Discussion for Episode 8: Strangers in the House

General discussion about the nineteen episodes of "My So-Called Life". Note: Our episode guide can be found here.
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Discussion for Episode 8: Strangers in the House

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 3rd 2003, 3:18 am

Welcome to our eighth MSCL.com episode discussion!

If you haven't already done so, please read the info about the weekly discussions here.

I highly recommend reading theAngela's World essay that pertains to this episode.

Other threads related to Strangers in the House that may be of interest are:

Sharon's room
Sharon and Brian
Angela, Rayanne, and Rickie
Patty and Graham suck
why do we love Graham

Some threads about recurring themes:
food
hair as a metaphor
the contradiction that we call Rayanne
plaid
colors
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 3rd 2003, 3:52 am

Some thoughts...

First I have to say that I remembered having some sort of negative stigma attached to this episode when I was younger (probably due to the considerable lack of Jordan, Rayanne, and Rickie) but watching it again has made me realize what an incredible episode it really is. No, I don't like hearing about Rosenfeld throughout the ep, but that is an important thread to the story. Although it goes without saying that the acting on this show is always excellent, everyone was stupendous in this episode. Most of my notes on this episode are gushing, so let's get to the geysers:

I love watching Patty and Graham interact in the opening scene. They are so in tune with one another (despite the examples we have seen of their miscommunication in previous episodes, as well as later in this episode) and they know each other so well that they really complement one another. It's not just being accustomed to each other's habits. The inexplicable way that Graham explains he knew the bond color was saffron "because [Patty]'s eating rice" sums up the mysterious way that you intuitively know what the other person is talking about without being able to accurately describe why. Another great example of that connection is when Graham heads out the door but hesitates long enough to see Patty's face when she learns of Andy's heart attack. He started out the door but didn't go, even without a gasp or other cue from Patty.

There are so many small touches in this episode that make it so true, like when Angela sees Graham in the hallway at school and says, "What?" and we see Jordan look at her. He doesn't look at her the way he would look at a random person talking during a quiz - he looks up in concern with more than just passing curiousity, almost mirroring Graham's actions in the previous scene with Patty.

While we're on the subject of small touches, I love the cliche that the school nurse must be involved when a student leaves school due to a family member's illness. Even though the office aide brings the note to Miss Lerner, the nurse is waiting in the hallway so she can escort Sharon. Heh, that totally reminded me of Sloan being called out of class because her grandmother "died" in Ferris Bueller!

The little that we see of Sharon's house is very floral and pastel (the wallpaper in her room and in the hallway are visible when Angela is in Sharon's room, and her bedspreads and furniture are also pastel/girlie), but so is Angela's house (notice the similar wallpaper in Angela's room as well as in Patty and Graham's room). Possibly because Camille and Patty have similar interior decorating taste? Maybe they have been friends so long that they developed similar preferences. Or maybe they got a huge discount for decorating their house with the same stuff :wink:

Very typical of Graham, one of the first thing we see him say to Camille at the hospital is, "Would you like something to eat?" Once again, Graham equates food with emotional comfort. Later he makes a lemon hazelnut torte, both to occupy himself while waiting for Patty to come home, and because he doesn't know what else to offer Camille.

Thankfully I haven't been to a hospital in quite some time, but I am always impressed by the video monitors. Technology is great!

Sharon is great in the scene at the hospital - the way she obviously doesn't want Patty to hug her, the way she smirks when Patty says, "Angela sends her love," the way she argues with Camille about staying with the Chases. I can't say enough about the wonderful acting from everyone in this episode.

I love the scene where Angela and Danielle discuss Andy being sick and who would give Danielle away at her wedding if anything happened to Graham. Most of our exposure to the relationship between Angela and Danielle has been very cliche (but true!) examples of Angela being annoyed by Danielle's presence. As an older sister, I can sympathize and see the truth in those kinds of scenes, but this one shows another dimension of their relationship - very relaxed, nonconfrontational conversation.

Heh, in this episode we learn that Kyle is in shop. Maybe he and Jordan have class together! :lol:

Sharon's messy hair in the bandroom reminds me of the crazy hair you see on drunk girls. I'm not sure exactly how that works - maybe the alcohol dries out the hair follicles temporarily :wink: - but Sharon's hair has a similar vibe. I'm sure it's just because she's too upset to worry about her hair, but still funny IMHO.

At the hospital, Camille blurts out that she NEEDS Andy, unlike Patty's relationship with Graham. Hurt, Patty says, "What am I like?" The first thing I thought when I heard that was Angela asking Jordan, "How am I?" and I thought it was nice to hear Patty echoing Angela for once instead of vice versa. Then I realized that Angela hasn't actually said that yet - damn!

If Sharon and Brian took the bus home after school and are already in Angela's room when Angela gets home, how did Angela get home? Tino, the bestower of transportation? :D

Why does Graham take the high road and leave Patty's hospital room makeout session to call Rosenfeld?

The editing and direction aren't as blatantly amazing as the first few episodes, but they are both still very good, just more subtle. The flashback scene in Sharon's room as well as the dual conversations between Patty/Graham and Angela/Sharon are great. I love seeing the parallels in their relationships and the way Angela/Patty struggle to communicate with Sharon/Graham.

When Patty gives Sharon the choice to go to school or go to the hospital, why on earth does she choose school? Is it because being at the hospital is "upsetting" or because she feels obligated to follow her daily routine rather than upset her mother by being at the hospital?

Just an aside here: Sharon's outfit is hideous. That burgundy floral printed blouse with a grey argyle sweater vest? I remember when I was a little kid when I saw syndicated reruns, I would ask my mom, "Did people really dress like that?" and now that I am older I find myself assessing the wardrobe choices on particular shows thinking, "Where did they find that hideous outfit? No one dresses like that!" I remember having long floral printed dresses and plaid shirts and wearing leggings under shorts, but Sharon's ensemble has got to go. If she had worn one or the other, it would be okay - but together? Fashion police, over and out.
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 3rd 2003, 4:33 am

I find it interesting how Angela is so hard on herself in her scrutiny but often lets other people off the hook. When she seeks out Jordan underneath the bleachers, she says, "Is this where you come to smoke?" and then voiceovers, "I'm always doing that - I'm always asking questions I already know the answers to," but then Jordan asks, "So are you crying or something?" when he can clearly see that she IS crying.

Shane doesn't have the pleasure of nagging Jordan in this episode, but his presence is enough to prompt Jordan to let go of Angela and mutter, "I better go." Shane doesn't say anything, but he visibly pushes Jordan as they walk away from Angela. Jerkface!

I love the contrast between the first day that Sharon spends at the Chases when everyone but Angela isn't hungry and the second day when everyone is "starved" or "famished" (only to later revert to "I'm not hungry").

I really feel for Patty when she tries to talk to Graham while he is lying down. True, she assumes the worst, but Graham initiated and exacerbated the problem by refusing to discuss what happened at the Rosenfeld meeting or what is bothering him.

When Graham leaves, Danielle glares accusingly at Patty, once again proving that despite her age, she knows what's going on.

In Dancing in the Dark, Angela mentions that it's been a long time since she has been to Brian's house, but the opposite isn't true. We have seen Brian coming over to the Chase house for various reasons (mostly to retrieve stuff that Angela borrowed and never gave back), but he is still comfortable being there (as evidenced by the fact that he entered the house and "the door was open" in Why Jordan Can't Read) - he is the one to call for the pizza and answers the phone when Kyle calls for Sharon. Although Angela is mostly referring to her repaired relationship with Sharon at the end of the episode when she talks about "friends who you've known forever, who know you in this way that other people can't, because they've seen you change...they've let you change," her statement also applies to Brian. There is an obvious familiarity between them and a comfort level that allows them to be honest with each other (well, about stuff besides Brian's inability to communicate how he feels about her).

As for Sharon and Brian, there is a familiarity and comfort level between them as well. Angela has been friends with both of them since she was a child, so the assumption is that while she may have been the point in the triangle, Sharon and Brian had a childhood friendship as well. What is disappointing, though, is that Sharon goes to Brian for comfort only when Kyle isn't around, putting Brian in the backburner position. Poor Brian is so starved for attention that he can barely contain himself when Sharon says, "See you on the bus."

This episode shows the next step in Sharon and Rayanne's relationship. Previously, Rayanne's interaction with Sharon was limited to baiting Sharon, making disparaging remarks, and being nosy ("Comparing instruments?" or "So have you and Kyle gone all the way yet?"), but in this episode, Rayanne shows Sharon another side of her personality. Even though the conversation starts off with Rayanne being nosy yet again (she just wanted to know who was crying and what happened) and advising Sharon to take advantage of the situation (similar to when Rayanne tried to get a few days off from school in Guns and Gossip), she sees how upset Sharon is, and I think that she genuinely wants to help her rather than using it as an excuse to ditch class. This new not quite friendship is revealed to Angela when she learns that Rayanne and Sharon have been talking about her - or at least that Rayanne has told Sharon that Brian is in love with Angela, a discussion that makes Angela very uncomfortable due to the people who had the conversation as well as the subject matter. Despite Angela's obvious unease at this development, it definitely relieves some of the jealousy that Rayanne has regarding Angela's relationship with Sharon.

Why did Graham feel the need to be at the hospital? Was he simply trying to escape Patty and the house, or was this similar to ripping off a scab in the sense that he was confused by Andy's heart attack and thought that being closer to it would somehow help him feel better?

What did Graham mean when he told Patty, "I can fix my responsibilities"? It's just a weird statement. I know he was referring to work, but...I don't know, it was an ambiguous and nonspecific thing to say.

Patty fires Graham because she knows it will be good for their relationship, but ultimately I think she fires him because it will be good for him. He needs to figure out what he is doing with his life, and he would not have had the courage to quit on his own. He needed a push, so she gave it to him.

I love that Rickie begins to find his voice in this episode. Previously, he is in the background in the sense that Angela and especially Rayanne both interrupt him, and they don't consider his feelings much (like Rayanne saying, "Rickie don't mind" in the pilot or telling him that they are leaving Frozen Embryo rehearsal without consulting him). Similar to Rayanne and Sharon's budding relationship, Rickie and Brian's relationship is budding as well :wink: I still crack up at Rickie telling Brian he wishes he was someone's phase. Near the end of the episode, Rickie is forced into being the Mediating Voice of Reason for Angela and Sharon. For the first time, he is very assertive and is rewarded by Angela and Sharon chasing him :D

When Sharon tells Angela that she's listening to "a group [Angela] probably hates," it reminded me of Angela telling Patty, "You might as well turn it off" in Guns and Gossip. Again, I think that the two scenes are parallel to illustrate the similar roadblocks in the two relationships. Both scenes end with a very frank, honest conversation.

Going back to Brian - I think that part of the reason he prides himself so much on his academics is because he believes it's the one area where he excels. He knows he has problems with his social life. Despite the fact that he and Sharon are old friends, he still doesn't truly believe that she needed him and says that he and Sharon aren't really friends. He tells Angela "your friend Rickie" told him that Sharon's dad is okay. Brian could have just as easily made Angela's earlier statement, "Because I'm lonely. Because I have no friends. Because I'm a terrible, terrible person."

Notice that Patty gets her good-bye kiss from Graham at the end of the episode!
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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 3rd 2003, 1:14 pm

"Strangers in the House" continues to grow on me. I can definitely relate to many of the themes in this episode. Today's been off-and-on busy at work. I'm not sure how much time I'll be able spend in the forum today. But I'm going to try to make a few comments.

I was really struck by the reactions Patty and Graham have to Sharon's dad having a heart attack. Graham is astonished that someone his age has had a heart attack. It really makes him take stock of his life. No one really knows how much time he has left. Do you want to live your life thinking you have all of the time in the world? Or do you want to live your life with the understanding that life could be short? I don't really mean that you need you need to live your life like a crazy man, but you should have some goals and try to achieve those goals. You should also try to do what you want to do. Many people don't know what they want to do. However, if you don't examine your life, how could you?

Patty's reaction is dead on as well. Losing a loved one through injury, sickness, and death does cause people to react viscerally. You want elemental things like sex. You want to feel that you are still alive. You want to bring those you love, and sometimes people you just know, close to you.

I'll have more later.
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Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by K-man » Mar 3rd 2003, 2:59 pm

Did anyone notice that Brian had on the same T-shirt and pink shirt in the band room in this ep. that he was wearing in Why Jordan Can't Read when he shows up to give Danielle the Sax. lesson? I love the chase house and the neighborhood they live in. Those streets lined with the giant trees are way cool. IMHO. (Except I would definitely do away with the green fireplace.)
It struck me that RayAnne was exceedingly harsh in her treatment of Sharon. Initially anyway. When she says"So; girl in distress hurls herself on guy with no life?" shortly after Sharon first learns of her fathers attack. I mean, it was a funny line buy she probably should have said it to someone other that Sharon.
One thing that I disagree with was the way the Chases insist that Sharon stay at their house. Forget the animosity between Sharon and Angela, I think Sharon was clear she just wanted to go to her home from the hospital and Patty, Graham, and Camille force her to go to Angela's. I just don't think it's right for them to tell Sharon how she feels and how to cope with it.
I also found the exchange between Angela and Jordan under the bleachers interesting. Specifically; the last time we saw them, was when Jordan ditched her the night he was to meet her parents. I guess maybe I was surprised she went looking to him for solace.
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 3rd 2003, 3:17 pm

K-man wrote:Did anyone notice that Brian had on the same T-shirt and pink shirt in the band room in this ep. that he was wearing in Why Jordan Can't Read when he shows up to give Danielle the Sax. lesson?
One of the things that I love about MSCL is that we see the characters wearing the same clothes, unlike other shows where they pretend that they have magical closets that produce new clothes endlessly.
It struck me that RayAnne was exceedingly harsh in her treatment of Sharon. Initially anyway. When she says"So; girl in distress hurls herself on guy with no life?" shortly after Sharon first learns of her fathers attack.


I agree that it wasn't the nicest thing to say, but Rayanne was just looking for a way to start a conversation with Sharon after she heard her telling Brian that she was staying at Angela's house. Rayanne, the self-admitted green-eyed monster, wanted to find out (1) if Angela and Sharon were friends again and (2) if Graham was cooking all kinds of great food for her.
One thing that I disagree with was the way the Chases insist that Sharon stay at their house. Forget the animosity between Sharon and Angela, I think Sharon was clear she just wanted to go to her home from the hospital and Patty, Graham, and Camille force her to go to Angela's. I just don't think it's right for them to tell Sharon how she feels and how to cope with it.
I don't think that they were trying to say "just deal with it," rather I think that they wanted Sharon to stay at their house for two reasons: it would make Camille feel better to know that she wasn't at home by herself and so she wouldn't be at home by herself. Not that they thought she was suicidal or anything, but she was obviously upset and they were well-meaning when they wanted her to be with them in case she needed someone to talk to or even just bring her food instead of alone at her house crying on the sofa all night.
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Post by SanDeE* » Mar 3rd 2003, 5:56 pm

What's the deal with Kyle in this episode? Was he just too scared to deal with his girlfriend when she's upset? How could he possibly be avoiding her in her time of need? If my father were in the hospital from a heart attack, I know that my boyfriend (if I had one) would be there for me in a second. I wouldn't expect him to skip class to be with me at the hospital, but after school, he would be there for me. Kyle loses boyfriend points big time in this episode. But on the other hand, when he DOES finally call Sharon at Angela's house, she hardly even gets upset with him and just makes a casual date right then. Weird relationship. I'd be p!ssed if I were Sharon. Is Kyle just too immature to see that his girlfriend needs him?
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Post by likelife » Mar 3rd 2003, 5:59 pm

patty and graham

patty and graham DO work like clockwork at the beginning of this episode, candygirl, you are right. i appreciate that we see this side of their work relationhsip because it goes further to show that graham is GOOD at what he does at wood and jones.... patty fires him for his own health and happiness, not because he's a bad employee.
i think that patty goes to graham and tries to makeout with him in the hospital room because of a visceral response she has to the trauma around them (like what tomspeed said). i.e. that she needs to feel closeness and security from someone she loves (see, camille, patty and graham DO need each other in their own way!). also, though, patty is very confused by the way graham has been acting recently. she loves him and wants things to work out in their relationship. she is worried that she has been too pushy about rosenfeld, and i guess she feels that if she cannot communicate those mixed emotions to him in words, she can at least show him how she feels on a physical level.

opening scene

that opening scene with the note and the nurse and graham in the hallway, coupled with angela's leaving and jordan watching her is excellent! i agree. also very true to life. my mom worked in the high school i went to and i remember seeing her walk through the halls sometimes when i knew she was supposed to be elsewhere and i'd do that same lean to try to see what was going on in the hallway.
it's interesting that sharon is given the note in this class (english, with mayhew as the sub, right?), because in halloween, jordan and angela will again talk about this same class. they have a discussion about whether or not she has a right to care about his future and encourage him to go to class. he seems to think that she has no right to pay attention to his business, and yet he blatantly watches her leave the classroom in episode eight, wondering where she's going (watching out for her, if you will).

candygirl wrote:
What did Graham mean when he told Patty, "I can fix my responsibilities"? It's just a weird statement. I know he was referring to work, but...I don't know, it was an ambiguous and nonspecific thing to say.
i think graham said, "i can face my responsibilities," but i could be wrong

what am i like?

the recurrance of this phrase in mscl is so well done. it actually shows a way in which patty and angela are similar in their insecurities.... they both hate the idea that someone other than themselves has labeled them. when camille says, "i'm not LIKE you" to patty, she means it as a compliment. she means that patty is a self-sufficient, independent person who has done well for herself in the world and can stand on her own two feet. camille speficically is referring to the fact that patty's relationship with graham is more equal than hers with andy. but what patty hears is that she is a certain TYPE of woman, namely a pushy one who doesn't need anyone and bosses her husband around. or something like that, anyway.
when jordan says it to angela later, angela also get's pretty confused and upset. she likes to think of her feelings and actions as natural and legit. and she gets really nervous when jordan implies that she WAY she is and the WAY she acts might be flawed or difficult.

sharon and rayanne

i think that sharon goes to school because she wants to see kyle. i think when she realizes that she cannot get what she needs from him, she has less of a reason to be in school. i think mscl does an excellent job with both sharon and angela of showing how one trauma (andy's heart attack) inavariably leads to stress in all of one's relationships. sharon feels the most stress between her and kyle (and maybe herself and angela), and i'd argue that she spends most of her time crying about that and not her dad. this is not to say that sharon is shallow or anything,but rather that it is easier to concentrate on those stresses than the larger one -- that her dad might die.
as for sharon and rayanne's relationhsip in this episode, it definitely does grow. they spend time one on one and make decisions outside of the scope of their respective relationships with angela i have to take issue with the fact that rayanne was ONLY being a good samaritan when she chose to take sharon to the hospital, though. i know that she was trying to be nice, but she also is always looking for an excuse to get out of school, and to be part of the ACTION, as it were. i do not think that rayanne really knows how to be there for people emotionally. i guess she uses what she has, though, and offers sharon a ride. i guess my inability to see rayanne as totally innocent in her aide to sharon is that i have known a lot of people who like to capitalize on drama. i think rayanne might be one of them.

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Post by likelife » Mar 3rd 2003, 6:04 pm

kristin -
i totally agree about kyle. he sucks by not being there for sharon. lots of guys would not have known what to say, but they would have at least shown up to BE with their girlfriend. he is just absent.
i agree that she should have called him on not giving her what she needed when he finally calls, but i think she had internalized his absence too much and was probably already assuming that he did not like her, or something equally as extreme. she was so relieved to hear from him that she did not give him a hard time.

sharon's wanting so badly to be at home had a little to do with kyle, don't you think? she prob. wanted to invite him over on a night when her parents were not around. i know some of you prob think that i am being silly and unfeeling, but i'd argue that thinking about the boyfriend and sex is a viable distraction when your dad is really sick and there's nothing you can do about it.

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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 3rd 2003, 6:36 pm

I remember the school nurse coming to get students at my high school, too. You hope she isn't coming for you. If you had wondered if Angela loves her parents, just look at her face in this scene. And even though she hasn't been on good terms with Sharon, Angela is concerned when she gets the note.

Being a school nurse must be pretty boring. However, in a large high school, the school nurse in probably kept pretty busy. I guess they deliver notes or provide comfort when bad news comes due to training they get in nursing school. Nurses are generally very compassionate people. Doctors sometimes are not that compassionate.

I dreaded seeing the nurse enter the classroom when I taught. I knew she brought bad news.
TomSpeed

Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 4th 2003, 9:14 pm

I noticed the twin beds in Sharon's room, too. Sharon could have had a sister who died. Camille and Andy could have bought an extra bed so Sharon's friends could have a place to sleep, particularly Angela. There could have been a two-for-one sale on twin beds. Or Camille and Andy could have planned to have at least one more child, but it didn't work out.
TomSpeed

Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 4th 2003, 9:24 pm

Kristin wrote:What's the deal with Kyle in this episode? Was he just too scared to deal with his girlfriend when she's upset? How could he possibly be avoiding her in her time of need? If my father were in the hospital from a heart attack, I know that my boyfriend (if I had one) would be there for me in a second. I wouldn't expect him to skip class to be with me at the hospital, but after school, he would be there for me. Kyle loses boyfriend points big time in this episode. But on the other hand, when he DOES finally call Sharon at Angela's house, she hardly even gets upset with him and just makes a casual date right then. Weird relationship. I'd be p!ssed if I were Sharon. Is Kyle just too immature to see that his girlfriend needs him?
People sometimes act strangely when others are ill. Maybe Kyle is weirded out by Sharon's father being sick? He doesn't want bad karma (as Amber would say) to rub off on him.

Of course, he could be unsure of what role he needs to play. He might be inexperienced in the boy friend department. Or he just might not care about Sharon deeply enough to support her in her time of need.

Someone would have to be pretty dense not to know that when a family member of a loved one is ill, he or she needs to be there to support the loved one.

Normally, you would think Sharon would kick Kyle to the curb. However, teenagers are fickle. She might scold him, but then again, she might not.
TomSpeed

Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 4th 2003, 9:31 pm

I think Graham might have been overwhelmed by Patty when he leaves her attempted seduction in the hospital room. He's probably never sensed Patty being so needy. He responds to her, but he can't be there for her. he's concerned about his own mortality. He uses calling Rosenfeld an excuse to leave. It's probably the first thing that comes to his mind.
TomSpeed

Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Mar 4th 2003, 11:07 pm

TomSpeed wrote:I noticed the twin beds in Sharon's room, too. Sharon could have had a sister who died. Camille and Andy could have bought an extra bed so Sharon's friends could have a place to sleep, particularly Angela. There could have been a two-for-one sale on twin beds. Or Camille and Andy could have planned to have at least one more child, but it didn't work out.
Some theories about Sharon's beds

:D
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TomSpeed
Marshall Wannabe
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Joined: Jan 13th 2003, 3:37 pm
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Post by TomSpeed » Mar 4th 2003, 11:57 pm

I really feel for Brian in this episode. Here he is in the band room minding his own business and he becomes involved with Sharon in a totally different way. She goes to him for comfort and hugs him. We know from "The Zit" that Brian, like the other boys, has noticed Sharon's development. He can't keep his eyes off of her. And now she is hugging him. Hugging to a teenager can easily mean sex, and sex can mean love. Not to be too crude, but I could easily imagine Brian getting an erection at this point. Sharon would easily be able to feel it. She would have a sense of power over him. Later, Angela answers her door and Brian asks if Sharon is still there. Angela says, "I don't believe it." Sharon says, "Believe it." To me, this is an expression of Sharon's belief that she has power over Brian. She needs him, she takes him and uses him, then she tosses him away. Brian probably would have comforted Sharon anyway, but the way he is used is just really icky. What would have happened if Kyle didn't call for Sharon? How long would Sharon have led Brian on? At some point, she would have had to tell him the truth.
TomSpeed

Patty: If Rayanne's not seeing you, and we're not seeing you, who is seeing you?
Graham: And how much of you?
Angela: Dad!
Graham: Oh, I'm sorry! I asked a question about your life, didn't I? Woah, what came over me?
http://www.last.fm/user/TomSpeed/

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