The Haunting Hour "Detention" Episode Discussion

learned:

* yep, all the school tropes are present and accounted for at the start: queen bee, jock, outcast, and nerd...oh, and burnt-out teacher. are there well-rounded characters at a fictional school anymore? stay tuned...

* this is so true, this is something i've always thought: once you graduate, you still never leave high school. it's absolutely accurate, college and the real work-and-family world are simply bigger high-school models. all of your insecurities and habits in high school form an identity that hardens in those four years and remains with you the rest of your life, whether or not you think you're "not that person anymore". you never overcome the trauma of high school :(

* the Twilight Zone line is apt. at least they acknowledge the all-time master everyone copies from relentlessly with this type of show.

* speaking of, anyone reading this, check out The Outer Limits episode "Abduction"---the '90s series, not the '60s one. it's very similar with the high-school tropes and the sci-fi and such. "Abduction" was the first modern Outer Limits episode i watched and i was hooked on that series afterwards, i had to go back and watch every single episode, which i eventually did. you will, too, i promise, it's worth it.

* okay, so there is a little melting of tropes: the outcast likes the jock('s jokes), the jock really wants to be a comedian, the queen bee would rather be the outcast than carry the burden of her queen-sized pressure, and of course the nerd/teacher is a demon or angel or something. sweet ending. unfortunately, in real life, things mostly don't work out this well at school, that's what's really scary. real life is scarier than any show...