Milburn Stone

The casting on this show is out of this world. At first I thought, wow, you guys aren't even trying to disguise the Warner Bros. back lot. And then I got why.

I do find interesting--and correct!--that person's observation that "So" at the beginning of a sentence obliterates all discourse that happened before it. I never thought of it that way, but now I do. When you begin your answer to a question with "So," you're saying "I'm going to change the premise of your question at least a little. I'll give you an answer, and it may include an answer to the question you asked, but it's also going to include answers to questions you didn't ask, because those answers are at least as germane to the matter at hand as the answer to the question you asked."

This post marks the first time the episode has made any sense to me. Thanks, Dev. Wish I'd had you in my ear as I was watching. While watching, I didn't exactly think "this is nonsense," but I did imagine a show runner writing a note: "Bored...must keep self engaged at all costs...think change of pace..will...do it." In response to all posts: Are we saying Helena was undercover in S1 too? Her suicide attempt sure seemed sincere to me. So I guess that was Helena wanting to end it all, thinking "Oh my God, what have I done in creating this severed hell for these people? God forgive me for what I have done!" That does make sense.

If Helena was in "outie" mode when she was in the hospital, how would she know about the suicide attempt? (They probably told her she had a bad fall and landed on a rope or something.)

That could be it, but then I'd expect the silent glance between Milchick and Natalie to look more eye-rolley, like "how clueless can these clowns be" rather than "holy fuck, what is happening here."

That's how I read that also. Maybe I see a hint more indication than you--just for a fleeting moment--that Natalie is aware how racist the new paintings are. And also that both of them know that the board knows the paintings are racist, and that's why they commissioned them, that was the point--to humiliate Milchick. "We're racist, we know you know it, and we also know you're just going to stand there and thank us for it."

But to even know they don't want to get on the elevator again, they'd have to know how much they hate being an innie, and they have no way of knowing that as long as they remain severed.

The story I have made up for myself is that Helena insisted on being severed. If she's going to be running this company, she feels she needs to know what being severed is really like. But the part that gets in the way of that explanation is there is apparently no way to safely unsever people yet, based on Petey. I don't see her wanting to experience severance when there is no way back.

Is there a link?

Agree, she definitely does not deserve the old heave-ho.

Like @Zella, I've heard "well and truly" a lot in pretty informed circles. FWIW, the context in which I hear it most is "We're well and truly f**ked."

Having now read the material that immediately precedes the paragraph, I agree with you.

That use of "So" doesn't bug me, but the use of "So" to begin the answer to any question has become something of a universal tic. ("So, there are many reasons for that, Stacey.") I do it myself in emails and message board posts all the time, probably to create an informal tone. (I don't think it through, but that's probably why.) I suppose, in the example you cite, the word "Therefore" would be a more formal way to start, but I feel like "So" and "Therefore" and "Thus" have become true synonyms in that context.

And just as Alex Moffat was wasted in Bad Monkey! 😡 (Although the show wasn't bad.)

Do any Brokenwood actors turn up in it? I'd like to see what they can do outside the confines of that show.