As we speed towards the end of the season, there are a number of distressing signs about this show’s future. It disappeared from the Friday night schedule for months, then, when it returned amidst no fanfare it was deposited (Dumped?) on Monday Nights. Last week it was pre-empted from the schedule to make room for a Johnny Test repeat; the decision was so abrupt that there apparently wasn’t time to inform the various TV Guides, who ended up mis-reporting what shows were going to air that night as a result.

“We’re going to die because you two can’t stop thinking about a stupid dance!”

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Illana can’t stop thinking about a stupid dance. She’s glum and grousing for home. She joins the homecoming committee and quickly sells them on the idea of a science-fiction-themed homecoming which is, in fact, based entirely on the “Harvest Festival” from her homeworld.

I am amazed at how densely-written the story was tonight. I mean, a *LOT* of stuff happens, both plot and character development-driven, stuff was continually happening, there were a lot of quiet scenes, and an entire song. I figured the episode was almost done, then looked at the clock and we were barely halfway in. And yet none of it felt rushed. It felt like they dehydrated an hour-long story and packed it into this morsel of emotional ADD deliciousness, and it never felt forced.

The team is looking at a Jackson Pollack painting, which Illana sees as a warm happy sunrise, and which Lance sees as battle-related carnage. Octus sees it as a painting. When they press him on symbolism, he asks why the red can’t just represent red. They tell him to look deeper, and he discovers that there was an earlier painting the artist covered over. Annoyed, they conclude that he can’t see the emotion in the piece because he’s a robot. This annoys Octus.