Mike's Delayed Reaction Review-#403 (4-42), "A Tree Grows in Lawndale"

Mike's Delayed Reaction Review-#403 (4-42), "A Tree Grows in Lawndale"

Spoilers Space for #403 (If you don�t want to know, then don�t scroll!)

La La La La La This is Mike's post Got to review Or he'll go nuts

Reacting Re-ACT-ing

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Mike's Delayed Reaction Review-"A Tree Grows in Lawndale"

MDRR #403 (4-42)

Boxhead Rebellion - How Kevin leads any team to any victory is one of the mysteries of the universe Lawndale is in. For someone in a leadership role, even as insignificant as captain of a high school football, he has a knack for poor decision making. He took Daria and Jane's word that wearing a leather jacket necessitates riding a bike and then he was peer pressured into doing a wheelie by the three J's, whom he must outrank on some level.

Loveless - Why exactly can't Kevin and Brittany continue to go steady in this episode? I'm not quite sure they even knew why. The simple explanation is that those who don't play football don't date cheerleaders. However, Kevin was never kicked off the team. They don't usually do that to injured players, even ones that hurt themselves. This subplot did provide some of the funnier moments, especially Brittany's comment about going out "until graduation" and their inevitable reunion.

Very Interesting - I get the feeling that Daria and Jane unintentionally (maybe it was intentional) conducting a small experiment on Kevin by sort of convincing him the get a moped. At the very least, they felt a little responsible for his injury because they did try to get everything back to normal by getting Kevin to lecture about "safety." (which, BTW, was Tom's idea - how can you not like this guy)

Where's Val When You Need Her? - I think some evil spirit was unleashed by the destruction of the Tommy Sherman tree. I counted sixteen mentions of Tommy Sherman's name (not to mention several more implicit references to him and numerous shots of what was left of the tree), most of which came during the ill-conceived bathroom exorcism scene.

Courage for Dummies - For the "traumatic" experience that Kevin just went through, he showed some real courage and, dare I say, maturity. He did try to make some good come from his own stupidity and took the responsibility somewhat seriously. Now, he still didn't completely understand what the message was, but he did get something through to those third graders. But I think they understood that they should be like him, but not too much like him.

Loser Town? - I'll admit that I was a high school football player (an offensive lineman, one of the smart ones), but I'm stupefied by the reaction the whole town had to one or two losses. I realize that high school football is big business in a lot of places, but let's be realistic, even the best of teams are going to lose once in a while (my senior year, we had one of the best teams in school history and we lost twice). It's hard to believe anyone would believe that a couple of football games could drive property values down immediately. That brings me to my next point....

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! � Jake was in classic form in this episode, by going off in a rage over a seemingly trivial situation. They have to move because some �80 year old guy� says the local high school is for losers. My favorite parts were when he was pushed into asking if they lived on a fault line and his yelling at the little kid on the phone.

Stop the Bleeding � Miss Li tried to get the team back on track by hiring that ringer. On second thought, let�s not go there.

Guilty by Association � Finally, I�m still a bit unsure of why all of Lawndale High is ostracized. For once, the Fashion Club had a point � they don�t even play football. Even Artie, the biggest loser we�ve seen in a long time, was scoring off of Lawndale (admittedly, that scene was overplayed on purpose to make the point of how �loserly� Lawndale had become � even the biggest loser was looking down on them). I know the reason was to show how much Kevin was affecting the whole town by sulking, but it still was laid a bit too thick.

I�d have to say that this whole episode has left me confused. I�m not quite sure what to think of it. The whole thing jumped around, sort of haphazardly, from one place to another and there was too much to keep track of. Other than that, I don�t quite know if we ever really needed an episode about Kevin, but that doesn�t really bother me too much. And I probably could�ve done with out some of Jane�s �you�re going to hell� jokes.

Grade: B-

Daria as a Whole, Alter-Ego of the Week - This week, I�ll go with Mount Fashionmore.

Copyright � 2000 Mike Quinn [All Rights Reserved]. "Daria" and all related characters are � 1997-2000 MTV Networks, Inc.

Got a question about a review? Drop me an email at: [email]

Missed a review? Check Outpost Daria, part of the Delayed Reaction Network http://www.lawndale.net

"Mike Quinn" wrote in message news:8alr3n$vkt$[email]...

Technically, I think Kevin quit the team, but his resignation was never formally accepted.

I just hope they don't start to overdo the "Tom saves the day" schtick. The last thing this show needs is a Wesley Crusher.

Yew ain't from Texas, are yew son?

Yet more evidence (if any were needed, that Lawndale IS in Texas!

In article , "Chris McCubbin" wrote:

Lawndale"

scroll!)

I never thought of it that way, as long as he doesn't save the day in the next two or three episodes ;)

No, I'm not. For the record, I'm from outside of Philadelphia, which is more of a basketball town even though we still love football. One of my aunts is from upstate PA and she says that high school football is practically a way of life up there. Maybe that's where Lawndale is ;)

Mike Quinn [email]

"Michael J. Quinn" wrote:

I think Philadelphia is definitely a football town...but it's a PRO town. College and high school sports are of much lesser importance.

Chris McCubbin wrote:

*snicker* HEY, I was frickin' BORN and RAISED in Texas and *I* don't talk like that. Where do you come from, Dallas or something?

I disagree still (since I'm sticking with my "Lawndale would be in Virginia gah gah dammit!" stance) but Texas *does* place a high priority on football and it wouldn't surprise me that some hick town up in North Texas operates in much the same way.

LI

On Fri, 17 Mar 2000 06:12:45 GMT, Lady Interference wrote:

The mere fact that Lawndale is within short driving distance of Colonial-era Middleton College is enough to discount Texas as being a probable location for Lawndale. This fact pretty much restricts Lawndale to being on or near the East Coast, very likely somewhere from Virginia northward. (I still like Maryland; being a suburb of Baltimore makes it a nearly perfect, IMHO.)

Martin
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On Fri, 17 Mar 2000 01:27:46 -0500, Martin J. Pollard wrote:

That doesn't mean anything. If they have a dimensional wormhole in the back of the Good Time Chinese Restaurant, who knows what they have on their highways. Or maybe it's the magic of the Big Strawberry. MSB

---- Have you seen this meal before? Restaurant Restroom Recycling - Next on SSW!

It's in Maryland! The dimensional wormhole thingie (its technical description) takes you to Holiday Island, and to a place with sandy roadsides and oilwells (Speedtrapped).

These are the only examples of a non-east coast locale (if you discount Holiday Island. Everyone else has).

Hey, "Antisocial Climbers" sported hilltops, pine trees and snow. Looks like Pennsylvania to me. A short bus ride from MD!

Milo wrote:

Or Garrett County, Maryland.

Peace Kevin

Mike Quinn wrote:

I can't get enough of this theme song! :-)

Hmmmm....does this hit a little close to home, Mr. Offensive Lineman? :-)

What's interesting to me is that even Daria and Jane, who kept on about how everyone was overreacting, denied being from Lawndale when talking to Artie.

In article ,

Lawndale"

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about how

Of course, maybe they always do this...

On Wed, 15 Mar 2000 02:13:18 GMT, Tice Rust wrote:

Um... they do, actually.

In article ,

You don't know the depths of stupidity until you listen to the "witty banter" that happens in the average high school football locker room.

No wonder I always got a locker as close as possible to the nearest exit ;)

For a couple of people that don't care much, they sure seemed to care.

Well, look at the realities of real estate: one of the main- if not THE main- consideration into how good of an area you're in is the school system. And how good the school system is... well, occasionally they may look at standardized test scores, but generally... you got it, it's the sports teams. Our sports teams our running our nation, and ruining it, and people who don't recognize this are turning a blind eye to a lot of things.

Dagny

http://firefly.cc.st

"This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper." -T.S. Eliot

Daria code: Ap D+ T5 W1 Q+ Fn^Fr O+ OH m c MV- C5X F:113,201,305 BB+ FCJ -DT+ q+ fT^fD

In article ,

Lawndale"

I uderstand you point and agree with you to an extent in regards to this episode. School systems, a lot of the time, dictate property values and school sports tend to be a large part of the schools themselves. A school district that boasts a string of state championships in one or more sports is going to look more attractive on the surface than one that has no reputation for athletic success. But to think that because the team lost one game missing their best player due to injury would make a place unlivable is a tough on to swallow. But then again, Jake was the one who took this threat the most seriously and he doesn't have the logical decision making process.

see ya,

Mike Quinn [email]

This seems like one of those "filler" Daria episodes. They seem to have to pad the serious ones with a few goofy, mostly inconsequential ones. I didn't hate this ep, but I agree that we really didn't need a whole plot revolving around Kevin. I mean, to tell you the truth, I've had my fill of Kevin & Brittany and I wouldn't mind never seeing them again. Fat chance of that happening, though. One nice thing was seeing Daria actually interacting civilly with Tom. That was cool, I think she just needed some time to get used to him. Judging from the title of the next episode, I don't think it will be a very serious one, either. Actually, maybe I should be more specific. The writers seem to vacillate between more realistic plots and more satire-based or goofy ones. I think this will be one of the goofy ones. That's cool, but I hope they get back to some serious stuff soon, only because when they do that stuff it's so damn sharply written it makes my head spin. Like that season opener, wow, that was quite brilliant.

Or maybe I'm complaining too much. I think I need to watch this episode again.

In article , [email] wrote:

Lawndale"

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True, but it was a lot more original than "Anti-Social Climbers"; this is the direction I'd like to see the filler eps take, instead of the overdone school field trip routine.

In article ,

Yes. One field trip ep a year, however, isn't a bad thing. Kind of like the Simpsons Halloween specials, you know one is comng every year. More than one per year, like last season, and I would agree then it's being overdone. One per season is o.k. anymore is really overdoing it.

A.J.

I sort of go along with this, I don't know enough about American Football to know what skills a good QB needs but Kevin has them in buckedloads! The rest of the team (even Mack) aren't up to much, they get stuffed without him but when he's playing he's good enough to carry the rest of them along to victory.

Kevin is really something of an idiot-savant, just his single talent lies on the football field rather then something like multiplying large numbers. As for Tommy Sherman, he was just an egotistical prat. He was so full of himself he could never admit any Lawndale QB was as good or better then _he_ was.

Mike Quinn said:

(Spoilers for 403)

Everyone gets to be good at *something.* Football is the *one* thing Kevin's good at. That's my guess ... he simply cares so much more for the game than anyone else that this gives him an advantage over the other players.

Mike, the three J's are so dumb I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin didn't even outrank them *intellectually.* Let alone socially. The thing is, Kevin thinks it's cool to take a dare. He's just lucky that he usually has Mack hanging out with him ... I suspect Mack must bail him out of a *lot* of trouble.

Kevin is so caught up in the social conventions of high school that he thinks of them as moral precepts, and thus is willing to apply the *spirit* of them, I guess. Note that Brittany, too, was swayed by his "logic." Even though she didn't want to be.

Which goes to show that Kevin and Brittany consider high school to be a whole different world from the rest of their lives. It's interesting to note the implications of this combined with her family background and her dreams in "College Bored". She clearly sees her role as being "girlfriend to the appropriate high status male," and she knows that once she leaves high school the status rules begin to change: wealth and family background increasingly trump athletic prowess.

Kevin doesn't realize this; he doesn't *want* to realize this. Remember in "College Bored", where his first fantasy (accurately) showed him as a wimpy little freshmen compared to giant senior football players, and he simply altered his mental image to feel better. The truth is that his athletic skills won't be exceptional in a college setting, and in any case being a jock in college isn't as big a deal as being one in high school (though if you're a really *successful* athlete, you can wind up with even *higher* status, because the professional teams scout the college teams for promising future players ... but would Kevin be all that promising?)

Oh, yes. They didn't mean for him to get hurt, though. They somewhat like Kevin ... in the manner that one might like a large friendly dog.

*raises hand* I'm a Tom fan!

*Poltergeist flashback* :)

I notice that Brittany came close to telling Kevin exactly *why* she hated Tommy Sherman, but held her tongue.

That was pretty funny. I think it was Brittany's idea, too.

I agree. This bodes well for Kevin's future: he will never win any Nobel prizes, but if he realizes that he can be a leader in ways other than football, he may actually have a future beyond high school.

Exaggerated and telescoped in time for satirical effect. Dramatic license.

Note: he and Quinn, together, were almost succeeding in spooking *Helen*.

I liked the way that they gradually built the premise that he was a psycho, culminating in him scaring the whole rest of the football team off the field :)

"Aw man, this *always* happens!"

Yep. It was funny, though, that Artie didn't recognize Daria and Jane, even though he'd acquired the delusion that they were "space babes" who "stole his skin" by the end of "The Lawndale Files". Given his overall sanity level, maybe this isn't too surprising :)

I sing of the boo-boo of Kevin! Great Zeus, golden Apollo, wise Athena, and gracious Muses, try not to snicker too hard as I tell the tale ...

(sorry, *Iliad* flashback) :)

Hey, Mack ... who was the "hero's" best friend ... did sort of "don the hero's armor" and "fall", didn't he ...

I liked the focus on a guy who's normally just a walking continuing gag.

Sincerely Yours, Jordan

In article ,

True, he has shown more ability to think than the 3J's

The thought crossed my mind that Mack is sort of like Kevin's guardian at school and does his darndest to keep Kevin from hurting himself but that would bring up the question of why Mack didn't at least say "you know that probably isn't a good idea." I can see Kevin being pressured like that fairly easily but I would think Maxk would at least make a token attempt to stop him.

That's a very good analogy.

It wasn't unfunny but it kind of... Oh, I don't know how to explain it, I just didn't like it too much. And if it was Brittany's idea, it pretty much rips my "Hidden Intelligence Theory" to shreads.

I know, I think they probably did get to her a little more than we saw

There really wasn't anything more for me to say that hadn't already been said or presumed.

I didn't have a problem with the character, more with Miss Li getting him. I mean, what are they going to do with him now that Kevin's back. Remember, he has a anger problem.

That was a good line, it kind of shows that he didn't have a clue why it happened.

On Wed, 15 Mar 2000 19:57:08 GMT, Mike Quinn wrote:

She did lead the exorcism.

Whether that's cause it was her idea, or cause she's the head cheerleader is debatable...

Trade him to some other sucker looking for a ringer.

It's not like that's going to surprise him...

I liked "If you catch the ball, you get to kick me in the head."

I would have gone for it...

In article ,

He's good at football. It may be the only thing, but hey, everyone is good at something, no matter how trivial. But, then again, could this be one for Unsolved Mysteries?

They're too enmeshed in their given social roles, and take the high school society facet of their lives as law. Notice that Kevin said: "Would you date someone who won't even get their picture in the yearbook" or something like that, and Brittany took it seriously, I honestly wonder what lies ahead for these two after high school.

I'm pro-Tom! He's a male equal to OH, he'll only complement her and Jane in the long run. The only one ever really against him was Daria herself.

Really? I thought that was one of the funniest parts of this ep.

Will he remember this experience later on, however? That's the real question. I think he'll take at least a little something from this and grow and mature a bit.

Agreed this was the best classic Jake we've seen in a while. Daria, too. Her one-liners in the middle of her parents conversation were as sharp as ever, both were in their respective top forms.

One Kevin-centric ep. isn't bad, as long as a habit isn't made out of that,too. Also Jane's jokes were the 2nd funniest lines of the entire ep. #1 was Daria's comment about winning a grade school paste eating contest still counted for something at that level, I nearly gagged from hearing that one, I had to stop my tape.

Higher than AC? surprised at that one. I can see where it comes from, though. To me, anyway it ranked up there with PC, but then what do I know? I don't have the offical grading responsibilities :-)

Completely agree there.

A.J.

wrote in message news:8ap002$a4v$[email]...

Lawndale"

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of

good at

for

Because football, as stupid and pointless as it is, still requires a certain minimum intelligence to play. You have to remember the rules, you have to remember the plays, it requires a minimal amount of thinking. Kevin must save up all his brainpower to unleash it all at once on the football field in one might flashbulb of brilliance.

steady

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ahead for

It has nothing to do with high school, it's a satire of life. There are those who after high school still refuse to date or even socialize with those who aren't popular, who don't drive the right kind of car, live in the right part of town, or work at the right kind of job. This is a perfect metaphor for life. Daria exists to remind us that not all of life is like that.

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Jane in

Daria's only problem with Tom is that she perceives him as a threat to her friendship with her only friend Jane. Once Daria finds herself someone special to spend time with she won't require so much of Jane's time and they can double.

unleashed

implicit

What better icon for the spirit of the injured football player than Tommy Sherman, who built a whole football career on his injuries and eventually sacrificed himself to his sport?

R. K. Henry said:

Heh .. .I like that analogy. Actually, football is at the tactical and strategic level a fairly complex game ... it's a genuine "wargame" in the sense that it's a combat simulation, after a fashion. I suspect that Kevin is smart enough to remember plays and (with Mack's advice) pick the right ones.

Sincerely Yours, Jordan

I gained new appreciation for football after reading Don DeLillo's "End Zone." Great novel by a great author.

On 16 Mar 2000 03:28:13 GMT, [email] (Jordan S. Bassior) wrote:

Actually, that brings me to Mack's problem when he tried to fill in as QB. He thinks too much.

For Kevin, it's simple. All the thinking is done during the huddle; he locks the play into his brain like last weeks issue of Ratboy, and then just goes off instinct. For Mack, he gets out of the huddle and he's still thinking. That's when he gets sacked.

I think it gets better over time, but people are popularity-minded and superficial their whole lives. One of the things that pisses me off about Dark Schneider, besides having bad taste, a strict grading scale, and little understanding of literature, is the fact that she still acts like a snobby kid in high school. You get the idea that when she's talking to me, it's condescending and beneath her level, just like the stupid popular girls still in high school do. Whereas Mrs. Berlin, who shares all the other weaknesses (plus that thing about telling me to be more open minded about religion when I expected one on work habits, which is what I need) does not have that attitude. She's really friendly and all.

In some cases, the level becomes based on age, so whether you were the football player or the geek in high school, at age 50 what matters is that you're 50. It's younger people who you think aren't good enough to talk with you.

Dagny

http://firefly.cc.st

"This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper." -T.S. Eliot

Daria code: Ap D+ T5 W1 Q+ Fn^Fr O+ OH m c MV- C5X F:113,201,305 BB+ FCJ -DT+ q+ fT^fD

On Tue, 14 Mar 2000 16:58:32 GMT, Mike Quinn wrote:

Um, dude. Mack's the captain. Kevin's the QB.

(Yeah I know: first string QB *should* be the captain...)

Jealousy.

Nah, reality isn't funny enough for TV these days...

On Wed, 15 Mar 2000 16:28:03 GMT, Milo Minderbinder wrote:

Milo, for the sake of the other 99% of the people reading this group -- the people who do *NOT* use an HTML-compatible news reader -- do you think it would be possible to post your messages here in plain text, rather than HTML? (Agent, for example, displays an attachment box, indicating an HTML attachment; the text is never shown.) That way, *ALL* of us can enjoy your messages. Thanks!

Martin
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      Outpost Daria: Your Online Database for All Things Daria!
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Does this work better? (I just upgraded my Netscape browser, and it seems to have torched my preferences. Sorry.

On Thu, 16 Mar 2000 14:36:27 GMT, Milo Minderbinder wrote:

Yup; Understandable, Netscape has problems with that; no problem, thanks for understanding.