S01.E08: The Other Woman

[Danny Franks]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Oh Dex, this is SO not good. Because there isnt as much drama in this whole mess of a situation already! Having sex with her best friends girlfriend is...probably not the best call ever, even if she and Miles arent in an officially committed relationship. Its consistent more or less though, that Dex is basically well meaning and smart, but really bad with interpersonal relationships. 

Honestly, after Grey told Dex, "I like this girl. When does that ever happen?" if she did have sex with Liz, then she's putting her most important friendship in jeopardy. At least, she should be, because there has to be a point somewhere when Grey has just had enough of her self-destructive tendencies hurting other people.

I don't know what Miles will think, and I don't much care because he has no personality and really doesn't seem like a character with any direction. If I had to make a prediction for a season finale, I'd say he dies tragically/heroically and Dex blames herself.

[Danielg342]

Two things:

1) I don't really see Dex as an anti-hero. I think of anti-heroes as Dexter Morgan or Raymond Reddington types who knowingly do what society would consider "wrong" (generally by breaking the law) yet do it for the "right" reasons. Dex may be cavalier about societal norms and the law and operates on the fringes of society, but she still at least wants to "follow the rules", so to speak, as much as she can. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Dex has committed a murder or even physically beat a confession out of someone- the worst she's arguably done was break into someone's house, but she had to do that since she knocked on the door and no one answered. I do believe she could be on the path to becoming an anti-hero, though.

2) I'm personally not bothered by a "flawed" woman as a character. I don't think there are enough of them in general, let alone on TV (unless it's the generic "tough cop woman" who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside). What gets me about Dex's characterization is that it feels like the writers are just slapping flaws on to her without any thought if they all "fit". @Elbow mentioned that someone as screwed up as Dex would likely not have custody of Ansel (who would need to be in a more stable environment). Dex reminds me a lot of Charleston Tucker, Katherine Heigl's character on State of Affairs, who was drawn up almost the same way- Tucker too had a drinking problem, a commitment problem, trust issues, PTSD...and on and on. Not sure if she had a gambling problem too but it wouldn't surprise me if she did. Just like in State of Affairs, it feels like the writer felt we wouldn't sympathize with Dex unless we knew "without a doubt" that she's a "screwup". Mileage will vary but Dex doesn't feel "organic" to me.

...and I don't think of this in a gendered concept. I've had plenty to say about how bad Criminal Minds has been in its later seasons at trying to sympathize its "flawed" criminals (many of whom are men) not to mention all the crap the later seasons have done to poor Spencer Reid. I just don't think Dex is believably flawed as a character, period. It's getting better but I think the writers still have some sorting out here to do.

[SunnyBeBe]

I do really like this show for some reason and I also really like the character Dex or actress.....something about her lines, expressions, etc.  IRL I know someone who is so much like her.  Anyway, I still have issues with her though. How old is she?  She sure is stumped, pardon the pun in the maturity level regarding relationships.  All the game playing.....with a man that you really like....Just odd, imo.  I haven't pretended to NOT like a man that I really liked, since I was about 17 years old.  Do older women do this?  I just don't see the point. I guess the writers think it's a good premise for the show. ( I mean it worked for  the show Moonlighting and Cheers.) And then to get too close to the man's girlfriend?  That's really witchy.

I do love their music.  Best moment from this episode was Daydream Believer, by the Monkees! 

Edited December 7, 2019 by SunnyBeBe

[MisterGlass]

For about 15 minutes, I thought the love triangle would end up being over who could be a better sister to Ansel, and I was on board for that.

Cheating with your best friend's significant other is bad no matter the genders involved.  It's not enough to make me tune out.  I just hope they address this as a big deal.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

7 hours ago, MisterGlass said:

For about 15 minutes, I thought the love triangle would end up being over who could be a better sister to Ansel, and I was on board for that.

I'd be down with that too. Dex obviously loves Ansel but we don't see her spending a ton of time with him, so I thought she would get jealous that Liz was hanging out with him which would cause Dex to realize she needs to spend more time with him too.

[MissLucas]

I'm starting to wonder if Benny was really such a catch. He allowed himself to get talked out of his relationship with Dex, married Naomi and had a kid with her only to mope over pics of his ex while listening to Pearl Jam. I'm not impressed. And yet there's more to come since Dex was about to confess something to Grey when they were interrupted.

Also not impressed with this episode - the parts about the reservation and its conflicts were actually interesting despite the rushed ending. But the love-triangle turning into a love-quadrangle really made no sense unless Liz turns out to be shady after all. (And who was looking after Ansel?)

I'm just getting tired of all the love triangles on tv. Why is it so hard to write a compelling show without those shenanigans? We know it's possible. I realize that the show is somewhat bound by the comics but I still feel grumpy.

And if we can't have Cosgrove and Tookie swapping recipes I'd like to see more Sue-Lynn and Cosgrove. Watching these two staring daggers at each other was way more compelling than Dex going to self-destruct once again.

Edited December 8, 2019 by MissLucas

[MisterGlass]

Regarding Pearl Jam, was she listening to Yellow Ledbetter?  If so that's an odd one for a couple's song.

[paigow]

I have not read the source material, but are new issues still being produced? Or is this GoT territory where TV has to extrapolate???

[paigow]

21 hours ago, MissLucas said:

But the love-triangle turning into a love-quadrangle really made no sense unless Liz turns out to be shady after all.

Dex will go back to the casino with Ansel, leave him at the buffet while she makes a booty call on Naomi....

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 12/5/2019 at 3:17 AM, Dowel Jones said:

I have a feeling that, despite Sue Ann's statement, that the kid who lit the car bomb is going to be in deep shit once they get him back on the reservation. He might be better served by spending the time in a state prison somewhere.  I was also surprised the PPB caved to Sue Ann and let him go, as they did have a case there, regardless of who the car belonged to. I'm guessing that Cosgrove just wanted to wash her hands of it and move on.

Didn't the kid try to light an explosive device when the police tried to arrest him? Even if Sue Lynn declined to press charges for the truck, the police had reasonable  cause (arguably) to break down his door, and then he threatened them with explosives, so he should be facing charges.

Are we supposed to think, as Dex did, that the original suspicions that caused Sue Lynn to hire Dex in the first place, i.e. the casino audit, the supposed honeypot, etc, were all coincidences/in her mind since there's no way a 22 year old kid set those up, nor did Hollis' nephew? Or perhaps the logging company was behind those?

[luna1122]

On 12/7/2019 at 8:17 PM, MisterGlass said:

Regarding Pearl Jam, was she listening to Yellow Ledbetter?  If so that's an odd one for a couple's song.

She was. It is. Tho I guess it could be sort of some kind of foreshadowing? 

Edited December 9, 2019 by luna1122

[Kel Varnsen]

On 12/7/2019 at 8:17 PM, MisterGlass said:

Regarding Pearl Jam, was she listening to Yellow Ledbetter?  If so that's an odd one for a couple's song.

Well it is pretty much the band's go to final song for live shows, so if Dex and Benny saw them live, odds are they heard it.

Although speaking of that song, after Miles asked the Lieutenant what was the history of her and Sue Lynn, and then they cut to that song, I really thought we were going to get a 90's flash back of those 2 ladies.

[snarktini]

On 12/5/2019 at 5:27 PM, shantown said:

Will be interesting to see where they go with Liz, especially after sleeping with Dex. Is she spying on Grey? For the PD or for someone from Grey's criminal past? Does she have a dark, twisty secret or is she good and just a little weird?

I've been suspicious of Liz since the beginning, so this just feeds my paranoia. TBH when Miles was chewing her out, I was half expecting a "you used me...but we totally found something shady in her past that you need to know about."

On 12/5/2019 at 7:22 PM, Emily Thrace said:

The show loses major points with me for casting a half white half Cambodian person as Naomi .

Really? Oh that's not right. I noticed something was off but I didn't think too hard about it. I assumed they would have cast better than that considering they've done ok otherwise.

On 12/8/2019 at 3:24 PM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Are we supposed to think, as Dex did, that the original suspicions that caused Sue Lynn to hire Dex in the first place, i.e. the casino audit, the supposed honeypot, etc, were all coincidences/in her mind since there's no way a 22 year old kid set those up, nor did Hollis' nephew? Or perhaps the logging company was behind those?

The honeypot thing jumped out at me, too, once they identified the bomber. It doesn't make sense he did the other things. So, right, did they not happen or is there a second threat?

[biakbiak]

Dex’s pheromones must be out of this world and should be bottled because apparently she is irresistible! 

[paigow]

14 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Dex’s pheromones must be out of this world and should be bottled because apparently she is irresistible! 

On pace to surpass Captain Kirk, early Riker and Peter Quill....human, alien, nebulous gender / orientation...

[Clanstarling]

On 12/4/2019 at 10:45 PM, possibilities said:

TV is littered with males with angst who have secrets and screw everyone they meet, and they're considered sexy anti-heroes. I can't fault the show for turning it around and doing the same thing with a female character.

My solution is for them to all be one big happy poly family, but I don't expect that to happen.

Given the nature of the series (don't know about the comics), poly is where I went - though I agree that it isn't likely to go there.

[rove4]

On 12/6/2019 at 3:08 PM, Danny Franks said:

Honestly, after Grey told Dex, "I like this girl. When does that ever happen?" if she did have sex with Liz, then she's putting her most important friendship in jeopardy. At least, she should be, because there has to be a point somewhere when Grey has just had enough of her self-destructive tendencies hurting other people.

I don't know what Miles will think, and I don't much care because he has no personality and really doesn't seem like a character with any direction. If I had to make a prediction for a season finale, I'd say he dies tragically/heroically and Dex blames herself.

THIS.  I frankly don't care about what Miles' feelings about Dex sleeping with Liz might be.  Eight episodes in and he's still mostly bland IMO.  But Dex doing this to Grey is just supremely uncool.  He's her best friend and she completely crapped all over that relationship.  I hope he tells her to get out of his life and sticks to it for at least a few episodes.  Dex can sleep with the whole world if she wants to and I wouldn't care, but not the one person that Grey is starting to really like.  

I started out really liking this show but I find my interest waning.  Dex is wearying enough to watch knowing she's just a fictional character, waiting for her to make the next bad decision.  I can't imagine how wearying she'd be to actually know in real life.  Run away, Grey, run!! Dodge and weave, man! 

Edited December 31, 2019 by rove4