paramitch

Jared Harris is a wonderful actor, and the rarity who can do both comedy and drama. For those not familiar with Harris, or who have only seen him in the superb "Chernobyl," I highly, highly recommend the following: "The Terror" (Season 1) -- A gorgeous Victorian arctic horror story in one season. Harris is stunning, as are Tobias Menzies, Ciaran Hinds, and the entire cast. "Crown" Season 1 -- he's a lovely King George and his impact is felt long after season 1. "Mad Men" -- he was so good on that show. I am a little conflicted about recommending it because I dislike his character's outcome. But he was wonderful in the part of Lane Pryce either way. Other TV shows he's great in as a supporting actor -- "The Expanse," "Fringe" (especially), and "Carnival Row." Moviewise, he was a fantastic and charismatic Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows with Downey's so-so Holmes. He was also a great Ulysses S. Grant in Lincoln, a great Warhol in I Shot Andy Warhol, and dozens of others. I just love him, and he's always working on something, so you never know where he'll turn up. I'm enjoying him in this so far, even if I'm finding it hard to stick with the show.

Thank you! Another example I would give of the show being a "TV universe" that doesn't feel real enough this season -- Charles's omelets. Every day he makes those gorgeous omelets and THROWS THEM AWAY. Why didn't this season show his daughter showing up for a morning omelette, reviving the tradition sometimes? Or Joy eating them with him? Or Oliver and Mabel joining him each morning for an omelet breakfast together? Again, it is another sign that this show is written by people who are not even paying basic attention to the little things that make it feel real. One of the things I loved in season 1 was Oliver's money fears because it made him so vulnerable and more real to me. Now everything is solved so easily or the problems are shoved aside because they are all so rich now that nobody has real-people problems except Mabel, who is suffering but without any help from Oliver or Charles (and who meanwhile turns down unimaginable life-saving money for her work because she is a TV character who does not really face homelessness). Anyway. This is exactly what's bothering me. Everything feels like a gag setup. A long, overinvolved, gag that doesn't even make me laugh when we finally get to it. I miss the residents so much. Look at how moving it was last season to get to know Bunny, an annoyance in season 1. But we looked closer and saw her humanity. This season I was hoping would do this with Paul Rudd's character. I still hope they will. And I hope they would do it with Loretta's character too (still hoping). Like, the dinner scene with Oliver -- what if she could cook, but her stove wasn't working great, she's broke and couldn't buy a good cut of meat? What if she had to buy box wine and put it in bottles to try to make him think she was better off? What if she was worried about her humbler circumstances? For me, something like this would have been charming and real, and worked better than "this 60something woman does not know how to live in the real world or cook even a basic item for a date SHE asked him to attend." See, I'm grumpy again. Sorry.

I am so sorry for what you went through! Thank you for sharing that. I have often wondered about the toll it must take to cover that kind of trial over such a long period of time. I wrote about computers and technology -- I never had to report on crime, much less at the level you did. I don't think I could have done it, honestly. I'm so glad you were able to get support to get through it, but it must have taken a terrible toll. And it was obviously very much the same kind of damage, repeated and intensified year after year, for Michelle as well. And I have to say -- the book was upsetting, but in combination with the documentary and actually hearing his voice hissing gleefully at his victims? I kind of wish I could unread it. Unwatch it. I'm a wimp in my middle-age. I couldn't have done what Michelle did -- or what you did. I was much colder and more objective in my 20s, oddly enough (maybe because it didn't always seem real and I felt more immortal) but honestly, I've become less able to handle that stuff well -- I can't even watch half the nature documentaries out there these days without devolving into a weepy mess. (So yes, watching this was dumb of me.) One thing the documentary and book didn't mention was any kind of therapy or counseling for Michelle. She didn't, did she? If not, I wish she had explored it. Meanwhile, take care of yourself out there.

I feel weirdly guilty because I'm just not in love with this season. It feels dingy and slightly icky to me. And that bums me out, because it's always made me laugh, and I love the world-building of the building (hee) itself as a location --the fascinating little mysterious aspects, the kooky residents, the annual celebrity residents, etc. This season just feels disconnected and sort of grotesque to me. I don't like the team split up the way they are. And this season even more than before, the show is leaning into this utterly outlandish behavior from characters as if "oh well, the audience will accept it." We have stuff like Loretta not being able to cook like a regular person and mysteriously unable to use a stove for even basic food preparation (hey, I'm not judging, but if she's a non-cook, she could have gotten something and warmed it up, made him her one successful one-dish meal, etc.) -- I guess, all to clumsily set up the "Oliver loses a tooth when biting her pork chop" schtick? Like, seriously? Have any of these people ever actually eaten a pork chop? OR lost a tooth? Also -- the tooth thing was gross. And weird. And unrealistic. Oliver just blithely LOSES A FRONT TOOTH, says it doesn't hurt, sets the tooth aside, and goes on with his date? And Loretta is equally blase about it?! Seriously?! Was it a cap, a veneer, what? Tobert uses false pretenses to get Mabel out on a date -- then talks about how "confident" he was in "succeeding" on the date (to slightly icky degrees) -- and it's not creepy? And I'm sorry, but he looks 20 years older than her and while he's a handsome guy with ridiculously beautiful eyes, they have no chemistry to me. And Mabel is smarter than showing Tobert the murder wall THAT FAST. Aghgh. Speaking of out of character behavior -- why does Joy act absolutely unhinged, suspicious, and irrational until the plot suddenly requires her to be calm, kind, rational, and genuinely hurt at Charles's situation? Can she really not pause and listen to him? Does anyone actually make that kind of noise or mess when creating glass for their aquarium? (No. No they do not. They purchase sea glass, or they round/dull the edges themselves using a tumbler, etc.) Actors also don't typically black out and have total out-of-body experiences while acting, either. I don't mean to sound like such a jerk week after week this season, but I just think this feels like it was written hastily in one long weekend and every time someone got to a sticky plot point, they made up some stupid KRAZEE/SUS character moment and waved their hands like, "Meh! The audience will be fine with it!" I mean, part of the fun of the first season was how genuinely invested I was in Nathan Lane's story, and in Oliver's money worries, and Charles's loneliness. I equally cared about last season's murder victim Bunny and the resident stories, and even Jan's continued quiet contained sly oddness. But now everything is just a stupid gag with really famous people passing through. I miss our investigator trio spending time together as a found family. I miss the Arconia building as a character in its own right. I miss being truly invested in the victim and the outcome. I miss the little nuances among the residents and being invested in the quirks of their lives, love lives, pets, etc. Nobody feels real this season and the only stakes I am invested in are where Mabel is going to live. The only extended sequence I've honestly liked this season so far was Mabel imagining Paul Rudd as a friend, because of what he meant to her childhood. I was sorry that was just a one-off because I haven't felt anything for anyone here since. (I mean, I liked the song, but it also felt completely unbelievable to me that it was part of this production or that Oliver would have written it.) See? I'm grumpy and I don't like it. I usually love this show. I feel like I'm being mean here. Maybe I'm too critical right now. This bothered me so much!! Aghghg. It's like this show is writing characters who are not actually required to act like actual people. It's driving me bonkers. It's like this season, especially, everyone just has to be "kooky!" I'm not a fan of the show hiding the trio's behavior from us, like they did Charles's here. Just, nope. Charles is not a suspect, and I don't want him to be. I want him to solve crimes with Mabel and Oliver and to continue to improve his relationship with his daughter. I just rolled my eyes at the whole breakup thing because Joy is now a character with no center. She is sane when the script needs her to be. She is certifiable when the script needs her to be -- but of course, without recognizing that she is acting absolutely batshit in any way. I was disappointed Mabel was paired up again so quickly, and especially with a guy so much older than she is. She deserves more than a Mabel's Seasonal Weird Romance subplot -- I want to know how she's going to stay at the Arconia! I want her to uncover those gorgeous murals she painted. I want her to work on her art and investigative skills. I still think Oliver's fooling himself and needs to find a nice guy to settle down with. But, okay, I could almost see him with Loretta if she wasn't so constantly sort of weird and kooky and unlikable. All of their romance scenes have me kind of wincing because they feel so completely false to me. I'm an odd duck too, so let's hear it for the ducks! And I'm a fan of however many flings anyone has that suits them, whether 1 or 100. There are plenty of people out there who fit either. I liked Mabel's fling last season because it enriched her character and told me something new about her. Alice was interesting for awhile, although for me it went too over the top and unstable by the end. I agree 100% on the first part. Meanwhile, I adore Jane Lynch and have forever as a character actress, but I feel like since she got famous, she's now too often just autopiloting "Jane Lynch!" in so many of her roles. But then again, I admit a little Sazz goes a long way for me. Her being Charles's stunt double is just a one-note gag they keep repeating to death. I hate scenes where a normal conversation doesn't take place. Joy acted hurt and surprised and affronted in the conversation with Charles, and neither one of them addressed the long list of absolutely bonkers behavior she has been exhibiting lately or why that would scare him. Grr. I agree with everything you say here! Aw, man, what a double whammy! "Carnivale" and TWOP! Sniffle. I loved both. I miss both. (And I will never be okay with the show's cancellation and abrupt ending, darn it.) Yeah, plus, add in my Mom's old "Murder, She Wrote" rule -- it's almost always the big guest star OR the mousy assistant/sycophant to the Big Guest Star!

Wow, until this episode, the show seemed like it was hedging its bets on whether Mitch was guilty. But holy schnikes -- Mitch is slime. Absolute slime. And very very guilty. I really think Mitch has convinced himself that he didn't do anything remotely wrong there -- certainly, he doesn't think he forced himself on her. In his mind, she took advantage of him and he's the victim here. Which is staggering but very believable in this utter narcissist toolbag. My 2 cents on this: It is unambiguously sexual assault. He is very aggressive with his advances throughout the whole thing. She subtly but firmly resists him physically and is not responsive or encouraging. When she resists again subtly, he pushes again, then whines, "I just want to feel good." She shuts up at that point and basically lets him push her onto the bed and proceed. Yes, Mitch probably would have stopped if Hannah had pushed him away and yelled or screamed "No." And he would also have been insulted, angry, and pretended to be shocked and hurt at her reaction, and at the very idea that he would force her to do something she didn't want to do. She would have left without having to have coerced sex with him, yes. But the next day Mitch would have been awkward and avoidant, probably petulant and play-acting bewildered that this woman he had just been sympathetic to and promoted would act like this. And within a week or a month or whatever, she would no longer have had a job. And that's why it's rape on every level. He didn't ask for consent, he was insistent physically and ignored her clear indications that she didn't want to proceed. And because he was in a position of power, she was emotionally as well as physically afraid of saying no. Hannah did not want to have sex, but she had no power to say no to him. On any level. I thought it was a brutal scene and very, very well done. And very well played by Raw and Carell.

Tom Irwin is one of my favorite character actors, and I've loved him ever since he played Angela's dad in MSCL. There was an episode in that where he absolutely broke my heart (he and Bess Armstrong were wonderful as her parents). I'm bummed at his character in this so far. Fred is just such a cartoon-character bad guy. But hey, I'm happy he's working and making a good paycheck. I loved that scene as well -- I just think Carell has been terrific thus far as Mitch, and his real disgust when he realized that Short's character was actually a terrible person was fantastically acted. And I always love it when Short does drama (I honestly prefer him as a dramatic actor in general). I'm interested in Mitch's fate because so far, the show seems to be hinting that he wasn't actually guilty at the levels he's being accused of, and I would have enjoyed some nuance to some of those debates and discussions. For instance, the Yanko/Claire relationship is sympathetic, even if it's also blatantly an absolutely terrible idea on both their parts.

I'm enjoying the show. It's not amazing, but it's well-done, and I'm enjoying seeing Reese and Jennifer take center stage here. The supporting cast is also really good thus far. Meanwhile, as a theatre geek, I loved the "Not While I'm Around" scene between Cory and Alex, and thought it was hilarious, weird, and suspenseful at the same time. The text and subtext were amazing, and I loved the comedy of it -- the two enemies singing this (we know of course that Mrs. Lovett is singing this in the original knowing she has to kill Toby) to each other, at least one of them lying just as onstage. And yet by the end, it looked like each of them was caught off guard -- Cory looked genuinely touched or somewhat moved, and so did Alex (although in a different way -- I think her vulnerability scared and angered her, which was why she ran off to Mitch). Also, Yanko in that scene was awesome. When asked "What the fuck is going on right now?" he never looks away and just says: "I don't know, but it's weird and fascinating, and I'm super into it." Nestor Carbonell is fabulous. I'm also totally enjoying Billy Crudup on the show -- right now Cory's probably my favorite character. I don't necessarily understand him, but I feel like the electricity in the room just ratchets up every time he enters a scene. I believe his machinations will hopefully all make sense to me in the end -- we'll see. I do think they've made Bradley a little bit of Mary Sue, but I also like her, so am willing to see how it goes.

I thought this one was sort of uncomfortable and just... okay. I found myself stressed and irritated at almost everyone. It was genuinely sweet to see Charles making his customary tribute omelette, but Joy's reaction felt sort of cruel and dismissive. If they've been dating for a year, is this really their first conversation about it? On the shallow plus side, Tina Fey looks very pretty as a blonde. And I am normally anti "brunette goes blonde" just on principle. Charles's "white room" blackouts didn't really work for me. Like, I get that we're supposed to try to imagine all the silly things he did, but... it's immersion-breaking to me that he is literally unaware of what just happened and "waking up." Does Charles have a brain tumor? Does he have Dissociative Identity Disorder? Otherwise, WTF? Like, it's not supposed to be an actual "I am having blackouts and have no idea what just happened." If you have stage fright, or anxiety, etc. -- in real life, it's more like, you're watching yourself in horror and aware of what you're doing and can't stop yourself. So I find it a little frustrating and irritating. Sometimes this show feels written in a bubble by people who have never actually met real people. Is it the celebrity thing? I mean... it's just weird. I loved Mabel's tiny apartment tour -- although it was underpriced for NYC. I have friends in Manhattan paying $5k who do not even have a full-sized fridge. And I admit it, I was also irritated that Cynda offered Mabel all that money -- the TWO extra zeroes -- and she didn't take it? Why, why, why do poor people in movies always nobly turn down huge amounts of money as a cheap way of denoting their high ideals? As a fast shorthand to show us how good they are, how incorruptible? I mean, JFC. I get so angry at it. It's cheap and bad writing. Especially these days. I grew up dirt poor. I work in a tough industry. I'm okay but it's always a struggle. So stop doing that, writers. Try starving for a few years, tanking your credit rating simply for your own health -- or never answering your phone because of creditor phone calls. Gah. I had the same issue in season 1 with Oliver magically solving his issues with the ridiculous ad buy, so again -- I need to get over this stuff. I really enjoy the show, but sometimes it does look and feel overly precious, sloppy, fast-tracked, and created and presented by people who have totally forgotten what real people live like. I don't mind that stuff. And I frequently REVEL in escaping into TV and film. Do not get me started on how much I loved "Succession" for its rich and thoughtful complex characters -- just as much on the millimeter-shallow-end of the pool just for its gorgeous homes, rooms, vistas, yachts, etc. Bring it on! Maybe that's what's bothering me. I still can't get over Mabel PAINTING OVER her gorgeous irreplaceable murals. And now being homeless. Aghgh. Obviously, I have issues. I am not really enjoying how utterly unaware Charles and Oliver are of what Mabel is going through. It just feels a little sad to me, watching Mabel deal with some genuine issues while Charles and Oliver are just off to the side, hogging the spotlight and obliviously, frantically, feeding their own egos. I hope so on all counts! This! I really liked Joy last season and found her touching and vulnerable. Now she just seems pushy, entitled, oblivious, and rude. Sigh. I don't know how to put this, but Ashley Park, while very beautiful, also has the Uncanny Valley weirdness that makes me think she's having too much work done, even though she's way too young for it. I could be totally wrong, and I don't judge her or any woman for it -- Hollywood is not kind to women -- but Selena looks like a very pretty, normal woman in her early 30s, while Ashley has this sort of weird glazed, pinched look. (Again, she is gorgeous, so it's just an observation, more than a criticism.) Yeah, I cosign on both counts. I hated the white room stuff. It also looked impossible and clunkily staged. I didn't see Steve Martin there and go, "What did he DO?" in either scene. It just felt like a joke that didn't land. I did love the "Paul Rudd is aging backwards" nods. It's very common for them not to rehearse in a theatre, since theatres are massively expensive and cost a lot of money for every hour and minute. So most rehearsals will be in big rehearsal spaces, although plenty have also taken place in occasional living rooms!

I can't find the post, but I am still so sad about Mabel leaving her Aunt's apartment. Somehow things have to work out so she stays in the building! And I also 100% agree that watching her paint over that beautiful wall mural (in the opening "previouslies") still makes me gasp. It's just heartbreaking and I will never get over it. First off, THAT'S WHAT I SAID TOO! Thank you. Both "Look for the Light" and especially "Creatures of the Night" felt very Sherman Brothers-esque, right down to the plaintive/galloping piano and affinity for waltz time. I think "Look for the Light" is beautiful and was beautifully performed, but it absolutely broke immersion for me on multiple fronts: The nanny supposedly had one line -- what the heck role is she serving in the show at this point?! Oliver is supposed to have written it. Again, Oliver has never been shown to be a composer or lyricist; he's a DIRECTOR! (I could buy him writing "Creatures of the Night," but not "Look for the Light"). I love Meryl Streep and everything, but I just kept thinking "It's Meryl Streep" singing it, not "It's Loretta!" But I am obviously too grumpy for this show right now so I really am trying to let all of this go and just let it wash over me.

I really enjoyed this season and overall, I thought it was just lovely. The show is so gentle, and such a slice of life. These people all feel so real and believable -- flawed in real ways, lovable in real ways, etc. It was so satisfying to see Tricia really opening up and becoming so much warmer and more accepting. I teared up when she told the mean wedding-store lady how nice Fred was and how he was a good person who deserved a nice wedding for himself and his bride -- it was just such a huge step forward from the bigoted person Tricia was last season. And I laughed out loud when she started romancing her new fridge like Sam had. Speaking of which, sometimes the show is a little bit too raunchy for me. I think it's just my own issues, because I have these very country relatives back in the Jacksonville area, and let's just say that for some of them, peeing on the side of the road would be high humor, whereas I was the uptight little "Frasier" child (dying to leave the South as fast as possible) going, "IS THERE NO PRIVATE BATHROOM ANYWHERE IN THESE WOODS?!" etc. I felt uncomfortable in the same way with some of the Bachelor Bus stuff, but in a good-natured way. But I was so happy for Joel, finding love with sweet quiet Brad. I love their romance so much, everything about it just felt so quiet and real and kind. Which made Sam's anger at it all the more out of balance and sad to me, although I understood it. I was just glad Sam came around -- I definitely care about her and understood why she was hurt, but at the same time, Joel simply did not deserve her anger, and I was glad she finally recognized that. I thought the ending was a lot of fun, with the joy of the wedding, and it was sweet to see Sam give Joel another song as a gift. It was sweet to see everyone have so much fun with "Gloria" (definitely an all-time great song). (As a VERY minor nitpick -- I did feel like the song was awkwardly blocked, and also worried about Bridget a bit -- she is very out of breath through the entire song, and it just seemed due to the unnecessarily busy blocking.) Last but not least, I just love how confident Sam is. Like, as a big woman with moments of cuteness, I still would never hit on Hot Ankle-Bracelet Neighbor Guy. But Sam is so confident! And I absolutely love that about her. So glad the show will be back. There is nothing else on TV like it. Oh, God, you're not kidding. This show is the perfect antidote (as brilliant as both of those shows are/were). Oh, God, I 100% agree. I was so distracted. It just felt like someone hastily read the script and never stopped to think about the logistics. I've bought many pillow covers. They are folded up and packed most of the time in easy, cheap to send, padded mailers. No huge boxes or peanuts required! I was so, so worried for Fred! And Fred is one of those sweet, kind characters who I just love so much and never want anything bad to happen to. Like Joel. I was a nervous wreck fearing he'd get stood up -- so glad he didn't! Me too on all counts! I would have loved to be at the wedding too. It was so sweet and joyous and fun and kind. Brad was such a hidden gem this season, and he really honestly surprised me. I thought at first he would be sort of "Kooky" and insert himself between Joel and Sam, but he was just so quiet and loving -- it was Sam who overreacted on that front, completely. I was so very glad when Joel and Sam made up. And I loved how understanding Brad was... just, I love him and Joel together so much already. I agree that I loved Season 1 a little (LITTLE) bit more, but I am personally glad for as little time with Sam's mother as possible. She's the only character in the show I find mean and rude and irredeemable. She's not even a villain, just an awful person. She's one of those people who isn't "a mean drunk," she's just mean all the time, 24/7. I hate her and do not get their father's love for her at all. Has she ever been remotely nice, once? And I agree -- loved Tricia's redemption and softening. I love how Tricia's marriage falling apart has allowed her to reconnect with Sam, and to be kinder and more accepting. And OMG, YES! on the damn text messages! And they never show them long enough! So by the time you press "PAUSE," the text is gone. So you have to rewind. And then try to pause just when the message appears. Or rewind again! Etc.! Aghghghgh. This message brought to you by Get Out of My Yard and Yes, I am Older Than Dirt. I agree with everything you said here. The show has this essential core of realness and sweetness that always moves me. And it isn't just emotion -- it's like it hits me in this sneaky way I don't expect, so that my emotions are even bigger in reaction, because it feels like I know these people. I love them all as if they are real, and wish them well in the same way. I was so tickled at the reappearance of Hot Neighbor! Even though I was cringing when Sam started throwing her shoes at his house (but goddamn, I love that woman's confidence). Still, there's always next season!

I totally get that a musical (and this musical) isn't for all tastes. And that the story of Cyrano de Bergerac isn't for everyone. But I'm puzzled at the "they could have done so much better"—because the ending sucked? The ending is faithful (as is most of the adaptation) to the original Rostand play (and the many film adaptations, aside from Roxanne). It's like giving Hamlet a bad review because it's a tragedy. It's just what happens in the play. I love Roxanne, and it's still lovely to rewatch. As a little bit of trivia, the entire reason it was greenlit was Martin's last, Hail Mary pitch to the studio exec that And he finally got to make the film. I love it so much. I especially like that Roxanne herself is smart and empowered (a literal rocket scientist), and I love the little town (which is adorable and its own character). I also enjoy that C.D. is not always the nicest guy -- he's kind of an acerbic ass, which is very true to Cyrano, but we can still hear the romantic heart beating beneath. What a beautiful and eloquent review! You definitely covered everything I loved about the film. I especially agree with you about the almost casual, incidental way the songs took place, and I especially agree with you on the film's wonderful, wonderful Roxanne, so beautifully portrayed by Hayley Bennett. Roxanne here is just as sharp and witty as Cyrano, and she definitely has a mind of her own. I can forgive her for falling for Christian's beauty even if she had worried he might have the mind of a rabbit (I still love when Cyrano blurts out "Rabbit!" when he realizes Christian is, er, not a mental giant). I think Dinklage is just wonderful for all the reasons you mention, and adored everything about his performance. He is everything a Cyrano needs to be -- believably insecure about his unusual appearance, and yet witty, brave, skilled, graceful, and eloquent. And I love that Christian and Cyrano become real friends and companions. They care about each other, and Cyrano sees the sweetness and courage that make Christian also worthy of Roxanne's love in his own way. This was one of my favorite reviews of CYRANO -- Bilge Ebiri just really gets it: https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-joe-wrights-cyrano-starring-peter-dinklage.html

Ben's hidden-camera monologue, in full: “You’re not supposed to be here. Go! No, you’re not gonna go, are you? You’re just gonna sit there, acting all sweet. We both know you’re bad. I want you. I want you so fucking bad. But you’re gonna ruin my career. And I’m gonna like it.” So yeah. I agree that it is TOTALLY ABOUT COOKIES! 🤣 I enjoyed this one more than the last one, although the "Let's Put on a Musical!" aspect is driving me BONKERS, because there is no way on God's green earth that someone -- much less Oliver -- is writing music, lyrics, book, and score for a musical (even adapting from an existing stage play) in four months with major investors AND getting it performance- and stage-ready at the same time. I've co-written two musicals and it takes a minimum of a year or two to even get to workshop phase at light speed. And another year or two to refine and get funding and move glacially into actual production, IF you ever get there. So I basically just sat here seething going "That's not how musicals work." "That's not how musicals work." "THAT'S NOT HOW MUSICALS WORK." AGGHGH! Which I know is stupid of me and SUPER irritating, so I promise to get over this and shut up about it soon. But -- seriously -- Oliver is a director, not a songwriter, not a composer! Aghghgh. So his magically writing this gem (versus the schlocky very Oliver-believable "Creatures of the Night") bugged me. But it's lovely and Meryl and Ashley did a beautiful job on it. Still -- I almost believed the musical when it was a dumpster fire and an obvious failure. I'm just (probably overly) irritated at "Oliver pulls out a perfect sweet Bareilles-esque lullaby" as an 11th-hour revelation. So obviously they're just pulling our legs with this stuff and I need to get over it. Also, Bareilles co-wrote "Look for the Light" with songwriters/producers Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, who are known for Greatest Showman and won an Oscar for La La Land (they won it for "City of Stars," but I still think "The Fools Who Dream" should have won instead). They are also multiple Tony winners for Dear Evan Hansen. So it's interesting that it is melodically so very Waitress-esque. I was angry with Oliver there -- she had the chance at a regular role on a major TV show, a role with the kind of financial stability actors never get (even just for the pilot, if we're pretending it was a Shondaland-type thing), and he was a total ass about it. I appreciated that he apologized, but it was really not a good look for him. Donna's monologue was fabulous. Cruel, but fabulous: “You need a showstopper. That’s how musicals make money. A song so irresistible it's like a syringe that shoots from Broadway straight into the neck of Debbie from Duluth. Who becomes an addict from the first second she hears it during girls' night out at the Calorie Pit. And an addict will do anything—anything—to get her fix. Even if she has to take a middle seat on a red-eye to New York City, where, for the low, low price of everything she’s got, Debbie can have the privilege of sitting in the finest rear balcony seat in all the land to finally, finally see that show with that song she can’t stop belting out all over fucking Duluth. "So. Do you have anything that good. Do you have a showstopper?” To me, "Creatures of the Night" sounds very classic Sherman Brothers-like, like an angry version of "Chim-Chim-Cheree," right down to the galloping piano and waltz tempo (with some bad Phantom/Jekyll & Hyde lyric pastiches thrown in). I laughed out loud at both of those, too. I DEFINITELY think that the Tobert story was meant to imply that Tobert saw Ben die, and he sat there and filmed it because his ambition won out over his humanity. This is AMAZING! Amazing. I think this too, 100%. Yeah, I get so damn tired of this trope. But I'll wait and see. Tobert is kind of charming (and very attractive), so -- who knows. I adore Martin Short, and I love him in this role. I agree that he's doing amazing things with it, even if I still find it so hard to believe that Oliver is really, truly supposed to be straight. Bobo definitely did not agree! I noticed that too. Hmm... Great observation! I love and adore Martin Short. I hate Jimmy Glick, whose entire schtick seems to be "I'm fat so I'm funny." She started out doing musicals and plays with music off Broadway way back before she made it big, most notably Secret Service and Alice at the Palace, etc. Yeah, it is pretty funny to me how all the major players involved with this show has been heavily involved with Broadway or major musicals for TV and film! I feel like they're definitely pulling out leg with some of this Broadway stuff this season (but lovingly). Oh, I loved I Must Say. And the ending had me genuinely choked up. If it helps, Martin Short is a Tony winner who has done half a dozen musical projects over the past 40-50 years, while Steve Martin is a multiple Grammy-winning songwriter, performer, Tony nominee, and Drama Desk Award winner who also co-created the lovely multiple Tony nominee (but short-lived) Bright Star (with Edie Brickell) plus Picasso at the Lapine Agile and Meteor Shower. Plus bonus points for singing the Dentist song in Little Shop! And Selena of course is a music superstar. Thank you for linking these! Steve is a true Renaissance man. He has really inspired me with all the different things he's done -- he's an amazing writer, actor, performer, musician, songwriter, art collector/enthusiast, etc. He can pretty much do anything. This!! I ABSOLUTELY think Loretta will be kicking the bucket before the season's ending. It's written all over her. Right after she's pinpointed as being the murderer, has one more triumphant solo, and proclaims her love for Oliver. Aw... that would be kind of lovely to hear, though.

I'm so conflicted on this episode. I liked a lot of it, and it was exciting TV. Loved the North Korean's opening sequence -- it was both comical, stressful, and sad. But the overall episode I just thought was strangely handled in many places. First and foremost, Molly DIED?! I watched the ending THREE TIMES before I figured out that, I guess, she went back in and somehow succumbed to fumes or something fell on her? I mean, it was just so damn weird. The direction and editing also don't help because we see Molly walk confidently down that hall into the darkness, then the very next shot is of Aleida emerging from that darkness around a corner toward Margo's office (in an almost identical silhouette). No sign that Molly was in danger, etc., for the rest of the episode, just that weird newspaper headline. Also, what was with all the weird reactions? Sergei reads the headline about "fallen hero Molly Cobb" and smiles? It just felt weird. Same with the post-bombing memorial sequence, when Aleida, hubby, and little daughter (is this really a good place to bring a small child right now?!) are all at the candlelight vigil, then Aleida's husband looks up at the destroyed building and smiles. I mean, it's just so weirdly handled. Most of all, I just hate when smart people act stupid in order for the plot to work. Like Kelly getting pregnant. Or here -- for instance, Karen seeing the creepy guy holding Jimmy's phone by a van, looking visibly shifty? She had JUST talked to a security guy. Instead of going over to the goddamn van like a stupid person (much less leaving the doors open and making a shitload of noise in order to rescue awful stupid useless Jimmy), she should have walked quietly over to security, lit a silent fire under his ass to notify everyone they could and start getting people out, THEN gotten on the damn phone ASAP to the FBI, cops, etc., to try to quietly capture/contain the terrorists. But then again, that whole plot with Jimmy was so embarrassingly bad -- I just didn't feel like it was well-written or believable. I was saddened that Karen's last moments were her looking up at the sky. (Of course.) The sky she'd always kind of hated. The Mars stuff was exciting, in order to get Kelly and her stupid baby onto the Phoenix, but meh on the actual character stuff. I did like that Danny confessed to Ed about his role in the drilling catastrophe, but seriously, nobody figured that out anyway? I mean, Danny was visibly a tweaking zombie at that point, spacing out or raging out and everyone knew he was unstable. (But of course that's the other Smart People Being Dumb weak spot of this season -- I never bought that Nick would put him in charge of the LIFE OR DEATH of that entire party by maintaining watch. Like, Nick couldn't shuffle those papers or do that report 15 minutes later? Ugh). I loved that Sergei got out, and found Margo's final speech very moving and well-acted. We knew it was a goodbye even if they didn't (although it was apparent that Aleida did). Speaking of which, I did love Margo's kind, matter-of-fact admission to Aleida, and her apology. There was so much affection there and she gave Aleida the reassurance she needed to come up with solutions and focus on the work. I was surprised and pleased that there was no huge drama scene over the revelation -- this felt much more real. I was so sad at Aleida's revelation (I kept going, OH SHIT THE WHOLE PIANO'S GONE!) after the bombing, so I admit I was tickled that Margo ended up in Russia. And a little sad for her, too, of course. I can't help it, she's one of my favorite characters, and I will still be sitting here next season, shipping her and Sergei and hoping they find each other. Thank you! I have always disliked Ed. He's such a morose, dour asshole who always looks 5 seconds away from punching people. When he finally became violent at Karen and Kelly last season, I was like, "Yep, I've been waiting for confirmation that he is an actual abuser." I just don't like him. BUT -- is he also a hero? Sure, he absolutely is. He's undeniably, consistently brave. And he has softened in his old age. Now he only wears that tight mean expression 75% of the time instead of 95% of the time. Oh my God! Of course it will show up next season. LOL. It wasn't like they were subtle about marking its burial site, and let's face it, Danny has a LOT of time to kill over there. I suspect the entire thing is secret and very very under-rug-swept. I'm interested to see whether Margo was officially exchanged via FBI-Russian agreement, or whether the Russians got her out independently. Because that affects whether the FBI actually thinks she's dead as of 2003. I'm kind of hoping she's in a position to witness something, inform the Americans, make some kind of deal, and get back to America. And Sergei! THIS! Putting Danny, their resident sociopath and visibly unstable drug addict, in that tin can for months on end, by himself, with minimal distractions and only bare-bones life support -- who thinks this is a good idea?! Jiminy Cricket, seriously, Dani?! He needed to be put under guard, given basic (and minimal) duties at the main HAB, and locked in every night. But still allowed around the group for his own mental health. Sticking him over by the goddamn NK capsule to go slowly even more insane, with Chekhov's Martian Gun (helpfully marked with the big black piece of iron) at hand is just ridiculous to me. He needs to be at the main site, and under guard. Period. Thank you! What is it with this show and its adoration of stupid horrible genocidal xenophobic slave-owning Colonialists? Every time they do this, it just feels like the show pandering to the lowest common denominators among the viewing audience. Like, nobody with a brain right now gets misty-eyed at mentions of the Mayflower and we get this awful monologue about the bravery of its people finding "a new world?" They didn't find a new world. They arrived at somebody else's very, very old world -- and destroyed it. Yeah, it's very cleverly done. One of the things I did like about the writing this episode. I don't see how he can avoid it. He was a known associate of theirs, they had been at his house and witnessed by Amber multiple times, and he had the stolen statues of his parents, as well. I really, really hope to see him in prison when S4 starts up. Unfortunately, that will mean even more weird hair and makeup for the actor, but oh well. 1000% agree. The science on this show really frustrates me because some of it is so terrific, but then it's like they just handwave it where they need to "because, plot." My problem is, they shouldn't have it both ways. Either commit to trying for scientific believability (even if it's a stretch here and there), or admit it's all BS and they should stop patting themselves on the back for the "science" of the show. (This bothers me so much.) I really wanted Ed to finally kick the bucket (heroically, doing so for stupid weepy Pregnant Kelly) and for Karen to survive. Ed's story was just on endless repeat at this point anyway, while I was genuinely interested in Karen's next steps. Grr. Thank you! THIS was exactly my issue. It was terribly filmed, edited, and handled. This was a ridiculous way to reveal this. No other revelations? No images of them finding her body? Not even a cut back to the guy she rescued outside and him going, "She should have come back out by now" and people looking worried? This was so badly handled for a major character death. Molly deserved better. This is a great time to say it, but I've never liked Pam, and I have had zero investment in Ellen and Pam's Great Love Story for several seasons now. Pam repeatedly acted like an asshole about Ellen staying in the closet, and then made the decision FOR Ellen at the end of Season 2. It doesn't help that to me, the actresses have no chemistry, and the way the two of them play their scenes, it always feels like Ellen is head-over-heels for Pam, who barely tolerates her. Add to this the fact that Ellen's entire political storyline basically culminated in her and Larry selling their souls and colluding as fast as she could with conservative, racist, bigoted, homophobic assholes to serve her own political ends, and I honestly don't care about her anymore. I was glad she came out finally this season, but she really only did that to serve herself, since she and Larry were basically doomed at that point. I mean, every time they showed her gazing at that giant portrait of Nixon, I laughed. Ellen was a wonderful astronaut who quickly sold her soul and was from what we've seen, a terrible President. THIS! Thank you. I hated the show's handling of this. I agree with you on this (so, so much), although I do still like Aleida and was moved by her storyline and conflict with Margo this season. I also didn't think Aleida did anything egregiously stupid or silly, unlike everyone else you mention. But Danny, Kelly, and Jimmy drove me bonkers this season. I was most disappointed in Kelly, who was such a cool, smart character who instantly devolved into several embarrassingly bad tropes for the second half of the season. She was brave in this episode, and it was nice to see her competent again for a few moments, but honestly the final image of her and the baby looking down beatifically at Mars enraged me all over again. I hate the baby subplot so much and what it did to Kelly as a character. RDM always confuses pregnancy with revelation.

It bugged me too! It was incredibly tone-deaf. I mean, what, yay, colonialism? Grr. I agree with this as well. I also hate that Kelly was this really brave, smart, interesting character who has now been reduced to a "pregnant woman/womb in peril" trope. So tiring. Especially when I do not believe Kelly would be this stupid. Above all else, given her circumstances, I would think she would have been INCREDIBLY careful not to get pregnant. Sheesh. This seems to be a Ronald D. Moore show thing, because he did the same thing on Outlander (before I noped out permanently in season 4 I think) -- I mean, after a certain and she looks exactly the same except for a few artful streaks of gray. It's hilarious.

It's interesting that this seems to be the prevailing opinion, along with "zero sympathy because she's a spy," etc., because I feel like this is one of the complex storylines the show has handled really beautifully. I don't care about a lot of the family drama in FAM, but Margo and Sergei's situation has moved and saddened me, and his departure here broke my heart. Yes, Margo crossed the line into breaking some serious laws, but I would argue that the show has done a good job of showing us how her gradual progression of occasional sharing in the name of science and saving lives could turn into unintended espionage. And how that could happen to a good person (and I do think Margo is a good person). First, with her telling Sergei about the situation with the O-rings on the shuttles, because while the General was practically salivating over the idea of exploding Russian space shuttles, Margo is not a sociopath, and all she wanted was to provide a scientific bit of information that would save innocent lives. The fact that Sergei's superiors soon began to actively use Sergei's friendship with Margo is so sad to me, and her unwitting and then willing cooperation were both believable to me, although I think the show's Russians are more heavyhanded and less devious than they would have been IRL. Was it against the law? Of course. Should she go to jail? Sure. Do I hope she gets out of it? Yep. Margo lives in her office. She lives for work. She lives for the space program and has given her life selflessly to achieve its goals and protect its people. She has literally nothing else. And we have seen her have only three close personal relationships -- Von Braun, whom she cut off in horror when she realized he had been complicit with the Nazis (and specifically, the concentration camps), and then across all the decades, only two other people: Aleida, and Sergei. This is one of the loneliest people I can imagine. Aleida is basically her adopted daughter. And Sergei is the only man she has ever loved or (it appears) even been close to. So I felt deeply sad for Margo at her goodbye to Sergei (beautifully acted by both Piotr Adamczyk and Wrenn Schmidt), and sad again when she had to frantically try to divert Aleida. The moment when Margo cried into the pillow to keep her emotions silent I found devastating and real. I could give a shit about Stalker Danny, but I do care deeply about Margo (and Aleida and Sergei). She shared the information she did because she truly felt she was saving lives. I'm incredibly sad that she appears doomed here because work is all she has ever had, and her legacy will be forever tainted by this. While I am so over the awful children of poor Gordo and Tracy (who deserved better), Margo's complex arc is one of the storylines that I feel the show has done a beautiful job with.

I love the way the whole Helios thing is sending up the early days of Google, FB, Tesla, etc. The whole pseudo-democracy aspect (that immediately goes away when he has a temper tantrum) is so damn funny. I just can't quite believe Helen and Ed would be THAT quickly taken in. I hate the whole Stalker Unbalanced Danny thing and am so bummed it is still continuing on TEN YEARS LATER. I mean, oh my God. Ew. As far as Margo & Sergei, look, I am a shipper at heart, so I admit that I was delighted Margo was finally going to get a night with Sergei. Especially when we saw them delicately navigate their shy romantic boundaries, for, what, SIX YEARS? I mean, look, I am socially awkward myself, but I was shocked neither one of them imploded. And for what it's worth, I thought the initial hookup was really beautifully done -- they didn't just instantly devour each other (in that movie-actory way, see also the awful Keeley/Roy kisses on "Ted Lasso"), and Sergei was genuinely sweet and tender with Margo. What makes it so sad to me is that there is genuine attraction and emotion there. I appreciated that they showed how unwilling Sergei was to use her this way. As far as the Russians immediately intruding, I thought that was so clumsy and ham-handed, and such a mistake. It didn't break immersion for me, but their handling of the entire situation felt the opposite of what was needed, which was a suave, persuasive soft touch (whether or not it succeeded). They were too blunt with Sergei. AND Margo. They should've leaned on his romantic and protective feelings. Convince him of the harmlessness of it, of what they need. Let the two of them sleep together, let him continue to get info from her subtly. She would have been a huge asset and Sergei would have felt it was within bounds since it was what was already happening, etc. Especially once they slept together and an actual romance began. But the way it was presented here, like others, I also couldn't help but wonder why Margo didn't go right to the FBI and be blunt and straightforward, with "I made a comment about the O-rings not getting too cold and am friendly with Sergei, but now they're trying to use me." Because what they could have done then was use Margo as a double agent to "cooperate" while sabotaging them right back. If, of course, she would have agreed. As a nerdy socially awkward Margo type, I loved the elevator touch and the entire slow dance and was cheering them both on. I thought their kiss was adorable. Then of course the stupid Russians had to screw it all up. Not even giving them a night together! Sigh. You're spot-on that Margo is tragically similar to poor Martha from "The Americans." Margo, in her buttoned-up uptightness and zero personal life, really breaks my heart right now. I wondered if the drinking was a sign of... more drinking to come. Just to get through it all. I respect Ed but I cannot bring myself to like him. He's such a goddamn sourpuss. The actor is handsome, but the way he plays Ed (or the way Ed is written), there is something mean and cold about him. And he's just gotten meaner the older he's gotten. In all seriousness, Al Bean, who walked on the moon in Apollo 12, later became a fairly respected artist, and he painted many paintings depicting his time in space and on the moon. I do think it isn't a bad idea to bring along an astronaut-artist or astronaut-poet or two (I'm a sucker for the moment in the film Contact when Ellie says, "They should have sent a poet."). I do think sending along some artists is a cool idea. But maybe not in the first leap. I fully support scientists and pilots getting there first. Artists and writers and poets can follow up and get there when it's safer! I feel so sorry for Ellen. Right when she was about to live a wholly free live, Pam and her husband manipulated her into selling out, and now she's living a sexless marriage, hiding everything about herself, and playing politics as a conservative, which grosses me out so much (especially since her VP and everyone like them are always front and center against the LGBTQ community, assisting AIDS relief, etc. But I do guess I find it very believable. All this! Margo has nothing but the work, and her integrity. I don't quite buy that she would sell out so easily. I would much more easily believe she'd go to the authorities and go, "So hey, the Russians are trying to blackmail me..." I've never liked Aleida, and I really want to. But she always seems to be an asshole about something.

WTF?! I thought this show was a fun distraction until the last two episodes, which were just totally bonkers. The finale felt like it had been put through the shredder and clumsily reassembled on a dare. Also, how was there ZERO fallout or further development after the second-in-command shot the Big Bad in the head? (Also, Thank you, second-in-command. That guy was such an overactor! He was spitting out pieces of scenery everywhere.) Everyone else has brought up the main issues -- I'm still just absolutely gobsmacked. The final 10 minutes were so ridiculous they were downright laughable. And what the hell was with that weird ending with Sam suddenly acting shifty and texting cryptic things and chasing that other guy around the plane? How was that asshole not watched like a hawk, tied up, and paraded off FIRST with the other perpetrators? And the Weepy Woman who shot the pilot can weep all she wants, I'd still want her prosecuted and charged to the fullest extent of the law. She killed the pilot in cold blood. But the whole show was weird this way in the finale. So many oddly casual moments and loose threads, like, "Oh, everything's fine now." Also, Sam's final "convincing" monologue to the Weepy Woman was just terribly written. Terrible. He tells her: “I do this sort of thing for a living. I close deals. I get people to do exactly what I want them to do. I find ways to make them change their minds." How is this going to reassure her or get her to believe him? I mean, OH MY GOD, the stupidity. Then she finally lets him in because he says "Your daughter is dead anyway." Okay, sure. THEN we have her not only walking off without prosecution or even questioning, but she calls her daughter and everything is chirpy and happy, like, "Hey, sweetie!" I actually thought the show was smart and a lot of fun for the first 4-5 episodes, but holy schnikes was this bad. Like, embarrassingly bad. I did love Eve Myles and Idris, who totally brought fantastic acting and more gravitas than this shitshow deserved to the story. And why the hell was Archie Panjabi even there? What a waste of a wonderful actress. I feel like Idris Elba is slightly cursed. Yes, he was great here, and sleek and elegant and smart. But this sucked. Why can't someone put this man in something truly fantastic? I feel like that hasn't happened since "The Wire," and it makes me so sad. COME BACK, STRINGER BELL!

(boldfaced for emphasis) LOL! See, THAT would have been funny. Sure, it could have been any or all of the above. But to me it just mostly feels like that Martin/Short thing where they went for a cheap laugh. It didn't work for me, but oh well. I love My Favorite Year, so either way it works for me! See, I could have forgiven it if it was funny. I just found it tedious and stupid because no professional actor would pull that shit. Except maybe Paul Rudd's character, because he is bulletproof and unfireable. It's not a huge deal, and I don't mean to sound like such a depressing party pooper, it just bugged me.

I'm really conflicted, since I think this had some great moments, but to me it felt really sloppy and weirdly constructed, and smushed together. I hated the villain -- his goal just seemed stupid, since he was not qualified or evidently smart enough to actually improve anything, much less "perfect" them, his animal mashups made no sense, so they just seemed obviously sadistic and envisioned by someone bored and deeply mentally ill. Alternate Earth again just felt dumb to me because all the species/mecha mixes just looked unnecessary and not thought-out at all. I never looked at any of them and went, "Oh, of course a rabbit should have spider legs! Or a cop should have a pig head!" etc. Nothing that was done to most of those animal people remotely improved them in any way at all. It was just done for emotional effect. And oh my God, the screaming. The villain screams through every one of his scenes. And if he isn't screaming in the beginning, he's screaming by the end. Poor Chukwudi Iwuji. I guess Gunn loves him some screamy villains, since he did the same thing to poor Lee Pace with the first one. So. Much. Screaming. Since I am not made of stone, I was truly moved by poor Rocket's story, and by his sweet friends (the one that tore my heart out was the darling little horribly altered spider-rabbit), but at the same time, it wasn't exactly subtly written or presented. It was basically the movie grabbing us by the face and screaming "CRY, DAMMIT!" I was also taken out of the action when Rocket opened the carrier and tried to carry out all those adorable teeny baby raccoons, when... he should have just had his moment with the sweet baby that came to him, then picked up the carrier. I was cringing at him trying to hold all the tiny babies, and at them falling off of him, etc. I was glad he made the crew go back and save all the animals. Probably the most successful little aspects for me were Rocket, NuGamora not staying, the enriching of Drax, Mantis, and Nebula (except where NuGamora was concerned -- more on that later). I also loved the stuff with Kraglin and Cosmo, but I agree with those irritated by the comic name change -- at least honor Laika, the original dog that DIED -- ironic especially in THIS movie, about animal cruelty (although Laika was a cute terrier mix and not a setter or golden retriever type as seen here -- why change that?!). I also loved Will Poulter, who was wonderful, hilarious, occasionally subtle, and even had an actual character arc. (Also, for the many people here wondering "Who's Will Poulter?" "The Bear" in its second season gave him some beautiful moments. (Also, on the shallow side, little pudgy Eustace Scrubb grew up to be a beautiful man.) The thing that will always be the most enjoyable and meaningful for me is the found family aspect, and how all these sweet disgruntled superhero losers care for each other. But for me that was sporadic here, and I admit it, I hate change, and hated seeing them all go their separate ways. I do think it was probably the bravest and richest outcome, so kudos to Gunn & co for that. I don't know. I enjoyed it. But it didn't really come together for me, and at least for now, I don't want to rewatch it again any time soon -- the parts that moved me the most were the most unwatchable a second time (the Rocket/animal cruelty subplots). This! You are not alone. I agree 1000% with your critiques on how NuGamora was handled with the gang here. Like the only relationship that mattered was her relationship with Peter (sigh). I mean, her goddamn sister Nebula is right there, having to look at her dead sibling constantly, and Nebula just looks mildly irritated? Never has a quiet moment, never makes a reference and then stops herself and goes, "Oh, right, that was her, not you." etc.? I know people are saying "well, it's been two years" and that it's explainable because Quill was the most disconsolate, but again -- ew. Like boyfriend feelings trump all other kinds of love? I hate that so much. First off, I don't believe for a second that Quill was the most grief-stricken or affected. I absolutely do believe Nebula would have been quietly just as destroyed by Gamora's death after their incredibly complex lives together and rediscovery of their relationship as sisters who had once tried to kill each other, but who would now die for each other. So for Nebula to just be kind of shrugging off NuGamora here -- with never a single crossed signal, a poignant moment of her doing what Quill had been doing, and inadvertently reacting as if NuGamora were Gamora? It really bothers me. And it bothers me that we don't get that with the entire crew either. Because yes, it would still be a thing. Two years is nothing with deep grief. Plus the fact that NuGamora had spent most of that time away from them, so the grief would be even fresher with constant contact with her. But we never get that, because that would be complicated, and these movies are living comic books with characters one millimeter deep. Even Rocket's story here is -- at heart -- pretty simplistic. Boldfacing mine: But this is the problem. The movie made Gamora's loss entirely and only about PETER and Peter's feelings. Forget the incredibly moving, complex relationship she'd had with Nebula, forget their reforged relationship and love for each other, that was so deep by the end that they would have died for each other. That's my problem with it. I wanted to see the gang have to deal with watching this exact replica of the person they loved, their family member, walking and talking around them, and worst of all, kind of being extra cruel and mean to them beyond even original Gamora levels. But the movie made it all about Peter Quill and his manpain. I was disappointed. I mean, I loved the moment when Nebula choked up when Rocket survived -- it was lovely (and as always, Karen Gillan is so damn good). But on the other hand, I would have killed for a similar moment (tears not required) with NuGamora. I do too. It also didn't help that to me, NuGamora was just written as being a bit off. I didn't feel like this was reboot Gamora from 2014-plot-levels, but rather a meaner, crueler Gamora in general. Michael Rosenbaum is such a charismatic actor, and he was absolutely the best thing about "Smallville," so it was fun to see him again here as Martinex. I enjoy his show, even though I think he comes across as occasionally a bit naive (he brings back Zachary Levi constantly, for instance, despite the fact that Levi has been openly anti-trans, anti-vaxx, a Jordan Peterson apologist, etc., aghgh, although again, Levi also seems well-meaning and maybe simply not the brightest bulb on the tree). As someone with chronic illness, I definitely empathize with this -- I hope you're on the road to recovery, and are feeling better out there.

Sure, it's just that it isn't what we were shown. If she's just a nightmare who gets cast and then ruins it for herself and everyone, then her entire very poignant intro was a lie and a misdirection. I just think it's bad writing. Which didn't ruin the episode for me -- I loved most of it. But that moment felt indulgent and cheap to me. The show does this to me sometimes. I love it, but it's just like when they played the dead cat for laughs in season 1 (who puts their beloved pet in a freezer without even putting it in a bag? Come on) or tries for a cheap laugh at the expense of a fat, lonely, or homely character, etc. So here, I didn't think she was funny, I was just irritated. The opening made me root for her as someone who deserved success. Then her being SO unprofessional at the table read made me feel "Nope, never mind."

Okay, so hear me out, but as a theatre person, I was annoyed at the scene where Loretta was doing all the silly accents for the Nanny at the first table read. It just felt like a cheap laugh at the expense of the character, who had been established as someone terrific, talented, but overlooked, and of course as someone we could root for. Her introduction was just lovely. I've worked in the theatre for almost 30 years on and off, and for her to immediately be THAT tone-deaf and unprofessional, right off the bat, earning the immediate hatred of the leading man, really bothered me. There is no way someone in their first big Broadway break would do any of that. And I did not believe Loretta would do that, based on her intro. I mean, yes, it's cute and we got to see Streep do her wonderful Streepy accent thing, but I just think it's bad writing in terms of the character and show. (Sorry. I overthink things.) Otherwise, enjoyed Loretta (and Streep), loved the episode, and really missed everyone. I was touched by how much Mabel seemed to miss Charles and Oliver, and hate that she's moving out of the Arconia! I also thought Paul Rudd was hilarious, pitch-perfect, and absolutely playing a specific kind of person everyone in the show nodded and went, "Yeah, I worked with __________." The show is like a sweet, slightly creepy, warm hug. From someone in an outdated fur coat wearing too much expensive cologne. (It's probably Oliver.)

I got one of my good friends to watch the show, and realized something very interesting this week. She said, "I loved that Maarva's funeral music was the 'Andor' theme." And I was gobsmacked, because for me, the realization was the reverse -- when I watched the finale and the music began, as it progressed, I went, "Oh my God, the 'Andor' theme is Maarva's funeral music." Which is incredibly powerful for me. Because thanks to the genius of Nicholas Britell, every single episode of "Andor" has begun with variations on a theme that seemed to be building to something. Then in this finale, we found out what. And to me -- it's all about Maarva (and, by extension, Cassian): Daughter of Ferrix https://youtu.be/BopZl2FVLqk?t=401 Note the percussion -- the hallmark of Ferrix revolution, the "are you listening?" of Ferrix. It is soft and mournful, percussion prevailing yet soft. Rix Road https://youtu.be/BopZl2FVLqk?t=439 This absolutely kills me as foreshadowing. What do we start with? A heartbeat percussion. Maarva's death becoming a new life -- the live of the Rebel movement. And then the mournful, funereal horns, and all of it grows and grows and grows in power with the horns visibly slightly discordant and diagetic-sounding (so they sound "live," and a bit raw). Yet these horns become a triumphant and powerful fanfare -- ending in what sounds like an electric spark noise. It's amazing. Also, I love that all of this is deliberate, and that Nicholas Britell had written and planned all this in advance. You can read more here. Britell also talked about the Rix Road funeral band coordination with Gilroy (he was gifted one of the Rix Road horns!) and how when the tension ramps up as the procession moves forward, the flutes that introduce it (with this lovely fluttering tense repeated passage) are actually playing a variation on "Maarva's Theme" as a counterpoint to the larger "Andor" melody. Anyway, onward! To get to my larger point, all of this had me thinking that "Andor" doesn't just signify Cassian Andor alone. I would definitely argue that the show title of "Andor" also includes Maarva and her importance to Cassian, to Ferrix, and as the spark that ultimately turns the rebellion from "pesky insurgents" to "The Rebellion." And I think that is what we are seeing on Luthen's face in the finale, watching. This awe and revelation of the courage of this one old woman, of this one small beaten-up hardscrabble town. Of their rough sweetness and bravery and willingness to die for a better universe. He sees all of that and I think he is shaken to his core. I think it reawakens something within him. All we see is Luthen watching but he is not cold or detached, he is emotional and moved. He is watching Maarva change history despite a sunrise "she would never see." I don't think it's him being moved by being up close to the action. We've seen Luthen be right in the middle of battles and chases and space battles and he's a badass who barely blinks. But he is changed and shaken by the courage of Maarva here, and by the people of Ferrix. I think it's notable that Luthen simply watched it -- then left. He didn't go after Cassian. He didn't make any big moves. He just left for his ship. Because he'd seen all he needed to. So when Cassian says, "Kill me, or take me in," I think it's the perfect culmination for Luthen's journey across the season. Cassian is a weapon forged by Ferrix, and a conscience forged by the woman who just died. Why kill him as a loose end when they can use his heart and brilliance for the rebellion? Not least when Luthen may see himself in this dangerous and grim young man, who was nothing but a paid mercenary for the heist but who was still willing to go back for his mother's funeral and save people he loved (including the BEST DROID EVER)? You don't waste people like that, and if you do, you're a fool. No wonder Luthen looks at Cassian and gives him a real, rare, warm smile. It's a perfect ending for me, to a perfect episode.

First off, since it seems to come up a lot, Christopher Storer explained the money in the tomato cans in the IndieWire excerpts below: Storer has also noted that handling the money this was was beneficial for both Mikey (who wasn't ready to deal with it yet and still hoping for that future restaurant with Carmy) and Uncle Jimmy (who would not have wanted Mike to put it in a bank). You really bring up some favorite moments for me. I loved the Copenhagen and "Forks" episodes the most, and also loved the quiet moments between Syd and Carmy (under the table, and also where they first come up with the "sorry" ASL gesture). It seemed to me that while Mikey was visibly unstable, an addict, and had serious issues (see also "Fishes"), he was a person it was easy for people to love and feel loyal to. I found it believable. I loved that too (and me too on "Forks"). Also, I love your user name so much! (Aw, the good old days of "Buffy"). I definitely think this may be part of it, but I also do think they've shown us enough convincing little moments that Mikey could be genuinely pretty charming. I mean, he's not my cup of tea, but I get it. I've seen this brought up so often, but if you watch, Sydney's adventure takes place across multiple days (she goes from morning to night across at least two days in that montage). She also is seen many times just taking a single bite and then writing down her notes. So I found it believable that she was probably taking home lots of doggy bags too. I really enjoyed the characters being separated this season because it allowed us to get to know so many of them better as people -- I loved seeing everyone go off and learn and shine in these beautiful, supportive scenarios -- Richie staging, Marcus in Copehagen, Tina at the CIA, etc. When we did get interactions they were richer for me and more meaningful -- Syd and Carmy's many quiet work moments and talks, Marcus and Luca, Sydney and Tina, Richie and Garrett, Richie and Chef Terry, Richie and Sugar, Sydney and her father, etc etc. Even the final scene between Carmy and Richie with Carmy in the freezer was so well done, with Carmy self-sabotaging in all this stress and inner rage, and Richie just yelling, "I love you! I love you!" and Carmy totally missing it. Meanwhile, I thought "Fishes" did its job really well and it was a decent episode of TV (if a bit overacted and overwrought). But as far as which episodes were most "pleasant" to watch? I hated "Fishes" and honestly have no plans to ever watch it again. I posted a quote and links at the top of this post that explains it. Mikey (like many restaurants) had a resealer. They would have normally used the tomato sauce (and Mike expected them to) but Carmy completely changed the menu (in part, in reaction to missing Mike) so they didn't use tomato sauce like they normally would have, ironically. Which is why it took longer for the reveal. And it wasn't reported to the IRS, which was part of the point of hiding it. I agree on "Forks" -- one of my favorite episodes of TV, ever. I watched it four times (so far). I also loved the finale, even though my heart broke for Carmy, Claire, and Marcus. I caught that too! Huge "Community" fan here so at that point, beyond hiring McHale and Jacobs, I was like, "Yeah, Storer loves "Community" too!" (I didn't realize he was Jacobs's partner!) This is beautifully said (boldfacing mine added for emphasis). I agree on Marcus's Copenhagen episode -- I also felt the same way about Richie's "Forks" episode, and many moments in the finale. I know some people ship Carmy and Syd but I don't -- I love their friendship as well as the slow build of their professional rapport and find it really beautiful. Yeah, this always bugs me because it is such a purely "TV/Movie" approach. It's always "I must end this relationship for my career!" (sob sob) when in actuality, plenty of people in difficult situations simply make it work. Like, I was irritated at Claire and Carmy both, because Claire KNOWS he's opening a restaurant and never seems to clue in that he needs to focus on that. By the same token, I wish Claire had had a few moments of "I'll miss you but I'll be on double shifts until ________. See you Thursday!" etc. There is no way a young doctor wouldn't understand that there will be days or even weeks when it will be hard for Carmy to spend much time with her. Etc. On the plus side, I was SO thrilled at all the Emmy nominations for this season! So richly deserved. And as far as the "Comedy" category, the show has made me laugh several times over both seasons. I do agree that "The Bear" is ultimately more of a dramedy, but I still laugh just thinking of the ceiling falling in on Richie on cue, for instance. (For me, the biggest sinner on this front is "Tiny Beautiful Things," which actively made me miserable pretty much every single moment I watched it. It's definitely competing with "Transparent" for me in the "most depressing comedy nominee" category.) I always think of this SNL sketch when this stuff comes up. On the non-bleeping, there are several beautiful scenes from this season that would require minimal bleepage -- Sydney and Carmy and the "I'm sorry" gesture, Richie and Chef Terry, Marcus and Luca, etc. I'm sad Bourdain couldn't see it too. I think he would have loved it. (I still smile at how much he loved Ratatouille.) He sure did! Hopefully someday, somewhere there is a happy waste management person or homeless person or someone who opens that can and is very very happy. Yeah, Alex O'Keefe has been very eloquent and vocal about how little he and other writers on shows like "The Bear" actually make. The worst part is that it's so "one and done" these days for writers like him -- because of the ways streaming shows work now, any impactful significant residuals are now almost a thing of the past. I hate the current industry strike as a viewer, but I love it as a writer because they all deserve so much better -- and these streaming networks are grotesquely wealthy, so their refusal to bend on this issue is so frustrating and corrupt. (I saw a roundtable the other day where Bill Lawrence -- "Scrubs," "Ted Lasso" -- made a joke about how much money he is STILL making from his one "Friends" episode.) Mike's note looked like it was originally leaning against the backsplash in plain sight but fell behind the stove and Richie left it there. I thought Mike was saving the money to open the restaurant with Carmy together, as a surprise and fulfillment of Carmy's longtime wish, but his addiction and depression got the best of him, so he left it all to Carmy instead. Adebiri is so adorable -- she does have a ridiculously cute smile. Her buck teeth (which are perfect and she should never change them) give her the slightest aspect of being "the kid sister," which is perfect for her character here. I always love Robert Townsend, so it was wonderful to realize it was him playing Sydney's sweet dad! And Syd's PTSD actually really worried me here. I'm also worried at all her nausea/vomiting -- I know she's established as having acid reflux/tummy stress, but I keep wanting her to go to a doctor and get checked out. ::waves:: Hellooo, @Capricasix! I always love seeing that Picard facepalm in the comments. (And if Pedro ever appeared on this show, I would probably need to be hospitalized from sheer happiness -- two amazing wonderful things together!) 😅

Spoilers on Season 2! Welp, I raced through season 2, and really adored it overall. Our Ineffable husbands are back! And it is so wonderful to see Tennant and Sheen together again. Meanwhile: Was it as strong as season 1? No, but I also did enjoy that it was more focused on Crowley and Az, and the philosophy that separates them -- and Heaven and Hell, as well. (I found it a little bit distracting that so many cast members from season 1 were brought back in new, utterly unconnected roles, but after awhile I went with it, although right to the end I kept expecting their dual identities to be addressed.) And I adored that so much of it was about the romance between Crowley and Aziraphale -- the love, the connection, but also about what separates them. It's interesting that it's philosophical and not moral -- Crowley knows the universe is chaos; he is already a much better person than most of the angels still in heaven (his saving all of Job's goats by turning them into crows was adorable), while Aziraphale is still clinging to structure, to the idea that the Ineffable Plan is a good one, and worthwhile. I found Aziraphale's simplicity sweet on the brink of Armageddon last season; this season, I simply found it frustrating how gullible Aziraphale was, even though I found it believable and sad (and gorgeously acted by Sheen). And Crowley knows him so well that he's not angry at him, just hurt and sad at what could have been. For me, the most satisfying aspect of this season was watching both Crowley and Az wrestle with defining their relationship, but it was Tennant's Crowley that had the most satisfying arc for me. He spends the entire story genuinely preoccupied with the definition of this relationship, and we can see him push it away -- but also repeatedly, decide to face it, as well. The irony is that because Crowley is already fallen, he has no doubts about what he does. He isn't trying to do the "good thing" (Aziraphale's Achilles' heel), Crowley is simply trying to do the right thing. Period. He's not trying to live up to some celestial idea of goodness, he's already a lost cause according to both sides. While Aziraphale clings to his image of himself as an angel, as an epitome of goodness, even as he must try to overlook or disregard the terrible things God and the other angels do all the time (see also poor Job). Even God's conversation with Job is nonsensical egotistical nonsense (that echoes the actual Bible entry) -- "How dare you question me? Come back when you've made a whale." Whatever, God. (eyeroll) Meanwhile, Crowley has simply allowed himself to continue along this new and lonely path and become whoever he wants to be, answering to no one. And it turns out that Crowley is increasingly revealed as someone who is brave, unshakably loyal, and oddly pure -- and sure as hell a better person than any angel we meet in Heaven (aside from sweet little Muriel). Someone who can't kill 100 goats for a stupid random shallow reason. Who refuses to kill Job's children either (and who appears arguably more upset than Aziraphale in some ways about it). The show's depiction of "goodness" as repeatedly narrow, brutal, and tone-deaf I have to think is no accident these days. Again, it's a great example of how without fear or indecision Crowley's demonic nature allows himself to be. While Aziraphale's angelic nature hobbles him because he is still answerable to this idea of "Goodness." I'd argue that this season, the show's depiction of heaven was even more nihilistic and subversive than last -- it is arguably worse than Hell. Hell, and its demons, at least has no illusions about what it is and what it does. But Heaven and its upper management are doing nothing but playing dice with the universe, 24/7. Lives aren't important, mortals aren't important, outcomes aren't even important because they are all immortal and bored and ever so slightly sadistic. The ending made me sad but it worked for me. Aziraphale has always been the innocent, scared one, the (no surprise) true believer, even after the stuff with Adam. As others commented so beautifully here, Crowley still moves too fast for him. I found the kiss so sweet and sad, because Crowley is being so brave and open, and we see Aziraphale respond, but then pull away fearfully. I found the way it was presented seemed to purposefully echo the moment Aziraphale takes that first bite of food back in the past -- he reacts wide-eyed with confusion and fear, but then allows himself to fall into it. He becomes a sensualist -- he loves the mortal world, loves taste and music and soft things. I loved the way Sheen played the moments after the kiss, because Aziraphale is alarmed in exactly the same way as with his first taste of food. He touches his lips and looks confused, scared, and alarmed. And maybe just a little bit moved, touched and affected? The little thing that got me the most was that even after Crowley stormed out, Az steps out and -- there's Crowley. Still loyally waiting. Still hoping he will change his mind. And Aziraphale disappoints him (but I think it's interesting to note that Crowley is disappointed -- but not surprised). The very final parallel shots of a grim, absolute Crowley driving toward his future, opposite a euphoric, smiling Aziraphale standing in that white light as he ascends floor by floor, delighted at his future, is very interesting. And broke my heart. Again. Some more. (I do think it's an interesting and rather sadistic note to end on, darn it. I much preferred the S1 ending, seeing the boys toasting one another at the Ritz while a nightingale serenaded the angels in love, just like the song. We better goddamn well get a season 3. And I really want to see our sweet guys happy and together again, darn it. My favorite parts: Crowley's final speech and plea to Aziraphale, and the kiss Crowley turning the sacrificial baby goats into crows Aziraphale's first taste of food Everything with Job Jane Austen as a super thief and spy (PLEASE GIVE US THIS SHOW) Everything with sweet little Muriel Everything with Jim/Gabriel (FINALLY someone knows what to do with Jon Hamm! He was the greatest himbo in this) Crowley's car falling in love with Aziraphale Crowley living in his car -- and what did he bring with him? His TORTURED PLANTS!! Aziraphale's gleeful confession that Crowley loves rescuing him The final Beelzebub/Gabriel reveal (sue me, I thought it was adorable) Michael has a terrific reputation in the industry, and this is a great example of why—a kind and generous person, a joy to work with, and a seriously prodigious talent. Every time I see him play fluttery, sweet, innocent Aziraphale I'm blown away that this is the same guy who played the stoic, chilly Dr. Masters on the superb "Masters of Sex." Given the season 2 ending? THERE BETTER BE. Dom is fantastic, and I cannot recommend his channel enough. He's witty, kind, smart, and occasionally naughty in just the right amounts. By far one of my favorite YouTubers. I agree. I loved everything about it. A lovely and even poetic ending. The Antichrist was a child because Gaiman's direct inspiration for writing the story was the 1975 horror film The Omen, about a child Antichrist. That's why "Good Omens" (book and show both) deliberately includes all the major elements to that story in Adam's early life -- the evil nanny, the demon dog, etc., but this time played for laughs. Oh, my heart. This got me. Sniffle. Very well put -- I agree on this point. Crowley as an Angel Sauntering Vaguely Downwards will always be one of the most perfect descriptions of a character ever. I've interviewed several writers for games and other major IPs and there is simply zero way they are even allowed to click a link. One click and it's a world of legal trouble if it's verifiable. I think Neil has a lot of appreciation and support for the fanfic community but limits his exposure to specifics beyond the occasional quote or verbal mention a fan or friend may make to him. Which makes me happy to hear, since so many authors are assholes about it -- like, oh, Diana Gabaldon, which is extra-rich since Outlander began life as Doctor Who fanfiction). But I believe him when Gaiman says he never reads it. He simply can't. I don't agree because Metatron was so willing to bring Crowley along, but I absolutely DO agree with you that he is delighted to have manipulated Aziraphale into doing what he wants here, and it is definitely slightly creepy. Also, Aziraphale looks sort of drunk and giddy in the elevator -- it is very thought-provoking to consider what actually happened here (I don't quite think his coffee was spelled or drugged, and YET...?). It was really striking and beautifully done. I had never considered this POV and it's really complex and interesting to consider. I agree that it makes total sense for what we've seen of Aziraphale and how he clings to tradition and his little talismans. Beautifully put -- I especially love the realization that when they spoke in the Garden, it was raining! I really want to see Aziraphale's next conversation with Crowley so badly once those scales have fallen from his eyes and he sees how toxic heaven is. I was so sad and angry at him when Crowley was so brave and arguably pure in that final conversation. But knowing Aziraphale he's going to need to think about things... and then he'll realize how wrong he was. I hope we get to see it sooner than 4 years from now, darn it.

That's awesome!! Thank you for sharing that -- so cool! I still like the movie. I don't think it's the best thing ever, but I think it's a decent romance, and I love the little fantasy touches. There are some genuinely beautiful little moments, so that saves whatever doesn't work for me.