American Dreams Season 3 thread (1 Viewer)

[Terry H]

What was that song he "made up" from the line Beth gave him? I sure don't remember that from the 60's... but I don't recall every song from that era either. Anyone know?

 

[Natalie F]

Argh! I'm so mad they killed Ahn. She and JJ had great chemistry, and I was waiting to see where they'd go with it. That's all down the toliet now

Officially not caring about Chris and Meg 'issues', or whatever crap is between them. He bores me.

 

[Marty M]

That was an original song for the show. I do remember a lot of the songs from that era. I was 16 in 1965. Since I remember when many of the songs they play were originally released, I get annoyed when I hear songs that were relased after the year this show is supposed to be taking place.

 

[Terry H]

"That was an original song for the show."

I suspected as much. I wasn't far behind you Marty, thanks for confirming. I don't mind if they are off by a year or two but when they miss the mark by several decades it just strikes me as stupid. Music from the era *greatly* enhances the show for me. I really haven't been impressed with the music this year. If they continue like this the show will drop from a "must see" to "maybe if I get arounnd to it".

 

[Patrick Sun]

The only thing I could think of during the "barefoot" song was whether or not that singer had an up-to-date tetanus shot.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

The only song that was way out of place was the one by Cream (Can't remember the title right now). I actually hope that they DO change it if/when this comes out on DVD.

Glenn

 

[Patrick Sun]

10/24/04

Meg is admonished for her updated slant on Henry V, but decides to go through with her vision. The principal/priest was not pleased. Jack was not pleased either with Meg.

Donald gets fired, the boss just wasn't tolerant of his lifestyle. Donald promises Patty to tell her all about it when she's in college, but not until then.

Jack's political base is already on him to get things done. They appeared to force his hand by showing up in large numbers at the council meeting. Pete and Henry share some sharp words.

JJ goes looking for Hang, the bartender he suspects of blowing up the bar, and killing Ahn. JJ finds Ahn's father, and tries to make things right. The army captures Hang and interrogates him, and JJ goes a little nutso on him. JJ's old commanding officer shows up to command him in the special ops mission.

Shaggy Luke shows up, and Rox thinks they can pick up from where they left off, but Luke is involved with someone else on the west coast.

Sam tells Meg that they can't hang out as much (due to Melanie getting all jealous on him), but Sam doesn't tell her why, so she's confused.

JJ records a farewell message for his family before he sets off on his mission in Cambodia.

 

[Anthony Moore]

Still a great show.

I figure Beth and JJ will eventually get together and raise their kid. But who knows..maybe not even the writers..it could be years down the road.

And it seems Rox and Meg are growing more and more apart. Rox seems to be conforming to Meg's new lifestyle than the other way around. It cant last too long like that. Rox will want some help from Meg one day..Meg will be busy..Rox will say, "remember all those stupid buttons I wore and protests I did for you? now i need your help..
I understand Meg and her war stance but it seems that ALL she thinks about these days. How about some more weed smokin'?? Thatll open her up her mind a little more

 

[Patrick Sun]

10/31/04

Nathan is released from prison, works in a VA hospital, sees the wounded from the war, sees the reaction of the wounded not wanting to see their loved ones because they are now incomplete (missing limbs, etc). He encourages one lady to keep writing letters to her boyfriend who's in the hospital but refuses to see her because he's missing his left arm.

Helen convinces Jack to take a trip for their 20th anniversary. They go back to the place for their honeymoon(I think). Helen kills Jack in strip Gin.

Rox moves in with Luke, but it's rocky because Rox is jealous of Luke's long distance relationship.

The group of high school peaceniks meet at the Pryor's house, Chris suggest painting a peace sign on a wall at school. Then a brick is thrown through the window, which scares Meg into not making more anti-war overtures.

Henry has Sam bring a loaner TV to the Pryor's place, but Sam is hesitant because he wants to keep his distance from Meg because of Melanie's jealousy issues. Sam explains it to Meg, but Meg thinks it's immature, but it get her to help Chris with his anti-war gesture.

Meg and Chris continue to push their anti-war stance, and they get caught painting a peace sign on a wall at school at night. They kiss for the first time in the heat of the moment before getting caught. The principal/father suspends them for 2 weeks. Jack gets the call from the principal at the place they were staying at, and gets the news of Meg's suspension. Helen talks Jack out of leaving immediately.

Beth finally quits her waitressing job because Cal's presence makes her uncomfortable, and perhaps she doesn't want to be tempted by him as she's carrying JJ's baby.

JJ, his CO, and another injured soldier are captured by the VC, and interrogated and punished for their non-cooperation. JJ was smart enough to booby-trap his weapon, and it allows JJ and his CO to escape as the incoming air-bombing raid is about to hit VC's camp. The injured soldier was the one who take a bullet for JJ and the CO before the weapon would explode and provide an opportunity for them to escape.

The army send an officer to tell the Pryors that JJ is considered Missing In Action. Meg's suspension is quickly bypassed by this grim news. Helen's in tears, praying for her son. Beth comes home, and the looks on the Pryor's family members' faces tell her all she needs to know.

 

[Thomas H G]

I had a helluva time trying to watch tonight's episode. First off, it's not in HD. Then it starts off by having an echo or something with each line of dialogue. It quits when the the beginning credits starts playing, but starts back up with about 10-15 minutes left to go and from that point on is off and on.

 

[Patrick Sun]

11/7/04

The tear-jerker episode:

The Pryors hold out hope that JJ's MIA status doesn't mean the worst.

Roxanne has to deal with a bunch of band members that show up to crash at Luke's. Rox gets Luke to go for co-managing the band (with an awful name such as "The Organization") because she's got the style knowledge, and he's got the musical knowledge.

Helen keeps having flashbacks to JJ's highlights in her life, plus the scenes of him getting ready to be shipped out to war.

Jack goes to Washington to find the real dirt on JJ's status. At the same time, there's a antiwar rally in Washington, and Chris annd Meg make plans to attend. Meg uses Jack's trip to hitch a ride, all the while planning on attending the rally. Jack wasn't pleased with Meg's deception once they get to Washington. Later, Jack finds out the news isn't good, and that he isn't willing to tell Helen of JJ's most probably death, and Meg is in on the deception and she never gets herself to the rally, leaving Chris out to dry.

Melanie invites Sam and also his family for Thanksgiving, but Sam is ashamed his own family's not-so-wealthy roots, and tells Melanie that they had other plans. Nathan gets wind of Sam's shame, and sets him straight. At Melanie's, Sam is introduced to Thurgood Marshall, and Sam professes to want to be an astronaut, justifying his Physics major in college.

Back at home Jack does his best to spin the news of JJ's MIA status in a positive light, but the bottom drops out of the floor when JJ's tape arrives and pretty much convinces Helen that Jack lied to her about JJ's chance of survival, and Helen weeps and blame Jack for JJ's participation in the war. Jack is sad and alone.

But, since this is a tear-jerker episode, it sets up JJ's return as he was able to get away from the bombed site, and even manages to bury one of his combat brethren, and leaves a jade rabbit behind, signifying his continued survival for now.

 

[Rob P S]

Best episode ever.

 

[Karl_Luph]

If this episode doesn't win an Emmy for someone,I don't know what it will take. This show really hit home last night, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who's heart it was touching. I can't remember the last time I saw a network tv series that hit me like this one did last night.

 

[Don Black]

I thought they should have left the last 30 seconds to the next episode. It was obviously coming but I think it took away from the emotion of the episode.

 

[Natalie F]

ITA. Everyone was top notch, except for Chris who was a complete idiot. 'Oh you went to DC to find out if your brothers dead, you didn't meet me, and now you're sobbing. Gee, I wonder what happened'. Get a clue, you jackass.

 

[Anthony Moore]

So do you guys think this is JJ's ticket home?

Will he just show up on the Prior's doorstep?

I hope so. You would think that after going MIA and presumed dead that they would let you go home after showing up alive..but I dont know.
We'll see.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Knowing JJ's luck, he'll just get promoted in the marines or re-assigned to special forces.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Yeah, like JJ knew that he had been reported as M.I.A.?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. No,being MIA isn't a reason to send you home. There isn't anything wrong with JJ physically or mentally.

I am hoping that he'll snap and split. I know that his chances of getting through another country are slim, if he calls home, his dad could demand a death certificate and he could go home.

Unfortunately, we really need to know if whoever plays JJ wants to stay in the series.

I agree too that that last scene should have been in next week's show. It would have been much more effective, unless...

Glenn

 

[Patrick Sun]

11/14/04

Helen is totally depressed by JJ's MIA status and becomes a slug for a few weeks (or maybe a month has passed since last episode). Beth suggests that Helen might be helped by going to see a psychologist, but Jack wants nothing of it. Helen does go see the shrink after Will and Patty almost burn down the kitchen. The visit to the shrink is very short, and Helen quickly leaves after realizing she doesn't need it.

Pete gets his cop gig back. Jack talks with Pete, very concerned about Helen's retreat from her family.

Patty thinks that by doing good deeds, her prayers to bring back JJ will work. She starts on collecting clothes for the needy. The nun at school corrects Patty on her mis-understanding of how good works are rewarded, and how Patty's outlook is naive, though well-intended.

Sam finally gets a glimpse of just how different his background is from the rest of the well-to-do black students at Penn when his basketball team is denied motel rooms on an away game in Virginia because of the black players on the team. Sam tells Melanie how his past and community are the reason why he is ashamed to bring her home to his family. He bolts from her after revealing his feelings of not being from the right background for Melanie, and Melanie is left dumbfounded.

Meg can't decide if she should publicly state what JJ meant to her high school as he is remembered for his service in the military given his MIA status, along with other alumni in the military. Chris knows that Meg will do what is in her heart. Chris invites Meg on the rooftop to see the meteor showers, but is disappointed when nearby lights make it hard to see the streaks across the sky. A minor miracle happens and the city suffers a blackout and enables the lovebirds to see the showers under ideal conditions.

Fantasia shows up to sing "Respect" as Aretha Franklin. Eh...

Luke gets the drummer fired from the band that he and Rox are co-managing. Rox knows that Luke got the drummer fired because she was getting too chummy with him. Rox decides to move out, so Luke finally admits to moving back to Philadelphia to be with her, as well as co-managing to be with closer to her. They kiss.

JJ is alive, and is found by a Frenchman who lives like a king at a plantation, but he later appears to somewhat of a businessman with drug implications and has some agreement with the Viet Kong to report any American soldiers that show up at his place to continue his business pursuits. JJ is to be handed over to the Viet Kong, but JJ manages to overcome the Frenchman, grab his rifle and escape into the night.

Beth has her baby during the blackout, and it's a boy named Jack Pryor III, though Pete really is working on nicknaming the child "Trip" while Jack is against it. The emergence of the child seems to have shaken Helen out of her funk and it has pulled the Pryor clan back together, stronger.

 

[Chris_Morris]

Next week looks to be a gut-wrencher.


Chris