S07.E31: Graduation Day Part 1/S07.E32: Graduation Day Part 2

[Primetimer]

As the gang prepares to convocate, Kelly is a bitch about it. 'About what?' ABOUT LITERALLY EVERYTHING, FRIEND.

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[Primetimer]

We've collected the most important imagery from 'Graduation Day'!

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[CurlyATX]

I'm saving the podcast for my commute home, but I did want to chime in on the graduation seating (if that was what you meant). In my college, we gathered all the folks in your major and you just sat any which way you wanted. You then gave a card to the announcer which had your name on it written phonetically and it was read. You then received this empty card board holder with the university logo.
Not that it matters but I did go to a "California Universitiy" like The Gang. And each college had a separate graduation day (Letters & Science, Engineering, and Social Sciences).

[Jax7917]

I like Val as a character most of time time, but I don't understand why any of them still let her hang around them. She screwed Steve over in the beginning and hooked up with Dylan, She slept with Ray a couple of times for no reason, she was all over Colin even when she was with David and was in a relationship with him the second him and Kelly broke up, she and Ginger stole the gang's stuff in a very strange effort to be friends with them(which David knew about), she tried to mess with Kelly by doing business with her dad , she almost made Brandon miss graduation/ his speech because of her drama, and the list just goes on and on. How are any of these people like, oh okay let's keep her around. 

[Earmuffs Mom]

1 hour ago, CurlyATX said:

I'm saving the podcast for my commute home, but I did want to chime in on the graduation seating (if that was what you meant). In my college, we gathered all the folks in your major and you just sat any which way you wanted. You then gave a card to the announcer which had your name on it written phonetically and it was read. You then received this empty card board holder with the university logo.
Not that it matters but I did go to a "California Universitiy" like The Gang. And each college had a separate graduation day (Letters & Science, Engineering, and Social Sciences).

Same here at my midwest Jesuit University.  

[Nanna]

Come on, Brandon, give her at least a month’s notice. Even with Jim and Cindy being okay with kicking her out, I can’t imagine them being “sure, just make her leave tomorrow, bye, have a nice graduation!” Or perhaps Jim would actually be fine with that. 

Donna, you don’t need to make such a big production of it, David doesn’t need seduction. And BTW: “you waited” - no, he did not. He complained and pressured you.He dumped you on christmas/your birthday. He cheated on you. He had several other girlfriends with whom he had sex (which, fine, why shouldn’t he), but he sure as hell did not WAIT. 

[Jax7917]

Yea I think the writers were high when they wrote " you waited " .. in what world did David wait ? He cheated on her and had sex with many people in between . 

The kelly / dad story line made no sense . She had so many reasons to be mad at him for everything he's done over the years and never gave a shit about him canceling every time they were supposed to see each other , but it's absolutely unforgivable that he did business with Valerie ? It's not like he even knew who she was . She told him she's a friend of Kelly's 

[BBHN]

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Here's us, facing the fact that we won't get to hang out with Kathleen Robertson anymore after this episode. Snif!

Me too. Claire may have been a pill this season, but overall I liked her more than I didn't like her.

Quote

The camera backs as far up as it can and still be in the building with Jennie Garth, and if we could make her out, we'd probably see what Kelly is being a bitch about.

And despite all that backing up, they can't cover up that it looks like her due date seems to be later that afternoon.

Edited December 18, 2017 by BBHN

[gesundheit]

I like Val as a character most of time time, but I don't understand why any of them still let her hang around them. She screwed Steve over in the beginning and hooked up with Dylan, She slept with Ray a couple of times for no reason, she was all over Colin even when she was with David and was in a relationship with him the second him and Kelly broke up, she and Ginger stole the gang's stuff in a very strange effort to be friends with them(which David knew about), she tried to mess with Kelly by doing business with her dad , she almost made Brandon miss graduation/ his speech because of her drama, and the list just goes on and on. How are any of these people like, oh okay let's keep her around. 

She's a lot of fun to watch but, yeah, it doesn't REALLY make sense in context that everyone keeps her as a friend or at least reluctant companion.

[txhorns79]

I recognize Donna is dumb, but the whole "you waited" takes it to an entirely new level.  Under no definition of the words "you waited" did David wait for anything.  David had sex with other people in between and during his relationship with Donna.  He didn't wait for her to give it up anymore than she waited for him to stop wearing tents as clothing.  Twenty years later and I'm still annoyed.       

[JennB]

I like Val as a character most of time time, but I don't understand why any of them still let her hang around them. She screwed Steve over in the beginning and hooked up with Dylan, She slept with Ray a couple of times for no reason, she was all over Colin even when she was with David and was in a relationship with him the second him and Kelly broke up, she and Ginger stole the gang's stuff in a very strange effort to be friends with them(which David knew about), she tried to mess with Kelly by doing business with her dad , she almost made Brandon miss graduation/ his speech because of her drama, and the list just goes on and on. How are any of these people like, oh okay let's keep her around. 

I never got why SHE wanted to be friends with THEM.

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

The Bill Taylor/Rush Sanders TV show: Bill pleads down his charges and gets house arrest, but all his properties have been repossessed so he doesn't have a home and has to move in with Rush. They frequently talk about how Kelly is a total capital Q QUNT and Steve is a doofus. Valerie moves in in season 2. 

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

I went to kind of an artsy fartsy college with not a whole lot of departments and I don't remember much cuz I was super checked out, but I think my graduation was all of us in alphabetical order. Maybe by department but I didn't sit with anyone I knew so I'm thinking mmmmaybe not. And we did the whole walk across the stage to get the diploma thing too. I had actually graduated at the end of the fall semester but my school didn't do a separate graduation for then, so I was beyond over it and really grouchy that my parents insisted I do it, but looking back on it they paid for all of it so they could make me do whatever they wanted.

Either way, these people are idiots. CU has got to be one of those schools for kids that are rich but really dumb. The next few seasons are going to be really painful (NOAH!!!) 

Edited December 18, 2017 by yousetmeupyoucrud

[ZeroDiscipline]

I like how Donna arranged the candles up there in sort of a Menorah configuration. One final fuck you to her anti-Semite mother.

[TimeyWimey52]

Our commencement was divided up by college (of science/Liberals/engineering etc). There's 7 colleges and they divide those into 2 commencement ceremonies, one in the morning, one in the evening. One year there were so many students that they divided it into three. And no, I did not get to sit anywhere near my friends, even the ones in the same college. We were split up alphabetically. But yes, we did individually cross the stage, shake the hands and pose for pictures at the bottom of the stairs.

[TimeyWimey52]

I like how Donna arranged the candles up there in sort of a Menorah configuration. One final fuck you to her anti-Semite mother.

I was thinking it looked like a Menorah too!

[TeeVee329]

We indeed Never See Claire Again after this.  I'm not sure she really even gets referenced.  Adieu, Claire/Katheleen Robertson, you will be missed.

We also Never See Joy Again following this episode.  As I mentioned when she was introduced, I found the handling of this so weird.  You introduced the half-sister of your (bleh) main heroine, you bring her back right before the show goes through another reset/transitional period, you have her flirting with another tertiary character you're trying to make happen...and then you do nothing with her?

I can't believe that, when next we meet, Noah and Carly (and her stupid kid I had forgotten about) will be here.  Oy.

[txhorns79]

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We indeed Never See Claire Again after this.  I'm not sure she really even gets referenced.  Adieu, Claire/Katheleen Robertson, you will be missed.

I think she is mentioned in the final episode as one of David's past girlfriends at his bachelor party.  I don't recall if she is brought up before that.   

[mskyle]

I had kind of a hybrid graduation - we had a big convocation with all grads (~2000 including grad students?) where we just sat grouped by department (or maybe by school? who remembers), with the speeches and the honorary degrees and such, and then we had a separate departmental graduation an hour or two later where we had to sit in alphabetical order and we walked and got our diplomas and photo-ops. I ended up being alphabetically seated next to a friend who I didn't even realize was in my major! (Major: Biology. Now I'm a software developer and he's a news anchor. So maybe it's not surprising that we didn't know we were in the same major.)

[Flamingo]

For my bachelor's degree, I went to a small, liberal arts school.  We went in alphabetical order.

My grad school is larger but still small by comparison (5000 undergrads, 3000 grads*).  We went in alphabetical order by program.   Hooding ceremonies were done on a different day.  After all the grad students were done, they took a break in the ceremonies at which time we left.  Then they went through the undergrads in alphabetical order.  It's a long day.

Every time I think Kelly couldn't be any bigger a bitch, she proves me wrong.  

I'm on the fence about whether or not Cindy would be OK with Brandon kicking Val out.  I just don't believe she would. 

I kind of wish Val had asked Brandon if she was only out of the house until the next time Brandon and Kelly broke up. 

 

*That's 5000 undergrads and 3000 grads total population, not graduating.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Flamingo

[ilovebeaarthur]

God, I can't believe we still have yet to meet Noah, Gina, Carly, and Janet. It makes me yearn for the simpler days of Brinda Wash.

Also, this season was so long that I was pregnant when the season 7 recaps started, and my daughter is now 6 months old.

[TeeVee329]

28 minutes ago, ilovebeaarthur said:

God, I can't believe we still have yet to meet Noah, Gina, Carly, and Janet.

And lose Valerie.  BOO!

But also lose Brandon.  YAY!

But then regain Dylan.  MEH!

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

It's so weird that Brandon leaves and the show keeps going, since the whole show was about The Walshes moving to Beverly Hills. 

 

I read recently that Hilary Swank was signed on for multiple seasons but ended up getting fired. Man, she really dodged a bullet.

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

3 hours ago, ZeroDiscipline said:

I like how Donna arranged the candles up there in sort of a Menorah configuration. One final fuck you to her anti-Semite mother.

I remember when this episode first aired I was in high school and my best friend and I couldn't get over the fact that they were black candles, like did you get those at a witchcraft store, Donna? 

[Stowaway]

Since we're sharing, Berkeley's commencements were by department. UCLA has a larger student body, so I doubt they would have done it differently. Evidence that CU was really USC all along? Let's delve deeper. . .

"That's what a hundred-thousand dollar education sounds like," eh? In the 1990s tuition* in the UC system was just over $4,000 a year. Gag on that, parents of today. (*The University of California has a long-standing tradition of claiming their tuition is free, and then charging "registration fees" that are functionally no different from tuition. And yet every generation they are surprised anew that their students have an equal and opposite tradition of rioting.)

And finally. . .

4 hours ago, yousetmeupyoucrud said:

Either way, these people are idiots. CU has got to be one of those schools for kids that are rich but really dumb.

Like I said: USC. (Sorry Trojans, I kid because I love.)

[bethster2000]

God, Kelly sucks.

Oh, the 90s. So much shopping at Victoria's Secret. Those were the days. I miss it. I had a bra and panties set in the pattern of Donna's teddy. I think it was called "Emma."

[pieinmyeye]

I know they did it for storyline purposes, but in real life, with the exception of Clare and possibly Brandon, there is no way the rest of these nitwits would have made it through college in four years. Between the rehab, David’s issues, Val owning TPPAD, the cheating, cults, and partying, there is no way in hell the rest of them would have made it.

Donna, ever heard of slippers? Her feet were disgustingly dirty during what I guess was suppose to be a big romantic scene. ?

[scarynikki12]

I went to the University of Arizona and here's how we did graduation:

The Friday of grad weekend everyone is scattered around campus by department.  Some departments are grouped if they're small and others aren't.  We have lunch, pretend to listen to department people talk about stuff (I assume related to commencement), and then line up to walk across the little stage.  No caps, no gowns, nothing.  They call our names and that's it.

On Saturday there are two ceremonies.  Half the student body gets assigned to the morning ceremony and half to the afternoon one.  This is for caps and gowns.  The family and friends take seats at McHale (basketball arena) and we line up by department to walk out.  As long as we're in the correct line, they didn't give a shit.  I do remember the law school graduates getting their names read and stage walk but they were the only ones.  The rest of us would stand when our department was called, and that was it.  The diploma arrived a few months later.

No idea if they still do it this way.

I hate agreeing with Brandon but Val going so far as to leave a note and stand on the bluff was a cry for help and Kelly should have recognized it right away.  I do think that she was more likely to jump at night, and her visit to the spot during the day was one of her gut checks she told David about.  She didn't go through with it but it still warrants concern.  And super duper psych student Kelly should have responded by suggesting therapy, in patient treatment, something other than "she's lying".  One little side effect of Kelly's hatred of Val is that she doesn't actually know her very well.  She's been making assumptions about her since she showed up so she doesn't actually know whether Val has suicidal tendencies or not.  Kelly's also about as dumb as Donna because, even if she doesn't buy Val's emotional state, this was a real opportunity to get Val out of her hair.  Just feign some concern and recommend she check herself into a mental health facility (or even offer to pay for it if Val can't), and use that time to push her out of the house.  Dropped the ball there, Kel.

[Jax7917]

And then by the next episode David and Donna already have issues .. can't they be happy together for longer than 2 episodes in a row ? You just lost your virginity for god sakes .. smile . 

[helent]

12 hours ago, yousetmeupyoucrud said:

The Bill Taylor/Rush Sanders TV show: Bill pleads down his charges and gets house arrest, but all his properties have been repossessed so he doesn't have a home and has to move in with Rush. They frequently talk about how Kelly is a total capital Q QUNT and Steve is a doofus. Valerie moves in in season 2. 

I'm picturing something like the Steve Martin episode of 30 Rock.

[SoupThrower]

Love David thinking they will get a dog or his surprise ended.

Our graduation was alphabetical order but by department.

"Because you waited..." - Oh Donna. He cheated on you with Ariel, slept with Claire, slept with Val, slept with probably others off screen, and of course those two Marys. But no he waited. 

I'm gonna miss Claire. She was great in Season 4 and 5 and part of 6. 

Edited December 19, 2017 by SoupThrower

[SoupThrower]

I will always love the scene when Brandon is sitting down drinking and he looks like he regrets dating Kelly. She was a jerk this episode to Jackie, Bill, Brandon, Kelly, and well everyone. Worst character, worse than Brandon. 

[benteen]

4 hours ago, SoupThrower said:

I will always love the scene when Brandon is sitting down drinking and he looks like he regrets dating Kelly. She was a jerk this episode to Jackie, Bill, Brandon, Kelly, and well everyone. Worst character, worse than Brandon. 

Well, I'll always excuse her for being a jerk to her jerk father.  But everyone else, yeah, I agree with that. 

[CurlyATX]

12 hours ago, pieinmyeye said:

I know they did it for storyline purposes, but in real life, with the exception of Clare and possibly Brandon, there is no way the rest of these nitwits would have made it through college in four years. Between the rehab, David’s issues, Val owning TPPAD, the cheating, cults, and partying, there is no way in hell the rest of them would have made it.

Donna, ever heard of slippers? Her feet were disgustingly dirty during what I guess was suppose to be a big romantic scene. ?

I was thinking the exact same thing.  Most of my friends actually needed that extra quarter to finish. I was studying abroad and needed one more term. I was officially done with school in January and then worked and hung out until June for the ceremony.  It was really common to see second year seniors too. 

 

I guess this shows that indeed CU is more like USC. I remember when the folks at USC came to do high school recruiting they mentioned something about how you will only pay for four years of college  But i was something like $20K/year.   I went to a UC and yes, tuition was about $4K/year when I graduated (class of 97).  I had a job calling alumni for donations and there were folks who graduated in the 70's who had paid only $400/year or something.

On a pervy side note, do you think Donna "had a good time" with David? He's been with several women, but do you think he knows what he's doing? 

[CurlyATX]

So many questions.  

How old is Joy supposed to be anyhow? I always thought she was closer to Kelly's age, but she's horning in on Steve's goofy brother.  Is she a cougar with bad taste or is she very mature for her age?

Why can't Val just find a nice roommate on Craigslist (I know that was there, as I found a roommate that way right after graduation).  Or she can live with Steve or take Clare's spot in the beach house?

You waited!!  Actually, there is something later on when David/Donna break up and she hooks up with Noah and they start having sex, and David says something like how he waited for 7 years to get with Donna and now Noah is banging her.  It sort of reminded me of how as a big sister I'd talk to my little brother about all the freedoms I earned for him by breaking ground with my parents. 

[Jax7917]

14 minutes ago, CurlyATX said:

So many questions.  

How old is Joy supposed to be anyhow? I always thought she was closer to Kelly's age, but she's horning in on Steve's goofy brother.  Is she a cougar with bad taste or is she very mature for her age?

Why can't Val just find a nice roommate on Craigslist (I know that was there, as I found a roommate that way right after graduation).  Or she can live with Steve or take Clare's spot in the beach house?

You waited!!  Actually, there is something later on when David/Donna break up and she hooks up with Noah and they start having sex, and David says something like how he waited for 7 years to get with Donna and now Noah is banging her.  It sort of reminded me of how as a big sister I'd talk to my little brother about all the freedoms I earned for him by breaking ground with my parents. 

Yes I remember that. I feel like these writers are so out of it. Dave, you did not wait 7 years to sleep with Donna. Hush up.

Also, I would never want to lose my virginity when the guy is that tired and can barely keep his eyes open. Can't you "surprise" him after he gets some rest?

And Joy was the most anti-climactic character on the show. What was her purpose? Seriously nothing.

[Stowaway]

1 hour ago, CurlyATX said:

On a pervy side note, do you think Donna "had a good time" with David? He's been with several women, but do you think he knows what he's doing? 

God no. Can you imagine a more selfish lover than David Silver? As gross as it would be to have sex with Brandon, he's at least going to ask, "Did you come, babe?" after. David does not care.

[BBHN]

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As gross as it would be to have sex with Brandon

I imagine he would have his bray-face on the whole time. Then at the end bray-face mixed with big-o face, and...*shudder*.

[SoupThrower]

6 hours ago, Stowaway said:

God no. Can you imagine a more selfish lover than David Silver? As gross as it would be to have sex with Brandon, he's at least going to ask, "Did you come, babe?" after. David does not care.

I don't know. Claire and Val seemed to have no issues and did rate him high...kind of. 

[Jax7917]

David would be so hot if he just wore clothes that fit

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

Ok everyone is going to hate me, and I kind of hate myself for thinking it. But when it comes to doing it, Brandon took SEX110 from Lucinda, who probably made damn sure he did everything properly. So, I dunno.

But let's just say his hatred for Lucinda after they broke up was so overwhelming that he started doing the opposite of everything she told him to do and he started chewing gum with his mouth open while doing it too, just to make everything more disgusting.

[Jax7917]

although David would never go for Donna in real life , I've always liked them together , especially this season . I think part of that is because I couldn't stand rays season and joe was such a bore .. that I actually missed David being with her . 

I just don't see any chemistry between Brandon and Kelly . Every time they're together , they're miserable . they act twice their age and never have any fun when they're together . Throughout this whole episode , Brandon looked like he regretted getting back with her so bad and just wanted to go back in time and take it back . And that's how he continues to look  during the whole next season . Bet he misses Tracy  and Susan right about now 

[angelusgirl]

The graduation scene was not that inaccurate, really. Most, not all but most, US schools call it a commencement, not convocation, however. I’ve been to ceremonies at several large universities and had to google that term after it was used emphatically 12 times this episode, lol. 

Kelly is at her bitchiest this episode. I hated the evolution to Saint Kelly   

Donna whispering in bed waiting for David. Seriously, what was the plan? I think she just waited until he came in. 

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Quote

started chewing gum with his mouth open

I am very sorry to tell you with some authority that this began in the high-school years. There's a GIF somewhere in the Visual Aids of him cudding it up with some gum during hockey practice.

[benteen]

It's interesting that Kelly's relationships with Dylan and Brandon start off great but quickly descend into both of them hating each other.

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

4 hours ago, Sarah D. Bunting said:

I am very sorry to tell you with some authority that this began in the high-school years. There's a GIF somewhere in the Visual Aids of him cudding it up with some gum during hockey practice.

Oh you're right! He was doing it at the Peach Pit while serving people food!!!!

[Jax7917]

3 hours ago, benteen said:

It's interesting that Kelly's relationships with Dylan and Brandon start off great but quickly descend into both of them hating each other.

Because she acts sweet when they aren't together in order to reel them in, only to be a bitch the second they get together. She would be a miserable person to date.

[Cekrypton1]

Who is the woman in that scene in the Peach Pit with the parents/grandmother?

[Tara Ariano]

2 minutes ago, Cekrypton1 said:

Who is the woman in that scene in the Peach Pit with the parents/grandmother?

The blonde? That's a Peach Pit waitress; I forget her name. (Darlene?)

[Cekrypton1]

The best scene in this episode is a Babe Ruth-clad Muntz at the party doing a drive by and announcing that he promised a sick boy in the hospital that he would drink a fifth of scotch for him.