justmehere

I don't know much of anything about skating, but I love watching Jason Brown. Jumps are nice and can be quite beautiful, but artistry really does it for me. I like Nathan Chen and thought his dance at the end was great. He seemed natural (although I couldn't hear the music for all the screaming!). I just wanted more balance rather than all the jumps and then the dance at the end. Incorporate some moves elsewhere.

truthaboutluv -- I wasn't implying that there were actually two people in the room. I know there's only Elliot. I just noticed a difference in what we're seeing. In the "hand off" in one scene, Elliot turned away and Mr. Robot stepped forward to continue the conversation. In these other scenes, there was distance between where Elliot was and where Mr. Robot was. One instant, Price is whispering to Elliot - the next, Mr. Robot is speaking from several feet away. We saw Price shift his focus (and Darlene, in her scene), but nothing else. It's different, a very specific directorial choice, and so I wondered why. Maybe it's only metaphorical - in one scene they are close in their ideas, and in the others, not. I'd have to watch again to note the dialog. Maybe it's something more. Just speculating.

So, a bombshell of another personality (or 3 - which calls back to Elliot's hallucination during the drug overdose, seeing his Mom and younger self there... but no other one... and Mr. Robot saying they'll all go away if Elliot dies... Does that mean he knows about the mom and the kid personalities? If that's what that meant.) ... I have no clue, and I kind of want to be surprised. I started to think it's all in the kid's head, but the mom said the chair at the head of the table wasn't his chair. I'm intrigued by the way conversations with Elliot and Mr. Robot have been framed in these first two episodes. In the first, Darlene is talking to Mr. Robot in the middle of the apartment while Elliot is on the couch - and then she turns to talk to Elliot. We don't see him move from one place to the other, but her attention suddenly shifts, with no reaction to the location change. They did it again in this episode with Price talking closely to Elliot - in a near whisper - and then turning his attention to Mr. Robot who is several feet away. Are we meant to assume that Elliot moved and we just didn't see it? I could almost buy it with Darlene, but the scene with Price was more of a stretch. Or, is something else going on? Maybe to do with fracturing further? Also, they've shown Elliot and Mr. Robot doing two totally separate things at the same time. Like, Elliot at the post-it board working out connections while Mr. Robot searched the fake guy's social media - two completely different areas of focus. And then again searching the apartment: Elliot is looking at a book while Mr. Robot tries to open the window. It seems a greater contrast in actual activity than we've seen (though my memory of the whole show is certainly questionable). We also haven't seen Elliot deliberately "hand off" to Mr. Robot in a conversation before, although I think that's due to them finally communicating more openly. Started to feel some sympathy for Price. Not something I expected.

As brilliant as Elliot is, he is also idealistic and hyper-focused, and I think he loses sight of the forest for the trees. The show started with him being on a hero crusade to take down individuals for their wrongdoing. The first hack we see is the coffee-shop guy with a child-porn site. He then tried to rescue his therapist from the married guy and was surprised that she was upset. He later took down the prison warden for his dark-web dealings. It's been Elliot's theme. I can almost believe that he only wanted to relieve people's debt and hurt E-Corp., without realizing how it could affect the greater economy. There might have been a comment somewhere to that effect - that he didn't realize how far things would go. Then there's Mr. Robot's involvement, without Elliot's knowledge, so how much is "Elliot's" fault? He's the hero while Mr. Robot is the anarchist - different degrees of the same tendency. Elliot's zeal and myopic view were on display again in this opener when he rushed to the fake-guy's apartment, so eager to take down whiterose (apparently it's not capitalized, and it's all one word - I never knew that), that he didn't see the trap. However, the fact that he was able to undo the hack shows that the Mr. Robot part of him did have a recovery plan of sorts. While there was no plan for handling the economy post-debt-erasure, Mr. Robot was at least aware that there could be bigger consequences than intended and kept a door open to restore everything. ----- As for Angela, she pushed some very dangerous people, and there were consequences. She built herself up so much with her affirmations that it made her kind of delusional (including thinking that the way she manipulated Price was due to her newfound "power"). whiterose could have killed her straight away, and might have left her to her madness, but Angela wouldn't stop pushing. Not saying she was wrong in how she felt; she just really didn't know what/who she was up against. I fear that madness would have been her outcome anyway, had she lived, and assuming the whole thing isn't reset with time travel or into some sort of repeating loop. (I'm hoping Sam Esmail has a worthy surprise in store - fingers crossed.)

Potential casting news: https://deadline.com/2019/10/billy-porter-sony-cinderella-camila-cabello-1202757345/

Interview with show creators talking about what Piper is and the intentions for the show: https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/09/emergence-creators-on-casting-terry-oquinn-and-the-big-reveal-about-piper/ I wondered about big reveals so early, but they say they pitched a 3-year plan.

Dominique Jackson will appear in Season 3 of American Gods. Relevant part (possible spoilers): https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/09/american-gods-season-3-first-look-photo/

Great premier. Everyone is really unraveling. Dom paranoid, with good reason; Darlene seriously losing it; Elliot trying to stuff down feelings and losing perspective and caution because of it - walking into a trap. Chilling moment when Angela says there's nothing to stop her, then she stops and stares. Brave of her to sit there and wait. Sad ending to a painful life. I'm unclear on why Phillip was wearing a wire (can't remember if there was something last season). He hates Whiterose, so why would he cooperate in any way? Then he rather unravels too - and ultimately seeks out Elliot. I'm interested to see how an apparent partnership between them will play out. Certainly an unlikely pair. I suppose "killing" Elliot was meant to prove that Price has the power in that scenario. A little over the top, there, Price! Wondering about Tyrell Wellick's story. What will having him as a figurehead at E-Corp serve? And what about drug-dealer Vera, who showed up at the end of last season? I'm torn with Whiterose. She is the worst but I love B.D. Wong's portrayal. Can't wait to finally learn what her "hacking time" is really about. Fun to have Sam Esmail make an appearance, along with a cameo by Emmy Rossum. (Recognized him right away as Elliot's killer; was looking at her, thinking she stood out in the carolers - but it didn't register until someone elsewhere pointed her out.) Another fun little bit: Jake Busey played Freddy Lomax, the lawyer. His dad, Gary Busey, played Eddie Lomax, a private detective, in The Firm. Anyway -- looks like an intense final season.

P.S. I like the bakers themselves. It's just disappointing when they seem less than knowledgeable about the basics. They did appear to get better generally with Desserts week.

Came across this article that sums up all the gripes about this season and more - sounds almost like someone who posts or lurks here! Or else, the problems are so obvious, there's no other conclusion. (Warning - spoiler about the eliminated contestant in Dessert week if you haven't watched yet this week.) https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/10/04/great-british-baking-show-bake-off-season-10-train-wreck-netflix/3851083002/ It's a shame, really, because they alleviated fears about the transition in the first series/season after the shift but now .... The beginning of this current run had promise, seemingly getting back to basics, but unskilled bakers, testy judging comments, and gotcha eliminations have really hurt it. Anyone know if viewing numbers have suffered?

And Dominique (couldn't get the url to post as a picture here)

I 100% agree. I've definitely been liking the simpler challenges this year, particularly the technicals. I've never liked when the technicals are so overcomplicated with tons of steps and sadistically short time so I'm enjoying seeing stuff that looks like it's simple but can still end in disaster with one false move. Amen to all this. Last series became almost unpleasant with the time constraints and convoluted challenges. This allows for great creativity rather than hoop-jumping to meet sometimes outlandish criteria. Those biscuit bars were amazing and an example of simplicity allowing creativity. Even if some weren't entirely successful, there was such variety and so many interesting combinations. I loved the technical challenge, actually. A simple looking thing yet a considerable range of outcomes. Test basic skills in new ways -- that's the point. The showstoppers also showed lots of ingenuity. The chicken and sheep were my favorites appearance-wise. I do wonder at Paul and Prue's constitutions, eating numerous fig rolls in a row and all those biscuit bars without getting sick. Perhaps with editing there is a bit of a break in between. I'd think the ability to distinguish flavors would diminish, tasting so much in a short time. They must do something to clear their palates in between. It seemed obvious that Alice would get star baker and Jamie would go home. I felt bad for Jamie and was glad that Paul made the statement again about not getting into the tent without being good. Time constraints and unfamiliar conditions could mess up anyone. (I have trouble in someone else's kitchen just with basic cooking.) He tried to laugh things off but you could see that he was pretty gutted. So glad Netflix is showing these so close to the original broadcasts.

Just discovered that the actor who played Adrian, Blanca's romantic encounter in the Life's a Beach episode, played Alexander Hamilton in the touring company I saw last year, and, he is now playing Hamilton on Broadway. Here's an interview: Austin Scott Saw him briefly outside the stage door after the show (didn't talk to him), and he was very friendly with everyone - a crowd definitely gathered.

Great article. Very glad to hear that he re-found himself and is pursuing his real passion.

Premier Date Set - Sunday, October 6 https://tvline.com/2019/08/27/mr-robot-final-season-4-trailer-premiere-date-usa/

Loved all the girls together for a weekend away. What's better than having the radio blaring, windows down, singing along, and dancing in your seat? Breezy, and light, and wonderful. What a treat after the recent heaviness. Love when Elektra shows her heart. (And loved when she stopped to hydrate while confronting that woman.) Blanca so deserved something good in her life. Even if Adrian seems unrealistic, I don't care. Blanca needs some good, at least for a while. Sigh. Season finale next week. Not ready for it to end. Already can't wait to see next season.

Yeah, I must have missed the part where he actually changed rather than suddenly just declaring that he loves David. Since when? I'll have to re-watch and see if there were hints, especially when he began working with Division 3. Maybe if Charles had been more instrumental in Farouk's change, rather than Farouk convincing Charles of peaceful resolution, I could accept it better. --- I don't mind David going back in time to change his history. The show always played with dimensions - having so much take place on astral planes - so it seemed reasonable. He still likely inherited mental illness from his mother and would have to deal with that, but to prevent the massive damage done by Farouk and resolve with his parents (not sure if that was possible in present time for him -- Charles is alive somewhere, but what about Gabrielle?) -- that seemed most important, and I liked that choice. He was sooooo damaged and headed down such a dark path - I don't know how much he could have recovered otherwise. In other bits - I loved the visual of Farouk having been the straight jacket that bound David. I also liked the idea that Switch was only shedding baby teeth, in a sense. She may no longer be physical in the same way, but she's more powerful and has greater access to all experience as she now is. I liked that Cary and Kerry are still together - it just seemed a little weird that Switch didn't even acknowledge them. (I thought the images of them as children were memories, but I need to watch again.) Wondering if they go back to... well, where, now? I'd think Division 3 would still have existed due to chasing other mutants. Clark would probably still be hunting them rather than having reformed (or having ended up frozen in space). But as for interaction with Summerland - who knows? It also wasn't clear what would have changed for Melanie and Summerland. Would Oliver have been rescued from the astral plane without David? Or would David still have ended up with them somehow? How would things have changed for Lenny? Just life in an institution? No abuse from Farouk, no death in a wall, which are good things, but definitely some unanswered questions. I would have liked to see even quick montages (a la Six Feet Under) of what David and Syd's (and others') altered lives looked like. It leaves the door open to revisiting that world, but Noah Hawley said in an interview he isn't really considering it. Still - a show like no other and a great, wild ride. Good stuff.

i"m sorry to hear it. As convoluted as the storytelling became, it was still fun, and I loved seeing the characters again in the last incarnation. I'm glad there was an extra season, at least.

Maybe two more seasons... or not: https://deadline.com/2019/08/taboo-2-more-seasons-season-2-3-none-tom-hardy-fx-chief-says-1202663165/

(Sorry for posting twice in a row. I couldn't edit properly to add a quote and comment after it.) I hope you're right. The "We're gonna win" at the end and future Syd's role in trusting Farouk against David doesn't quite fit that. I'd think the point of Us and Them, as noted by the wonderful Melanie, is not to destroy David (joining in with having greatly missed Melanie and Oliver -- loved when he showed up again in his leisure suit, martini in hand). --Although her other comment - some people don't want to be saved - worries me. It's never simple with this show, that's for sure. I don't need hearts and flowers for an ending, but neither do I want annihilation - except maybe of Farouk.

My reaction to the previews saying there are only 2 episodes left: What?! NO!!!

Most of the focus has been on the ending of the series, much of which I agree with, but there were other problems in the series that frustrated me. -I didn't care for the casual way they treated multiple beheadings, including idiotic thugs who acted on every rumor they heard. I can't remember - were the bodies buried? The police pretty much ignored the disappearance of King whatever-his-name-was, but I'd think multiple disappearances and/or headless bodies would merit some attention or even mention of such brutality. There was barely even any acknowledgement of Big Dick's death, nor any public mention of him being responsible for the first two bombings. -I love Patton Oswalt, but I didn't need quite so much from his nerd group, not to mention the multiple back-and-forth nonsense of whether or not he was guilty and the many minutes of him denying his guilt over and over... and over. -Too many characters. The senator and the interactions with the dead fiance's family felt almost pointless. I liked that Matty ended up with the ring, but there was too much time devoted to those other characters. All the excesses could have been trimmed to allow greater involvement of the familiar characters - but apparently marginalizing them was the point. -It seemed weird to me that the hottest sex scene was a dream sequence. It was on another level from the ones with Logan. I suppose that says something. <snerk> -The trope of someone finally finding happiness only to have sudden tragedy is weak. It was completely telegraphed that something would happen. -This one isn't mine - I saw it in a comment elsewhere - but the bomb that killed Logan was way too convenient: The police would have confiscated Penn's bag and found the bomb. Or barring that somehow, the timing was too dependent on coincidence. Mid-day in Fiji? Why would Penn assume Veronica would be in her car right then? Likewise, it was too convenient that Logan went to move the car at that particular minute. So many other ways it could have gone, as many have mentioned. -When show writers say it's boring to have a happy couple, I always want to ask if they've seen Friday Night Lights and Eric and Tammy Taylor. It can be done. They weren't perfect or sappy, and their marriage wasn't the only element of the show by a long shot. Yet they still managed to portray a loving, realistic marriage where the couple argues and disagrees and also supports each other through thick and thin. Those writers who say it can't be done should instead say that they can't do it. -I agree with the earlier comments that Veronica can be really unlikable. I thought she was insufferable in season 3. And she can be quite cruel with all her wit. (Did she even thank Weevil for saving her? BTW, that off-screen rescue was just strange.) I also agree that she needs her community to balance her, and that having her go on the road as a solo act having random hookups sounds like it will only enhance her negative qualities.

Well, you wouldn't think anyone could challenge Judy Garland on The Man That Got Away, but damn! Billy Porter was spectacular. Absolutely loved it! (Side note: What was on the end of his train?) Pray Tell's fear in being admitted to the hospital, and especially throwing a temper tantrum because of it, felt realistic and honest. I don't know what else they could have done, but I was interested in the conversation between Pray Tell and his hospital roommate - PT's assumption of the man being a queen and the other man shutting him down; I would have liked to see more on that. Wonderful idea that the very simple cabaret Pray Tell first put on has become an annual event that has grown considerably in scope. And yet, it's still a relatively small affair that hasn't lost the purpose of entertaining patients. Interesting that Candy is haunting Pray Tell. I wonder if his adamant declarations about wanting to live aren't a bit defensive. Maybe he's seeing Candy because part of him does want to give in and be done with it, and it's easier to externalize the feeling than admit to it. Frederika is so cold! Wow. But it seems she has met her match. I loved seeing the community come together to support Blanca after all the support she has given them. Of course Patti Lupone was great singing I'm Still Here. Makes me think of Shirley MacLaine's wonderful version in Postcards From the Edge. Fits the characterization of a tough, slightly older woman who has lived. I love the Stevie Wonder song used for the episode title. It was a great choice for Blanca to sing, and hooray that it turned into another duet with Pray Tell. All that said, though... I thought the episode was fairly uneven and choppy, and some of the dialog was pretty clunky. I was expecting to be blown away by the scenes of Pray Tell in the hospital, but even with Billy Porter, I wasn't, really. Also, during the cabaret show, just being told about the silent auction and how much was raised felt awkward and thrown in. A line or two about items donated, or business participation, or seeing people at the tables would have helped. Absolutely agree that Blanca discovering her shop boarded up and then jumping to the dinner was bad - just bad editing. I'm guessing it was necessary for time - even with a few extra minutes allowed - but it wasn't executed well. Actually, I think editing overall was problematic. Maybe the episode ran really long and they did what they could, but it didn't flow well at all. Still - what fun having Ricky, Damon, and Lulu sing backup, and though Blanca talked about wanting to get some "name" performers (another rushed and awkward bit), I liked that it was just people from the community participating. Had to laugh at Elektra, who no doubt thought she was a wonderful performer. Appreciated that they showed her devastation on hearing Blanca's reveal and also that moment between them during the protest.

If no one had mentioned what the final pieces were about, I wouldn't have gotten Deborah's intent from her finished work. I don't know art, so maybe that's on me, I appreciate what she wanted to convey, but even being told, it felt heavy-handed and I didn't really care for the representation. The fry pan was pretty cool, though, and I did like some of her other work. I thought Janusz's idea was much clearer and more elegantly presented, and I liked his style better both in the final and throughout. I'm sorry that he didn't win. They said flat-out that he was the best technical artist, but I wonder if the residency program wasn't looking for someone with a wider creative vision. Janusz is creative, no question, and his work is beautiful and skilled. Deborah, while a little clunkier perhaps, pushes the boundaries a bit more, and maybe that's what appealed to them - or they felt she'd benefit more from the opportunity because of it. I believe they were about the same age and had been working with glass about the same number of years. But even if her style wasn't always to my taste, it did seem that Deborah was still experimenting artistically, whereas Janusz kind of has his thing and has perfected it. His comments about not really having advanced in his career made me sad, in that possible light. Maybe the residency would have pushed him outside of his comfort zone and into greater success. So - I just looked at the Corning Museum of Glass site, and the Artist-in-Residence program is something held several times a year in month-long sessions, and artists can just apply for it. Transportation, room, board, and basic supplies are included. Applying doesn't guarantee a spot, and certainly there's no $60,000 prize, but it is open. I hope they told the contestants about this (or they thought to look), and I hope several of them go for it. Not winning this competition doesn't mean there's no chance to participate.

So glad that Alex won. That was a gorgeous piece all around (although it would have been nice to see something of the flower). I kind of loved Deborah's potatoes and the different sizes of them. I wondered if the choice between sending home Janusz or Patrick was down to Janusz having won 3 challenges to Patrick's 1 time in the team challenge. Janusz is going to have to step it up again.