Speechless–Season 2, Episode 4 (T-R-Training D-A-Day)

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This was another solid episode with complementary A, B and C stories, but this one was slightly better as it was more profound and touching.

The A story of Maya and Kenneth training the staff Principal Miller can’t fire to be aides, is a follow-up from the second episode. At first the staff don’t care about becoming aides but behind the scenes, Kenneth convinces them otherwise and just after Maya gives on them, she witnesses them not giving up doing one of the near-impossible tasks she asks of them. With the theme of Stripes playing in the background, they are whipped into shape and ready to meet their students. I loved that each staff member found the right student for them, however I felt it was a little too easy. Nevertheless I enjoyed the A story and found it touching.

The B story is actually what kicks off the episode with Jimmy attempt to give Ray “The Talk” whilst driving, which ends up with them going to Italian Ice, the zoo and the US-Mexico border before Jimmy manages to do so. When Maya finds out about it, she points out that Jimmy is yet to do the same with JJ, so he takes him camping to do it. While they’re there, Jimmy is patronising towards JJ, until he accidentally finds himself trapped in an outhouse. JJ proves himself to Jimmy by going off by himself to get help and successfully managing to do so. Rather than having “The Talk”, as JJ has found out about sex via the internet, they have a heart-to-heart as JJ asks Jimmy whether he’d really be able to get married and have a family one day.

It is through this heart-to-heart that Jimmy reveals that he can’t see it for JJ but also admits that it doesn’t mean it won’t happen, as he points out JJ’s other achievements. Like the A story, the B story ends on a touching moment and was enjoyable, with the highlight being JJ happily screaming down the hill and the ranger running after him to stop him going any further, and complimenting him on how awesome that was.

The C story wasn’t as touching as the A and B stories but it did provide some humorous moments. Dylan discovers that Ray is being picked on by another student, Brandon, in quite unusual ways, and while Dylan offers to stand up for him, she actually ends up joining forces with Brandon. Although they have fun together, Brandon eventually gets bored and starts picking on other people. Dylan is sad as she likes him and Ray tries to cheer her up by letting himself get bullied by him, only for Dylan to push him into his own locker, but Ray is glad “she’s back”. Overall this subplot was humorous and provided some nice sibling moments between Dylan and Ray, however I wouldn’t say it was a strong one.

Overall this was a solid episode with a great amount of touching moments.

Best one liner:

  • “Fart on him you’re scaring me!” (Dylan to Brandon when he becomes complacent towards picking on Ray)

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