“I Always Needed Time On My Own” (“The Day Alex Left For College” Recap)

Before I start the recap there is this little bit of possible good news from this recent article:

”Although Alex will be leaving for college, the show's co-creator, Christopher Lloyd, has assured viewers that she will still be very much be on the show for the upcoming new season. He mentions that her family will be visiting her a lot in college and that she would also be frequently coming home on the weekends to see her parents and family.“

I've not found an article with a direct quote from Mr. Lloyd confirming this, but maybe I have less reason to worry that this will be a season of mostly only seeing Alex on Skype (if at all). But given my “not only is the glass half-empty, but it has a leak” frame of mind...

Anyway, so about tonight:


(oops, one moment – found another leak...)

I don't know, but just like with “Crying Out Loud” near the end of last season, I think the emotional moments of the story just didn't quite work, except for Haley and Alex's final scene (which was mostly tremendous). It just felt flatter than it should have been, especially her farewell with Phil and Claire (I also think it was a little bit selfish of Alex not to let them have their moment, and Haley was right, albeit for somewhat selfish reasons herself, to call her out on it).

And even that last scene could have used a tweak or two – I really wish we could have seen Alex's face when she didn't let go of that hug after five seconds.  And Haley's little talk about her roommate was sweet, but, assuming she was talking about Alex, I'm not sure how true some of what she said rang. Alex wanted to get away from Haley as much as Haley wanted to get away from Alex. And I've never seen much, if any evidence that Alex ever put Haley on a pedestal. She was right about Alex being scared about being surrounded by other smart kids though (despite her conversation with Jay last year I think Alex still has some doubts).

Plus, not that I didn't see it coming, but it was disappointing that an episode with “Alex” in its title would have its main story not really be that much about Alex – it was mostly about Haley, then Maisie (I'm sorry, but I just don't buy her as CalTech material, even if she does have a periodic table poster), then Alex dueling with Phil and Claire for third place, maybe (again I'm surprised how little there was in their “saying goodbye” scene).

I thought Alaina (her original roommate choice) was from North Carolina, not Norway.  Unless she was on vacation in Europe, too (could she have already run into Alex?)

Even though I hated the episode in which it was first shown (“The Day We Almost Died”), I liked the callback to Alex having studied judo – at least they're giving her character some continuity for a change. But, given her overachieving ways, why is she not yet a black belt?

Where was the rest of the 16-piece luggage set Alex got for a graduation present – did she lose it in Europe?

And, once again, we see that it was not a good idea for Alex to have a phone in her hands near Haley – that's at least the second time that Haley has snatched it out of Alex's hands* (and not to mention the time Haley crushed Alex's phone under the car).

Alex's Line Of The Night: ”Need I remind you I'm a yellow belt?” Haley's retort about it being ugly was, um, vintage Haley (it was funny though).

Now I really hope this does not end up being the episode to which I end up looking most forward – it's not that far a trip as I would have wanted it to be but I'd hate to think it's all downhill from here.

*Speaking of “Strangers On A Treadmill”, I'm not 100% sure (even after listening back-to-back) but I think they used the same music in tonight's closing scene (with Claire calling Alex about duck eggs) that they used to end that episode (when Alex sadly told her parents she had no friends).  The weird part is it was the phone snatching that made me think of it.