But they are so rude and obnoxious about it that Zoey comes over to defend
Chase. Chase has a bit of fun with it and tells them that "this is a girl - I know
you have never been this close to one before (and mothers don't count)." Zoey –
who is really big into the "girls can do anything boys can do" attitude - puts
her foot in her mouth by challenging them to a robot battle. It will be in a week –
and they invoke a set of
robot war rules.
Logan, Lola, Nicole, Chase, Zoey, and Michael are all together talking about
their robot. One of them suggests that it breathe fire. Another that it have
a remote microphone and speaker so they can trash talk the competition.
Another suggestion was for an intimidating mohawk - but there is a 36 inch
height restriction so they scrap that plan. They decide on a name - the
"Loganator" - mainly because Logan is paying for it all and insists. Lola has
been sketching a robot with their ideas, and is an excellent artist. They
only have one problem - they don't know how to build it!
Predictably, Zoey finds Quinn - who is seeing if her lettuce was properly
cleaned under a microscope. There is a problem, though. Quinn doesn't
believe in using her science expertise for violence. She refuses - until the
three robot geeks show up and start making fun of her. She has obviously
tangled with them before - they wouldn't let her join their science club.
At the girls' lounge in Brenner Hall, Quinn is hard at work making the robot.
It looks exactly like Lola's conceptual drawing. Zoey and the others ask if
they can help, but Quinn says they would only slow her down. She leaves to go
get a special type of socket wrench in her room, so Chase takes advantage
of the break to try out the trash talk. The speaker distorts his voice to a
menacing - almost Darth Vader like - quality. Logan, though, takes the
microphone next and
starts making fun of Quinn - calling her names. The others
laugh - and Quinn overhears. Her feelings deeply hurt, she quits working on
the robot.
Later, Zoey goes to her door to apologize - it is obvious she really feels
sorry for what she did. But Quinn refuses to let her in. It was bad enough
that everybody laughed, but it really hurt that Zoey did. When Zoey tries the
doorknob again, it gives her a shock. Quinn electrified it!
Nicole, Lola, and Zoey are talking about apologizing again, when Chase calls
them to see a TV braodcast. They are interviewing the robot nerds about the
upcoming robot battle. One of them has a little blonde doll that looks like
Zoey, and they let their robot destroy it! Chase has them shut off the news
as the robot continues to destroy the doll. He knows one other person who
might be able to help - the smartest guy at PCA: Miles Brody.
Miles lives at the library. When Chase, Zoey, and Nicole approach to ask him
for help, he insists on finishing a book. Even though he has 1/4 of it to go,
he finishes in seconds - being a speed reader. He knows why they have come -
he knows all about Zoey - where she is from, even her exact grade point
average! He dismisses Chase and Nicole to talk to Zoey alone. He will help
on one condition: he wants a date with Nicole!
Zoey has reluctantly agreed, because Miles is busily at work on her robot. He
finishes with just 15 minutes to go before the battle - gives her a two second
description of the controls and leaves - as he reminds Zoey of the condition.
At the battle, the robot nerds are making fun of Zoey's robot, when they see
the Dean of Science approaching. Chase and Zoey think they are off the hook -
but the Dean has come to see the robot battle. He has been looking forward to
it all week!
The battle is joined - but it is obvious from the start that Zoey's
inexperience with robot
battles is dooming her robot. Although she gains some
experience as she goes, and manages a couple of good blows, her robot is soon
immobilized. The final blow comes from an large hammer with spikes that
crashes down on top of Zoey's robot. The battle is over - her robot is dead.
Lola - remembering the rules for robot battles - has the other team
disqualified: their
hammer was over 36 inches tall! But that does not mean
that Zoey wins. It only guarantees a re-match.
Quinn shows up at the robot battle with a surprise. A very small, purplish
pink hemispherical robot with a post sticking out of the side. She challenges
the robot nerds to a battle. Thinking Quinn's robot will be easily destroyed,
they make fun of her and agree to battle.
Quinn's little robot points the post towards the robot nerds' machine, and
fires a powerful ray that disintegrates it! The battle is over, Quinn wins.
Although Zoey and the others congratulate her - she is still hurt. She only
did it to get even with the jerks. She leaves.
Later ---
There is a knock at Quinn's door. She reluctantly answers, but nobody is
there. Only Zoey's robot, carrying a vase of yellow tulips! The robot speaks
their apology, and everybody comes into her room to apologize in person.
Quinn accepts their apology - because she likes yellow tulips. More
importantly - she knows
they aren't apologizing just to get her to help on the
robot. Before completely accepting the apology, she especially wants to make
sure Logan is sorry. He admits that he is.
Nicole is on the worst date of her life. She is in the library with Miles - a
really dorky record is playing on an old record player, and he has set up a
formal dinner for her. When he leaves for a minute - Nicole says that Zoey is
soooo dead!
NOTES:
This was an excellent - but long overdue - exploration of Quinn's exact
standings in the social order. Is she one of the populars? Is she tolerated
by them but still thought of as just a "science geek" – something less than a
full member of the popular clique? All of that answered this week. That
answer is that Zoey and the rest really didn't know themselves. Zoey herself
refers to her as a freak in Webcam - and Logan of course continues to hurl
insults. The "mighty Quinn," whose feelings at those tauntings are usually
secure - was finally hurt. Not when Logan alone started taunting - but when
the others started doing it, too. It is interesting that the character of
Quinn considered Zoey's friendship to be the closest – interesting because she
actually kicked Zoey out of her room in "New Roomies." Completely unexpected
is how she insisted on Logan's acceptance before she would accept a group
apology. The lonely Quinn knows the dynamics of the PCA social order quite
well. Logan - the unofficial leader of the popular boys - and Zoey - the
unofficial leader of the popular girls - must both accept her as equal in order
for her place to be secure.
Some charming details:
Lola's set of skills expands greatly in this episode. We see her artistic
talent in coming up with a drawing of the battle bot. We also see that she is
smart - VERY smart - in remembering a small detail about the rules of engagement
that disqualifies the other team. She is also the only principal character to
hug Quinn - showing that they are now sharing a deeper bond.
The "smart guy" (his name is in my notes but I don't have them here) gives us
some splendid Jamie Spears trivia, tying the trivia directly to the character
of Zoey.
It is interesting that the only member of the popular group to hug Quinn is
the enigmatic Lola - echoing the real life friendship between Erin and
Victoria.
The pre-teens gathered in front of the big screen here all knew immediately
that Nicole was going to be mad at Zoey for fixing her up on the worst date of
her life! In fact - they almost used the exact words Nicole did!
It is very interesting the juxtaposition of the first showing of this episode
with some other "heart" episodes. With Valentines day on Tuesday - it is
predictable that we would see:
--- the charming moustache episode of Drake and Josh with the best couple on
Teen Nick - Josh and Mindy
--- Ned's heart for Suzie
- knowing that he gets his kiss in season 2 makes
this one sweet.
--- a very emotional and pivotal episode of Unfabulous, even if it was a
rerun. Addie's feelings foreshadow an emotional hurt on the coming episode of
Zoey 101. Also - the breakup with Randy was precipitated because they have
nothing in common. Randy knows nothing about her and vice-versa – in contrast
to Ben's relationship with Jen. He knows a lot about her. And - the others
know Quinn well enough to know she likes yellow tulips. This shows they are
taking the time to listen to her and know her.
--- then unexpectedly we get an episode of Zoey that explores Quinn's heart so
deeply. This order of episodes was no accident.
--- I may be reading too much into this, but the robot nerds use the term
"science club," the same
term used on "Strange Days at Blake Holsey High."
When Josie initially came to Blake Holsey High, the science club was hesitant
about her joining because she was a rebel - but quickly changed their mind
when she uncovered the wormhole. The opposite reaction to a girl was
probably just a coincidence - but then at least one episode of Strange Days
was about opposite statistics occurring. And the writers of Zoey 101 have
demonstrated before that they are well versed in science fiction past and
present.