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Aliens in America 1.15 “The Muslim Card”

by Arieanna on April 28th, 2008

Aliens in America 1.15 "The Muslim Card"
Air Date: April 27, 2008
Recap & Discussion

Aliens in America Episode Highlights:

• Gary tells a bad Chinese joke as they eat Chinese food, and Justin mulls over his fortune
• Raja is not good at spotting character flaws, particularly with girls. He gets sucked into signing a petition for Mindy, an overbearing girl
• Raja is the only "real" signature on the "petition to allow petitions" - the rest are fake, other students making up fake names to tease her, which makes Mindy cry. Raja hugs her.
• Raja sees goodness in "Mental Mindy"
• The new neighbors (Ted and Leslie) for the Tolchuck’s are a dream come true - a sports fan married to a foodie. Like clones of Franny and Gary. But with box seats!
• As an afterthought, the perfect neighbor tells Gary & Franny he’s a convicted sex offender and is required by law to tell them so. His wife is his "only victim!" because when they dated in college she was 17 and he was 19.
• Raja asks Mindy to be his partner for a project in their Italian class - then Raja offers to spend his Saturday assisting with her charity work
• Justin tells Raja he may have signed on for charity work, but that Mindy thinks it’s much much more
• Justin answers the door when Mindy comes by, she’s all gushing about falling in love with Raja

• Raja comes home that night completely annoyed and terrified by Mindy. Even the elderly played dead to avoid Mindy.
• After his "I told you so," Justin tells Raja that Mindy thinks they’re in love. Raja denies leading her on.
• Mindy wouldn’t hear what Raja had to say about their "relationship," and it runs over into their Italian presentation. Mindy steps up and tells Raja she loves him, in front of the whole class
• Raja tries to clear up the mess after class, but instead of telling Mindy he didn’t like her, he said it was because he was Muslim
• Franny doesn’t want to be seen with the sex offender - they may know the details, but other people won’t and she doesn’t want them to be seen as condoning rapists
• Franny & Gary go to dinner and it’s not long before someone throws water in Ted’s face, but he and Leslie deal with it with patience and grace
• Raja denies playing "The Muslim Card" but is stunned from his argument by seeing Mindy decked out in full Muslim garb - she has converted! Raja looks on the verge of throwing up.
• Raja is offended by Muslim Mindy  
• The Italian teacher calls Raja to her office, where Mindy and her parents are there. Her parents are unhappy with Mindy’s choice. Raja says he doesn’t condone Mindy’s actions nor her conversion to Islam based on a high school crush.
• Raja is proven wrong, Mindy has done her homework about Islam - and has made the statement that affirms her as a true Muslim
• Franny makes a peace offering to Ted and Lesie in the form of a welcome cake
• Mindy is waiting for Raja at the Tolchuck house and he has to face her to do what he should have done before - tell her that he’s not into her and finds her intolerable
• Turns out Ted is a racist, as well as a rapist - he doesn’t like Raja (of "those people") being in the neighborhood 

So, what did you think of the episode? Of the theme of "playing the cards you are dealt?" Did Raja, Gary & Franny learn something about judging too quickly? Both for and against people?

Tags: aliens in america, aliens in america season 1, the muslim card, aliens in america episodes, aliens in america recaps

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POSTED IN: Aliens in America, Scott Patterson, Television Shows