PRODUCTION/CULTURAL REFERENCES (written on 12/14/14)
-This episode was originally slated for November 16, but was pushed back to December 7 because the script wasn't ready yet. After "Imperfect Friends" was pushed back from November 23 to November 30, that caused "The Field Day from Hell" to take the December 7 spot (it aired two days ago but was technically aired the week of December 7) and "Positive Rein-dunce-ment" to finally air tonight. Yeah, scheduling is not something to take lightly.
-This was one of the original 14 episodes I came up with when developing the third season. It was pretty much unchanged as I started writing it. All I did was add the B-plot due to the fact that the RK/Wade story wasn't strong enough to last the whole episode like "The Time Machine." When I originally put it on hold, I thought about the following idea: RK and Wade get sent to a secret society in Florida led by a British man named Jake Ayres. He teaches guys that girls never know what they want, but always know what they need. Jake also tells the boys that no one knows what could possibly happen if the secret that saves relationships and attracts new ones is exposed. It, um...just didn't happen.
-When I first came up with this episode's B-plot in July, Sparky and Halley were always going to be the focus. However, the idea was different. They were going to celebrate their two-year anniversary and Sparky was going to have trouble knowing what to get for her. He goes to Buster for advice, which fails. He then goes to Jaylynn, who says that whatever he gets for Halley doesn't need to be expensive and flashy, just personal and thoughtful. I didn't get far after that, other than the feel-good ending. But I realized almost off the bat that chronologically, the storyline didn't make any sense yet. Sparky and Halley started dating in season one's "The Love That Sucks," which was last February. Since it was made for November 2014, that doesn't work out. In real life, Halley's sister Ariel celebrates her birthday in May so I decided to make it about her birthday as a jumping point. Sparky's Brooklyn paranoia was initially supposed to be part of "Talking Turkey" last season. He goes with Halley to Brooklyn for Thanksgiving dinner with her family, and worries about not being accepted. Of course, that was when I was originally developing episodes for season two that had way too much Jaylynn in them. Sparky says that Ariel's birthday is in June to keep the storyline chronologically correct.
-I might do a two-part episode later this season that focuses on Sparky and Halley's two-year anniversary. If I do, there's definitely going to be serious conflict. The problem with Sparky and Halley is that neither of them are really ever at odds with the other and they're both all-around nice people so creating conflict is definitely not going to be easy.
-This episode is officially the last one to have any credits for writing, storyboarding, animation, and director. Of course, it did before I got rid of it. I was credited as writer, Andrew Overtoom worked as the head animator, Tomas Greenberg was the storyboard artist, and C.H. Greenblatt was the director.
-I enjoyed the first Big Television Debate, it's just that Who's the Boss? was never a smash hit in its original run and is mostly famous for jumpstarting Alyssa Milano's career. Therefore, the episode in question was never that controversial or paid much attention to. I had to go with "Homer's Enemy," an episode that fans and critics alike have debated since its original airdate of May 4, 1997. I don't take a certain side 100%. It's more like 85% Sparky, 15% Buster and Jaylynn. While I actually like the episode and consider it a classic for the most part, Homer is exceptionally stupid sometimes and the ending is pretty mean-spirited. Animation critic The Mysterious Mr. Enter summed it up best a few days ago on Twitter when he said the episode was confusing. That's what separated The Simpsons from any other cartoon or live-action show at the time: There were several things it could do well. I don't know what the next debate will be about, but I'm thinking of one that plays with the format a little. Buster and Wade debate over which Victorious episode is worse. Buster chooses "Prom Wrecker" and Wade chooses "Tori Gets Stuck." Just so you know, I think both of these episodes are terrible for the most part.
-RK watching TV and commenting on it both times is what I like to call a bank gag. Before writing of the episode begins, there's a certain joke or moment that I know I have to include. I have that gag in the bank and ready to take out, so to speak.
-The episode of My Wife and Kids RK was referring to is "Quality Time" from the second season. Oh yeah, I don't hate or love season eight of Full House but it's just kinda meh. There were some pretty good episodes that season though.
-Sparky's inner voice was initially going to be used in "The Creamy Crack Manifesto" but I couldn't really find a good situation to use it in so I decided to just leave it alone until next time.
-I don't have a reason as to why the show never explained Bitch Clock being anthropomorphic. It was never something I felt like I absolutely had to talk about. I came up with a reason for it in the first season, as in when I was first developing the show two years ago. However, I don't want to use that reason anymore because it was just for jokes. When Bitch Clock's story is explained, I might devote an entire episode to it and try to give it some thoughtfulness. But as of right now, I have no plans to explain why Bitch Clock is the way he is.
-On that same note, because the kids' parents have already been shown before, it's not really a hang-up for me in this case. They just don't appear because I don't need them to. I don't know if it was last week or the week before that, but I had this idea where the four boys all get episodes with their own parents. I don't know for sure if I'm going to go for that, but I know there's one episode I have to write regarding Jaylynn's parents. Her dad is going to show up in a future episode in an attempt to get back in her life, even though she wants no part of him for running out on her as a toddler. I already know how the episode's going to go down, and it will have the title "Papa Crazy." But I don't want to spoil too much. When the episode comes (most likely in February), it comes.
-RK saying "I AM THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!" is a reference to the catchphrase of Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) after they won the WWE Tag Team Championship in September 2012.
-The Toy Story gag is poking fun at Pixar, which plans to develop a fourth movie in the series despite things seemingly coming to an end in Toy Story 3.
-The "She's Not Afraid" montage, especially the part where RK is hopping up and down while Wade is dancing in the background, was in the bank for months.
-RK referenced the song "I Got It Made" by Special Ed when talking to Wade. "I Got It Made" was on Ed's debut album Youngest in Charge (1989), which was released when he was 16. There are some other dope songs on there too, including "Taxing" and "Think About It."
-Originally when RK said he had the perfect thing to help Wade not think about Adriana, the original exchange was going to go like this:
WADE: I was actually starting not to think about it until you brought it up again.
RK: Good. So that means we're making progress.
I decided not to do that because the lines were unnecessary to have and made RK look like an asshole when the audience is supposed to sympathize with him. That is definitely something RK would say, but since he's trying to help Wade in this case, it didn't feel right. One of the most difficult things about writing this show is morality. There have to be rules in place for what characters do and how they act around each other or else it will be impossible to care about them. Nothing would be out-of-character for them since they have none, but you won't be able to find anything they do funny or relatable. This is especially difficult for characters like Buster and RK and Jaylynn. Buster is stupid, but there are limits to what he does and does not know. Plus, he's the most like an actual child so sometimes it's not even that he's stupid, he just doesn't understand a certain thing. RK is an asshole and Jaylynn is cynical, but they can't take it too far and if they do, they have to be put in their place or else they won't learn anything. Yes, I take this show seriously.
-Caught that Snack Pack joke, ah?
-When RK tried getting Anna to come out, he referenced Eric Matthews' Feeny Call from Boy Meets World, which Eric would often use to get Mr. Feeny's attention and advice.
-I'm going to be honest: When I first wrote the ending with Sparky coming back, I was considering having it end on a sad note with him saying that Halley broke up with him, but I decided to leave that for another time and just end with a joke.