Go On: Alice in Wonderland & Halo

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Holy opening, Batman! Where did THAT come from? I can't say that I loved it, but maybe I just wasn't prepared. What did you think?

Not a wonderful episode, though I wasn't expecting greatness from what was originally touted as a Halloween plot airing in the middle of November. [yeah, yeah, I know. pre-emptions...] Problematically, I think it was intriguing to attempt to have a group member "move on," but it's clear that it's not actually happening. This makes me question if anyone has ever "graduated," and that's probably not a good thing. Still, the best line was "this is what happens when you bring your bummer people in here," and I loved that. I actually can't wait for an opportunity to try that out in real life.  

Go On "Videogame, Set, Match" (S01E08): Ryan has gotten into Halo and starts playing with Owen. After he stays up at Owen's all night and Owen's mother questions what they're doing (Owen needs a positive influence, not an immature jerk), he gives Owen an internship at the radio station so they can play at the office. [situations like this make me enjoy Ryan.]

Photo by: Justin Lubin/NBC

One day, Owen shows up wearing a suede joke and cologne, and Steven and Owen think they need to help him land the new promotions girl. [bad Cyrano jokes!] Owen ignores Ryan for a few days but Halo brings them back together. [are we supposed to be plugging the new game?] Ryan then convinces Owen to go to the hospital to see his brother, who has now been in a coma for four months. He asks Ryan to go in and put a ring on the guy's finger, and it turns out that Owen punked him... this is an appendectomy patient! [creepy and hilarious!!] They do later go to the actual patient's room and Owen does talk to his brother. But, don't worry. Ryan gets back at Owen by putting fake ashes in a vase and making sure the young guy breaks it. [not the greatest gag.]

Yolanda is ready to graduate, as the fiance who left her on their wedding day is now remarried. [I don't think that would be a leave-the-group trigger for me, but what do I know?] But, Yolanda admits to the group that she's worried that she isn't ready to leave, but she feels like she needs to make Lauren feel successful. [cue the eye rolls!] Yolanda keeps calling the group for coffee, but people start dropping out until only Mr. K attends. ["I didn't mean to be?" was funny.] Yolanda returns to the group to confront them about not answering their phones and calls the group "BS." They make it up to her by dressing as Alice in Wonderland characters to complete her costume theme. [Yolanda has a church? there's nobody there she can lean on?]