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Aliens in America 1.14 “100,000 Miles”

by Arieanna on March 28th, 2008

Aliens in America 1.14 "100,000 Miles"
Air Date: March 23, 2008
Recap & Discussion

Aliens in America Episode Highlights:

• Tempers are getting tense with the long cold winter
• Raja is shoveling snow without being asked, which puts pressure on Justin to take down the Christmas lights
• Raja’s ways are grating on the family
• Franny is planning a trip to Vancouver, BC (I love how they integrate the filming location - too funny!) - she won the tickets at Justin’s choir recital, among other things. She rigged it.
• The flight is delayed. Raja decides to pray at the airport, and that alarms people. Security comes, but Raja ignores them.
• They are kicked out of the airport - no Vancouver
• Raja apologizes - he has to pray 5 times a day, and can’t be interrupted
• Being bored at home, Gary decides to teach Justin how to drive (in a snow storm) - he has a ‘toss you into it’ mentality

• The Tolchuck’s think Raja is being stubborn with his "personal habits" - his faith
• It sounds like the family are all unhappy with how Raja is blending in, but Raja was not unhappy - does this make him feel unwelcome?
• The family show no concern for Raja’s poor treatment at the airport - Raja leaves the room
• Raja has left the Tolchuck’s, so they can go to Vancouver without him
• When it comes to looking for Raja, they don’t know where to start - they don’t know much about his life.
• They find the mosque, and must blend in.
• Franny and Claire meet a Muslim family who also have an exchange student - theirs from Germany. They exchange pictures, and each wishes for the other boy.
• Raja may be at another mosque, but it’s men only. The Muslim family offers for the girls to stay at their place while the boys look.
• Turns out that Raja is at Medora high, who has snuck in to stay warm and wait for his ride to the mosque
• The principal, there to pick up gifts for his sister’s new baby, tells him to go. Raja brings up that he’d like to consider being placed with a new family
• Justin is driving the car and wants to stop - he stops in a place that freaks out Gary, which freaks out Justin, and they end up driving into a snow bank
• The Muslim family seem to be doing as much as they can to help their German exchange student fit in… much more than Raja is getting. Both families wish it was easier.
• The fan ploughed into tree as well. Gary thinks Justin is a screw up. Justin says he’s good at things, but Gary never comes. Like choir.
• The principal points out that things are getting harder with the Tolchuck’s because he is being treated more like family (we treat people we love horribly)
• Raja calls Franny, who is angry and worried. That pleases Raja now.
• Gary tries to ask questions about Justin’s choir, which brings up stories of Gary’s dad and how physically hard he was on Gary to ‘be a man.’ Gary is worried that he’s being hard on Justin in the same way
• Justin says Gary is doing fine - he’s come a long way from Gary’s abusive father
• Gary asks Justin to sing his solo, and it turns out that they were close to the mosque, and Raja’s friend heard, and drove them home
• Franny has asked the Muslim family to prepare a Pakistani feast for Raja. She welcomes him home.

I thought this episode was very nice. It really touched on some important issues - religion, family, and how many ways we can perceive ourselves and others. What did you think?

Check out the Aliens in America Season 1 page for spoilers for the next Aliens in America, which will not be until April 27.

Tags: aliens in america, aliens in america recap, aliens in america episode, 100000 miles, scott patterson, dan byrd, amy pietz, lindsey shaw, adhir kalyan

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• Aliens in America 1.01 “Pilot” Screencaps
• Aliens In America 1.02 “No Man Is An Island” Screencaps
• Aliens in America 1.03 “Rocket Club” Screencaps
• Aliens in America 1.04 Video Clip
• Aliens in America 1.05 “Help Wanted” Photos & Discussion

POSTED IN: Aliens in America, Scott Patterson