"Brian, go inflate your tire."—Angela speaking non-euphemistically to nocturnal bike repairman, Brian.
I don't have any concrete data, but I think this episode of MSCL is the weepiest of the entire series. If not, it's at least in the top 5 on the crumple-face cry scale. Angela cries twice, Patty once, and Sharon more than a few times. (And, of course, Brian Krakow also cries—as always—on the inside.) Still, all the tears make sense, considering that the episode centers on the immediate aftermath of Sharon's dad's sudden heart attack, and, to a lesser degree, the lingering aftereffects of Sharon and Angela's friendship break-up.
Sharon's dad eventually pulls through, and, in the end, so does Sharon and Angela's friendship—a relationship that began in the white-wicker-and-chintz-fabric-covered confines of Sharon's room, and whose future was cemented in the cheesiest of callbacks. Angela's flashback at the beginning of the episode, where a far-too-chipper young Angela consoles a freshly de-tonsiled young Sharon by telling her "Squeeze my hand as much as it hurts," is especially corny when you know that line will be repeated at the end of the episode. Yes, that teary scene at the end when Sharon breaks down and admits to Angela that she misses their friendship is a poignant one. But when Sharon says not being Angela's friend anymore hurts, and Angela repeats, "Squeeze my hand as much as it hurts," the line floats on the surface like a giant block of cheese on the river of tears.
But there is a lot to like about this episode, despite the (few and far between) treacly touches and the heavy atmosphere of the whole thing. First and foremost there is Camille, Sharon's mom—who manages to be wry and charming even while watching her husband recover from a heart attack on closed circuit TV. The montage where Graham and Patty's morning exchange is paralleled to Sharon and Angela's morning exchange is also another thing that saves this episode. That sequence alone more than makes up for Patty's desperate attempted hospital room make-out with Graham. Then there are the glimpses of budding friendships and generally unseen relationships peppered throughout: Sharon and Rayanne in the girls' room ("Why are you looking at me?" "Why are you looking at me?"); the playful interaction between Angela and Danielle ("Who's going to marry you?"); Brian turning to Ricky for advice ("Kyle was probably her popular jock phase. Now she's like moving into her awkward but sensitive guy phase, you know?" "So you're saying I'm like someone's phase?" "Hey. I wish I was."); and, of course, Jordan's comforting of Angela, capped off by the most extraordinarily awkward hug ever to take place under bleachers (Angela: "So this is where you come to smoke?" Jordan: "So, you crying, or something?" They're clearly meant for each other.)
But since my eyes are permanently trained on all things Brian Krakow this time around watching MSCL, the best part about this episode for me is the Angela-Sharon-Brian love triangle. Brian accidentally (and loudly) stumbles into a relationship with Sharon, when he happens to be eavesdropping on her teary plea for support from Kyle. The jock boyfriend flees the band room, and the awkward sensitive one literally becomes the only shoulder in the room for Sharon to cry on. When they're ridiculed ("Comparing instruments?"), and separate though, Sharon immediately goes from emotional to flirty, "See you on the bus!" she chirps to Brian, who immediately starts analyzing the whole thing. [See above.]
Soon, it's "girl in distress throws herself on guy with no life" as Rayanne puts it, and Brian and Sharon are giggling on Angela's bed after school. When Angela discovers the pair, she hovers in the doorway of her room, mouth agape, while Brian leaps off of the bed, and Sharon stammers an apology. Despite the very apparent lack of sexual activity, it's an awkward scene for everyone involved: Sharon, Brian, Angela, and Angela's bra which happens to be hanging off of a mirror inches from Brian's blond-fro. After a few minutes of utterly delicious weirdness, Angela shuts the door, and lingers outside her room for a bit, eavesdropping and only growing more confused/jealous.