I've been eager and anxious to revisit this iconic episode as I've followed along with Pod Meets World. As expected, not all of it has aged well as Corey and Shawn are inspired to go undercover as girls for an expose article about how boys act on dates, with a lot of exaggerated reactions and laugh lines about drag/trans concepts. That said, much like the queerbaiting dynamic of the lead two, there's also an angle to it that's commendable in how neither Corey nor Shawn are really against the idea of exploring feminization, complete with the reveal that Shawn's given thought in the past to what his name would be if he were a woman. So yeah, the build up is a constant juggle between wincing and applauding, not the least of which is because they were inspired by the famous undercover race relations book, Black Like Me. Once you get to the third act date sequence, it's very well played, and I like that the encounter forces Shawn to face his own treatment and objectification of women. Also, Corey as the waitress is aces.
As for the B-plot, a lot of it hinges on the chemistry of Friedle and the vastly underappreciated Jennifer Campbell, who has an energy and bounce to her delivery that should have made her a star. Alas, it's an awkward plot about Eric trying to teach Loni how to date in a way that allows him to get closer to her himself.
Shout by darksilverBlockedParent2021-09-05T01:08:13Z
What a fabulous episode! The boys look like they had so much fun with it this episode! And not much transphobia, given this was the 90s