violetr

I really hope you guys are right that Chad is a producer plant and JoJo is in on the joke, because otherwise she is DUMB. He's basically a walking red flag for domestic abuse and narcissism. I'll allow that he did say a couple of funny things (hey, narcissists are charming!), but I don't think he made any good points. Listen moron, everyone on this show KNOWS it's a game. Of course none of the guys are in love with her yet. You're making a TV show. Don't come on a fake show and then pretend to be all wise and above it all. I think there should be a special place in hell for people who say mean, hurtful things to make themselves look good and others look bad, and then follow it up with, "Hey, I'm just being honest." You're not being honest; you're being a dick. And on top of that, the obvious negging with the comment about JoJo being naggy? Who are you, Mystery? Neil Strauss? Is PUA still a thing? Gross. Just gross. In other news, I think James Taylor and Wells are adorable.

You are my new best friend.

I like JoJo, but it's already looking like she's got bad taste in men. In real life, the hot bad boy often turns out to be a massive, abusive dick. Oh how I love the editors of this show. They are so unsung. There was one cut from Daniel's weird, creepy facial expression to an equally weird, creepy looking teddy bear that made me burst out laughing. This season is going to be a very entertaining train wreck.

Although I'm enjoying learning about the Jacobite cause (I seemed to have missed this entirely as part of my formal education), I tend to feel the same way. I'm just not terribly interested in the French angle. I miss Scotland. I keep watching the show because of the wonderful production values and caliber of acting, but right now the only character I really even like is Murtagh. And Bouton. Ha. I don't particularly care for Claire or Jamie, and I never did understand why a modern woman would willingly give up a modern life for this good-hearted but kinda lunkhead-y guy. I just don't understand her motivations.

I've been watching this show very casually - usually at the end of the weekend while doing other things. So I'm not super invested but I do find it entertaining to have on in the background. One thing that's really kept me from being more invested is, I think, song choice. When the judges were picking songs for the battle rounds they picked some great stuff. But now that the contestants are picking songs I'm continually appalled at how horrible their choices are. Paxton in particular. Gah. I like the kid and want to see him succeed, but good lord, its just Whitney after Celine after more Whitney. I gag. I'm sure getting rights to songs is a big issue, but I haven't seen an inspired choice in weeks!

I have no love for Amanda but I don't think it's the actress's fault. She had a fairly prominent role on two eps of Doctor Who last season and was perfectly delightful. Amanda is just a problematic character. I think the problem is that the writers have made her so unlikeable that many of us are wracking our brains trying to understand what Sidney sees in her. C'mon writers - I *want* to like one of Sydney's love interests. You can do it! Aside from that, I have grown to really love this show. Shit got real in Season 2, which is how I like it. Also: Leonard! How much do we love Leonard?!

YES! And YES to your whole post, Amelie06. I also agree about Sydney's various women. Save for the jazz singer, they're either annoying, unlikeable, or boring (or all of the above). I guess I wonder if Sydney is just too much of an anomaly to find someone right for him in that time and place. A vicar, yet very socially progressive. Gorgeous, yet bound to a not-so-sexy (not to mention non-lucrative) profession.

Well I for one applaud the show for "going there." People keep talking about the show getting dark like that's a bad thing. If it was poorly done, then sure, but I think the way Gary's hanging was handled in this episode was masterful. I think Grantchester has gone next level, now. I also have to give James Norton props for his acting in the lynching scene, and the scene with Amanda directly after. His anguish was palpable. At least he was there for Gary! So very sad. I saw this as the only weak spot in the entire episode. That was indeed laughably bad!

I wish like crazy I saw him this way, because I really miss Logan Echolls. For me, the big difference is that Greg is a wannabe bad boy, whereas Logan was an honest-to-god bad boy. Ding ding ding! This, precisely. I don't think Rebecca will have be capable of maintaining a healthy romantic relationship until she figures this out. I can never get enough of these stories because I think this issue goes far beyond the Disney mythos (which was damaging enough to generations of young girls on its own). I think it's really about the history of fairy tales, where generally women's only roles were to be rescued in one way or another, preferably by a handsome prince. IMO, the more of these stories we see, the more these patriarchal fictions will be dismantled. I have high hopes for our next generation!

I'd like to just take a moment to give huge props to JENNY FUCKING SLATE. I love her in everything, and her performance as Tally in the penultimate episode of this season was no exception. If you're not familiar with her work, check her out on Drunk History and see her movie "Obvious Child." She's amazing. Someone give her her own show already. I completely agree. I thought this was such a smart, sly way to address the criticism that Dunham has faced and how she has to deal with it every goddamn day, all the while still trying to create good art. To quote DianeDobbler, "We need her and I like her." I think this was the strongest season finale of this show so far - even stronger than the S1 finale. Hannah's story slam at The Moth was really well-written, witty, insightful, and moving. I would love to see Hannah get back to her writing in the final season. Here's to hoping!

This little write up from the AV Club doesn't really say anything that the Vulture piece didn't, but I do find this part interesting: "Hannah is both female and a millennial, so there are two kinds of widespread prejudices working against her in the minds of viewers. But, underneath it all, the culprit may be that Hannah consistently undermines viewers’ expectations of what a television character is “supposed” to be. That boldness comes directly from Dunham, who refuses to conform to the norm and make Girls a show about redemption. Hannah won’t grow and change just to make viewers happy. That’s not what Girls is about. Ultimately, there’s something admirable and brave about this." I tend to agree (even as I watch the show and know for a fact that I wouldn't want someone like Hannah anywhere near my life.) I think this is the crux of Dunham's art thus far in her young life, and I do think it deserves the niche it's carved out in popular culture.

Right? I realized I do all those same things when I'm flirting with a cute guy - head tilt, shoulder shrug, flamingo leg. Ha!

We can agree to disagree, Lm2162! But FWIW Lena suffers from OCD, severe anxiety and depression. Here's an article about her work to combat mental health stigmas. The degree to which she combats these issues on the show varies, mostly because the show isn't about people with mental health issues. There just happen to be a few characters who have had some mental health struggles. I do think the portrayal of Hannah's issues with OCD is pretty realistic and sensitive (and unsurprisingly, one of the few times over the course of the series that she's been a sympathetic character). I disagree. It really depends on the show. You're the Worst has done a fantastic job of depicting depression.

This is an interesting POV to me because I haven't felt that way at all. I have just seen them as struggling with their various illnesses/addictions. Lena herself has OCD and has been very open in the media about battling the stigmas attached to mental illness.

Really interesting article in Vulture today about Hannah's persistent unlikeability and lack of growth over the course of the show. It examines how her personality and behavior affects Girls' audience and what motivations Lena Dunham might have for making Hannah this way. I think Jemima Kirke (and Jessa) are just stunningly beautiful. She looks like a Botticeli to me.

Isn't it amazing - and deeply depressing (no pun intended) - that these misinformed attitudes about mental illness still persist, and persist so pervasively? I live in one of the most progressive parts of the U.S. and I still encounter people who think that people with mental illness are selfish and just aren't strong enough to cope with reality. And if Caroline has PPD to the point of a psychotic break (which happened to a friend of mine recently), then her decision making wasn't based on any kind of reality. Sadly, it looks like Laird was so out to lunch that he didn't realize there was a problem, let alone manage to get her to a hospital. Scary.

This really, really threw me. I couldn't get over how mean-spirited and cold it was, and I have a very high tolerance for cynical humor. It kinda ruined the rest of the season for me, and I LOVED Season 1. I still watched all of Season 2 and laughed at a lot of it, but I kinda felt like the thing with the dog was so cruel that it made me trust the writers less. I'm wondering if perhaps this kind of thing plays better for a UK audience? We Americans are so obsessed with our dogs. For us it's like being cavalier about the death of a child. I also feel like Sharon was unnecessarily mean and selfish this season. I kept wondering why Rob's character would put up with her.

I'm 45 so I *should* be his target audience! Ha.

Yeah, it definitely had that 90s alt feel to it, which I thought was really creative. Both Pavement and The Pixies came to mind for me. I don't think so, but I think you just inadvertently hit upon why I don't find Santino Fontana particularly attractive, although I like him very much as an actor. His hair is...troublesome. I want to mess it up so it doesn't have that hair helmet look.

As a true crime lover I was really excited about the Kitty Genovese play (and what a great idea!). But then I got annoyed because they never explained the real story. The original NYT piece claimed that 38 neighbors witnessed the rape/murder and did nothing, and that story basically went viral. The paper later wrote an article admitting the story was flawed, but I think public perception of the incident was cemented by then. It's like the old saying - a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on. In truth, yes, some neighbors did nothing, but some did try to help, including a woman who ran into the hall and was with Kitty during her last moments, even though for all she knew the perpetrator was still there. So at least one person risked her life to try to help. Regardless, I think the idea of 38 Neighbors is so great they should make a real play! Only this time, make sure to tell it accurately.

I assumed that Trixie lost two inches off of her waist from the overall cardiovascular workout she's getting from the program, but yeah, the bust enhancement claim made no sense. Maybe she's standing up straighter? Ha. I loved seeing the early 60s fitness regime. Some of it looked surprisingly modern! It also made sense that the fitness program was making her feel happier and healthier in general. Exercise can be one really helpful facet of addiction recovery.

What. The fuck. Was that. Aaha's outfit was - from top to bottom - one of the ugliest, most unflattering things I've ever seen on this show. And then paired with those awful flats? I feel like the show is now set in a parallel universe where hideous is the new chic. So confused.

Wow, Adam is amazing. Guy can sang. More of him please! That "New Americana" song was fucking awful. So trite and on the nose. Just no.

"River" is actually Joni Mitchell too, from the album "Blue." It came out the year after "Ladies of the Canyon" which featured "Big Yellow Taxi." Alison did a nice job with it but didn't particularly bring anything new to it. Then again, the song and arrangement is pretty much perfect as it is.

Just rewatched again today. So many funny little moments, like when Rebecca is asking Paula if she's broke and keeps poking her in the arm saying, "Paula? Paula? Paula?" Also somewhere toward the end of Rebecca's villain song, some guy outside yells "Shut up!"