Pathways 2x12 'The Dangers Of Dating'

by Guy Uhler

Sam and Julie decide that it’s time they bite bullet and try and go on a date together. After a disastrous night, where one thing after another has gone wrong, could fate be trying to tell them something?

Guy Uhler makes a return to Pathways, and as we have an episode built around Julie and Sam's attempts to do something about their blossoming feelings (as well as some more Parker/Alanna stuff, I expect), let's see what goes on here. I remain impressed with how this series has sucked me in - after a wobbly start, the season managed to start gaining a better sense of focus, with each episode getting more cohesive and pulling all the various plot strands together. The breezy tone can switch to more serious stuff quite easily, and the ensemble cast remain as strong as ever.

We've seen several early morning routine sequences thus far, and now it's Sam's turn. Falling out of bed and into the shower, he has a pep talk with his reflection before bursting into song, trying on about six different outfits before finally applying his hair gel and makeup, flouncing down into the kitchen to make pancakes before leaving for the day. While this little sequence tells us masses about Sam's psyche, it feels like it's missing a punchline somehow - but maybe that's just me. Anyway.

Sam bumps straight into Julie, kicking off the first Awkward-o-thon of the day as the duo stumble their way through an attempt at light conversation. The duo make their excuses and go their separate ways before we catch up with Gabe in the Banner staff room, and as one student asks for help in his article Gabe does the classic 'I'm going to make everything I say into a thinly-veiled statement about my own problems' thing, and to Uhler's credit this works very well, playing on Gabe's naturally rapid dialogue to good effect. We leave Gabe to catch up with Comedy Mark and Not Out Yet Logan, with Logan finally taking the plunge and asking Mark out on a date, the two clearly on the same wavelength as Mark happily says yes. It's Charlie and Parker up next (have to say that these little scenes are unfolding the episode nicely thus far), and we get our first hint of drama as Charlie spills the beans about the affair Kaia seems to be having with one of the teachers, asking for Parker's help in getting to the bottom of it all. Parker agrees to help, having his own reasons for wanting to get even with Kaia, but doesn't seem too happy about it as a blushing Charlie heads off. Sam and Julie meet up again next, and Sam makes the bold move of asking her out on a date. Stressing that this doesn't mean he isn't gay any more, she agrees, and so the stage is set. You have to beat the dramatic irony off with a stick, but still, you know... stage set.

Anna meets up with James, waiting for the contractor to arrive so they can go over schematics of the new clinic, but as Anna decides it's high time they got a little frisky, Lou the contractor shows up at last. Lou's offering a good deal and Anna is suitably psyched, and things also seem to be back into giggly teenager mode between her and James, with some sweet interplay between them. Mark heads in to see Sam to tell him about the impending date with Logan, and in true rom com style we leave them to join Julie and Charlie, showing both sides of Sam and Julie's impending date and the worries that are accompanying it. In the Blaze later that evening, Mark, Gabe and Charlie are discussing the impending polarisation of their world should Sam and Julie somehow hook up, but as Charlie slips off to see Parker and Logan shows up, Gabe is facing a night in alone until Mark invites him along on his date with Logan. Oh, Mark. Mark, will you never learn?

Act III opens with Charlie and Parker staking out one of Kaia's old makeout spots, waiting patiently despite Charlie's attempts to get Parker to flirt with her. Sam and Julie are out enjoying a posh meal, but as Julie gets a drink spilled in her lap you just know tonight isn't going to go to plan. Gabe is also doing his best to unknowingly screw up Mark and Logan's date, babbling on about his Dominic troubles and emo-ing like a good 'un. Logan's being accommodating so far, but you have to ask just how long his patience will last here. Sam and Julie finish their meal and escape from the restaurant, but as they try to go see a movie (which, as any would-be couple can attest, is an easy way to spend two hours together without needing to say much) Sam finds he's left his keys in his car - and neither of them brought their mobile phones! D'oh. Back with Parker and Charlie, and a bored Parker is just about to head home for the night when Kaia finally shows up - now we're getting somewhere!

After the movie, Mark and Logan seem to still be having a good night, but Mark makes the mistake of daring to comment on Gabe's bad mood, and before you know it Gabe and Mark are having one of those outpurings that inevitably leads to more pouting. Mark manages to blurt out a few home truths to Gabe, namely that he was the one who cheated on Dom so it's hardly appropriate for him to be complaining about it, which not surprisingly goes down like a Slayer record at a wedding reception. Sam and Julie make it home at last, and despite the evening having been a total washout the duo are quick to decide to try it again, and soon. But! There's the moment you've been waiting for - the kiss! Blimey. Mark and Logan go the same way, Logan's reservoir of patience getting him through the evening with enough left over to give Mark a goodnight kiss, but back with Sam and Julie things go a bit south once the duo say their good-byes. Neither of them look sure over what to make of that last kiss, and as we switch back to Charlie and Parker's stakeout, the tension between the two of them is starting to amp up a bit as they come perilously close to kissing, before Charlie's persistence pays off and Mr. Swenson steps into frame. As Kaia and Swenson get stuck into a thorough examination of each other's dental work, we leave Pathways for another week.

Hmm. Not sure what to make of this one - the rapid-fire dialogue flows well throughout, and even if the progression of the story is pretty predictable, it's a good storytelling device to have three couples each trying to have an evening together in some shape or form. There's a good sense of pacing as things roll on, and some nifty characterisation all round as the evening wears on. My issues with this episode are that it's too darn short (43 pages of a dialogue-heavy script is about five pages shorter than normal), and the stage direction is as flat as a pancake which sabotages some of the good moments of tension. The two snogs and one almost-snog should be big moments, but they happen so quickly in the direction that you can almost miss them if you're not careful! So, while this is a pacy, well-written episode in some respects, it falls back from the lazy stage direction and unecessarily short timing of the whole thing.