Bubble's story I think was less "weird" than a lot of people are saying. A friend of mine has severe arachnophobia from just seeing shadows of spiders from on his night-light from when he was a kid... he won't even go into restaurants that he sees spiders in on previous visits. So having some traumatic experience like that doesn't seem that weird to me, it's just another one of those things that makes Bubbles "off", ya know? I mean he's a weird dude, you just don't really know why, but little hints like his parents, Conky, and now this are just the kind of things that are what made Bubbles, well, Bubbles.
Plus, the character Bubbles has nothing going for him, although everyone on the show likes him and doesn't say bad things about him, you'd think if you were Bubbles you'd probably want to avoid telling as many embarrasing things as you can, you know? So it seems normal to me for a guy not to want to just say those things. Not that he's a loser but you'd think a guy like that wouldn't have a lot of self-esteem, but that's just my impression. I wouldn't expect him to hurt Ricky's daughter like that, but I thought that when he did it, he didn't know it was going to cause her to fail.
I think this season is going for more of a mystery, "you kinda have to guess what's going on" type of thing. You know somethings up between Randy and Ted (is it 'Ted'?), but you're left to guess if it's a plot on Julian & Co, or some old fasioned "community theater" action. Lahey says he's spying on them, but except for the one scene of stolen property, the viewer is left to guess what kind of dirt he has.
There's obviously some stuff going on now with Trevor, as he seem to just be falling apart while he's away from Corey, although Corey seems to be doing good. Not sure if there's some meaning behind that, but maybe there will be a reason for all that later in the season.
One thing I've noticed so far this season that seem different, and kinda give a different 'vibe' to the show that might make some people like or dislike it:
1) Julian's missing! He's been almost playing a bit part it seems this season, or at least he has a lot less screen time. This gives a different vibe to the show, I think, now that it's more focused on Ricky, Bubbles, T&C, and Ray.
2) Especially in this episode, there's not much screen time talking with the people who are trying to "get" the boys. Usually there's some plotting against the boys that the viewer is guided through with either Randy or Lahey, but it seems not as much, especially in this eps.
3) The characters seem nicer to each other at times. Ricky slaps hands with Corey, he talks with him like a father (earlier eps). Lahey didn't seem pissed at all that his kitchen was trashed (or as pissed as he should be). I can't think of some of the other instances, but people just seem to be yelling at each other less. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of conflict, but in some prior seasons it seems like everyone's always yelling at everyone, which gives it kinda of an edgy-er feel.
Just my two cents!
<edit>Forgot to add: I loved this eps!</edit>
