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

Possible Spoilers for 2-24-"See Jane Run" Spoiler Space

MIRR- "See Jane Run"

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!!!)

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).

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.

Weirdness of the Season(so far)- Daria talking to herself was really off the weirdness charts. 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.

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. Of course, the main conflict was resolved by the end of the show(standard for any 30 minute show), but there was definitely conflict and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the tension resurfaces in the future.

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 [email]

In article , [email] wrote:

I kept hearing Captain Beefheart's "Run Spot Run" after the title track ... it would have made a great closing tune 'cept that Jane ain't no dog.

I forgot about Jane's affection for running. That actually makes me feel better about the episode. One of my pet sitcom peeves is the main character who with (relatively) little practice out-accomplishes athletes who have been in training for months or years because ... well, they're a main character.

And it's not "Mack" that's the problem ... it's "Mack Daddy" which is plainly Kevin's attempt at sounding "black". that's why he resorted to calling him "Bro" as an alternative ... because he honestly didn't know why Mack hated being called "Mack Daddy".

So I was fooled too, hate to say it ... I was actually surprised when he insulted Daria later on; earlier he had seemed to laugh honestly at one of her jokes. He didn't seem to be trying to pick up Jane but seemed to honestly appreciate her and Daria at first.

I also think ... I don't remember the details ... didn't Evan come up with a lot of enlightened-sounding rhetoric, and then Daria just make fun of him? I think Jane was attracted to Evan and was spurred to action because it led her to see Daria's sarcasm as indicative of a bad attitude for the first time (I mean an actually bad attitude, not a hip "bad attitude").

It was a shock ... also the shot of her emptying her drink over her pizza.

I also thought it wasn't strictly necessary for jane to drop off the team ... there were considerable benefits from being on it aside from opportunities to cheat, and achieving popularity. Lots of athletes I know have disdain for that sort of stuff ... athletic achievement is good in its own right. Really, as you say, she dropped off the team because things had to be returned to the status quo at the end.

I thought the splits were funny, but they didn't make much sense to me ... I assumed Britanny was at least supposed to be good at what she does? It does take some level of physical skill to be head cheerleader after all, even if one is a complete dim bulb in everything else.

In article ,

Yeah you're right. I think that someone else has called him Mack without getting that reaction. Mack is probably just disgusted with Kevin in general, come to think about it, even if Kevin is a good athlete it seems unlikely that he is even smart enough to be a QB. I mean, if he can't remember that one of his friends doesn't like being called "Mack Daddy," how is he going to remember a playbook.

Yeah, Jane could still be on the track team without it being shown every week all they would have to do is make a small mention every couple of shows and the future shows could be virtually unchanged. Jane could say something like "Wanna go get some pizza after my practice?" and it wouldn't have to screw up anything else.

Mike

[email] wrote in article ...

wrote:

why

how

In article , "Kyle" wrote:

I was more involved in high school football than most people here seem to be(or are willing to admit:) and I can say from experience that to play on the offensive side of the ball you have to have some sort of cognative skill(at least good memory). Mind you you don't need a lot of 'smarts' but you have to be able to recognize certain things(defensive formations etc.).

However, if you play defense all you have to know is 'kill the guy with the ball'

Mike

Maybe that's why our team went 2-9 last year, and it was our best season in 7 years. (No, I didn't play, although I would have given my big toes for a roster spot)

[email] wrote in article ...

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the

In article , [email] wrote:

Could very well be, but he almost seemed like the type that might even hang out with Daria and Jane. At the beginning. Too bad he turned out just like everyone else at Lawndale...but then, what can you expect from high school?

Not that weird. My roommate and I used to heckle just about everything that came on TV (as Daria did during the Miss Continents of the World contest and usually does during "Sick, Sad World"). After he (quite sensibly) transferred to another college, I was so used to the heckling that I continued to make running commentary to dead air.

Well, OK. It is weird. On the plus side, they never did get around to giving me a new roommate.

Very good. I would go as far as to say it's the best of Season 2 so far, if not my favorite ever. The quintessential tale of how high school sports work.

This was the only thing I didn't like about the episode (besides the very sudden metamorphasis in Evan/Track Boy). It was marginally funny once...three times killed the joke entirely and just made it annoying.

Other things:

1. Mack FINALLY tells Kevin off! Kevin's switch to "bro" is one of the funnier things he's done this season.

2. Daria's becoming a much more three-dimensional character. And I believe her VERY discouraged expression when she pours her soda all over her pizza is the most expressive her face has gotten.

• Loads of great quotes, two of my favorites:

Jane: I don't want to come out of high school knowing as much as Kevin. Daria: You came out of kindergarten knowing more than Kevin. Jane: Tell me that when Kevin gets his football scholarship.

Daria:...They really ARE preparing us for the real world.

This episode could become my favorite after a couple more viewings (so I can catch stuff I missed. (BTW: Did anyone catch Trent's lighter during the track meet? Does he indeed smoke, or does he just carry it around?) Does anyone know who wrote it, and if (s)he wrote any of the previous episodes?

<< (BTW: Did anyone catch Trent's lighter during the track meet? Does he indeed smoke, or does he just carry it around?)>>

Hmmm, no can't say I saw that. More evidence to support Trent is a smoker. Hell, I'm just going to take my stand right now. I think he does smoke. First the cough, and now the lighter.

Jsd19 wrote:

Hmm.. well, I carry around a lighter in my satchel, AND matches, and I don't smoke... but then again, I also carry around plastic alien robots, a yo-yo, minature toy trucks, string, saftey pins, and all sorts of other weird odds and ends in my satchel. So I don't know if you can really go by me.

Jessica :-)

<<Hmm.. well, I carry around a lighter in my satchel, AND matches, and I don't smoke... but then again, I also carry around plastic alien robots, a yo-yo, minature toy trucks, string, saftey pins, and all sorts of other weird odds and ends in my satchel. So I don't know if you can really go by me.>>

But do you cough like Trent?

Jsd19 wrote:

For the last week I have, but thats only because of the wretched cold/cough I've had. I do see your point, though; what with the compound evidence and all it does point to Trent possibly being a smoker. They could be setting up for a future plot in the show, but who knows. I myself am undecided on the issue as of right now. I missed this week's show (DAMN the VCR! DAMN IT TO HELL! *ahem.* Excuse me.) so I didn't see this lighter, but I'm going to look for it when I see it this Saturday morning in reruns.

Jessica :-)

Jsd19 wrote:

OK, for no other reason than I can't leave well enough alone, let's take this one notch further: my cousin insists Trent probably burns the occasional doobie, hence the cough and the perpetual ultra- mellow attitude. If you went through his other pockets you'd probably find a small concealable pipe.At least that's the consensus in this particular neck of the woods. That could be the basis for an upcoming episode...

ROCK ON!!! I didn't want to be the first to say it! and he's in a band, broke, always nappin..... and very mellow, yes. Any ideas for the story line of that episode??? Jewlya

"Don't worry, I don't have low self esteem. It's a mistake. I have low esteem for everyone else."---Daria ("Esteemsters") " I gotta cover my butt cause I covet another man's wife"- a.d. Still a member of alt. celibacy. involuntary...

In article ,

Daria notices that Trent is gaining weight(it's just a matter of time before the munchies kick in) and she gets worried and helps him lose it.

Mike

wrote:>Daria notices that Trent is gaining weight(it's just a matter of time before

and how does she do that??;) Jewlya

"Don't worry, I don't have low self esteem. It's a mistake. I have low esteem for everyone else."---Daria ("Esteemsters") " I gotta cover my butt cause I covet another man's wife"- a.d. Still a member of alt. celibacy. involuntary...

In article ,

I don't know, I haven't thought that far ahead yet:> Wait a sec, are you implying what I think you're implying(wink, wink, nudge, nudge) (:

Mike

what do u think;) jewlya

"Don't worry, I don't have low self esteem. It's a mistake. I have low esteem for everyone else."---Daria ("Esteemsters") " I gotta cover my butt cause I covet another man's wife"- a.d. Still a member of alt. celibacy. involuntary... 7/27 - b-day!

[email] wrote:

MST3K fan, by any chance?

Shadowcloak [email] http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/7252/

"Must... stick... head... cold... water..." - Jane Lane

In article ,

How'd you guess? I brought my MST3K tapes with me to school, and he got hooked. It got so out of hand, we even started riffing *on* MST3K! And it's time to stop, before I get really off-topic.

--TICE