Spoilers for Ep #405, don't go any further if you don't want to know. I say this because sometimes the space shows up, sometimes it doesn't, and if it doesn't, at least you have fair warning, so this is your last chance, if you don't want to know, TURN BACK NOW!
It's too late to turn back now...
The F stands for failure in this case. Mr. O'Neill overenthusiastic as usual, tries an expiriment based upon his learnings at a state teachers conference. About how failure can be as much of a guide to students as succeeding and learning. He asks the class to pick something the will fail at and what they learn from it.
With varying degrees of success(failure) most of the class are dejected from the experience, O'Neill blames himself and gives up, only to be lured back when Daria and Jane offer him some advice and words of wisdom.
Attempts at failure: Daria: Getting Quinn grounded so she couldn't attend that fashion extravaganza at the mall. Result: She has to go with Quinn, which she turns over to O'Neill as payment for her encouraging words to him earlier
Jane: Trying to be the conventional student. Result: Almost too successful, her attempts almost land her on the cheerleading squad, until a timely daydream puts those thoughts in their place.
Jodie: Attempts to get a summer off. Result: she doesn't, she fails at it and therefore succeeds.
Mack: Attempting to teach Kevin about governent. Result: Do you really need the answer to this?
Brittany: Attempting to be unpopular. Result: worked too well, using Daria's advice, discussing world issues, got her basically ostracized from the cheerleading squad.
Kevin: Attempted to be bad at sports. Result: got kicked off the team.
To me Janes was the most interesting. We actually see a bit deeper into her as a person here. Maybe she desires to be more into the "in" crowd than she is, I don't mean to be popular overnight, just not to be as ostracized as before. It may just be her feelings based on the "weakness" she felt in that situation. Who knows? Before she met Tom I'd have never expected to see this from her, but Tom is opening her up to more and more things, opening up her world more. Good to see her come back to herself with that "cheer", she woke herself up just in time.
This ep. is more evidence that ideas are being borrowed from fan-fics,Jodieand Mack helping Brittany and Kevin respectively and Daria and Jane helping out O'Neill, ala their help to Kevin in ep #403. Only saw these ideas in fanfic before this season.
The ep. started out good at the teachers conference, got better as the students tried to fail at their tasks, and flattened out at the end with everything basically returning to the status quo.
Most of the eps seem to be like this, strong 1st and 2nd segments, and they seem to flatten out or run out of steam by the end. All 5 eps so far seem ths way IMO. #401 the only possible exception to this. Here's hoping for stronger finishes as the season goes on. Season 4 is way ahead of sea. 3, so far, if the eps could be a bit stronger finishing, would be my only complaint so far.
Another funny ep. even if this was O'neill's most ill-conceived assignment so far, that detracted a bit from it, but the characters attempts were great and brought the ep. up only to be brought down by another flat ending. I'd give it a B, B+ if you strengthened the ending a bit.
IMO sea. 4 so far(Best to Worst): 1)401-PC, slightly ahead of: 2)403-ATGIL, Basically in a dead heat with: 3)404-MSS, slightly ahead of: 4)405-TFW, only slightly ahead of: 5)402-AC.
With all getting no less than a B. So far IMO, a fairly strong season, hope they keep up the good work.
Agree or disagree with me as you wish,
A.J.