[S02.E01: Coming Home]

Just now, izabella said:

The show even had Katherine - Katherine - save Delilah from her financial problems.  WTF?

And she did it pro bono!

[S02.E01: Coming Home]

3 hours ago, Neurochick said:

Do we think Delilah and Eddie should go around wearing scarlet letters?  Do we want to go back to those times?  For me the answer is no, but sometimes when I watch this show, it seems like Katherine is in a different show than the rest of the characters and Katherine's only "sin" was that she had a demanding job.

I don't think it is a matter of Delilah and Eddie being shamed.  I do think it is a case of natural consequences.  They did something that hurt many people and Eddie has faced some consequences of it: He ended up separated for a while, Gary was mad at him for like a week, his wife walked out on him just as they were about to reconcile.

My frustration, and I think the frustration of many people here, is that the natural consequences just don't seem to apply to Delilah.  What has she faced?  Regina yelled at her once, and then later apologized.  She ended up pregnant, but given the fact that she did nothing to prevent this pregnancy (used not always reliable contraception and then did nothing when she knew it failed), I don't even think it was an unwanted pregnancy.  That's it.  From a story telling viewpoint, it undermines everything in this show.  I mean, a story is really just a string of events, decisions, and consequences...but this show seems to be minus the consequences.

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

2 hours ago, Bwill3133 said:

It’s probably Maggie. Let’s hope it’s not to make her feel bad for Delilah. I kind of want her and Eddie to sue for custody. Theo does deserve to know his sister. It’s going to get out anyway. 

I don't really want Katherine (and Eddie) tied to Delilah, so my ultimate wish is that this baby ends up being someone else's.  Sure, it can be Jon's.  But, hey, throwing some other guy in the mix would still be in character with Delilah (yeah, I'm snarky).  

But, beyond that, I'd love to see a scene where Katherine and Eddie get Delilah served with custody papers and Delilah have to explain to her kids what would happen.  That, I believe, would send me soaring over the mountaintops of schadenfreude...

[S02.E01: Coming Home]

2 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Oh, and that's going to piss me off more, if they play the likely PJ is Jon's son secret as something that is yet another instance of Victim Saint Delilah.

So, this thing with PJ, which I find really unnecessary, seems overblown.  We know that the man PJ calls his dad is not his dad.  This is not a secret (to anyone except PJ, although why PJ doesn't know it is perplexing).  I get the show is trying to get us to make the jump that Jon was his father but, really, there is nothing to suggest that.  It seems like PJ's father is the friend who died on 9/11--I don't get what the big deal about that is.

Now, if it does turn out that Jon was PJ's father, just ugh.  I'm in the same boat as @Lady Calypso on that!  It's nothing but a pathetic attempt at manipulation and another back door way to make Delilah look better.

Also, it's way beyond coincidental that *Maggie* is PJ's therapist.  First of all, didn't Maggie quit her job last season?  Second, there is no shortage of therapists in Boston and MAGGIE is the one he goes to, after meeting Rome, and somehow being tied to Jon?  This is all too "coincidental" for me to buy.  Do better, Nash.

1 hour ago, cardigirl said:

And I didn't think Katherine was endangering Theo by leaving him, I was mad at Nash writing her that way.  She was being written at the end of last season, as a strong, capable woman, who loved her son, and was willing to fight for her marriage.  The news of the baby being Eddie's knocked her for a loop, and I guess she didn't want Theo to see her so upset, but for her to leave and NOT CONTACT Theo is not in character and makes me think Nash is doing some character assassination here 

I was actually not mad at him for writing Katherine that way--until I read his reason for it.  But, Katherine even the strongest person has their breaking point and Katherine was pushed past her, so I could see her leaving like that.  I could also see her not contacting Theo because, as messed up as she was, she was NOT going to bring Theo into it.  But, then again, that was not Nash's intention.  Still, I don't think it was character assassination on his part, just some (very) misguided story telling.

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

4 hours ago, alexvillage said:

Do I remember it correctly about a character dying in the beginning of this season? Am I mixing up shows? 

I don't think it was ever said when it would happen, but Nash did say "someone we've seen before" will die this season.  I take that to mean it will be someone who isn't that important to any story arc and who is, at best, a secondary character.

My guesses are Colin, because killing an animal makes everyone cry and this show is all about emotional manipulation, or Delilah's dad, because everyone forgot he existed after that one episode he was in and Gerald McRaney is expensive.

On another note, I read in an article (I think it may have been the same one I brought up in the 02.01 thread) that someone, with a "unique viewpoint" is going to have a conversation with Katherine to change how she thinks of things.  I swear, if it is someone who convinces Katherine that things are really hard for Delilah and Delilah should be pitied for her situation and the best thing Katherine can do is come back and pretend nothing happened, I might just lose it...

[S02.E01: Coming Home]

4 hours ago, Dusty said:

I read an interview with DJ Nash that someone upthread mentioned I think. Basically saying that Katherine leaving is to make Eddie suffer. Sure whatever. But then he says "hopefully makes us feel for Eddie." So...this is all so we feel bad for Eddie. Has nothing to do with Katherine and what she's going through really. How is it that the character he seems to think and care the least about is one of the best ones on the show? And can they at least show Regina going to check up on her or something? Can she have a real friend please?!?!

My thing is..I already feel bad for Eddie.  Not bad in, "This should never happen to him!  Give the poor guy a break!  He didn't deserve that!" (However, change the pronouns and that's exactly how I feel about Katherine).  But bad in, "Yeah, you brought this on yourself, dude.  It sucks, but you've gotta go through it."  

See, this is why I should never read those dumb ass interviews with Nash.  I am actually okay with the Katherine leaving arc when I feel it is in character which, oddly, I think this is.  Then I read that it is just some manipulation on Nash's part to get people to feel the way he thinks they should feel and to erase some of his (Nash's) bad decisions.

And, to compound all this, Delilah gets away scott free with nothing but sympathy and support from everyone.  Eddie has been surprisingly honest since the affair reveal, more than one would expect from such a man-child, and HAS had to deal with some consequences.  Yet Delilah just continues to spin a bigger and bigger web of deceit and pulling more people into it.  Ugh!

37 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

I think the only reason why he is now is because the audience didn't react well to the obvious initial endgame of Eddie and Delilah, and they had to backtrack. Because people like Katherine/Eddie more (I'll admit that I do too, because of the actors), they finally allowed Eddie to feel bad and genuinely look bad. 

Yup...there was a lot of retconning going on in this episode and I have no reason to believe that it won't be the theme of this season...

6 hours ago, Bwill3133 said:

Also the reaction to Eddie telling her Katherine left was stupid. Shocked that someone isn't falling over to kiss your ass? No lady, the woman whose husband lied to her for months and you just had a baby with is not coming by to celebrate you idiot. 

I was really perplexed by the bizarre face that Szostak painted on her face there, too.  Why would the fact that another adult knows her secret, when every single other adult does and sometime always had?  Could it be because she fears that Katherine will come back and exact revenge by telling Danny and Sophie the truth?  While I'd love to see that, it would be so wildly out of character for Katherine that it might actually lead me to turn the TV off.  Could it be because she feels bad that she ruined Eddie's marriage?  Sorry, that ship sailed on that a loooong time ago.  Could it be that Katherine might also have some other dirt on her?  Well, THAT could be interesting! (But also wildly out of character for Katherine...)

[S02.E01: Coming Home]

6 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Was there some significance to the name Charlotte/Charlie that I'm forgetting?

Charlotte is Delilah's mom's name.  Other than that, not much.

11 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

 Katherine wanting to fuck off for awhile is a pretty reasonable response to finding out that her estranged husband knocked up his mistress, but I find it rather out of character that she would leave Theo without even saying goodbye. Katherine can do better than all of these people that worship the woman who was banging her husband, I hope she comes back to Theo soon. 

To me, the only weird part was that she didn't tell Theo she was leaving...she just gave him her iPad.  Actually, I don't think it is weird that she did that--she was pretty messed up--but that Theo, at least what we saw, didn't think anything of it.  I mean, does his mother usually leave at night, in the midst of making cookies, for a huge court case that she had not ever seemed to work on?  Theo is a smart kid, but I think even a run of the mill kid could figure out that something was not right.

13 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

They seem to have basically scrapped Delilah/Eddie, and thank God because that was a terrible idea. Like the writers caught on that the audience might not be as forgiving of cheating as the writers and characters are, and they changed what might have been the original plan. i totally think that Eddie, already all "I cant call her my daughter wa wa wahhhhh" about baby Charlie is going to spill the beans, and Delilahs kids are going to be so hurt.

I don't think that Eddie is going to spill the beans, but I can see a scenario where Delilah's kids, who have already asked about Katherine and Theo, wonder why she's gone and it all comes out that way.  I will say that seeing those two blow up at their mom might be the most satisfying thing that could happen.

There was a bit that just doesn't sit right with me and that's Gary knowing the whole time that Eddie was the father.  Honestly, I think it is just some really sloppy retconning, but here's why it doesn't work for me:

1- I cannot believe, in any way, that Gary, if he really did know the entire time, wouldn't mention, allude to, whatever until this moment.  I might actually have bought it if it had been Rome, but not Gary. 

2 - I also cannot believe that Gary would know that Jon had a vasectomy, but Rome and Eddie wouldn't...for two reasons.  One, I can't see why it would be such a huge secret and Jon, being Jon, would probably spin some life-affirming story about it as he imparted his wisdom on his wayward friends.  Second, Gary is Gary and see #1.

I read an article just this morning where Nash talks about how the whole Katherine leaving thing was because he needs to make Eddie suffer.  Which, I get.  Eddie did a bad thing and Eddie should have to pay the consequences for it.  But Delilah also did a bad thing...where is all her suffering?  Actually, I give more side-eye to St. Delilah of Unreliable Contraception in the whole baby thing because SHE is the one who chose not to take steps when she knew there was a possibility she could be pregnant.  I'm not saying the pregnancy was her responsibility, but Eddie taking Plan B wouldn't have accomplished anything.

I agree with @DoubleUTeeEff (I think it was...) who said this show would be so much better without Delilah.  Yeah, there would still be sloppy story telling, nonsensical character decisions, etc...but the black hole sucking the life out of the show would be gone.

[S03.E01: Quirky Eggheads and Texas Snow Globes]

20 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

What happened in that scene was more like a basic therapy appointment, which is very different from being tested. That aside, it was a sweet scene. The entire subplot reminded me of Three's Company, but in a good way.

Spoiler

This is true, but I felt like it was supposed to be the incident that Sheldon later refers to when he says, "My mother had me tested."

(Slight TBBT reference there)

Thinking more about it, though, I think the writers were actually very good about showing how Mary's concern could be misconstrued, and how Sheldon's eccentricities are just that.  "Mental Health" casts a wide net and this episode effectively confronted some common myths about it, which I appreciate.

There is another show on (AMLT) that is supposed to be all about mental health and I think YS did more in this episode than that show has done in its entire run.

[S02.E01: Coming Home]

I think it's telling that of the eleventy million shows that aired last night that planned to watch, this one was at the bottom of my priority list.  In fact, I probably wouldn't have had a chance to see it when I did (I just finished) if my husband hadn't asked me to wait on another show so we could watch it together.

First off, shame on you, DJ Nash!  The whole lactation expert was another egregious example of his irresponsible story telling!  I'm not saying that there is no LE like that, but they are definitely few and far between (and probably not employed, at least for very long).  But, if a first time, nervous mom-to-be sees this, what does this do to her?  It scares her about the intentions of someone who will be there to help her.  Why was this even there (besides to give Maggie a chance to yell...seriously, how is she even a therapist???)?  If Nash wanted to show Delilah "judged" as a mother--which she should be, but not for this--there were more realistic and, frankly, more effective ways to do it.  I mean, forget the lactaction specialist and hello Mommy Groups!  And did they imply that Delilah wasn't going to be discharged until she could successfully nurse?  If so, more bullshit.

I was actually in Delilah's position--my first child was an expert nurser from day one, but my second child was not.  I remember my LE shrugging and say, "It's harder for some babies.  You can always do formula."  And, yeah, it was a little stressful at first--until I remembered the much higher rates of children failing to thrive before the advent of formula.  This is not a new thing at all and has happened since, well, forever.  It just used to be that babies were able to nurse or they died.  Now we have options.

That whole thing made my blood boil because it was just damn irresponsible on Nash's part.  It ranked up there with the very cavalier way they handled Rome's depression treatment, which I found just as dangerous.

Okay, off that particular soapbox...

I know Gary is supposed to be the funny one, but I find myself laughing far more at Rome's lines.  His delivery is perfect--far less gimmicky than Gary's.  In fact, I find Gary more likable when he's not being snarky.

I don't have any confidence whatsoever that the Rome/Regina baby issue will be handled well.  I think, for the show, there are two outcomes: Regina gets pregnant or they split up.  However, I would like to see a third path, which was actually the basis for one of my favorite memoirs.  Rome realizes that he will never be a father in the traditional sense, realizes how important Regina and their relationship is, and finds another avenue of fulfillment (FYI, the book is The Voluntourist by Ken Budd and in it Budd channels his desire to be a father into volunteering around the world...not that I think Rome should do *that,* but realize that we play the hand we have and find something else).

I'm not as bothered by Katherine leaving as some are.  I get that she was really at her breaking point.  I do think that both Park and Giuntoli played their parts very well, although I'm having trouble believing Theo in all this.  Of course, all these kids are just so "precious" in this show and Theo is the least annoying, so I can handwave that away.

Oh Delilah, it IS possible for you to be even worse in my book!  I call bullshit on the crib thing.  My daughter (and my son, but different story) was born three weeks early, and our OB told us that we had at least 4 weeks to go before she'd be here.  And we had a crib.  We didn't have diapers or a pack and play, but we had a crib.  We also didn't use a crib for months.  Despite being a widow, Delilah has more help than any mother I've seen and she still does nothing for herself.

Also,  she is creating all sort of shit with this paternity thing.  The best thing would have been her to be honest from the beginning, but Delilah is incapable of honesty.  Now, everyone except the kids know the truth but they all think it is a good idea?  How?  If she was determined to lie about the paternity, I hate to say it but the best thing would have been for her to never tell Eddie that he was the father.  She has now brought in FIVE other people to her lie just so her daughter won't be mad at her...and we know that since FIVE other people are in on it, the kids will find out soon...probably when they see the video of Eddie being there for the delivery.

Here's my thing with Delilah: the problem isn't that she's a bad person, far past the point of being a "flawed human."  The problem is that she's not a villain.  Now, I understand that this isn't a show that needs villains and heroes, but she's so horrible, and has faced NO consequences and takes NO responsibility for anything.  And, the gaslighting that she's some kind of saint, is killing this show.

[S01.E01: Pilot]

16 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Yeah thats an interesting thing to deal with. I've heard stories about people that have lived in the US almost their entire lives, are very "American" and dont even remember the country they were born in, maybe dont even know they are undocumented, then find them themselves suddenly deported to a country they dont know where they dont even speak the language. I know it a comedy, but there are some real stakes here. 

I have a friend who was up for (and ultimately got) a high level job in the Federal Government.  He was in his 50s at the time and it was only during his background check that he found out he was a Hungarian citizen.  It happens.

But I think this is the problem the show is facing: there are real stakes here and they aren't afraid of taking them on.  But, at the same time, it is a comedy, so it needs to balance the seriousness and the humor.  I realize that Kal Penn is very sincere and earnest and I have faith that Schur is able to handle it, but I'm not sure the Penn/Schur combo can do it together.

[S04.E01: A Girl from Arizona]

My initial thoughts:

1 - I like dead Simone much more than alive Simone (not that I didn't like alive Simone, but dead Simone is awesome).

2 - I want to see Disco Janet

3 - Shawn reminds me far too much of my father-in-law.

[S01.E01: Pilot]

I enjoyed it, although I found it a little--I don't know, preachy? That's not quite the right word, but I'm not sure of a better one.  I do think I need a few episodes to see how it settles out to see if I stick with it.

I did feel that they used stereotypes fairly well.  Other than Hakim, I know no one's name, so hang with me here.  The lady with all the jobs--I thought that was a good gag, although I don't know how they can keep that going for the long run.  I also liked the American/Moldavian young guy, as I think that brings to light a point that there are undocumented people who 1) Are very "American" and 2) May not even know they are undocumented.  I did think the Crazy Rich Asian pair was over the top, but I loved Hakim (Hakeem?).  I do hope that they rope the sister in more to the central story in episodes to come as I think she's a good foil for Kal Penn's character.

[S01.E01: Pilot]

I guess it must be my unpopular opinion that I really, really enjoyed this show.  Granted, I came in with the exception that it would be a completely different show.  I know I've seen Walter Goggins in other things, but I couldn't name them with a gun to my head.  I do, however, feel like they were very different kinds of roles?  In any case, I expected this show to be far more crude than it was.  

I get that shows can change a bit after the pilot and that I should wait for a few episodes before I decide if this really is a show for me, but I'll definitely be back next week (it helps that Young Sheldon is one of my "watch live" shows so I'm already tuned in...)

[S03.E01: Quirky Eggheads and Texas Snow Globes]

I'll admit that this probably wasn't what I would call a memorable episode, but I didn't expect Mary having Sheldon tested would be so touching.  I could really see where Mary was coming from and I thought that both Perry and Armitage played this very well.

I also appreciate that they didn't just write off Strugis and that they acknowledged the impact he had on Sheldon's life.  But, they also did it in a way that it doesn't look like they just "drop it" if the character doesn't make a return to the series.

I also enjoyed Georgie having a bit more of the spotlight and I felt him discovering his sales knack was a good step for the character.  I do wish there was more Missy, but honestly, unless they come out with a show called Young Missy, I'll probably say that for every episode.

[A Million Different Characters: Motivations, Meanings, And Mistakes Discussion]

In the spoiler thread, @sking24450 wrote (snipped to remove spoilers):

Quote

 it struck me that the thing that bothers me about this show is how the characters don't react like normal people. (snip) I wish this show would allow characters to react realistically without trying force this fake bond.

A day or so ago, I came across an interview with Nash where he talked about how he always lets "natural reactions" dictate what his characters do.  I didn't read far into the article (and I can't find it at the moment) because I am not entirely sure what universe he is from.  

I agree completely with SKING24450 that the characters' reactions almost always make no sense.  Katherine is a prime example:

She finds out that her husband cheated on her with her former best friend (which was never shown in the show, but apparently viewers are supposed to read all of the eleventy million Nash interviews to get the backstory).  A day or week (not very long, at least), she goes to dinner with her husband's mistress and all his friends who weren't ever, or at least not currently, her friends.  NO ONE WOULD EVER DO THAT.  I mean, yeah...maybe someone is a complete sadist doormat and at some point would go into that situation, but not a week at most after finding out about the affair.

Then, the mistress shows up on her doorstep and asks/demands hours of free legal work.  Again, no one would ever do that--not only would a woman not do that for her husband's mistress (she has absolutely no motivation to do so..), but I don't think any lawyer would take it on as it could impact their career.

Delilah is widely despised, yet continually portrayed as some sort of saint and martyr.  Her actions don't fit that narrative, except in Nash's mind.  I mean, he could either make her an antagonistic character OR he could have her act in a more realistic way, but he does neither.

Given the actions of most of the characters on this show, I'm not sure how any of them survived into adulthood.  Strangely, the character who seems to make the most sense is Eddie.  This isn't because Eddie is an especially well-written character but instead he's a character we've seen over and over again.  He's a manchild.  Manchildren are sometimes played as a comic relief (think Joey Tribbiani), but they always go through the same trajectory of late-onset growing up.  Nash didn't do a great job with creating Eddie, but he did (wisely?) choose an easy mold to work with and an actor who relishes not being liked by the audience.

I know I sound like a broken record when I say this, but this could be a really awesome show.  But, it...isn't.  I think it could still be turned around, but the clock is quickly ticking on that possibility.

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

3 hours ago, sking24450 said:

So I saw 2 other sneak peeks when I was on YouTube. One is of the guys stealing some crib and the other is of Chandler Riggs character seeing Maggie as a therapist.

However, I watched some s2 preview and it struck me that the thing that bothers me about this show is how the characters don't react like normal people. What triggered me was seeing Katherine and Theo in some group pic with the whole crew and Delilah and the new baby. That is not normal, no wife who had been cheated on would be over it that quickly. I wish this show would allow characters to react realistically without trying force this fake bond.

Basically I want a show with Katherine saying fuck everyone and getting new friends, still upset the office romance was killed last season for her to be crapped on with this Eddie/Delilah mess again.

Replying in the character thread.

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

5 hours ago, sking24450 said:

Eddie sucks, Katherine deserves better, same as last season.

Sigh.  

I will admit that my wishlist item is that Katherine and Eddie hit Delilah with a paternity/custody suit*...only because I am so sick of watching one character (Katherine) be continually shit upon while another character (Delilah) is at least partly responsible for the shitting and gets away with everyone and is painted as a complete saint.

Katherine does deserve better, but I still think that Eddie at least has potential for redemption.  I'm not sold on the idea that his redemption leads to a reconciliation with his wife but at least there is a clear path fro the character to grow.

*In my fantasy world, when they serve Delilah with a paternity/custody suit, they also give her a bill for all that legal work that Katherine did for her that everyone seems to have completely forgotten about.

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

From the article @Lady Calypso posted:

Quote

 The blessed event represents a chance for Eddie to get a daddy do-over. “He missed a lot of Theo’s early life because he was drunk, and he doesn’t want to miss any of this new life,” star David Giuntoli tells TVLine.

So, they are retconning, I guess.  It was established in season 1 that Eddie quit drinking when Theo was born and had been the primary caregiver for most of Theo's life.  Now, he was drunk the whole time because that will give Nash a change to tie him even more to Delilah?  Ugh.

I am in for at least trying this season, but it may be that I have to give up my personal rule of not hate-watching because, honestly, nothing I've heard so far is making me excited for this season.

[Years And Years - General Discussion]

3 hours ago, nameless slob said:

What do you mean?

Early in the show--or at least until late into the show--a lot of what Rook was peddling was unique to her: dropping an F-bomb on television, claiming that people were sending porn to 5 year olds through their phones (and, um, why do 5 year olds have phones?).  While it is sort of in the realm of what we hear in the real world, the specifics didn't come directly from the real world.  Yet, at the end of the show, Rook is claiming "fake news" and such, which is something that we hear regularly in reality.

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

Shit, it will probably be Colin.  Why?  Because this is a show that is supposed to make viewers cry.  Yet, a lot of viewers on social media say it doesn't make them cry.  So they have to try harder.  And killing off a beloved pet will make everyone cry!  (And, yeah, I'm someone who has remained dry eyed for this entire show, but I know I will cry if they kill Colin, all the while knowing it is nothing more than a manipulative tactic to get the audience to cry.  I still haven't forgiven Grey's Anatomy for--well, for a lot of things, really--but especially for killing off Meredith's dog over a decade ago).

[A Million Little Clues: Spoilers And Discussion]

While, there is a principle character I would very much like to see die (painfully), my guess is that the death will be a secondary (possibly) or tertiary (probably) character whose demise will give the characters a scene to rage their emotions but will ultimately have no impact on any story line.

[A Million Little Things In The Media]

On 8/9/2019 at 3:41 PM, saoirse said:

A Million Little Things' XL-ish Season 2 Episode Count (Finally) Revealed

Nineteen episodes doesn’t really feel...”XL-ish” to me, but then the byline is Ausiello, so that tracks.

Honestly, I think this show would do better with fewer episodes.  Most of season one was just filler--pushing non-essential story lines, replaying past events from different angles (which can be effective but it loses its potency when it is clearly done to burn off episodes).  Nash, in my opinion, isn't an especially skilled storyteller and a shorter season--13 episodes would probably be a good number--would most likely be easier for him.

On 8/10/2019 at 4:46 PM, TV Snark said:

TV Snark agrees: "A Million Little Things" Gets A Little Longer for Season 2 for Its Million Little Pointless Mysteries + ABC's Season 2 Promo Featuring...Season 1 Footage!

I just have to say...the snark there is a thing of beauty!

[Years And Years - General Discussion]

I was totally with this until they started downloading Edith.  Honestly, I think the show would have been better off if she had died there in the Erstwhile site.

I did kind of feel like they sort of ran out of steam in this episode in some ways.  I mean, starting the revolution all seemed like an organic development, but little things--like the fact that Rook's speeches went from being in the vein of what we'd hear today to being verbatim what we would hear today--just seemed lazy.

Overall, though, I enjoyed this series...although I would have really liked more Emma Thompson.

[What Are We Currently Reading?]

While on vacation, I finished The Huntress by Kate Quinn and The Cactus by Sarah Haywood.

The Huntress was my first book by Kate Quinn and I really enjoyed it!  I've had The Alice Network sitting on my kindle for ages, so I'll probably get to that one sooner rather than later.  The Cactus was ultimately good, but I spent the first half of the book thinking "This is just Sheldon Cooper, if Sheldon were female, British, and pregnant!"  Somewhere around the 50% mark it became less of a slog and I ended up liking it.

Right now I'm reading Wunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein.  I'm enjoying it and one thing that I really appreciate is that it has quite a bit about Germany right after WWII.  There are so many books about the war, but I haven't come across many about life in Germany after the war.

Also, I'll be starting Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane tonight.  I don't know much about it, but it came highly recommended, so we'll see.

[A Million Different Characters: Motivations, Meanings, And Mistakes Discussion]

On 7/31/2019 at 7:37 AM, OpalNightstream said:

I think the common link here is socioeconomic. 

I can't really buy that either.  Eddie is only in his socioeconomic sphere because of his wife.  As a cube-dwelling actuary, Gary wouldn't be in John's socioeconomic group (he'd also, you know, be at work sometimes...).  I kind of got the feeling that Rome and Regina weren't as well-off.  It seemed like Regina lost a lot with her last restaurant and Rome was doing the commercial work because he needed the money.

Here's the thing though...they make sense as friends when Jon is in the picture.  Jon was obviously the sort of guy who picked up strays and probably had some sort of codependent issue with needing people to need him.  However, take Jon out of the equation--which is exactly what this show did--the three remaining characters have nothing in common.  Now, watching them try to form relationships with each other in the absence of Jon would have been a really good show.  But that's not at all what we got.  No, we got Maggie, who never even knew Jon, and her will she/won't she croak...and Delilah just being as absolutely annoying and unlikable as possible.  It's a complete waste of potential of what could have been an excellent and unique show.