Hindsight: I Never… Review

Control. Control. Control! If that’s not what ended up playing a role in the demise of the epic Lolly and Becca friendship, then I don’t know what did. Each week it seems, as Lolly described it, that there’s a huge elephant in the room and it is what happened between Lolly and Becca to ruin their friendship. Lolly finally brought it up during a rather drunken game of “I Never.” Becca still kept her mouth shut and after going back and forth about it a good chunk of the episode, Lolly says she doesn’t have to tell her as long as Becca makes sure it never happens again. Becca promises, but I have a feeling the path may repeat itself.

One change to the past that was made was when Becca decided to go to a co-workers birthday party that she remembered no one actually went to. She brought Lolly along and her stuck up cousin (who was not so stuck up in this episode) and played “I Never,” taking shot after shot. This is when Becca realizes she has never had a one night stand. So, of course, that becomes the mission of the episode.

Instead of being stood up by all of her friends, Lois ended up having a great time and went home with her own mysterious, mullet styled hair, stranger. However, because of this change, Phoebe ended up skipping out on a blind date and nearly goes home with a total slime of a man. When Becca realized it was Phoebe’s future husband she was supposed to meet on that blind date, she tries to correct it but he is gone. Lolly did say though, that if it was fate they would meet again. Sure enough, the next morning they find themselves in the same coffee shop.

What Becca really needs to stay out of is the relationship between her brother and Lolly. While Becca won’t spill the beans on their fight, she had no problem telling Lolly her outcome with Jamie. Becca overhears Lolly ranting on about how she is treating her like a puppet, trying to control everyone’s lives without considering what it is doing to everyone else. I agree with Lolly. Becca is maddening when all the choices she makes are so she feels better about herself.

Similar to Hindsight‘s executive producer, Emily Fox’s past show, Jane By Design, we are following the pursuits of a young woman and how her choices effect those around her. While Jane By Design was on ABC Family and perhaps had a younger audience, it was the same idea of focusing on an independent woman making mistakes in the city, but with a lie so consuming that it controlled everything she did. Jane was lying about her age to snag a job in fashion design which affected her romantic relationships, familial relationships, and most importantly, her relationship with her best friend, Billy.

I see the same sort of carelessness with Becca as she continues to ignore Lolly’s feelings and does what is best for her. Becca may think she is doing something right, preventing Lolly from past mistakes, preventing any sort of hurt or heartbreak. But, as we saw when Phoebe does end up meeting her future husband, Courtney and Lolly does sneak off to find Jamie, Becca may not be able to change the past as much as she thought. 

She may not be able to change the past at all.

What I miss from the 90s…

While there was only a brief mention of the Macarena, my flashback to those classic dance moves showed up vividly in my mind. It was only a shame after a round of “I Never” that no one got up, put the song on the jukebox, and pulled out some of those moves. Oh well…maybe next time.

What I want for next week’s episode…

More good music! If “This is How We Do It” plays in every episode, I’m fine with that!

More references to present day. Becca’s description of The Notebook to Lolly was perfection. Those are the moments I love between those two.

Most importantly, I want to see more Lolly and Jamie! I may be as in denial as Lolly, but I really don’t care what it is that happens in the future between Lolly and Jamie. Right now, I just adore them. I mean, can you blame Lolly for liking a guy who can figure out her movie list at the video store was based on the alliteration in the director’s names like the alliteration in her own name? 

No. You just can’t.