The Wedding Frame is the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth episode (58th, 59th, and 60th overall) of the third season. This episode remains unaired on television in the United States. It became available on VHS and DVD on November 23, 2004, and available to stream on Paramount+ on January 12, 2021. This three part episode serves as the series finale.
The Meaning of Life Lesson[]
"You know we're not put on this Earth to live perfect lives, where we never get hurt or we never make mistakes. We're put here to hurl ourselves head first into this crazy world and the bruises and scraps you get along the way, they just mean your living life." - Lois Foutley
Synopsis[]
Ginger and Carl's mom, Lois, and Dr. David Dave are finally getting married! Ginger's helping her mom plan the wedding, but then it seems like someone's trying to sabotage the wedding. Carl, Hoodsey and their old friend, Noelle Sussman, decide to investigate who would want to sabotage Lois and Dr. Dave's wedding, and it later becomes obvious that it's Dr. Dave's mother, who's hiring Nikki LaPorte to play the role of Dr. Dave's old girlfriend.
While helping her mom plan the wedding, Ginger realizes that she has commitment issues, and begins rethinking not only her current relationship with Orion, but her old one with Darren, who seems to be having some relationship issues with Simone.
Also, Courtney's dad, Prescott, is arrested for insider-trading, and the Gripling family essentially goes broke--they're forced to give up their home and most of their possessions, and even end up moving into the Foutley family's old house. Also, Ginger and her family end up moving to the same neighborhood that the Gripling family previously lived in (as Ginger and her family are moving into the Gripling's old neighborhood).
In the end, Dr. Dave's mother and her cohorts are found out, Lois and Dr. Dave are happily married, and Ginger commits to a more serious relationship with Orion.
Epilogue[]
As we see Lois and Dave are getting ready to tie the knot, we hear Ginger (as an adult) talking about the wedding and having to survive in such a crazy world. It pans out to reveal that Ginger (now a successful writer and author) at the release of her latest book, attended by her family and closest friends. As the audience of the book release is revealed, it turns out that:
- Lois and Dr. Dave are still happily married.
- Carl and Hoodsey are successful reporters.
- Macie's either happily single or she got married to Dodie's younger brother, Hoodsey.
- Dodie married Chet and they have a daughter who looks identical to Dodie.
- Darren's in the audience, holding a baby girl that looks just like Ginger with a noticeably darker skin tone -- this indicates that he and Ginger eventually patched things up, even getting married and having children together as adults.
As Ginger finishes reading her book, she thanks her "readers" (the viewing audience) and the episode ends with Ginger closing her book, revealing the title of it as "As Told by Ginger."
THE END.
Appearances []
- Ginger Foutley
- Carl Foutley
- Macie Lightfoot
- Hoodsey Bishop
- Darren Patterson
- Dodie Bishop
- Lois Foutley
- Chet Zipper (in the epilogue)
- Sophia Foutley (in the epilogue)
- Rhesus
- Brandon Higsby
- Minister
- Jonas Foutley
- Ben (Jonas' dog)
- Nicholas 'Nikki' LaPorte
- Diane Francis
- Myrna
- Monster (Carl's dog)
- Courtney Gripling
- Blake Gripling
- Claire Gripling (cameo)
- Prescott Gripling (cameo)
- Winston (cameo)
- Miranda Killgallen
- Maryellen
- Librarian
- Archie Chang
- Rock Chick
- Delivery Man
- Camera Man
- Orion
- Mrs. Dave
- Dr. Dave
- Noelle Sussman
- Simone
- Mrs. Patterson
- Mr. Patterson (cameo)
- Buzz Harris
- Junior
- Junior Sr.
- Buddy Baker
- Will Patterson
- Dr. Ron
- Sales Clerk
- Anesthesiologist Al
- Principal Milty (cameo)
- Crazy Floyd (cameo)
- Mr. Higsby (cameo)
- Mrs. Higsby (cameo)
- Dr. Fondfeelings (cameo)
- Mr. Blauer (cameo)
- Ms. Zorski (cameo)
- Joann Bishop
- Dave Bishop (cameo)
- Bobbie Lightfoot (cameo)
- Bobby Lightfoot (cameo)
- Mr. Killgallen (cameo)
- Mr. Hepper (cameo)
- Hope Rogers (cameo)
Quotes []
Buzz: (talking to his sons) Uh-huh. Uh, don't burn anything while I'm gone.
Carl: Let's be quick about this. In and out. Nobody knows, nobody gets...
Hoodsey: Body lice?
Carl: Yeah. Here's hoping.
Hoodsey: (offscreen) Right back at you, little buddy.
Carl: (offscreen) Don't call me that.
Hoodsey: (escaping Ben) Stop it. Stop it. You could at least buy me dinner or something.
Ginger: (reading Lois' wedding vows) If it wasn't for you, I'd be up late at night with a pint of ice cream or some pork rinds on rice. If it wasn't for you, I'd be a cynic of love who never shared laughter or my dish washing glove. If it wasn't for you, and the comfort you bring I wouldn't have had the faith to accept your wedding ring. If it wasn't for the way you filled my heart with glee, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be me. That was beautiful, mom.
Hoodsey: (shouting) I sweat a lot okay?!
Older Ginger: (speaking in her mind) Whenever I've been afraid to make that leap, I’ve thought back to that moment when it seemed like my mom’s entire world fell apart, and yet she was still convinced of her love for my soon-to-be dad.
(We then cut to many years later in a book store where it is revealed Ginger has become an author and is reading her latest book which is the show's title in front of a group of people along with the older versions of her friends and family)
Time gives your life a unique perspective as you get older. You see that the challenges that once seemed so scary when you were young really weren’t that scary at all. Looking back, you’re glad you took the risks. Like my mother said, if you don’t get a few bruises and scrapes along the way, then you’re not living and if time teaches us anything in this crazy world, it’s that nothing worth having ever comes easy.
(After she finishes reading her book she gives thanks to her readers) Thank you.
(last lines of the series)
Trivia[]
- Impersonation (or identity theft) is illegal, so Nikki would've been arrested for impersonating Dr. Dave's old girlfriend Diane Francis.
- At the epilogue of the episode Courtney, Miranda, Blake, Brandon, Orion, Simone, Jonas Foutley, Noelle and Sasha do not appear. This has led many fans to theorizing that they aren't doing very well (or at least not as well as Ginger and her main circle of friends).
- Winston still lives with the Gripling family after their fortune is all gone.
- Courtney, Blake, and their mother are seen wearing casual clothes to the wedding.
- This is the first time we see the inside of Jonas Foutley's apartment.
- As Ginger closes her book, you can see Ginger's pilot version on the cover.
- Carl's dog Monster makes his first appearance.
- Ginger's latest book shares the same title as the series itself.
- When Lois, Carl and Ginger drive by a cemetery, one tombstone reads "ATBG" and the other one reads "RIP". This translates to "As Told By Ginger" and "Rest in Peace". It represents the fact that this episode is the series finale.
- In part 3, Carl and Hoodsey are having cereal with the name "Kapnek Krunch!" on the front of the box. This is a reference to Emily Kapnek, the creator of the series.
- This episode was released on both VHS and DVD on November 23, 2004.
- According to Melissa Disney in a recent podcast interview, she believes Ginger would name her daughter Sophia as it sounds very artistic.
- Courtney, Blake and Miranda don’t appear at Ginger’s book reading.
- Joann Bishop wears the same dress and accessories to the wedding that she wore to Nana Bishop’s funeral in the episode Losing Nana Bishop.
- This episode has never aired on Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, nor NickRewind.
- The ending of the episode might’ve inspired the last episode of “Arthur” as Arthur now an adult made a graphic novel of his life starting with the first episode of the series.
Cultural References[]
- When Carl and Hoodsey are seen flipping channels, you can see two shows. One that shows a wild man swinging and slams into a tree and the other one shows a baby with a pot on his head and banging on it with two wooden spoons. These are the references:
- George of the Jungle
- Rugrats.
- A music video that Ginger watches on TV is reference to the 1997 film Titanic.
- When Carl and Hoodsey entered Jonas Foutley's apartment, you can see a lamp in the shape of a woman's leg which is a reference to the 1983 film A Christmas Story.
Continuity[]
- Many fans believed that Hoodsey and Macie are married to each other as a wedding ring can be seen on Hoodsey's left hand and both of them are sitting close to each other instead of inches away.
- As Ginger closes her book, you can see Ginger's pilot version on the cover.
- Many fans believed that Ginger had been reading from her book this entire time since season one, episode one.
- Ginger had turned her diary into a best selling novel.
Video[]
Gallery[]
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