S01.E20: Like Father...

[Risky Librarian]

On 4/30/2020 at 11:33 AM, perkie1968 said:

Why would Jessica still be living in that house.  The woman is richer than Dog and can afford anything, why continue to stay in a house where your serial killer husband did terrible things.  And don't get me started on the episode where they found the ringing phone in the closed up room downstairs.  I also don't believe Jessica would have kept the last name.  I would have gone back to my maiden name even as Martin was being taken away by police. 

I kind of get her doing this. Maybe the idea was to try to stay as "normal" as possible, and not admitting defeat. The house was hers before she got married, if I'm remembering correctly, so she probably figured, screw you, I'm not letting you drive me from this place that is mine. Chin up, carry on, never let 'em see you sweat. As for her name, it's also her children's name, and she may have chosen to keep it out of solidarity with them, since they didn't really have the ability to change their names at that age. Not that it would have helped very much. Which may have been her other reasoning. Not like she hasn't been all over the papers; might as well own it. (See the aforementioned sweating and the not allowing 'em to see you do it.) Jessica also provides a contrast to Malcolm, steering into the skid instead of what she views as running from his past by changing his name.

For what it's worth, I'm kinda with you as far as the house. I don't know that I could have comfortably stayed there. Though...it just occurred to me that a house that was the famous home of an infamous serial killer might be bought by someone who would turn it into some gawky collector's attraction, because people are freaks. I would be even less happy with someone turning my pain into profit tourism. Yikes. That feels pretty damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Edited May 1, 2020 by Risky Librarian

[Chaos Theory]

On 4/30/2020 at 11:33 AM, perkie1968 said:

 

I did have issues along the way.  Why would Jessica still be living in that house.  The woman is richer than Dog and can afford anything, why continue to stay in a house where your serial killer husband did terrible things.  And don't get me started on the episode where they found the ringing phone in the closed up room downstairs.  I also don't believe Jessica would have kept the last name.  I would have gone back to my maiden name even as Martin was being taken away by police.  

 

She did mention both issues early on in the series maybe even the pilot.   The house belonged to her.  It was her family home.   She wasn’t going to let Martin take that away from her.   
 

As for a name change,   It didn’t really matter when your name got dragged through every newspaper in the country.  

[AnimeMania]

6 hours ago, Risky Librarian said:

For what it's worth, I'm kinda with you as far as the house. I don't know that I could have comfortably stayed there.

Especially with the "New York's Famous Murderers" tour bus passing in front of your house every hour on the hour.

[AZChristian]

10 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Especially with the "New York's Famous Murderers" tour bus passing in front of your house every hour on the hour.

I did the Graveline Tour in Los Angeles.  I'd do "Famous Murderers" in a heartbeat.

It's like a destination vacation for Dateline watchers.  LOL.

[sharifa70]

I was spoiled re the ending (I did it to myself) and even with that knowledge I still caught myself shouting ‘Holy crap, Ainsley!” at the tv loudly enough to scare my dog. So, well done, show.

Ainsley has been giving us clues all along, from her ruthlessness in getting the story when her cameraman bf was shot, all the way to her reply to Martin during the prison meeting when he told Malcolm he’d have to kill Endicott. Ainsley, matter-of-factly: “He’s not a killer.” She wasn’t shocked by the suggestion, she was thinking. 

I really enjoy this show and truly hope we get a season 2.

Edited May 3, 2020 by sharifa70

[Neurochick]

On 4/28/2020 at 9:22 AM, icemiser69 said:

If this series comes back, TPTB are going to have a lot of explaining to do when it comes to Ainsley completely losing it seemingly out of nowhere.  The twentieth episode in and Ainsley totally loses it, turns on a dime, and slices and stabs Endicott?  Not buying into that at all.  I didn't see any uncontrollable rage issues in the prior nineteen episodes.

Maybe Ainsley was as angry as I was, listening to Endicott brag about how he controls EVERYTHING.  I kept thinking, "I wish someone would just shut him up."  What an asshole.  Like a guy bragging about how big his penis is.

[Chaos Theory]

The interesting thing about the finale is that it was taped pretty early because Michael Sheen had scheduling conflicts.  The show worked around it and taped the finale relavilely early.    The plan for Endicott had been for a season long villain which meant a couple more episodes that never got done because Covid-19 shut down production.   But producers felt enough of the show had been shot so that the finale made sense.    I mean we were missing maybe two episodes.    
 

if anything I would love to see those two episodes even if they are just the manuscripts or whatever.   

[sharifa70]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

The interesting thing about the finale is that it was taped pretty early because Michael Sheen had scheduling conflicts.  The show worked around it and taped the finale relavilely early.    The plan for Endicott had been for a season long villain which meant a couple more episodes that never got done because Covid-19 shut down production.   But producers felt enough of the show had been shot so that the finale made sense.    I mean we were missing maybe two episodes.    
 

if anything I would love to see those two episodes even if they are just the manuscripts or whatever.   

I know I’m weird, but it was actually a relief for me to not have the villain arc go for much longer. I always get tired of them and want them resolved so we can move on to the next mustache-twirler. I was afraid we were going to get a bunch of Penniless Whitlys because Endicott managed to freeze their accounts or whatever. 

[cameron]

On 5/1/2020 at 4:32 PM, Risky Librarian said:

I kind of get her doing this. Maybe the idea was to try to stay as "normal" as possible, and not admitting defeat. The house was hers before she got married, if I'm remembering correctly, so she probably figured, screw you, I'm not letting you drive me from this place that is mine. Chin up, carry on, never let 'em see you sweat. As for her name, it's also her children's name, and she may have chosen to keep it out of solidarity with them, since they didn't really have the ability to change their names at that age. Not that it would have helped very much. Which may have been her other reasoning. Not like she hasn't been all over the papers; might as well own it. (See the aforementioned sweating and the not allowing 'em to see you do it.) Jessica also provides a contrast to Malcolm, steering into the skid instead of what she views as running from his past by changing his name.

For what it's worth, I'm kinda with you as far as the house. I don't know that I could have comfortably stayed there. Though...it just occurred to me that a house that was the famous home of an infamous serial killer might be bought by someone who would turn it into some gawky collector's attraction, because people are freaks. I would be even less happy with someone turning my pain into profit tourism. Yikes. That feels pretty damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The mansion has been in her family for generations.  She had mentioned it on one of the episodes.

[methodwriter85]

Like daughter. I knew it!

[Trini]

On 5/6/2020 at 7:50 PM, Chaos Theory said:

if anything I would love to see those two episodes even if they are just the manuscripts or whatever.   

In one interview, the showrunners said they would try and use the scripts next season (... if there is one). They'd have to tweak it, though.

[Morrigan2575]

Finally watched the season finale and it was great.

I know we talked about Ainsley ending up being the one to follow in Martin's shoes since the pilot. I think it became set in stone for me when she was all about filming her stabbed boyfriend's surgery. 

That being said, I actually found the violent nature of the kill to be quite surprising. I figured she'd eventually go there in a later season with a slow building. The throat slitting and then multiple stabbings in the S1 finale was shocking to me, even if the reveal wasn't.

I'm actually more curious to see if she really blanked because I don't think she did. I think that's going to be her defense but, she went from cold to unhinged to blank. I believe the first two, cold throat slitting actually fits what we've seen from ambitious Ainsley. I can believe the loss of control/violent stabbing as getting a taste and enjoying it. I don't believe the "what happened?" part

 

[hilaryvm]

I'm just now catching up, and after Ainsely killed Endicott I was wondering how they would spin it as self-defense, since she clearly stabbed him more than necessary.  But then it occurred to me - does anyone else know that Endicott was there?  Ainsley just texted Malcolm.  So, there's a possibility they just clean up all the blood and act like nothing happened.  If no one knew he was there, it's very easy for them to say he never came to the house.

I think it would be an interesting way to play it, because Malcolm would clearl have a hard time keeping that quiet.

[Driad]

On 5/9/2020 at 9:28 PM, Trini said:

In one interview, the showrunners said they would try and use the scripts [of the "missing" episodes] next season (... if there is one). They'd have to tweak it, though.

Flashbacks, as everyone tries to make sense of the events?

[Regalbegal]

I rewatched the finale this week (bc between COVID and smoke I am stuck here, what else is there to do?), and I appreciated it just as much if not more than the first watch.  TPTB did an admirable job of pulling things together given the missing episodes, even if the plot lines did feel a little rushed (I think the biggest hole was not getting to experience another episode or two of Endicott really being a villain).  And the ending was perfect - the show does a pretty good job of taking expectations and twisting them a little bit so there is still a surprise.  Although I had guessed pretty early on that Ainsley would start to show her true colors as the real "prodigal child", would have never guessed her going full slasher.   As a horror movie fan, loved the over the top nature of that whole scene.