Tonight's Episode!!! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TheAmericanDreamer · 03-30-2005, 10:09 PM

It was great--but you know what's greater??!!! Since Meg went with Chris, then there basically HAS to be a next season!!! Otherwise they would have made Meg stay behind!!!!

AD FAN · 03-30-2005, 10:25 PM

Excellent episode. I personally loved how they played "In My Life" by the Beatles in the background. It was my graduation song. And, I never have anything bad to say about any episode. But, I really didn't like how that guy in the Lair sang that song about Vietnam. Something like "Mothers, send your boys to 'Nam and they'll come home in a box." I didn't think that it was approriate when it was played during the scene where the Mother met her son's coffin in Delaware. But other than that, the episode was amazing. Also, did anyone notice how Trip made that sound when JJ and Beth were talking in their room. It was like a growling sound...really funny/scary. LOL

BEATLESCHICK · 03-30-2005, 11:00 PM

I found the lyrics and the timing of the song with the scene in which the mother and Mrs. Pryor were greeting the coffin completely appropriate. That was the point. Death is a reality of war. A lot of people died in Vietnam.

Here's a history of the song from Country Joe McDonald's website:

I wrote "Fixin’ To Die Rag" in summer of 1965 after I had been discharged from the US Navy for several years. It just popped into my head one day and I finished it in about 30 minutes. I did not have a conscious purpose in mind although I had been working on another song about the Vietnam War called "Who Am I?" for several days so I had the war on my mind. The "Who Am I?" song was part of a play I was writing songs for titled Change Over, written by Fred Hayden and directed by Nina Serrano. It was performed twice, once on the University of California Berkeley campus and once on the San Francisco State College campus. 1965 was the year that the Vietnam War became big news and a big protest issue with students.

I was raised in a family of American Communists and so I knew a lot about Capitalism and Communism. The song attempts to put blame for the war upon the politicians and leaders of the US military and upon the industry that makes its money from war but not upon those who had to fight the war ... the soldiers. It expresses the thoughts of a person trapped in the military system and forced to go to war by something called "conscription". Conscription or the "draft" as it was called then was a system which picked young people and forced them into the military and into the war with the only other choice being jail or an attempt to "dodge the draft" for religious reasons or physical or mental reasons. It was very hard to get out of the draft because so many people were being killed in the war that they would take just about any one. The song attempts to address the horror of going to war with a dark sarcastic form of humor called "GI humor". GI humor is a way people have of complaining about their situation so it will not get them in trouble and keep them from going insane in an insane environment: war.

Today we have a volunteer military but during the Vietnam War many people joined because they thought it was the right thing to do. It was patriotic. Lots of people were drafted. Also lots of people were given the choice of volunteering for the military or going to jail on charges of getting into trouble with the police for one thing or the other. It was a kind of government black mail. During the war people were even forced into the US Marines which was always considered to be a volunteer group because so many Marines were killed in the Vietnam War. The casualty rate for Marines was higher in the Vietnam War than in World War II.

AD FAN · 03-30-2005, 11:51 PM

I completely agree with you that death is a reality of war. However, when a fallen soldier comes home from a horrible war in a coffin, I think everyone should show respect to him/her and their family. I do not think that the song played during that particular scene was respectful. I felt that because of the lyrics and the fast tempo, it was making a mockery of the Military and all they do for our country.

"...Come on mothers throughout the land
pack your boys off to Viet Nam
come on fathers don't hesitate
send your sons off before it's too late
and you can be the first ones on your block
to have your boy come home in a box"

Would YOU want this song played if your family member was a casuality of the Iraq war, or any war for that matter??

Storywriter · 03-31-2005, 01:15 AM

I was hoping Meg would not make a dumb decision and go with that creep Chris but she did.I would never leave my family.Or my best friend Crying for that creep.I was hoping he would go serve and maybe get killed and I'm sorry if that sounds cruel but I am not fond of the kid.

I hope Meg comes back leaving that jerk in the dust.I felt really bad for her family and especially Roxanne who was standing there crying because Meg left I mean besides Luke Meg and her family were all Roxanne has.

I still like Meg but in my opinion her decision was dumb.She's not dumb but her decision was.Anyway I'm not sure if the ending was closure or a cliffhanger I am quite the nitwit when it comes to that.To me it looks like a cliffhanger.Mel

daybreaker01 · 03-31-2005, 03:10 AM

Assuming that season four will come to fruition, I think that Meg would certainly be back. After all, she devoted herself to Chris before and came back to her senses. And let's not forget Roxanne's travels with her rocker boyfriend. It's happened in the show before.

Oh, and if you really think that Jack would kick Meg out for good, c'mon! Did you see the look on his face when the commercial was playing? He'd take her back in a minute!

New AD fan · 03-31-2005, 05:14 AM

Meg really did it this time. Her relationship with Chris will begin falling apart as soon as they get to California. Chris will likely lie to her or stab her in the back again and Meg will return to Philadelphia two or three episodes into the new season (knock on wood that we have a new season).

Bonnier325 · 03-31-2005, 11:32 AM

I am new here...I've been reading all your posts for about a month or so...ever since I began worrying that American Dreams might go away (and it's been very enjoyable...like getting a little more American Dreams than just 1 hour a week). I've been a faithful American Dreams watcher since day 1. But I have never posted on bulletin boards before so I didn't even think of it until a month or so ago. Anyway.......
I think the song being sung at The Lair, is just simply showing us how it was back then. That would have been typical.
I'm with all the rest of you about Chris...I just hate that guy. And I was so disappointed in Meg for going with him and leaving Roxanne there crying. And gosh, I could have cried when Jack was talking to Meg...his mouth kept turning down slightly like he was about to cry.
I can't wait until NBC releases Season 2 on DVD. I can't get enough American Dreams!

pinkcows · 03-31-2005, 11:46 AM

Did anyone else feel like there was an Oreo commercial in the middle of the show? I almost died laughing!

Bonnier325 · 03-31-2005, 12:13 PM

Yes, I felt the same way! But then, Campbell's Tomato Soup had the same kind of thing early in the season.

pinkcows · 03-31-2005, 01:25 PM

Yeah, I noticed that too. It was funny, because I saw them showing the Oreos.. and I figured they would just show them. Then they went into a discussion on how to eat them! It was quite funny

Storywriter · 03-31-2005, 01:31 PM

To our new member welcome to the board.The majority of the times we talk about the episode we've seen and what we thought of it here and if I see anything not concering the episode like a ratings post than I don't read that topic because I will get angry at those kind of post so i don't read them.

I hope you like it here The majority of the posters are very nice people and we can actually talk like normal adults where as to some sites have many bashers but not here..

As for the Oreo commercial.I did laugh because I thought it was funny how Will and Jack were eating them and than later there was a commercial about Oreo cookies. Mel

TeeVeeCloset · 03-31-2005, 02:41 PM

First let me say, I am a huge older fan of the show and have been with it since episode 1....but I think the producer made a grave error in ending on a cliffhanger with hopes of a 4th season pickup......I hated the episode, it was very depressing to think that this wonderful quality human emotion show ends with its main character driving off with a loser who also took her virginity and leaving her family in tears. Meg is very headstrong but it is not like her character to make such a boneheaded decision within days. Her family was one of the main focuses of the show.......It is HIGHLY doubtful the show will be renewed and this will end the series on a very sour note with no closure......MANY SERIES in the past have done this and LOST.....SOAP featured the main character in front of a firing squad and never returned and we all know ALF is still somewhere Lost in Space if you watch the last episode. I am a big fan but it was a bad move.....maybe Mr. Prince is hoping for a mini pick-up of just 10 episodes of less to finish things up. Lets hope so for this series will not play well in syndication with a horrible ending like that!

Bonnier325 · 03-31-2005, 04:36 PM

Thank you, Mel, for the welcome. I am an "older" fan also TeeVee, as I just turned 50 last Friday. I love this show because I can identify so much with it. However, in real life, I was closer to Will's age (a little older), as I was in 3rd grade during the pilot (when President Kennedy was shot). But I still picture myself in Meg's grade. I am very optimistic about the 4th Season. I'm just believing that family values will prevail and NBC will realize that they need to keep American Dreams on and alive. Just on a side note...during Season 1 and 2, when I was all by myself out there because I didn't know about this message board, I used to get so frustrated with NBC when they would go several weeks with no show. I am very loyal...however, there are a lot of people that would get out of the habit very easily if American Dreams wasn't on at the usual time for more than a week, and would find something else to watch during that time. Then when AD came back on, they would be off watching something else by then and would never return to AD. And I always wondered why they didn't advertise more. But I mentioned these things in my postcards and e-mail to NBC, so maybe they will listen. But overall, I just have a good feeling about a 4th Season. Bonnie

nicole_adluver4 · 03-31-2005, 04:36 PM

A post I read somewhere here said that the season finale would be a cliffhanger, and if it didn't get picked up for a 4th season, there would probably be and episode airing later in the spring to bring closure to some things. Or maybe I'm just losing my mind?

I feel bad for Jack. I'm upset with Meg. Nothing exciting seemed to happen except for Meg leaving with Chris. I liked the episode, but it wasn't the greatest. I still love the show, though!

03-30-2005, 10:09 PM	#1
TheAmericanDreamer Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 26, 2004 Posts: 22	Tonight's Episode!!! It was great--but you know what's greater??!!! Since Meg went with Chris, then there basically HAS to be a next season!!! Otherwise they would have made Meg stay behind!!!!
	__________________ Brian

03-30-2005, 11:00 PM	#3
BEATLESCHICK Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 10, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 65	I found the lyrics and the timing of the song with the scene in which the mother and Mrs. Pryor were greeting the coffin completely appropriate. That was the point. Death is a reality of war. A lot of people died in Vietnam. Here's a history of the song from Country Joe McDonald's website: I wrote "Fixin’ To Die Rag" in summer of 1965 after I had been discharged from the US Navy for several years. It just popped into my head one day and I finished it in about 30 minutes. I did not have a conscious purpose in mind although I had been working on another song about the Vietnam War called "Who Am I?" for several days so I had the war on my mind. The "Who Am I?" song was part of a play I was writing songs for titled Change Over, written by Fred Hayden and directed by Nina Serrano. It was performed twice, once on the University of California Berkeley campus and once on the San Francisco State College campus. 1965 was the year that the Vietnam War became big news and a big protest issue with students. I was raised in a family of American Communists and so I knew a lot about Capitalism and Communism. The song attempts to put blame for the war upon the politicians and leaders of the US military and upon the industry that makes its money from war but not upon those who had to fight the war ... the soldiers. It expresses the thoughts of a person trapped in the military system and forced to go to war by something called "conscription". Conscription or the "draft" as it was called then was a system which picked young people and forced them into the military and into the war with the only other choice being jail or an attempt to "dodge the draft" for religious reasons or physical or mental reasons. It was very hard to get out of the draft because so many people were being killed in the war that they would take just about any one. The song attempts to address the horror of going to war with a dark sarcastic form of humor called "GI humor". GI humor is a way people have of complaining about their situation so it will not get them in trouble and keep them from going insane in an insane environment: war. Today we have a volunteer military but during the Vietnam War many people joined because they thought it was the right thing to do. It was patriotic. Lots of people were drafted. Also lots of people were given the choice of volunteering for the military or going to jail on charges of getting into trouble with the police for one thing or the other. It was a kind of government black mail. During the war people were even forced into the US Marines which was always considered to be a volunteer group because so many Marines were killed in the Vietnam War. The casualty rate for Marines was higher in the Vietnam War than in World War II.
	__________________ And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. John Lennon and Paul McCartney 1969

03-31-2005, 01:15 AM	#5
Storywriter Tcha! You Know What. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2004 Location: not given Posts: 1,209	I was hoping Meg would not make a dumb decision and go with that creep Chris but she did.I would never leave my family.Or my best friend Crying for that creep.I was hoping he would go serve and maybe get killed and I'm sorry if that sounds cruel but I am not fond of the kid. I hope Meg comes back leaving that jerk in the dust.I felt really bad for her family and especially Roxanne who was standing there crying because Meg left I mean besides Luke Meg and her family were all Roxanne has. I still like Meg but in my opinion her decision was dumb.She's not dumb but her decision was.Anyway I'm not sure if the ending was closure or a cliffhanger I am quite the nitwit when it comes to that.To me it looks like a cliffhanger.Mel
	__________________ The Vampire Diaries,Pretty Little liars, The Mentalist,Victorious, Icarly all good shows Proud Adult Disney channel and Nickelodeon fan in her 30's

03-31-2005, 01:31 PM	#12
Storywriter Tcha! You Know What. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2004 Location: not given Posts: 1,209	To our new member welcome to the board.The majority of the times we talk about the episode we've seen and what we thought of it here and if I see anything not concering the episode like a ratings post than I don't read that topic because I will get angry at those kind of post so i don't read them. I hope you like it here The majority of the posters are very nice people and we can actually talk like normal adults where as to some sites have many bashers but not here.. As for the Oreo commercial.I did laugh because I thought it was funny how Will and Jack were eating them and than later there was a commercial about Oreo cookies. Mel
	Last edited by Storywriter; 03-31-2005 at 05:03 PM.

03-31-2005, 04:36 PM	#15
nicole_adluver4 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 28, 2003 Posts: 97	A post I read somewhere here said that the season finale would be a cliffhanger, and if it didn't get picked up for a 4th season, there would probably be and episode airing later in the spring to bring closure to some things. Or maybe I'm just losing my mind? I feel bad for Jack. I'm upset with Meg. Nothing exciting seemed to happen except for Meg leaving with Chris. I liked the episode, but it wasn't the greatest. I still love the show, though!
	__________________ i’m all at sea where no one can bother me forgot my roots if only for a day just me and my thoughts sitting far away "All at Sea" by Jamie Cullum

03-30-2005, 10:25 PM	#2
AD FAN American Dreams Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 08, 2004 Location: New York Posts: 386	Excellent episode. I personally loved how they played "In My Life" by the Beatles in the background. It was my graduation song. And, I never have anything bad to say about any episode. But, I really didn't like how that guy in the Lair sang that song about Vietnam. Something like "Mothers, send your boys to 'Nam and they'll come home in a box." I didn't think that it was approriate when it was played during the scene where the Mother met her son's coffin in Delaware. But other than that, the episode was amazing. Also, did anyone notice how Trip made that sound when JJ and Beth were talking in their room. It was like a growling sound...really funny/scary. LOL

03-30-2005, 11:51 PM	#4
AD FAN American Dreams Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 08, 2004 Location: New York Posts: 386	I completely agree with you that death is a reality of war. However, when a fallen soldier comes home from a horrible war in a coffin, I think everyone should show respect to him/her and their family. I do not think that the song played during that particular scene was respectful. I felt that because of the lyrics and the fast tempo, it was making a mockery of the Military and all they do for our country. "...Come on mothers throughout the land pack your boys off to Viet Nam come on fathers don't hesitate send your sons off before it's too late and you can be the first ones on your block to have your boy come home in a box" Would YOU want this song played if your family member was a casuality of the Iraq war, or any war for that matter??

03-31-2005, 03:10 AM	#6
daybreaker01 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 19, 2005 Posts: 34	Assuming that season four will come to fruition, I think that Meg would certainly be back. After all, she devoted herself to Chris before and came back to her senses. And let's not forget Roxanne's travels with her rocker boyfriend. It's happened in the show before. Oh, and if you really think that Jack would kick Meg out for good, c'mon! Did you see the look on his face when the commercial was playing? He'd take her back in a minute!

03-31-2005, 05:14 AM	#7
New AD fan Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 03, 2005 Posts: 79	Meg really did it this time. Her relationship with Chris will begin falling apart as soon as they get to California. Chris will likely lie to her or stab her in the back again and Meg will return to Philadelphia two or three episodes into the new season (knock on wood that we have a new season).

03-31-2005, 11:32 AM	#8
Bonnier325 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 26	I am new here...I've been reading all your posts for about a month or so...ever since I began worrying that American Dreams might go away (and it's been very enjoyable...like getting a little more American Dreams than just 1 hour a week). I've been a faithful American Dreams watcher since day 1. But I have never posted on bulletin boards before so I didn't even think of it until a month or so ago. Anyway....... I think the song being sung at The Lair, is just simply showing us how it was back then. That would have been typical. I'm with all the rest of you about Chris...I just hate that guy. And I was so disappointed in Meg for going with him and leaving Roxanne there crying. And gosh, I could have cried when Jack was talking to Meg...his mouth kept turning down slightly like he was about to cry. I can't wait until NBC releases Season 2 on DVD. I can't get enough American Dreams!

03-31-2005, 11:46 AM	#9
pinkcows Member Forum Cub Join Date: Nov 18, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 2	Did anyone else feel like there was an Oreo commercial in the middle of the show? I almost died laughing!

03-31-2005, 12:13 PM	#10
Bonnier325 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 26	Yes, I felt the same way! But then, Campbell's Tomato Soup had the same kind of thing early in the season.

03-31-2005, 01:25 PM	#11
pinkcows Member Forum Cub Join Date: Nov 18, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 2	Yeah, I noticed that too. It was funny, because I saw them showing the Oreos.. and I figured they would just show them. Then they went into a discussion on how to eat them! It was quite funny

03-31-2005, 02:41 PM	#13
TeeVeeCloset Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 25, 2003 Posts: 1,873	First let me say, I am a huge older fan of the show and have been with it since episode 1....but I think the producer made a grave error in ending on a cliffhanger with hopes of a 4th season pickup......I hated the episode, it was very depressing to think that this wonderful quality human emotion show ends with its main character driving off with a loser who also took her virginity and leaving her family in tears. Meg is very headstrong but it is not like her character to make such a boneheaded decision within days. Her family was one of the main focuses of the show.......It is HIGHLY doubtful the show will be renewed and this will end the series on a very sour note with no closure......MANY SERIES in the past have done this and LOST.....SOAP featured the main character in front of a firing squad and never returned and we all know ALF is still somewhere Lost in Space if you watch the last episode. I am a big fan but it was a bad move.....maybe Mr. Prince is hoping for a mini pick-up of just 10 episodes of less to finish things up. Lets hope so for this series will not play well in syndication with a horrible ending like that!