Episode Review: AWKWARD., "Another One Bites the Dust"

When I found out that this week's Awkward. was going to focus on Aunt Ally's wedding and an old flame of Lacey's, I immediately assumed that I was going to hate the episode. Oddly enough, I only mildly disliked it because "Another One Bites the Dust" did have some elements that I found amusing.

Like I mentioned before, Aunt Ally's wedding was the setting for the episode, and we got all of the usual clichés that are associated with nuptials like bridezillas, nothing going right and reconnections with old lovers. As Ally terrorized those around her, including the wedding planner whose assistant quit but Tamara stepped in, Jenna spent most of her time trying to remind her mother that she's still married to her dad and shouldn't be looking at starting anything with her former beau who would be attending the wedding. As if there weren't enough knot-tying hi-jinks, Sadie was one of her new aunt's bridesmaids. Of course she had to stir the pot by making out with Ricky in front of Tamara, but her pièce de résistance was her filling Jake in on Jenna's past with Matty just as our heroine left him a voicemail declaring her love for him. Oh, and we got some good Jenna/Matty moments as well as a mediocre but non-offensive appearance from Valerie.

Wedding episodes can be hit or miss because they're such a traditional sitcom trope that it's hard for shows to make them new or interesting, and I'd say for the most part everything that directly dealt with the wedding fell flat. Ally as the stereotypical monster bride who was stressing out on her big day was stale no matter how many time she tossed out the words "flower bitch," and I didn't care enough about Lacey to be wrapped up in the return of her old boyfriend.

Thankfully, there were some highlights buzzing around the hot mess that was Ally and Lacey, namely Jenna and Matty. Last week, the writers kicked off the idea of these two being just friends, and while I'm all for it, the scene where they wished each other best even if there are lingering feelings was sweet and a reminder of why I got on board with this show to begin with. I even liked what Sadie brought to the table, and it was nice seeing her back to her old ways instead of moping.

Other Odds and Ends

• Seriously, no Ming or Lissa?
• Peaking in high school is kind of sad.
• Not gonna lie, I really loved the '80s references. Who're Kid 'n Play? So young.
• Man, they were really pushing the Jenna/Jake/Matty and Lacey/Kevin/Ben parallels.
• Let's hope this was the last we've seen of Ally for the foreseeable future.

"Another One Bites the Dust" wasn't a laugh riot thanks to the adults, but the episode worked a lot better when it focused on the teenagers and their lives. I understand why characters like Lacey are getting more of the focus this season, they do help build the world, but it's not their story and Awkward. needs to remember that from time to time.