Homecoming
Things on the paper have gotten so bad that Amanda must confide in her loyal dog Gabby. Amanda confesses to the West Highland Terrier that things have reached an all-time low but she's optimistic that things might change because Mrs. Weiss claims to have a brilliant plan to shake things up: she's going to re-arrange the seating chart to break up the cliques that have formed. Amanda also warns Gabby that Homecoming is upon them. Although such traditions aren't really Amanda's thing, everyone else is super-excited -- especially Adam, who's running for Homecoming King.
Back in the classroom, Adam has gotten his wish to be nominated to Homecoming Court. Although happy he's made it this far, Adam's friends fear for their sanity if Adam doesn't secure victory. Alex, Giana and Trevor are more concerned about maintaining their sanity in the new separated seating arrangements and make their displeasure clear. Amanda doesn't see a problem with it, but Dan points out that she's the only one who didn't get moved.
Upset that Weiss's plan failed to unite the class, Amanda wracks her brains on what she can do to help the situation. She comes across an old "Wanted" Old West photo that the newspaper group took together the year before. Everyone's smiling and actually looks happy to be around each other. Amanda shares the photo with Cassia, who's equally nostalgic for the happier times.
Hoping the photo will evoke similar emotions from her other editors, Amanda brings it to school and posts it in The Circuit classroom. Everyone does notice the picture and laugh at the fond memories, but Adam's the only one who thinks it's a good reminder of how peaceful things could be. He even approaches Alex, Giana and Dan about taking a new group photo at Homecoming but their responses are lukewarm at best.
Although big school dances may not be her thing, there's one young gentleman who's intent on making Amanda his Homecoming date. A member of the Latin Club, Joey leaves a Latin Dictionary and a note in Latin on Amanda's desk. Once she translates the message to meet him in the courtyard, Joey asks if Amanda will go to Homecoming with him which she gladly accepts. Could there be a new power-couple to challenge Alex squared?
Homecoming Week at Cypress Bay continues with "color wars", in which the different grades show their pride by dressing in a designated color. Amanda chooses to allow her spirit to be reflected in her academic and extra-curricular accomplishments, not what color she's wearing. With deadline approaching, there are much more important things to worry about. Adam, however, can only focus on whether or not he'll win Homecoming King and prove you don't have to be a jock to win the title. Knowing about Adam's insecurities, Dan invites Adam's main jock competition to the classroom for a show-down. Although he's twice Adam's size, the journalist manages to joke his way out of an uncomfortable situation.
Adam makes everyone (even Amanda) promise to show up at the pep rally that night, where they'll be announcing Homecoming King and Queen. Amanda appears to be getting more and more into the Homecoming madness, as she makes Alex promise to save her a dance. And, although she doesn't know what's going on for most of the game, Amanda does show up at the pep rally and football game to cheer Adam on. Much to everyone's surprise, Adam annihilates his jock competition and takes home the title of Homecoming King.
Amanda is equally surprised that she actually enjoyed a school event. She's beginning to think that things are looking up when her date Joey sends her a message informing her that he's been grounded and can no longer take her to Homecoming. Nothing like a last minute cancellation to raise one's spirits...
The boys kick off the big day with some man-pampering at a local spa. While they're facial masks go to work, Adam again asks Alex and Dan about taking a group picture at the dance. Dan flat-out declines, saying he knows he'll be busy and Alex says he simply doesn't want to think about it.
Meanwhile, Amanda has decided that she's an independent woman and can enjoy the dance with or without a date. She's even designated a number for how many boys she'll dance with that night: twenty-three. Amanda embraces this freedom by repeatedly pointing at boys and demanding they save her a dance. Still, Amanda is constantly left on the outside while Dan dances with his date, Giana dances with Trevor, and Alex dances with Alix.
Determined to get a new picture, Adam throws the idea out to Amanda and Cassia. With the girls on board, Adam tries to collect everyone else but can't even get Trevor, Giana and Dan to leave the ballroom and Alex isn't much more agreeable. He begrudgingly consents to the picture so long as they take it immediately -- and even then, he refuses to smile and makes sure everyone knows he'd rather be anywhere else. He makes such a stink that Amanda doesn't even try to claim her promised dance.
Adam isn't about to let a little crankiness and scowl ruin his picture and he proudly tapes it up next to the "Wanted" picture for everyone to see. Alex, Trevor and Giana mock the new picture and even make a show of taking pictures on their cell phones to "create memories". Amanda, however, compliments the new photo and makes Adam very happy in the process. Could a new alliance be forming? Perhaps we'll find out next week...
The Vietnam Of Newspapers
Amanda jolts out of bed, realizing that the first issue of The Circuit is hot off the presses. As editor-in-chief, she's not the only one excited -- all of the paper staffers are eager to check out the issue and distribute it to the rest of the school. While Alex and Trevor brag about the sections they worked on, Dan solicits compliments on his new humor column. He's only been guaranteed the column for the first two issues, so it's super-important that people like it.
Amanda and Alex grab lunch to discuss how the first issue of the paper turned out. They're both very happy with it for the most part, although Alex thinks Dan might have been trying a little too hard with his column. When Amanda comes up with an idea for a humor column about trick-or-treating, Alex encourages her to ask Dan about writing it herself. Amanda calls Dan immediately, and he's much more agreeable to the idea than Amanda thought he would be. Although, it also seems Dan's more interested in taking a nap than talking about the paper.
At school, it's time to nominate seniors for yearbook superlatives. Amanda wants "Best Personality," Trevor and Giana are up for "Best Couple"and Adam's determined to win "Best All-Around" ... although he seems much more likely to be crowned "Most Dramatic."
Now that he's wide-awake, Dan regrets his decision to let Amanda write his column. When Giana encourages Dan to demand it back, Alex agrees to back him up. Looks like someone's flip-flopping!
While Dan pulls Amanda aside, Giana and Adam bash the new editor-in-chief. Fed up with everyone ganging up on Amanda, an upset Cassia runs to the bathroom. Adam follows her and tries to clear things up, but she won't talk to him.
Meanwhile, Amanda and Dan's conversation isn't going much better. Amanda is convinced that Dan has only changed his mind because of everyone else's opinion of her, while Dan is adamant that he should get to write the first two columns as promised. After a heated debate, Amanda grudgingly agrees to let Dan write the column.
When a tearful Cassia returns to the paper, Adam brings Mrs. Weiss into the mix by demanding an editor's meeting so that everyone can air their grievances. When it comes time for the meeting, Giana ducks out and Alex doesn't show up. Mrs. Weiss and Amanda agree that everyone needs to be there, whether they want to be or not, and reschedule it for the following day.
When Alex and Giana meet up, Alex admits that he hates being stuck between two groups of friends. Giana tells him to just pick a side and be done with it.
The next day, Adam gets called to the yearbook office because he's been nominated for five superlatives, including "Most Talkative" and "Most School Spirited,"and must choose one. After whining about missing out on "Best All-Around," the yearbook staffers suggest he go with "Most Dramatic" -- something Adam's not sure he wants to be known as. But if the shoe fits...
Later, all of the paper's editors finally sit down for the meeting. Trevor and Giana immediately begin snickering when Amanda asks them to address their issues to her face instead of behind her back. Adam is the lone soul to bring up the fact that people are still bitter over losing the editor-in-chief position to Amanda -- a claim that Giana and Alex deny. Mrs. Weiss admits she sometimes sees the eye-rolls when Amanda opens her mouth.
The meeting takes a turn for the worse as everyone begins arguing ... except Alex. Amanda hopes he'll back her up, but all Alex says is he thinks the meeting is "stupid." Amanda closes the meeting by saying that, although she respects all of her fellow editors, she will no longer allow herself to be stepped on. Not exactly the resolution everyone was hoping for, especially Trevor, who thinks she's implying that she's going to "step all over" everyone even more.
After the meeting, Amanda reflects on everything that happened -- especially with Alex. She realizes that Alex may not be on her side as much as he's led her to believe. It's starting to become apparent that there's a clear divide at the paper and the staffers are on the verge of an all-out war.
Mrs. Weiss is feeling the stress, too, suffering from her "first eye twitch" of the year. Fed up with the drama, she puts the humor column to a vote. The paper staffers decide that rotating it between writers is best, which means Amanda will write the next column like she wanted to. Trevor and Dan start to make a stink until a fed up Adam throws a fit over all the controversy about one stupid column. While the rest of the staffers watch in stunned silence, Adam's tantrum escalates into screaming and crying. He eventually storms out of the classroom, sealing his title as "Most Dramatic" at Cypress Bay High School!
Deadline Duel
It's game night at Amanda's house and she and Cassia fondly recall when Alex used to participate. Amanda admits that she hasn't spoken to him since "the football incident" and is stunned when Cassia informs her that Alex and Alix are now a couple. Still, Amanda has something much more important to focus on: her first deadline as editor-in-chief!
When Mrs. Weiss gathers the editors to discuss the upcoming deadline, Amanda tells her that Adam will be handling the front page of this issue (a duty typically reserved for the editor-in-chief) and she will take care of the editorial page (typically the managing editor's job). Cassia wonders why Amanda would change things so drastically for her first issue but Amanda claims she couldn't say no when she knew how much Alex wanted to handle the cover. When Cassia continues to question this decision, Amanda essentially tells her it's between her and Alex.
Meanwhile, everyone else has gathered for a friendly game of Wii. After Adam creates an Amanda-character to play with, he and Alex face off in a boxing match. Alex admits that he wanted to do the front page to show Mrs. Weiss what a big mistake she made by passing him over for in-chief. Adam is surprised Amanda would let him take away that responsibility so easily, but Alex claims that Amanda is easy to manipulate. Alex is more determined than ever to take down Amanda -- just as he took down the Amanda-character in Wii boxing!
In the days before deadline, Adam gathers his advertising staff to inform them that he intends to once again break his own record by selling four thousand dollars worth of ads. In addition, he's hoping for a thirty-six page issue of The Circuit, something no high school has ever accomplished. While his minions are out selling ads, Adam sits back to enjoy an icy. This moment of zen is quickly ruined when Adam learns that one of his cronies has gone to sell an ad to a salon that's already purchased one. Then he learns that they've talked the salon into upgrading to a full page ad. By the end of the day, Adam's total is up to forty-six hundred dollars, meaning he's broke his own record...again.
Alex wakes up bright and early for the first day of deadline. He arrives to school early to cover the start of "Mr. Neely Week" in honor of Cypress Bay's beloved principle. While most people have dressed in red, Alex gets some great shots of a group of guys who have painted their entire bodies red for the occasion and spelled out "N-E-E-L-Y" across their chests.
The rest of the staff arrives to class, bracing themselves for three stressful days of layout. The stress level rises when Adam informs everyone that they'll be opening with a thirty-six page issue -- whether they want to or not! As Alex perfects his front page, Mrs. Weiss gives a long list of changes for Amanda's editorial. Clearly flustered, Amanda abandons her editor-in-chief duties to work on her editorial in the ladies room. Alex is all too happy to take over all the leadership duties in her absence and finally, Mrs. Weiss takes notice of his hard work.
When Amanda finally returns, everyone is fawning over Alex's awesome front page. Mrs. Weiss suggests that maybe Amanda should consider starting from scratch on her editorial, but Amanda's determined to make it work -- even if she has to dedicate her entire night fixing it while Alex enjoys a celebratory date with Alix.
By time day two of deadline rolls around, Adam's beginning to have some major freak-outs, practically biting Dan's head off when he submits an ad as a hard copy instead of in PDF form. But things are looking up for Amanda, whose second go at the editorial has earned raves from Mrs. Weiss.
Unfortunately, there's more drama on the way as The Circuit staff begins to realize that several pages are ending up with lots of extra space. Adam is determined to have that thirty-six page issue, but it's looking less and less like there will be enough material to fill so many pages. Finally, Mrs. Weiss suggests that they'll probably have to cut four pages from the issue.
Adam tries to defend the thirty-six pages while Alex and Giana argue that it's simply too much. The one person who's staying silent? Amanda. Mrs. Weiss makes the executive decision that four pages will indeed be cut, meaning they'll have to decide which stories to move and which stories to cut. Once again, Amanda remains eerily quiet as the other editors scream over each other. And, once again, Alex steps up as the leader by offering to cut a page from the sports section.
The boys go out to decompress with some pizza, commenting on how little Amanda contributed to the crisis. Although they agree Amanda's lack of participation was bad, they also enjoy the power this gives them -- especially Alex. As Trevor points out "we run the newspaper".
The third and final day of deadline is upon The Circuit staff and at least one person is upbeat and happy: Adam giddy about going to see High School Musical On Ice that evening. The lucky guy will get to skip out of deadline early while everyone else has to stay until the issue is completely finished. Immediately after Adam leaves, Mrs. Weiss announces that when the issue is ready to go, they'll have to convert it to a PDF and burn it to a disk. Only then do they realize that Adam's the only one who knows how to do this.
Things start to look hopeless, since no one knows how to PDF and Adam's not answering his phone, but super-Alex is to the rescue again! He calls last year's editor-in-chief and has her teach him the process over the phone. While Adam continues to ignore his messages and utilizes some backstage passes, the rest of the staff watch as Alex performs a miracle on the computer. Amanda is thrilled that everyone has "worked together" to avoid a crisis.
Back at home, Amanda does some yoga to de-stress from deadline. Cassia and Chereese talk about how cold Alex was to Amanda and their growing concern that she's being taken advantage of. Cassia decides she has to warn Amanda to start watching her back, but Amanda has turned off her phone. Looks like this confrontation will have to wait until next week!
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