S01.E05: Zoey’s Extraordinary Failure

[formerlyfreedom]

After hearing her first duet, Zoey gets a little too involved in her brother's marriage. Leif receives negative feedback at work. Maggie is offered an enticing work opportunity.

Airing Sunday, March 8, 2020.

[Roaster]

I love that Clash song they used at the end.

REM's Everybody Hurts, while objectively a good song, seems almost cliche now.  You knew it would show up in this show sooner than later.

[memememe76]

I have no interest in Zoey breaking an engagement. I am far more interested in her brother and wife. Will there really be no follow through of that plot next week? Give Me a Reason was my favourite performance this series.

Edited March 9, 2020 by memememe76

[AnimeMania]

Emily barely looks pregnant, no wonder they were worried that dad won't live long enough to witness the birth.

[Suzysite]

If they'll cheat with you, Zoey, they'll cheat on you. Just don't.

[Lady Calypso]

Man, I am not looking forward to Simon/Zoey, just because they're going to break up an engagement. They really should have just gone with a normal girlfriend...or no girlfriend. An engagement is just a bit too serious for me to really root for Simon/Zoey right now, which is a shame because I'm enjoying some of the Simon/Zoey scenes.  Simon's already on his way to starting an emotional affair with Zoey, and with that end song, she doesn't seem to mind it at all.

I really enjoyed this episode and getting more of David/Emily. I missed last week's episode so I'll have to go back, but this one was fairly strong with the other characters. Either I missed the pregnancy reveal from the last episode, or it was mentioned in one of the other episodes and I forgot.

Hell, I even didn't mind Leif's subplot with Zoey. Although, yeah, Everybody Hurts is one of quite a few overused songs so I wish they had found another song to use. Maybe getting it out of the way now is a better bet, though.

What I liked about this episode is that two of the plots (Leif/Zoey and David/Zoey) didn't end on a good note at all. They'll carry it over into future episodes, and I love that.

Also, I loved Zoey's callback to Leif's song in the pilot. That was brilliant, even if simple and obvious.

I didn't mind Maggie getting a job offer either. I thought it ended on a very sweet note. 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Hell, I even didn't mind Leif's subplot with Zoey. Although, yeah, Everybody Hurts is one of quite a few overused songs so I wish they had found another song to use. Maybe getting it out of the way now is a better bet, though.

I’m tired of the song but I thought it was a deliberate choice to show that Lief was engaging in self-indulgent wallowing. It was a really nice contrast to the anguish of the other sadder plots. It felt true to the character and I can’t think of any other song that would been sad and eye roll worthy at the same time. It really is the musical equivalent of Leif’s behavior. 

[possibilities]

I wasn't sympathetic to Zoey's brother at all. He's lying and sneaking around and being a total coward. Zoey was wrong to break his confidence, but she was in a terrible position and it was really his fault.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

21 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I wasn't sympathetic to Zoey's brother at all. He's lying and sneaking around and being a total coward. Zoey was wrong to break his confidence, but she was in a terrible position and it was really his fault.

Zoey should have told him that his wife suspected he was having an affair so she wanted to nip that suspicion in the bud.

I also wish Zoey had thought to tell her brother that things are somewhat different for boys now than they were 30 years ago. I bet more than half the guys she works with were not jocks. 

[allonsyalice]

Oh GOD, Back in 2013 or so (maybe 2014) with Just Give Me A Reason came out, I wasn’t in a good place and i’d listen to it all the time and cry. Fast forward 7 years later, im in a different not good place and this episode had it out for me.

MOVING ON, I really love the premise of this show. The idea of a duet is really interesting and I like the way the show handled it. 
 

I’m much more into her brother and sister in law’s plot than I am watching a man who is going through a lot right now cheat on his charming and sweet fiancee.  (No matter how good he sounded singing that Clash song) (my musical theatre ass went “ah yes, The Cure”) 

 

My dumbass also went “why does Zoey have a portrait of Queen Victoria on her wall?” She doesn't, it’s Ada Lovelace, which is a great easter egg. 
 

I’m also really into Maggie adjusting to her life now. Learning about her and Mitch’s history was sweet and I’m glad she’s still working. 
 

I know he was sad, but Leif was some good comic relief.  Him sitting on the platform with his head on the bars? Perfect.  

[mommalib]

Simon and Zoey have a deep connection. I don't think he will cheat on his fiance but they will probably break up. I don't know why they gave him a fiance to begin with. But after that's out of the way i'm looking forward to Simon and Zoey. I find it funny that people are acting as if Simon is a cheater but he hasn't actually cheated. 

Edited March 9, 2020 by mommalib

[shapeshifter]

37 minutes ago, Dani said:

Lief was engaging in self-indulgent wallowing. It was a really nice contrast to the anguish of the other sadder plots. It felt true to the character and I can’t think of any other song that would been sad and eye roll worthy at the same time. It really is the musical equivalent of Leif’s behavior.

So that's what they were going for? "Self-indulgent wallowing"? Yeah, you're probably right--given the song choice etc.--but, IMO, it was horribly wrong. Suicidal depression may involve a lot of "self-indulgent wallowing," but it's no less real than any other depression caused by things not involving a person's brain chemistry., and, unlike many reasons to be sad, depression doesn't just go away. 

 

1 hour ago, Suzysite said:

If they'll cheat with you, Zoey, they'll cheat on you. Just don't.

Always. All the time. Each and every time. Cheaters gonna cheat. Got that, youngsters? 
But, wow. Suicide --especially in bipolars-- can run in families. 

 

6 minutes ago, allonsyalice said:

The idea of a duet is really interesting and I like the way the show handled it. 

Yes, but the plot was another downer. Too many downers for one episode.

Dear Show, Zoey is not educated, trained, or equipped to be a therapist. 

Peter Gallagher's number was fabulous, though. And Mary Steenburgen's smile afterward was radiant. She doesn't need to sing. 

[Harvey]

Every song sang by Zoey's dad is a treasure.

I enjoyed the All I Do is Win throwback. Keeping track of the song callbacks and references is something I’m gonna love.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

It never ceases to amaze me how people on tv have time to do things like drive over to their parents' house to look at their old childhood stuff before work. I can barely get my ass out the door and to work at a decent time, so driving across town to casually go through boxes of toys is not really feasible before work for me.

I did not have any sympathy for Zoey's brother. Boo hoo, you have responsibilities. Your wife is growing a person inside her so the least you could do is come home and put together the crib that your child is going to sleep in. If you need a night off, just say so. I know we haven't seen much of Emily, but she doesn't seem like an unreasonable person who would begrudge her spouse a night to go hang out with his friends. David's O'Riley case = George Costanza's Penske file.

Maybe I'm the crazy one, but your spouse should be your best friend and the person who you can talk to about ANYTHING. If you are stressed, that's the first person you should tell. Even if you don't agree with me about that, you should logically know that pushing your spouse away (especially when she's pregnant) is not going to fix anything. It's just going to make things worse.

Same goes for Simon. Jessica knows his dad died. It's not like it's a big secret. If you can't talk to your fiancée about your feelings, why are you marrying her?

I get why David was mad that he confided in Zoey and asked her to keep it a secret and then she told Emily the truth. That really does suck. But the person who is really in the wrong here is David for not being honest with his wife. I don't care if he was trying to keep her pregnancy stress free. He is the one who lied to his wife and kept secrets from her so that is on him. His behavior is what caused his pregnant wife to think he was cheating on her. That's not exactly contributing to a stress-free pregnancy nor is promising to help set up the baby's room and then leaving your wife alone to do it herself, so if you want to blame anyone then look in the mirror, David.

Mmmm, pupusas.

I'm glad that Max ended things with Autumn once he realized that he wasn't into her whole free spirit thing. There's no reason to stay in a relationship (especially one that's so new) if you aren't happy. This is the honeymoon phase so if you aren't totally blissed out now, you probably aren't going to get any happier if you stay in it. Too often on tv shows, we see people who are unhappy staying in their relationships so I liked that once he knew that they didn't mesh, he just told her instead of dragging things out.

MAJOR DEMERITS to the prop department for this extremely common but extremely annoying error:

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo
Typo

[ams1001]

9 hours ago, Dani said:

I’m tired of the song but I thought it was a deliberate choice to show that Lief was engaging in self-indulgent wallowing. It was a really nice contrast to the anguish of the other sadder plots. It felt true to the character and I can’t think of any other song that would been sad and eye roll worthy at the same time. It really is the musical equivalent of Leif’s behavior. 

Did he do any work at all or did he just spend all day sitting around looking sad? (Isolation pods, garden swings, what doesn't this office have? Oh, and a taco bar, apparently; made me want nachos.)

3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

It never ceases to amaze me how people on tv have time to do things like drive over to their parents' house to look at their old childhood stuff before work. I can barely get my ass out the door and to work at a decent time, so driving across town to casually go through boxes of toys is not really feasible before work for me.

lol...I made a similar comment on A Million Little Things a while back. I didn't realize they were doing that before work. I can stop at my parents' house before work if absolutely necessary (it's not on my way, but it's not too far out of the way) if I leave a few minutes early, but when I've done that it's to grab something or drop something off and I'm not even there long enough to bother turning off my car. 

3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Maybe I'm the crazy one, but your spouse should be your best friend and the person who you can talk to about ANYTHING. If you are stressed, that's the first person you should tell. Even if you don't agree with me about that, you should logically know that pushing your spouse away (especially when she's pregnant) is not going to fix anything. It's just going to make things worse.

I wanted to smack him and say "there's no such thing as a stress-free pregnancy, so just talk to your wife, already."

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by ams1001

[Lady Calypso]

3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I did not have any sympathy for Zoey's brother. Boo hoo, you have responsibilities. Your wife is growing a person inside her so the least you could do is come home and put together the crib that your child is going to sleep in. If you need a night off, just say so. I know we haven't seen much of Emily, but she doesn't seem like an unreasonable person who would begrudge her spouse a night to go hang out with his friends. David's O'Riley case = George Costanza's Penske file.

Maybe I'm the crazy one, but your spouse should be your best friend and the person who you can talk to about ANYTHING. If you are stressed, that's the first person you should tell. Even if you don't agree with me about that, you should logically know that pushing your spouse away (especially when she's pregnant) is not going to fix anything. It's just going to make things worse.

I totally agree. David's reasons for lying and hanging out with the boys and not talking to his wife aren't really good reasons. Plus, I'll admit, I'm a bit annoyed that he's scared because his boy might not end up being manly, as if that's the worst thing ever if he was into theatre or anime or something non-sports related.

David's issues with his masculinity seem to be more stemmed at the idea that he wasn't able to move forward in the romantic department until college. Which...maybe because I have experience in that exact department, but it isn't a bad thing?

And then blaming Zoey put me in an annoyed mood because she didn't mean to tell Emily but she couldn't leave that conversation, knowing that Emily was thinking that her husband was having an affair. 

I liked the story regardless, but I didn't like David's stance on it at ALL. 

[dubbel zout]

David is wallowing as much as Leif right now, just in a different way. I have no patience for man-babies. Grow the fuck up, dudes. Adult life can suck, yes, but nothing is all good all the time. Gah.

[mommalib]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

It never ceases to amaze me how people on tv have time to do things like drive over to their parents' house to look at their old childhood stuff before work. I can barely get my ass out the door and to work at a decent time, so driving across town to casually go through boxes of toys is not really feasible before work for me.

I did not have any sympathy for Zoey's brother. Boo hoo, you have responsibilities. Your wife is growing a person inside her so the least you could do is come home and put together the crib that your child is going to sleep in. If you need a night off, just say so. I know we haven't seen much of Emily, but she doesn't seem like an unreasonable person who would begrudge her spouse a night to go hang out with his friends. David's O'Riley case = George Costanza's Penske file.

Maybe I'm the crazy one, but your spouse should be your best friend and the person who you can talk to about ANYTHING. If you are stressed, that's the first person you should tell. Even if you don't agree with me about that, you should logically know that pushing your spouse away (especially when she's pregnant) is not going to fix anything. It's just going to make things worse.

Same goes for Simon. Jessica knows his dad died. It's not like it's a big secret. If you can't talk to your fiancée about your feelings, why are you marrying her?

I get why David was mad that he confided in Zoey and asked her to keep it a secret and then she told Emily the truth. That really does suck. But the person who is really in the wrong here is David for not being honest with his wife. I don't care if he was trying to keep her pregnancy stress free. He is the one who lied to his wife and kept secrets from her so that is one him. His behavior is what caused his pregnant wife to think he was cheating on her. That's not exactly contributing to a stress-free pregnancy nor is promising to help set up the baby's room and then leaving your wife alone to do it herself, so if you want to blame anyone then look in the mirror, David.

Mmmm, pupusas.

I'm glad that Max ended things with Autumn once he realized that he wasn't into her whole free spirit thing. There's no reason to stay in a relationship (especially one that's so new) if you aren't happy. This is the honeymoon phase so if you aren't totally blissed out now, you probably aren't going to get any happier if you stay in it. Too often on tv shows, we see people who are unhappy staying in their relationships so I liked that once he knew that they didn't mesh, he just told her instead of dragging things out.

MAJOR DEMERITS to the prop department for this extremely common but extremely annoying error:

 

 

 

As far as Simon goes, why is he marrying her? Well that's a good question. I am going to assume that he won't. 

[springbarb]

9 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Zoey should have told him that his wife suspected he was having an affair so she wanted to nip that suspicion in the bud.

Yes! I was so annoyed that she didn't point that out to him. "Dave. Your wife thought you were CHEATING. ON. HER. What did you want me to say?"

10 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Simon's already on his way to starting an emotional affair with Zoey, and with that end song, she doesn't seem to mind it at all.

He's already having an emotional affair with her.

[ams1001]

I wonder if someone on the writing staff reads the Ask a Manager blog...there was a question recently about "anonymous peer review" and unexpectedly having the comments read verbatim to each employee, resulting in some hurt feelings. (Not sure if it was recently enough that the episode would have already been written or not.)

[ItCouldBeWorse]

5 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

MAJOR DEMERITS to the prop department for this extremely common but extremely annoying error:

Naughty comma.

1 hour ago, mommalib said:

As far as Simon goes, why is he marrying her? Well that's a good question. I am going to assume that he won't. 

Yeah, but then Maggie loses out on providing the wedding flowers! A true conflict of interest for Zoey.

Edited March 9, 2020 by ItCouldBeWorse

[chaifan]

Anonymous peer reviews:  So Zoey suggests this, but with the idea that everyone just reads their own.  Joan approves of it, not because she likes the idea, but because she wants to support Zoey as manager.  But then Joan takes total advantage of it by giving Leif a brutally honest review and then reading it back to him, under the guise that it's from one of his peers.  Because, um, it's supposed to be peer review.  I was really liking Joan as a boss until that moment.  Considering he's under her chain of supervision, these are things she could have - and should have - said to him at any time.  But she was a coward, and now it's blown back on Zoey.  boo. 

Did anyone else notice the display above the bar keeps changing - taco bar, coffee bar, etc. 

Isolation pods:  OK, I thought they were just weird chairs until they showed Leif in one with it shut.  I never realized they closed up.  How, exactly, does one breathe in there when it's shut?  And wouldn't they get stinky? 

I enjoyed self wallowing Leif, and thought it was true to character that by the end he had absolutely no self awareness and just blamed Zoey for the whole thing. 

Simon: count me among those that does not want Zoey to break up Simon and Jessica.  But since Simon now has the feels for Zoey I don't know where this is going where it won't lead to major awkwardness at the office. 

Family time:  I noticed early on that family time is almost always in the morning, before everyone goes to work.  And I also can't figure out how that works for most people with normal work schedules.  But, I figured at least for Zoey, who is in a field that is notorious for long work days, it was more realistic than her showing up for 6:00 family dinners.  So I'm just going to hand wave this one. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

2 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I didn't realize they were doing that before work.

Emily made a comment about how they had to get going because David needed to get to work. The scene after that was Zoey at work in the same outfit when Joan announced that they were meeting with everyone about their peer reviews. I’m not sure exactly where Zoey’s parents are supposed to live but their house is pretty big with a (large for SF) yard on a flat street so I can’t think of anywhere near the Embarcadero/Financial District where a house like that could be located (in other words, it’s not near Zoey’s office and probably not convenient to stop by on her way to work).

 

[ams1001]

14 minutes ago, chaifan said:

Isolation pods:  OK, I thought they were just weird chairs until they showed Leif in one with it shut.  I never realized they closed up.  How, exactly, does one breathe in there when it's shut?  And wouldn't they get stinky? 

It looked like there were several holes in the cover when it was closed; I assumed they're for ventilation. 

My problem with that is you have to be all curled up, which would get uncomfortable after a while.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, mommalib said:

As far as Simon goes, why is he marrying her? Well that's a good question. I am going to assume that he won't. 

I’m assuming they got engaged before his father’s suicide and their problems stem from that. He feels like she can’t understand his grief and is turning to Zoey instead. In many ways it parallels David’s storyline. Which is exactly way I don’t think anything is going to happen between Simon and Zoey. 

[Dowel Jones]

7 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

MAJOR DEMERITS to the prop department for this extremely common but extremely annoying error:

Over on the new show Tommy, one of the episodes featured a protest bordering on a riot.  The Mayor got everyone calmed down, and the next day's newspaper headline read "Mayor Diffuses Riot".  No, the Mayor does not have a chemistry degree.  He defused the riot.  Silly prop department.

[mommalib]

1 hour ago, Dani said:

I’m assuming they got engaged before his father’s suicide and their problems stem from that. He feels like she can’t understand his grief and is turning to Zoey instead. In many ways it parallels David’s storyline. Which is exactly way I don’t think anything is going to happen between Simon and Zoey. 

I disagree I believe something will happen between maybe not soon but in the future.

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I totally agree. David's reasons for lying and hanging out with the boys and not talking to his wife aren't really good reasons. Plus, I'll admit, I'm a bit annoyed that he's scared because his boy might not end up being manly, as if that's the worst thing ever if he was into theatre or anime or something non-sports related.

David's issues with his masculinity seem to be more stemmed at the idea that he wasn't able to move forward in the romantic department until college.

Based upon posts here thus far (haven't looked at other social media) I guess I'm the only one who thought this sounded an awful lot like David is gay and doesn't know it? 
Dear Writers: If you don't want me to think this^ then write better!

 

 

3 hours ago, chaifan said:

Anonymous peer reviews:  So Zoey suggests this, but with the idea that everyone just reads their own.  Joan approves of it, not because she likes the idea, but because she wants to support Zoey as manager.  But then Joan takes total advantage of it by giving Leif a brutally honest review and then reading it back to him, under the guise that it's from one of his peers.  Because, um, it's supposed to be peer review.  I was really liking Joan as a boss until that moment.  Considering he's under her chain of supervision, these are things she could have - and should have - said to him at any time.  But she was a coward, and now it's blown back on Zoey.  boo. 

Gack. It's like they took my former horrible boss of 17 years who everyone working under her during that time agreed was a horrible boss except for one saintly soul who never gossips, and they put her personality and boss-style on steroids. 
Dear Writers: It's me again, shapeshifter. Write better villains. 

 

3 hours ago, chaifan said:

Isolation pods:  OK, I thought they were just weird chairs until they showed Leif in one with it shut.  I never realized they closed up.  How, exactly, does one breathe in there when it's shut?  And wouldn't they get stinky? 

Maybe because all news is saturated with PSAs to wash hands right now (to Martians reading this: It's Covid-19) I was thinking at first: Isolation pods? Cool? But then quickly thought: Isolation pods? Where people cry and blow their noses? Ew!
And then this led me to thinking about how in all of Zoey's Googleplex Workplace we never see a custodian or food service worker. 
Dear Writers/Creators of the Show: Wait! Yes, it's shapeshifter again, but just give me 20 seconds. If  you want diversity in your show (and clearly you do) you really don't want minimum wage workers to be invisible.

[Goldmoon]

I would be less concerned that Lief would suffocate than he was openly wallowing while getting paid to work. Zoey should have fought back with David. If he had talked to his wife in the first place Zoey would not have had to say anything. She was crying for chrissake! As a fan of Everybody Hurts I am going to go against the grain here and say I was thrilled to hear it. After all your comments about overuse I REALLY want to hear Achy Breaky Heart now! 😁

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I guess I'm the only one who thought this sounded an awful lot like David is gay and doesn't know it? 

Liking musical theater and/or not liking sports does not equal gay man. I would hope that a show like this wouldn’t resort  to that stereotype. (And I know lots of straight men who have loved musicals since they were kids!)

in all of Zoey's Googleplex Workplace we never see a custodian or food service worker. 

Dear Writers/Creators of the Show: Wait! Yes, it's shapeshifter again, but just give me 20 seconds. If  you want diversity in your show (and clearly you do) you really don't want minimum wage workers to be invisible.

At all the offices where I have worked, the custodial staff comes in late at night. At offices that provide free food (especially big spreads like we’ve seen on this show), the food gets set up very early (before most of the other employees arrive) so that everyone can dig in as soon as they get to the office. If you try to set up the food after they arrive, it’s chaos.

[SomeTameGazelle]

11 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Did he do any work at all or did he just spend all day sitting around looking sad?

A significant proportion of the time we saw him moping was while he was singing, so I assumed that was just what Zoey's power showed her and otherwise he could have been working (when he wasn't doodling the Joker).

[ItCouldBeWorse]

9 hours ago, ams1001 said:

It looked like there were several holes in the cover when it was closed; I assumed they're for ventilation. 

My problem with that is you have to be all curled up, which would get uncomfortable after a while.

That's a feature, not a bug; if it were too comfortable, a single person might occupy it for a lengthy period and others would't get a turn.

[Clanstarling]

On 3/8/2020 at 8:23 PM, Lady Calypso said:

I really enjoyed this episode and getting more of David/Emily. I missed last week's episode so I'll have to go back, but this one was fairly strong with the other characters. Either I missed the pregnancy reveal from the last episode, or it was mentioned in one of the other episodes and I forgot.

They had the gender reveal in the last episode.

 

23 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I totally agree. David's reasons for lying and hanging out with the boys and not talking to his wife aren't really good reasons. Plus, I'll admit, I'm a bit annoyed that he's scared because his boy might not end up being manly, as if that's the worst thing ever if he was into theatre or anime or something non-sports related.

David's issues with his masculinity seem to be more stemmed at the idea that he wasn't able to move forward in the romantic department until college. Which...maybe because I have experience in that exact department, but it isn't a bad thing?

And then blaming Zoey put me in an annoyed mood because she didn't mean to tell Emily but she couldn't leave that conversation, knowing that Emily was thinking that her husband was having an affair. 

I liked the story regardless, but I didn't like David's stance on it at ALL. 

If I'd watched this last year, I wouldn't have any sympathy for David at all. But, having recently been overwhelmed by a shit storm of both bad (think of me as Mary Steenburgen) and happy (arranging a family reunion and sending off my youngest to her exciting new life far away), I get how overwhelmed he is, and how happy stuff is sometimes just as overwhelming as the difficult.

That being said, he handled it poorly - absolutely.

But also based on my experience with a husband not unlike David in his "unmanliness" - my take wasn't the fear that his son wouldn't be manly, but that his son, if he took after him, would experience the same pain as he did. And no one wants their kid to experience that, even while knowing that they will inevitably feel pain. My husband was very happy and relieved that we had daughters instead of sons.

As always, loved the music and performances.

 

[AnimeMania]

36 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

But also based on my experience with a husband not unlike David in his "unmanliness" - my take wasn't the fear that his son wouldn't be manly, but that his son, if he took after him, would experience the same pain as he did.

But he learned how to fake enough macho-ness that he can hang out every night with his bro/dudes in a sports bar? And that took him to his happy place? Go home to your distressed wife you conflicted poser!

[Harvey]

59 minutes ago, AnimeMania said:

But he learned how to fake enough macho-ness that he can hang out every night with his bro/dudes in a sports bar? And that took him to his happy place? Go home to your distressed wife you conflicted poser!

Maybe he is overcompensating on the bro behaviour as an adult because he missed out on it as a kid. 🤔

[HappyBerry]

I'm really curious the direction this show is going next. I felt annoyed when they revealed Max was in love with her....then appreciated him getting set up with someone else. Then, when Zoey bonded with her mom and was stepping away from Simon. I was really gaining an appreciation for the way this show was doing a great job of lightly stepping around all the usual cliches. Then Max breaking up with Autumn (at least it was over a personality incompatibility rather than him realizing he was still in love with Zoey) and Simon's song and I'm afraid they are going in for a big old messy love triangle. But, maybe they'll surprise me again.

I'm also hoping there is a moment when David realizes he was in the wrong....I think we was angry and stressed and lashing out in the right direction.  Though, it would have been nice to have a "would you prefer I had let her continue to think you were cheating on you?" from Zoey. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

If I'd watched this last year, I wouldn't have any sympathy for David at all. But, having recently been overwhelmed by a shit storm of both bad (think of me as Mary Steenburgen) and happy (arranging a family reunion and sending off my youngest to her exciting new life far away), I get how overwhelmed he is, and how happy stuff is sometimes just as overwhelming as the difficult.

That being said, he handled it poorly - absolutely.

Yeah, I had a lot of sympathy for how he was feeling and even his need to escape his responsibilities temporarily. He only completely lost me when he decided to play the victim when he caught. 

Facing the loss of a parent is extremely difficult but David and Simon both need a swift kick in the ass for emotionally abandoning their partners.

37 minutes ago, HappyBerry said:

Then Max breaking up with Autumn (at least it was over a personality incompatibility rather than him realizing he was still in love with Zoey) and Simon's song and I'm afraid they are going in for a big old messy love triangle. But, maybe they'll surprise me again.

They may drag the love triangle out a bit but I have a feeling it will end soon when Zoey hears Jessica sing. 

[HappyBerry]

3 minutes ago, Dani said:

They may drag the love triangle out a bit but I have a feeling it will end soon when Zoey hears Jessica sing. 

Hopefully that results in both of them kicking him aside then. It would be good for Zoey if this ended, but I would still feel bad for Jessica, she's done nothing wrong. I do appreciate that so far they haven't painted her as a villain. Sure, she didn't know how upset Simon was, but that is mostly on him and his total lack of communication about it. Even Zoey wouldn't have known without the song...which is an interesting thing that this show has explored a little and I hope it explores more.

[Clanstarling]

6 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

But he learned how to fake enough macho-ness that he can hang out every night with his bro/dudes in a sports bar? And that took him to his happy place? Go home to your distressed wife you conflicted poser!

One could argue that we all learn to present ourselves as adults in ways that allow us to blend in. And in the non-musical portions of David's story there - the guys weren't really bro/dudes, but other lawyers just shooting pool at a sports bar's pool table - not exactly shooting hoops or playing football.

But absolutely, he needed to not lie and needed to be honest with his wife and his "poor me" is tiresome.

[Empress1]

On 3/8/2020 at 11:23 PM, Lady Calypso said:

Man, I am not looking forward to Simon/Zoey, just because they're going to break up an engagement. They really should have just gone with a normal girlfriend...or no girlfriend.

Right. If they needed something to keep them apart, they could have used work (although people on TV are very cavalier about workplace romance).As it is, he's already having an emotional affair - showing up at Zoey's place at night to talk through something important that he ostensibly hasn't talked through with his fiancé is already not OK, even if they don't hook up (and we know he wants to). I wouldn't be cool with that if I were Jessica. 

On 3/8/2020 at 11:45 PM, Dani said:

I’m tired of the song but I thought it was a deliberate choice to show that Lief was engaging in self-indulgent wallowing. It was a really nice contrast to the anguish of the other sadder plots. It felt true to the character and I can’t think of any other song that would been sad and eye roll worthy at the same time. It really is the musical equivalent of Leif’s behavior. 

I was thinking, don't you have work to do? If he really couldn't function, he could have called out sick!

On 3/9/2020 at 10:16 AM, ams1001 said:

I wonder if someone on the writing staff reads the Ask a Manager blog...there was a question recently about "anonymous peer review" and unexpectedly having the comments read verbatim to each employee, resulting in some hurt feelings. (Not sure if it was recently enough that the episode would have already been written or not.)

Everybody should read AAM!

This was my favorite of Peter Gallagher's songs so far and I liked that Maggie took the job.

SF folks: how much would Zoey's place rent for? 

Edited March 10, 2020 by Empress1

[BabyVegas]

Yeah, I couldn't drum up a whole lot of sympathy for David. First of all, Zoey was in a pretty difficult situation. Her brother was expecting her to cover for him. The second he knew he was caught, not doing anything about it was a cowardly move.

Second of all, the fact that he said Emily didn't want any kids and he had to talk her into it? Red flags all over the place. But even moving past that, he is not the one physically putting his body through Hell for this baby. His wife is. The absolute least he can do is talk to his wife about his issues with masculinity. Realistically that's the exact sort of thing he should talk to a mental health professional about, if he can afford it. 

I also have very little sympathy for Leif. The way Joan went about giving him that review was ethically messed up, but she also wasn't wrong. It seemed like Leif was moping about people not liking him exactly the way he is with no effort on his part. That's not realistic. Sometimes we have to hear things we don't want to. It's part of being a grown-up. The answer is not to mope around like a hurt puppy. The answer is to decide whether you can live with people thinking that about you or not. If you decide you can't, then you work to change. His whole attitude was infuriating but also very realistic. I was glad that Zoey called him out on that, but he was a child about the whole thing.

[Empress1]

8 minutes ago, BabyVegas said:

Second of all, the fact that he said Emily didn't want any kids and he had to talk her into it? Red flags all over the place.

That's nuts. That's some stuff you work out BEFORE you get married.

9 minutes ago, BabyVegas said:

The answer is not to mope around like a hurt puppy.

Especially at work! So unprofessional.

[Harvey]

41 minutes ago, BabyVegas said:

I also have very little sympathy for Leif. The way Joan went about giving him that review was ethically messed up, but she also wasn't wrong. It seemed like Leif was moping about people not liking him exactly the way he is with no effort on his part. That's not realistic. Sometimes we have to hear things we don't want to. It's part of being a grown-up. The answer is not to mope around like a hurt puppy. The answer is to decide whether you can live with people thinking that about you or not. If you decide you can't, then you work to change. His whole attitude was infuriating but also very realistic. I was glad that Zoey called him out on that, but he was a child about the whole thing.

Finally, someone said it! I had no sympathy for Leif either. He is a bad, self-absorbed person and it is good he got knocked down a peg. No one in the real world has to accomodate his lame inferiority complex, specially not at a workplace. People like him would make horrible managers, projecting their issues onto the employees working beneath them.

[shelley1234]

6 hours ago, Empress1 said:

This was my favorite of Peter Gallagher's songs so far and I liked that Maggie took the job.

 

Same. I always love the Peter Gallagher songs the best.  It's so sweet and not about drama.   I also love Peter Gallagher and everything he does.   Yes, even the O.C.  This one I loved how Zoey jumped in to dance with him and hold his hand.   She was just enjoying spending some time with her dad during her delusional sing song.   

Edited March 11, 2020 by shelley1234

[tennisgurl]

We get more drama this week, especially with a possible relationship between Zoey and Simon, despite his engagement, and issues between David and Emily and the upcoming baby. Most importantly though, more music! Everybody Hurts is such a painfully obvious song for wallowing in self pity, but it fit Leif really well. He is being whiny and melodramatic about his angst over his peer reviews, so of course he angsts to the most obvious song in the world. My favorite performance was Just Give Me a Reason though, I love that song and it was really well performed by the actors. Its such so wrenching! I wonder if/when they make up, we will get a reprise? 

I can get that David is under a whole ton of pressure, with his dad and a new baby on the way, but this is just about the worst way he can handle it. Blowing off a bit of steam is fine, but lying to his family and sneaking around on his wife, to the point that she thought he was having an affair, is just unacceptable. His family clearly needs him, and not having a version of him that is just hiding out instead of being honest about his nerves and feeling overwhelmed. And his issues with having a son are just so...weird. Like, I know that gender roles are still a thing, including with kids, but I feel like people dont really care quite that much if a kid is a bit more on the nerdy side, or at least he could find other friends with similar interests? So he is worried that his kid wont be traditionally masculine enough, but also that he will be? Cant you just be happy that you have a kid, who will have likes and dislikes based around his personality? Thats what I thought that Zoey would tell him, but I guess not? This episode showed some general cracks in the marriage between Davis and Emily, like how Emily didnt really want a kid, or that apparently David feels like need to hide his interest in musical theater because Emily isnt a fan? You can have different interests and still be a couple, thats totally fine! It doesent have to be a dark secret!

I feel like Simon shouldn't be making so many big life choices right now, considering it hasn't been that long since his fathers death. When did he get engaged? Was it soon after losing his dad? Now he is putting all of this stuff on Zoey, like he is kind of clinging onto someone he thinks can understand him in ways that no one else can, and its not healthy for either of them. Dont stay Simon, go! I just really struggle with rooting for a couple when one half is engaged, it just makes the whole thing so uncomfortable, especially for your likable protagonists. 

Peer reviews can be a real nightmare, especially when your already insecure. The All I Do Is Win is call back was fun, in general I think the show has done a great job with continuity and keeping a lot of a lot of plots. 

Glad that Maggie took the job! 

Edited March 11, 2020 by tennisgurl

[MVFrostsMyPie]

8 hours ago, Empress1 said:

SF folks: how much would Zoey's place rent for? 

It was a 1-bedroom right? I'd estimate anywhere between $2700-$3500, depending on location, amenities, when it was built, etc. It's not in south SF/Daly City or the Tenderloin, but it's also not SoMa/Mission Bay or the Marina. I'd imagine she probably lives in Hayes Valley, Noe Valley, or the Castro.

[ahpny]

This show continues to be enjoyable and pleasure to watch, but it's been surprisingly adapt with it's choreography and letting the dance skills of its cast shine. The music is clearly the centerpiece, and that can be hit or miss, but the dancing's been spot on every time. I hope this show sticks around for a while.

[Tiggertoo]

What is Zoey’s parents’ business?  Floral arrangements, landscape architects?   They’re doing the flowers for the wedding but also the planning for someone’s home?

 

And how much money do they have that mom can just decide to stop working when she had a sick husband?

Edited March 12, 2020 by Tiggertoo

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Tiggertoo said:

What is Zoey’s parents’ business?  Floral arrangements, landscape architects?   They’re doing the flowers for the wedding but also the planning for someone’s home?

They’re landscape architects. Zoey gave Simon her mother’s number so she could recommend a florist for his engagement party. Jessica decided she wanted something similar to Maggie’s back yard and offered her the job. 

[bros402]

Zoey should have shut down her brother by going "She thought you were cheating on her. I had to tell her something."

Peter Gallagher's song was great.

 

On 3/9/2020 at 11:45 AM, chaifan said:

Did anyone else notice the display above the bar keeps changing - taco bar, coffee bar, etc. 

Isolation pods:  OK, I thought they were just weird chairs until they showed Leif in one with it shut.  I never realized they closed up.  How, exactly, does one breathe in there when it's shut?  And wouldn't they get stinky? 

I enjoyed self wallowing Leif, and thought it was true to character that by the end he had absolutely no self awareness and just blamed Zoey for the whole thing. 

Simon: count me among those that does not want Zoey to break up Simon and Jessica.  But since Simon now has the feels for Zoey I don't know where this is going where it won't lead to major awkwardness at the office. 

Family time:  I noticed early on that family time is almost always in the morning, before everyone goes to work.  And I also can't figure out how that works for most people with normal work schedules.  But, I figured at least for Zoey, who is in a field that is notorious for long work days, it was more realistic than her showing up for 6:00 family dinners.  So I'm just going to hand wave this one. 

I love the new bar of the week - last week (or was it the week before?) it was Bread Bar

The pods had ventilation holes in them.

I also do not want Zoey to break them up - since that would just be horrible. Maybe Jessica will break it off after seeing all of Zoey & Simon's texts, and how he is open with her, etc.