Episode Report Card Deborah: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Six Feet Under
By Deborah | Season 2 | Episode 11 | Aired on 12.09.2004
Grace is really pissed: "What the hell do you know about courage, dude? You hide in your head. You're obsessed with science and formulas and mind games so you don't really have to live. I mean, have you ever taken a risk, ever?" Luke seems surprised to have stepped in this particular snake pit: "Grace…" She packs up her stuff as she declares, "The most you're ever going to be is a pathetic science teacher who never really went for what he really wanted." She leaves. Well. I don't even know what to say. First of all, I think Grace has shown all kinds of courage: by being willing to go out with Luke, even secretly at first; by telling Luke about her mother; by going to Alateen; by going public with their relationship; by going through with her bat mitzvah. And he knows about every bit of this; where does he get off accusing her of not having courage? Seriously, he's just not that stupid or insensitive. It's just bad writing to put Luke in the position of considering his degree of risk-taking. And while I understand how pissed off Grace is, it's kind of silly for her to lob that "ever taken a risk" stuff at him, when pursuing her was a huge risk, and most of the time, just opening his mouth around her is a big risk? Not that I expect her to particularly credit the latter. Oy. I just don't like to see writers play fast and loose with characterization in order to generate plot. Who's supervising these scripts this season? Someone is supervising the scripts…isn't someone?
Swimming pool. Diving team wannabes are doing leg lifts. Captain Tommy's counting them off as Coach Keady wanders around making helpful comments. We hear Glynis emit a forceful groan, and the coach asks, "Feel the pain, Ms. Figliola?" Glynis agrees that she does. To Joan: "Higher, Ms. Girardi. This isn't gym class. I can put you out of here outta on a whim." As Captain Tommy counts off the twenty-fifth lift, Joan makes a sound like she's in labour: "Si-i-i-i-i-x!" My screwed-up sacrum is aching just looking at this; I don't need the sound effects. Keady tells them to relax. Captain Tommy sits up, pats his abs, and says, "Hey, you want a stomach like this, you're looking at 200 of those a day, not to mention situps." Shut up, Captain Washboard. Try to evolve a personality beyond your six-pack. Joan struggles to an upright position, and says, "I think I'll do most of mine at home -- that way…when I get here, I'll only have a few left." Suddenly Luke comes in, and Coach Keady yells, "Can I help you, Mr. Girardi?" He says he'd like to try out for the team if he's not too late. Joan: "You are. Go away." Coach Keady: "Clamp it, female Girardi!" Hee. How come she's always "female Girardi" or "alternate Girardi"? She's the older one. Although Luke was in Lischak's class first. Joan whines that Luke is "totally copying" her. Luke: "I am not." Coach Keady comments, "Sibling rivalry. Healthy motivator. The Williams sisters, the Carpenters…Donny and Marie, not so much. Grab a spot on the floor, Mr. Girardi." As he walks to a spot, Joan snaps her fingers at him and whispers, "Hey! You! You're going down!" Luke ignores her. Captain Washboard announces dive rolls, and demonstrates a couple of somersaults along the mats. Joan and Luke follow shortly after. Joan does one, then runs a few extra steps before the next one, so that when she does the second one, she ends up landing with her butt up on the next pile of thicker mats. She flails there like an overturned turtle for a few moments until Coach Keady scurries over and pushes her forward again. Joan does one more, but she's still kind of unsteady, so when she stands up after that one, she ends up falling into the pool. Predictable, but Amber Tamblyn executed it quite well. People laugh, but not as much as you'd expect. Glynis smacks Luke lightly to chide him for laughing. In the pool, Joan grimaces at Luke and jabs her pointed finger in his direction, giving him her "you're going down" gesture again.