Ottis

I don’t know why anyone expects this show to have any kind of logical flow. It’s more like a series of vignettes, each with a female-driven admonishment or victory. I FF’d through much of Sam’s indecisiveness to go do whatever it was she and her ex used to do. It was clear it would be a vehicle for her triumph, so seeing the boots go into the trash can at 2x was pretty much all you needed to see. It struck me that every straight male on this show is portrayed either as a jerk, a weirdo or some kind of lame, stuck-in-the-past symbol of toxic masculinity. I still enjoy her show because there are some nice moments between Sam and her girls that are real. But the show isn’t actually very funny IMO.

I guess they had to go to the conceit of a wedding in order to have an ending where Jimmy and Gretchen decide to simply choose each other each day. Which really was all they should have done to start with. So while I liked it Ok I think it took a wrong turn a number of episodes ago when the wedding became a thing. Did enjoy the looks at the future. Glad they all ended up in good places.

I agree. I wonder only as a reference to other candidates, and I think that's what some of these posts are really about. Without party identification, sometimes I don't know who is running against whom for what. Maybe the show should use colors consistently or something. Orange and Purple.

Wasn't there a line in this ep about a screw up because Richard (and maybe others?) are "working on two campaigns" and were tired? I assumed the two campaigns were Jonah and Selina, since that is all we saw in detail. But in any case, how could you have someone working on two, competing campaigns at the same time? I thought Amy's port mortem was unusually ballsy. I wasn't surprised she did one; I was surprised that her opening statement directly blamed Selina, and there was no context or lead up around how maybe she was mad when she did it and wasn't mad now. Selina has fired people for much less. I *LOVE* that the writers let fly with things that many people think but don't say. 'What do you do when the baby is being an asshole?" Yep. " "I would nuke America." Yep. "Thoughts and prayers is a cliche (and also, it became one because we have so many shootings, what is wrong with us?)." Yep. Also, I didn't see the show as making fun of post partum depression at all. Throughout this series, Catherine has grasped onto any and all hobby, illness or behavior issue that she can for attention, and then tried to force everyone else to do whatever it is she wanted. I think the characters, and the viewers, have seen this enough that when PPD was brought up, everyone collectively rolled their eyes because it was *Catherine*. And the show then emphasized that by showing even while supposedly in the midst of PPD, Catherine is perfectly able to insist that no one use the word 'No" around "Little Richard" (I chuckle each time they say that) because saying no "stunts his emotional development." Puh-lease. If anyone takes offense at this show, then stick with According to Jim! Because the beauty of it is that behind many of the "mean" comments is a truth. Like what they said about Iowa. And hiding the baby when they go to New Hampshire. Though, to be honest, I would have thought they would have hidden the baby in Iowa, too, based on my experiences living in the Midwest. Oh,wait - Iowa is meth labs. Got it! Exactly. This show is funny precisely *because* none of them ever learn. They are who they are. And having spent significant time in DC, some of it around political staffs, I know people like these do exist. Most are not as exaggerated, but the basic behaviors are similar. And truthfully, I understand it, because their main job is 1) to get their candidate reelected, which depends on the American public, and 2) dealing with the American public 24/7. I understand why they may be cynical, annoyed, sleepless, irritated and sarcastic. When I was in high school I worked at a movie theatre, and after a few months my mantra was, "The public is stupid." It is. Jonah is just a delight. What a tool, and yet he pushes relentlessly forward.

This is why I long ago stopped watching any NYC ep of HH. It's a unique world I hope to never inhabit. Since then, I have also dropped most CA eps (too expensive), and most big city eps (too much $$$ for what you get, including LA and Chicago) and any ep where the budget is $1 million or more. We qualify for that, but I would never spend that much on a house. Here in Denver it is expensive, but not insane. We miss out on some wackiness, but have more time to be outside! Especially when they don't come with parking. Every time you drove anywhere, you would have no idea where you might have to park when you come back. What if you have groceries? Or a baby in a car seat? And then don't get me going on the weather ... Some of these recent shows have dropped some key info. Like how important location, vis-a-vis where the couple works. And specific neighborhood names or even cities.

Agree, and the implication was that the men, both of whom were white, were so caught up in their own needs that they never noticed nor cared about the woman who was actually getting shot.

I love that the SNL studio audience doesn’t know what to do with skits that poke fun at their favored groups. The Jussie skit reaction, or lack of it, was funnier than the skit itself. Then SNL, knowing it, had to go immediately to a skit that made fun of white men, to make everyone feel better (The Duel). The Tischy skit made me laugh. “You’re arm is still broken?” The show is sure depending on the southern district of NY. Which seems awkward, because when you are investigated by people who openly hate you, I’m not sure how much other people will listen. That was the point of a special prosecutor. Ike Turner and church camp, heh. And a tip. Che was on fire. Go Louise! Six-way Spider-Man. Electric shoes was just annoying, even with Keenan. Tame Impala almost sounded like some 80s British groups. Almost.

Wow, hated that episode. First, it uses a trope I despise... having the bad guy take over a “good” guy. We all know, but the characters don’t. So we are spinning our wheels until they figure it out. Second, more emotional ridiculousness from Michael. “I get to interview her because she is my mother!” “I know my mother best!” You don’t even know for sure who she is. And Michael, do you not understand that your time traveling mother has a much different perspective on time than you? Please. Finally, making an evil AI the big bad doesn’t do it for me. There is nothing to learn about it, no new race, no new customs, no meaningful addition to canon. They all argue over the motives of a computer. Discovery has so much to work with, and it’s completely uninteresting right now.

I guess YMMV. Having a close friend who loves you, and recognizing such, is priceless. What comes along with that is respecting their opinion. I think Edgar did hope it would all implode before he had to do it, that Jimmy would realize, at some point, that marrying G is a bad idea. But Jimmy didn’t, and Edgar has not been afraid to say difficult things. Jimmy’s reaction in the moment was anger, but if he meant what he said about banishing Edgar, then Jimmy is as messed up as G. I would be disappointed in that Jimmy.

Agree. This was Grand Drama for the sake of the show. I would buy Jimmy being upset, and being forced to consider the point, but not banishing Edgar forever. I found most fascinating the perspective the show raised through Gretchen's mother, who clearly settled in her life, is miserable because of it, *realizes* it and yet still can't change anything because she doesn't want to be viewed a fool. It's the opposite of Gretchen, who is a mess, and let's everyone know it, unapologetically. So which way is better? I'd say Gretchen's way, except she is so nonfunctional that she can't really get anywhere in life.. Something to ponder.

I have no problem with this Spock. He’s younger, and he doesn’t control his emotions as well as the one in TOS (which showed this in The Menagerie) and snark is an emotion. He will get better at it. I go back to my “coloring in the white spaces” comment from last week. Discovery is adding to what we knew from TOS. New species, new characters and new aspects of characters we knew (Spock and Pike, for starters). If I have issues, it is with the new characters. The send off for cyber woman (I don’t even remember her name) was way, way out of synch with our connection to her. And I hate to admit it, because I love Michael, but she really is a special snowflake. The amount of concern over her plan to be bait was almost comical. Even Georgiou? Until the final reveal, I thought the fact Michael was the Red Angel was a promising way to cover the issue of no mention of Spock having a sister in any other Trek. I didn’t need that... white spaces... but I could construct a rationale. And then it wasn’t Michael. I love how the show is gradually adding in sounds from TOS. I heard the transporter and the red alert sounds this time.

This episode veered between boring (Gordon and his fake love) and obnoxious (the 15-minute commercial for smoking). Gordon was a twit on two episodes in a row. First “you’re jealous” last week, then falling in love in the holodeck. This would have been far better if it had been about the dangerous impacts of the holodeck, and it wasn’t Gordon. There was nothing wrong per say with the ep. it was just uninteresting. YMMV.

I don't know why the show needs to explain that. Because we didn't know of something, doesn't mean it didn't exist. Kirk could have had an uncle who wiped out a planet. Uhura could have been queen of a nation and left it for Star Fleet. Khan could have started an LGBTQ nightclub, a la The Birdcage. And Spock could have had an adopted sister who ran away and made his human side feel badly about it, and the whole incident is difficult to discuss. Kirk may have seen it in Spock's personnel file, and decided not to bring it up unless Spock did. The more I watch Discovery, the more it seems like they are coloring in white space, not revising canon.

Oh goody. All of my least favorite things about this show. Jimmy overreacts to something even he says is so common it is a cliche, and Gretchen lies and avoids being an adult. And come on, Gretchen, you weren’t failing you were doing great. Until for some reason you couldn’t make a simple and obvious decision. Meanwhile, Lyndsey is a fool. Only Edgar provides any redeeming qualities. Blech to this week.

To be fair, he emoted quite a bit in The Menagerie. I love Pike here and how the show is setting him up to be the captain Kirk held in so much respect. Both of those tie-ins are a nice link to canon. If that dour security officer becomes No.1, and loses her mouthpiece, that's another tie in.

I knew a yurt would show up eventually.

I didn't view that as a woman thing. I viewed that as a Claire thing, since they set her up as being bad at spatial reasoning. Their error was that the rest of the women didn't really do much, and kept following Claire's lead, which made no sense to me. I thought maybe Gloria or even Haley would knock it out of the park. but neither stepped up and also neither was bad at it. They were just there. The dumber thing was that they built it downstairs for a room upstairs. What? I also don't understand how Cam had time to change clothes so often, without the rest of the group killing him. One or two of those timed out (lunch, or whatever), but they would have had to have waited for him other times. The larger issue is, how many times can they go to the "Jay doesn't/does love me" well? That should be settled by now. Also, I laughed at Haley's ball popping. I'm sorry.

It feels like Discovery is making the same mistake it did last season. It built up a plot narrative.... finding Spock, the Red Angel and the relationship between Spock and Michael... and even had a side plot going on with Section 31 and Georgeoui and it’s and her goals. All good. Then, just like last year when it, in midseason, threw in the Mirror Universe on top of the Klingon struggle and ST world building, this season Discovery throws in the red sphere and Section 31’s AI and its status as the potential killer of all life in the universe. Just like last season, it’s too much, too soon, and for me, really broke me out of the story. I would have preferred if the show had waited a bit to introduce the threat, played a little more around the Red Angel, and if the threat wasn’t something as mundane as rogue AI. I spent a lot of this episode saying, “wait- what is that again and why does something that practically begged Discovery to preserve its history have a role in a rogue Section 31 AI, which, BTW... why did IT go rogue and why does it want to kill everything? Huh?”

I’m talking about several seasons ago, not this season.

Wasn't that the whole point of her relationship with Paul? She was trying to be what he wanted, and it didn't work?

I think Gretchen is way more screwed up. Consider that Jimmy has grown up lots since he ghosted her, which was a while back. Jimmy seems to have started living as an adult in the real world. He doesn't like some aspects of it, and he is hanging on to the "who gives a fuck" vibe that he and Gretchen have always enjoyed, but he recognizes that a lot of debt, or self destructive behavior, or self medicating, is bad. Gretchen doesn't, or if she does, she doesn't care or can't stop herself. Jimmy's proposal of fuck week was him trying to guess what would make Gretchen happy AND the result of his growing conscience. I'm sure Old Jimmy would have been more than OK with never telling Gretchen it happened. But New Jimmy felt like he should, and then he tried to figure out what would upset HER least and absolve himself. Gretchen, meanwhile, had a very simple choice to make at the show: Introduce Nock-Nock and potentially make her other client mad, or don't introduce him. And, given that her boss knows and expects Nock-Nock's debut and has said that this is on Gretchen, the choice was clear: You intro Nock-Nock (who is, as a bonus, considered talented) and you try to smooth over your other client in a number of ways.. What's the worst that happens? You discard an old, struggling client for a new, hot one? It wasn't a hard choice. And yet, Gretchen couldn't make it. She is very screwed up. Jimmy, who actually showed for her big event (another sign of maturing), is much less screwed up. As far as I am concerned, if this ends with Jimmy with the florist and Gretchen in a ditch, I'm good.

My post was about Orrin's comment that, because he was a prisoner, he didn't know there was a ceasefire when he attacked the Krill ships. Maybe noting that would have strengthened the Union's position, maybe not. But it deserved attention by the show. They put the Orville in an almost impossible diplomatic position and no one even mentioned something that Orrin has said that could have been useful in the negotiations. Having us then see that Orrin was bent on revenge should have had no impact on whether Seth's captain should have passed along that bit of info after he heard it, or on what the Union might have done. At the very least, throw in a line noting it and then noting why it was ignored and/or wrong, is all I'm saying.

I liked After Life. In fact, I *especially* liked the beginning parts that the EHG team disliked. It was rough, the main character was angry and sometimes that's how people react to personal tragedy. What I didn't like was when the tone turned and became more sweet and cliched. Also, they need to explain Ricky's character's role in the death of the homeless guy. What were we to make of that?

I'll give SNL this: They came out swinging in this episode. That punctured a number of balloons beloved by the more liberal live crowd, which I think explains the lack of audience reaction here and there. This is highly unusual for SNL, and it made each sketch a bit edgy. Cold Open, R. Kelly: I didn't see the original interview, so some of these was meaningless to me. But it was an interesting study of a person who really has no sane perspective anymore. Monologue: Idris Elba telling his story. It wasn't funny, but it was interesting. Can I Play That? Ouch - poking fun at the ridiculousness of the Twitterverse AND the PC responses to cultural appropriation, et al. And all of it was so true. Not surprised the audience struggled. This one hit close to home for a lot of them, who were hoping for another Trump is an Idiot sketch. Bok Bok's: SNL at its pop culture finest. Not as funny as I wanted, but a nice concept. Powerpoint: I actually know admins who are exactly like those two when it comes to PPT and *any* criticism at all. I expect some people felt like this skit was a little mean, but it actually is very realistic. "Can I just use the phone?" The Impossible Hulk: Amusing, and I'm not sure that the audience knew quite what to do with it given the change from African American to woman. So ... ridicule or support, I imagined that battle going on in thousands of brains. If Elba had turned into a while man, then the audience would have loved it and the roars of unimpeded laughter would have come. The Gold Diggers of the WNBA: Oops, men acting like women who pursue NBA stars? Red alert! The crowd struggled mightily because it felt like this was mocking NBA gold diggers, who are women, and so ... bad skit. Bad! In truth, it was just turning a stereotype on its ear, with men (who were also black, so careful, careful). I laughed at bit, especially at the deep voice from Cecily. WU: Decent. Colin had a few zingers that made the audience gasp/awwwww. The show really went after it this week. Sky Sports: I actually ... don't even remember this. Wait, this was the futball player saying inappropriate things. Yeah, the SNL audience won't like this. And yep, did a quick Google and SNL was already chastized for it, and the WNBA skit. Rudolpho: Don't recall. Auditioning: This was a bit off. It seemed to speak to the neediness of actors, but then ended abruptly. Yes, SNL will get criticized for this ep by some. But for me, it was one of the few times they had some fun with that side of the various debates, and I enjoyed it for the most part.

Oh, I agree that Orrin might have known. My point was that the Union didn’t know if he knew or not, and no one from the Union seemed interested in finding out or in using that info as a bargaining point with the Krill.