Drinking Game, by M

foray into my past by watching the 1994 "My So Called LIfe." I remember it all concretely: angst ridden poetry, doc martins, a preponderance of flannel... and how just as Angela Chase was just maybe working it out with Jordan Catalono and Rayanne Graff, was still stuck in no friend purgatory with a killer role in Our Town, with Rickie Vasquez stuck in the middle living with the Chase's and having come "out", as Brian Krackow admits to writing the most heart-felt beautiful love letter ever, the series abruptly ends...and how we'll never know if Angela Chase sleeps with Jordan Catalono, or Rayanne's drinking kills her, or if Angela's dad has an affair, or if the restaurant is a success... but before we got there my friend was like, ugh god! why do they keep saying their names, their FULL names over and over and over. It's driving me crazy! Looking back with the last episode momentarily on pause, she said, I am NOT kidding. And I thought it can't be THAT bad. So we backtracked to the beginning and I got out a score card, intent on proving my friend wrong.

But turns out, she was totally right.
The writer, with a possible lyrical quirk, repeated the full names of the characters at least 26times in 42minutes. For the first 18 minutes a full name is said at least once per minute, and though I had to turn my netflix in it DOES make me sort of wonder, how the other episodes might stack up, and i'm guessing there might be more. So if any of you own the series and want to watch an episode please do oblige with your own count. But its not for the faint of heart, the writer sneaks in names quickly and is not adverse to saying minor character names like Dellia Fisher just to keep you on your toes. You might miss it.

So my friend and I thought if we had to take A SHOT every time a full name was said we'd a) never make it through the entire episode... and b) alcohol poisoning. So we switched it to, each person had to draw a character name out of a hat, and depending on the number of people, is how you go from the central characters to the periphery. For instance, getting Jordan Catalono would be like the Queen of Spades. A basic death sentence. His name, and we thought this was low, was repeated a small total of 6 times! Angela Chase got 4/5. I can't remember. And Rickie and Rayanne were tied at 4 each. But for instance Brian Krakow was only said once! Which for the series as a whole, was rare as Angela Chase in her narrations is often completely irked by Brian. Yes. Brian Krakow and then goes on mooning over Jordan Catalono. So it introduces randomness- so then you move on down the line, to B story characters, the parents and then guest spots. This provides some challenge, high tolerance and possibly a saving grace if you draw a coveted minor character. For mercies sake after x amount of shots maybe their might be a truth/dare element, if for instance you run out of liquor or don't want to encourage vomiting.

Have fun!
Play Safe.
And hope for another 30'something to come along for the new batch. I can only stay attached to high school dramas for so long before I think, but what about where i am, in my life right now... so I guess I have to go watch Reality Bites and Singles and think about it all over again...