Episode Report Card Deborah: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Bully For You
By Deborah | Season 1 | Episode 11 | Aired on 12.11.2003
The camera swings across the dance floor. It's not the most well-attended dance I've ever seen. It's certainly not crowded. The attendees are outnumbered by streamers by about twenty-five to one. Joan looks around at the sparkly, transformed gym and remarks, "I can't believe this is the same place I got creamed in dodgeball." She notices Steve wandering off behind her and follows him. He's gone off to an empty corner and turned his back; when she catches up, he turns slightly and shows her an unopened bottle of alcohol (whiskey, I think, but I know/care about as much about alcohol as I do about sports), asking if she wants some. Joan freaks a bit and says, "No way! I'm not gonna get suspended." Not this week, anyway. You can tell she thinks God's put her in over her head. Steve says, "Okay. Fine." He puts the bottle back in his breast pocket. She takes his hand and drags him back to the dance floor.
There's some blather from the DJ in the centre of the room, and then we cut a scene of Friedman and Glenys..."dancing." For those who didn't catch the episode, let me describe first their attire: Friedman is wearing black pants, a burgundy jacket, a pink ruffled shirt, and a black skinny tie. The effect is so Artie Ziff I can't believe it's not intentional (and props to depthfunction and documentia for mentioning him, because I knew he reminded me of somebody and I couldn't think of who). His dancing is an uninhibited and unfortunate blend of Disco Stu and Elaine Benes. Glenys, who is probably a really gorgeous girl under all the dweeby window-dressing, is dressed completely wrong for her figure. She's wearing a pale beige or pink dress with a tightly fitted bodice and a knee-length, A-line skirt with some slight fullness to it. There's a burgundy ribbon at the waist and some sparkly floral appliqués on the bodice. She's wearing black high heels that exaggerate her height advantage over Friedman, and her hair is worn long. The outfit is about as flattering on her as that pink dress was on Gwyneth at the Oscars -- yeah, you know the one I mean. She kind of flails around apathetically opposite Friedman. Oh, they're a pair, baby. Nearby, Luke is sitting at a table alone -- waiting for Grace, I guess. I'm disappointed that there hasn't been any discussion between the siblings, especially Joan and Luke, about this development. Then again, maybe he hasn't said anything to anyone, since he probably thinks she won't show up anyway. The song playing is "Another Postcard" by the Barenaked Ladies.
Grace walks in behind Luke, wearing a hot pink (!) strapless sheath dress underneath her leather jacket. She's kind of styled her hair by flipping the ends out and she's wearing quite a lot of makeup, and the overall effect is not entirely flattering. At first glance, it's kind of "Hooker #3" on NYPD Blue. Still, I think it's adorable that she made an effort. And it's not like most teenage boys are all that discriminating. There's been much speculation on the forums about where she got that dress: borrowed it? Perhaps from some unmentioned sibling? Bought it? Parents gave it to her? My theory is that it's a leftover from some cousin's wedding in which she was forced to be a bridesmaid. She sidles up behind Luke and says, "This music sucks." Word. Not fond of the Ladies, sorry. Luke stands up, duly surprised, and takes her in, saying, "Wow!" Grace smiles tightly and says, "Yeah. Don't talk about it." They glance over at Friedman, who is energetically spinning and tossing Glenys around. Grace's first question: "Where's your sister?" Interesting. Not "You look nice, too" or "This is for losers, man" or "Let's flush Friedman down the toilet," but "Where's your sister?" Luke says he doesn't know, although in a room this empty, you'd think she'd be easy to spot. Luke politely asks, "Uh...did you want to take off your coat..." Grace: "Cool it, horndog! I'm not there yet."