My So-Called Reunion

Gosh, this sure made my heart feel good amid all the awfulness. This strange separation that we all find ourselves in together has made us crave connection like never before. And it’s made us reach out in new ways to old acquaintances. I know I’ve had more Zoom cocktail hours with my friends over these last few weeks than we probably would have ever had real cocktail hours together. It’s even made the cast of the best one-season show in the history of television reunite after 26 years. Most of the stars of “My So-Called Life” (well, the best ones, anyway – ahem) reunited last week for a Zoom catch-up. Wilson Cruz (a.k.a. Rickie Vasquez a.k.a. the best gay male teen character in the history of television – yes, I am making a lot of grand proclamations – it’s a pandemic if not now when?) shared a photo of the historic and heartwarming event.

So...This happened the other night. Most of the #MySoCalledLife cast was available for what turned out to be a very comforting, sweet, heartfelt and overdue reunion. We all have such love for each other, even 26 years later. It was overwhelming to see all of those faces together. pic.twitter.com/sei5eBRYw2

— Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73) April 16, 2020

Present were (clockwise from top left): Wilson Cruz (Rickiiiiiie!), Bess Armstrong (Angela's entirely relatable and very human mom, Patty), Devon Odessa (Angela's former bestie, Sharon), Mary Kay Place (Sharon's mom, Camille), Claire Danes (Angela Chase herself), AJ “I Am Legit a Countess Now” Langer (Angela’s new bestie, Rayanne Graff who I have absolutely no doubt would have come out as bisexual or poly or at very least sexually fluid in later seasons), Devon “Lisa the Lesbian Man” Gummersall (the guy Angela probably should have had a crush on instead, Brian Krakow), Tom Irwin (Angela’s cheaty yet also still relatable but in a different way dad, Graham), and in the center creator Winnie Holzman and her husband Paul “I Had No Idea You Were Married to Winnie Holzman” Dooley (Angela’s adorably tax evading grandpa, Chuck).

The only major missing pieces were Angela’s little sister, Danielle (played by Lisa Wilhoit) and Jordan “He Leans Great” Catalano (played by Jared Leto…no comment on Jared Leto – ahem). And, of course, Cousin Tino was a no show.

Yeah, so, not everything is bad. Some things are so beautiful, it hurts to look at them.

My Weekend Countess

As we all know, the cast of the short-lived but eternally beloved “My So-Called Life” has done pretty well for itself. Angela Chase is an only somewhat overly paranoid CIA agent. Jordan Catalano has an Oscar (cough, shoulda been played by an actual trans woman, cough) and a band. Rickie Vasquez is still ridiculously handsome and making the world a better, gayer place. And, of course, Brian Krakow is a lesbian man named Lisa.

But what of the beautiful, free-spirited, slightly broken Rayanne Graff? Well, don’t worry, she’s doing just fine. She’s a countess and lives in a castle now.

Now, you may recall back in 2005 Rayanne actress A.J. Langer married Charles Courtenay, who just so happened to be the 19th Earl of Devon. They had two kids and lived in LA until 2015 when his father died they moved to his ancestral home of Powderham Castle in the English countryside. Like a real, legit castle.

People has a nice little profile on the happy family. And I have to say they look very happy and also OMG RAYANNE LIVES IN A CASTLE. Happy weekend, countesses and everyone else.

My Weekend Crush

Sometimes, out of seemingly nowhere, I remember this “My So-Called Life” scene. It’s such a simple scene on its surface – a rehearsal of a high school production of “Our Town.” But it contains multitudes. And, as with so much in life, it’s what we don’t see that makes this so very powerful.

The set-up – Angela and her best friend Rayanne have stopped being friends because the latter slept with the former’s ex-boyfriend – is remarkably pedestrian. Female friendships torn asunder over a boy. Nothing revolutionary about seeing that on television. But it is the execution that never fails to bring a lump to my throat. I wondered why this particular scene sprung to mind so vividly the other day. And I think it is because I’ve been watching “Girls.” The past few episodes have dealt with the ways young women support and alternately let each other down in the most mundane ways. But when played for more than the lazy catfight, the way it feels when women break each other’s hearts and how – if we’re very lucky we heal them again – is unmistakably riveting. That’s all human beings are. Just blind people.

Right, so I think my subconscious is telling me it’s time to marathon “My So-Called Life” again. Happy weekend, all.