S02.E03: Charlie Darwin

[Primetimer]

Everyone has trouble admitting things to themselves.

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[Armchair Critic]

The acting is great and I am going to stick with it, but it just moves so slowly...

 

 

[Endeavour]

I'm ok with the pace. I found the ep very engaging. I do feel like I'm missing some of the symbolism though and the recap helped with that. And it's not too soon for asspresso - that cracked me up.

 

I find the characters and their reactions to each other interesting. I thought it was kind of hysterical that no one seemed to want Amantha around (much like me) - Daniel sending her off for fritters and her mother suggesting she go back to Atlanta. If only she would listen.

 

I feel rather bad for Daniel in certain scenes where he is so childlike - "driving" the car in the driveway this week, holding on to the shopping cart in the store with his mother a couple of eps ago. In addition to all of the larger things happening, they do a really good job showing his struggle to adjust and how many years he has lost in some small, subtle ways. I'm always leery of being too sympathetic because I don't know how his story will play out.

[peeayebee]

(Loved the recap. "Free to Pee You and Me")

 

 

A whole episode with nothing but Daniel would be great. I could watch him all day long. I love whenever he shows a sense of humor. "I think I can manage a few panes."

 

I didn't realize until reading the recap that this was the first time Daniel and Ted Jr have really seen each other since the coffee incident (aside from Teddy visiting him in the hospital).

 

I had a lot less sympathy for Teddy this ep than in the previous ones, but it makes sense that he's acting like he is. I hate how he's treating Tawney, but character-wise I understand.

 

I really wish Amantha would change just a little bit. It would be absurd if she did a complete turnaround and softened up, but it would be nice if she showed some self-awareness or at least showed remorse after she snaps at people. Has she changed at all since S1E1?

 

I hope the little brother doesn't take things into his own hands, but it looks like that's what's going to happen.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

 

Has she changed at all since S1E1?

 

She's driving me nuts too, but in a credible way...and I keep forgetting, in show time, Daniel only got out of prison like two weeks ago.

 

Thanks for the kind words about the Particle, everyone.

[bourbon]

Ah, Huddle House!  Like Waffle House except greasier and not as good.

 

Favorite line: "They serve cheese for dessert.  I think it's European."  I love that we know the people of Paulie.  We know what drives them.  We know what they value and what gives them comfort.  But the show never judges.  It would be so easy, and goodness knows most other shows have sort of a smug "Look at them!  They shop at Walmart and fry everything!  How corny and backward!" attitude about rural Southerners.  I'm not of the mind that they're any more "true Americans" than the rest of us, but it would be too easy to treat them with the standard contempt. 

 

I honestly don't mind the pace, but I am wondering how long they can keep it going when it is so character rather than narrative or action driven.  It seems like Daniel would either adapt to his new life or forever fail to adapt.  It seems as if the second might be more realistic, but I am wondering how long they can sustain that.  Daniel seems so childlike.  I recall someone saying that Daniel was always a bit "off," but I would be interesting in seeing more flashbacks to pre-death row Daniel to see how much of his behavior is or isn't related to being locked up for 20 years.  

 

I know Tawney is avoiding him, but I miss Daniel's interactions with her.  I know that it isn't what this show is about  but [small voice] I kind of ship them a little [/small voice].  They both seem so lost and lonely but able to somehow find the peace and comfort in each other's presence that they don't seem to find with siblings or spouses.  Their interactions are lovely to watch, almost painfully so, because their relationship seems so fragile and doomed.

[maraleia]

 

Still recovering from his injuries, Daniel makes a startling decision. Amantha is outraged by Daniel’s choice and hurt when Janet takes his side.Teddy asks Janet for help and ends up forced into an awkward situation with Tawney. Bobby Dean has an unexpected conversation with Sheriff Daggett. Jon Stern gains a valuable, but disturbing insight into a client's case and Daniel bends a few rules.

[Kris117]

I believe that Teddy was in on Daniel's beating, and that part of the reason Daniel refused to ID Bobby Dean is that he figured Bobby Dean would eventually reveal all of the people involved, including Teddy. That would tear Daniel's family apart, so he's protecting them as well as Tawney. I also agree that he wants to put the whole thing behind him and start anew. I think he was trying to explain that to Teddy when they walked back to the house. Teddy was just bristling the whole time.

 

Teddy is so desperate to get the money for the rim rental business that in most shows I'd think he was trying to hide a huge gambling debt or something else that left him in dire need of money. In this case, he's desperate to save or establish his place in the family. He's just crying for attention and affirmation. As was noted up above, it's the worst time for him to be doing this. There's a lot of self-loathing there, I think. 

 

I got the symbolism on the window cleaning, but missed it on the falling tree branch. It makes sense to me, though. 

 

The sheriff mentioned that Bobby Dean might owe Daniel for refusing to ID him. That reminded me of the Chinese proverb that if you save someone's life, you're responsible for them, and that reminded me of Amantha. She spent years of her life trying to save him, and now she thinks (on a subconscious level) she owns his life or has a claim on his actions. She tries to convince Daniel to change his mind by saying that Foulkes is going to go after him, but he's going to do that whether or not Bobby Dean is charged with assault. 

 

I felt sorry for just about everyone in this episode, but especially for Jon. His life is clearly dedicated to the Innocence Project, and having all of that work betrayed by a sociopath looked pretty devastating. 

[Endeavour]

I believe that Teddy was in on Daniel's beating, and that part of the reason Daniel refused to ID Bobby Dean is that he figured Bobby Dean would eventually reveal all of the people involved, including Teddy. That would tear Daniel's family apart, so he's protecting them as well as Tawney. I also agree that he wants to put the whole thing behind him and start anew. I think he was trying to explain that to Teddy when they walked back to the house. Teddy was just bristling the whole time.

That's interesting. Is that the topic you think Daniel wanted to broach and Teddy shut him down? For some reason, I don't think Teddy was involved. I think Teddy was upset and bit scared by what Daniel did. His anger was definitely shown when he visited Daniel in the hospital, but I just don't think he would go that far. I don't think he would do that to Daniel's mother.

[90PercentGravity]

I'm pretty sure what Daniel wanted to talk to Teddy about was choking him out and whatever happened after that. It still isn't clear if Danie raped Teddy or not. At the end of last season I would have said he didn't, but  the way Teddy has been walking and being so jumpy this seasons makes me wonder.

 

I hated the song at the end. Absolutely hated it.

[Endeavour]

I'm pretty sure what Daniel wanted to talk to Teddy about was choking him out and whatever happened after that.

This is what I thought when watching as well.

[peeayebee]

I doubt that Teddy was involved in the beating. Bobby Dean had enough motive of his own.

 

I also doubt that Daniel actually raped Teddy. For one thing, that would completely alienate the audience from him. For another, I just don't think he has it in him. It was enough humiliation for Teddy to have been over-powered by another man, rendered unconscious, had his pants pulled down, and known he COULD have been raped.

[Pogojoco]

I definitely don't think Daniel raped Teddy. 

 

This is what I think happened- Teddy makes comments about the prison rape, the "lay back and enjoy it." Daniel choke holds him till he passes out. He pulls his pants down and dumps coffee on him (not in him) to say basically, "This is what it's like to have no power. I could've done anything to you and you couldn't stop me. Did you lay back and enjoy it?" 

 

Teddy, other than the sore neck, doesn't seem to indicate he is sore in any other place. And I think he put the coffee back in the can (he makes a comment to his dad about getting fresh coffee. It's the same can.) I think he's jumpy cause he was jumped and spooked by the lack of power/control he felt. 

 

While Daniel did something not cool, and I totally think he's going to have to answer for it at some point, I don't think he raped Teddy. 

 

I'm obsessed with the way Aden Young talks. When I was in high school, I watched a movie in French class called "Robe Noire" about a French priest in 17th century Quebec. There is a guy in it who plays a young guide to the priest among the natives and my French teacher mentioned how hot the guy was. And he was.

 

I never knew what happened to him, but it's Aden Young. 

Edited February 4, 2015 by Pogojoco

[Rocky]

I'll tell you what happened to Aden. He broke out with the French priest movie (called Black Robe) and was on the cusp of being marketed as the new Mel Gibson. Then he worked in Hollywood for a couple of years, found Hollyweird just way too weird, decided he couldn't sell his soul to make it there, threw in the towel and went home to Australia. There he spent 20 years giving excellent performances while somehow remaining completely unknown. Until he got dragged by his heels back to the US by a very persistent agent who was convinced that he was born to play Daniel (he didn't even wan the role initially).

 

And here we are - bless that agent. And yes, he always been shockingly beautiful. I found an Aussie movie with him when he's 29 y.o and blond, and it's like your eyes are about to pop from the overdose of beauty. Gorgeous hands too. He also has this soulful quality to his acting.

[Rocky]

"would be interesting in seeing more flashbacks to pre-death row Daniel to see how much of his behavior is or isn't related to being locked up for 20 years."

 

I'm dying to see that but I think it would be next to impossible to find a teen actor who would match Aden's appearance and acting level. But then again they managed to find 'Jared' who manages to hold his own against true greats despite barely any screentime or characterisation. Hope that young actor gets some good work in future.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Quote

I'm dying to see that but I think it would be next to impossible to find a teen actor who would match Aden's appearance and acting level.

The actor who played the young Alan Turing in The Imitation Game comes to mind.  He might have to change his appearance somewhat, but I think he would be up to it.

This episode might make my very short list of favorites - ever - on tv.  It was beautifully put together.  Daniel's decision to exonerate Bobby Dean and throw out everything from his past life was such a game changer.  I did not see that twist coming - or, if I had any inkling, I would never have expected it to come so soon.  Amantha's rage with the injustice of Daniel's decision, Daniel's interaction with his neighbor of the fallen tree and then with Teddy , Teddy's impotence to change his life while Daniel was making these huge leaps, Daniel's attempts to move on emotionally via the kitchen renovation juxtaposed against the impracticality of being able to do so because of mundane money reasons, the entire Sheriff vs. Bobby Dean interactions - all of it added up to an incredible meditation about - I don't know - our perpetual struggles to be.  

I really love this show.  It's the first (serialized? Is that the right word?) show that has ever made me think I would come back to revisit a specific episode as a stand alone piece of art.  (To give an idea of how much compulsion an episode would have to overcome in me to do this, I had to re-read the entire Harry Potter series before each new book came out, in order to feel fully ready to appreciate the new one on its release date.)

Edited June 3, 2016 by ToxicUnicorn
To overshare in order to emphasize how fantastic this show is.