S02.E04: Episode 4

[OtterMommy]

Quote

Ola wants to go all the way, but Otis is on edge.  Jean and Maeve need their space.  Jackson has performance worries, and star-crossed lovers reconnect.

Netflix drop date: January 17, 2020

[Prower]

Eric is in quite a pickle there. Of course I'm hard team Adam, even though new kid might be a more stable choice...

But mainly I like that it's not just the straight characters who are in these realtionship dramas, while the gay characters don't hhave anything to do but be the best friend, somewheree on the outsides (shows specifically catering to gays are an exception to this rule, of course, but I'm glad it can be the case in more mainstream shows now)

Edited January 18, 2020 by Prower

[pootlus]

Oh lord I don't think I've ever identified with a character so hard as when fat, intelligent, but socially incompetent Viv tried to flirt with the guy she liked.

I see you Viv, I really see you.

[DoctorAtomic]

On 1/17/2020 at 9:18 PM, Prower said:

But mainly I like that it's not just the straight characters who are in these realtionship dramas, while the gay characters don't hhave anything to do but be the best friend, somewheree on the outsides (shows specifically catering to gays are an exception to this rule, of course, but I'm glad it can be the case in more mainstream shows now)

I'm certainly all for everyone doing what they like. They really upped the Eric this season. He's really ripped on Otis so awesomely much consistently. He's totally the kid that gets away with calling your parents their first names.

21 hours ago, pootlus said:

Oh lord I don't think I've ever identified with a character so hard as when fat, intelligent, but socially incompetent Viv tried to flirt with the guy she liked.

Viv rules. We are fantastic friends.

I have to give the show enormous credit for not making just "high school kids".

Edited January 19, 2020 by DoctorAtomic

[festivus]

That kid Viv likes seems like a douche. Glad to see Aimee isn't over the bus incident, you don't just get over something like that. Sadly, dude will probably face no consequences. Adam's dad sucks. How cold. 

[ahisma]

I think there was one little moment last year when I had a smidgeon of empathy for Mr. Groff. But F. U., you arsehole. I’m all for Maureen walking out and taking Adam with her.

And, ugh, I love everyone else on this show! Flaws and everything. 

20 hours ago, festivus said:

Glad to see Aimee isn't over the bus incident, you don't just get over something like that.

Same. She is breaking my heart this season.

[beeemkcl]

* Does Maeve Wiley know Otis Milburn is a ‘gamer’? I don’t imagine Maeve’s being into books and Otis’s being into video games would somehow hamper their possible future relationship.

 

 

* Why doesn’t Aimee Gibbs get a bike and ride that bike to school?

 

 

* Otis isn’t in love with Ola Nyman because he’s in love with Maeve and he considers its very likely Maeve has feelings for him—especially given the ending of S02E03.

 

 

* When does Maeve learn that Otis is about to have sex with Ola?

 

 

THE OTIS/MAEVE SCENE

 

* There’s nothing wrong with Maeve’s telling Otis that she wants to be with him and that she doesn’t want him to remain with Ola.

 

Otis’s reaction is largely because Maeve stayed with Jackson throughout Season 1 even after S01E05 after Otis/Maeve had The Moment. And then didn’t see Otis after S01E08. Otis in S02E01 says Maeve’s ‘moved on’.

 

Maeve initially in Season 1 ‘strung Otis along’ without any real intention of ‘getting physical’ with Otis. It isn’t until she sees Otis with Ola in S01E05 that she considers ‘getting physical’ with Otis. And that’s because she’s jealous of the Otis/Ola interaction, but that jealousy only happens because Maeve becomes at least somewhat ‘into’ Otis the moment she learns his sex advice in S01E01 worked.

 

Here in S02E04, it’s possible she knows Otis is about to have sex with Ola; so, Maeve decides to tell Otis she’s in love with him. And it’s likely Otis knows this and that’s why he’s angry with Maeve. “Why are you telling this now?”

 

It seems both Otis didn’t visit Maeve at the mall or anything and Maeve seems to have stayed away from Otis after S01E08. Otis pursued Maeve in Season 1 even after Maeve had sex with Jackson Marchetti. Otis’s kissing Ola and Maeve’s seeing that in S01E08 in Otis’s mind probably shouldn’t have prevented Maeve from expressing her feelings for Otis to Otis after S01E08.

 

 

* Otis has known since the end of S01E05—at-latest—that Maeve is into him. She just in S02E04 tells him she’s in love with him. Otis stays with Ola as punishment to Maeve for Maeve’s staying with Jackson and not getting with Otis and the rest of the reason is to try to be a ‘good guy’ and ‘good boyfriend’ even though he clearly prefers Maeve to Ola.

 

________________________________________

 

* Ola knows Otis is into Maeve. I never support such jealousy. If Ola cannot handle the Otis/Maeve stuff, she shouldn’t be with Otis.

 

What Maeve did in S02E04 is completely fine. She should have expressed her feelings to Otis in S01E08. Her ‘taking the fall’ for both her brother and Otis already demonstrated she loves Otis. Maeve simply got insecure regarding Otis/Maeve when she sees Otis kissing Ola.

 

Ola’s in S02E04 telling Otis to no longer be friends with Maeve is not okay. Otis and Maeve never even dated. Otis hasn’t cheated on Ola with Maeve.

 

Jackson couldn’t handle Otis/Maeve and Maeve was no longer as interested in Jackson. So, Maeve/Jackson broke up.

 

If Ola cannot handle Otis/Maeve, she should break up with Otis or try to trust him that he won’t cheat on her with Maeve.

 

 

RESPONSES TO THE THREAD:

 

* I agree that Viv needs some social skills and some emotional intelligence. Someone like Jackson and someone like Otis can be more successful simply because they can be likable and get along with people and thus have power and influence.

Edited January 24, 2020 by beeemkcl

[Danny Franks]

Okay, there was some really odd writing in this episode. Maeve knows all the answers and it pisses her team off because she's showing them up? I heard Viv suggest Phobos as Saturn's largest moon, which was laughably incorrect, but they think they would have done better without Maeve? Just because she got one question wrong?

And Otis didn't give Carol "crap" advice. He told her not to feel pressured by other people when it comes to sex, and just to do what she thinks is right. She gave more information to Jean, which allowed her to give more full advice.

I'm supposed root for Adam to get the boy that he spent years bullying? I don't. That storyline is honestly the worst thing about the show. I'm sick of seeing toxic relationships being promoted in media. The fact that even the "I can change" montage was about destruction says everything about Adam. Eric just looks like he's suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

Then we've got a subplot about Groff and his wife and their sex life. No thanks. I didn't get into this show because the priggish headmaster was a character I wanted to learn more about.

I also don't care about Viv, who is not coming across as a particularly nice person, getting together with Mr Young Conservative.

James Purefoy is honestly one of the most charismatic men alive, and so good at playing smug and arrogant, but still rakishly likeable. I'd love to see more scenes with him and Otis, rather than with Jakob, who is coming across as more and more of a dickhead.

But there were some lovely moments between Maeve and Otis (which are sadly few and far between, this season). Maeve actually lets her guard down with Otis, in ways she doesn't with anyone else, and I was really pleasantly surprised that she just came out and said that she "messed it up with [him]."

Great acting from Emma Mackey, showing how hard it is for Maeve to be honest, and from Asa Butterfield to convey Otis' confusion and frustration. He's not over Maeve at all, but his reaction was predictable - he's not a guy who could just change tack that quickly and follow his heart.

I think Ola's ultimatum should really help him make his decision - if she's going to start dictating his friends, then he has to break up with her. I am glad that they haven't written her to be perfect and wonderful, just to make Maeve feel even worse (which is what usually happens in 'will they, won't they' storylines).

[Bastet]

I know she was there for her boyfriend, too, but it was nice seeing Aimee at Maeve's quiz team thing.  I like their friendship.  But the show is piling it on rather thick with how Maeve can never catch a break, with the team wanting her off - and the teacher just going right along with that - rather than talking to her about conferring as a team.

This Eric and Adam storyline continues to enrage me.

And Ola can miss me with her ultimatum; if you don't trust your boyfriend, you break up with him, not attempt to dictate who his friends are.

Jakob is really annoying.  I've never liked him, but the more time he spends at Jean's, the more he gets on my nerves.  I'm glad he's finally getting on hers.

[Mr. R0b0t]

The "I can change" song during the plate smashing scene was doing a lot of the heavy lifting that the plot should have been doing to redeem Groff the Younger.  After the absolute bully he was for 99.9% of S1, I didn't really think the character could be redeemed ever, much less within a handful of episodes.  It also strikes me as very out of character for Eric to be into his bully.  Pretty much the only wrong note in the show for me so far.