Episode #02.13: Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough
Original Air Date: February 08, 2006
Written by: Diane Ruggiero
Directed by: Guy Norman Bee
Report Card (Capsule Episode Review)
Yearbook (Recurring & Guest Stars/Character Statistics)
Drama Club (Performances: Highlights and Lowlights)
Chemistry (The Analysis of LoVe Scenes)
Journalism (The Mystery of the Week)
Study Hall (Miscellaneous Plot Details)
Extra Credit (Clues to the Season Mystery Arcs)
History (Flashbacks)
Band Class (The Music of Veronica Mars) (None)
Literature (LoVe Lines/In Memory/Quotable Quotes)
Social Science (In Reference To ... Pop Culture & The World)
Homeroom (On Second Viewing, Get a Clue)
Pep Squad Practice (Ambiguously (Or Not) Gay Logan Moments) (None)
Detention (While the Censors Were Out to Lunch ...) (None)
Philosophy (Unanswered Questions)
Principles of Democracy (Hindsight is 20/20)
Role Call (Written/Compiled By ...)
Grade: A-
Membership Grade: A (55.3% / 47 votes)
Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough is a brisk, breezy episode that cleverly builds on this season's two main mysteries (the bus crash and the Felix murder), all the while delivering a mystery of the week, with some relationship repair thrown in for good measure (Logan is nice to Veronica; Wallace tries to help Jackie out; Veronica doesn't turn Weevil in for his crimes).
Credited Cast Non-Appearance
Teddy Dunn - Duncan Kane
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Jonathan Chesner Corny
- Season One Appearances
- Blast From the Past
Kari Coleman - Mrs. Hauser
- Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner
- My Mother, The Fiend
Valorie Curry - Jane Kuhne
-Driver Ed
- Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner
- Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle
Duane Daniels Principal Van Clemmons
- Season One Appearances
- Normal is the Watchword
- Ahoy Mateys
- My Mother, The Fiend
Dana Davis - Cora
- Blast From the Past
Tina Majorino - Mac
- Season One Appearances
- Green-Eyed Monster
- Ahoy Mateys
- My Mother, The Fiend
James Molina Thumper
- Rat Saw God
- Ahoy Mateys
- My Mother, the Fiend
- One Angry Veronica
- Donut Run
- Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle
Amanda Noret - Madison Sinclair
- Season One Appearances
- Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner
Rick Peters - Dr. Tom Griffith
- Rat Saw God
- Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner
Jeffrey D. Sams - Terrence Cook
- Normal is the Watchword
- Driver Ed
- Blast From the Past
Guest Stars
Maliah Hudson - Ophelia
Laura McLauchlin - MILF
Jake Sandvig - J.B. Riley
Jessy Schram - Hannah Griffith
Matt Thompson - Mr. Spivak
Who's Who in Neptune
Ophelia Weevil's little niece that, thanks to Weevil's influence, has quite a promising future in crime.
MILF She-man escort that was hired by Beaver to get back at Dick.
J.B. Riley Senior at Neptune High that is a member of the Tritons and Ms. Hauser's teacher's pet.
Hannah Griffith Annoyingly giggly underclassman at Neptune High. Is currently the object of Logan's attention as she happens to be the daughter of Dr. Griffith.
Mr. Spivak Mars Investigations client that hired Keith to expose an insurance fraud case.
Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough sparkles with wonderful acting performances. Is it beating a dead horse to repeat how energized the cast seems now that the deadening comababy storyline is over and Veronica is freed from the dullifying presence of Duncan? Ahem. Nonetheless, everyone is bringing their A game here -- with one notable exception listed in the lowlights.
Highlights
Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) - Bell is a delight as she playfully banters with Logan, outsnarks Madison and solves a complicated mystery with a dramatic flourish of jazz hands. Special note of commendation for her impeccable comic timing in the scene with Weevil as she shares her love ... of rollercoasters. Hee!
Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls) - And once again, Jason Dohring offers a gem of an acting performance. In a wonderful display of the depth and maturity of his acting ability, Dohring overplays the smitten suitor with just enough finesse to give off a note of sugary wrongness. This hidden agenda coupled with a classic opening Logan/Veronica banter scene cements another Dohring acting highlight.
Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars) -Colantoni pulls a back to back doubleheader as he gives another terrific performance this week. Segueing from giddy fanboy one moment to disillusioned realist the next, he energizes an important exposition-filled scene that offers new clues in the bus crash.
Tessa Thompson (Jackie Cook) - Thompson is the comeback kid as she delivers a moving acting performance this week. Although it is a blatantly manipulative attempt to redeem her character, it is effective because Thompson completely sells the part. Layering her performance with subtext and barely glimpsed layers, Thompson survives her public humiliation with grace and dignity. From an acting lowlight to an acting highlight, I give huge props to Tessa Thompson for correcting the problems in her portrayal and moving the audience from seething hatred of Jackie to grudging admiration. Extremely well done!
Lowlights
Jessy Schram (Hannah Griffith) - Schram began her career as a child model and has an extensive singing/musical theatre background but limited experience in film roles. This is readily apparent as Schram plays the role of sweet and innocent Hannah on a strictly one note level. All giggly sweetness and wide-eyed schoolgirl stereotype, her performance is jarring and distracting in an otherwise excellent episode. Bland, boring and appearing to be only 14 years old (although her bio lists her age as 19), the character of Hannah is a pace deadening scene killer.
Scene One: Rain Check ... Please! 'Twould Be Nice
With the exception of one uncalled for bit of nasty snark (despite the many stupid and/or teenage-cruel things that Logan has done, 'evil' is beyond pushing it, in liquid form or otherwise), this was by far the most enjoyable present-day interaction Logan and Veronica we've had all season. And not just because they weren't bitchy, jack-assy or all-out bitter to one another. I think this scene would have been called enjoyable at any point during their relationship (minus the LoVe-smorgasbord of Weapons of Class Destruction through A Trip to the Dentist, minus the rape accusation). Yes, it was that enjoyable.
Despite the snark, it was mostly fun snark. Veronica looked on the verge of smiling several times throughout the scene, and not the bitter, 'I can't stand you so much that I can't believe I ever let you touch me' smile we've only seen so far this season, but a genuine, 'I really shouldn't be smiling because I'm not supposed to be affected by your adorable charm anymore' smile. And Logan, well, that boy just looked like he was doing his darndest to not show how much he still adored the girl.
There he was as the scene opened, leaning (sigh!) against the slushie machine just a'starin' away with a grin on his face, followed by the flirty, "you had me at ice cold," chased after with his choice of poison being "emotionally unavailable women" (ie, one Veronica Mars). And the topper was his response to her (really, it was none of her business) almost coy question about whether he had a date or not: "Rain check?" There was just the slightest touch of flirting going on there. Yes, yes, it's coming from Logan, but the fact that he's comfortable enough in going there when he wasn't before now, shows that not only is he at a different place, but he knows that she is well.
No, it's not even remotely where any of us would want them to be at this point in the season (more than halfway through!), but there was almost a sweet gentleness in how they interacted with one another. Not quite to the degree that we were at by Mars vs. Mars last season, which was when the first thaw really began to happen. But I would compare it to An Echolls Family Christmas snark-level with the roles reversed. Back then, Veronica wasn't dishing it with much of any venom, but Logan was -- now (and it's interesting the now with Donut gone, since the venom was in full force while he was around) it's Veronica who still has more than a bit of bite to her bark. So we're getting there. Slowly. Baby steps, but we are -- FINALLY! -- beginning to see a thaw. And that was nowhere in more evidence than in the one non-snarky/flirty segment of their conversation.
As Logan casually referenced Madison's awesome pie-selling abilities, and Veronica just as casually responded, telling the tale of the how of that awesomeness, they were just talking. There was a comfort, no hidden agendas, no games -- just two people who know each other well enough to have a conversation that included no double talk. It was just ... nice. And sometimes nice is pretty damn wonderful.
Ah, it's that time of year again when the Elmer's glue is flowing and the multi-color glitter lingers on every surface, that time of the year that the Pirates know as the Senior Winter Carnival. Our intrepid heroine is working the FBLA icees and slushies booth at the aforementioned very special event, and she and Jackie are, oddly enough, commiserating over the genuine suckage of old Neptune High. Mrs. Houser -- I'm sorry, I meant MS. Hauser -- is making the collection rounds at the various booths, carting her trusty cash box. Madison continues her brown nosing and passes over a thick stack of perfectly organized bills, while Veronica struggles to sort out the wad of cash in her money bag. Reliable JB asks Ms. Hauser for her keys so that he can get supplies to repair that pesky sign that keeps falling down. (I guess one woman's reliable is another woman's glaringly suspicious.)
To liven things up, the Tritons make their annual 'tuck and run' streak through the carnival, incurring the wrath of Ms. Hauser. In her fury, she forgets that she can't stand Veronica and doesn't trust her, and hands over the cash box for safe-keeping -- despite the fact that her favorite ass-kisser, Madison, is like two feet away. Can anyone say "lame plot device?" Veronica tucks the cash box under one of the counter cabinets and proceeds to help Wallace and his "special lady friend" obtain an icy cold beverage. Hauser returns 30 seconds later to retrieve the box, and -- surprise! -- it's missing.
Clemmons joins the fray, but is more interested in making interesting eyebrow gestures and facial contortions at both Veronica and Ms. Hauser, than in actually inserting himself in the conversation. Hauser makes the usual accusations: You've ruined thirty years of tradition in three minutes (huh?); you owe the school $12,000; you're worthless and of bad parentage -- oh wait, that comes later. Veronica points out that she clearly isn't hiding a big metal box under her ugly green pleather jacket, and if they set up the metal detectors at the exits, no one should be able to leave with the box. And to help ensure that no one finds a way to open the locked box, they should make sure that all the classrooms like shop and auto, along with the janitor's closet, are locked and inaccessible.
Clemmons finally finds his voice and sends security to move the metal detectors and begin locker searches; it isn't his first day on the job you know. Madison has a far superior theory on the thief's identity though -- everyone's seen Jackie standing around the booth while black, which clearly indicates that she's the guilty party! I always knew Madison was a genius. Ms. Hauser decides that this is a plausible theory, and takes the time to point out to Jackie that plenty of people have notorious parents and they turn out to be nice people, so Jackie has no excuse. Does anyone but me see a potential lawsuit in this woman's crazy ass behavior??
Veronica sidles up to Weevil and his "date," his adorable niece Ophelia, and after a brief introduction, begins to not-so-subtly pat down Ophelia's back pack as if it is somehow a viable way to determine which Powerpuff Girl decorates the exterior. Weevil cannily points out that it isn't the Powerpuff Girl shaped like a cash box, so she can give up the pretense. He's no dummy -- the metal detectors are being moved and the word of the missing money has spread. He offers to let Veronica take a gander at what's in the backpack. She does, and of course, there's no box in sight. Weevil comments that Veronica's investigation clearly sucks if her prime suspect is a six-year old. True dat, Weevs. True dat.
Veronica goes back to the FBLA booth to find Beaver manning the icee machine, and Mac keeping him company. When she tries to give him pointers on how to de-jam the machine using the screwdriver, Beav reveals that he just lent the screwdriver to Jackie. Jackie needed a screwdriver? Veronica's off like a shot, following Jackie into the bathroom in hopes that she'll catch her red-handed, jimmying open the lock on the cash box.
Veronica approaches the bathroom door and when she hears the suspicious sounds of Jackie scraping the screwdriver against something metal, she enters and demands to know what Jackie's doing. Jackie, oddly enough, replies that she's putting on her bathing suit. And that requires a screwdriver, why? Apparently it doesn't -- she just needed the screwdriver to scratch out the lovely bit of libel on the bathroom stall door that, once upon a time, declared Jackie to be something we can only assume was unflattering. Down goes suspect number two.
As Veronica wanders the carnival she takes note of the ball-pit and seeks out Clemmons to demand that he have it emptied. It has occurred to Veronica that the ball-pit would be a perfect place for the thief to have stashed the cash box. Despite Ms. Hauser's protests, and Mr. Clemmons' doubts, they agree to empty the ball-pit. Which unfortunately yields nothing but an empty ball-pit. Hauser can't help but bitch that she can't understand why Clemmons listens to Veronica because she is JUST TROUBLE. On to Plan B.
Tanya Flynn has been taping the carnival all night for the video yearbook and has some footage that Clemmons finds interesting. They head straight to his office, where a group of suspects has been gathered, chosen due their proximity to the FBLA booth at the time of the theft. Our line-up includes Jackie, Madison, JB, Weevil, and Dick. Clemmons tells them of the mystery footage and informs them that their lockers are all being searched at this precise moment. JB wants to know how anyone will be able to tell if the money found is the money from the carnival? Hauser points out that most high-school senior's don't go around carrying $12,000 on their person. Except apparently for Dick, who never leaves home with less than $13,000. And apparently neither does Weevil. As always, Veronica has a fool-proof plan to detect the real thief: Among the cash in the box was a $50 that she collected bearing the name "Nancy" and a phone number on the back in black marker.
Everyone turns their attention to the damning video footage, which is unsurprisingly, not all that damning. We see Weevil and Ophelia (who is also apparently still a suspect because she too is being held in Clemmons' office), Veronica working the booth, Dick shooting balls into the clown's mouth (special), and Jackie wandering away from the scene of the crime. Ms. Hauser jumps on Jackie with both feet because it is clear that she was hiding something under her jacket. If by hiding, you mean carrying her towel and bikini, then yes, Jackie was hiding something. Ms. Hauser spews more vitriol about how Jackie won't get away with it, because despite her 09er zip code, trash is trash. Can I reiterate my question about the lawsuit here?
Veronica runs into Weevil again and proceeds to take a brief trip down memory lane to that special time when he and Logan spindled the car of a teacher onto the flagpole. The reason for Veronica's reminiscing is to point out that Weevil clearly has a way to access auto shop after school hours because she's assuming that cutting up a car would require access to some pretty big power tools. Weevil's unfazed and tells Veronica that her list of suspects will be long, because everyone who takes auto shop makes a copy of Mr. Dalton's keys. Rats! Foiled again!
We flash right to auto shop where Veronica and Ms. Hauser are watching, with great interest, as Clemmons flexes a little muscle (whoo, Clemmie!) and cuts the locks off of each of the classroom lockers. During his search, Clemmons finds a large wad of cash -- could it be the carnival money? Flipping through the money he spots the infamous "Nancy" $50 bill, so clearly it is, in fact, the stolen funds. Clemmons takes a quick count and is puzzled because there only appears to be about $3,000 there. Where could the rest have gone? A further search of the locker reveals a freezer bag full of pills, leading Clemmons to speculate that perhaps the other $9,000 has already been spent. Who, may you ask, does the locker of doom belong to? None other than Eduardo Orosco -- otherwise known as "Thumper." Dun, dun, DUN!
In the hallway, Veronica runs into Jackie and informs her that she has good news: She knows that Jackie didn't steal the senior trip money. And, by the way, she's about to watch Hauser squirm in her own personal hell, so if Jackie would care to join, she's welcome to partake of the humiliation. They head into Ms. Hauser's classroom in time to hear Madison whining about how lame the senior trip is going to be with only $3,000 to spend. Boo-freaking-hoo. Veronica, although loath to interrupt such stimulating conversation, says that she came across Ms. Jackie "trashy trash" in the hallway, and has discovered that although they marked Ms. Hauser's words earlier in the evening, those words appear to have morphed into some sort of false accusation. Would Ms. Hauser like the opportunity to make a sincere apology? Yeah, we didn't think so.
After performing some of that old Veronica Mars magic and getting JB to confess his crimes, Veronica notices a distinct high-heeled shoe print in the glitter on top of Ms. Hauser's desk. She grabs a trash can (because this is one of those times that being petite doesn't come in handy), turns it upside down, and uses it as a footstool so that she can reach the panels of the drop ceiling. And what does she find when she lifts the tile? Not a sweater! Instead she finds an envelope stuffed with the senior trip money. Now, what high-heel wearing individual has been traipsing around the carnival and on top of Ms. Hauser's desk?
Clemmons looks around and spots that Ms. Hauser is the only high-heel clad member of this little group and asks to see the bottom of her shoes, which are, of course, covered in glitter. It means nothing, Ms. Hauser protests, because she's been walking through the glitter all day. Veronica points out that while that proves that Ms. Hauser had fancy shoes while skimming from the cash box, it doesn't make her innocent. Clemmons clearly agrees and suggests that he and Ms. Hauser move their, um, conversation into his office. And then cagily remarks to Ms. Hauser that this is exactly why he has been known to consider the advice of some of his students. Particularly blond ones with a sharp intellect and even sharper investigative skills.
The next day, Veronica is waiting for Weevil when he pulls up to school in some green monstrosity that is apparently his new ride. When Weevil gets out, Veronica wants to tell him a story called "How Weevil Got His New Car." Remember Veronica's story about the name and number on the back of the $50 bill? Well, apparently she made that story up. Weevil's impressed; our girl has definitely got skill. Veronica's figured out most of the details surrounding Weevil's clever plan, but is dying to know -- where did he hide the cash box?
And here's where the funny comes in. Taking his cues from The Thomas Crown Affair, he hid the cash box in the two places Veronica actually looked. First, he stashed it in Ophelia's backpack. Then he had Ophelia take it into the ball pit and hide it because he knew Veronica would want to search the backpack. Once she was done with her search, Ophelia retrieved the cash box for Uncle Eli, it went back in the backpack, and Weevil went off to frame Thumper. Of course, there was the little wrinkle where he had to go back and add the incriminating "Nancy" note, but all in all, everything went according to plan.
And now Weevil has one question for Veronica: Is it love or just plain lust that kept her from turning him in? Love, she tells him. Love of roller coasters and theme parks, and hatred for anything that requires her to go boating with her classmates. It has nothing to do with him. Don't listen to her Weevil -- we all know she loves ya. And so say all of us!
- As Veronica works the F.B.L.A.'s Snow Cone/Slushie booth, she notes all the couples walking by and thinks that entry to the Carnival must be required the same as if it were Noah's Ark, i.e. two by two. Minus any customers at the moment, Veronica leans on the counter, obviously bored out of her mind. (Don't worry, that's about to change!) Said boredom causes her to miss what's going on behind her, which is infinitesimally more interesting than watching the non-speaking extras stroll by.
Standing beside the slushie booth, Logan is briefly seen entertaining a little boy, who then runs off to play elsewhere so that Logan can turn his attention to the true blonde of his dreams. He leans against the side of the booth and watches Veronica, smiling as she half-heartedly tries to get people to buy some "ice cold frozen sugar water." Unable to resist the opening, Logan tells her that she had him "at ice cold." Finally noticing Logan standing there, she asks him what's his poison. Coming around to the front of the booth, he snarks "emotionally unavailable women." Ba-da-bum, Veronica drums on the counter.
Looking at the beverage choices before him, Logan tries to determine what's going to fit his mood. Also unable to resist the opening, Veronica snarks apologetically that they're all out of liquid evil. Logan smiles and says he'll take two of anything that will turn his tongue blue. (Aww, is Logan feeling blue today? Maybe he's figured out that the argyle and the haircut were not the best choices.) Possibly realizing the allure of a tongue-turned-blue, Veronica asks him if he's got a hot date. He smiles back at her with a "rain check?" As she pours him some blue slushies, he claims it's just a night with the fellas.
Getting out his wallet, Logan hears Madison over at the Pep Squad booth, perkily selling pies to a crowd of people. He remarks that people really love Pep Squad Pie, but Veronica explains the true genius of it. Madison's dad buys $40 pies from a chichi bakery and then drops three bills to buy it back in front of an audience, all to prove how much he looooves his little Madison.
Logan pays for his drinks with a $50 bill, reminding her how the rich do mock her. Playing into the comment, she acts perplexed that $50 bills actually exist. Logan jokes that he had them made special. Pocketing his change, Logan notices people behind him, waiting to buy drinks and decides that the hoi polloi don't know what they want until he has it. Smiling a bit, he leaves with his drinks.
- During free study period, Ms. Hauser asks J.B. Riley, student council member, to help Veronica by getting her the decorations for the F.B.L.A.'s Carnival booth. J.B. momentarily resists the idea of helping his self-proclaimed nemesis, explaining that he's a mere .003 points behind her in the valedictorian race to get the coveted Kane scholarship. Dismissing J.B.'s delusions of being a worthy nemesis, she shockingly wonders if this means she and Madison have broken up. (Don't worry, Veronica. Unless a drastic personality transplant is lurking somewhere in Ms. Sinclair's future, I think your relationship will continue on as strong as it is now.)
Later, Winter Carnival going strong, Veronica works the F.B.L.A. booth and is gathering her cash for Ms. Hauser when J.B. walks up to ask for her classroom keys. It seems all the bouncing at the Bounce House is causing the sign to fall down and it's Super Reliable J.B. to the rescue! Only he needs the staple gun from Ms. Hauser's class, so she gives him the keys, crowing about how totally awesome and reliable he is, with a pointed glare at Veronica that speaks volumes.
As Veronica hands Ms. Hauser the money she's collected, apologizing for its stickiness, a group of masked streakers run by, to the cheers and laughter of many. Ah, it's the annual Triton Run, lack of clothing not optional for the pledges. Dick applauds with a "Good job" thrown in for the boys. Ms. Hauser is annoyed (shocking, I know!) and distracted by the brouhaha. Wallace and his special lady friend, Jane, walk up to Veronica and he complains about having to be exposed to this sort of thing on his date. (Oh, come on, Wallace. I'm sure Jane didn't peek a bit.) Veronica concludes that he's just not a fan of the Tritons' Tuck-and-Run.
Sneaking around in the school administration office, that night, Veronica goes to use the copy machine and notices that somebody left a paper on the glass. She turns the paper over and reads:
Health Test Alcohol and Alcoholism Ms. Hauser Health Class 3rd Period
Highly amused by this surprising turn of events, Veronica folds up the piece of paper and continues about her sneaky business.
A short while later, in Ms. Hauser's classroom, Veronica hands the snotty teacher the Health Test paper, explaining that she'd just discovered it on the copy machine. Ms. Hauser then demands to know where Veronica found her exam. Really, is there anything more annoying than being asked a question you just answered all of three seconds earlier? Veronica wonders the same and repeats slowly that she found it On. The. Copy. Machine. Asking Jackie if she's still speaking English, Jackie confirms that at least she can understand the words coming out of Veronica's mouth.
Clueing in on the fact that Veronica was in the administration office after hours (yet again), Clemmons asks her what she was doing at the copy machine. "Making coffee." Heh. Ms. Hauser insists the exam is locked up in her filing cabinet only to have Veronica point out the obvious fact that it isn't. Since no one else seems to be thinking logically or clearly at the moment, Veronica gets the ball rolling with the pertinent questions. Who had access to the filing cabinet? Who knows Hauser's copy machine code? And the answer to both isHauser's office aide, good ol' Super Reliable J.B.
Veronica takes this opportunity to remind everyone that J.B. borrowed the classroom keys earlier in the day. Playing the role of the unjustly accused, J.B. turns things around and accuses Veronica of planting it in order to sabotage her closest competition for the Kane scholarship. Because that's the kind of thing she does, according to Mr. Reliable. Taking this as a compliment to her skills of magic and wonder, Veronica grandly hypes her next trick will be to take J.B. out into the hallway, where she will speak a few magic words, which will lead to him coming back in to confess. J.B. is skeptical, but follows her out to the hall, anyway.
Now alone with her "nemesis," Veronica tells him what a bold move it was for him to make the copy of the test right under Ms. Hauser's nose. She explains that J.B. obviously knew the streakers would be keeping Hauser busy at exactly 4pm. As she reminds him that she took pictures of last year's Triton initiation ceremony, she opens up her laptop and presents him with a picture from that night, showing Duncan, J.B. and another pledge, all in their ceremonial cloaks. Veronica informs him that, even though she made a promise to a certain Triton to keep his secret safe, he's long-gone now so all bets are off. When Veronica warns him that a check of the copy machine log will show Ms. Hauser's code was used around 4:03-4:04pm, J.B. insists she's bluffing because the copier can't do that. (Man, calling her bluff is so not a good idea. Really. Trust me on this.)
Veronica lets J.B. know he really has only two options at this point: 1) He can call her bluff (Dude, bad idea. Baaad.) and she can post the picture and expose the Tritons on J.B.'s soon-to-be-created home page or 2) he can walk back into the classroom and confess.
J.B. and Veronica return to the classroom and, showing his first signs of intelligence this episode, J.B. confesses to stealing the exam. Ta-da! The Amazing Veronica demonstrates her magical prowess once again to the utter dismay of Ms. Hauser and Madison. Wracked with disbelief, Ms. Hauser tells J.B. not to do this just because Veronica threatened him in any way; he shouldn't let Veronica scare him. J.B. insists that he really did take the test.
- Dick is hanging out with Logan, who's brought him his blue slushie. Dick's demonstrating his skills at shooting balls into a clown's mouth, when he spots Cassidy and Mac walking through the Carnival, cozily holding hands. He wonders if he's drunk, but Logan tries to help by telling Dick that he's just "special." Seemingly irritated, Dick asks what the Beav is doing getting snuggly with "that chick from Ghost World." Dude, you dated Madison. Speak not of other's relationship choices. Ever.
Later, we see a more positive reaction to the couple when Veronica finds the lovebirds hanging out back at the F.B.L.A. booth. Cassidy is fiddling with a machine, while Mac sits there smiling adoringly at him. Veronica, trying not to grin too much, asks "Mackie" what she's doing back there. Nearly giggling out her response (in the totally adorable non-Hannblah type of way), Mac says she's keeping Beaver company. At hearing this, Cassidy gets the most adorable little smile on his face as he throws a slightly embarrassed glance at Veronica. When Veronica says that it sounds like fun, Mac giggles and agrees with her, "That's because it is." (And again I have to say, MacGiggle = adorable, HannblahGiggle = fatal sugar shock.)
Once again walking hand-in-hand through the Carnival, Mac asks Cassidy if they're winning the contest to see which couple can hold hands the longest. Cassidy smiles and says he just doesn't want to lose her in the crowd. Mac giggles again. (Not like Hanoh, you know the drill by now.) The giggling comes to an abrupt end as Dick and a couple of his non-speaking extras walk up. What a buzz kill.
Cassidy instantly tenses up, knowing what to expect from his brother. Dick asks to be introduced to Mac, saying the two of them are cute, like two gerbils in love. Getting angry, Cassidy tells him to stop. Dick, as usual, ignores him, saying it's his time to give the big brother speech. Mac insists that Cassidy's just fine, but Dick persists in warning Mac to hold back a little if she's going to take his little brother's virginity. Cassidy shows remarkable restraint in simply calling him an ass. Dick (again) ignores him and advises Mac she should be gentle and sweet and not try any tricks with Cassidy. He points out that he knows his brother's hands are dripping with sweat right now and Mac's probably really grossed out by that, but it's cool that she's hanging in there anyway. Embarrassed, Cassidy drops Mac's hand, which only causes Dick to point out that he was right about the slippery hands. Dick and his non-speaking compadres take off, leaving Cassidy to stew.
That night, Dick is talking to Madison when he spots Cassidy and Mac out in the parking lot together. Cassidy's sitting behind Mac as they laugh over something they're looking at on her laptop. Dick gripes to Madison that his little brother's obviously learned nothing from him and that he's acting like a "neutered eunuch nerd drone." Madison laughs at this because, well, she's a bitch. And just what is it that Cassidy and Mac are finding so amusing? They're looking at the website for PremiereEscorts.biz and giggling over one particular escort's name, "Bambi Gasm." Whatever could they be up to?
Walking up to Madison in the parking lot, later, Dick asks her if she's interested in a quickie in his car. She turns him down, explaining that she's no longer into quickies with younger men. She's moved on to "longies" with older men. (Methinks Dick's namesake hast just been insulted.) Shrugging it off after she leaves, Dick suddenly notices an older woman in a dress standing across the parking lot. She has her foot up on the back of a car, adjusting one of her thigh highs. Instantly on the prowl, Dick approaches her. When she starts to speak of the bad things about thigh highs, Dick corrects her that there's nothing bad about them.
A little quick flirting ensues while the woman explains that she's there to pick up her daughter. Dick, thinking he's oh-so-smooth, questions if she doesn't actually mean her sister. To which the woman explains that it's actually her stepdaughter. She likes to marry older men and then fool around with the younger ones. "Niiiiice," Dick agrees. Since she has a half hour to kill, Dick's mystery lady suggests that he would probably be fantastic at killing time. Well, Dick's all over that, so he opens up his truck and they climb inside.
Some time later, Dick jumps out of the truck, his jacket off, spitting angrily and demanding of his MILF, "What the hell was that?! What is that?!" The (not a) lady asks him what he calls his. Hmm. Is this the point where Dick tells her his name? Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but shouldn't that have been asked before getting into the truck?
Regardless, across the parking lot, Dick has an amused audience of Logan, Mac and Cassidy. Mac and Cassidy are sitting on the hood of her Beetle, lighters raised in the air, laughing at Dick's embarrassment. Realizing the two of them set him up with the transsexual, Dick stomps over to them, full of rage. Mac jumps out of the way as Dick grabs Cassidy and throws him back on to her car, fist in air, ready to punch him. But Cassidy's ready for him with a few well-chosen words of warning that he'll suffer worse if he hits him. "You remember Sally?" Looking completely unsettled, Dick lets go and walks away, still trying to, as Logan puts it, "spit out the memories."
- Keith has a meeting with a client who is fighting an injury-related lawsuit. The client says the guy claims to be in such pain he can't get out of bed, but the client's son has seen him three times at The Speed Zone go-kart track, so he has no intention of paying the settlement. Keith is waiting for a fax from the insurance company handling the case, which he appears to have received just as he notices Terrence waiting for him.
- Corny and Weevil are in study period, preparing for an exam Ms. Hauser was planning to give the next week. It's worth 30% of their grade.
- Dick once had a napkin autographed by O.J. Simpson at the Claim Jumper.
- Jackie and Cora are in French Club, which is the group they are representing at Winter Carnival.
- Weevil brings his adorable little 6-year-old niece, Ophelia, to the Carnival. He asks her if she wants 50 balloons or popcorn and ice cream. She chooses balloons. He tickles her and teases her that then she'll be crying to Uncle Eli that she's hungry. (Aww, this really is a kinder, gentler Weevil.) When he buys her a hot pink balloon, Thumper stalks by and thumps it. (He's a balloon thumper! That's how he got his name! Ok, not really.)
- Veronica mentions the Tritons in front of Jane.
- Dick works the slushie booth, too, at some point during the Carnival.
- Jane is carrying a stuffed panda.
As Jackie departs Neptune High, we can't help but notice that she has transformed from an attractive girl getting whistles and cat-calls for her high-priced 09er looks, to an attractive girl getting cat-called about her father, the alleged murderer who blew up her classmates. Due to the distracting nature of the pitchforks and torches being wielded by her peers, Jackie doesn't hear her friend Cora trying to get her attention.
Jackie has a few existential questions she's hoping Cora can help with: Does being the daughter of an alleged murderer constitute her 15 minutes of fame? And, if so, what could she wear to the winter carnival that would be appropriate? Despite Cora's protests that no one actually expects her to go, Jackie apparently is willing to sacrifice her pride for the sake of the French club. Pardon me if I'm still struggling a bit with the whole "Jackie has a soul" revelation. Bitchy McBitch (aka Madison) informs Jackie that not only does she not have to go, the world would prefer it if she didn't -- because in high school, that type of grand gesture just ruins the whole evening. Gee Madison, Jackie replies, ruining the carnival is at the core of her evil plan. That, and the fact that she doesn't want to miss the group sing at the "Shake Shack."
Waiting in the Mars Investigations "lounge," desperately seeking Keith's help is none other than baseball great Terrence "Hi, I'm Jackie's Dad" Cook. He doesn't have an appointment, but Keith will see him for a consult if he's willing to wait for a few minutes while Keith deals with the annoying guy in his office concerned about insurance fraud.
Terrence explains that he needs Keith to take on the Sheriff's department because Lamb is using him as a scapegoat in the bus crash. And based on what he knows of Keith's history, and his skills as a novelist, he knows that Keith is the only man for the job. Terrence goes on to explain that part of Lamb's hatred stems from the fact that he sees Terrence as Woody's ally because Terrence has been speaking to the minority population in Neptune on behalf of Woody's grand incorporation plan. This bothers Lamb because if Neptune is incorporated, he becomes merely the 'hayseed who hands out speeding tickets on the way out of town.' Plus, I'm pretty sure Lamb is jealous of Terrence's formidable arm muscles and elegant style. Keith still doesn't really understand Terrence's concern because Lamb has done all he can at this point. I mean, without some kind of evidence, there's nothing to tie Terrence to the bus crash, right? I said, "Right?" Turns out there's a little more to the story than that.
As we know, Terrence was at the ballpark the day of the crash talking to Woody about doing color commentary for the Sharks this season, and he was there at the same time the students were. Terrence did the star athlete thing and signed some balls and jerseys, which in and of itself isn't incriminating. The catch is that Lamb now says that the forensic investigators found cell-phone and baseball fragments imbedded in the body of the bus driver. Lamb contends that Terrence planted a ball with the bomb in one of the kid's bags and then detonated it using his cell phone. And now it's up to Keith to prove that Terrence didn't make that call!
Keith offers Terrence a beer, not just out of the goodness of his heart, but in order to fulfill a lifetime fantasy to share a brew with one of his baseball heroes. And after they are done with the beers, Keith declares with an adorable grin that he and Terrence are gonna go play catch in the parking lot. Hee! Keith reminisces about all of his favorite Terrence Cook baseball moments, showing his true fanboy heart. They drink a toast to Terrence's continued career in the majors, and after sharing a friendly moment, Keith shocks Terrence when he asks about his secret relationship with the journalism teacher who died in the crash, Ms. Dumass. Terrence is momentarily taken aback because he's clearly forgotten why he came to Keith in the first place -- his incredible super-sleuth skills and wily ways. Hey, his name's on the door for a reason, buddy. Although Keith is sympathetic to Terrence's loss, he needs to make it clear that Terrence is going to have to be a bit more honest about things if he wants Keith to take on his case.
Several beers later, Terrence tells Keith his tale of woe involving his "fatal attraction" style affair with Ms. Dumass. Although he was engaged at the time, he indulged in a clearly ill advised one-night-stand with Ms. Dumass. He mistakenly thought that was the end of things, but oh no, it was only the beginning. Ms. Dumass apparently followed Terrence to Neptune and took the teaching job at the high school in an effort to stay close to him. And then the threats began, and things got really interesting. Either Terrence would tell the fianc that the engagement was off and the relationship over, or Ms. Dumass would handle it personally. And did, apparently. So Terrence lost his fianc and gained a crazy stalker. In perfect Keith style, the super sleuth points out that a secret tumultuous relationship with a teacher that died in the bus crash smells suspiciously like a motive.
A few more beers later, Keith is regaling Terrence with some of his proudest fan moments, like the time he nearly killed himself to retrieve one of Terrence's three career home run balls. Terrence decides that it's probably long past time to call an end to their male bonding session, and he should probably call himself a cab. But before he goes, he just wants to make sure that Keith is taking his case. Well, that depends -- is there anything else Terrence would like to confess? He swears no, that he's told Keith everything. With a knowing nod, Keith declines to help.
Terrence is clearly surprised, and when he asks why, Papa Mars tells him that it's because Terrence hasn't come completely clean yet. Terrence looks confused again. Keith motions him to sit and pulls up an audio file for Terrence's listening enjoyment: It's a recording of the conversation that Terrence had several weeks ago with Lamb in which he reveals, albeit indirectly, that he's got some gambling issues and has dealings with shady people.
Clearly Terrence redefines the term "slow learner" when he asks if there is anything Keith doesn't know. Didn't Papa Mars already show you once tonight that there's nothing you can hide from him? Terrence caves and tells Keith that Leslie (Ms. Dumass) was at his place once when a couple of Fitzpatricks came into his house intending to collect a large sum of money. Apparently Leslie overheard part of the conversation, if you can call it that, between Terrence and the Fitzp's that would ruin his career. And, angel that she is, Ms. Dumass threatened to take the story to the press if Terrence ever tried to leave her.
What on earth could possibly be that bad? Keith asks in a moment of sheer stupidity all his own. To quote a fellow mod: Doesn't he know you don't say stuff like that on this show without an anvil falling from the sky? Terrence reiterates that he has a gambling problem (duh), he got in pretty deep (double duh), and that he did some things that he isn't proud of (you don't say!). But the worst of the worst is that he threw the 4th game of the ACLS -- and THAT, boys and girls, is the axe that Ms. Dumass had been hanging over Terrence's neck. Poor Keith is so clearly disillusioned by this confession, but really, what did he think Terrence was gonna say?
Despite this terrible confession, and because he is such a great man, Keith agrees to take Terrence's case on anyway for $50 an hour, plus expenses. Why? Because regardless of the gambling and the lying and the cheating, Keith knows that Terrence wouldn't have killed a bus full of kids for anything.
- At the carnival, Logan attempts to play some dumb frog game while chatting up some lame, giggling, blond pre-schooler. The LoVe shippers begin to see red, but are instantly put at ease when our Logan casually mentions that he has Newton's Second Law of Motion tattooed over his heart. Sigh! So he plays and indulges in some seriously over-the-top saccharine flirting with the preschooler before winning a prize. He chooses a bunny because the "I wuv you beary much" bear has a grander purpose in his life and he wouldn't dream of sullying it with this non-person. Clearly, Logan is up to something. And for what it's worth, the preschooler's name is Hannah. But don't expect any of us shippers to refer to her as such.
Some time later, Logan has come across the preschooler again while she's separated from her herd, and indulges in some more sickly sweet flirting that comes across like nails-on-the-proverbial-chalkboard to the audience -- and let's just leave it at that. But let me just say for the record that I think any girl on the planet who says that she's not interested in "playing" with Logan Echolls is clearly either crazy or lying. I mean, even with the less-than-flattering military hair and the equally unflattering green argyle sweater (what is UP with that?), our boy is still too hot for words. We later see them again bantering in the moon bounce where the preschooler reveals that she's never had a date because she's waiting for something special. To quote my favorite 09er, "And I mean this: Awwww."
Logan is walking the preschooler out to where she's catching her ride, and apparently they've made plans for a date on Saturday night. ACK! GAG! The aforementioned ride pulls up just in time to spare us all from a bout of vomiting, and she hops into the car with her Daddy. Logan ducks down to say hi to Dad and two very important things are revealed: 1) The preschooler's proud papa is none other than Logan's fake 'witness' to the Felix murder; and 2) Logan appears to have known this all along. And now the last 50 minutes of gag-inducing behavior with this bland child make perfect sense (well, at least on this show): Logan sought out and is using Hannah in some way to get to her Daddy with the express intent of clearing his name. And we all breathe a sigh of glorious relief.
- Weevil puts the cash box in his niece's backpack. (Read detailed breakdown.)
- Weevil writes the name "Nancy" on the back of a $50. (Read detailed breakdown.)
LoVe Lines
Veronica Mars Voiceover: Two-by-two. Apparently you can only enter the carnival as if it were the ark.
Veronica: Slushies! Get your ice-cold frozen ... sugar water.
Logan: (Who had been watching Veronica with a smile.) You had me at ice cold.
Veronica: What's your poison?
Logan: Ah, emotionally unavailable women. (Eyes list of flavors.) Let's see, uh, I want something that suits my mood.
Veronica: Ooh, I'm sorry, we're all out of liquid evil.
Logan: I'll take two of whatever will turn my tongue blue.
Veronica: Hot date? (Goes to get slushies)
Logan: Rain check? (Veronica sends a look his way.) Night with the fellas, you know how it is. (Looks over at Madison's booth.) Boy, people really love pep squad pie.
Veronica: It's genius. Madison's dad gives her forty bucks to buy a pie from some chichi bakery, then drops three bills to buy it back in front of a live studio audience. He loves her. (Sets slushies on table in front of Logan.)
Logan: Oh, the rich. How they mock you. (Hands Veronica a bill.)
Veronica: (Looking at the bill.) There's a fifty dollar bill?
Logan: I had them made special. (Veronica counts out change and hands it to Logan. He mouths "thank you" and then looks over shoulder at people in line behind him) The hoi polloi. They don't know what they want until I have it.
Quotable Quotes
Madison: JB, you need to relax with the Elmer's. Do I look like I enjoy being covered in white goo?
Veronica: Mr. Pope said you have some decorations for the FBLA booth?
Ms. Hauser: (To JB) JB? Could you go get the hills?
JB: Who, me? Help her? (Points to Veronica) She's my nemesis. (Leaves room)
Veronica: (To Madison) His nemesis? Um, did we break up?
Veronica: Oh, Madison, you have a little ... (Gestures to nose)
Madison: What, brown? Because I'm a brown noser?
Veronica: No, glitter. Because you're a fairy princess.
Madison: (To Jackie) You're not really going. Even you're not that tacky.
Jackie: School carnival? Me, you, and the Shake Shack doing a little "You're the one that I want?" I am so there.
Dick: (Shooting balls into a clown's mouth) I am so good at this game.
Logan: Shooting in a clown's mouth. Your future's bright, Dick.
Dick: (Looking toward Mac and Beaver) Dude, am I drunk?
Logan: No, dude, you're just special.
Dick: Then why is the Beav all snuggly with that chick from Ghost World?
Jackie: This school genuinely sucks.
Veronica: True dat.
Veronica: It's not a carnival until somebody shows butt cheek. (Puts cash box in cabinet.)
Wallace: I'm out here with my special lady friend, and I gotta see that.
Veronica: Not a big fan of the Tritons annual tuck and run?
Madison: (Sneering at Jackie.) We all saw her ... lurking around.
Jackie: Lurking? Ah, you mean standing while black?
Logan: (Approaching the 'Leap Frog' game booth.) So I'm not actually leaping frogs myself?
Hannah: Uh, you don't take physics, do you?
Logan: (Clearly reminiscing about Veronica, sigh.) I have a tattoo of Newton's Second Law right on my heart.
Veronica: (Sitting on the bench with Weevil.) Hey, who's your date?
Weevil: This is Ophelia, my niece. (Talking to Ophelia and gesturing towards Veronica.) This is Veronica.
Veronica: (To Ophelia.) Nice backpack. You like the Powerpuff Girls, huh? (She begins to not-so-discreetly pat down the backpack.) Which one is this?
Weevil: She's the one not shaped like a metal cashbox.
Weevil: (To Veronica.)You know, your case must really suck if your prime suspect is a six-year old.
Terrence: The Sheriff is using me as a scapegoat. And if there's anyone fit to take on the Sheriff's Department, it's you. I read your book Mr. Mars. I couldn't put it down.
Keith: Yeah, well, if you read it carefully, you might remember the famous guy went to jail in the end of that one.
Veronica: Whatcha doing back there Mackie?
Mac: Keepin' Beaver company.
Veronica: (With mild sarcasm.) That sounds fun.
Mac: (Grinning hugely at Beaver.) That's 'cause it is.
Veronica: (To Jackie in the bathroom stall after hearing scraping noises.) Jackie, what are you doin'?
Jackie: Changing into my bathing suit.
Veronica: That doesn't usually require a screwdriver.
Dick: (Approaching Mac and Beaver.) Hey, aren't you going to introduce us? Wow, you guys are cute. Aren't they?! Like gerbils in love.
Beaver: Dick, don't.
Dick: Chill, Beav. I get to give the big brother speech here. I'm just looking out for you.
Mac: You don't have to worry. He'' fine.
Dick: Yeah, good hands?! 'Cause you got to take it easy on my bro. If you're going to pop his cherry, hold back a little.
Beaver: You're such an ass.
Dick: Don't go bustin' out any tricks. Go gentle and sweet. You don't want to spook him. Like right now I know his hands are just dripping with sweat and you are so completely grossed out, but you're hangin' in. I dig that. (Beaver pulls his hand from Mac's.) Oops, see how it just slipped right out. You gotta work on that, bro.
JB: Even if you found money, there's really no way of proving that it's the stolen money.
Ms. Hauser: Not a lot of people carry $12 grand on them.
Dick: Uh, I never leave the house without $13,000.
Dick: (Watching Cassidy.) Oh, look at him. Have I taught him nothing? He's like some neutered eunuch nerd ... drone.
Beaver : (Looking at PremiereEscorts.biz website and giggling with Mac.) Bambi Gasm.
Mac: (Snobbish voice.) Of the Boston Gasms?
Beaver : One would hope.
Weevil: (As Veronica approaches him and Ophelia.) Whoah, sorry, but I can't let you frisk me. She's at an impressionable age.
Veronica: Look what I found. Miss Trashy Trash. We marked your words before, and I don't know if you know this, but they formed this like, totally false accusation. I know. Yikes! I figured you might welcome the opportunity to apologize.
Mrs. Hauser: (To Jackie) You didn't steal the money. I'm sorry.
Veronica: Totally worth it. (Pulls paper out of her bag.) I found this in the copy machine.
Ms. Hauser: Where did you get this? This is my exam!
Veronica: In the. Copy. Machine. Am I still speaking English?
Veronica: And for my next trick, I will take JB into the hallway, whisper a few magic words, and when we return he'll confess.
JB: Yeah, yeah, like that'll happen.
Veronica: Don't oversell it JB, people will think you're a mark. Step right this way.
Veronica: Well, here's your choice. You can call my bluff and we'll all find out exactly what the copy machine can do. Of course, if you choose that option I'm posting this Triton's photo on your homepage -- I've heard what happens to Tritons who reveal their secrets.
JB: I don't have a home page.
Veronica: You will. Then, there's option two: Confession. Reveal your secret powers.
JB: (Back in the classroom with everyone) I stole the test.
Veronica: Ta da!!
Veronica: (Reaching into the ceiling) This isn't a sweater. All right, cash! How'd you know?
Clemmons: How did you know to look up there?
Veronica: I have to say, I grossly underestimated the usefulness of glitter. (Glances at the floor) Look at that -- practically a perfect footprint.
Jackie: Shouldn't be too hard to find, there're not that many people who wear heels to a carnival.
Clemmons: Would you mind lifting up your foot, Mrs. Hauser?
Mrs. Hauser: You know, I've been walking in that glitter all day. You can see it's everywhere around my desk. (Lifts foot in a huff)
Veronica: So your shoes were very fancy when you were skimming off the top of the cash box. My guess is, Mrs. Hauser helped herself to a few bills long before she ever gave me the money.
Clemmons: Maybe we should take this into my office. (Walks out the door with Hauser, glances back at Veronica.) This would be a prime example of why I consider the advice of some of my students.
Veronica: Buck up, Maddy. Senior trip is back on, sister, six grand! We're Magic Mountain bound. Oh! You know there's this ride called the Viper, right? Isn't that, like, your mother ship?
Dick: Ma - di - son. What you up to, girl? Feel like heading to my car for a quickie?
Madison: I've moved on to older men, Dick. Fewer quickies, more longies.
Dick: What is that? What the hell do you call that?
MiLF: What do you call yours?
Logan: Would that you could spit out the memories?
Keith: (To Terrence.) You knocked the hell out of that ball. I'm in the stands. Climbin' over people. I'm under seats. And by the time I got it, I was covered in old beer and mustard and battered and bruised. I'm telling you, its not easy being a fan.
Terrence: I threw a game. It was game four of the ACLS. Three run homer Baylor hit off me. Seventy mile per hour curveball. No break. Pure meat. Leslie heard all about it. That pitch erased millions. Then baseball players didn't make what they make today.
Keith: I was almost at that game. But Veronica got chicken pox. I was glued to my TV with my jersey and foam finger. A grown man. Pretty silly, huh? You know what's even more silly? The superstitious fan in me thought we lost the game because I wasn't there. I even felt a little guilty. I let you guys down. I thought there is always next year. But you guys never made it back. (Pausing.) Fifty dollars an hour plus expenses.
Terrence: You'll take my case? Why?
Keith: You're Terrence Cook. You wouldn't kill a bus full of kids. I still believe that.
Weevil: So was it your undying love for me or good old fashioned lust?
Veronica: Kay?
Weevil: That kept you from turning me in.
Veronica: Love. Of roller coasters. And hatred of anything that requires me to wear a sweater over my shoulder and be at sea with my classmates. Nothing to do with you.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough ... (Referenced by the episode title.)
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a classic R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson in 1966. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell for the Tamla (Motown) label. According to Gaye, Ashford, and Simpson, Terrell was a little nervous and intimidated during recording because she hadn't rehearsed the lyrics. During her first verse, she looked at the lyrics as she sang "no matter where you are", but eventually became comfortable because of Gaye's lead. "Ain't No Mountain" peaked at #19 on the Billboard pop charts, and went to #3 on the R&B charts.
This original version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, was a breezy and romantic love song that became the signature duet between Gaye and Terrell. Its success led to a string of more Ashford/Simpson penned duets (including "You're All I Need to Get By" and "Your Precious Love"). The Gaye/Terrell version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and is regarded today as one of the most important records ever released by Motown.
The song became a hit a second time in 1970, when a cover by fellow Motown artist Diana Ross became a number-one hit on the Billboard pop chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
The lyrics are:
According to Elmers.com, the well-known glue with the famously orange twisty-top, is "America's favorite all-purpose glue. Perfect for school projects, crafts, and light home repair. Works on a variety of materials -- a must-have for the kitchen, den, workshop and garage." And it's also fun to pour a whole bunch of it onto your palm, let it dry and then pull it off slowly. Heeheehee.
FBLA ... (Referenced in the class for which Veronica is boothing for at the Winter Carnival.)
The (for some reason) ultra-trendy elective class for the 09ers -- I mean, seriously, WHY are Logan and Dick (DICK!?!) in this class? -- has its origins in the FLBA-PBL, ie, the Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda. It's an international career and technical student organization with headquarters in Reston, Virginia. The organization is non-profit (again, DICK?!?) and designed to help high school, middle school and college students transition to the business world. (For the last time ... DICK!?!)
Six Flags Magic Mountain ... (Referenced as the less expensive class trip option.)
Opening in 1971 in Valencia, California, the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park features 16 world-class roller coasters and over 100 other rides, games and attractions. As of 2005, the park is tied with Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, for the record of most roller coasters in one amusement park. The rides include Batman: The Ride, Colossus (tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the West), Goliath (255 feet high with one of the world's tallest drops), Superman: The Escape (41 stories high, with speeds from 0 to 100 mph in 7 seconds!), and Viper (tallest vertical loop in the world).
The park has a year-round exotic bird show, a Warner Brothers Kids Club game show and plays hosts to various events, such as the California Cheerleading Championships, Purimfest, and educational events like Physics Day, Math & Science Students' Day and Career Days.
Over the years, the Magic Mountain theme park has been featured in several movies and television shows, including National Lampoon's Vacation, as "Wally World," the ultimate destination of the Griswolds' family trip.
Catalina Island ... (Referenced as Madison's choice of locale for the Senior class trip.)
Located 22 miles from the coast of Los Angeles, the island is a popular resort containing many activities including bicycling, boating, fishing, golf, parasailing and scuba diving. The main city is Avalon which hosts shops and nightlife.
Batman the Ride ... (Referenced by Madison to Weevil regarding his Magic Mountain-Senior-Trip wish.)
Batman (the ride) is a roller coaster at all Six Flags theme parks. The ride is 2,700 feet, goes 50 mph, and features ski lift style seating (chairs hang under the track), and according to Sixflags.com, "Riders fly at intense speeds countless times over the outside of hairpin turns, vertical loops, a corkscrew and a one-of-a-kind zero-gravity heartline spin with nothing but air beneath their dangling feet."
If the ride were as they said, I totally can imagine it causing someone to become sick or, as Madison so eloquently put it, "Throw up hot dogs." But from personal experience, I gotta say that Batman the ride is just okay. It was fast and smooth. Nothing super scary. Very run of the mill. The most memorable thing about it was the three hour line I had to wait in and the $3 bottle of water I got from the machine outside its station.
O.J. (Simpson) ... (Referenced by Dick as the restaurant in which he got a napkin autographed by O.J. Simpson.)
Prior to 1994, OJ (Orenthal James) Simpson or "The Juice" lived a charmed life. He was a renowned running back, winning the Heisman Trophy, playing for both the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers, earning All-Pro honors 5 times, and, later, being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Even now, many consider him to be one of the greatest running backs of all time.
He also was, not a good actor, but *an* actor. Okay, so maybe even actor is still a wee bit of an overestimation. Simpson starred in The Klansman (1974), The Towering Inferno (1974), Cassandra Crossing (1976), Capricorn One (1978), Naked Gun (1988) Naked Gun 2 1/2 (1991) and Naked Gun 33 1/3(1994).
Then in 1994, the history of OJ Simpson took on a different flavor.
His ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, were found murdered in her home. Rather than sit for questioning or face the police (like a man with nothing to hide might do), OJ decided that his best course of action was to take off in his now infamous white Bronco. Soon all of America was tuned in as the police slow-chased after one of its most well-known sports heroes.
Eventually, he was caught and charged. OJ assembled a "dream team" of the nation's top defense attorneys who not only got him off with catchy phrases like, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit," but also made the DA and the police look a bit incompetent. It should have been a "can't lose" case for the prosecution. Yet between the police planting evidence, racism on the part of the head investigator, OJ's fame, the media frenzy, and the brilliant misdirection of Mr. Johnny Cochran, OJ went free. Although this was a murder trial, and therefore should have been taken seriously, it was not. It actually just became a forum for spectacle and a target for public mockery. Particularly, as the entire thing was played out on television.
Claim Jumper ... (Referenced by Dick as the restaurant in which he got a napkin autographed by O.J. Simpson.)
The Claim Jumper restaurant chain was founded in Los Alamitos, California on September 27, 1977 by CEO Craig Nickoloff. At present, Claim Jumper is serving customers at 37 restaurants in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, and Washington. The restaurant's name refers back to the California Gold Rush, when a person who stole another miner's claim was referred to as a "claim jumper." The restaurants are styled with the Old American West in mind. Its interiors feature huge Douglas Fir logs, natural rock, large fireplaces, rich fabrics, authentic log chairs and colorful tiffany lamps. The atmosphere is popular with large groups, such as families and businesses.
Known for the large proportions of its dishes, the menus include steak, fish, chicken, ribs, pot pies, wood-fired pizzas, pasta and burgers. Desserts, which are as large in size as they are yummy include a Six-Layer Chocolate Motherlode Cake, bread pudding, Lemon Bar Brule and five flavors of cream cheese pie. The Saloon serves cocktails, wines, domestic and imported beers, including Claim Jumper's own Honey Blonde, Original Red Ale and Hefeweizen. Some of their menu items, including the Motherlode Cake, can be found in the grocery store freezer aisle as part of Claim Jumper's line of frozen food products.
Frankenstein (Townsfolk with pitchforks and torches) ... (Referenced when Jackie is talking to Cora about going to the Carnival.)
The image of a community gathering with pitchforks and torches to rout out a bad seed is derived from the famous scene in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Towards the climax of the novel, the townsfolk track down the monster's location and threaten him with pitchforks and torches.
"15 Minutes of Fame" ... (Referenced by Jackie while pondering how long her fame as an alleged murderer's child will last.)
The famous paraphrase of Andy Warhol's commentary on fame and famous people which derived from his view that the media could make anyone famous. Warhol, a famous American painter, filmmaker, publisher, and a major figure in the Pop Art movement (Warhol designed the famous Campbell's soup can label), was born on August 6, 1928 and died February 22, 1987 following routine gall bladder surgery. In 1968, Warhol proclaimed "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." And the common understanding is that 15 minutes is all most will get as the phrase refers to a sudden state of celebrity that is believed unlikely to continue long enough to affect the new celebrity's life.
Grease/"You're the One That I Want" ... (Referenced by Jackie to Madison in connection with the Neptune High Winter Carnival.)
Grease, the most popular movie-musical ever made, debuted in 1978 and grossed more than $340 million at box-offices around the world, becoming the biggest grossing movie musical in film history -- a record that still stands today.
Riding the strange '50s nostalgia wave that swept through America during the late 1970's, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease became not only the word in 1978, but also a box-office smash and a cultural phenomenon. Full of fabulously choreographed musical numbers, vibrant colors, and unforgettably campy and catchy tunes (like "Greased Lightning," "Summer Nights," and "You're the One That I Want"), this episodic story about the romantic dilemmas of a group of graduating high school seniors remains fresh, fun, and incredibly imaginative.
The young, animated cast also deserves a lot of credit, bringing chemistry and energy to otherwise bland material. John Travolta struts, swaggers, sings, and dances appropriately, while Olivia Newton-John's portrayal of virgin innocence is sweet perfection. And then there's Stockard Channing, spouting sexual double-entendres as Rizzo, the bitchy, raunchy leader of the Pink Ladies, who steals the film from both of its stars.
The scene and song referenced ("You're the One That I Want") is the big finale in which we discover that both our hero and heroine have made some changes in their lives (he's lettered in track and can posture with the best of the preppy kids, while she can wear black corsets, skin tight satin pants, and smoke a ciggie with the best of the Pink Ladies) in an effort to be more of what the other wants. Of course, because this is a movie, these changes, although appreciated, were clearly unnecessary because these two crazy kids love each other just the way they are. This big mutual love-fest of song and dance takes place at Rydell High's Senior Carnival, hence the comparison.
After 20 years, Grease still ranks as one of the top ten video titles sold in the U.S. in 1997. So far, over twenty million double soundtrack albums have been sold (more than 1.2 million of those sales came in 1996 and 1997). As of February 1, 1998, the soundtrack had been in the top five on the Billboard pop charts for 244 consecutive weeks.
Noah's Ark/Two by Two ... (Referenced by Veronica as she mused on the couples everywhere at the Carnival.)
Noah's Ark is the famous boat built by God's chosen Noah to keep the continued procreation of animals safe from the Great Flood by pairing a male and female of each animal and corralling them into Noah's massive ark. The tale can be found in the Hebrew Bible's book of Genesis, chapters 6-9, with elaborations in the various Abrahamic traditions.
Jerry Maguire, starred Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger, and was directed by Cameron Crowe in 1996. It is the story of super sports agent Jerry Maguire who is facing a crisis of conscience. He realizes that he hates himself and his place in the world, and laments that, although he has a lot to say, no one will listen. So, late one night, he writes a Mission Statement called "The Things We Think and Do Not Say: The Future of Our Business."
The essay attacks the sports agency business, advocating a more humane approach. The next day, a copy is distributed to everyone in the office. His bosses are offended, and he loses his job. Only one client, unremarkable Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr. in an Oscar-winning performance), elects to remain with Jerry as he strikes out on his own. Also joining him is a 26-year old single mother, Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), who is so moved by Jerry's Mission Statement that she's willing to throw away a safe job to be part of his new venture.
Jerry Maguire is a wonderful movie about redemption and love. It's about finding one's heart and soul in a business climate that attempts to rip both away. Cruise does a fine job in this picture, playing to his strengths and has a wonderful chemistry with Renee Zellweger (in a star-making performance).
Dorothy's line, "You had me at hello," in the scene where the estranged couple reunites, was her way of telling Jerry that he didn't need to say a thing -- she belonged to him. Logan uses this line, changing 'hello' to 'ice cold' to demonstrate that no matter what Veronica says or does, he too is hers. Awww!!!
Hoi Polloi ... (Referenced by Logan to Veronica as customers line up behind him.)
A phrase borrowed from the Ancient Greek and translated as "hoi" meaning "the" and "polloi," the plural of "polus," meaning "many." Intended as an expression referring to "the greater number," "the people," "the commonalty," or "the masses," the phrase has ultimately retained this meaning after being introduced into the English language in the early 1800's. Since the 1950's, the phrase has sometimes been incorrectly used to refer to the upper class, which is the opposite of its original meaning.
Ghost World ... (Referenced by Dick when describing Mac.)
Ghost World is the 2001 movie about two high-school misfit friends, Enid and Rebecca, played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson respectively, and is based on a graphic novel by Daniel Clowes of the same name. Set in the summer after graduation, Enid and Rebecca are both outsiders in a world slowly being engulfed by fake 50's diners and Starbucks. Enid must attend an art class to officially graduate high school as Rebecca gets a job. When the two play a mean joke on a much older, geeky record collector, Enid finds a fellow soul and begins to discover the complexities of becoming an adult in the modern world.
Dick's reference to Mac as "that girl from Ghost World" is a nod to both Mac's personal style, and her attitudes concerning high school and the majority of her peers, both of which are reminiscent of the character Enid in Ghost World. The major difference in my book is that Mac is not apathetic and miserable, just quirky and not impressed by the mainstream or popularity -- things that Dick couldn't begin to understand.
Newton's Second Law ... (Referenced by Logan to Hannah when discussing his lack of physics knowledge.)
Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion were first published in Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687. Newton used them to prove many results concerning the motion of physical objects. In the third volume of the text, he showed how, combined with his law of universal gravitation, the laws of motion would explain Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
Newton's Second Law of Motion says that "the rate of change of momentum of a body is equal to the resultant force acting on the body and is in the same direction." This is represented by the equation: F=ma; which, in laymen's terms, means force equals mass times acceleration.
For us LoVe shippers, this reference has special meaning as Veronica quoted Newton's Second Law to Logan during their adorable yet steamy make-out session in the bathroom in M.A.D. We take this as a sign that Logan still has Veronica on his mind and in his heart. Long Live LoVe!
Power Puff Girls ... (Referenced by Veronica when talking to Ophelia about her backpack.)
The Power Puff Girls is an animated cartoon series first created by Craig McCracken for a college project, and subsequently produced for the Cartoon Network. The Power Puff Girls were created when Professor Utonium attempted to produce the perfect little girl, via the combination of sugar, spice and everything nice, along with the accidental infusion of "Chemical X." Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup use their powers of superstrength, speed, flying prowess and energy projection to protect the hapless citizens of Townsville, USA.
Class AAA baseball (Triple A) ... (Referenced by Keith as the league he watched Terrence in while in Fresno.)
Class AAA baseball (usually referred to as "Triple A") is the highest level of Minor League baseball, which serves as the farm system for Major League Baseball teams. Each major league team has affiliations with one AAA team, one AA team, at least two A teams, and at least one Rookie-league team. The minor leagues serve as a venue for development of inexperienced players, rehab assignments, and demotion of under-performing players. The major league team handles player contracts, and the minor league team handles all other operations. Players progress up and down the minor league system based on ability, performance, and the needs of the Major League team. Minor league players hope to excel in each level and progress up the ladder, one day getting the "call-up" to the Major League team.
Fresno ... (Referenced when Keith tells Terrence about his time in Fresno as a deputy.)
Fresno is both a city and county located in the central San Joaquin Valley of California, with a total population just short of 900,000. With thousands of acres devoted to agriculture and its proximity to the Sierra Nevadas, Fresno County is the only county with three national parks within its area.
Major League/"Juuust a bit outside" ... (Referenced by Jane to Wallace re: missing Jackie in the dunk tank.)
Major League (starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Rene Russo, Wesley Snipes, Corbin Bernsen) was a 1989 comedy about the Cleveland Indians baseball team. At the time (both in the film and in real life), the Indians were perennial losers. So the movie focused on a team of misfits coming together and winning despite everyone's low expectations of them.
The biggest misfit was Rick Vaugh (played by Charlie Sheen), who was a young, just out of prison, pitcher who had a lot of speed but no aim or control. So during his early practices, he would throw the ball "Juust a bit outside" or inside, or into the batter well, you get the point.
Boston (Referenced by Mac as she and Beaver look online for an escort.)
Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most culturally significant cities in the United States. The economy is based on education, healthcare, finance, and technology. When the original colony of Massachusetts Bay was founded, its governor John Winthrop wanted to create a biblical "City on a Hill" -- a phrase taken from Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:14). Other nicknames for the city are Beantown, The Hub, The Athens of America (for its great cultural and intellectual influence), Puritan City (because the founders were Puritans), and The Cradle of Liberty (for its role in instigating the American Revolution).
Boston is home to America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1653), and America's first college, Harvard (1636). Hard work, moral uprightness, and an emphasis on education remain part of Boston's culture. Several historical events occurred in or near Boston: the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and it was also a center for the abolitionist movement.
Fatal Attraction ... (Referenced during Terrence's conversation with Keith.)
Fatal Attraction is a 1987 thriller starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer. Douglas portrays Dan Gallagher, a seemingly happily married lawyer who embarks on a fling with Alex Forrest (Close) while his wife and daughter are away. Realizing that he has made a mistake, Dan tries unsuccessfully to end the affair, only to discover that Alex has no intention of allowing him to return peacefully to his prior existence. Alex begins to stalk Dan and his family, telling the object of her obsession in one of the films' most memorable lines, "I won't be ignored, Dan."
Viper ... (Referenced by Veronica to Madison as a Magic Mountain ride that just might bear the name of Madison's mothership.)
The largest looping roller coaster in the world, Viper opened in April 1990 in the Baja Ridge section of the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, California. Clocking in at 70 mph, Viper seats 28 passengers and reaches a height of 188 feet. Featuring three vertical loops, the largest of which measures at 140 feet, and a 40-foot-tall corkscrew, passengers are turned upside down at 7 parts of the ride and change elevation a total of 16 times.
American League Championship Series (ALCS) ... (Referenced by Keith and Terrence as the series in which Terrence threw a game.)
The American League Championship Series is the round of playoff games in Major League Baseball that determines the winner of the American League pennant. The winner goes on to face the winner of the National League Championship Series in the World Series. The ALCS began in 1969 when the American League was split into East and West divisions. Since 1985 the format has been best-of-seven. In the current playoff format, with three divisions, the ALCS is the second round of playoffs, following the best-of-five American League Division Series.
The Thomas Crown Affair ... (Referenced by Veronica to Weevil in the final scene.)
The Thomas Crown Affair was originally produced in 1968 starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. A fascinating match-up of the coolest of the cool McQueen and the sultry ice princess Dunaway, it featured the Academy award winning song "Windmills of your Mind."
The Thomas Crown Affair is the story of a millionaire playboy who steals priceless masterpieces of art to relieve the boredom of his life. He subsequently strikes up a fiery romance with the brilliant female insurance investigator who is on to his game. This film was renowned in its time for its style and gimmicks and the robbery sequence is still an exciting, stylish, entertaining sequence to watch. It was remade in 1999 starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
Steve McQueen ... (Referenced by Veronica when she asks Weevil which version of The Thomas Crown Affair he watched.)
Born Terence Steven McQueen on March 24, 1930 in Beech Grove Indiana, Steve McQueen moved to Los Angeles with his mother when he was twelve. Two years later, he was sent to the Boy's Republic reformatory school in Chino, California. Dropping out of school during the ninth grade, McQueen drifted until he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1947.
In 1952, McQueen was accepted at Lee Strasberg's Actors' Studio and began a successful acting career that would span decades and earn him the nickname "The King of Cool." McQueen followed up his 1955 Broadway Debut (A Hatful of Rain) with several television appearances, leading to what could be considered his "breakout" role of "Josh Randall" on the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958-1961). While on the series, McQueen branched out to bit parts in feature films, eventually landing his first lead role in The Blob(1958). A number of tremendously successful films followed, including The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Great Escape (1963), Bullitt (1968), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Le Mans (1971), The Getaway (1972) and Papillon (1973). The 1966 film The Sand Pebbles earned McQueen his only Academy Award nomination (Best Actor in a Leading Role). With the success of these films and his enormous popularity in Asia, McQueen became the world's highest paid actor of his time.
Contributing to his "King of Cool" reputation was his off-camera enthusiasm for competitive motorcycle and car racing. McQueen often performed his own driving stunts in films, including the classic chase sequences in Bullitt and The Great Escape.
Steve McQueen was married three times, with a son and daughter resulting from his first marriage to Neilie Adams. His second marriage was to his The Getaway co-star, Ali MacGraw (1973-1978). Diagnosed with cancer in 1979, Steve McQueen died from two post-surgical heart attacks on November 7, 1980.
Pierce Brosnan ... (Referenced by Veronica to Weevil in the final scene.)
Pierce Brosnan was born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland on May 16, 1953. He starred in the television show Remington Steele from 1982-1987 playing a dashing career criminal who assumes the role of the fictitious detective heading the firm. It was while playing the role of Remington Steele and melting female hearts all over the U.S. with his classic looks and devastating accent, that he was first offered the role of James Bond.
Unfortunately the producers of Remington Steele would not release him from his contract and the role of Bond went to Timothy Dalton. He was subsequently cast as James Bond in 1995 in the movie Goldeneye and continued to play the role in three subsequent Bond films before moving on. Brosnan has appeared in numerous films, including the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair and is currently enjoying critical acclaim for his role in The Matador. A devoted father and recipient of Britain's OBE, Brosnan is the quintessential movie star.
Dashing, romantic and currently working undercover -- sounds suspiciously like Logan Echolls.
- Madison referencing not liking "white goo" on her face ... how did THAT get past the censors?
- Logan is playing with a little kid right before he begins talking to Veronica at the Slushie Stand.
- Veronica's ba da bum on the booth after Logan said "emotionally unavailable women" as if delivering a gong after his joke.
- Logan still has his wallet out when Veronica gives him his change, but he puts the cash in his pocket first and then pockets his wallet.
- On the former "Mrs." Hauser's nameplate, the "Mrs." is covered up by a sheet of paper on which she has written the word "Ms." Wow, she must be really bitter about her divorce.
- The penguin statue at the Slushie Stand has a small "FBLA" badge attached to it.
- It says "LOVE" on the t-shirt Mac is wearing on her and Beaver's date. C'mon, say it with me now, "awwwww ..."
- Logan saying Newton's 2nd Law (force = mass x acceleration, Veronica's little physics lessons for him once upon a time) was tattoo-ed on his heart.
- The faint sound of a car alarm going off after Wallace purposely threw the balls away from the Dunk Tank.
- Dick oddly mesmerized by the red balloon in Principal Clemmons' office.
- When watching the video of Winter Carnival, Dick's expression of genuine pride and accomplishment at seeing himself successfully shoot the ball in the clown's mouth.
- Mac's fake aristocratic accent when saying: "Of the Boston Gasms?"
- Veronica's magician like hand movements when she is revealing JB's scheme, which are reminiscent of the ones she made in Driver Ed when she said to Jackie "poof, you're a macchiato."
- The look of absolute panic on Madison's face while JB is confessing to copying the test and Ms. Hauser is caught stealing money.
- Jackie holding Veronica's hand to help her down from the overturned wastebasket after she discovered the money Ms. Hauser had stashed above a ceiling tile.
- The meaningful look exchanged between Veronica and Principal Clemmons after he says to Ms. Hauser: "This would be a prime example of why I consider the advice of some of my students."
- Shortly after Logan kisses Hannah, he comes across Dick as he (badly) deals with his encounter with the transvestite prostitute and as Dick spits repeatedly, Logan comments, "Would that you could ... spit out the memories." The timing is close enough that one can't help but wonder that Logan was thinking of more than Dick's situation. (LoVenewbie caught this one.)
- How did JB know that his GPA was .003 of a point behind Veronica? Do they make this information public at Neptune High?
- How could JB be supposedly one of the smartest students in Neptune High, but be stupid enough to leave the test in the photocopier?
- When did Logan discover that Hannah was Dr. Griffith's daughter?
- Who is Sally and what did Dick do with her that he doesn't want anyone else to find out?
- Veronica finds what looks to be an initiation paddle with license plates carved into it. Does it belong to the Tritons or some other group, perhaps the PCHers?
- Was Logan wearing argyle to channel Duncan's All-American boy personality in order to woo Hannah or has he just run out of clothes and decided to raid his ex-roomie's wardrobe?
- What IS it with this school? Does everyone have some link to a super-computer type server at CIA headquarters that calculates your cumulative GPA with the entry of every homework grade, and stealthily reveals the standings of every student at a nanosecond's notice?
- Why do they only appear to be selling "Pep Squad Pie" at the "Pep Squad Cake & Cookie" booth?
- Where did the rest of the money go? If there was supposed to have been $12,000 raised at the time of the theft, and Weevil stole $3,000 to frame Thumper, how is it that after Veronica finds Ms. Hauser's portion of the stolen funds (which is clearly more than three grand) is there only $6,000 to go to Magic Mountain with? Even if Weevil took $3,000 for himself to buy that ugly car (and I shudder to think that it actually cost that much), wouldn't the senior class have closer to $9,000 left when all was said and done?
- Does it bother anyone else that Weevil incorporated his six-year old niece in his crimes by having her hide the cash box in the ball-pit? And on that note, did he take her with him when he was planting drugs and money in Thumper's locker?
- Will Thumper suspect Weevil as the one who set him up with the stolen cash and the pills?
- Since Veronica, Dick and Cassidy all worked the F.B.L.A.'s slushie booth, did Logan take a turn as well?
- While Terrence Cook was engaged, he had an affair with Ms. Dumass. However, the relationship quickly turned sour, and Ms. Dumass threatened that she would inform his fiance of the affair. She later made good on her promise, and the fiance called off the wedding.
- Terrence Cook owed the Fitzpatrick family millions of dollars in gambling debts, which he paid off by throwing a game in the American League Championship Series. Ms. Dumass discovered this fact and warned Terrence that if he ever left her she would sell her story to a magazine, thus ruining his endorsement deals and destroying his chance at becoming a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Terrence Cook was speaking to the minority population on behalf of Woody Goodman's incorporation plan.
- The incorporation plan would make Lamb's position as Sheriff much less influential.
- The bomb on the bus was detonated via a cell phone call.
ameriott45 (Amy): Social Science; Literature
duchessjms (Jayne): History; Literature; Social Science;
holly96 (Holly): Literature; Social Science
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Social Science; Homeroom
Krissy215 (Krissy): Social Science
Iloveyoubearymuch (Kathryn): Literature; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
Pixigal (Gerrie): Drama Club; Social Science
ramwitz (Margarita): Yearbook
SeluciaV (Alli): Journalism; Extra Credit; Literature; Social Science; Philosophy
Tar Frimmer (Joanne): Study Hall; Literature; Social Science; Homeroom; Philosophy
Original Air Date: February 08, 2006
Written by: Diane Ruggiero
Directed by: Guy Norman Bee
Grade: A-
Membership Grade: A (55.3% / 47 votes)
Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough is a brisk, breezy episode that cleverly builds on this season's two main mysteries (the bus crash and the Felix murder), all the while delivering a mystery of the week, with some relationship repair thrown in for good measure (Logan is nice to Veronica; Wallace tries to help Jackie out; Veronica doesn't turn Weevil in for his crimes).
Credited Cast Non-Appearance
Teddy Dunn - Duncan Kane
Recurring Guest Stars (Previous Episode Appearances)
Jonathan Chesner Corny
Kari Coleman - Mrs. Hauser
Valorie Curry - Jane Kuhne
Duane Daniels Principal Van Clemmons
Dana Davis - Cora
Tina Majorino - Mac
James Molina Thumper
Amanda Noret - Madison Sinclair
Rick Peters - Dr. Tom Griffith
Jeffrey D. Sams - Terrence Cook
Guest Stars
Maliah Hudson - Ophelia
Laura McLauchlin - MILF
Jake Sandvig - J.B. Riley
Jessy Schram - Hannah Griffith
Matt Thompson - Mr. Spivak
Who's Who in Neptune
Ophelia Weevil's little niece that, thanks to Weevil's influence, has quite a promising future in crime.
MILF She-man escort that was hired by Beaver to get back at Dick.
J.B. Riley Senior at Neptune High that is a member of the Tritons and Ms. Hauser's teacher's pet.
Hannah Griffith Annoyingly giggly underclassman at Neptune High. Is currently the object of Logan's attention as she happens to be the daughter of Dr. Griffith.
Mr. Spivak Mars Investigations client that hired Keith to expose an insurance fraud case.
Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough sparkles with wonderful acting performances. Is it beating a dead horse to repeat how energized the cast seems now that the deadening comababy storyline is over and Veronica is freed from the dullifying presence of Duncan? Ahem. Nonetheless, everyone is bringing their A game here -- with one notable exception listed in the lowlights.
Highlights
Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) - Bell is a delight as she playfully banters with Logan, outsnarks Madison and solves a complicated mystery with a dramatic flourish of jazz hands. Special note of commendation for her impeccable comic timing in the scene with Weevil as she shares her love ... of rollercoasters. Hee!
Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls) - And once again, Jason Dohring offers a gem of an acting performance. In a wonderful display of the depth and maturity of his acting ability, Dohring overplays the smitten suitor with just enough finesse to give off a note of sugary wrongness. This hidden agenda coupled with a classic opening Logan/Veronica banter scene cements another Dohring acting highlight.
Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars) -Colantoni pulls a back to back doubleheader as he gives another terrific performance this week. Segueing from giddy fanboy one moment to disillusioned realist the next, he energizes an important exposition-filled scene that offers new clues in the bus crash.
Tessa Thompson (Jackie Cook) - Thompson is the comeback kid as she delivers a moving acting performance this week. Although it is a blatantly manipulative attempt to redeem her character, it is effective because Thompson completely sells the part. Layering her performance with subtext and barely glimpsed layers, Thompson survives her public humiliation with grace and dignity. From an acting lowlight to an acting highlight, I give huge props to Tessa Thompson for correcting the problems in her portrayal and moving the audience from seething hatred of Jackie to grudging admiration. Extremely well done!
Lowlights
Jessy Schram (Hannah Griffith) - Schram began her career as a child model and has an extensive singing/musical theatre background but limited experience in film roles. This is readily apparent as Schram plays the role of sweet and innocent Hannah on a strictly one note level. All giggly sweetness and wide-eyed schoolgirl stereotype, her performance is jarring and distracting in an otherwise excellent episode. Bland, boring and appearing to be only 14 years old (although her bio lists her age as 19), the character of Hannah is a pace deadening scene killer.
Scene One: Rain Check ... Please! 'Twould Be Nice
With the exception of one uncalled for bit of nasty snark (despite the many stupid and/or teenage-cruel things that Logan has done, 'evil' is beyond pushing it, in liquid form or otherwise), this was by far the most enjoyable present-day interaction Logan and Veronica we've had all season. And not just because they weren't bitchy, jack-assy or all-out bitter to one another. I think this scene would have been called enjoyable at any point during their relationship (minus the LoVe-smorgasbord of Weapons of Class Destruction through A Trip to the Dentist, minus the rape accusation). Yes, it was that enjoyable.
Despite the snark, it was mostly fun snark. Veronica looked on the verge of smiling several times throughout the scene, and not the bitter, 'I can't stand you so much that I can't believe I ever let you touch me' smile we've only seen so far this season, but a genuine, 'I really shouldn't be smiling because I'm not supposed to be affected by your adorable charm anymore' smile. And Logan, well, that boy just looked like he was doing his darndest to not show how much he still adored the girl.
There he was as the scene opened, leaning (sigh!) against the slushie machine just a'starin' away with a grin on his face, followed by the flirty, "you had me at ice cold," chased after with his choice of poison being "emotionally unavailable women" (ie, one Veronica Mars). And the topper was his response to her (really, it was none of her business) almost coy question about whether he had a date or not: "Rain check?" There was just the slightest touch of flirting going on there. Yes, yes, it's coming from Logan, but the fact that he's comfortable enough in going there when he wasn't before now, shows that not only is he at a different place, but he knows that she is well.
No, it's not even remotely where any of us would want them to be at this point in the season (more than halfway through!), but there was almost a sweet gentleness in how they interacted with one another. Not quite to the degree that we were at by Mars vs. Mars last season, which was when the first thaw really began to happen. But I would compare it to An Echolls Family Christmas snark-level with the roles reversed. Back then, Veronica wasn't dishing it with much of any venom, but Logan was -- now (and it's interesting the now with Donut gone, since the venom was in full force while he was around) it's Veronica who still has more than a bit of bite to her bark. So we're getting there. Slowly. Baby steps, but we are -- FINALLY! -- beginning to see a thaw. And that was nowhere in more evidence than in the one non-snarky/flirty segment of their conversation.
As Logan casually referenced Madison's awesome pie-selling abilities, and Veronica just as casually responded, telling the tale of the how of that awesomeness, they were just talking. There was a comfort, no hidden agendas, no games -- just two people who know each other well enough to have a conversation that included no double talk. It was just ... nice. And sometimes nice is pretty damn wonderful.
Ah, it's that time of year again when the Elmer's glue is flowing and the multi-color glitter lingers on every surface, that time of the year that the Pirates know as the Senior Winter Carnival. Our intrepid heroine is working the FBLA icees and slushies booth at the aforementioned very special event, and she and Jackie are, oddly enough, commiserating over the genuine suckage of old Neptune High. Mrs. Houser -- I'm sorry, I meant MS. Hauser -- is making the collection rounds at the various booths, carting her trusty cash box. Madison continues her brown nosing and passes over a thick stack of perfectly organized bills, while Veronica struggles to sort out the wad of cash in her money bag. Reliable JB asks Ms. Hauser for her keys so that he can get supplies to repair that pesky sign that keeps falling down. (I guess one woman's reliable is another woman's glaringly suspicious.)
To liven things up, the Tritons make their annual 'tuck and run' streak through the carnival, incurring the wrath of Ms. Hauser. In her fury, she forgets that she can't stand Veronica and doesn't trust her, and hands over the cash box for safe-keeping -- despite the fact that her favorite ass-kisser, Madison, is like two feet away. Can anyone say "lame plot device?" Veronica tucks the cash box under one of the counter cabinets and proceeds to help Wallace and his "special lady friend" obtain an icy cold beverage. Hauser returns 30 seconds later to retrieve the box, and -- surprise! -- it's missing.
Clemmons joins the fray, but is more interested in making interesting eyebrow gestures and facial contortions at both Veronica and Ms. Hauser, than in actually inserting himself in the conversation. Hauser makes the usual accusations: You've ruined thirty years of tradition in three minutes (huh?); you owe the school $12,000; you're worthless and of bad parentage -- oh wait, that comes later. Veronica points out that she clearly isn't hiding a big metal box under her ugly green pleather jacket, and if they set up the metal detectors at the exits, no one should be able to leave with the box. And to help ensure that no one finds a way to open the locked box, they should make sure that all the classrooms like shop and auto, along with the janitor's closet, are locked and inaccessible.
Clemmons finally finds his voice and sends security to move the metal detectors and begin locker searches; it isn't his first day on the job you know. Madison has a far superior theory on the thief's identity though -- everyone's seen Jackie standing around the booth while black, which clearly indicates that she's the guilty party! I always knew Madison was a genius. Ms. Hauser decides that this is a plausible theory, and takes the time to point out to Jackie that plenty of people have notorious parents and they turn out to be nice people, so Jackie has no excuse. Does anyone but me see a potential lawsuit in this woman's crazy ass behavior??
Veronica sidles up to Weevil and his "date," his adorable niece Ophelia, and after a brief introduction, begins to not-so-subtly pat down Ophelia's back pack as if it is somehow a viable way to determine which Powerpuff Girl decorates the exterior. Weevil cannily points out that it isn't the Powerpuff Girl shaped like a cash box, so she can give up the pretense. He's no dummy -- the metal detectors are being moved and the word of the missing money has spread. He offers to let Veronica take a gander at what's in the backpack. She does, and of course, there's no box in sight. Weevil comments that Veronica's investigation clearly sucks if her prime suspect is a six-year old. True dat, Weevs. True dat.
Veronica goes back to the FBLA booth to find Beaver manning the icee machine, and Mac keeping him company. When she tries to give him pointers on how to de-jam the machine using the screwdriver, Beav reveals that he just lent the screwdriver to Jackie. Jackie needed a screwdriver? Veronica's off like a shot, following Jackie into the bathroom in hopes that she'll catch her red-handed, jimmying open the lock on the cash box.
Veronica approaches the bathroom door and when she hears the suspicious sounds of Jackie scraping the screwdriver against something metal, she enters and demands to know what Jackie's doing. Jackie, oddly enough, replies that she's putting on her bathing suit. And that requires a screwdriver, why? Apparently it doesn't -- she just needed the screwdriver to scratch out the lovely bit of libel on the bathroom stall door that, once upon a time, declared Jackie to be something we can only assume was unflattering. Down goes suspect number two.
As Veronica wanders the carnival she takes note of the ball-pit and seeks out Clemmons to demand that he have it emptied. It has occurred to Veronica that the ball-pit would be a perfect place for the thief to have stashed the cash box. Despite Ms. Hauser's protests, and Mr. Clemmons' doubts, they agree to empty the ball-pit. Which unfortunately yields nothing but an empty ball-pit. Hauser can't help but bitch that she can't understand why Clemmons listens to Veronica because she is JUST TROUBLE. On to Plan B.
Tanya Flynn has been taping the carnival all night for the video yearbook and has some footage that Clemmons finds interesting. They head straight to his office, where a group of suspects has been gathered, chosen due their proximity to the FBLA booth at the time of the theft. Our line-up includes Jackie, Madison, JB, Weevil, and Dick. Clemmons tells them of the mystery footage and informs them that their lockers are all being searched at this precise moment. JB wants to know how anyone will be able to tell if the money found is the money from the carnival? Hauser points out that most high-school senior's don't go around carrying $12,000 on their person. Except apparently for Dick, who never leaves home with less than $13,000. And apparently neither does Weevil. As always, Veronica has a fool-proof plan to detect the real thief: Among the cash in the box was a $50 that she collected bearing the name "Nancy" and a phone number on the back in black marker.
Everyone turns their attention to the damning video footage, which is unsurprisingly, not all that damning. We see Weevil and Ophelia (who is also apparently still a suspect because she too is being held in Clemmons' office), Veronica working the booth, Dick shooting balls into the clown's mouth (special), and Jackie wandering away from the scene of the crime. Ms. Hauser jumps on Jackie with both feet because it is clear that she was hiding something under her jacket. If by hiding, you mean carrying her towel and bikini, then yes, Jackie was hiding something. Ms. Hauser spews more vitriol about how Jackie won't get away with it, because despite her 09er zip code, trash is trash. Can I reiterate my question about the lawsuit here?
Veronica runs into Weevil again and proceeds to take a brief trip down memory lane to that special time when he and Logan spindled the car of a teacher onto the flagpole. The reason for Veronica's reminiscing is to point out that Weevil clearly has a way to access auto shop after school hours because she's assuming that cutting up a car would require access to some pretty big power tools. Weevil's unfazed and tells Veronica that her list of suspects will be long, because everyone who takes auto shop makes a copy of Mr. Dalton's keys. Rats! Foiled again!
We flash right to auto shop where Veronica and Ms. Hauser are watching, with great interest, as Clemmons flexes a little muscle (whoo, Clemmie!) and cuts the locks off of each of the classroom lockers. During his search, Clemmons finds a large wad of cash -- could it be the carnival money? Flipping through the money he spots the infamous "Nancy" $50 bill, so clearly it is, in fact, the stolen funds. Clemmons takes a quick count and is puzzled because there only appears to be about $3,000 there. Where could the rest have gone? A further search of the locker reveals a freezer bag full of pills, leading Clemmons to speculate that perhaps the other $9,000 has already been spent. Who, may you ask, does the locker of doom belong to? None other than Eduardo Orosco -- otherwise known as "Thumper." Dun, dun, DUN!
In the hallway, Veronica runs into Jackie and informs her that she has good news: She knows that Jackie didn't steal the senior trip money. And, by the way, she's about to watch Hauser squirm in her own personal hell, so if Jackie would care to join, she's welcome to partake of the humiliation. They head into Ms. Hauser's classroom in time to hear Madison whining about how lame the senior trip is going to be with only $3,000 to spend. Boo-freaking-hoo. Veronica, although loath to interrupt such stimulating conversation, says that she came across Ms. Jackie "trashy trash" in the hallway, and has discovered that although they marked Ms. Hauser's words earlier in the evening, those words appear to have morphed into some sort of false accusation. Would Ms. Hauser like the opportunity to make a sincere apology? Yeah, we didn't think so.
After performing some of that old Veronica Mars magic and getting JB to confess his crimes, Veronica notices a distinct high-heeled shoe print in the glitter on top of Ms. Hauser's desk. She grabs a trash can (because this is one of those times that being petite doesn't come in handy), turns it upside down, and uses it as a footstool so that she can reach the panels of the drop ceiling. And what does she find when she lifts the tile? Not a sweater! Instead she finds an envelope stuffed with the senior trip money. Now, what high-heel wearing individual has been traipsing around the carnival and on top of Ms. Hauser's desk?
Clemmons looks around and spots that Ms. Hauser is the only high-heel clad member of this little group and asks to see the bottom of her shoes, which are, of course, covered in glitter. It means nothing, Ms. Hauser protests, because she's been walking through the glitter all day. Veronica points out that while that proves that Ms. Hauser had fancy shoes while skimming from the cash box, it doesn't make her innocent. Clemmons clearly agrees and suggests that he and Ms. Hauser move their, um, conversation into his office. And then cagily remarks to Ms. Hauser that this is exactly why he has been known to consider the advice of some of his students. Particularly blond ones with a sharp intellect and even sharper investigative skills.
The next day, Veronica is waiting for Weevil when he pulls up to school in some green monstrosity that is apparently his new ride. When Weevil gets out, Veronica wants to tell him a story called "How Weevil Got His New Car." Remember Veronica's story about the name and number on the back of the $50 bill? Well, apparently she made that story up. Weevil's impressed; our girl has definitely got skill. Veronica's figured out most of the details surrounding Weevil's clever plan, but is dying to know -- where did he hide the cash box?
And here's where the funny comes in. Taking his cues from The Thomas Crown Affair, he hid the cash box in the two places Veronica actually looked. First, he stashed it in Ophelia's backpack. Then he had Ophelia take it into the ball pit and hide it because he knew Veronica would want to search the backpack. Once she was done with her search, Ophelia retrieved the cash box for Uncle Eli, it went back in the backpack, and Weevil went off to frame Thumper. Of course, there was the little wrinkle where he had to go back and add the incriminating "Nancy" note, but all in all, everything went according to plan.
And now Weevil has one question for Veronica: Is it love or just plain lust that kept her from turning him in? Love, she tells him. Love of roller coasters and theme parks, and hatred for anything that requires her to go boating with her classmates. It has nothing to do with him. Don't listen to her Weevil -- we all know she loves ya. And so say all of us!
- As Veronica works the F.B.L.A.'s Snow Cone/Slushie booth, she notes all the couples walking by and thinks that entry to the Carnival must be required the same as if it were Noah's Ark, i.e. two by two. Minus any customers at the moment, Veronica leans on the counter, obviously bored out of her mind. (Don't worry, that's about to change!) Said boredom causes her to miss what's going on behind her, which is infinitesimally more interesting than watching the non-speaking extras stroll by.
Standing beside the slushie booth, Logan is briefly seen entertaining a little boy, who then runs off to play elsewhere so that Logan can turn his attention to the true blonde of his dreams. He leans against the side of the booth and watches Veronica, smiling as she half-heartedly tries to get people to buy some "ice cold frozen sugar water." Unable to resist the opening, Logan tells her that she had him "at ice cold." Finally noticing Logan standing there, she asks him what's his poison. Coming around to the front of the booth, he snarks "emotionally unavailable women." Ba-da-bum, Veronica drums on the counter.
Looking at the beverage choices before him, Logan tries to determine what's going to fit his mood. Also unable to resist the opening, Veronica snarks apologetically that they're all out of liquid evil. Logan smiles and says he'll take two of anything that will turn his tongue blue. (Aww, is Logan feeling blue today? Maybe he's figured out that the argyle and the haircut were not the best choices.) Possibly realizing the allure of a tongue-turned-blue, Veronica asks him if he's got a hot date. He smiles back at her with a "rain check?" As she pours him some blue slushies, he claims it's just a night with the fellas.
Getting out his wallet, Logan hears Madison over at the Pep Squad booth, perkily selling pies to a crowd of people. He remarks that people really love Pep Squad Pie, but Veronica explains the true genius of it. Madison's dad buys $40 pies from a chichi bakery and then drops three bills to buy it back in front of an audience, all to prove how much he looooves his little Madison.
Logan pays for his drinks with a $50 bill, reminding her how the rich do mock her. Playing into the comment, she acts perplexed that $50 bills actually exist. Logan jokes that he had them made special. Pocketing his change, Logan notices people behind him, waiting to buy drinks and decides that the hoi polloi don't know what they want until he has it. Smiling a bit, he leaves with his drinks.
- During free study period, Ms. Hauser asks J.B. Riley, student council member, to help Veronica by getting her the decorations for the F.B.L.A.'s Carnival booth. J.B. momentarily resists the idea of helping his self-proclaimed nemesis, explaining that he's a mere .003 points behind her in the valedictorian race to get the coveted Kane scholarship. Dismissing J.B.'s delusions of being a worthy nemesis, she shockingly wonders if this means she and Madison have broken up. (Don't worry, Veronica. Unless a drastic personality transplant is lurking somewhere in Ms. Sinclair's future, I think your relationship will continue on as strong as it is now.)
Later, Winter Carnival going strong, Veronica works the F.B.L.A. booth and is gathering her cash for Ms. Hauser when J.B. walks up to ask for her classroom keys. It seems all the bouncing at the Bounce House is causing the sign to fall down and it's Super Reliable J.B. to the rescue! Only he needs the staple gun from Ms. Hauser's class, so she gives him the keys, crowing about how totally awesome and reliable he is, with a pointed glare at Veronica that speaks volumes.
As Veronica hands Ms. Hauser the money she's collected, apologizing for its stickiness, a group of masked streakers run by, to the cheers and laughter of many. Ah, it's the annual Triton Run, lack of clothing not optional for the pledges. Dick applauds with a "Good job" thrown in for the boys. Ms. Hauser is annoyed (shocking, I know!) and distracted by the brouhaha. Wallace and his special lady friend, Jane, walk up to Veronica and he complains about having to be exposed to this sort of thing on his date. (Oh, come on, Wallace. I'm sure Jane didn't peek a bit.) Veronica concludes that he's just not a fan of the Tritons' Tuck-and-Run.
Sneaking around in the school administration office, that night, Veronica goes to use the copy machine and notices that somebody left a paper on the glass. She turns the paper over and reads:
Highly amused by this surprising turn of events, Veronica folds up the piece of paper and continues about her sneaky business.
A short while later, in Ms. Hauser's classroom, Veronica hands the snotty teacher the Health Test paper, explaining that she'd just discovered it on the copy machine. Ms. Hauser then demands to know where Veronica found her exam. Really, is there anything more annoying than being asked a question you just answered all of three seconds earlier? Veronica wonders the same and repeats slowly that she found it On. The. Copy. Machine. Asking Jackie if she's still speaking English, Jackie confirms that at least she can understand the words coming out of Veronica's mouth.
Clueing in on the fact that Veronica was in the administration office after hours (yet again), Clemmons asks her what she was doing at the copy machine. "Making coffee." Heh. Ms. Hauser insists the exam is locked up in her filing cabinet only to have Veronica point out the obvious fact that it isn't. Since no one else seems to be thinking logically or clearly at the moment, Veronica gets the ball rolling with the pertinent questions. Who had access to the filing cabinet? Who knows Hauser's copy machine code? And the answer to both isHauser's office aide, good ol' Super Reliable J.B.
Veronica takes this opportunity to remind everyone that J.B. borrowed the classroom keys earlier in the day. Playing the role of the unjustly accused, J.B. turns things around and accuses Veronica of planting it in order to sabotage her closest competition for the Kane scholarship. Because that's the kind of thing she does, according to Mr. Reliable. Taking this as a compliment to her skills of magic and wonder, Veronica grandly hypes her next trick will be to take J.B. out into the hallway, where she will speak a few magic words, which will lead to him coming back in to confess. J.B. is skeptical, but follows her out to the hall, anyway.
Now alone with her "nemesis," Veronica tells him what a bold move it was for him to make the copy of the test right under Ms. Hauser's nose. She explains that J.B. obviously knew the streakers would be keeping Hauser busy at exactly 4pm. As she reminds him that she took pictures of last year's Triton initiation ceremony, she opens up her laptop and presents him with a picture from that night, showing Duncan, J.B. and another pledge, all in their ceremonial cloaks. Veronica informs him that, even though she made a promise to a certain Triton to keep his secret safe, he's long-gone now so all bets are off. When Veronica warns him that a check of the copy machine log will show Ms. Hauser's code was used around 4:03-4:04pm, J.B. insists she's bluffing because the copier can't do that. (Man, calling her bluff is so not a good idea. Really. Trust me on this.)
Veronica lets J.B. know he really has only two options at this point: 1) He can call her bluff (Dude, bad idea. Baaad.) and she can post the picture and expose the Tritons on J.B.'s soon-to-be-created home page or 2) he can walk back into the classroom and confess.
J.B. and Veronica return to the classroom and, showing his first signs of intelligence this episode, J.B. confesses to stealing the exam. Ta-da! The Amazing Veronica demonstrates her magical prowess once again to the utter dismay of Ms. Hauser and Madison. Wracked with disbelief, Ms. Hauser tells J.B. not to do this just because Veronica threatened him in any way; he shouldn't let Veronica scare him. J.B. insists that he really did take the test.
- Dick is hanging out with Logan, who's brought him his blue slushie. Dick's demonstrating his skills at shooting balls into a clown's mouth, when he spots Cassidy and Mac walking through the Carnival, cozily holding hands. He wonders if he's drunk, but Logan tries to help by telling Dick that he's just "special." Seemingly irritated, Dick asks what the Beav is doing getting snuggly with "that chick from Ghost World." Dude, you dated Madison. Speak not of other's relationship choices. Ever.
Later, we see a more positive reaction to the couple when Veronica finds the lovebirds hanging out back at the F.B.L.A. booth. Cassidy is fiddling with a machine, while Mac sits there smiling adoringly at him. Veronica, trying not to grin too much, asks "Mackie" what she's doing back there. Nearly giggling out her response (in the totally adorable non-Hannblah type of way), Mac says she's keeping Beaver company. At hearing this, Cassidy gets the most adorable little smile on his face as he throws a slightly embarrassed glance at Veronica. When Veronica says that it sounds like fun, Mac giggles and agrees with her, "That's because it is." (And again I have to say, MacGiggle = adorable, HannblahGiggle = fatal sugar shock.)
Once again walking hand-in-hand through the Carnival, Mac asks Cassidy if they're winning the contest to see which couple can hold hands the longest. Cassidy smiles and says he just doesn't want to lose her in the crowd. Mac giggles again. (Not like Hanoh, you know the drill by now.) The giggling comes to an abrupt end as Dick and a couple of his non-speaking extras walk up. What a buzz kill.
Cassidy instantly tenses up, knowing what to expect from his brother. Dick asks to be introduced to Mac, saying the two of them are cute, like two gerbils in love. Getting angry, Cassidy tells him to stop. Dick, as usual, ignores him, saying it's his time to give the big brother speech. Mac insists that Cassidy's just fine, but Dick persists in warning Mac to hold back a little if she's going to take his little brother's virginity. Cassidy shows remarkable restraint in simply calling him an ass. Dick (again) ignores him and advises Mac she should be gentle and sweet and not try any tricks with Cassidy. He points out that he knows his brother's hands are dripping with sweat right now and Mac's probably really grossed out by that, but it's cool that she's hanging in there anyway. Embarrassed, Cassidy drops Mac's hand, which only causes Dick to point out that he was right about the slippery hands. Dick and his non-speaking compadres take off, leaving Cassidy to stew.
That night, Dick is talking to Madison when he spots Cassidy and Mac out in the parking lot together. Cassidy's sitting behind Mac as they laugh over something they're looking at on her laptop. Dick gripes to Madison that his little brother's obviously learned nothing from him and that he's acting like a "neutered eunuch nerd drone." Madison laughs at this because, well, she's a bitch. And just what is it that Cassidy and Mac are finding so amusing? They're looking at the website for PremiereEscorts.biz and giggling over one particular escort's name, "Bambi Gasm." Whatever could they be up to?
Walking up to Madison in the parking lot, later, Dick asks her if she's interested in a quickie in his car. She turns him down, explaining that she's no longer into quickies with younger men. She's moved on to "longies" with older men. (Methinks Dick's namesake hast just been insulted.) Shrugging it off after she leaves, Dick suddenly notices an older woman in a dress standing across the parking lot. She has her foot up on the back of a car, adjusting one of her thigh highs. Instantly on the prowl, Dick approaches her. When she starts to speak of the bad things about thigh highs, Dick corrects her that there's nothing bad about them.
A little quick flirting ensues while the woman explains that she's there to pick up her daughter. Dick, thinking he's oh-so-smooth, questions if she doesn't actually mean her sister. To which the woman explains that it's actually her stepdaughter. She likes to marry older men and then fool around with the younger ones. "Niiiiice," Dick agrees. Since she has a half hour to kill, Dick's mystery lady suggests that he would probably be fantastic at killing time. Well, Dick's all over that, so he opens up his truck and they climb inside.
Some time later, Dick jumps out of the truck, his jacket off, spitting angrily and demanding of his MILF, "What the hell was that?! What is that?!" The (not a) lady asks him what he calls his. Hmm. Is this the point where Dick tells her his name? Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but shouldn't that have been asked before getting into the truck?
Regardless, across the parking lot, Dick has an amused audience of Logan, Mac and Cassidy. Mac and Cassidy are sitting on the hood of her Beetle, lighters raised in the air, laughing at Dick's embarrassment. Realizing the two of them set him up with the transsexual, Dick stomps over to them, full of rage. Mac jumps out of the way as Dick grabs Cassidy and throws him back on to her car, fist in air, ready to punch him. But Cassidy's ready for him with a few well-chosen words of warning that he'll suffer worse if he hits him. "You remember Sally?" Looking completely unsettled, Dick lets go and walks away, still trying to, as Logan puts it, "spit out the memories."
- Keith has a meeting with a client who is fighting an injury-related lawsuit. The client says the guy claims to be in such pain he can't get out of bed, but the client's son has seen him three times at The Speed Zone go-kart track, so he has no intention of paying the settlement. Keith is waiting for a fax from the insurance company handling the case, which he appears to have received just as he notices Terrence waiting for him.
- Corny and Weevil are in study period, preparing for an exam Ms. Hauser was planning to give the next week. It's worth 30% of their grade.
- Dick once had a napkin autographed by O.J. Simpson at the Claim Jumper.
- Jackie and Cora are in French Club, which is the group they are representing at Winter Carnival.
- Weevil brings his adorable little 6-year-old niece, Ophelia, to the Carnival. He asks her if she wants 50 balloons or popcorn and ice cream. She chooses balloons. He tickles her and teases her that then she'll be crying to Uncle Eli that she's hungry. (Aww, this really is a kinder, gentler Weevil.) When he buys her a hot pink balloon, Thumper stalks by and thumps it. (He's a balloon thumper! That's how he got his name! Ok, not really.)
- Veronica mentions the Tritons in front of Jane.
- Dick works the slushie booth, too, at some point during the Carnival.
- Jane is carrying a stuffed panda.
As Jackie departs Neptune High, we can't help but notice that she has transformed from an attractive girl getting whistles and cat-calls for her high-priced 09er looks, to an attractive girl getting cat-called about her father, the alleged murderer who blew up her classmates. Due to the distracting nature of the pitchforks and torches being wielded by her peers, Jackie doesn't hear her friend Cora trying to get her attention.
Jackie has a few existential questions she's hoping Cora can help with: Does being the daughter of an alleged murderer constitute her 15 minutes of fame? And, if so, what could she wear to the winter carnival that would be appropriate? Despite Cora's protests that no one actually expects her to go, Jackie apparently is willing to sacrifice her pride for the sake of the French club. Pardon me if I'm still struggling a bit with the whole "Jackie has a soul" revelation. Bitchy McBitch (aka Madison) informs Jackie that not only does she not have to go, the world would prefer it if she didn't -- because in high school, that type of grand gesture just ruins the whole evening. Gee Madison, Jackie replies, ruining the carnival is at the core of her evil plan. That, and the fact that she doesn't want to miss the group sing at the "Shake Shack."
Waiting in the Mars Investigations "lounge," desperately seeking Keith's help is none other than baseball great Terrence "Hi, I'm Jackie's Dad" Cook. He doesn't have an appointment, but Keith will see him for a consult if he's willing to wait for a few minutes while Keith deals with the annoying guy in his office concerned about insurance fraud.
Terrence explains that he needs Keith to take on the Sheriff's department because Lamb is using him as a scapegoat in the bus crash. And based on what he knows of Keith's history, and his skills as a novelist, he knows that Keith is the only man for the job. Terrence goes on to explain that part of Lamb's hatred stems from the fact that he sees Terrence as Woody's ally because Terrence has been speaking to the minority population in Neptune on behalf of Woody's grand incorporation plan. This bothers Lamb because if Neptune is incorporated, he becomes merely the 'hayseed who hands out speeding tickets on the way out of town.' Plus, I'm pretty sure Lamb is jealous of Terrence's formidable arm muscles and elegant style. Keith still doesn't really understand Terrence's concern because Lamb has done all he can at this point. I mean, without some kind of evidence, there's nothing to tie Terrence to the bus crash, right? I said, "Right?" Turns out there's a little more to the story than that.
As we know, Terrence was at the ballpark the day of the crash talking to Woody about doing color commentary for the Sharks this season, and he was there at the same time the students were. Terrence did the star athlete thing and signed some balls and jerseys, which in and of itself isn't incriminating. The catch is that Lamb now says that the forensic investigators found cell-phone and baseball fragments imbedded in the body of the bus driver. Lamb contends that Terrence planted a ball with the bomb in one of the kid's bags and then detonated it using his cell phone. And now it's up to Keith to prove that Terrence didn't make that call!
Keith offers Terrence a beer, not just out of the goodness of his heart, but in order to fulfill a lifetime fantasy to share a brew with one of his baseball heroes. And after they are done with the beers, Keith declares with an adorable grin that he and Terrence are gonna go play catch in the parking lot. Hee! Keith reminisces about all of his favorite Terrence Cook baseball moments, showing his true fanboy heart. They drink a toast to Terrence's continued career in the majors, and after sharing a friendly moment, Keith shocks Terrence when he asks about his secret relationship with the journalism teacher who died in the crash, Ms. Dumass. Terrence is momentarily taken aback because he's clearly forgotten why he came to Keith in the first place -- his incredible super-sleuth skills and wily ways. Hey, his name's on the door for a reason, buddy. Although Keith is sympathetic to Terrence's loss, he needs to make it clear that Terrence is going to have to be a bit more honest about things if he wants Keith to take on his case.
Several beers later, Terrence tells Keith his tale of woe involving his "fatal attraction" style affair with Ms. Dumass. Although he was engaged at the time, he indulged in a clearly ill advised one-night-stand with Ms. Dumass. He mistakenly thought that was the end of things, but oh no, it was only the beginning. Ms. Dumass apparently followed Terrence to Neptune and took the teaching job at the high school in an effort to stay close to him. And then the threats began, and things got really interesting. Either Terrence would tell the fianc that the engagement was off and the relationship over, or Ms. Dumass would handle it personally. And did, apparently. So Terrence lost his fianc and gained a crazy stalker. In perfect Keith style, the super sleuth points out that a secret tumultuous relationship with a teacher that died in the bus crash smells suspiciously like a motive.
A few more beers later, Keith is regaling Terrence with some of his proudest fan moments, like the time he nearly killed himself to retrieve one of Terrence's three career home run balls. Terrence decides that it's probably long past time to call an end to their male bonding session, and he should probably call himself a cab. But before he goes, he just wants to make sure that Keith is taking his case. Well, that depends -- is there anything else Terrence would like to confess? He swears no, that he's told Keith everything. With a knowing nod, Keith declines to help.
Terrence is clearly surprised, and when he asks why, Papa Mars tells him that it's because Terrence hasn't come completely clean yet. Terrence looks confused again. Keith motions him to sit and pulls up an audio file for Terrence's listening enjoyment: It's a recording of the conversation that Terrence had several weeks ago with Lamb in which he reveals, albeit indirectly, that he's got some gambling issues and has dealings with shady people.
Clearly Terrence redefines the term "slow learner" when he asks if there is anything Keith doesn't know. Didn't Papa Mars already show you once tonight that there's nothing you can hide from him? Terrence caves and tells Keith that Leslie (Ms. Dumass) was at his place once when a couple of Fitzpatricks came into his house intending to collect a large sum of money. Apparently Leslie overheard part of the conversation, if you can call it that, between Terrence and the Fitzp's that would ruin his career. And, angel that she is, Ms. Dumass threatened to take the story to the press if Terrence ever tried to leave her.
What on earth could possibly be that bad? Keith asks in a moment of sheer stupidity all his own. To quote a fellow mod: Doesn't he know you don't say stuff like that on this show without an anvil falling from the sky? Terrence reiterates that he has a gambling problem (duh), he got in pretty deep (double duh), and that he did some things that he isn't proud of (you don't say!). But the worst of the worst is that he threw the 4th game of the ACLS -- and THAT, boys and girls, is the axe that Ms. Dumass had been hanging over Terrence's neck. Poor Keith is so clearly disillusioned by this confession, but really, what did he think Terrence was gonna say?
Despite this terrible confession, and because he is such a great man, Keith agrees to take Terrence's case on anyway for $50 an hour, plus expenses. Why? Because regardless of the gambling and the lying and the cheating, Keith knows that Terrence wouldn't have killed a bus full of kids for anything.
- At the carnival, Logan attempts to play some dumb frog game while chatting up some lame, giggling, blond pre-schooler. The LoVe shippers begin to see red, but are instantly put at ease when our Logan casually mentions that he has Newton's Second Law of Motion tattooed over his heart. Sigh! So he plays and indulges in some seriously over-the-top saccharine flirting with the preschooler before winning a prize. He chooses a bunny because the "I wuv you beary much" bear has a grander purpose in his life and he wouldn't dream of sullying it with this non-person. Clearly, Logan is up to something. And for what it's worth, the preschooler's name is Hannah. But don't expect any of us shippers to refer to her as such.
Some time later, Logan has come across the preschooler again while she's separated from her herd, and indulges in some more sickly sweet flirting that comes across like nails-on-the-proverbial-chalkboard to the audience -- and let's just leave it at that. But let me just say for the record that I think any girl on the planet who says that she's not interested in "playing" with Logan Echolls is clearly either crazy or lying. I mean, even with the less-than-flattering military hair and the equally unflattering green argyle sweater (what is UP with that?), our boy is still too hot for words. We later see them again bantering in the moon bounce where the preschooler reveals that she's never had a date because she's waiting for something special. To quote my favorite 09er, "And I mean this: Awwww."
Logan is walking the preschooler out to where she's catching her ride, and apparently they've made plans for a date on Saturday night. ACK! GAG! The aforementioned ride pulls up just in time to spare us all from a bout of vomiting, and she hops into the car with her Daddy. Logan ducks down to say hi to Dad and two very important things are revealed: 1) The preschooler's proud papa is none other than Logan's fake 'witness' to the Felix murder; and 2) Logan appears to have known this all along. And now the last 50 minutes of gag-inducing behavior with this bland child make perfect sense (well, at least on this show): Logan sought out and is using Hannah in some way to get to her Daddy with the express intent of clearing his name. And we all breathe a sigh of glorious relief.
- Weevil puts the cash box in his niece's backpack. (Read detailed breakdown.)
- Weevil writes the name "Nancy" on the back of a $50. (Read detailed breakdown.)
LoVe Lines
Veronica Mars Voiceover: Two-by-two. Apparently you can only enter the carnival as if it were the ark.
Veronica: Slushies! Get your ice-cold frozen ... sugar water.
Logan: (Who had been watching Veronica with a smile.) You had me at ice cold.
Veronica: What's your poison?
Logan: Ah, emotionally unavailable women. (Eyes list of flavors.) Let's see, uh, I want something that suits my mood.
Veronica: Ooh, I'm sorry, we're all out of liquid evil.
Logan: I'll take two of whatever will turn my tongue blue.
Veronica: Hot date? (Goes to get slushies)
Logan: Rain check? (Veronica sends a look his way.) Night with the fellas, you know how it is. (Looks over at Madison's booth.) Boy, people really love pep squad pie.
Veronica: It's genius. Madison's dad gives her forty bucks to buy a pie from some chichi bakery, then drops three bills to buy it back in front of a live studio audience. He loves her. (Sets slushies on table in front of Logan.)
Logan: Oh, the rich. How they mock you. (Hands Veronica a bill.)
Veronica: (Looking at the bill.) There's a fifty dollar bill?
Logan: I had them made special. (Veronica counts out change and hands it to Logan. He mouths "thank you" and then looks over shoulder at people in line behind him) The hoi polloi. They don't know what they want until I have it.
Quotable Quotes
Madison: JB, you need to relax with the Elmer's. Do I look like I enjoy being covered in white goo?
Veronica: Mr. Pope said you have some decorations for the FBLA booth?
Ms. Hauser: (To JB) JB? Could you go get the hills?
JB: Who, me? Help her? (Points to Veronica) She's my nemesis. (Leaves room)
Veronica: (To Madison) His nemesis? Um, did we break up?
Veronica: Oh, Madison, you have a little ... (Gestures to nose)
Madison: What, brown? Because I'm a brown noser?
Veronica: No, glitter. Because you're a fairy princess.
Madison: (To Jackie) You're not really going. Even you're not that tacky.
Jackie: School carnival? Me, you, and the Shake Shack doing a little "You're the one that I want?" I am so there.
Dick: (Shooting balls into a clown's mouth) I am so good at this game.
Logan: Shooting in a clown's mouth. Your future's bright, Dick.
Dick: (Looking toward Mac and Beaver) Dude, am I drunk?
Logan: No, dude, you're just special.
Dick: Then why is the Beav all snuggly with that chick from Ghost World?
Jackie: This school genuinely sucks.
Veronica: True dat.
Veronica: It's not a carnival until somebody shows butt cheek. (Puts cash box in cabinet.)
Wallace: I'm out here with my special lady friend, and I gotta see that.
Veronica: Not a big fan of the Tritons annual tuck and run?
Madison: (Sneering at Jackie.) We all saw her ... lurking around.
Jackie: Lurking? Ah, you mean standing while black?
Logan: (Approaching the 'Leap Frog' game booth.) So I'm not actually leaping frogs myself?
Hannah: Uh, you don't take physics, do you?
Logan: (Clearly reminiscing about Veronica, sigh.) I have a tattoo of Newton's Second Law right on my heart.
Veronica: (Sitting on the bench with Weevil.) Hey, who's your date?
Weevil: This is Ophelia, my niece. (Talking to Ophelia and gesturing towards Veronica.) This is Veronica.
Veronica: (To Ophelia.) Nice backpack. You like the Powerpuff Girls, huh? (She begins to not-so-discreetly pat down the backpack.) Which one is this?
Weevil: She's the one not shaped like a metal cashbox.
Weevil: (To Veronica.)You know, your case must really suck if your prime suspect is a six-year old.
Terrence: The Sheriff is using me as a scapegoat. And if there's anyone fit to take on the Sheriff's Department, it's you. I read your book Mr. Mars. I couldn't put it down.
Keith: Yeah, well, if you read it carefully, you might remember the famous guy went to jail in the end of that one.
Veronica: Whatcha doing back there Mackie?
Mac: Keepin' Beaver company.
Veronica: (With mild sarcasm.) That sounds fun.
Mac: (Grinning hugely at Beaver.) That's 'cause it is.
Veronica: (To Jackie in the bathroom stall after hearing scraping noises.) Jackie, what are you doin'?
Jackie: Changing into my bathing suit.
Veronica: That doesn't usually require a screwdriver.
Dick: (Approaching Mac and Beaver.) Hey, aren't you going to introduce us? Wow, you guys are cute. Aren't they?! Like gerbils in love.
Beaver: Dick, don't.
Dick: Chill, Beav. I get to give the big brother speech here. I'm just looking out for you.
Mac: You don't have to worry. He'' fine.
Dick: Yeah, good hands?! 'Cause you got to take it easy on my bro. If you're going to pop his cherry, hold back a little.
Beaver: You're such an ass.
Dick: Don't go bustin' out any tricks. Go gentle and sweet. You don't want to spook him. Like right now I know his hands are just dripping with sweat and you are so completely grossed out, but you're hangin' in. I dig that. (Beaver pulls his hand from Mac's.) Oops, see how it just slipped right out. You gotta work on that, bro.
JB: Even if you found money, there's really no way of proving that it's the stolen money.
Ms. Hauser: Not a lot of people carry $12 grand on them.
Dick: Uh, I never leave the house without $13,000.
Dick: (Watching Cassidy.) Oh, look at him. Have I taught him nothing? He's like some neutered eunuch nerd ... drone.
Beaver : (Looking at PremiereEscorts.biz website and giggling with Mac.) Bambi Gasm.
Mac: (Snobbish voice.) Of the Boston Gasms?
Beaver : One would hope.
Weevil: (As Veronica approaches him and Ophelia.) Whoah, sorry, but I can't let you frisk me. She's at an impressionable age.
Veronica: Look what I found. Miss Trashy Trash. We marked your words before, and I don't know if you know this, but they formed this like, totally false accusation. I know. Yikes! I figured you might welcome the opportunity to apologize.
Mrs. Hauser: (To Jackie) You didn't steal the money. I'm sorry.
Veronica: Totally worth it. (Pulls paper out of her bag.) I found this in the copy machine.
Ms. Hauser: Where did you get this? This is my exam!
Veronica: In the. Copy. Machine. Am I still speaking English?
Veronica: And for my next trick, I will take JB into the hallway, whisper a few magic words, and when we return he'll confess.
JB: Yeah, yeah, like that'll happen.
Veronica: Don't oversell it JB, people will think you're a mark. Step right this way.
Veronica: Well, here's your choice. You can call my bluff and we'll all find out exactly what the copy machine can do. Of course, if you choose that option I'm posting this Triton's photo on your homepage -- I've heard what happens to Tritons who reveal their secrets.
JB: I don't have a home page.
Veronica: You will. Then, there's option two: Confession. Reveal your secret powers.
JB: (Back in the classroom with everyone) I stole the test.
Veronica: Ta da!!
Veronica: (Reaching into the ceiling) This isn't a sweater. All right, cash! How'd you know?
Clemmons: How did you know to look up there?
Veronica: I have to say, I grossly underestimated the usefulness of glitter. (Glances at the floor) Look at that -- practically a perfect footprint.
Jackie: Shouldn't be too hard to find, there're not that many people who wear heels to a carnival.
Clemmons: Would you mind lifting up your foot, Mrs. Hauser?
Mrs. Hauser: You know, I've been walking in that glitter all day. You can see it's everywhere around my desk. (Lifts foot in a huff)
Veronica: So your shoes were very fancy when you were skimming off the top of the cash box. My guess is, Mrs. Hauser helped herself to a few bills long before she ever gave me the money.
Clemmons: Maybe we should take this into my office. (Walks out the door with Hauser, glances back at Veronica.) This would be a prime example of why I consider the advice of some of my students.
Veronica: Buck up, Maddy. Senior trip is back on, sister, six grand! We're Magic Mountain bound. Oh! You know there's this ride called the Viper, right? Isn't that, like, your mother ship?
Dick: Ma - di - son. What you up to, girl? Feel like heading to my car for a quickie?
Madison: I've moved on to older men, Dick. Fewer quickies, more longies.
Dick: What is that? What the hell do you call that?
MiLF: What do you call yours?
Logan: Would that you could spit out the memories?
Keith: (To Terrence.) You knocked the hell out of that ball. I'm in the stands. Climbin' over people. I'm under seats. And by the time I got it, I was covered in old beer and mustard and battered and bruised. I'm telling you, its not easy being a fan.
Terrence: I threw a game. It was game four of the ACLS. Three run homer Baylor hit off me. Seventy mile per hour curveball. No break. Pure meat. Leslie heard all about it. That pitch erased millions. Then baseball players didn't make what they make today.
Keith: I was almost at that game. But Veronica got chicken pox. I was glued to my TV with my jersey and foam finger. A grown man. Pretty silly, huh? You know what's even more silly? The superstitious fan in me thought we lost the game because I wasn't there. I even felt a little guilty. I let you guys down. I thought there is always next year. But you guys never made it back. (Pausing.) Fifty dollars an hour plus expenses.
Terrence: You'll take my case? Why?
Keith: You're Terrence Cook. You wouldn't kill a bus full of kids. I still believe that.
Weevil: So was it your undying love for me or good old fashioned lust?
Veronica: Kay?
Weevil: That kept you from turning me in.
Veronica: Love. Of roller coasters. And hatred of anything that requires me to wear a sweater over my shoulder and be at sea with my classmates. Nothing to do with you.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough ... (Referenced by the episode title.)
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a classic R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson in 1966. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell for the Tamla (Motown) label. According to Gaye, Ashford, and Simpson, Terrell was a little nervous and intimidated during recording because she hadn't rehearsed the lyrics. During her first verse, she looked at the lyrics as she sang "no matter where you are", but eventually became comfortable because of Gaye's lead. "Ain't No Mountain" peaked at #19 on the Billboard pop charts, and went to #3 on the R&B charts.
This original version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, was a breezy and romantic love song that became the signature duet between Gaye and Terrell. Its success led to a string of more Ashford/Simpson penned duets (including "You're All I Need to Get By" and "Your Precious Love"). The Gaye/Terrell version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and is regarded today as one of the most important records ever released by Motown.
The song became a hit a second time in 1970, when a cover by fellow Motown artist Diana Ross became a number-one hit on the Billboard pop chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
The lyrics are:
- Listen, baby
Ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low
Ain't no river wide enough, baby
If you need me, call me
No matter where you are, no matter how far
Don't worry baby
Just call my name
I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry
Cause baby
CHORUS:
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe
Remember the day I set you free
I told you you could always count on me darlin'
From that day on I made a vow
I'll be there when you want me
Some way, some how
Cause baby
CHORUS
Oh no darlin'
No wind, no rain
Or winter's cold can stop me baby
Nah nah baby
Cause you are my home
If you're ever in trouble
I'll be there on the double
Just send for me
Oh, baby
My love is alive
Way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I'll be there on the double
Just as fast as I can
Don't you know that
CHORUS and fade
According to Elmers.com, the well-known glue with the famously orange twisty-top, is "America's favorite all-purpose glue. Perfect for school projects, crafts, and light home repair. Works on a variety of materials -- a must-have for the kitchen, den, workshop and garage." And it's also fun to pour a whole bunch of it onto your palm, let it dry and then pull it off slowly. Heeheehee.
FBLA ... (Referenced in the class for which Veronica is boothing for at the Winter Carnival.)
The (for some reason) ultra-trendy elective class for the 09ers -- I mean, seriously, WHY are Logan and Dick (DICK!?!) in this class? -- has its origins in the FLBA-PBL, ie, the Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda. It's an international career and technical student organization with headquarters in Reston, Virginia. The organization is non-profit (again, DICK?!?) and designed to help high school, middle school and college students transition to the business world. (For the last time ... DICK!?!)
Six Flags Magic Mountain ... (Referenced as the less expensive class trip option.)
Opening in 1971 in Valencia, California, the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park features 16 world-class roller coasters and over 100 other rides, games and attractions. As of 2005, the park is tied with Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, for the record of most roller coasters in one amusement park. The rides include Batman: The Ride, Colossus (tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the West), Goliath (255 feet high with one of the world's tallest drops), Superman: The Escape (41 stories high, with speeds from 0 to 100 mph in 7 seconds!), and Viper (tallest vertical loop in the world).
The park has a year-round exotic bird show, a Warner Brothers Kids Club game show and plays hosts to various events, such as the California Cheerleading Championships, Purimfest, and educational events like Physics Day, Math & Science Students' Day and Career Days.
Over the years, the Magic Mountain theme park has been featured in several movies and television shows, including National Lampoon's Vacation, as "Wally World," the ultimate destination of the Griswolds' family trip.
Catalina Island ... (Referenced as Madison's choice of locale for the Senior class trip.)
Located 22 miles from the coast of Los Angeles, the island is a popular resort containing many activities including bicycling, boating, fishing, golf, parasailing and scuba diving. The main city is Avalon which hosts shops and nightlife.
Batman the Ride ... (Referenced by Madison to Weevil regarding his Magic Mountain-Senior-Trip wish.)
Batman (the ride) is a roller coaster at all Six Flags theme parks. The ride is 2,700 feet, goes 50 mph, and features ski lift style seating (chairs hang under the track), and according to Sixflags.com, "Riders fly at intense speeds countless times over the outside of hairpin turns, vertical loops, a corkscrew and a one-of-a-kind zero-gravity heartline spin with nothing but air beneath their dangling feet."
If the ride were as they said, I totally can imagine it causing someone to become sick or, as Madison so eloquently put it, "Throw up hot dogs." But from personal experience, I gotta say that Batman the ride is just okay. It was fast and smooth. Nothing super scary. Very run of the mill. The most memorable thing about it was the three hour line I had to wait in and the $3 bottle of water I got from the machine outside its station.
O.J. (Simpson) ... (Referenced by Dick as the restaurant in which he got a napkin autographed by O.J. Simpson.)
Prior to 1994, OJ (Orenthal James) Simpson or "The Juice" lived a charmed life. He was a renowned running back, winning the Heisman Trophy, playing for both the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers, earning All-Pro honors 5 times, and, later, being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Even now, many consider him to be one of the greatest running backs of all time.
He also was, not a good actor, but *an* actor. Okay, so maybe even actor is still a wee bit of an overestimation. Simpson starred in The Klansman (1974), The Towering Inferno (1974), Cassandra Crossing (1976), Capricorn One (1978), Naked Gun (1988) Naked Gun 2 1/2 (1991) and Naked Gun 33 1/3(1994).
Then in 1994, the history of OJ Simpson took on a different flavor.
His ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, were found murdered in her home. Rather than sit for questioning or face the police (like a man with nothing to hide might do), OJ decided that his best course of action was to take off in his now infamous white Bronco. Soon all of America was tuned in as the police slow-chased after one of its most well-known sports heroes.
Eventually, he was caught and charged. OJ assembled a "dream team" of the nation's top defense attorneys who not only got him off with catchy phrases like, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit," but also made the DA and the police look a bit incompetent. It should have been a "can't lose" case for the prosecution. Yet between the police planting evidence, racism on the part of the head investigator, OJ's fame, the media frenzy, and the brilliant misdirection of Mr. Johnny Cochran, OJ went free. Although this was a murder trial, and therefore should have been taken seriously, it was not. It actually just became a forum for spectacle and a target for public mockery. Particularly, as the entire thing was played out on television.
Claim Jumper ... (Referenced by Dick as the restaurant in which he got a napkin autographed by O.J. Simpson.)
The Claim Jumper restaurant chain was founded in Los Alamitos, California on September 27, 1977 by CEO Craig Nickoloff. At present, Claim Jumper is serving customers at 37 restaurants in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, and Washington. The restaurant's name refers back to the California Gold Rush, when a person who stole another miner's claim was referred to as a "claim jumper." The restaurants are styled with the Old American West in mind. Its interiors feature huge Douglas Fir logs, natural rock, large fireplaces, rich fabrics, authentic log chairs and colorful tiffany lamps. The atmosphere is popular with large groups, such as families and businesses.
Known for the large proportions of its dishes, the menus include steak, fish, chicken, ribs, pot pies, wood-fired pizzas, pasta and burgers. Desserts, which are as large in size as they are yummy include a Six-Layer Chocolate Motherlode Cake, bread pudding, Lemon Bar Brule and five flavors of cream cheese pie. The Saloon serves cocktails, wines, domestic and imported beers, including Claim Jumper's own Honey Blonde, Original Red Ale and Hefeweizen. Some of their menu items, including the Motherlode Cake, can be found in the grocery store freezer aisle as part of Claim Jumper's line of frozen food products.
Frankenstein (Townsfolk with pitchforks and torches) ... (Referenced when Jackie is talking to Cora about going to the Carnival.)
The image of a community gathering with pitchforks and torches to rout out a bad seed is derived from the famous scene in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Towards the climax of the novel, the townsfolk track down the monster's location and threaten him with pitchforks and torches.
"15 Minutes of Fame" ... (Referenced by Jackie while pondering how long her fame as an alleged murderer's child will last.)
The famous paraphrase of Andy Warhol's commentary on fame and famous people which derived from his view that the media could make anyone famous. Warhol, a famous American painter, filmmaker, publisher, and a major figure in the Pop Art movement (Warhol designed the famous Campbell's soup can label), was born on August 6, 1928 and died February 22, 1987 following routine gall bladder surgery. In 1968, Warhol proclaimed "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." And the common understanding is that 15 minutes is all most will get as the phrase refers to a sudden state of celebrity that is believed unlikely to continue long enough to affect the new celebrity's life.
Grease/"You're the One That I Want" ... (Referenced by Jackie to Madison in connection with the Neptune High Winter Carnival.)
Grease, the most popular movie-musical ever made, debuted in 1978 and grossed more than $340 million at box-offices around the world, becoming the biggest grossing movie musical in film history -- a record that still stands today.
Riding the strange '50s nostalgia wave that swept through America during the late 1970's, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease became not only the word in 1978, but also a box-office smash and a cultural phenomenon. Full of fabulously choreographed musical numbers, vibrant colors, and unforgettably campy and catchy tunes (like "Greased Lightning," "Summer Nights," and "You're the One That I Want"), this episodic story about the romantic dilemmas of a group of graduating high school seniors remains fresh, fun, and incredibly imaginative.
The young, animated cast also deserves a lot of credit, bringing chemistry and energy to otherwise bland material. John Travolta struts, swaggers, sings, and dances appropriately, while Olivia Newton-John's portrayal of virgin innocence is sweet perfection. And then there's Stockard Channing, spouting sexual double-entendres as Rizzo, the bitchy, raunchy leader of the Pink Ladies, who steals the film from both of its stars.
The scene and song referenced ("You're the One That I Want") is the big finale in which we discover that both our hero and heroine have made some changes in their lives (he's lettered in track and can posture with the best of the preppy kids, while she can wear black corsets, skin tight satin pants, and smoke a ciggie with the best of the Pink Ladies) in an effort to be more of what the other wants. Of course, because this is a movie, these changes, although appreciated, were clearly unnecessary because these two crazy kids love each other just the way they are. This big mutual love-fest of song and dance takes place at Rydell High's Senior Carnival, hence the comparison.
After 20 years, Grease still ranks as one of the top ten video titles sold in the U.S. in 1997. So far, over twenty million double soundtrack albums have been sold (more than 1.2 million of those sales came in 1996 and 1997). As of February 1, 1998, the soundtrack had been in the top five on the Billboard pop charts for 244 consecutive weeks.
Noah's Ark/Two by Two ... (Referenced by Veronica as she mused on the couples everywhere at the Carnival.)
Noah's Ark is the famous boat built by God's chosen Noah to keep the continued procreation of animals safe from the Great Flood by pairing a male and female of each animal and corralling them into Noah's massive ark. The tale can be found in the Hebrew Bible's book of Genesis, chapters 6-9, with elaborations in the various Abrahamic traditions.
- God, seeing that man had become dedicated to evil, decided to flood the earth and destroy all life. However, He found one good man, Noah, and as he was a "righteous man, blameless among the people of his time", God decided that he would carry forth the lineage of man. God told Noah to make an ark, and to bring with him his wife, and his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives. Additionally, he was to bring pairs of all living creatures, male and female, and in order to provide sustenance he was told to bring and store food.
When Noah completed the Ark he and his family and the animals entered, and "the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." The flood covered even the highest mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet, and all creatures on Earth died; only Noah and those with him on the Ark were left alive.
Finally, after about 220 days, the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, and the waters receded for another forty days, until the mountain-tops emerged. Seeing this, Noah sent out a raven, which "went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth". Noah sent a dove out, but it returned having found nowhere to land. After a further seven days Noah again sent out the dove, and it returned with an olive leaf in its beak, and Noah knew that the waters had subsided. Noah waited seven days more and sent out the dove again, and this time it did not return. Then he and his family and all the animals left the Ark, and Noah made a sacrifice to God, and God resolved that he would never again curse the Earth because of man, and never again would He destroy all life on it.
In order to remember this promise, God put a rainbow in the clouds, saying, "Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
Jerry Maguire, starred Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger, and was directed by Cameron Crowe in 1996. It is the story of super sports agent Jerry Maguire who is facing a crisis of conscience. He realizes that he hates himself and his place in the world, and laments that, although he has a lot to say, no one will listen. So, late one night, he writes a Mission Statement called "The Things We Think and Do Not Say: The Future of Our Business."
The essay attacks the sports agency business, advocating a more humane approach. The next day, a copy is distributed to everyone in the office. His bosses are offended, and he loses his job. Only one client, unremarkable Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr. in an Oscar-winning performance), elects to remain with Jerry as he strikes out on his own. Also joining him is a 26-year old single mother, Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), who is so moved by Jerry's Mission Statement that she's willing to throw away a safe job to be part of his new venture.
Jerry Maguire is a wonderful movie about redemption and love. It's about finding one's heart and soul in a business climate that attempts to rip both away. Cruise does a fine job in this picture, playing to his strengths and has a wonderful chemistry with Renee Zellweger (in a star-making performance).
Dorothy's line, "You had me at hello," in the scene where the estranged couple reunites, was her way of telling Jerry that he didn't need to say a thing -- she belonged to him. Logan uses this line, changing 'hello' to 'ice cold' to demonstrate that no matter what Veronica says or does, he too is hers. Awww!!!
Hoi Polloi ... (Referenced by Logan to Veronica as customers line up behind him.)
A phrase borrowed from the Ancient Greek and translated as "hoi" meaning "the" and "polloi," the plural of "polus," meaning "many." Intended as an expression referring to "the greater number," "the people," "the commonalty," or "the masses," the phrase has ultimately retained this meaning after being introduced into the English language in the early 1800's. Since the 1950's, the phrase has sometimes been incorrectly used to refer to the upper class, which is the opposite of its original meaning.
Ghost World ... (Referenced by Dick when describing Mac.)
Ghost World is the 2001 movie about two high-school misfit friends, Enid and Rebecca, played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson respectively, and is based on a graphic novel by Daniel Clowes of the same name. Set in the summer after graduation, Enid and Rebecca are both outsiders in a world slowly being engulfed by fake 50's diners and Starbucks. Enid must attend an art class to officially graduate high school as Rebecca gets a job. When the two play a mean joke on a much older, geeky record collector, Enid finds a fellow soul and begins to discover the complexities of becoming an adult in the modern world.
Dick's reference to Mac as "that girl from Ghost World" is a nod to both Mac's personal style, and her attitudes concerning high school and the majority of her peers, both of which are reminiscent of the character Enid in Ghost World. The major difference in my book is that Mac is not apathetic and miserable, just quirky and not impressed by the mainstream or popularity -- things that Dick couldn't begin to understand.
Newton's Second Law ... (Referenced by Logan to Hannah when discussing his lack of physics knowledge.)
Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion were first published in Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687. Newton used them to prove many results concerning the motion of physical objects. In the third volume of the text, he showed how, combined with his law of universal gravitation, the laws of motion would explain Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
Newton's Second Law of Motion says that "the rate of change of momentum of a body is equal to the resultant force acting on the body and is in the same direction." This is represented by the equation: F=ma; which, in laymen's terms, means force equals mass times acceleration.
For us LoVe shippers, this reference has special meaning as Veronica quoted Newton's Second Law to Logan during their adorable yet steamy make-out session in the bathroom in M.A.D. We take this as a sign that Logan still has Veronica on his mind and in his heart. Long Live LoVe!
Power Puff Girls ... (Referenced by Veronica when talking to Ophelia about her backpack.)
The Power Puff Girls is an animated cartoon series first created by Craig McCracken for a college project, and subsequently produced for the Cartoon Network. The Power Puff Girls were created when Professor Utonium attempted to produce the perfect little girl, via the combination of sugar, spice and everything nice, along with the accidental infusion of "Chemical X." Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup use their powers of superstrength, speed, flying prowess and energy projection to protect the hapless citizens of Townsville, USA.
Class AAA baseball (Triple A) ... (Referenced by Keith as the league he watched Terrence in while in Fresno.)
Class AAA baseball (usually referred to as "Triple A") is the highest level of Minor League baseball, which serves as the farm system for Major League Baseball teams. Each major league team has affiliations with one AAA team, one AA team, at least two A teams, and at least one Rookie-league team. The minor leagues serve as a venue for development of inexperienced players, rehab assignments, and demotion of under-performing players. The major league team handles player contracts, and the minor league team handles all other operations. Players progress up and down the minor league system based on ability, performance, and the needs of the Major League team. Minor league players hope to excel in each level and progress up the ladder, one day getting the "call-up" to the Major League team.
Fresno ... (Referenced when Keith tells Terrence about his time in Fresno as a deputy.)
Fresno is both a city and county located in the central San Joaquin Valley of California, with a total population just short of 900,000. With thousands of acres devoted to agriculture and its proximity to the Sierra Nevadas, Fresno County is the only county with three national parks within its area.
Major League/"Juuust a bit outside" ... (Referenced by Jane to Wallace re: missing Jackie in the dunk tank.)
Major League (starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Rene Russo, Wesley Snipes, Corbin Bernsen) was a 1989 comedy about the Cleveland Indians baseball team. At the time (both in the film and in real life), the Indians were perennial losers. So the movie focused on a team of misfits coming together and winning despite everyone's low expectations of them.
The biggest misfit was Rick Vaugh (played by Charlie Sheen), who was a young, just out of prison, pitcher who had a lot of speed but no aim or control. So during his early practices, he would throw the ball "Juust a bit outside" or inside, or into the batter well, you get the point.
Boston (Referenced by Mac as she and Beaver look online for an escort.)
Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most culturally significant cities in the United States. The economy is based on education, healthcare, finance, and technology. When the original colony of Massachusetts Bay was founded, its governor John Winthrop wanted to create a biblical "City on a Hill" -- a phrase taken from Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:14). Other nicknames for the city are Beantown, The Hub, The Athens of America (for its great cultural and intellectual influence), Puritan City (because the founders were Puritans), and The Cradle of Liberty (for its role in instigating the American Revolution).
Boston is home to America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1653), and America's first college, Harvard (1636). Hard work, moral uprightness, and an emphasis on education remain part of Boston's culture. Several historical events occurred in or near Boston: the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and it was also a center for the abolitionist movement.
Fatal Attraction ... (Referenced during Terrence's conversation with Keith.)
Fatal Attraction is a 1987 thriller starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer. Douglas portrays Dan Gallagher, a seemingly happily married lawyer who embarks on a fling with Alex Forrest (Close) while his wife and daughter are away. Realizing that he has made a mistake, Dan tries unsuccessfully to end the affair, only to discover that Alex has no intention of allowing him to return peacefully to his prior existence. Alex begins to stalk Dan and his family, telling the object of her obsession in one of the films' most memorable lines, "I won't be ignored, Dan."
Viper ... (Referenced by Veronica to Madison as a Magic Mountain ride that just might bear the name of Madison's mothership.)
The largest looping roller coaster in the world, Viper opened in April 1990 in the Baja Ridge section of the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, California. Clocking in at 70 mph, Viper seats 28 passengers and reaches a height of 188 feet. Featuring three vertical loops, the largest of which measures at 140 feet, and a 40-foot-tall corkscrew, passengers are turned upside down at 7 parts of the ride and change elevation a total of 16 times.
American League Championship Series (ALCS) ... (Referenced by Keith and Terrence as the series in which Terrence threw a game.)
The American League Championship Series is the round of playoff games in Major League Baseball that determines the winner of the American League pennant. The winner goes on to face the winner of the National League Championship Series in the World Series. The ALCS began in 1969 when the American League was split into East and West divisions. Since 1985 the format has been best-of-seven. In the current playoff format, with three divisions, the ALCS is the second round of playoffs, following the best-of-five American League Division Series.
The Thomas Crown Affair ... (Referenced by Veronica to Weevil in the final scene.)
The Thomas Crown Affair was originally produced in 1968 starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. A fascinating match-up of the coolest of the cool McQueen and the sultry ice princess Dunaway, it featured the Academy award winning song "Windmills of your Mind."
The Thomas Crown Affair is the story of a millionaire playboy who steals priceless masterpieces of art to relieve the boredom of his life. He subsequently strikes up a fiery romance with the brilliant female insurance investigator who is on to his game. This film was renowned in its time for its style and gimmicks and the robbery sequence is still an exciting, stylish, entertaining sequence to watch. It was remade in 1999 starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
Steve McQueen ... (Referenced by Veronica when she asks Weevil which version of The Thomas Crown Affair he watched.)
Born Terence Steven McQueen on March 24, 1930 in Beech Grove Indiana, Steve McQueen moved to Los Angeles with his mother when he was twelve. Two years later, he was sent to the Boy's Republic reformatory school in Chino, California. Dropping out of school during the ninth grade, McQueen drifted until he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1947.
In 1952, McQueen was accepted at Lee Strasberg's Actors' Studio and began a successful acting career that would span decades and earn him the nickname "The King of Cool." McQueen followed up his 1955 Broadway Debut (A Hatful of Rain) with several television appearances, leading to what could be considered his "breakout" role of "Josh Randall" on the television series Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958-1961). While on the series, McQueen branched out to bit parts in feature films, eventually landing his first lead role in The Blob(1958). A number of tremendously successful films followed, including The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Great Escape (1963), Bullitt (1968), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Le Mans (1971), The Getaway (1972) and Papillon (1973). The 1966 film The Sand Pebbles earned McQueen his only Academy Award nomination (Best Actor in a Leading Role). With the success of these films and his enormous popularity in Asia, McQueen became the world's highest paid actor of his time.
Contributing to his "King of Cool" reputation was his off-camera enthusiasm for competitive motorcycle and car racing. McQueen often performed his own driving stunts in films, including the classic chase sequences in Bullitt and The Great Escape.
Steve McQueen was married three times, with a son and daughter resulting from his first marriage to Neilie Adams. His second marriage was to his The Getaway co-star, Ali MacGraw (1973-1978). Diagnosed with cancer in 1979, Steve McQueen died from two post-surgical heart attacks on November 7, 1980.
Pierce Brosnan ... (Referenced by Veronica to Weevil in the final scene.)
Pierce Brosnan was born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland on May 16, 1953. He starred in the television show Remington Steele from 1982-1987 playing a dashing career criminal who assumes the role of the fictitious detective heading the firm. It was while playing the role of Remington Steele and melting female hearts all over the U.S. with his classic looks and devastating accent, that he was first offered the role of James Bond.
Unfortunately the producers of Remington Steele would not release him from his contract and the role of Bond went to Timothy Dalton. He was subsequently cast as James Bond in 1995 in the movie Goldeneye and continued to play the role in three subsequent Bond films before moving on. Brosnan has appeared in numerous films, including the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair and is currently enjoying critical acclaim for his role in The Matador. A devoted father and recipient of Britain's OBE, Brosnan is the quintessential movie star.
Dashing, romantic and currently working undercover -- sounds suspiciously like Logan Echolls.
- Madison referencing not liking "white goo" on her face ... how did THAT get past the censors?
- Logan is playing with a little kid right before he begins talking to Veronica at the Slushie Stand.
- Veronica's ba da bum on the booth after Logan said "emotionally unavailable women" as if delivering a gong after his joke.
- Logan still has his wallet out when Veronica gives him his change, but he puts the cash in his pocket first and then pockets his wallet.
- On the former "Mrs." Hauser's nameplate, the "Mrs." is covered up by a sheet of paper on which she has written the word "Ms." Wow, she must be really bitter about her divorce.
- The penguin statue at the Slushie Stand has a small "FBLA" badge attached to it.
- It says "LOVE" on the t-shirt Mac is wearing on her and Beaver's date. C'mon, say it with me now, "awwwww ..."
- Logan saying Newton's 2nd Law (force = mass x acceleration, Veronica's little physics lessons for him once upon a time) was tattoo-ed on his heart.
- The faint sound of a car alarm going off after Wallace purposely threw the balls away from the Dunk Tank.
- Dick oddly mesmerized by the red balloon in Principal Clemmons' office.
- When watching the video of Winter Carnival, Dick's expression of genuine pride and accomplishment at seeing himself successfully shoot the ball in the clown's mouth.
- Mac's fake aristocratic accent when saying: "Of the Boston Gasms?"
- Veronica's magician like hand movements when she is revealing JB's scheme, which are reminiscent of the ones she made in Driver Ed when she said to Jackie "poof, you're a macchiato."
- The look of absolute panic on Madison's face while JB is confessing to copying the test and Ms. Hauser is caught stealing money.
- Jackie holding Veronica's hand to help her down from the overturned wastebasket after she discovered the money Ms. Hauser had stashed above a ceiling tile.
- The meaningful look exchanged between Veronica and Principal Clemmons after he says to Ms. Hauser: "This would be a prime example of why I consider the advice of some of my students."
- Shortly after Logan kisses Hannah, he comes across Dick as he (badly) deals with his encounter with the transvestite prostitute and as Dick spits repeatedly, Logan comments, "Would that you could ... spit out the memories." The timing is close enough that one can't help but wonder that Logan was thinking of more than Dick's situation. (LoVenewbie caught this one.)
- How did JB know that his GPA was .003 of a point behind Veronica? Do they make this information public at Neptune High?
- How could JB be supposedly one of the smartest students in Neptune High, but be stupid enough to leave the test in the photocopier?
- When did Logan discover that Hannah was Dr. Griffith's daughter?
- Who is Sally and what did Dick do with her that he doesn't want anyone else to find out?
- Veronica finds what looks to be an initiation paddle with license plates carved into it. Does it belong to the Tritons or some other group, perhaps the PCHers?
- Was Logan wearing argyle to channel Duncan's All-American boy personality in order to woo Hannah or has he just run out of clothes and decided to raid his ex-roomie's wardrobe?
- What IS it with this school? Does everyone have some link to a super-computer type server at CIA headquarters that calculates your cumulative GPA with the entry of every homework grade, and stealthily reveals the standings of every student at a nanosecond's notice?
- Why do they only appear to be selling "Pep Squad Pie" at the "Pep Squad Cake & Cookie" booth?
- Where did the rest of the money go? If there was supposed to have been $12,000 raised at the time of the theft, and Weevil stole $3,000 to frame Thumper, how is it that after Veronica finds Ms. Hauser's portion of the stolen funds (which is clearly more than three grand) is there only $6,000 to go to Magic Mountain with? Even if Weevil took $3,000 for himself to buy that ugly car (and I shudder to think that it actually cost that much), wouldn't the senior class have closer to $9,000 left when all was said and done?
- Does it bother anyone else that Weevil incorporated his six-year old niece in his crimes by having her hide the cash box in the ball-pit? And on that note, did he take her with him when he was planting drugs and money in Thumper's locker?
- Will Thumper suspect Weevil as the one who set him up with the stolen cash and the pills?
- Since Veronica, Dick and Cassidy all worked the F.B.L.A.'s slushie booth, did Logan take a turn as well?
- While Terrence Cook was engaged, he had an affair with Ms. Dumass. However, the relationship quickly turned sour, and Ms. Dumass threatened that she would inform his fiance of the affair. She later made good on her promise, and the fiance called off the wedding.
- Terrence Cook owed the Fitzpatrick family millions of dollars in gambling debts, which he paid off by throwing a game in the American League Championship Series. Ms. Dumass discovered this fact and warned Terrence that if he ever left her she would sell her story to a magazine, thus ruining his endorsement deals and destroying his chance at becoming a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Terrence Cook was speaking to the minority population on behalf of Woody Goodman's incorporation plan.
- The incorporation plan would make Lamb's position as Sheriff much less influential.
- The bomb on the bus was detonated via a cell phone call.
ameriott45 (Amy): Social Science; Literature
duchessjms (Jayne): History; Literature; Social Science;
holly96 (Holly): Literature; Social Science
JenniferH: Report Card; Chemistry; Social Science; Homeroom
Krissy215 (Krissy): Social Science
Iloveyoubearymuch (Kathryn): Literature; Homeroom; Philosophy; Principles of Democracy
Pixigal (Gerrie): Drama Club; Social Science
ramwitz (Margarita): Yearbook
SeluciaV (Alli): Journalism; Extra Credit; Literature; Social Science; Philosophy
Tar Frimmer (Joanne): Study Hall; Literature; Social Science; Homeroom; Philosophy
