Awkward. - Summer Finale Recap: Who Killed Ricky Schwartz?

The MTV smash Awkward. closed out the first half of Season 3 tonight with a summer finale extravaganza. What better way to celebrate another awesome season than with a bouncy castle and a party to surround it? Jenna’s (Ashley Rickards) dangerous fascination with flirty new boy Collin (Nolan Funk) finally came to a head during episode 10. Would she choose Matty McKibbin (Beau Mirchoff) or Collin? Could there actually be another choice other than ball-and-chaining yourself to a boy at age sixteen? Also, the shocking murderer of Ricky Schwartz was finally outed! Who killed Ricky Schwartz? Whoever it was, you know Sadie Saxton (Molly Tarlov) wishes it’d been her. Let’s begin the Recap and Review of “Redefining Jenna”!

The Awkward. summer finale kicked off with one last attempt from Jenna to ward off Collin’s glaringly obvious attempts to hook her in. Jenna repeatedly refused a note passed in her creative writing class, before deciding to confront the boy in the hallway. Stomping on the note, Hamilton criticized Collin’s attempts to get flirty before realizing that she’d misinterpreted his intent. The note was actually an invitation to an art show featuring a photographer Jenna had previously stated she was a fan of. I mean, come on. Did the note have to read “let’s screw” to be a romantic gesture? Luckily, Matty made his way over just in time to cut the sexual tension with a big sloppy kiss from Jenna. At this point, the show has relegated Matty from “ultimate boyfriend” to “piece of meat,” right?

Meanwhile, Tamara (Jillian Rose Reed) found herself in the good, meaning awful and annoying, graces of The Julies, a pair of mean girls responsible for deciding who was important and for throwing a massive post-Black Friday party to celebrate excessive shopping. Tamara, in coming up with the idea of calling the party The After-Mall Ball, earned herself a spot alongside the Julies. Meaning, Tamara was responsible for organizing the entire ordeal, and the pair of heinous hags were responsible for judging her work. One person who would not stand for the likes of Gingerskank landing her name on the invite was, of course, Sadie… the name who’d bee replaced. As it turns out, a bitch without money is just a bitch. Thankfully so, because I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself "What would Sadie do?" over the past few months.

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Matty and Jenna, after some debating, came to the conclusion that attending both parties was doable. They’d hit up Collin’s event before showing up fashionably late to support Tamara. Speaking of fashionable, Val (Desi Lydic) might not be the image that comes to mind when you hear the term, but the lady knows how to rock a Black Friday sale like no other. Of course, shopping wing-woman Lacey (Nikki Deloach) was there to cover her ass should some “whore” dive to steal her afghan. The best thing to ever happen to Hamilton’s mom was Val. Am I right? Jenna would borrow a sexy dress from her mom, deciding to forgo the frumpy duds the pair had picked up for her.

MTV "Awkward."

Organizing the party proved to be a disaster for Tamara. Scratch that: The party was an absolute horror show for Jake Rosati (Brett Davern), who’d been demoted to Tamara’s bitch for the evening… and all days following. Side Note: I love that the kid's last name is "Rosati." Jake broke a sweat running errands, only to find himself in hot water after he was unable to procure enough ice. Eventually, he stormed out entirely, but not before helping the girl down from a step ladder. Luckily for Tamara, Ming found herself acquiring a newfound super power this week. After defeating Becca, Ming had accidently inherited her throne as head of the Asian Mafia. After meeting “The Accountant,” a young boy with all the power of the Asian World at his fingertips, Ming received a golden key… to everything. Along with said key came a golden cell phone with the power to make all her heart's desires into realities. Thus, Tamara’s woes were laid to rest, and Ming even threw in a bouncy castle along with the request for cocktail tables and expensive booze.

Jenna and Matty had hit a snag. Once Jake sent Matty a text requesting extra ice, their schedule was thrown out of whack. Matty suggested merely making a half-hour loop around the gallery before bolting, aggravating Jenna. Jenna was quick to jump to conclusions, though, assuming Matty would feel stupid among Collin’s artsy buddies. In the car, the two ended up going back and forth regarding who embarrasses whom. Matty brought up his parents, and the fact that Jenna never once checked in on that sticky situation. That was a valid point, Matty, but admitting to feeling mortified that Jenna had allegedly tried to kill herself the night after he took her virginity was too far. The revelation a few episodes back that the act was a hoax both relieved and angered Matty. He’d always felt responsible. Anyone who’s been following my Awkward. reviews knows that I called bull on Matty’s “you’ve never embarrassed me” moment. The entirety of Season 1 was based around how Jenna was too humiliating to be seen with.

MTV "Awkward."

MTV "Awkward."

Jenna ended up heading into the party alone once she feigned making nice with Matty. Inside, Collin’s world seemed to embrace her entirely. Jenna even found herself as the subject of a shot from the photographer being showcased. It was inevitable. Collin had broken up with his girlfriend and admitted that Jenna was not, in fact, wrong about their obvious sexual chemistry. It seemed as though our own Jenna Hamilton had watched her decision be made for her. The two left together for Tamara’s big showing.

MTV "Awkward."

MTV "Awkward."

The backyard party seemed to go off without a hitch, until Lissa (Greer Grammer) downed one too many solo cups’ worth of booze. Sadie and Tamara hauled her into the house to get to the bottom of her binging. As it turned out… Lissa killed Ricky Schwartz! Well, sort of. She’d eaten Thai food before “kissing privates” with Ricky in his desperation to win Sadie back. Yes, Ricky hooked up with Lissa as she was attempting to help him win back her friend and his lover. Sadie has a soft spot for Lissa. After all, she did break her neck. God is apparently not as bitchy as Sadie Saxton, but Sadie lied, assuring Lissa that she could never have killed Ricky with residual peanut particles on her lips. Afterwards, Sadie revealed the truth to Tamara. Lissa probably did kill Ricky Schwartz, but Sadie wasn’t ready to see her sent on a collision course with the porn industry.

MTV "Awkward."

While Matty’s attempts to get in touch with Jenna were ignored, Jake and Tamara made up without much effort at all. Outside, Collin and Jenna talked in the car. He assured her of her uncanny charm, promising that at sixteen it is quite all right to be selfish. Jenna had made her decision. She chose… herself. I understood completely, until she lunged at Collin’s lips and the two sucked face. Matty began to make his way to the front of the house, slowly but surely. Seriously, this was like Meadow attempting to parallel park on the series finale of The Sopranos, right? In the end, Matty just missed the make-out session, but we’d have to wait until Awkward. returns for the second half of Season 3 to find out just what Jenna will do. My guess? I’m thinking she’ll break it off with the both of them after merely getting a taste of Collin. To me, that is “choosing one’s self.”

What did you think of the Awkward. Season 3 Summer Finale, Episode 10, “Redefining Jenna”? Do you think Jenna will choose one of the boys, or test out the single life? What ever happened to Sadie’s promising love interest, Angelique’s wacky brother? Were you happy to see Ming get more material towards the end of the season? Do you feel like Lissa, and maybe Jake, could have used more?

Also, for MTV crossover fans, how perfect would Jenna Hamilton and Teen Wolf's Stiles be? I smell a spinoff.

Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of the Awkward. Season 3 Summer Finale, Episode 10, “Redefining Jenna”!