Credits.

Chem's class. Something tells me this is going to be a good episode by the way the class is watching a movie in the dark while they eat popcorn. The film is a documentary about the praying mantis, and Chem and her class are sharing a rare moment of solidarity in their fascination for the sexual tendencies of the female mantis. Okay, it's yet another obvious Chemistry lesson to set up the theme of the episode (and it's not even Chemistry but, in fact, Biology) but I really appreciate that it doesn't involve Chem just barking at everyone…because barking is wacky like that. As the mating rituals are described, -- the female mantis rips off the head of the male mantis after intercourse -- the girls in the class, even bleeding heart Lily, get totally stoked. Meanwhile, the men go inward, worrying about the future of their genitals. Men are from Mars, women are from a vicious planet filled with man-eating vultures. At last, we all know the score. Chem asks Sam where Brooke is. Sam makes an oblique statement about Brooke being in trouble. The film ends, and Chem turns on the lights and starts lecturing them on what a shame it was that although Mantis society is one of the few female dominated cultures, it's only thanks to "sexualized ambition" that the females get anywhere. Nicole raises her hand to disagree with Chem's "pretzel logic" and points to herself as an example of a young woman who is breaking through that "glass ceiling." Uh, does Nicole even have a job? Chem points out to Nicole that now that she's been kicked off the Glamazons, she no longer has power at this school. The rest of the class chuckles in agreement. "I bet you never get that power back," says Chem. Oh this is a sad, sad moment for Nicole. "I bet you I do," says Nicole. "I don't need sex to get power, I'm a…" Chem cuts her off before she can finish. "Blah blah blah blah blah. You're a teen mantis." The class chuckles knowingly at Chem's assessment of Nicole again. Chem announces the next movie, which is Female Trouble by John Waters. "Miss Julian, you may want to pay special attention," says Chem. "There's meaning in this flick." Hee! Not that I really know what that means. I guess it's a warning since the female heroine, a praying mantis in her own right, gets executed in the end. Female Trouble contains one of my favorite lines in a movie ever. It's when that student in Dawn's (Divine) class is all, "Mr. Weinberger! Dawn Davenport is eating a meatball sandwich in class and she's passing notes!" Cracks me up each time. How long before Carmen Ferrera is busted for eating Pringles in class?