But were her adoptive parents discouraging of her academic pursuits? I remember them as decent folk.

From an interview I read somewhere - KB had no idea who was at the door at the time that they filmed that scene.

But were her adoptive parents discouraging of her academic pursuits? I remember them as decent folk.

No, they were definitely decent folk.

So you're saying it wasn't unambiguous, but that the adoptive parents nurtured nature.

the adoptive parents nurtured nature

'xactly.

I like that idea much better. Thanks, Jon. Like Vonnie, I'd always kind of viewed that episode as presenting a rather unambiguous look, in contrast to Veronica's season-long plight of what it would to mean to her if Keith wasn't her real father.

What P-C said. Mac's biological parents' are not only monied, they were cultured, and Mac had all these longings for the High Art and felt alienated by her adopted parents who are more like of monster-truck-rally type people. And Madison, despite being brought up surrounded by books and trips to Europe and so forth, turned out to be a mean, declassé bitch.

I think the message was softened somewhat by the fact that Mac's adopted parents were good people and loved their daughter, even though they didn't understand her, but the whole thing still bugged me. It smacked too much of the romance novel trope of "oh, our heroine/hero was brought up in squalor but still had refined taste and purity of spirits because he/she was actually a son/daughter of an aristocrat, left on the doorstep of the blacksmith as a baby!"

And Madison, despite being brought up surrounded by books and trips to Europe and so forth, turned out to be a mean, declassé bitch.

She was a bitca, but she wasn't a fan of monster-truck-rallys. In fact, she probably would have been less of a bitca had she been brought up by her biological parents, since I think her money played a large role in her bitca-ness.

I think her money played a large role in her bitca-ness.

I agree. I can't imagine Madison being that much of a bitch had she grown up in Mac's household.

That episode wins points for an awesome ending, though, with that great 46bliss song.

with that great 46bliss song.

What got me about that ending wasn't that song, but the way that Mac is part of her adoptive family, even with some contrary interests. Because, really, every family has a wide range of interests, and it's entirely possible that she'd have been slightly out of step with her biological parents as well.

I loved the very end, where the biological mother entirely wimps out of making the statement, and Mac goes with her cheerful, supportive, mellow and fun adoptive family. It's far more believable to me, frankly.

So shiny!

I have nothing of importance to contribute at the moment, but I just wanted to express my pleasure at having someplace to talk about the show with people whose opinions I respect and admire.