Episode Report Card Niki: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Baby Blues
By Niki | Season 2 | Episode 8 | Aired on 01.09.2001
Oh, actually, it's a lead-in to the next scene: the pep rally. The camera pans over the band as the horns kick in, and the cheerleaders start running into the gym. It continues panning up the rafters, past giant green foam fingers, pennants, and the cheering masses until it settles on Carla and Grace camped out near the top where they're jeering heartily. Wannabe snidely suggests that they start the wave. She ignores Grace's protests and laughs at everyone who follows her lead, contemptuously calling them "lemmings." Ri-ight. And not two seconds ago, she ordered Grace to follow her lead like a…oh, I don't know…lemming? And again, she's chewing her fucking gum like the most baleful cow in the herd. Pssst…Wannabe Jolie…chewing your gum like that doesn't make your lips look any bigger so give it the fuck up already. Carla spots Jessie sitting several rows down and points her out to Grace. "What's her name again?" Wannabe asks. When Grace supplies it, Wannabe immediately calls Jessie and invites her to sit with them. Wow, she's about as sensitive as a rock, that girl. Jessie's a little taken aback, but joins them. Wannabe tosses Jessie a compliment about her hair, and I want to know what the hell she's up to. Wannabe brings Jessie up to speed: they were just ragging on the school mascot, and wondering why anybody'd want to dress up as a dog. Jessie points out that the mascot is a bear. Just then the announcer introduces the basketball team, and Jessie cranes to watch for Eli. Wannabe watches her, asking who Jessie's looking for. "My brother, he's on the team." Jessie says. "Really!" Wannabe says, feigning ignorance. I'm sure it's the only time in her life when she's had to fake it. She turns to Grace, asking, "Did you know that?" Wannabe then asks whether Eli's still going out with "that girl," referring to Jennifer, and Jessie says she doesn't know. Wannabe's wheels are turning as she digests this info and turns her attention back to the floor where the team is still filing in. Jessie stands up, clutching her chest and smiling as she says, "Omigod! I cannot believe he did it!" Wannabe follows Jessie's finger to Eli, who has seemingly lost a rather vicious battle with a case of blue Bic ballpoints. His hair is now the color of a Smurf massacre. Wannabe likes it. She jumps up and cheers loudly around her gum. Grace is dumbfounded, staring at Eli with much the same expression Rick sported a few short moments ago. Oooo, blue hair! How shocking! How bad-ass! Just in case we don't realize how rebellious it is, we see the coach chewing out Eli who looks entirely contemptuous. Eli stands facing the crowd, looking slightly uncomfortable in his new so-trying-to-be-bad-yet-so-painfully-Smurfy hair.