Jim becomes a stage dad for Brandon's basketball prospects when tryouts take place at school. Brandon is stressed by his father's expectations. He accuses a black player, James, who is selected of being a 'ringer' from out of district, despite knowing a white student at school from out o district whose secret he keeps - Andrea. James lets Brandon know how racist Brandon is and Brandon later apologises for his assumptions, which James nobly forgives. Brandon also admits to his dad that he isn't that interested in basketball and felt pressured by Jim, for which Jim apologises. Meanwhile, Brenda tries out for her driver's license, again, but fails - again. Despite this, when Kelly calls for a pickup from a disastrous date, Brenda takes Brandon's car and, in her stress, she forgets to check the gas, ending up stalled on a road. She leaves to find a mechanic and when she returns, the car is missing. Brandon is furious but the car turns up.
Tropes
- Daydream Surprise: A car race is shown and Brenda is seen driving a car as the announcer calls her a new contender in the world of race car driving. The announcer says her name then it repeats and Brenda jumps as the scene cuts to her in driver's ed class, her name being called by the instructor. Turns out it was just a fantasy.
- Prejudice Aesop: Steve assumes he's being passed over due to ringers joining the basketball team. Brandon believes him and starts to investigate whether the players - who are all black - are not actually allowed a spot if they're from out of district. Brandon confronts one of the new students James, who tells Brandon off for his racist assumptions and white privilege. James is eligible for admission, but the point stands that he easily made assumptions because the players are black, based off of Steve's racism, which the latter does not relent on. Though Brandon is angry at being called racist at first, he understands that he was.
- Ship Tease: When hanging out and studying Spanish in Brenda’s room, Kelly goes to use the adjoining bathroom between Brenda and Brandon’s rooms and overhears Brandon pretending he’s a pro-basketballer. She peeks in his room and watches him and when he finally gets a basket, she flirtatiously makes her presence known.Kelly: Nice shot, champ.
