S01.E10: Zoey’s Extraordinary Outburst

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Zoey surprisingly finds herself getting into major conflict with Simon, Max, Mo and Howie. Tensions arise at SPRQ Point when the fourth and sixth floors compete over an important piece of code. Mitch and Maggie try to celebrate their anniversary.

Airing Sunday, April 19, 2020.

 

[phalange]

With everything going on, it’s no wonder that Zoey snapped. What she said to Simon about needing to basically get over his grief was shitty, but she was upset and projecting her own sadness about her dad. 

Mo remains the absolute best. Mo, Zoey, and Simon dancing it out was hilarious, and a good way to break the tension.

Joan and Ava’s “The Boy is Mine” faceoff was great and I’m glad Renee Elise Goldsberry got to sing. I hope this isn’t the last we see of her. Probably won’t be, now that Leif is going to the sixth floor with Max. And I’m legit shocked that Leif has/had real feelings for Joan. 

The highlight was Mitch and Maggie’s duet of Perfect on their anniversary dinner date. It was very bittersweet. I’m glad the show gave them a song together. I’m still really shocked that all signs point to Mitch dying by the end of the season.

[Lady Calypso]

Wow, that was a very rough episode for Zoey, who finally snapped and just lost it on EVERYBODY. It didn't make her look good at all, but we finally got to see her grief over her dad spill out.

I think that I was pissed off at Zoey throughout the episode, but I can also understand exactly why she was behaving so badly toward people. Her projecting her anger onto others was not fun to watch, but it felt REAL. 

This was also Simon's best episode. I really appreciate what they did with his character in this episode. It helped me like him and understand him a bit more. I really like how he finally recognized Zoey's grief and was there for her. I think they needed this for Simon.

On the other end of the love triangle, Max got WORSE for me. Although I could see his point about how the fourth floor treated him and why he wanted to stay upstairs, he was still acting like a total asshole. He was still obviously holding over Zoey's rejection over her head by keeping the code. The way he looked at her when he said that nobody cared if he had left was more about how ZOEY didn't care, in his eyes. Although I'm sure that part of it was him feeling undervalued...it's important to remember that Zoey was the one who encouraged him to move upstairs for his career and then he threw that reason in her face in their final fight, which confused me.

But yeah, Max obviously deserves happiness but his attitude sucks. But I liked his fight with Zoey. It felt raw and I could see both sides while also wincing at the words being thrown at the other. 

It does kind of showcase something about Max, though. He knows about her father dying and yet cannot see her grief. He doesn't understand that she's going to lose her dad very soon and he can't even be there for her? He picked the WORST time to be a Nice Guy.

I honestly thought The Boy Is Mine was TERRIBLE. A mismatch of singers coupled with mediocre choreography? This show usually does better. This number sucked for me.

I cannot believe Leif genuinely has feelings for Joan. It feels sudden for Leif to go all "I Put a Spell on You" to "Let's Stay Together". 

The family stuff really remains the best part of the show. I teared up at Mitch's decline, and the number at the end was...perfect, pun intended. It was truly filled with emotion and made me sad that we won't get many more Peter Gallagher numbers (maybe one more).

Mo is fantastic. I'm glad he got Simon and Zoey to both dance out their grief. What a smart way to let out some anger in a healthy way. 

These last two episodes are going to be rough with Mitch's inevitable death. Plus, we don't know if the series will be renewed for this may be the final two episodes.

[possibilities]

So Max isn't Zoey's friend anymore, I guess. He wanted her to hold him back in his career? She was a good friend to him when she said she'd miss him but it was a great opportunity.

And her original reason to not date him was fear of losing his friendship. So, yeah-- Max was not her friend, he was just trying to get in her pants. Gross.

He and Zoey  had always bonded together over not liking the rest of the team, so it's kind of ridiculous to expect them to fight for him to stay. Did he even tell them he was leaving? He didn't tell Joan, either. He just told Zoey, and she did what a good friend would do. Then he disappeared without even filing the paperwork with Joan, so how can he be mad at her, either?

Petulant schmuck.

Leaving the decision to him about the code struck me as a contrivance, though. I would think that a company like that would have protocols for who owns work product once someone transfer.

Likewise, a restaurant that refuses to allow a wheelchair on the premises is a slam dunk lawsuit and Zoey was not wrong to challenge them about it. She was wrong to let it go, and not to sue their asses out of business entirely.

 

[shoregirl]

Max is a  asshole. Did he want Zoey on her hands and knees begging him not to go? Even though a good friend would want him to take advantage of a good opportunity especially when said opportunity is 2 stories away and they can still spend time together. 

[Dminches]

Are we to assume that Peter Gallagher only wanted to do 1 season since it seems like he won’t last past the last episode?  If so, it is a shame since his singing has been excellent.

[funnygirl]

Leif really liking Joan is not believable to me. Then again, I'm still surprised that he's not gay. Regardless, the Joan/Leif pairing is all kinds of no. 

Okay show, we're supposed to root for Zoey/Simon and hate Max. But no, show, I'm not gonna. They've really attempted to do a 180 on Max in these last few episodes. Meh, I'm just over the love triangle trope. 

Renee Elise Goldsbury is a gift. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by funnygirl

[formerlyfreedom]

The duets really helped tonight's show, IMO. Lauren Graham was boosted by REG for sure, and Peter Gallagher definitely smoothed over Mary Steenburgen's rough spots.

Also, I'm so glad it wasn't the season finale - for some reason, it was in my head, and I was like, wait, what? at the end of the episode. So YAY two more episodes!

[Guest]

Well that was brutal. I appreciated that Zoey’s emotions throughout felt raw and real. However the show is losing me entirely. 

I think my biggest problem is that there is no subtlety in anyone actions and they are feeling like caricatures. 

At this point I am really hoping there is some kind of season ending twist because I feel like these people live in the Twilight Zone. I’m still sticking with Zoey being unconscious after the MRI incident. 
 

Also, why are all these people fighting over google glass 7 years after it failed? 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Guest

[Bill1978]

Ah that one week off was painful, painful. So good to have the show back.

I quite enjoyed The Boy Is Mine segment. I found it incredibly hilarious. I hope that's what they were going for because I couldn't stop laughing, the choreography and facial expressions had me cracking up. I also found the Dance Your Anger Away moment highly amusing as well.

I'm guessing the show firmly wants me to be on Team Simon after the way they finally decided throw Max under the bus. What a douche he was in this episode. I'm actually fine if Zoey doesn't end up with either Simon or Max, but at this stage I'm hoping by the season finale Zoey and Max are at least friends again.

From the moment Leif got with Joan I knew he would end up backstabbing her, but I never saw that it would be a result of his broken heart. I'm just glad it's going to be coding and not a lawsuit, TV court bores me and I don't care about coding to be truly invested in the 'Bros Whose Hearts Are Broken Code Together' plot point they are going with.

Speaking of Leif, the show finally confirmed with this episode that there is a Brogrammer who looks very, very similar to Leif. I thought I was going mad, so it was nice to see them physically in the same scene.

And I don't know how the writers manage it but they get me nearly every time with the ending song. 

Does anybody else try to predict at the start of the episode when Zoey is going to swear and what word it is going to be? It's one of my favourite parts of this show.

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, Dani said:

At this point I am really hoping there is some kind of season ending twist because I feel like these people live in the Twilight Zone. I’m still sticking with Zoey being unconscious after the MRI incident.

I’m assuming it ends with dad’s death, but Zoey unconscious in the MRI is better because then there’s hope for dad IRL to get better, I guess. 
My 91-year-old mother has been in the blinking yes state for about 2 years now. Prior to that she could beat me at Scrabble and solve crosswords I couldn’t even when her hands stopped working. For her, death would be the better ending. 

[Mermaid Under]

Quote

With everything going on, it’s no wonder that Zoey snapped. What she said to Simon about needing to basically get over his grief was shitty,

 Although I know the current zeitgeist is to let people grieve as long as they need to, haven't you known people who choose never to move on?  And excuse a lifetime of poor behavior  and bad choices ( and the folks I'm thinking of are way worse than Simon) by pointing to the fact that they have lost someone.  Zoey might not have been particularly kind in her word choice, but was she really that wrong?

Edited April 23, 2020 by Mermaid Under
Simon, not Max emphasize lifetime

[Clanstarling]

15 hours ago, phalange said:

Mo remains the absolute best. Mo, Zoey, and Simon dancing it out was hilarious, and a good way to break the tension.

I loved it, but felt for the downstairs neighbor (maybe the agorophobic lady?)- not just the noise from the music, but them jumping up and down.

15 hours ago, possibilities said:

And her original reason to not date him was fear of losing his friendship. So, yeah-- Max was not her friend, he was just trying to get in her pants. Gross.

Yep, that's pretty much proof positive.

14 hours ago, Dminches said:

Are we to assume that Peter Gallagher only wanted to do 1 season since it seems like he won’t last past the last episode?  If so, it is a shame since his singing has been excellent.

He might have simply accepted a role that would last a season, as opposed to requesting/demanding a single season contract.

 

6 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I’m assuming it ends with dad’s death, but Zoey unconscious in the MRI is better because then there’s hope for dad IRL to get better, I guess. 
My 91-year-old mother has been in the blinking yes state for about 2 years now. Prior to that she could beat me at Scrabble and solve crosswords I couldn’t even when her hands stopped working. For her, death would be the better ending. 

So sorry to hear that.

5 hours ago, Mermaid Under said:

 Although I know the current zeitgeist is to let people grieve as long as they need to, haven't you known people who choose never to move on?  And excuse a lifetime of poor behavior  and bad choices ( and the folks I'm thinking of are way worse than Max) by pointing to the fact that they have lost someone.  Zoey might not have been particularly kind in her word choice, but was she really that wrong?

How long is too long to "let" people grieve? 6 months? A year? When should people who've lost someone buck up and get over it?

IIRC, Simon's dad died fairly recently, and I also vaguely recall he committed suicide - which is an additional layer of grief/guilt to add to the mix.

The anniversary dinner really got to me. My mom died two weeks after their anniversary. She was too far gone to go out, but we got a cake and managed to have a small celebration. I was crying by the end. But you know, most of the time, I've moved on. It just sideswipes me now and again.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Clanstarling

[chaifan]

Oh, I am so glad I don't live in the apartment under Mo.  I wasn't really a fan of that scene.  You take two people fighting, make them dance it off, and everything is OK after that? 

I am continuously surprised at how bad of a dancer Lauren Graham is.  She moves like an 85 year old woman.  She is just so stiff and has no range of motion.   I seriously wonder if she has some sort of back/neck injury, or if she just has no moves whatsoever.  I liked the concept of "This Boy is Mine" but didn't like the execution. 

Leif - I can buy, in theory, that he started out with a scheme to romance Joan for his career, but then ended up falling for her.  But they needed to show that progression, and they didn't.  Also, throughout all this, Joan has been on the rather unlovable  side of things. 

Sorry to slam Lauren Graham so much - I really do like the actress, but she's not doing it for me in this role.  Everyone else's roles showcase their strengths, but hers shows her weaknesses.

[anniebird]

10 hours ago, Dminches said:

Are we to assume that Peter Gallagher only wanted to do 1 season since it seems like he won’t last past the last episode?  If so, it is a shame since his singing has been excellent.

I don't know - on This is Us, Jack Pearson died 15 years ago and he's in almost every episode.

[ams1001]

I'm confused about the structure of this company. Why is the sixth floor so locked down, needing special card access (and getting better food bars, apparently), but they apparently do the same kind of work as they do on the fourth floor, which doesn't seem to have any special access restrictions? (And do they own the whole building? And what happens on Five?) Also the idea that someone could transfer with only their immediate manager knowing about it seems...unlikely. I have transferred departments multiple times in my company and I had to have the person in charge of my department (not necessarily my immediate supervisor) sign off on me even applying, then go to HR and sign a new offer letter for each change. (And it definitely didn't happen in a matter of days.) Joan seems pretty involved with the day-to-day activities of the group but she didn't know he was leaving until his desk was empty?

Isn't it usually the case that your company owns any work you do for them? Seems odd that Max gets to decide which floor gets his code. He did the work while working for Joan; wouldn't she be the one to "own" it? 

[Lady Calypso]

43 minutes ago, chaifan said:

Oh, I am so glad I don't live in the apartment under Mo.  I wasn't really a fan of that scene.  You take two people fighting, make them dance it off, and everything is OK after that? 

Well, it's not necessarily that everything is OK right after, but it's more of a way to get out those immediate feelings of anger and frustration so instead of letting it out in unhealthy ways (like a screaming match, which the apartment tenants were likely hearing anyway), you let it out in a way that's less angry (dancing). It gives you a chance to calm down.

3 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Isn't it usually the case that your company owns any work you do for them? Seems odd that Max gets to decide which floor gets his code. He did the work while working for Joan; wouldn't she be the one to "own" it? 

It should, but they showed Ava texting the CEO of the company who gave her permission to also use the code so...

[camom]

This was definitely my least favorite episode so far.  I hate office politics, so the 4th floor vs 6th floor stuff really didn't do it for me.  While I understood Zoey's emotions because of her dad, I didn't enjoy seeing her go off on everyone.  The Perfect anniversary scene at the end saved the episode for me, it was wonderful.

[ams1001]

I liked the anniversary dinner scene at the end, too. My parents' 50th was on Saturday; a few months ago we were talking about who they would want to invite to a party. They ended up getting dressed up and having dinner delivered; my mom put some decorations up and and a neighbor came over and took some pictures for them. I doubt they sang a duet, though.😉Hopefully we'll be able to do something better later in the year.

[dubbel zout]

11 hours ago, saoirse said:

The duets really helped tonight's show, IMO. Lauren Graham was boosted by REG for sure

I think Graham might have had a tiny bit of Autotune for that duet. REG, of course, is a B'way vet and could do that song and dance in her sleep. 

45 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

getting better food bars, apparently

It cracked me up to see Tobin's ever more elaborate seafood. First it was a giant shrimp cocktail, then a whole lobster! Hee.

I appreciate that the show is showing Zoey's dad's decline, and it's not pretty. (It's still pretty sanitized, but you know what I mean.)

[ams1001]

19 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

It cracked me up to see Tobin's ever more elaborate seafood. First it was a giant shrimp cocktail, then a whole lobster! Hee.

I will say, though, that "better" is in the eye of the beholder. I don't eat seafood. I'll take the bread and oatmeal bars over that any day. (I like oatmeal! 🥣 And I could really go for some good, warm, buttery bread right now. I couldn't even get my usual whole wheat bread last time; had to settle for glorified white bread.)

Edited April 20, 2020 by ams1001

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

I'm confused about the structure of this company. Why is the sixth floor so locked down, needing special card access (and getting better food bars, apparently), but they apparently do the same kind of work as they do on the fourth floor, which doesn't seem to have any special access restrictions? (And do they own the whole building? And what happens on Five?) Also the idea that someone could transfer with only their immediate manager knowing about it seems...unlikely. I have transferred departments multiple times in my company and I had to have the person in charge of my department (not necessarily my immediate supervisor) sign off on me even applying, then go to HR and sign a new offer letter for each change. (And it definitely didn't happen in a matter of days.) Joan seems pretty involved with the day-to-day activities of the group but she didn't know he was leaving until his desk was empty?

Isn't it usually the case that your company owns any work you do for them? Seems odd that Max gets to decide which floor gets his code. He did the work while working for Joan; wouldn't she be the one to "own" it? 

All of this.

1 hour ago, Lady Calypso said:

but they showed Ava texting the CEO of the company who gave her permission to also use the code so...

*sniff sniff* I smell a very wimpy retcon.

 

 

[shapeshifter]

20 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I will say, though, that "better" is in the eye of the beholder. I don't eat seafood. I'll take the bread and oatmeal bars over that any day. (I like oatmeal! 🥣 And I could really go for some good, warm, buttery bread right now. I couldn't even get my usual whole wheat bread last time; had to settle for glorified white bread.)

I'm rationing my last frozen loaf of sprouted wheat bread by substituting bowls of brown rice and sunflower seeds.
I like oatmeal too.

But wouldn't the different floors all have the same food?

[ams1001]

3 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

But wouldn't the different floors all have the same food?

We get free bagels and muffins once a week (though I don't know if that will resume when the now-closed cafeteria reopens; and if so I don't know that I will feel safe partaking); there are three kitchens in the office area and sometimes the exact mix on each tray differs slightly but generally we all get the same thing.

[KittenPokerCheater]

I've decided this show is a fairytale, so I'm suspending all criticisms (per example: Mo's getting Simon and Zoey to dance it out)  and just going with the flow.

I'm glad Max is growing a backbone, though.  I'm sure he'll come back to the fold in some way by the end of the season.

I hope, somehow, since it's a fairy tale, that Zoey's Dad can hold on for another season.

[tennisgurl]

Zoey losing it all over everyone was hard to watch and frequently unfair (her telling Simon that his grief was boring and he needed to get over it was an especially awful thing to say) but I could understand it. She has been going through so much in such a quick amount of time, its not surprising that she lashed out. 

This was probably Simon's best episode, him breaking up with his fiance, while hard, was for the best if he had so many doubts about her, whether or not Zoey is involved, and it seems like he is trying to get to a better place. While its not healthy to drown in grief to the point that you cant function, there is no time table on it, especially when you lose someone to something as tough as suicide. I thought he was really honest, and I could really see where he was coming from this week and got more of an idea as to what his deal is. 

On the other hand, this was probably Max's worst episode, having just become a total asshole because Zoey dared to not want to date him right now. Is he just forgetting that her father is dying? She probably has more going on than figuring out who she wants to hook up with! At first I could at least understand his anger, that she seems to be constantly flip flopping between him and Simon, but now she is just straight up telling him she doesn't want to be with him, and he is being all pissy about it. I can get being hurt, but being an asshole about it is just crappy.

I love Mo, but the whole fight ending because of a dance off seemed a bit ridiculous. Even by this shows standards. 

The Boy Is Mine dance was delightful, mainly because Renee Elise Goldsbury is such a dynamic performer, and she has got such serious pipes! I love you Lauren, but you got all kinds of schooled. 

However, the duet between Mitch and Maggie was my favorite part of the episode. It was so bittersweet and heartbreaking. I didn't think that Mitch was going to die, but now I feel like it will actually happen, and that makes me really sad.

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

I think Graham might have had a tiny bit of Autotune for that duet. REG, of course, is a B'way vet and could do that song and dance in her sleep. 

Oh, I think Graham is consistently auto-tuned. Watching that, I thought "Renee-Elise Goldsberry is a professional singer and Lauren Graham is not."

2 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I'm confused about the structure of this company. Why is the sixth floor so locked down, needing special card access (and getting better food bars, apparently), but they apparently do the same kind of work as they do on the fourth floor, which doesn't seem to have any special access restrictions? (And do they own the whole building? And what happens on Five?) Also the idea that someone could transfer with only their immediate manager knowing about it seems...unlikely. I have transferred departments multiple times in my company and I had to have the person in charge of my department (not necessarily my immediate supervisor) sign off on me even applying, then go to HR and sign a new offer letter for each change. (And it definitely didn't happen in a matter of days.) Joan seems pretty involved with the day-to-day activities of the group but she didn't know he was leaving until his desk was empty?

Isn't it usually the case that your company owns any work you do for them? Seems odd that Max gets to decide which floor gets his code. He did the work while working for Joan; wouldn't she be the one to "own" it? 

This, with the caveat that I have worked somewhere where one of the floors required a special access card that only a handful of people who did not work on that floor had. There was a lot of expensive equipment up there, so it was a security thing.

I was actually with Max in theory, but his motivations were dumb. Let's assume all the HR stuff is sorted out because Ava's got it like that. From what I can tell, the sixth-floor job is a promotion. I think he now has Zoey's job, which is already a step up, and it seems like the sixth floor does more important/prestigious work. There is no reason to stay at a lower level when you're tapped to move up. Max is making the right career move - it shouldn't be personal (but we know for him it is, because he wants to be near Zoey, which is dumb. Like she said, they work for the same company). 

Joan was like "Come back to where you were before," which is effectively a demotion, which is not how counter-offers work. She wasn't making a counter-offer. No one caring that you're leaving is usually a sign that you're right to leave. Like, of course he should stay where he is.

3 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

While its not healthy to drown in grief to the point that you cant function, there is no time table on it, especially when you lose someone to something as tough as suicide.

And he IS functioning. He goes to work every day. He was in a relationship. I could see expressing concern if he couldn't get out of bed, but that's not the case. He just misses his dad. He will always miss his dad. Grief is often not linear.

Also the key is "express concern," not tell someone their grief is boring and they need to get over it, because holy shit, that's horrible.

Count me among those who is shocked that Leif isn't using Joan.

[twoods]

I don’t blame Max for being pissed. None of his coworkers cared that he was moving, and he finally found a group that liked him and he felt wanted. I’m sure Zoey saw the light when he said that he’s tired of putting her happiness above his own, because she has been a pretty selfish person. It was hard seeing her so unlikable, and I’m glad she at least owned up to some of it. I also like that Simon asked her what the acceptable time to grieve is because of what she said. 
I enjoyed all of the songs. The men all have such strong voices, and it was lovely hearing Renee’s voice. It seemed like everyone had a lot of fun filming The Boy Is Mine, right down to the dancing and hilarious facial expressions.

[tennisgurl]

18 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

Also the key is "express concern," not tell someone their grief is boring and they need to get over it, because holy shit, that's horrible.

 

Its also so selfish, especially from a possible romantic partner. "Stop all your stupid sadness over your dad killing himself and get on with making out with me!" 

I dont blame Max for staying up on the top floor in his sci fi world with the fancy seafood and co-workers that actually seem to like him. The only person who he got along with downstairs was Zoey, and his boss hardly noticed him. I do blame him for being so harsh with Zoey though, especially considering they're supposed to be really good friends.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Mermaid Under said:

 Although I know the current zeitgeist is to let people grieve as long as they need to, haven't you known people who choose never to move on?  And excuse a lifetime of poor behavior  and bad choices ( and the folks I'm thinking of are way worse than Max) by pointing to the fact that they have lost someone.  Zoey might not have been particularly kind in her word choice, but was she really that wrong?

In my opinion she was absolutely wrong. It hasn’t even been a year since Simon’s father committed suicide. Plus Zoey is the one who made their relationship all about their shared grief. Simon isn’t just going up to everyone he knows and grieving. He’s going to the one person who repeatedly puts her nose in his grief and he has no clue the real reason she knows what going on with him. 

6 hours ago, twoods said:

I don’t blame Max for being pissed. None of his coworkers cared that he was moving, and he finally found a group that liked him and he felt wanted. I’m sure Zoey saw the light when he said that he’s tired of putting her happiness above his own, because she has been a pretty selfish person. It was hard seeing her so unlikable, and I’m glad she at least owned up to some of it. 

I would agree with you if Max didn’t know that Zoey’s father was dying. Take that storyline out and Max’s action are more reasonable. He picked literally the worst possible time to reveal his feelings and the fact that he can’t table their relationship issues while Zoey is watching her father die makes their relationship nearly irredeemable to me. 

One thing that irritates me about the show is that when Zoey behaves poorly she gets called on it immediately but other people’s poor behavior is glossed over by Zoey’s mistakes. The result is that Zoey is constantly apologizing but she rarely gets to address her legitimate issues.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Guest

[Lovecat]

12 hours ago, Bill1978 said:

Speaking of Leif, the show finally confirmed with this episode that there is a Brogrammer who looks very, very similar to Leif. I thought I was going mad, so it was nice to see them physically in the same scene.

Does anybody else try to predict at the start of the episode when Zoey is going to swear and what word it is going to be? It's one of my favourite parts of this show.

"Brogrammer!"  BWAH!!!

I don't try to predict the curse word, but I really do enjoy that little bit.  It's a fun way to close out the cold open.

[Empress1]

13 minutes ago, Dani said:

In my opinion she was absolutely wrong. It hasn’t even been a year since Simon’s father committed suicide. Plus Zoey is the one who made their relationship all about their shared grief. Simon isn’t just going up to everyone he knows and grieving. He’s going to the one person who repeatedly puts her nose in his grief and he has no clue the real reason she knows what going on with him. 

Really, I think he’s doing remarkably well. Losing a parent suddenly is traumatic. For all intents and purposes, Simon breaks down in private - people at work likely have no idea he’s grieving. He’s not sitting in the middle of the floor pouting (ahem, Leif) or crying. 

[TAG42481]

I don't know if the number of episodes in the season and series are the same, but it's clear they're the same number for Peter Gallagher.  I love him, but he's sorely underused here.  Singing a song every other episode and otherwise sitting there just isn't a good use of his talents.

[chaifan]

Forgot to mention this earlier...  mad props to Leif for Let's Stay Together.  I think he's probably the most talented singer/dancer on the show, and they give him numbers that really mesh with that talent.  I really hope he sticks around just for that.  (Though I have to admit, the skinny pants on him really sorta bug.)

[BabyVegas]

All of Max's scenes are infuriating for me to watch, at this point. What I find most infuriating is that he is being an asshole, but the show seems to be implying that he's right. I just need someone, anyone (Mo, ideally) to point out that what he's doing is not ok. The "no one seems to care" bit and his side-eye at Zoey made me so angry for the same reasons you all have pointed out. And especially when you take it with the earlier scene where he and Zoey were saying goodbye and it seemed like they were on good-ish terms with each other. 

I almost screamed when Max said that he was tired of focusing on Zoey's happiness and wants to look out for himself. As if he hasn't been doing that all along. Everything is about his happiness. Zoey's father dying doesn't seem to be about Zoey losing her father for him. Instead it's about Max's relationship with Zoey. I hope Skylar Astin is a lovely person because this character he's playing is not.

The Boy Is Mine number reminded me what a great song that is. REG was obviously killing it. What surprises me is that Lauren Graham has been on Broadway, so I don't get why she seems to be struggling. I agree with the poster above that said she seems stiff.

Leif's character is so confusing. Like the rest of you, I don't buy that he's suddenly hopelessly in love with Joan. It feels like the writers were trying to avoid the obvious conclusion, so they put in a twist but they didn't plant anything to make it make sense. 

But here's a nice thing I can say: I really liked Here I Go Again. It's a catchy song and Skylar Astin and John Clarence Stewart are great singers.

 

[Dowel Jones]

5 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I loved it, but felt for the downstairs neighbor (maybe the agorophobic lady?)- not just the noise from the music, but them jumping up and down.

They made a bank of money doing GEICO commercials.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, BabyVegas said:

The Boy Is Mine number reminded me what a great song that is. REG was obviously killing it. What surprises me is that Lauren Graham has been on Broadway, so I don't get why she seems to be struggling. I agree with the poster above that said she seems stiff.

I really think that LG is trying to hard to sound good. Her performances all feel very deliberate and it’s sucking all the emotion out of the songs. It’s particularly glaring because these songs are supposed to be the characters deepest emotions and she just seems uncomfortable. 

[Goldmoon]

I may be the only one here who feels for Max. Not his entitlement to Zoes affections but I have been in semi-abusive environments that were a relief to get away from. Joan had inellectual property rights over that code though. To the poster above who thought Simon should move on: my aunt lost my uncle suddenly. One Saturday morning she got up to use the bathroom. He was fine. When she returned he was gone. He'd had a massive heart attack while she was brushing her teeth. She grieved for 20 years, including sobbing piteously. After a few years of these dramatic episodes the whole family wanted her to get over it. And I'm not kidding about the 20 years.

[ahpny]

6 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Isn't it usually the case that your company owns any work you do for them? Seems odd that Max gets to decide which floor gets his code. He did the work while working for Joan; wouldn't she be the one to "own" it? 

As you mentioned "the company" owns it. Apparently "the company" includes both the 4th and 6th floors, so this isn't really about "ownership," its about which division in the same company will handle a particular project. That decision presumably can be decided any way "the company" wants - including leaving the decision to the employee who wrote the code, however ill-advised that may be.

Edited April 20, 2020 by ahpny

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, Goldmoon said:

I may be the only one here who feels for Max. Not his entitlement to Zoes affections but I have been in semi-abusive environments that were a relief to get away from.

No, I'm on the "Max should take that job" train. The 6th floor is a step up and 4th floor seems like a nightmare work environment. Joan is a walking lawsuit and Zoey is too inexperienced to be a good manager right now. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Goldmoon said:

 

I may be the only one here who feels for Max. Not his entitlement to Zoes affections but I have been in semi-abusive environments that were a relief to get away from. Joan had inellectual property rights over that code though.

I agree with you on Max. This is the first episode in awhile that he didn’t bother me at all. Zoey was the one who made it personal and she crossed a line when she said that no one understood why Ava wanted him. 

ETA: If the show was willing to actually let Max and Zoey’s friendship really end and play out from there I think it would be a better show.  Unfortunately I doubt that is going to happen and I expect both characters to be drug through the mud in the process. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Guest

[seacliffsal]

I am so confused by the company/work structure. I thought Joan was Managing Director or something and that's why the "big" names in tech came to see her.  Also, she was directing tech development or something.  Then, in the last episode we find out there's another similar, albeit more prestigious, department on the sixth floor.  I thought Joan was the big deal and now she's more of an "also ran..."

I agree with above posters that Zoey prioritized and supported Simon's grief and that's why he was so conflicted as his fiance never understood it/supported him, so he broke up to be with Zoey who now tells him to get over the very thing that brought them together.

Maybe the show creators never thought the pilot would be picked up and therefore did not have story lines mapped out for even one 12-episode season...

[Retired at last]

I really don't why Lauren Graham is on this show. I get that a lot of people like her, but she can't dance and can't sing and I don't like her character (we're not supposed to, I know), so whenever she is featured, I zone out.

The dancing with Mo was funny, but I really did not like the choreography when Simon sang Mad World. I really hope that he and Zoey end up as friends because I don't like him (his character) for her. They are really screwing up Max because the Max we met at the beginning would have been there with Zoey at the end of her Dad. I haven't seen whether this show has been renewed, but it has to be so expensive to produce, that unless it is killing it with the ratings (and I don't think it is), I bet it will be one and done, which is such a shame. This type of show is truly appreciated by a smaller number of viewers, who are very vocal fans, but there aren't enough of us.

[stonehaven]

I blame this show for making Mad World an earworm that lingered in my head 'til 3am, I like the musical numbers, I really do but this show is trying my patience with the workplace stuff.

I understand from a network perspective why it's featured..Young, pretty people doing hip things but none of the characters there are likable...I love LG on Gilmore Girls but yeah, what is she doing here?

About the only part I enjoy is her Zoey's parents and that seems to be heading toward a sad end. I tuned into this show for light, frothy fun and now everyone is mad at everyone..but Mo saves the show....

Still, there's a survey out there that asks people to save shows that are endangered and this is one...I voted to save it but if I had a choice, I'd bring back God Friended Me over this. Still, if it doesn't come back..it gave me a few hours of nice entertainment before I started to hate it...

 

[memememe76]

Max is my favourite character on the show and his numbers are consistently my favourite. 
 

I work in a firm with very defined departments so when someone moves to another department, it is a big deal. They should have had a final interview with Max as to his experiences in Floor Four. And they should have made sure his files remained. Not sure who to blame: Zooey or Lauren Graham.

[Aliconehead]

13 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I’m assuming it ends with dad’s death, but Zoey unconscious in the MRI is better because then there’s hope for dad IRL to get better, I guess. 
My 91-year-old mother has been in the blinking yes state for about 2 years now. Prior to that she could beat me at Scrabble and solve crosswords I couldn’t even when her hands stopped working. For her, death would be the better ending. 

My 76 year old father is in a similar state.  He is essentially vegetative, unlike PG character he would not have been able to use a alphabet board or a yes no button.  He too would prefer death to living like this.  I am struck every time PG is on the screen how well he does the spaced out relaxed mouth look that my father also has.  
 

i find Max is venturing into “nice guy” area.  Feels he deserves Zoey and is pissed she does  not want him.  Now I know she sang to him and it obvious she has feelings but she does have the right to not want to dare him.  That being said she was out of line with the Ava comment. 

[springbarb]

23 hours ago, possibilities said:

Likewise, a restaurant that refuses to allow a wheelchair on the premises is a slam dunk lawsuit and Zoey was not wrong to challenge them about it. She was wrong to let it go, and not to sue their asses out of business entirely.

I'm assuming that it's in a historic building and thus doesn't have to be ADA compliant; not all places do.

 

12 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I'm confused about the structure of this company. Why is the sixth floor so locked down, needing special card access (and getting better food bars, apparently), but they apparently do the same kind of work as they do on the fourth floor, which doesn't seem to have any special access restrictions? (And do they own the whole building? And what happens on Five?) Also the idea that someone could transfer with only their immediate manager knowing about it seems...unlikely. I have transferred departments multiple times in my company and I had to have the person in charge of my department (not necessarily my immediate supervisor) sign off on me even applying, then go to HR and sign a new offer letter for each change. (And it definitely didn't happen in a matter of days.) Joan seems pretty involved with the day-to-day activities of the group but she didn't know he was leaving until his desk was empty?

Perhaps Four is also restricted? Joan had an access badge to get onto Six, so it makes sense Ava could get onto Four. Doesn't explain how Max got back, but /hand waves/.

Max is totally right to move to Six, but his staring at Zoey while talking about how nobody fought for him was uncalled for. They were both wrong in their fight.

[BoogieBurns]

21 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

It was truly filled with emotion and made me sad that we won't get many more Peter Gallagher numbers (maybe one more).

These last two episodes are going to be rough with Mitch's inevitable death. Plus, we don't know if the series will be renewed for this may be the final two episodes.

Are these spoilers?

 

10 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I'm rationing my last frozen loaf of sprouted wheat bread by substituting bowls of brown rice and sunflower seeds.
I like oatmeal too.

But wouldn't the different floors all have the same food?

At my last job, you needed access to the top floor, you needed access to all 3 floors (10, 11, & 12) but special access for floor 12. On 10 and 11, we had basic keurig, water, one type of tea, styrofoam and plastic cups, cream and sugar. On the 12th floor? Fresh fruit daily, honey as a sweetener, custom frothy type keurig, oat milk, that delicious Sonic ice and biodegradable cups/stirrers. This was because the CEO worked on that floor and he had VIPs come to meet with him, so they spoiled them.

On days we all got breakfast: Floor 10 got donuts, Floor 11 got croissants, and Floor 12 had a custom omelette stand with bacon and waffles etc.

This is a very real thing.

[nilyank]

9 hours ago, Dani said:

In my opinion she was absolutely wrong. It hasn’t even been a year since Simon’s father committed suicide. Plus Zoey is the one who made their relationship all about their shared grief. Simon isn’t just going up to everyone he knows and grieving. He’s going to the one person who repeatedly puts her nose in his grief and he has no clue the real reason she knows what going on with him. 

 

The only reason that Zoey knew how much Simon was grieving then and is still grieving so much is because she can hears his heartsongs.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Retired at last said:

I haven't seen whether this show has been renewed, but it has to be so expensive to produce, that unless it is killing it with the ratings (and I don't think it is), I bet it will be one and done, which is such a shame. This type of show is truly appreciated by a smaller number of viewers, who are very vocal fans, but there aren't enough of us.

It may be one and done but the music budget probably won’t be the reason. This show is part of a deal between Lionsgate and Universal Music Group so they already own the rights to most of the music.