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IMHO: "Real World: Brooklyn" (Ep. 11) "Total Recall"
There isn’t much gay going on with this episode of Real World: Brooklyn, but the show’s focus on military service couldn’t come at a better time with the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell battle gradually gaining momentum in Washington. The episode opens with the bright-eyed optimism that was Election Day 2008. Now that the honeymoon might be waning, it’s nostalgic to look back at the roommates and remember the energy and hope that went along with the Obama campaign. However, not everyone syncs with the momentum and plans to Barack the vote – Chet is Republican, and voices his dismay that fellow Mormon Mitt Romney hadn’t remained in the election. Boohoo. Aside from Scott and Chet, the rest of the cast cheer for Obama, including Ryan, who hopes the new president will end the war in Iraq. After a half-hour of hodgepodge footage recalling Ryan's myriad of military experiences while in Brooklyn, it becomes clear that trouble is afoot. But it isn't until the end of the hour that the climax is reached: Ryan's brother calls to let him know he's being recalled into infantry service. (The phone call is eerily reminiscent of Danny’s devastating moment in Real World: Austin.) He shares a good cry with Scott (and the viewers), and we’re left to wonder for a week just how he’ll break the news to his roommates.
Jock Support So other than some pink nail polish painted on Scott, a shot of JD crying during CNN’s declaration of Obama’s victory, and a life-size cutout of Chet, this episode was sans the LGBT, which after the last few visibility-packed weeks doesn’t break my heart.
Cardboard Chet But military service is a constant conversation topic within our community, and after getting to know Ryan (as the editors and writers have illustrated him), it becomes even more personal. What do you think of Scott and Chet’s reaction to Obama’s election? If you could have a life-size cutout of a Brooklyn Real Worlder, who would it be? Do you think Obama will end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? Submitted by on Thu, 2009-03-19 11:32. |
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i'm gonna have to disagree...
So I think this totally needed an up-arrow. I know it wasn't super-LGBT inclusive, but I was totally tearing up when Ryan was crying at the end, you really could see the heartbreak in him. Also, I think Scott and Chet's reactions to President Obama weren't all that bad, I mean I remember bitching when Bush got re-elected, so they're allowed their bitching too. As for the cut-out I have to agree with I think it was Sarah who said "you get a cut-out and you don't expect anyone to mess with it?"
Though I should give full disclosure my liking of this episode may also come from the fact that I interned for the Obama campaign, so the election night stuff brought back ALOT of good memories and all. To answer your question about DADT, it will probably be repealed, maybe not in a month, but I bet before the next election. Oh and i'd totally have a cut-out of scott... in one of those underwear poses of course :-)
I'm going to agree
with Theta Chi Chris on this one - sure it was the least gay episode yet, but I'm OK with that. This episode was an up arrow for me, for slightly different reason. I didn't intern for Obama, but I did my time in the military.
Stop-loss is terrifying, and a part of the contract that most don't quite get when they're signing up. It sounds OK when they say it to you, but it's a really different thing in practice. You get home, you start your life, get it going, and BAM! they call you back to hell. Soldiers are patriots, and like the previews for next week show, Ryan's going, it's what you do, but it's literally your new life being ripped to pieces in front of you.
I completely understood what he was crying about, and it wasn't bad memories, it wasn't fear, it was his life being shredded. And I love Scott even more for going from what he was thinking was just a conversation, to getting up and holding Ryan while he cried without even blinking. No awkward anything, no hesitation, he was just there. The big ox has got a heart of gold to go with his abs of steel.
I was also amused his biggest complaint about his fingernails wasn't that someone painted his nails pink, it was that they did a crappy job. That could've gone a different way with a different cast member.
I'm amused that the lunkhead I thought I'd like the least turns out to smart, kind, caring, and hot.