#jdj-tmf

Now a lot of people think it's because of the diary deal he made with Zoey. Milly's Diary back for his silence about Zoey's cheating. Which is true from that moment onward (until the season finale), but what about before?

Before that happened, it's clear Zoey's gold digging tendencies and cheating are an open secret in the group. Like Henry, Liam and Jake all do know. They just don't ever tell Drew, who seems to either be aware and is just deluding himself, or is genuinely clueless. Why?

For Jake specifically, I think this is perfectly in character.

The whole reason for his season one conflict is his aversion to... well conflict. Oh the irony.

But seriously, Jake HATES conflict and fighting. He doesn't like when the people he cares about are mad at him or each other. Which is actually represented in the diary episode, when he decides to help Milly to resolve tension in the group.

It's partially why he and Drew's friendship is sledge-hammered at the end of season one. Because Jake doesn't want to make the "Dromies" mad, doesn't want to rock that particular boat. So instead of communicating that he actually enjoys the music club, and their company, he avoids the conversation entirely.

He neglects to tell his original friends about the fact that as time goes on, he really is enjoying the music club outside of confessing to Daisy.

His whole arc centers around him being scared of conflict with people he cares about, because he's never had a stable group of friends before Drew and his gang. He was bullied and alone, and he doesn't want that to happen again. So he shut's his mouth, and says' what he thinks people want to hear.

Even in the recording he's not saying anything he actually believes. He's just overwhelmed and saying what he thinks his friends want to hear about the music club to prevent the rising conflict that was occurring to that point.

Until the end of season one, where he grows a spine (affectionately) and learns to be honest. This blows up in his face with Drew and friends, but works really well with the Music club and Lia. He arcs here.

Back to Zoey, I think he didn't tell Drew originally because he didn't want conflict to occur. It's clear Drew really cares about Zoey, so maybe he just was afraid Drew wouldn't believe him. Maybe he was afraid it'd start a fight and the group would crumble and Jake would be all alone again like in middle school and before.

So once Drew got to know Jake, actually like him (and many argue lowkey fell in love with him), he wouldn't have cared if Jake liked singing.

In fact a major plot of the series s that Drew is mostly jealous that Jake is spending more time with the music club. That he's sort of just discarded his old group and choose them over Drew and the others at every opportunity. Just to clarify I'm not bashing Jake for that. It's understandable why he started gravitating towards the club more.

All of that's to say though, that he never really cared that Jake was singing. Like it was maybe brought up a couple times. But it wasn't his main issue. Or I'd argue a real issue he had at all.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

I like to think of Jake and Drew as a sort of Glinda and Fiyero situation (from wicked. Specifically the movie). Where even when Fiyero isn't perfect anymore, and starts to be more introspective, she's still in love with him. Jake is more of "music freak" now, but Drew still cares about him.

*Someone please make an edit with that audio for drake, I don't wanna resurrect my long dead editing skills for this*

I'll always die on this hill though. Because Drew did really care about Jake as a person. Even when we see that flashback, he defends Jake against his bullies. People who Drew himself was hinted to be friends with. But Drew didn't care that Jake was considered uncool. Because he cared about Jake more.

They're both a singer x person who they used to be friends with turned bully ship. Accept Drew was always a bully, and is now just also bullying Jake.

Also breaking down parallels between each individual character in this foursome.

Hailey and Jake

Both were singers who were bullied for their passion. Both are terrible at communication (though Hailey is much better at it than Jake). And then they foil each other becasue while Hailey stayed stedfast in her beliefs and didn't let the bullying change her, Jake did. He choose to become a bully to be accepted and to make the bullying stop. A survival tactic.

Which brings me to the next parallels:

Jake and Lia

Both characters were people who were bullied and then changed themselves as a result. They weren't able to stay true to themseleves and their passions. They wanted to be accepted, adn wanted the bullying to stop. So they did just about anything to make it stop. Lia and Drew

They have the most parallels lowkey in my opinion.

Both had friends who they really cared about (beyond platonic feelings, I'd argue), but ended up betraying in the end. Both characters were Jealous of the Music Club and how clsoe Jake was to them + missed Jake hanging out with them all the time and hurt him as a result. Lia with the leaking of the audio to the club and Drew during the whole Drake up debacle. Both deal with Zoey, and have a relationship with her in some capacity. And Both ended up leaving her because of her actions. Drew and Jake

Both have terrible communication skills. Obviously. But they way they're bad at communication is the same too. They both don't speak up about how they're feeling. With Drew I just think he's emotionally constipated. And wouldn't know how to express his feelings if his life depended on it. And with Jake I think he's just used to hiding himself for group acceptance. So it's partly people pleasing, and partly force of habit. But by hiding how they're feeling and not talking about it, they both let those feelings simmer. And eventually they get angrier and angrier at each other, over things the other had no idea about, and explode. Ta da! Drakeup.

Drew and Hailey

Both are stubborn, and surprisingly "Loyal." Like say what you will about Drew (There's a lot too say) but he cares about his friends.

They both are also wildly insecure. Obviously with Hailey we see that presented in her stage fright as a result of years of bullying. And while we don't have a reason for Drew yet, it's obvious he is insecure. Hailey clocked it so fast.

Also their own anger issues (not issues, but they're both hot heads). We don't see that in Hailey's characterization as much in later episodes, but in the early days she's a loveable hot head. Drew is a (not so loveable) hot head to. We see that when he snaps at everyone throughout the series, and also during his and Jake's fight. Lia and Hailey

Because the point is that the two of them are alike, parallel each other heavily. And she clocks that immediately. She knows what he's gone through, and knows it's like what she did.

And because of that she falls for him a bit. The one person in the world that understands why she did what she did. Why she became a Jerk just to please others. Because he did it too.

She crushes initially because of that. But it's also why she realizes that her crush was more surface level. That their entire relationship is surface level. Because she thinks she knows him, and never bothered to actually get to know him. And that maybe, if she'd not allowed her initial crush to be the center of their dynamic, they could've grown closer. That she should've prioritized being friends, first.

I've seen a lot of people suggest that, outside of his own insecurities and inner turmoil, there "must be a reason Drew bullies the club." Or that "The club had to have done something to cause Drew to start bullying them."

And no hate to anyone who has made this take, but every time I see this I facepalm. Because no.

Now, I'm the first person to come and argue in defense of Drew as a character. I love him dearly and consider him one of the best-written characters in the series. He has that full package that I just eat up in a character every time. The good writing, the parallels to multiple cast members, and he's angsty as hell.

But, despite my deep love for this character, I still can acknowledge that him bullying the club, is wrong. It's a bad thing to do. But I find a lot of Drew stans cannot admit that. That's a whole other conversation though.

The point is, I notice a lot of people across the tmf community search for a reason to justify Drew's bullying. And I just find that wrong.

For one, on a writing perspective, it really diminishes his character. A part of why he's so fascinating is because he's flawed. And it's not something small that people find annoying, it's a big thing that makes people think about morality and all that. He's doing something that so many viewers have experienced ourselves, have been impacted by. Something that everyone of us can see is reprehensible and morally wrong. Whether you love him or not, that's a basic thing we should be able to agree on.

So to have something have happened? Write in that the club had done something that caused Drew to bully them? That's taking away that flaw, and almost like justifying it. Saying it wasn't so bad because the club "deserved it."

And that leads me to point number two.

A lot of people point out that Drew listens to music. Constantly has airpods in. "So there has to be a reason, because it's not simply due to them liking music because he does too."

And... yes but no.

It isn't because they like music, but it isn't not? Truly the reason Drew is a bully is because of his own inner conflict with himself. Hailey was spot on when calling him insecure because that's exactly what it is. He was just able to hone in on the Club because they liked making music. Because it was a hobby that in that universe is considered weird or odd.

Basically, them being musicians just made them easy targets for Drew to project onto. So it is and isn't the reason he bullies them.

The problem with suggesting anything otherwise, is that it pushes a narrative. A narrative that you did something to warrant or deserve the bullying. It would spin things to make Drew look better and the club look like the assholes who deserved the years of mistreatment.

Which isn't true! I don't even like the club that much, but they did not deserve the bullying. They were pretty much minding their own business when Drew started being a prick.

And that is how it is with bullies in real life! You usually didn't do anything to provoke a bully. They just are miserable and insecure people projecting onto easy targets.

And there are obviously outliers. But this is not one of those cases. Drew's an asshole and bullied the club of his own fruition and reason. Not because they "did something first."

In that same post, I mentioned how it would do so as long as it didn't take away from his romantic attractions to Zoey. I said I would elaborate, and so here we are.

I think a lot of people only view "Droey" at a surface level perspective. They only see a toxic couple. Which, fair enough, they're very toxic.

But I think beneath that there is also two people that (to an extent) genuinely care about each other in a romantic way.

Because it's been hinted that at one point, they both were very much in love. Through the picture in Zoey's locker where they're both blushing. As well as Drew's reaction to her cheating. And his body language in that one MEP part Rosy posted on her second channel.

While you can argue that the last one might not be considered "cannon," the other two most certainly are. So it's obvious that at one point they had a very affectionate and loving relationship. Even if Zoey was using Drew for money from day one, there was still clearly love involved there as well.

And that honestly makes their whole dynamic even more tragic. It's what makes me crave more one-on-one interactions between them. Because there was love, and in my opinion, still is on Drew's end. These are two people who cared about each other only to become a toxic relationship in the end.

And I think this could be an important part of his character, further showing why he could have the type of attachment issues that he does have. It has a lot of potential to become important in season two. It could parallel him to characters like Lia (as if these two needed more parallels) and Jake (The Droey/PlumPeach parallels are actually crazy when you think about it). It could maybe tie in to any sort of home instability he has.

Daisy is outwardly sweet, and caring. She'd never bully anyone, and until you get to know her it seems like she couldn't hurt a fly. She's extroverted, and soft around the edges. She's well known for just generally being kind.

Drew is the complete opposite. He's cruel, constantly saying thing he knows will cut deep to others. He's quiet, always having a stoic expression on his face. Or his signature death glare when he's mad. He's known for being a bully, and putting others down constantly.

Their differences are even visually represented in their color palette. Daisy with bright, pastel colors. The white in her hair, and the blues of her outfit. White in the innocent looking ruffles in her clothes as as well, and her bright blue or gray eyes. Where as Drew has a much darker color scheme. Dark purple/magenta hair. A black hoodie, dark pants and dark shoes. Brown eyes.

Daisy looks the innocent, angelic child. Where Drew gives Angsty, post emo phase, teenager.

The ultimate good in the series versus the ultimate bad. Darkness versus light, good versus evil. Characters who are seemingly the anti-thesis of each other.

Still despite this, they actually do have quite a few parallels to each other.

For one, they're both fiercely protective and loyal to those they care about.

We see this in Drew during the Jomies flashback sequence. They're all standing in the hall and one of Jakes former bullies walks up and starts to try and lay into him. He outwardly declares Jake a loser. Makes it known he wasn't exactly well liked.

And instead of abandoning him, Drew sticks up for him. This kid who we can assume he's only known at most a couple of weeks. Yet Drew had already grown fond of Jake, attached. So despite learning that Jake was considered a loser in Middle school, he stands up for him. Despite probably knowing Jake is someone he would've picked on, he turns on Jakes bullies.

Daisy actually gets a similar-ish scene in her own flashback sequence.

In that sequence we see her walking up to a lonely and sad Jake, sitting on the steps of the school by himself. She returns his notebook she found trashed, declaring his bullies to be the truly lame ones, and calling him cool. Despite just meeting him, despite hardly knowing him.

We also see her fight to help him. Going to Sean, learning about what occurred with the Music Club. We see her fired up, almost angry. She tells Jake he has to fight for what he wants.

In these instances, both characters are proving their loyalty to Jake, and their protectiveness over him. As well as their willingness to help him in situations were he cannot seemingly help himself.

They also parallel each other in terms of homelife.

I've heard from people that Rosy has confirmed that Drew does not have the best homelife. But just in case this is un true, I always put this disclaimer in here, that it's only what I've heard. So take it with a grain of salt. Regardless it serves me well here, so in case it is true I'm adding it. Even if its not that boy reeks of daddy issues, so I don't feel bad making assumptions or inferences.

Daisy, in show, also has a turbulent homelife. Talking about how she feels overwhelmed and pressured by her moms to overachieve and be perfect in everything.

They're both also insecure. Really, really insecure. I think where it differs is how they're insecure, and how they cover that insecurity.

Daisy is insecure about being imperfect. She feels like she might never be enough, as we've just established. This, obviously as a result of her bad home life. And to mask this insecurity, she takes on more activates. Does more to prove to the world she is perfect, and enough. Even if it burns her out. Even if she can't ever truly prove it to herself. She also puts on a mask of confidence. We rarely see her break down, just when she's with Sean. but every other time we see her, she seems perfectly self assured. Even though we know that's not the case. Lastly, she tosses herself into fixing other peoples problems. We see her do this with Jake, despite her own struggles we know her to be going through.

Drew is different. Drew is insecure about his relationships with other people, also as a result of his home life. He is scared he'll be abandoned by people, and is worried that if he loses control of those he cares about they'll really leave. To mask this, he projects his issues onto other people, bullying them. We see this when he calls Hailey a control freak, even though we all know he's the true control freak. And we really see him start to lash out as the series progresses, as the possibility of Jake leaving him grows larger and larger in his mind. And we see it in the 'Drake up' fight. When he feels Jake slipping once and for all, he snaps. And it's not pretty. And his defense mechanism in the end of it all, is to call his closest friend a freak, and walk away.

Despite they're different coping, masking methods, they both have insecurities sprouting from their home life.

There's honestly probably more, but I can't really remember them right now. If I do, I'll probably make a separate post.

I do believe though, that by paralleling Daisy to someone like Drew, it benefits her character. And vice versa.

By paralleling a character to someone who is seemingly opposite to them, you can get really interesting interpersonal dynamics. As well as an exploration into, in Daisy's case, darker parts of your character. It also gives her depth as a result.

Likes:

Now, I will say, Jake is one of my favorite characters. In my top five for sure. I think he just has a wonderful storyline and great character development.

I have been in a Jake type situation before. Torn between two friends, not wanting to choose, but having to. I relate heavily to it. Jake learning how his attempts to stay neutral really just hurt everyone in the situation is so well done.

I like him realizing that just because he cares about Drew and all of them, doesn't mean he can excuse their actions and let them hurt his other friends. I

His arc of not only knowing that he's been wrong to not say anything, to actually doing something about it, it's amazing. It's the way I aspire to be.

I also like how he actually owned up to his actions, and apologized for real. So often in media we see the main character do something wrong, be sad about it, and the side characters end up being the ones who have to apologize. For being upset, even if it's justified. So to see Jake be the one to fight for them, and to apologize. To see an MC actually be accountable? It's great, and so refreshing.

Finally, I really like Jake's humor. He's actually really fucking funny. And a lot of his lines make me chuckle to myself. Witty Jake is best Jake.

Dislikes:

So...

Jake is quite a flawed character. So there are a lot of things I could probably nitpick and find to say for this category. But at the root of it all, the thing I dislike most about Jake (and a lot of characters int he series, but this is about Jake rn), is his lack of communication.

I love this boy, but he is unable to healthily communicate for shit.

He constantly pushes down his own wants and needs, his own feelings. All in favor of trying to make others happy. To attempt to keep peace.

The issue is, this only causes Jake himself to build a slow resentment towards the people around him. We see it when he explodes at Drew during the Drakeup. That slow building anger at Drew, for something he didn't even realize was an issue for Jake. (Parallel to Drew, and his slow building resentment to Jake for abandoning him, but we're not talking about that rn).

So by attempting to disregard his own feelings to make others feel better, he only intensifies those more minor feelings and ends up lashing out on the very people he sought to keep happy.

And as someone who hates, dare I say despises the miscommunication trope, this frustrates me too now end. I am constantly wanting to reach through the screen and shake the boy into speaking his mind. Into expressing how he actually feels.

Part of the reason this frustrates me, is because I see so much of my past self in him. Bits of my future self. I know personally that not communicating properly not only harms yourself, but the people around you. It serves no one.