Editorial: The Shake Up
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Finally the show can live up to all the pointless comparisons to Dawson’s Creek as Seth finds his inner Dawson. After Summer pushes him to find something he loves, he spends most of the episode carrying around a camera, making astute sardonic comments about film, those he’s filming but, just like Dawson, rarely himself. Summer’s aptitude test adds more unnecessary tension between her and Seth, but in the end their relationship, as always, remains visibly altered but still intact for one more week. That is until an earthquake hits and a massive streetlight beam heads straight for their heads and the Range Rover. The drama. The intrigue. The tension.
Other earthquake lead-in material included Kirsten’s encounters with Newpsies both young and old, both of which might have scared her enough to want to leave Newport with Sandy. And Willa Holland gives the performance of her career, (seriously!), as Kaitlin puts her family and daddy issues out there to Julie. In addition, Ryan messes with Taylor’s head by saying “I Love You”, but possibly not meaning it, and then later giving her a dictionary for her birthday. Taylor messes with Ryan’s head by withholding information about having applied to Berkeley College. Still, true love and honesty prevail yet again for these two. Ryan finally gives her the real present, a bond book of French love poems she had translated. To rocket the moment even further Ryan ditches saying it all with a look by getting his verbal freak on. He tells Taylor, matter-of-factly and with a warm, honest, and decisive heart that he doesn’t want to lose her, is willing to go anywhere with her and, yes, that he loves her. This is when the heart-melting gratification settles into a peak. Unfortunately the peak slides in just as the earthquake hits and a large piece of furniture comes tumbling towards them. The drama! The intrigue! The tension! Albeit it being quick, sudden, impact, it’s affecting and just what this show needed.
**** 1/3 out of ***** stars
