The gang is hanging out at Sharkey's (which as you may have figured out by now, is basically their version of "The Max") Tiffany has just come in from surfing, and wants to make sure she gets in as much surfing as possible before the new school year starts.
Sly flips out every time anyone says the word "school" but Tony is stoked because he's getting an earring and thinks it will make him (and I quote) "the most happenin' dude at Pacific Coast High". Matt asks him if he's getting a pearl necklace to match. Hee!
Enter Angela, a blonde girl with glasses who runs up to greet Matt. He says hello back, but seems a bit put off by her presence. She stands there for a few more seconds, smiling at him. Matt smiles back. Angela: Well, nice talkin' to ya, Matt! She walks away, and runs into a table. She goes over to the bulletin board and tacks up a poster announcing the upcoming Battle of the Bands. She makes googly eyes at Matt and waves. She totally wants him.
Jenny takes a moment to tease her brother by saying "Crush Crush Crush" in a singsong voice. Matt protests that a rocker like him wouldn't have anything in common with the president of the classical music society. He adds that she's not very graceful. Sly rolls his eyes and says "She's so clumsy she could get hit by a parked car" Just as Tiffani is telling the group that Angela isn't as bad as they're saying, she staples her shirt sleeve to the board along with the poster.
Tony takes a moment to look at the poster and announces to the group that Battle of the Bands is the following weekend. Jenny worries that the'll lose to another band "Bradley and the Billionaires" as they have previously. With a name like "Bradley and the Billionaires" I'd vote for the Dreams over them in a heartbeat!
Tiffani tells the gang that Bradley's family moved, so they should have a chance to win. It turns out that Bradley has been a long time rival of Matt's. Bradley even beat Matt in a spelling bee when Matt misspelled "Potato". Hold on. Let me think about this. This episode aired in 1992. According to a quick google search, that's the same year that Dan Quayle was famous for trying to correct a kid who had spelled it correctly. That happened in June 1992. This episode aired in September 1992. Nice job on the cultural reference, California Dreams!
Sly is determined to win, so they all take off to practice. Diamond wipe to band practice in Matt's garage. Bradley barges in and accuses them of "Noise Pollution" Matt's like "WTF are you doing here?" Bradley explains that the "move" was just across town to a bigger mansion. Shut up, Bradley. Matt and Bradley argue for a bit about who's going to win the band competition, and man, I just want to punch Bradley in his stupid mouth. Matt throws him out, and Bradley laughs this really awful laugh before leaving.
Next scene! Everyone in Sharkey's is bobbing their heads along with the music of a guitar and banjo duo. Sly holds up a card that says "0" and shows it to the judges. One of the judges is none other than Clumsy Angela!
Next up is Bradley and the Billionaires, dressed in matching khakis and blue blazers. Sly is the best, because this is what happens next:
Next up is a metal band. Sly holds up a picture of a "thumbs down". It makes me wonder how much pull Sly actually has with the judges. Is he supposed to be "helping" or is he just being a pain? Whatever, he's awesome, so it doesn't matter. Suddenly the metal band notices, so he flips the sign over to the "thumbs up" side. Finally the Dreams have their turn. Sly holds up a "10" card. Angela makes googly eyes at Matt again.
Next scene! The band is hanging out in Matt's kitchen complaining that they have to wait another day for the results. Well, except for Tiffani. The anticipation excites her so much that she's "all goosebumply" Man, I forgot how cutesy Tiff was in the first season. Kelly Packard is adorable. Jenny is annoyed by Tiff and says that she sounds like Tinkerbell. I'm pretty sure Tinkerbell never spoke. Wasn't it just a jingling sound that signaled her presence? Shut up, Jenny.
Sly comes in to say that he overheard the judges talking, and it turns out that The Dreams tied with Billy and is band of goody-two-shoes. They have to have a tie breaker. Ooooh, suspense!
It turns out that one judge voted for Bradley and another voted for The Dreams. That leaves Angela's vote as the tie-breaker. The gang wants Matt to go on a date with her to try to buy her vote. Oh, this will not end well.
Tiffani agrees with Matt that it's immoral and deceitful. Sly thinks "immoral and deceitful" is perfect. Tiffani spends the scene with a generic "Cola" can in front of her. This must have been before the days of Product Placement.
In the next scene, Tiffani and Jenny are sitting at the counter at Sharkey's. Tony walks up and the girls inform him that his ear piercing appointment is upon us. Wow, I had totally forgotten about that subplot! Tony tries to back out and Tiff'ani tells him that when she got her ears pierced the gun made her nervous too. Tony's like "aw hell no! I didn't know anything about a gun!" Tony starts to freak out, and on the other side of the restaurant, Sly is still begging Matt to take Angela out.
Bradley comes in to Sharkey's for the sole purpose of picking on Matt. Matt asks Sly if he thinks Angela is free that night. When Matt approaches Angela, she's trying to squeeze some ketchup onto her plate, but just gets it everywhere. Wow, they're really milking this clumsy thing with this poor girl. I wonder whatever happened to her after she was on this episode. Huh. Turns out after this one-time bit role, she went on to do a ton of voice acting, and has a movie coming out called "The Ones" Anyway, Matt tries to ask Angela out, and Tony tries to "help". Angela agrees to go out with Matt.
Jenny and Tiffani want Tony to get his ear pierced that very second. Tony tries to talk his way out of it, but the girls see right through him and accuse him of being scared.
Next scene! Matt and Angela at the restaurant. She tells Matt how surprised she was that he asked her out, and it's actually really cute. Then Matt makes a fool out of himself when he tries to tell her that she looks nice. "you don't look like you normally look. You look... nice. I mean... you don't look normal" Angela figures out what he's trying to say and explains that she put in contact lenses for the occasion.
She tells Matt that she's trying to avoid doing anything clumsy. Matt tells her she's doing fine. He spoke too soon, you see, because just as he says it, Angela manages to catch her menu on fire from the candle. Matt tries to help her get the fire out, but instead, she throws water at it and gets it all over Matt. This scene is so bad it's funny. An extra at the next table makes a big deal out of laughing.
Poor Angela pretty much has a meltdown in the restaurant. "This is why I don't get dates! Maybe you should take me home before I stab you with my butter knife!" Then she stabs herself. Matt tells her to relax, and suggests that they talk. The spend the next few seconds staring at each other while Matt taps the table with his knife. You guys, this is the worst date ever.
TMatt tells her that it's not working out, that they're too different. They suddenly discover a mutual love for the Beatles, and it's back on! They continue talking and realize that they were both at a recent U2 concert.
Meanwhile, back at the garage: Sly, Tiffani, Jenny and Tony are pacing around waiting for Matt. Sly explains that Matt is sealing their victory by taking Angela to the beach. Tony worries that Angela drowned him. Matt walks in wearing different clothes than before. Wait, is this a different day?
Sly wants to know how the scam is going, and Matt wants out. He explains that he likes Angela, and wants to tell her the truth. What happened to Randy Jo?
Matt takes Angela out on another date. They're eating at the same restaurant, and Sly shows up disguised as a waiter to make sure Matt doesn't spill the beans to Angela.
Poor Angela figures out pretty quickly that something is up and demands to know what's going on. Matt tells her everything. She's understandably ticked off. Matt tries to backpedal by telling her that now he really does like her! She gets up to leave and takes the whole tablecloth with her. I never understood how that always happened in sitcoms. How did the tablecloth get in your pants? Isn't Angela wearing a dress? So many unanswered questions!
In the next scene, Tony is still trying to convince the girls that he's not scared of the piercing gun. They want him to prove it and offer to pierce his ear right there in the kitchen.
 |
| "after the needle passes through the skin, you'll hear a popping sound" |
The girls fake the popping sound, and Tony passes out. They girls laugh and say "Welcome to the fraidy-cat club"
Next up, the Battle of the Bands tie-breaker! Bradley and the Billionaires finish up, and poor Angela uncomfortably introduces the California Dreams. She and Matt awkwardly stare at each other for a moment before they begin their set. When they finish singing, Angela takes the stage to announce that the judges will have their decision in a minute. Matt goes up to Bradley and the Billionaires to tell them they did well and to wish them luck. Bradley doesn't want Matt's well-wishes and tells him that his band is just better.
Angela takes the stage again to announce that the California Dreams are the winners. Bradley and the Billionaires stomp off like the rich snobs they are. Matt goes to talk to Angela. He tries to tell her that he really does like her, and she doesn't believe him. He hands her "tickets to Beethoven" with no mention of who's actually playing the Beethoven music. She takes Matt's hand, they go to leave together, but not before she crashes into the door. Bye, Angela! It was nice knowing you. Too bad we'll never see you again.
