TyranAmiros

I wanted a twist where it turned out Randy was actually partly Italian and used that retroactively change his mind about Columbus Day..."See, Sharon. It wasn't appropriation after all. I'm actually 2.3% Italian, so I don't have to feel ashamed about celebrating Columbus." But that would have conflicted with "Indignant People's Day." I feel the same way as the boys do, though. As a teacher, I wish there was a day off between Labor Day and Thanksgiving!

I loved this episode. It actually wasn't a send-up of White supremacists, but rather a criticism of the way the upper-middle classes (as exemplified by Randy) are willing to live with White supremacy, as long as it's presented or dressed up in a certain way. Confederate flag throw pillows indeed. Overall, I'd have to give it 9/10, needed more shiplap.

Probably so Samantha wouldn't run to Oliver too early. Assuming Samantha/William were kidnapped first, if only William was kidnapped, Samantha would have gone to Oliver and he would have come running immediately, possibly before Chase finished setting up his own arrest and the like. With Samantha kidnapped, there wasn't anyone to let Oliver know it was going on.

I actually kind of admire the way she refocused the question. The way she'd rather put the focus on Rory's agency rather than the men in Rory's life is a storytelling choice I appreciate. Coming from the Arrow fandom, I guess what ASP said strikes me more as "you should also think about it like this..." rather than "shippers are watching our show wrong."

I'm 33 and found Rory's story to be very uncomfortably close to home--at least in terms of career. There's a group of us between Gen X and the Millenials who entered the workforce right at the beginning of the recession and found that by the time that the recession receded, we were being bypassed for those coming straight out of college. I totally get that Rory, who's always had things handed to her on a plate, would really struggle to figure out her path--I'm going through the same thing right now in the "gig economy." I've always thought that the guy Rory would end up with hadn't been introduced in the show yet--and it's one place I think the show should have taken a risk by introducing a new character rather than the route they took here. I don't mind the set up with Rory having an affair with Logan--it fits with the character. But maybe in Spring, they could have introduced a new character--maybe Wookee Boy--as an option. I know I'm in the minority of a minority, but I don't like Luke/Lorelai at all (I haven't since the beginning) and the reboot just highlighted why they make a terrible couple all over again. Lorelai treats Luke like an employee and Luke treats Lorelai like a unicorn. Even in a relationship, Luke seems to have no sympathy for what Lorelai is going through and Lorelai wants to shove him aside to handle the inheritance the way she thinks it should be handled. The bantering is fun in the Diner, but it's grating to think that the relationship consists mostly of house repair and cooking with no emotional support between the two. Overall, the reboot was not as bad as I feared. At least, none of the main characters felt too out of character and I really enjoyed seeing all three Gilmore Girls deal with entering new phases of their lives. I really did think that they were going to tie up the inheritance storyline with Michel's storyline by moving out of Stars Hollow to build a chain of Dragonfly Inns/Luke's Diners throughout the country--though I'm certain the main reason it didn't happen is to keep open AYITL 2.

With all the talk of Mr. Garrison making a big speech and Kyle's role, I can't help but wonder if the solution to all of this goes back to the beginning of Season 19 and one of the biggest unresolved threads from Season 19--the only person who can get rid of the member berries is Kyle, who can only do so by making a big speech. it's the fact that Kyle has not stood up and made a speech that has allowed the Member Berries to become powerful.

I loved the fields of Member Berries with their "Member the 80s" vs "Member the 90s"--i.e. Trump (symbol of 80s capitalism) vs Clinton (90s). Competing nostalgias! I feel like South Park was referencing something in the Heidi/Cartman subplot, but I can't figure out exactly what.

I really hope Cartman doesn't have a deeper agenda here. People like Gerald exist in real life (and on the Internet) and it's kind of important to address this topic without having to find some "true reason" for his trolling here. If anything, the obsession with trying to ascribe these behaviors to psychological problems or institutionalized sexism / misogyny belies the truth that some people are just mean and/or don't see the consequences of their actions. The thing is, even though it wasn't Cartman here, how can we not think that it could have been him? Even as he "supports" the girls, he turns it into a mockery. If one sympathizes with Cartman here, are we saying it doesn't matter what he's done before? Only whether he's guilty here? Should we have sympathy for the boys who simply assumed it was Cartman and never looked into it, ready to use him as their scapegoat? Everyone's a victim here in some way except Gerald; thank God for member berries to remember when everyone was told that it's your own damned fault.

I love how the "'Member Berries" concept works on three levels. First, as a childlike way of saying "remember," second as a euphemism for a part of anatomy discussed above. But third also as a way of alluding to privilege--you're a "member" of certain groups as a result of birth, and it's comforting or stupor-inducing to stay in those echo chambers where others had the same nostalgic experiences growing up. I'm sure there's eventually going to be something more sinister going on with them, but I think it depends on who actually wins the election.

It's been a while since I watched any of Season 3 and I don't plan on rewatching. I remember a lot of discussion about Oliver's choices regarding the man vs the Arrow related to Felicity's decision. I thought some of it related to the way Oliver went so cold and detached and nihilistic, but I may be misremembering.

As a viewer who turned Arrow off between 307-320, I'm glad I missed the worst stretch of the show. S4 hasn't always been the greatest, but at least it isn't S3. To be honest, I do think the producers screwed up with Felicity's character at least twice. Palmer Island last season is a given, but the second was (barely) reworking what must have been planned for Laurel in Seasons 3-4 into a Felicity story. Yes, I think the whole desperate jaunt to NP, Felicity's OOC fear of being with someone dangerous, forcing Oliver to choose--all fits Laurel better than Felicity. Just as the Baby Mama Drama seems to resonate with Lauriver themes more than Olicity ones. But they wanted to hit the "epic romance" cliches, so despite the fact they made no sense for the characters on screen, they went with them. And attached to Felicity the same issues with giving Laurel those cliche moments in Season 1, except worse because they were OOC coming from Felicity. She couldn't win here. Also on another, lighter note, I think gender is playing another role here. Felicity is the character a lot of fans--even (or especially) male fans--identify. Putting your tech/computer-literate character with the superhero who's basically the embodiment of the gender-swapped male gaze (just look at how the show was marketed in S1)? Reminds me of a comment Scott Adams made when he tried to give Dilbert a girlfriend: "I got hundreds of emails telling me they didn't want to see Dilbert get lucky before they did."

The Quiver podcast is advertising the "Felicity and Friends" Season Finale this week. It made me laugh.

Bamford was on the Afterbuzz Podcast this week and really dragged it down. Just not engaging at all.

Superpowers via drugs reminds me of Captain America as well. I liked what little we got of him in the finale.

Was I the only one 'shipping Rip and Hourman at the end there? I mean, after the Old West episode they seem to be setting Rip up as bi- or pansexual and I always thought the Suits guy tended to have better chemistry with the men on that show.