Season 1, Episode 11: Isn’t It Romantic

This weeks episode, number 11 is “Isn’t it Romantic,” our next Dylan centric one. Swoon. I will also say this is one of my favorite episodes of the series. As much as I wanted Dylan and Kelly together in the end, I appreciated the chemistry between Luke and Shannen.

This episode starts with Brenda, walking across the front yard of Casa Walsh, swinging a plastic bag. She is wearing a pair of rolled up denim shorts, an aqua t-shirt and fabric headband. Quintessential 90’s style. She heads to the driveway, where a greasy Brandon is working on Mondale. Brenda wants to know where winter is, because she tells Brandon she needs a season to sulk and be depressed in. I think that is called Seasonal Affective Disorder Brenda, you might want to get that checked out. Apparently, she has to babysit and had to go to 3 different video stores to find Dirty Dancing. This is a nice touch by the writer’s, helping to remind us that this Beverly Hills transplant is relatable. An equally greasy Dylan slides out from underneath the car and Brenda, startled, says, “I didn’t see you there.” He replies, “I saw you,” while looking he up and down. I’m pretty sure every woman watching got pregnant from that look.

The phone rings and it is the family that Brenda is supposed to babysit for. The child has chicken pox, so they need to cancel. Brenda calls Kelly, apparently desperate for something to do. She tells her she will go on a date with Kelly’s dweeb cousin. Donna has already agreed, and started a pattern of dating geeks. Kelly asks her if she wants to come over and Brenda tells her that she’s going to stay home and sort her socks. She heads to the balcony overlooking the driveway, and Dylan looks up at her. We’re all pregnant with twins.

Jim comes outside, and Brandon suggests he checks out what they’ve done to the car. Jim strikes up a conversation with Dylan, asking him where he learned to work on cars. Dylan tells him he learned about working on cars by working on cars. Fair enough. I watch Youtube videos about stuff, but you do you Dylan. Jim then asks Dylan if he bought his Porsche from his paper route earnings, and Dylan suggests its something like that. I think it’s safe to say that Jim didn’t like Dylan from the beginning, long before his relationship with Brenda. Dylan asks Jim’s permission to clean up by taking a shower and Jim agrees, and then asks if he takes his earring out while showering. Does Cindy? Does Brenda? Open your mind Jim. It’s just an earring. It’s not like he wears tank tops despite having a super hair back.

Brenda hears the shower running, and assumes it is Brandon showering with the door open. She comes into the bathroom to chastise him for causing the room to heat up, and Dylan slides the shower curtain open. It’s like a sauna in here. Dylan starts talking to Brenda about her movie choices and tells her that Animal Crackers is playing at the theatre. When he finds out her plans were canceled he invites her to go with. At least I think that’s what happened. He’s just standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist, so it’s hard for me to focus.

At the theatre, we discover that Dylan is determined to get good use out of his plaid pajama pants. An older woman with big hair and a bustier approaches him to say hello, and when she walks away, he remarks that he would have introduced her to Brandon and Brenda, but he can’t remember her name. After the movie, they head to Dylan’s house to listen to music. Dylan says that his dad has closed out the suite at the Bel Age Hotel, and it’s a “long story.”

The following school day, Brenda talks to Kelly about her night with Dylan, and insists it was just a friend thing. Yeah, your brother was there. It would be weird any other way. Brenda asks Kelly to get her out of health class before the sex ed section, and she tells her she has to have it to graduate. Steve and Brenda are in class together, and are joined by David and Scott, who is uncomfortable with the fact that he’s going to be talking about sex in front of girls. Of course, he’s got his hat on. He’s got to have an IEP for that.

Back at Casa Walsh, Brandon is laying on the couch in his robe, revving up his mouth for a sneeze, so we know he is sick. Brenda wishes him well, and Brandon says that Brenda can be the nurse, and Dylan the orderly. Uh, that is awkward on soooo many levels. She tells Brandon that she is not staying home and letting him get her sick and we hear a honk. As she leaves, Jim gets all Jim about them going out together. Cindy asks him to clarify his problem with Jim, and he says that Dylan’s father is know in financial circles as an unethical bastard. Cindy, the level headed parent, most of the time, asks what that has to do with Dylan. Jim’s reply? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Then both of your kids are judgemental assholes, Jim?

At the movies, Brenda and Dylan play relationship bingo, and Brenda reveals that she is inexperienced. They decide to skip the movie and instead head back to Dylan’s house, where Dylan’s dad is busy yelling at Paul in a room full of men in suits. He angrily pulls Dylan upstairs, where the two of them scream at each other. Dylan comes back downstairs, his trench coat tailing behind him, and he heads for the liquor cabinet. Brenda, concerned, asks if Dylan drinks. Dylan’s response, “Only at family reunions.” She asks him not to drink since he is driving her home. Dylan storms out, Brenda hot on his tail. She tries to get him to calm down, but he doesn’t, so she asks the valet to get her a taxi. Dylan says “Ixnay on the axita,” and throws a planter to the ground. Brenda takes off running and Dylan chases after her. She tells him that he is scaring her and he apologizes and then breaks down crying. Brenda comforts him, and they start kissing. And now Brenda’s pregnant.

On the ride home, Dylan talks to Brenda about his relationship with his parents. He then asks her not to tell Brandon that he lost his cool. Brenda emphatically says that she won’t and they make out again.

At school, Kelly and Brenda discuss Brenda’s pseudo-date, and Kelly jokes about them having sex. Brenda is offended, so Kelly tells her it is a good thing they are “studying” at her house that night. And then she almost runs into an extra and giggles.

In Health class, Scott and his hat tell David that his mom will not sign the consent form for sex ed, and she sounds like the absolute worst. Although the woman with 6 kids probably knows more about sex education than a high school health teacher. Let’s be real though, I took that class and natural family planning helps create 6 kids.

Brandon catches Dylan in the hall, in a different pair of pajama pants. Is he going to Wal-Mart? What’s with all these pants? I guess WalMart is your back to surfing headquarters? Brenda also catches up with them, and plants a kiss on Dylan’s cheek and he wraps his arm around her. Brandon’s like, “i’m SORRY, what is happening here?” Brenda asks if it’s ok, and I’m assuming that she’s talking about her and Dylan snuggling up and he begrudgingly agrees. Then run off, holding hands, and laughing.

That night, at dinner, Brenda reveals that she is going on a date with Dylan on Friday night, and Jim says he doesn’t want her dating him. Because that always works. Brandon sits quietly by while Jim trashes his friend. Brenda tells Jim that she’ll go out with Kelly on Friday night instead. Wink. Wink. Cindy is obviously frustrated and tells Jim that she likes Dylan, leaving Brandon and Jim to sit in self-righteous silence.

Cindy heads upstairs, and a conversation about the sex ed permission slip leads to a discussion about actual sex. Brenda tells her mom that her class doesn’t cover the emotional component of wanting to have sex with someone. Brenda, again, you’ve had one date. Slow it down turbo. I’m seeing a pattern. One pseudo date, Brenda’s in love. Cindy talks to her about having a meaningful connection with someone. Like I said, level-headed parent.

At Kelly’s, Brenda reveals that it’s going so fast, and that she prefers the romantic parts of a relationship. Kelly says, “Great, do you have protection?” Of course, Kelly does.

At lunch the next day, Dylan and Brenda are frolicking under a tree, and Brandon pretends he knows other people, all while staring awkwardly at them. Then, Steve and Brenda are back in health class and the teacher announces they have a guest speaker for the sex education portion named Stacy Sloan. Scott still hasn’t convinced his mom to sign his permission slip.

Brandon catches Dylan storming down the hall way and confronts him about his relationship with Brenda. He wants to make sure that Dylan isn’t planning on treating this as a casual relationship, because that’s not what Brenda is about. Dylan asks him what kind of guy he thinks Dylan is before leaving.

We are treated to a montage of Kelly and Donna helping Brenda get ready for her date. Apparently, they initially think she is an 80 year old attending the Oscars, before finally choosing the final outfit. They head out the door, stopping to give Jim and Cindy a kiss.

Brenda waits outside the theatre, but Dylan never shows. The next day, she stares out her bedroom window, crying. Brandon asks her if she wants to talk. She reveals that she was ready to spend the night with him and he didn’t show up. “What a jerk,” she says. Brandon replies, “He can be.” But she is talking about herself, assuming that she is special enough for someone like Dylan. Brandon tells her she is special, but Dylan doesn’t let people in.

Brandon confronts Dylan in tech class, telling him he knows that he moved and didn’t leave a forwarding address. He also tells him that Brenda stayed home because she was so upset. Seriously, is there no teacher in this tech class? They just yell back and forth, and the only people concerned about it is some student who looks as though he’s 40. Probably Andrea’s younger brother.

Steve meets the health teacher in the parking lot, the hood raised on his car, twisting knobs. I don’t know a ton about cars, but I’m pretty sure that’s not fixing anything. Steve volunteers to pick the guest speaker up from the airport. She happens to be an attractive young woman, so Steve tells her that she is the teacher and asks her out. She turns him down, telling him she’s tired. He kisses her hand and leaves.

Brenda is at home, sitting on the couch, fully dressed. And when I say fully dressed, I mean button up shirt and denim shorts with makeup on. This girl doesn’t play hooky in her sweats and a T-shirt. Dylan shows up and apologizes. He reveals that he missed their date because he was helping his father leave the country. He discovered he’s going to be indicted on securities fraud. And Dylan has just admitted to aiding and abetting, I’m pretty sure. Dylan tells her he doesn’t want Brenda to feel terrible, and she asks him what he wants her to feel for him. He stares at her mouth, and I’m pregnant again. They start kissing, I’m assuming so Dylan doesn’t have to answer that question. He leans back and says, “You are so warm.” Yeah, she stayed home sick from school. She’s probably feverish. Also, where is Cindy? Is this conveniently one of the days she volunteers at the recycling plant?

Dylan and Brenda are doing some heavy petting on the couch when a door slams. It’s Jim Walsh, who all of a sudden never works late. Dylan rushes out just as Jim enters, and Jim yells at Brenda about their relationship. Mr. McKay is wanted by the police and Jim thinks that’s a reflection of Dylan’s character. Brenda says, “Is it really my character you’re worried about. Why is it, when it came to Brandin, you just wanted to make sure he used protection and you’re worried about my whole value system.” To be fair, Brandon slept with a teenage runaway.  Jim says, “Its different for girls, it just is.” Super enlightened Jim. Brenda tells him that she’d like to get to actually know Dylan and if and when they decide to sleep together, Jim’s got to trust that she will make the right choice. During this argument, I grabbed my Pom poms and quietly cheered, “Go Brenda.” Both 14 year old and 43 year old me.

 The next day, West Beverly Hills High has a special assembly, and David tries to convince Scott to sneak in, while Dylan apologizes to Brandon. He’s wearing a shirt with a glove on it, and I like to tell myself it’s because he’s super concerned about the environment. It was probably just on sale. Brandon admits that Dylan’s relationship with Brenda bothered him more than he thought, but they both have good hair, so they can’t stay angry for long.

The speaker, Stacy, points Steve out to his teacher, who is surprisingly not angry by Steve’s deception. Andrea, of course, introduces the guest speaker. Stacy tells the audience about Steve coming on to her, and that she turned him down because she has AIDS. Steve is all, “Wwwhhhhaaaaattttt?” as is everyone else in the student body. She talks about her experience, both contracting it through heterosexual intercourse with someone she thought she was in love with, as well as her experience with the symptoms. She reaffirms the importance of using protection every time, and the student body silently files out. Steve approaches her and tells her that the offer to have dinner still stands, and then embraces her. One quick decision helps humanize Steve’s character, as well as show the impressionable viewing audience to not be scared of those living with AIDS.

Later that night, Dylan comes to pick Brenda up, and he and Jim talk about his lack of a relationship with his father. Dylan tells Jim that Brandon and Brenda are lucky to have such great parents and Jim contemplates what an asshole he’s been. His redemption doesn’t last long.

Brenda strikes up a conversation about Dylan’s previous sexual encounters, asking if he’s ever had unprotected sex. He says he has and asks if Brenda wants him to get tested. And I’m pretty sure I hear the first few chords of “She’s Like the Wind” from Dirty Dancing. Brenda then tells Dylan she needs to slow down, and he agrees.