There's a line from (I think) the pilot that crosses my mind a lot these days. Angela-as-narrator, describing her relationship with Graham, says something like "We used to be close, but my breasts came between us." I'm determined not to be that guy. (Though my recollection of Graham was that he was, overall, a pretty good dad.)
I miss the old school MSCL message board, where every single thing about that show got dissected. I feel like it was one of the first shows to get hyper-analyzed that way online, and I remember the community being really well-tied at the time. Maybe some other Thing-Throwers were on it?
From the pilot of this show, by the way, I remember thinking the show had been spying on my life when Angela talks about how family dinner squigs her: "I mean, if you stop to think about, like, chewing -- what it really is? -- how people just do it, like, in public." This is more than a decade before the word "misophonia" even existed.
I watched the first episode with my best friend from high school. We were a few years out of high school at the time. Our reactions when it was over: Her: My little sister is going into high school next year and this worries me. Me: This was totally me in 9th grade. I'm Angela and my crazy friend Mary is Rayanne.
Man, I loved this show.
"You could tell me to go to hell and I'd go. And I'd send you a letter from there."
Hallie Lowenthal was not the worst. Patty Chase was the worst.
I recently rewatched and found I had shifted from a heavy Catalano bias to wishing Angela had a decent option because Brian Krakow is annoying as hell too. I'll note that shift coincided with realizing Troy wasn't cool, he was a jackass and that Michael was the better Reality Bites option. Ahh, growing up.
I wonder if that's why I don't have the same feelings for it that you all do - I never watched it when I was close to Angela's age - I only watched it for the first time about 2 years ago. (I am proud that my binge-watch of it is the proximate cause of us all watching The Wire together. My ALOTT5MA claim to fame.)
Anyway, I certainly liked the show, but I don't have this huge nostalgic affection for it the way my sister (who was pretty much Angela's age and obsessed with it when it was first on the air) does. I was already Angela's parents when I watched it.
I first watched it during my 1-L year, and my New Grad neighbor Shira and I would watch the MTV reruns every day at 6pm. I'm a deep fan; identified with Brain, I guess.
Brain. Oh, I miss this show. Can't wait to unveil it to Lucy in a year or two.
ReplyDeleteStill love the show, but that restaurant subplot is one I kind if wish would just go away.
ReplyDeleteThere's a party tonight at Tino's to celebrate the anniversary.
ReplyDeleteNever watched it. I was busy and uninterested.
ReplyDeleteThere's a line from (I think) the pilot that crosses my mind a lot these days. Angela-as-narrator, describing her relationship with Graham, says something like "We used to be close, but my breasts came between us." I'm determined not to be that guy. (Though my recollection of Graham was that he was, overall, a pretty good dad.)
ReplyDeleteWell, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'll be there right after I feed the cat.
ReplyDeleteThis show may be the best ever to have watched once, identifying with the teenagers, then watched again 15 years later, identifying with the parents.
ReplyDeleteYes! I had the same exact reaction when I did a rewatch recently. Odd feeling.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. It did say "Discuss your memories," so box checked.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if the (late-breaking) "I want to be a chef!" resolution on Parenthood is a tribute to that plotline.
ReplyDeleteI miss the old school MSCL message board, where every single thing about that show got dissected. I feel like it was one of the first shows to get hyper-analyzed that way online, and I remember the community being really well-tied at the time. Maybe some other Thing-Throwers were on it?
ReplyDeleteFrom the pilot of this show, by the way, I remember thinking the show had been spying on my life when Angela talks about how family dinner squigs her: "I mean, if you stop to think about, like, chewing -- what it really is? -- how people just do it, like, in
ReplyDeletepublic."
This is more than a decade before the word "misophonia" even existed.
Huh. I didn't know the word didn't exist until 2001.
ReplyDeleteI watched the first episode with my best friend from high school. We were a few years out of high school at the time. Our reactions when it was over:
ReplyDeleteHer: My little sister is going into high school next year and this worries me.
Me: This was totally me in 9th grade. I'm Angela and my crazy friend Mary is Rayanne.
Man, I loved this show.
"You could tell me to go to hell and I'd go. And I'd send you a letter from there."
Hallie Lowenthal was not the worst. Patty Chase was the worst.
ReplyDeleteI recently rewatched and found I had shifted from a heavy Catalano bias to wishing Angela had a decent option because Brian Krakow is annoying as hell too. I'll note that shift coincided with realizing Troy wasn't cool, he was a jackass and that Michael was the better Reality Bites option. Ahh, growing up.
It was definitely one of the highlights of my teenage years (I was in 10th grade in 94-95). My senior quote in my HS yearbook was even from the show!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that's why I don't have the same feelings for it that you all do - I never watched it when I was close to Angela's age - I only watched it for the first time about 2 years ago. (I am proud that my binge-watch of it is the proximate cause of us all watching The Wire together. My ALOTT5MA claim to fame.)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I certainly liked the show, but I don't have this huge nostalgic affection for it the way my sister (who was pretty much Angela's age and obsessed with it when it was first on the air) does. I was already Angela's parents when I watched it.
I first watched it during my 1-L year, and my New Grad neighbor Shira and I would watch the MTV reruns every day at 6pm. I'm a deep fan; identified with Brain, I guess.
ReplyDelete