| The Kiss Of Freedom | |
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Airdate |
May 4, 2003 |
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Episode |
3x01 |
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Producer |
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Writer(s) |
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Cast |
Guest Stars Saleswoman (Mauralea Austin) Lawyer (Brian Heighton) |
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The boys emerge from jail again and proceed to enjoy their Freedom 35 profits. Ricky enjoys it a little too well and runs into some problems with his reckless spending.
Plot Synopsis[]
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Bubbles reunites with the camera crew, shows off his carts and leaves to pick up Ricky and Julian from jail.
Act One[]
The three boys enter a bank to open investment accounts with their money at Julian's suggestion. Ricky wants to spend the money frivolously, but the others tell him he needs to manage his money and help them start a few small businesses to capitalize on their gains. They get into a loud argument about crimes and growing dope, and eventually get ejected by security.
Back at the park, Lucy and Sarah tell the camera crew that when Ricky returns to the park, he is in for a surprise. Lahey and Randy echo this sentiment in a separate interview. Julian tools around in his new sports car and presents Bubbles with a present of brand new shed. He has also bought Bubbles asatellite TV, cell phone, new bunk beds and more. Bubbles is ecstatic and he moves right in. Ricky arrives and Lahey and Randy are waiting for him. Ricky says he has a lot of money now and wants to acquire double wide trailer as soon as possible. He gives Lahey a thousand dollars to make it happen. Lahey demands five grand collateral as a deposit or he won't do anything. Ricky says that if he doesn't come up with the rest of the money by 5pm the next day, he will kiss Lahey's bare ass in front of everyone in the park. Lahey counters by saying if he's buying a trailer, Ricky has to obey trailer park rules, and Ricky says he will.
Ricky reunites with Trinity and Julian talks about his new small 'semi-legit' business enterprises, including having Cory and Trevor sell operate ice cream carts in the park. Ricky gives Trinity a present then is vaguely warned by Lucy and Sarah that something different is coming his way. Ricky then meets up with J-Roc and present Bubbles with a new go-cart which Bubbles proceeds to test drive. Ricky drives around drinking and eating pepperoni, comparing his money management strategies with Julian. He announces along with his new trailer purchase, he's getting a new car and will set fire to the shitmobile, thus starting a new life. Bubbles retells the story of how Ricky originally got the shitmobile from Julian and suspects that he will miss it if he destroys it.
Act Two[]
Later that night, the crowd assembles for the car burning. Julian drives up and invites Bubbles over for pizza and video games, but Ricky wants him to stay for the show. Bubbles is torn, but agrees to stay for the fireworks then go with Julian. Then Lucy and Sarah show up with a lawyer and serve Ricky with a child support order. Ricky and Lucy briefly have a shouting match. Julian decides he can't stay to watch the car burning, but before anything happens, Ricky finds Ray sitting in the car, asking him to reconsider destroying the car or at least give it away rather than burn it. Ricky ends up grudgingly giving the car to Ray, and sets off the fireworks vowing to get 'drunk as fuck'.
The next morning, Ricky passed out in the street and Bubbles arrives to haul him away in the go-cart trailer. Sarah and Lucy meet with Julian about financing their idea to open a hair-styling salon out of their trailer. Bubbles gets Ricky cleaned up back at the shed, and J-Roc and the Roc Pile arrive, waking Ricky up. They have a line on the new car Ricky asked for. While viewing it, Ricky sees Cory and Trevor on their ice cream bikes and attacks them for working with Julian. Julian arrives, and they argue about who exactly the boys should be working for. Julian wants $1200 for damages to the bikes and then Ricky shoots holes in the bikes. In turn, Julian shoots holes in Ricky's prospective new car. Bubbles intervenes and tells them they are letting money turn them into assholes, and demands they hand over the guns. Lahey and Randy arrive and threaten to have Ricky removed from the park. Trinity tells her father that she doesn't want to end up drunk and stupid like him.
Act Three[]
Ricky uses Bubbles' phone to rush-order a set of encyclopedias for Trinity so she won't be worried about being stupid. Ricky invites everyone out to his new lot where there will be a new trailer for him in five minutes, and announces to Lucy that he has a gift for Trinity. At the lot, Lahey says he wants the five grand deposit to bring the trailer to the lot. Then the salesperson arrives with the encyclopedias and the bill for the books is just over $4700. Ricky flips out about the price, but agrees to pay it, soon realizing that he doesn't have enough leftover to buy both the trailer and the gift for Trinity. He must make the choice between buying the books for Trinity and kissing Lahey's ass, or buying the trailer and appearing to be a bad father in front of everyone and disappointing his daughter.
Ricky pays the saleswoman for the books and proceeds to kiss Lahey's ass (under Randy's watchful eye). Ray returns the shitmobile back to him, now that he is broke again doesn't have a trailer to live in after all. Bubbles gives him a TV to watch, and Julian gives him a blanket. Ricky parks the shitmobile to ride out the night with his meager belongings. Later on, Lucy brings Trinity by to spend some time, and says that she's dropping the lawsuit and wants their daughter to spend more time with him.
Background[]
- The first episode of season three has Tyrone Parsons' name moved into the opening credits. Previously, many of his appearances have been uncredited.
- The original plan for retiring with the Freedom 35 money seems to have changed while the boys were in jail, as upon their release, Julian begins a plan to invest the money into other schemes. It could also, however, be seen that the original intention still fits, had things gone according to plan with the money, Julian's schemes would have not only increased the money amount, but kept the boys out of direct criminal activity, which was the entire point behind Freedom 35's payoff.
- The amount of money that the boys each get from the payoff is not clear, but can be estimated. Julian clearly gets over $10,000, which is the amount he later invested into the bootleg Vodka operation, but also has enough to buy a car and everything he gave to Bubbles. Ricky gets over 5,000 -- the amount he earmarked for the trailer -- and enough to buy a go-cart, boom box, $100 of 'fuck-off money' and whatever his family grabbed. Bubbles obviously got a cut as well, as explicitly stated in the bank scene, which is used for investments in Julian's schemes and taking care of the cats in the park.
- Julian and Ricky make up for destroying Bubbles' shed in "A Dope Trailer Is No Place For A Kitty" with Julian keeping his promise to provide Bubbles with a new shed, and Ricky buying Bubbles a go cart. Indeed, aside from providing for themselves, Bubbles is the first person they both visit upon their return to Sunnyvale with gifts.
- A lot is said for Ricky's character in this episode, he spends most of his money on gifts for other people and sacrifices a trailer of his own to provide encyclopedias for Trinity.
- As of this episode, neither Sarah or Lucy have any romantic interest in Ricky, as they were "not impressed with Ricky, at all" for reasons not specifically clear. It's likely a lot to do with Ricky going to jail the previous season, thereby being unable to take care of Trinity (which seems to be the reason cited by the girls). It isn't until Ricky uses the last of his money (and therefor literally has to kiss Lahey's ass) on Trinity, that they realize Ricky does in fact care for Trinity and will sacrifice everything for her.
References[]
Rickyisms[]
(after Julian tells him they should set up investments like GICs and RSPs) "Fuck RSVPs, Julian."
(after Bubbles reads letter stating Ricky owes 3 years of child support payments) Child reports?
Well, I think somebody's been talking to Trinity, and they misleaded her around..."
"Well, you know another, Julian's rich, he's showing off like Smokey and the Bandito..." (deleted scene)
"...I don't know much about these computery things, but apparently they're pretty smart..." (deleted scene
"...Apparently we're gonna go to down like, Donna Republic , and uh ,Majaica, and places like that..." (deleted scene)
Lahey's Shit Talk[]
"The old shit clock's ticking."
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