echo.Echo.ECHO

I feel like this episode should be titled The One Where June Becomes Aunt Lydia.

Funny, I was coming here to say almost exactly this! I love Jane Krakowski, but she is horrible in this role. She's awkward and stilted and just trying too hard or something. So then last night I caught an episode of The Chase, which I had never seen before, and I sat here and thought how the host (whose name I didn't know) was very natural and engaging and did such a good job reading questions, identifying answers, and interacting with everyone. And that's what I want Jane to be on NTT! I just hate that she's not good. It really takes away a lot of the fun of this show for me. And she has a great body, but those dresses are not doing her any favors.

Yes, yes it was.

Yabbut when? At the bar? During the hookup? After the hookup (and without kicking the guy out first)? Makes no sense.

How do you know?

Thank you! Bonus: Nina in an AC/DC t-shirt!

Totally agree!

I find that it helps if I turn the light off and watch in the dark. Somehow that makes it easier to see what's happening on screen.

I think that Elisabeth Moss is actually a very good actress, but I imagine that it is terribly difficult to portray the same emotion repeatedly without words and other motion to help. What I mean is that I think that she can face-act (and I know I've seen her do it well before, but at the moment, I couldn't tell you where) but I also think that having to face-act the same scene over and over and over has to be difficult for the actress -- and of course it gets really old for the audience. I had the same problem with Daenerys in Game of Thrones at the end. Her "madness" look was a clenched jaw and staring, slightly squinty eyes. Repeatedly. What I don't understand is that Elisabeth Moss is one of the executive producers. She could call a moratorium on all of these closeups if she wanted. They're not doing her any favors, and I expect better acting choices from her than that. I'm trying to hold out for episode 6, which I read is worth it. I can't figure out how to put spoiler tags in on my phone, or I would elaborate a little!

Heh. Looks like I should have read the next episode thread before posting.

Quoting this just because it seems to be a good jumping off point for my theory of the Lawrences. My thought is that the Lawrences were professors. He's economics, she's art. Some time ago he published a paper about the economics of some utopian society. As the Gilead people were getting warmed up, they started bandying about his article as a model for their new society. Despite his disbelief and misgivings, Lawrence saw the writing on the wall and went all-in. This is his survival option. He can keep himself and his wife alive if he is considered the architect of this new realm. I think that Mrs. Lawrence feels so incredibly guilty about this that it's driven her a little bit crazy. But Commander Lawrence knows that if he lets her go off half-cocked, they will both be executed. Thus, the various scenes we see of him keeping her under wraps. I think that Commander Lawrence is also doing what he can to save those he can. However, he knows this is a very dangerous game, so he trusts no one. He doesn't like liars for a reason. He doesn't want a new handmaid turning his home into an underground railroad for a reason. It's too dangerous to all of them. I think Commander Lawrence picks and chooses his battles and saves who he can when he can. He sees June as a loose cannon with the potential to take them all down. That's why he's being such a shit to her.

Thank you for this. Fascinating.

I have a bunch of episodes taped, and I binge-watched them this week. I loved the cutting board and thought I'd buy them for a few people for Christmas. I checked Amazon and the kids' site, and both are still sold out.

The girl who plays teen Kate is a fantastic actress.

Interesting. See, I think it would be out of character for her to tell Regina. I know the situation is slightly different, but I'm basing this on Maggie's reaction to hearing that her oncologist told her ex that she'd skipped her appointment. (Even though I do agree that her boundaries are slippery.) The daughter was upset because she thought her dad had forgotten about her. I think the dance was simply the device that was used to show her he hadn't. (But yeah, it was kind of weird overall.)

HazelEyes4325 said: I'm betting that Gary dated Ashley in the past (seems in character for him, anyway), and so Ashley called Gary, maybe almost reflexively, because she knows him the best out of everyone in the group.

That's exactly what I was thinking, too.

Ahhh, thanks. Sounds like either pet sneaking a few bites of the other's food shouldn't really be a problem. I thought that sounded a bit extreme.

Is cat food really bad for dogs? I had no idea.

Wow. Not sure what I expected but it wasn't that. I've been noticing the pairs and groups of handmaids getting more chatty and less careful in general over the past few episodes, I think even before the naming-bonding episode. I guess that helps counter the complaints about unintelligible whispered conversations, but ... yeah, there's no way they'll be able to maintain this show for even three years, much less ten, if they don't get their world building straight. Those girls are four or five years into this, so it's odd to me that they're all of a sudden getting braver as a group. What's happening that's making them flaunt some of the rules now? I hope they bring Cdr Lawrence back next season simply because I heart Josh Lyman and Bradley Whitford. Doesn't hurt that he is an interesting character, either. I don't understand why Fred wants to keep June around. Is he really that enamored? Is it simply fascination with and lust after a woman who fights back? Is it solely a power play? Is it more about putting and keeping Serena in her place? Maybe it's all of the above. And omg, June must hide kidnapper bait in that cloak. How many times d'ya think the other commanders will let Waterford drink from the kidnapping well? Heck, that one inspector guy didn't believe it the first time. Oh, but he's dead now, so.... I think because everything is so backward in Gilead, I'm always surprised at the modern-sounding names they give the babies. Angela? Nicole? I expected more Agneses and Charlottes or biblical names, TBH. Trying to remember ... have we heard any other child names? I expect Emily to pull out a bottle of breast milk from Holly Nichole's swaddling any minute now. Like someone above, I wonder if that fire was set deliberately or if the Marthas just took advantage of it. Or both. Maybe it was a distraction engineered by Cdr L for Emily, and the Marthas were able to use it for June, too. I'm not sure Cdr L expected another handmaid at the rendezvous. I kind of can't wait to see Rita and June next season. I wonder if Rita will be livid or understanding? And Nick. What repercussions will he face? Also, where was Margaret Atwood these last few episodes? I feel like she would have (should have?) been able to help the writers and showrunner think through some of these things so many of us are frustrated with. Is she still consulting on the show?

So I'm sitting here watching Red Riding Hood run through the woods and I'm thinking, right, she's gonna get attacked by a wolf or something now. And then sure enough she turns around and there's a wolf. Seriously? Pet peeve: "for Daddy and I" is like nails on a chalkboard to me. June was an editor. No way would she say that. LOL at that muscle car, and yay, Oprah. Serena was not wearing heels for once. Holy crap, that was an epic Waterford fight. And Serena knows they raped June. I never thought she'd admit that. (Although she said "you" raped her to Fred, Serena knows deep down that she's complicit.)

I was surprised Paul told Brendan his decorations are always spot-on. Didn't he complain earlier in the season that Brendan's stuff all looked dated?

When she confessed to (attempted) drowning Ruiz, she said she just gets these compulsions and has to act on them. So I'm assuming mental illness.

Lauren is, like, the best friend ever.

Thx for the info, everyone. ( I looked but didn't see a dedicated forum but missed it. Appreciate it.)