Ben and Kate: Fake Address & Scavenger Hunt!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Principal Feeny?? I'm sorry, how did that happen? Wasn't that name retired twelve years ago when THE Principal Feeny said goodbye to three of his favorite students on Boy Meets World? I'm not sure what FOX thinks it's doing here, but giving Maddie's principal the same name as Cory's principal is not acceptable.

Now, 90s awesome flashbacks aside, this show is getting there. The writing is really unique, the kid is really cute, and the friendships are downright strange. It's an odd combination but it's working for me! It's not the best new comedy of the season, but I'm definitely buying into the characters and their relationships for working out in the long run!

Ben and Kate "Bad Cop/Bad Cop" (S01E02): Kate uses Tommy's parents' house as Maddie's address so she can go to a good school, but because Ben dropped off Maddie late every day for a week, they have to go talk to the principal. [not that big of a deal, but Kate is a paranoid freak. AND, odd use of co-talking about sex as waffles and chess.] As soon as it's over, Kate starts worrying about messing up at the upcoming Open House. BJ tries to get Kate more comfortable with lying, but she just continues to be awkward. Ben actually blows it when he invites everyone back to their place for drinks. [WHAT was he THINKING??] They barge in on Tommy's parents, say they're throwing a party, and hit the ground running. As the night goes on, BJ tries to rescue Kate as people start to ask questions that don't add up. [thoughtful woman, however strange!] But, Ben thought that things were going to fall apart so he called the school and left a message for the principal, explaining things. [I don't understand how that fit his character at all!] Kate drives everyone over to the school to break in and erase the message, but the cops show up, Ben makes friends, and Kate panics. The next day, Kate goes to the principal to explain things, and he gives them a waiver, solving all of the issues.

Also, Kate tells Ben that he can't let Maddie walk all over him, but when she asks for a present, he gets her a puppy, which winds up having to live at Tommy's because it breaks the lease on the house Kate rents. Ben has to break the news to Maddie, who isn't as upset as expected. [I thought that this was a weird mini-storyline which would have made more sense if it took place further down the line.]

Ben and Kate "The Fox Hunt" (S01E03): [what was with Ben and Tommy asking the mailman who they need to watch out for in the neighborhood??] 

Ben and Kate talk about the annual scavenger hunts (the kind where you collect stuff AND perform stunts) they used to do with their father, and they have one left that they didn't complete. Kate desperately wants to win (she never has before), so she asks BJ to be her partner. Kate thinks she'll have an advantage because Tommy has to work the whole day, but he just blows off work when Ben says "I need you." [well, that is a classic BFF moment, friends.] Ben wants to let Kate win, which is good because BJ gets Kate to go pick-up a bunch of her stuff at an ex-boyfriend's. [the fact that her ex thinks she's dead was a little over the top, no?] Most of the stuff BJ's ex hands over doesn't even belong to BJ! 

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Tommy thinks that it should look like they tried, but Ben doesn't care, because he thinks that the loser has to do the winner's HOMEwork for a month, which is now moot. EXCEPT, with 71 minutes left in the three-hour hunt, Tommy realizes it says HOUSEwork, which is a big deal. [haha, awesome!] They go to the country club to try to get a taxidermied fish, but there's an event going on, so Tommy has to sing to create a distraction. Luckily, that's worth 20 points. [honor system, much?? nice "Stand by Me," tho!] Ben plays dirty, calling Maddie's school and causing Kate to have to go pick her up early. [they left their stuff at a picnic table in the park all day long?] Kate wins in the final moments!