blackwing
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Just finished this season. I found Jennifer Coolidge and Tanya to be incredibly irritating. I did feel sympathy for her in the last episode, but she has been such a self-absorbed twit who treated people around her poorly, it was hard to completely feel sorry for her as her own stupidity and vanity led her into making some incredibly poor choices.
I'm sure Mike White would love to bring Coolidge back. I hope it's not as Tanya with a "this season in Thailand happened in between Hawaii and Sicily". That's cheap. He could try to bring her back as a long lost cousin of Tanya, but that's a bit cheap as well since we had been told she had no living relatives at all. She could come back as a new character who resembles Tanya. It'd be interesting if she were a completely competent and serious character, but I don't think Coolidge can pull that off. She has no range. She plays the same character in everything she does... slightly befuddled, slightly annoying. If they ever remake "Clue the Movie" like they always say they will, I could see her being a perfect Mrs. Peacock... same mannerisms.
On 12/14/2022 at 5:18 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:Everyone refers to Cameron as being rich or calls him "the rich guy" when it was Ethan who sold his company and had a big payout. Can anyone clarify Cameron's money situation? I don't remember it. He seems really desperate for money. He refused to pay the hookers and he's certainly trying to con Ethan out of money as well.
On 12/14/2022 at 5:24 PM, izabella said:He's an investment banker who is not above insider trading. He's rich. He's the kind of rich where his wife can just randomly rent a palazzo for an overnight, with full staff, for two people just for fun without thinking about it for even a moment.
He didn't refuse. He gave Lucia some of the money right away, but just didn't have enough cash on him at the time for the full amount, mostly becasue of how much extra she tacked on for the drugs they all took. In this episode, we saw him give her the rest of the cash in an envelope when she was at the bar, and she ran out joyfully and let Mia know.
He wasn't conning Ethan out of money. He was implying he would have liked to get a heads up that Ethan was selling, so Cameron could do some insider trading with that information.
Although I just finished this season, I've been reading each episode thread as I finished each episode. I see that there was lots of speculation throughout the season that Cameron was broke, and that he was trying to con money out of Ethan. This episode seems to confirm that he wasn't broke at all. He has money, he paid off Lucia and didn't try to swindle Ethan.
He did suggest to Ethan that he give him a tip about Ethan's company so he would know when to sell, but Ethan refused.
So I'm left wonder, why did Cameron and Daphne even invite Ethan and Harper on this trip? They were freshman year roommates at Yale. I'd say they are about 35 now. It doesn't sound like they've been that close. Cameron and Daphne had never met Harper. If they're not really close friends, why travel together?
Based on Cameron constantly kissing and touching Ethan and saying he wanted to "be inside" him, it does seem like Cameron is maybe bi and perhaps they have a history? But nothing was ever confirmed. And even if true, would that be reason enough to invite this couple to Sicily after so many years?
On 1/23/2023 at 7:26 PM, Blakeston said:Ethan - Ethan was just a very poorly written character. Up until the finale, he had absolutely no personality beyond 1) being a frustrated second fiddle to Cameron, and 2) communicating poorly with his wife and failing to satisfy her. I'm not buying for a second that he had what it takes to start his own company in the cutthroat tech world, and grow it into a big success.
Portia - While it would be nice to think that Portia would arrive back in the US, speak out against Greg, and get him arrested, I could totally see her pretending that nothing ever happened. After what Jack told her, she believes it's in her best interests to keep her mouth shut. And we never saw anything to suggest that Portia cares about anyone other than herself - except making that one warning call to Tanya, which wasn't much. She really was like Tanya in so many ways.
I agree completely about Ethan. He was a complete dud of a character. Spent most of the season completely devoid of personality. Then episode 6 he seemed unhinged in the way he smoldered anger and resentment. Then perhaps at Cameron's urging (and when Cameron had conveniently disappeared), Daphne takes him to the deserted island and sleeps with him. And now all is good? Whatever. I'm with you, no way Ethan is this hugely successful tech mogul.
It does seem like Portia won't say anything. She was very casual in the way she simply told Albie she hadn't heard from Tanya. What?
On 2/13/2023 at 12:04 PM, chaifan said:OK, first I'll admit that I didn't read all 800+ (!) comments, just the first and last page, so I apologize if my thoughts are repeats/rehashes...
I was underwhelmed by the 1st season, and only reluctantly watched the 2nd season. I actually liked it better, and mostly enjoyed it, but the end was a disappointment for me.
There are just so many weird issues with Tanya's death. My biggest question is why did Quentin and his friends go so over the top with Tanya, if the end goal was to kill her so Greg could inherit her fortune? What was the point of the big party, the hook up with Nikko, the opera, etc? (OK, second biggest question - did Tanya just happen to pack an opera cape, or did Quentin have one lying around that just happened to fit Tanya???) They obviously didn't really enjoy spending the time with her, they thought she was an idiot. If the goal was just for her to end up dead, all that was unnecessary. Also, I'd have to assume the goal was for her to end up dead and look like an accident. So why the rope? Just coke her up and push her overboard, have someone in the water to hold her down to make sure she's dead, wait 'til morning and call the police to report her missing.
My second issue is with Portia. OK, she's 20 and makes stupid choices. But I still can't imagine her getting on a plane without Tanya, or some confirmation that she's ok, after her conversation with Tanya the night before.
And there's so much more. So much more... I don't believe every show has to have every detail wrapped up nicely in a neat bow. I'm ok with wondering about some things. But this is just too much. I'm not a fan of that.
So we'll have a Season 3. I think the only way I'll watch it is if we know that this will be about Greg/Quentin/Tanya. Start it off with a pre-Season 1 flashback, with Quentin & Greg at the first White Lotus hotel, scoping out lonely rich women to scam. (Side note: I felt from the beginning Greg's meet-cute with Tanya was part of a long con. I'm all with @WearyTraveler's theory (page 8 of this thread) that they've done this before.) Then flash forward to post-Season 2, to the investigation of Tanya's death, and tie up these stupid loose ends for the viewers. Then flash forward to present day, with Greg & new fabulously gay partner at another White Lotus (since we know they're filming at a new posh location), looking for Wife Number 5. Then end with Greg getting nabbed. Then stop this series.
I fully agree about Tanya's death. Why go through all of that? Other than Mike White wanting to see the Niccolo actor naked and showing them all having a great time in a beautiful palazzo. Why go through all that trouble? Why not just give her some bad drugs? "Oops, she didn't know her limits and she overdosed and died. My condolences Greg." Instead, this huge plot, which includes Jack spiriting Portia off in his car to get her out of the way. Just so much unnecessary steps.
Also, the guy that was with the French guy (the one that Tanya called "the other one" or something like that) and the captain both jumped off the boat. Did they survive? I forget how many bodies were found. We only saw Quentin, Niccolo and Didier's bodies. If they said "four bodies" that presumably includes Tanya.
If they survived, then Tanya could have survived by simply jumping. But I guess we needed the comedic death.
If those two survived, are they going to tell their story that Tanya killed the other three? I guess Tanya is dead so it doesn't matter. But if Tanya had survived, I could see her having manslaughter charges brought against her. Yes, Niccolo had rope and a gun, but there really wasn't concrete evidence that they intended to kill her. Jack's words to Portia could be just him talking without knowing anything.
I also agree that for Season 3, I need to have some closure. It bothers me thinking that Greg is going to inherit all of her money. I really hope that Portia went to the authorities and told them about Greg. I really hope Season 3 opens with some characters watching the news on TV and there's a story or a ticker item that indicates that Greg has been arrested in a murder-for-hire plot. And that Belinda has inherited all of Tanya's money. Then a clip of Belinda smiling at her own spa in Thailand. Cue opening credits.
On 3/7/2023 at 6:38 PM, Cliff dweller said:I don't know if someone has already addressed this, I don't want to take the time to read all of the posts.
But, could the dead body that we saw in the water have been the man on the boat who jumped off? The foot looked more like a man's foot than a woman's, and Tanya was wearing her shoes when she fell into the water, and I don't think the fall was enough to knock off those shoes. So, perhaps Tanya survived?
In this episode, the season finale, there was a clear shot of Tanya's body floating face down in the water. We see her hair and it's wearing her dress. She's dead.
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1 hour ago, Ceindreadh said:
All the scenes of alive Valence were in the past, back when he was buying the tablet from his 'guy', and then recording the message for John.
Ah, thanks for the explanation. That makes sense. So he was buying the device that he inserted into the fake stone fossil.
32 minutes ago, Dani said:Not necessarily. Writers love the secret child trope.
It so obvious that I kinda hope they don’t go there. In the flashback episode where John’s team were killed they were talking about the fake dating profile. That surprised me because I don’t think they were supposed to know about it. I think it will be relevant but I’m not sure how.
I would have to believe that Hailey is involved somehow, otherwise there's absolutely no reason why she would still be with him. I forget, did she say what she does for a living? I know it's only been a few days, but why is she so invested in John that she is willing to take days off of work and be willing to go into hiding and get shot at? After the first time they were discovered and shot at, you'd think she'd hightail it home.
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14 hours ago, chaifan said:
I posted this an episode or two ago, but my theory is... Hailey is Crowley.
I don't like the fantasy flashes. I don't want to have to wonder if every scene is real or some fantasy playing out in Weir's head.
I didn't like this episode. I don't feel that we moved forward at all, except to find out Jo's boss is corrupt.
Ben is/was friends with Crowley, wouldn't he know if Crowley had a daughter and shouldn't he suspect that Hailey could be her?
I agree that I don't like the fantasy flashes. So all of the scenes of an alive Valence, are those imagined or real? For the other ones, like the one where John shot Ben, John is in the room and we see his face before the fantasy sequence, so it seems to imply that he is imagining things. But the various scenes of an alive Valence, was John shown before we saw these?
I'm also confused as to whether Ben was the one that wanted the Shared Data Act passed, as Not(?) Crowley told John.
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On 4/28/2023 at 7:54 AM, WendyM said:
A couple of things: the hair, the hair, the hair. Why does someone with the longest hair not tie her hair back when she cooks? How does it not catch on fire?
The hair doesn’t bother me. This is a reality TV show. They want the contestants to look attractive. If this were a real kitchen, those with long hair might be wearing hairnets. And those look particularly ugly.
I think the contestants almost certainly visit the Hair and Makeup tent before stepping onto the floor.
On 4/29/2023 at 2:29 PM, rlc said:Tucker did not bake a cake- she baked brownies.
Yep. I cry foul. She should have been in the elimination instead of Nuri. Nuri was criticised for the look of his dessert but his taste was good. Tucker cooked an overly dense brownie and tried to call it cake.
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So in the end, the father was perfectly willing to sacrifice his child in an effort to bolster his chances that he gets found not guilty. I hope Taylor remembers this. I find it hard to believe, I think most parents would gladly accept any kind of consequences to protect their children. I feel like we just saw this on L&O, where the parent confesses to a crime in order to protect their child. So it was a real shock and twist to me that the father was supremely selfish (and supported by his heartless lawyer) and was willing to risk his child.
I didn't like the fact that he got a plea deal instead of getting found guilty and sent to prison for life. But I'm thankful that given the trend of recent L&O episodes ending in "SOMETHING BAD" happening, I'm glad that the episode didn't end with Maroun walking into the office and telling Price and McCoy that Taylor killed herself.
17 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:I get why they pled the asshole out to protect Taylor, but I hate that Price and Maroun were made out to be the assholes when it was the dad and his bitch lawyer willing to throw a child under the bus just to preserve his delusion that he was “protecting” his child. Abusers never think of themselves as abusers, but it’s not love, it’s control. Fuck that bastard. His wife better have divorced his ass if she was so concerned about Taylor’s well-being.
Also, Taylor feel more terrible that for not testifying after the doctor went out of his way to help her? Just saying…
I felt bad for the victim’s wife. I don’t blame her for ripping Price a new one.
Yes. I feel like we missed a scene of the mom talking with the dad and his lawyer to convince him not to make Taylor testify. It was his fault that Taylor was going to be put on the stand, not Price and Maroun's.
15 hours ago, storyskip said:I’m getting tired of the writers setting up St. Maroun who makes all the politically comfortable arguments, and then leaves Price to take the heat. I agree that the victims’s wife had every right to be pissed but she should have been yelling at Maroun or Jack.
I get that as the lead prosecutor it’s Price’s job but I’ve lost track of how many times there is a moral / PC argument, Maroun convinces Jack of X position though Price argues for Y, they go with X and then Price gets lamblasted by the family/friends/etc.
This. I agree with you that more often than not it's seemingly always Price's role to look like the asshole. Maroun always comes in with her moral objections from her high horse, and Price is left looking like the ass. Why?
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On 11/28/2022 at 3:37 PM, skotnikov said:
It's not whodunnit, it's correct. It's whodied kind of show, like in a soap. MW navigates his plot through basic tropes of a soap opera.
On 11/30/2022 at 1:12 AM, violetwaves said:Am I the only one who doesn’t care who is dead? I find the storylines in front of us interesting enough without trying to guess who is dead. Bottom line is all these people are miserable. It doesn’t matter who is dead because the ones who aren’t will go on with their miserable lives despite not being dead.
I agree, I don't really care who ends up dead. But I do think this kind of trope, showing a dead body in Episode 1 without identifying who it is, and then doing a "one week earlier" and showing us all the events leading up to it, in an effort to keep us guessing as to who died, is a little overdone. And if not actual bodies, the whole shock reveal and then the slow peeling of the onion week by week until we get answers, seems pretty common in TV. This kind of device was used in every or nearly every season of "How to Get Away With Murder" and the first season of "The Afterparty". It can be entertaining when done right.
However in this instance, I don't think the "whodunnit" or "whodied" works because we aren't given any clues at all. In the typical show using this trope, each week or each episode we would be given a clue or a reveal which eliminates one person as the killer/body. We aren't getting that here. Five episodes in and nobody has even died or been eliminated as the body, except for Daphne.
On 11/27/2022 at 9:49 PM, Samsnee said:I’ve seen enough movies to know hookers always ask for money up front.
I think the next morning, Lucia told Albie it was $1,800 for an overnight. But I thought Dominic gave her $3,000 and hired her for the week? I remember thinking that didn't seem like that much. Julia Roberts got $3,000 for a whole week and she thought it was an unheard amount of money, but that was 30 years ago. I have no idea how Albie was supposed to know she was a hooker. He didn't see her with his father or in his grandfather's room, so unless she said something, how would he have known? Cameron knew right away what they were, but he has a lot more life experience than Albie.
On 11/27/2022 at 10:47 PM, aghst said:What exactly does the pimp do for Lucia? He should handle collections if Cameran isn't going to pay. But it's strange they didn't even mention the pimp before this episode. Seems like she was spending the money as soon as she earned it not putting aside someone else's cut.
Why does she even need a pimp, if that guy is actually her pimp? Doesn't a pimp usually arrange or direct all encounters for the escort? She's arranging everything herself and fending for herself.
How did Mia know that Valentina was gay? Every time they've interacted, Valentina has been nasty to them, and they insulted her by saying she was old. We only found out because of her interactions with the clerk. Mia wouldn't have seen any of that. So it seemed like it was coming from nowhere, it's not like Valentina has made any indications to her.
On 12/1/2022 at 11:57 PM, chocolatine said:I sincerely hope her father/parents put the money in an irrevocable trust for her. Tanya doesn't seem to have the skills and level-headedness to successfully manage that kind of money, so even if she doesn't get scammed, I can see her losing the money through impulsive, risky investment decisions.
Tanya has to be at least 60, I would hope for her sake that her parents wouldn't have restricted access to her money perpetually. She did pull out of the verbal deal with Belinda and then in this episode she mentioned that she thought Belinda was trying to bamboozle her. So she's at least somewhat aware that people might be after her money.
I don't think she has any relatives, does she? I don't recall her mentioning any siblings, if she had any I think they would have been in Hawaii with her to scatter mom's ashes. She has no children and is well past child bearing age. What does she expect to do with all of her money? If she's not leaving it to any cousins, where is it going?
On 12/3/2022 at 10:22 PM, shapeshifter said:Maybe that's why I find the nephew so repulsive, but I think he's just supposed to be repulsive. 😉
For me, it's his dialog. Everything he says is crude.He mentioned he was from Essex. I don't know much about English counties, but isn't Essex where Love Island is filmed? He seemed to assume she would form a stereotype of him because of the fact he was from Essex.
On 12/25/2022 at 4:34 PM, J-Metal Girl said:I hope Quentin is paying Jack well - he's good at his job. He knows what Portia wants. When she (barely concealing her contempt) said Albie is "so sweet," maybe that's when he got the idea for the dine and dash. (Ugh, what a trash thing to do. I hope for that poor restaurant worker's sake that he was in on it, or at least that Jack/Quentin will pay up later.)
I wouldn't be surprised if Quentin isn't paying Jack at all. Jack gets to travel the world with Quentin and gets to stay in nice place and eat well. In return, he gets pimped out by Quentin. I think Jack's services have been helping to fund Quentin's lifestyle. I suspect that the entourage of "the gays", those guys are all paying Quentin for the privilege of being around him and getting schtupped by Jack. Quentin acquires and disposes of his collection of "old hags" who somehow provide him with money, but he is in between hags, Jack isn't bringing in enough money, so Quentin is targeting Tonya?
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I have to confess I don't have much of an idea of what is going on or exactly what happened.
- Gar is stuck in The Red along with Kory. I didn't follow how Kory got there? Doom Patrol somehow is there too. Why? They find a way to escape.
- Sebastian unleashes his power and kills his mother and then pours his power into a spell in the form of a video game. The video game takes over people's souls. Bernard succumbs. Tim tries to stop the game and is helped by Connor who let him into the LexCorp server.
- Some ugly demon manifests out of Rachel from when Sebastian attacked her. Rachel and Dick kill it.
- May is still alive.
Is that pretty much it? There are only two episodes left in the entire series, seems like a lot to resolve. Is Connor actually good or is he bad or grey? I wonder if the show is going to have a proper series finale or if it is just going to leave things open.
I am not liking the Lexxing of Connor. I liked Connor when he was with Blackfire. Didn't he say he was going to visit her? I guess that never happened.
I liked the use of the Pet Shop Boys' "Opportunities" for the scene in which Sebastian releases his video game. The song is a perfect representation of the electronica 1980s dance beat songs and sounds like a video game song. The last time I heard this song was when it was used in those weird Allstate ads where the guy is driving and his hood ornament comes to life. Much better use in this show.
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On 11/20/2022 at 10:47 PM, chocolatine said:
Anyone else think that Tom Hollander's character has a nefarious motive regarding Tanya? He singled her out for a compliment even though there are many more attractive and better dressed women at that hotel. Then he told her that story about Isola Bella and the woman who ended up dead.
I thought the nephew told Portia that his uncle collects these rich hags. It seems to me that Quentin is just going to use Tonya to fund his lifestyle. And Tonya is so desperate for attention that she will completely fall for it.
Why didn't Mia just get closer to Lucia, or make Lucia come out of the water to her? There's a reason why she went all the way from their room down to the beach to ask... because she didn't know the difference. One of the pills was Viagra, the other was some kind of drug. Mia seemed to understand the issue with confusing the two pills but then didn't take the final step to actually get confirmation. Dumb.
Why are these two women still at the hotel? If Dominic has decided he is done with them, why didn't he deactivate their room keys? As it is, it seems they are charging everything (drinks, food, clothes from the hotel shop) to him.
I also find it odd that Nonno, Dominic and Albie have three individual hotel rooms. Why wouldn't they book a suite that has multiple bedrooms? I get that Dominic cheats on his wife a lot so maybe that's why he wanted his own room. But there's no reason why Albie and Nonno couldn't have either shared a room or a suite. I think the sister was supposed to go too until she and the mom both dropped out. Was the sister going to have her own room too? 4 rooms for 5 family members? Seems excessive.
Like many of you I found myself supremely annoyed at Harper's passive aggressive behaviour. She should have just said to Ethan "I found THIS on the couch, care to explain". At the same time, Ethan clearly knows that Harper is upset about something, he asked her, but she won't say anything. Surely he knows that she thinks he is lying.
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Jerry Springer has died. I read that he had pancreatic cancer. He was the Beetle during the most recent past season, season 8.
Bob Saget, Leslie Jordan, Kirstie Alley, Jerry Springer. Fourth person to appear on the show and then die within a year or so.
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I can't stand the Medusa and I think she was the worst of the three. I used to think she was Fergie, but Fergie isn't this bad. This woman's voice isn't great, and she tries to cover it up by screaming/shouting singing. It's annoying. That long note she held just to show she could? Irritating. Jumping around and shaking all of her snakes like she drank too much caffeine? Stupid.
I wish Lou Diamond Phillips had advanced, I think he was the best of the three.
Kudos to Keenan Allen. I love seeing non-singers do well on this show and I felt bad for him when he said he didn't want to go home.
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9 hours ago, MerBearHou said:
Why is Henry’s wife never mentioned? Or have I missed it? It’s a bizarre omission.
I've been wondering where Ruth has been, I feel like it's been ages since she was last on the show. I think she's too annoying to be on all the time, but I don't mind an occasional appearance.
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On 11/14/2022 at 12:02 AM, Adgirl said:
There's absolutely no one to root for this season. I hate the sullen assistant. Working for Tanya is a nightmare but dude you took the job...quit or stfu. When the olds talk about working their way up or paying dues it's not always about the harassment we faced; sometimes it was just shitty temperamental, unhinged bosses like Tanya.
I think she wanted the job and wanted the money but is only now finding out things about Tonya that she can't stand. That's why she said to Albie that she needs a new job. She's fed up and has had enough. She goes along with Tonya on this vacation thinking it'll be nice, then pretty immediately gets told by her that she has to stay in her room the whole time otherwise Greg will get mad. She doesn't listen, and wants to hang out at the buffet or the pool, only to get nasty looks from Tonya.
Then she meets this guy and his family and goes to town with them. She gets called by Tonya who is all "where are you" and she says she is out and Tonya is all "I told you to stay close, you need to come to me right now". Then she's in the room with Tonya at the tarot reading and Tonya tells her to go away.
Tonya expects Portia to be available at all times, except when she doesn't want her around, in which case Portia can't be around at all. Tonya expects Portia to be a mind reader and know exactly when it's acceptable to do her job and be around yet also know when she is not. I'm sure Portia is exhausted. Tonya is a classic narcissist.
On 11/15/2022 at 12:50 AM, chocolatine said:We saw her leave Natasha a huge tip at the end of last season. I know some people thought Tanya was being a jerk since she had told Natasha that she wanted to open a spa together and then reneged, but I don't think Natasha was in any way entitled to an investment from Tanya, so, at face value, the tip was very generous. Maybe she'll also give Portia a tip at the end of this season (if both of them are still alive).
I think you mean Belinda? I would agree with you that Belinda wasn't entitled to any investment, but I think Tonya was a jerk because she used Belinda. Tonya was in an awful state, she wanted someone to talk to, so she invited Belinda to dinner. Belinda listened patiently and put up with all of Tonya's crap. Tonya thanked her and said she wanted to do something for her and help her open her own spa. Belinda prepared a lengthy proposal, and in the end, Tonya reneged because she decided that she didn't need Belinda anymore. To Tonya, people are not human beings, they are only there to serve her needs and conveniences and when she doesn't need anything from them, she just drops them.
On 4/17/2023 at 6:41 PM, Lamima said:So didn't Daphne fall into Cameron's arms when she got back on the beach after swimming into the dead body? Thought so. So I don't see any deaths being Cam.
I felt that Greg glommed on to Tanya for her money. Like a Dirty John who had wooed many rich desperate ladies to steal their money. But then I got the idea that maybe his health issue isn't cured. Maybe he was talking to his kid. Maybe he had to go for some treatment or something. Maybe he's dying. Could his kid be Portia? Nah.
I rewatched the scene again. I find it odd that no one else on the beach noticed the body. Daphne wasn't that far out. The guy that consoles her, we don't get a clear view of his face, but it does seem like Cameron. Or at least someone who looks a lot like him. Same hair, beard, same tall lean body type.
I don't know if Greg targeted Tonya, in Season 1 we are led to believe he was just there and randomly met up with her. He thought he was dying and wanted to find an available woman. After their initial encounter, he seemed done with her. He went for a long swim in the pool to avoid her, she went down to the pool and sought him out. He definitely didn't act like he knew who she was and was targeting her for her money, at that point in time he acted like he didn't want to continue anything.
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On 11/7/2022 at 4:35 PM, peachmangosteen said:
Same. I don't even know why I kept watching last season. It was boring and I could only manage to really like 1, maybe 2, of the characters. This season is much better to me. It's funnier, more interesting, and the characters are much more likable.
I'm enjoying this season so much more than I enjoyed Season 1. They are using the location much better, we've seen various shots of Sicily and the characters actually seeing Sicily. In Season 1, that resort could have been anywhere, there's no reason why it needed to be in Hawaii because the characters hardly left the resort and most scenes were either by a generic pool or inside.
On the whole, I like the characters a lot more, except for Tonya.
On 11/7/2022 at 10:32 AM, Irlandesa said:I don't know that I feel bad for her because her husband had a very accurate assessment of her. She collects people by giving them what they think they want and discards them when she gets distracted or they don't fill whatever hole she was trying to fill. I can see how it sucks for her that it's pretty clear Greg is growing tired of the dynamics of their marriage but it's also kind of inevitable for both of them. They probably got married before they knew what being together day in and day out was actually like.
On 11/9/2022 at 6:43 AM, Johnny Dollar said:Jennifer Coolidge is playing the exact same character for over twenty years and it’s getting very tiresome. How she won an Emmy over Kaitlyn Dever in Dopesick is beyond me.
On 11/11/2022 at 11:04 PM, Mr. R0b0t said:I came here to say the exact same thing. She seems like a lovely person and somehow has an Emmy for this exact role and she CANNOT act. She drags the show down. That restaurant scene had devastating dialogue with pathos and she lumbered through it like a wine mom after three glasses on an empty stomach jumping on stage to read a poem at an open mike. Tanya is a poorly drawn cartoon.
Agree, I can't stand Jennifer Coolidge and/or Tonya. I find both annoying. Coolidge's little lost girl voice is tired and played out and she's been doing it ever since she was Stifler's mom. Greg's observations about Tanya were 100% accurate, she uses her money to basically buy people to hover around her and then she discards them or makes them do what she wants, all in the name of making herself feel important. Why did she even need to bring her assistant to Sicily? Why does she even have an assistant? Does she even work? I thought she inherited all of her money, she's not doing anything to earn it.
On 11/8/2022 at 8:20 AM, jeansheridan said:His need to be liked is creepy too but I was bummed she didn't have a drier reaction to his question. More of a "jury's out buddy" reaction. I found it weird she was swimming so alone in the ocean too unless that is really more a bay?
Theo James is charming however. It's funny two of the male leads are actually British.
The actress playing Daphne is new to me and I love her. She has a Kelly Preston vibe. She feels like a woman with very little ego (other than she maintains her beauty). She’s charmingly candid about her mainstream interests. Her drunk dial donations are funny. Not being sure if Puerto Rico is a territory (which let's be honest, how many Americans ARE sure?). Cameron's casual "oh you are half Puerto Rican" was cringy. As intended by the script, not the character.
For some reason I thought this resort was on a cliff, and Harper was swimming in a deserted looking bay below. But in the opening scenes from the first episode, there's clearly a beach. Is the beach at the foot of the cliff? So someone has to walk all the way down a lot of stairs to get to the beach?
I like Theo James in this role, his character is self-absorbed but also a bit funny. I loved when Cameron and Daphne went shopping and he thrust open the dressing stall curtains with a flourish and strutted over to Daphne wearing his ridiculous matching outfit. I laughed when he muttered "I look so stupid" and she said "I like it". That scene was well acted.
I think Cameron said to her "oh that's right, you're half Puerto Rican". I don't see anything wrong with it, it is a fact and he was just remembering this about her. I thought it was a great nod to Aubrey Plaza, who actually is indeed half Puerto Rican.
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I didn't really care for this episode. The only good things were 1) the reveal of Peia as the Spiral Lady, 2) Lois dealing with her cancer and Clark learning to accept it, and 3) Jonathan.
I was supremely irritated with Jordan. I know it would never happen, but I wish they would kill him off or send him away. I can't stand the whining and complaining and the angst. Is this kid ever happy? Whined through the first two seasons about Sarah. Now whining about not being able to use his powers fully. His costume looks utterly ridiculous. And I forsee a Jon/Sarah romance brewing. Jordan was shocked and upset that Jon even talked to Sarah.
Also supremely irritated with Sophie. "Everyone always forgets about me. They never want me around." Well yeah, she is gone from the show for weeks at a time and nobody even mentions her anymore. Just ship her off to boarding school permanently.
And irritated with Kyle and Chrissy. How did Lana not know they were together? Why is Kyle asking Chrissy to "go public"? They already danced at the high school dance like they were sleeping together. How do people not know already?
Does Peia know that Clark is Superman? Obviously she knows who Lois Lane is, and that Lois is very close to Superman. I guess in this world no one wonders exactly why Superman is so close to Lois and why he resembles her husband. Clark calling out Jordan's name, surely one of the bad guys heard him, even though we were shown they had all disappeared.
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The Ashlee Starling character is an obvious parody of Taylor Swift. Swift/starling birds. All her songs are about breakups and diss her ex-boyfriends. Lenny's shirt which referenced one of her songs. Was the other character supposed to be Beyonce?
On 4/23/2023 at 7:36 PM, Spartan Girl said:I honestly wouldn’t have blamed Homer if he divorced Marge and dropped out of Bart and Lisa’s lives after the crap they pulled this episode. And as usual, Lisa is the only one that really apologizes in the end.
Also, this just makes Marge an even bigger hypocrite. So it’s unforgivable when Homer blabs about their marriage in “Secrets of A Successful Marriage” but she can run her mouth off about Homer to anyone she meets?!
Yeah, the three of them treated him like crap. Marge is the worst of them.
Seems kind of out of character for Lisa. I don't think Lisa would join some kind of cult-like group where everyone is expected to think the same thing and they all do things together in support of one person. Independent Lisa would like what she likes without being influenced by others.
Despite the awfulness of the diss song, I was cracking up at this part: "When we moved in together / I learned things I never knew / That you sit for number one / But stand for number two." Homer: "That last one is not true. I hover because I'm afraid of being flushed!"
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On 4/22/2023 at 6:30 AM, Browncoat said:
I just finished "Legends & Lattes" by Travis Baldree. It was an enjoyable tale about an orc named Viv, who has decided she no longer wants to be a warrior and wants to open a coffee shop.
I read this one too, and I thought it was delightful. Not the usual fantasy story. The author is apparently at work on another book set in the same universe. Magic and Mochas? Elves and Espresso?
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So after watching this episode, my understanding of what is going on is this:
- Ben and Crowley are/were friends or colleagues going back at least 40 years
- When John suggested that perhaps Hailey is Crowley, why didn't Ben say no? Not sure why Ben isn't forthcoming.
- Senator Evers was sponsoring a bill that would give somebody (corporations?) more access to people's personal information
- She was working with Crowley, who wants the bill to pass so he can gain control over people
- He was blackmailing her with sensitive documents about her that were stored in that secure vault
- She agreed to give Weir the identity/location of Crowley if he would obtain the blackmail documents for her
- He got the suitcase, she doublecrossed him, but it turned out he had anticipated this by handing her flunky a fake
- He went back and got the actual documents, and she agreed to cooperate
- But Crowley had Evers killed. Kyle got his girlfriend to do it, and then killed her.
- John has been checking his Sudoku app, he has an active game open with Valence and they use the chat function to communicate
- He gets a chat message from Valence. But we saw Valence's dead body and splatted head on the pavement. Is this really Valence or someone else?
Overall, I'm glad that this episode cleared some things up, at least now we know the motive behind what is going on. Crowley wants to control information and make money off of having that control. But is Ben working with Crowley or against him? I'm confused by the images that Kiefer keeps having of Ben being the one to kill the team. This seems to suggest he doesn't know whether Kyle or Ben killed his team. Could Ben in fact have been the shooter?
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19 hours ago, janeta said:
-groan- I do not give a rodent’s backside about Delilah….
I really liked her storyline, I liked how Robyn is teaching her and sharing advice. Robyn has shut Dee out of this aspect of her life for so long, it's nice to see her opening up and guiding her.
17 hours ago, AnimeMania said:I have no idea why Robyn had to give that woman money and a new place to live when she has a perfectly nice home filled with ground turkey to go back to. It is not like her husband was going to be bothering her again.
That situation with Lo-Lo made no sense, they could have made some really nice stories about Dante trying to get back his missing gun that was being used for all kinds of crimes, and it was eating Dante up inside.
Agreed. The husband died, right? I don't think we got any confirmation but it seemed likely that Robyn killed him. Why would Angie have to move away? Unless she is fearful that her husband's family will come after her... in which case she should change her name and move cross country. I can understand why she doesn't want to live in the house because of the memories, but maybe her son wants to stay there? It might be the only home he has ever known.
I forget, where is all of Robyn's money coming from? Surely she didn't earn it all working for the CIA. And currently it seems that she doesn't get paid by any of her clients. Did she get a nice settlement from Miles?
I know that Harry and Mel seem wealthy, but I forget where Robyn's money is from. She not only does everything for free but also gives her money away to her clients.
I really don't care for the new hardass captain. Why is she being so tough on Dante? I get that there's apparently seemingly like two people that work in his entire office, so there is no one else for her to rag on, but still.
It seems obvious that he will face disciplinary action for all of this. 1) losing his gun, 2) losing his badge, 3) investigating a case he was told both by the detective in charge and his captain to drop, 4) going without backup to Lo Lo's apartment, 5) going without backup to the girlfriend's apartment, 6) letting Lo Lo die, 7) captain that already hates him. I'm sure the girlfriend will make a statement against him.
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Just started this season. I was lukewarm on the first season, I thought almost every single character was an awful person, but I stuck with it because of all the hype and the award nominations.
Will see how this season goes, but I can see that it's the same general theme. Spoiled rich people, trudging through the ennui of life and taking it out on everyone around them.
On 11/1/2022 at 6:10 AM, Haleth said:That is a perfect description. I feel bad for Tanya. She is obviously lonely and probably married Greg thinking he'd cure her grief and loneliness, only to find out they don't like each other much. So she hires a personal assistant for someone to talk to but is so wrapped in her own feelings she doesn't see how badly she treats Portia. Less than a pet.
On 11/1/2022 at 7:21 AM, Johnny Dollar said:A little Jennifer Coolidge goes a long way. Last season’s amount was way more than necessary. I cringe when her character is on the screen.
Agree with second comment. Personally I can't stand Jennifer Coolidge and I don't get the hype over her. But I think I feel like I'm on overload with both her as an actress and especially her character. People seemed to love her on the awards circuit and loved her acceptance speeches, I just found her annoying.
Don't even get me started about Tanya. I thought she was a truly awful person in Season 1, the way she treated Belinda was pretty terrible. She has $500 million and she couldn't even see fit to invest in Belinda's business? She didn't have to completely fund it but she could have put in some startup money as an investor.
Greg is an asshole who almost certainly married her for her money. I thought he was dying of consumption or something last season? Maybe her money cured him, because now he's a jerk. Why even bother to go on vacation if he hates her so much? He can tell her he's too busy with work, she should go and enjoy with Portia.
But as I said, she's an awful person, so I'm not unhappy if she gets treated awful in return. It doesn't make what Greg is doing right, but at least now Tanya understands how it feels. I have no sympathy for her, especially since she seems to be sad that Greg is so mean to her, yet that isn't making her any nicer to Portia.
On 11/2/2022 at 4:26 PM, chocolatine said:Maybe not quite so dramatic. 😂 I think undressing in front of Harper was just what men like Cameron consider a power move. I do think he wants an actual business investment from Ethan. It's a similar theme as Natasha and Tanya's storyline last season, except that Natasha was very passive and expected things to just happen for her, whereas Cameron is pursuing what he wants very aggressively.
I don't know if it was a power move by him or not, it might be. Or maybe he just doesn't care who sees him, some men just don't think it's a big deal. He didn't look at her or turn around so maybe he didn't even know where she had gone off to.
My bigger question was... who goes to an Italian resort and doesn't bring a swimsuit? And why was Ethan so quick to offer to loan him his? Ethan probably had at least two suits but he packed two for a reason, so he could have more than one. Why couldn't Cameron just buy one from the resort gift shop? I'm sure there would be some there and he has plenty of money? I find it odd that Ethan was so OK with the idea. To me, loaning my swimsuit to another guy is just the same as loaning a guy my underwear. It doesn't matter if it would get washed before being returned. It's just weird.Edited: Never mind... somehow I missed that his luggage got lost. But still, I would have bought a new swimsuit rather than borrow one from a friend.
On 12/11/2022 at 8:38 PM, AntFTW said:Wow! Wouldn't have ever even noticed if no one mentioned it. 🤣
I recognised Kara immediately, but Angelina looked a lot different to me than when she was on Survivor. Her voice was the same but her face looked different.
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On 11/23/2022 at 9:04 AM, Grundoon59 said:
Season 16 Episode 11: DOA -
Good things: I thought it was beautifully photographed and they made good use of it being in black and white, For quite awhile, it kept me guessing as to whether this was "real" or some sort of fever induced dream that Murdoch or someone else was having. I like Julia and Mrs. Hart working together to try to find answers. White he is not the most colorful villain they have ever used, I did like thought he did a good job with the role.
Not so good things: I didn't get why both Julia and Mrs. Hart looked like they were headed to an evening out (loose hair, glam makeup) rather that a normal working day. Would Higgins ever refer to himself as lazy unless it was in someone else's dream? The whole Angel of Death imagery left me cold both with Murdoch and the condemned man. I wasn't thrilled by either Julia or Brackenreid's actions (I understand both but I sometimes tire of "good" characters being allowed to use any means necessary without consequences while other times, they clutch their pearls at the actions of others).
On 11/24/2022 at 6:35 PM, statsgirl said:Season 16 Episode 11: DOA -
I approached this dreading it but it's like an episode of the old B&W Alfred Hitchcock Presents show, so much so that I was looking for a commentary and a cameo. That was always a very creepy show*, Murdoch Mysteries really caught the flavour.
Kudos to the writing and production team for trying to keep it fresh in season 16. The shot of Mr. Bent's brain on the table with Julia and Mrs. Hart standing there with blood on their aprons was gorgeous.
Honestly, with the mindset that this was a Hitchcock homage, I loved it.
I was spoiled that a named character died and got scared. Fortunately I don't care about Frank Rhodes. I thought that Krista Brides was good as the Angel of Death. Susannah grabbing Brackenreid's face was cute, you can tell that he has children of his own.
Wow, that black & white was harsh. Everyone looked a lot older.
* I will never forget the episode where
On 11/25/2022 at 6:33 PM, Grundoon59 said:@statsgirl - I did get the film noir/Hitchcockian allusions - I just didn't think they worked, at least they didn't for me. I will never knock writers/directors/actors/producers for trying something different and/or for swinging for the fences when they do. But as I said, it just didn't work for me.
And I will utterly admit, it may just have been me - I was coming off a pressure filled 10 days of work while doing Thanksgiving prep in my head. I will try to give this another watch when it becomes available on Acorn and see if I view it differently then.
Since there won't be new episodes until the New Year and I don't know how much posting will be going on until then, I want to take this chance to wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season. The sense of community on these forums have meant a lot to me in the past couple of years. Even when I disagree with someone hear, I enjoy the interactions.
Agree with the last comment. I get that it was a film noir / Hitchcock homage. I just didn't "get" why they did it. This show is set around 1910s in Toronto. Why make an episode to make them seem like they are in 1940s America?
I don't know if this episode was filmed out of order or not, but it added nothing to the show's continuity. I was particularly annoyed that Violet Hart didn't say or do anything about her dead husband. When she went on her rant about how Murdoch has been accusing her of crimes ever since she got there... well yeah lady, you're shady as hell!
I'm especially annoyed that she's been coroner for 6 seasons now, the longest of the non-Julia coroners, and I still feel like we really don't know her at all. As I mentioned a few posts upthread, the writing for her is completely uneven.
Has there been any word on a Season 17? I can't imagine they would end the show. But eventually it will have to end, right? Why can't they bring back some characters from the past instead of always resorting to bringing back people like Terence Meyers and James Pendrick and other villains that I'd rather not see. I want to see people like Emily Grace, Rebecca James, Dr. Dixon make a return guest appearance.
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Good riddance to Gollum Tini. So funny that in last episode’s thread, I said that the finale was going to be Nuri, Tucker, Tini (one from each mentor) and then it this episode, all three were in the bottom.
Let me try to work my juju again and say… Chris will win because he’s the most awesome ever! Hahaha
I’m not a fan of pork tenderloin, I always find it dry, so I was happy to see that Toni’s was awful and dry.
I found out that “airline chicken” isn’t because it’s fit for airplane meals, it’s a boneless breast with a drumette. She acted like such a spoiled brat, disgusted she got it and just throwing the plate onto the counter. Then she cut herself and lost more time, serves her right.
it does seem a bit interesting that there is salmon, ribeye, and chicken. I mean obviously chicken is the least desirable. Why wouldn’t they try and make things more fair? Everyone gets salmon or everyone gets steak or everyone gets chicken. But Tini is gone so good riddance
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All of the discussion about the KFC bowls is making me really want one now. I am taking a kid on a road trip for a soccer tournament this weekend. KFC is my favourite road trip fast food (and unfortunately, the rest of my family's absolute least favorite). I'm thinking we will be making two stops for lunch. I am absolutely determined to get my "big ole bowl for five bucks"!
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Finished a few lately...
Fogged Inn, the fourth Maine Clambake mystery by Barbara Ross. It's fall, so there are no clambakes, and Julia and her boyfriend are opening Gus's bar for dinner service. A body is found in the walk-in freezer in the morning. But the doors were locked overnight. The man had dined at the restaurant the previous night, along with four couples who all say they had never seen him before.
Iced Under, the fifth Maine Clambake mystery by Barbara Ross. It's February. Julia's mother Jacqueline receives a mysterious package in the mail that contains an expensive black diamond necklace. She says it belonged to her family until it disappeared a hundred years ago. Who had it, and who sent it? And how does this relate to Jacqueline's long-lost cousin?
Curds of Prey, the third Cheese Shop mystery by Korina Moss. Willa Bauer is asked to provide a cheese bar for a bridal shower of the elder daughter of the town's wealthiest family. The groom-to-be is discovered dead, and Willa's sort-of boyfriend is the chief suspect.
I can't say enough good things about the Barbara Ross books. It's easy to see why she is so popular, the mysteries are well-crafted and well-thought out and they seem to be a little different than the typical cozy. Not formulaic at all. I was particularly impressed with "Iced Under", who would have thought that a cozy about a woman that runs a Maine clambake business could be so successful when the setting is in Boston in the dead of winter and there is no clambaking at all?
I really like the Cheese Shop mysteries, this author crafts tight plots and well fleshed-out characters.
Oh, and I cooked my first ever recipe from the pages in the back of a cozy mystery! I made the Split Pea with Ham soup from the back of "Fogged Inn". It sounded so good in the book, and the recipe looked easy, and we had a ham bone from Easter. Very easy and very tasty!
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3 hours ago, Rushmoras said:
Just finished reading Volume 1 Part 2 of War and Piece (tells a story about Duke Andrej's exploits during skirmishes of Franco-Russian war). I liked it more than the first part, mainly because at least something was going on (something other than salon talks and gossips between noble-women), but I get the feeling that the remaining Part 3 of Volume 1 will be back to salon talks of Russian nobility.
I admire your commitment and dedication. "War and Peace" is a book I've always felt like I "had" to read but haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I tried starting "Anna Karenina" during Covid and stopped... too many characters, too many long Russian names and I couldn't figure out who was who. One of these days I will have to try again.
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Murdoch Mysteries - General Discussion
in Murdoch Mysteries
I enjoyed this episode very much. I liked seeing Watts and Higgins working together although I agree that I have questions about Watts being back in Toronto. He quit the force, but what is he doing for a living? He only just decided to become a private detective, so how has he been supporting himself these past few weeks? Who is the guy he is living with?
The scene of him stepping in "sick" and then all of the gymnastics and moving around... hilarious!
My favourite part of the episode was how all three plots would just randomly intersect yet none of the players knew. Watts and Higgins running away from the angry pawn shop clerk. Murdoch and Brackenreid hearing the commotion but deciding not to investigate. And Higgins almost hitting Julia on her motorcycle and not knowing it was her.