Episode Report Card Deborah: C | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Boiling Point
By Deborah | Season 1 | Episode 15 | Aired on 02.12.2004
Joan finds Iris crying in the hallway (which has lockers, so I guess this is in the school somewhere after all) and says, "I didn't know! I never would have let them do that if I'd known!" Iris says, "You knew why they were all here...what kinds of lives they've had." Joan: "Yeah, but they wanted to do it!" Iris: "But I told them no. They didn't tell you that?" Joan says she didn't realize, and puts her hands to her forehead, saying, mostly to herself, "I'm such an idiot." To Iris, she says, "I thought it would be fun. We were having fun." Iris sniffles and says, "It's okay. What I did in there, it was worse." Yeah, I think I would have to agree with that. Joan says no, and sighs, "I should have asked you first." Iris sobs, "I just get scared when I see..." She sniffles some more, and says, "I'm sorry. It's not your fault." Joan walks a little closer to her and says, "How was the concert?" It's over by 9:30? Joan's shift is supposed to be 6:30 to 9:30 on Thursday evening. Iris says it was really good. Joan pauses and says, "They aren't brother and sister, you know." Iris gives Joan a puzzled, irritated look. Joan emits a mild snort, and Iris laughs a little bit. They just look at each other with tears in their eyes.
I don't know. Are we supposed to like Iris better because she's a survivor of domestic abuse? Or feel sorry for her? Is her vulnerability supposed to make her a good/better partner for Adam? I just don't think this aspect of the storyline really worked; I don't think the issue was introduced very convincingly; I feel kind of manipulated. I would have been much happier with a character who -- in a different way from Joan -- was a compelling girlfriend for Adam (and yes, I can countenance this). That would have really torn me. Now I'm just sitting here marking off time until the bloom is off this romance and Iris wilts. (Sorry.) Maybe that's what they were going for, but it didn't work. I suppose Adam and Iris are going to bond over their damaged families and parental losses, but they both seem to need more caretaking than either one can provide for the other. I'm actually a little concerned that she might become obsessed with Adam. (Save your pot and kettle remarks.) I think we're supposed to get a slightly unbalanced vibe from her, between this and the Splendor in the Grass comment. Another thing: Why is someone who clearly doesn't have the maturity or distance from her own problems not to flip out like that running this program more or less solo? I don't actually expect a sixteen-year-old to act any better, necessarily, but I also wouldn't give her this responsibility. Almost every detail of this children's program thing is just not plausible. Nor do I think Misti Traya is a strong enough actor to hold her own with this bunch -- the seven primary characters are all really good, and you've got to bring it if you expect to keep your head above water. Otherwise...it's like wearing Payless shoes with a couture outfit. It just doesn't fly -- I don't care what Star Jones says. ["Oh, now you tell me." -- Sars]