Lake Erie Lass

The final routine on the Gordon Ford show was a nice mix of Midge poking fun at the origins of her comedy and an acknowledgement of the difficulty of choosing a career path that was not readily available to women. I loved the response of everyone associated with the show to her routine, from Gordon being wowed and going back to his desk to enjoy her set, as well as the male writers pride in her routine. It reminded me of when she got the last time slot on the telethon, and with nothing to lose, went for it. On the night she made her debut at the Gaslight, when Midge went to the Communist bar with Susie, Susie said “I don’t mind being alone, I just don’t want to be insignificant.” They both achieved their dream of fame and fortune. Midge knew from the beginning that fame would come at the cost of her family. So it was bittersweet to see the juxtaposition of her wealth vs. her solitary lifestyle. I will miss this show. P.S. I LOVED the red suit and hat Midge wore when she bailed Susie out of jail. I hope multiple Emmys come their way this fall for the actors and costume designers.

I don’t think I ever heard Burton sing it, so to me it sounded like Richard Harris (I’ve only ever seen the film version). Thanks for the correction. I didn’t know it’s back on Broadway. Would love to see the live production. So many really good songs in that show.

I forgot to comment in my original post how much I loved the final musical selection. “How to Handle a Woman” from the film Camelot. Richard Harris sang this so beautifully—full of angst and melancholy as he pondered his relationship with Guinevere (who has become enamored of Sir Lancelot). The music plays as Gordon Ford, after being coerced by Hedy to put Midge on the show, watches Midge take a phone call and run out the door. Not sure if the theme is for Hedy, Midge, or both. I’ve had an ear worm all day thinking about this song, as well as its relevance to the final episode.

I loved the epiphanies in this episode. This is the first episode that I actually liked Abe. It has bothered me BIG TIME that he told people he bought their apartment. He has been so self centered and obnoxious that I wanted to smack the crap out of him every episode. I’m glad he acknowledged his mistakes with his children, and expressed his pride in Midge. Arthur’s epiphany about a lifetime of accumulating things for his and his wife’s home, only to look at it all down the line after her death as “stuff,” hit me hard in the heart. I can empathize. We get so attached to things, and they are a burden for our heirs when we’re gone. Joel’s epiphany about his and Midge’s relationship, his reflections and regrets, were sad but instructive. The college roommates looking back on their life choices from a distance of time; most with some regret over missed opportunities to do more than settle for the status quo. And Midge finally knowing that this was the time to go big or go home. Her conversation with Hedy helped her confront Susie to demand that Susie call in a favor. I am enjoying the ability to see how everyone turned out with the time flips and how the lives of these characters we’ve become so invested in progress through the decades. I have a feeling I’m going to cry next week over some of these story lines….

It was hard to watch the aging process continue to hone and sharpen Susie’s personality. But she got what she wanted from life, professionally. She was as addicted to becoming a big-time agent as Midge was a professional comedian. They both had a lot in common in their desire for fame and fortune. But underneath it all was a foundation of love, I believe, for each other. That’s what made the ending so satisfying for me. Once I got used to the juxtaposition of the back and forth between their personal history through the decades, I appreciated the originality of how the writers are leaving us with the closure of both of their stories.

But Midge more than paid them back by supporting their sorry, selfish asses for the next few decades!

Sheldon’s voice and stiff mannerisms are so annoying it’s hard to watch scenes with him talking. The clipped sentence, followed by the head bob, drive me nuts. Plus he went back to the bow tie this week. I thought he finally segued from his childhood “uniform” worn over the past seasons to the layered t-shirt look he wore as an adult. CeCe smiling in her car seat was so gosh darn cute. Georgie suffering from diarrhea of the mouth in the doctor’s office, not so much. No wonder Mandy is hesitating. I love Georgie but he’s not quite the adult yet, even though he’s 18. He fluctuates from being really mature to being impulsive and an over-sharer.

When I made the comment about Sheldon’s acting being wooden, I meant now. The first 4-5 seasons, he was exhibiting all the grownup Sheldon personality traits, e.g. selfish, self centered, know it all, narcissist. But Ian was natural and relaxed as he portrayed those traits. He didn’t stand all stiff and talk like a robot. Not sure if he’s more self conscious as he goes through puberty, but that’s not how Jim Parsons acts. He may be an ass (adult Sheldon), but he always came across as natural. All I can think of when I hear Ian talk now is the robot on Lost in Space. “WarningWillRobinson.” (said in a run together monotone).

Love new sexy Mary! Sheldon’s trying too hard to speak perfectly. It drives me insane. I literally can’t stand to listen to him. When he was speaking to the class at the end, it was like he had marbles in his mouth. His acting is wooden. Oh Ian, someone needs to take you under their wing. Glad Mandy’s coming around. Sorry it took financial difficulties. It’s like the show is having an epidemic of money issues. Maybe Mary will be able to sell her “bodice ripper” to a publisher and make some big cash!

I love seeing Mary act like a normal, flawed woman. She needs to realize she can love God and enjoy life at the same time. Granted, it took a little alcohol to loosen her up, but she’s got a great personality when she’s not acting holier than thou. And I got a kick out of the fact that Sheldon, who considers himself the smartest person in his family, can’t find a way to contribute when they need help. His ideas are too cerebral and/or impractical. Can we assume (please) that Dale’s still out of the picture despite the “talk” in the truck last week? Connie feels a need to have a man in her life All The Time. She talks about being an independent woman and a “hear me roar” kind of gal, but she gets pretty pissy when she’s not with a man. She has zero chemistry with Dr. Linkletter.

I can’t stand the scenes with Sheldon. His acting has gone from sweet and natural to wooden and smug. And I’m glad Mary gave Pastor Jeff the cold shoulder. He could be calling out his congregation on their unChristian behavior, but instead he’s the biggest hypocrite of all. I’m glad George and Georgie were able to bond on the trip home. Still don’t like Dale, but appreciate he helped rescue Connie and Georgie.

I may not love all of their ideas (twig headboard), but there’s something to admire in all of their renovations. The reason this show and Home Town are my two favorites are because the hosts of those shows are 1) creative, 2) don’t follow the same old HGTV boring game plan of white and gray, 3) Erin and Keith both come from art backgrounds that help form their design choices, and 4) the renovations are more budget friendly and altruistic as they try to rejuvenate their communities.

Psych! Good one sistermagpie. That would be so Will. He’s like a fart in a windstorm.

Me too. I imagine a near death experience like Will had would motivate him to make some important life changes, but an “I love you” at the train station and then a marriage so quickly after left me shaking my head. If the series had ended—well, then all things Grantchester were tied up in a nice, neat bow. But now the series has been renewed and they have to work with this new family dynamic. I just don’t feel any chemistry between Will and Bonnie. Their relationship feels forced and lacking that essential spark that makes you believe it can work. The spark is really between Geordie and Will. I love that they were able to vocalize it at the end.

Kathy’s so angry at this point that she won’t look beyond her own issues. One of the things every cop show since time immemorial has mentioned is that for the most part cops are a bad risk in the marriage department. This is primarily because of 1–unexpected schedule changes, (having to work long shifts or come in on days off),and 2–constantly being exposed to the really horrible nature of many crimes. That can eventually lead to depression and emotional trauma. Put that on top of the emotional scars that many men suffered after WW2, and you have someone like Geordie. Don’t know if they had therapists or marriage counselors back in the late 50’s but Kath and Geordie both need to walk a day in the other’s shoes.

I laughed for five full minutes when Keith tried to get that microwave off the wall in the dollhouse. Just reading CrazyinAlabama’s response above made me laugh all over again. I really like these guys and thought most of their design ideas on Rock the Block were better than the other teams. Appreciate their mission as well as their talent.

I harbor extreme dislike of Sophia. She was a mean spirited bitch who used her age and stage of life to waive common courtesy. Bull ****. Her comments weren’t stroke related, they were mean and spiteful. When there are flashbacks of Sophia with Sal and Dorothy as a young woman she’s the exact same way. So don’t expect me to believe her behavior is stroke related. She was always rude and self centered. She’s got everyone around her fooled into thinking she’s damaged mentally, when in reality she takes extreme pleasure in speaking and acting out in hurtful ways.

I agree the right team won. They made the best decisions related to resale value. However, kudos to the Bargain Block guys for their commitment to artistic design. I didn’t love all of their choices, but most of it was gorgeous. I think the rose design on the master bedroom wall was unexpected; if it had been painted by Keith instead of a fabric application it would have been just as pretty but with a lot less potential for messiness. I’ve noticed he does weird things like that on their show— one time it was branches on the headboard. I’m always worried about cobwebs and spiders. The meditation room will make an excellent home gym for someone. I would have used mirrors on the long wall instead of those pointed wood pieces. I would also have installed a ballet bar across it. It’s great for stretching and to check your form. Working out in front of a mirror helps to make sure you’re exercising correctly.

That pretty much sums it up in a nutshell, Cetacean!

You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Agree totally. Every house on Flip or Flop had the same colors, kitchen design, finishes, etc. Boring! Sheep design again. I’m sick of open shelving in the kitchen, gray or white paint choices, and furniture that is not comfortable for long term seating when you’re relaxing with your family. Real people watch TV and lay on the couch!! When HGTV first started, they had actual professional designers and gardening experts. I appreciate the efforts of the tradesmen/women on the shows who have real knowledge of construction, plumbing, electricity, etc that make sure the homes are safe and solid. It’s the design half of the teams that are contributing to the hot mess of current design trends.

When we sold our first house, our realtor told us something that I’ve never forgotten. My preference when looking at different homes has always been Do Not Do Any Upgrades. Your taste is not my taste. If you spend $20,000 putting in new carpet/flooring, paint, etc, then I have to live with it because I can’t justify ripping up or replacing brand new items. But I hate them for years. Sell it to me cheaper and I will replace what needs done with what I prefer. The realtor told me that I was in the minority, that 90% of buyers want to be able to walk into a house and put their furniture down and live. They don’t want to monkey with decorating choices or the work it takes to redo something as simple as installing curtain rods or painting. The reality is that most people are decorating challenged. I did interior design work for five years and most of my clients were paralyzed when it came to making decorating decisions. They hated it with a passion akin to that of going to the dentist. So most of these buyers are probably pretty happy with the changes made on this show. I always want to start “baaing,” though, when I see the same design features as every other show. I call it Sheep Design, because of the sheep mentality to follow the herd. When decorators behave like sheep, they are just copying what others are doing. I am literally amazed at the number of HGTV designers /hosts with their own shows who have absolutely NO education, training, or degrees that qualify them to be design experts. If you’re going to put yourself out there as an expert on interior design, you’d better have the educational attainment to justify the position. I will say that the third episode of Rock the Block that the twins won did have a nice design aesthetic. And their genuine emotional breakdown when they were announced as winners was really touching. They referenced how much pressure they have been under and how much they missed home and their families.

Abe was a complete and total asshole this season; more so than usual. I could feel my blood boil as I watched the scenes featuring him. I agree that reading Moishe’s obituary seemed to generate an epiphany within him that finally allowed him to see the (previously unacknowledged) differences between the two men. When he compared Moishe’s totality of life choices and experiences to his own, his was seriously lacking in both grace and humanity. Abe has been selfish in the extreme, from his actions with the bellboy at the cottage in the Catskills, to leaving his teaching career, to taking credit for buying Midge’s apartment, to outing his friend to the FBI, to mooching off his daughter for financial support. His first check at The Voice was minuscule, but now he’s going to pay Imogene to type for him? How lazy can one man be? Will he stiff her, too? Expect her to type for him for free? He’s smug, selfish, irresponsible, and childish in the extreme. I can only hope that we see some long-term personality growth in the final season.

I realize this is a comedy and played primarily for laughs, but the Maisel family dynamic is wearing thin this season. I felt really let down after watching the first episode of Season 4; everyone’s behavior was self centered and grating. Midge’s comedy was sarcastic and pithy the first three seasons, now it’s different in tone and topic. I was so looking forward to this new season, hopefully it will get better as we go along.

The Big Bang Theory featured that Jewish yelling dynamic as a running joke for almost the whole series, until the woman who played Howard’s mother died in real life. And that was representational of the 2000’s. Seems like the Jewish family dynamic is always portrayed as cartoonish in comedies. Abe taught at Columbia, Rose studied in Paris, Midge went to Bryan Mayr, and her brother (who we haven’t seen for a while) is incredibly smart as well. These are highly educated people, but their behavior is always shown as superficial and stereotypical.

Did anyone else think Lenny looked a lot thinner in Season 4 than when we last saw him? Not sure whether his suits were roomier before, this season’s one was more fitted, if they’re alluding to drug use, or it’s just a coincidence… Also, am so very tired of all the scenes with Abe. I don’t mind the family scenes in general, but giving him full story lines like his jealousy of Jason Alexander’s character and the FBI feels like the writers are grasping at straws. Keep the focus on the younger characters, please! Also the whole Steiner play/church condemnation. Too much Abe this season.