S08.E27: Reunion

[Primetimer]

What ever happened to West Beverly High's class of '93? Finally, 'Reunion' gives us some answers!!!

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[Primetimer]

Not their smugness and braying, though; those rumors were dead on. ...All the most unattractive moments, literal and figurative, from S08.E27!

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[MerBearStare]

With Noah's dark hair, the dark turtleneck, and the dark background, Noah looks like he's just a face and a pair of hands in that photo.

LOL at "Deen Cayne."

I think the other kids at West Bev knew that Donna was a virgin because of the Rosie O'Donnell AIDS special where Donna said she was the other number.

[txhorns79]

This episode is what happens when your show has 4000 episodes per season.  Why would you have a high school reunion at 23?  While some people have a lot of accomplishments by that point, most people either graduated college within the last year and started a job, or are just completing their first year of grad school.  Aside from maybe catching up with someone for five minutes, there isn't typically a lot to report.     

[Stowaway]

When I heard the podcast, I thought, "No one else could have Dean Cain's very specific form of quarter-Japanese 1990s hotness." And yet, spot on!

@txhorns79 5-year reunions are totally a thing, but you're right that the idea of them is pointless. But I'm Team Tara on not wanting anything to do with any reunions. Eff those idiots.

[Nanna]

So Brandon decides to ruin the party by making everybody uncomfortable with a stupid speech. Great. I know that’s my personal dream of a party: being surrounded by people who all of a sudden starts taking everybody hostage with speeches about how badly their lives are going. Jeez, most people came to have a good time a to check out which of the pretty girls got ugly so they can gossip about that with their friends after. 

[Kimmykun]

I never thought Ian was hot back in the day (Luke and BAG were the only two that did it for me), but ever since Sharknado, I have seen the light.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Kimmykun

[maxineofarc]

I had to seriously stop and think because I was about to type "Brandon has never been more hateful" and there's a LOT of competition for Times Brandon Has Been Hateful. So he may have been more hateful at some other juncture, but "I'm just thinking of the CHILD" and "look at our amazing stories" and "go ahead, tell the world about your failed marriage because for some reason everybody needs and wants to know about it" is Right Up There. Leave Nana Alone, and while I'm at it: Nana, this trifling dirtbag is not and never has been your friend.

[Katy M]

This episode is what happens when your show has 4000 episodes per season.  Why would you have a high school reunion at 23?  While some people have a lot of accomplishments by that point, most people either graduated college within the last year and started a job, or are just completing their first year of grad school.  Aside from maybe catching up with someone for five minutes, there isn't typically a lot to report.     

It isn't really about bragging about how much you have accomplished, but just seeing your old friends. I guess. I didn't have any friends in HS. But, my class had a 1 year reunion to boot. I know because my grandmother said I must have had friends to get an invitation. Sigh. Now, I'm getting high school PTSD:)

[benteen]

46 minutes ago, Nanna said:

So Brandon decides to ruin the party by making everybody uncomfortable with a stupid speech. Great. I know that’s my personal dream of a party: being surrounded by people who all of a sudden starts taking everybody hostage with speeches about how badly their lives are going. Jeez, most people came to have a good time a to check out which of the pretty girls got ugly so they can gossip about that with their friends after. 

This is the same graduating class that apparently voted Brandon and his little click every award imaginable and allowed them to completely make the Class of 93 about themselves so I guess they are getting what they deserved...

[Earmuffs Mom]

Given the Deen Cayne mention and talk of not spoiling the "where are they now" book, how could you bypass the Brenda, "Ewe will spoilit!" sound bite? 

Speaking of Brenda, they don't mention Brenda either during the reunion.  I would have loved everyone to have asked Brandon over and over, "What's going on with your sister?" instead of asking him about his life.  

I am so baffled with Val's motives for reinventing herself for these idiots she doesn't know.  It's not like she's assuming Brenda's identity and the people she knows knows she's full of shit.  I don't get it at all.

[Kimmykun]

Nice to see all those people we've never seen before. It was a real treat.

Anywho, 8 episodes of Brandon to go.

[TeeVee329]

Just a reminder  - Kelly, who is still dealing emotionally with the sexual assault and slut shaming she endured in high school, thought it was funny last week to call an acquaintance who was recently sexual assaulted herself a prostitute.

And yes, Valerie would not think Kelly had a good girl, squeaky clean HS rep.  We heard in season six that she knows about the Summer of Deception!

I'm not shocked they couldn't get a Kyle or a Tony or one of the ten million girls Brandon dated back for this thing.  But no Mrs. Teasley?!?!

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

I call no way on a school like West Beverly not sandblasting over that "Kelly Is A Slut" graffito like within a week of it showing up. It's not an impoverished inner city high school for crying out loud. The janitor that gave Steve the legacy key probably took care of it years ago. I'm also amazed that the writers got Kelly's rapist's name and graduating year right, especially since we were told in that one episode that it was Steve who was responsible for Kelly's reputation. 

[kfree9]

I always said I wouldn't go to a high school reunion because the people I want to see and/or care about are people that I DO see on a regular basis. No idea why the gang made such a big deal about it--they all hang out together anyway! (reminds me of when People magazine is like, "The Full House cast REUNITES," yet I feel that we see photos of them together all the damn time).
That "Where Are They Now," program talking about Donna's virginity was so bizarre. Why would that ever be something you would put in a program like that? And, as Tara and Sarah pointed out--who knew about that enough to write that in there? Did David write it?
I do like Brandon's total lack of reaction in the final photo while everyone else is freaking out.

[gesundheit]

I call no way on a school like West Beverly not sandblasting over that "Kelly Is A Slut" graffito like within a week of it showing up. It's not an impoverished inner city high school for crying out loud. The janitor that gave Steve the legacy key probably took care of it years ago. I'm also amazed that the writers got Kelly's rapist's name and graduating year right, especially since we were told in that one episode that it was Steve who was responsible for Kelly's reputation. 

They can't sandblast that, Kelly was part of the MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF FRIENDS that ever existed at West Bev.

[TimeyWimey52]

That shot of Andrea and Brandon "exercising" didn't look good for Brandon either, though. He looks very square-ish with very short legs.

[Cekrypton1]

Just a reminder  - Kelly, who is still dealing emotionally with the sexual assault and slut shaming she endured in high school, thought it was funny last week to call an acquaintance who was recently sexual assaulted herself a prostitute.

And yes, Valerie would not think Kelly had a good girl, squeaky clean HS rep.  We heard in season six that she knows about the Summer of Deception!

I'm not shocked they couldn't get a Kyle or a Tony or one of the ten million girls Brandon dated back for this thing.  But no Mrs. Teasley?!?!

I believe they are saving Mrs. Teasley for Donna's bachelorette party. Because, that's totes who you'd invite to a bachelorette party--your ambiguously-jobbed (guidance counselor? Asst. Principal? Principal?) high school administrator.

[Cekrypton1]

Re: Donna's lewk in the Peach Pit photo (light blue top): My 8y/o daughter is going to a circus-themed summer camp this week and even the clowns there were like, "Oh honey. No."

[MCMLXXVII]

I went to my 10th and 20th (Class of ‘95) which were both held at local casual bar/restaurants. The “fashionable people” wore heels and such to the 20th, but it wasn’t a semi-formal event at all, so I’m always amused by TV high school reunions where it’s like a wedding. Maybe it’s a rich school thing? But then why have it at the school instead of a banquet hall? 

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, kfree9 said:

I always said I wouldn't go to a high school reunion because the people I want to see and/or care about are people that I DO see on a regular basis. No idea why the gang made such a big deal about it--they all hang out together anyway! (reminds me of when People magazine is like, "The Full House cast REUNITES," yet I feel that we see photos of them together all the damn time).
That "Where Are They Now," program talking about Donna's virginity was so bizarre. Why would that ever be something you would put in a program like that? And, as Tara and Sarah pointed out--who knew about that enough to write that in there? Did David write it?
I do like Brandon's total lack of reaction in the final photo while everyone else is freaking out.

That's one of the things that really bugs me about this and some other shows.  One or two friends may go to the same college.  But, no way is a whole gang going to the same place. 

and, you're right, there was no reason for any of them to go that reunion.  Unless, of course, they thought Brenda was going to show up.  Because they all see each other on a daily basis anyway. 

I've never gone to a high school reunion because high school is not something I ever want to revisit.  I did recently go to a college sorority reunion and was pretty excited to see some people I haven't seen since college. So, I can definitely see the appeal if you've moved away but had some close friends that you drifted away from after graduation.

[TeeVee329]

They should be taking every opportunity they have to give us more Mrs. Teasley!  I want withering stares, I want fabulous nails, etc.!

[Silly Angel]

3 hours ago, TeeVee329 said:

Just a reminder  - Kelly, who is still dealing emotionally with the sexual assault and slut shaming she endured in high school, thought it was funny last week to call an acquaintance who was recently sexual assaulted herself a prostitute.

And yes, Valerie would not think Kelly had a good girl, squeaky clean HS rep.  We heard in season six that she knows about the Summer of Deception!

I'm not shocked they couldn't get a Kyle or a Tony or one of the ten million girls Brandon dated back for this thing.  But no Mrs. Teasley?!?!

Thumbs up to every word! So much dumb, pointless scrawling over the gang's characters to make cartoon outlines of new characters. Val wants to "be someone else for a night"? And that person is Kelly, whom she has loathed for 102 seasons and has no respect for? Okey-dokey. Psychology graduate Kelly calling a girl who got raped a whore, just for a giggle? Sure, that tracks. Steve the West Bev prankster, not the felon and cheater? I'd buy that for a dollar.

But Brandon... jesus, that cockwinkle. His braying up in Nana's business was bad enough, but the "failed marriage" crack. You fuckstank. Believe me, when you go through a divorce, you feel exactly that, like you're a failure who failed at marriage. Andrea's thing was always succeeding at everything she did, but she let go of all the threads of her life and must be aching with self-recrimination and misery. And not one of those fartnozzles told Brandon to STFU and back out of her business for reals. His whole life is just a reason to yell, "What's it to you?"

Next week is Sex-In '98, and I'm here for it. It's so boring.

[MCMLXXVII]

Not to defend Kelly, but Val did not have to stick her nose in Donna’s jewelry situation with the implication that Noah doesn’t love her. I don’t know why the writers went back to “scheming gold-digger Val” after that whole trial. Oof.

[Vanessa1214]

I went to my 10th and 20th (Class of ‘95) which were both held at local casual bar/restaurants. The “fashionable people” wore heels and such to the 20th, but it wasn’t a semi-formal event at all, so I’m always amused by TV high school reunions where it’s like a wedding. Maybe it’s a rich school thing? But then why have it at the school instead of a banquet hall? 

I just went with my husband to his 20 year reunion (I've never been to one of mine). The invitation said cocktail attire, and this was a wealthy private school, so everyone was pretty dressed up. Then we get there and find out the event is all outside. In South Florida. In June. Needless to say, we all spent the evening sweating through our make-up, hair and pretty clothes. Reunions are stupid.

[WhosThatGirl]

I’m sad that the “wild thing, wild thing” dj didn’t go to the reunion.

Seriously.. even as a non real viewer, when I watched these on soapnet I always wondered if there were viewers who stuck around throughout all the years to watch these episodes. This is bad. Like real bad.

[Kimmykun]

56 minutes ago, MCMLXXVII said:

Not to defend Kelly, but Val did not have to stick her nose in Donna’s jewelry situation with the implication that Noah doesn’t love her. I don’t know why the writers went back to “scheming gold-digger Val” after that whole trial. Oof.

It seems like Val the gold digger was the only thing the writers could do with her besides making her a victim. 

[WhosThatGirl]

Also yeah I did love that these people wanted to go the reunion to see random people they didn’t ever hang out with in high school.. so stupid.

And Val wanting to go to be someone she isn’t? What? To people she will never speak to again?

And point to Sarah and Tara, would Ross really be all nervous about Val talking to him about the kelly thing? Enough to drop his drink and cause a scene? 

Edited June 26, 2018 by WhosThatGirl

[WoodyCee]

They should be taking every opportunity they have to give us more Mrs. Teasley!  I want withering stares, I want fabulous nails, etc.!

Don’t worry, Teasley’s the only one they could get to come back for Donna bridal shower. Uh spoiler alert.

[WoodyCee]

I never thought Ian was hot back in the day (Luke and BAG were the only two that did it for me), but ever since Sharknado, I have seen the light.

Same!

[Kimmykun]

She deserved better than Donna's heeng shower.

Justice for Mrs. Teasley.

[bilgistic]

6 hours ago, Silly Angel said:

But Brandon... jesus, that cockwinkle. His braying up in Nana's business was bad enough, but the "failed marriage" crack. You fuckstank. Believe me, when you go through a divorce, you feel exactly that, like you're a failure who failed at marriage. Andrea's thing was always succeeding at everything she did, but she let go of all the threads of her life and must be aching with self-recrimination and misery. And not one of those fartnozzles told Brandon to STFU and back out of her business for reals. His whole life is just a reason to yell, "What's it to you?"

I am crying with laughter over your creative cursewords!

[purist]

10 hours ago, Silly Angel said:

But Brandon... jesus, that cockwinkle. His braying up in Nana's business was bad enough, but the "failed marriage" crack. You fuckstank.

This is @Sarah D. Bunting-level insultery. Brava!

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Agree, stealing "cockwinkle" forthwith.

[marny]

1. That frosty eyeshadow on Donna at the reunion is an abomination.
2. I'd always thought that John Sears was the "he didn't even use a blanket" guy who ruined Kelly's reputation and that's why it was so gross that she dated him when they were in college. Did they retcon this or am I just remembering wrong?

[RosieRose221]

1. That frosty eyeshadow on Donna at the reunion is an abomination.
2. I'd always thought that John Sears was the "he didn't even use a blanket" guy who ruined Kelly's reputation and that's why it was so gross that she dated him when they were in college. Did they retcon this or am I just remembering wrong?

Ross Webber was the guy she talked about in the Slumber Party episode when they played Skeletons in the Closet when she said they did it in a bush or something - and he didnt even have a blanket. I think she later mentioned in season 4 that she hooked up with John (consensual) and then he never talked to her again or something

[marny]

4 minutes ago, RosieRose221 said:

Ross Webber was the guy she talked about in the Slumber Party episode when they played Skeletons in the Closet when she said they did it in a bush or something - and he didnt even have a blanket. I think she later mentioned in season 4 that she hooked up with John (consensual) and then he never talked to her again or something

Ah, thank you! I mixed up the different guys who never talked to her again.  Still gross that she gave John Sears the time of day though.

[MCMLXXVII]

The show was very cliche and repetitive with Kelly’s dating choices. John Sears was just the “anti-Dylan” BMoC frat guy at the time. Then back to Dylan, preppy Brandon, “artist” Colin, I guess that Doctor circa Single White Tara, more Brandon, Matt, Dylan, Matt, Dylan. 

If she was real, I’d think being the child of an alcoholic probably subconsciously drew her to these “deep” troubled dramatic guys, while the fatherly abandonment made her seek out the stable white bread guys. She often went for the wholesome-seeming dudes, but she’d get bored and self-sabotage.

Edited June 26, 2018 by MCMLXXVII

[TeeVee329]

15 hours ago, WoodyCee said:

Don’t worry, Teasley’s the only one they could get to come back for Donna bridal shower. Uh spoiler alert.

I feel like we see her again before that, that there's some sort of DRAMZ at West Bev that one of the characters (David?  Dylan?) gets involved in.

[Jax7917]

21 hours ago, Cekrypton1 said:

I believe they are saving Mrs. Teasley for Donna's bachelorette party. Because, that's totes who you'd invite to a bachelorette party--your ambiguously-jobbed (guidance counselor? Asst. Principal? Principal?) high school administrator.

Mrs. Teasley coming to Donna's bachelorette party did give me a good laugh though. When the only people at your bachelorette party are Kelly, your mom, a girl who has made your life hell (Valerie), and your high school principal... you need to re-evaluate your life.

[Earmuffs Mom]

17 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

I feel like we see her again before that, that there's some sort of DRAMZ at West Bev that one of the characters (David?  Dylan?) gets involved in.

Yes, when David commits statutory rape with a high school student who sneaks into the club.  Dylan has to come to his rescue and talk to "Yvonne."  

[Jax7917]

I'm sure 10 year reunions were a lot more fun and more to look forward to before social media. My reunion was 2 years ago and they did it in a fancy hall .. but the whole thing got canceled because there weren't enough tickets being sold. I figured a lot of people don't really go to those anymore, since you can see what anyone you went to high school had for breakfast every morning via facebook. But I still think it would be nice to go. But yea, 5 year reunions.. pointless.

[Katy M]

44 minutes ago, Jaclyn88 said:

I'm sure 10 year reunions were a lot more fun and more to look forward to before social media. My reunion was 2 years ago and they did it in a fancy hall .. but the whole thing got canceled because there weren't enough tickets being sold. I figured a lot of people don't really go to those anymore, since you can see what anyone you went to high school had for breakfast every morning via facebook. But I still think it would be nice to go. But yea, 5 year reunions.. pointless.

My dad graduated in 1954 and a few of them still get together every single year for a picnic.  My dad missed it this year for the first time in a long, long, long, long time.

[Lisin]

Weirdly I could see going to a 5 year reunion easier than I can see myself wanting to go to a 25 year reunion. Back when I was 23 I can imagine wanting to see people from High School and maybe do the show off thing or whatever, and maybe I would have cared what they thought etc. but now, at 40 there's no way I'd go to a reunion. If we're not still in touch there's a reason!

[txhorns79]

Quote

They can't sandblast that, Kelly was part of the MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF FRIENDS that ever existed at West Bev.

I like to imagine leaving the tile the way it was, was Mrs. Teasley's subtle way of throwing shade at Kelly. 

[CurlyATX]

I'm team Tara who has never attended a reunion. Basically anyone I wanted to know from hs I do. There is only one person who I was searching to find. That's because I'm so old that if you wanted to find someone you would MAIL their parents and hope that it would get forwarded since people didn't keep the same email/cellphone for years like they do now.

Now, about Donna's Vcard- gross! Who the hell writes about that? And, she stuck up for the condom (or was it Condex) discussion against Felice, giving the impression that she was doing the deed.

Val- why not just pretend to be the badass you were a few years ago- owner of a club & gorgeous.
Kelly- I thought Steve spread the rumors? Now it's Ross no blanket? wouldn't she have destroyed that tile already?

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

3 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I like to imagine leaving the tile the way it was, was Mrs. Teasley's subtle way of throwing shade at Kelly. 

LOL, Mrs. Teasley walks by it and makes a "mmhmmm" face and then nods "no" to the janitor as he walks toward her with his power tools.

[yousetmeupyoucrud]

On 6/25/2018 at 4:30 PM, TeeVee329 said:

They should be taking every opportunity they have to give us more Mrs. Teasley!  I want withering stares, I want fabulous nails, etc.!

I think one of the best things ever said on this podcast is when a meeting between Samantha Sanders and Mrs. Teasley was described as, I think "a starfleet battle in the Revlon aisle." 

As someone who ended a marriage a few years ago (and it really does make you feel like a huge loser failure), I got a few "go to counseling" "try it again" comments from people that made me angry and they were delivered to me with 900 percent more tact and sensitivity than how Brandon was talking to Andrea. I was really glad that she tore into him though she should have LITERALLY torn into him, like disemboweled him, for being such a "cockwinkle." Frankly if I were Andrea's friend and found out she was splitting up with the guy she got shotgun-married to during her freshman year of college after he threatened to dump her if she had an abortion I'd be like "yeah I saw that coming!" and then take her out to get drunk and talk shit about him. 

As for my high school reunions, I graduated early so I'm not officially part of any graduating class, but even so passing my old high school gives me PTSD so no thanks!

[adam807]

I went to private school, so we have a reunion every 5 years because they're fundraisers. Even so, the 5th was at a bar instead of on campus because it was super casual, and there has certainly never been any kind of book, even pre-Facebook. AND WTF WITH THE CORSAGES?? THAT'S NOT A THING!!

I've generally found that as we get older we all really like each other. I've made new friends with people I knew but never really talked to in high school. Only hanging out one night every 5 years is plenty, but still. Like I'd never have been friends with a Steve or Dylan in high school but I imagine we'd get along now. And Brandon and Kelly would be in the completely insufferable minority. (Brenda would be a total fag hag and we'd sit in a corner making snide remarks about everyone and wondering why we weren't better friends in high school, despite having done theatre together.)

[Intomymixingbowl]

Anyone else think it was weird that one of Andrea's complaints about parenthood was diapers? I kept waiting for someone to mention her new baby because Hannah was born her freshman year in college, so she should be 4 now, right? Another example of the writers not caring enough to think about an actual real reason why Andrea would be unhappy with her life. Heck, Gabriel had an actual kid Hannah's age, even she should have known better!