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Big Mouth continues to make sure the girls of the show aren’t forgotten as it dives into body image issues and learning to love yourself.
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| Network | |
| Netflix | |
| Director(s) | Bryan Francis |
| Writer(s) | Kelly Galuska |
| Air Date | 10/5/2018 |
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What Is Sex?: Steve
It has long been established that Coach Steve, while a nice guy, is also quite a weird one. Well-intentioned in all his interactions, never means any harm to anyone, but still a weird dude. However, unlike Jay, there has been a more consistent effort in making it so Coach Steve didn’t strictly feel like a butt of any joke that could be used against him.
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This episode is a bit of an exception as it establishes he is a 47-year-old virgin with barely any concept on how sex works. That is, despite him being the sex ed teacher. But, considering he didn’t know how to read or write well until he met Miss Benitez, what do you expect?
Making you wonder, are they going to try to find him a love interest and will it be someone as kind as Ms. Benitez? For while this show toes the line, there are times when it seems to use characters who feel very real as fodder.
Commentary
Like Jay, I just want good things for Coach Steve. Leading me to wonder why the hell did he confide in Mr. Eliezer? I know the man is simple, but shouldn’t he have sought out Miss Benitez? She is the only adult who seems to get him and is nice to him. Much less, probably could help him meet a nice lady to fall in love with. That is, if they don’t make Coach Steve being a 47-year-old virgin into a joke and keep it like that.
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If they do, I foresee a sex worker on the horizon. Maybe a nice one, who Steve falls for and likes him back. Yet, there is the possibility they take what little money he has and mistreats him too. For, as shown with Jay, this show might be comedic but it sometimes drops the laughs for real moments. Showing you, as much as the program may make light or fun of a character or situation, sometimes things get real.
Have You Seen Gena?: Gena, Nick, DeVon, Diane, Leah, Andrew
With the girls of the show being at the age to have their period, naturally, some are feeling the other effects of puberty – such as breast development. Some more than others, naturally, but like getting a period, growing breast is awkward, uncomfortable, and a bit painful.
The difference being, you can kind of hide the fact you are on your period. Breasts, on the other hand, unless you are willing to bind yourself, not so much. Such is the case for Gena who everyone is rediscovering the existence of because she is well-endowed. Problem is, for guys like Nick, Andrew, and Jay, the only thing they talk about is her breast. Same goes for the girls, but it’s a mix of envy and slut shaming with them. The guys are just obsessed.
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Leading to Diane and Leah having to call out Andrew and Nick during dinner. For while they too appreciate another woman’s breast, they don’t want either of them to treat Gena like the sum of her person are her body parts. Something they both take to heart and exhibit a lesson learned in different ways.
Focusing on Nick, he decides to just talk to her and treat her like a person. Which Gena appreciates but with Nick learning DeVon is into Gena, and she is smitten, that might be the end of that.
Commentary
I wonder if, with a bit of editing, this could actually be used to directly market to teenagers. I could imagine this being a late-night FreeForm show. Something that airs after 10 PM or at 11 PM. All you gotta do is cut the nudity, which this episode has a lot of. For while there is cursing, it isn’t necessarily gratuitous.
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As for the topic at hand, what you have to love about Nick and Andrew is, as bad as some of their habits and attitudes are towards things, if you talk to them about why it is wrong, they work on it. Diane and Leah addressed their negative behavior and so we saw two routes taken. Nick actively tried to be friends with Gena and thus presented the idea everyone won’t be a douchebag just because she developed before most girls. Also, with the show making it where he did sometimes look at her breast, and make it slip how he truly felt about something, it showed being a better person takes time. It’s not something that happens as soon as you get called out on something.
Love Yourself: Missy, Andrew, Jessie, Connie, Shannon, Dina
With Gena gaining so much attention for her body, it makes the other girls a bit self-conscious. Especially missy for she hasn’t developed yet. Which feeds into her dark side picking her apart with shame. As for Jessie? She is a little jealous but her issues are all focused on Dina. Especially since Dina is making her mother feel self-conscious, which she never did with her dad.
But, for Missy, thanks to going to a nude Korean Spa with her mother, leading to them and us seeing various type of female bodies, she gains an acceptance of herself. To the point she walks about feeling empowered in the locker room.
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Now, when it comes to Jessie? While she is happy to see Missy feeling empowered and no longer self-conscious, sadly she doesn’t get how her mother may feel the same way. Hence her going off on her in such a way that leaves Shannon crying and Connie giving Jessie a gold star.
Commentary
Connie isn’t as good of a hormone monster as Maury. Just take note of how Connie has Jessie handle Shannon vs. how Maury has Andrew handle Marty. Connie pushes Jessie to flip out just because. Maury, on the other hand, he needed a reason to have Andrew flip out. Otherwise, he lets Andrew be weird and just watches over him and create the occasional awkward moment.
Which seems kind of strange to me. On one hand, this show is one of the few animated adult ones which doesn’t sexualize female characters for the male gaze. Yet, with Connie, as much as I get not being a women means there are some things I just won’t get, I don’t understand why Jessie needs to flip out like she does.
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When it comes to Shannon cheating on her dad, with Dina, I get that. But her going in on her mom’s looks after her mom gave her the tools to be fine with who she is? That seemed a bit f***ed up. To the point I can’t say I fully understand it. Especially since it isn’t like Jessie seems all that close to her dad. So I guess she is just acting out for the sake of showing she can mess up her parents’ lives as well.
Oh, and did I mention Andrew? Yeah, he apologizes to Missy for his part in googling at Gena. Which I feel is important for while Gena was the main victim of all this, there were multiple casualties. And so Andrew stepping up showed him taking responsibility for what he said and also being an enabler of the situation. Giving me hope they might get back together…
Highlights
- The handling of body issues with both the girls and the boys.
On The Fence
- The need to question if Jessie is taking things a bit far when it comes to Shannon.
- How they may handle Coach Steve’s sexual awakening, for a lack of a better term.
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