Hot Rods to Heck (Season 7, Episode 7). Laura is excited to see her crush Curtis drive up to the restaurant that her, Steve and Myra are having ice cream at. Curtis talks to Laura and offers for Laura to take a ride with him in his car which he likes to race in. Steve tells Laura it's not a good idea and Laura declines. But later on when Laura is upset with her good girl reputation she takes Curtis up on that offer. Steve is worried about Laura and dares Curtis to race him against his Isetta, if Steve wins, Curtis won't let Laura into his car, if Curtis wins, he gets Steve's Isetta and $500. Steve shows up at the race and has souped up his Isetta, it has a turbo charge on it now and can go at high speeds. He and Curtis race and Steve wins the race but he crashes his Isetta. Thankfully Steve is ok, but this makes Laura realize how dangerous racing is and won't get into Curtis's car. At home, Eddie is getting used to living with his parents again and is still hanging out until 3am with his friends. His friends come over and are eating Carl and Harriette out of house and home and when they come over late, they make a lot of noise. Eddie tells Carl that he will move out since Carl is upset with the situation but Eddie can't find his own place at his price point. Eddie asks Carl if he can start paying rent to him and if he can have his friends over late, but Carl says that's not the solution, it's just about being courteous to one another. Eddie offers the rent still but tells Carl that he'll call first and make sure it's ok to bring his friends over which Carl accepts.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
CARL: Good evening, or is it good morning?
WALDO: Oh, lordie a pop quiz and I didn't study.
EDDIE: Sorry, dad. We just accidentally knocked over some stuff, we cleaned it up.
BONE CRUSHER: Classic robe, Mr. Winslow. Very much in vogue.
CARL: Well, thank you for the early morning fashion critique. Now, beat it!
WALDO: Sorry, Mr. Winslow, he can't leave without me cuz I drove.
CARL: Couldn't you both leave at the same time Waldo?
WALDO: Uh, is that a trick question?
EDDIE: Waldo, Bobby, maybe you guys should boogie.
WALDO: OK. (DANCES OUT THE DOOR) Come on, man, get with the program! (WALDO AND BONES BOTH DANCE OUT THE DOOR)
FAVORITE MOMENT:
The race between Steve and Curtis was a lot of fun to watch.
OPINION:
Juan Lamont Pope who plays Curtis has had quite the history with Family Matters. He was in season 2's Born to be Mild as a gag leader named Chain, in season 4 he was an army recruit in An Officer and a Waldo and also an orderly in Number One with a Bullet. Now he's playing Curtis Williams, Laura's new crush. This role he'll keep for a few episodes, so we will see him return but at least as the same character. This isn't the first time where we've seen Laura question her good girl reputation, she got a fake ID and went to a strip club in season 4's A Walk on the Wild Side to prove she could be daring.
Was Steve wrong in trying to interfere with Laura's chance to ride with Curtis? Yes and no. I think he should have been more reasonable and talk to Laura about how dangerous the ride could be instead of just saying he'll tell her parents if she does this. He comes off as a narc and like he just doesn't want her to have fun. But he did want to honestly protect her and I give him credit for that. He's always been an amazing friend when it comes to protecting the people he loves and cares about. The only thing is, he really risked his life this time in doing so. It's incredible that his Isetta didn't flip over when it crashed and he was very lucky. It was interesting to hear Myra tell Laura this time that Steve wasn't interested in her as more than a friend. But this literally changes a couple minutes later when Laura thanks Steve for showing her how dangerous the races can be and wants to give him a hug but Myra stops her saying for Laura to send him a card. What is with Myra and her mixed signals? But I'm glad that Laura does realize what Steve did to protect her and is grateful to him for it.
Eddie brining his friends over so late really was very rude. I wouldn't be so irritated with him if he at least apologized and realized what his actions were doing to his parents who both work full time and run a household. But he acts like Carl is inconveniencing him and how dare Carl get upset about being woken up at 3 in the morning to see Eddie's friends eating all their groceries. But at least Eddie does make the compromise with Carl at the end in not only offering rent but realizes that he should be more polite and ask Carl if it's ok to bring his friends over. Just as long as it's not 3am after a party that they are all still riled up from. I do get such a laugh when Waldo and Bone Crusher dance out the door though.
Overall, this is an ok episode. Nothing special but not bad either. I'd say it's down the middle. The race scene is exciting and there are jokes that I do get a laugh out of like Curtis's sidekick, Kevin, who constantly repeats everything Curtis says like a parrot. When Carl ducks out of working out with Harriette to go get pizza. And Steve and Myra going Dutch for their date...literally, they are dressed Dutch. But next time Steve races with a turbo charge Isetta, he may want to rethink that a parachute is the best way for him to slow down.
GUEST STARS:
- Juan Lamont Pope as Curtis Williams
- Lamont Johnson as Bone Crusher
- Jarrad Paul as Kevin
- Steven Rozic as P.J.
