DoctorAtomic

I wouldn't stereotype the dog, you know.

That's borderline vandalism then. Anyone could come by an unplug the car, but if you need the key, that's premeditated.

I think they just set the whole plot up with Conan as a joke to have him play against type.

That's the joke though. Outside of professional activities, Conan is totally sour and doesn't want to interact with anyone before granting clearance.

I'm glad to see Sean Hayes return. The crack about the one angry man was brilliant. I completely understand his frustration with Larry hamming it up on the stand. I can't imagine how he's going to not be found guilty in the real trial because he can't get out of his own way. Unless he pulls off another Gettysburg address. I enjoyed the whole key tossing issue. Really in line with the show. The valet was way out of line to unplug the car. It's not like Larry just hurled the keys at the valets either. And a great callback to the "I like it" gambit. Eating the cheese was a jerk move though. Come on. Larry asked if he could leave it there first. He didn't just dump it in there. The whole conversation with Conan was brilliant. Just the delivery of the 'haven't heard an Arbuckle reference' was gold. Conan being surly is a great choice. A lot of payoffs tonight - the tossing and the cheese were fantastic.

I liked getting back to Ham and baking. Auntie Dirt again! Just a brilliant direction for the show. I can't say it enough. Did you all catch the Abominable Snowman in a basketball jersey when Young Dirt walked away with the basketball! I like Judy, but she was being annoying to Ham. The family is usually supportive, so it seemed a little much for them to so self-absorbed. I don't get why Wolf just couldn't just pee out the door while they were driving. I'm actually quite disappointed in the Tobins. Beef kind of gaslit Ham. "Oh, you said everything was ok. You need to say when it's not." You're the dad, Beef.

I liked the prehistoric animation and the callback in the museum. Did you guys think it was kind of Samurai Jack-like? Funny that prehistoric Homer was capable too. There was a picture of a dinosaur later in the kitchen later. I've put on my Heisenberg hat in solidarity. Bart is kind of a bad friend though. That's not Marge's fault. I came up in an era when everyone's parents were your parents too. If I came home and said someone's mom called me a jerk, my mother would say, 'why were you being a jerk then?' Maybe be a better friend and you don't get uninvited. I don't really get what she's protecting him from. I've been to events where you do have to have your tickets on the phone and can't print it out, but the paper Marge had, showed a q-card on it. So she could have still just ran that on the phone.

Well, they can call it what they want, but we all watched the show. It's not a comedy. Only Murders in the Building is way more of a comedy than this. There's funny scenes, and I'd say this episode had more humor since probably the New Orleans episode.

I was watching with closed captions and it noted Decosta speaking Portuguese.

The doula was hilarious. I don't know if anyone watched Amy's HBO special about the pregnancy, but I think I might have got some more out of seeing that all unfold here than had I hadn't watched it. In the special though, John was way funnier. I'm also not a huge Cera fan to start with. I know the show isn't a comedy, but I'm not sure what the narrative direction was for the season. It was a lot. You do need some humor, and there was some, but it was sparse. And Amy is really good at mining comedy from uncomfortable situations too. The whole intervention/surprise party and the hospital scene are great examples. I actually enjoyed all the flashbacks. Both the young Beth and Ann were great start to finish. That's kind of what I meant. I'm kind of reluctant to criticize because it's Amy's life, and her pregnancy was really, really hard.

I haven't drank a 40 since the 90s! Jess and the doctor really knocked it out in their scenes. Young Beth is also doing well this season. That whole scene with the boyfriend was so horrible.

November? I barely remember what happened now.

Oh, that's it then. I was thinking she was going to pull some con that the Heir came of age. If that's the case, then that might buy Toranaga more time.

I still really want to see Callandor.

I saw the original movies, and I know the characters well enough, but that's about it for me. I'm sure I saw some of the 90s show, and I want to say there was an 80s show? Anyway, I enjoyed these episodes well enough to watch more. I do enjoy the 90s touches with the clothes or the glowsticks in the club. I'm not buying Xavier is really dead, nor are Storm's powers totally gone either. I'm not sure Magneto is turning over a new leaf. Maybe he's secretly working with Xavier!

I think the writing is by design, and, to be fair, he was a little better here, and last episode from the dinner on. I'm guessing he's going to show some growth, and there was some here. They've shown he's smart enough to shut up and see what's going on with the switcheroo sneaking out Toranaga out of Osaka, and he's learned some Japanese words. On the other hand, he doesn't get how serious they are and sometimes can't get out of his own way. He's boorish, but not entirely an idiot. If he was just totally ignorant, we'd be bored and not talking about the show. Causing the death of the gardener is entirely his own fault, but the show made it clear that there was learning there and at the end with giving the swords to Toranaga and maintaining the story too. He seems to get the concept of the eightfold fence that Mariko talks about. I don't think Blackthorne thought drinking and talking trash was going to lead to Mariko being beaten either. It's entirely reasonable to think he's gotten drunk in the past, thrown a few punches, and that's the end of it. I think the main question in regards to the criticism of Blackthorne is - Shouldn't he know better by now? We're not really being told how much time has passed. I don't think enough time has passed, and, as someone who has lived there, it's hard even if you're really trying. I certainly wouldn't tell someone if they touched my stuff that they'd die, but it's also hard if you don't have someone else to talk to either to sound everything out. He can only communicate through Portuguese too.

Oh, is that why? Because 'liberal' is in the degree? That wouldn't surprise me. I'd probably steer a liberal arts major into a more specialized field for an advanced degree, but I would encourage anyone going to college to at least get through the Master's level and/or professional licensure. As far as I know, mechanics, electricians, welders, etc., are called 'vocational' and do not require a college degree. Our local community college iirc offers some kind of certification that helps them get into apprenticeships into these jobs. They also offer the same in IT. Many also offer certifications in AutoCAD and the like (basically engineering drafting software).

I can't imagine they weren't spoofing actual logos because they were so spot on. This was my favorite segment because of the 80s, but evil Jane Fonda (Rachel) and her legwarmers is almost an American Dad plot. With spot on Mama Celeste cameo. The crack about getting lost in the casino is personal because I always get turned around when I'm there for a conference. The casino doesn't want to lead you to the office spaces. All the racist jokes for the final segment were funny too. I thought the joke was the pitcher of red or grape kool aid with no top than the pitcher of iced tea.

I'm pleased to see the teamwork aspect is still going to be part of the show.

How long has she been catholic? She was brought up immersed in seppuku culture, so it's hard to completely shake that off. Also, most catholics pick and choose what they want to believe or do anyway, so he's ahead of her time. Given her mention of the eightfold fence again, she could have been telling Blackthorne a metaphor of how she bristles at her husband's control. No way she'd outright say something like that.

She saw him starkers at the hot springs. Maybe he's packing. Taiko means 'retired shogun' or something like that. The boy is heir to the shogunate when he comes of age. It doesn't *look* like he's of age, so I have no idea where she suddenly thinks she's calling shots. I think he actually said that wives *were* property in both societies, but Blackthorne styles himself as a more chivalrous husband in that he doesn't beat women or shoot arrows at them.

I'm not sure what the Heir's mother was going for with the 'you answer to me now' at the end. The Taiko left clear rules about how there's five regents until the Heir comes of age. Unless the Heir suddenly is singing Peter Brady. He's still what? 11? We know how it's going to end, but mom is way overplaying this hand and just doesn't have the intelligence she thinks she does. Or does she think the regents' collective armies will unite behind the Heir? That's why I tought Fuji might have given it a shot. I think it was a little much. The stew had chunks of food you could still pick up with the chopsticks. It wasn't like he was grilling spare ribs. Certainly not worse than eel by any stretch.

So from the previouslies, we confirmed that the Taiko required five regents for any vote. I still don't think Toranaga has as much time as he thinks he does, but that huge army suggests he's hedging. We're seeing that the regents are already throwing out names to find someone that will stick. Good job for all of you that called 'no body' on Mariko's husband! Though, really, really lucky. I still don't think it was that bad for the son to wipe out Jozen with the cannon. It just seems like that all the regents and Toranaga just don't want to make the first move. I was wrong in saying the regents wouldn't find out about Jozen so soon though. Still doesn't change anything. I felt a little bad for Blackthorne wanting to prepare the stew, and none of them even gave it a shot. I thought Fuji might try. I knew the dinner was going to be a pissing contest, but I liked that they included the slurping of the noodles. That was always so much fun. Of course it turned into a drinking contest. I get on Blackthorne's case, but I don't think he thought it was going to lead to Mariko getting beaten. I don't think it's his fault. The pheasant is his fault though. I'll also give him some credit that his grasp of the language is rudimentary, but there seems to be some effort there. It's not easy.

The maid didn't really see anything, did she? Larry was fully clothed with his back to the door, blocking the view.

That's correct. There needs to be 5 official regents for any vote. They showed Toranaga's old secretary or whoever he was deliver the resignation letter. He said Taiko required 5 voting members for any order. Then they showed Toranaga himself telling the crafty vassal, who was flipping out thinking they were going to vote to have them all killed. So I thought it was something like a quorum. Of course, they could just say screw the rules. They know Toranaga isn't going to follow their orders. I don't think Toranaga has as much time as he thinks though. That's why I said I thought the son setting off the cannons was probably a better move than they would think.