snarktini

Elsbeth's dress is just so HER. Everyone else is sophisticated in their neutrals and metallics but she's wearing pink pleats with pleats and tiers. Especially following her as Audrey Hepburn which looked stunning but far too classic (and black) for her.

IIRC, the real Maddie hasn't practiced in 10. But "Maddie Matlock" hasn't practiced in 30. She made up a fake resume -- her husband posed as a reference for her. ETA: Since not working in 30 years at age 75 would make it ridiculously hard to get hired, one assumes she only did that so that her fake resume would be too out-of-date to vet thoroughly.

I get that the bags are just part of her character's styling, like the patterned jackets and pussy bows. But it doesn't make sense! A prop should have a purpose or tell us something about the character -- Brenda Leigh Johnson was always haphazardly digging through her tote, Mary Poppins' bag was magic -- but Elsbeth just carries them. We rarely see anything go in or out and she even doesn't bump into things with them. (If I carried those I'd be knocking into things all over crime scenes.) He is definitely written and directed that way! I really don't get where they are going with him.

It's nearly impossible to protect fashion designs from copying, so yeah he can do that. Designers do it all the time. But what makes Elsbeth's style special, and what could make it an original line for a fashion house even if the pieces are not fully original, is the styling. How she layers textures and patterns and colors to create something truly distinct -- sometimes she looks unusual and colorful in a refined way (she has amazing blazers) but of course that day she visited Matteo she looked full-on whackadoodle. (Though IRL a designer of Matteo's caliber would put his own spin on it, not just mimic her like he did here.) Having been lowkey bugged by her totes all season, I laughed at having them all go down the runway like that :D

Last week the Lavish Ladies billboard, this week they're at the bar! And before that, callbacks at her party. I love how they're leaning into the in-universe stuff. I doubt we'll see them all the time it totally tracks that they'd gravitate towards a trendy place with expensive drinks. Keeping my eyes peeled for more easter eggs. It feels off, him being so cold and dismissive plus the case just *poof* being resolved. There's more to this -- a secondary thing about to happen, or he has another agenda here. I can see why he'd feel betrayed but truly she was only investigating, and there was really good reason to suspect him. She had an open mind the whole time. Most shows are formulaic, this is just a different way of being formulaic than the standard red-herring-driven crime shows. My nervous system enjoys getting to watch the solving of the puzzle. The process is the point, not the answer. I prefer it this way! The part that's repetitive to me is how all of them know she's on to them but they don't panic, they don't run, they don't lawyer up. They just stare her in the eye like a lawyer sparring in court rather than a someone who is about to lose their freedom. It's like they relish the challenge. That said, I don't mind this at all. The whole show is a bit on the fantasy side and that's fine by me.

Yes, this was so charming! And thank you for identifying the DJ - I remembered his face but forgot there was an actual DJ character. The intern matching up with the rapping tour bus guy was cute. It was more than valuable -- it was a family heirloom passed down through generations.

I feel the same way. They're letting the Captain act just enough suspiciously to make it ambiguous but I think it's the LT who's corrupt and setting up the Captain as the fall guy. But, like you, if I'm this sure all bets are off! Elsbeth said it was because Gershon was so unaffected, while everyone else was visibly upset. It's a stretch. They often are. I can't believe Gershon signed off on that closeup with the bandages being unwound, because that highlighted everything about her mouth area that looks like obvious plastic surgery when she is supposed to be a top doc. Who would go to a cosmetic surgeon who looked like that?!

If I rewatch, I am definitely skipping S5 next time. What a slog! It's just 13 episodes of interrogation and torture punctuated by misery. Windmark is tedious. Walter was often the bit of levity, but with his brain is healing we get less of that. It lowkey bugged me that the writers wanted to have it both ways, with the universes improbably similar in some respects (ex. Olivia, Charlie, Broyles, and Astrid are all on the same team) and yet fundamentally different in others going back generations (different 7th president and politics, airships, Olivia's childhood). I don't buy that FauxLivia would have ended up in the same place as original Olivia because she grew up with her mom and without an abusive stepfather and cortexiphan trials. IMO our Olivia was driven by that trauma and pain to fix the world, and that's what brought her to this particular job and division. (She says she's wanted to be a LEO since age 9, which is when she shot her stepfather.) Lastly, I'm not sure how I feel about Astrid. She, as a character, is lovely, don't get me wrong. Top notch human! But she was so mistreated by Walter -- loved, yes, but also demeaned and diminished. She was a highly intelligent, competent FBI agent reduced to babysitting, placating, and running endless errands for a mercurial old man who didn't even get her name right. And the optics are worse since she's a young woman of color.

Weird, I'm watching now on Prime and this episode is the third, not the second. So the thing about the number of murders solved was particularly confusing. (My guess is this isn't an error, it was the original order based on her progress fixing up the closet office.) I like Elsbeth and her schtick, but three tote bags bugs me. Can't be good at a crime scene either.

I assume two things -- that Deborah would never trust Damien with that job long term AND that Damien is panicking because he may not know that. He's afraid it's going to land on him and he knows he doesn't have the skills or interest. Still as Deborah's PA he will almost definitely have to step in and take on calls/tasks until she hires someone new and then help the next Marcus get up to speed. (And possibly do that over and over, since she's horrible to work for and who's going to stick around like Marcus? He at least had the opportunity to build the empire.) Her team has to really work together to cope. So, some panicking is warranted! The scene was written for the comedy, but IRL a Marcus type would just write all that stuff down in a binder. He would know that Damien isn't going to remember a slew of verbal instructions like that.

Yeah, I'm stuck on that too. The tcoordination on this murder needed to be perfect for our (allegedly) two killers -- one in the empty apartment, one in Charles's -- too perfect to predict that Sazz would be in Charles' kitchen, in the line of fire, alone, on that night. It was total happenstance that Sazz would volunteer to go to his kitchen. While I can see how Sazz makes a plausible target, why would you set up a sniper's nest aimed at a home that's not your target's? This was a true laugh out loud moment for me! Recognized him immediately, and having him scream at someone for screaming was just perfect. Oh, that would have been such a good callback!

I really enjoyed the first few seasons but struggled to get through the last ones. Too much repetition! How many episodes revolved around someone being kidnapped for ransom or held hostage? How many times did a Doyle have a gun to their head? How many variations of "do this horrible / dangerous / illegal act or the person you love will be killed" were there? Not to mention the on-again off-again thing. Probably realistic for a dad with reckless kid, but I thought Malachy sold Jake short. Of the three kids, Jake was the good one! Despite having been a bit of a screwup, in the present he was the one who was there and who would do anything to save clients or family. (Even stupid Sloane. Ugh.) Really loved seeing Newfoundland, it made me want to visit. And glad I hung in there to see the crossover with Yannick Bisson :)

Ah! I forget about credit extras often. In that case my guess is that was an easter egg was meant to cast ambiguity, a final twist. They thought this would reset things, and it seemingly did. Except maybe it didn't... Now that I type that out it feels like a cheat because it would, conveniently for Netflix, leave a back door for future spin-offs or sequels despite their saying this is the final season.

I didn't see any sparkly marigolds in the park -- I saw bubbles, but nothing like the marigold. As far as I can tell, the marigold is removed from the multi-verse and that's the reset. What I am not clear on is why their kids weren't erased. If the siblings never existed in the new timeline, then neither did their kids. Is that why they were sent into the magic subway, to (hopefully) protect them from the effects of the reset? I suppose that makes sense.

Ok, I'm really confused -- Abigail's a tentacled body snatcher? She sent the UA to find Jennifer knowing it would be the end of the world, or did she not take over that guy's body until after that point? WTF. Poor 5. He's had a sad life, and the bit of happiness he found has to end.