BOOTY CAMP

In an amazing display of TV channel screw-ups, the network broadcasting Popular had broadcast the show half an hour earlier than was announced. As a result, I missed a large part of the episode. I have asked Alan to fill in the blanks for me, but even his meticulous descriptions aren't as good as the real thing. This will probably result in this review being slightly less in the style of me than the previous ones. Come to think of it, it might have been better overall if I had just let Alan do the entire review.
Anyway, all this really bites especially considering the fact that this is a really great episode.

We start in some classroom where the Kennedy High populace has started a peer hotline with the motto "If you share, we promise to care." Sam and Brooke are here, manning the phones. It should come as no surprise to us that they're very comfortable in each other's presence. Sam, evidently, has been working for the hotline for some time now. Brooke hasn't, so Sam is telling her the what's what.
Personally, I think that volunteering to help out with the peer hotline was really Brooke wanting to show Sam that she has taken a genuine interest in the brunette that goes further than the bedroom. Also, if this peer hotline has few students working for it, this would allow Sam and Brooke some alone time with each other when their shifts happen to coincide. All in all, a good deal, don't you think?
The phone rings and our first caller is Sugar Daddy, who tries to play a prank on our happy couple. Sam spots quickly spots this. Then, apparently, Mary Cherry shoves Sugar Daddy away from the phone to chastise SD and because she needs to talk to Brooke. We learn that Mary Cherry has given Brooke a saddle and now hints that a horse will soon follow. After all, with Nicole no longer being Brooke's best friend, Mary Cherry would now be Brooke's best friend. And Mary Cherry is apparently quite desperate to have a best friend. Even if it means spending gobs of money on it.
Is it just me, or is Mary Cherry a little lonely?
The next caller is some guy who refuses to say his name. He says he's being harassed by someone. This harassing someone always keeps calling by the name of a flower. The anonymous guy believes that the harasser does this to imply that he's gay. Which he isn't, of course. He's totally straight. He is so not gay.
I find this a little suspicious. If someone were to call me by the names of various flowers, I would just assume that the name-caller thinks I'm a sissy. I would also think the name-caller to be quite pathetic, if that's the best he or she can do. Of all the things I would think, thinking that it is being implied that I'm gay is not one of them.
But then, maybe it's different in America.
Back to the telephone conversation, Sam wants to hear some names. Our totally straight non-gay caller refuses to tell her. He says he doesn't want to be a "narc" (which, I assume, is someone who rats on other people) since it would only make things worse. The caller says he feels trapped and desperate, but before Sam can ask for more names and/or help him out in some way, the caller hangs up the phone.

However, Sam and Brooke won't let this slide so easily, so together they start a search of the Kennedy High corridors. As the two girls are spending some quality time with each other, they wonder why guys would do and say stuff like that to each other.
Then they notice Nicole, breezing past Freddy Gong and calling him a tulip.
Gosh Nicole, you vicious bitch you.
Then, just to show that things between Brooke and Nicole are still not of the good, Brooke says:
"It's obviously some sick, insecure, self-loathing loser."
Which is a much harsher insult than the flower stuff, in my opinion.

Meanwhile, at the Ford residence, Josh is having a conversation with his mother, Jean. The annual Ford fishing trip is coming up and Josh wants his mom to be enthusiastic about the whole. He doesn't want her holed up in the cabin all the time while the boys are out fishing. He wants her to be on the boat with them, fishing.
Jean then is forced to make the following announcement: she is leaving. She has suffered years of emotional abuse at the hands (or words) of Josh' dad and she has had it. Josh is understandably upset by this. He tries to persuade his mom into toughing it for him. Jean, having her mother's instincts played expertly by Josh, reluctantly agrees to stay.

Next day, in the Novak, Lily is still bummed about the fact that last week Carmen plainly said that she wasn't interested in her, despite all that kissing business. So, in order to get back at Carmen (or to get back WITH Carmen) she is showing off a back-less top to her. Carmen doesn't get the hint, however, and worries about the fact that said top might be too revealing. Lily isn't worried by it, however, saying that she feels very happy and, yes, even downright "saucy" in it. Saucy being sort of a euphemism for "naughty". Or at least, according to my dictionary.
Then, Nicole enters the scene. Out of the blue, she compliments Carmen on something or the other. Lily is confused about this sudden complimenting, until Carmen points out that Nicole is probably looking for a new friend. The brunettes leave, laughing at the blonde.
Then, since the Novak is one of the school's hot spots, Brooke emerges from one of the stalls and starts talking to Nicole. Nicole perceives this as her shot at reconciliation with the blonde and is ecstatic. She even tries to apologise. But, since she's Nicole after all, she apologises without actually apologising. Brooke, however, is looking forward to that horse Mary Cherry promised her and doesn't want Nicole back as her best friend. Instead, she tells the blonde to stop tormenting Freddy with all those flower insults.
Nicole has probably got angry at this point and wants to know if Sam has put Brooke up to this. This clearly demonstrates the fact that Nicole isn't blind and that she has seen how much of an influence Sam has on Brooke. Hell, later in the episode Brooke actually dresses in a way very similar to Sam. She might even be dressed like that already, but unfortunately, since I haven't seen this scene, I can't say anything sensible about that.
Brooke, wanting to avoid the Sam issue, says that Nicole has changed since Christmas. For those of you who missed that ep, or my review of that ep, the Christmas episode was a shameless rip-off of a very well known Charles Dickens tale in which Nicole played the part of Scrooge.
Nicole, however, is probably thinking about a different change, since she blames Carmen for her current behaviour. First a compliment, now the blame? Nicole seems a little bit unhinged, don't you think? Anyway, Nicole blames Carmen because of public rejection of the Glamazons by the brunette. Nicole says that "Loyalty is clearly not rewarded". This confuses me to no end. In what way was Nicole loyal to Carmen? Was Nicole loyal to Carmen in the first place? Maybe she meant Carmen's loyalty the Glamazons, but that doesn't make much sense either.
Then Brooke points out that Nicole shouldn't be talking about loyalty since she slept with her ex-boyfriend when he was officially her ex-boyfriend.
OK then. Are we still following? Good, because I'm not.
So then, Nicole tells Brooke that she has walked barefoot over broken glass for the head cheerleader. As a result, Nicole knows full well how Brooke works and she tells the blonde that she can't fool her with her passive-aggressive behaviour. At this point Alan said that Nicole might have been hinting at something. So, having no knowledge of passive-aggressive behaviour, I went out onto the Net in search of knowledge. As it turns out, passive-aggressive people have many emotional problems. Problems include the intense fear of being alone and an equally intense fear of showing or even feeling emotions. The fears, apparently, dictate their behaviour which can range from merely frustrating to downright manipulative.
So, what Alan might be hinting at is that Nicole might be hinting at the fact that she and Brooke were at one time sort of intimate. I think that this was an attempt by Brooke to distract herself from everything she was starting to feel for Sam by sleeping with another girl. Get it out of her system, so to speak. Anyway, when Brooke figured out that it wasn't working, she probably broke the whole thing off faster than you can say "three" (sorry, couldn't come up with something slightly witty). Nicole then misinterpreted the whole situation and labelled Brooke as being passive-aggressive.
Well, that's my theory anyway.
Back to the episode, Brooke warns Nicole that she should let Freddy be and stop tormenting him with all those floral insults. Nicole then calls Brooke a hypocrite. After all, the blonde didn't even know Freddy's name a few months back (remember?).
Then, Mary Cherry swoops into the Novak, as the Southern princess on the white horse, who has just left her horse outside to show to Brooke. In short, Mary Cherry drags Brooke out of the Novak and, since Nicole is conveniently here as well, tells the ostracised blonde that this will be the last time that they are going to be in a single room together.

Lily is walking through the hallways, wearing the back-less top that was meant to help her woo Carmen. SD and Josh notice her and make the following comments:
"Is it chilly in here today or what?"
"Damn Lily, where've you been hiding those?"

Lily is understandably upset about the fact that the only people now looking at her like a piece of meat are not the people who she wants to look at her like a piece of meat. She complains about this to Harrison, who then fails to comfort her by saying that she should be flattered. Needless to say, she isn't.

Back at the hotline room, Sam and Brooke are having a little quality time. Unfortunately they waste it on discussing Nicole and how to deal with her. Then, suddenly, someone calls. It's a girl who complains about sexual harassment. Sam recognises the voice. It's Lily! Lily then enters the room, carrying a cell-phone and wearing a very baggy sports top and admits that it's her.

So Sam, Brooke and Lily have gone with this sexual harassment complaint to Principal Hall. Principal Hall takes this very seriously and gives Sugar Daddy, Josh and Harrison a choice. Either they are suspended for two weeks, or they attend a sensitivity camp this weekend.

During lunch, Brooke and Mary Cherry are sitting at the same table as the unpopulars. I can't be sure about this, but from what Alan told me, I assume this is the case. I am also assuming that Sam is sitting next Brooke, but once again, I can't be sure. Anyway, Mary Cherry announces that she has volunteered to be an advisor during sensitivity camp and she wants Brooke come and help her out. Unfortunately for the Texan, Carmen jumps on the idea an offers her services. Sam smiles at Carmen and gives the brunette two thumbs up. Not because she believes that Carmen helping out at the camp is such a great thing, but more because now Brooke will be available for the weekend and Sam probably has plans.
The boys show up at the table. They make the exceedingly tacky statement that Lily has provoked all those comments herself by wearing what she did. These claims are immediately shot down by the girls. Personally, I would've just punched the three of them in the face for saying that if I wasn't a pacifist and a wimp.
The guys quickly retreat.
At Freddy's table, Nicole shows up. She's angry at Freddy for ratting on her (or so she thinks, even though the girls figured it out for themselves) and tells the guy that things are about to get worse. Freddy then goes to table where the girls are sitting and yells at them about breaking his confidence.
Sam looks at Brooke and says: "You know what you have to do."
Oh dear. Whatever could it be what Brooke has to do? I can't wait to find out.

We're at the Ford mansion once again. Or at least, I assume we are. Jean and Josh are arguing about the fishing trip. Jean tells Josh that she has decided not to go. Josh, however, really wants his mom to go, somehow thinking that this trip may be the last chance to save his parents' marriage. Jean agrees when Josh offers to take the sensitivity training seriously.

Sensitivity camp has arrived and it is headed by Miss Glass' brother, Rock Glass, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his sisters. Rock Glass is probably the pinnacle of sensitivity, being an ex-Marine Sergeant and everything. Sergeant Glass yells at his recruits for some time, because that's what Sergeants do. After he has yelled at them, he realises that not all the recruits are here. Like all Sergeants, he deals with this situation by getting angry at the recruits. Or at least, I assume he does. Nicole then enters, fashionably late and totally unconcerned. Sergeant Glass yells at her, but Nicole (now known as "Private Benjamin", even though Goldie Hawn was just a rich upper-class airhead and Nicole is quite obviously the uber-bitch from Hell) isn't even fazed in the least.

The recruits are marched out onto the assault course where they are being thought how to be sensitive by crawling through mud and climbing over walls. Sam, Brooke and Lily look at the display. Sam and Brooke congratulate Lily for stepping forward. This has inspired other people to call and say that they are being harassed. I assume that these harassers are scheduled for next week's sensitivity training.
Then, our harassers (and Nicole) have to do some serious working out. They do this by dancing, or something that looks like dancing. It was at this point that I fell into the episode, swore loudly, turned on the VCR and mailed Alan for help, while panicking a little.
Anyway, Harrison obviously can't dance and falls down. Sugar Daddy rids himself of his overly heavy backpack and starts behaving like a moron, I don't how Josh is doing, but probably not any better than the other guys. Nicole however, being a cheerleader, has no problems with it.
Meanwhile, next to the exercise yard, the stands are filled with girls. Carmen and Mary Cherry, both wearing sunglasses and red berets, ask for volunteers. During sensitivity camp there will be role-playing and they need as much girls for it as possible. Lily, Sam and Brooke are standing in the stands. Brooke, by now, is wearing something Sam would wear, has a red baseball cap on and has her hair into two small pigtails. All these things are things no self-respecting cheerleader would wear, but it's my suspicion Brooke has done this to please Sam. Anyway, from her position in the stands, Brooke glares at Nicole, who glares back from her place on the exercise yard. As the camera quickly moves away we are not surprised to see Sam looking at Brooke and probably being disappointed that the blonde wanted to go to school during the weekend while they could be doing lots of other, more interesting things. Standing somewhere behind the fence, Freddy Gong is viewing the proceedings.

It has started raining and the exercise yard has changed in one large mass of mud. The only people here are Sergeant Glass and Nicole. Nicole has to do push-ups, while Sergeant Glass barks to her about his favourite movies. Nicole says that she wasn't insulting Freddy, but just trying to help him accept his sexuality.
Those push-ups, by the way, are pretty amateurish. I'm no jock, not by a long shot, but even I can see that Nicole isn't doing proper push-ups with her knees staying on the ground and her feet going into the air. Why Sergeant Glass has missed this is anyone's guess. But, then again, it's not really important anyway.

In some classroom, somewhere, Mary Cherry is measuring something with the help of a blueprint. After having made the correct amount of paces in the correct direction, she puts away the blueprint and takes out a drill.

In the shower room, the exhausted male recruits are all taking a shower. They're telling each other what place they would rather be than here. SD would rather be eating lots of stuff in some fast-food restaurant. Harrison finds the thought of massaging Glass' feet more attractive. Josh wants to be on the fishing trip, hauling in a big bass that will be prepared for dinner by his mom later on.
In the ceiling a little hole is made and a little camera is lowered down through it.

Back in the classroom, Mary Cherry is drooling over Harrison (who she still calls Joe, by the way). Carmen enters and sees what Mary Cherry is doing. She says that the Texan shouldn't be doing this. Mary Cherry tells her that she has more than enough rights to do this because she's not a feminist. Carmen tells Mary Cherry that she's going to report her. Mary Cherry, not wanting to go on sensitivity training, bribes Carmen by aiming the camera at Josh. Carmen relents and the two of them start ogling.
Miss Glass sits down behind them. After Mary Cherry claims that Carmen is the guilty party here, Glass tells them they are both guilty of reducing people to sex objects.
It seems Sergeant Glass has two new recruits.

Meanwhile, Private Benjamin is cleaning the fence around the exercise yard with a toothbrush. Freddy shows up. He wants Nicole to know that he wasn't the one who ratted on her. He is also desperate to convince her that he really is straight. After this attempt to confirm his sexuality has failed, he offers Nicole a deal. If Nicole will just leave him alone, he will make sure she can get her revenge.

Since sensitivity camp is in full swing it means that it's the weekend and that is why pretty much everyone is at school right now. Brooke and Sam are standing next to each other, along with Lily in a large mass of girls. Brooke and Sam tell each other how they both are almost feeling for sorry for the guys. Then, Freddy Gong shows up along with Sergeant Glass. He points at Brooke and Sam.
The outraged Sergeant announces that he has two more recruits.

In the school gym, the girl recruits are all standing neatly in line. Standing in line is, after all, the first and most important lesson a soldier (and, apparently, a sensitive person) must learn. Saluting is the second most important thing, of course.
Sergeant Glass yells at his recruits about how girls are just as good at harassing as guys. So, in order to teach the girls how to stop harassing, he orders them to drop and give him fifty. Even I, who have an intense dislike of the military know that this is slang for falling on the ground to do push-ups. The girls, on the other hand, are unfamiliar with the term and just look confused for a bit until Sergeant Glass loudly spells it out for them.
As they are doing push-ups, Sam and Brooke threaten a stoic Nicole for a bit. They want to know what has been said that got them here and they suspect that Nicole knows exactly what has been said. Nicole remains passive and unresponsive.
Meanwhile, Mary Cherry is already disliking sensitivity camp and says that she could just kill someone.
Carmen looks worried.

Night time at Kennedy High. How people can have searchlights inside an enclosed building is anyone's guess. Carmen is now dodging said searchlights in an attempt to reach the payphone. She calls someone and tells the person on the other end of the line to come and get her out of this hellhole before Mary Cherry whacks her.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Glass is tired of beating his head against the brick wall that is Nicole. He has restrained her to a chair and is forcing her to watch "Philadelphia" on a continuous loop all night long. For those of you who don't know, Philadelphia is a movie where a gay Tom Hanks discovers he has AIDS and has to fight both the disease and the massive homophobia all around him.

Brooke and Sam are having a secret meeting with Freddy Gong. Freddy wants to know if Nicole is going after him once again. The girls tell him that they've figured out that he's made a deal with Nicole and want to know what Freddy has said. He refuses to tell. Brooke and Sam tell him they're innocent. Freddy questions this for a moment, before saying that him going to Nicole was basically their own fault. By trying to make Nicole stop bothering him, Freddy was no longer in control of the situation. Not that he ever was in the first place, but that's besides the point. Freddy then says that this deal with Nicole was his best bet to get out of the mess he was in. He apologises to the girls, then repeats his earlier statement, saying that Brooke and Sam have brought this on themselves.

A badly disguised Lily is running through the Kennedy High hallways pushing one of those large bulky things on wheels in which the laundry is moved. She is stopped by Sergeant Glass. Lily makes the lame excuse of being the night watchman or something. Sergeant Glass then releases his hound, who leaps into the overly large laundry basket and chases out Carmen. Lily is now also a recruit.

Morning arrives with a scene of Sergeant Glass bringing a heartfelt salute to the good old Stars N Stripes, that universal symbol of everything that is good and holy in this world.
And no, in this case, I'm not the only one making fun of it.

Now then, after having been physically exhausted yesterday, Sergeant Glass announces that the sensitivity training will really start (breaking his recruits' spirits is what he calls it).
The guys have to walk the walk of shame. They start at one end of the hallway and have to reach the other end. In this hallway are all the female volunteers that Mary Cherry and Carmen rounded up earlier. They have been instructed to throw every lewd comment they know at the boys. Harrison, Josh and Sugar Daddy don't have a problem with this. Feeling all manly and studly they start walking. However, their machismo soon disappears and they start feeling a little intimidated by all the comments and all the groping. The walk soon changes into a run as they try to flee from the girls.

In some classroom somewhere, all the girls (except Nicole) are sitting in the benches, with Miss Glass sitting in the front. The girls have all made claims of not harassing guys and Miss Glass wants to perform a little exam to make sure that they haven't. She starts with a few simple questions.
"Are you guilty of sexual harassment?"
Mary Cherry raises her hand, smiling proudly.
"Have you ever touched a boy against his wishes?"
This question is met by snickering from Sam who, as we all know, would never touch a boy even if he wished it. Brooke, however, fails to see the humour of the situation and is simply disgusted by the mere suggestion of her touching a boy. Mary Cherry, once again with a proud grin, raises her hand.
"Have you ever purposefully exposed yourself to a boy?"
Now, Sam and Lily are once again snickering about Glass' ignorance concerning their sexuality. Brooke is now also snickering but tries to not let it show. Mary Cherry raises her hand a third time, no longer smiling proudly, but more of a smile that tells the world that she isn't ashamed of it either.
"Have you ever discussed a boy's physical appearance in such a way that might make a boy uncomfortable?"

Flashback time! When this flashback takes place, I'm not quite sure. Either a long way in the past where Sam has just started doubting her sexuality, or just after the Sadie Hawkins dance where Sam has apparently hooked up with Brooke. Anyway, Sam, Carmen, Lily and Harrison are standing near one of the lockers as Josh walks past. Sam, trying to conceal her (doubts about her) sexuality, overcompensates by saying that Josh has a cute butt. The other girls agree wholeheartedly. Harrison looks shocked.
In the background, Freddy is listening.

Back in the classroom, Sam, Lily and Carmen reluctantly raise their hands. Glass then proceeds with her next question.
"Have you ever admired a media portrayal of the male physique which was readily apparent to other boys?"

Flashback time part two! Brooke and Nicole are standing near Brooke's locker. Nicole hands Brooke a picture of a half-naked man. Brooke admires this picture and hangs it in her locker, saying that all men should look like that. So, in her eyes, all men should be standing in a sort of L-shape with the arms conveniently hanging in such a manner that they conceal the fact that Y-chromosomed people do not have breasts. Sugar Daddy has heard it all and feels uncomfortable about his body.
In the background, Freddy is listening.

Back in the classroom, Brooke slowly raises her hand. Miss Glass then repeats her first question.
"Are any of you guilty of sexual harassment?"
Now, all the girls are forced to raise their hands.

In some small room, the male recruits have been allowed a time-out. Sugar Daddy and Harrison feel violated. Josh says that the walk of shame was just a gross exaggeration that does not conform with reality in any way. Harrison and SD disagree.
Sergeant Glass enters, along with Nicole. Nicole, of course, was totally unimpressed with the movie. She says that nothing, not even walking over hot coals, will make her any less of a bitch. Sergeant Glass responds with a "funny you should say that."

In the Biology classroom, Sergeant Glass has rounded up all the recruits minus Nicole. However, before sensitivity class starts Josh is allowed to meet a visitor.

In the hallway, Josh meets up with Jean. Jean tells him that the fishing trip went badly and that Jean is moving out of the house. Josh wants her stay, of course, saying that she "hasn't worked in over twenty years" and stuff like that. Jean tells him that she has already found a place to stay and that she wants Josh to move in with her. Josh tells her that he already has a home. At home. With his dad. Where his mom should also be.

Back in class, Sam and Harrison are standing in front of the class, with Sergeant Glass marching up and down between them. Sergeant Glass wants to envision Sam as being his girlfriend and that they are about to go on a "big fat date!" What would Sam have to wear, in Harrison's opinion. Harrison, at first, refuses to answer. Then he says that all guys want their girls to look like girls. So, on a date, Sam should wear a dress.
Speak for yourself Harrison. I, for one, would love to date Sam like Sam. And Sam seems to have an intense dislike of dresses. Not to mention the fact that in those few cases where she actually wore a dress she didn't look much like Sam, if you catch my drift.
Anyway, Sam has to wear a dress if she is ever to go on a date with Harrison. Sergeant Glass wants to know what kind of dress. One that has a "good view of the BOOM BOOM ROOM!?" perhaps? And what kind of expression is "boom boom room" anyway? Harrison says that he indeed wants to be able to look at Sam's breasts. He also wants to be able to look at a little leg. Or possibly, a lot of leg. Sam looks pretty angry when she hears this. Brooke has decided to check out her own breasts. Carmen can't believe Harrison is saying stuff like that. Then, Sergeant Glass asks Sam "how does that make YOU FEEL!?" This is probably the first time in all of history that that question has been yelled. Sam's response consists of a few things, but it all boils down to making Sam feel like a slut.
Then, Sergeant Glass turns back to Harrison. He wants to envision Sam as being his sweet, innocent little kid sister who's going out on a date wearing the dress he has just described. And, do you think Mr John would approve of that? After doubting for a while, Harrison admits that he'd rather not see his little sister like that.
Then, Sergeant Glass decides that it is Sam's turn. She has to look at Harrison and give her opinion about his rear. Sam, understandably, couldn't care less about Harrison's behind. It's probably nothing personal, but fact remains that Harrison is of the male gender. However, after some vicious glaring from Sergeant Glass, Sam, with the greatest lack of enthusiasm known to man, says that Harrison has a cute ass. Sergeant Glass then wants Sam to grab Harrison's ass. This goes way, way, WAY too far for Sam. Having to say some guy's ass is cute is one thing, but actually touching a male person there is quite another. There's no way in Hell that Sam is ever going to do that and she protests quite loudly. Even if Sergeant Glass threatens with prolonged sensitivity training Sam refuses to touch Harrison's ass.
And now, today's lesson:
"That's what harassment is all about! Taking away somebody's choice not to be touched! Taking away somebody's choice to be LEFT ALONE!!"
Yes Sir, Sergeant Glass, Ma'am! Of course, he should have added "taking away somebody's choice not to touch somebody else!"
Then, Lily and Josh are called to the stand. Josh has to repeat the remark he made to Lily earlier. Sergeant Glass wants to know how that makes Lily feel. Lily answers with what has become a standard reply. Uncomfortable, dirty, powerless, etceteras, etceteras. Josh says that that's all just politically correct crap and that any normal girl would be flattered by such a compliment. Sergeant Glass then wants Josh to envision Lily as being his mother and then, once again, say what he just said.
Josh goes even further than that. He says that Lily wants some male attention. He says that she should cut it out with all the victim crap. He says that, because of Lily, he couldn't go fishing and, as a result, his family now lies in ruins. He says that Lily is probably bitter and insecure and everything, but shouldn't be taking it out on him. He then finishes with one of those phrases that really should never be spoken:
"It's not like I hit you or anything!"
Then, in front of Josh' eyes, Lily morphs into Jean. She looks at him sadly and tells him that he's behaving exactly like his father. Jean then morphs back into Lily. Josh says that he's sorry. He repeats this a few times, getting a little more desperate each time, then flees the classroom. Lily, meanwhile, is trying to keep her tears from falling.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the building, Nicole is filing her nails whilst walking over hot coals. I suppose that when she was talking to Brooke about walking barefoot over broken glass it wasn't just a metaphor. Sergeant Glass enters and tells Nicole that sensitivity training is over. Nicole tells Sergeant Glass that she was right. That she could not be broken. And, basically, that she has won.
"That's one way of looking at it," Sergeant Glass says.
Nicole starts gathering her things and Sergeant Glass squats behind her. He compliments Nicole on her energy and spirit. He says that Nicole is a true leader. It's unfortunate that she's all alone with no-one to lead.
Sergeant Glass gets up and leaves. Nicole is obviously hurt and, like Lily earlier, tries not to cry.

It's night and the recruits have all been discharged and are going home. They are all feeling a little uncomfortable and walking in a disorganised single file. The only ones walking together are Brooke and Sam, who often look at each other for support. Ending the line, furthest away of everybody else is Nicole in her fur coat, her massive suitcase and her slightly less massive beauty case.

Next day. Lunch time. Harrison sits down next to Lily. There is awkwardness. He says he wants to say that Lily looks cute today, but is unsure if he's allowed to. Lily says that "cute" is OK. They then have a conversation about boundaries.
Where does a comment become harassment?
They don't know. So they just say that it's probably different for everyone and leave it at that.

Nicole, meanwhile, is also having lunch time. She is carrying a single can of diet food and looks at the empty chair at the empty where she is probably going to sit down shortly. She doesn't want to, of course. She's been alone long enough.
She then walks over to Freddy Gong, who's just as alone as she is. They talk to each about how loneliness really sucks. Deciding that being alone is more fun if there are other lonely people around, Nicole and Freddy spend lunch time together.

And finally we arrive at a small apartment somewhere. The place is filled with cardboard boxes and Jean is busy unpacking them. Josh enters, carrying his own few personal belongings. Mother and son hug, the screen fades to black.

And that's it for this episode. Personally, and based on what I've seen, this was a great episode. OK, so it wasn't too heavy on the Sam/Brooke subtext, but one cannot measure an episode simply by S/B goodness, right? It's also a real pity that this is the only episode that featured Sergeant Rock Glass. Maybe a fic is in order?
Well, anyway, this was it for this week. Hopefully, I'll see you again next week.