S06.E01: The Newlyweds

[OtterMommy]

Quote

Frankie is stunned by Grace's news, but she buries her feelings--until everyone gathers together to send off Bud and Allison.

Drop Date: 01/15/2020

[Oldernowiser]

How does this work? When are the episodes actually available?

 I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about this...

[shapeshifter]

4 hours ago, Oldernowiser said:

How does this work? When are the episodes actually available?

 I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about this...

I’m glad you posted and pulled it up on my radar. 
Hrm…according to the note on my spreadsheet, Netflix at midnight tonight.

And that is PST, so, for example, 2 a-hem (yawn) in Chicago. 

[IrishPirate]

And all the episodes are released at once so if you're taking snow days or recovering from something, it's a great time to binge. (I have a relative who is having knee surgery Friday and I wouldn't put it past her to have planned this little detail.)

[screengem]

No spoiler alert.  The episode ties all the loose strings of the Season 5 finale nicely.

Just a funny.  Pay close attention around the 24:05 mark.  Pure camp.

[Harvey]

That end was heartbreaking. I can't believe they're not going to live together anymore.

[LilWharveyGal]

So great to see all these characters who feel like old friends again...and then Peter shows up.  UGH.

[OtterMommy]

I was worried about how they were going to handle Frankie's reaction to Grace and Nick's marriage, but they did it quite well.  That being said, I did feel sorry for Bud and Allison when, first, Frankie's toast was not directed to them at their own sending off and, two, Nick decided to use the event to show his and Grace's wedding video.  I mean, that kind of sucked for them.

[Oldernowiser]

I think they tried to cover that with, “yesterday was their day,” but yes, agree. 

I am sooo happy to have this back. Now if I can just discipline myself not to watch the whole season all at once...

3 hours ago, LilWharveyGal said:

So great to see all these characters who feel like old friends again...and then Peter shows up.  UGH.

This. His mean girl shtick is getting old. Although maybe he was in the episode to prop up the Coyote/Cater Waiter story...which was pretty weak regardless.

[CarpeFelis]

Grace’s kids continue to be the worst. Why should her remarrying be all about them?

[whydoiwatch]

I am pacing myself (until I'm not) and watching one episode per day.

Overall, this has been one of my favorite series, but I just don't see it being as good if Grace and Frankie aren't living together. Hope the writers prove me wrong.

Edited January 17, 2020 by whydoiwatch

[shapeshifter]

2 minutes ago, whydoiwatch said:

Overall, this has been one of my favorite series, but I just don't see it being as good if Grace and Frankie aren't living together. Hope the writers prove me wrong.

No spoilers, but to you and any others having these feelings at this point: Hang in there!

[Sesquipedalia]

Thanks because I'm definitely having the same feelings.

[possibilities]

I was totally creeped out by the speech Grace gave at the altar. She kept sending him away and he kept coming back. So, he's a stalker with no boundaries. And she loves him because he stalked her and somehow being stalked convinced her that she's lovable. There wasn't one word about what she likes about him. It's all about the gaping void of her lack of self-esteem, and how he wore her down. That wasn't vows. That was a sickening plea for help.

Also, we never saw him say anything.

It was nice to see Frankie be reasonable, though.

[CaliCheeseSucks]

On 1/15/2020 at 12:23 PM, LilWharveyGal said:

So great to see all these characters who feel like old friends again...and then Peter shows up.  UGH.

So much this. He's a character I wish had been cut loose years ago. 

[Blakeston]

I think the writers have been struggling for a while with Robert and Sol's storylines, and the constant presence of Peter is a sign of that.

This is what sitcom writers do when they've run out of comedic material for a couple - give them an obnoxious antagonist who won't go away.

it's the same reason Daphne's mother moved in with her and Niles on Frasier. And why Cameron's evil sister moved in with him and Mitchell on Modern Family.

[AZChristian]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

...it's the same reason Daphne's mother moved in with her and Niles on Frasier.

As soon as I read this, I had an "AHA" moment.  "Joan-Margaret" was Daphne's mother!!!!

[sistermagpie]

11 hours ago, possibilities said:

I was totally creeped out by the speech Grace gave at the altar. She kept sending him away and he kept coming back. So, he's a stalker with no boundaries. And she loves him because he stalked her and somehow being stalked convinced her that she's lovable. There wasn't one word about what she likes about him. It's all about the gaping void of her lack of self-esteem, and how he wore her down. That wasn't vows. That was a sickening plea for help.

Also, we never saw him say anything.

It was nice to see Frankie be reasonable, though.

Did he ever really stalk her? I felt like it was more like he just always made it clear he wanted to be with her when they ran into each other.

That said, though, this interpretation of her feelings about her had never occurred to me and now it's like a revelation. It makes perfect sense. She lived with a guy who didn't want her for years and now she has this guy whose one main quality is that he keeps insisting he wants her and every time she gives him a reason he shouldn't he has an argument for why he doesn't agree.

But that's not the same as her really being comfortable with him. She shouldn't be constantly be feeling *that* lucky that this guy actually wants her. It does feel like the whole thing is just this very delicate fantasy where she's desperately grateful that he thinks she's beautiful despite her being old and he...well, really unclear. As you said, he doesn't get a speech, but probably if he did it would be some generic thing about how wonderful she is.

And frankly, it doesn't seem like he's that way with other people in his life, the constant nice guy who's just pleasant no matter what.

Edited January 18, 2020 by sistermagpie

[Oldernowiser]

Guys like the Nick character hate to “lose.” They’re utterly driven to get what they want...and then when they have it, they’re on to the next thing.

He won and now the trophy is sitting on his uncomfortable couch. Why didn’t they move into a new place to start a different life for both of them? Instead, Grace is dropped into his world after a courtship where she had a life and he dropped in frequently. Totally different dynamic.

She’s been the trophy wife and she didn’t like it. Again, I’m just guessing because I haven’t seen the whole season, but being Mrs. Skolka isn’t really how she wants to spend her remaining years. Too much work, not enough comfort.

[Harvey]

7 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I think the writers have been struggling for a while with Robert and Sol's storylines, and the constant presence of Peter is a sign of that.

 

This can be said about the writers in general. When in doubt, they add conflict. That huge debate about Grace owning a gun a few seasons ago was an exaggerated version of this.

[MissLucas]

17 hours ago, possibilities said:

I was totally creeped out by the speech Grace gave at the altar. She kept sending him away and he kept coming back. So, he's a stalker with no boundaries. And she loves him because he stalked her and somehow being stalked convinced her that she's lovable.

Interesting take - I actually thought their relationship quite romantic. But then I absolutely loathed a similar plot-line in the final season of 'Downton Abbey'. Apparently I contain multitudes 😁

[Bastet]

Yikes, just when last season had made me see Nick in a more positive light than when they met and he wouldn't leave her the fuck alone despite her telling him to numerous times, Grace's wedding vow brings me right back to that dynamic.  It's not cute.  It's not romantic.  It's not healthy.  Jesus.  Very disappointing to see on a show like this.

On the flip side, Frankie's reaction was very well played.  As was Grace's denial that her being married would change very little about their relationship.  And I love the kids having the logical "what the actual fuck?" reaction to the announcement, and that Mallory later apologized to Nick for it.  All very in character.

Grace and Frankie saying goodnight because Grace was headed off to a separate home, not a separate room, was very sad, but I'm curious to see how the show deals with the changes to come.

[ahisma]

On 1/17/2020 at 11:36 PM, possibilities said:

I was totally creeped out by the speech Grace gave at the altar. She kept sending him away and he kept coming back. So, he's a stalker with no boundaries. And she loves him because he stalked her and somehow being stalked convinced her that she's lovable. There wasn't one word about what she likes about him. It's all about the gaping void of her lack of self-esteem, and how he wore her down. 

I had the stalker reaction at first, too. But I thought about it. The subtext is that he could easily see that she genuinely liked him and was letting her insecurities get in the way. So he kept showing her that her insecurities weren’t the truth—his actual interest in her was the truth. Unfortunately it’s not easy to differentiate from stalking! And yes, it was unfortunate the tape cut off there and we didn’t hear his vows.

In my head canon, Robert videotaped his toast he had been working on for Bud and Allison and sent it to them. They all three deserved that moment.

[MrsJumbo3]

You all that are saying Nick is a stalker. Are you forgetting when they broke up? Grace hunted him down when he was having lunch with his mother. And the time he was hiding behind a newspaper so she wouldn’t see him. Grace made it clear she wanted to be in the relationship.