User Reviews

It's obvious that there is some level of stardom ahead for the adorable Mario Lopez, a Cuban kid whom Dorothy is tutoring in creative writing. His young character seems a bit too good to be true, but taking that into consideration as well as flaws concerning immigration laws, this ends up being poignant as it shows the friendship that grows between a student and his teacher. Dorothy is loyal to Mario and perhaps promises too much, and this episode is one that definitely should have had a much needed follow up. One of the issues with sitcoms in general is that it sets up stories that the audience feels emotionally about then never revisits them. Lopez gets to show his young character as likable, funny, sad and ultimately defeated even if Dorothy tried to give him some hope. She could easily have stepped in and helped him more, but outside of adopting him, I can't think of a proper way to have ended a difficult situation that would have changed the course of the series.

I would think that immigration would contact his parents and they would go together.... not picking the kid up at his tutors house and hauling him downtown.... never made sense to me.

Dorothy has a very talented student and she submits a story he wrote into a contest and he wins. But this leads to the immigration services go after him and say that he came illegally. Talking to the judge doesn't help and he has to leave. And Blanche thinks that Rose lost her earrings so Rose offers to be her servant, but then it turns out Blanche lost them herself.

Once again they touch a serious topic. And I am surprised that it didn't end up in happy ending. In a way it is good because it makes the show more unpredictable instead of cheesy. Only with such an ending it would have been good if they mention Mario again.

Was fun to see Mario Lopez in his pre Saved by the Bell years. And it was funny to realize that Schwarzenegger, whose movie he was watching in the theatre didn't get to the highlights of his career yet as well!

This episode does an amazing job at doing the impossible, by making Dorothy completely and utterly unlikeable. Usually, I enjoy the end of the episode where the girls all get to relax and reflect on what happened to them, and usually, they move on.

In this episode this works against the girls and the show itself, it makes it that much clearer that Dorothy's interest and care for Mario was fleeting. She didn't truly care what happened to him, but she sure did seem fine being pampered and fawned over when he left. Even though she is almost entirely at fault for what happened and was the only adult present who could have helped Mario but didn't. She never tried to get him a lawyer to make him a case, did the bare minimum to help, and she moved on incredibly quickly.

The concept of this episode should have been scrapped from the beginning. 25 minutes is nowhere near the time needed to explore the vast issues with the immigration system in the United States. I understand this episode was made in the 1980s. That doesn't prevent me from finding an issue with how they, once again, treated other peoples suffering like a fun little accessory/adventure to one of the girls' lives.

This is just another example of 80s/90s shows with a white-only cast, and the occasional person of color written in for all the white people at home to feel a momentary bit of pity for.

If nothing else, I can always appreciate this shows well meaning attempts at telling a deeper story.

This episode has bothered me for years, mainly because of the incorrect way immigration cases are presented, and because of the inaction on the part of Dorothy to actually help Mario. First, it is unlikely, especially in Miami, that a deportation hearing would be held the day after the INS picked someone up. Further, it is highly unlikely that the Immigration Judge would have ordered the boy deported the next day. Most judges would give the person time to find a lawyer. Even if he didn't, in all likelihood he would have given the boy "voluntary departure," which in those days could be granted for months at a time, with the possibility of extending it. Second, why didn't Dorothy get Mario together with an immigration attorney? It is ridiculous that she thought that going into court with a bunch of emotional statements was going to "save" him (although again it might've made the judge even more disposed to a grant of voluntary departure). While it was nice of her to point out that Arnold Schwarzenegger is an immigrant, he came to the United States legally. Mario did not (or so we are given to understand). Other than both being potential immigrants to the United States, there is no other similarity. Her statement to Mario "There are legal ways to keep you here, and tomorrow we'll find them.," is a day late and a dollar short. Since Mario has to leave the next day, she says, "Then I'll do it myself, and we'll get you back here. I promise." That's a hell of a promise to make, given her ignorance on the subject. When he tells her he'll miss her and never forget her, she responds, "You won't have time to. You'll be back here before you know it." Great. So when he's back in his country with the vain hope she has given him, then what? While I think it is nice that the show tried to address a serious topic with a sympathetic immigrant, I believe they would have served the viewing public better by showing Mario taking intelligent steps to fight for himself. Dorothy should have found him a lawyer, then they could have a scene where the lawyer gives Mario his legal options. That would have been more educational and engaging.

She gets a kid DEPORTED and it's like nothing to her. He literally gets kicked out the country because of something she does and she just shrugs her shoulders and moves on. These women did more to save the dolphins from tuna factories than they did for poor, sweet Mario Lopez. I hate this episode.