Why, Me? - Season 18

An eighteenth season of ***Why, Me?*** was the second part of a 40-episode order, split into two seasons, by *Tanzania*. Beginning on June 9, 2040 and ended on March 30, 2041, after a total of 20 episodes. Mandy Alexander and Aarav Bail both departed the series, with only Mary De La Wary re-joining the line-up to total a mere six cast members this season. Jax Garcia was only a guest this season, so Antony Parks became the recurring castmate of the series. The series averaged 3.43 million viewers.

## Plot

A brand new year in Northdale begins with some changes to the YouTube group and a familiar face is back for another shot ‘at home’! Phoenix brings home a new man yet as ever, this season continues to deliver developments for all the characters as Phoenix finds herself! As Lila and Ryan adapt to lives without Aarav and Mandy after turmoil with their respective allies, Max continues to man the fort at the mansion; while he too, keeps a big secret from his closest brother!

The series begins with Jo and Max having a private conversation: with them both sharing concerns for Lila and Ryan who are missing Aarav and Mandy, as they have both moved on, since they become couch potatoes. Jo confides in Max that she is seeking new opportunities which may force her to leave Northdale and effectively, F.I.R.E. YouTube group. As Max goes out to fix his car’s punctured tire, he knows who to call on to replace Jo: Mary de la Wary. At the drop of a hat, Mary catches the first flight to Northdale. Jo is confused when Mary turns up as she feels she may have misconstrued to Max that her departure was a concrete decision and angry that the rest of the gang have to find out like this. After hours waiting at the car stall, Max returns to a divided home and as much as he is overjoyed to see Mary, he feels obliged to mop up his mess. Feeling tired, he decides to leave the whole YouTube business to the following day. The next episode sees it officially decided that Mary will replace Jo as she takes over business duties. Jo, put out and trying to isolate Mary, starts planning her next venture. Lila is left inundated with date requests when Ryan announces to the world that she has suffered a break-up. For Lila, it takes her awhile to trust Ryan again after they have recently built up a big bond. Lila takes it upon herself to meddle in Phoenix and her new boyfriend, Antony’s, relationship, as he is introduced to the group when he is working on construction next door. Max tries to reason with Antony but when he informs Max he has little power over his work, Max takes it to the Northdale mayor. The YouTube group hire an intern this season as Ryan takes prolonged visits to Mandy under Mary’s new structured leadership. Jo also feels guilty when she takes Antony to an arcade, only later to discover his past addiction. As usual, arguments erupt this season. The first pair to kick off are Jo and Mary. Jo blames Mary for her YouTube departure yet the rest of the group try to reason with her that she was the first to express interest of leaving. Realising there’s nowhere else she’d rather be, she calls for a re-election to the YouTube channel, with both the gang’s and fans votes. As Max is judge, Mary pulls him aside and asks him to rig the vote for Jo to win regardless of the vote. When Max questions whether this is what she wants, she says she’s “held this post before” and she thinks someone else deserves it. Jo basks in the glory of her new election yet the episode concludes with her offering Mary a place on the YouTube channel, to which she declines yet says she’ll “stick around in Northdale for a little longer”. Just before the episode ends, Jo asks Mary why she let her win. Mary questions why she knows yet they hug it out when she explains her reasons. Phoenix, too, breaks her friendships as when they meet Antony’s friends, arguments erupt. However, Phoenix quickly makes up with Lila and they embark on a challenge too convince the rest of the group that Antony is good for her. Ricky Diaz is back too this season when Jax deals with the affairs of his owned property yet sparks soon fly with old friend, Lila. When the constant drinking and kissing annoys the rest of the gang, they attempt to gently break some new rules to Lila and Ricky without hurting their feelings. The gang collectively decide to ban Antony from the mansion when they realise he is disturbing Phoenix’s commitments. For the sake of an upcoming award of all living together (fearing Phoenix may flee the mansion), they stall telling her and attempt to not let her find out. Phoenix and Antony are the two left laughing though when they acknowledge that Phoenix knew the whole time and just wanted to let everyone go to that effort as revenge. Phoenix and Antony’s relationship soon draws to a close as Phoenix reveals she is lesbian. Antony is appalled and is not accepting of this yet Lila attempts to reason that there is nothing wrong with that and he’s not thinking straight given how fresh the break-up is. Identifying differently, Phoenix decides it’s time for change: isolated from the group or not. Once Antony comes round to the idea and accepts Phoenix for how she is, she becomes more confident in breaking stigmas and decides to confront her family, with the help of Antony. Despite standing for more traditional values, they take it surprisingly well. Antony also assists Phoenix in taking the next step of identifying herself and setting up a profile on an online dating website. Also in this episode, Lila and Ryan leave Mary’s job on the line when they pull some pranks on her rude clients. Thinking it’s her, Lila and Ryan have to convince her colleagues otherwise and apologise: lucky for them, they accept it and move on yet also taking into account the lessons they learned.

More blows are dealt this season as Ryan is forced to repeat his filming course at Northdale University. Max is forced to shake him when he starts to slack off. Jo and Mary’s relationship is once again dented as in a bid to build on their friendship, Mary asks Jo to star in one of her client’s music videos. When Jo is edited badly, she confronts Mary, thinking she did it to avenge her for running the YouTube channel again. Mary, absolutely devastated, considers leaving Northdale and her new job. Jo finally comes round and realises Mary isn’t all bad and hugs it out, promising to build on their friendship. Lila risks her friendships again later in the season when she goes one step too far in a bid to beat her sister and impress her parents; similarly, Antony fails to impress his parents when he breaks the news that Phoenix is no longer with him. When they question why, he tells them the truth so much to their shame they kick Antony out of the house. PAntony knocks on the door at the mansion with Phoenix answering. Feeling guilty she invites him in and convinces Max to let him move in. When his habits become unbearable, Phoenix pays a visit to his parents to convince them to let him move back in yet this soon escalates to a hospital visit when Antony’s sister turns physical with her new ‘masculine haircut’. Phoenix, bruised and battened, begins her healing process both physically and emotionally, with Antony, as a friend, right by her side. The gang are ecstatic when Jax turns up and announces to the group that Joyce is pregnant. Deciding to throw Jax a party, Max is stuck as to whether to tell Jax when he receives a phone call from Joyce’s mother telling him that Joyce has miscarried. Not telling Jax, Max is left feeling guilty when Jax is furious that he hasn’t been there for Joyce. They sit down and discuss their differences yet Jax soon forgives Max. Max’s relationship with Antony is soon strained when his new friend turns out to be Max’s old tormenter back to do the same things again. Believing Max is punishing him and therefore trying to get him to move out, Antony attempts to push the boundaries yet is left torn when he sees how terrified Max becomes. The strain between Antony and Max continues to be felt, particularly by Ryan, when the boys film a series of Outside Challenges, on the contrary to viewer’s requests for the YouTube channel. While the girls tackle Home challenges, Jo and Mary finally start to bond. Lila and Ryan take another dabble in finding some jobs to afford the latest iPhone; while Jo, too, is tasked with a dodgy challenge by some tough thugs. As the series nears to a close, Jo, deciding she is willing to work on her relationship with Mary, is tasked to cover for Mary in order for her to earn her promotion yet when she is caught out, Mary is fired from her job. Jo, upset, breaks the news to Mary who for a moment takes a deep breath yet huge Jo, reassuring her it’s not her fault. The rest of the group, in this episode, attempt to catch the post thief and despite going to many lengths, discover it’s a neighbour’s Dog. In the final episode of the season, Phoenix and Antony’s relationship take another turn as Antony reveals he is still not over Phoenix. Questioning her identity, the pair hold crises talks and the rest of the gang queue outside a closing store to get in first and they are determined to get in, no matter what it takes.

## Cast and Production

On March 8, 2038, a 40-episode order was placed for a seventeenth and eighteenth season. The eighteenth season begun filming a month after the previous season wrapped: beginning on June 10, 2039 and concluded on March 2, 2040. Production was mostly kept under wraps; with an official announcement only made on December 12, 2039. Mary De La Wary was announced to be making a full-time return to the show in which she described as a “blessing”. In what producers described as “listening to the viewers”, Aarav Bail was stated to have been fired from the show. In a bid to “spice-up” the show, Mandy Alexander was also announced to have been dropped from the line-up (a shock for fans). This meant that the number of cast members decreased to six. Jax Garcia was announced to have been demoted to only be appearing in a guest capacity; while *Tanzania* confirmed the recurring capacity this season would be filled by Phoenix Whitby‘s “rebound” boyfriend, Antony Parks. The network later admitted than Parks was going originally cast as a regular but was then demoted due to his appearances not being ‘so frequent’. Parks was then given the recurring role which was later axed before the nineteenth season; this had been the intention before the eighteenth season but was then re-added after Parks had been assigned the recurring role.

## Trivia

* Four main characters are absent this season:
	+ Mary De La Wary is absent during four episodes this season. She is absent during the episodes, *Cracks and Tears*, *Runner-Up is First Loser*, *Broken Bond* and *Feisty and Fabulous*.
	+ Lila Miller is absent during four episodes this season. She is absent during the episodes, *Award Dilemma*, *Deceit*, *Broken Bond* and *Stick in a Relationship*.
	+ Ryan Alexander is absent during four episodes this season. He is absent during the episodes, *Cracks and Tears*, *Mrs. Phoenix Parks*, *Broken Bond* and *Dodgy Day Afternoon*.
	+ Phoenix Whitby is absent during three episodes this season. She is absent during the episodes, *Deceit*, *Stick in a Relationship* and *Feisty and Fabulous*.
* Antony Parks was the final recurring character in the show’s history and the only time Parks appears in the show.
	+ He appears in fifteen episodes this season. He appears during the episodes, *Cracks and Tears*, *Gamble On Me*, *Leader vs. Leader, Part 1*, *Leader vs. Leader, Part 2*, *Mrs. Phoenix Parks*, *Award Dilemma*, *Identity*, *That’s Her*, *Deceit*, *Broken Bond*, *Crazy Hayes*, *Feisty and Fabulous*, *Code of Conduct: Rule #1*, *Dodgy Day Afternoon* and *I’m Not for Sale*.