S01.E09: Zoey’s Extraordinary Silence

[auntiemel]

2 hours ago, Bill1978 said:

 

I know my condition is nothing compared to blindness or deafness or anything else, but reading theses discussions reminded me of something I've experienced.

I am red-green colour blind and cannot see purple. The doctor did give me the fancy term for it all, but I can't remember. I wasn't diagnosed with my colour blindness until I was 22 and was required to get a medical for my teaching job. So I was living what I thought was a 'natural coloured life for 22 years.  As a Science teacher I love being able to share my colour blindness with my students. In recent years, when discussing it with my classes, it is inevitable that someone will bring up those new glasses that will fix my colour vision. And I tell them the same thing. I have got this far in my life experiencing the world with the colours I think I see and they are often the same colours as you are seeing (technically), if I put on those glasses I will see what I am 'missing' out on and I don't want to then spend the rest of my life wondering about what I'm looking at. I would prefer to just continuing experiencing the colours as I have all my life then put on a set of glasses so someone can feel good that they've allowed me to experience the 'real' world. And honestly I feel they want me to wear these glasses so I can tell them exactly what colours my eyes normally see so they can understand the condition better rather than making my life 'better'

So I understand why there would be people who don't want to be 'fixed' so they can experience a 'normal' life for our benefit.

I don't know if you watch The Incredible Dr. Pol on Nat Geo Wild, but he's colorblind, and his son tried to get him to try out the colorblind glasses. He had exactly the same reaction and reasoning as you! 🙂

[bros402]

15 hours ago, HighHopes said:

I want to clarify that I never meant to imply glasses and cochlear implants are the same thing. Rather that cochlear implants won’t work for every deaf individual similar to how lasik eye surgery won’t work for every individual who requires glasses. Just because it’s available it doesn’t mean that it will work for everyone (or that the person would even want it).

Ahhhh - yeah, lasik/PRK and cochlear implant is a better comparison.

LASIK or PRK also won't work for me, and even if I could get it, I wouldn't want to risk it - since with me, if one eye is damaged, the other will spasm uncontrollably - it's called latent nystagmus. Quite pleasant at the doctor when they cover one eye.

[possibilities]

On 4/10/2020 at 3:29 AM, Electruck said:

I’m really surprised to read the takes on the Max/Zoey “I’ve been offered a promotion” end. I just watched (but can’t rewatch to check because I watched online), but wasn't she speaking last as the Zoey who sang I’m Yours and that Zoey encouraged him “to go after what you want”? I felt that also meant pursuing her, too. Wasn’t that scene after she told Simon she was done with him? I felt like the direction Skylar was given was “react in a way that could look encouraged or annoyed.”

i recently read a book by Harben Girma about growing up deafblind (she went to Harvard Law and also volunteered in Africa), and I wanted to make Howie read it. 😄

Max specifically told Zoey that her answer was the wrong one, so I don't think it is unclear how he felt about it.

I had not known about the Harben Girma book, but now I want to track it down! Thanks for mentioning it.

 

[Squeaky Mouse]

On 4/10/2020 at 3:29 AM, Electruck said:

I’m really surprised to read the takes on the Max/Zoey “I’ve been offered a promotion” end. I just watched (but can’t rewatch to check because I watched online), but wasn't she speaking last as the Zoey who sang I’m Yours and that Zoey encouraged him “to go after what you want”? I felt that also meant pursuing her, too. Wasn’t that scene after she told Simon she was done with him? I felt like the direction Skylar was given was “react in a way that could look encouraged or annoyed.”

i recently read a book by Harben Girma about growing up deafblind (she went to Harvard Law and also volunteered in Africa), and I wanted to make Howie read it. 😄

The scene was after she told Simon she was done with him, but it was boss Zoey who told him to go after what he wanted. "I'm Yours" Zoey told him she'd miss sitting across from him every day.

[aradia22]

Wow. Pulling out the big (cliched) guns. We've already had Mad World and Sound of Silence. What's left?

Renee!

Buttons was a great song choice. Filmed terribly, but still a good song choice.

Remind me again why Simon can't go to therapy? Or a support group for people who have lost loved ones?

This episode felt very TV. More cartoonish and unrealistic but without being fun. Mo confronting Simon. The incredibly weird set up of Max's job offer. On a show with a more openly comedic tone, it would have been fine but this show is like a dramedy and it's not directed to carry off that wacky mood well.

I love the choice not to dub over the deaf actress with someone else's singing voice. And this time it was great to use a cliched, popular song because the melody was easy to recognize. It started off okay but I wish they could keep the camera still and stop changing angles when it makes no sense. This was one time when we really didn't need to keep cutting back to Zoe. At this point, I don't think her experience of the heart songs needs to be centered. We already understand her powers. 

I don't think Mo needed to sing in that moment... but it was a great vocal.

I actually think that was the right answer. Even if Zoey was ready to commit to a relationship with Max, her begging him to stay doesn't feel like the right move. She should let him go on to a big opportunity and also eliminate the weird power dynamic of her technically being his boss. 

Simon and Jessica both executed it well but I still hate that SYTYCD choreography. It completely takes me out of things because it always looks the same.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Deaf West Theatre Joins Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

Zoey Tells Simon It's Over

Max Might Be Leaving

Sandra Mae Frank as Abigail Performs Rachel Platten's "Fight Song"

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Trini]

I knew we were going to get a song at the college; and then when it was starting - 'oh great, they're gonna make the deaf girl sing' - but then they didn't. So thanks for defying my expectations and that beautiful number.

Wasn't really expecting that they'd do a separate subplot with Howie, but it was well done.

Yeah, the Brother and his Wife are still the weakest part of the show to me. Don't really care about them. But they finally got a chairlift, so there's that.

Okay, they're improving Tobin.

I guess I admit I'm not thinking about either love interest too deeply, because I can still see Zoey with either Max or Simon. (Although, I'm pretty sure I know which one she's ending up with.) Simon broke up with with his fianceé, so that's one obstacle down. I think they're kind of fumbling with Max, though; who ideally should be looking like the better choice.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Trini
D'oh! dropped word

[snarktini]

So I am watching this again, 5 years later

On 4/5/2020 at 7:50 PM, Guest said:

I’m only half way through but just needed to post to say that I love Mo. That conversation with Simon was exactly what needed to be said and helped restore my faith that the show knows what is doing. 

That was the right conversation at the wrong time. I know it's a TV thing but do not talk about his ambivalence and kissing another woman with his fiancée one room over! Especially when we just had her overhear Zoey and her mom! (FWIW I was also talking to the characters at that time to take it offsite! I saw that coming.)

On 4/6/2020 at 6:24 AM, dubbel zout said:

Max is acting like a child. I also don't understand what he wanted Zoey to say about the job offer. A true friend wants to see other friends succeed, and that promotion is huge for Max. If he were on the fence about it because he wasn't sure he was ready/qualified, that's one thing, but it seemed like he wanted Zoey to tell him to stay on the fourth floor because of his feelings for her. WTF?

It did read like that -- he wanted her to say she wanted him to stay so they could hang out all the time. Though there is another possibility -- he wanted to hear her say take that job so we can be together and she didn't.

On 4/6/2020 at 6:58 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

As much as I understand Howie or any parent wanting to protect their kid, there's a point where you can't forbid them to do things anymore. Abigail is an adult and she got a grant to go to Kenya so she doesn't need his permission to go.

Seriously, she's 22 and got a grant to cover the money and he forbids it? Yeah no.

On 4/6/2020 at 11:49 PM, Mockingbird said:

Show, you had frickin’ Renée Elise Goldsberry up your sleeve this whole time and chose to make up listen to Lauren Graham’s multiple musical numbers?? Her character is odd, but she’s going to kill whatever musical number they give her.

Sure but Lauren Graham has been an order of magnitude better than Mary Steenburgen to my ears. The difference between "not a good singer" and "bad singer". Given the musical focus of the show I think they flubbed casting in a few spots.