Home Movies

[Writer80]

In this thread I'd like to discuss the ending of Home Movies and also season 4 as it relates to the final episode. There will be spoilers in this post (and thread) so I'd implore anyone who has yet to see the ending to stop reading this now. Don't let the thread ruin the ending for you. I came across information about the final episode prior to seeing it and I honestly wish I hadn't. It ruined the full impact and the specialness of the ending for me. This is a long post, I'm sorry. @_@ Don't feel you need to read all of it, I'd just love to get a discussion on a few of the points I raise to see other's views...and help me come to terms with what I thought to be a bitter-sweet ending. I just found the thought of Brendon's..probably not making movies ever again as somewhat crushing.. even though his life will now be better for the realizations he has come to.

Does anyone think that Brendon will ever make movies again? In interviews Brendon Small (the creator) has said "just because a camera breaks doesn't necessarily mean you stop making movies" and has stated that he feels the final episode to be optimistic in that now Brendon can live his life as a normal human being and he won't have to hide behind the security blanket of the camera.

I...honestly don't feel that Brendon, Melissa and Jason will ever make movies again due to the subtle hinting that season 4 has given us. Season 4 was the first season that gave virtually nothing but negative feedback to the group's movie-making efforts (and in hindsight strongly hinted that Brendon, Jason and Melissa's movie-making would come to an end). People were much more open about the ineptness of the group's movies and their acting efforts. From the counselor at the performing arts camp, to Mcguirk, to the  young man at the video store and even finally the group's own peers in the focus group. They all stated the things that we knew in our hearts all along. As lovable and dedicated and driven as the group was and as unintentionally hilarious as their movies were...they just weren't very talented. 

One thing about the final episode that bothered me was we never got to see Jason or Melissa's reaction to the camera breaking (they didn't know). Would they be just as hurt? I found it weird that as devoted as Jason and Melissa seemed, Brendon really seemed to be the only one pained when he realizes how awful their movies actually are. Melissa just says "if they aren't meant to be seen, why are we making them then?" and then she says "we must be weird". Her and Jason almost seemed to be non-reacting to a MAJOR thing. Did they really love movies or were they only 'going along for the ride' because they loved brendon and loved being together?

Melissa's ending to the movie (becoming a beautiful princess and spending time with her mother) was in real life  somewhat fulfilled by her starting to wear make-up and also in the mother-daughter role of her talk with paula.

Brendon's ending to the movie (settling down and building a shelter out of their bikes) shows his own wish of having a family unit and father figure in his life again. This was somewhat fulfilled by the ending scene of them all in the car with Mcguirk's role of "dad" asking his family where they'd like to eat.

Brendon's obsession with movie-making came not for the love of it, but for hiding from his own psychological issues. It was obvious in that he was always incredibly resistant to criticism and he never bothered with learning form and structure in the screen-writing process. What he viewed as complete movies were nothing more than formless skits indulging in wish fulfillment and unconscious ways of  dealing with whatever was troubling him at the time, whether it was failing history, or his father's inattentiveness. 

 It was painful to see his final realization that "our movies...shouldn't be watched" (by an audience). He didn't say this just because he thought his movies ** rabble **. I think he said this because he finally saw what other viewers were seeing...and he realized that his movies were his Diary Entries...meant for himself and himself only to understand. He finally 'got' that his movies weren't actual stories but more like unintentional Diary Entries in a visual form. He (and to a lesser extent Jason and Melissa) was the only one who understood them. The rest of the world only saw a mess. He realized that he didn't write movies because he loved them but because he needed to to have a sense of control over his life. "it just feels like we should be doing it".

In the Wizird's Baker episode, there was hinting that Brendon was becoming fed up with film-making in general as he was totally unsupportive of Jason and Melissa's movie. While he didn't realize it, he saw in that movie what others were seeing in his own. At the end of the episode when they actually did get funding for the movie, even Jason said "screw the movie, lets set up a college fund". This comment was another hint that even Jason himself may have not been into movies much anymore. In "Temporary Blindness" he asked a "psychic" Mcguirk if he would be a Composer when he grew up and Melissa only asked who she would marry.

Mcguirk cuts right to the heart of Brendon's issues when he says "I wish you wanted to actually BE a biker, and not just pretend at being things" to which Brendon replies "it's worked pretty good for me so far". Mcguirk wanted Brendon to include the grill in Brendon's final movie I think as an (unconscious) way of including himself in Brendon's world. To Mcguirk, that grill represented the family unit that he wanted: himself, Paula and Brendon. There is hinting that Mcguirk's desire may someday be achieved in the symbolism at the end of the episode as he, in the role of "father" drives paula's car with the children in the back. Brendon's camera (given to him by his father) breaking symbolizes his unattaching from both his biological father and attaching more to Mcguirk and the family unit he now has.

I've rambled long enough. @_@

Message Edited by Writer80 on 05-11-2008 02:07 AM

[moat]

Dude...excellent post.

Anyway, to answer you question about Brendon ever making movies again...I kind of got the impression that the only reason that it is his outlet for expression in the first place is that he has access to a camera. I would agree that he has no real interest in actually improving his craft, it's just his "Diary Entries." I think he can find new ways to pull off that kind of release, if he even still needs to do so. At the show's deneumont, he seems to have reached a state of contentment that would probably keep him from feeding into his film-making, and as long as he manages to apply his life lessons properly he can maintain that state and wouldn't need to use the camera for his own security. Even if things start to become problematic for him down the road, he could find a new way to cope. Something that doesn't involve the video (film) camera.

As for Jason and Melissa, I think you're dead-on when you say they're into the movies because it's what Brendon's into. They don't seem to have the lust for it that he does, and I would concur that they're there for their friend.

I should probably mention that I haven't seen this episode since its original broadcast, so my assessment may be off in a few ways, but from what I can tell your analysis is accurate. You may want to bring some of these points up again when the episode finally airs on the weekday run, or bump this thread when that time comes.

[Sylak]

This is a very good perspective on the episode and the whole series.  I think I agree on pretty much everything.  It's just so moving how the characters find what they want, and in the end it's not from the things they dreamed of, it's from the people that were around them the whole time. 

I think that the movies are done with, and that now Brendon, Melissa, Paula, McGuirk, and Jason have something much stronger to hang on to in the world, which is their ramshackle family.  I think that Brendon, Melissa and Jason will still be friends, and they'll move on to new things.

This is why, if there are ever new episodes (which I highly doubt), I hope they take place before Focus Grill.  After Focus Grill, there is no "Home Movies".  The premise of the show is over, and in my opinion it couldn't have ended in a better way.

EDIT:  I'm floating this, because I think it's a great thread and a good discussion to have.

Message Edited by Sylak on 05-11-2008 01:41 AM

[Writer80]

Thank you very much for the compliment, Moat!, I'll definitely bump the thread when the episode is aired on [as] in a few weeks. Ohh, thanks, Sylak! (just saw your reply too) I love the line you used about them finding what they truly wanted with each other, the people who were already in their lives. It really sums up and concludes the entire theme.

 In Small's interview when he discussed the emails he got from people who were crushed by the ending, he gave the somewhat hopeful comment that "you don't have to stop making movies just because a camera breaks" but if you read between the lines of his other comments, it is obvious he's implies that Brendon is no film-maker and that he wrote and directed movies because he needed it, not because he loved it. He even states that none of Brendon's ideas were very good.

One thing that I found odd was in Jason's ending to the movie I didn't find any symbolism in it which could have pertained to any real-life desire. Am I missing something? The only stretch I could make (and this is a huge stretch) is that by Jason's playing the monster, he is playing an important, attention-grabbing thing, the one who truly calls the shots. He obviously wishes he was more important in his real life (evidenced by his quiet rivalry with Brendon) and his being the monster could be a wish-fulfillment of this.

 Being greatly interested in writing and screen-writing myself and having had my own upbringing bear certain similarities to Brendon's...I identified so strongly with the character that for an instant after viewing the ending,I began to feel like my own camera was crushed, lol. I suppose it is natural to feel this for any character we strongly empathize with, and we hope they'll continue on doing what they seem to love so much. But, as with our real lives, there is a time we become burned out with any hobby turned obsession, see it for what it is, and move on with our lives.

This being said, I wonder what Brendon would theoretically do with his life? Of all of them, I could see Melissa trading away her movie-making passion and creative ambitions the easiest and being perfectly happy just being a mother and raising a child. Jason, as much as I love his character, I view him as being perhaps the least talented of the trio, and his own creative ambitions are the most 'pie in the sky'. He's the classic nice guy suffering from a total lack of dynamism and his personality shows dependency issues. During "The Hiatus", he was the one who adjusted to not making movies the easiest and he even wrote that he absolutely loved it at first.

Brendon is the only one of the 3 who might get bitten by the creative bug again seeing as his ambitions tend to become obsessions. He's the only one I can see with even the possibility of doing something creative-artistic as a life's work.

Message Edited by Writer80 on 05-11-2008 03:25 AM

Message Edited by Writer80 on 05-11-2008 03:39 AM

[Sylak]

I feel like Jason is the kid who can't really focus on any one thing, but I do feel like he's got a lot of creativity.  If he does end up focusing on one thing, I think he'll become really good at it, be it creative or technical or whatever.

I guess there's no guarantee that Brendon won't get back into movies.  It's possible his life could start falling apart again.  Or, conversely, it's also possible that he'll move on to a different kind of movies, those that are made to be watched.  He'd definitely start thinking more critically about his ideas then, and possibly even be less of a control freak. 

I could see Melissa having motherhood as a priority in her life, but she doesn't seem like the type that would let that be her only priority.  She's pretty independent and badass, and I think she'd want to be have some sort of a career.  I don't know what she'd do, though.

[breakout2317]

Great post here Writer. I agree with just about everything you've said. I love the whole deeper meaning of this episode and what it means to the show as a whole. There was rumor of the show potentially continuing recently (sometime within the last two years the idea was loosely tossed into the air as much as anything can be loosely tossed). I initially loved the idea, but the more I thought of it, the more perfect this ending was and how final it was. I don't want the show back if it means sacrificing the sanctity of this episode.

---

Sylak wrote:

I feel like Jason is the kid who can't really focus on any one thing, but I do feel like he's got a lot of creativity.  If he does end up focusing on one thing, I think he'll become really good at it, be it creative or technical or whatever.

I guess there's no guarantee that Brendon won't get back into movies.  It's possible his life could start falling apart again.  Or, conversely, it's also possible that he'll move on to a different kind of movies, those that are made to be watched.  He'd definitely start thinking more critically about his ideas then, and possibly even be less of a control freak. 

I could see Melissa having motherhood as a priority in her life, but she doesn't seem like the type that would let that be her only priority.  She's pretty independent and badass, and I think she'd want to be have some sort of a career.  I don't know what she'd do, though.

---

I agree here too. Jason's shown flashes of brilliance and I think it's safe to say he's the best actor of the three. He's, obviously, very socially awkward, but his realism grants him a potential for greatness.

I see Brendon as potentially making more movies down the road, but not the same as these ones. He might not even write them, just direct. I can totally see that. His skills are very obviously more based on creativity (hence his failing history, not doing well in math, not being athletic, etc.), so I can't see him doing anything that doesn't grant some creativity.

Melissa will definitely have a very successful future. She's smart, engaging, independent and very strong. She has the most solid future ahead, I feel.

[Writer80]

Throughout the whole series, I think there was a sneaking sense of 'eventuality' to the group's giving up movies but during Season 4 it was made more and more obvious of course. If you look at the 3rd season episode 'Guitarmageddon' (currently playing on [as] video) it really illustrates the difference between a born creative artist (in duane/dwayne) and someone who is just going through the motions (the kids). Duane started guitar when he was roughly around the same age as brendon, jason and melissa, but he found a teacher and he practiced daily to become the best he could. He listened to instruction and his entire life is absorbed in music. Brendon, Jason and Melissa also practice daily and their entire lives SEEM to be movies.. but they don't study up on the craft and they only very rarely have interest in getting an outside opinion of their work. Duane (as far as we can tell) loves the entire process of being a guitarist and creative person. He realizes how essential practice is. The kids aren't in love with film-making, only in the idea of being a film-maker, director, or actor.

 Their haphazard attitude with learning to play their instruments when they wanted to start a band really mirrors their attitude with film-making. they still practiced daily with music...but they never wanted to learn how to play. They looked to all the peripherals to try to find out why they were having trouble with their band, the things that don't matter, the sun-glasses, the attitude, the band name, song-writing, trying to get a song recorded and bought... these things only matter when you know how to play an instrument. The kids never even learned how to read sheet music! The fact that they gave it up so quickly shows that they weren't born musicians. I don't remember the exact reason of their quitting but one can almost imagine them saying to themselves "well, we're not finding success with this (they constantly mistake creative success as what they need to make themselves feel 'whole') so lets go back to movies". Their naivete to the process is touching and funny, but also a bit frustrating and sad to watch because they have so much energy and they DO practice their movies every day for years. They certainly have the work-ethic of a professional creative artist, but they don't have the right attitude, they are ignorant of what to practice and they are all so overly-sensitive to criticism. That is what makes their effort so sad for me to watch.. They are like people mentally focused on interior design but who are majoring in architecture at university. They're worried about the wall-paper that goes on floor 10 when their instructor tells them that they don't have a proper foundation in the blue prints.

Message Edited by Writer80 on 05-11-2008 05:17 PM

[Sylak]

Well, the thing is just that they're 8 years old (7 for Jason).  They were never about making movies from a technical standpoint.  I think the episode "Camp" shows this particularly well.  The instructors there tell them the "right" way to make movies (though it's doubtful they had any real insight to offer), and it's just not what they want to do.  They want to do their own thing.  And as long as they're doing it just for themselves, it's just fine to do it that way.  If Brendon ever gets back into movies, I think he'll actually try to learn something about how to do it.  But in the context of the show, it doesn't really matter.

[Writer80]

Long Post, sorry everyone but I have been thinking about a new interpretation of the final episode. Let me know your thoughts if it interests you (it starts at paragraph 3 in this post). 

True, the instructors at the camp really didn't have much to offer. Brendon's instructor assumed that Brendon was an "indie" (independent) film-maker and he obviously had an axe to grind with what a lot of amatuer/independent film-makers were coming out with. And...even though he was a talentless jackass himself (a man with no credentials besides being a temporary 'gopher' for James Cameron) a decent percentage of what amatuer film students "produce" are somewhat like the films Brendon, Jason and Melissa have made.

 With the example of the Camp instructors, Brendon Small (the creator) was obviously lampooning the attitudes and false credentials of many of the script-writing "gurus" that exist in Hollywood today. They're raking in cash from thousands of movie-making hopefuls, they have all the "technical knowledge" in the world but they still can't write a decent script to save their lives.  The gang did want to do things their own way but they falsely assumed that-at the same time- they were also making good movies for a mass audience. At that point, they were too wrapped inside the drama of their own heads to understand that they weren't writing developed stories that an outside audience could appreciate. Much of what they were producing had significance only to themselves. In the stage of their development that HM covers, I don't think they were intending on writing and filming just for themselves, and that's why they couldn't understand why nobody "got" what they did until the very end when Brendon finally realized what they'd REALLY been doing all along and it hit him like a thunderbolt. "I don't think our movies are  meant to be watched" and I believe it's Melissa who replies "then why are we making them then?"

This sounds silly, but part of me wishes that Brendon had vocalized what he was obviously thinking and said "we've just been making them for ourselves" I  wonder why, assuming Brendon truly knew at that point that he, Jason, and Melissa were just acting out their wish-fulfillments on camera, why would he later have his camera in the car? Had his camera NOT been broken, would that have been enough for him to start doing film for the right reasons? because he loved it? I...don't think so, but I wonder if that could be the case. Because what if he doesn't learn anything from the camera breaking?

We assume (or at least I assume) Brendon's transformation goes in this order

1. He had the realization of what he, Jason and Melissa had been doing (acting out wish fulfillments) i.e "I don't think our movies are meant to be watched"

2. (even while knowing this he STILL decides to film in the car later that day) ...we naturally can assume that he was only filming then because he still hadn't completely broken free of the obsession the camera symbolized for him.

3. The camera breaks causing the final transformation in Brendon, which is:

4.He fully lets go of his past (and presumably lets go of film-making as well)

But to be a devil's advocate I'll put forth a different argument. Argument 2:

1. He had the Realization while watching his old movies in the room with Jason and Melissa

2. He still decides to still film later in the car that day because he now wanted now to do it out of a love for film-making rather than a neurotic obsession.

3. The camera's breaking did NOT lead to any further insights for Brendon, but ONLY symbolizes an end to his past neurosis and NOT an end to his film-making.

4. He goes on to make films with Jason and Melissa but with a new, healthier attitude.

Brendon Small's comment about "not necessarily giving up film-making just because a camera breaks" leads me to wonder if the 2nd argument I just made could be the more accurate one. There is a large difference. In Argument 1 the act of camera breaking had a direct impact on HIM, it led to his final transformation and symbolized, among other things, the end of his making film.

In argument 2, the camera breaking only had a huge impact on the AUDIENCE, it symbolized the end of HM as a series and also the end of Brendon's clinging to the past and his negative obsession with film-making, but NOT his film-making itself. In argument 2,  Brendon realizes he doesn't NEED film but this doesn't mean he'll never go back to it.

To be honest...Given the tone of Season 4, the attitudes all the children were beginning to have toward their film-making etc, I still think that Argument 1 is the correct interpretation and that maybe Brendon Small just made that comment I referenced to make the viewers sad over Brendon's loss of his camera feel better.

But argument 2 could be correct. It all comes down to this:

Why was Brendon still using his camera mere hours after his Realization over why he'd been making movies? Was it because he STILL hadn't broken free of its symbolic power over him...or could it have been the start of a new, healthier, less obsessed direction in his film making?

[moat]

After finally getting the opportunity to finally watch the finale again after all these years, I really think the first argument is more applicable.

I would contend that Brendon's filming in the car is done out of habit, and I think his reaction to the camera's destruction supports the notion that it is a significant event in his transformation. We see Brendon go from being on the verge of tears to a having a completely indifferent attitude to what has just happened. I think it's his lack of any kind of emotion that shows he has let go of his film-making past. If he still had a future in the field, I don't think he would be portrayed as apathetic about losing his camera. He would be frustrated, which isn't something that needs to be shown to make the second argument valid, but I don't see how showing Brendon taking on an inert attitude would serve any purpose if he is still going to be making movies. Brendon's career in film ends with his camera's existence, from my perspective.

As for why Small made the comment, I think he's just encouraging viewers to put thought into what really happens in the ending. He never comes out says for sure what the future holds for the characters, and that's because the show says everything that needs to be said on its own. It's not Small's job to tell us what happens, it's up to the show to do that. It seems to me that it communicates that the film-making has come to a close.

Message Edited by moat on 05-27-2008 02:26 AM

[Writer80]

Moat,

I agree with your position. Everything in the final episode points toward their giving up movie making. Particularly Jason and Melissa's total apathy when  Brendon said that he doesn't think their movies are meant to be seen. That really shows that none of them truly loved filming for it's own sake. It is funny and sad that Brendon saw no problem with 'Eazy Trikers' as it was until Melissa said "No, it doesn't have an ending!". The very first response he had was "It looks finished to me". Beyond the fact of their precociousness and their using a video camera at such an early age, there was virtually nothing in any of their efforts that showed the promise of talent (beside the award in season 1). As Season 4 went on this fact was brought out more and more into the forefront and it made that final hit during the last 2 minutes of the episode heart-breaking. In an interview Brendon Small was asked that if Brendon ever went back to film-making, would he be 'different' film-maker (meaning would he actually be any good, I think) and Small said "he wouldn't necessarily".

I can't picture any of the group doing anything other than something creative as a life's "calling" but at their ages, it is far too soon to be guessing what any of them'd be studying in college, lol.

I'll give a link to the interview, many of you have probably already read it.  http://tv.ign.com/articles/566/566928p12.html  The sections I referenced are on page 12 of the interview.

[bndud]

I think it's also important to note that when Brendon was filming in his car, he wasn't 'making a movie'.  He had no script, no direction, no actors.  He was just lazily filming the trees go by.  He was just living his life.

[cybersybil]

bndud, I've seen that ep so many times I have it memorized, and I never noticed that before.  My mind is blown.

[bndud]

You're welcome...?  Is that the correct response?

Message Edited by bndud on 06-25-2008 12:35 AM

[cybersybil]

I think that works.  It did prompt me to watch "Focus Grill" again, and that's never a bad thing. 

[homor242]

i think you're reading way too deep into things.

[breakout2317]

Or is it not deep enough?

That's the thing; no one knows.

[callmesabrina]

First off I must say. This is an excellent excellent post. Actually read it all. I Don't usually do that.

Home Movies is probably one of my favorite shows, possibly even more so than Venture Bros. And Im glad that other people enjoy it and really pick apart the charectors on a pycological level. 

I agree with pretty much everything you say. And everything you said makes sense. Honestly, (and i laugh) I teared up a little. Its been very stressful to me, often on a personal level, that McGuirk is basically Brendon's father figure and that they will never (not officially) be a real family.

As for the point you made, that the movies were more of a diary, not for other people to understand, (even when they did show others they were just made fun of and/or discouraged) I agree entirely aswell.

However, I honestly dont think they would quit making movies. I just cant accept that. I mean, yes, they realized no one really needs to see their movies and they were terrible. But its just something for them to do when they spend time with eachother; with how many they made, its clear it was never for that, it was never about making them to show other people. It was for them to spend time together and express things through the films because that was how they could relate to eachother and help eachother. I dont think you can just stop doing something youve always done. I dont know if I can even come up with a very strong arguement as to why they wouldnt. I honestly just cant and wont believe it.

Overall though. I really appreciate everything you said. And the ending was bittersweet, as u put it, but I felt there was enough closure to make me feel..... okay enough about it.  

I still kind of wish Paula and McGuirk could have found some way to be together. And Mellisa could have not felt so lost and sad about the mother thing. And that they and just remained ignoorant about their lack of talents. ect... But I digress, its for the best that the ending wasnt perfect. The rest of the series never was. And even when good things happen, things never stay the same. I think I really would have felt more cheated if it had ended with everything resolved and everything in order.

 It showed how they all grew together and helped eachother, (McGuirk and Brendon, Paula and Mellisa, and ofcourse, Brendon, Mellisa and Jason). Its almost sweet how they became a family ish group of people, you know.

 And atleast at the very end, with them all in the car... it just felt right. So atleast for a moment. Everything was perfect. If just for a moment, they were all just being themselves and happy together, and it reminded me of basically, the whole series.

So those are some of my thoughts, but ill stop rambling on, I dont even know if i really said much. I kinda just re affirmed some things u mentioned, and like, added a bit. I just want you to know I really appreciate you making this thread. *highfives*

[famicom11]

I found Focus Grill unfulfilling and crushing... It seems as though with the information left out at the end of the episode, they would have made more. Where was Andrew? What will happen with McGuirk and Paula? I don't get it. I wish there would be some sort of special that would come up someday. But if they did that they would have to make more episodes. If only they would, if only they would. Its been too long...

[breakout2317]

I think it works very well. The final episode Andrew was really mentioned in was the third season finale, Coffins and Cradles. The birth of his child kind of symbolized the beginning of his new family (new wife, new son, etc.) and therefore saw him leave his old family. That worked for me. He's not in fourth season at all. McGuirk and Paula I'd rather leave unresolved. You can either assume that they're together or just friends. It wouldn't really be Home Movies if anything wrapped up perfectly. It doesn't in life. I think it's good on Home Movies to stay more true to life.

[famicom11]

I would have found it serendipitous if Andrew ran over the camera

[handlerone]

i believe the last scene of focus grill marked the beginning of brendon's serious filmmaking career. a shot of the trees going by from a moving car just seems like a good shot for such genre of movies like "easy  trikers" (the movie brendon was filming for at the time). it also seems like one of brendons more focused ideas, who would normaly stick in lampoons of events in his life. i also think that going back to finish his first movie marked his "starting over", his rethinking of his life and his filmmaking, the camera getting crushed was just a simple gesture used by the writers to end the series. 

[toilet801]

Home Movies is my favorite show on adult swim. I have seen every episode except Focus Grill and think that it is the most creative show on all of TV. This week I watched focus grill online. When that sappy music comes in and Brendan, Jason and Melissa were watching their movies at the end, and Brendan said that people shouldn't watch their movies I actually cried. I was sad that it was the end of the series and sad that Brendan thought his movies were crap. I never in my mind thought that a cartoon would ever evoke so much emotion.  This episode left me feeling like my college graduation; i had so many great times back there... now what the hell am I supposed to do next? It would be great to find out what ideas Brendan small would take the show in if they were given more seasons.

[starbug_56]

I absolutely loved Focus Grill.  I was more than a little choked up when it ended, which was hard to tell because I was laughing out loud at the same time.  I read it as an acknowledgement that kids grow up and move on to new interests (as do adults) but it was still hard to watch Brendon's camera get crushed.  At the same time, I always had the feeling McGuirk would wind up with Paula.  Not confirmed, of course, but the last scene did leave us with that assumption.

Of course, I'm a total Brendon Small fangirl; my current obsession is Metalocalypse, but I have all the HM DVDs and still watch the episodes over and over.   

[HeatherMetal]

so my power was out for a week due to that ** dragon breath ** ike and i missed all the frisky dingo episodes that they restarted airing.  i missed a lot of the same ones the last time the show was around.  i also noticed that homes movies is now 15minutes.  since when did this happen.   i thought they were 30 minutes with a commercial break half way through.