The Tufts Daily - Friday, February 7, 2020

‘Bojack Horseman’ starts anew in 1st half of final season see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 4

MEN’S SQUASH

Jumbos defeat Conn. College, Boston College on new home courts

Mayor Lungo-Koehn takes office, pushes for transparency see NEWS / PAGE 2

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

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VOLUME LXXIX, ISSUE 10

Friday, February 7, 2020

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Kaplan, Miller, Infante win TCU Senate special election, fill remaining vacancies

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

TCU Senate special election winners, Valerie Infante, Max Miller and Jenna Kaplan, are pictured in Mayer Campus Center on Feb. 6.

by Alexander Janoff Assistant News Editor

First-years Jenna Kaplan and Valerie Infante and sophomore Max Miller were elected to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate following special elections originally planned to fill only two vacancies on Wednesday.

Elections Commission (ECOM) Chair Matt Zachem wrote in an email to the Daily early Thursday morning that Jenna Kaplan received the most votes and was elected to fill one of the vacant TCU Senate seats.

Infante and Miller, however, were tied in the race for the second seat.

About 10 hours later, Zachem, a sophomore, explained that an additional vacancy needed to be filled because TCU Senator for the Class of 2023 Sam Sadowski resigned.

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ECOM subsequently awarded seats to both Infante and Miller, filling the remaining vacancies.

Kaplan, Infante and Miller, the TCU Senate’s newest members, defeated first-year Connolly Ferraro and sophomore Max Price.

There were 397 unique voters who participated in the election, according to Zachem.

Price ran on a platform of increasing student government transparency and holding it more accountable to the student body. He emphasized that TCU Senate should be focused on issues Tufts students care about, such as housing costs.

ECOM released a statement at 6 p.m. following an exchange between Price and others on Facebook, affirming that no violation of election policy had been committed and reasserted that students should go out and vote.

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“We are currently investigating the situation with administrators,” the statement read. “As of now, our Campaign Rules and Tufts Class-Year Group rules do not suggest that any violation has taken place, either by the student who has made the post or the candidate. This does not mean that we disapprove of or condone the comments, actions or behavior of any of the students who have been involved in this post and its associated comments.”

Ferraro ran on a simple platform of improving the experience of Tufts students and the variety of food options at late night dining, according to a statement on ECOM’s website.

Kaplan, on the other hand, campaigned on a goal of ensuring food security and obtaining better funding for student organizations.

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“[My first platform point] is opportunity and transparency in Tufts finances and the ability [for] students to get funding from TCU Senate to travel in Boston, in the U. S. and abroad to fulfill their academic and personal goals,” Kaplan said.

“The second one is that of food security and accessibility, specifically reforming the meal swipe system.”

Miller ran on a platform of expanding course options that would facilitate the study of more cultures and protect student input during curricular review, according to a statement on ECOM’s website.

Infante’s platform rested upon improving student life at Tufts more broadly, which includes adding shuttle stops around campus, expanding free services such as feminine care products and adding Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run hours.

NEWS............................................1 FEATURES.................................3 ARTS & LIVING.......................4

FUN & GAMES......................... 7 SPORTS............................ BACK

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Friday, February 7, 2020

THE TUFTS DAILY Ryan Shaffer Editor in Chief

EDITORIAL Alex Viveros Nathan Kyn

More housing lottery numbers offered to juniors, seniors than beds available

by Stephanie Rifkin Assistant News Editor

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The Office of Residential Life and Learning (ORLL) changed how juniors’ and seniors’ housing assignments were distributed this year, by assigning them more lottery numbers than beds available. This allows more students security for on-campus housing earlier in the process, according to ORLL Director Josh Hartman.

Hartman indicated that this process enables students to make last-minute decisions about their housing arrangements, as a lottery number does not have any financial implications.

“It’s important to note that the way our housing policy is worded right now, you’re not financially committed to the room,” Hartman said. “Students can … walk away and they won’t have any financial obligation. It’s great for the students because it lets you keep your options open all the way until the very end.”

Additionally, students are now given the option of pulling out of the housing selection early in order to allow more students waiting for on-campus housing to get off the waitlist sooner, according to Hartman. He emphasized that his goal is to have more people between now and Feb. 21 cancel their applications.

“My goal is for the cancellation processes is to help the students on the waitlist and get off it as

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quickly as possible,” Hartman said. “I don’t want people to have to sign leases or have an issue with the off-campus place if they signed the lease.”

This past year, the ORLL assumed that everybody who had a lottery number was going to pick a space, but this was not the case.

“There were about 100 people who got a lottery number and they just never selected a bed during the lottery process,” Hartman said.

Assistant Director for Housing Services David Watts explained that students may choose not to use their lottery numbers if they find housing options that fit their needs better.

“It could be that [students] only wanted to live on campus if they could have Sophia Gordon,” Watts said. “[And] they realized they weren’t going to get some SoGo space so they were like alright … let’s go off campus now.”

Yet, students may choose to keep their lottery number in the case that they do not find better housing elsewhere.

“Depending on how good their lottery number [is] and how nice of a space they can find off-campus, they can weigh their options… other students keep [the lottery number] as a backup plan,” Watts said.

Angelic Sosa, assistant director for residential operations, indicated that many students who decide to live off-campus do not notify the ORLL of their decision, which prevents ORLL

from removing the students’ names from the lottery or waitlist. “[Last year] there were so many people with lottery numbers or waitlist numbers who did find stuff off-campus and hadn’t notified us,” Sosa said. “That ends up pushing out our process in being able to help students a lot earlier with offering up space on campus.”

Watts added that students cannot be offered a space on campus for only one semester, then choose to live off-campus for the other, which takes away the opportunity from other students who would otherwise receive housing for the full academic year.

“If you sign up by the deadline, we can guarantee you housing but you’re also required to be on for the whole academic year,” Watts said. “You can’t be offered just the fall semester and change your mind when a sublet opens up somewhere closer because that hurts our numbers.”

Hartman added that many SMFA students find it easier to find off-campus housing near the Fenway campus, making it unlikely that they would be impacted by this change.

“The opportunity for rental properties down near Fenway is actually higher than it is up here and in a different market,” Hartman said. “A lot of SMFA students in the past found off-campus housing nearby easier than our Medford and Somerville students have found up here. We’re working with them on a case by case basis.”

Lungo-Koehn sworn in as Medford mayor

by Carolina Espinal Assistant News Editor

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Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn was officially sworn into office last month, after ousting two-term incumbent former Mayor Stephanie Burke by a margin of 645 votes to become the City of Medford’s 32nd Mayor.

Lungo-Koehn, the owner of a real estate brokerage and a local attorney specializing in family law, personal injury and estate planning, first ran for a seat on the Medford City Council in 2001, serving as president and vice president of that body before being elected mayor in November 2019.

During her first several years on the Council, Lungo-Koehn focused on representing the youth in the community by leading efforts to secure funding for several initiatives such as the Parks League Program, which provided free services to children during summer months, and the Make Way for Kids program.

Mea Quinn Mustone, a member of the Medford School Committee, said that she saw Lungo-Koehn’s dedication to her children’s schools.

“Last year, we both had children together at the Roberts Elementary School. I could see that her priority was volunteering at the school for her children’s classes, field trips and events,” Mustone said.

Mustone said that some of the concerns the school committee is currently addressing include efforts to staff and increase the physical capacity of seats in after-school programs and that many of the programs Lungo-Koehn has fought to secure funding for, like the Parks League Program, are extremely important.

She also added that she would love to see the city increase the amount of money allocated to the school budget.

“I wish there was a money tree right in Medford City Hall … we’re never wasting dollars when it’s for kids,” Mustone said.

Lungo-Koehn said that when she won the mayoral race she felt humbled, excited and determined to improve Medford.

“The next day I just snapped into reality that I have a lot to learn, a lot to do and I have a twoyear term to do it in,” she said.

Increasing transparency was a central part of Lungo-Koehn’s mayoral campaign. She said one way to achieve this is by recording city council meetings — a practice she has already incorporated and hopes to see expand in the future across boards and commissions, as well as in the school committee.

“I think transparency is the way that cities and towns need to govern. We need to be able to communicate as much as possible that goes on,”she added.

In a recently televised City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting, a motion passed to have all the committee reports uploaded onto a Google Drive in order to allow for greater accessibility and community participation, according to Mustone.

In addition to increasing openness by recording meetings, Lungo-Koehn plans on hiring a communications director and publishing a weekly or monthly newsletter that includes updates about the city.

The implementation of the newsletter is an effort “to give the public full knowledge of what’s going on and allow residents … to get involved when they think something is great and they want to volunteer, get active, ask questions or voice concerns,” she said.

Lungo-Koehn’s office also applied for, and was awarded, grants to start a human resource department within City Hall.

“My hope is to move Medford forward in a transparent and inclusive way, to work on the issues that are facing our communities such as housing, traffic, climate change, homelessness, food security and the opioid epidemic,” she said.

Lungo-Koehn added that another issue of concern for her is the cost of housing, explaining that her office submitted a proposal to hire a consultant to assist with a housing production plan.

Looking toward Medford’s future and its potential for growth, Lungo-Koehn also emphasized the importance of having support from strong leadership.

“If I put the right people in the right positions and have a strong team in the mayor’s office in City Hall, then we can get so much done for the betterment of this community,” she said.

In a letter written in May to Tufts University President Anthony Monaco and then-Medford Mayor Stephanie Burke, Lungo-Koehn offered seven suggestions for future payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) negotiations.

“In addition to a fair financial contribution to offset the costs of services, there are synergies between Tufts and our local institutions that could be mutually beneficial,” Lungo-Koehn wrote in the letter.

PILOT is a voluntary agreement that allows untaxed nonprofits, like Tufts, to give contributions to its host communities to compensate for lost property taxes. The last PILOT agreement expired in June 2018.

“It’s not always about the money that Tufts gives Medford … the students at Tufts are a wealth of knowledge and it’ll be an asset to have more students involved in helping Medford; it’s also an opportunity [for students] to learn,” Lungo-Koehn said.

Some of the suggestions Lungo-Koehn laid out in the letter include placing two graduate

interns from the Department of Environmental Policy and Planning with Medford City Halls’ planning office; making tuition free for students admitted from South Medford and parts of Somerville; partnering with lower-performing schools and leveraging Tufts’ resources to make positive change; hosting quarterly community meetings with academic leaders, the Mayor’s office, city councilors, neighborhood and business representatives.

Lungo-Koehn indicated that she is ready to get involved with Medford residents who are interested in assisting with the PILOT negotiations, which aligns with an ordinance supported by the Medford City Council that would create a group of residents to help with the negotiations.

Tufts’ Director of Government and Community Relations Rocco DiRico explained that the university plans to find new and innovative ways to foster partnerships with the City of Medford under Mayor Lungo-Koehn’s leadership.

“For years, we have prided ourselves on our engagement with our host communities, the mutually beneficial relationships that we have forged with them and our support of many local organizations,” DiRico wrote in an email to the Daily.

DiRico explained that Tufts University has 2,644 employees on the Medford/Somerville campus, which makes Tufts the largest employer in Medford and that 1,574 of Tufts employees live in the university’s host communities.

DiRico said Tufts provides financial support for students at Medford and Somerville high schools by waiving the application fees for the students, paying for an SAT prep program called “Let’s Get Ready” and supporting 75 nonprofit organizations in its host communities, in addition to monetary contributions to Medford.

“Tufts has had a great working relationship with the city of Medford. We voluntarily increased our PILOT to Medford by 64% last year,” DiRico said.

Among more recent collaborative efforts, DiRico added that Tufts partnered with Medford and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to choose the name for the new Green Line station at the intersection of College Avenue and Boston Avenue in Medford that emphasized a “sense of place for both the city and the University.”

DiRico also noted that the university will be making a significant donation to the Medford Public Library Foundation and intends to work collaboratively with the mayor, the Medford City Council, the Medford School Committee and the school’s neighbors to “find ways to address the issues that impact members of the Tufts community and Medford residents.”

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3 Friday, February 7, 2020

Emma Rao Revisiting introversion and extroversion

What do they actually mean?

D

id you know that Barack Obama is an introvert?

Surprised? Wondering what it means to be an introvert or an extrovert? For a while, I didn’t understand the nuances of introversion and extroversion.

Hopefully, through this column, I’ll be able to shed some light on this aspect of personality.

Though the terms introvert and extrovert are thrown around often, their true meaning has become lost over time, diluted by improper usage and assumptions. To start the conversation, let’s go to a simple source: the dictionary. An extrovert is “an outgoing, gregarious person” or “a person concerned primarily with the physical and social environment.” An introvert is “a shy person,” or “a person characterized by concern primarily with his or her own thoughts and feelings.”

These partly accurate definitions highlight some of the key points and main assumptions of introversion and extroversion.

The first thing to know about introversion and extroversion is that they aren’t rigid categories, but a spectrum with introversion on one side, extroversion on the other, and ambiversion (a combination of introversion and extroversion) in the middle. The main distinguishing feature is the way that people recharge. Introverts recharge by spending time alone, whereas extroverts recharge by being social. As an introvert, this doesn’t mean that I don’t like going out, just that when I do, I might need some time to myself the next day or else I’ll feel really drained.

Sound familiar? If this is a little perplexing because you identify as an extrovert but also sometimes like to be by yourself after a long day, let me stress again: although two distinct terms are used, these are not neat boxes that people fall into. Introversion and extroversion, and people in general, are more complicated than that.

There are other characteristics that distinguish introverts and extroverts. Introverts often enjoy one-on-one conversations more than group conversations, are more reserved and reflect a lot. Extroverts are generally more open and will be so with more people, speak up and don’t mind a lot of attention.

Back to the definitions. The definition of an extrovert is accurate with the word “gregarious,” meaning sociable. The part of each definition that deals with the primary concerns of each type of person, however, is slightly misleading. It isn’t that introverts don’t think about others or about socializing, or that extroverts don’t think about themselves; rather, it’s a matter of reflection and of which way an individual’s tendency leans toward one or the other.

The problematic part of the definition of introvert is the equating of introversion and shyness. While shyness and introversion can go hand in hand, they are not one and the same. Both introverts and extroverts can be shy; someone can reenergize by socializing and also feel nervous about interacting with other people.

Barack Obama is an introvert, and so am I. I need time to myself in order to feel like myself and I overthink a lot of things. I also like spending time with friends and enjoy meeting new people, even if it sometimes feels draining. To all my fellow introverts, I feel you. Keep doing you.

Emma Rao is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Emma can be reached at Emma.Rao@tufts.edu.

4 Friday, February 7, 2020

ARTS&LIVING

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TV REVIEW

‘BoJack Horseman’ asks what redemption means in 1st half of final season

by Ryan Eggers

Executive Arts Editor

Entering the sixth and final season of Netflix’s animated flagship “BoJack Horseman” (2014–20), creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg and crew knew it was time to shift from questions to answers. It’s a scary departure, knowing that for five seasons “BoJack Horseman” handled the former so well. From rock bottoms to rockier bottoms, BoJack (Will Arnett) and the rest of the main cast explored the depths of the human experience more thoroughly than perhaps any other television show in modern history.

But, after a half-decade of rises and falls from the characters as they sifted through life in Hollywoo, “BoJack Horseman” had the unique challenge of forging a definitive path forward in its final season. But in a life full of never-ending cycles, how can anyone break out of orbit? The answer, at least in the first half of “BoJack’s” final frame, is to start anew.

As indicated by the end of season five, that new start for BoJack is in Pastiches, a rehabilitation facility in Malibu. After a painkiller addiction brought BoJack to the darkest and most distorted reality we’ve seen from him on screen, it was clear that half-measures were not the solution beholden to season six.

In true BoJack fashion, he doesn’t take to the treatment earnestly at first. The season’s opener, “A Horse Walks into a Rehab,” mostly revolves around this struggle, as well as an examination of the source of his addiction.

The episode begins in the immediate aftermath of the emotional apex of the series, with Sarah Lynn’s (Kristen Schaal) heroin overdose in season three’s “That’s Too Much, Man!” Giving us a flashback to the most fatal consequence of BoJack’s actions is a grim reminder of what he’s left behind due to his addiction, and perhaps a grimmer reminder of what could come if he doesn’t change.

Cutting back to Pastiches, BoJack doesn’t take well to the therapy experience… until noticing a picture of Sarah Lynn — a former patient — on the wall. This moment of clarity seems to drive BoJack to take therapy more seriously, and soon he’s a model student. In the episode’s final act, BoJack is faced with a familiar situation to the one he was faced with years ago with Sarah Lynn: Jameson H. (Kiersey Clemons), a teenage girl with multiple rehab stints, breaks out to confront her boyfriend at a party. BoJack follows, and despite having his first chance at a drop of alcohol in months, he just helps Jameson get back safely (and sober).

Meanwhile, a few flashbacks are interspersed throughout the episode, showing the various “first times” that BoJack drank. In these moments we see BoJack’s most pervasive addiction enabling another: attention.

Whether it be to loosen his nerves and carry more charisma on stage, open himself up enough to land jokes at a high school party or to try and understand his parents’ drunken fights, we see that alcohol and his desire to be seen are inherently woven into his psyche.

These various realizations, coupled with the burning memory of Sarah Lynn, give BoJack (and the audience) real hope — hope that this time, he can really change.

Season six isn’t just a fresh start for BoJack, though. His time in rehab takes a backseat plot-wise for the next few episodes, focusing on new beginnings for the rest of the cast. “The New Client,” the season’s second episode, highlights Princess Carolyn’s (Amy Sedaris) newest project: her (to-be-named) daughter. PC’s mantra since the beginning of the show has been that she can do it all, but when tasked with hosting an event champi-

oning working moms while taking care of her own newborn, we finally see her at capacity.

Proper credit is owed to Lisa Hanawalt and her production team for animating this sense of exhaustion into existence. As Princess Carolyn’s attention becomes divided further and further, timelines split off and we see PC literally doing it all on-screen, taking several different forms and doing several different tasks between her job and her child. Eventually, her attention is split too thin, and her overworked and needle-pricked body (adopting a porcupine is a much bigger day-to-day burden than you’d think) finds its way to Pastiches, where her intention to visit BoJack turns into a brief stay herself.

While Princess Carolyn rests, everything else works itself out off-screen, and by the time she wakes up, Todd Chavez (Aaron Paul) had accidentally secured her a new project with a television network and her working mom howdo-ya-do had already taken place. PC didn’t do it all, but she learned something better: she doesn’t have to do it all. In a touching moment with her long-time rival Vanessa Gekko (Kristin Chenoweth), PC confides a deep fear that her passion for her baby isn’t clicking like her passion for work. Gekko admits that raising a child is a ruthless project, but one that she’ll learn to take care of, just like all of her other projects.

Coming full circle, Princess Carolyn now finally has a name for her daughter — Ruthie — which is a nod to both her ruthlessness and “Ruthie,” a season four classic.

Diane (Alison Brie) takes the biggest leap geographically of any of the main five in season six, as “Feel-Good Episode” shows her traveling across the country with her cameraman and new boyfriend Guy (LaKeith Stanfield), covering stories for GirlCroosh’s new video section. We’ve seen stark life and physical change from Diane over the past two seasons, and season six is another in a long line of attempts for her to find happiness.

And, with Guy, she actually finds it. The episode mostly revolves around a fight to take down Jeremiah Whitewhale (Stephen Root), your everyday evil capitalist billionaire who buys out anything that challenges him. An investigation into an “accidental” death at one of his factories brings us Diane at peak obsession, desperate to make a meaningful piece of journalism. We see Guy prop her up in these moments, understanding (or at least accepting) her quirks in a way Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) never quite could.

In the end, Diane and Guy confront Whitewhale about the accident, only for him to chuckle it away: “That was no accident — I murdered him!” Yes, season six brings us a new offering of tragically comical critiques of American capitalism, as Congress passes a law that allows billionaires to murder anyone, ending their investigation. While their work was meaningless, the bond that Diane and Guy formed was real. Diane didn’t trust this happiness, though, and went back to Los Angeles.

Some cycles are harder to break than others.

“Surprise” is a highlight of the season, bringing the cast together for a surprise wedding for Mr. Peanutbutter and Pickles (Julia Chan) at their house — a classic Todd Chavez caper. But, PB’s guilt about cheating on Pickles with Diane reached its apex at the exact same time, and he admits his act right before everyone yells surprise. The next 20 minutes are an exercise in absolute absurdity, with guests of the party hiding from the couple as they work out the issue.

But while the fun of the episode is in the details of each interaction between the concealed characters, the message comes through at the end when Pickles and Mr. Peanutbutter

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for “BoJack Horseman” (2014–20) is pictured. work out an… interesting solution to their problem: Pickles will simply sleep with someone else, and then they’ll be even. Just when we thought we’d finally see PB take responsibility for his actions and be held accountable, he duct tapes the problem together with the maturity of someone in their twenties. The cycles continue.

The latter half of the season centers back to BoJack and the end of his time in rehab, but there is a quick pit stop for a side story with Todd. His newest wacky adventure involves reconciliation with his stepfather and a fight to get his kidney (he had just sold it to buy hand puppets the previous week) to his comatose mother. There’s a clear contrast between the logical nature of Jorge (Jaime Camil) and the zany nature of his stepson, but the two are able to work together long enough to succeed in their mission and steal the kidney from Jeremiah Whitewhale, who’s stockpiling organs “cuz he’s a rich old dude who wants to live forever”.

During the surgery, Jorge seems to show an acceptance of who his son is, acknowledging that he shouldn’t have worried so much about instilling discipline — Todd is white, after all.

Noting that Todd’s frivolous misadventures are often a result of white privilege was a considerate but expected move from a show as selfaware as “BoJack Horseman,” though its place at the end of their final conversation leaves room for more development in the latter half of the season.

Outside of Pastiches during the latter half of these episodes, we see an assistant’s strike that culminates in the return of fan-favorite char-

acter Judah (Diedrich Bader), Diane’s return to Chicago (she learned to herself trust it) and Pickles’ failed attempts to sleep with someone in as emotionally betraying of a manner as Mr. Peanutbutter did. They all serve well as B-plots for the final few episodes and set up interesting narratives for the second half of season six, but BoJack’s last interactions with Doctor Champ (Sam Richardson), his therapy horse,c steal the show.

Doctor Champ accidentally drinks a bottleP of contraband vodka brought in by BoJack,r turning him quickly into a drunk mess. Whiled BoJack originally surmises the situation asB another one of the endless screw-ups he’sw made, he soon realizes that Champ’s problemsl lie deeper. Doctor Champ is still a drunk him-w self, and BoJack’s vodka pushes him toward an alcohol bender. w In a conversation of catharsis at a barf Doctor Champ stumbled into, BoJack finallyi verbalizes the source of his addiction: his par-( ents gave him an internalized self-hatred ofs horses, which led to a pattern of misbehaviort within himself in disgust of his own horsed body. Instead of coping with these feelings,h he drinks. This pattern reinforces itself, lead-B ing BoJack to believe that he’s powerless toi change. It’s a realization that audiences haveo put together themselves throughout “BoJacka Horseman’s” catalog of episodes, but therer was a deep relief in hearing BoJack admit it. m BoJack admits Doctor Champ into Partridges, the rehab facility next door toh r see BOJACK, page 5 h n

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Friday, February 7, 2020 | Arts & Living | THE TUFTS DAILY

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TV REVIEW

5

‘Spinning Out’ intrigues both on, off ice

by Colette Smith Arts Editor

“Spinning Out” (2020) appears on the surface to be a drama about a talented figure skater’s fall from grace after an injury. However, as the episodes unfold, the audience is exposed to the complexities of the main character, Kat Baker’s (Kaya Scodelario) life, from a difficult family situation to her experience with bipolar disorder.

A tragic fall in competition leaves Kat terrified to attempt the daring moves she used to do. Subsequently, she fails her exam to be a coach when she cannot land a jump, and it seems like her skating career may be finished. Her hopes are eventually rekindled when she has the chance to become a pair skater with Justin Davis (Evan Roderick), her eventual love interest. With the coaching of Dasha Fedorova (Svetlana Efremova), Kat and Justin find success during competition season. While the plotline of Kat’s skating career is interesting and is what moves the show along, it does not really do anything to connect the audience to Kat. On the ice, Kat is known for deep, intense stares and is so talented that she does not feel relatable.

It’s the storylines off the ice that reveal the character’s depth.

Kat’s relationship with her half-sister, Serena Baker (Willow Shields), is one of the first indicators of her complex life. While Kat and her sister are very close, there is clearly competition between the two. This rivalry is intensified by the fact that while Kat is fading in the skating world, Serena is seen as a rising star. The sisters’ rocky relationship is clear as early as the first episode, when Serena goes from asking for Kat’s protection when their mother forces Serena to excessively work out to then accusing Kat of being jealous and not having control over her bipolar disorder. The relatable storyline of the sister’s relationship was one of the high points of the series, in large part due to the actresses’ strong performances. While Serena’s character enjoyed other storylines as well, most notably those exploring her relationship with her father and doctor, it would have been interesting to learn even more about her.

Another family member playing a prominent role in the series is Kat’s mother, Carol

Baker (January Jones). Both Kat and Carol have bipolar disorder, and the difficulties that this sometimes causes for the family are heavily explored. For most of the season, it seems as though when one of them was healthy, the other one was struggling, giving audiences a constant examination of mental health within its 10 episodes. The show succeeded in displaying both how bipolar disorder affects the individual and how it can affect the people closest to them.

January Jones did an excellent job connecting the audience to Carol as her character goes from being highly unlikeable to someone to root for.

Outside of her family, Kat relies heavily on two fellow skaters, Jenn Yu (Amanda Zhou) and Justin. At the start of the season, Jenn is often Kat’s respite from her difficult family situation. Their friendship is tested at some points in the season, but they always seem to come out stronger. In many ways, Jenn contrasts with Serena and when one is in a fight with Kat, the other is who Kat leans on. This contrast comes to a head in the final episode when it is revealed that both girls have been in a relationship with Dr. Parker (Charlie Hewson).

Kat’s relationship with Justin is another one of the high points of the show.

Even when they are angry with each other, the tension between them is palpable and it is clear that they are destined for each other. This added a romantic element on top of the many other layers of the show (comeback story, mental illness and complex family issues). Justin’s evolution throughout the show, in large part due to his relationship with Kat, is a particular focus of the series, and for good reason. Although somewhat predictable, it was a welcomed happy note in episodes where many of the other characters were struggling.

While the strength of the cast and depth of the characters was what made the show engaging, it also made it so that the audience did not get to follow up with different characters. The short season and many simultaneous storylines prevented the audience from being able to dive deeper into the lives of characters like Fedorova and Marcus Holmes (Mitchell Edwards). It seems like just enough information about these characters is given to

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for “Spinning Out” (2020) is pictured. draw the audience in, but not enough is given to let the audience reach a conclusion. These loose ends are why it is especially disappointing that Netflix is not renewing the show for a second season.

Additionally, while it was pleasant for the audience, the ending was somewhat too idealistic since it seemed that most things were neatly tied up.

“Spinning Out” had many of the same attributes as other great sports-centered TV shows, yet it had another layer that made it more compelling for people that do not care about figure skating. It ended on a relatively high note for all the characters and their relationships, which somewhat helps the pain of knowing that there will be no new season.

'BoJack Horseman' redeems but doesn't absolve its titular character BOJACK

continued from page 4 Pastiches. Champ claims that BoJack has ruined him, just as he ruins everyone who dares to care about him. The words sting, but Bojack knows that this is the right path forward. He’s looking directly into a mirror when looking at Doctor Champ, and he finally sees why being sober is so important to his growth.

Now home again, BoJack has to deal with another demon from his past. At his first AA meeting after rehab, he finds himself in the company of an old friend, Sharona (Amy Sedaris), a hairdresser from his ’90s show “Horsin’ Around.” Sharona represents the beginning of the consequences of BoJack’s drinking, as Sarah Lynn drank vodka that he had brought onto set. Avoiding a PR fiasco, BoJack pins the vodka on Sharona, his drinking buddy, claiming that the show would be over if he gets the blame. Sharona gets fired, and Sarah Lynn takes the first step down the road that eventually kills her. It is a haunting memory to bring up, but BoJack must face it.

The two eventually talk, and Sharona gives him one last haircut as an act of closure. We’re reminded of BoJack’s age as we find out that he’s been dying his hair black for some time now. Sharona stylizes it back to its original

gray, and we see a horse that maybe has truly changed, both inside and out.

Continuing his journey of forgiveness, he flies to Chicago to thank Diane for encouraging him to go to rehab and accept the help he needed. It is a beautiful, tender moment between the two broken characters, with BoJack realizing what Diane has always known about him: He is capable of getting better. He isn’t doomed to ruin anyone who cares about him.

The rest of the tour includes a stop in Connecticut, where he visits his younger sister Hollyhock (Aparna Nancherla) at Wesleyan University. He secures a job as a drama professor, the final act that completely separates himself from the version he was in Los Angeles. When he flies in for the new semester, though, inclement weather calls for a brief pitstop in Washington, D.C. Waiting for his newly scheduled flight, he sees a pamphlet for an old horse town, a place of historical reenactment.

In the town, he attends an old horse church service, and we see another breakthrough: the idea of redemption. As BoJack listens to the pastor, you see a physical impact to his words.

Isaiah 1:18 is referenced as the pastor says “though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” For someone who thought for so long that they were irreparably damaged, these words came as a revelation to BoJack.

The pastor, noticing the effect the service had on him, invites him to stick around because “in 30 minutes, we start over.”

As we see in the final 30 minutes of the first half of the season, the pastor was really talking to the audience. While the second-to-last episode showed a possibility for BoJack to redeem himself on a personal level, the final episode shows that regardless of personal redemption, the consequences of your past actions don’t simply go away. “A Quick One, While He’s Away” highlights the carnage of BoJack’s life — the people he’s hurt along the way.

From Kelsey Jannings (Maria Bamford) being unable to find director work after getting fired from BoJack’s “Secretariat” to Gina (Stephanie Beatriz) experiencing PTSD from being choked by BoJack in a pill-induced haze, we see that in more ways than one, the suffering he caused doesn’t change just because BoJack changed. For a (horse)man who has committed so many harmful acts, it’s critical that we see how personal growth doesn’t absolve past actions. He’s still responsible for the horrible things he did in the past, and if star reporter Paige Sinclair (Paget Brewster) has anything to say about it, he’ll be receiving justice for one of them: the death of Sarah Lynn.

Sarah Lynn’s mother doesn’t believe that her daughter overdosed of her own accord —

a fact that the audience knows to be false. As the first half of the season comes to a close, Sinclair and her sidekick reporter Maximillian Banks (Max Greenfield) close in on the story, leading them to New Mexico, where another one of BoJack’s biggest mistakes lie: Penny Carson (Ilana Glazer), a 17-year-old he almost slept with after a prom night where BoJack led her best friend to alcohol poisoning. Yeah, when you put it all together in one sentence, it’s really bad.

The final scene of the first half of the season shows Hollyhock at a party, anxious because she’s never had alcohol before. And, in another incredible coincidence of this episode, Pete (Jermaine Fowler) finds her and calms her down. He talks her through her anxiety attack, giving his own story of why alcohol is so scary to him. And… yes.

By this time, the audience realizes that this is the Pete from that fateful night: the date of Penny’s alcohol-poisoned best friend.

Hollyhock is disgusted by his tale, but the bigger shock isn’t shown: Pete mentions that the old creep in the story is actually a famous person. Hollyhock, nervous and concerned, asks who it is, though she seems to already know. The episode cuts to black before the reveal.

And thus the cycle continues.

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Living | Friday, February 7, 2020

tuftsdaily.com

FILM REVIEW

‘Birds of Prey’ is fun, fabulous, a strong future for DC

by Christopher Panella Arts Editor

The best thing the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) ever did was cast Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Quinn’s a fan-favorite character and possibly the most interesting character in Batman’s rogue gallery. Likewise, Robbie’s rendition was the only spark of charisma in “Suicide Squad,” (2016) which gave her very little to do. Thankfully, “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn),” (2020) is not only much, much better than its zany predecessor, but it gives both Quinn and Robbie the film they deserve.

Set after the events of “Suicide Squad” and following a breakup between the Joker and Quinn, “Birds of Prey” gives Quinn the driver’s seat. The film owes its existence to Robbie, who produced it and pushed for its creation for five years. It’s a far more interesting story than much of what DC has produced before; now that Quinn is single and no longer under Joker’s protection, much of Gotham City’s underworld wants her dead, including Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), also known as Black Mask. “Birds of Prey” also introduces Helena Bertinelli (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), also known as Huntress, the saucy singer Dinah Laurel Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and Gotham City Police Detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez).

The cast is talented, and the characters are vibrant. McGregor especially shines as Sionis — but then again, it’s McGregor, so that’s expected — and it goes without saying that Robbie absolutely owns Quinn and all her quirks. “Birds of Prey” is her film and it’s well-deserved. It’s a performance that leaves us thankful that DC is leaving Jared Leto’s Joker out. The Joker is a character that’s been done and redone plenty of times — most recently in the dumpster fire “Joker” (2019) — but Quinn’s story is new and more exciting. Hopefully, “Birds of Prey” shows DC just how lucky they are to have Robbie on board.

Audiences watching “Birds of Prey” will certainly notice just how well done and frankly, awesome, the fight choreog-

raphy is. This film is certainly an action film and it makes full use of its R rating.

There’s plenty of broken bones, bruises, crushed limbs, fractured skulls, lost teeth, injured male groins, gunshots and stab wounds. And it’s absolutely lovely to watch. The fights are quite possibly the most fantastic, well-choreographed action in a comic book movie yet. This might be thanks to the realism of “Birds of Prey”; less magical powers and laser beams, more baseball bats to the head and kicks to the other head.

And audiences will enjoy the fantastic soundtrack, too. It’s a soundtrack full of bops — not unlike previous comic book movies — with exciting tracks like Megan Thee Stallion and Normani’s “Diamonds” (2020) and Doja Cat’s absolute bop “Boss Bitch” (2020). They’re songs that deserve radio and streaming love beyond the film.

While “Birds of Prey” certainly moves past “Suicide Squad,” it reuses much of the film’s eccentric vibe; there’s glitter, colorful smoke and shiny costumes to enjoy. This time, it’s much less vomit-inducing. The settings are fun and flavorful. Director Cathy Yan makes the oddities work and adds some new elements: Quinn’s narration of the film, including a few instances of breaking the fourth wall, is perfectly timed and used well.

For many viewers, it might feel similar to “Deadpool” (2016), but “Birds of Prey” is far more polished.

And funnier. “Birds of Prey” is absolute fun from start to end and spends less time trying to be funny — cough, Deadpool — and more time giving us a film to laugh along with. Rather than just existing within a franchise and feeling like a stepping stone to a crossover movie — àla “The Avengers” (2012) or “Justice League” (2017) — this film is its own entity and it’s quite happy about it. Yan seems to take pride in letting Quinn exist rather than trying to find something bigger for “Birds of Prey” to do. Maybe that’s why “Birds of Prey” soars: it’s not trying to add up to the next film in the franchise or present some sort of serious narrative message. Those aspects come naturally.

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for “Birds of Prey” (2020) is pictured.

Thanks to Yan and Robbie, “Birds of Prey” could be and should be the creative focus of the DCEU. Maybe it’s time to leave Superman and Batman out of it and focus on Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey. There’s plenty

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of room for sequels and spin-offs. With any luck, “Birds of Prey” might just dominate this comic book franchise (along with Wonder Woman). DC’s struck gold with “Birds of Prey.” Here’s hoping they continue the dig.

Friday, February 7, 2020 | FUN & GAMES | THE TUFTS DAILY

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F &G FUN & GAMES

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y s CORRECTION r f A previous version of the Feb. 5 article “Somerville politicians support home rule petition to lower local voting age to 16” did not mention the contribution of Daily writer Alexander Thompson. The article has been updated to acknowledge his contribution. The Daily regrets this error.

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Sports

8 Friday, February 7, 2020

Henry Gorelik Off the Gridiron

A

fter the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, a lot of blame was placed on the 49ers for blowing a 10 point advantage that they held late into the fourth quarter. But, the 49ers did not lose because of conservative time management or inaccurate passing, they simply lost because of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

For the first 52 minutes of the game, the 49ers defense made Mahomes look uncharacteristically mortal. 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh set up his secondary in a preventative deep cover three in order to limit the Chiefs’ big plays and allow his pass rushers to apply pressure on Mahomes. Saleh’s plan worked — for the most part — as the 49ers defense sacked Mahomes four times and picked him off twice.

Although the 49ers defensive performance may have caused onlookers to temporarily forget about Mahomes’ inexplicable talent for about three-anda-half quarters, the generational quarterback emphatically reminded us of it in the final stretch of the game.

The Chiefs were down 20–10 with eight minutes left, seemingly down and out. But for Mahomes this was just another deficit, no different than the ones he had overcome against the Texans or Titans on his way to Miami.

In addition to his natural arm talent, Mahomes’ greatness lies in the fact that he is unfazed by the high-pressure moments or obstacles. The marquee plays of this latest Mahomes comeback were the sloppy 15-yard drop back that somehow resulted in a 44-yard bomb to receiver Tyreek Hill and then a perfectly thrown 38-yard pass down the right sideline that hit receiver Sammy Watkins in stride to the 10-yard line on the next drive. When it was all said and done, Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 21-point fourth quarter and a Super Bowl victory.

Even the speed and intensity at which Mahomes struck the 49ers does not quite do his greatness justice. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, along with Saleh, built a nearly perfect team that executed their game plan to perfection against the Chiefs. On offense, Shanahan stretched the Chiefs’ defense by calling a series of zone runs and play-action passes, while Saleh’s strategy bottled up Mahomes for most of the game.

This seemingly perfect 49ers team could only be dethroned by the greatness of Mahomes. He not only took down one of the most complete teams in recent memory, but he bounced back from his unexpected early mistakes in the game’s last act. He definitely did not play his best for the first 52 minutes, but he only needed the last eight to become a champion. That’s why Patrick Mahomes was the MVP of Super Bowl LIV, and will terrorize defenses for years to come.

Henry is a staff writer at the Tufts Daily. He is a first-year who has not yet declared a major.

tuftsdaily.com

Important win for Jumbos following opening of new squash courts

by Pranav Jain

Assistant Sports Editor

After losing to No. 20 Amherst 6–3 on Jan. 31, the No. 24 men’s squash team returned home for the opening weekend of the new Tufts Squash Center, defeating No. 27 Conn. College 9–0 on Saturday and losing to No. 21 Middlebury 6–3 on Sunday.

The team was back in action on the new courts again on Wednesday, defeating No. 36 Boston College (BC) 9–0.

Tufts swept every march against BC, defeating the players by large margins in each game.

“The match against Boston College was a chance to work on some shots, as we are ranked much higher than them,” first-year Sanjeev Jeyabalan, who played in the third position, said.

“It was good to get a slightly easier match in.”

In contrast, Sunday’s matchup against Middlebury was much closer. Jeyabalan won 3–2 in the third position, while firstyear Vivaan Jaikishan won 3–1 in the seventh position and sophomore Will Dewire won 3–2 in the ninth position. But that was all the Jumbos could muster, as the Panthers bested them 6–3 overall.

Although the match against the Panthers didn’t go in favor of the Jumbos, they maintained a high level of skill and attitude.

“I don’t think I played my best squash, but all credit to my opponent,” senior co-captain Raghav Kumar, who lost 3–0 in the second position, said. “He is a fantastic player and he deserves the win 100%. Everyone else gave their hearts out.

Deserving win for Middlebury, but we were right on the doorstep.”

Junior co-captain Salik Awan, who lost 3–0 in the eighth position, shared Kumar’s perspective on the loss.

“Middlebury was a tough match,” Awan said. “It was a really good match and we expected every single opponent to be tough.

The score was 6–3, but all the matches were super close. It could have gone either way.”

Tufts showed its dominance against Conn. College on the opening weekend of the new facilities, winning 9–0 and only losing one game on the day.

The Jumbos were struck by the overwhelming turnout for their first home match against Conn. College.

“Seeing so many people out there felt incredible,” Awan said. “Obviously, it was a long time coming. We had a few people who were kind enough to come down to Harvard for our matches, but the atmosphere this time was spectacular. We expected around 100 people to come and almost 200 showed up.”

Kumar felt that the crowd added a boost to the team morale, instead of making the players more nervous.

“Having more people watching us definitely feels supportive and helps us play our best,” Kumar said.

The exciting win at home came after another tough 6–3 loss to Amherst the night before. Just as in the matches against Middlebury, Jeyabalan, Jaikishan and Dewire were the sole victors in the matchup.

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

First-year Kunal Valia prepares to return the ball during a match against Conn. College at the Tufts Squash Center on Feb. 1.

As Kumar plays his last sets of matches before he graduates, Awan spoke about the impact his co-captain has left on the team over the years.

“Raghav has definitely left a very strong mark on the team,” Awan said. “He sets a very good example on the field, always pushing himself to the limit. He’s very passionate about the game and it’s just so much fun being on court with him because he enjoys and respects the game so much.”

In his final weeks competing as a Jumbo, Kumar commented on how the team has improved its performances over the years.

“It’s been an amazing journey,” Kumar said.

“When I came in as a freshman, our preseason ranking was somewhere in the 30s. Now we’re close to finishing [in] the top 20. We’re right there with all the top teams. I have nothing but praise for the people running this program. It’s been an amazing team to be a part of.”

Jeyabalan was also honored with the title of NESCAC Player of the Week for his stellar performances in the last three weeks, notching five consecutive victories

over Boston College, Middlebury, Conn.

College, Amherst, Williams and Bates.

“I was extremely happy when I found out. I had a good run of games since the start of the new year, so I am happy [the] NESCAC recognized that,” Jeyabalan said.

“I think all in all I’m playing smarter and more patiently… that’s what has led to my run of wins recently” With difficult matches lined up against No. 15 Brown and No. 1 Harvard before the NESCAC Championships on Feb. 14 to 16, Kumar feels his team is prepared to pull off some major upsets.

“Since the match against Middlebury we’ve just got[ten] our head[s] down and got [ten] to work and been doing a lot of fitness,” Kumar said. “We all want this win and we’re just gonna work hard till the NESCACs and see where we can get.”

The Jumbos play their final regular season matches next week against Brown on Wednesday and Harvard on Thursday. Both will be at home on the new courts.

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