The 5 essential episodes of ‘My So-Called Life’

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who grew up with Angela Chase, Rickie Vasquez and Jordan Catalano.

To mark the 30th anniversary of “My So-Called Life,” Winnie Holzman’s beloved coming-of-age drama starring Claire Danes, Wilson Cruz and Jared Leto, staff writer Meredith Blake uses this week’s Break Down to select the series’ most essential episodes — whether you’re revisiting an old favorite or discovering it for the first time.

Also in Screen Gab No. 160, Matt Rogers drops in to discuss his new Netflix series, “No Good Deed,” and editor Matt Brennan catches up with “Conclave.”

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(Los Angeles Times photo illustration; photographs from New Line Cinema)

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Catch up

Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone’s talking about

Ralph Fiennes in “Conclave.”

(Focus Features)

Ambition may be the moth of holiness, as Cardinal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci) avers in “Conclave,” but lucky for us it is also the spider of good political drama, always forging connections and laying traps. Edward Berger’s arthouse hit and much-memed awards player, now streaming on Peacock, deploys this principle in the service of a crackling horse race for the chair of St. Peter, pitting Bellini, an American reformer, against Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), an Italian conservative; Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), who would be the first African pope; and Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), a compromise candidate from Canada. Overseeing it all, and perhaps orchestrating more than he cares to admit — is Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), dean of the College of Cardinals, a manager’s manager who unexpectedly finds himself on the list of contenders, along with a new arrival from the diocese of Kabul, Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz).

From these relatively simple materials, Berger, spins an “And Then There Were None”-style narrative — each hopeful derailed by scandal — elevated by fillips of high style and winking humor. Cardinals conspire in the dim light of an unused theater, or array themselves under white umbrellas in the rain; a vape pen, a nun’s curtsy and remnants of a wax seal all accrue outsized importance. If glimpses of happenings outside the cardinals’ sequestration seem half-hearted by comparison, the one realm where the politics of this fictionalized Catholic Church are too schematically mapped onto those of real life, Berger may be forgiven. After all, his film’s central conviction is that these prelates in the seat of power are too worldly for their, or our, good: A pope may be venerated by millions, his name immortalized and portrait kept, but when he passes on he is still just another dead body like the rest of us, jostling in his hearse. —Matt Brennan

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Matt Rogers in “No Good Deed.”

(Netflix)

Anyone who lives in Los Angeles — or another major American city, for that matter — can tell you just how far one has to go these days to land a dream home or apartment. (Luckily, I was the first applicant to my current place ... because I was Zillowing at 2 in the morning.) The extremes of the modern housing market are the inspiration for Netflix’s black comedy “No Good Deed,” from “Dead to Me” creator Liz Feldman, in which a bunch of real-estate-hungry Angelenos vie for a downsizing couple’s enviable 1920s Spanish villa. Comedian Matt Rogers, who plays Realtor Greg in the series, stopped by Screen Gab ahead of its premiere this week to talk about his real estate must-haves, his enduring love of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and more. —Matt Brennan

READ MORE: How ‘No Good Deed’ boss Liz Feldman explores loss in a real estate murder mystery

What have you watched recently that you’re recommending to everyone you know?

I am so blown away by Cristin Milioti in “The Penguin” [Max]. I always think she is brilliant, no matter the medium, but this is a level-up moment and I believe what she is doing stands with the great Batman performances. Heath [Ledger], [Michelle] Pfeiffer, Joaquin [Phoenix], now Cristin Milioti. She’s tremendous.

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the film or TV show you return to again and again?

To be honest, any “Housewives” franchise will usually do, but if I had to choose one in particular that feels comfortable it’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” [Bravo, Peacock]. I just like hanging out with these girls! And every era of the show gives something entertaining, opulent and different. I think “Salt Lake City” is giving the hardest right now, but what do I always return to? The ladies of “Beverly Hills.”

In “No Good Deed” you play a Realtor with a prized Los Angeles listing. What are your own real estate must-haves — and deal-breakers?

I’m gonna sound like a Realtor right now and say “location, location, location.” I like to be able to get to places really quickly. I need my “spots”: coffee spot, dinner spot, workout spot. If it’s gonna take me a while to get to civilization, I’m gonna be unhappy. And I’m also gonna be late!

Your “Las Culturistas” co-host Bowen Yang has become a fan favorite and critical darling on “Saturday Night Live.” What’s your favorite of Bowen’s characters and why?

I’m truly biased but Bowen is of course my favorite part of any episode of “Saturday Night Live.” He’s done so much amazing work, particularly on “Weekend Update.” This isn’t my answer because it’s too basic but the Iceberg does have a special place in my heart because I was actually recovering from a surgery at home in L.A. and Bow texted me and told me that he was doing a character and it was for me, recovering at home! And then it ended up being such a sensation and a special moment for him as a cast member. I’m gonna say that I want to see more of Satoshi Gutman. I want to see more of Satoshi in the podcasting and music space on “SNL.” We’ve barely scratched the surface. And put Trisha Paytas on the cast!

Break down

Times staffers chew on the pop culture of the moment — love it, hate it or somewhere in between

Claire Danes in “My So-Called Life.”

(ABC)

Thirty years ago this month, fans of “My So-Called Life” were dialing up their modems and logging into their AOL accounts to send emails to executives at ABC, urging them to save their favorite show from cancellation. Dubbed Operation Life Support, the online campaign was the first of its kind. Fans sent more than 30,000 emails and took out full-page newspaper ads. Ultimately, their efforts didn’t succeed: In May 1995, the critically acclaimed but low-rated show was canceled after a single, 19-episode season. Three decades later, the drama following a fuschia-haired 15-year-old named Angela Chase, played by Claire Danes, lives on as a cult favorite and ’90s pop culture touchstone. For those interested in revisiting the show — or watching it for the first time — here’s a guide to essential episodes, all available to stream on Hulu. —Meredith Blake

READ MORE: ‘My So-Called Life’ at 30: How a short-lived show became a ’90s pop culture touchstone

“Pilot,” Episode 1 — Filmed when Danes was just 13 years old and shelved for more than a year by ABC, the show’s premiere episode introduces Angela, a smart, angsty and occasionally melodramatic high school sophomore in a state of restless transition who shares her innermost thoughts with the audience in voiceover. She’s ditched her straitlaced best friend to hang out with bad girl Rayanne Graff (A.J. Langer) and her bisexual pal Rickie Vasquez (Wilson Cruz). Written by series creator Winnie Holzman, the episode, like the series as a whole, goes to some surprisingly dark places, depicting an attempted sexual assault and featuring a pivotal scene set to REM’s “Everybody Hurts” — one of many iconic ’90s anthems to appear on the soundtrack.

“Life of Brian,” Episode 11 — Speaking of horny teenagers, this episode tells the story from the perspective of the nerdy neighbor who pines for Angela. Written by “Friday Night Lights” creator Jason Katims, it follows Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall) as he gets his first erection “from actual physical contact” when a new girl at school touches his hand, then ditches her to drive Angela to the school dance. It is one of two episodes to shift from Angela’s perspective; “Weekend” (Episode 18) is told from her little sister’s point of view.

“Self-Esteem,” Episode 12 — This episode, featuring a performance by B-list alternative band Buffalo Tom, is forever remembered by fans as the one where Angela skips geometry review to make out with Jordan Catalano in the school boiler room, even though he refuses to acknowledge the relationship in public — and with good reason. Angela is both recklessly horny and profoundly insecure, a combination that is powerfully recognizable to anyone who’s ever been 15.

“Betrayal,” Episode 17 — One of the many things that “My So-Called Life” did so brilliantly was to capture the intense fervor teenage girls have for each other. This episode, in which Rayanne torches her intense friendship with Angela by sleeping with Jordan, shows that best-friend breakups can be more cataclysmic than romantic ones. Yet it never vilifies or slut-shames Rayanne, a wounded bird who is desperate for love and stability.

“In Dreams Begin Responsibilities,” Episode 19 — In this bittersweet episode, which became the series finale, Jordan is determined to win Angela back and asks Brian (or, as he calls him, “Brain”) to write a love letter for him. It sets up several storylines for a second season that never came to fruition, and ends with an excruciating cliffhanger in which Angela confronts Brian about writing the letter, realizes that her old friend has real feelings for her and then drives off with Jordan anyway.