I am looking for the optimism in this show, because I want to be overtaken with it. I want to feel nothing but the utmost love and compassion for this show, because I feel like there is so much to be said and so much that can inspire.
And sometimes I feel like it does it. And sometimes I feel like I just don’t get it.
But then again, I am not in the sixth grade.
I think we never really figure out our “reason to be” because it is forever changing. That’s life. So I think when we’re teaching our kids about reasons to be, we need to tell them that the reason that you find today may not be the reason that you live with tomorrow and that is okay.
Elena’s reason to be is school. And she’s having an issue with it, because everyone else’s is something fun.
But to be honest, sometimes that is our reasons to be. Something that is great to us, but something that is boring to others, I mean – it’s life. But Elena wants something exciting, and sets off to find her place in life, and when her teacher needs a Hurricane Watch Captain, she jumps at it.
But another boy tosses his hat into the ring, they must give a speech at an assembly.
Her brother is having issues of his own. A girl wants to meet him behind the dumpsters and go to “Miami Second Base.” If there is one thing that Bobby knows, it’s that he knows nothing about that.
And so Gabi and Sam want to go out on a date – the two of them. Gabi is at home, looking for a black bra and where does she find it? It’s on a pillow in Bobby’s room, where he’s practicing for “Miami Second Base” and poor kid has no idea what the fuck he’s doing.
Gabi needs to talk to her son, so she postpones with Sam. Sam is understanding, even though he may not like it. Gabi has to have the talk with him.
Now – I am all about progression and telling kids things, they need to know. And in my opinion, in todays world, kids knowing the truth about sex and everything is important. But what is distracting me is that I am not sure that this show has found it’s ground.
It is perfectly okay if it wants to be a story that has a moral lesson with each episode, but what I wanted was the story of how this girl became president. And I am pretty sure she’s not writing about her brothers awkwardness with boobs in her diary.
Elena gives her speech and learns a big lesson really quick. You can give an impassioned speech and say all the right things but popularity will sometimes get a louder round of applause and you may not win. Elena looses.
Bobby in the meantime goes behind the dumpster with Monyca and he’s a little confused. She doesn’t want to go to second base, she wanted to tell him that she liked him.
And they become a couple.
Elena is upset over loosing and to make her feel better, Gabi takes her to dinner with Sam. They are leaving and and Monyca comes up, and she’s not having her and Bobby stay home alone.
So Sam, well he can want a dinner with his woman all alone, but he ain’t getting it. He’s a little – well not a little, a lot – upset and he’s not ready for all the complications of kids.
Gabi is about her kids and she lets Sam know that her kids are her reasons. I applaud her for standing her ground and putting her kids first.
Elena also finds her reason. The morning announcements.
Here’s the thing – I get the point of this show, but I feel like it’s not found a footing that it could.
And that’s kinda depressing. Because I feel like this show has such potential and when it has the potential to empower, I hope that it does.