S01.E07: The Seventh Episode

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

In Venice, a papal doctor and his wife struggle to care for their sick son and witness a miracle; Pius XIII's devotees grow resigned and change course; an attack on Vatican soil shakes Brannox to his core and prompts him to admit a hard truth to Gutierrez; Sofia comes to Voiello for advice on how to handle the pope. 

Original air date 2020.02.24

[ShellsandCheese]

This season was really missing Jude Law. 

[WaltersHair]

The real miracle is how a man on a ventilator for a year got so tan.

[mjc570]

That was dreadful.  Super boring and pretentious.   And I'm a huge Ulrich Thomsen fan.  What a waste of what should have been a thrilling episode.  The few minutes with Sofia and Voiello were more interesting and dynamic than the rest of the hour combined.  I was sick of Jude Law (except in the opening sequence, ha ha), and his incessant smoking.  Yes, I know, symbolic but who cares.

Hated the death of the dog, although that's probably the only thing John M. cares about enough to cause him to suffer and confess as he did. 

[scrb]

Perfect timing for Lenny to wake up, just as Brannox is crumbling under pressure.

Sorrentino really likes staging the scenes and hitting you over the head with how staged it is.  There’s the damaged Pieta and then the cut immediately to the doctor’s wife holding her son like the Madonna holding Jesus in the famous statue.

In fact Lenny says the wife looks like Madonna.

Lenny goes from a palatial hospital room to a palazzo, apparently on the Grand Canal?  That’s tens of millions.  And he has servants.  Not sure even one of the best cardiologists in the world would have that kind of money.

The wife pleading with him to perform a miracle seems like an exhibition of faith that just seems odd now — church attendance in Europe is on the decline generally.  Of course you have the Lenny cult who thinks the Church killed him.

Did they including Esther commit group suicide or go skinny dipping?

Yeah I really wish they’d do more with the narrative than little bits of it between the music videos and the scene staging.

[marinw]

7 hours ago, WaltersHair said:

The real miracle is how a man on a ventilator for a year got so tan.

Lenny Astral Projected himself onto a beach filled with bikini-dressed nuns. He also Astral Projected himself to the gym.

What's with the ongoing theme of sons with severe disabilities? 

[revbfc]

Back at the beginning of the season I commented that I missed this show.  This episode reminded me that it was really Lenny that I was missing.

[Starchild]

13 hours ago, scrb said:

Perfect timing for Lenny to wake up, just as Brannox is crumbling under pressure.

Sorrentino really likes staging the scenes and hitting you over the head with how staged it is.  There’s the damaged Pieta and then the cut immediately to the doctor’s wife holding her son like the Madonna holding Jesus in the famous statue.

...

Did they including Esther commit group suicide or go skinny dipping?

Actually didn't it cut the opposite way? The wife and son in the tub, followed by the Pieta?

Based on the cult leader's final words at the square, I presume it was suicide. I have to wonder what Ester did with her son, then.

[meep.meep]

I think there had been a TV report of the attack on the Pieta, then the shot of the mother and child in the bath, and finally a shot of the damaged Pieta.

I thought the Pius XIII faithful were going to be cleansed in the ocean.  Just as later Pius says that in heaven people cleanse god.

I love Cardinal Voiello!

[TexasGal]

My dvr cut off right as Cardinal confessor is on the phone, I assume about to tell Brannox about the miracle awakening.  Anything else happen at the end.  Because I for sure am not watching any of these episodes again to find out.  Sort of bummed to miss the random dance at the end though.

[rur]

1 hour ago, TexasGal said:

My dvr cut off right as Cardinal confessor is on the phone, I assume about to tell Brannox about the miracle awakening.  Anything else happen at the end.  Because I for sure am not watching any of these episodes again to find out.  Sort of bummed to miss the random dance at the end though.

Lenny let the parents see their son floating heavenward. 

[SHD]

1 hour ago, TexasGal said:

My dvr cut off right as Cardinal confessor is on the phone, I assume about to tell Brannox about the miracle awakening.  Anything else happen at the end.  Because I for sure am not watching any of these episodes again to find out.  Sort of bummed to miss the random dance at the end though.

No random dance at the end.

[SHD]

7 hours ago, Starchild said:

Based on the cult leader's final words at the square, I presume it was suicide. I have to wonder what Ester did with her son, then.

I thought the same but can’t imagine that’s how they’re going to send Ester off after all the time dedicated to her story this season.

[MV713]

I loved this episode. 

[DoctorAtomic]

Moar bikini Sofia plz.

Is the ambassador always eating something?

Edited February 27, 2020 by DoctorAtomic

[PotterOtherP]

I was really happy when that intro started, complete with the original song. Brannox is like a black hole that sucks all the fun out of the show.

[PotterOtherP]

40 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Moar bikini Sofia plz.

Is the ambassador always eating something?

Go watch a movie called L'Auberge Espagnole, and when you're done with that try Russian Dolls and Chinese Puzzle. That should keep you busy for a while. No need to drool all over this message board.

[DoctorAtomic]

On 2/24/2020 at 8:36 PM, mjc570 said:

What a waste of what should have been a thrilling

I did like woman yelling at him about how he isn't pope anymore and he's a saint now. I mean, I assumed that was coming but it took a while. But yeah this plodded around. 

So much for all the hype about that interview. It lasted all of 5 minutes with like 4 episode buildup. 

I thought for a second that the Lenny Cult blew up the Vatican, but I guess it was the Iblis group from the recording. 

No way Lenny wakes up and sneaks out if Vioello was still running things. 

I know the show is heavy on the music but this was overbearing. 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by DoctorAtomic

[FemmyV]

I loved the episode, and how it wandered around exploring so many peoples' weaknesses. And Jude, wow. I don't think I've ever appreciated his screen presence as much as I did tonight and I've always been a Malkovich fan.

[pasdetrois]

The incessant smoking took me out of the episode. I believe Law is a heavy smoker in real life, but actors who don't smoke look fake doing it on camera.

I was very moved by the scene where Pius comforted the child, and the conversation around it. And I'm not religious.

I wonder whose palazzo that is.

One thing I don't like is the lack of light in many of the scenes.

Years ago "Vogue" ran a feature on Malcovich, in which he swanned about his estate striking very affected poses in beautiful luxe caftans. I idly wondered if he was wearing one of his own in this episode.

[FemmyV]

5 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

One thing I don't like is the lack of light in many of the scenes.

I feel the light is used very strategically, overall, but especially this episode in the Venice scenes and JP3's confession.

I don't know if there was any real dramatic purpose in the latter, but Gutierrez looked like a Rembrandt more than a living person and I thought that was fascinating.

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

5 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

I was very moved by the scene where Pius comforted the child, and the conversation around it. And I'm not religious.

Same. I almost cried when the boy had a tear and I full-on bought everything Pius was telling him, even though I have no idea what his lips were actually saying.  And I personally am also not religious.  Jude's acting there was just perfect. 

Also, I've really been missing Hot Pope Pius Law.  Swoon. 

Beautiful Jude Law in his beautifully done hair piece & spray tan in beautiful locations.  I don't know why I was trying to kid myself that I watched this show for another primary reason.  

On 2/25/2020 at 10:28 PM, rur said:

Lenny let the parents see their son floating heavenward. 

Ah, that makes sense. I thought he was letting them glimpse into Heaven to see their son there, but that explanation makes more sense, I think (from what I remember of the scene). 

Edited February 27, 2020 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[scrb]

44 minutes ago, FemmyV said:

I feel the light is used very strategically, overall, but especially this episode in the Venice scenes and JP3's confession.

I don't know if there was any real dramatic purpose in the latter, but Gutierrez looked like a Rembrandt more than a living person and I thought that was fascinating.

I think there's a preference for under lighting, especially those Venice palazzi, rather than load them up with hot strobes.

They're not going to install recessed lighting on those beautiful ceilings so it would have to be chandeliers and floor lamps.

So spare number of light sources and they're dim.  I liked the entrance of the palazzo with the two bright lamps on both sides of the door.

I stayed in a former palazzo in Siena and it was very spacious, essentially one large space.  There was a table which could seat a dozen, was at least 12 foot long.  For lighting, they had really small and underpowered table lamps around the bed, one chandelier over the table and then they installed LED strips along the wall molding or paneling.

But with every light on at night, it was still darker than I was used to, compared to having recessed LED cans which I can dim.

 

[PrincessPurrsALot]

59 minutes ago, FemmyV said:

I feel the light is used very strategically, overall, but especially this episode in the Venice scenes and JP3's confession.

I don't know if there was any real dramatic purpose in the latter, but Gutierrez looked like a Rembrandt more than a living person and I thought that was fascinating.

I always feel like Gutierrez is from another century.  The lighting and framing here really accented that look.  He has a fascinating face.

Overall, while well acted, the episode was too slow for me.  This show is always beautiful to look at, but I miss the more active first season. 

[SHD]

59 minutes ago, MyPeopleAreNordic said:

Ah, that makes sense. I thought he was letting them glimpse into Heaven to see their son there, but that explanation makes more sense, I think (from what I remember of the scene). 

This is what I thought, as well. I'm not sure there's a correct answer. I think it was deliberately done the way it was so that the viewer could decide what the miracle he was showing them was. Perhaps he was showing them that, in heaven, their son had no disabilities and was completely free of all his suffering and pain.

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

I also really miss the story line about Lenny's parents who abandoned him at the orphanage and his struggle to understand it/search for them.  I was almost expecting him to immediately be like "I saw them before I blacked out" after he woke up....but maybe he got all his answers when he saw heaven or...his mind is occupied with the whole "whoa, I was dead and I'm totally alive" stuff. In any case, I found that story line and how it shaped Lenny's life and actions to be the most interesting season 1 story line....and it feels unresolved.  Is Lenny no longer bugged by it? Will he be bugged later? Is it a total non-issue for the resurrected? I hope there's some kind of answer in the next two episodes rather than ignoring it.

[Starchild]

2 hours ago, SHD said:

This is what I thought, as well. I'm not sure there's a correct answer. I think it was deliberately done the way it was so that the viewer could decide what the miracle he was showing them was. Perhaps he was showing them that, in heaven, their son had no disabilities and was completely free of all his suffering and pain.

So is that what happened at the end? Regardless of the meaning behind the vision shown to the parents, did the boy die?

[SHD]

2 hours ago, Starchild said:

So is that what happened at the end? Regardless of the meaning behind the vision shown to the parents, did the boy die?

Yes. After his arm raised and then dropped, his chest was no longer moving. And the end shot was his soul being lifted skyward.

I still want to know why Brannox’s parents despise him so much. Supposedly he didn’t do enough to save his brother, but from what? Do they also know he stole his brother’s work? I kind of thought we’d find out he had actually killed his brother.

Ester had her son with her on the boat, so to someone’s point above, where was he when she walked into the water?

[MV713]

21 hours ago, FemmyV said:

I don't know if there was any real dramatic purpose in the latter, but Gutierrez looked like a Rembrandt more than a living person and I thought that was fascinating.

I felt that exact way!  He looked like a painting.

[revbfc]

22 hours ago, MyPeopleAreNordic said:

I also really miss the story line about Lenny's parents who abandoned him at the orphanage and his struggle to understand it/search for them.  I was almost expecting him to immediately be like "I saw them before I blacked out" after he woke up....but maybe he got all his answers when he saw heaven or...his mind is occupied with the whole "whoa, I was dead and I'm totally alive" stuff. In any case, I found that story line and how it shaped Lenny's life and actions to be the most interesting season 1 story line....and it feels unresolved.  Is Lenny no longer bugged by it? Will he be bugged later? Is it a total non-issue for the resurrected? I hope there's some kind of answer in the next two episodes rather than ignoring it.

There is a part of me that wanted more info on Lenny’s parents, but having them walk away from the crowd in Venice is fine by me.  This storyline where everyone feels abandoned by Lenny is becoming more poignant to me now.  I really felt how lost everyone was without him.

[FrankOFoley]

Beautiful. Well done. I loved it. It was poetic in a way that made me think of the Ozymandias episode of Breaking Bad.

 I hope for a miracle that it will be renewed for another season.

[AAEBoiler]

On 2/27/2020 at 8:11 PM, SHD said:

I kind of thought we’d find out he had actually killed his brother.

I was always thinking that we'd find out that he was really Adam and that John was the one who died.