I love Fuhgeddaboudit.
Yes it’s a standalone episode that doesn’t advance the show’s mythology in any significant way, but it radiates with the kind of lighthearted fun that makes it a hoot to watch on every level.
Unlike the rest of this season’s freak-of-the-weeks, Mia is downright hilarious. Bubbly yet single-minded, the transgenic from Psy-Ops amusingly causes all sorts of mischief when she begins figuring out everybody’s secrets (thanks to her hypnotic powers). Sure the Dougie-mafia case isn’t the most compelling story, but Mia’s machinations imbue the episode with a real sense of cheeriness that’s infectious on every level. Truth be told, it’s been a depressing and angsty year (thank you virus), so Mia is a breath of fresh air in a dreary world. And quite poignantly, Mia is a romantic, and she restores the audience’s faith in Max and Logan, and the fact that they really do belong together. Love is never easy as she points out, and our favorite couple needed to hear that.
Of course the real highlight of the hour is the way it puts Max and Alec together in a cage-fight at the episode’s climax, bringing all their pent-up animosity to the forefront. It’s a thing of beauty to watch as Max lays it all out on Alec by referencing all the dastardly stuff he’s done this year. Ackles and Alba have had electric chemistry all year long, and their dynamic is stunningly realized in this gem of a sequence that’s one of the most memorable in the entire show’s run (and definitely its funniest).
Post-Pulse Bits
– This is the second episode in a row that starts with Max getting dressed before a fancy night out. Coincidence? But that white wig is pretty bizarre. Thankfully Alba can pull off practically anything.
– I’m not quite sure what the title of the episode means, even though Logan says it himself when Max walks out in that short skirt. It’s mafia-lingo no?
– Max plays the bimbo quite well. However, having her tell Mia she works at Jam Pony even before getting brainwashed is an obvious plot contrivance.
– Blink and you’ll miss her, but the woman with the sunglasses in the bathroom is actually Dougie’s boss (as we discover at the end). You can only catch this during a rewatch.
– Great continuity: Alec’s boxing ring past and spending time in psy-ops (which is how he recognized Mia).
– Love the little touch with Mia making herself a dispatcher at Jam Pony. Poor Normal.
– Hilarious scene with Mia making Alec and Logan bond and hug. Naturally, Sketchy interrupts and stares at them blankly.
– Normal’s crush on Alec is a hilarious comedic highlight of the episode. Especially when he carries him home at the end. Uh oh…
– Sketchy wanting to get to the bottom of mutant exposure at least gives him something to do for the first time this season.
– Badass: Mia punching Max right off the ledge.
– Brilliant touch: Dougie’s narcolepsy making him immune to Mia’s brainwashing.
– The ring announcer naming Max “The curvaceous killer” is too funny.
– Normal taunting Max during the fight killed me: “You’re so dead missy miss.” “Kick her ass.” “You better be at work tomorrow pumpkin!” “Kill the messenger!”
– Mia tells Max she bet on her because according to the t-shirt, “girls kick ass.” That’s an awesome reference to the pilot.
Barbs & Barcodes
Cindy: I thought you two were trying to get things back to normal.
Max: Right. So I figured what’s more normal than volunteering for his oh-so-urgent, let’s-save-the-world-by-Tuesday Eyes Only missions?
Mia: Logan, I think there’s something that Alec wants to say to you.
Alec: Yeah, Logan, I just wanted to say that I understand why Max admires you so much. Sometimes I wish I had more of a purpose in life.
Mia: Logan, is there something you want to say to Alec?
Logan: Well, it’s just that…I don’t know, sometimes I wish I was more of a free spirit, and it must be nice to be a happy-go-lucky sociopath. I kinda envy you.
Mia: Awww. Group hug!
Normal: (to Alec) You’re my hero. I live to serve you. I had this dream about you the other night. You were this, uh, Roman gladiator, and you slew barbarians and Medusa-like women, and I was your tiny little valet. I wiped your sword clean after every sweet victory. I rubbed your tired, beautiful, golden muscles…
Alec: (uncomfortable) Hot run! Fourth and Main!
Max: She hit me. (Starting to remember) Really hard, that BITCH!
Alec: Should’ve known you’d cheat.
Max: (kicking Alec) That’s for the virus.
Alec: That was not my fault!
(She punches him.)
Max: That’s for trying to kill Joshua.
Alec: I was just trying to protect my own…
(She punches him twice.)
Max: And that’s for getting paint all over my research papers.
Alec: Okay, yeah, that was my bad.
(Max punches Alec again.)
Max: That’s for making Joshua deliver your packages.
Alec: Max, cut it out!
(She kicks and punches him.)
Max: That’s for losing my baseball. And this…(Kicks him in the stomach)…is for whatever stupid thing you do next.
Alec: My turn now, bitch.
Max: What’d you just call me?
Alec: You heard me. B-I-T-C…
Max: Oh, look at that – ring girl just lost her top.
(Alec sneaks a peek, Max kicks him in the groin).
Max: Oops. (She nudges him and he crashes to the floor) Sorry.
Conclusion
A wonderfully lighthearted episode, Fuhgeddaboutit is one of my personal favorite hours of Dark Angel.
I saw this for the first time a couple days ago and couldn't wait to read what you thought. I was hoping you'd love it too! 🙂 Yes, I completely agree …this was a breath of fresh air. One of my favs of the season. Too bad the writer of this ep didn't do any others, according to wikipedia. Reminds me of 1930s screwball comedies, and gangster films…and screwball comedy gangster films. 🙂 Which I enjoy. I can picture Damon Runyon-type characters, the “lovable low-lifes”, criminals and outcasts, fitting right in Dark Angel. The title is cute and clever, 'cause it also refers to Mia's ability to make people forget.
It was great to learn how Alec and Logan really feel about eachother. And that Max loves Logan so much she won't reveal his secret identity and put him at risk, even when Mia gets her to admit everything else. I also appreciated getting more insight into why Max has been so angry at Alec. The Max/Alec fight was *exhilarating*! I have lots of problems with season two, but it was worth watching for scenes like this.
“Max: Oh, look at that – ring girl just lost her top.
(Alec sneaks a peek, Max kicks him in the groin).”
Jensen truly has awesome comic timing. The way he paused with this expression of “yeah, right, you can't fool me”, and then just couldn't resist checking anyway…hahaha…it was perfect. I always want more of Alec and less of Joshua – it's really a shame the latter was featured more… Why don't writers realize it's hard for viewers to accept new characters who are suddenly given a major role on the show, and take time away from characters we're already attached to?! It feels like Dog-Boy gets more screentime than *Logan*, which is just so wrong! Joshua should've been integrated more gradually, like a trial run, see if he gels with the cast and if viewers like him. (Btw, don't you think that would've been a great way to test which new actors/characters to bring on the show, when Max was seeking her “siblings” in season one? If she finds/rescues any the fans fall in love with, they're brought on as regulars! I guess this kinda happened with Ben/Alec? But there was a lot more potential there.)
It's funny, because Mia *was* technically intrusive and acting like everyone's new best friend/one of the gang, when she wasn't, but she didn't feel like an interloper (like Dog-Boy does). Of course Mia inserting herself into their lives was deliberately ominous, but I almost wanted her to keep working at Jam Pony. 🙂 I embraced the character 'cause she was a likeable guest and the catalyst for fun interaction and interesting revelations about our beloved main characters. I was very relieved that Mia wasn't a villain after all, and didn't get killed off. I do love a happy ending. 🙂
So glad you loved it too as well songspin!
By the way, I'm ashamed to admit but I totally didn't realize that the title refers to the fact that Mia makes people FORGET. I must be an idiot because I totally didn't make the connection. Let's not speak of this again…
Agreed with everything you said, especially how Joshua took away precious screen-time from Logan. I've heard murmurs over the years that Weatherly didn't enjoy season two and this must be a big reason why. There were also rumors that him and Alba didn't like the supposed sexual tension between Max and Alec but I refuse to believe it and I'm sure it's not true.
Also, I know you watch Buffy, but have you ever seen Alias or Nikita? Since you love BTVS and DA, I'm sure you'd love those. Alias is my all time favorite, and Nikita has been spectacular! (the remake, I've never seen the original).
Speak of what again? 😉 It is forgotten!
I wouldn't blame MW if he was pissed…Logan had so much more to do in season one… more Eyes Only broadcasts and missions… his emotional arc about coping with paralysis and bitterness… dealing with his family issues a bit… while falling in love and coming to terms with Max's past… a lot to chew on as an actor. This season…at least he's had a few opportunities to be funny, amidst the angst.
I still don't see sexual tension between Max and Alec, although Jessica might've been fighting people behind-the-scenes who wanted there to be a cliched love triangle. Bad enough Max & Logan were kept apart by the virus, because…TV never lets couples get together and be happy? People think that's boring? I disagree. Anyway, Max has been angry at Alec and we've kinda been conditioned to think two people who seem to hate eachother, must secretly love eachother. More TV/film cliches! So maybe that's why some see sexual tension. I think they have chemistry, as good actors and sparring partners. But it doesn't look like romantic chemistry to me…that's still Max & Logan.
I was thinking of checking out Nikita…I saw ads for it when it began, and I'm sorry to say I was put off and freaked out by how thin the lead actress looked…I mean, way thinner than Jessica on DA, maybe even worse than SMG on Buffy. I can't help it. If I see someone with arms that look like twigs about to snap off, it hurts to look at them… and kind of hurts the plausibility of seeing them as an action star. But I was thinking of trying to get past my initial dismay. 🙂 I've come across good comments about the show, and now your recommendation so…yeah.
I did watch the pilot for Alias when it came out…I don't really remember much, except that I found it unintentionally hilarious. Don't ask me why! Maybe I'd feel differently now, but at the time I thought it was really bad. Guess it didn't help that I disliked Jennifer Garner from her days on Felicity. Of course you were supposed to dislike her character there, since Felicity disliked her, and the show's called Felicity, so if you're not on Felicity's side… 😉 Felicity had her flaws – a very indecisive character – but I liked her anyway, 'cause Keri Russell is great. Season one of that show is the best…you can really see the influence of My So-Called Life. With the addition of wacky college hijinks. 😛 Oh, I just remembered another reason I was probably biased against Alias! J.J. Abrams basically abandoned Felicity to go work on it. My loyalty to Keri, y'know. I got the impression she was hurt about it. He cast her aside to move on to his new muse, Jennifer! I read that she and the rest of the cast had to practically beg J.J. to come back and write the series finale. And then it sucked. With crazy time travel shenanigans. I like time travel stories but… it was so out of place there. You can't just change the genre of a show all of a sudden and go from a more realistic setting to sci-fi! Oh wait. 😉 No, this was a much more jarring change than the Dark Angel situation, even though it didn't last as long.
You HAVE to give them both a shot. You'll love em I'm sure 🙂
I'm still in Dark Angel mode and want to explore fanfics (any recommendations?) and read behind the scenes stuff… linger a bit, you know. 🙂 But after all that, I've decided to definitely watch Nikita. 🙂 Perfect timing since the show's ending, so I can marathon the whole thing without waiting. I never seem to watch shows while they're airing, anymore. That's ok – don't have to deal with ads or suffer cliffhangers (between seasons, anyway – series finale cliffhangers are still torture) The only drawback is not being able to discuss TV with other fans in real time. But that's where your blog comes in, see. 😉 You've reviewed Nikita! Assuming I don't hate it and can't continue…it'll be fun to discuss with you. 🙂
I still need time to get over my Alias/Jen Garner antipathy though. 😛
Favorite episode yet. I ADORE Mia. I loved her puckish desire to ferret out people's secrets and get people to be honest with each other. In fact, I loved pretty much everything about this episode. It was all just…adorable.
One quibble: the mafia guys were ridiculously cartoonish.
Wonderful to read your Dark Angel comments again subnunny. I was afraid you'd ditched the show. Keep it up. You're almost done 🙂
WOW, JUST WOW. This is probably the most entertaining episode of Dark Angel. Even with a few episodes left, I don't think any other hour can beat this one in terms of pure, pure fun. What a fascinating, enjoyable episode.
The highlight is DEFINITELY the Max/Alec fight. Her references to all the things Alec has done, while punching him in the process, is a fantastic sequence. Seriously, Jessica never looked more beautiful and badass. Also, all those references really put a huge grin on my face. Because continuity.
There really wasn't a single dull moment here. I loved Mia and the first 20 minutes of the episode were terrifyingly intense.
I did not recognize that woman in the bathroom! Haha awesome! And the final Logan/Max scene is soo heartwarming 🙂
Really, really loved this. The most “fun” hour I've seen in a very very long time. Definitely deserves a rewatch soon.
Exactly the word – “FUN”. It's the most entertaining for sure and it's in my top five episodes for that very reason!
The Max /Alec scenes is one of those all-time great sequences the show did. Surely the most amusing. I adore it too. She looks SO good and the continuity is so freakin' perfect on every level! So glad you adored this hour too! Alright now it's one big serialised story until the end!!! And it's super! Enjooooooy 🙂
Loved this episode & Mia! My favorite standalone since it involves everyone.
Mia is by far my favorite one-shot season-2 Transgenic! She’s so different from the typical tough military persona of most Transgenics. Instead she acts like Minnie Mouse or Betty Boop…if they had powerful mind control powers ;)! When I first saw the ep, I thought she was bad, but it was a good twist that she really was just trying to help her boyfriend and seemed to genuinely want people to be nicer to each other. The episode also kinda feels like a parody of the typical self-insert fanfic where the OC quickly becomes all the main character’s best friend, even though it’s realistic that the only reason Mia got Max and Logan to very quickly confide their secrets to her is because she brainwashed them.
Loved Mia and loved this episode. Thanks for commenting Kae-Leah. Love discussing Dark Angel with die-hard fans! No show quite like it!