TVSquad

(S01E10) Well, kids, this is the finally episode of Strangers with Candy, season one. I hope everyone enjoyed this little trip down memory lane and that you found these reviews to be equal parts informative and arousing. This episode brings everything full circle and Jerri ends up back in prison again by the end, though she informs us she'll be out in time to start school once the summer is over.

At the beginning of the episode, Jerri is elated to learn she's getting a D in history, which means she'll actually be able to pass and move on to her sophomore year. Unfortunately, she befriends a stoner who gets Jerri hooked on pot and she begins to neglect her homework. She also makes a bong out of clay in art class, which Jelineck correctly points out is missing a carb hole. Jelineck tries to persuade his students not to smoke marijuana, telling them he once tried it but that "the only thing it fixed was my life."

(S01E09) This episode begins with Jerri in band practice playing the timpani. Well, she doesn't really play the drums so much as she beats them ferociously. Fed up, Mr. Jelineck kicks her out of band permanently, telling her he'd like to see her "at a quarter after never."

While alone in the bandroom she picks up a violin, and much to her and Mr. Noblet's surprise, she has a natural talent for the instrument. Mr. Noblet takes her under his wing so she can train and win an upcoming music competition, even though she can already play the instrument perfectly. As Noblet explains, "I am the only one who can help you realize my dreams of yours." Strangers with Candy is always packed with that kind of superfluous phrasing, double and triple negatives piled on top of one another, but this episode uses that "trick" quite a bit. That's not a slam against this episode. Quite the contrary, it works perfectly because Noblet is trying to confuse Jerri into thinking he's doing it for her, when in reality he wants to live vicariously through her because he never learned to play violin.

I've seen this episode no less than fifty million times, but I completely missed a very funny gag involving a young Mr. Noblet who comes in from playing baseball ... in a cowboy outfit. That cracked me the heck up. I also loved the violin "duet" between Jerri and Mr. Noblet that played over the end credits.

(S01E08)

Mr. Jelineck: Your daughter has a disease we call anorexia.

Sara Blank: Is that contagious?

Mr. Jelineck: Yes. It often sweeps through third world countries that are stricken by drought.

A new character is introduced in this episode: Stew, the Blank's meatman. Basically, he's like a milkman, except he delivers meat. And much like the fabled milkman, he also seems a bit more interested in the lady of the house than he should be. He immediately makes himself at home in the household, taking on the role of "father" even though their real dad is still very much alive, even if he is catatonic.