From: kimi@newsance.att.com (Kimiye Tipton;ball of confusion)
Subject: NX 4.2, 10/5 episodode
Organization: AT&T IMS, Maitland, FL
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 13:57:40 GMT


Can only guess at the episode title of this week's NX-- Andy Bates'
guide says (probably) "Nothing's Perfect", but I've been calling it
"Midnight Sunstroke".

Well, it was average to low on the NX scale, probably a 5.0 since
stereotypes of most of the characters were used instead of breaking
any new ground.  With the exception of Fleischman, of course, and I'm
still trying to figure that one out.

Who wants details?  Hit that space key...


Maggie was particularly poorly written, being used as an idiotic feminist 
mouthpiece again (and I'm quite proud to call myself a feminist-- it 
doesn't have to mean anti-male).  They could have shown the dichotomy
of wanting to be wanted for who you are while still being worried about
how good you look, and done it with more humor, subtlety, and wry self-
knowledge (or at least a glimmer of it-- if Maggie doesn't learn
something from acting stupid, what's the point?)  Her only good
scenes were the ones with Joel, where she provided the perfect foil
for his personality change (as she always does).  

The whole Shelly cheerleader bit was tired, in spite of John Cullum's
valiant attempts to do a good job acting lustful and gentle at the
same time.  I didn't know what to make of Toomey and Ruth Anne.
What is there about her that supposed to be attractive to men as
different as the tailor and Ed?  A twisted sort of Earth Mother
image?  Help me out if you know.  Marilyn's exit after learning
the extent of Joel's sun looniness was the only hoot in the whole
show.

Rob Morrow did a fine job of proving that Fleischman in a good mood
can be just as/even more annoying than Fleischman the malcontent.  
A lot of Jules showed up, but it was mostly the self-confidence and
the sincere willingness to hear what other people were saying that 
made him suddenly into a leader of men.  Hmmmm.

(Okay, so the coach bit was interesting but I'm not into sports.
Then I watched the news immediately after the show, and saw all
the sound bites of Clinton stumping through Florida, with his 
sleeves rolled up, making ringing speeches, and all the giddy 
voters being interviewed and talking about how hearing him had
made up their minds, and that they had some hope for the future.
What is a leader but a good coach, a good cheerleader?  Boy, it
was weird.)

Didn't you find yourself, when someone like Maurice was proposing
some scheme, on the edge of your chair expecting that _this_ would
be the hair that breaks the camel's back, that Joel would snap back
with one of his sour retorts.  Never happened!  He didn't turn anybody
down-- it was the most indefatigable good mood imaginable.

The polite requests for sex that the manic Joel made to Maggie provided
some of the best moments in the show.  The midnight visit through the
window was particularly cute.  At least they didn't run the subplot
into the ground (shades of "Cheers"), but then it was completely ruined
by the denouement, when Joel acted like Maggie was a piece of furniture.
It made no sense that he would go really cold like that.  It made sense that
he would deny any attraction (out of embarrassment), but there should 
have been some hidden look when they turned away from each other, anything, 
instead of dropping the whole subject with no warmth whatsoever.

Okay, so usually, when Maggie begs for a compliment, and Fleischman
says, "You look like you always do", he often adds "beautiful" or
"great" or something.  This time he stubbornly refuses, refers to her
dress, and then pleads insanity with a large dose of contempt (for
himself?  for her wanting flattery?).  She turns away mad, and he just
turns away.  Then we see the wide view of the room (deja vu "Slow
Dance"), and neither of them in sight.  I just don't know.  Seems
like the writers are trying to pretend that the end of last season
didn't happen.  Or worse, they're trying to negate it.  Aaah, maybe
the plan is to have them really hate each other because they're both
so close to loving each other... (feel the stretch...)

This was especially weird since he obviously still cared a lot about
the basketball team after waking up normal.  His most astonishing line
was "We'll beat them next year."  He's going to remain Cicely's 
basketball coach, a big step for him joining the community as well
as the human race.

I really had trouble figuring out the connecting, underlying theme in 
the subplots this time, and I'm thinking there may not have been much 
of one.  There was the appearance/lust/sex object versus loving
in spite of looks or age vein, and the "your attitude is everything" 
theme, but I can't see any tie-in.  

This show was featherweight compared to most NX episodes.  Definitely
a 5.0, with peaks into 7 or so for all but the last Maggie/Joel
scene, and for some of the basketball coaching.  I'm actually looking
forward to the Bubble Lawyer--the writers need new blood.


Kimiye Tipton  kimi@kokomo.att.com or kimi@newsance.att.com  Maitland, FL
      "I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!"  --Joel with his caps key stuck.

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