Erin, as always, you did
an awesome job with the role. Quinn's antics
and gadgets are always a highlight of the show, and you have made
`Quinn' your own, bringing her to life in an awesome display of energy
and comedic timing. It's easy to see why you got a 13/13 contract this
season!
And now…Drum roll, PLEASE! Rob's analysis of The Time Capsule!
It's the little details that make a good show into a great show, and
this episode was loaded with `em. The episode was well crafted and
smooth flowing, as we've come to expect. There were, of course, two
plot-lines…The Time capsule and Chase's obsession with finding out
what Zoey had said about him, and Quinn's snoring….and they were
allowed to develop separately but still meshed seamlessly into a very
enjoyable episode.
The way the Time Capsule plotline was initiated was well executed and
a good example of ensemble teamwork, as everyone needed to look
natural and spontaneous as well as have good solid line delivery. The
Z101 Cast has had that down to an art form for a while now. This was a
simple but essential scene done well…had this scene gone south, the
entire episode would have suffered.
The guys kicked some serious butt in their first scene as well. Sean,
Christopher, and Matt proved themselves to be a comedy team par
excellence. Matthew is perfect in the `Likable Villain' role, and
having Logan selecting one of his own pictures was nearly
inevitable…it's often not WHAT is done, but HOW and how well it's
done. The dialogue was funny and natural, and sounded like what it was
supposed to be...three friends ragging on each other. The tag end of
the scene (Don't write that down! You were gonna write that down,
weren't you???) made the scene. Again it's often the little details
that make a show.
Another example of small details that add to a scene was in Jamie's
scene as Zoey recorded the DVD. It was another well done scene and
included a small but very clever detail…the brief exchange between
Nicole and Zoey. It added legitimacy to the scene, introduced the
situation perfectly and sounded completely natural and spontaneous.
The basket of clothes was a nice detail…it gave Alexa's character a
reason to be there. While just having her passing through would have
worked…it is, after all, the lounge in their dorm…giving her an
identifiable reason for her action is a nice touch. The janitor was
another cute comedic detail that sweetened the scene for viewers,
adding interest to it.
Then Alexa and Victoria made another simple scene very watchable as
they discussed Nicole's item, and Lola's lack of an item. Alexa brings
Nicole to life beautifully….she's obviously put some thought into how
her character would deliver certain lines, and the effort shows, not
only in her line delivery but in her movements and facial expressions
as well. Victoria has proven herself to be a worthy addition to Team
Zoey, and nails the `Little Diva In The Making' role. (Note…if I had a
bunk bed with a ladder at the end, I'd break my neck! I'd inevitably
roll off of the side of the bed!)
I loved the way this scene rolled over into the intro for the Quinn's
Snoring' plot. Very well done! And the girls' reaction was perfect.
Been there, done that myself in fact. (Try sleeping in a Fire Station
or Rescue Squad bunkroom. There were times I thought one of the rigs
was idling, lol). And more small details…Our first look at Erin this
ep, as an aggravated Quinn appears on `Quinnavision', chastising Nicole
and Lola for waking HER up. A very clever…and Quinn-like…way to add
Quinn to the scene. This also added some irony (Quinn complaining
about them keeping HER awake, lol????) as well as continuity between
episodes…more on that later.
The Zoey-Chase Plot was carried over, of course, and is the main focus
of the Time Capsule plot. Nice, touching little scene as Chase tries
to get Zoey to reveal what she said about him. (Again, little
details…the grapes were a nice touch here.). Then we have the scene in
the guy's room, and Christopher's dead on portrayal of a guy who's
suffering amused frustration at his bud's crush on a girl. In this
episode, it becomes seriously obvious that Chase is smitten with Zoey
(as if we hadn't already figured that one out.) We now, of course, get
to spend the rest of the series run saying `Tell Her!" to the TV and
wondering how Zoey CAN'T see how he feels. We will become obsessed
with their relationship… (Trust me on this…I still remember
Lizzie-Gordo). But that's half the fun!
And then….:
MWAHAHAHA…We will see to it that Erin gets this in one take…we will
hang her upside DOWN!!! Until she gets it right…. MWAHAHAHA
But…Erin ALWAYS gets it in one take! WE don't have to…
SILENCE!!! Hmmmm This is true…then we will become the first ones ever
to get a scene in NO takes!!!! THROW THE SWITCH, EGOR… MWAHAHAHA
Who's Egor????
SILENCE!!!!!
Couldn't resist, lol! Erin's first real scene in the ep finds her
hanging from a Quinnvention designed to invert her nasal
passages…inverting her in the process. She was awesome as she showed
us something we seldom see…No, NOT Erin upside down! Quinn frustrated
because she can't figure out how to solve a problem.
The fact that Erin delivers her lines while upside down, letting Quinn
carry on a normal (OK…Normal for Quinn ;) ) conversation despite her
inverted state was hilarious. And asking Nicole `What are you doing
here' when Nicole was wondering, 'What are you doing upside down???' was
ironic comedy worthy of prime time TV.
Erin and Alexa made this series of scenes into one of the funniest
bits of Z101's entire run to date. First, there was the "Fall Of
Quinn," whereby Quinn ended up somewhat pretzel-like on the floor.
Interesting little tidbit from the Podcast…Erin actually can do that,
and showed them this later, just to prove it!
BTW, Erin, the two of you make an awesome team, Quinn's serious
quirkiness and Nicole's goofiness play off of each other beautifully
here. The `Inhaling of the Guppies' was side-splitting. Quinn's
enthusiasm for the procedure, coupled with Nicole's abject
horror…'This is the most disturbing moment of my life!'...was great.
Also, I loved Erin's delivery as she delivered a very matter of fact
explanation of the procedure, saying `I'm gonna breath guppies' as if
it were an entirely normal thing for a 14 year old girl to do. And, to
Quinn, it would be normal! We've learned that normal to Quinn is not
necessarily normal to the world at large, lol. This, of course, is one
of the many things that makes Quinn…and Erin's portrayal of her…so
special. (Erin really got into her part here…she had a `mad scientist'
enthusiasm just before and as she `inhaled' the unfortunate guppies.
And check out Alexa's facial expressions…again, Erin and Alexa played
off of each other beautifully, this was topnotch acting.)
Then we have the loading of the time capsule and the frenzy to
retrieve the DVD. Again top notch acting from all of the cast. There
was of course the necessary lead-in dialogue as the items were placed
in the capsule, and the interaction between Logan and Nicole, re: The
Picture was great…Logan's inscription to Hot Girl Of The Future was an
awesome touch, and his vocalization of said inscription was hilarious.
IMO Our New Gal carried this one, coupled with Alexa's facial
expressions. Victoria was hilarious, not only in the way she became a
drama queen, (an actress acting like an actress acting…say that five
times REAL fast!) but, in her build up, and her snide little smirk as
she turned around. Alexa was awesome here, too, loved her facial
expressions! Again, she has Nicole down to an art form. Jamie had the
Zoemiester giving Lola one of those `I'm really not believing this'
looks of bemused shock… And then the capsule is buried, and Logan
reminds Chase he won't find out Zoey's deepest innermost thoughts
about him for twenty years! Cue the Rain!!!!
Enter Chase's Dream and the Rain Scene! Another nice little touch.
Having Zoey standing rather than on the couch in the dream and her
comments differ from those on the actual DVD… Chase wouldn't have
known what Zoey said or that she was seated on the couch as she
recorded it, his dream was probably based on his conversation with her
a couple of mornings earlier. Another nice detail in the dream…the DVD
player announcing `Old Style DVD Detected.'
And then the dream fades...or is interrupted by a request for an
extra pillow. Chase tries to regain The Dream, with no significant
success…then he has an idea! He tells Michael who says, basically `You
want me to do WHAT???' and Michael gets dragged out into a Southern
Cali Deluge.
More awesome teamwork and acting from Sean and Christopher.
Erin, the night Sean and Christopher filmed that one, you guys were
thinking `…An' we're home nice and dry…Hmmm…wonder how many takes it
took `em?! Weren't ya? Points if anyone called their cell phones and
sang `Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head' to `em!
Ok, the guys had fun with it from what they said on the podcast, and
the water was heated…but ya still gotta rag `em! It's essential to
bonding and camaraderie between the members of a tight knit team of
professionals! It's also fun!!!
The DVD is recovered and Chase finds out…but wait!...Chase's sudden
realization that he just MIGHT not be using the best judgment was a
great little counterpoint to the rain scene. He got just a little
quick clip of Zoey's feelings for him but it also showed us just how
much Chase does care about Zoey.
Then, flash to the successful completion of The Great Guppy
Experiment….and the unfortunate demise of the aforementioned guppies.
Another fun scene that wrapped up the Snoring Quinn Snorting Guppies
plot and gave us some cute interaction between all four of the gals.
Alexa's portrayal of Nicole's sudden enthusiasm for Quinn's solution
was priceless, loved Erin's facial expression as Quinn ejected the
guppies and proudly displayed them to her friends. Victoria and Jamie's
reactions to the snore-stopping fishes was dead on and awesome. Then
as the guppies were slurped….again, a great little scene that allowed
all of the girls to interact.
Then the final scene… an excellent job by Jamie and Sean! Zoey and
Chase give us a small glimpse of what those two really think of each
other in a very cute and touching final scene. (If tying your guys'
shoelaces together isn't a sign of true love, what is? ) Just a cute
scene, and looked like Sean and Jamie had a blast filming it.
Also, it's nice to see a sense of continuity, not only between eps,
but between seasons. Zoey riding her Jet-X, elements of Logan's
mega-entertainment center in use, among other things. You get the
sense that the show depicts an ongoing and related series of
events…just as real life does…rather than disconnected and unrelated
events that are never ever referenced again, as some sitcoms tend to do.
All in all an excellent episode of an equally awesome show.
Good job guys!
Rob