Patty and Graham suck!

General discussion about the nineteen episodes of "My So-Called Life". Note: Our episode guide can be found here.
User avatar
Tyler Durden
Nicky Driscoll
Posts: 20
Joined: Jul 14th 2002, 10:35 am

Patty and Graham suck!

Post by Tyler Durden » Jul 14th 2002, 10:43 am

Patty and Graham really annoy me. I find myself fast forwarding through the tape when they come on. I know there are reasons for them having to be in it so much (Claire Danes too young to work loads). But, quite frankly i think that the show would be much better off without them, or any older people for that matter. Anyone agree?
"My sons a homosexual and I love him. I love my dead, gay son"

User avatar
KrokRos
Angela's best friend
Posts: 209
Joined: Jun 6th 2002, 4:10 am
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Post by KrokRos » Jul 14th 2002, 1:40 pm

I think Graham is hot ;)

Debs
Liberty High Student
Posts: 118
Joined: Oct 30th 2001, 8:44 pm
Location: Middlesbrough, UK

Post by Debs » Jul 14th 2002, 3:37 pm

Angela NEEDS Patty & Graham as antagonists to bounce against. I mean, think about it. If it wasn't for our parents we would all be far happier people! The writers of the show got it spot on. Their relationship is so entertaining - and a "way in" for the adult audience.

I have to say, I love the scenes between Patty and Graham (or should I say "Gram") - and I just fall about laughing at the Halloween Pirate and oh I've forgotten her name... the one with the long hair... y'know, the seduction scene. I love it! I would do anything to get my hands on the outtakes.

Sometimes when watching the scenes where they come to Angela and really want to know how she feels, how they can make it better, it just makes me sad because I never had that. It may be pathetic but, that's me.

I also think Graham is highly attractive.
Last edited by Debs on Jul 14th 2002, 7:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mom. Streamers?

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 14th 2002, 6:14 pm

As much as I almost hate to admit this, the Patty and Graham scenes used to bore me but now that I am older I appreciate them so much more. Although the show focused on Angela and her peers, the adults also had complex issues to deal with (unlike other "family shows" where the parents are just to ones who catch the kids sneaking out/ground the kids/yell at the kids/are necessary backdrops a la 90210).

From the very first episode, Patty and Graham are shown as real parents (meaning not just the people who happen to live in the same house with Angela who cause her to do things like sneak out of the house). The first fight we see between them is so true to life: "Why do I always have to be the mean one?"

Dancing in the Dark is a great example of what happens in adult relationships. When Patty asks, "How can we have been together so long and not know how to dance with each other?" she echoes the frustration that many people experience in long term relationships.

The continuing story arc with Patty as Graham's boss and eventually his journey to becoming the chef he always dreamt of becoming was great - instead of wrapping up their problems in a neat "oh I love you too" solution, Graham procrastinates, afraid to make a decision (with the now classic interim wallpaper project), until Patty pushes him into taking class which leads to his interaction with Hallie.

Every portrayal of Graham and Patty's relationship is recognizable and beautifully done, from the Halloween role reversals to Graham's distance after Andy's heart attack to his almost kiss with Hallie.

And for those of you who find it boring, keep in mind that not everything in life is an exciting party. Someone has to bring home the paper towels :D

Like the great John (no longer Cougar) Mellancamp says, life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone.

feeling older every second that i keep typing this post,
candygirl

audrey

patty and graham suck

Post by audrey » Jul 14th 2002, 8:28 pm

although i agree with candy girl on the matter of the ongoing relationships, and i totally love the "why can't you be the mean one?" scene, i think that the parents can get a bit much at times. i think that they were a quite important part of the show, but imagine it without them. we'd see more Angela, more Rayanne. more JORDAN, more sharon, etc. It would be a more teeny show, but with the strength of the writers, is that such a bad thing? I think they could have pulled it off. At the end of the day, you've got to remember that the main reason they used so much parent footage anyway was because that claire wasn't old enough to film the long hours required. the reason we all accept the parents is because weve grown to and learnt to(through habit) know and love them. What would it be like without them? Just imagine the possibilities!!!

alicia
Nicky Driscoll
Posts: 20
Joined: Mar 11th 2002, 1:05 pm
Location: uk

Post by alicia » Jul 14th 2002, 8:32 pm

by the way, audrey was me. just didnt know how to sign in. kept bein freakish, so used different name

User avatar
foolishoptimist
Three Rivers Resident
Posts: 56
Joined: Jun 9th 2002, 10:47 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by foolishoptimist » Jul 15th 2002, 12:23 am

Angela: I thought you were on my side.
Graham: I'm not on anyone's side.
Patty: Graham, grow up, choose a side.
Classic stuff. :lol:

Personally, one of the strengths of the show, was it's realistic depiction of the parents, and their effect on Angela.
Parents are a huge influence on who we are as kids, and how we grow up into adults.
To take out the parents, would be to remove a huge part of who Angela was.
The sun's outside the window trying to show us we're all being stupid. All you have to do is look around.

User avatar
dTheater
Liberty High Graduate
Posts: 500
Joined: Dec 27th 1999, 12:48 am
Location: Philadelphia PA
Contact:

Post by dTheater » Jul 15th 2002, 1:26 am

Also, they were the best actors on the show.
- Jim

Kaytee Bodle: Girl With Guitar
http://girlwithguitar.0catch.com (audio, video, tabs, lyrics, etc.)

User avatar
Natasha (candygirl)
MSCL.com Team
MSCL.com Team
Posts: 5374
Joined: Dec 7th 2001, 3:05 am
Location: California

Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Jul 15th 2002, 1:47 am

foolishoptimist wrote: Personally, one of the strengths of the show, was it's realistic depiction of the parents, and their effect on Angela.
Parents are a huge influence on who we are as kids, and how we grow up into adults.
To take out the parents, would be to remove a huge part of who Angela was.
I agree. Not to get all gen-x with the "blame/credit the parents for the kids' actions" but Graham and Patty influenced Angela more than they or she believed. Despite her teenage antics, she was responsible, mature, and consciously considerate (she was unconsciously inconsiderate towards Brian but that's another topic).

kimincali
Tino
Posts: 13
Joined: Jul 9th 2002, 7:00 pm

Post by kimincali » Jul 19th 2002, 12:50 pm

I agree that Graham and Patty are very important to the show. Many teen shows and movies are completely unrealistic because the kids appear to have no parents. They're out at all hours, going off doing God-knows-what, and you're like, don't these people have parents?

Enter MSCL. The show is real, and in the interest of reality, we see Angela's parents a lot. I also have to agree that they have so much power over angela (Patty also says In My Humble Opinion, Angela basically mimics them when she talks to Mr Racine, etc), and if we didn't see them interacting, we would miss angela's mimics.

I also think that the scenes between Angela and Patty are some of the most true-to-life scenes in the whole show. Perhaps it's just me, but they react to each other the same way that my mother and i did when i was that age. The scene between them in "The Zit", where Angela is making fun of the dress, and Patty says "Take it off", and Angela hesitates with the dress sort of hanging off, knowing she has actually hurt her mother's feelings, is just ingenious.

The show just wouldn't be the same without the parents.

Ksmile_71
Tino
Posts: 8
Joined: Jan 15th 2002, 2:19 am

Post by Ksmile_71 » Jul 19th 2002, 2:39 pm

The parents are a huge part of the show. Only through them can a better understanding of Angela occur. Also, it was great to see the interaction of Patty and her parents (Angela's grandparents). It gave the viewer an opportunity to comprehend why Patty acted the way she did. It was too bad that we never saw Graham's parents.

sine
Three Rivers Resident
Posts: 58
Joined: Jan 16th 2002, 2:06 pm

Post by sine » Jul 23rd 2002, 3:04 am

Ksmile_71 wrote: It was too bad that we never saw Graham's parents.
Yeah, it would've been nice to see them in some episode.

Did the show give any clues about Graham's parents? It's been a while since the last viewing of the episodes...

kimincali
Tino
Posts: 13
Joined: Jul 9th 2002, 7:00 pm

Post by kimincali » Jul 23rd 2002, 12:35 pm

In the episode where Rayanne goes to the hospital, and Patty's mom comes and starts fiddling with the candlesticks, Patty asks Graham to go down and talk to her. She says she would do it for Graham and then Graham says his mother is dead.

I think that's the only mention I can come up with off the top of my head.

User avatar
Tyler Durden
Nicky Driscoll
Posts: 20
Joined: Jul 14th 2002, 10:35 am

Patty and Graham suck

Post by Tyler Durden » Jul 24th 2002, 12:02 pm

Greetings and salutations,
Oh my god what is wrong with you people? Fair enough you see another side of Angela, blah, blah, blah. But surely watching Graham show other people how to cook, and Patty whine about being old and getting fat aren't neccesary to the show. As for having Grahams parents in it, well maybe we should have got rid of the young cast altogether and turn the show into Thirtysomething part 2.
The parts that i and probably most people on the planet remember about MSCL are the parts with Angela lusting after Jordan, Jordan seemingly unaware of the heartbreak he causes(whether he was or not remains to be seen and is another topic), Frozen embryos, Rayannes top slut potential, the poll, the Halloween party, and generally the young peoples lives and situations. Please tell me if im wrong and peoples favourite parts were when Graham finally decided to buy the resteraunt, Patty was late home to the dinner party through working late. Luckily, Jordan showed up in this scene to stop the mind numbing boredom from setting in from watching Hallie weeing and wanting to tell Graham about the resteraunt before Brad. My what a tense, interesting moment that was.
Don't get me wrong, I love MSCL just as much as every other fan but, surely you can see the potential of having a show fuelled more by the trials and tribulations of the young cast, without breaks where we see Patty and Graham getting it on and making you want to vomit.
"My sons a homosexual and I love him. I love my dead, gay son"

User avatar
Tyler Durden
Nicky Driscoll
Posts: 20
Joined: Jul 14th 2002, 10:35 am

Patty and Graham suck

Post by Tyler Durden » Jul 24th 2002, 12:07 pm

So There!!!!!! :P
"My sons a homosexual and I love him. I love my dead, gay son"

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests