Part Two
Amanda is wearing a headgear braces thing in this episode. You're only supposed to wear it at night, Amanda! Imagine walking into the sixth grade wearing that thing. So you can see why she's embarrassed. Busy is trying to assure her that it's no big deal.
Of course, old Monkey Ears just can't let this opportunity slide. He calls Amanda an alien and then jerks her hat off her head and starts playing keep away with it.
As Amanda is chasing him down, yelling "Give it back, you little two year old!," she trips, falls on Monkey Ears and knees him in the groin. Like when Justin hit her with the car, she actually apologizes, even though it was really his fault. We don't know it yet, but this was a pivotal moment in Monkey Ear's life. He's a changed man.
Monkey Ears gets back from the nurse's office (what could the nurse do for him?) as the class is discussing evolution. Some kids make fun of him right in front of the teacher, which again, doesn't seem realistic. Amanda and Monkey Ears are paired to do a project on what makes humans different from animals.
I think this kid plays Sag later on in the series. Anyway, he tells Monkey Ears that being kicked in the crotch means you're growing up and when a girl kicks you there it means she likes you. "Yeah, and I'll bet if she kills you it means she wants to get married," another kid snarks. It seems M.E. has the same definition of physical injuries = love that Amanda had in that episode Justin hits her with his sister's car.
Of course we have to get a glimpse into Monkey's home life, and it's rather disturbing. He shares a room with his sister. She opens the closet door on him and he's wearing the thing in the picture above. He tells her to kick him and when she does, he gets mad.
He runs into his grandfather in the hall. They both get their accordions and go into a room for a jam session. Grandpa asks M.E. about the girl who kicked his testicles. He also asks if M.E. is having "sexy dreams." Monkey admits to a dream where all of the girls in the class are naked, and grandpa stops the conversation before it gets inappropriate.
Amanda's father won't let Amanda and Monkey Ears study in her bedroom together. Mr. Zimm reminds Amanda her orthodontist said she had to wear the headgear all the time. Who is her orthodontist, Satan?
Instead of studying lots of books for their project, Monkey pulls out a huge Bible and says all they need to know about the origins of humanity is in there. Yes, Michael is Jewish later in the series even though he seems to have been well indoctrinated into Christianity here, but he may be only half Jewish for all we know.
Okay, this scene is just unnecessarily gross. Michael pulls some hair from his sister's hair brush and puts it on his chest and groin. Why couldn't he have used his own hair? Would a boy even really do this with his sister's hair?
Then he goes to sleep and dreams of Amanda, dressed as Jane and yes, wearing her headgear, calling for help across the school playground. Monkey Ears, as Tarzan, leaps to her rescue and they kiss. It's not really what I would call a "sexy dream," but apparently its enough for Michael...
You know, there are times when I think it must suck to be a child actor, and no more so than during this scene. I really hope this kid was homeschooled. Walking into school after this played on TV would be worse than going in with headgear. Anyway, Monkey runs into Grandpa in the hall again and explains that his "you-know-what sprung a leak." Grandpa explains that Michael didn't wet the bed, that he had a wet dream and that a liquid, semen, comes from the penis, etc. Why do we need to hear about this on a show aimed at preteen girls?
Amanda comes over to study and walks in as Michael and his grandfather are practicing their accordions. Pervy Grandpa confronts Amanda about kicking Michael in the "glands."
Back at school, Amanda and Busy come upon some bullies who make fun of Amanda's braces. Out of nowhere, Monkey Ears leaps to the rescue. Although it's true that these kids are doing the same thing he was at the beginning of the episode (making fun of Amanda), they are almost literally twice Michael's size, so it's pretty impressive. Enough so that Amanda even uses his real name. "Monkey...uh, Michael, they'll kill you!"
The older kids humiliate him and leave him crying on the ground.
Amanda tells Busy to go ahead so she can talk to Michael. She says he was brave for doing what he did. He asks her out and she uses the old standby "my parents won't let me date," though it's clear she doesn't see him that way, no matter how much he might have matured during this episode. He tells her the braces aren't all that bad and offers to play the accordion for her sometime.
Amanda and Michael give their presentation about the origin of man, comparing this to how individuals must evolve and mature throughout their lifetime. The presentation ends with Michael playing his accordion.
I like most scenes that feature Monkey Ears, so I liked this episode for the most part. I could've done without the wet dreams, though I guess it's only fair since girls get period episodes. Michael is a character who will stay with the series until it's end and will continue to grow and be interesting...while still staying in the background where a background character should be.
Next episode: Busy joins a garage band while Amanda is made to be their gopher.
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