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This episode was an interesting, well written and performed, character-driven 21 minutes of pure entertainment.


This is not an exaggeration.

There was a marvelous blend of comedy and drama to the point that transitions seemed natural, almost seamless at times. Each character and storyline was given adequate screen time so that no situation seemed rushed or incomplete. Viewers were not left wishing they'd seen more of one character or more of what was happening somewhere else. There were insights and developments for all primary characters, and many secondary characters. Storylines were intertwined so well that to remove one would ruin the episode. It was a joy to watch.

It begins with Travis writing to Bridget about paint drying in room 201, and Ray deciding the biggest, most romantic way to impress Lily is by entering the Mr. Roscoe Pageant, an annual ‘just for fun' fundraiser. Parker helps him while Robbie encourages Kim to expose more of her true self to the school. On the big night, Kim dares to be herself, Ray asks Lily out in a poem, and Lily runs away in terror. Parker tries to talk sense into her while Travis gives Ray a pep talk. Later, Ray gets dates from others, and Lily realizes her mistake. Oh, and the paint in room 201 is now dry.

A theme in the episode is fear. People are admitting it, facing it, pointing it out, and/or being hurt by it. Robbie points out Kim's fear of social rejection. Other students may not approve if she shows she isn't whom she pretends to be. Kim faces that fear, ever so slightly, and even Travis notices the look the pair share when she does. Perhaps they are overcoming their fear of negative reactions to their mutual attraction.

Travis hints to a fear of revealing himself when he tells Ray, "if I had that kind of passion, I might not have to be writing to Bridget about other peoples' lives." The fact that he says he's writing "about other peoples' lives" instead of his own, suggests he's still not ready to open up. For a guy who almost told his girlfriend about his secret radio program, it seems he wants to keep much private.

Ray faced his fear of rejection, soldiered on when his advances were rejected, and received several possible dates for his performance. Apparently, the joker of the group has remarkable courage. Of course, this is the same person who stood up to his father and became a boarder in his house to protect his sideburns. Maybe it's not so surprising he could take the hit, and keep going… with a little push from a former rival and lifetime friend.

Lily succumbed to her fear of losing friend-Ray and now she's stuck in No Man's Land, which is also the name of her band. In "Lie vs. Lie", Lily told Ray she wanted the friend she remembered (the one she's been crushing on since last season) and not the one trying to date her. Surprised and put on the spot in this episode, Lily tries to escape a situation that demands she sort her confused feelings instantly in front of a crowd. If she agrees to a date, she could lose a friendship. If she doesn't, she hurts Ray, but remains his friend. Surrendering to her fear, she says no and hurts herself in the process. Lily needs to see two great friends dating each other.

Great in every aspect, this episode proves RFR deserves every good thing written or said about it and more.