya plot that he was as excited about the mailbox as he was about the car.

[alexvillage]

6 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

He was blinded by lust; he didn't give sufficient thought to potential problems.  It's not fair, but he can't afford to be that carefree in life unless he's willing to wear adult diapers.

Maybe it is just showing how he is working things out, learning how to manage such situations. Maybe the writers want to throw this there and not be more explicit about it. Maybe they will return to the theme. At least I hope so.

I know people who also need someone to transfer them. They are adults and at some point in their lives, they developed? Created? Worked on? a metabolic rhythm that allows them to know almost exactly how much time they have before the next bathroom break. Some of the men use a urinal and don't really need transfers (at least not most times, because they also have a bowel rhythm). They still need someone to hold the urinal, which after a while is so not a big deal.

In any case, I would also like to see the show go in the direction of yes, JJ will likely always need someone to help him with some things, even when he is on a date or even being more intimate. Someone he will call as he needs to. I don't think it is shameful, or horrible. It just is. Embracing everyone means with all parts of them. And it will be very different for many, so what?

Or maybe - although I don't thing the show would go there because of all the stigma associated with it - make it ok to wear adult diapers. One thing I have a very hard time grasping is how afraid people are of even the word "diaper". It is like the whole worth of a person lies on how they go to the bathroom. I know way too many people who need adult diapers, for so many different reasons, and that's just how it is. Nothing more, nothing less than what they need to do whatever they want to do.

[Chit Chat]

I was impressed that the DiMeos actually tidied up the front yard!  I did not see the blue tarp either.  Maybe they've found their "home sweet home!"  

[Gulftastic]

'An Emma Watson cameo??!?'

I love any callback to the boys' obsession with her. I also love that they remembered what a good sportswoman Dylan is.

[GRChereck]

More about one of last night's music cues: The Flashcubes, "Damaged Beyond Repair" (2:26) 

According to this blog post, back in late October when this ep was filmed, music writer and radio host Carl Cafarelli heard about his favorite band being mentioned on the set, and he gave the members a heads-up:

https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/2017/12/hey-hey-its-flashcubes-bright-lights-on.html?spref=fb

The band themselves were so tickled by this news, they posted an announcement on their official Facebook before the ep aired, and then a clip afterwards: "Network TV premiere!"

(This particular song was new to me, but the 'Cubes had another song I like called "Christi Girl" (1978).) :)

***

ETA: The other music cues, according to Tunefind --

Joe Swift's Internationals, "Boo-Ga-Loo Party" (1966)

Tomorrow's Tulips, "Wake Up" (2013) (these folks seem kinda new for an old punk/new-wave fan like Jimmy to be into; but they hail from Costa Mesa, Orange County, and their sound has been described as "D.I.Y garage-grunge")

Edited December 8, 2017 by GRChereck
clarity; additional thought

[tennisgurl]

I`m just going to assume from now on that Kevin Smith goes about his life believing that he is an actual Jedi with mind powers, and that he makes people give him stuff with his mind, and its never occurred to him that its because he`s famous. It actually explains a LOT. 

The cross promotion was hilariously obvious, but I like that they tied it into Ray and JJs relationship, and how JJ feels jealous that Ray is hanging out with his girlfriend so much now. It was a nice way to wrap the story up. I also really like getting a story with just Dylan and her parents, and how much fun they had together. 

[GRChereck]

11 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

The cross promotion was hilariously obvious, but I like that they tied it into Ray and JJs relationship, and how JJ feels jealous that Ray is hanging out with his girlfriend so much now. It was a nice way to wrap the story up. I also really like getting a story with just Dylan and her parents, and how much fun they had together.

Having looked at the transcript posted at SpringfieldSpringfield.co.uk now, I guess I did miss that JJ's restroom confession could be tied back to an earlier exchange between him and Ray -- when JJ said he wanted to head out early to the premiere (4 p.m.), and Ray said that wouldn't work for him because he had plans after school that day (JJ: "Let me guess -- with Taylor?"). :)

[dmmetler]

I loved JJ and BB-8 bonding over being unable to go up the stairs :)

 

I wonder if Dylan still has  the snake?

[GRChereck]

2 hours ago, dmmetler said:

I wonder if Dylan still has  the snake?

According to a couple set pix that have been released, it looks like it might turn up again in next week's Christmas episode:

2 hours ago, dmmetler said:

I loved JJ and BB-8 bonding over being unable to go up the stairs :)

That was a cute little scene! :D I thought the Kevin Smith bit was kinda sweet, too.

[kathyk24]

I liked this episode but I didn't like seeing Ray get rewarded for his manipulative behavior. He's the one who started a fake charity in JJ's name and tried to pretend that his girlfriend and her brother were his siblings. I thought JJ's date was pretty nice I I was impressed that she could read his board and didn't turn the date into inspiration porn.

[bros402]

39 minutes ago, kathyk24 said:

I liked this episode but I didn't like seeing Ray get rewarded for his manipulative behavior. He's the one who started a fake charity in JJ's name and tried to pretend that his girlfriend and her brother were his siblings. I thought JJ's date was pretty nice I I was impressed that she could read his board and didn't turn the date into inspiration porn.

I imagine that everyone in JJ's school has observed JJ because he's one of their first students with a disability - so maybe they picked up the basics of reading JJ's board from watching JJ & Kenneth.

Or maybe she sits behind him in a class and sees it all the time

[possibilities]

On 12/8/2017 at 1:49 AM, tennisgurl said:

I also really like getting a story with just Dylan and her parents, and how much fun they had together. 

I loved that. Conflict isn't the only way to drive a story!

Why wouldn't JJ's date be able to read his board? So far everyone who's tried has gotten it on the first attempt. You just follow the laser pointer and read it-- what's the issue?

[Crs97]

I could picture a funny scene in which someone can’t read the board because JJ goes too fast or they can’t spell.

I love this show!

[bros402]

10 hours ago, possibilities said:

I loved that. Conflict isn't the only way to drive a story!

Why wouldn't JJ's date be able to read his board? So far everyone who's tried has gotten it on the first attempt. You just follow the laser pointer and read it-- what's the issue?

Might go too fast

[msrachelj]

On 12/7/2017 at 6:58 AM, alexvillage said:

Maybe it is just showing how he is working things out, learning how to manage such situations. Maybe the writers want to throw this there and not be more explicit about it. Maybe they will return to the theme. At least I hope so.

I know people who also need someone to transfer them. They are adults and at some point in their lives, they developed? Created? Worked on? a metabolic rhythm that allows them to know almost exactly how much time they have before the next bathroom break. Some of the men use a urinal and don't really need transfers (at least not most times, because they also have a bowel rhythm). They still need someone to hold the urinal, which after a while is so not a big deal.

In any case, I would also like to see the show go in the direction of yes, JJ will likely always need someone to help him with some things, even when he is on a date or even being more intimate. Someone he will call as he needs to. I don't think it is shameful, or horrible. It just is. Embracing everyone means with all parts of them. And it will be very different for many, so what?

Or maybe - although I don't thing the show would go there because of all the stigma associated with it - make it ok to wear adult diapers. One thing I have a very hard time grasping is how afraid people are of even the word "diaper". It is like the whole worth of a person lies on how they go to the bathroom. I know way too many people who need adult diapers, for so many different reasons, and that's just how it is. Nothing more, nothing less than what they need to do whatever they want to do.

very thoughtful and true post. everyone needs to understand this. 

[SnarkySheep]

I found it really hard to believe that Kenneth wouldn't have thought of security cameras at the school until Dr. Miller brought it up. Seriously? In today's world it's pretty much a given that there are cameras everywhere, let alone a school after hours...

[bros402]

5 hours ago, SnarkySheep said:

I found it really hard to believe that Kenneth wouldn't have thought of security cameras at the school until Dr. Miller brought it up. Seriously? In today's world it's pretty much a given that there are cameras everywhere, let alone a school after hours...

It's a comedy - and this school seems very... permissive and sheltered. It's entirely possible that Kenneth might think "these cameras could be fake"