Mike's Delayed Reaction Review-211 (2-24), "See Jane Run"

Mike's Delayed Reaction Review- "See Jane Run"

MDRR 211 (2-24)

Fashion Faux Pas- It took Quinn a while to figure out that the hot legs shoes made her feet really hurt. She said that she changed them because her legs were hot anyway, but we all know why she really changed them (they hurt!!!). It was ironic that Quinn walked in with those shoes just when Helen said that 'no daughter' of hers would do things to only please men.

Continuity of the Week- It was good to see that they didn't forget Jane's enjoyment of running (a la "The Misery Chick") and her status as a straight C math student. We get to see how upset Mack gets when Kevin calls him Mack (does anyone else get the feeling that Kevin is the only person that calls him Mack? Or maybe Kevin the only one who is so annoying). They also remembered that Jane's sister Penny is out of the country and put it in the dialogue without beating us over the head with it.

Discontinuity of the Week- Jane usually sees right past the sort of charming routine Evan played on her to get her to join the track team (Daria saw through it). I almost thought she was playing along because she was a bit attracted to him.

What Is She, The Narrator?- Daria talking to herself was really very weird. It shows some real depth in her character, IMO. She has portrayed herself as a loner to almost everyone she has contact with, and that's how they see her- everyone's happy. However (and this is a big one), she has become so dependent on Jane as a social outlet that when Jane is absent for any lengthy amount of time, Daria starts talking to herself to fill the void. Daria either needs to get more close friends or accept the fact that Jane is going to do things that she doesn't agree with.

Friends for Life- Daria and Jane has some real intense tension going on in this episode. Daria is upset that Jane joined the track team ("but that's a sport") and tried to get academic gains from it. Jane is mad that Daria tried to humiliate her in front of someone she "appreciates." Then Daria is upset that Jane is gaining fashion club-like "popularity" because she's winning. Perhaps Daria was a bit jealous that Jane was getting all of that attention. Of course, the end of the show (standard for any 30 minute show) resolved the main conflict, but there was definitely conflict and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the tension resurfaces in the future.

Change of Character- It's funny how one's attitude toward something can change based upon how it will affect him or her. Jane was seemingly disgusted by Kevin getting a bye on a test, but when she is benefiting in the exactly the same way it becomes acceptable. It was good to see Jane realize that what she did was wrong, but it was also good to see some of that good old fashion human weakness.

There isn't much more I can say about this episode, it was good. Everything worked here (except maybe the splits, but that wasn't even bad for comic relief), even the title was fitting (Jane was "running" from Daria). The show touches on a possible hot topic of scholastic athletics about how some students are given "byes" from test/projects/etc. so they can compete and bring notoriety to their schools. Daria and Jane's friendship is tested like it hasn't been tested before. This one might be a truly classic episode. My grade: A

Mike Quinn I can be reached through e-mail at: [email]

I found it interesting that Kevin got a bye in his test and Mack didn't, even though he's on the team (and is the captain). Makes you wonder just how much Mack is valued. Trent's rant during Jane's meet is a nice continuation of the self-doubts he showed in "Road Worrier" I have never been in a band (or gone to a concert), but I imagine it must be tough trying to get your point across to a mob of screaming moshing fans. I hope they continue with this particular thread in the new season.

Jeff

He could refuse byes. Mack doesn't seem like the kind of person who would dump academics on the short term, since he's smart enough to know he'll suffer on the long term. Kevin, on the other hand, seems to have his entire future pegged on the NFL.:)

Or it could be because he's a token, since a faculty as immoral as Lawndale High's is shaping up to be isn't going to a paragon of equal rights.:)

Len

[email] (Len Pitre) wrote:

And remember from "College Bored," when Mack learned about the first string exemption, he wasn't too thrilled about the implications for his future education.

rich.

Brittany: Shut up, naked boy!

On 27 Jan 1999 15:22:38 GMT, [email] (JMorris830) wrote:

Simple, he doesn't need it; he didn't ask.

In article ,

Mack didn't get a bye because he didn't ask for one. Unlike Kevin, Mack isn't an idiot and, not expecting to get by on a football scholarship for the rest of his life, he's quite serious about trying to get a good education. Mack probably would have considered it unethical to take a bye just because he's on the team. Considering that the bye was for an ethics test that seemed particularly significant.

I didn't even know they taught ethics in high school. When I went to high school the operative ethic seemed to be, "Do unto others before they do unto you." (Unto? Buckle my shoe.) I should have felt like an idiot not cheating when all about me were doing whatever it took to get the best grades. I guess as long as you don't get caught it doesn't count. You know what?...they really were preparing us for the real world.

Bob

[email] wrote:

They teach ethics junior year at my school, but then again it's a catholic institution so I suppose that might make a difference. Although I think that some public schools offer bioethics as an elective.

--J.

"Jessica L." wrote:

I would think Bioethics would be even more cutthroat, if you take a hard-line Darwinian stance on your local resource competitors, uh, I mean classmates. :-)

Y'know, it's kinda funny how we seem to be the only species (with maybe a few exceptions, like higher primates and some sea mammals) that actually cares about whether other species survive. (Of course, not all members of our species share this view, but a lot do care, which, Biologically speaking, is rather odd on a subsistence level, but it does make sense on a higher level, I guess.)

sorry about the off-topicness... rich.

Jake: I love camping! I love it! ... Has anybody seen my pants?

In article , [email] wrote:

Bioethics courses (AFAIK) tend more to the discussion of topics like "is human cloning something that we should explore" or "what should (or can) be done with all the information coming out of the Human Genome Project" or "should someone be denied a job as an airline pilot because they have a family history of a degenerative neuromuscular disease" or things of that nature.

May have something to do with the fact that we are the only species (with maybe a few exceptions, like other higher primates and some sea mammals ;-) that has the gray matter to care about such stuff with. Once you've got intelligence, you can do all sorts of weird stuff with it.

Likewise, Jim

maybe Mack could have actually PASSED the test Saerah

[email] wrote:

To be specific, it's being called "Mack DADDY" that drives Mack crazy.

On Wed, 27 Jan 1999 14:08:04 GMT, [email] wrote:

Indeed, it should be expected, by now.

Actually, I think he prefer's "Mack", it's just the "Mack Daddy" that bothers him.

In article ,

Thinking about it, you guys are right. Others have callled him Mack and it hasn't bothered him. Martin- change that to Mack Daddy on Outpost Daria, thanks.

Mike Quinn I can be reached through e-mail at: [email]

In article , [email] wrote:

The meaning of Mack Daddy is probably what upsets him the most. A "Mack Daddy" is a PIMP. It's insulting to Mack on several levels. That's why he doth protest so much. He might be Black and a male but he's NOT a criminal.

I can understand why this could upset him so. In the media, Black and young and male do equal criminal. The assumption is passed on through the media to the public at large. I suspect that Mack has been stopped more than once for D.W.B. (driving while Black) and has probably on more than one occasion been shadowed by store detectives while shopping.

He has every right to be sensitive to this.

--.\\<-H--

On Fri, 29 Jan 1999 08:30:58 -0800, [email] (Michelle Klein-Hass) wrote:

Actually, this sounds more like the type of thing that would bother Jodie's mom.

In article ,

Well, hell, I'm white and I sure wouldn't like some store detective tailing me for no good reason. Considering that Lawndale is upscale and mostly white, it wouldn't be surprising to me if Mack got this sort of treatment.