Not once and not ever again.

Anyone remember this show? It was created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the same mens that did My So-Called Life and Thirtysomething. It aired for three seasons from 1999-2002 and then it was abruptly cancelled. My mom was obsessed with the damn show; she just couldn't get enough of Sela Ward and Billy Campbell being all attractive and in love and overcoming all of the obstacles standing in the way of their love, the biggest of which is their combined four annoying, angsty, needy children. The most interesting thing that ever happened on that show occured in one of the last episodes, Evan Rachel Wood's character totally sorta makes out with her friend played by Mischa Barton. And yes, Mischa Barton's head was still freakishly large even back then, in case you were wondering. Because of my mother's aformentioned love for Once and Again I purchased the 1st Season of the show on divid for her for Christmas a couple years ago. (This is all just basically background, in order to explain why I have such easy access to this program. I don't want people to think I have episodes of Once and Again just lying about.)
So, I was checking up on the acting history of the indie rockers' favorite child actors, Blake Sennett and Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, one day recently and noticed that they were both in an episode of Once and Again playing characters by their same names. Being morbidly curious, I just had to watch it. Turns out Eli, the oldest son of Billy Campbell's character, plays guitar and is thinking of starting a band. So, he and his friend Coop, played by Adam Brody (yes, annoying then too), are in the "guitar store" and run into Blake and Jenny, who graduated from their high school a year before. They awkwardly catch up for a minute and then Jenny invites the two underage boys to a show they're playing, they go, and the whole band is there. It was so bizarre, like Jenny even said, "Thanks, we're Rilo Kiley." They played "Always", "The Frug" and "Plane Crash In C" before leaving the stage and there was about to be some more interaction between Eli and the band but then it turned out his mother is there with her new youngish boyfriend and she had told Eli not to go into the city earlier. Blah blah blah. Basically, poor Eli was humiliated in front of the cool, older kids who are in a hip band. Then they left and no more excruciating Rilo Kiley scenes.
This was a classic case of the indie rock band tv drama appearance. There is no reason for them to ever take place, but it is a phenomena that apparently cannot be stopped. Anyone remember the Flaming Lips playing "She Don't Use Jelly" on Beverly Hills, 90210? Of course you do because they play the damn clip at every show they perform. Seriously Wayne, it's getting old. Or The Cardigans playing at Kelly Taylor's graduation party? They sang the song "Been It" and everytime Nina got to the part of the chorus that says "I've been your whore" the scene cut to a person talking or to an outside shot or something so that you couldn't hear the vile word. What about last season on Scrubs? Remember in one episode some guy was all sad because he couldn't play with his band due to whatever was ailing him? Then all of a sudden the Polyphonic Spree (+ a shit ton of balloons and streamers) were all there singing "Section 9 (Light & Day/Reach For The Sun)". And of course the soul-crushing episode of the Gilmore Girls in which The Shins appeared. Death Cab For Cutie on The O.C. No matter what show it is, no matter what band, I always come out of it feeling depressed. It doesn't matter how cutting edge the show is, you're going to look fucking cheesy and desperate either way. Don't do it! Don't anyone ever do it again, please. It's bad enough having to hear Interpol songs playing on CSI: Miami (ie shittiest popular show I've ever seen), I never ever want to have to see them on there.