Boston Public 2/25, was it worth the hype (1 Viewer)

[Ryan L B]

Did anybody think it was worth worth all of that hype for the use of one word. Please give me your thoughts on the episode.

 

[Darren Davis]

shoot. I forgot it came on tonight. I missed the episode. Can anyone fill me in on what happened?

 

[Patrick Sun]

Episode recap:

So finally BP gets around to the N-word. Danny's class has some scuffles from a white kid trying to "get down with the homies" and finds that white folks just aren't allowed to use the N-word...ever. This doesn't quite sit well with Danny, who almost gets fired from pushing the N-velope so to speak. Anyhow, and nice divisive topic where everyone is pretty N-trenched in their views. They even discuss the new Kennedy book on the N-word. Stephen ends up teaching the class since only a black person can use the N-word and discuss such ramifications of it.

Ronny finds out a student of hers is homeless, trying to take care of her whacked out mom. Ronnie's interference almost gets the mom sent away for being an unfit mother, and the kid is almost sent to a foster home, but Ronnie fronts them the money to get back on their feet. Ronnie tells Harry that she's not really making a difference, and just then, the student comes by to tell her they'll get back on their feet and they'll repay her and that she wants to be just like Ronnie when she grows up. Aww....

Lipshitz gave one of his students a bad recommendation which prevented the student from getting into Amhearst and the parents tried using a lawyer to apply some pressure on the school to get Lipshitz to take back his recommendation. Scott decided to stand behind Lipshitz, though he did tell Amhearst his true opinion of Lipshitz when they came and asked about Lipshitz's "mental fitness".

Hey, no hook lady!

 

[dan.kissel]

I really used to enjoy this show last year. It was entertaining.

Having tolerated all the "preachy" episodes this year, when I saw the previews for yet another one, I officially gave up on the show.

Also, I'm tired of Ronnie and Danny episodes. I like Danny's character, but it's just a re-hashed H. Senate character. And where is Lauren? ... oh yeah.... replaced by Ronnie. And must every episode have a song now?

 

[Frank Anderson]

One day people will wake up... "Sticks and stones..."

 

[Craig S]

And must every episode have a song now?

This one didn't.

I enjoyed the episode. I didn't find it preachy at all. I thought the writers did a good job of presenting various sides of the issue. Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to discuss it much further without getting into thread-closing territory.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Danny nailed it when he told Stephen that Stephen didn't have the power to eradicate the power of the N-word, no matter how hurtful it sounds when it is spoken aloud.

I found it interesting that they set up Marla to be the hysterical one, while Marilyn was the more rational one, but in the end, it still remains a hurtful topic to each "side'.

 

[Dave Schofield]

Craig, there was a song. The class was having one of their discussions and they faded out with a some loosely related rap track...

 

[Joel Mack]

I'm guessing Craig thought you were referring to a Louisa, Marilyn, and Marla song, Dave...

 

[Darren Davis]

thanks for the run-down, Patrick. Sounds like it was a pretty good episode; I'll just wait for the re-runs to air. And I hear there was no hook-lady? Finally! It always ruins it for me when she's on screen because some of the storylines are already kind of outrageous and seeing her just makes the whole episode kind of unbelievable to me.

 

[Nick_G]

actually by the time the show was over i just wanted to smack the p!$$ outta marla. and if i was principal, i probably would have at the risk of losing my job instead of danny. and no, it wasn't as hyped up as you may have expected. serious, but not that intriguing. it's not like it hasn't been discussed before in other shows or movies. just my opinion.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I for one thought it was the best episode of the season. No hook lady, no sad attempt at cute little "comedy." Controversy and troubled teens- the meat and potatoes of Boston Public.

I like how the ending was a poor compromise that made none of the faculty particularly happy.

The only corny thing was the homeless kid's "I want to be you" speech.

I enjoyed seeing the characters drop their objectivity. I also took special note that when the principal was trying to figure out what to do about the situation, he was speaking to the black teachers.

 

[Craig S]

I'm guessing Craig thought you were referring to a Louisa, Marilyn, and Marla song, Dave...

Exactly.

I love the way Kelley uses music on "Ally McBeal", but the same thing just doesn't work as well on "Boston Public". "Ally" is primarily about romance and the songs Kelley chooses for his characters to perform usually function quite nicely as sly commentary on the episode's storylines. BP, however, is an issues-oriented show and the "singing teachers" (as talented as the 3 actresses are) often bring the proceedings to a halt for no good reason.

 

[Patrick Sun]

That Randall Kennedy book that Danny had the class read has shot up the charts over at Amazon.com where it was #515 the day before the show, and it vaulted to #3 by today.