Upside/Down(side) - "Crying Out Loud"

Considering how much potential there is contained in the title this really does not look like that big a deal of an episode from Alex's standpoint - none of the promo pictures or the promo commercial or this sneak peek video look promising for her having any big emotional moments tonight (it's looks like it's Jay and possibly Mitch or Lily who might be doing the crying).



Whereas last week had almost the feel of a season finale, this one feels like a non-sweeps mid-season treading water episode, which just happens to have a story involving Alex.  And the story itself seems to have very little upside, but one potentially disastrous if unlikely downside (and one smaller one):

Upside:  A story where someone (presumably Haley) finally convinces Alex to lighten up a little (without Alex feeling forced to do so), now that her high school pressures are pretty much behind her.  And a callback to last week's kiss with Sanjay would be welcome.

Downside: The scenario I mentioned in my last post - the Dunphys get arrested for trespassing at that theatre, and somehow Alex's future is threatened to be ruined by it (although presumably it wouldn't cost her her graduation because next week's finale involves her graduation party, it's still possible I suppose that an arrest could cause CalTech to reconsider her admission).   I don't think this is a likely scenario (unless it's intended to be followed up on next week), but I'm keeping it in the back of my mind.

One lesser downside - the whole story ends being less about Alex than the rest of her family (even though it's about her senior ditch day) - it looks like they may be splitting this story into two: Phil and Luke go off and do their usual hijinks, while Alex and Haley are left to be, well, Alex and Haley - hopefully that story half ends up not being mostly about Haley (although we are due for Alex to give Haley some life advice).