The Neighbors: High School Reunion Is Not About A Boat!

Welcome to our alien analysis about The Neighbors!

Now that Reggie (Tim Jo) and Amber (Clara Mamet) have broken up, never to see each other again…ah, who am I kidding? They will be back together before anyone can say “Reggie Jackson”.

Anyway, Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito) are preparing for a high school reunion. Jackie (Toks Olagundoye) and Larry (Simon Templeman) just happen to be at hand to learn all about this human custom. You have to wonder if they wake up every morning wondering what new high jinx they can get up to at the expense of the Weavers.

Naturally, Marty is concerned that he will not look the part, since the guys were a great looking band. Debbie is certain that her frienemy from high school will have done better than she has in life. So, this is all about making your old friends whom you chose not to keep in touch with, jealous of you, because you have been more successful. Yes, sounds sensible to me-not. It turns out that one-upmanship is not the only thing going on.

It seems that Debbie was the Yoko Ono of Marty’s band, Motorboat. Due to her kiss and tell behaviour, Marty had to choose between her and the band. Marty’s band mates are played by Matthew Del Negro and Mark McGrath.

As Marty pretty much tells Larry the same story, the door bell rings. It is Marty’s band. At this point, I have no idea where Larry disappeared to. There were no introductions, just the two band members telling Marty that the lead guitarist was not going to show up and would Marty take over that role?

Of course, he is thrilled, but tries not to show it. Still no Larry. Then, count down from five, four, three, two, one…there he is. And, he can play… really well. Marty’s position as lead guitar lasted all of one minute. Poor Marty. They even took his leather pants.

The kids are together plotting the great Amber/Reggie reunion tour as well. Amber’s misery is spreading like the bubonic plague to the kids.

Their first plan, to lure amber and Reggie back to the evening movie watch, fails when the two of them see right through the fake letters.

Time for phase two!

At the reunion, Jackie discovers that everyone is mistaking her for the one black girl at their school. She is thrilled because now she has a past that she can share with other women she has never met. Meanwhile, Debbie comes face to face with her nemesis, Tina (Lori Loughlin).

Marty has his own problems. He really wanted to play lead. Larry is in his way, so he tells Larry to step aside. Larry tells the rest of the band, who react as expected, “are you trying to sabotage the band again? We all made out with your wife, but that was years ago, man. Get over yourself.” Oh my…Marty did not know that part.

The Weaver kids (Max Charles) (Isabella Cramp) and Dick Butkus (Ian Patrick) are on to plan two. Dick has called Reggie over because Max has cut off his arm. Well, not exactly. This invites an explanation by Reggie and Amber about the reasons they are not spending time together any more.  The explanation elicits a sad response from Abby.

Marty is getting a real education about his wife. Apparently, there were several songs written about her, none of them virtuous, “Satan’s Siren, The Tramp From Bayonne, Dirty Debbie”.

While Marty gets the bad news, and Jackie pretends to be someone else, Debbie discovers that her nemesis was far more successful financially, than she. Debbie announces that she has something more important than wealth, a family and a husband that she adores. “Our relationship is rock solid”. That lasts for another minute. Marty shows up to call her out, “This whole relationship is built on lies. This marriage is a sham”.

Shortly thereafter, as Marty is feeling sorry for himself, Jackie gets found out by the real owner of the name tag. Could things get any worse?

Yes, Debbie attempts to reassure Marty, but it is not working. He walks out of the dance so he can think. Debbie finds Jackie who is also feeling a little low. For a while she had old friends. Debbie reminds her that they are friends. This seems to perk Jackie up. What a pity most problems cannot be resolved so easily.

Since the tone of the episode has turned decidedly low, with Amber and Reggie glancing wistfully at each other through the window, it seems only right that Larry has second thoughts about usurping Marty’s position in the band. So much so, in fact, that he returns the coveted leather pants. Larry stands there in his underwear apologizing to Marty.However, Marty tells Larry he needs to put his pants back on because security is coming. Larry, instead, runs through the crowd swinging the pants above his head yelling, “Rock and Roll!” Hey Larry, the streak belonged to the 70’s.

Realizing that he was very lucky after all, that he ended up with Debbie, Marty takes the opportunity to sing a song for Debbie. Considering that band members girlfriends often spent the evening at events without their boyfriends, this is the least he could do.

It is another happy ending for the Neighbors. Well, at least for Debbie and Marty. We do not yet know the outcome with Amber and Reggie.

If the kids have their way, they will get the star crossed lovers back together again.

I wonder what happened to Jane, who was always in the way, in the last episode. I wonder if Reggie has yet discovered the joy of duct tape?

Best Lines

Marty: “It took me 25 years to learn that Satan’s Siren isn’t just about a boat?”

Marty (to Larry): “You see that sandwich? That’s me, a leftover, the last choice.”

Larry (replying to Marty): “You know, I think a more apt metaphor is that Debbie is like this party sandwich and everybody here has already had a piece.”

Marty: “This just reinforces my feelings about being second rate – back-up guitarist, back-up boyfriend, back-up husband”.

Debbie: “You weren’t my last choice, Marty, you were my best choice”.

 

Thanks to Kenn for final staging of the audio video embeds and images in this news article and thanks to you for stopping by WormholeRiders News Agency!!

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Regards,

Thank you.

ArcticGoddess1 (Patricia)