Episode Report Card Couch Baron: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Nice plan, brain trust.
By Couch Baron | Season 2 | Episode 2 | Aired on 07.19.1998
On the stairs, McManus sees Said, and notes that the Muslims didn't participate in the council meeting. Said says they only will if the council has real power. He asks if they get to make policy, or only get to rubber-stamp McManus's. McManus: "This is a prison, not a democracy." And thanks to McManus, a large gulp of orange juice just went down my trachea. WHAT? If he really thought that, why was I yelling "IT'S A FUCKING PRISON" more times than I could count last season? God, how I hate him. He says that he wants to do Em City right this time, and that if Said doesn't want to participate, he should stay out of the way. Said says that McManus wants them to be allies, but it won't happen. "Better for you to transfer me back to Gen Pop and be done with me!" Yeah, your presence is really tranquil, Said. McManus runs after him and tells him he won't. He says that after he was shot, he prayed, and realized that his god and Said's aren't that different. "They both expect the best from us, and for us to find the best in each other." Said regards him like he's a particularly slimy slug. I have used that very look on McManus many times myself. Said tells him he's written another book, this one about the riot. I can only say that I hope I'm not going to be hearing about it for the rest of the season. Said: "When I was writing, I looked for the best in you. You want to know what I found? A confused, frightened little man." Said, you can be as loud as you want if you're going to stick it to McManus like that. Remarkably, McManus doesn't flinch. Instead, he cops to it, but says he has a different perspective thanks to the bullet he took. "People can change, Said! Even me. Even you." That assy goatee on your face says otherwise, Timbo. And also? Shut up.
McManus's next stop on The Slow Boat To Boredom is Wangler, who's mopping floors. This is a really boring scene. You don't really want me to recap it, do you? Really? Honestly? Oh, fine. McManus notes that Wangler went to class when he first came to Oz, but he stopped. Yeah, that was right around the time he learned the meaning of the word "optional." McManus asks how he's going to get a job when he gets out, and Wangler duhs that he'll be finding a comfortable vocation in the drug trade. McManus says that if Wangler starts going back to class, he won't have to mop floors any more. What is this, kindergarten? I thought you were making it mandatory! Not only am I running low on "shut up," I'm also starting to dip into my bucket of "whatever." I hope McManus's screen time is almost over. Anyway, Wangler agrees. Scene!