Awkward Epi 6 Recap

Stepping in for our regularly scheduled Contest Wednesday (to return next week, pinky swear!). Plus, I need an outlet for my new TV obsession. And, if you're still not watching, why not??

Okay, here goes...

Episode 6: Queen Bee-atches-- Summary and Review in 500 620 words or less

The least you need to know: Jake (Matty’s best friend and cheerleader Lissa’s boyfriend) kissed Jenna!?! It was awkward…

The Set-up: In fair Palo Verdes, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge (okay, just since the beginning of school, but in teen years that’s ancient) break to new mutiny when Jenna’s mom forces her to “rush” the KnickKnackers—a junior league type mother-daughter charity org wherein, as Jenna so eloquently puts it, “mean girls don’t grow up, they just get older.” Of course, the event is at sadist Sadie’s (And wow, I just made the connection when I wrote that—wonder if that’s deliberate, because awesome. Character naming kudos, Lauren Iungerich!) house and her mom is the lead older mean girl who ultimately decides if Jenna’s mom makes the club’s cut. Ooooh, conflict.

The Sagging Middle: Not to fear, Matty is also present and accounted for, bartending. There’s a sweet moment when he tells Jenna she looks nice, but it’s all too soon kiboshed by Sadie and he never gets a chance to answer Jenna’s request to hang out. Jenna is concerned that Jake squealed to Matty about their kiss, but Tamara (Jenna’s BFF #2) assures her guys don’t talk. Except, dundundun, Jake is also working the party, and after seeing Jenna and Lissa at the same time, becomes a nervous wreck, blurting out his lip-lock indiscretion to an unsuspecting, and now charmingly flustered, Matty. Let the cock-blocking begin—on the dl, of course.

Meanwhile, Jenna and Tamara, convinced that Sadie is the author of the infamous “care-frontation” letter, snoop in her room and abscond with what they think is her diary, but turns out it’s even more personal: Sadie’s food journal complete with caloric intake, missteps and, more importantly, weight, recorded daily. Jenna’s dilemma: return it or take revenge on her nemesis, tit-for-tat styles.

Not surprisingly, her neurotic school counselor, Valerie, is no help, since Jenna is squeamish about blackmail, and prescribes a cat fight as the best solution, though off school grounds, of course. In the hallway, Matty is feeling out Jake for details on the kiss, but in a totally I’m-not-interested-only-trying-to-help-my-best-bro-out kind of way and convinces Jake to let sleeping dogs lie (lay? GrammarGirl, help me!) with Jenna. I love jealous Matty--though, this kind of serves him right.

Back at the ranch, Jenna and her mom have made it to the next rung of the KnickKnacker gauntlet. Then, in a rare moment of serious after-school-special drama, we see Sadie in a emotional confession to her non-sympathetic mom on the trials she suffers with her battle of the bulge. It’s actually quite a heartbreaking and revealing moment, but in the end she still deals with her pain by inflicting it on others. So after deliberately sabotaging Jenna’s mom, Sadie rightly deserves Jenna’s blackmail: KnickKnakerdom for her mom or the journal goes viral. (Also, Ashley Rickards pitch perfect imitation of “You’re Welcome” is amazing!)

Final Act: Sadie obliges and Jenna returns the journal determined to wield the power of kindness, instead of cruelty. Also, Sadie didn’t write the letter. Jake decides he might be into Jenna after all and a mad, undercover texting race ensues between him and Matty for a 1x1 request with her. Unfortunately for Matty, Jake’s the only one who gets a text back. Uh, oh. Powershift in the relationship. Dundundun.

Best Teen Speak: “Mo to the Fo”

Best Jenna/Matty moment: Although Jenna isn't in the scene, when Matty tries to convince Jake (but really himself) that the kiss with Jenna meant nothing and she probably isn't thinking about it or Jake at all. Right?