Don't let the bright colors and funky music fool you. Andre 3000's brainchild has a way of making its viewers cry.
Please place all examples in order of airdate.
Moments pages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned!
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Season 1
Pilot
- Really the reason Sunny couldn't stand his music star career anymore. The constant selling out, being told what to do and where to go just got exhausting for him, and he just wanted to settle down back in his old hometown.
- The video for "Life Without Music" depicts a world without music and the arts. The music is just a piano with the kids singing. That the colors are more washed-out doesn't help.
- Harsher in Hindsight: With the Trump administration threatening to cut the art budget.
- Li'l D's dejection near the end of the episode when Sunny was taken back by his manager after "Throwdown"
- "Richer Shade of Blue" is just a sad song. It tells that Eddie may be rich, but that he can be sad too. The music video shows Eddie jumping for a heart... and then missing, before falling into water. It's the page image for a reason.
- Eddie was also the first character on the show to be shown visibly crying.
- Sunny genuinely believes that he was never good enough for his old mentor. The mentor feels that he wasn't worthy of a student like Sunny.
Season 2
Too School For School
- Sunny walking in on the other teachers packing up to leave after they were replaced by celebrities. Miss Lopez's tone implies that she feels genuinely insulted. Coach Barnum, the circus arts teacher, is actually crying. Luna doesn't help.Miss Lopez: We've all been replaced by celebrities. Apparently Kim replaced me with the killer robot from Eliminator 2.
- Philly Phil attempting to be "normal" after he makes the music class lose field day and screwing up his attempt to make it up. When he's walking home from school after his "first day as a gadget-free man," he runs into what is implied to be his robot dog. Their talk?Philly Phil: Go away, boy. I'm not supposed to use any gadgets anymore.Dog: (happy sounds)Philly Phil: I mean it, go on now. (the dog wags its tail) I'm sorry. I'm trying to be normal like my friends. (the dog looks down and whines) I know, boy. Doesn't seem very fair.
- The fact that his entire group made him feel like he had to give up what he loved to do, and how oblivious they were to the fact, alienated him from them; you could really tell from his tone of voice.Li'l D: Cmon Philly Phil! Don't you wanna come back with your friends?Kim: Yeah! You don't wanna hang out with those science nerds!Philly Phil: Don't you understand!? I am a science nerd!
- After their first attempt to get Philly Phil to return to the Westley School of Performing Arts, the students are shown playing their instruments with little to no enthusiasm due to his absence.
- Right after Sunny inquires into the issue, an entire argument breaks out. While they all argue, even Madison of all people is actually angry while arguing.
- Tamika, after losing her way in the woods, gives up hope and actually starts crying- quite audibly, too!
- This episode as a whole is an Unexpectedly Dark Episode for the series, as it deals with the very real fear of getting lost in the woods with no guarantee of rescue. Had it not been for Madison's violin talents, this episode could've very easily ended in a Downer Ending.
- After failing to find Tamika and Madison, the rest of the class (notably Eddie) is visibly despondent for the rest of the episode, not smiling until they reunite at the end.
- The fact that despite all the effort his students went through, they all messed it up for Sunny in the end...and even when they tried to make up for it, he still didn't get his Teacher of the year award.
- Really the song itself can be seen as an epitaph for the show, given that this was one of the final three lost episodes that can never be found again.
- Kam starts his own business to attempt to win over a girl he likes. In the process, he ends up getting tied up in a rivalry with Eddie, who plans on using the girl to make Tamika jealous. The two boys almost end up losing their friendship over this.
- And to add insult to injury? The girl was just a Gold Digger who wanted to use Kam for her own gain and wouldn't have been interested in him otherwise. So he nearly threw away a friendship earlier episodes make clear he values and cherishes highly over a girl who would have walked off the moment she milked him dry.
