I realize people don’t need a good reason for watching a TV show. Two and a Half Men is still on the air, after all. But, even safe in this knowledge, I sometimes wonder why I watch Greek. Especially after an episode like tonight’s, where the Greek demographic appeared in full-force.
America’s favorite Delilah-lovers Plain White T’s made an appearance on tonight’s episode and, unless you choose to ignore Greek in favor of worthless activities like volunteering or reading, you probably realized this was their third or fourth appearance on the show. I used to blame this on all the stupid people and their stupid love for “popular” music–ugggggh, why can’t they be like me and appreciate the art of Deerhoof?. But tonight, as the Plain White T’s ripped into their new song “Natural Disaster” (if you haven’t seen Gone With the Wind, they ruin it at the start) from their new album Big Bad World (buy it now!), I realized it was all a big commercial for a band no one over the age of 15 should like. Obvious, yes, but remember I’m a college student who watches Greek, I’m a little slow.
Greek is a TV show for high-school sophomores who want drama but aren’t allowed to watch Gossip Girl, so the show has to market items aimed at their audience. This explains the horrible pop-culture references (see tonights Hannah Montanna joke, more on that later), the behind-the-scenes commercial for the too-quirky-to-be-true Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (“Guys, you need to hear this new band called Vampire Weekend!”), and the usual teen-friendly rock bands singing about the girls that don’t like them as a sound-track to the whole affair. I was 15 once, and I remember being impressed by the selection of Nintendo t-shirts. This show totally would have spoken to me right before I listened to The Airborne Toxic Event.
Alas, I am 21, yet still watch Greek, even when it’s a giant commercial for a mediocre mall-rock band. These are the moments you question.
Summary
ZBZ National Conference is in Orlando, so you know Casey, Ashleigh and Frannie have to go, so we get another travel episode based in Florida. Frannie hopes to overturn the rule that halts her from running for ZBZ president and Casey goes about trying to convince the ZBZ board to vote against it. Oh, and Lizzie shows up. Back on campus, Rusty, Max, Dale and every other nerd we never see desperately need somewhere to throw the big “Galileo Party.” And the Kappa Tau house needs money to make repairs. So…a bargain is struck. But those nerds are more than the frat boys bargained for. Finally, Evan harmlessly flirts with girls and Calvin does dumb stuff because he’s “in college.”
Representations of College
- At the start of the episode, the boys of Kappa Tau are dropping Mentos into Diet Coke. Like true college students and Weezer, they were unaware of this popular Internet trend back in 2005 and are just catching on to it. Fun fact: one of the earliest posts on this website was about Mentos and coke. We were so young then…
- Orlando is not that nice looking.
- I’m not sure if a sorority conference actually resembles a KKK meeting as Greek made it look tonight, but if they do I hope they have a Grand Wizard.
- Best moment of the night was when I thought drunken Dale was going to make out with the fugly girl. Because haven’t we all been there? I was so young then…
Examples of Greek’s Bad Writing in Action
- I could nitpick a few dumb lines here-and-there, or I could focus on how this was another pretty good episode. Or I could focus on the horrible, horrible conversation at the end that almost ruined the episode for me. Let’s go with that option. I’m going off my memory, so may not be perfect.
Rusty – “OK, so there is this girl in my literature class. She acts one way during the day, but entirely different at night. Her name’s Miley Montana.
Cappie – “Ahhh, that’s easy…”
Just…why? Miley Montana? Can’t you show a little effort, writers? And explain why this conversation had to happen? And a reference only tweens would understand? Just…so stupid. I will forgive this horrid, horrid moment if a recurring character named Miley Montana actually appears. And even then, I’m still going to feel the stings of this…”joke.”
Closing Question – Did anyone else feel tonight’s Kappa Tau “save the house” plot was just stolen from Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo? Also, I get it, I should wear purple at the next football game, stop e-mailing me and making Facebook groups about it. Do you really want to turn NU football into a North Korean public demonstration?