So Weird Realizations

Carey was only created to fill the gap while Clu was “away at college.” Unlike most characters that are there to fill the gap and randomly inserted abruptly into a series, Carey is gradually introduced. In season 1, Clu mentions his older brother in passing. (Ex: In “Drive,” he says that his brother is helping him and Jack buy the car). We heard of Carey before we saw him. He was part of the show before physically becoming part of the show. That doesn’t happen in most shows. In 7th Heaven, Martin was introduced to fill the gap Simon left by coming in the same episode Simon was leaving. When Prue left Charmed, they had the ridiculous “long lost sister we never heard of” story line to get Paige to fill the gap. The way So Weird handled it, it hardly felt like Carey was a gap-filler at all.

Carey was only created to fill the gap while Clu was “away at college.” Unlike most characters that are there to fill the gap and randomly inserted abruptly into a series, Carey is gradually introduced. In season 1, Clu mentions his older brother in passing. (Ex: In “Drive,” he says that his brother is helping him and Jack buy the car). We heard of Carey before we saw him. He was part of the show before physically becoming part of the show.

That doesn’t happen in most shows. In 7th Heaven, Martin was introduced to fill the gap Simon left by coming in the same episode Simon was leaving. When Prue left Charmed, they had the ridiculous “long lost sister we never heard of” story line to get Paige to fill the gap.

The way So Weird handled it, it hardly felt like Carey was a gap-filler at all.

Nowadays it seems like every other show on Disney and Nickelodeon is about teenagers trying to become famous musicians, actresses, whathaveyou. But So Weird handles it much more realistically. Yes, Carey does get to pursue his dream and tour with Molly. But it wasn’t a decision taken lightly. In “Nightmare” even Molly tells him to do something more practical… like become the tsar of Russia. It took time to convince Irene to let him play and she wasn’t happy about it. His parents wanted him to stay in college and (at first) he had to keep it a secret that he dropped out. That is so much more realistic than anything on Disney now.

Nowadays it seems like every other show on Disney and Nickelodeon is about teenagers trying to become famous musicians, actresses, whathaveyou.

But So Weird handles it much more realistically. Yes, Carey does get to pursue his dream and tour with Molly. But it wasn’t a decision taken lightly. In “Nightmare” even Molly tells him to do something more practical… like become the tsar of Russia. It took time to convince Irene to let him play and she wasn’t happy about it. His parents wanted him to stay in college and (at first) he had to keep it a secret that he dropped out. That is so much more realistic than anything on Disney now.

Unlike the bubblegum pop music of Hilary Duff and other Disney stars (Hannah Montana, etc) that I like less the older I get, I enjoy the music from seasons 1-2 more as I get older. They havereal depth and meaning. “New Math” refers to couples splitting and divorce, “She Sells” recounts Molly’s experience writing jingles just to make money and how soul-sucking the advertising industry is, “Rebecca” embodies the feelings of hurt and confusion as Molly’s childhood best friend disappeared from her life with no explanation, the theme song “In the Darkness” is about Molly’s former alcoholism… My favorites have to be “More like a River” and “The Rock.” I love Molly’s confrontation with her own emotions and the love/hate relationship she has with her father and the description of her rough childhood. These are songs about just being human and caught up in a harsh world. Everyone can relate to that, except maybe little kids which is probably why they changed to lighthearted bubblegum pop in season 3.

Unlike the bubblegum pop music of Hilary Duff and other Disney stars (Hannah Montana, etc) that I like less the older I get, I enjoy the music from seasons 1-2 more as I get older. They havereal depth and meaning.

“New Math” refers to couples splitting and divorce, “She Sells” recounts Molly’s experience writing jingles just to make money and how soul-sucking the advertising industry is, “Rebecca” embodies the feelings of hurt and confusion as Molly’s childhood best friend disappeared from her life with no explanation, the theme song “In the Darkness” is about Molly’s former alcoholism… My favorites have to be “More like a River” and “The Rock.” I love Molly’s confrontation with her own emotions and the love/hate relationship she has with her father and the description of her rough childhood. These are songs about just being human and caught up in a harsh world. Everyone can relate to that, except maybe little kids which is probably why they changed to lighthearted bubblegum pop in season 3.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kid’s show with suchrealisticadults with their own back stories and emotions.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kid’s show with suchrealisticadults with their own back stories and emotions.

The episode “Strangeling” was barely played on Disney channel. I can’t find the link at the moment, but once I read that it only aired 3 times because it was deemed too frightening/dark or something like that. No wonder I don’t remember watching this one as a kid. Apparently American kids are pansies because Canada’s Family Channel had no problem airing it— to this day the only recording I’ve seen of it has the Family Channel logo on it.

The episode “Strangeling” was barely played on Disney channel. I can’t find the link at the moment, but once I read that it only aired 3 times because it was deemed too frightening/dark or something like that. No wonder I don’t remember watching this one as a kid. Apparently American kids are pansies because Canada’s Family Channel had no problem airing it— to this day the only recording I’ve seen of it has the Family Channel logo on it.

Unlike Alex and Justin in Wizards of Waverly Place or Derek and Casey in Life with Derek, Jack & Fi actually come off as siblings (rather than secret lovers destined to end up romantically involved *cough*Dasey*cough*) with the right mix of rivalry/teasing and brotherly love.

Unlike Alex and Justin in Wizards of Waverly Place or Derek and Casey in Life with Derek, Jack & Fi actually come off as siblings (rather than secret lovers destined to end up romantically involved *cough*Dasey*cough*) with the right mix of rivalry/teasing and brotherly love.