Ep 4. Book Club

In the fourth episode of Unfabulous season 1, titled "Book Club," we follow the lovable protagonist, 13-year-old Addie Singer (played by Emma Roberts), as she finds herself drowning in a sea of middle school drama.

The episode begins with Addie and her two best friends Geena Fabiano (played by Malese Jow) and Zack Carter-Schwartz (played by Jordan Calloway) excitedly discussing their upcoming book club meeting. They've been reading The Odyssey, and Addie is convinced that they'll have a great time discussing the epic poem over pizzas and ice cream.

Things quickly take a turn for the worse when Addie's arch-nemesis, the popular girl Maris (played by Madeline Zima), informs her that she's starting a book club of her own. Suddenly, Addie's book club attendance drops from three to two, as Geena decides that Maris' club is the place to be.

Desperate to not spend her Friday night alone, Addie recruits the school's resident "weird kid," Jake Behari (played by Raja Fenske), to be her new book club partner. Naturally, this leads to some complications—Jake is a bit of a strange guy, and he's more interested in discussing conspiracy theories than Greek mythology.

As Addie struggles to keep the book club on track, she's also dealing with the fallout from her parents' recent separation. Her mom is dating again, and Addie just can't bring herself to be happy about it. She confides in Jake, who surprisingly opens up to her about his own family troubles.

Meanwhile, Geena is having a great time at Maris' book club. In fact, she's having such a great time that she decides to join Maris' clique, leaving Addie feeling left out and alone.

The climax of the episode takes place at the big school dance. Addie attends with Jake, hoping to avoid her ex-friends and their newfound popularity. But when Geena and Maris' crew arrive at the dance, things get tense.

In the end, Addie stands up to Maris and her mean-spirited comments, and Geena finally comes to her senses and realizes that her friendship with Addie is more important than popularity. The book club is back to three members, and Addie's happy ending involves her mom apologizing for not being there for her daughter during a tough time.

Overall, "Book Club" is a classic episode of Unfabulous—full of real middle school problems, relatable characters, and heartwarming moments. Emma Roberts shines in her role as Addie, portraying the character's vulnerability, humor, and determination with equal aplomb. The other young actors also give strong performances, making this a must-see episode for fans of the show.