Recap / My So Called Life S 1 E 2 Dancing In The Dark

Dancing In The Dark

Directed By: Scott Winant

Written By: Winnie Holzman

Rayanne uses the pretext of Angela doing a science project with Brian to arrange for Jordan to sell Angela a fake ID and Angela and Jordan can spend time together. Patty convinces Graham to sign up for ballroom dancing, which doesn't go well at first, but eventually works out for them.

This episode contains examples of:

• Bait-and-Switch: After Jordan tries to kiss Angela and it goes badly (see "Shut Up" Kiss below), his sleeve touches her arm, and Angela says in voiceover how it would be the perfect moment for him to kiss her - and that's when Jordan reaches in front of her to open the car door so she'll get out.
  Angela (voiceover) I could have killed him.
• Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: Within the same episode - Patty and Graham have a huge fight after their failed attempt at ballroom dancing, but though it seems like their marriage is at the breaking point, they apparently realize that, because their next scene together shows the two of them in bed after just having sex.
• Comically Missing the Point: Patty thinks Angela has a crush on Brian, when it's really Jordan. Graham thinks Angela has a crush on Brian at first, but he quickly figures out it's someone else.
• Double Entendre: Rayanne, of course, can make a double entendre about anything, including a science project - when Brian is trying to get Angela to come over to work on their science project together, Rayanne responds, "He wants you to work on his apparatus."
• Exact Eavesdropping: Angela walks in on Graham talking on the phone with the woman she had seen him with before, telling her it's not going to work out, missing the fact Graham told her they haven't done anything yet and aren't going to.
• Extreme Doormat: Sharon accuses Brian of this when he covers for Angela (when Angela leaves class early because Rayanne beckoned her) and claims he and Angela are doing the experiment together when Brian is doing all the work.
• Important Haircut: Patty gets a haircut because she thinks it'll help spice up the relationship she has with Graham.
• It's All About Me: When Graham tells Neil (his brother) about the woman he was talking with after work, Neil thinks he and Patty might be getting a divorce, and asks, "Where will I go for the holidays?"
• It's a Long Story: Angela says this when she gets into Jordan's car for the fake ID, as an explanation for why she doesn't want to get out of the car.
• Kissing Warm-Up: Angela talks in a voiceover about how she can't believe she's going to be alone with Jordan and then starts kissing the mirror - at least until she catches Danielle watching her.
• Locked Out of the Loop: Patty - when Camille and Patty come in the Chase house:
  Camille: Sharon refuses to come in.
  Patty: Okay, what's the deal?
  Camille: You tell me. All Sharon will say is, um, Angela's been acting different, so then she called her on it in the girls' room one day, and they both cried. Ever since then, they've kinda avoided each other, and that's all I know.
  Patty: That's a miniseries compared to what I know.
• Minor with Fake I.D.: Though Rayanne's attempts to get one for Angela is just an excuse to get Angela and Jordan together.
• Shout-Out: When Camille and Patty are discussing on how to spice up Patty's marriage with Graham, Camille asks, "Didn't Jane Seymour (Actress) write a book about this?" Patty points out Seymour got divorced, but Camille responds she got married again and is now "that medicine woman."
• "Shut Up" Kiss: Crosses over with Forceful Kiss - Jordan does this to Angela twice when they're in the car together, and despite her feelings for Jordan, she's not ready for it.
• Supreme Chef: Graham.
  Angela: (in voiceover) I have to say, when my dad heats something up, it tastes better than when anyone else heats it up.
• Titled After the Song: Though it's unclear whether it's titled after the song used in The Band Wagon or the Bruce Springsteen song.
• You Keep Telling Yourself That: Sharon says this word for word to Brian when Brian claims Angela is coming over to help him on his experiment after that.