Conotocarious

I don’t understand why they would introduce new servant stories in the episode before the season finale. Are we supposed to care?

IMO, anyone who is going to be called a GOAT has to have an element of longevity. Anyone can burn bright and then flame out. Those who keep up the excellence for years on end are the true standouts.

It was so, so full of passion. It was so amazing to watch a skater grow into themselves. I remember the first time I ever watched Michelle skate….it was to “the Man From Snowy River” and she was basically a child.

And for another stunning OLympic memory, I always remember my sister calling me after this performance of Michelle’s, in 2002 after she won the bronze and in the last Olympics she attended… I had never heard this version of the song before and let me tell you, it is the most wistful, what might have been performance I’ve ever seen. She had clearly picked her exhibition music in advance and in the hopes of winning the gold and when she didn’t this performance just took on this other dimension and was all the greater for it. This song is now hard for me to listen to because I can’t get through it without tearing up (personal reasons). But I would have never even heard it if not for this performance.

This definitely tracks with my memories.

In reflecting on how different skating used to be I returned to watch this program…. Where if you read the comments everyone is like “OMG….that STEP SEQUENCE. It gives me chills”. And it does. And there’s just nothing like that anymore. The only thing anyone cares (and no one cares all that much anymore) about is these pre-rotated and mediocre jumps in the middle of limp programs. Back in the day, the step sequence in a program could be that moment.

Honestly at a certain point I think professional figure skating (which had Boitano and Gordeeva and Grinkov and Yamaguchi) was more popular than amateur. Sometime in the early 90s. They televised the world professional figure skating championships and they would go up against football because they could. I miss that golden age, skating was so great. I even met Brian Boitano (before his second Olympic appearance) and he was SO NICE.

Holy crap, THANKS FOR THIS. It is SO clear here and it also explains why I didn’t really understand how Valieva was doing a quad because to my eye it only looked like a triple in the air. I was so confused, Her triple axel didn’t look much like one either.

And the added bonus that now I just don’t like Cynthia either. Way to go!

Back when the US ladies were dominant they did have so many of those tours and opportunities. Figure skating was such a big deal that in 1992 there was a tribute to skaters in the Super Bowl halftime show. And of course, with those opportunities come a lot of young kids eager to skate. I don’t know when skating changed. Was it the change in scoring? The less interesting personalities? Some combination?

I mean, it sounds nuts, but given Russia’s behavior, I wouldn’t rule anything out. They are shady and don’t care at all about anything except the medals. If it gets more honest investigations going, then good. But just for myself, I don’t know why they wouldn’t have just just withdrawn Valieva in the first place. I highly doubt a 15 year old has the nerves to perform perfectly under these circumstances no matter how talented she is so much so that she has to be ordered to make a mistake. She’s a human teenager, and this has been a lot for even an adult to handle.

I haven’t watched a single second of this (I rely on you fine people) but I just saw a photo of the winner and her arms are like toothpicks. Given what we know of her coach’s methods, I’m disturbed.

For some reason this is absolutely cracking me up. This sport is so freakin’ ridiculous.

He was really so pretty back in the day. He was perfect in the skit.

It was. Jason has a hockey background and knows how to skate.

Henry VIII’s second wife Marie Antoinette? I turned it off right there. Are you kidding me?

Wait…she still gets to compete and keep her medal? No wonder no one gives a damn about the Olympics anymore.

Well, she divorced Kulik and is now married to David Pelletier, who used to be married to Jamie Sale. Skating drama. Never a shortage.

I know that. I remember Brian Boitano way back when with his Tano triple. Which was largely effective because he did it once. Doing it every single time looks like you are points grubbing and it takes away from the artistry.

Is she going to do every single jump with arms over her head? Because it looks stupid after awhile.

Someone brought this up somewhere but if they needed an excuse for Che to sing why not have made them a singer? There could have been really moving performances that inspired Miranda the same way that horrible excuse for comedy did (and would have been more believable too, as Ramirez can really sing). I guess they felt they couldn’t shoehorn a reason for Carrie to know Che in that event but someone could have come up with something.

Oh don’t you worry, I’m sure there will be a throwaway line if there is a second season where Miranda vaguely mentions that long discussion she had with Brady. We as the audience just never get to see that though. We get to see her laughing like a hyena over Che’s limp comedy.

Boy, were we ever right when we said Cynthia Nixon is to blame for this shitshow. Turns out she really was!

I’m also annoyed by the fact that it was obvious to many here and to me that Franklin the “podcast” producer was going to be a love interest simply because he was too bizarrely good-looking to just be a background character. This show didn’t take the twists the turns it thought it did.

Am I still supposed to be charmed by Rock? Because I am not. Not in the slightest. What a BRAT. Hey, Miranda? If Carrie wants to believe in heaven now after an enormous loss, shut your stupid face and be supportive instead of snarky. Why is she such a complete asshole? So Miranda can change her beliefs about herself and her life and NO ONE is allowed to judge but Carrie can’t? Go AWAY, Miranda. Go watch Che’s stupid pilot AND NEVER RETURN AGAIN. How nice that they disposed of Brady in one line too. It’s OK for Miranda to disappear for several months because Brady will be in Europe! CONVENIENT. Is that kid going to college at all? I swear to god, she’s a cardboard cutout of a parent and he’s a cardboard cutout of a 17 year old kid. You know what I liked? This forum here. That’s my enjoyment of AJLT. The part with Carrie’s lamp was actually my favorite part of the show. We had a huge unexpected loss in my family (a child) a few years ago and the lights kept flickering inexplicably for one of the parents, starting in the hospital but even after. Seeing that happen to Carrie’s lamp gave me chills actually. I didn’t think it was silly or nonsensical.