This week we tried Uno, an Argentinian Malbec, as we chatted about Season 2 Episode 14: “I Am Not a Crook.” This episode was shockingly topical. Cory runs for class president, Shawn acts as his campaign manager, and hijinks ensue as the youth play out all the unfortunately typical patterns of the democratic process. As the kids engage in dirty politics and smear campaigns, Feeny holds back the urge to intervene so Turner can once again prove that kids (and people) learn best through the experiential process of trial and error. Unfortunately, based on how things are going in 2026, Feeny might have a point that we don’t always learn what’s best when we’re left to our own devices…

This week we sipped St. Francis cabernet while we unpacked Season 2 Episode 13: “Cyrano.” Ever see an episode of a TV show where a conventionally attractive (but less intellectual) character gets help wooing a sophisticated lover from a less popular (but more eloquent) friend? Well that (arguably overused) plotline is inspired by a late nineteenth century play called “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand. Much respect to Susan Estelle Jansen for being explicit with the reference! Cory and Shawn read the play in Turner’s class while accidentally helping Frankie woo Harley Keiner’s girlfriend. Oh, and Alan learns that a trash compactor is not a gift for an anniversary, but rather, for a Tuesday. Cheers!

This week we sipped A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir and watched Season 2 Episode 12: “Turnaround”. Cory learns “you dance with the one that brought you” in this Pygmalion-inspired episode about a Sadie Hawkins-style “Turnaround” school dance. This is the one where Shawn and Cory give a Swedish-American girl a makeover (a la “She’s All That” or “Pretty Woman” or “My Fair Lady”) to make her “cool” so Cory, her date, can be cool-by-association—because according to Eric, the caliber of girl who asks you to the Turnaround determines who you are forever. We laughed, we unpacked gender norms, and we learned that “smorgasbord” is a Swedish word. Skol!