THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 9, 1995 TAG: 9502080074
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
AMONG THE DOZENS of calls and letters I've received lately about the lost episodes of ``My So-Called Life'' is a note from Anna Temprano of Norfolk with this request: ``Maybe you could do the devoted fans of the series a favor and let us know what happened in the last episode.''
My pleasure.
But first let me explain why Anna Temprano of Norfolk, Sarah Bell of Chesapeake, Pat Tipton of Virginia Beach, Tammey Nielsen of Virginia Beach and dozens of others have been in touch with me to find out what happened in the 19th and perhaps last episode of this wonderfully brooding and honest TV series. ABC affiliate WVEC, in an affront to viewers who worship ``My So-Called Life,'' bumped the last two new episodes from prime time (8 p.m. on Thursday) for other programming in January.
When I returned from the television critics' tour in Southern California and heard what Channel 13 had done, I screamed bloody murder. Episode No. 18 never saw the light of day here, but WVEC told me it would show Episode No. 19 on a delayed basis around 1 a.m. the night of Jan. 26.
Great. But there was a problem. ``Nightline,'' at 11:35 p.m., ran over with coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. Instead of slipping in ``My So-Called Life'' immediately after ``Nightline'' wrapped up, the WVEC control room rolled out a parade of syndicated programming, including a re-broadcast of ``Jeopardy!''
``My So-Called Life'' didn't get on until 1:51 a.m. Viewers who set their VCRs for 1 a.m. saw all of nine minutes.
So, for you ``Lifers'' out there who did not see Episode No. 19, I'll get you caught up here and now. First off, the romance between Angela and the cute but dense Jordan Catalano - he finally acknowledges that he is ``a rudimentary reader with low literacy'' - flares up again.
Brian Krakow, who has a secret passion for Angela, is responsible for bringing Angela and Jordan together. He writes a sensitive letter of apology for Jordan that leaves Angela swooning. The Angela-Jordan romance hit the rocks when Jordan had a fling with Rayanne Graff, who used to be Angela's best friend until her libido got the best of her.
As Episode No. 19 fades away, Angela and Jordan go off in into the sunset in his set of wheels. Her good friend Ricki Vasquez admits his homosexuality when Brian's old flame, Delia Fisher, says she is interested in dating Rickie. At that point, Rickie says, ``Yeah, I'm gay. I never said it out loud before.''
Angela's father, Graham, plunges into the restaurant business as Episode No. 19 ends. He won investors over by preparing a grand feast of rack of lamb and green peppercorn sauce. There is also a hint of a ``thing'' between Graham and his gorgeous partner in the restaurant, Hallie of the full head of red hair.
While this was going on, Graham's wife, Patty, was at home, preparing to meet her boyfriend from high school, Tony. Patty (Bess Armstrong) gets involved in a cute little fantasy sequence that includes Princess Di, of all people. As always, ``My So-Called Life'' comes with the unpredictable tiny moments that make it such a delicious look-in.
Whether or not there will be a second season of ``My So-Called Life'' will not be decided by ABC until May. With production shut down, the cast has scattered. Claire Danes, the 16-year-old who so wonderfully captures the angst of being 16, is back in school - an all-girls school.
She is paying the price of instant fame, Danes told me when we talked in Los Angeles. People are writing things about her that are not true. ``They said I'm a high school dropout, which is very un-true,'' she said. ``I have also obsessed about being described as plain looking.''
On the other hand, the high visibility of starring in a network series brings some satisfaction, she said. That comes in the form of letters from girls her age.
``They open up and tell me how strange they feel in school, how awkward, embarrassed and vulnerable they feel while trying to fit in with everybody else,'' Danes said.
In other words, they tell the actress how much they feel like Angela. That connection has people by the dozens writing to me to learn what happened in the last two episodes.
``With my 16-year-old daughter, I have formed a strong attachment for the show,'' said Ann Olive of Virginia Beach.
Haven't we all? In a future column, I'll cover the happenings in Lost Episode No. 18. Promise. ILLUSTRATION: ABC
In the season finale of "My So-Called Life," romance heats up for
Angela (Claire Danes).
by CNB