TV Review: Awkward. (5×05) “The Dis-Engagement Dinner”

 

This week on Awkward., we face Tamara’s fake engagement storyline head on! Jenna is worried that Tamara has fallen in love with Adam, but our girl T assures her that isn’t the case: “I’m a seventeen-year-old girl who has a whole life of having sex with guys who just worked out ahead of her.” Tamara then explains to Jenna that Jenna is throwing an engagement party for the happy fake couple, and promises to break up with Adam over brunch the following morning.

Jenna is surprised when she arrives at her house to find an engagement party in full swing–and to see Brian, her ex-hook up and Adam’s best friend. Apparently, Brian called her four times and she ignored him, creating quite the opportunity for some tension. Jenna decides to focus on her other problem: the need to avoid Adam because she’s a terrible liar.

Sadie’s declaration of “Marriage is for simple-minded asshats” angers Sergio so much that he leaves the room. He explains that he’s offended because he does want to get married someday (not now and not to Sadie because she’s rude) because to his family, it’s a nice thing for the future. Having grown up the child of divorce, Sadie thinks of marriage as a road to hating one another. After talking out these differences, they make up.

Earlier in the episode, Matty received the scholarship that Jake was depending on to help him pay for college. At the party, Jake decides that it’s time to put the fight behind them–that is, until Matty brushes the scholarship off as no big deal.

Back to our regularly scheduled Matty obsession: a drunken Gabby tells Jenna that Matty still loves her. Jenna leaves to talk to Matty, who starts talking about how he screwed “us” up, he misses “us,” etc. The “us” he’s referring involves Jake, not Jenna. He firmly tells Jenna not to tell people that he loves Jake in a non-romantic way and takes his leave. Matty goes to Jake and those two make up.

According to Adam, he only called Jenna to go on in an engagement present together! He’s probably lying, but regardless Jenna declines. When it’s time for her speech, she launches into a discussion on how ridiculous and crazy it is that two teenagers are getting married. She changes her tune when she spies Matty, beginning to wax poetic about “the one.” Vomit. Remember when I liked these people?

Brian confronts Jenna about how unsupportive she is, causing Jenna to lose it. She shouts about Tamara not loving Adam and how they’re not actually getting married, loudly enough so that the whole party hears. Adam and Brian leave, upset over what’s happened. Tamara realizes that she loves Adam and that she’s mad at both herself and Jenna for ruining her relationship. It’s nice to think that Jenna’s worried about her friend, but she goes right back to mooning over Matty.

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The structure of this week’s Awkward. around the party broke the monotony a little bit, for which I’m thankful. I’m happy to see Tamara’s engagement ruse end, though scenes from next week tell me that we’re far from past it. Jenna continues to endlessly obsess about Matty, so I guess points for consistency? Awful, awful consistency.

Episode Rating: 6/10.

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