The Prestige TV Podcast - ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ Season 2, Episodes 3-4 Recap

Episode Date: November 24, 2022

Juliet Litman and Jodi Walker are back to break down episodes 3-4 of ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ Season 2. They are joined by Zoe Simmons to discuss cringey aspects of the show, situationships vs. relationships, messy characters, and how the show differs from ‘Euphoria.’ Hosts: Juliet Litman and Jodi Walker Guest: Zoe Simmons Producer: Kai Grady Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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I'm Julia Lippman, and I'm joined by my rear colleague Jody Walker and frequent Phil Simmons podcast guest, Zoe Simmons. Zoe, welcome to you in particular, but also you, Jody. Thank you. Zoe, we're so happy to have you here for someone who's very close to going to college and also very close to age to the characters being depicted. we tried to talk about last week, like what resonated and what didn't, like what seems true to college and what's not. But I'm not sure we got it right.

So that's why you are here. Jody, anything that you're particularly excited to hear about from Zoe? Just as the old, I'm talking here. I am fascinated by Gen Z. I love Gen Z. I like to say that I am Gen Z

when I am just years and years away from being that. So I'm really excited to get your takes. I think that this show, this is something I say a lot about the housewives, and it is applicable to this show as well. It is both, like, aspirational. I think the housewives are aspirational, and they're also extremely cringe. And I think that that is something that this show is hitting on as well,

is that, like, this is both an aspirational portrayal of your freshman year in college and then also awful and maybe makes you think, like, should I not be doing this, what is going on with these girls. And I'm really, really excited to get your take as someone who might actually know and isn't a decade away from college. So based on what you've seen through season one and four episodes of season two, Zoe, would you say this show is more aspirational or more cringe? Totally cringe.

Is anyone aspirational on this show? I mean, there's a few characters that kind of reign true to someone you might meet in college. But as I watch this show, I feel like I'm watching a bunch of adults trying to act like college kids. Like they don't feel like anyone that I would ever interact with or meet during the course of my college experience. Like it feels like these are a bunch of older people that are trying to use the lingo of Gen Z people. And it's like it's lingo that we don't even use anymore. So it just feels like a lot of outdated stuff, like an outdated attempt. But I do enjoy it.

This is tough news to receive. Please bear with us. Is it more because of the writing or because of the actors? I think it's partially because of the writing, but they just seem awkward sometimes. Like the way they're interacting, and I know that's the point because it's meant to be awkward because it's very much trying to like gain your sense of who you are in college

and they're all figuring it out. Like that's the point. But it doesn't feel accurate to the experiences that I've had interacting with my friends, interacting with people who are in college. They just feel a lot older and more uncomfortable, maybe. Or it's just like a less accurate representation compared to a show that's extremely exaggerated but more so accurate like euphoria. When I watch euphoria, I feel like, okay, like I've met people like this.

And maybe that's because I'm from L.A., and they kind of are a lot more fast in that way. and these girls are just coming into this new life of college and like figuring it out. But for me, I just feel like it was more of a cringe than like an actual accurate representation. I think that's a great on-ramp to talking about these two episodes because there was so much cringe to begin with. And also a lot that I liked.

Overall, Jody, I'm curious how you feel. I liked these two episodes much more than episodes one and two. How did they hit for you? Yeah, I liked these two episodes a lot. I think that I'm interested in thinking about Zoe saying like how uncomfortable these characters are and like how they relate to each other so weirdly and that some of that maybe is like that they are new people to each other. I don't want to give the writers too much credit who are definitely adults writing like child or

adolescent Gen Z teenage characters. And we'll get to this later, but that actually stood out to me hugely in the Bella character and in her storylines in these episodes. But, you know, they are like as characters who are in their freshman year only just post Thanksgiving. So they're like December of their freshman year, kind of still getting to know each other, I guess. And I liked some of those plays between the girls in this episode as they kind of like get more comfortable in their skin and find out what that means. And sometimes that means chlamydia, I guess, when you're latent. I really liked these episodes.

Zoe, what about you? You were nodding. You like these more as well than one and two? Yeah, I thought these last two incorporated some really fun elements, like the late in whole chlamydia scandal. I thought that was really funny and the way that she just decided to completely ignore it and then not inform any of her past partners about the chlamydia. That was pretty awful.

Very fucked up, yeah. And then I also like the new Zoe. character who comes in and then kind of rattles Whitney and her relationship with canon, I thought that was interesting. And then, like, the fine line between a situationhip and a relationship and the assumptions that one can make because we saw in this last episode that Whitney really thought that they were in this committed relationship that was just unnamed and then found out that they actually weren't.

One of those Kappa Girls tells her that it's a one-sided situation. Yeah. What is a one-sided situation? It's so tricky. especially these days because everything exists within social media for the most part. So it's like there's all this like give and take stuff with people, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. But a one-sided situation ship from my perspective would be that she is in a committed

thing with him on her end. She's not talking to anyone else and she knows that they might not be official with a label, but they're exclusive in her mind. And to him it probably meant like, this is the girl I'm hooking up with mainly, but there could be others. Like, I'm not exclusive to her. So he was more like Eric and Bella where they were like

casual. Yeah, casual, but like open about what's going on. And that's how he was viewing it, where she was like, I'm in a thing, we haven't defined it yet, but it's real and like I'm only focused on him essentially. Yeah, that's what they're making it seem at least. Except that don't you think in actuality,

he was not that flippant about it and maybe Whitney went a little overboard. She totally went overboard. But that's like, that's the horrible thing about relationships, especially in 2022 within all these kids in high school who just, like no one has any remorse for anyone nowadays. It's just like,

it's so cutthroat. And it's like ghosting someone, blocking someone, it's the easiest thing to do. And it's like you don't have to face your actual situations. You can just cut it off immediately. So it's like this cutthroat culture. within relationships kind of creates a lot of this like elucity there when no one knows really what's going on. Great point. We'll say in college, they'll have to run into each other more, especially if he's working at Sips.

Although if I were Whitney, I would do everything in my power to never go to Sips ever again. Yeah. Or ask my friend Kimberly to get me Canaan's like his work hours so that I knew the hour when I could go and I knew he wouldn't be there because I would have to avoid him. POMTO show up. Yeah, exactly. But let's get into Leighton and what's going on with her these episodes. And Zoe and Jody gave us a really good entrance into that, which is Leighton is rushing. She wants to be a Kappa. I believe it's KBA, which I wonder what they thought that's supposed to stand for.

I need to disclose at this point that I was in a sorority for four of the 12 quarters I was in college. I hated it. actually five, not four. However, a really nice woman that I met in college wrote episode three, and we're in the same sorority. That's how I, that's how I know her. So that's hilarious. As I was watching, I was like, wow, Sarah Tapscott is definitely thinking about Delta Gamma as she writes these episodes. Julia, this is your story. Like, you're probably good, I imagine Whitney's not going to stay in this sorority the whole time and you are Whitney. I definitely am Whitney. I met some really lovely women and one of my best friends is from my house and that's like how we became really close.

But I would say being involved in sorority rush as both a freshman and a sophomore is probably like two of the most like traumatic events in my life. Zoe, I don't know if Emerson has Greek life, but don't do it. It's horrible. They don't and I'm thankful for that. That it is, it's nice that they don't. Like I mean, I will disclose that I was in a sorority for the full four years had a great time. But like, and rush was fine. I don't know. My college like went to some links to try and have a more healthy rush and like what

seemed, this seems like a delayed rush here at Essex College. But there's just a lot of darkness there, you know? So much. So much darkness, including terrible advice. I mean, would Whitney and Canaan be broken up if it weren't for the Greek system in some woman giving her this terrible advice of going through his phone? I mean, Layton was right. There's nothing could have was going to come of that.

And I blame the sorority system for it, not Whitney. If a man hands you his phone to hold on to, that means you probably don't have to go through it. Yeah, there's nothing to worry about. Already saying it's fine. You can hold this. Knotic, he clearly would have a code on that phone. And I don't think, I don't think if they weren't in a full-on relationship yet

that he would have given her her code. But just side note, whatever. So Layton, one thing that we've been talking about, or we talked about it last week, it's her outfit. Zoe, how do you feel about Layton's clothes and her fit videos, which is a, which is to me was like an obvious and kind of cute

nod to the Bama Rush phenomenon. But now that you say everything's crang-jum rethinking if it was actually cute or just a nod to it, how did it hit for you? I like that part with the whole rush system because of how the big influx that Bama Rush had like this past year with everyone

that was everyone's free you pages on TikTok. It was kind of everything. I love So I liked this element of it, but her outfits are just god-awful. And I can't, I can't stand to like watch her make these videos and like, I just can't, I can't do it. I like her, but it's just not it. It's not. She also picked the worst possible outfits for the outfit of the day videos. Like a lot of what she wears is weird and not like what a useful person would wear.

how many Chanel tweed blazers can she own. But I've seen her wear a few cute things. And like in that first video, she is wearing a satine button-down shirt, a skirt where the pockets peek out of the... I just couldn't make heads or tails of it. Oh, so bad. And it's because she wants like the name brand things

because that's what the one girl on TikTok was really... She would be like, oh, my Gucci shoes and my bubble. Like you get status from, obviously, from saying you're wearing designer stuff. and that appeals to them. But the sorority girls leaving comments under her pose being like so cute. Love this. Like there's no way,

no way that they would actually think that. It's just ridiculous. That skirt with the pockets hanging out where it's really hard to look at. I also was confused by it. I was like, did she tuck her shirt in or was just the pockets? And I was like, what kind of underwear

are she wearing with that? It was really confusing and ugly. Yeah. No thanks. No thanks. So Layton has a whole slew of, of women in her life. She's texting with 30 of them

and dating and hooking up with many and getting rid of them very quickly, which leads her to getting chlamydia. Is it believable that she would be a chlamydia spreader without telling people and still get into her sorority? Jody? I think that would,

I think that it went down and was announced at, like, the final step of rush that Natalie, the girl, that she definitely gave chlamydia to and definitely did not tell announced it. It's like,

it would be kind of rude to Natalie, I think. I wonder if Natalie got into the sorority is a question because she has been, you know, like violated by Layton in this way. And it's,

it's just a mess. I did like how messy these episodes were. Like, Layton and Bella both did really bad things. Yeah. Made huge mistakes.

Zoe, what did you think? What did you think? When were you surprised? when she actually got in? I wasn't surprised because I feel like they had to have that element of the show to make it like this whole other piece. But I mean, that's just an awful, awful thing to do.

And there's no way that in their little discussion for who they wanted to invite into the sorority that they didn't consider that as a massive factor that this girl heartlessly gave someone chlamydia and then didn't care, iced her out and didn't tell her. and then probably gave it to multiple other people. Like, it's horrible. It's a horrible thing to do. I completely agree. I was actually surprised.

I really was. I was like, oh, she's not getting into the sorority now. And I was, like, relieved that there wouldn't be a sorority aspect to the show. But I feel like that's actually underrating the writing because it's definitely better for the show for them to like get into different things and like for their friend groups like spread out a little bit and introduce more characters and all that. But I just, I don't know. I guess I'm naive and I was surprised. My assumption was maybe that, because, you know, she tells the girl who's kind of like her Kappa mentor. I don't remember where she came from, but she calls her in-

Quinn, I think. Quinn, so now she has, like, the moral relief of having confessed that, like, she did give Natalie Clemedia. Natalie wasn't lying. So it kind of made it seem like the assumption was that Natalie was an untrusted person on account of throwing the vibes off at Rush. Zoe, is the use of vibes in that context cringe or correct? No, I thought that was correct. Okay, great. Okay, great.

Because I really liked it. I did too. So I wondered if maybe Layton's Kappa Mentor kind of like just didn't tell them. And it, you know, went on. Oh, interesting. So they're in cahoots. Huh. Huh.

Okay. Except Layton has like the moral relief of she told her. I just think that then, because, you know, she was trying to get her off the phone. She was like, we don't have, you know, I got to go. I just think she didn't tell her. Hmm. I think I'm glad for the storyline that she is in the sorority because I feel like, can you think of another example of like a show like a show like this with a gay woman

being in a sorority? I feel like it's usually such like a heteronormative, like very like straight forward plotline. So I feel like it's actually a cool opportunity to make it kind of different. I can't think of another example. Zoe, can you? No, I can't. In Greek, there was, you know, the gay man being in the fraternity was like a big storyline. So this continues to be like a gender reversed Greek.

Yeah. Have you seen Greek, Zoe? Uh-uh. Oh, my God. You should watch it. I'm curious for your take. I think it's on Netflix. Maybe it's on Hulu.

It's on one of those. Totally. I'll do it. Another great college show. Let's talk about Bella. She probably was the messiest this episode. Short King? Cringe or correct?

Horrible. Literally horrible. Like burning the fire. stop talking. I honestly, I needed to, like, I winced so hard when she said that. It could not recover from that one. I can't remember if in season one Bella's comedy

and, like, her antics felt more natural. But it kind of feels like in so far that Bella's in her own TV show this season. Like, she's just sort of doing something different than everyone else. I don't remember, Jody, do you? I think that's pretty continued because what I always remember about season one, Bella,

is when she is hooking up with the guy who has abs. Her main focus in season one is seeing as many sets of abs as possible. And there's a guy who's hot who's looking up with her who's always laughing. And she's like, she figures it out

and she's like, he's a chuckle fucker. And that is not a thing. As a bunch of funny girls, I think we can tell you that's not a trope. So she's always, she's certainly like the most cartoon. character. Definitely. Do you believe that

anyone, not just Bella, but like, I guess Bella, but anyone, would be able to have a casual relationship like she's having with Eric where it's just sort of like, yeah, you know, sometimes we sleep together, we're also friends. Obviously there's a deeper tension there, but like, I actually find that

relationship so, so unbelievable. Doe, what do you think? I'm kind of curious. I think that the idea of it is accurate because that is a pretty consistent thing that I could see happening in college, like a casual hookup. That is a thing,

but there would be a lot more feelings involved, whether that's under the surface or not. But the two of them seem so secure in the fact that they know it's casual and that it's almost like a joke to them because of all the history that they've had, that it works perfectly, but that's like a miracle.

That would never happen in real life. It would be a lot more horrible than that. I was really sad when she screwed him over and put the, what's it called?

The Foxy, which is another cringe. Yeah, the barcode. The barcode on the cover. I've come to like Eric very quickly, Jody, thoughts? I love Eric. I have always loved Eric.

I loved him in season one. Unfortunately, Bella and I have a type. And yeah, I was like, that is not, she says, she says like, you know,

you got to do whatever you got to do to get ahead. or whatever. It's like breaking into a design, going to a publisher, handing them a thumb drive, and saying, actually,

this is the cover. I think it's like a punishable offense. Like that seems to be breaking a law or two. That is like an extremely bad thing to do to a friend, which at this point is what Eric is, a friend with benefits. And, you know,

I think these episodes just went like a loud, these characters to be selfish and bad news and self-destructive. But then doesn't really have any consequences because Layton still ends up in her sorority and Bella still ends up with nerd prince, as she calls him Eric. That was funny. That was funny. I know that that's a great point, Jody. Like none of their actions actually have consequences. I don't know. I had a thought about that. I was just really focused on how creepy the copy store guy was. I was just like, oh, my God. Somehow, the way they did that thing with his hands, like, really landed.

I was like, yes, this is super creepy. I didn't remember the third woman who was with her and Lila when they go to the copy shop from season one. So I felt kind of bad about that. My bad. Did you guys remember her? I just sort of, like, forgotten that was a character. Yeah, I do remember her.

In fact, I was thinking during this episode, why is Bella completely in charge of these Foxy meetings when it was the other two women from the Cotolin? I think Evangeline is the girl who was at the copy shop are like the ones who first quit the Cotolin and decided to form this magazine. And then I guess Bella just came in and took over.

Seems like she would steamerleo. I was wondering also what happened to the Short King. He didn't get a send-off. He's just out? He might reappear. Okay. I like to. Bella flies fast and loose.

I mean, she is really succeeding at casual relationships. How much time do you think is past since she, like, first hooked up with Eric to now? Because I do think it's a short amount of time. Yes, definitely. Definitely. I think Thanksgiving is over, but it's pre-Christmas. So, you know, it has to be,

it can't be more than a week, basically, because they're, like, kicking off the Christmas season, but we know they're back from break. So like a week max maybe. Also, they're not in finals yet. But it's a very suspect timeline in general. Like I will say I was on the quarter system at Northwestern, as was the writer Sarah Tapscott. And the quarters go, it goes from end of September to mid-December, early January to mid-March,

and then early April to mid-June, basically. And so even with a wacky schedule, and Dartmouth has that too, which is where Midday Kee went and I think why they did it this way. Even with that weird, wacky schedule that everyone always found strange, this doesn't make any sense. Like, does any school come back from Thanksgiving break to have a new semester? I was on the trimester system for two years of my college and then we switched to semesters. And I think that's the only other option. And we definitely weren't starting new classes after Thanksgiving. When Whitney was like, I'm going to start bio-com. I was like, how? I know. Do you really have time for that? Zoe, what do they have at Emerson? Semesters, right?

Yeah, semesters, I think. Yeah. I mean, just doesn't make any sense, which is like a little bit of a bummer. Does it, do you guys feel like you need this show to be realistic? Like, Zoe, do you enjoy it even though you know there's so many things that are cringe and also just like factually impossible? Well, that's why I enjoy it, I think, because I don't feel like I have to be fully enthralled in it. I can just kind of enjoy watching it and accept the fact that it's not an extremely accurate representation. But it's still fun to watch because there's elements that are funny or that I can see actually happening in my life. And I'll be like, oh, like, I relate to this. And then all the other stuff, it's like, I kind of casually watch it and just enjoy it. I was going to ask if your friends watch this.

Like, do other are other teenagers and young people watching this? Or is this just like for nostalgic millennials? That's what I was thinking about because I've talked to a few friends and some of them watched a few episodes of the first season but they honestly thought it was too much like Bella's character was too much

it was like too raunchy like my friends were a little horrified by it so I think I'm happy to hear that yeah my grandma watched it I don't know how she found it or what was happening but she watched some of the first season and she was mortified for me to be

going to college next year because she was like, is this really what's going to be happening? And I was like, this is not. This is not. Maybe, but I genuinely don't think. Have you or she watched Tell Me Lies? No, I haven't watched it. Way more horrifying to think about that being what's like to go to college, yes. So don't watch it.

But who do you relate to the most of the four? I don't know. I relate to Whitney, obviously, because she plays soccer and like the juggling aspect of being an athlete in college as well as having a social life. I think that's interesting. Because it seems like she has a lot of free time for a school that is a D1. That's what I gathered from watching this. She made it seem, it was D1 or D3, I can't remember.

I feel like it's probably supposed to be like D1 Ivy though, which is it's because, which is still really hard. It's super hard. And the schedule for D1 athletes at a really like high-end college like that is absurd. Like you have no free time and she is way too much free time. But I do relate to her in some sense because of the athlete student aspect. In fact, as a freshman, I mean, I know these are her roommates. So that's why she's friends with them.

But I feel like it's very hard to have friends outside of your team as a freshman because all of your time is with them. You're usually staying with one of your teammates. That's the way it works because your schedules coincide pretty well because of practice and lifting and all these things. Like it just, I like that they added a student athlete to the whole little core group, but it wouldn't be the way that it is, I don't think. I like seeing her take on the biochem challenge. Last week, Jody and I were saying it was disappointing how they didn't really know what to do with the character. And they were just sort of like, you have no identity outside of playing soccer, which is, I'm sure, offensive to other soccer players.

I know that's not true for you, Zoe. But I was glad she, like, found something. But I, Jody and our outline was like, there was like a legally blonde studying montage. And that was like a really good point. Is it supposed to be like R.L. Woods or something like that. I like that. I thought it was fun. She does need a new challenge.

I wasn't offended by the only having soccer as your one characteristic. I'm happy with that. And I take pretty easy classes. I was like, I don't know what you're complaining about. Like, who do you care? But I like that they're giving her some sort of challenge. I hope that something comes out of it. I also like the emotional depth.

Yeah. I think in the first two episodes, her motivation were feeling unclear. And I really liked that they showed her having the conversation with her mom, where her mom's like, I'll just get you into whatever. Like, no, take good classes, get a good GPA, and I'll get you into whatever you want, which then goes into the Elwood's montage,

and I think is like an exact thing that happens in Legally Blonde, because that makes a lot of sense to me. We know so much about the way the other girls grew up. Bella, not as much, but like Layton and Kimberly, their backgrounds play into their stories a lot. and her mom is a senator, presumably a lifelong politician, and, like, they talk about her background and how that would play into her character so little.

So I thought even just that little conversation went, like, a long way towards creating some depth into why she's making these decisions and taking biochem. Yeah, that's a great point. I like that, too. Also, I just, like, really like her mom. It's just, like, always fun when Sherry Shepherd appears. She's just a great character.

All the parents are really great. this is just my age. But, like, I said this last week, too. Like, I loved the dinner episode last year with visiting weekend because I liked all the parents being together. And I would say that is, from my point of view, hands down the most realistic this show has ever been. Agreed. The coming together of that many, like, backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, political affiliations at one dinner table with a bunch of kids who are still really strangers is one of the most awkward things you can experience. We got to talk about Kimberly, who may be freezing her eggs to stay in school to get $80,000 for it.

Zoe, do you ever think about the concept of freezing one's eggs? Like, it definitely hit Kimberly like a ton of bricks. And I was curious, like, do you ever think about that? I knew that people did that. I just, it was like so out of left field. It absolutely was not what I expected her to be wanting to do to get her money. but honestly, like, respect. Yeah.

Because it does come with, like, if you have an emotional tie to these potential children that you are helping bring into the world, that's one thing. But it seems like she cares more about the money aspect than the fact that there's going to be children with her DNA somewhere out there. And if that's the case for her, like, totally respect. I don't know. I thought it was interesting. I did too. Jody, what did you think?

As someone who has been in financially difficult situations at various points in my life, the smallest amount of Googling, how do I get money now, will lead you to freezing your eggs. It is something I have deeply considered before. It's not something I've ultimately ever done, but that was like extremely relatable. And I just, Kimberly's hidden for me this season. Like the way that she's woven through all the stories is fun. Like Jackson's not her entire storyline, and he's in fact like majorly a C plot, but it's there. And his occasional appearance is very fun.

Everything, I thought they took the egg stuff seriously, but they also made it fun. Like the fact that the brochure said, $80,000 inside of you, question mark, was very funny to me and would definitely draw the eye to potentially getting you out of a tough spot. So I thought that, yeah, that that was like, she was going to arrive at it. It is a much more realistic way of thinking about how to get your college paid for than asking your professor if she'll co sign alone. Definitely. I definitely agree. I also agree that Kimberly's hitting. The funny thing is she doesn't really have main character energy.

Like, she, I really like her and I like how they play into like, how, like, is she hot or not? I mean, she's, like, objectively, I think, pretty or whatever. But, like, I guess I wouldn't have guessed that she would sort of become, I think, the character who is most interwoven. What do you think, Zoe? I like that they did it like that because she's such an, a likable character. Like, there's really not any aspect about her that I'm like, oh, she's so annoying. Like, she's kind of awesome. And she's definitely the most grounded, even though she has the most difficult financial situation.

She doesn't make that her whole personality, which I enjoy. And I also like that she's very interwoven. with every plot line. Like I would say Bella, she probably, because she has the biggest personality and like the most, I don't know,

like stigma around her, she gives the most main character energy, but if she was the main character, I wouldn't watch the show because she's too much. Yeah, she really is a lot. That they have like four characters

that have some sort, they have their own plot lines and their own main characterness, but then it all ties back to Kimberly, who's just like cool and normal. And she's like the most fun to watch, I think. And she's a good friend. Like, she's a kind and helpful person. And I think you end up meeting people like that in college who are not your personality type. They're not like anyone you've ever met before. But you need them. And they, and then maybe you,

well, and this could go in any number of directions, depending on the kind of person you are. For me, I need them. And then maybe I'm like introducing them to like a little more. fun or a little more festivity in their life. I noticed this in one of these episodes three and four. I really love how Kimberly is always introducing herself. Like, she reintroduces herself to Jackson, who she has spent a great deal of time with at this point. And I remember, I think in the...

And he's texting. And has his number and is frequently texting him, asking him to have quieter sex. Like, that's a pretty intimate relationship. And when she runs into him, she's like, hey, it's me, Kimberly Finkel. I do that a lot, too. Deeply relatable.

And because she's the most, like, she has the most cringe moments, I think she is, like, the least cringe character. Zoe, cringe or correct? No, correct, for sure. Cringer correct is a really fun game. I'm enjoying it.

I like that. Totally. A wonderful correspondence for Zoe to be able to help us out with this. Who's the most cringe character, other than Bella? Like, of everyone, like, all of the bit players. Like, who's the most cringe? Oh, that's,

That's a loaded question because there's just moments that are just so awful. I can't even watch. I feel like Bella's always the drive for the most cringe moment. It's always her causing it in some way. I don't even, I don't have another answer other than Bella. She's the most cringe. Who's the most correct? I think that Whitney kind of is just cool and she's normal.

She doesn't really have a lot of moments that are like, oh, you suck. Also, they're like, you have terrible fashion sense? No, she doesn't. like how she dresses. She doesn't at all. She's cool. She by far has the best fashion sense, right? She dresses like a normal human being. It's like a wide leg pant and a crop top. I was really jealous of her pink pajamas. I really, really want those. That like the shorts and the shirt set, I was like, that's a great house look. How does the roommate situation strike you? Like, does that ring true with like what you're expecting next year? I will just say,

I would be so happy to live in a suite like that. That was definitely not with the Northwestern dorms were like, looked amazing. But is that like more or less what you're expecting? I'm, well, I know what I'm expecting because I've visited my college and I've stayed with a freshman there last year who were in their first year. And I mean, I'm so excited to go to college. My college is fantastic. But it's like, I don't think you get as sweet as a freshman.

That's at least at my school, that's not the way that it was. But like their relationships with one another, I was talking. talking to someone about this the other day. It's like when you're in class in high school and you have in class friends, people who you hang out with and you like because it's situational. It's like you guys are my friends because we're in this class together. But outside of class, we might not have anything that we relate to. But in class, like you're my person.

It feels like it's kind of like that with the roommates. We're like in the weirdest ways they just fit together. And ultimately, like, they are their best friends. So that's their core group. But for college, I think that I'm going to be remitted with someone who I relate to a lot more just because of the soccer aspect. And there's not going to be like all of this kind of give or take, like very different personalities that mesh together. I feel like we might be pretty similar. But I don't know. I've heard horror stories.

So it could go differently. Let's hope not, though. Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound terseptide may be able to help. Zepbound. is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Zepbound is approved as a 2.5, 5,

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anesthesia if you're nursing, pregnant, plan to be, or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepbound with a sulfonal urea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-9 or visit zepbounds.lily.com. Another great question from Jody. Does Bella Was worshipping of the NBC page program, like, ring true for you? Like, is that something that people care about at the age of 18 or 19 of, of, like, making it in the world of comedy? Like, if you want to be a comedian, like, what are your career aspirations?

I don't even know how to answer this one. I didn't even know what the NBC page program is. No, I don't. I don't know what the NBC page program is. But she seems like, I like that she's, like, kind of a girl boss, and she has her, she knows what she wants. she has her like career in line, but not a single one of my friends

is like that at all. And even my friends in college, they don't like have this such intense aspiration for one thing. Like you're kind of figuring it out. But I appreciate that they have her in there where she knows what she wants. I like that a lot too.

It stood out to me so greatly in these episodes that this is like, this is a Mindy Kaling proxy. We're just allowing it to happen. And it is so outdated. Like it made her, the way she's going about it is so outdated and makes like no sense for this time and place.

I really like that she knows she wants to be in comedy, she knows she wants to write, and she's exploring different paths to that. That makes a lot of sense for a certain kind of person, but the route she's taking to it by being, she comes in, she's obsessed with SNL. I don't know if that happens anymore. I was obsessed with SNL.

Like, I really like comedy, and I was obsessed with Esenel as a teenager. I did not have a Seth Meyer's poster on my wall, like Bella. But, like, I relate to a lot of those things, and I shouldn't relate to any of those things because I'm not Bella's age. Like, if Bella, I think if someone is obsessed with comedy now, they're trying out bits on TikTok, right? Like, they're trying to go viral. They're, I don't know, or going to clubs or trying to stand up.

Maybe stand-up's not her thing, but... Everyone takes the easy way out because there's so many options nowadays where you can easily get a huge viewing on an app like TikTok or Instagram. It's so much easier, and she's really taking the hard route. But her entire character trope also begs the question whether this show is meant to appeal to kids my age or to people who have already been through the college process. Because, like, elements like that I didn't even know what the NBC pro whatever was.

And it's like, so I can't tell who they're trying to appeal to here in that way. There is like a generation of Hollywood that all went through the NBC page program. And I don't even know, I guess it probably still exists, but I don't think it's as aspirational as it, or as sort of defining as it once was when like,

you know, I don't know, John Cresensky, Mindy Kayling, like all of these different people who are now big hitters in Hollywood, you do the NBC page program, you're an intern at Conan O'Brien or you're on the Harvard Lampoon and that's how you get a career in comedy

and I just don't think that's how it is anymore. I hope not. I hope there's more gateways than that but the page program definitely still exists. We have at least one person at the ringer who went through the page program. Oh, cool. Yeah. It is cool. I still have like,

I still when I think about that. Oh yeah. Do you think they let me in? It's like a, I'm still internship eligible. So your point about who is this show for is such a good one. I think Jody and I assumed that it was like for both because we're like, yeah, this is so relatable. Like, yeah, this is what college is like. But like, could you recommend, would you recommend this to your friends? I wouldn't.

No. But I like it. I do like it. I think I'm a pretty easy critic when it comes to TV because I mostly enjoy everything. I don't really, I haven't found a show or a movie that I haven't liked. But ever? Like ever. I've liked every single movie I've ever seen, I think.

Even the bad ones on Lifetime, I like those too. Like I don't really have a classy approach to movies, but I would much more recommend a show like Euphoria, obviously, to my friends, even though it's like so intense and it carries a lot of weight and it's hard to watch. It's still, there's something about this show that it's almost too cringe that I can't thoroughly see myself being one of these people or like my friends watching it and enjoying it because they might but it's more of like a laugh at

it just feels like millennial a little and not in a bad way but like there's just like some of the humor there is like it doesn't it's an attempt to to be like a Gen Z it feels like if that's what it is like it's an attempt other than Euphoria which I do think is beloved across generations Is there a comedy show that appeals broadly to both millennials and Gen Z?

I guess Abbott Elementary is like an example of one. But maybe I guess like one about a younger generation maybe is like a better way of putting the question. Do any of your friends, Zoe, watch Big Mouth? Yeah, we love Big Mouth. All of my friends love Big Mouth. I love Big Mouth. And that is a show that is like very specifically about like adolescence.

Yeah. It's animated. And I think that's part of it. I think the ability to really delve into like issues, yeah, like hormones, hormones, hormone monsters in a way that you can do in the form of animation that you can't do with like real actors who are probably going to have to be over the age of 18, no matter what age they're playing, is I think Nick Kroll found like a great medium to do that. And I love that show.

It's so interesting to think about this show as cringe comedy. Like, that's a whole genre. You know, that's what the office is. And I hadn't thought about it that way. And it's really interesting to think about that it would be like cringe comedy for Gen Z and just like regular good old fashion nostalgic comedy for millennials. I like that because I think it's so hard to find a show that's going to be about college that caters to Gen Z and also to millennials and isn't cringe. Like it's a really hard balance to find.

Like, this is not an easy show to make. And it's not meant to be easy to watch. But, like, what you were saying with Big Mouth, I feel like he, yeah, Nick Curled did that perfectly because it appeals to anyone and it's relatable, no matter who you are because of the character aspect. Like, The Office, cringe comedy level compared to sex life and college girls, cringe level, it's like, it's so different

because it feels like the Office is, it's like a more complex, like, self-aware cringe. Whereas I can't tell if, like, the cringe that sex life and college girls is is meant to make you cringe or if it's meant to be relatable or both. I think it's supposed to be relatable. And that's the problem. The office, the office is also, like, not glamorizing anything. It's really doing the opposite. Whereas I feel like sex lives of college girls with some of the, some of the ways that they dress and some of like the sort of like the preppiness of it is like a little bit more of like a fantasy, whereas the office is like the anti-fantasy, which does. then makes it feel like everyone's familiar and whatnot. Jody, you're thinking about this really hard. I was thinking about if this, I do think some of this cringe is intentional for sure. So that's what I was thinking about.

But I was also, I was reflecting back to Zoe comparing it to euphoria. And I think thinking about like the inverse of that multiple generations watch euphoria and adults or like, you know, millennials and Gen X, et cetera, are one. watching it to kind of try and get an understanding of maybe what high school is like, what adolescence is like now. And I think potentially Gen Z could be watching sex size of college girls to understand how their parents and millennials and people they are going to work with in the future conceptualize their generation in college right now. Because that is kind of what it is. It's like a lens of like what you said in the beginning, Zoe. Like it's millennials writing Gen Z.

I think it's kind of interesting to think about it in that flip structure from euphoria. Woof. I loved that. That was awesome. I totally, totally agree. Really flipped my perception of the show. It's going to change how I watch the show going forward.

Zoe, thank you so much. This has been illuminating, and I loved playing Cringer Correct with you. Thank you to Jody for phrasing it that way. We'll be back next week to talk about episodes five and six. Hope to have Zoe back soon as well. Yes, thank you for having me. Of course, have a great holiday.