This episode is the first of two episodes in a three-episode span where Ana and her family are at the center of the plot, as well as revealing that she and Robin are cousins.
The episode kicks off with a performance of the appropriately titled “Jealous Again”. Once the song finishes, our focus moves to the garage; where three of the kids are waiting to rehearse. During this time, Kenny, Haylie and Eric are doing a game of sorts with their baseball cards (the boys having St. Louis Cardinals cards; which Haylie trumps with a Chicago Cubs card - to which when Eric notes they were supposed to be collecting cards; Haylie responds with “I am. I’m collecting ‘’’your’’’ cards.”) - and Haylie makes it clear she’s not giving up her Nolan Ryan card either, though Kenny then points out Ana has an autographed picture of Nolan Ryan…along with pictures of Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens and Darryl Strawberry; suggesting that since Ana’s family had moved around a lot that it gave her plenty of opportunities for autographs. Haylie then notes the different things Robin is intonote as the others continue to wait for their arrival in order to start rehearsal.
One of the things Robin is into is cheerleading; and as she and Ana arrive at the garage it’s clear Robin is exhausted…and irritated upon Ana apparently making the team - with Ana mentioning cheering at a basketball game and getting an autograph from Michael Jordan; along with flying on the same plane as Bill Cosbynote and dining with Arnold Schwarzenegger before an increasingly annoyed Robin cuts in so rehearsal can start, setting up “You Can’t Deny It” (with one of the things that couldn’t be denied being Robin’s jealousy is evident with her staring daggers at Ana constantly during the song). Later, Ana displays the autographed picture of His Airness along with running a fan club for Cher and meeting her; even showing off some movie passes. Robin had a game of soccer on her mind, declining to go with the others.
Eventually; Robin makes her way to the P*lace, proceeding to drown her sorrows in ice cream (ordering 4 in the space of a half-hour without smiling); tipping Flip off to something being wrong. Robin then spills the details of feeling pushed aside since Ana and her mother moved in with Robin’s family (having given up her room) - even by her parents (Robin cracks that Ana’s popular enough that she could be the first woman President). While Flip points out that it’s understandable that Ana was getting more attention due to her parents divorcing, Robin feels like Ana was trying to outdo her, finishing by saying she was unsure if this town was “big enough for both of us”, setting up “Don’t Treat Me Bad” (set up with the bickering cousins first as opposing political candidates, cowgirls about to duel in The Wild West and finally as pirates fighting while Haylie attempts to steer).
Meanwhile; Ana arrives with more good news, as she was officially on the cheerleading squad and is paying for malts…while a disappointed Robin sees she didn’t make the cut. By the time Robin arrives at the P*lace again, Ana tells her about the results of the tryout before Robin begs off by saying she had to work on a song. This mini-cold war then turns red-hot when Robin implies Ana’s been celebrating too much while Ana counters by saying she didn’t mess up on rehearsal, and despite Kenny’s attempt to break the argument up, Ana then accuses Robin of being jealous, leading the two to storm off (Eric: “Am I wrong, or did a major storm front just move into the P*lace?”); leading to “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”, with Ana noting that she hadn’t done anything to hurt the band before Robin states that it’s her Ana hurt (Ana countering with “You’ve been hurting me.”).
Eventually, the girls talk things out - with Ana offering to quit upon seeing how much making the cheerleading squad meant to Robin, (though she manages to talk Ana out of that) and acknowledging that without Robin, “she wouldn’t have anything”. We then get some clarity on some of Ana’s stories (sharing a flight with Bill Cosby - Ana was in coach while Cosby was in first-class; the tickets Ana strongly implied came from Cher - she bought them herself and being in the same restaurant with “Ahnold” - he was on the other side of the restaurantnote . The two finally apologize for being jealous of each other and end up patching things up - unaware that their bandmates witnessed/eavesdropped on their “family reunion” as we move to closing song “You’re the One”.
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Jealous Again” (The Black Crowes cover; lead vocals by Eric and Kenny)note
- “You Can’t Deny It” (Lisa Stansfield cover; lead vocals by Ana and Robin)
- “Don’t Treat Me Bad” (FireHouse cover; lead vocals by Robin and Ana)
- “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes covernote ; lead vocals by Robin and Ana)
- “You’re the One” (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Ana, Haylie, Robin and Eric)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- An Aesop: 2 for 1 in this episode; with one involving honestly (for Ana) and not being jealous (Robin).
- A Round of Drinks for the House: Ana announces paying for the other kids’ malts to celebrate making the cheerleading squad.
- Cowboy Episode: Of a sorts, as part of the Imagine Spot for “Don’t Treat Me Bad” has Ana and Robin preparing to duel.
- The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: Of sorts, as while Ana and Robin are actually cousins, Ana and her mother have moved in with Robin’s family after Ana’s parents divorced.
- Heartbreak and Ice Cream: Robin ordering four ice creams…in the space of 30 minutes. Without smiling.
- Imagine Spot: Used for “Don’t Treat Me Bad” where Robin and Ana are depicted both as rival candidates and in the Wild West.
