“Prisoner of Love”
This episode is much more amusing than Berenbeim’s fiasco “Mammy Dearest,” but still it’s a bit of a mess.
Let me start at the beginning–not of the episode, but the story behind it.
A reporter from God knows where (Victor Love) wants to do a report of college students’ attitudes to prisoners. He chooses Hillman College after he somehow recieves letters from Freddie, who (in one of Berenebeim’s stereotypical writing gestures) is a pen-pal to many inmates. He grabs some money and heads to Hillman. He lies to Freddie about being released and all that bullshit when she finally meets him and manages to secure a janitoral job (as well as temporary housing) through Ron (the writers’ whipping boy for what allegedly happens when you don’t go to college). Whitley trips over his bags while carrying groceries in Height Hall and manages to score a date with her. On their date, the reporter lies about reading the dictionary from front to back in jail (?) and not knowing how to eat an artichoke (okay, that may not be a lie here, but it could be one). But by the time their date goes on, most of the regulars know about the incognito reporter and fight over whether Whitley should be with him or not.
Later the characters try to help the reporter, under the name of Jamal, adjust to society (or so they think) in some strange-ass ways: Freddie gives him a self-help coloring book (another stereotypical gesture); Lena tells him about her father, who has been incarcerated; Whitley wants to see The Wild One, ride his Harley (which, as a broke-ass reporter, he doesn’t have), and get a tattoo (see quotes below) Ron and Dwayne discover that the reporter has money and race to Height. There the truth is revealed: that he’s a reporter, yada yada. Everyone feels violated, even when Dwayne tries to back Whitley. Of course Whitley dumps the reporter, much to Dwayne’s delight. Dwayne, of course, fails to get back in her panties.
The story had me reeling (as usual, since I usually hate Berenbeim’s work), but Jasmine Guy’s overacting in this episode just wins me over everytime, especially during this exchange:
Jamal: “…Uh, you ready?”
Whitley: “Yeah, let’s ride, daddy!”
J: “Uh, ride what?”
W: “Your Harley!”
J: “I don’t have a Harley.”
W: “Oh…Oh, never mind, we’ll take the Benz [remember she still has the
Mercedes-Benz her daddy bought her way before she came to Hillman]. I
thought we could stop by the tattoo parlor after the movie!”
J: “Uh, Whitley, I don’t think you want to go there.”
W: “Oh, no, no, no, you’re wrong. I want to experience life as you know it. What do you think about ‘Bad Mama,’ right
there (slaps upper left arm), upper arm? (Pretends to rev
up motorcycle) Vroom, vroom! Ah…”
And all this is done with Whitley wearing motorcycle gear (?). Yee!
“Great X-Pectations”
First of all, I think Jenifer Lewis is great in this episode.
Okay, we have a theme in the plot through the use of the ‘What do you think happened when Martin Luther King and Malcolm X met’ assignment. It’s an episode dealing with violence and non-violence.
The main plot concerns Terrell and Charmaine being late because some guys were trying to run her over because they were teasing her about her butt. Charmaine files charges with the police, but Terrell is so intent on carrying a gun around that he gets suspended. Terrell has to convince Dean Davenport (Lewis) that he wants to stay in school, but of course he has to lose the gun.
On to the subplots:
The easiest one to talk about is Spencer wants to marry Kim again, and she refuses.
Early in the episode, we find out that Whitley has eaten three sticky buns and is beginning to eat another one, claiming that she needs the sugar to keep up with her students. IMO I think it’s a reference to Whitley being pregnant, but she nor the people around her realize she is pregnant because later she’s shown dining near some rip-off Red Stripe beer (if you’re wondering why there’s Red Stripe beer in the scene, it’s because Michael Ralph’s Spencer is from Jamaica and somebody must have thought he drank Red Stripe, since it’s brewed there.
A reference to “Cats in the Cradle” is mentioned when Dwayne talks about the people (see my “Cats” post) he could have killed.
Oh, what’s up with those ugly jackets? Yes, it’s a good plot device, but if Terrell doesn’t want to wear a dress jacket, let him not wear the jacket!
Overall, I like the premise of the episode–but I’m very confused about the butt-teasing thing. It doesn’t seem that big a deal to carry a gun over, let alone run over people for. In fact, in “College Kid,” Charmaine is teased about her butt again–and she never goes psycho over it. Geez!
“Prisoner of Love/Love Taps”
“Prisoner of Love”
This episode is much more amusing than Berenbeim’s fiasco “Mammy Dearest,” but still it’s a bit of a mess.
Let me start at the beginning–not of the episode, but the story behind it.
A reporter from God knows where (Victor Love) wants to do a report of college students’ attitudes to prisoners. He chooses Hillman College after he somehow recieves letters from Freddie, who (in one of Berenebeim’s stereotypical writing gestures) is a pen-pal to many inmates. He grabs some money and heads to Hillman. He lies to Freddie about being released and all that bullshit when she finally meets him and manages to secure a janitoral job (as well as temporary housing) through Ron (the writers’ whipping boy for what allegedly happens when you don’t go to college). Whitley trips over his bags while carrying groceries in Height Hall and manages to score a date with her. On their date, the reporter lies about reading the dictionary from front to back in jail (?) and not knowing how to eat an artichoke (okay, that may not be a lie here, but it could be one). But by the time their date goes on, most of the regulars know about the incognito reporter and fight over whether Whitley should be with him or not.
Later the characters try to help the reporter, under the name of Jamal, adjust to society (or so they think) in some strange-ass ways: Freddie gives him a self-help coloring book (another stereotypical gesture); Lena tells him about her father, who has been incarcerated; Whitley wants to see The Wild One, ride his Harley (which, as a broke-ass reporter, he doesn’t have), and get a tattoo (see quotes below) Ron and Dwayne discover that the reporter has money and race to Height. There the truth is revealed: that he’s a reporter, yada yada. Everyone feels violated, even when Dwayne tries to back Whitley. Of course Whitley dumps the reporter, much to Dwayne’s delight. Dwayne, of course, fails to get back in her panties.
The story had me reeling (as usual, since I usually hate Berenbeim’s work), but Jasmine Guy’s overacting in this episode just wins me over everytime, especially during this exchange:
And all this is done with Whitley wearing motorcycle gear (?). Yee!
“Great X-Pectations”
First of all, I think Jenifer Lewis is great in this episode.
Okay, we have a theme in the plot through the use of the ‘What do you think happened when Martin Luther King and Malcolm X met’ assignment. It’s an episode dealing with violence and non-violence.
The main plot concerns Terrell and Charmaine being late because some guys were trying to run her over because they were teasing her about her butt. Charmaine files charges with the police, but Terrell is so intent on carrying a gun around that he gets suspended. Terrell has to convince Dean Davenport (Lewis) that he wants to stay in school, but of course he has to lose the gun.
On to the subplots:
Oh, what’s up with those ugly jackets? Yes, it’s a good plot device, but if Terrell doesn’t want to wear a dress jacket, let him not wear the jacket!
Overall, I like the premise of the episode–but I’m very confused about the butt-teasing thing. It doesn’t seem that big a deal to carry a gun over, let alone run over people for. In fact, in “College Kid,” Charmaine is teased about her butt again–and she never goes psycho over it. Geez!
“College Kid”
Contrived.
- Episode Recaps
- Personal Commentary
on November 14, 2004 at 10:19 am Comments Off