"Front Page" Left Me Hanging - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Justwondering · 10-27-2006, 12:41 AM

I purchased the third season DVDs and just watched the episode "Front Page."

In this episode, Jo gains revenge against her journalism teacher by writing a story on his arrest at a "cocaine party." The teacher is released from jail without ever being charged, but Jo's school newspaper story does not contain this critical fact. Essentially, Jo was in such a hurry to reveal the incident, she didn't bother check her facts to verify she had the complete story. The teacher is forced to resign from his job by the administration because of the perception.

It's my belief that this episode ends much too abruptly. Jo goes to apologize to the teacher because she really wants to make things right. She suggests a follow-up story to clarify the situation. However, it is too late, as the teacher is packing his things and leaving Eastland. With tears in her eyes, Jo says, "It's my fault." That's where we're left hanging.

The shame and guilt Jo must feel is absolutely beyond imagination, and yet, the credits quickly appear on screen, and this incident is never mentioned again in subsequent episodes. Given what Jo irresponsibly did, the ending of this episode is too casual, in my opinion. For a lot of people, such guilt would result in great emotional turmoil.

Anyone else agree?

Gilda · 10-27-2006, 08:31 AM

I didn't really like this episode, I guess I just don't like Jo screwing up like she did in it. Yes, it would have been nice continuity if they would have mentioned the whole incident again and the lesson that Jo learned from it.

raya · 10-27-2006, 08:49 AM

I don't mind where it ends, because in sitcoms in general usually there is no follow up from episode to episode. Meaning if something happens in one episode, rarely do we see the continued effects afterwards. For example though it was much later in the series, Blair's accident in "Less Than Perfect" which is never mentioned again.

But anyway, I kind of like where this one ends because I liked that it wasn't given a pat ending where Jo could make everything okay. I think we are supposed to take away that this is probably something that will continue to haunt her for quite some time.

What always gets me is that I think it is interesting that they made Jo so into journalism in this episode when it was Natalie who was always the writer. It kind of made me wonder why they didn't give this episode to Natalie.

Robert 13 · 10-27-2006, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raya

What always gets me is that I think it is interesting that they made Jo so into journalism in this episode when it was Natalie who was always the writer. It kind of made me wonder why they didn't give this episode to Natalie.

That was an interesting, if not puzzling, spin in the story. I think the reason why they gave it to Jo was that her character was more believable to want to get revenge on someone who she feels is treating her unfairly. She felt her teacher was giving her a hard time so she was trying to give him a hard time back by writing the story. When the fact that he wasn't charged comes out, you can see Jo's face change. She had repeated the same mistake twice like she had when she was writing her paper originally. I've always liked this episode. It teaches a lesson about jumping to conclusions.

raya · 10-27-2006, 02:46 PM

I like the episode too and I think the fact that Jo would seek revenge is believable. Like she says to her teacher, if someone pushes her then she pushes back.

I also think it's believable that Jo would write for the school paper and such as it also seems something she would do, but it's only that Mr. Gideon stresses the fact that he knows how much journalism means to Jo that I find a tad odd since it's not a trait we see again from her.

Unless we're to think that after this incident Jo pretty much gives it up.

But I also think this episode could have worked with Natalie too. She did early on have a habit of seeking revenge that same season--particularly with Blair. So while I like the way they did it, I would have also believed Natalie in the part too.

Justwondering · 10-27-2006, 03:02 PM

What makes me feel as though the ending is insufficient is because the whole school apparently knew of Jo's article. She offers to do a follow-up, which she is told would do no good. Jo then suggests a petition drive, but the bottom line is that guy no longer has a job, regardless of what she does.

Does Jo actually attempt to do anything? We're not told prior to the episode's ending. Were I in Jo's situation, I'd try everything: the follow-up article, the petition drive, protests, whatever.

The whole school must know that this man lost his job because of a half-accurate article. Isn't that a lot of guilt and shame to walk around with? Quite honestly, I'd want to transfer to another school to get away from it all! Wouldn't you?

In some ways, that's the drawback to dealing with serious issues on a half-hour comedy series. Too often, the "solutions" are really rather superficial and quickly forgotten, which certainly does not mimic real life.

Nighthawk76 · 10-27-2006, 10:20 PM

I love this episode. It is one of my favorites.

Ireneparalegal · 10-27-2006, 10:37 PM

My feeling is to have this story "end" would lead to her making good on her promise to clarify and rectify the situation. The point being made is that it is TOO LATE to do anything to rectify someone's repuation. Once it is published for the world to see, there is nothing you can do to "fix" it. I think that is why it ended that way. What would be the point of showing Jo rectifying the situation when people already have made up their mind by her assumption? There is nothing she could do. What's done is done.

raya · 10-28-2006, 12:37 AM

I agree. I see what you're saying Justwondering, but I think like Ireneparalegal says, there isn't much Jo could have done at that point. Even if the school offered to let him stay, his reputation is already ruined and he would have left anyway.

Though logically, I do think the school paper would have had to responsibly issue a retraction--whether written by either Nat as editor or by Jo.

In the real world, Natalie would have been just as responsible for that story since she's the one that chose to print it and would have had to face the consequences for it.

I would also imagine there would have been actual ramfications by the school in that at the very least the students would have lost editorial control over the paper to prevent something like that from happening again.

But I do also think that in the real world Jo would have had to face some probably harsh reactions from her schoolmates and teachers that aren't delved into here since we're living in sitcom world.

Justwondering · 10-28-2006, 01:35 AM

Exactly, Raya! Such a situation would absolutely change how a person is treated by both fellow students and teachers. I'm sure that more than once Jo would have called a bodily orifice! (How's that for tactfully written, guys?)

blairmusica · 11-03-2006, 10:39 PM

This episode was selected as a best-of by Columbia House. For the life of me I'm not sure why. It was good though. The reason the episode ends like it does was a FOL concept. FOL producer Al Burton felt too many sitcoms wrapped up serious sits it 20 minutes, which is totally unrealistic. "Front PAge" was meant to be real life with real consequences that lasted. I liked it, but felt it should have been brought up in future episodes. Much like the death of Nat's Father. Blair's absentee Dad, etc.

JO jr · 11-03-2006, 11:41 PM

YEAH. MAYBE THEY COULD'VE SAID, "HEY JO! REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU GOT THAT TEACHER FIRED BECAUSE OF THAT "COCAINE" THING? YOU CRAZY KID. BOY, THOSE SURE WERE GOOD TIMES, WERENT THEY?" JO: "YEAH, GOOD TIMES."

Justwondering · 11-04-2006, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JO jr

YEAH. MAYBE THEY COULD'VE SAID, "HEY JO! REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU GOT THAT TEACHER FIRED BECAUSE OF THAT "COCAINE" THING? YOU CRAZY KID. BOY, THOSE SURE WERE GOOD TIMES, WERENT THEY?" JO: "YEAH, GOOD TIMES."

It would in fact make sitcoms seem more "real" if the writers did mention important issues that were dealt with in prior episodes.

Life is filled with consequences that cannot be forgotten or ignored simply because it happened last week.

Did any FOL episode ever again address Blair's mom's breast cancer? I honestly don't know.

ThomasE · 11-04-2006, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JO jr

YEAH. MAYBE THEY COULD'VE SAID, "HEY JO! REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU GOT THAT TEACHER FIRED BECAUSE OF THAT "COCAINE" THING? YOU CRAZY KID. BOY, THOSE SURE WERE GOOD TIMES, WERENT THEY?" JO: "YEAH, GOOD TIMES."

I loved that.

tron1971 · 11-04-2006, 07:46 PM

Just watch this episode today and I really enjoyed the episode. The reason why is because of the non closure at the end of the episode. This is why I enjoyed FoL, it wasn't like every other sitcom to have a problem and conclusion complete in 24 minutes.

It's like real life, sometimes we all make mistakes and that mistake causes a problem for someone. We can apologize, we can try to make things right, but sometimes you can't.

Jo, didn't follow the FACTS rule but most importantly, it was something she had not forseen, the consequences. If your child came home to you with the school newspaper and you find that a teacher was in a drug party. What would you do? Yea, someone had to pay and it was the teacher. Doesn't make it right or wrong but it makes it life.

We learn from it and if its never mention again, it's okay as long as you learn from it.

10-27-2006, 12:41 AM	#1
Justwondering Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 103	"Front Page" Left Me Hanging I purchased the third season DVDs and just watched the episode "Front Page." In this episode, Jo gains revenge against her journalism teacher by writing a story on his arrest at a "cocaine party." The teacher is released from jail without ever being charged, but Jo's school newspaper story does not contain this critical fact. Essentially, Jo was in such a hurry to reveal the incident, she didn't bother check her facts to verify she had the complete story. The teacher is forced to resign from his job by the administration because of the perception. It's my belief that this episode ends much too abruptly. Jo goes to apologize to the teacher because she really wants to make things right. She suggests a follow-up story to clarify the situation. However, it is too late, as the teacher is packing his things and leaving Eastland. With tears in her eyes, Jo says, "It's my fault." That's where we're left hanging. The shame and guilt Jo must feel is absolutely beyond imagination, and yet, the credits quickly appear on screen, and this incident is never mentioned again in subsequent episodes. Given what Jo irresponsibly did, the ending of this episode is too casual, in my opinion. For a lot of people, such guilt would result in great emotional turmoil. Anyone else agree?

10-27-2006, 10:37 PM	#8
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	My feeling is to have this story "end" would lead to her making good on her promise to clarify and rectify the situation. The point being made is that it is TOO LATE to do anything to rectify someone's repuation. Once it is published for the world to see, there is nothing you can do to "fix" it. I think that is why it ended that way. What would be the point of showing Jo rectifying the situation when people already have made up their mind by her assumption? There is nothing she could do. What's done is done.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

10-28-2006, 01:35 AM	#10
Justwondering Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 103	Exactly, Raya! Such a situation would absolutely change how a person is treated by both fellow students and teachers. I'm sure that more than once Jo would have called a bodily orifice! (How's that for tactfully written, guys?)
	Last edited by Justwondering; 10-28-2006 at 01:58 AM.

10-27-2006, 08:31 AM	#2
Gilda Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 28, 2006 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 125	I didn't really like this episode, I guess I just don't like Jo screwing up like she did in it. Yes, it would have been nice continuity if they would have mentioned the whole incident again and the lesson that Jo learned from it.

10-27-2006, 08:49 AM	#3
raya Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 09, 2006 Posts: 369	I don't mind where it ends, because in sitcoms in general usually there is no follow up from episode to episode. Meaning if something happens in one episode, rarely do we see the continued effects afterwards. For example though it was much later in the series, Blair's accident in "Less Than Perfect" which is never mentioned again. But anyway, I kind of like where this one ends because I liked that it wasn't given a pat ending where Jo could make everything okay. I think we are supposed to take away that this is probably something that will continue to haunt her for quite some time. What always gets me is that I think it is interesting that they made Jo so into journalism in this episode when it was Natalie who was always the writer. It kind of made me wonder why they didn't give this episode to Natalie.

10-27-2006, 02:46 PM	#5
raya Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 09, 2006 Posts: 369	I like the episode too and I think the fact that Jo would seek revenge is believable. Like she says to her teacher, if someone pushes her then she pushes back. I also think it's believable that Jo would write for the school paper and such as it also seems something she would do, but it's only that Mr. Gideon stresses the fact that he knows how much journalism means to Jo that I find a tad odd since it's not a trait we see again from her. Unless we're to think that after this incident Jo pretty much gives it up. But I also think this episode could have worked with Natalie too. She did early on have a habit of seeking revenge that same season--particularly with Blair. So while I like the way they did it, I would have also believed Natalie in the part too.

10-27-2006, 03:02 PM	#6
Justwondering Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 103	What makes me feel as though the ending is insufficient is because the whole school apparently knew of Jo's article. She offers to do a follow-up, which she is told would do no good. Jo then suggests a petition drive, but the bottom line is that guy no longer has a job, regardless of what she does. Does Jo actually attempt to do anything? We're not told prior to the episode's ending. Were I in Jo's situation, I'd try everything: the follow-up article, the petition drive, protests, whatever. The whole school must know that this man lost his job because of a half-accurate article. Isn't that a lot of guilt and shame to walk around with? Quite honestly, I'd want to transfer to another school to get away from it all! Wouldn't you? In some ways, that's the drawback to dealing with serious issues on a half-hour comedy series. Too often, the "solutions" are really rather superficial and quickly forgotten, which certainly does not mimic real life.

10-27-2006, 10:20 PM	#7
Nighthawk76 Rachel Berry Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 28, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 23,254	I love this episode. It is one of my favorites.

10-28-2006, 12:37 AM	#9
raya Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 09, 2006 Posts: 369	I agree. I see what you're saying Justwondering, but I think like Ireneparalegal says, there isn't much Jo could have done at that point. Even if the school offered to let him stay, his reputation is already ruined and he would have left anyway. Though logically, I do think the school paper would have had to responsibly issue a retraction--whether written by either Nat as editor or by Jo. In the real world, Natalie would have been just as responsible for that story since she's the one that chose to print it and would have had to face the consequences for it. I would also imagine there would have been actual ramfications by the school in that at the very least the students would have lost editorial control over the paper to prevent something like that from happening again. But I do also think that in the real world Jo would have had to face some probably harsh reactions from her schoolmates and teachers that aren't delved into here since we're living in sitcom world.

11-03-2006, 10:39 PM	#11
blairmusica Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 10, 2006 Location: new jersey Posts: 100	This episode was selected as a best-of by Columbia House. For the life of me I'm not sure why. It was good though. The reason the episode ends like it does was a FOL concept. FOL producer Al Burton felt too many sitcoms wrapped up serious sits it 20 minutes, which is totally unrealistic. "Front PAge" was meant to be real life with real consequences that lasted. I liked it, but felt it should have been brought up in future episodes. Much like the death of Nat's Father. Blair's absentee Dad, etc.

11-03-2006, 11:41 PM	#12
JO jr Member Senior Member Join Date: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 1,249	YEAH. MAYBE THEY COULD'VE SAID, "HEY JO! REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU GOT THAT TEACHER FIRED BECAUSE OF THAT "COCAINE" THING? YOU CRAZY KID. BOY, THOSE SURE WERE GOOD TIMES, WERENT THEY?" JO: "YEAH, GOOD TIMES."

11-04-2006, 07:46 PM	#15
tron1971 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 25, 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 42	Just watch this episode today and I really enjoyed the episode. The reason why is because of the non closure at the end of the episode. This is why I enjoyed FoL, it wasn't like every other sitcom to have a problem and conclusion complete in 24 minutes. It's like real life, sometimes we all make mistakes and that mistake causes a problem for someone. We can apologize, we can try to make things right, but sometimes you can't. Jo, didn't follow the FACTS rule but most importantly, it was something she had not forseen, the consequences. If your child came home to you with the school newspaper and you find that a teacher was in a drug party. What would you do? Yea, someone had to pay and it was the teacher. Doesn't make it right or wrong but it makes it life. We learn from it and if its never mention again, it's okay as long as you learn from it.