Tuesday, August 26, 2003

 

Jessica Myrtle Spano: Gone, but somehow still annoying us

Zack walks into the hall wearing a wallpaper-inspired shirt and all in a tizzy because someone parked in his parking space. As Screech describes the perpetrator of the crime -- a big bad biker dude -- a girl wearing a black leather jacket full of zippers walks through. Zack gives her attitude about parking in his space and she give him attitude back, thus signaling that Zack has met his match. I guess. Zack goes to Belding and whines about his space while the Fall Ball dance committee has a meeting. Mr. B. shows his complete faith in Lisa as chair by telling her that he hopes she can make it as good as last year's dance. Since there wasn't one last year, I'm thinking Lisa's cool. Lisa, however, has adapted Jessie's aggresive personality, snapping at her committee calling them stupid nerds.

Later, in class, the same teacher who assigned a test on the first day of school gives out an ad campaign project to be done with a partner. Amazingly, Zack gets stuck with Tori. While meeting at the Max to go over their computer datebook project, they trade ruthless insults like, "That way you don't get Candi mixed up with Bambi" and "If it was your datebook, it would be empty." In the end, they decide to split up the project. Meanwhile, Lisa's turned into some Hitler-like personality, telling her committee that they're not allowed to eat. Finally, after being called incompetent, Slater gets fed up and quits as the rest of the committee follows suit. Lisa spots Tori, begs for her help with the dance, and she agrees.

It's the next day; it's presentation day, and Tori is a no-show. Zack begins to demonstrate his half of the project duties with cue cards and a shirt that looks like bacteria cells. He tries to stall by presenting a scenario of a missing partner who is costing the other partner a grade -- I mean job -- when Tori dashes in, right on cue.

After class, Tori meets Lisa in the hall and they talk about how tired they are for staying up all night and decorating for the dance. Tori has developed a new appreciation for Zack after seeing how resourceful he was. Later, Tori walks into the Max, spots Zack sitting at a dirty booth (two half full glasses, neither of which Zack seems to be interested in) and tries to cozy up to him, which only ends in a shouting match. She storms out of the Max and goes to the girls' locker room, kicking lockers. When Lisa guesses that Tori has a crush on Zack, she suggests that Tori soften her image.

At the dance, Zack tries to make conversation with his date, Ginger [Sampras], and fails. Tori makes her grand entrance wearing a variation of Lisa's mystery mansion dress and all of her hair in a poof on the side of her head. As Tori plays up her feminine (?) side to Zack, Lisa keeps walking by in the background, grinning like the Cheshire cat. When Zack blows Tori off for Ginger, Lisa cuts in and tells Zack that Tori was late because she was helping with decorations. Zack finds Tori pouting in the hall, apologizes and they agree to start over. Tori's a bit disappointed when Zack walks off after calling her pal. I can see the determination in her eyes, though. She'll make him hers for at least... 2.5 episodes.

--Kia

Quote of the episode
Tori: "So how are things going with you and that bimbo Ginger?"
Zack: "She is not a bimbo! She's not a bimbo. She's just...happy."

Grade
Kia: C+. The fact that it's a Tori episode counts for the majority of the deductions, but the fact that Pete and Ox are beginning to get played up is great. Can't forget Zack and Lisa dancing. That's what gets the plus.

3:56 PM