I liked this episode...back when it was called "Flirting With Disaster".
True to its comic book roots, Danny Phantom repeats a plot with little more then switching characters. This time it is not Sam, but Danny who spies on his predictable love interest with the excuse that Gregor is a huge pile of Governmental no-no. What it gets are the exact same results as "FwD": something occurs with the new love that prevents them from dating let along declare it. Why are the writers so hell-bent in sticking with status quo between the two? The key to a love triangle is to build up the drama until it culminates in a final showdown at the end. Both Danny and Sam had every opportunity to fall in love with someone else, but they opt to play it safe. Think about the story ideas and drama if they had been allowed to date others for a certain period of time. While the episode's pacing was solid and moved the continuity (while beautifully acknowledging some of the old), what's left of this episode is a repeat with less engaging character developments, story, and emotions.
Gregor AKA Elliot was a character with just as much potential. He wasn’t strictly one-noted; he was a kindhearted individual who shared Sam’s hobbies and lifestyle. He had infinite patience and he was European, I mean, dude, the last one gets instant bonus points. Then it was ruined by revealing he was a faker all along. Even though he expressed genuine affection in her enough to dress up and act the role of Gothic Hungarian, it’s not enough to forgive him for his callous actions and waste of a character. At this rate, the only thing of interest is how he managed to fool an entire school that he’s a foreign exchange student. He must be a master con artist. What could have kept the unpredictability is chucked out and we’re back to Square One.
Well, not really. The only benefit the episode gets is that Danny now realizes his true feelings. Prior, he stammered and struggled whenever the topic of his romance with Sam was brought up. He either denied it in full or had no clue how to response to such an accusation. It was clear he had some semblance of affections for her, but not enough to guarantee a romantic bond. When Valerie entered the picture, that thought left the window and he became strictly devoted to her—including this episode. It was obvious this episode was meant to cancel any hope between the two, but you know what? I don’t buy it. His friends convincing him to move on isn’t exactly a surefire step to ensure it. The fact that he moved directly to jealously three minutes after drooling over his former love is grating. What I would have loved to see is one scene—one little scene of Danny and Valerie having a final talk that ended it in full. She may have moved on first, but Danny hasn’t and realizing he may like Sam might have given him the gumption to tell Valerie they’re officially over. Instead, it feels like an ignored cliffhanger. Baring that in mind, Danny finally eludes his clueless state and increasingly expresses his adulation for her, even if Season Three gags it in the wrong ways.
Poor Tucker, even Elliot knows how useless of a load he is. But the episode doesn’t emphasize it; his annoyance is tolerable to his friends, no matter what. He may be the third wheel, but he’s a loyal third wheel. He berates Danny’s spying, but later does the same for him with the only reason being that Danny is his main buddy. He sides with Gregor not just because he admires him, but because Sam likes him. He’s torn between the two because he cares for them both. Tucker may easily be tempted far more then the other two, but friendship is an important plus for him. If anything, he isn’t as useless as the series makes him out to be—he’s the one who rescued Elliot from certain death. That’s not heroism, that’s unprejudiced sacrifice (sorta, he still hates him). Other episodes prior and after make it a habit to focus on his butt monkey stature, but when he shines, oh, they let him shine.
I really have nothing to say about the Guys in White. I’m impressed they got better, but their ambition isn’t as striking as last episode. That was their defining moment and nothing, before and after can top it. Sam however is a hypocrite here and as much as it angers me that she tells off Danny for something she has done, it also makes sense. She's stubborn, a flawed aspect of her personality. She accuses what she once did and ends up getting into a bitter argument with her equal half. Danny is able to go toe-to-toe with her and will not take any sass, especially if it means protecting those he love (not that spying is a good thing, mind you). While latter episodes have Sam pressing Danny under her iron fist, here, Danny is his own man. While Sam turns into an annoying perfect figure, here she is a faulty being. You know, human. It slightly makes up for the fact that Danny did not call Sam out for her actions, even though he really, really should have for two reasons: 1. It would be a nice callback to "Flirting with Disaster" and 2. because refusing to do so is a blatantly terrible double standard. It is NOT alright for Sam to spy on Danny for the same reasons anymore then he did her.
The only interest I can say about animation is Elliot himself. With his white hair and green eyes, he passes an obvious resemblance to Danny Phantom. Somebody made a comment in this TvTropes page about how Sam is attracted to Phantom then Fenton. Because of her wide eye view on anything unique, Danny is #1 on that list. Only Vlad shares that rarity. The first thing Sam is attracted to when she sees Elliot is his looks and though his sunglasses were on at that time (he does briefly lower it when sniffing Sam’s tofu-soymilk sandwich), Sam subconsciously "fell in love at first sight" at his oddly familiar appearance. So does Sam have a bit of Lois Lane in her? Does she like the Phantom in Danny as much as Paulina does (I like comparing the similarities between Paulina and Sam) then she does his human form?
7/10
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Article Written in: Apr. 19, 2009
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