[Season 1 Discussion]

Well at least I get to take back any negative thoughts I had before the show aired when I knew Gwen was going to arrest Father Chuck.  Very glad it didn't go the route I thought it would with Gwen being all hardass and threatening or using Chuck as a bargain tool with Danny.  I laughed out loud at how fast Chuck flipped the script on Gwen and she let him, when she not only sat down but let him stand up and start walking around .. suddenly he was questioning her.  

Can't believe they killed Fabi in one episode and Farouk the very next.  I know we're supposed to be rooting for the good guys to win but for Fabi I feel like they could have done more with him and for Farouk I feel like it's a waste of Oded's talent when he wasn't in a couple episodes and they ditch him with three episodes left (or maybe I'm shallow and just like seeing both of them on my screen).

[Season 1 Discussion]

Very disappointed Fabi died, I think there was more they could have done with that character even if his cover was blown.  Too bad they didn't have him wounded and have the Brotherhood swoop in and take him away to heal, I really would have liked seeing him on the show longer.

Edited to add:  The show got a mention on TV Line's Q&A of the week asking if we were distracted by the amount of bugs crawling on Fabi during his death scene.  I never noticed, I was too busy being pissed they were killing him in the first place!  

https://tvline.com/2019/07/12/big-little-lies-season-2-jane-boyfriend-corey-tv-questions-answers/

To me (and maybe I sometimes don't pay attention like I should) the store is a little more convoluted than it needs to be especially for a summer show.  Just my opinion of course but I think they could do the same plot, same story with much less complication - not everything they encounter has to have a twist and ten different connections to all the characters.  Doesn't mean I'm not still enjoying it though - I definitely am enjoying it

Biggest complaint where I really do wish they'd pull back is Gwen.  I don't really go for that sort of character whether played by a male or female on any show.  When they're written as unyielding, unlistening, too by the book and no out of the box thinking they start to move away from being a foil and just become tedious and annoying.  She seems very myopic at times; I'd love to see the writers pull back on Gwen a bit and let her use her brains to see the big picture.  Somewhere way back on here I said how the characters in this could be matched with Leverage characters - Gwen is Sterling but even Sterling knew when to stand back sometimes and let the team have a run at a con because their goals were the same and they'd get the job done. 

Example of Gwen being too strict and a general PITA (upcoming) 

Spoiler

Next episode she arrests Father Chuck for aiding Danny & Lexi.   I won't project how it plays out, maybe she gets some info out of him and let's him go with no harm no foul but I doubt it based on how she's acted so far.  It seems like an example of her being written as far to strict and rules oriented and I'm questioning why she feels the need to do this in the first place.

[Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!]

15 hours ago, BetyBee said:

I agree that Jill and Derdick seem resentful of Izzy, but they seem warmer towards Sam.  I have no idea why that would be.  Izzy seems to have become quite needy and that can be annoying, but he seems kindly disposed towards Sam and other children.  I wish they could nurture his good qualities and then maybe the neediness would go away.  He seems like a bright, little boy.  Whenever I watch a Dullard video, I feel sad for him.  😢  I do think Cathy genuinely cares for him and I hope he feels the unconditional love from her.  Even if she is nutty!  

I'm starting to go far, far down the psychoanalyzing rabbit hole but even though I agree with everyone that Izzy is getting the short end of the stick I'm amazed it's not Sam at least as far as Jill is concerned.  The consensus seems to be that Jill isn't having more kids because she can't and that something went very wrong with Sam's birth, I wouldn't have been surprised at all if that made Jill resentful towards Sam as the one that (in her mind) "ruined" her future baby making chances.  If she was treating him badly or even just ignoring him more that would make sense.  Of course she could be swinging the other way - being overly clinging and loving toward Sam because she thinks after the birth trouble he's a miracle baby and possibly (probably) her last.  Plus with Izzy growing up, getting out of that "cute" stage and being  or trying to be more active, curious, independent  (all the normal things that the Duggars blanket train and shame out of their kids) she may resent having to curb what we see as normal childhood but she sees as constant willfulness.  It'll be very interesting to see if there continue to be a disparity in how the two are treated or if Sam is no longer the golden child when he hits the 4-5 year old mark.

1 hour ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

I'm trying to think back to when my boys got their own rooms. They are 5 1/2 years apart, with a sister in between, but as I recall we got bunkbeds for them once the younger one graduated to a real bed when he was probably about two and a half. We would have been living in Guam then, and I'm pretty sure he slept in the playpen for some period of time until then. Were toddler beds even a thing 30-ish years ago? I think they all went more or less from cribs to beds.

I don't know when they became popular but I have to admit I think toddler beds are a scam the stores cooked up to get parents to spend more money.  We used to just use a regular bed when they out grew the crib, push it against the wall to block one side then buy a guard to put on a the other side.  Some friends and family even skipped the guard and put a couple chairs along the bed.  Worked fine for all of us and the kids could still get out by crawling to the end of the bed, it was just to make sure they didn't roll over and fall out until they got used to the "big kid" bed.  I never saw the need for toddler beds although we did have to leave the guard on longer for one child, I swear that kid was such a violent sleeper he was in his teens and still flailing around in his sleep until he flew off the bed.  OTOH I was in my 20's and still sleep walking so I may have passed on some bad sleeping traits!

[S15.E13: Crane Wreck]

12 minutes ago, terrymct said:

Oh, the poor Hansens.  They've had a really rough stretch the last few years.  You KNEW Sig would make the right decision and stay close to port where he could get back and support his wife.   Now he has to walk up to the bridge and tell Mandy.  

The swinging pot on the Cornelia Marie was nightmarish, especially those two guys up on the walkway trying to get control of it.  The kid who got hit in the head, Tyler?, for heaven's sake he's probably got a concussion.  Is someone going to notice next episode that he has a blown pupil?   Casey could/should have evaluated that kid a bit better, but overall he showed AGAIN that he's the captain of that boat and the lump sitting in the other seat with the facial topiary is relief captain at best.

Can you clarify - is this something we could see during the episode or is this something you suspect based on the injury and how he was acting?  I couldn't see well so if the pupil was shown I missed it.  Curious though if you did see it and it was easy for the viewers to see how could Casey standing right there not notice!  They (all the Captains) have always engaged in at sea first aid but some are better at it than others, I think a few of them or their deck hands even have basic first aid or EMT qualifications which certainly helps.  I'd agree though that Casey might be at the low end of those skills and "the lump" pretty much stood in the background for the whole thing.  Funny how when it hits the fan he often disappears, like with the crane issue on the previous episode he left the bridge instead of supporting Casey or actually going out to help the crew.

Poor Sig, and, of course, the whole family... the hits just keep on coming lately.  Hoping there's a light on that horizon, he's a tough guy but he's not a bad guy and I wouldn't wish the stress of blow after blow on anyone.  One or two emergencies and family issues is enough, one after, another after another with no break must be so stressful for everyone especially when you want to be with them but still have to find a way to fish and meet your quota.

[Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!]

On 7/7/2019 at 6:51 PM, PradaKitty said:

Derrick, how does one DO college? I WENT to college. I GRADUATED from college. I also went to and graduated from law school. I never DID college or law school. You’re going to need to work on your delivery for moot court, pal. 

I completely agree with you but I also have no doubt that Derrick will never, ever see the inside of a court room unless he's testifying for something.  There is no way in hell (sorry fundies, I meant heckness) he's going to do anything that would even remotely be near a trial lawyer path.  My money is on him becoming an Accounting Lawyer and trying to work for a large or mega church doing their taxes, audits, tracking tithe's maybe even some investing.  Second career guess is he goes on the other side and does the same work but for clients in a firm or organization (a christian one of course).  It plays into his past training and the limited work he did for Walmart; except that you have to be a CPA to go the accountant lawyer route and I'm pretty sure Derrick never took the exam or more likely tried and failed.  He still has the JD schooling to get through, then the Bar exam hurdle so the CPA exam might be far, far on the horizon if that is the career path he's going for.  And, of course, there's the widely held belief that he did actually fail the CPA exam before, possibly more than once which makes us wonder if things have changed or if the Bar exam is going to be his downfall too.

[Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!]

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

So he does the bare minimum of "loving" stuff then?  Next thing we'll have a photo of a single daisy with a caption  "Wonderful hubby brought me AN Flower".  Followed by a cupcake picture labeled "He can't cook but he brought me THE Desserts"  (perhaps she'll add "Neither can I" after can't cook or spell it Deserts).

It's a nice gesture but is coffee in bed really IG worthy as part of her influencer status?  She's trying to make money off of these isn't she?  Surprised she didn't at least mentioned the brand and say  "He brought me Mococoa drink; all natural cocoa beans from the upper slopes of Mount Nicaragua. No artificial sweeteners."   (quote used because I sometimes think Jill and Meryl have the same frantically psychotic smile)

[Joy and Austin: This One Time At Family Camp]

9 hours ago, truebluesmoky said:

In addition to Lauren’s insensitive babbling, if the family has known for a week, I can’t help but be irritated by Jinger and Jeremy’s self absorbed posts during that time. It’s one thing for Jessa to still post a photo of her newborn, but Jinger and Jeremy have constantly posted glamorous, gratuitous “L.A. lifestyle” photos, as well as 1847373 random pictures of Felicity. It seems insensitive during their sister’s extremely tragic and painful loss. This is the type of loss I would expect Jinger to even fly back for, but at the very least, she could take a hiatus from hat pictures.

I feel like this is rock/hard place territory for them.  Or, for us heathens, damned if you do/damned if you don't.   Jinger and the rest of the family probably knew within a day of Joy and Austin getting the news.  But it didn't break for us for a week.  They must have been told to keep it quiet until J&A were ready.  So what can she do?  If she or the family goes radio silent they know we'll jump on it and suspect something's up.  But if she, and they, post like nothing is out of the ordinary they get push back for being insensitive.  I hate to defend them too often but sometimes I see it differently and I wonder if this was a case where she wasn't being tone deaf but trying to help..........Maybe Jinger was over compensating trying to make things look normal and not spill the secret by excess posting; like when something bad happens and you have that one relative running around re-filling everyone's coffee with a pasted on fake smile who can't stop chirping "everything is OK" as though saying it enough will make it so.

[Joy and Austin: This One Time At Family Camp]

7 hours ago, nightmeri said:

It is truly sad and I am hoping against hope that Lauren holds her tongue and doesn’t say something about “the cousins” being together in heaven. She needs to step back and be quiet 

She didn't step back or keep quiet, I don't think she knows how.  Good thing you didn't put money on it that's a bet you were sure to lose.  There's likely to be some talking head next season with her where she'll mention her current pregnancy, then in a breathy overly dramatic voice mention Asa at least five times, throw in a comment about how he and Annabell are playing together in heaven then bring it back to Asa while dabbing moisture from one eye.

Sorry but that's the only thing I can snark on since I recently re-watched those episodes and even though I don't doubt she had sadness over the loss seeing it now she looks even more like she's putting on the act she thinks production wants, trying to say all the "right" things in the most dramatic camera ready way possible.

I can't and wouldn't want to make any snarky comments on Joy and Austin's loss, to get nearly halfway through, have the bump, be ready to hear the heartbeat and get the gender then be told there's no sign of life, that must be just terrible.  Is this just how it goes or are we starting to see a pattern from the over-fertile Michelle to her daughters.  Jessa is doing OK but two hospital worthy hemorrhages out of three pregnancy's may be a hint about what #4 could be like if they go for it, Jill had the mystery complications with Sam's birth and no pregnancy since, Jinger is apparently into family planning so we can't know what multiple births might have in store for her and now Joy loses her second baby.  Out of the four married daughters (not counting DIL's) that's a 75% problem rate, possible genetic reasons or just coincidence and that's how some pregnancy's go?

[PURE - General Discussion]

If that's the end it was a pretty good end.  Not enough loose ends tied for me but that's not the show's fault (I want to know what happens to Isaac, does Anna go to jail, does Tina get a happy life in the community, I just want to know).  Still the final was good and definitely multiple twists I didn't see coming.  And damn Anna is cold, calculating and quick right to the end, turning that drug money back on Justina and her husband and even coming off an arrest she can still play the innocent in front of everyone.

[Ghost Hunters - General Discussion]

Interesting - Jason announced back in April that he along with Steve & Tango would have a new show on Travel Channel called Ghost Nation.  Now A&E has announced that at the end of August Ghost Hunters will return with Grant Wilson and his "handpicked team".  As far as I can find though neither of them has mentioned the other one or the other show.

I might give both shows a chance just to see what's new, what's different...

http://the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/ghost-nation/

https://comicbook.com/horror/2019/06/26/ghost-hunters-reboot-teaser-trailer-grant-wilson/

[PURE - General Discussion]

I've been a week behind on this show, last night I watched the 6/18 episode "Proposal" and I have to say it's getting better and better as it goes on.  Definitely holding my interest far more than the first two episodes when I had doubts it could deliver a story at all.  @Chaos Theory is sooo right, "Well isn't this awkward" would have been a perfect episode title:   Noah and Anna in the garage, Issac and Noah in the alley, Noah walking around the corner just as Augustus gets down on one knee, even that ladies comment to Justina about Johan marrying a Funk  (trigger Justinas spidey sense that her suspicion that Anna isn't on the up and up is right after all).

The only one who has a chance to escape from this and live a normal Mennonite life is Tina and I'm rooting for her.  And maybe Abel, other than showing up when Noah meets with Valerie neither the police or the cartel have anything on him.  And damn but Anna is smart and quick and ruthless, buying her old farm, conspiring with Johan's father to give it to the kids, knowing when to lie and when to keep quiet, knowing when to threaten and not shying away from it and coming up with ideas on the fly like the drug smuggling in the tires and the story spin when Augustus caught her sleeping.  Noah stumbled his way through being a double agent but if Anna really wanted  she could be the cartel and run the whole show.  Not saying she likes it, she still shows that vulnerable horror in her face when she's alone but she sure does do a good job at it.

I'm really looking forward to the last few episodes, can Tina both stay in the dark and marry Johan committing fully to the Mennonite life and giving up her art besides?  Who lives and dies?  If the cartel is taken down does Noah, Anna, Isaac or Abel go down with them and does that mean jail or death for any of them?  Best case scenario is Anna takes more money from Estrada, he's killed by the police and she along with Noah and Isaac borrow Johan's plan and use that money to slip off to Paraguay to hide and farm in peace.  I didn't throw Augustus into that happy little ending because I have a strong feeling (no spoilers just a feeling) that he's going to be a casualty at some point, either killed accidentally or as a "warning" to Anna or considering how ruthless Anna can be she frames him for some or all of what she's been doing.     Of course the whole scenario of the family getting away would mean that Noah and Anna could reconcile, that Isaac could give forget what Estrada made him do and that all three could pretend none of it happened so super, super long shot.  Honestly though - can't wait to see how this all plays out.

[All Episodes Talk]

IDK, the reports say Paige has paid over $400 in court fees "so far".  She may have been ordered to take an awareness course or do some community service.  I think that's fair and it's right to have the charge removed - yes she was underage but a college freshman spreading her wings and making choices good and bad; fairly normal IMHO.  As long as she's made aware that random underage drinking is not allowed (at home maybe but that's it), public drunkenness is a definite No No and educated on the statistics on college, binge drinking and the harm it can do I think that's enough punishment.  And, of course, as long as those consequences are pretty standard for the area where she was arrested, she should get no more or less than anyone else in her situation.

Ree on the other hand continues to underwhelm with her recipes - I used to find some I wanted to try with some modifications (cutting down on the fat and sugar mostly) but lately it's been watching out of habit and because my elderly Mother likes to see the scenery, there hasn't been a recipe I've been even slightly tempted to try in a long time now.

[Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House]

11 hours ago, Heathen said:

Anybody notice the Michelob ad about halfway through? lol 

Yes and I hate that ad so much - what does tapping your fingernails on a bottle while sitting at a work desk in the jungle have to do with drinking a beer?  That's one thing JB can't control at all, the ad's the TLC runs, he must consider booze, dancing and promo's for I Am Jazz to be the price he pays to get his "ministry" to the viewers.

Watched the birth special today - Jessa is an idiot and the whole thing was bizarre.  The excuses don't add up - the only thing I can think of is the backup midwife didn't have permission to work at the hospital Jessa wanted to use - but that is a thin, thin reason and I don't believe it's what happened.  There is just no way a midwife goes on vacation with a client due in 10 days who is probably not her only client and she doesn't leave contact info for other approved midwives to call that fit with the clients birth plan in case of emergency.  And Jessa already had multiple plans and ideas to rush labor along at home - the castor oil smoothies, the TTH stairs and the driving back and forth from home to there and back.  If labor was that slow (estimate from info given a little over 7 hours from water breaking to birth) why couldn't she have taken the time to get a substitute midwife who could have gone with them to the hospital to use the birthing suite as planned?  It doesn't really add up.

Ben was weird also - did anyone else notice he did not say one single word for the first 10-15 minutes of the show?  Not in the talking heads and not during the actual filming at their home and the TTH.  At one point Jill asked him a direct question and he just shrugged with a sort of yes movement but he didn't speak.  I can't tell if he was pissed that this was being filmed yet again, or that his wife was forcing a home birth yet again (and probably against advice) or what.  It definitely wasn't an "I'm too busy" issue, he was just standing there holding the new baby when Jill asked the question, 

And before I forget there was idiot Jill - she is getting to be like Michelle without the baby voice.  I'm really not sure if she's that dumb or if she just thinks she has to be upbeat all the time and it comes across as dumb and tone deaf to the situation but her reactions after the birth were like her tweets about Mary,   It wasn't "They're about to take Jessa in the ambulance so she can be examined at the hospital"  instead it was "They're about to get outta here, they'll get goin' in a minute" like Jessa and Ben were taking a day trip to go shopping.  Not sure I"m explaining it right and I don't have the exact quote but it's all perky slangy little sayings with hardly any emotion and, to me, it's very, very bizarre.  She almost seems to be in a perpetual happy place or something.

The good parts came at the end.  I have to admit I smiled watching Spurge and Henry meet the new baby and hold her and was both happy and sad seeing Grandma Mary with Ivy knowing she didn't have much time left.  And I'll give credit when it's due - Lauren did not mention (or TLC didn't air it but we'll go with she didn't mention it) how little Asa would have been born around the same time as Ivy and she didn't mention her current pregnancy, that's progress.

[S31.E10: Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!]

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I'm guessing the Roadblock was edited out. Also, the U-Turn goes back to being stationed after the Detour task. Once again, I feel that it should be executed by a team AFTER they complete both tasks, but it's better than having a team learn they'd have to do both. Also, it's slightly more evil. "Damn, that was a brutal task! Let's see what we have to do nex-  . .. FUCK, we gotta do the other thing. Motherfucker!!!"

Yeah I'm not the only one.  I was coming here to say the same thing;  race wise I can't figure out if it would be an advantage, disadvantage or neutral to the team u-turned and to the teams behind them.  But I think wherever the u-turn sign is placed (and they could also consider placing it in random spots too) the rule should be that a team has to be eligible to actually PASS that spot before they can use the u-turn

7 hours ago, North of Eden said:

Bless that denizen of the canals who called Team Camera Mug out for being idiots. I LOVED seeing Tyler's deflated look when he realized not everything thinks he is so charming. Also, Nicole had a reason not to peddle, but there were numerous shots of him just resting his feet while his partner did all the work. Not cool.

Closing by saying the townsfolk/tourists at the canal maze simply made this episode with their reactions to the Racers creating mayhem. Especially the two blond ladies in the boat that looked pissed and the boat shuttle driver saying he couldn't move. That whole sequence felt like something out of TAR's spiritual ancestors IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD.

I loved the idiots remark.  But I strongly suspect based on the chaos that all the racers caused, blocking long lines of boats, going in the wrong direction and running into people and their boats that if the residents of that canal city have any say TAR will NOT be invited back for filming anytime soon.

I also loved Leo and Jamal's brief argument when they found the first boat; one said "Do we attach it to the back or the front?"  and the other snapped back something along the lines of how would they tow it if it's in front.  It continues to amaze me how they're still in the race, as a whole they are not that good, they miss obvious clues and keep making the same mistakes over and over (like in the VR and poem tasks), they regularly get lost and stumble along yet somehow they manage to not screw up just enough to keep them out of last place.  If they win it'll be like the Beekman boys, not the best racers, they mess up or lag behind multiple times but pull out one good performance on the final task that throws them to the front of the pack at the last minute.

5 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

The editing had me really confused.  It looked like they were on 3 different flights to Amsterdam, yet they all arrived at the tandem bikes at the same time.  Later, Colin and Christie and Tyler and Corey arrive at the U-turn board at the same time - just those 2 teams - and yet in the next scene the Afghanimals were there with them at the cars.  The editing used to be so good on this show. *sigh*

Not sure how the Afghanimals caught up so quickly unless it was luck but the tandem bike arrival was explained; they all left Croatia at night and it was stated in the clue that the bike rental didn't open until 9am so they all knew their flights would arrive before that and it would be a bunching start to the leg.

[Jessa, Ben and Their Brood: Making a (Diaper) Mountain out of a Mold House]

1 hour ago, Jeeves said:

I'm sure Jessa HATED that the whole world knew that her first delivery wasn't 100% Perfect. I'd bet the rent that she was over the moon that Henry's birth was all handled at home. If they had to call paramedics for or after Ivy Spice's delivery, that would take her down a peg.

It's an interesting conundrum (if any Duggar is watching this board; I know you don't recognize big words like this but it's safe to look it up it's not a bad word)....anyway for Jessa who seems high on the craving media attention scale she has to be 50/50 on it - part of her wants to show off the perfect I can give birth at home, it's all: I am doing what women are designed to do, all that hospital and doctor fuss is for people who don't trust god to see them thru.  Then there's the other part:  I am worthy of being on TV, I bring in the ratings, people can't wait to see what I'm up to and wow, look, a dramatic emergency during birth that you can advertise and replay and cut to commercial at a cliffhanger moment won't that have people watching in droves this show just can't do without me.

Her need to prove her birth plans are the only right way must smack right against her need to be seen.  I bet she did hate the problems in Spurgies delivery but I'd be just as willing to bet she saw ALL of the monetary potential in that dramatic little story.  And honestly I don't think it matters either way - if she went to the hospital with Ivy, if she was told she's at a bleeding risk and she gets pregnant again down the line she'll go for that home birth yet again no matter what.  I think that's the only thing that makes Jill different and with her we'll never really, really know but I have no doubt something big happened with Sam, something completely out of their control and they were told no more if you want the Mother to live (now whether that means they use a rhythm and cycle method, actual BC, Derrick got snipped or, worst case scenario the complications meant a hysterectomy for Jill...that we'll definitely never know).   We seem to believe Jill can't have more kids, Jessa can but she will insist to the ends of the earth on doing it her way on her terms and physician advice be damned.

As for Ben and his schooling - I remember an episode when Jinger & Jer were moving into the apartment and Jessa and Ben came to help them.  Ben actually brought books with him and at one point was standing in the corner studying while the others were decorating.  There was more than one moment where he was caught with a look of annoyance on his face as though he really did want to concentrate on learning and the show, the decorating and the trip itself were in the way.  He seemed so committed then I had high hopes for what that would mean in the future but it all seems to have fallen apart or at least they're not talking about it anymore.  Either he washed out or he changed to a "secular" study and they don't want to admit he might end up with a normal everyday non-godly blue collar job in the end.

[Season 40: Speculation and Spoilers]

On 5/18/2019 at 10:04 PM, cherrypj said:

Who's in, and who's not?

Pearl Islands & HvV, Sandra Diaz-Twine

China, Todd Herzog (In rehab.)

 I loved your list I just pared it down for space purposes to say - Sandra, please no not Sandra she's a multiple chances player and I can't stand her.  It's bad enough she's back as a mentor in S39, the idea of having her on the show again as an actual player...just, no , please.

Todd on the other hand, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for him mostly because I was rooting for him to get better and get his life straightened out.  I can't find any recent info or stories on-line to say how he's doing, if he's sober, how long it's been.  So I'm on the fence on that, I like the guy and if he is truly, truly better and has been for a period of time (years not months) I'd love to see him try.  But if there's any doubt at all on his side or the show's I'd rather he stay away or the keep him away then see him do something that might harm him more.

I'll throw Richard Hatch under the bus too, he can stay away.  Although with his legal troubles and his time on All Stars maybe the show won't want him and with his all around arrogant, sour, nasty attitude I imagine he'd have a huge first vote target on his back.

As for an "all winners" season; it's an interesting idea, but honestly what I've always wanted them to do was an "almost winners" season, all the people who came in second either by final tribal when they only had two left to vote for or by votes in final tribal when they went to a three finalist format.  They could throw in a few third place people if they had to pad the cast but I think they could get enough participants and I think it would have been more interesting with a group of people who bond over the experience of "almost made it".

[PURE - General Discussion]

I thought Anna was a bit more bad ass this episode, she's no criminal genius but she doesn't shy away from getting tough either, the whole "break his neck" thing with "how many  minutes" was good.  She might be hitting a good combination of tough when she has to be but doesn't mean she has to enjoy it so you see the vulnerable moments and hesitations along with the orders to harm.

Justine Epp is totally playing Tina.  I think Tina sees it now or is at least suspicious because it seems like Justina overplayed her hand a bit with the questions this week.  I'm looking forward to how this plays out especially a moment that was in the previews for the season; hasn't aired yet so I'll spoiler tag it but ....

Spoiler

 Anna and Justina are in what looks like a barn and, not going to do the whole quote but Anna seriously threatens Justine with bodily harm and/or death.

Is it wrong that despite her mistakes and the fact that, as @Dowel Jones said Anna is no Corleone and, most important, technically she's a criminal and the "bad guy" I'm somehow rooting for Anna even more than I'm rooting for Noah and Able to take the cartel down?  

I'd say it's getting more interesting than what I thought when watching the first two episodes but I still can't help but feel like this is a rehash of S1 with different cop characters instead of a totally new story.  Right down to the "there must be a mole in the PD" hints.  I think if it were a longer season I'd be more tempted to bail but with 3 episodes to go I do want to see how it plays out.  

Also am I missing Alyson Hannigan or are the credits off because she's listed for every single episode and I would swear she hasn't been in one yet?

[The Duggalos: Jinger and the Holy Goalie]

Wonder if Jinger saw the disturbing FB post (now deleted only b/c the poster started getting tons of friend requests from it) where a baby suffocated while Mom took a shower because the baby was wearing one of those huge headbands and pulled it down over her face.  Honestly I think that's a rare thing to happen but I can see where it would be a risk; to me those big bow headbands look silly anyway but if you just have to have them I think best bet is take them off the kid when nobody is around.  After all it's to make the baby look "cute" or "girly", if nobodies there to see her who cares if the headband is on or not, I'd go with better safe than sorry.

Also been wondering if Jinger subscribes to the advice that you shouldn't get our hair colored while pregnant?  I think that's considered out dated now but it did make me think maybe she also did her hair to head off any "when's the next blessing" questions.  I'm pretty sure she and Jer will space things out since they're the only ones to wait a decent amount of time between wedding and first baby.  But I'm also sure with Felicity going on a year old now she gets her share of questions from family and friends who pop them out like clockwork.

[S31.E09: Let's Split!]

Dalmatians are hard to train and own because they're smart.  It sounds backwards but "dumb" dogs are actually easier because they'll just follow our commands, very smart breeds can be smart enough to resist or find loopholes.  Once trained they can be really great at what they do but you have to be more stubborn than they are.  Dalmatians fall into this category.  Even so if I hit the mat and saw those puppies I'd immediately ignore Phil and my arrival position in the race to flop down on the ground and play with them!

Line cut gate:  Love them or hate them Team Fun didn't cut, with no clear "wait here" or "form one line" signs and no ropes or guides they did what normal people do, saw two agents and got in line behind one of them.  Nicole can CLAIM they're next if that agent is free before the other but that doesn't make it so anymore than it would work at my local store.  What I don't understand is why Nicole and Victor then thought that wandering away to another agent was better and faster than waiting the five minutes or less it would have taken for Becca and Floyd to buy their tickets.  That it worked in their favor in the end was more luck than anything else because it really wasn't the smartest decision or fastest way to get the tickets.

Team Bromance was doomed - they could have maybe done it with one switch to the poem, they could have possibly pulled an upset with the second switch back to the treasure hunt.  By the time they were thinking of switching to the poem yet again I wonder why they didn't just say screw it we'll take the penalty, they had to know how far behind they were by then.  I really thought Phil was going to have to go to the soldier counting task and give them a mercy elimination there.

Took me awhile to realize everyone's swimwear matched and the teams must have been given bathing suits, it just wasn't shown.  Anyone know what they were blurring out on Becca?  Couldn't tell if her suit was just baggy in the back and it was a butt crack blur or if they were trying to hide a tattoo. 

[PURE - General Discussion]

Episode 1 didn't grab me and I wondered if they lost their way but the second episode was better and set up some interesting ways paths could cross.  I thought Christopher Heyerdahl/Augustus was just being set up as a possible love interest for Anna but rolling his business into the drug smuggling was a good twist and I want to see where that goes.   I'm suspicious of his "church" though, there was something just a little off about them and how they greeted Anna and Tina.  Something more to them or red herring?  Then there's Noah and Abel and how the furniture company factors in to all of this.  And will Isaac allow himself to be made into a gangster and how far can they push him.  nd And for network TV they pushed the nudity boundaries; I'm sure he had some coverage for him on set but Dylan Everett still had to feel pretty vulnerable and he did a great job.

The only thing I find weird is even though they were going for the obvious joke when people kept thinking that Noah and Able were a "couple" I wonder how Noah has been away for a year traveling all over but is still either ignorant of or slow on the uptake about things like gay partners, James Bond etc.  He obviously kept to his religion but he hasn't been living in a Mennonite cave either, he should have at least a passing knowledge of the basics of the "English" world.

[The Other Duggars: The Lost Girls and Amy]

I do feel sad about Mary - she was just on the side most of the time, she didn't chase fame like her son, daughter in law and, by extension, their kids did (and are) and she seemed like a nice lady.  I think it's sweet she was able to hold Ivy and they have that picture - but I love generation pictures like that anyway.  

Interesting they said she had 21 Grandchildren which would be JB's 19 plus Amy to make 20; I don't think there are any others so they have to be counting Jubilee or Caleb but not both.  But then they only state 13 Great Grandchildren so they aren't counting Lauren & Sia's miscarriage either.  Only counting one of the two babies Michelle lost is weird.  Not counting Lauren's must just burn her biscuits (only because I think she's a drama queen anyway and would bet any other daughter or DIL wouldn't care as much).

And how interesting that Joy & Grandma watched Price Is Right, never thought they'd allow Joy to watch much TV or that she'd be hanging out next to Grandma watching a game show.  But I really love the mental picture of it!

Still Grandma's are special so RIP Mary.

Edited to add:  And please Jim Bob.............. let Grandma Mary actually rest in peace now.  I know it makes good drama for TV but don't film her funeral and all the kids mourning her just so you can have a "Very Special Episode"

[The Duggalos: Jinger and the Holy Goalie]

IDK I think I like it.  I've never been a fan of the dyed blond hair with dark eyebrows look but there are thousands of women out there who style that way so that part isn't weird.  I don't think the blond looks too light for her at least not in the pictures I saw maybe because it's not solid and you can clearly see the highlights and darker areas.  I'm not sure she can call it a Balayage, it doesn't look dark enough at the roots which I think is the point of that sort of coloring technique (but don't quote me on that I'm not nearly up on the current trends enough to be sure, only going by what I read since I had to look it up).  I would have been really impressed if she colored it and when we clicked on the picture we also saw she took six or more inches off.  She's already happily wearing skinny jeans, buying a home with a mortgage, moving to Cali, add short hair to the mix and we really might see JB's head explode from the loss of control.

I'll give Jinger this though - coloring your hair is really common for teens as they start to express themselves which Jinger didn't get to do much.  Little changes but nothing radical certainly nothing that could be termed true self expression.  If she wants to try that now even if she's hit and miss on the color choice then more power to her. 

[S31.E08: You're The Apple In My Eye]

3 hours ago, theschnauzers said:

I suspect that issue about the grass cutting and raking didn’t come up at the Mat because it was irrelevant. Just to br clear, I understood that the team member cutting had to reach the flag in their lane before the other one could begin raking, but I was under the impression there was more grass to be cut beyond that flag to the end of each team’s lane where the scarecrow or whatever that wooden stand was, where the cut grass had to be placed. So that it was intended for safety so the other Racer wouldn’t get sliced.

That's what I was waiting for too....... the Rachel/Elissa you're team number (not last) HOWEVER (Penalty!) -  It was hard to tell but almost certain they didn't wait until they reached that flag before the other one was raking.   I wonder though if the Amazing Observers let them do that for just a short time then told them the raker has to stay back for safety purposes?  Good for Christie for not sharing that clue - guess it never hurts to ask but there's no way they could or should have expected a yes.

Loved Colin acting like a big brother to Becca on the mat; and that's how you handle an animal without going nuclear.  I think the last of my skepticism has drained away about whether "new" Colin is real or an act.  

The u-turn vote goes against all reasons we like to say raaaace.  That Amazing Producers really need to find twists that keep the spirit of thee game more intact.  Ironically though it played right into Rachel and Elissa's strategy which came back to bite them.  They had no reason to play nasty, stir up trouble or pit teams against each other (or against them) basically do anything that treats this game like Big Brother or Survivor; but they did and they burned bridges doing it even if it was something like Chris and Brett's case where it was just ignore them while you plot with others (and calling them the stupid team even if only to the camera was a jerk move too) ......well, surprise, some teams didn't forget that and out you go.  I don't doubt if it were a regular u-turn the teams chosen would have been different.  Also the vote took away the option from teams who choose not to u-turn at all; I wonder what would have happened if Phil said teams could abstain?

[Jill, Derick & the Kids: Moving On!!]

13 hours ago, Gweilo said:

Aah. We're not animal people so won't be going the dog route and yeah drop cloths work but ultimately I'm going to be sweeping the floor after every meal anyway. I'm going to assume Jill will sweep after that child gets out of the chair. (Wishful thinking?)

Hopefully the photo means that Jill and Derick don't beat their children for making a mess at mealtimes. I suspect the Maxwell family do.

That's where the huge difference comes in - if any of our floors looked like that immediately after the kids ate it would be fine and I'd place no blame or judgement on myself or anyone else for it, some days they get more on the floor, tray and themselves then they manage to actually eat.  If the floor looks like that hours or (gulp) days after eating and it's obvious there are multiple meals down there; then there's a problem and yes I am judging your housekeeping skills and general cleanliness (bug city!).  Only other time I can see giving a pass is if there's some sort of sickness going through the whole house, it's hard to keep up then and you try but if a good thorough sweeping doesn't get done it's understandable.  It's like Jessa and her diaper mound - if you have a dirty diaper laying there for awhile because you're wrestling the kid into PJ's, grabbing a bottle, consoling the other kid who's crying we get it that's just the Mom multitasking dance.  If you still have that dirty diaper plus ten others laying around for the whole day or longer instead of going into the garbage we have to wonder about your housekeeping skills.

[Escaping Polygamy - General Discussion]

Whistleblower was on last night - what I thought was interesting was how it meshed with what we've seen on Escaping Polygamy.  I always thought that like all "reality" shows the things we saw on Escaping were inflated or re-enacted, and maybe they still are at times but......They showed the raids on the Kingston businesses and twice I saw Jessica, Andrea and Shanell there watching; it was from the back but very obviously them.  They also heavily covered Washakie and what goes on there which I remember really affected one of the girls (I think it was Jessica?) when they went back, again the work done there talked about on Whistleblower matched with what Jessica said was her experience.  The living conditions of their Mom and the pictures they showed last night of homes owned by Kingston families, some of which looked even worse than the Mom's home if that's possible.    And the banks, I remember the episode where the tried to get an escaped girls settlement money and, like that girl, Mary the Whistleblower last night had $17,000 in a Kingston bank that she was denied when she left.

It did make me wonder who the anonymous source in the clan that was featured on Escaping is.  Is that person real and still in the cult, still collecting evidence, are they out now that the arrests took place and the trial is this summer?  Did Mary the real Whistleblower know the person?  The whole thing was really interesting, I feel sorry for Mary having to testify and have no doubt the Kingston lawyers will try to paint her as some disgruntled former member mad at her family and money hungry (she gets a cut of what the government recovers if the clan is found guilty) but I also thought it was really interesting how her experience and evidence actually made the Escaping Polygamy team that much more credible.  I'd really like to know what they thought of the episode.  Also if I have the family relations right the whistleblower girl Mary is probably a first or second cousin of the Escaping team.