EmmaPeel

@LM2162 you give good advice, especially the short term goals thing. Catelynn lived her entire childhood lurching from crisis to crisis and has no ability to plan or think long term. She seemed so overwhelmed any time she was confronted with the prospect of a long term plan she had to create and execute whether it be school, parenting, or that damn pig (actual pig, not Tyler.) I would add to your list: burn the zebra hoodie!

I'm not sure Corey is as pure as the driven snow either--I recall his online flirtation with Nikkole. And, obviously, his later infidelity. I thought the dynamic in both of Leah's marriages was creepy in that both were rushed (Corey to get married, Jeremy in knocking her up) and clearly between very immature and unprepared individuals. And I've always wondered how much tension was created by Leah being (in all likelihood) the primary breadwinner in both relationships. She has behaved abominably but I've always thought it was a pretty predictable outcome of taking someone way too young, relatively uneducated, pressured by unfortunate gender dynamics and putting her in the pressure cooker of raising multiple children (including one with serious health issues.) Even without the glare of tv lights that's unlikely to end well but add the semi-fame and unexpected cash?

I think Barb did a pretty lousy job parenting Jenelle because, as was said up thread, she was way out of her depth. When Jenelle acted out Barb resorted to yelling and insulting her. And when that didn't work Barb didn't reassess or get help, she just doubled down on her anger and yelling. Even if she was right that Jenelle was a beast (and she was), Barb's actions did little to change her behavior. That said I think she is absolutely right to maintain custody of Jace. Another abusive partner is reason enough but Jenelle's actions clearly show she hasn't stopped making poor decisions. And everything above applies to Jenelle. If she wants to change Barb's behavior she needs to stop whining/lashing out and do something. In addition to having legal channels she could also show that Jace is a priority by cooperating with Barb in parenting him. Maintain a regular schedule, see him as often as possible, and pay child support.

Watching it a second time (masochism) it still felt horribly rushed but I wonder if the arc was meant to echo Tennyson's "the old age changeth, yielding place to the new." Vanessa represented the enchantment of a world of the supernatural (including religion) and her death marked a transition to modernity that is disenchanted. It would mirror a lot of gothic arcs and the ending in which all the characters simply shuffle on with no greater meaning as the great battles of good and evil have given way to the world of man. Or maybe it's just a tv show. and while Eva Green is amazing, Patti LuPone really nailed the camp mood of the show. I regret that we never saw Dr. Seward and Mr. Lyle together (True Detective season 3?)

I loved the way this show played up and played with the Gothic/Victorian fear of female sexuality. Vanessa's libido was literally so monstrous it could summon the devil. And then the episode with the contrast between the three bros telling Lilly they would make her a proper woman and Dracula telling Vanessa she could be who she was seemed like a potential set-up for showing men to be as monstrous as the monsters. (Especially with the regular undertones of England haunted by empire.) But, no. Vanessa is the self-sacrificing woman who dies so patriarchy can live. Her funeral is literally the white guys in front, the women and non-white guy in the background. It felt like a lost opportunity to do something subversive with the genre.