S01.E05: Studs

[formerlyfreedom]

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Owen and the crew race to a brawl at a male strip club, a fire at a bull semen factory and a protest where male toxicity is taken to a new level. Meanwhile, Paul tentatively goes out on a first date, Grace tries to reconnect with Judd and Owen faces the consequences of his chemo.

Airing Monday, February 10, 2020.

 

[Bulldog]

Only took five episodes for Michelle to actually kill someone.  That must be some kind of record.  I know incel guy was supposed to be awful, but his family should have a slam dunk negligence suit. 

For the first time since the show started, I was actually interested in Paul.  See show, this is what happens when you actually tell a story instead of just checking off boxes.  (Judging from the dearth of comments tonight, it might be too little too late.)

Not at all surprised that Natalie Zea thought Owen was gay.  I have a very hard time believing that a straight guy would be that invested in skin care products.

Judd and Grace continue to be awesome and Probie continues to be useless.  I guess some things will never change.

Was Marjan even in the episode?

Did they at least arrest the guy that started the fire at the bull semen storage place?   

[anna0852]

I don't understand what Michelle could have done differently. The guy was coding. If she doesn't shock him he dies.

[Crs97]

I could care less about Owen’s sex life or Michelle’s sister.  Judd and Grace and Paul were the interesting storylines tonight.

[Raja]

38 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

 

Was Marjan even in the episode?

Did they at least arrest the guy that started the fire at the bull semen storage place?   

She was on scene with the fire company. As one of the few not shown having sex I guess that they didn't know what to do with her and her faith in an episode dedicated to not getting any lately.

And after all they have shown at early prime time they balked and gave us bull "stuff" so the Captain had to figure out the riddle to deal with the emergency? They reached a bit too far in trying to be cute.

[Dowel Jones]

What I'd like to know is why doesn't the Captain, or at least someone responding to any emergency, know anything about the hazards in their first in area?  I know they're all new, except for Judd, but someone from one of the other stations should be training them.  Getting a set of pre-plans established should have been their priority while re-establishing Station 126.

[Chaos Theory]

The Liv Taylor character is kinda damned if she does damned if she doesn’t with someone people.    She would have gotten the same reaction out of some people if she had shit the guy in the ambulance herself.   It was an accident that anyone could make but apparently she murdered him now.    Then again if she had saved him the very same people would be complaining about how her character is a magically perfect savior who does everything right.

The Paul story was sad but realistic and I like how the show did it.   He likes a girl who likes him but is unaware of his status.  When do you tell someone?   
 

I actually though the bull demon scene was hilarious.  Most shows are filmed on the East and west coasts so having these fun “Welcome to Texas” moments are going to be the highlight of the show for me.   And yes if this was reality there would probably be some like Judd giving them a quick curse on Texas but this is a tv show.   It is more fun to have “hot loads of bull stuff”

[Ohwell]

I wasn't paying attention all the time, so what was Paul's story?

Never mind, I did some research and found out.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Ohwell

[iMonrey]

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The Liv Taylor character is kinda damned if she does damned if she doesn’t with someone people.    She would have gotten the same reaction out of some people if she had shit the guy in the ambulance herself.   It was an accident that anyone could make but apparently she murdered him now.    Then again if she had saved him the very same people would be complaining about how her character is a magically perfect savior who does everything right.

It isn't whether or not she saved the guy. It was her spot-on post analysis of the situation after the fact, from her hospital bed. Does she have a background in biochemistry or something? Her explanation sounded far too rehearsed and didactic to be realistic. Overall the character just isn't working for me. It's not that I have anything personal against the actress. I just don't buy her in this role and the writing isn't helping her any.

That said, she isn't unique in that respect. I don't think the writing is doing any favors for most of the characters. I just think out of all of the actors Liv Tyler is one of the more woefully miscast here. 

[saber5055]

I was flipping back and forth, but saw enough of this episode that I don't need to rewatch. Make that, I don't want to rewatch.

So Michelle blew up that guy in the ambulance? Maybe if she had used the paddle on Tornado Dad last episode, she could have saved him. Or not. But at least she could have tried instead of diagnosing him and calling him dead w/o doing anything more than a couple chest compressions.

The show suggested the only reason Paul wasn't threatened by a woman beating him at bowling, even though he's never bowled before, is because he's trans so used to be a woman so has compassion and understanding instead of a Me Tarzan You Weak Jane temperament. What an insult to men. He also doesn't need to tell his date anything on the first date, and he doesn't have to have sex if he doesn't want to. How about showing two people enjoying each other's company instead of everyone being a horn dog.

Speaking of horn dog, WTH was up with Owen, having to prove to that makeup chick that he's not gay? He's a metro NYC dude, cut him some slack. As for his lack of ability to perform, his chemo buddy will explain all that to him next chemo session.

And now "semen" is a banned word? Please. And what's up with that fire spreading from the one small spot to an entire campus of buildings, plus the outside grounds were on fire too. Did the fire guys stop for burgers and fries on their way to that call? There isn't much inside a barn like that to burn except hay, which should be stored all in one place, plus it would have had sprinklers, a business like that would have. But either way, that the fire spread more than a few feet was ludicrous as was calling it "bull stuff." Oh well.

This show still belongs to Judd.

[kicotan]

19 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

The show suggested the only reason Paul wasn't threatened by a woman beating him at bowling, even though he's never bowled before, is because he's trans so used to be a woman so has compassion and understanding instead of a Me Tarzan You Weak Jane temperament. What an insult to men. He also doesn't need to tell his date anything on the first date, and he doesn't have to have sex if he doesn't want to. How about showing two people enjoying each other's company instead of everyone being a horn dog.

Indeed!

Having Josie show up at the fire house the next day to apologize for not being as “evolved” as she thought she was and wish him well was also kind of weird to me.

I haven’t dated in 17 years...but if I was dating today, I’d make sure my preferences for a possible long term relationship were made clear early on.  Maybe not the first date, but relatively soon.

[DearEvette]

Well the show seems to have found a bit of a sense of humor.

Judd and Grace are still the best character written parts of the show.  I loved his helpless laughter at the bull semen place.  I get the impression  being at another big fire like that was one of the triggers he needed to allow him to ...um...er...release.

This ep is the most I've liked TK.  Maybe because it wasn't about him.

Paul's story was interesting and I think well done.  I appreciated Josie's  frank assessment at realizing she was not as evolved as she thought she was and that she had the bones to admit it to him to his face in just as frank.  I also thought that last shot of the two of them, was perfect in its awkwardness.

I hate the Michelle storyline.  At first I thought the sister storyline would be interesting but then it is kinda being written stupidly.  And the paramedics don't seem to be really integrated with the firehouse & their crew so it seems like they are off on their own.  Outside of Michelle her other two co-workers seem like nameless, warm bodies put solely there for her two work off of.

And finally, I have always liked Natalie Zea as an actress.  By rights I should like her and Rob Lowe together... lots of pretty there.  But they just feel like they are rushed and you can't even really tell if they have any real chemistry. 

Oh... no I have real finally... I mean, I am glad TK and Carlos took Paul out to what appears to be an open, inclusive, possibly LGBTQ+ club in Austin -- but 'Rhythm of the Night' by Corona?  Really show?  Really?

Edited February 11, 2020 by DearEvette

[Bulldog]

8 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

The Liv Taylor character is kinda damned if she does damned if she doesn’t with someone people.    She would have gotten the same reaction out of some people if she had shit the guy in the ambulance herself.   It was an accident that anyone could make but apparently she murdered him now.    Then again if she had saved him the very same people would be complaining about how her character is a magically perfect savior who does everything right.

I don't see where anyone has accused the character of murder (unlike the character herself, who has apparently spent years accusing a seemingly innocent man of murder).  Murder implies intent.  What I do see is negligence.  Michelle actually admitted that she was negligent after the fact.  It stuck out because it seemed to be a rare moment of actual self awareness from her.  I'm not a doctor (nor do I play one on TV), so I may have some of the terminology off, but basically she said that since she was aware that the patient had a rare acute form of arthritis, she should have known that the drugs used to treat that condition could result in the reaction that occurred when she shocked him.  Now, I don't know if there was another treatment she could have used, or if there was another drug that could have countered the bad effects, but she admitted that she didn't consider it.   Add in the fact that none of the first responders provided what might be described as compassionate care during their first encounter with the patient (and I'm not suggesting at all that the jerk deserved compassion), and you know for a fact that somebody with a cell phone captured their interactions, any halfway decent ambulance chaser should be seeing dollar signs in their eyes over this case.   

[Moose135]

2 hours ago, saber5055 said:

Speaking of horn dog, WTH was up with Owen, having to prove to that makeup chick that he's not gay? He's a metro NYC dude, cut him some slack. As for his lack of ability to perform, his chemo buddy will explain all that to him next chemo session.

And now "semen" is a banned word?

I thought his chemo buddy told him about the possible side effects before his date, which was why I wasn't surprised when it happened to him.

When they were referring to "bull stuff" I thought "But it's bull semen, not bull shit..."

[Dowel Jones]

I have to give some props to the actor who played the victim during the ambulance accident.  Having to hang there in the gurney while they filmed that scene was probably uncomfortable to say the least.

[saber5055]

1 hour ago, Bulldog said:

I don't see where anyone has accused the character of murder

I've not seen anything like that in this thread either. The only things I've seen Michelle/Liv Tyler accused of here is bad acting, really bad acting, and fish lips on a frozen face. Hardly murder, unless you want to count killing this show all by herself.

[mojito]

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 Does she have a background in biochemistry or something? Her explanation sounded far too rehearsed and didactic to be realistic.

I thought the same about Grace's chemical knowledge about the containers at that semen place. She knows an awful lot for a 9-1-1 operator. 

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 Judd and Grace and Paul were the interesting storylines tonight.

I find myself rolling my eyes at this oddball couple. But hey, it's nice that TV has created them. 

I watch this show for the rescues, but it's too focused on the characters outside of work, so therefore not very appealing. 

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I've not seen anything like that in this thread either.

Well, there is @Bulldog's first post...stating that Michelle killed someone. That could make someone interpret kill as murder, I guess.

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The show suggested the only reason Paul wasn't threatened by a woman beating him at bowling, even though he's never bowled before, is because he's trans so used to be a woman so has compassion and understanding instead of a Me Tarzan 

Silly me. I only thought that Paul was being a good sport, as has been the case with most men I've known whom I've beaten at Putt-Putt Golf (two golfers, and I'd never held a club before), tennis, H-O-R-S-E. I must have missed the "suggestion". In what way was it suggested that Paul was a good sport because he was a transsexual?

Edited February 11, 2020 by mojito

[Bulldog]

4 minutes ago, mojito said:

Well, there is @Bulldog's first post...stating that Michelle killed someone. That could make someone interpret kill as murder, I guess.

I chose the word kill deliberately.  I do not think she "murdered" anyone.  I do stand by my assertion that she negligently caused (or at the very least, contributed to) the man's death.

[saber5055]

7 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

I do not think she "murdered" anyone.  I do stand by my assertion that she negligently caused (or at the very least, contributed to) the man's death.

I still want to know if the guy blew up/exploded. I saw the ambulance go flying on its side but maybe missed why it did.

[Bulldog]

5 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

I still want to know if the guy blew up/exploded. I saw the ambulance go flying on its side but maybe missed why it did.

I think the toxic fumes the guy was giving off (the "garlic" smell) caused the ambulance driver to pass out and lose control.

[saber5055]

13 minutes ago, mojito said:

I only thought that Paul was being a good sport, as has been the case with most men I've known whom I've beaten at Putt-Putt Golf (two golfers, and I'd never held a club before), tennis, H-O-R-S-E. I must have missed the "suggestion". In what way was it suggested that Paul was a good sport because he was a transsexual?

His date was all, "You aren't like any man I've dated before," and she went on and on about how all the "Texas" men were so macho and hated a "girl" besting them at anything.

Since I'm a viewer, I know Paul is trans, so the suggestion "as I saw it" was Paul is how he is because he understands women. Heck, even Paul said he understands "things" better than the common man and knew exactly what his date was saying. And we viewers know why, right?

So blame the writers for leading viewers (me) down that road. I just watch it, I don't write it. Nor do I compare anything on any tv show with my life.

Where were all the cows there for implants when the fire broke out? I saw no bovines in this episode, which I guess means none were harmed during the filming of this episode. (Except the one on Judd's dinner plate.)

1 minute ago, Bulldog said:

I think the toxic fumes the guy was giving off (the "garlic" smell) caused the ambulance driver to pass out and lose control.

Oh, thank you. I sort of like my exploding man line better, but now I remember everyone getting all gassed and going faint.

[mojoween]

I desperately need the striped ottoman at Judd and Grace’s house in my very own house.

Josie may have been carrying a bowling bag on their way out of the bowling alley, but there sure as hell wasn’t a ball in it.

I had NO idea what osso buco is so I looked it up.  Gross. 

Edited February 12, 2020 by mojoween

[slasherboy]

21 hours ago, Bulldog said:

I have a very hard time believing that a straight guy would be that invested in skin care products.  

For what it's worth, the real life Rob Lowe developed his own skin care line called Profile For Men, so I didn't have any problem at all believing it.

[preeya]

59 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I had NO idea what osso buco is so I looked it up.  Gross. 

Generally made with veal shanks. Could also use lamb or pork. If prepared properly they are very tasty.

[jcbrown]

38 minutes ago, slasherboy said:

For what it's worth, the real life Rob Lowe developed his own skin care line called Profile For Men, so I didn't have any problem at all believing it.

Yeah, I see this part of the character as Ryan Murphy and the writers poking a bit of fun at Rob Lowe and him being in on the joke.

[possibilities]

I think the fire spread fast because it was deliberately set, using gasoline as an accelerent. Also, hay will burn down a barn extremely quickly.

 

[saber5055]

26 minutes ago, possibilities said:

Also, hay will burn down a barn extremely quickly.

Only when hay is present. Didn't see much in the scenes shown inside, and a dirt-floor Morton (metal) building doesn't burn like a wooden barn. I'll have to look at that scene again, but that conflagration was pretty bogus to this person, who lives on a farm with five barns and has done many AIs (with horses).

I know, I know, Hollywood dramatic effect. I sometimes get carried away thinking these shows mirror RL. I need to practice my hand waves.

[possibilities]

I always have to handwave what I see on TV, so I sympathize. The more you know about a subject, the more waving is required.

[chlban]

I am really not liking this show at all and find Rob Lowe's character especially unlikable. I will be glad when the original is back, even with JLH.

[shapeshifter]

I just assumed “bull stuff” is how they say it in Texas. 
What bothered me was how cavalier they were about the containers being launched at themselves. 

[tennisgurl]

Judd and Grace continue to be the best and most realistic characters on the show. Even when they fight, I understand where each of them is coming from, and they seem like real issues a couple would have, especially after dealing with such a huge trauma, and not just contrived drama. 

Rob Lowe seems like he is being a good sport about the shows ribbing of his real life love of skin/hair care. I continue to like Owens cancer buddy, and I am not looking forward to his inevitable tragic death. I am glad that TK knows, him being involved with Owens cancer is giving him some good material. 

Michelle actually showed some self awareness, which is what I am going to need to see with her. She made a really bad first impression when we first met her, harassing and stalking a man based on extremely shoddy evidence that he might have been involved in her sisters disappearance (at least Owen got some sympathetic scenes before he attacked the poor guy) to the point where he had to get a restraining order, so I am going to need one hell of a redemption arc for her to get me rooting for her again. I think the implication was that the guy was such an asshole that she just kind of gave him the once over and not the closer look she was probably give a less asshole-y patient. I dont know if she would have made a different choice for his treatment if she had spent more time on him, she seemed to be following procedure, it hard to tell. Of course, like I said, its hard to give her the benefit of the doubt considering the crap she has gotten up to. 

[Raja]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

I just assumed “bull stuff” is how they say it in Texas. 
What bothered me was how cavalier they were about the containers being launched at themselves. 

I assumed as the other religious character on the show after Marjan Marwani, who was sidelined for the most part of the episode, Grace got the vapors at the thought of saying "it"

I was sure someone or something  was going to get hit by a flying can of "stuff"

[Moose135]

45 minutes ago, Raja said:

I was sure someone or something  was going to get hit by a flying can of "stuff"

I was expecting one would hit the guy who started the fire. Karma is a can of "bull stuff".

[saber5055]

14 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

What bothered me was how cavalier they were about the containers being launched at themselves. 

Thanks a lot for making me go down this road, but now I'm thinking those fellas weren't afraid of being hit with some "stuff," they just forgot it was inside heavy reinforced metal containers.

[iMonrey]

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I continue to like Owens cancer buddy, and I am not looking forward to his inevitable tragic death. I am glad that TK knows, him being involved with Owens cancer is giving him some good material. 

When Owen introduced TK to the other chemo patient, and he replied with something akin to "lock up the ladies, Austin!" I found it somewhat unrealistic that TK would offer that he "plays for the other team." I also found it somewhat unrealistic that the elder gentleman responded so nonchalantly to that. This is Texas, after all. Now, on the one hand you might argue this is a "refreshing" change from stereotypes, but in the same episode where one of Paul's contemporaries can't get past his transgenderism, someone roughly twice as old has no issue with homosexuality. Austin or not, this is the bible belt, and the older generation is what it is.

[Bulldog]

44 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

When Owen introduced TK to the other chemo patient, and he replied with something akin to "lock up the ladies, Austin!" I found it somewhat unrealistic that TK would offer that he "plays for the other team." I also found it somewhat unrealistic that the elder gentleman responded so nonchalantly to that. This is Texas, after all. Now, on the one hand you might argue this is a "refreshing" change from stereotypes, but in the same episode where one of Paul's contemporaries can't get past his transgenderism, someone roughly twice as old has no issue with homosexuality. Austin or not, this is the bible belt, and the older generation is what it is.

I didn't find it odd at all.  There's a world of difference between being indifferent to the sexuality of someone you only tangentially know (the son of the random guy you happen to take chemo with) and someone you are considering dating / potentially starting a relationship with.

[possibilities]

I often corrected people who thought I was straight, including decades ago and in situations where I didn't expect a warm reception. Some people are just more out than others. I didn't find TK's response at all unrealistic.

I think times are changing, and many fewer people react negatively to the existence of LGBTQetc people than in the past. But even if that wasn't so, I have no problem with a show being aspirational about portraying people behaving decently.

I think we've seen a mix of reactions from the locals.

I also really appreciate not always having LGBTQ characters being used as misery porn, or punching bags. Not every moment of life is about being beaten down and disappointed. Sometimes things turn out okay.

[Raja]

1 hour ago, Bulldog said:

I didn't find it odd at all.  There's a world of difference between being indifferent to the sexuality of someone you only tangentially know (the son of the random guy you happen to take chemo with) and someone you are considering dating / potentially starting a relationship with.

One thing I noticed before the reveal of Judd's post trauma lack of intimacy was the lack of children. Some woman meeting Paul cold and not prescreened might see dating as the search for a  stuff donor husband not just a hook up

Edited February 13, 2020 by Raja

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, possibilities said:

I think times are changing, and many fewer people react negatively to the existence of LGBTQetc people than in the past. But even if that wasn't so, I have no problem with a show being aspirational about portraying people behaving decently.

Yes, and yes, but I'm also under the impression that Austin is more progressive than Texas in general. Maybe someone who knows the city can verify or correct me.

[llongori]

On 2/12/2020 at 8:42 PM, shapeshifter said:

I just assumed “bull stuff” is how they say it in Texas. 
What bothered me was how cavalier they were about the containers being launched at themselves. 

Texas gal, here...  I've always heard it referred to as semen.  I don't know why they couldn't say that.

 

I want to know WHY the containers were being launched.  A sealed container that is heated generally just explodes rather than launching itself like a projectile.  An (unexpected) abundance of shrapnel flying around inside the building should have been peril enough for fire fighters but wouldn't have been as spectacular, I guess(?).

 

16 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Yes, and yes, but I'm also under the impression that Austin is more progressive than Texas in general. Maybe someone who knows the city can verify or correct me.

Yes, Austin, Houston, Dallas are much more progressive than smaller cities or rural areas, but there is still an abundance of regressive types of all ages.

Edited February 14, 2020 by llongori

[shapeshifter]

36 minutes ago, llongori said:

I want to know WHY the containers were being launched.  A sealed container that is heated generally just explodes rather than launching itself like a projectile.  An (unexpected) abundance of shrapnel flying around inside the building should have been peril enough for fire fighters but wouldn't have been as spectacular, I guess(?).

Yeah, now that you mention it, I don't see how sealed containers could have been shooting around like rockets.
Shrapnel would have been more likely to injure anyone in its vicinity, so I guess the Show decided big containers of semen would be easier to dodge. And there must've been someone(s) with the emotional maturity of a 13-year-old boy who convinced TPTB that flying containers of bull semen would be hilarious. (Not so much, IMO.)

[possibilities]

On 2/11/2020 at 3:39 AM, Dowel Jones said:

Getting a set of pre-plans established should have been their priority while re-establishing Station 126.

Owen was too busy redecorating the station, he forgot about the rest of the job.