[S18.04: The Ultimate Upcycle]

I wonder if Karli's dagger eyes were real or were edited in. Her initial reaction was shock & awkward laughter at the brazenness of Tyler's question, so I'm not entirely convinced she went from that to immediate contempt.  Her narrowed stare could have been from listening to another designer explain their outfit.  It appeared to me that he was trying to lighten the moment with humor while defending his look - but it really was terribly inappropriate of him.  Regardless of who she is married to, that's her personal life and it has nothing to do with the challenge he was designing for.  She married into a notorious family which has never embraced her as being good enough for them.  I feel for her, and I suspect his remark hit a nerve.  In any event, it was really bad form of him. I'm not sad to see him go because he never really designed anything that can be called Fashion, he was consistently resistant to Christian's advice, and he seemed overly focused on criticizing other designers and/or outfits.  There is a lot he could have learned if he had just opened himself up more.

[S01.E04: LA Times]

I'M SO INTO THIS SHOW. AGAIN. Ok, I just watched ep 4 and fired up my laptop just to post that, lol. I know this forum has been lukewarm, if even that, but the realization came when I sat on my sofa - one hand holding a bowl with leftover lasagna & garlic bread, the other hand holding a big glass of wine (repeat big) - and suddenly realized how happy I was to have this on my DVR to watch.  And it did not disappoint.  The previous poster said steamy.  YES- wow, sort of gratuitous in my book, but I'm not going to complain because it always seems tasteful, even when it looks like soft porn. By the final scene I was into my 3rd (big) glass of wine & as tipsy as Alice was at Shane's bday party.  And speaking of Alice- did she really just have a threesome with Nat & the Gigi?  Alice, are you asking for trouble?? - these two will get back together and you will be on the curb before you can say Throuple.  Oy vey.  And did Finley really tell Rebecca she wasn't a real priest and them drop the L bombshell (good for Rebecca for sending her home). And MY GOD, did Shane's (soon to be ex?) wife really just walk into her 40th bday party (and WOW, can we just all agree she was a freakin' GODDESS??!!)?  ...Yeah. I'm into this show. Again.

[S07.E08: Judgement Day]

1 hour ago, calpurnia99 said:

Has anyone said to Juliana: If we get divorced, you are entitled to half my money, so the pre-nup is a way to insure that you don't get half, you get less? This sounds like shit, but IS the purpose, that she not get what the law may entitle her to. But they keep beating around the bush- talking about "protecting the kids" but not spelling it out.

 A friend of mine married a guy with a lot of family money.  Old money. It  was a second marriage for both. His family insisted on a pre nup as they didn't trust her. They didn't want her getting her hands on their money if the marriage failed quickly. However, the pre-nup was set up so that if the marriage lasted 8 or 10 years, it was null and void. After 5 years she got more, it was graduated like that. They have a child now and have been married 20 years. 

Trying to keep telling Juliana in plain terms what the pre-nup means, is why she is all confused. Tell her: It's to make sure you are not entitled to half - or whatever the law states, if we get divorced in 2 years. Period.

THANK YOU!  OMG, THIS ^^^^.  A pre-nup doesn't have to be horrible & unfair, it's just to prevent her from walking away with half of his net worth. It can still spell out a generous settlement if they are to get divorced. She is under the impression she will get nothing and be homeless. They mediator should have guided them better and spelled out some examples of what might be considered fair that they could both agree to?

[S01.E02: Less Is More]

It's only 2 episodes in and I'm already enjoying the show- not as much as I enjoyed the original, but it's so early in the season so let's see where it goes. I'm so happy Shane & Alice are back- my 2 favorite OG characters (although the platinum blond ages Alice and I want her to go back to red, even if that's totally superficial).  I'm anxious to hear more about Shane's wife & what happened, and I trust we will... Bette has always been a good character, but I'm hot & cold with her and I really hate how she defends sex with an employee as consensual. Spin it how they like, that's a total imbalance of power and should be under the #timesup category. I'm barely remembering the storylines from before, and was actually relieved when Bette mentioned Jenny's death.  That gave me a moment of, "that means Jenny can't be in this show. Thank God!" 

[S18.E03: Sleigh the Runway]

44 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

I couldn't understand how that red petal dress got so much praise. The dye didn't look good from what I could see, and the bulk was overwhelming. I'm glad the basket hoop dress won. It looked beautiful. oms or whatever. 

Agreed!  All that bulk! I was shocked it was in the top because it added so much weight to his model. And I also agree Sergio's basket dress was beautiful. I just wish the dress part incorporated some other materials rather than being all wrapping paper (but I gotta admit it definitely was tailored to perfection).

[S18.E03: Sleigh the Runway]

I feel the show didn't provide enough materials that offered coverage, Seriously, what can you do with cranberry wreaths & fake evergreen branches? There was ribbon (but it was mostly sheer), wrapping paper, and a few tree skirts- but I would have thought the judges would frown upon using any of those because they are too much like real fabric (and the tree skirts were real fabric) - unless they were manipulated to look way beyond their original form.

Unlike most everyone else, I liked the corn husk dress and felt was the most creative in using unconventional materials.  I also liked DaiYoung's ethereal dress.  All my favorites were in the safe category. I thought Victoria should have been in the bottom for using pillow cases. I get that she glued a bunch of crap to them, but still. And those cranberry sleeves were awful.  I didn't understand all the love the judges gave her.

[S18.E02: Cats of the Urban Jungle]

56 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Is Mango an SNL reference!?!?

Yes!  Chris Kattan as Mango.

[S03.E05: It's Comedy or Cabbage]

On 12/9/2019 at 12:54 PM, tennisgurl said:

I love Lenny Bruce and he and Midge have such amazing chemistry, but seeing stuff like this...it really hurts, knowing how things will end for him. Especially that "Before I`m dead" "Its a date" exchange, oh that hit me right in the gut, especially knowing that Lenny doesent have a whole lot of time left. 

That foreshadowing gutted me, too, and made me tremendously sad.  However, based on the time period, he still has 6 years remaining- so hopefully his death will not be covered until a future season.

[S18.E01: Blast Off]

I had almost forgotten how much I hate Hester Sunshine when those stupid commercials brought it all back. 

[S03.E08: Finish It]

58 minutes ago, sd dude said:

Thanks for sharing that story.  I'm kind of surprised that a former porn star who had left the industry due to the emotional toll it had on her would appreciate at that point being told by a male friend (?) how much he enjoyed watching her have sex on film/video.  On the other hand, for a performer who is still active and/or still enjoying the experience, probably nothing would please them more than to hear that.  But it's all my speculation.

Hmmm.  After posting the paragraph above, I found the Wikipedia entry you referred to.  Also surprised to find that after leaving the industry she would still identify herself as her screen name, including at a "civilian" gathering, which wouldn't seem to do much to distance her from that life.  I can't say I ever saw any of her scenes but her photo on Wiki is quite beautiful.  And the person named as her husband in the article (not sure if that's who you met at the party) was apparently a porn performer as well.

Thanks for letting me share...  I think she took the compliment for what it was.  And she was introduced by another name originally - supposedly her real name, but I only remember she went by Missy in her movies.  I don't think she was ashamed of her movies, or anything like that, she just decided not to continue doing them.  Finally, I believe the guy she was with was indeed the one named in Wikipedia (Mickey G).  It looked like him- although my memory is a bit fuzzy.  I didn't remember being told back then that he was a porn actor, but I guess it wouldn't be surprising that he was.

[S03.E08: Finish It]

I’ve hesitated to post this, but I’ve had a couple glasses of wine so here goes... Watching The Deuce made me reflect on when I met a porn star. I was dating a guy, and he lived in Lynwood, CA (a very low income area). He had a small party and invited a gal he knew named Missy. It was around 2000.  He didn’t tell me much info about her other than she was a porn actress.  She arrived with her husband or boyfriend, I forget. They drove down from the San Fernando Valley, which was quite a distance for them to travel to attend his party.  For them to make such an effort made me believe the friendship was special. I was nervous about meeting them. I remember being introduced- Missy was petite with blond hair & blue eyes. She was friendly and polite. I know this will sound cliche, but in her eyes there was a sadness. I didn’t speak to her in depth because I was trying to play hostess and, you know, that involves a lot of work to make sure drinks are flowing, etc.  I kept busy while my boyfriend did all the socializing.  I remember trying to act aloof to her.  In all honesty, part of me off kilter that a porn star was there, and I felt a little threatened of how he knew her.  I wondered what the backstory was- although I’m pretty certain it was just an innocent acquaintance, it was still unsettling to me at the time.  I was just polite to them like I was to all his friends.  Anyway, at one point we were all in the jacuzzi together, and the conversation turned to porn life.  Her husband (boyfriend?) told us how it had been hard for her. He said it was a tough, tough, tough life - filled with people who wanted to use her and the emotional toll it took on her. He said she had to back away from it for her emotional well being.  He seemed very caring, and she listened quietly while he spoke.  Again, her expression was so sad. My boyfriend said something like, “well, Missy, all I can tell you is - in all of your movies, you really did it for me.” A compliment about how much she turned him on.  Her expression brightened and she gave a slow blink to show her appreciation. I remember I noticed how vulnerable and beautiful she looked at that moment... so human, so fragile.  Both she her & her guy were very gracious and polite all night. Then later on in the night they said they goodbyes as they readied to leave, and thanked us for inviting them.

That was years ago... a lifetime, it feels.  After watching this show, I looked her up on the internet.  I immediately recognized her photo on Wikedpedia. She had won many AVN awards, so she was really quite famous. She died in 2008 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. It made me so sad to read this. Her husband was the fellow I met that night and apparently he had been extremely abusive to her. I would have never guessed this from our interaction, but apparently it was the case.  In hindsight, I wish I had pushed aside my insecurities that night and made her feel more welcome.  She really was beautiful to look at, and her eyes really did have such a sad expression. I believe she was a beautiful and genuine person.  Watching this show has made me remember her, and now I think if her often and wish I had made more of a personal connection.

The show is over, so I doubt many people will visit this forum to read this, but I wanted to share it anyway.  It goes without saying, I will really miss this show. 

[S03.E08: Finish It]

5 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

Did anyone feel that Eileen, after such a prolonged fight to climb up the business ladder, was going backward in the end? We were meant to understand that she was performing in porn again only to get money for her own movie, but I wondered what she would do after that one shoot. Finish a movie no one is interested in, then what? Despite Gyllenhaal's fierce performance, the character had no skills beyond porn production and acting.

Also, Eilleen sure had fabulous clothes for a struggling artist.

It was indeed sad that Eileen let the negotiations go there, and then allowed so many scenes including something she had specifically ruled out.  Excuse the expression, but she really got f*d in that deal.  I get that she had a messed up way of looking at taking money from her 'man', but it's strange to me that she would not let him fund her film when she clearly allowed him to buy her expensive clothing.

[S03.E08: Finish It]

12 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I don't think they'd need her license to ID 'Lori Madison'; she was kind of famous. But - she shot herself in the head, so I'm wondering if they would be able to identify her at all. One telling thing was the credit card - she left it on the dresser, and I think it was Eileen's. Presumably the police would likely want to ask her why her credit card is in a hotel room with a dead hooker. She'd then be able to put 2 and 2 together. If no one took it in the meantime. I couldn't see her paying for a funeral anyway. 

Ahhh, thanks for that.  I thought she put the cash that she just made on the dresser.  I hadn't realized it was Eileen's cc.  I'd rewatch the scene but it's just too too tragic to see again.  Then yes, you are right- if Eileen's cc was there, and providing it was not stolen, then she would have learned by the cc company that her card was found. ...But I'm still not convinced Eileen would have learned of the details of where it was found, and that the person who left it had committed suicide.  I doubt anyone working at the hotel would be the same as when Candy worked the street (or that they would have connected Candy to the name on the cc).  I'm also not convinced that the police/coroner would have done their due diligence in ID'ing the body of a prostitute, or that they would have easily connected Lori's lifeless face to the face of a famous porn star.  So yeah, sadly, I am still inclined to believe Lori's death could have been a Jane Doe.

[S03.E08: Finish It]

Regarding Lori, I suspect no one ever learned she died. The ID she had in her bag would've probably been her real name, Sarah something, which no one would have ever connected as Lori Madison. Or she had no ID and the police/coroner labeled her as Jane Doe. Her story is the saddest of all.

[S03.E08: Finish It]

On 10/29/2019 at 11:17 AM, MCMLXXVII said:

Does anyone know if 2019 Vincent’s hotel room was in that Time Square Marriott that caused so much drama? Heh. Never really noticed it with all the other bells and whistles in the area, just that it’s super expensive for The  New Year’s Eve ball drop.

It was indeed the Marriott.  I recognized it instantly.  I also noticed when Vincent was scrolling through the TV menu for something to watch, the screen showed "Marrionn". I'm guessing that means Marriott did not give name usage rights, or producers avoided asking and just substituted two letters to make it easier on themselves.

[S02.E10: This is Not for Tears]

1 hour ago, IslandGirl said:

I could kiss you on the lips for posting this! My son & I could not stop laughing & replaying it... 🙂 

That Succession Take Off video is the best, LOLOLOLOLOL.  I finally just watched it, and the guy nails it!

[S02.E10: This is Not for Tears]

On 10/15/2019 at 2:12 PM, DoubleUTeeEff said:

Here's what I think based on skimming the articles that northboundtrain linked to and the way Logan reacted to Kendall's press conference: It's not that Logan planned this whole thing out per se or was in cahoots with anyone, it's just that he knew it was a possibility. He's not playing 3D chess, but he is playing chess. He considered all of the outcomes and chose one that he could live with. Something that he considered was the fact whoever he made the blood sacrifice might possibly turn on him and fight back and he was including his own children in that possibility. We saw what happened at that table when they discussed who it should be. They were fighting amongst themselves but once one of them was chosen, it's not a big leap to consider that they would try and take Logan down as they went down. So Logan deliberately chose his own child because he figured if someone was going to fight back, it would be better for the family if it was one of the family. In other words, it wouldn't look good to the outside world if it seemed the family was circling the wagons while they threw an outsider to the wolves. This way, his family is "clean" and has a better chance of retaining control of the company. Choosing a family member plays better for him whether they fight back or don't but choosing an outsider could lose his family everything. He's hedging his bets.

If Logan were to bet on what Kendall would do before that press conference, I would guess he didn't think Kendall had it in him. I mean, he did give Kendall that whole "killer" speech. In Logan's eyes, did he think he was needling Kendall or was he justifying his actions? I don't know and I'm not sure Logan even knows.

I agree with your theory 100%.  I just posted it, too, and went back to read previous postings (and just saw yours, as well as some of the cast interviews).  I think Logan's "Killer" comment and the "NRPI" comment were made to see if those would push Kendall into fighting back.  I think he was hoping they would, but really didn't know for sure.  

[S02.E10: This is Not for Tears]

On 10/14/2019 at 2:09 PM, haje said:

Already annoyed by some viewers immediately going the "IT WAS LOGAN'S PLAN ALL ALONG" theorizing route. 

I don't think it was Logan's "plan", per se... but I do think Logan was testing Kendall.  Deep down, would Kendall rise to the occasion?  I'm convinced Logan didn't know how it would play out, and was ready to accept either outcome.  Logan had a hint of a prideful smirk on his face in the final shot, and that was such a powerful scene.  He respected Kendall, at long last.  

[S02.E07: The Return]

On 9/23/2019 at 11:53 AM, cardigirl said:

I have a question for others who watch this show and comment here.  Reviewers all seem to adore Shiv, either because of her hair, her clothes, or because they all think she is as smart as she thinks she is, but I was happy to find her out in the cold after her attempt to force Logan to name her publicly, her dinosaur-gate issues, and her too sincere "memo."  

Am I missing something?  I mean, I love all the characters, because of how well they are written and acted, but I'm definitely not rooting for her particularly. 

I don't understand the adoration for Shiv, she's not as smart as she thinks she is. 🙂  

I can answer for myself- there's something really charismatic about this actress.  I think she's quite stunning, but not too perfect looking (although I preferred her hair in S1 because it made her seem more of a real person- this new hairstyle is too polished). I think the actress is superb, and I have never seen her in anything before, so I'm a little fascinated with her. 

As for the character of Shiv, she clearly not as smart as she thinks she is. Now that we are in S2, I am able to see past her charisma & beauty, and I'm honestly pretty repulsed by her.  She is a horrible, horrible, horrible person. It's funny how much I originally hated Tom, and now I feel sympathy for him because of how badly she manipulates him. I think she lacks a soul, to be honest, and I really want to see her taken down a notch. 

[S02.E01: The Summer Palace]

On 9/19/2019 at 6:20 AM, TaraS1 said:

I absolutely despised Tom in the beginning, but now I find his smarmy, suck-uppy awfulness a delight to watch lol

And because I can be as shallow as some of the Roys, I do not care for Shiv's new hair.

Also, I love Gerri.  The actress is so, so familiar to me, but none of her IMDb credits helped.

Agree 100%. I'm most fascinated with Tom, the actor is superb. I'm equally repulsed and amused by him. I hate him, yet I feel sorry for him.

I also dislike Shiv's new hair- the style looks fine on her, but it sort of make her appear more generic and less real. Like we're watching Dynasty or something, she looks too perfect in every scene. I don't like it.

And the actress who plays Gerri is great. I've seen her in other things but she's such a good character actor you never really know where you know her from.

That's three for three. Let's do lunch!

[S01.E08: Prague]

16 minutes ago, Roaster said:

I know we have to suspend disbelief a little, but even for the super rich, the circumstances were hard to believe.

Tom (and Roman) live in New York and the wedding will be in the UK, but they go to Prague for a bachelor party?  How indulgent is that?

A secret nightclub accessed through some sort of train tunnel or drain system?  And then, inside, you run into other super-rich people who you might be able to make a business deal with.  It's the paranoid conspiracy theories about Davos or Bilderberg.

I did like how Roman was somewhat responsible in this episode and did not get wasted on drugs.  He even counseled older brother Conn about not taking multiple pills.

Actually, they didn't go to Prague. The club was in NYC.  I'm not sure if they were ever planning to go to Prague, or if it was just a cover Roman used to keep their plans secret. 

I know people who have gone to underground parties like that, and have indeed spotted extremely famous businessmen.  It happens.

I liked how Roman was the responsible one, too. The whole episode made me see him in a whole new light.

[S01.E08: Prague]

29 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

I didn't get the impression the others were making Tom feel personally valued or special. He was just eager to have entrance to another super rich secret world that he was supposed to love. I wouldn't assume Tom thinks these people are the best friendships he's ever experienced because he's so enthusiastic. He's pretty open about loving the wealth.

I agree they didn't do anything particularly special and it's pretty clear they don't care for him much- but he is so hungry to be part of that family, he was eating it up and enjoying every second. He seemed very childlike.  I really don't like Tom, he's a sociopath, but his unbridled enthusiasm & eagerness displayed his vulnerability, and it made me feel empathy for the creep.

[S01.E08: Prague]

This was also the first episode I felt sorry for Tom. His excitement about the bachelor party showed me he probably never had friends who made him feel special. Like Roman, he craves attention & approval, and this was the first time he felt embraced.  He was a total dork with his excitement, like a big floppy dog slobbering his thankfulness over the group. I felt bad for Tom's friends who flew in to be part of the bachelor party and were excluded from joining, but that was Roman's doing. 

It was really amusing that Tom was excited about swallowing his own jizz.  Even if he was just acting that way to save face after realizing he shouldn't admitted it to the others, I was actually sort of proud of him for being so open-minded about that.

[S01.E08: Prague]

On 7/23/2018 at 12:57 PM, Eyes High said:

I'm not quite sure what we're supposed to believe with the dog cage story. Is Connor right that Roman enjoyed being put in the dog cage, that the "dog food" he was forced to eat was chocolate cake, and that Roman asked to be sent to military school? Or is Roman right and Connor is misremembering because the reality of the "game" was too unpleasant?

I think it's entirely plausible Roman pretended he liked the 'dog pound' game because he craved attention & approval from Kendall. Their household was not a nurturing one, so in his young mind he mistook it as affection. But it had such an effect on his psyche that it caused him to start wetting the bed.  His adult mind remembers only the humiliation and how it lead him to being sent away.

This was the first episode where I actually felt sad for Roman. I've despised him until now- but getting this insight, and learning he was cast off as a weakling was heartbreaking. Then seeing Kendall elbow him into the elevator grate further showed the dynamic is still alive. In every way.

[S01.E07: Austerlitz]

I think Willa desperately wants out of this relationship with Connor but feels trapped like a prisoner.  Connor is unstable, obsessive, and prone to outbursts (as seen when he hosted the ball), and I think she feels like she's walking on eggshells around him. No doubt she doesn't want to live with him in Santa Fe because if things go south, he could easily snap and kill her, and no one would ever know.  She has a high risk profession. I really liked how Marcia was matter of fact with her, asking her about her job without any judgement, even though it was clear Willa was not going to admit the truth. That was an interesting scene.