The Being Erica BS Detector: Season 3, Episode 13
We’re not sure what to say. On one hand, we FINALLY have some half-decent time-copping to do. One the other, didn’t last week end’s episode with a pretty serious cliff hanger? And weren’t we/aren’t we all left dying to know who that mysterious glove-wearing hand belonged to? Last week did kind of feel like a finale though, so we guess this week (the actual finale) was just one more kick at the Christmas can.
Because really, it’s not a true TV show until it’s done the all important Christmas-Carol-inspired episode. And speaking of carols, WTF was up with 34-year-old Erica not knowing the tune to “Silent Night”? She’s Jewish, not deaf. That and other BS alerts below.
Time trip 1: Erica goes back in time and finds herself in the body of an eight-year-old Julianne on Christmas morning in what we’re calculating is 1984.
• Julianne’s angsty older sister Georgie wears all black in the family photos and talks about how Christmas is part of a giant consumerist culture. She also reads Chomsky. (+4)
• Julianne’s dad gets a Planet Hollywood Toronto jacket, but the actual Planet Hollywood Toronto didn’t open until 12 years later. (How the cheesy chain lasted for 10 years is beyond us). (-6)
• We’re going to make a bold statement here and say that Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Jewish, the idea that Erica Strange would not know the tune to “Silent Night,” one of the most famous songs ever composed, is preposterous. (-4)
• Lattes!!?? In 1984. Doesn’t quite ring true if you ask us, chickens. We’d be willing to let this one slide due Julianne’s family’s Italian-ness, but who the hell serves a latte to an eight-year-old anyway? (-2)
Time trip 2: Erica comes back as her 11-year-old self in 1987.
• When Mama Strange gives Sam $10 to go get her picture taken with Santa, it’s an old bill. (+4)
• Sam has a crush on George Michael? We don’t think so. Sure, he’s era appropriate, but if Erica is 11, then Sam is, what, eight? Kirk Cameron would have been a better choice. (-1) Along the same lines, we get that Leo’s cool and all, but is he really old enough to be listening to The Smiths? (-1)
Time trip 3: Erica returns to Christmas 2009 to find Adam drinking alone at a bar.
• It’s December at an Irish pub. If “Fairytale of New York” wasn’t playing we’d be concerned. (+10…it’s the holidays, so we’re feeling charitable)
• So that just about wraps up another season of highs, lows, ridiculous car commercials and time travel trauma. We’ll have to wait until season 4 to find out who Erica’s new patient is, but before we go, one more question: why was everyone at the 50/50 holiday bash referring to the drink as “rum and eggnog.” Unless you’re at an AA meeting of a kiddie party, isn’t it just called eggnog? (-2)
Final score: +2
 was just one more kick at the Christmas can.
Because really, it’s not a true TV show until it’s done the all important Christmas-Carol-inspired episode. And speaking of carols, WTF was up with 34-year-old Erica not knowing the tune to "Silent Night"? She’s Jewish, not deaf. That and other BS alerts below.
Time trip 1: Erica goes back in time and finds herself in the body of an eight-year-old Julianne on Christmas morning in what we’re calculating is 1984.
• Julianne’s angsty older sister Georgie wears all black in the family photos and talks about how Christmas is part of a giant consumerist culture. She also reads Chomsky. (+4)
• Julianne’s dad gets a Planet Hollywood Toronto jacket, but the actual Planet Hollywood Toronto didn’t open until 12 years later. (How the cheesy chain lasted for 10 years is beyond us). (-6)
• We’re going to make a bold statement here and say that Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Jewish, the idea that Erica Strange would not know the tune to "Silent Night," one of the most famous songs ever composed, is preposterous. (-4)
• Lattes!!?? In 1984. Doesn’t quite ring true if you ask us, chickens. We’d be willing to let this one slide due Julianne’s family’s Italian-ness, but who the hell serves a latte to an eight-year-old anyway? (-2)
Time trip 2: Erica comes back as her 11-year-old self in 1987.
• When Mama Strange gives Sam $10 to go get her picture taken with Santa, it’s an old bill. (+4)
• Sam has a crush on George Michael? We don’t think so. Sure, he’s era appropriate, but if Erica is 11, then Sam is, what, eight? Kirk Cameron would have been a better choice. (-1) Along the same lines, we get that Leo’s cool and all, but is he really old enough to be listening to The Smiths? (-1)
Time trip 3: Erica returns to Christmas 2009 to find Adam drinking alone at a bar.
• It’s December at an Irish pub. If "Fairytale of New York" wasn’t playing we’d be concerned. (+10…it’s the holidays, so we’re feeling charitable)
• So that just about wraps up another season of highs, lows, ridiculous car commercials and time travel trauma. We’ll have to wait until season 4 to find out who Erica’s new patient is, but before we go, one more question: why was everyone at the 50/50 holiday bash referring to the drink as “rum and eggnog.” Unless you’re at an AA meeting of a kiddie party, isn’t it just called eggnog? (-2)
Final score: +2){kind=link}
This is a tweet from Being Erica posted last week: Just to clarify: this weeks episode, 312, was indeed the finale of season three. Next week’s 313 will be an unrelated holiday special.
Glad to see the return of the BS meter, it’s been a while – almost as long as the QTT (quality time travel) on BE. The points deduction for rum and egg nog was harsh (obviously you haven’t been near AA), but deserved for the Smiths (unless Leo was a really small minor niner).
The Julianne blast from the past seemed more like 1989 and and that she was 12. At any rate, I was relieved to hear the origin of our favourite poultry term of endearment, but the rock gift was just weird – hello, what about giving Baldersdash? Too bad the meter review didn’t allot points for the Bryan Adams poster (nice Can-Con there), the gold swirl football shoulders on Mrs. G’s dress, as well as Gary Strange’s Bill Cosby sweater. And was it just me or did the 1980’s Barbara Strange look older? I must say, KUDOS to young Ms. Strange for appropriately punctuated facial quirks Erica style – bravo my dear!!
You know I love the show right down to that old purple ten dollar bill, but it was all in all a make work episode. To give Adam a memorable Christmas, wouldn’t Erica teleport him back to that island (pronto Toronto) along with a bottle of tequila? Girlfriend, stick to the basics here. Ep #13 was definitely more “nice” than “naughty”.
So, I mistakenly thought that there were 14 episodes this season. I have to wait nine months for more? I’m not happy about THAT chickens! Until fall 2011, happy politically correct holiday (whatever that may be) to all, and to all a good night.
I thought Julianne definitely seemed closer to 12 than 8. I was really puzzled by Erica as a child being played a different actor than the last time she was a kid (Bat Mitzvah). I know it might have been hard to match up – but the last time she was blond. Also, why did her dad have grey hair – he looked the same age in the past as the present.
I agree re silent night – maybe Good King Wensceslas would have been believable.
This episode was so very light on content. Disappointing.
But the one before last was generally excellent. Not convinced by the Erica and Adam love story at this point – at one point it worked, but now it seems fake.
When did the show establish how old Julianne was or what year it was when Erica goes back in time to Julianne’s christmas? It seemed strange to have young Erica played by a child actor but young Julianne played by Erin Karpluk.
Julianne’s sister referred to New Kids on the Block I think so it must have been the late 80’s.
I really hope this show gets renewed for a 4th season! Are you listening CBC?
Based on a few clues from Julianne’s room, the time travel to her Christmas past was likely no earlier than 1993. Bon Jovi released the Keep the Faith album in 1992 (the poster is on the back of Julianne’s door) and the Cranberries released their first album in 1993 (poster on the wall behind Julianne’s bed). And NKOTB released the Merry Merry Christmas album in 1989, so it really couldn’t have been early to mid 80s. Plus, her sister made a comment about Julianne still listening to New Kids even though “she isn’t a kid anymore.” So unless the continuity team over at Being Erica is way way off, my bet is early 90s for this bit of time travel. I think the BS-O-Meter should be recalculated! :)
I had no clue that last weeks episode was the finale.
Man, they did it backwards. They should have aired the Xmas episode first, and then the finale, duh. But, with that said, I will always love love love BEING ERICA!!!!!
Julianne’s sister also got Marilyn Manson’s Portrait of an American Family which was released summer of ’94, so it would have to be at least after that.
I don’t think she was meant to be 8! I thought the idea they were getting at was that Julianne was still very girly as a teenager – loving pink and pop music. I was thinking mid-90s.
They should have alerted us to the fact last week was the finale and this week was a Christmas special. Plus I’m really getting tired of getting to know Adam. We haven’t endured this much about Ethan or any other character.
I don’t think they’ve got it right much this season at all, which is very disappointing given the quality of the first two seasons.
Georgie got a Marilyn Manson cd – Smells Like Children, I think – for Christmas, and is very much 1994 goth/grunge girl.
Julianne wasn’t 8 this episode; I think the confusion is coming from the part where Julianne/Erica is acting uber excited about opening gifts and Georgie says, “What is with you today? You’re acting like you’re 8 years old.”
Yes, Juliane was most defiantly NOT 8. I would put the Julianne christmas at or after 1994. And if planet hollywood opened in 1995 one could suggest this could be Xmas 1995.