PRODUCTION/CULTURAL REFERENCES (written 3/18/19)
-I can't remember when I came up with the main plot, but it was an idea I've had for a very long time. Originally, the episode was called "Denise's Secret" and it would have dealt with Denise being abused. Child abuse victim Dave Pelzer was going to make an appearance as Denise's teacher, but he most likely wasn't going to play himself. I don't know how serious I was about the idea, but I just know it would have been a disaster if it ever happened. Even now, I don't think the show should be handling a topic like that. Eventually, the idea transitioned to Denise being psychologically abused by her sister, then her not looking forward to her sister visiting because of her behavior. I just thought it would be an interesting episode to write this season.
-It's crazy to think about how back in season three, "Imperfect Friends" was such a radical idea because it was focusing on Sanna and Ashley, two recurring characters. Now, I'm making episodes centered around KG's girlfriend and her family. "Denise's Sister" wouldn't have been possible a couple years ago, which does speak to how season seven has definitely felt different from last season. One thing I wanted to do this season was have more episodes focused on supporting characters, because as much as I love the five main kids, not every show can be about them. I've had fun giving the spotlight to different characters in season seven. At this point, KG is like an honorary main character, so I feel comfortable making more episodes about him and his friends. I already have a couple ideas for his character next season, and I'm not done with him yet this season either.
-I used the season five technique for this episode. The subplot was also an idea that I've had for a long time, but it was called "Holes: The Treasure Hunt Edition." It was inspired by the Arthur episode "Arthur's Treasure Hunt," and would feature RK digging in an attempt to find a secret underground passageway. I never developed the episode that much, but it had potential to be made last season. I just decided to make it a subplot and add it to this episode because I didn't have a whole lot of other ideas.
-Meredith Bishop was cast as Danielle because she played Alex's older sister Annie on The Secret World of Alex Mack (the same show that Larisa Oleynik starred in as the titular character). This was something unintentional, but I realized during the writing for this episode that Denise and Danielle's relationship was similar to Alex and Annie's relationship. The younger sister feels like she's in the older sister's shadow, while the older sister is more confident and full of themselves.
-Trevor going on about welfare was originally supposed to be in "Tricknology," but it ended up not fitting the situation like I wanted so I decided to move it over to this episode.
-The first scene I wrote for this episode was RK and KG's back and forth about pulling the weeds, about a month before I wrote anything else.
-RK references the storyline in the first half of this season that had Buster living with the Jennings brothers after a fire in his condo. The storyline started with "Welcome Home, Mr. Newman" and ended with "Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019."
-RK references the shrine that Helga from the Nickelodeon animated series Hey Arnold! (1996-2004) had of Arnold in her closet, which was Arnold's head and face made entirely out of wads of gum.
-The scene where Buster slaps RK originally just ended with the slap and RK chasing him, but I felt like it needed more of a definitive ending, so I added RK's line and the other three guys walking away with angry grunts.
-Buster references the Nickelodeon live-action series Cousins for Life (2018-present).
-I just thought it would be really funny if RK came back from Sanna's house and described something so absurd to explain what happened to him, but it's never actually shown.