Episode Report Card Deborah: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Medium and the Message
By Deborah | Season 1 | Episode 3 | Aired on 10.09.2003
Joan rounds a corner in the hallway at school, and some smarmy guy in a letter jacket who reminds me slightly of Joe from Say Anything tries to get her attention, giving her the once-over as she walks along, puzzled. She says she's going to be late for class. He says this'll be quick, and asks for her phone number so he can call her tonight. Joan: "Who are you?" Letter Jacket says, "Look, don't let Lynnie scare you. It's good for her to be jealous. Keeps her on her toes." Joan: "Oh...you're Dax." He tells her, "It's too late to play it cool. It's all over town." There aren't even words for how much I don't miss high school, pretty much every minute of which was a living nightmare. The principal comes up to Joan to tell her to come to his office. He warns Dax that he'll be coming to the office too if he misses the bell. Joan gives Dax a vaguely disgusted look and follows the principal.
When she gets there, her mother and the chess club supervisor, Mr. Poplin, are also there. At first when I saw her mother I thought, "Man, they called her mother in?" Then I remembered that Helen works there, though lately she spends more time running around doing Kevin-related errands. Joan stumbles over her greetings and then says as confidently as possible, "I didn't do it." The principal tells her she's not in trouble. Then he tells her he's got great news: "I have to admit, I was concerned when you wanted to take AP Chem, but recent events prove that you have some scientific talent of which only you are aware. And we're happy you're finding a way to express it." Joan has no idea what she's talking about. Mr. Poplin tells her that her mad chess skillz border on genius. Come on -- after one game, he's concluded this? Shouldn't she have to play several games, at least, to prove it's not a fluke? The Credulity Strain-o-Meter is back from the shop, and I don't want it busted again. Helen asks, "Why didn't you tell anyone? Did Luke teach you?" She says no one taught her: "It was an accident." Mr. Poplin says she beat their highest-ranked player. Joan insists that she didn't mean to. Her mother exults. The principal says they want her to represent the school in a regional chess tournament. It's just a few months off, so she's going to have to put in extra time after school. Joan puts the kibosh on that pretty quick: "I don't know how to play chess!" The adults all laugh.
The vicinity of the barn is swarming with cops and search dogs, and Will's on the phone placating the mayor about the efforts they're making out there. Will notices Mr. Reinemann walking slowly toward him in a bit of a stupor. Will concludes the call and asks the father what's wrong. Mr. Reinemann: "I don't know how to say this..." I figured he was about to confess to abducting the child himself. Instead, he says that that stuffed animal isn't Toby; he just found Eric's toy in the trunk of his car. He's never seen that toy they found. Will barely reacts to this news. The father turns and walks slowly away.