Awkward - Season 2 Episode 9 - Full Video and Recap - Homewrecker Hamilton

Well, well, well. While I was really enjoying Season 2 of Awkward from the beginning, I have to admit now I was a little worried. To me, it just felt like the writers were spinning their wheels a little too much with the whole Jenna-Matty-Jake triangle, and did not know what they wanted to do with them. Honestly, I should have had more faith and trusted that they knew exactly what they were doing. I think part of this has to do with the fact that they are on MTV, and people simple do not expect great scripted comedy and drama from that channel. Also, you can never be sure if a series simply lucked into a great first season, so we are naturally afraid the second one will pale in comparison. This is all my roundabout way of saying that Awkward has really hits its creative stride this season these past episodes, and tonight was absolutely no exception.

Ultimately, I knew when Jake found out about Jenna and Matty’s past that would be when everything kicked up a gear, I merely did not expect the payoff to be this good. So there was Jake, at the worst possible time finally unable to be the perfect and understanding guy he had always been. Then we have Matty, a kid trying to make amends for his assholish ways last season by stepping up and forcing himself to be the mature. Finally there was Jenna, a girl not simply losing her boyfriend, but somebody that has watched her world crumble around her so many times in such short order. Every time things look up for her they ultimately come crashing down, and there is no way to not feel for her. Exasperating the situation was the very public nature that everything has taken.

I should have known that it all would have gone public when everything was revealed, making it more than just between the primary players and about Jenna’s ever-growing reputation. All season long Jenna has benefited from slowly becoming anonymous again. Outside of her little PA system mistake, she has been able to hide away. Once again, her life is on display for the world to see and judge. Awkward has always done a great job of framing the effects that gossip and notoriety have on normal kids in high school, and this episode was no different. How can you simply not feel for three kids who are growing up in such a public way? Sure, Jenna made the situation worse by publicizing her blog, but that is exactly the type of dumb mistake a high school student would make and you so desperately want to reach through the television screen and stop them.

In other words, the reason Awkward is firing on all cylinders right now is that it knows characters and what it wants to say with them. Yes, Awkward is a very funny show and can be heartwarming at times, but at its very best it is a biting commentary of contemporary teenage life. It demonstrates how growing up in this day and age comes with its own unique challenges, and the brutality that being a normal teenager can be when everyone knows who you are.

I thought tonight’s episode was fantastic, and did a really nice job of building towards what looks like another phenomenal one next week. Awkward is really proving that it is one of the best summer programs and should be respected as such.

Quick Hits:

God I missed Becca! I am sorry she was brought back under the purpose of making Ming’s life Hell, but I was so happy to see her on my television last night. The character is flat-out hilarious, and was the perfect counterpoint to Sadie’s form of bitchassness. Also, it was great to see Ming getting back involved in the storyline. That needs to happen more often, writers!

So Sadie is back to full on bitch, eh? Not that she ever really left, I am just surprised that she was willing to go so far as taking Matty out as well. Yeah he was pretty much collateral damage in her warpath against Jenna, but that was some cold treatment of a friend. Something tells me she will get hers by the end of the season, which will be entirely deserved. Also, now that everything is out on Jenna’s blog, does that not mean Sadie’s food journal and other exploits should come into play? I hope they do something with that in order to give her a little taste of her own medicine.

Jenna’s dad does a very typical divorcee thing by buying her a car to bribe her, and Jenna’s mom reacts accordingly. I stand on the sidelines and roll my eyes at simple bitches being simple. All is the same in the world.

On the other hand, even though she has been acting like her typical self, I have to say Val has been killing me lately as well in a good way. Part of it was that she was interacting with adults, but the other part was her role with the kids has been minimal. Love the character, just think she brings down the high school storylines when she is used too much in them.

So who is the anonymous commenter? I have no idea at this point, so much so that I will not even hazard a real guess. Who do you all think it could be?

No Ally?! Nooooooooooo! I need that crazy woman in my life on a weekly basis.

So next week looks pretty epic, and I seriously cannot wait to see how they ratchet things up even further.