Nineties Babies Nostalgia
A pop culture podcast hosted by two 90s babies and best friends, Amanda and Jess. NBN Classic is a rewatch series where we recap & review teen tv and movies from the early 2000s (think Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, etc). NBN Remixed episodes follow a similar format but cover the tv, movies, and music we love now (Heartstopper, Young Royals, Demi Lovato, etc). Listen along to two best friends having a giggle, and let us know what you think.
Nineties Babies Nostalgia
life with derek season 4 part 1: enemies to lovers but still enemies
Life with Derek season 4 is STACKED and we're covering episodes 1 (Two Kisses, One Party), 4 (March Breaks), 6 (6 1/2), 7 (Derek Denies Denial), 11 (Happy New School Year), 12 (Casey & Ralph?!), and 16 (Truman's Last Chance). We've got prank wars, a whole new love interest, closure, and the most dasey we've had all series. Not a single episode in this series is a skip.
Please rate & review and reach out to us on socials for any thoughts because we have plenty to share.
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Theme Song by Patrick Dunnevant, (https://www.youtube.com/c/AcappellaVGM)
Artwork by Dawn Wheeler (https://www.instagram.com/wool_and_stone)
Get home from school, turn on my TV, who are these friends staring right back at me? Now that we're older, why don't you come over, and go back in time with me? 90s babies nostalgia.
Hi, I'm Amanda.
And I'm Jessica, and this is 90s Babies Nostalgia, where two fully grown millennial women rewatch and sometimes watch for the first time iconic entertainment from the early 2000s.
Just to be clear, we're not sponsored by nor affiliated with any of the actors, channels, networks, anything that we are talking about. We just really like talking about TV. And today the TV that we are talking about is Life with Derek season four. Yes, we have made it to our everyone's favorite Canadian sitcom's fourth and final season. In this episode, we are going to be covering the bulk of the season. And then we're going to do a wrap up episode where we talk about the series as a whole and cover the last two episodes. So you are going to want to listen to that because they are Honestly, some really beefy episodes.
Yeah.
A lot goes down in those two. but But before we get in, before all of that, I'm getting get ahead of myself. Jess, what have you been enjoying lately?
I'm gonna do a product because we've been having some tech issues. We're not exactly sure when this episode's gonna come out, so I'm gonna keep it general. And this also works because it is a disability product, but everyone can use it. Ignore my can. I'm showing this little thing called the Tab Buddy. You can get it from Etsy. It's a little seller who made it for people with mobility issues, but basically you just like, Slide it on top of your thing. You lift up and it makes opening cans so much easier. It's amazing. I swear by it. Also, if you don't have a disability and you just have issues opening up cans or you have super long nails and can't open up a can, they work for you too. They are amazing. Love them. I have like five of them and I keep them with me all the time. Put them in my purse, have one in my work bag. They're great.
I love that because sometimes even for me, my fingers are great, but sometimes it hurts my fingies.
Yeah, that's what, it truly is one of those products that I'm like, okay, this was made for the disabled community, but the abled community can benefit from it just as much, like.
No, I love that you found that because I know you've mentioned like how you kind of were just going about life and like doing everything, however you were taught to do it. And then Chris was- Jess's husband for listeners was like, but if you can do things like find a way to make things a little bit easier, why wouldn't you?
Yeah, and a lot of my gadgets that I use now on the regular are because he found it. This my younger sibling actually found and got advertised on Etsy, but it's like truly amazing. And they come cute. Like this this one's simple, but I have one that's like the shape of a skull.
Ooh.
Like they have really like fun ones too.
Fun
What have you been enjoying lately?
You know, that's a good question. And there's only one honest answer. And I wasn't going to give it. This is a spur of the moment because we've talked about it multiple times. So like, why am I bringing this up? But I am enjoying Stardew Valley. Again, Jess has talked about it in her recommendations. I may or may not have. It's a cute little farming game.
It's the best.
We've both played it for years and I hadn't been active for months, for like six plus months in it. But because of the aforementioned tech issues, I was down mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and I had no laptop. Well, I had a work laptop, but that doesn't count because it doesn't feel the same. So I finally downloaded Stardew Valley on my Switch and I, um, that's all I want to do. Like mentally, I'm, I'm not playing, I'm not recording this podcast right now. I'm farming.
Yep.
That's all, that's all that my ADHD brain wants is the dopamine from my little farming game.
Are you still in summer of year one or did you make it further?
Barely. I'm on day 27 of summer.
Okay.
Yeah, I almost finished out to fall because one of the last two days is a festival anyway, but I was finally like falling asleep. Like I have been staying up way too late, laying on the couch, playing Stardew Valley, falling asleep while I do it because I just...I have to I have to like I feel like the the the issue for me is that you can't save until you finish the day but then when once you wake up and you start the new day and you hear the chirpy little doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
The music, the music really hits sometimes. You're like, okay, I can do another day.
Yeah
Then like seven days later, you're like, wait a minute. I was supposed to go to bed an hour and a half ago.
It's literally like, but wait, there's a whole nother day and there's so much potential.
Yes
I could do all these things that I've been thinking about. and I've definitely been losing complete track of time. I'm like in this little vortex and I only know what time it is by my bladder.
Yep. Mm hmm. It is the beauty of Stardew, though. You could play for it. It sounds you hear farming game and you're like, what? But it truly is amazing. You get immersed in the world like immediately.
we could make a whole episode on Stardew
Truly
and we basically have at this point, but we'll move on because everyone knows about it. No one wants to play our farming game or they already did.
Yep.
Okay. Life with Derek season four aired July 19th, 2008 to March 25th, 2009, which is kind of later than I expected, but I don't know why. I think time is just passing in our chronology and I, um, I'm not comprehending it fully because time is weird. There's new clips in the intro now.
Different than season three?
Yeah.
Oh, OK. I don't know if I paid attention to I know they switched in season three as well.
In season three, she has her cheerleading uniform and it's gone in season four.
Yeah. OK, OK.
And I also feel like these ones, this intro shows how comfortable Michael and Ashley, our two leads have gotten because he's like picking her up and moving her around during the intro.
I truly did not pay attention to the intro is what I'm learning here.
I'm not surprised.
I sing the song, but I don't think that my eyes process the screen, you know?
Have you skipped it yet?
No, I just sing the song. I'm just in my own world, I think, with the song in the background. Like I'm not, I'm looking at the TV, but what's happening on the TV? Like my eyes are not actually watching.
Well, yes, I understand that. and And you know what? To be fair, your eyes also have issues.
Yeah.
So we'll blame it on that.
yeah.
But I mean, we this was our test for older series. It was like we would skip the intro after a while. Have you skipped?
No, I hated the song season one and this has done the opposite of other shows where I get tired of it. I now love it. It's so catchy.
I think it won awards
Yeah
in Canada too.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's like so bad, but it's so good.
Yeah. Yeah. the Yeah. I know we talked about this in our first episode. It is bad, but it's incredibly catchy. Like, it's definitely one now that I'm like, oh, I love this song. Like, it's great.
Yeah.
um Have you skipped it?
No, no, I haven't. I think about it every once in a while and then I'm like, no, this is one of my favorite parts of the episode.
Yeah.
Even when I'm sat and watching like seven episodes in a row as I did for this season, I'll still, I'll still listen every time.
To me, this season feels more mature. Like it's an already mature show for Disney channel, as we've mentioned, but to me, for some reason, this season in the tone and in the performances feels even more mature.
Yeah, I agree. And some of the like themes of the episodes too are definitely leaning even more mature.
Yes, and the resolutions
Yeah, totally. I also write this down every season, but I swear to you Lizzie and Marti look so much older this season and Edwin looks exactly the same.
He doesn't, but I thought that was really funny you wrote that.
Oh my god.
To me, everyone looks a lot older this season. He went through puberty as well. He just, it's not as noticeable because his hair doesn't really change. like, I feel like everyone looks older. I also feel like Casey's hair changes every episode. It gets blonder. The style changes literally every episode. I went through it with her, but yeah, they all feel a lot older.
Agreed, they all feel older, but I really noticed it in Lizzie and Marti specifically. We only have one really like recurring character that's added for this season, and that is Truman, who was played by Joe Dinicol. And he's like the new guy. He's kind of a sleazy hottie. We'll get into it, but Casey and him have a crush on one another. He is primarily like a voice film and stage actor. He's known for the My Babysitters of Vampires series. He's played a reoccurring role on Grey's Anatomy and also in Arrow.
You know what's funny is watching this, I made a note to look up the actor because his face was so familiar. For some reason though, it's not one of those faces that I could be like, wait a second, I know him from something.
Mm.
But I've seen all of my babysitter's a vampire and also I am a Grey's Anatomy super fan.
Mm-hmm.
I've seen the entire series, yes, all 20 seasons
It's wild
21? three to four times all the way through
Wild
the first ten an extra set like I've and he was a recurring character in Andrew DeLuca's residency class if anyone is really curious I but I did not recognize that for some reason he has the face he has a face to me that it's like handsome but it fades away
Generic
he looks like he could be anyone right
Yeah, very generic, yes. He like very he just gives me generic hottie. You're like, yeah, he's hot, I guess. But he's like he doesn't stand out. Before we get into the episode summaries, I do want to mention, because we mentioned this in season three, that the air order versus production order versus what is on freevee was kind of funky. That's all fixed now for Season four the air order is the production order and that's the way it's listed on freevee So there is like no real continuity wacky issues with that, which is great And then we are kicking off with episode 1
Two kisses, one party.
it's Marti's eighth birthday party and Edwin is roped into helping out because Nora has to tend to a family emergency and go away. So Sally volunteers herself and Derek to help with the party. Which pisses Derek off because he's like, I didn't I don't want to do this. Leave me out of this chaos. That's going to be Marti's birthday party. concurrently in the episode, Casey is trying to move on past Max. She sees him in the hallway and she's like, oh, my God, he's kind of cute. And Sally's like, maybe what you need is closure. And so then what does Casey do? She asks Max for an official breaking up ceremony, but at the end of the ceremony she blurts out, well maybe we should get back together, and Max says he'll think about it. During Marti's party there's a knock on the door. It's Max. and he immediately gets roped in into helping with Marti's birthday party because it's all these teenagers trying to figure out what to do with 13 eight-year-olds and they're trying to get everything set up so it's a little chaotic and the party is getting out of hand because Sally is busy fighting with Derek because she's still upset that Derek didn't want to help out with his family event and she was just trying to be nice. And Casey is distracted with Max. And Max tells her, you know, that kind of caught me off guard. And I actually have like moved on. I've been seeing someone else when you said that you needed time to find yourself. And so Casey gets her closure, even though it's not the closure she necessarily wanted. And Derek mainly comes down from upstairs. The party is a chaos, but he dresses up as a wizard. He walks down the stairs. All little girls run up to him um and saves the party. And then he also explains to Sally that he only wants to help on his own terms.
I really enjoy hearing people speak and knowing what they're meaning to say, but they can't get the words out just right because I have that problem all the time. But you saying the party is a chaos was really peak.
Mm-hmm. It's chaotic. Whatever. It works. when I first read this title, which is Two Kisses, One Party, my brain immediately went, oh my god, Derek's gonna make out with two girls in one party and this is gonna be so messy. And I blame the show for making me think that because Derek would do something like that.
Honestly, yes, and it's been a weird the first season the pilot was called like the room or something like that but then the second season it was like date with Derek and then the third season was like two timing Derek or something like that like there's always this like dating plot line at the start and I also even now looking back I was like who even got two kisses like. The nickname, the name, the title. The title is clickbait, guys.
Mmhmm.
The title is clickbait, pre-clickbait.
Yeah. It is.
when they're in the school hallway, walking around, Casey has a side pony, a low side pony, and also multiple people have bump its, and I just was like, hello, 2008.
Mmhmm.
Like, the hairstyles be doing in that.
Sally was very weird to me in this episode because in season three, when we're introduced to her, she's like a little sassy. Derek likes her energy because she has this like one of the guys I'm not going to like lessen myself for you sort of energy. And then in this episode, she's very like, girl next door wants to become best friends with the family and help out with everything. And it just like doesn't feel like her to me, or the version of her we were introduced to in the last season, like it feels jarring.
I think there was always some of this that you missed out on a little bit. like There was an episode you didn't watch where she cooks dinner for the family before they're even dating. like She comes over and then they're scrambling for dinner and she's like, can I make it? So she's always been really nice and helpful. but this episode felt overly so. It also felt the most acted I'd seen so far, the way that she shows up and all of the younger siblings just come running over and are like, oh my God, Sally's here. Oh my God, I love Sally blahblah and I'm like, what is going on? it feels It feels like a stage production.
Yeah, I was very just off putting. I was like, I would never describe her as girl next door. Like maybe she's helpful, maybe she's sweet, but she just had this very strong girl next door energy that I was just like, this does not feel Sally.
Yeah, I also wonder does she even know Derek at all?
I don't
Because
No
like, ah why does she think that he's gonna because he gets upset when she volunteers him for the party because she keeps volunteering him for multiple things. And he's like annoyed that she keeps being like, Oh, Derek will help you out. Because he's not a helpful guy ah unless he wants to be. Does she not know him?
No, I don't think she does. And also there probably is a level of her that's like, well, whenever I need help, he helps me out. So he is helpful in her perspective, but he helps her out because he wants to.
I just think that she knew that he was like that before and that it's a her thing.
you You would hope, but these are also teenagers, so.
That's true. the the breakup ceremony is so funny. Max is also like this is a very casey thing to do. Like he as in true Max fashion, he takes it in stride.
Yeah
Also his last episode in the season which made me sad. the the funniest part to me is that in returning Max's stuff, she printed out 57 emails.
Yeah.
You can't return emails, first of all. And second of all, why did you print them out? Like, did she print them out before they broke up? Or did she print them out now as a symbolic returning of them?
I think she printed them out after as a symbolic returning. She also binder clipped them. It was really an entire ordeal.
She also took them back.
Yeah, because he's like, I don't really want all of this stuff. She's like, okay, I didn't want to give it back anyway. And it's like, Casey, you asked for this.
Yeah, she ended up just giving him back a couple key things and then keeping all the rest of it. But do you really need the emails girl recycle?
Yeah, seriously. There is this, it's like a reoccurring thing that Edwin is like obsessed with Sally. He even admits to being obsessed with her. We bring this up in every show where the younger male side character is into the older teenager. I just don't like that Disney continues to do this. I find it a little icky. I find it a little gross. The way it presents in Edwin is a little bit more obsession versus like outwardly, I want to be with her but there is a level of flirting on his end that I just like don't love.
you would think maybe he thinks that it's harmless because Sally's with Derek. Like he's never trying to take Sally from Derek. But it it is a little strange because I think in real life if you had a crush on your sibling's partner, which could totally happen, I think you wouldn't be so shameless about it. unless maybe he sees that it's so out of bounds and out of the ordinary that it's like a gimmick. I just I just yeah, the way that it's so overt is
Yeah, and it's like...
the part that makes it a little icky.
Yeah, and it's like a known thing that the family accepts as well, which I'm like, what? It's just weird.
Yeah, but at least he follows up on it because he does do whatever she asks, which sometimes some of these boys in these shows don't.
No, true.
But how did you feel about the little girl in the episode? Because one of Marti's party guests is obsessed with Edwin and chasing him around the house and thinks that they're gonna get married.
Oh, I forgot.
She says I'm very mature for my age.
Yeah. And marriage comes up and she's like, Oh my God. Yeah. I didn't love that either. Like, can we just, if one, we shouldn't be, I don't think putting eight year olds in a position where they're like showing interest in other, like let them just be eight. But also if we are gonna show interest, like show an eight-year-old having a crush on another eight-year-old that's at the party. Like don't make it Edwin and this little girl. Like it's just weird.
It is more likely for an eight year old girl to be so outwardly obsessed, I think, but still. Yeah, I agree. It's like weird.
Yeah, and at least Edwin has a relationship with Sally. Like as far as we know, this little girl doesn't even know Edwin. She just like shows up and is smitten with him.
Yeah, she doesn't know him.
for everyone with dogs, if you're watching this episode, it requires a doorbell warning. There is at least five doorbells in this episode, I would argue for too many. it was terrible. I told Amanda I need a doorbell warning in the future.
She initially said she wanted to veto all episodes with doorbells. And I was like, I couldn't even tell you which episodes those are. It's probably all of them. I don't i didn't notice that the doorbell was ringing in these shows. Sometimes people ring the doorbell. Sometimes people just walk in. Lots of people are in and out of this house, babe.
Yeah, that's true. It is true. There's this moment at the party where Derek and Max are trying to spin the ropes for Double Dutch and they're just terrible. They're like the ropes are landing on top of one another. They look like they don't even really know what Double Dutch is when the kids hand them a second jump rope. um It's just a funny Derek and Max moment.
It is. I liked it because I also would not know how to do that. They also have a cute little exchange where they're like, wait, so Casey has me helping out and she's not my girlfriend and Sally has me helping out and we're fighting right now. Why are we doing this? Why are we here?
yeah yeah at the party, Casey looks very cute. She has a cute dress on. She looks great. She has what Amanda is referring to as gold ribbon. That's not what it looked like to me. It looked like shiny, plasticky, gold pipe cleaners, two of them across her forehead. And she has to have this very emotional moment with Max or Max admits that he's moved on and is seeing someone else. And she has to come to terms with that that relationship is officially over over. There's no possibility of it going anywhere. And I just thought it was so mean that they made her have this emotional acting moment with pipe cleaners across her forehead. I was like, couldn't have we given her an actual headpiece? I don't know.
I liked it. I thought they were ribbons and I thought that they were cute. And one of my notes was that this actually looks really good on her. And I made that note before your note. I don't know if we know mentioned this, but this is a princess themed birthday party. And so everyone, all of the guests it's not, I was pleasantly surprised. It's not just Marti. It's all of them are dressed as princesses. And so she has to have some sort of tiara. That's why she has this gold stuff around her. head. I liked it. Also shout out to Nora because the dress that Casey wears is the purple dress that Nora made for the prom episode in season three, which I noticed a few times, at least in this season, especially that Casey McDonald is an outfit repeater and I appreciate it.
We love that.
We love an outfit repeater up in here.
Mhm.
But speaking of the um incredible headwear, there's a whole bit where George is cooking well like quote unquote cooking. And he has a stereotypical chef's hat on and a plastic gold crown like Burger King style but plastic around the outside of the hat and it was just such a mood. It was everything.
I like that like George did not want to be there at all, but he still committed.
Yeah, I like that he was in the kitchen where no one was allowed to go, but he was wearing a hat and crown
Yeah
where no one was gonna see him.
See him. Yeah. The only thing that confused me about this is Derek dressing up as a wizard. Because he does that at the end to like save the party. But Sally always asked for him to do that. Like it was always a plan that he would be dressed as this wizard like greeting the girls as they came in. And do wizards and princesses go together?
Yeah, why not? It's like fairy tales.
Okay.
(Laughter)
I don't think they do, but I guess I'll i'll accept it.
I would say like, obviously, princesses exist in real life. And wizards depends on who you ask. But when you go to myths and media and high fantasy, where there are wizards, there are usually also princesses.
Okay, I'll accept it.
thank you
at the end, Casey and Lizzie ask for ice cream from Derek because they're like, oh my god, Sally changed Derek and Derek is so nice now. And he goes and gets them ice cream. But what he actually does is put ice cream in a bowl, microwave it, come over and dump the melted ice cream all over Casey. And it was so mean, like so mean.
snaps tens across the board because when i was watching him be like no i'm not getting you f*cking ice cream and then he agreed to it i was like b*tch i would not have gotten my sibling food if they asked i'd be like go get it yourself
Yeah
get on your own two f*cking legs so i was surprised when he said yes and then i was very confused and he came over and dumped it on her head and i was like that's the Derek Venturi i know
Yeah, it was very in character, but also I was like, how rude and then you'd have to take a shower because that's just so sticky.
Yeah, I'd be more concerned about the couch.
I'm more concerned about her hair, but yeah.
my takeaway from this is that I just really need to have this themed party, like this almost exact party. Like it was, it was really well executed. I was impressed with Sally.
Okay, yeah, me too. And I liked how everyone committed to it. That's what made it so good is everyone was like, this is the theme, we're sticking to it. the dasey scale, I wrote zero to one. I felt like there was like some small glances and stuff, but nothing really crazy.
Mm hmm. I could do a one. honestly guys disclaimer ahead trigger warning before we proceed. Jess's dasey scales are largely wrong for the majority of this season. We'll get into it. But I wouldn't rate any of these episodes at a zero because the whole f*cking season is like, Oh, this is the dasey season. There's just so much more tension between the actors in their interactions in general.
Yeah, I agree. I think I have a note we'll get to later about that. quotes
Quotes.
Nora is telling Marti, when she has the family emergency, she's like, Marti, honey, we're gonna have to move your birthday party to next week. And she's like, why can't George just do it? And Nora goes, oh, honey, large birthday parties make your father nervous. Just loved it.
Very cute. I wrote down this quote that was very mature and it was the closure quote, which honestly I don't know would give me closure the way that it did, Casey. I think it would open up too many questions, but Max tells her, I never stopped liking you, Casey. I just stopped going out with you.
Mm-hmm.
Just like, oh
Uh huh exactly
the the writers, the writers were pulling from real life experience with that one.
Oh, yes, they were.
Mm hmm. Moving on to Episode Four, March Break. Guys, if you like life with Derek, like i I mean, if you're curious about it, I recommend watching the whole series. But this season, I don't feel like there's really any skips.
Slaps. Slaps so hard.
For example, this is a filler episode. This is the closest we get to a filler episode and we're covering it because it's iconic. So get into it. It is March break, which I'm taking to be like spring break. I asked Mallory at pop capsule pod. She hasn't gotten back to me yet, I'm taking it to be like spring break, but they call it March break. And Ralph is supposed to be hosting the party to end all parties, except he forgot that he was going on a trip. George decides that he want to take wants to take a family road trip to Quebec City, which is like 12 hours away because they are gonna make blended family memories! But Derek and Casey stay home because they want to go to the party! And like I said, he Ralph forgot that he is traveling to the Yucatan.
Mmhmm.
Sure. Emily's family gets a last minute trip to Aruba. Sam's going hiking with his parents. So it's just Casey and Derek. in the house all alone with no friends to hang out with, which means very quickly they devolve into just a full out prank war with one another, which does end in a meatloaf food fight. The road trip on the B plot has not been going well for a number of reasons.
Yeah.
And Nora calls because they're headed home early at like one in the morning because they got kicked out of the hotel for having a loud pillow fight at one in the morning. So Derek and Casey now have to speed clean and work together. And Nora comes home with all of the kids and knows that they've been fighting because even though they did a great job cleaning, she found meatloaf in her ficus. it's just a really fun episode.
Yeah, it is really fun. it The watch is really quick. And it gives you that kind of like Derek Casey one on one plot slash tension that I feel like fans were craving. So I feel like the writers wrote this for fans.
Yes, there were a lot of episodes in the season where either their plots were like, very combined, or they were very, very separate.
Mmhmm.
A number of the ones that I didn't assign were because Derek was literally just playing ping pong with Edwin the whole episode, or like, It was more Casey's season, I feel, but i I really appreciated that this brought them together, so much so. And it showed how quickly they devolved into pranking each other, because it like starts from nothing. Literally the first thing is that Derek leaves his laundry in the washer too long, and so Casey dries it with a f*ck ton of dryer sheets so his laundry smells good, and that leads him
Yeah. Literally my dream. I would love, I don't use dryer sheets anymore because they're mostly plastic and terrible for the environment. But my dream would be like 20 dryer sheets in one load of laundry. Smells so delicious.
And he's so upset that his clothes smell nice, that then he steals her book and she steals his hockey card and they end up taping the house all the way in half, which is such a trope as well. And so fun. And like they were threatened before Nora left. She said, if there's any cau- like signs that you've been fighting or you've caused damage, I will revoke Casey's clothing allowance and I will revoke Derek's gas allowance. And so they had stakes and yet so quickly.
They did not care.
No. just such a fun dynamic
There is this part of the episode where one of the things that Derek does that bothers Casey, and really the whole family in general, is Derek opens a bag of chips from the bottom with his teeth. That's a crime. It's a crime.
Honestly...
Jail time. Jail time is deserved.
it's...but hear me out It sounds like a crime and and it is, but watching it, did you not kind of think like, wow, that looks really efficient.
No, I never thought that. I was just mad. The only thing where I could excuse it is it doesn't really matter because every single time we see Derek, he's a giant bowl of chips. So effectively, he rips it open with his teeth from the bottom, puts it into a bowl, and then throws away the bag. So it doesn't really matter because he's using the whole bag of chips anyway, but still.
It is pretty funny that he is not just eating out of the bag because I eat out of the bag and I'm not a teenage boy. Him putting it in a bowl is is a little evolved, honestly.
Yeah. Yeah. And only a bowl that's a size for eight to 10 people. It's the only size I've seen him use this entire show. This hotel room that the family stays out on their road trip that is going terribly, I swear to you, it's two twin beds for five people.
It is.
Like these are the smallest beds I've ever seen. I'm like, why didn't they get two hotel rooms?
What were they gonna do?
I guess if they have two hotel rooms with two beds each, then Nora could stay in one and sleep in a bed and then Marti and Lizzie. And then if they have a second room, then George and Edwin could stay in that room. And then they wouldn't be cramped into two tiny beds.
I guess I didn't catch if this was like the only room available or not. I got that impression because they got it last minute late at night.
Yeah, I also got that impression, but I don't remember them explicitly saying that.
Yes. And so until they explicitly tell us and write us a formal note, it's not valid.
correct. In this car ride, Marti is carsick and she like leans over in the backseat and throws up all over Lizzie's lap.
Yeah.
And I just really felt for Lizzie because you know sometimes car rides with not even necessarily your siblings but just when you have like a bunch of teenagers and kids in one vehicle like there's ought to be at least one to two kids that are incredibly carsick and on the verge of throwing up at any minute.
Yeah, I also don't know if it started in this episode or proceeds it. But Edwin's really annoying thing is that he's super gassy on this car ride.
Yeah
And it becomes a recurring character trait
Yes
mentioned in almost every episode this season. And I really appreciate that as a girl with IBS.
Yeah. Yeah. Edwin's gas does. It's like its own plot line throughout the season.
It truly is its own character. I am confused in relation to a Marti like throwing up and whatnot. She tries. This is after the fact. This is when they're in the hotel room.
Mm-hmm.
Lizzie offers her food and it's poutine and Marti doesn't like it and she ends up getting it all over the bed. she didn't know what it was and Lizzie explains it to her and I know she's like eight but I just don't understand a world where she doesn't know what poutine is because it's just all over Canada like yes it's French Canadian but it's all over Canada and Ontario's right next to Quebec and I had poutine in Vancouver and I just feel like it's something she would know of even if she hadn't tried it yeah
Yeah, I agree. It doesn't make sense that she wouldn't know.
Yeah
Feels like a very Canadian food.
It is, it is, I think the national food or the at least of Quebec. Yeah. There you, yeah, we both, we both, I, this was one of the very few notes we had that overlapped.
Oh.
Take it away Jess.
Derek is opening up the fridge because one of the pranks that Casey pulls, which is actually really f*cked up, is she pulls everything out of the fridge and the freezer and hides it so Derek can't eat anything because there's no food in the house. But because he's so infuriated by the lack of food, he leaves the fridge door wide open and just walks away. That door, as far as we know, is still open. I was so upset. I was like Derek turn around close the door. There's no food to spoil but still
it's wasting energy.
Yeah
It's wasting electricity. It pissed me off too. But you know what would have been really funny is if they had like closed it during the cleaning montage.
yeah I would have appreciated that like call back to that moment
Also, props to Casey because she's not known to be the best prankster, but in this episode, she really gets she she really wins. she's so yeah
Yeah.
her Her pranks are detailed. I don't know how she got away with it, honestly.
Yeah, I don't know either.
so the fridge infuriates me but what also infuriates me is early on Derek puts his feet on Casey and his shoes are on and he's laying on the couch and just this family regularly is laying on the couch or laying on Derek's bed with their shoes on and i hate it because that's filthy and disgusting take your shoes off people especially if you're going to lay on the furniture but also just throughout your house because they're on the street It's disgusting. And also, like, to that note of the wardrobe stuff, it's like 11 p.m. and Derek and Casey are both wearing jeans. And I was like, dude, get comfortable in your own home. And then when they're doing the cleaning montage, it's 3 a.m. and they both change clothes. But then she's in sweatpants and he's in corduroys?
yeah it doesn't make sense at all like wouldn't you both be in pajamas well before 11 pm well before let alone 3 am m who's putting on corduroys at 3 am m where does he think he's going
Yeah he went from day to day
yeah
You know?
it's like are you showing up for your like i don't know
School picture?
customer service shift yeah
You going to best buy?
So crazy. dasey Scale. I guess Amanda disagrees with me. I thought that I nailed the ratings. Honestly, this is my scale. So I nailed the ratings. um I felt like this one was pretty high. I would give it like a seven.
This one I agree with, yes.
Okay.
There are a couple that you got correct, yes.
Okay great
it's It's all the ones in the middle where you wrote that you didn't write anything down, and so it's a zero.
Yep.
um those Those I took personally. But this one, a seven, I think is correct. It's not super duper flirty, but again, they spend the whole episode together, so.
Mhmm.
Quotes.
I only wrote down one quote, and it's so stupid. But it was this really funny moment with Nora and Derek, where Nora's trying to explain what they need to do to take care of the house while they're away. And Nora reminds them that her ficus needs to be watered. And Derek keeps, it's just so stupid. Derek keeps referring to it as a fergus, but there's nothing is a fergus.
I love you dying over here.
Because I'm thinking of the whole interaction, I'm like, it literally is the dumbest moment ever, but I just find it truly hilarious. Nora's like, what's a fergus? And Derek's like, what's a ficus?
I think i she says, water the ficus. He's like, you mean the fergus. No, I mean the ficus. What's a ficus? What's a fergus?
Fergus. Yeah, it was good.
This also had a funny blooper. They still do bloopers in the ah final credits. And that one had a funny blooper where like, Michael very clearly could not get the line right. but she was still saying the line right. So it was like, what's a Fergus, but he hadn't even said Fergus or something.
Okay. Episode six.
Six and a half. Truman, the new guy at school, has rated all of the girls because he sucks. And he rated Casey a 6.5, which drives her crazy. Also at school, Kendra's holding a fashion show. And so she asks for Emily and Casey's help to pick models for the fashion show. And she's like, we're going to use the Truman rating since it's scientific, which Kendra it absolutely isn't, but OK. And she's like, no models under seven, but Casey will make an exception because you're 6.75. At this point, she got upgraded 0.25.
Yeah, and we can round.
Yes, and we can round to seven. Then Emily ends up going out on a date with Truman, which upsets Casey, but also Derek because he was just hitting on Sally the day before at Smelly Nelly's. the next day after his date with Emily, he ends up going on a date with Kendra. And so Casey is like, I feel like this is weird that all the people he's targeting are people in our life that's so personal to us. We need to stop Truman. And so Derek confronts him about this. And Truman admits he's like, yeah, I'm purposely doing this. And I purposely rigged my rating system because I'm trying to get Casey's attention. And so Casey throws her own alternative fashion show, which ends up with Kendra's fashion show getting canceled. Truman shows up to the fashion show and talks to Casey afterwards and calls her beautiful. And she's like, yeah, you're cute, but your personality needs work and walks away. And that is how our episode ends.
And for some reason, Casey and Derek, they very quickly came to the conclusion that Truman was targeting Derek, trying to bother him with all the women in his life. And when Derek confronts Truman, Truman says, no, I was targeting all the women in Casey's life because he didn't know that they're step siblings. But I don't understand why they ever thought that he was targeting Derek.
Yeah, it's very confusing. I was like, um yeah, because he's the new guy. He doesn't have any reason to have any beef with Derek or to be going after people that Derek is close to. So yeah, it doesn't really make sense.
unless the logic was like, well, he's with Sally, so he's gonna bother you. But I don't know.
Casey tells Emily that girls would never do this to guys, which I just found hilarious because I'm like, Casey, your best friend has an entire hallway hotties journal that she frequently updates.
And then she immediately shows Casey that she does, in fact, do this to guys. She doesn't assign them numbers, but she color codes.
this really goes into the entire like if boys are mean to you then they must have a crush on you and I know that's not exactly what it's getting at but essentially right he rates her low to upset her to try to get her attention to win her over which I'm just like to you should have just not been rating girls in the first place and you probably should have just like approached her because you're a very attractive guy and she probably would have went out on a date with you like you didn't have to do this elaborate I'm gonna like ruin her self-esteem ploy
Yeah, it felt ah um real to what we were taught to expect of like guys are gonna be mean to you and like it's a form of flirting and that's sort of where this leads off with Truman is that after this he regularly shows up in episodes and is just like constantly in the hallways in Casey's business being like, when are you gonna go out with me? And really annoys her at times. I don't love that mentality, but I knew it was being set up right from the beginning. But just in general, like Sam, Max, Truman are her real boyfriends. And then Noel is like a maybe almost once. And then, Derek, of all of them, Truman is definitely my least favorite. I think I wouldn't have minded him as much in season three. But in season four, after Max, I don't like him.
Yeah, agreed. I'm like, Sam was great, Max was great, and then we freaking get Truman to end all off the series.
Yeah.
In this episode, Emily has like straight highlighted hair that's like fully blown out, and normally like she actually wears her hair quite natural most of the time,
Yeah
and I didn't love it. I was like, what are we doing?
She had a lot more wigs this season. Like her hair was was straight a lot of episodes and I didn't like it. it doesn't
Yeah.
I mean, I get it. It's realistic. A lot of girls would wear their hair that way and maybe it's to signify that she's like growing up or maturing or something, but she just looks so good with her natural curls.
Yeah, and it wasn't like a change for the season. It was just like for this episode. And I was like, this is why is her hair like that? It bothered me the entire episode. I was like, I hate this. Give me her regular hair.
I didn't realize how much I missed Paul until this episode because this is the first episode he's in of this season and we're six episodes in and I was watching all of them and he showed up and I was like, Oh my God, my buddy, he's really only in a handful of episodes. It makes me sad.
I love Paul. I know I find it interesting that they set him up as this like dynamic character to be included in every single episode. And they really only kept that up for the first two seasons. And I wonder why because there's no reason to get rid of him.
I think maybe they felt the show was getting a little too big. That's what it feels like to me because we have this large ensemble cast and we want to know a little bit more about the kids as well. Plus we have the love interests and then I think really what did it was like season three introducing smelly Nelly's because we get episodes that take place entirely at the house and smelly Nelly's and sometimes aren't even in school or if we're in school we're like with Max or with Emily and there's just like a lot
More going on
fewer- yeah I think maybe people felt like it was cumbersome or or dead weight to an episode to like put Casey in situations where she would have to go to Paul that's my guess
I could have done with more Paul, but yeah, that makes sense.
Yes, and I also think in this episode in particular, he's underutilized, but I will get to that with my final note.
we briefly touched on this in the summary, but Truman shows up to Smelly Nelly's, Sally is um his server and she's like, what can I get you? And he's like your phone number and she handles it perfectly. She's like, that's not on the menu. And he's like, you're not helping me. And she's like, you're not telling me what you want. Like she handles it so well but I hate that she had to have this conversation while she was at work and just like being someone who worked in the service industry for so many years I hate that so many service industry workers specifically I'm thinking females though I am sure it's a whole spectrum of people who experience this have to deal with sh*t like that at work no one should be asking for your phone number while you are just trying to do your job like it's so disrespectful and just like not okay
At worst slash best, what has happened to me is someone gave me their phone number while I was working. I didn't ask for it. They wrote it on a receipt and slid it over to me. That was more respectful. In general, you don't need to be giving out your phone number to people that you met. Just randomly. but yeah, I agree. ah Watching it, she handled it really well, but it felt gross. It's true to life. It's why sometimes I consider going back into the service industry. Cause I hate a desk job I've learned, but I just, as a woman, it makes me fear for my safety because you have to think also, you don't know when a man is doing that, what he's like, and he's going to know that you work there and he's going to be able to come back any day.
Yeah, it's icky. I feel like it's just known that it happens and we just accept it. It's not okay. I don't know if you wrote this or I wrote this, but I agree.
You did.
Okay, great. I agree with myself. The entire premise of the rating sheet is just horrible. I hate it.
It is. It's also true to life, right? We used to always talk about, Oh, are you a six? Are you four? Like no one officially had a ranking, but I remember middle school and high school, like kind of thinking about what people were out of 10.
Mm hmm.
And more so what yourself, what you yourself were.
Yeah, I think there are times that it's like funny to joke if it's not at the expense of others. But the thing about this whole premise is it is at the expense of others.
Isn't that like how Facebook started or something?
Yeah, wasn't it like a, it's just for college students and it was like a rating. Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're right.
It was like guys at Harvard rating the girls on campus or something.
Yeah,
Yeah
gross.
I mentioned this in the episode, but Kendra refers to the Truman model as scientific, which, like, Kendra, I don't think you understand the definition of science, but that's okay. You got other things going for you, girl. Also, I know Derek uses this term when he's talking to Truman, and I don't remember the exact conversation, but they say guydar instead of It's a play on Gaydar and it made me giggle. It also didn't feel very Disney.
I didn't catch that. I was curious when you wrote it down.
I know it was when Truman and Derek were having the conversation about the list when Derek confronts him. And he's like, no, dude, I'm trying to get after your sister. I know it was in that conversation, but I don't remember the specific context. But I was like, this is hilarious that they used Guydar.
the whole rating system before she comes back around and has the fashion show case it sends Casey into a little spiral she and Emily are dressing differently to be rated higher and also that sends Nora into a little spiral and she's like rethinking her outfits because she doesn't want to look like an old lady mom and she comes home with new clothes and I just it came in like the nice shiny bag with the tissue paper on top and like remember when clothes used to come that way when you'd buy them in the store where they had tissue paper in the bag
And they would like fold each item individually in a piece of tissue paper, put that down so all your items were separate too, like so nice. Which also, to be fair, clothes still might come that way, but I feel like we also only shop online. So I'm like, I don't know what the experience at a store is like anymore because I never go.
I don't shop online that much actually I think online stuff often comes folded with a tissue paper in it, but a lot of stuff, they give you now like a plastic bag, like a store bag, and then they just fold it like normal and put it in there.
Yeah, it's not as presentable.
yeah, before it was like gift bags.
So in this episode Casey learns that you should wear whatever makes you feel good. And when I was watching this, I was like, yep, I learned this years ago, which is why I only wear band t's because that's what I love.
I love that for you. And I also love that she learns this from Marti, who is a fashion icon and has a very cute sleepover with Casey in this episode. Just randomly. We don't know why. They just decide to have a sleepover.
we get a lot of this this season, but especially in this episode, we get a lot of baby doll dresses over jeans. And I was like, Oh, the chokehold this had on 2008 is wild. Like, why was that a style that we just thought was so cute? But really, I'm like, was it?
What about the tank top over the button ups?
Yeah, that's worse, I feel. I think I'll take a baby doll dress over jeans before I tank top over a button up
Mm-hmm.
But I saw those in this episode as well, and I was like, oh my god. I need to just briefly mention the ending of this because so Casey decides to have an anti-fashion fashion show which is indirect opposition of Kendra's fashion show which Kendra is having already like an anti-fashion show of herself and she's like as long as it's fashionable like it's hot I don't care what it is it's so about celebrating individuality but it has to be hot and Casey's like I'm going to throw a fashion show exactly at the same time as you. We see nothing. We see no preparation on Casey's behalf. Kendra immediately, when she hears about it, is first of all not as upset as she should be that her friend is doing this. Second of all is very not on board. She's like, this is how the world works, Casey. But then suddenly the very next scene is Casey's fashion show. People showed up. No one would have shown up to that. people are not wearing ugly clothes. They're wearing normal ass clothes like bought it at limited too and JCPenney clothes. Kendra's a model in it. When did she even agree to join? Where was that? I like the message. But for once, I just feel like this was a lazy writing choice. Like this is where I feel that Paul was underutilized because I feel like she should have gone to Paul and been like, I don't like this system. And like, I don't know what I can do. And he could have proposed that she hold this fashion show. And that could have been like a mid episode point that then like has a little bit of winning over with Kendra.
Yeah.
It just overall felt like very shoehorned in.
Yeah, I agree. Because you don't really see any of it go down besides like Casey decides she wants to throw it and then you see it once it's being thrown. And they kind of mention that Kendra's got canceled, but like, you don't really see them having a conversation where like, maybe if they both came together and talked about it and realized they both were trying to do the same thing, they were just going about it different ways.
Yeah, I didn't, I just didn't like all of that.
Yeah. moving on to dasey scale, this is one where I didn't write it down. And to me, if I didn't write it down in the moment, then there wasn't anything that I noticed. So I gave it a zero.
And I think that you're wrong. There's a scene in this episode where Casey grabs Derek and they are talking about Truman. When they're talking about like he's after Derek, they're talking about him in the hallway. And Derek's like, since when do we do this? And she's like, do what? And he's like, talk to each other in the hallway. And when she walks off, he checks her out. And so I would say this episode is like a three.
Okay. quotes. I think these are all yours.
At one point early on, Nora's sorting laundry and says, where do all the single socks go? And I cracked up because I was like, that's such a mood that I had to write it down. And then I paused when I wrote it down and then I unpaused and George went one of life's tough questions. And I was like, he gets it.
Yep.
They get it. Yup.
Yep. So true.
I send my laundry away to be cleaned by the cleaners and still regularly I get just a single sock. And I'm like, where did it go, guys?
I bet they have like a hidden pile of single socks in the back somewhere where they're like, oop, this did not end up in the customer's bag.
It's like Halloweentown two. Have you, do you remember that scene where he's like the gray spell has hit and the guy where like - gourd - all of the lost stuff in all of the universes ends up at his house. And so he has like a bunch of single socks and he, the because he's got the gray spell, he's like acting normal. So he's like trying to match the socks, but he can't because they're literally all like missing single socks.
No, I don't remember that, but that's funny.
during that same sorting, laundry sorting scene, Casey asks Nora and George about like, what's more important personality or looks at the very beginning of a relationship.
And George tries his best to answer and Nora gets upset about literally anything that he says,
Yep
literally anything. She keeps spinning it and they fight and she storms off or something. And George ends up saying, I don't even remember the question, but please don't ask it again.
Yeah.
This one I wrote down because it felt so weird. It kind of makes sense for Truman, but he walks up to Casey and Emily when they're dressed nicely. And he says, you guys are looking spiffy. And I was like, maybe because he's from a private school, but also who was taking a guy who rated all of them by looks
Correct
for a spiffy sayer, you know, speaker.
Yes. Like if we had an, yes, a different character could refer to them as Spiffy and I would accept it, not Truman.
Derek would have done it ironically.
Yeah.
George would have done it sincerely.
Yes.
But Truman did it sincerely. That was the weird thing.
Yeah.
And then the most hilarious moment to me of this episode was when Truman and Kendra are on their date and at Smelly Nelly's and then Truman and Derek go off to talk and they find out the whole Casey reveal and stuff. Kendra at one point like looks over at Derek and Truman and goes, you guys aren't gonna fight over me, are you? And they both in unison go, no. and she just, oh.
Yeah, like she wanted it.
Yeah, she's so disappointed.
Yeah, so funny.
Okay, episode seven, Derek denies denial. Sally has been accepted to university to all of the ones that she applied to and she's going out west to UBC, my alma mater. We're alumni together. And it's all the way in Vancouver. They're in Ontario. If you don't know geography, that's
Far
a f*ck ton far away.
Mm hmm.
It would take a week to drive there. And Derek wants to be closer. but then they break up because they're like you can't well at first she's just like I'm going out west and he's like okay I'll transfer high schools and she's like you can't do that and he's like okay well it was nice dating you then Edwin becomes concerned about Derek's behavior because he drops it at family dinner that they broke up and he's acting very normal and the whole family is starting to be like dude emote emote please emote it's not normal Sally was great. Casey also talks to Sam and is like, how is he taking it? He's not telling us anything. And Sam's like, he didn't tell me anything. And Sam then is like, dude, emote, please, for the love of all things hockey. he won't, but what does happen Marti and Lizzie, they took home a stray dog that they've been hiding. And they're like, you know what? Everyone's scared of Derek right now because he's holding everything in. He's like a ticking time bomb. Derek, you're going to hide this dog in your room because no one's going to find it in here. And he's like, I hate dogs, but I love your stupid little faces. I will take it. And then he starts feeding the dog, walking the dog, taking care of it at random hours that the other family members are clocking because something is not right with him. He's not doing well. Eventually though they hear the dog barking and George finds it and they talk to Derek and the kids and say that the dog needs to go to a shelter because it probably belongs to another family and the shelter will help find the family but maybe they can keep it but instead the Nora very quickly backtracks on the shelter thing it's like maybe we can keep it while the family finds it but Derek is like, no, that dog deserves better. It deserves to be here, not in Vancouver. And he's clearly projecting. And then oh is she goes and talks to Sally and they decide that they're going to keep dating until she has to move to Vancouver. And also the owners of the dog come and they say that the Venturi McDonald household can dog sit when they're on vacation.
Also, he slips out that he loves Sally and Sally says it back. That's very important.
it's not really but
It is! This is the first time we hear him say, I love you, I'm pretty sure.
it's also the only time if he said it
Okay, still, even more reason to bring it up.
He doesn't say I love he says I knew there was a reason I loved you
Yeah. Amanda already touched on it, but she went to UBC. So I thought this was funny because I was like,
I did?
Oh my god, Sally went to college with Amanda. Amazing
When did I go to UBC? When did I do that?
Oh my god.
Oh my God. No, I also, I was all caps. I was like, ha ha ha ha ha.
Yeah, it was fun. I liked it. again, I already touched on it. So I'm not going to dwell on this. But Edwin's obsession with Sally, like he cannot believe they're broken up. Like he needs Sally in his household. He needs Sally coming over like he I don't actually think he's that concerned about Derek's behavior. He is more upset about losing Sally and is channeling that elsewhere.
I agree. But you know, what I see it, Sally is a shining light in their hopeless lives.
I mean, sure. Casey on the same vein, Casey also at one point admits that she likes Sally more than she likes Derek.
Is anyone surprised?
No, no.
No, that's just real. My favorite part of this probably was when Sam was talking to Derek because he was like, it's okay to admit you're messed up. And I was like, just bros trying to help each other emote, you know, Sam said f*ck toxic masculinity. It's okay to cry, Derek.
Yeah, I feel like Ralph could have been more helpful in this situation. Ralph feels a little and more in touch with his emotions.
Yeah, particularly in a couple episodes.
Yeah. Okay, at one point, Casey physically pushes Derek into Paul's office, and is like, he's here to see you, and then like shuts the door, and both Paul and Derek are like, what just happened?
Yeah, and then he asks Paul how to get rid of fleas.
This whole Nora is trying to justify them taking the dog to the shelter so the shelter can help find its owners. And she's like, the shelter will take great care of them. I want to say yes, there is some truth to this, but I feel like this is a message that is spewed all the time and like that is simply just not true. I don't know about Canada. Maybe this is the case in Canada and there is no kill. like All the shelters in Canada are no kill and there are all these fantastic places where strays or dogs that get out even if the owners don't come back to get them just get to live happy lives until they're adopted out but like that is not the case in most u.s cities most of our shelters are kill shelters so like if you return a dog yeah it will be put on a 72 hour hold, but the owners have to try to seek it out. They'll be posted on the shelter website, but you still have to try to seek your dog out and see if it was turned into a shelter and search and try to find it. And in most cases, owners don't then go back and pick up their dog. So like, I just felt like they were kind of lying to the kids. I'm like, you're really glorifying the shelter system where it's unfortunately very broken.
I think that it makes sense for a family that doesn't have any pets.
That's fair.
because we know what we know about the shelter system because we have pets and we've learned about it. And I think most people don't know about that. And they might know about kill shelters, but they might not know about how overcrowded most shelters are. And like logically I see the standpoint where like they don't really know how to care for a dog. They don't have dog food. They don't know if he's trained or not. They don't have like toys or bedding or anything like that. And a shelter would have all of those things and people that know how to train a dog. So I could see that logic, but like they're just ignorant. But guys, see what you can do, you know? Don't default to shelters.
And I'm not saying returning it to the shelter is a bad thing. I actually don't think that's a bad thing. I think that's a good thing. But you should keep your eye on it because again, they have three days. And once that hold is released, that dog is likely going on the kill list in the next three days. So then your ass should go and probably pick the dog back up if you have a home or try to find a rescue to take that dog in and pull it from the shelter. But like, Yeah, I just, I felt like they were really to the kids. They were just like, the shelter is amazing and blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, unfortunately, our shelter system is so broken. It does not work that way. I wish.
a lot of shelters will also help fund supplies for you to foster it.
A hundred percent. Yep.
If they don't have the space, but yeah.
sharp turn from the dog. this whole Sally and Derek is so messy.
Yeah.
I feel like it's messy either way. They break up now. They wait until the end of summer and break up. What do you think is better? I was trying to decide and I'm like, I think they're both terrible.
I'm the best and worst person to ask about this.
Okay.
Do you know why?
Uh, I think I know why. Yeah, because yes.
My last relationship of which I've only had two and only one was in adulthood. So my one adult relationship came with an expiration date. We both very quickly knew we were living in another country and we were going to move back home and it was going to be like nine months. it was definitely like down for a good time but there were a lot of feelings so then when we parted it was hard and it felt stupid like why aren't we doing long distance or like what was the point of any of it But I get where, I get where they're both coming from. I think Sally's is probably the more correct option of like, those feelings aren't going away until you have enough space. So like, why not make the most of the time that you have,
Yeah
like, it's probably going to hurt more, but you'll cherish those memories.
Yeah. I think that's also the decision I would make, but I think it's messy regardless. Like
Oh yeah yeah
you're just asking for a pile of feelings.
you are. I'm just very much a bigger highs person even if it means lower lows.
Lows. Yeah.
Yeah. Derek is not. He's a cut him off.
Yep. dasey, I also didn't write anything for this one, so I gave it a zero.
I think it's like a one or two. It's pretty low because it's not super flirty but Casey does spend the whole episode thinking about Derek and trying to help him and demanding that he confront his feelings. quotes at the very beginning when Casey has her little aside to the camera when it's not even part of the episode really or the plot she says if you are a pain do you still feel pain in reference to Derek
Yeah. I think this is George or Nora, uh, maybe asking Edwin this, or I don't know, one of the kids this, but they're like referring to Derek. Oh, I think it's Edwin because Edwin's so upset about Derek and he's trying to draw concern towards Derek's breakup. And immediately they're like, did he pour fruit punch into your fish tank again? It's like, oh my God, Derek, you're like a fish killer. That probably killed the poor fish.
Yeah, that would not go over well. when Lizzie and Marti are working together to sneak food away from the table, it's a really fun side plot for the dog and stuff before you, yeah, before you even know that they found a dog and they're both going to the backyard and they tell Nora, we're going to go outside and play in the backyard. Children love fresh air. If you can't tell that was Lizzie and then Marti. And then Nora asks, what's in the backpack? Lizzie just goes, sweaters. And Marti goes, children love sweaters. and like the biggest smile. It was just so funny. Children love sweaters.
Yeah.
And then they walk to the backyard and Nora's like, no one in this family is okay right now.
Yeah. But then she doesn't go to check it out. She's just like, it's the kids. Like, let them be kids.
I feel that. like, I'll find out eventually.
Yeah, also about Derek because he's acting very strange. I think Casey says this, I'm pretty confident, but she goes, also very odd, but he's never been normal.
Real. And then when George and Nora find the dog with Derek, George says, all right, Derek, explain yourself. And he immediately says, I was born 17 years ago in London, Ontario. And they interrupt, explain the dog. I don't know when the dog was born.
Yeah, too good.
He's so good at playing dumb, or also just like being a little dumb. I love him. Episode 11, Happy New School Year.
It's the start of the new school year and all the kids are having back to school crises and Nora is stressed out about it, but Lizzie is frustrated because all of her clothes are either hand-me-downs or boys' clothes. Marti is upset and she's staying in her tent and no one really knows why, but she won't leave the tent. She's eating all of her meals there. Edwin's girlfriend was away at camp and got a new boyfriend. Casey's having an identity crisis and redoing her entire room. And Derek wants to move to Vancouver with to be with Sally and drop out of high school. And so George and Nora kind of get all the kids to get together to solve the Derek dropping out of school issue. And Casey's like, I know what will work. In order to convince him out of this, I'm going to talk him into it. Which clearly was a terrible idea and did not work. Sally comes over and is talking to Derek and she's like, you know what? I can't go to UBC. I'm going to miss you too much. Like, I need to just stay here, go to university here. And Derek's like, no, you're always going to regret it if you don't go. Like, you have to go. And Derek mentions that he was thinking about dropping out of school, but he's not going to do that. And so then they say goodbye. And this is our official breakup of Derek and Sally.
you know What this just reminded me of is the start of, to all the boys I've loved before, when the elder sister is going on to university in Scotland and she breaks up with her boyfriend like shortly before going. And Lara Jean's just like, how can you do that? And she's like, mama I always promised mom that I wouldn't go to college with a boyfriend.
Boyfriend. Yes.
And I feel like that's like the very mature route of this ah type of situation.
Yes.
She just accepts the facts. Whereas these are very emotional where Sally's ready to drop out of UBC before even starting and Derek, I don't know how we went from the other episode where he was like, I'm going to transfer high schools out there to now. I'm just going to drop out of high school.
Drop out. Yeah.
What happened to transferring baby?
Yeah, it really does not make sense.
this is the episode where I really was like, woo that this season is trying to do too much on the timeline, because we didn't really get much of a timeline for the first few seasons. I felt like we were all in sophomore year, season one, season two, season three, because season three both Derek and Casey turned 16. And now they're both 17 and summer has happened, but we didn't really get a summer episode. I think maybe one, but I didn't have you watch it or maybe that was in season three. I don't even remember. So now he's in junior and they do junior and senior year in season four, but it's a normal episode run. And I was like, what, where is the time going?
I think they realized that they probably were told that season four was their last. And so the writers just like, we have to do all of these things we've been wanting to do because now we have a timeline. We have 18 episodes to do it all in.
Hmm. I don't remember if this, if it got canceled or if they chose to either way.
End it, but still.
Yeah. You're, you might be right though. That would make sense and that they felt like it needed to end with university. Early on in this episode, Casey's redecorating her room, because that's her big crisis, is that she needs to redecorate her room to fit who she is as a person, which is just like very, very me. Normally I say Casey is Jess, but in this episode, Casey was me. And Derek just goes in to like talk to her, and I was like, who is this man? They don't do this.
I feel like even she's kind of surprised by it. She's like, what is happening? Why are you sitting on my bed?
And they're like actually just talking.
Yeah. Um, you wrote this down, I think I like the nickname lizard. Did I write it down?
I wrote it down. It's part of Lizzie's identity crisis is that Nora calls her lizard and she doesn't like it as a nickname. I don't remember hearing it before this episode. We do hear it after this episode, even though she says she doesn't like it. I you know can't explain that. All I know is I think it's cute. They call her lizard.
I agree. It's kind of an adorable nickname, especially for the name Lizzie. It's cute. Marti's problem that has caused her to live in a tent for at least a day and a half is what I figured out from this episode, is that she still needs training wheels in order to ride a bike.
Yeah
And I just like, Marti, I feel like this was not reason for us to isolate ourselves in a tent. But you know, I guess when you're eight, your problems are much larger. Derek agrees to help her. I thought it was really cute, but also just a reminder to everyone out there, you don't need to know how to ride a bike. Your life will be perfectly fine and whole without that skill. I guarantee it.
But it did give us a very cute Smarti and Smeric moment.
It was so sweet.
Yeah, when he finally breaks up with Sally and he hasn't been open with anyone and then he goes up to find her and he's like, I could really use a hug from you Smarti. And so she comes out and then they talk about it and he's like, oh I'll help I'll teach you it's fine.
Yeah.
Just so cute.
It's so cute. I love their relationship. At the beginning of this episode, Casey makes a statement that the real new year is the new school year. And that's a crazy statement.
No, it's accurate, bro. It's so
No
when you were in school. I mean, it was hard to even find planners. Sometimes that didn't start in f*cking August, because it was like, that was the real new year for us.
I don't think I ever had that feeling. I also don't think I was a kid that really got that stressed about the new school year.
I didn't get stressed, but it was just like the vibe shift. And once you start a new school year, you know, you've got eight, nine months to go of that school year. And then it's going to end and you're going to get summer. So that's like, you know, versus new year's is like, you know, you got to go back to school for the semester. And I just, I just.
Yeah, it still feels wild to me. I'm like, that feels like an exaggeration. I felt like this was a toned down version of like the last season new bedroom trope because Casey's bedroom is fully read decorated, but it's not like a new bedroom. It's not a completely new layout or anything like that. It's just a new vibe in the bedroom.
Yeah, it's not a Hannah Montana brand new set. It's not a Wizards of Waverly place brand new set. It's not a that's so Raven brand new set.
Yeah.
Yeah
But it's like toned down.
it also I feel like changes a lot in this season like the start of the season I was like her bedroom didn't look like this before
Yeah
and then she was changing it again.
dasey scale for this one, I gave it a one, I'd be willing to go up to a two, I feel like there were some glances and some moments when he like came into her room to talk and stuff like that.
Yeah, I'd say probably a two or so because Casey really rallies the whole family around fixing this issue. She's the one that spearheads it. Like, Edwin's the one that's like, we need to do something.
We need to do something but then He doesn't really do anything other than get Casey on board. And then she immediately solves Lizzie's problem. Okay, we're going to go shopping. And then gets like, you know, she gets everyone out of it to Then we need to stop Derek. And, and it just ah was all for him.
Yeah.
It was all for him.
Yeah, quotes, I'm the only one who wrote one and it is Marti's quote. And someone's approaching her in the tent or walking by and she just shouts out from the inside, I'm not in here and I don't want to talk about it. And I just felt that hard. Sometimes you're like, I don't exist, please ignore me.
literally and i get the whole tent thing because she's in such a busy house of seven to like although i think she has her own room so i don't know why she wouldn't be in there but you know i get the need to just be in your own cozy little space where no one can perceive you
Very cute.
okay episode 12
Casey and Ralph.
And this was titled Casey and Ralph with a question mark and an exclamation point because guys Buckle up because we're going for a ride. Okay So Ralph is spending the weekend at the Venturi McDonald household because his parents are out of town Of course Derek didn't tell the family that Ralph was staying over before he comes over So Casey is upset nora and George not super thrilled mostly Casey But everyone has plans. They're leaving the house, including Derek. And so Ralph decides that he or volunteers to babysit the kids. And you know what? He does a lot of things that Casey would not approve of, but they have a great time. The kids are so happy. He even makes cleaning fun. Casey is not happy about how much they have to clean up because he made a flipping mess.
Mmhmm.
So. But they get it all cleaned up. The next night, Derek has a freaking date. So again, Ralph is all alone and Casey hangs out with him because she was gonna watch a rom-com anyway. And he was like, a rom-com. I love rom-coms. So they sit on the couch and they watch this rom-com and they cry together and talk um in very emotionally mature ways about how he's struggling in his relationship with Amanda. Not me. um There are other Amandas. It's not always about me, I've been told. And how she hasn't moved on from Max and stuff like that. So they they bond. And then Ralph goes to Derek and says, I'm in love with Casey. And Derek cracks up. And he's like, you know what, buddy? You should really go for it. Derek tells Casey that Ralph is in love with her now because this is the funniest thing that he's ever heard and he's truly just living his best life tormenting Casey. And Casey decides that she is not coming out of her room the next day. he Ralph makes her breakfast in bed with a one of those cute trays that you can put over the bed and sits outside of her door eating it with the other kids because Casey will not open the door and he can't get a hint. And the kids are all brainstorming. Okay, guys, how does Edwin make every girl stop liking him within a day? Be disgusting. So Casey's going to go downstairs and look disgusting, except Ralph is like, wow, you must really like me because you feel comfortable around me. And then she's like, no, I'm really high maintenance and demanding. And then finally, eventually someone brings up Amanda and he was like, all right. Oh, Derek is like, oh, I'm going to go out with Amanda now. And he's like, no, no, no, I'm not. I like Amanda. I'm not done with Amanda. Amandas are great. So um Ralph gets over his crush on Casey and he makes up with Amanda and Amanda tells Derek at school to tell Casey to get her own Ralphie.
This episode is wild because like, it's a crazy plot to seemingly go nowhere.
Literally the filler episode. This is what I'm saying. Like again, if you want to watch a good season, watch this season because every episode is either really plot heavy or it's filler, but it's like, whoa.
Yeah
We like, you know, it's like riding a good roller coaster. Like you're not getting anywhere at the end of the day, but you had fun on the ride.
Yeah, totally, totally. At the beginning of the episode, when everyone finds out that Ralph is staying over, Casey's like furious about it.
yeah
And I'm like, Casey, what, you have so many siblings. You're telling me you never have people stay over? Like, there has to just, I would assume that if you had that many siblings in a blended family, at least one person would have someone staying over most weekends.
Yeah, I think she was mostly just upset that she didn't know he was staying over, but also she said that he's kind of weird. There's like Ralph Slander sometimes. There's also been hints of episodes where he's like kind of hit on Casey or thought she was cute.
Yeah.
So I i get that that this dynamic, this episode didn't come out of nowhere for me, but like her being so upset with him staying over kind of did. Because even if he's weird, like they get along. mostly it highlighted to me that Derek's a bad friend because
We already knew that though.
I know, but he's an even worse friend. Granted, he didn't invite Ralph over like, you're going to spend the weekend with me because I want to be with my friend so much as Ralph's parents aren't in town. So he needed somewhere to stay. So Derek already had plans, but if my friend were staying at my house, I would not just leave them to fend for themselves.
No, you would make plans with them because that's what friends do.
Yeah, I would cancel my other plans reschedule and then also Derek's already dating and the previous episode was the Kendra or not Kendra. Um, Sally leaving episode was like,
Yeah
I was like whiplash like boy, I need a morning episode. I need him to cry. I need him. I need, he needed a closure episode.
Yeah, show me that he's a little sad about it.
In Crazy Culinary Creations, Ralph's Flying Ralph, his signature drink that he has the kids try, is every frozen sweet thing in the house blended up with the top off of the blender because it needs to breathe.
breathe yeah
And I really wanted to know your opinion of this Jess as someone with actual culinary experience.
I mean, I guess in theory, it could probably work. And it really because if you think of things that are sweet and frozen that you would keep in the freezer, it would all be like frozen fruit or ice cream. So like, in theory, this would work and probably tastes pretty decent. but what? No, nothing needs to breathe. Put the top on your blender. It's there for a reason. Also, most blenders now won't start if you don't have the top on.
Really? I didn't know that.
Yeah, like they'll... it's like a...
A safety thing.
a safety lock. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah. Interesting. Yeah, it was the breathing thing that cracked me up.
there is this part where all the kids and Ralph are drumming around the house with pots and pans and it's so wholesome.
Yeah, he does a really good job babysitting. They have a lot of fun.
Yeah. I also wrote this episode did not need an Irish dancing scene and that happened in this episode. I remember it, but I'm like, that was this episode?
It was because Amanda was off at an Irish dancing competition and they were, he like offered to come, but then she was like embarrassed, but then he didn't come and it was like a bigger deal to her and stuff. It was like a miscommunication thing. And at one point, Ralph demonstrates Irish stepping in Derek's room and Derek leaves him while he's dancing. And I disagree with you because I think that it did in fact need that scene.
Okay, I'm glad. This episode was just wild. There was like a lot going on for nothing to happen. As I mentioned up top, it was just the whole time I was watching it, I was like, now this is happening? Like, what is going on here?
Okay. Jess didn't write anything down for her dasey scale. And this is again, very wrong. This is when I officially got fed up with the outline and said that you are so wrong for this whole season. first of all, a weird thing that's like not fully dasey scale, but like a weird detail that the writers put in when Casey comes down dressed as a slob and smelly and stuff. Ralph is like, whoa, I smelled Derek. And I'm like, is she wearing Derek's clothes?
I think she is because I don't know who those aren't her clothes. And Edwin's clothes might be a little small, and they're not George's clothes.
Well, she wears Edwin's clothes in the fashion show episode,
Oh Okay, so maybe it could be Edwin's.
but he smelled Derek.
Yeah
But also just like the very fact that Ralph was into Casey and Derek was like, yeah, go for it. I'd love to see you try. And like, is just very amused by setting her up with his friend that he knows that she's not into and like that whole dynamic. It was giving two to three for me.
I'd say that's not flirty, but okay.
I think the situation is funny because he's not doing it to be mean to his friend Ralph. He's doing it to bug Casey.
I think he is doing it to be mean to his friend. I think he knows that Casey would never go to it, go for it. And so he's doing it to set Ralph up for failure.
Yes, I think, well, I don't think he's doing it to set Ralph up for failure. I think setting Ralph up for failure is like ah a byproduct, a side effect. He knows that Ralph will not succeed, but the part that amuses him to encourage it is how much it's going to bother Casey.
Casey. Which is still where I struggle with the dasey scale when it's like a lot of the pranking stuff or things that bother her because I firmly believe that if you love someone you wouldn't do things like that.
Well yeah
Like to me those are not flirty things so that's why I give episodes like this where things like that happen like a zero or a one because I don't perceive those as flirty.
I perceive them as teenagers flirting, particularly teenagers who live in the same house and are not allowed to actually feel the emotions that they feel.
Okay.
Cause you would do everything you could to just like, you're like, you're thinking about this person and you like this person, but you don't want to like this person. So then you just like, Oh, I'm so annoyed that I'm thinking about this all the time that I'm just going to like annoy them back.
Okay.
look don't I'm not writing on AO3 guys don't hunt me down
Okay
quotes
Quotes. Ralph comes over for dinner and someone at the table is like, what is Ralph doing here? Like what is going on? He's here for dinner. And they're like, friends don't let friends eat here. And I just find it hilarious how much they throw George and Nora under the bus for their dinner choices and their ability to cook, just being absolutely terrible. Like this is a consistent thing that comes up throughout the entire series.
Yeah, I love that they both parents cook the meals and both of them suck.
Yeah, they're both terrible at it and the kids always give them crap.
Yeah, and I feel like you have to be pretty bad if your kids give but you crap.
Yeah, especially Marti. I feel like she would eat anything. And Edwin. also at one point Marti talks at the dinner table is talking about a dinner they had at some point or I think this is Marti, but she goes, we had to use peanut butter to get jelly out of my hair. And I just want to know how that would work. Like I don't logistically, I'm like, I don't peanut butter seems like it would not come out because it's oil based in like the shower as well as jelly, like jelly would just melt because it's all just like sugar and pectin. So like, why did we just not wash the hair? Very confused.
Yeah, it was confusing. The writers were like, this is gonna be funny. The kids tell Ralph that he is an honorary brother, which he then denounces or renounces when he wants to date Casey, obviously, because your honorary brother can't date
No.
his honorary sister.
No.
But before he renounces it, his title, he says Ralph McDonald Venturi Papadopoulos, that really rolls off the tongue.
Mm-hmm.
Which I enjoyed learning his full name and
Yeah me too
yeah, ridiculous.
He doesn't, he doesn't give me Papadopoulos. You know?
I do.
the last episode that we are going to cover in this one and then in our series wrap up episodes, we'll cover the last two of the season So episodes 17 and 18. But this one is episode 16, Truman's Last Chance. you preface here that what happens in episode six, which we talked about with the rating scale actually happens now. So you wait a long time until you get to it.
well Well, what I preface, not the rating scale, but the thing you think episode six is setting up, like I left episode six thinking Casey and Truman are probably going to get together, but it's unclear. The context for this episode is they do in fact get together in episodes preceding this one that we're just not discussing.
Got it, got it, got it. Okay, makes sense. Casey is going out with Truman and everyone finds him untrustworthy, including Emily, Derek, Edwin, and Nora, specifically when Edwin spills to Nora that Truman got kicked out of his old private school. So Truman comes over to the house to pick up Casey for a date and Edwin and Nora sit him down on the couch and interrogate him with questions like Edwin has a piece of like a pad of paper and a pen and they are just like not letting this poor kid have any second alone and so they interrogate him until he fesses up that he got kicked out for stealing the principal's car for a drive around the block which Nora's like oh my god he steals cars. And then in that same conversation, Nora finds out that Casey's going to Toronto with Truman for a party, and she freaks out. while they're at their date before the Toronto thing, Edwin is literally spying on them, like has tapped their table, so he's listening to every single word. And when she gets home, Nora asks Derek to chaperone? and go with Casey to the party in Toronto and Derek's like guess what Casey like I'll drop you off all I'm gonna go hang out with my hockey friends and then I'll go pick you up like it will be fine and Casey's like thank god but no Derek shows up and there's hot girls at the party so what does Derek do he stays. Also part of this is because they're in Toronto that's where the cousin Vicky lives who we were introduced to I don't know last season maybe the season before so Casey and Vicky are at this party together and they're checking out the guys and they realized that Vicky also previously dated Truman. And so she leaves Casey alone at the party to flirt with Truman. And she is for hardcore flirting with him. She ends up kissing him, which Casey sees. And so she immediately runs over to Derek and is like, we have to go. And Derek's like, I am just getting in the groove and then sees how upset Casey is. And is like, what happened? He confronts Truman. And Casey is pissed and is like, you blew it. I'm not giving you another chance. Like, you are terrible. Derek ends up leaving with Casey. They head home. And before they head home, Derek calls Nora on the phone to give her a heads up on what happened before getting home. So when they walk in, Nora's all ready to take Casey in her arms and give her a big hug and let Casey have a good cry.
The B-plot of this is Lizzie asks out a boy from school named Marvin for ice cream, and Nora finds out and wants to join the date, except she doesn't join the date she sends Edwin. who also is taking notes and pestering him with questions. And Marvin almost leaves because he's like, this is way too much pressure. Like, I like you, but I cannot have your family asking me 20 questions every two seconds. And so Edwin realizes that he crossed a line and he gets up and lets them enjoy their day. And Lizzie threatens Edwin and tells him to back off and to never do that again.
It's a big beefy episode, plot-wise.
It's crazy.
I gotta to say, I don't love Truman, as I've mentioned, but I do love this episode, so kudos to him for that, because I wouldn't have it without him, right? top of the episode I have to start with my truly unimportant note is that George is out of town and Nora makes scrambled eggs and toast for dinner, which is just such a vibe as a 30 year old who frequently makes herself breakfast for dinner.
Mhmm
01:42:47.70
I feel like if I were a mom, that's I would be doing that as well. Like you know what, I have five mouths to feed six including myself. I don't know what else to do scrambled eggs and toast it is.
Mhmm I think breakfast for dinner is totally valid.
Always. I also have to say Casey totally invited herself to this party.
Yeah, she did. Because Truman mentions it in the hallway, and she's like, I don't know, she asks like, Oh, when is it? Or like, Oh, am I going? And then he's like, Do you want to go? And she's like, Do you want me to go?
Yeah, we find out at the top of this episode that they've been together for five weeks because every weekend for the last five they've been hanging out. And so probably Emily asks what Truman's up to this weekend and he says something about a bash in Toronto. And Casey's like, why didn't you tell me about a bash in Toronto? I need my mom's approval and but blah, blah, blah. like, she just assumes that he wants her to go.
Yeah.
Which I didn't love.
like She never asks him, do you want me to go? Would it be weird if I went? It's all of your your friends that I don't know from your old life.
Yeah. She does say, well, do you want me to go? Because he's like, you want to go. And she's like, well, do you want me? I want to go if you want me to go. So she kind of implies it. But I agree there is a better way to go about the conversation.
Yeah, it's not really a question at that point. It's more like a don't you want me to go?
Yes, totally. I just have to say that the Casey we saw in the feminism episode a la season one, maybe two, would never go out with Truman. Like this just would never even cross her mind. And so I get we've had a lot of character development since then. And I see a world in which the Casey in season four does choose to go out with him. But it still is just crazy because I'm like, oh my God, Casey, two years ago, never.
Yeah, and it's not cute, but there is a lot between his intro episode and this episode, so he's not all bad. And to his credit, like Casey did already know about him being expelled from his old school and various other things. That's just something Edwin dropped at the table. I agree it feels a bit out of character. i I do, I do feel like it falls into that people liking a challenge kind of mentality or you can have around dating, which I've definitely had before the like I can fix him.
Yeah.
And I think that she likes that he challenges her, but not in all the best ways. the thing that sticks out the most to me about it is that her whole breakup with sam uh with Max was about finding herself and being herself. And I don't think Truman's the right kind of person to be with if that's what you want to do.
Yeah, it's taking her further in the direction of away from her true self. So then you should have just stayed with Max.
or or single
Well yeah
because you're a teenager and no one needs to be in a relationship.
Correct. But if I had to pick Truman or Max, Max all the way.
Oh, a hundred percent.
in this season a lot, this is the first time I noted it, but it is not the first time we see it. Casey wears eyeliner in her waterline, like basically in all of her makeup looks. And just, again, it's a sign of the times.
It is. But another sign of the time, save my girl from the bump its, please. She wears a big ass bump it to the party
She does
and I was embarrassed for her.
Yeah, I never hated the bumpits as much as other people like looking back, it was ridiculous, but I kind of vibed with it during the time.
Bleck Never. Never. In general though, I will say her makeup and her wardrobe seem to be shifting a little bit and I think are like more of a vibe I'm into.
Yeah, I agree. It feels more mature, like fitting that she's senior year in high school and that her wardrobe is shifting.
and a little more alternative.
Yeah, yeah, hence the waterline eyeliner. I texted Amanda this, but Nora and Edwin, I don't know what's going on with them this episode, but I'm not okay with it. They are out of line, out of pocket, like they should be kicked out of the family for their behavior in this episode. It's absolutely unacceptable. Nora has never really cared and has given her children a lot of independence. So to suddenly care is confusing and not in her character. Edwin has always been kind of weird and like in people's business they full on interrogate Marvin and Truman for no true reason other than they've just assumed that they're evil and like are being super protective of Casey and Lizzie but in a way that they've never done before
Okay. I, I have to disagree a little bit. Like I do think they're out of line. Like they go overboard, but I think from a mom's perspective, this is the first guy that Lizzie's really liked. And the first time she's going on a date with someone that we know about and she's like 13 years old as a mom. I think you would be like apprehensive about your daughter going.
but That's not true though.
You're 13 year old. Yes, it is.
Jamie or whatever his name was.
They weren't dating though, they were just friends and he liked her. And she was like, maybe I'll like you someday. And then that never came to anything.
I guess, but like that was someone showing interest in Lizzie and Nora couldn't care less. The rest of the family had to help solve that for Lizzie.
It's very different for someone to show interest in her than for her to show interest in someone else.
Sure.
Because once you have interest in someone, then that clouds your judgment.
Yeah.
And also like making plans without her knowing and going somewhere like to another part venue. I I get why that would be a little concerning. And the Casey thing, I think it's less about dating Truman specifically, as it is like, they are taking a two hour trip to go to a party and then it's another two hours back.
Not true, because it starts way before that. like When they start interrogating him on the couch, she doesn't even know that they're going to Toronto yet. She learns at the end of that conversation. So she's out of pocket from the beginning.
That part was a bit a bit out of pocket and I do blame like Edwin sowing the seeds of saying he was expelled. I think I did a lot for him.
Yeah.
Yeah, I agree. Like in general, Nora has always been shown to trust Casey's judgment at this point.
Yes.
But I do understand why she was the way she was about the party though. and making Derek go with her because I know that you thought that that was crazy but to me the biggest fear that you have like okay I'm gonna let them go to the party right worst case scenario they have a really big fight they went to the party together and my daughter has nowhere no way to get home especially before smartphones and stuff like that
I don't think it's crazy that Nora wanted Derek to go to the party. I think it's very smart that all the kids are their age. Yeah, they should just go to the party together. Then they have each other in case anything happens. I think it's crazy that Nora wanted Derek to be a chaperone of Casey at this party because, especially because we have multiple episodes where both George and Nora are against Derek having parties and things like that. So for then her to be like, oh yes, Casey, I will trust you, but only if Derek is your chaperone. And I'm like, you've never wanted him at parties before. So like, why does this make a big difference?
Mmmm
It just felt like it didn't line up with the behavior in previous episodes. It felt completely different to me.
Like to trust that he wouldn't act up on his own way, you mean?
Yeah, because they haven't trusted him at parties before and now they're being like putting him in a position of like being a chaperone, which is crazy.
Maybe it's to do with the whole growing up and maturing thing, which they do a lot of in this season. But I think the part about it that makes the most sense to me is you want her to have someone that you think is going to have her back. And they do end up go like Derek and Casey go together and then Truman goes on his own, which also, I can't imagine what Derek and Casey did in the car for two hours on the way there and two hours on the way back and what they talked about. Like that's what I really want the episode to be about.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, on the way back, I think Casey was just crying.
Yes, for sure.
But yeah, that ah most of my notes were related around their behavior in this episode because it just felt not in line with the characters we've seen for the last four seasons and very out of pocket.
I really need to know what this note means. Casey ain't even be acting that different besides that. Yes, it is weird that she'd actually date Truman.
Oh, we kind of already covered it, but that was related to Nora would never trust Derek to be a chaperone. They always worry about him at his parties, even when they're at their house, it would never happen. And their reasoning is because Casey is going out with Truman and that she's acting differently, but she's not even acting that differently. like she They keep on being like, oh, Truman is cha changing her. The big thing that Edwin and Nora keep bringing up is like, oh, Casey would never do that. Oh, Casey's being rebellious. Oh, Casey's doing this. I'm like, she literally is acting the same. like I don't know why we're acting like she's a whole brand new person. She is not acting that different this episode.
Okay, I just couldn't read those words, but I understand now.
yeah, it was just very weird. It was very weird to me. All the writing felt like we were writing for characters we hadn't established for four seasons.
oh That's fair, except for Derek and Casey
Yeah
and Truman
Yeah
and Vicky, who we set up from the beginning, who by the way has a different actress, and I hate that.
Oh, I didn't even realize.
I hate when they do that. It is a different actress and I knew there would be a second one. we we set up from the beginning that she and Casey do not get along for a multitude of reasons and Truman and Casey didn't ever fully not make sense because they had that in common that they both went to private schools in Toronto as if that means something but that's how the show set them up is like having that in common and he's new to school. So there were There were elements that make some sense to where, like I agree, Casey's not acting that differently. She's very much acting herself. And I feel like she and Derek and Truman and Vicky are acting as the characters that we've known them to be.
Yes
And it's the other, it's the ah the family members that are over exaggerated in this episode.
Yes, totally.
Edwin is always a snoop though. He has always been a snoop.
Yeah, that's why I said like some of the stuff, but it still felt like to an intensity we hadn't seen before.
yeah.
But yes, him and Lizzie used to, like, sit under the table with their, like, investigation reports, so it's not fully unrealistic. dasey scale for this one is high. I don't- high. I wrote eight to-
High
I wrote eight to nine, but honestly, it might be ten out of ten. Like, it is high. Because The way he reacts immediately at the party when he sees that like something happened, and he's like, oh my god, and like wants to hear her out, and he does.
He almost hugs her, he grabs your shoulders.
yeah, but then he me to me, it's his next immediate step isn't like, pull her out, let's go. It's like, I need to jump into action and protect her. And then he goes and confronts Truman. That's what pulled it so high for me.
He tells off Truman. He tells off Vicky. He has this like, I don't know how Michael Seater did this, he manages to kiss another girl on his way out and still the tension between him and Ashley Leggett is off the charts.
Yes, yeah, it's crazy.
even at one point, Vicki asks, since when has Derek been so protective of Casey?
Yeah.
When she asked that I was like, are we pointing things out?
Yeah, it's kind of hot. It's just a protective thing. Don't make it weird, guys. Anyway, high. It's like, yeah, like you said, somewhere between an eight and a 10, but not maybe a nine, maybe not, maybe a 10. Quotes. When Casey goes up to Derek at the party, she says, I just saw Truman and Vicky and they were kikiki and Derek says, kayaking, kissing. I'm like, bro.
Why would you say that?
and Like, he's so funny, I love him. I love Derek Seater
So dumb.
Michael Seater, Derek Venturi.
Yeah, another quote from Derek is when they get home and Casey goes into Nora's arms and starts crying. Derek's like, more tears, you're like Niagara Falls.
One of the really big dasey quotes in this, in the whole series really, comes from this episode
Yeah
where at the end
Yeah, it's crazy.
Casey tells Nora, maybe he's not such a bad guy after all. She goes, Truman? No, Truman is scum. I mean, Derek.
Yeah, crazy.
Yeah. And there's like a lingering and then the episode ends and you're like, Casey.
ending it off with a Marti quote, because she's her favorite. This is in reference to Truman, but she goes, goodbye, slime bucket.
she she does yes all the kids are against him. i have a million shout outs so i'm gonna get through those really quick because like i said this whole season is either iconic filler or really plot heavy so it's like if we didn't watch it we're shouting it out almost there's like maybe two episodes that are included episode two open mic night there's a trope because it's an open mic night at smelly Nelly's but also ah Derek gives Casey the most inappropriate look at the dinner table where he is like grinning at her and running his tongue over his teeth
Nope
and it's like three seconds long I almost made you watch that episode just for that
Nope.
They also write a love song together. Episode five, take a step kid to work. It's a trope time. It's take your kid to work day except Casey goes with George and Nora and Derek her teamed up and it's really wholesome. I enjoyed it. We also learned that George works for a local community legal assistance program. And I think that's a slay. episode nine, rude awakenings is similar vibes to the prank war episode to the March break one, but instead it's Casey and Derek learning to work together to study for their final exams. And there's even a scene where they like walk through the hallway together, studying together and all of their friends are like, what are we looking at? Why are they, what, why are they talking? Why are they hanging out? episode 10 how i met your step brother is an anniversary episode that is entirely in flashback about the first time that casey and derek met and how they hated each other so much that they plotted together to break up george and nora obviously it did not happen it actually ended up in george and nora re-proposing to each other through Derek and Casey, which is crazy. Like it was Casey being like, George, will you marry my mom? And Derek being like, Nora, he'll marry you or something like that. And it was like, this is crazy.
That is crazy. Also, we normally always watch the flashback episodes, so this is how you know that this season was stacked when we skip over a flashback episode.
Also shout out in this episode is that we learned that Nora bought Sir Monks a lot for Marti and that's how she won her over to begin with.
Of course!
It was the first time she met her, she brought her a stuffed monkey.
Uh! Sir Monks a lot.
episode 13, Tuesday afternoon fever. There is a, so you think you can dance, but like CBBC version, there's like a at school dance competition filming. It's a national show and Casey's auditioning. And so Derek also auditions and then they end up having to compete together, not against each other, but with each other and choreograph a number together. And it's again buddy cop vibes and then the truman show is what i'm calling these three episodes the ones that we did not discuss but he is in was episode eight no secrets casey is having dreams about truman and liking him and she's really pissed off about it and she blames him for hitting on her all the time in the hallway and he says if you don't like me then prove it by kissing me uh because if you don't like me then it won't mean anything if you kiss me and so she does and nor is like next time you want to prove you don't like someone maybe don't kiss them
Nora slayed with that advice.
yeah episode 14 no more games it's like a weird week where they get to sign up for fun things in gym and she and Casey Emily and Truman all end up in fencing Emily immediately ditches them because a cute guy talked to her so it's Casey and Truman and he's really pissing her off and then she like takes private instructions from the fencing instructor who by the way is Scottish and very funny and then she fences Truman who like knows
We didn't watch an episode with a Scottish person?
Yeah, because it was Truman centered and like he had already known how to fence, but then she like ends up winning in ah a fight against him. And she's like, I think I finally know how to handle you. And yes I'll go on a date with you and he's like, so I'll pick you up at eight. And she's like, no, I'll pick you up at eight. It's weird.
I kind of like it though.
And then episode 15, Teddy's back Truman and Casey have a series of first dates. First he takes her on a first date that she absolutely hates. And he was like, it was a joke. It was an anti-date. I was going to tell you, but you left too soon. And then so she pranks him by doing an equally terrible, also first date. so like there's moments where they're cute so again this season's f*cking stacked
Yeah
and i can't wait to get into our last two episodes because guys if you thought a lot happened in this one's oh my god oh my god so much to cover but we are out of time for this one so you will just have to tune into our next wrap up
Yes, which will happen in a while for you guys because next week we're taking a break week. It's my birthday.
Oh my god cliffhanger
Yeah, it's my birthday. Amanda's coming to visit. We're going to try to plan to film some time to film, hopefully some fun content and at least an episode for you guys. So you have that to look forward to, and then we're going to go into fall content and then we'll get back to life with Derek. So it's going to be a little bit of a break, but it will be there for you when we get to it. As always, please, please, please follow us on all of our social media. Nineties Babies nostalgia on Instagram and YouTube spell out the word nineties, but on TikTok use the numericals. Also rate and review on Apple podcasts and Spotify because it really helps us out. And with that, we will see you in the next one. Bye.
Thanks for listening! Bye!
Bye.
90s babies nostalgia