The Book of Rannells: Big Mouth: Season 7, Episode 5 – “Graduation” (2023)

I’m surprised that we’re getting 8^th graduation in the middle of the season, but I suppose it makes sense. If, going by the title of episode 1, we’re going to see the gang start high school in the season finale, it’s reasonable that they’d graduate middle school more mid-season. But a graduation is a very finale-type storyline, so there’s a definite energy in the episode of things coming to an end.

As the Bridgeton kids barrel toward their 8^th grade graduation, everyone is looking both to the past and the future. After discovering that his yearbook superlative is “grossest human,” Andrew is anxious to make amends to everyone for his past pervy behavior and start high school fresh. Nick’s mom, worried that he’s starting to go down a bad road, makes him tour a fancy private school, and Elijah is nervous about telling Missy he got into an all-boys Christian school. Matthew prepares for the last edition of his morning announcements show and is blindsided when Caleb, his cameraman, gets upset with him.

As I said, the graduation setting brings finale vibes to the episode—and not just season finale but series finale. We get recurring talking heads from the main characters as they participate in a graduation video, a “photo” montage from past episodes, and a pervading sense that some of the characters are about to go their separate ways. There’s even a classic “turn out the lights” sitcom-finale trope.

But even though it’s a little weird to get all this in the middle of the season, the episode works well. Predictably, Nick goes on his private school tour with a massive chip on his shoulder but starts to realize it’s not all bad—thanks in part to Danni, a hot girl voiced by Zazie Beetz. The Missy/Elijah stuff is good, though it makes me worry that Elijah isn’t long for this show. (And just when I said it was good to see him integrated into the main cast! Sigh….)

Some choice jokes:

·        In Andrew’s talking head (before he sees his yearbook superlative,) he sums up high school thusly – “I leave here with a vague understanding of photosynthesis and the respect of my peers.”

·        When Jessi’s talking head gets too meta, Caleb tells her off-camera, “Please do not break the fourth wall. We just had it repaired.”

·        Mona calls Missy’s boobs Tia and Tamara – ha!

I wasn’t expecting another plot between Matthew and Caleb after the season premiere, but in retrospect, it makes sense. After episode 1, I remembered that it wasn’t the first time we’ve seen Matthew and Caleb paired up during a field trip plot—they also had quite a bit of screentime together when the kids went to the 9/11museum in season 4. That was interesting to me, but it wasn’t until this episode that I remembered that Caleb films Matthew’s morning announcements show.

It's logical, then, that Matthew and Caleb would wind up together on field trips. Since Matthew is probably the classmate that Caleb knows best, it makes sense to put them together in unfamiliar, possibly overstimulating settings outside of school.

But getting back to this episode, their conflict arises when Caleb discovers Matthew doesn’t plan on continuing his show in high school: “I’ve said all I have to say. I don’t want to overstay my welcome, like The Office after Steve Carrell left.” The prospect of losing this routine, and Matthew’s company, is upsetting to Caleb, which Matthew doesn’t really get. Later in the episode, he gripes to Jessi, “I mean, he wants me to do his thing just to make him happy? What are we, a straight couple?” (lol, Andrew Rannells is the best!)

As with the Matthew-Caleb story in the season premiere, it flirts a bit with After School Special vibes, but I think it ultimately pivots away from that. Once again, it helps that Matthew doesn’t really treat Caleb like “the disabled kid,” getting annoyed when Caleb is short with him and arguing when he thinks Caleb is being unreasonable. The resolution is sweet without being saccharine.

We’ll end on a couple fabulous line readings from Matthew’s show:

·        I just love Rannells’s cheerful delivery on, “It’s unanimous: Andrew’s incredibly gross!”

·        This made me laugh out loud – “Special congratulations for all you children of divorce for being able to get a rare photo with both parents!”