Explore the hilarious, relatable, and often awkward portrayals of retainers in popular culture, from 'The Brady Bunch' to 'The Babysitters Club'.
Are you ready to take a trip down memory lane? Remember the time when you wore a plastic retainer and a metal wire attached to your teeth? Remember those moments of panic when you thought you lost your retainer or the struggles of trying to speak normally with a foreign object in your mouth? Fear not, however, for we are about to delve deeply into the world of retainers in popular culture. Prepare to revisit those awkward adolescent years and perhaps even pick up a few new insights into how your favorite films, books, and TV shows have presented this less-than-glamorous dental device. So take your retainer and put it in your retainer case, and let's begin!
The famous retainer scene from "The Princess Diaries"
The 2001 film "The Princess Diaries" contains one of pop culture's most iconic retainer sequences. In the movie, Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway), who gets her first retainer, has an amusing and relatable sequence when she tries to converse while holding it in her mouth. This scene has become an iconic moment in the movie and a well-known reference for anyone who has ever worn a retainer.
The superhero from "The Incredibles" who had a retainer.
A retainer has another prominent appearance in pop culture in the 2004 animated movie "The Incredibles." In the movie, Violet Parr's retainer, which is a component of her superhero attire, aids in the focus of her abilities. This novel application of a retainer in a superhero film gives the character a fascinating new dimension and demonstrates the adaptability of this dental device.
The person wearing a retainer in "The Fault in Our Stars"
Augustus Waters, a character in John Green's best-selling book "The Fault in Our Stars," sports a retainer. Even though it is only briefly mentioned in the novel, Augustus' retainer gives his character more depth and helps readers who may also wear one identify with him.
The catchy song about retainers
Even music has had retainers in it! A song titled "Retainer" from the YouTube channel "The Holderness Family" was released in 2017 and quickly went viral. The song's lyrics, which make fun of the hit song "Despacito," discuss having a retainer and the difficulties that go along with it.
The retainer-wearing character in "The Wonder Years"
In one episode of the well-known television series "The Wonder Years," the character Kevin Arnold has a retainer. The episode, titled "The Voice," examines the difficulties of maturing and adjusting to physical changes, such as wearing a retainer. This TV show's depiction of a retainer helps to normalize its use and demonstrates that many people have similar experiences with this dental appliance.
The retainer scene in "The Brady Bunch"
Marcia Brady wears braces and eventually a retainer in this vintage television program. In one of the episodes, Marcia goes on a date with a popular boy and unintentionally loses her retainer in a restaurant's napkin. The family's attempts to find the missing retainer end in hilarity, and a funny scene when everyone rummages through a dumpster to find the retainer follows. The incident serves as a classic illustration of how retainers can lead to embarrassing errors while also emphasizing the significance of maintaining this dental device.
The retainer-wearing character in "The Babysitters Club"
Claudia Kishi sports a retainer in this literary series. The books frequently discuss growing-up difficulties, such as dealing with dental work like wearing a retainer. Another significant aspect of Claudia's persona is her retainer, which showcases her original sense of style and imagination. The books demonstrate through Claudia's character that having a retainer is a common aspect of growing up and that it does not prevent you from being your true, authentic self.
The presence of retainers in popular culture serves as a reminder of how common and relatable this dental device is. The difficulties and advantages of wearing a retainer have been highlighted in a variety of ways through films, TV shows, novels, and music. These representations have promoted the acceptance of retainer use and demonstrated that wearing one is a common experience for many people, particularly throughout adolescence.