Episode 113

I have already expressed my shock and dismay about Uncle Jesse's 23-year-old-ness. While that makes me feel ancient, I have discovered another phenomenon that makes me feel quite young. As I begin to watch more and more shows that involve the lives of teenagers (no, I do not live in the past), I have discovered that these "kids" are actually significantly older than me.

A few examples (by the way, this is all based on IMDb, with a little cross-checking, so I can't promise exact precision): When Dawson's Creek began, Kerr Smith, who played Jack, was 27. He was playing a 16-year-old. It gets crazier: On Friday Night Lights, the two characters involved in one of the love stories are supposed to be seniors in high school. The actors are 29 and 30. Yes, Lyla Garrity is 29-years-old. Ryan, from The OC, was 25 when the show started, dating 17-year-old Mischa Barton as Marissa. That's awkward.

In addition to making me feel young, this validates the plethora of romantic dreams I manage to have about television characters, particularly those in high school. Yeah, he may play a 17-year-old in Friday Night Lights, but Tim Riggins is actually 28, so it's okay for me to dream.  Sigh.