- Annnnnnd we’re back after what was it, a two week hiatus? I still can’t help but to wonder will this next episode be another one shown out of sequence before ski lodge? Will they acknowledge Rucas or Zaya or will they be back in middle school with a turtleneck wearing Farkle? Who knows?
- Here we go! So, we begin in Corey's classroom where I immediately notice no Smackle. Corey rambles something about the Statue of Liberty, Maya and Farkle make faces at each other and then it’s culture week! Nigel, you know that kid in class every week that say something . . . no not Yogi, not Sarah or Darcy, you know Nigel- his grandma is having a booth at the fair. Corey gives them an assignment to find out their heritage, but this is all he literally tells them to do (this is important later.)
Where does Smackle go? Where is Marley? - So, Riley goes home and asks Topanga about her heritage to which she is told they are “multi-generational Americans” you know, Native Americans- oh wait, they’re not!
Riley's face when her parents will not tell her the family heritage. The next day at school, after her parents only told her they come from cream cheese, Riley repeated the same thing in class, much to Corey’s horror, but Riley realized she was American cheese and threw some at everyone (this generally makes me laugh because I feel her frustration).
"I am more than cheese, dad!" - Riley - Maya, Zay and Lucas were all stereotypical with their reports too and Corey was aghast that no one understood the assignment when he had given such simple, undetailed directions. (See, told you that would be important). Farkle needs more time with the assignment, and since no one did it correctly, Corey grants them all a redo.
Product placement - Next we go to Topanga’s, where the kids are all trying to do their homework, because I guess all of their parents refused to help them. We get a bit about Riley apologizing the Zay’s grandmother for eating the cookie, which I like because I love continuity. It’s just too bad the cookie is all the writers remember and not the relationships.
Still not acknowledging Rucas . . . - Then we got this picture . . .
#Zaya - Now it’s the day of the culture fair. Riley and company go to the Cambodia booth first to hear a story about how Nigel’s grandmother escaped the country. This resonates with Farkle. Zay of all people, notices that Farkle has been super quiet. Something is up with him and I don’t like this seemingly sad Farkle.
They are friends! - After having been given a more detailed assignment with actual instructions, Maya and Riley re-give their presentations. Since her parents decided to pretend their family was in America before anyone else, Riley went with the whole I am America thing. Zay once again notices Farkle did not give a presentation and Farkle finally tells them: his great grandfather escaped the Jewish concentration camps but was the only member of his family to survive. He adopted the name Minkus after the family that helped him. This should have been the focus of the episode!
Riley rushes to her future beau's aid when he needs comfort!
***Extras and Tidbits***
- So, Auggie had a story that should have been about being stereo typically racist.
She's clearly from Cuba . . . - OMG guys, there was no bay window in this episode! Did they actually forget it? I mean I’m seriously surprised the culture fair didn’t take place in it!
- Speaking of bay windows, who fire escape are Corey, Topanga and Auggie on in the opening when they pour water on Riley, Farkle, Maya and Lucas?
Not the bay window . . . - Please give us more of Farkle and Zay as friends. Zay being friends with Farkle is more real than anything he has ever done with Lucas.
IF I WROTE THE EPISODE
I can’t even with these anymore you guys. The focus should have Farkle and Zay and would make for a great episode. Why did we have to suffer through Auggie and Ava yet again when it really adds nothing? I also refuse to believe that the non-Native American Matthews were only ever from America. Their ancestors had to come from somewhere!
While season three started off so well, the episodes being out of order and the constant cramming lessons down our throats are seriously hindering the show. It can be so much better than these last few episodes if only they’d focus on the relationships. If that means the show leaves Disney, then it needs to and ASAP!
I believe Topanga's final look sums up the audience's feelings. |
| The look on all of our faces when the episode finishes! |
Who is Riley Matthews?
You might think that she is a character from the show Girl Meets World. She's the daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews, world's most perfect parents. Seriously, they NEVER do anything wrong.
She is sister to Auggie Matthews, best friend to Maya Hart, and she is also the girlfriend of Lucas Friar. I, however, am going to disagree.
Riley Matthews is a pawn. Riley Matthews is a spokesperson for Disney and pretty much nothing more. Who was she in episode one compared to who she is today? How much has she developed as a character? For that matter, have any of the characters grown in any way? I'm thinking of Riley, Maya, Lucas, and Farkle from season one and I'm trying to think about how far they have come, but I don't think they have traveled very far at all. I mean Farkle shed his turtle necks and happiness, other than that everyone else is pretty much the same. Someone or someones is/are committed to shoving lessons down the throats of viewers, not that I mind a lesson to learn being involved, BMW balanced that responsibility with storytelling really well, I just think this show is failing to do the same. I really think the writers have spent more time this season deciding which life lessons they want to teach rather than how they want to evolve their characters. The characters aren't important anymore; they are completely interchangeable. Throw any other actress or actor in there and it wouldn't matter because the stories are rarely about the characters. Anyone could stand in there and preach their scripture but they choose to suck us in with Riley Matthews and gang. We watch the show because we think it is a spin-off of BMW, instead we get something that is one step up from Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues. I'm seriously waiting for the episode where Riley starts encouraging viewer participation.
I needed to get that off my chest. I also do not have much to say about the most recent episode, so this mini vent session will stand as my review. For the most part. I think I can manage a few sentences specifically about this past week's episode.
Cory and Topanga are super weird and vague about their family's heritage. They annoyingly refuse to supply Riley with information on their family history.
Auggie and Ava are forced in with a new friend. New friend will never be in another episode again. I'm sure the ever obnoxious Doy will find his way back to the show though.
Lucas isn't important enough to spend time on. Lucas stands around most of this episode. Why was he even here?
Maya has Irish ancestors.
Zay and Farkle bond over their oppressed ancestors. I'm glad this happened. I have no qualms about their situations, except that I wish they had spent the entire episode on these two.
Done. See you next week for Girl Meets I'm Too Old for This Show.
No comments:
Post a Comment