Why Jordan Can't Read
Directed By: Mark Piznarski
Written By: Liberty Godshall
Angela decides to put down all of her feelings about Jordan into a letter and gives it to Rayanne, who promptly loses it while their class is on a field trip. Jordan ends up getting the letter, which makes Angela feel embarrassed until something Jordan says makes her realize he can't really read. At this point, Angela feels she's gotten closer to Jordan - she even gets to kiss him, making her feel better than when he tried to kiss her - but that changes when she arranges for the two of them to go out on a date.
Elsewhere, Patty is afraid she might be pregnant, and while Graham is reluctant about that at first, he does like the idea of having a son, so he's a little crushed when he finds out Patty isn't pregnant.
This episode contains examples of:
- Ask a Stupid Question...: When Angela finds out her parents want to meet Jordan before she goes out on a date with him:Angela: Why do I have to parade him (Jordan) around in front of you?
Patty: Because we want to drag you down to our level. - Blatant Lies: When Angela finds out Jordan has the letter she wrote about him, she claims it isn't about him, but an old boyfriend she had the summer before. Who's dead.
- Call-Back: We had learned in the previous episode Jordan Never Learned to Read.
- Captain Obvious: Rayanne feels this way after Sharon's response to her question about whether she and Kyle have had sex yet (see Punctuated! For! Emphasis! below) and then a bit later when Sharon tells her, "You're so weird."Rayanne: Duh squared.
- Continuity Snarl: Rayanne asks Sharon if she and Kyle have had sex yet, even when she figured out Sharon had written the poem about having sex in the basement.
- Dramatic Irony: Angela taunts Brian when they're playing catch at the end, telling him she can't wait until he falls in love with someone, unaware Brian is in love with her.
- Happy Dance: After Jordan kisses her and then drives off, Angela does a little dance before going inside her house.
- Heartbreak and Ice Cream: After Jordan stands Angela up, the next day, Patti comes into her bedroom and offers her ice cream. Angela is in no mood to talk, but when Patti turns to leave, Angela says, "You can leave the ice cream."
- It's All About Me: Rayanne takes credit for getting Angela and Jordan together, since she mislaid the letter.
- "L" Is for "Dyslexia": Discussed - when Angela talks about the fact Jordan can't read, she asks Jordan if it's dyslexia, telling him her uncle has that and so do many other people.
- Moment Killer: When Angela finds out Jordan can't read, it seems like the two of them are about to kiss - and then Jordan's bandmate tells him there's rehearsal. It's downplayed in that Angela seems to get an invite to rehearsal.
- Mood Whiplash:
- When Rayanne tells Sharon it looks like she's reaching ecstasy with Kyle, and she's never felt like that with any of the guys she's been with, Sharon tells her she may not have met the right guy yet. Rayanne replies that she's tried all kinds of guys, and it looks like a real Friendship Moment...at which point Rayanne starts laughing, acting as if she had made all of that up, leading Sharon to give her a Death Glare.
- Angela is in a bad mood after Jordan stands her up, until Patti reveals she thought she was pregnant, at which point she says, "WHAT?!" and starts laughing hysterically, leading Patti to say, "I'm glad I was able to cheer you up."
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Patty and Graham feel this way when they see Angela the morning after her kiss with Jordan:Patty: [to Graham] She's drinking coffee.
Graham: And humming. - Playing Catch with the Old Man: A variation - near the end of the episode, Graham starts playing catch with Danielle, but then she leaves and he starts playing catch with Brian, leading to this memorable exchange:Angela: Why is Dad playing catch with Brian Krakow?
Patti: I guess if you live with three women, it would make any man desperate. - Precocious Crush: This is the episode that makes it clear Danielle has one of these on Brian, especially shown when she asks him to show her how to play the saxophone.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: When Rayanne and Sharon are in the bathroom together:Rayanne: So, have you and Kyle gone all the way yet?
Sharon: That is. Completely. None of your business.
Rayanne: Duh. - The Reveal: When Rickie is explaining to Jordan why Angela is down in the dumps after Jordan forgot about their date:Rickie: Well, it was partly that song you wrote ("I Call Her Red"). She really liked it. And it was obvious what it was about, so...
Jordan: Yeah...my car. - Shout-Out:
- When Mrs. Lerner is trying to make sure everyone stays with the group at the museum:
Angela: What is the big deal with staying with the group? I mean, what if Amelia Earhart stayed with the group.
Rickie: Or Diana Ross?- When Angela first hears the song Jordan's humming, she asks if it's by Crowded House.
- Angela has Brian's copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which he wants returned to him.
- Camille says she plans on looking like Tina Turner when she's 50.
- When Patty thinks she might be pregnant, she tells Graham the night it could have happened was when they watched The Nutty Professor (1963).
- Angela wants Jordan to go with her to see Bicycle Thieves. Brian gets upset when he finds out, because (a) Angela didn't even know about the movie until Brian showed it to her, and (b) according to him, Jordan couldn't possibly understand it, which makes Angela upset.
- Shutting Up Now: Discussed by Angela, who wishes there was a button she could push to get herself to stop talking and not say things around Jordan that she shouldn't - for example, when she says at the museum, "like you can't get it (the tune in Jordan's head) out of your mind, or something?"
- "Shut Up" Kiss: Jordan does this to Angela again when she's talking about his inability to read. Unlike the last time Jordan did that, Angela doesn't mind it.
- Slut-Shaming: When Kyle makes a joke about Rayanne having sex with a security guard at the museum field trip, Sharon accuses him of this, and points out (a) if one of his teammates did that with a female security guard, Kyle would give him a medal, and (b) there are better reasons not to like Rayanne than who she has sex with.
- Tempting Fate: At the museum field trip, Angela claims she's finally over Jordan. This won't be the last time she says that.
