violetr

What the shit was that? The new format for "auditions" is so contrived I could barely get through it. If everyone is freaking out and crying right from the start there's no journey for the audience to go on. It felt so incredibly phoney. Considering skipping the auditions and just joining again with academy week.

I just watched the final ep tonight and sobbed all the way through it. I thought it was fucking brilliant. To me, the best horror is metaphorical and, yes, redemptive. This poor goddamn family suffered so deeply, but finally realized in the end that their love for each other - despite all the dysfunction - was more powerful than anything else they could encounter. I didn't find it sentimental - I found it genuine. This is art. 5 stars.

I live in Northern California so I know from stoners - ha. I really don't care about what's alleged - I care about the research. That said, there's not nearly enough evidence-based, peer-reviewed research for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it's still classified as a schedule-1 drug (so dumb). But there is strong evidence to support its beneficial impact on anxiety, depression, insomnia, MS symptoms, AIDS symptoms, and most importantly, chronic pain. I think the science is slowly getting there. Here's a good summary on where we are with the scant science so far: http://time.com/3931863/medical-marijuana-benefits/. As for Bonnie, I imagine she would have a shit ton of anxiety just from dealing with Nathan and Maddie. I kind of think Bonnie is a phony, though. What kind of peace, love and understanding gal marries a guy like Nathan?

Good point - they could have shown her vaping!

Y'all are going to laugh at me for bringing up a blink-and-you-miss-it comment from pages back, but I wanted to comment on this because it's kind of topical right now: I don't think "healthy" is quite the right word but marijuana is definitely not "unhealthy." You can - and many people do - abuse it to the point where you're lazy as hell and live in a constant haze. But it has many proven medical benefits and is way more "healthy" than alcohol or any substance people use to relax and disengage. And to get back on topic: I really wish Jane would consult an expert about this. There have to be therapists out there who specialize in treating women that this has happened to. Ziggy is a smart, intuitive kid and I'd hate for Jane to get this wrong. I'm by no means an expert, but if I were Jane I think I'd probably say something as close to truth as possible - that she only met "dad" once and he wasn't very nice so she never saw him again. And then when Ziggy is older and able to understand, tell him the truth as gently as possible, making sure to assure him that what happened has no bearing on him whatsoever, that he's a great kid, and that she loves him more than anything.

Yeah, it's really kind of a bogus argument at this point. Plenty of famous actors have kids who want to act. Your legacy can only take you so far - at some point you have to do the work. As others have mentioned, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern have famous parents, and yet they've earned their status as talented actors.

Perhaps, but nepotism won't lead you to be the first woman ever to win the French version of the Oscar. You gotta do that work yourself. But we're getting off topic. I think Shailene is doing a fine job, but it's fun to imagine what KS would bring to the table. On that note, although I think Nicole is compelling as Celeste, I've found myself wondering what another actress could bring to that role, particularly one who can do a consistent American accent! The slipping is making me batty. It's like she's not even trying. Or maybe they just should have made her character Australian.

I'm cool with Shailene but as a Kristen Stewart fan I LOVE this suggestion and am now picturing it. I've been intrigued by her ever since The Runaways. Then I saw her in Still Alice and Clouds of Sils Maria and finally realized how talented she is. She would knock that jittery, hidden depths thing that Shailene has to do in this out of the park. I think we may be experiencing David E. Kelly’s pop sensibilities, which would make sense seeing as how it’s his show. The music often skews a little baby boomer for my taste (Otis Redding, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Martha Wainwright), but so far I have heard a lot of more modern stuff I like, too (PJ Harvey, Sufjan Stevens, B-52s, Death in Vegas.) I have too, but I've been trying to chalk it down to ignorance about the realities of domestic abuse rather than insensitivity or victim blaming.

It's more than just a "deep, complicated psychological" issue, though. Many, many women don't leave their abusers because they are literally afraid the guy will kill them if they do. And often, that's precisely what happens. Here's one staggering statistic: up to 75% of abused women who are murdered are killed AFTER they leave their abuser. https://www.theguardian.com/money/us-money-blog/2014/oct/20/domestic-private-violence-women-men-abuse-hbo-ray-rice As for Renata, I'm going to blame the over-the-top behavior on the way the character is written (perhaps intentionally) and not Laura Dern. LD is a fantastic, nuanced actor with a lot of range so I have to believe this is what the writers/directors want from that portrayal.

Ding ding ding! You found one! Me and my bestie both find Nick attractive. I think he's sensitive, sincere and funny. Also I prefer sweet, quirky, offbeat guys to jocks and such. And I find him pretty to look at. Really I think it just comes down to what you're into.

I had the same issue. For the longest time I couldn't figure out why I wasn't warming to Vanessa. I finally realized it's because she's a total control freak, and I cannot handle control freaks. They are absolutely exhausting. I feel very fortunate that I never inadvertently wound up in a relationship with one because I would have been miserable. Nick - women can be strong, sassy and confident without being totally controlling. In fact, we're out there in spades, Nick! I also just wanted to give a shout out to Nick's dad. What a mensch. It's so refreshing to see a dad on this show who's not just fucking steeped in toxic masculinity and bravado. He's sweet and articulate and not afraid to show his emotions, and he raised his son to be the same way. Yay for sensitive men! Finally, that whole segment with the four men meeting Rachel at the end was possibly even more cringe-inducing than Nick and Vanessa. I wanted to crawl under my sofa. And we get a racist comment almost immediately? Ew.

Ha! It's true. He's sexy and awkward at the same time. And when he gets nervous he kinds starts babbling. I get the feeling he's still not sure this is actually happening. It's very entertaining.

Nick is the only male lead I've ever found attractive. I'll watch the show regardless (I have issues), but it's more fun for me this year because Nick happens to float my boat. As for the women, I've always found Andi stunning, even with her Grumpy Cat tendencies. I didn't like her by the end of her season, but I still think she's so so pretty. The rest of the women just haven't been my "type" I guess. Ha! That explains so much!

Yeah, since this show is designed for wild speculation, I'll wildly speculate that Nick won't wind up marrying the woman he chooses at the end. They'll date for a while, break up, and then he'll find the right person outside of this franchise. I'll keep an open mind, but right now none of them seem to particularly be his type. He'll probably fall in love for a while anyway, though, because that's just what he does. It's part of what I like about him, actually.

Cool article from Bustle about this season of the Bachelor starting off as very sex-positive, thanks to Nick!