“That's not gonna be good enough. I wanna make plans to see you again.”
Por qué es buena
It names the wish out loud instead of hiding behind a vague maybe.
Registro
Informal
Úsala tú
That's not gonna be good enough, so let's pick a day right now.
00:00 / 02:08
00:00 / 02:08
Mike Wants to Make Plans, Explained
Swingers · 1996
Capítulo 16 de 17 · 2'08"
Walking Lorraine to her car, Mike refuses the polite brush-off. "We should do it again some time" is not enough; he wants to "make plans to see you again," pen and card ready. Lorraine answers with "I'll be around," a warm-sounding sentence that keeps the door open without promising anything. The rest is a chat about careers.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:13–0:48
Mike Pushes for a Second Date
35s - 0:48–1:19
Comparing Their Struggling Careers
30s
Mike Wants to Make Plans, explained
What happens
After the date, Mike walks Lorraine to her car. She says she had a great time and suggests doing it again, but Mike pushes for something concrete: he wants to make plans. They talk about their careers — he is a struggling comedian, she works in entertainment law — and trade jabs about how hard each field is. She takes one of his business cards and teases him about his car.
What's really going on
The scene is about the gap between what people say and what they mean. 'We should do it again some time' is friendly but empty, and Mike knows it, which is why he answers, 'That's not gonna be good enough.' Lorraine's 'I'll be around' sounds inviting but commits to nothing, and Mike hears that too. The career talk underneath is a way of sizing each other up: he admits he has been in town six months and has 'black lung' to show for it, and she defends her own field, entertainment law, as something you cannot jump into. The business card with the Donald Duck logo is the odd, real detail that lets them relax; 'Nice touch' is a way of saying she sees him.
Key lines & what they mean
- “That's not gonna be good enough. I wanna make plans to see you again.”
- Mike refuses the vague 'sometime' and asks for a concrete next meeting, which is the small act of courage the scene is built around.
- “I been here six months, all I got to show for it is black lung.”
- A bitter joke about a stalled career: after half a year in LA, the only thing he has gained is a smoker's ailment.
- “Well, neither is acting, not if you're serious about it.”
- Mike's comeback in the career argument: acting is just as hard to break into as entertainment law, if you truly commit.
- “We should do it again some time.”
- The polite line that starts the scene's real problem: it sounds like a plan but asks for nothing and sets no date.
Theme
- Romance — Mike tries to turn a nice evening into a real date, while Lorraine's answer keeps him close without committing to anything.
- Ambition — Their talk about comedy and entertainment law shows two people measuring their stalled careers against each other while trying not to sound bitter.
Qué aprendes en este capítulo
Puntos de enseñanza
Repasa justo después de verMi nivel5/7
A1–C2 es la escala MCER. Las tarjetas por encima del nivel elegido se atenúan y la reproducción no se pausa en ellas.
Puntos de lengua
Toca una tarjeta para saltar a ese momentoFrases de oro
Una gran frase en sí misma: por qué y cómo usarla“I been here six months, all I got to show for it is black lung.”
Por qué es buena
The joke about black lung hides real disappointment behind a shrug.
Registro
Informal
Úsala tú
I trained for six months, and all I got to show for it is sore knees.
“Well, neither is acting, not if you're serious about it.”
Por qué es buena
A quick neither-flip turns her argument back on her without a fight.
Registro
Informal
Úsala tú
Neither is cooking, not if you want to do it well.
“We should do it again some time.”
Por qué es buena
The most ordinary line in dating, and here it is sincere: I would like to see you again.
Registro
Neutral
Úsala tú
This was fun. We should do it again some time.
Siguiente · 17make a major productionLa escena: Trent Embarrasses Mike at DinnerIdeas clave
Lo que te llevas- A concrete plan beats a vague maybe.
- Be around keeps the door open without a promise.
- A comedy card can carry a whole courtship.
- Calling after a real gig is a soft way to stay in touch.
Preguntas frecuentes
La pregunta, luego la fraseWhy is Mike unhappy with "We should do it again"?
Because it is a vague promise with no date attached. Mike wants something concrete, which is why he pushes to make plans and asks for her number.
Why does Lorraine say "I'll be around" instead of agreeing to a date?
It keeps her options open. The answer sounds warm but commits to nothing, so Mike keeps pushing for an actual next meeting rather than a vague someday.
What does "black lung" mean here?
It is a joke about his stalled career. After six months in Los Angeles, the only thing he says he has to show for it is a lung condition, not success.
Why does Lorraine take Mike's business card?
She likes the design — a duck with a cigar that turns out to be the logo of You Bet Your Life — and calling it a 'nice touch' is her way of showing she gets him.