As Told By Ginger

Writing a good pilot episode is always a bit of a pickle. You have to introduce people to a lot of new stuff, which can quickly lead to overcrowding.

Emily Kapnek's debut provides us with a decent intro to the characters basic character traits and relations. Our characters include doubting Ginger, Gripling-obsessed Dodie, sensible Macie, mirror-centered Courtney and manipulative Miranda. A few characters obviously still needed some work, most notably Darren and Lois.

The pilot also provides us one of the main reasons Ginger will always shy away from just joining Courtney's clique, as she finds out popularity can come at a price.

Same goes for the boys world as Blake's theft of the petrified eyeball sets in motion a rivalry that will return throughout the series.

The writing team is also neatly on the ball from the start with some brilliant details (like Dodie gasping at the Gripling limo when Blake arrives for his playdate or the 'front seat' joke) and snappy Miranda dialogue ('In this town you're only as good as your last gift').

Animation style still lacks a bit in places with a few animation goofs here and there. It's not quite the more dramatic and moodier style of the last episodes yet. But some locations, like Courtney's pink room, are brilliant.

Unfortunately the storyline goes a bit overboard at the end with Ginger being arrested, but that's my only complaint on this pretty good ep that kickstarts this series.

Let's do this thing!

I enjoyed this episode and it showed what great potential that this series contained. I loved the fact that we immediately saw what social rank in school Ginger was in, who were the populars. Who were her friends. Who hated her. And we also saw that her brother was really weird. I loved when Courtney Gripling was clueless about "front seat" and also when Ginger was in the police car and she told Courtney "Sorry I couldn't come to your party, I got arrested for robbing a bank. And look I didn't even get front seat." All in all this was a strong premiere for a wonderful series that I enjoyed.