05-22-2014, 06:24 PM
Usually every other year I take out my Home Movies box sets and try to watch a disc per day until I’m finished. I think I was about 10 years old when I first saw it on Adult Swim while channel surfing. It was the camp episode where the Russian kid pees in Coach McGuirk’s canteen, which I thought was hilarious at the time.
Unfortunately I’m not laughing as much as I used to, but I still love this show. I also like how it’s not just a mindless comedy. You can start watching at any episode and not be that much in the dark, but there’s actually a lot going on with the characters and continuity.
In season 1 you can see that Paula is not doing so well. She’s toughing it out as a single mom, trying to pay the bills, and struggling at work. She drinks heavily and yet manages to be the best mother she can for Brendon and Josie. Brendon seems oblivious to all this and devotes his energy to making films with Jason and Melissa, with real life often being the inspiration for the plots.
I’m on season 2 now where Andrew, Brendon’s dad, shows up. Andrew has been an MIA parent until then and struggles with how to interact with Brendon. If it weren’t hard enough to have his dad back in the picture, Brendon has to deal with Linda, Andrew’s fiance that’s 11 years younger than him and a bitch on wheels.
Brendon’s relationship with his dad is a part that always stuck in my head because of how cruel it was. After Paula calls Andrew to tell him about Brendon being on TV Andrew initiates contact again only to really say “hi” and then “bye” when Linda gets pregnant with his child. After this Andrew never shows up again or is mentioned. He’s got a new life now and leaves Brendon behind.
But you know what? It’s Andrew that’s missing out; no value is gone from Brendon’s life. He’s not the best male role model for Brendon to have, but Coach McGuirk more than makes up for his biological dad being out of the picture. I still remember how cute it was when McGuirk got jealous while Andrew was there.
In the final episode of Home Movies it makes sure to show who Brendon’s real family is. It ends with Brendon, Jason, Melissa, Paula, and Coach Mcguirk driving away after an unfortunate grill accident. Brendon’s realizing that their movies are going nowhere, and Melissa wants to try being a bit more feminine, but they’re all together through these changes. I like to think that whether they all lived close together or not when they got older, they always stayed best friends.
Unfortunately I’m not laughing as much as I used to, but I still love this show. I also like how it’s not just a mindless comedy. You can start watching at any episode and not be that much in the dark, but there’s actually a lot going on with the characters and continuity.
In season 1 you can see that Paula is not doing so well. She’s toughing it out as a single mom, trying to pay the bills, and struggling at work. She drinks heavily and yet manages to be the best mother she can for Brendon and Josie. Brendon seems oblivious to all this and devotes his energy to making films with Jason and Melissa, with real life often being the inspiration for the plots.
I’m on season 2 now where Andrew, Brendon’s dad, shows up. Andrew has been an MIA parent until then and struggles with how to interact with Brendon. If it weren’t hard enough to have his dad back in the picture, Brendon has to deal with Linda, Andrew’s fiance that’s 11 years younger than him and a bitch on wheels.
Brendon’s relationship with his dad is a part that always stuck in my head because of how cruel it was. After Paula calls Andrew to tell him about Brendon being on TV Andrew initiates contact again only to really say “hi” and then “bye” when Linda gets pregnant with his child. After this Andrew never shows up again or is mentioned. He’s got a new life now and leaves Brendon behind.
But you know what? It’s Andrew that’s missing out; no value is gone from Brendon’s life. He’s not the best male role model for Brendon to have, but Coach McGuirk more than makes up for his biological dad being out of the picture. I still remember how cute it was when McGuirk got jealous while Andrew was there.
In the final episode of Home Movies it makes sure to show who Brendon’s real family is. It ends with Brendon, Jason, Melissa, Paula, and Coach Mcguirk driving away after an unfortunate grill accident. Brendon’s realizing that their movies are going nowhere, and Melissa wants to try being a bit more feminine, but they’re all together through these changes. I like to think that whether they all lived close together or not when they got older, they always stayed best friends.