French Fried

Season 1, Episode 16, Aired
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Episode Summary

Michael is growing tired of David's paying for everything. It reaches a breaking point when he learns that David is not cashing the checks for his share of the monthly expenses. When his homeroom teacher ignores the bullying and name-calling that Chris and his friends are directing at Justin and another student they think is gay, he curses out the teacher and draws a suspension. Melanie goes to the house to try reconciling with Lindsay, only to find a strange Frenchman living there who won't even let her in to see Gus. Debbie counsels Justin on dealing with homophobia at school. David agrees they will only do things both he and Michael can afford, even if that means canceling the surprise trip to Paris he'd planned for them. Both Melanie and Brian want an explanation from Lindsay, who tells them that Guillaume is a friend and colleague who has moved in to help with expenses and to help take care of Gus. She announces that she and Guillaume are getting married, an arrangement that will keep him in the country and with her and Gus. Ted and Emmett convince Michael he's being selfish for letting his pride get in the way of letting David do the things that make him happy, like the trip to Paris. Mr. Dixon puts a stop to Daphne and Justin's first meeting of the gay-straight student alliance. Michael agrees to go to Paris. Justin is so incensed to see Chris and his friends on Liberty Street that he announces to everyone within earshot that Chris is a homophobe and bully, and then outs him over the hand job he gave him in the equipment room. Brian congratulates Justin on making a real enemy.

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9.0
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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

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  • Mike is having issues with David always paying for everything. Justin deals with a teacher at school that won't protect him from gay bashing, so he decides to start an alliance. In the process, he makes himself a "real" enemy. Mel talks to Linze.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By breezy2281, Sep 01, 2008 Report Abuse
    So Mel finally tells Linze that she misses her and wishes she was back home with her, but only after finding out that this French guy Linze works with is living with her. He is very cocky, pushy, and even refuses to let Mel see Gus one night because it was time for his feeding. It's almost as if he thinks he is really in a relationship with Linze, only he is gay Linze freaks out on Brian when she finds out he and Mel are "allies." Linze plans to marry this French guy so he can get a green card and stay in the country. I think this bothers Mel because it means even if they were to ever get back together, she could never marry Linze. What a punch in the gut. I thought the scene in the beginning of Mel at Dyke night at Babylon was funny, just the way everyone was acting. Anyway, David is blatantly paying for everything and won't ever let Mike pick up the bill, so Mike confronts him on it. David says from now on they'll only go places both of them can afford, and proceeds to rub in Mike's face the fact that he was going to take him to Paris. After talking to the boys Mike changes his mind and decides to let David take him, this should be interesting. On the other hand, Chris is harassing everyone at school, being a bully especially to Justin. I hate that, the boy got a hand job from Justin and now acts like he is the biggest straight person on the planet. The teacher refuses to do anything about the harassment and bashing, so Justin stands up for himself and tells the teacher where to go...getting suspended in the process. Debbie is very motherly about the whole situation and sparks Justin to start a Gay-Straight alliance. He gets a few people to show up, and just as he is presenting what the club is all about, the same teacher walks in and busts up the meeting. What a jerk. I really can't stand homophobes. I guess sunshine will just have to try harder. Later on when all the guys go out to Liberty Ave, Chris shows up like a big shot with all his friends to "look at the freaks." Earlier at school Justin let Chris know that he still had dirt on him and was warned never to mention it again. On Liberty, Justin blows Chris's cover in front of everyone. Brian says "congratulations, you've just made yourself a real enemy." Knowing what happens to Justin later, sadly lets me know how true that really is. Poor sunshine. In this episode we also find out that Justin might go away to college, and that Brian possibly cares about this. Good episode!moreless

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  • Sunshine makes a "real enemy"... what happens next?

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By luv4brian, Jul 03, 2007 Report Abuse
    Justin continues to get harassed by Chris Hobbes and his friends, but Justin is brave and doesn't back down to them. After Chris calls Justin a "que*r" in front of class, Justin lashes back at the teacher, who denies that Chris ever said anything, buying himself a suspension. Melanie tries to repatch things between her and Linds, but when she shows up at her old house, she sees that she's been replaced by a Frenchmen. Later, Linsay announces that they're getting married so that he can get his greencard into the U.S.. Michael feels sheepish that David is covering all of their expense: dining, cabs, groceries. He even planned a surprise trip to Paris for the two of them. At the end of the episode, Justin spots Chris Hobbes and his friends walking down Liberty Ave. and decides to out him in front of everyone about the handjob Justin gave him. Brian: "Congratulations. You just made yourself a REAL enemy."

    I love Justin's character throughout the show and the entire series. He is so brave and bold, and doesn't back down to anyone. He has strong principles and will do anything to stick by them. I think that Justin's character is very inspirational to any teen, gay or straight. Him and Brian just make the whole show amazing even by themselves.moreless

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  • Justin makes a real enemy, foreshadowing events to come.

    9.3
    "Superb"
    By rewindyourtime, Jun 04, 2007 Report Abuse
    Justin has managed to wedge himself into Brian's company almost all of the time, and Brian doesn't seem to mind in the least. Brian let slip his growing attachment to Justin when he asked if Justin was going to school out of state, but then he tried to be nonchalant about it after realizing that he made himself vulnerable to Justin. I adore the scene in the bar: Brian, before Justin arrived, spotted a cute guy and probably would've gone after him. But he ends up going home with Justin, completely forgetting about the guy he saw before. Contrary to what Justin might have meant to Brian before, he obviously isn't a back-up plan or a pest to Brian anymore. Brian cares about him enough to take him home at least two nights in a row, and to continue a relationship with him that extends far beyond sex.

    I have this feeling that Brian didn't tell all the details about his conflict with the football jock in high school who dunked his head in a toilet. I say this because of Brian's warning to Justin at the end of the episode, that he made himself a real enemy in Chris Hobbs. I have to wonder that after Brian broke that guy's fingers by slamming his hand in a locker door, that he himself made a real enemy. It's hard to imagine that the football jock didn't retaliate after Brian did that to him. It can be assumed that Brian was terrorized by that guy and his friends even worse than before. I wish Michael had been there when Brian told his story because he might have been able to provide further insight into what had happened. Brian's warning to Justin might have been a reflection of his own fear for Justin, because he knew firsthand what he was going to have to face. But who knows? It's just speculation.moreless

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  • I loved this episode so much!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By tiewashere, Jan 24, 2007 Report Abuse
    This just beat out the episode before it for the top on my list. All the events going on held my interest and I did not once look at the clock. I am so looking forward to see how Hobbs reacts to that embarrassment at the gay bar! Thank you for a wonderful episode.

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  • Justin

    8.0
    "Great"
    By SMGslayer97, Nov 23, 2006 Report Abuse
    This episode defenitely had a big time focus on Sunshine. Not only did they really touch on the very serious issue of intolerence but they tackled it in a very real to life way. It isn't always as simple as the kid in your class or the football jock. It can be adults, even teachers. No one is immune to ignorance and stuborness, not even teachers even when it comes to thier own students. All are human, none are exempt. I was really proud of Justin for standing up to Chris and challenging him the way he did, especially because that's all Chris has been doing to him. Challenging him, calling him. The only down side was that Brian was right, he made a real enemy. If he only knew.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • When Justin and Daphne are entering the classroom, Justin has his backpack over his right shoulder. It then alternates between his left and right shoulders. Later it falls off, comes back on, and then is off again. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Music: Theme From 'A Man and A Woman' by Francis Lai; "Devil's Brew" by Mo Koffman; "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Geri Halliwell; "C'est Ma Chanson D'Amour" by Terry Day; "Treasure" by Rainbow Club; "Allo Depanneur" by Jean-Michel Bernard & Alain Goldstein; "By Your Side" by Malina; "Straight To Number 1" by Touch 'N Go; "I Parade Myself" by Gang of Four Edit

  • Quotes

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    • Brian: Okay! So you have this concept. The "Gay-Straight Student Alliance". Let's all live together. Power to the people. Peace. That's boring as shit. Justin: I could take out an uzi and shoot everyone. That would be exciting. Brian: Well, at least you'd get their attention. Now, we have to figure out a way to sell it. Justin: Right. How? Brian: Same way you sell everything else. Sex. Justin: Sex? Brian: You wanna get 'em in the tent, hand out these. Justin: Condoms? Brian: You said it was an alliance. What better way for everyone to come together? Edit
    • Justin: You drink too much coffee. Brian: This isn't coffee, it's latte. Justin: Just coffee that costs five bucks. And it still causes high blood pressure, heart attack, poor sexual performance. Brian: Haven't had any complaints. Justin: Not to mention insomnia. Brian: Well, usually when I'm in my bed I'm not asleep anyway, so it really doesn't matter. Justin: See, fortunately I have youth on my side. I can stay up all night fucking and still score fifteen hundred on my SATs. Brian: Fifteen hundred? Justin: Yep. Brian: Wow, you could get into any school you wanted with a score like that. Justin: I applied to Dartmouth, Brown... Brian: You're going out of state? Justin: Why? Do you give a sh*t? Brian: It's just the first I've heard of it, that's all. Justin: You do. You give a sh*t! You give a sh*t! You so care about me! You love me so much! Brian: Get out! Justin: Brian Kinney gives a sh*t! Brian: F*** you. Edit
    • Ted: Well, everybody knows the French are famous for eclairs, oral sex and rudeness. Emmett: I once had a date that involved all three. Edit

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