S02.E02: Uber Ray

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ray forces Mickey to return to LA. A reporter investigates Sully's death.

 

The Bunk is BACK!

 

Promo:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46e1f_7XacE

 

Sneak peeks:

 

 

[WaltersHair]

I didn't think it was possible to dislike Abby more, but I do. Thing is, she's mostly right, but her delivery is very, very bad.

 

I always hear Anne Margrock inside my head whenever she shows up. Too many Flintstones cartoons when I was a kid.

[scrb]

Ray was starting to work his charm on Lupita and Ray bribes Bunk to make life tough for Mickey?

[Ralph Dundee]

Yeah, I loved it when he said here's your work assignment. It starts at 5am. Poor Mickey's in for some hell.

[Mama No Life]

So glad to see the Bunk! Also glad to see McNulty will be in Showtime's new show....

This week was a little more enjoyable b/c Ray was a little more in control. Abby, you just let that man buy you a house and you hit your knees. Not saying a lot about your character. Of course, I don't like you so that doesn't help.

Best part of the night was Ray and what'shername getting all excited that the FBI guy was into something freaking and it was a cover band. lol

[Haleth]

I guess no means no... unless you buy me a house with a pool.

I hope Frances knows enough to keep her mouth shut.

[RubyWoo72]

Can someone clarify about the lingerie? Did she buy it to wear for Ray? For the yoga instructor? Or did the yoga instructor send it to her? Or did Ray buy it for her?

[ethalfrida]

 I have to watch this episode again because imma need to see a couple of scenes again ... Mrs. Ray is definitely confused as when one "bows"...

[Mor]

I didn't think it was possible to dislike Abby more, but I do. Thing is, she's mostly right, but her delivery is very, very bad.

Unless you assume she suppose to have some kind of psychic powers, I don't see how her delivery could have been better or she could have known all the things that Ray choose to hid from her.

 

Think Frances. Most of us who are familiar with Donovan family's story and what happened with priest incident are probably sympathies with them and Terry.  However, lets be honest, if I was in her shoes, knowing what she did, i'd be think this:

 

Donovan's are:

http://wpc.556e.edgecastcdn.net/80556E/img.news/NEoElLDwlL9Cso_1_1.jpg

 

what the f*** did I got myself into!??!!??

[ethalfrida]

Not liking Abby either. Her character is very well developed and I don't think we are supposed to like her. And I agree, her delivery was way off. 

[Mor]

All Abby wanted was honesty. Instead she got shut off by her partner, who don't confide in her, does what he wants, appears to fuck around, while his secret unresolved issues bubble up effecting their family and kids. More recent example: knowing what Rays business is, I can imagine how waking up to find Avi in their home, which means that she and her kids are unsafe and kept confined in their own house, without knowing why, could really be nerve wreaking to anyone ..

Before that with all do respect to Ray, before that Abbey just tried to bring the family closer together, something that her family needed as was apparent by how the kids reacted to Micky, who was seen as charming old guy by all expect Ray (for unknown issues). Then after Ray discovery, she tried to stand by him she is getting roughed up..

Maybe she is cast as unlikable, in the last episode she didn't want to babysit suspended Conor, because she "has life", what life? I don't think she done anything expect fleshing out Ray issues.

[RubyWoo72]

I feel like most of this shit started with Abby, as she was the one who was secretly corresponding with Mickey in jail for years. Years. It was she who invited him to come there. And it seems that she and Mickey play Good Cop to Ray's Bad Cop, with regard to the kids. Connor is getting Street Smahts 101/ Intermediate How to Be an Asshole lessons from his granddad when Ray shows up to ruin all the fun. I feel like Abby is complicit in this. Not that she's not justified in feeling frustrated with her husband's communication skills (or lack thereof), but she's gotta know part of this is her doing.

[cattykit]

I thought Ann-Margret's face was going to fall off.

 

Bunk!  Yay!

 

Rolling my eyes at the gal reporter ignores her boss's direct order and flies off after the story goddamn cliche.

 

I missed the transition between Abby's, "I feel like I'm being raped" to ordering kinky lingerie.  WTF?

[Lambie]

I am hating this season so much. I'm giving it one more episode. Was the green screen footage so obvious last season? It's awful. The writing is worse though. Can they make evil mustache-twirling overly ambitious FBI guy more one dimensional? At least Liev and Jon Voight can sell the shit dialogue they're given but Paula (and she's been amazing in everything else) and the kids are doing bad theater. And what the hell is up with Ray abusing Abby. It's disturbing and I'm not on board.

[Mor]

I feel like most of this shit started with Abby, as she was the one who was secretly corresponding with Mickey in jail for years. Years. It was she who invited him to come there. And it seems that she and Mickey play Good Cop to Ray's Bad Cop, with regard to the kids. Connor is getting Street Smahts 101/ Intermediate How to Be an Asshole lessons from his granddad when Ray shows up to ruin all the fun. I feel like Abby is complicit in this. Not that she's not justified in feeling frustrated with her husband's communication skills (or lack thereof), but she's gotta know part of this is her doing.

I disagree, the theme here is family, not just Ray and his brothers, but almost everyone mentioned including Sully the ruthless murderer, Avi the Special ops guy etc seem to taking care of their mother\family on screen. So, you can't blame Abby for wanting to bringing their Irish family together and bridge over their family issues --which thanks to Ray to the best of her knowledge are likely the usual teenage dady issues crap-- Bring Micky, who on the outside appears to everyone as the harmless, warm, charming and fun grandfather who only want to spend more time with his family (which the opposite of what Ray was, partially due to his demanding job, his issues with Abby started long before that)

 

Edited July 23, 2014 by yeswedo
edited language

[RubyWoo72]

I disagree, the theme here is family, not just Ray and his brothers, but almost everyone mentioned including Sully the ruthless murderer, Avi the Special ops guy etc seem to taking care of their mother\family on screen. So, you can't blame Abby for wanting to bringing their Irish family together and bridge over their family issues --which thanks to Ray to the best of her knowledge are likely the usual teenage dady issues crap-- Bring Micky, who on the outside appears to everyone as the harmless, warm, charming and fun grandfather who only want to spend more time with his family (which the opposite of what Ray was, partially due to his demanding job, his issues with Abby started long before that)

So for you to blame this on Abby because of your retrospect knowledge is silly.

It's simply my opinion on a made-up character on a television show. I stand by my reasons for not liking Abby's character, and I'm not necessarily taking into account the theme of the show because I don't feel like I need to, in order to render an evaluation. The thread is titled after the name of that particular episode, which includes (but is not limited to) the show's theme. Everything you said about the other characters is spot-on. What gives me pause, though, is with you having declared me "silly" because I feel the way I do. It's unnecessary. Let's be free to disagree, but let's do so respectfully.

[yeswedo]

Please disagree without attacking other posters personally. Diverse opinions are welcome as long as they are civil.

 

Use the report button for any posts that cross the line. Thanks!

[Mor]

@RubyWoo72, No need to get defensive, I wasn't attacking you, making personal comments about you, nor I wasn't questioning how you felt about Abby, in fact the vast majority of people would agree with your sentiment (otherwise the producers failed with their season 1 finally delivery)

The point I was making is that this show is indeed about "Ray f***ing Donovan" (about him "fixing" more then just things at work) and as the anti-hero type his family ( Abby and the two empty coco nuts kids) are there mostly to help us relate to him. However, if we try to look at this outside of Ray POV, I find that blaming Abby is silly i.e. She is not bad, she is just "drawn" that way.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Mor

[EtheltoTillie]

Yay Bunk/Antoine Batiste. For extra credit!

[RubyWoo72]

@RubyWoo72, No need to get defensive, I wasn't attacking you, making personal comments about you, nor I wasn't questioning how you felt about Abby, in fact the vast majority of people would agree with your sentiment (otherwise the producers failed with their season 1 finally delivery)

The point I was making is that this show is indeed about "Ray f***ing Donovan" (about him "fixing" more then just things at work) and as the anti-hero type his family ( Abby and the two empty coco nuts kids) are there mostly to help us relate to him. However, if we try to look at this outside of Ray POV, I find that blaming Abby is silly i.e.

Hi, Mor. The admonishment we saw wasn't a result of me reporting your post (because I didn't) if that's what the first part of your response is about. I know, from the title of the show, who the show is about. You are free to look at it from any point of view you choose, as am I. That's the great thing about forums. Again, we'll just have to respectfully agree to disagree without being dismissive to each other's opinions and move on. Like I said, we're in agreement on everything else you said about the other characters.

Speaking of whom, what's your take on Connor's story arc this season? Do you think he'll continue to get in trouble at school? I'm always halfway expecting him to be like, "Do you know who my dad is?!" But then I remember that they don't know what he does (or at least I don't *think* they do)...

^^And sorry, I realized after typing that last part that it probably should go in a Connor thread, if such a thread exists.

Edited July 23, 2014 by RubyWoo72

[ethalfrida]

Good question about Connor. Remember Tony Soprano's son and how odd he grew to be? At first he didn't know what Tony did for a living until his sister Meadow told him. Then he gradually became a "mess-up" and non-achiever. I can see Connor going this route. At least, that's the feel I get so far.

[RubyWoo72]

Good question about Connor. Remember Tony Soprano's son and how odd he grew to be? At first he didn't know what Tony did for a living until his sister Meadow told him. Then he gradually became a "mess-up" and non-achiever. I can see Connor going this route. At least, that's the feel I get so far.

That's what I'm thinking, too.

(Let me bring it back to this particular episode, lol!) It seemed very awkward when Mickey was trying to toughen him up in the ring and Connor, in his refusal to leave with Ray, blurted out something like, "What are you trying to do?! You're trying to make me a little punk!" That's not what he said, but it was something to that effect. Something about needing to stand up for oneself. But I guess it's *supposed* to feel awkward to show how different Connor really is from his dad and his grandfather. He's growing up under a completely different set of circumstances.

[WaltersHair]

Abby is joyless. The only time we saw her happy/laughing was when she was drunk and stealing shoes from a high end store. This season, she's been pinch-faced and judgmental. Even the house didn't seem to make her happy, just desperately grateful.

 

I wish they'd write her better, or the actress playing her would light up a bit. YMMV, of course.

[ethalfrida]

 Even the house didn't seem to make her happy, just desperately grateful.

 

I wish they'd write her better, or the actress playing her would light up a bit. YMMV, of course.

Desparately grateful is one of the most telling descriptions ever for this character. I too wish she were more dynamic. 

[cattykit]

Y'know, I thought the whole idea of an antihero is that you're supposed to like them.  Ain't nobody to root for in this motley bunch.

 

Except Lena and Avi, who could be the stars AFAIC.  I'd just watch their activities all day long.  Whatever happened to the assault charge for Lena punching out her girlfriend?  Did that just go into magical TV oblivion?

 

 

Can they make evil mustache-twirling overly ambitious FBI guy more one dimensional?

See, I don't see him as evil.  Arrogant and full of himself, sure.  But look what he was handed.  Donovan pere and fils are very, very lucky not to be rotting in jail.

[scrb]

Ray isn't joyful either.  Don't see him smiling much.

 

The brothers are all grim-faced.

 

Mickey is the only one who brings the funny, with a good deal of levity.

[topanga]

 

Abby is joyless. The only time we saw her happy/laughing was when she was drunk and stealing shoes from a high end store. This season, she's been pinch-faced and judgmental. Even the house didn't seem to make her happy, just desperately grateful.

 

I think Abby is very lonely, and she continues to be rejected by Ray--and increasingly by her children. Her line to the yoga instructor, "Do you really see me?" seems a bit cliche, but those feelings are real. Ray doesn't see her, at least the way she wants to be seen. And there isn't anyone else in her so-called life who does see her. Yoga Boy better watch out, though. Ray f*****g Donovan seems like the kind of guy who wouldn't want his wife screwing around, no matter how much he does it.

 

I do have trouble believing that Abby is so naive. She was never concerned about Ray's activities when they lived in Boston? He was never emotionally distant or away from home a lot in Boston? Yes, L.A. can be a hard place to make new friends. But there must be other South Boston transplants with bad accents that she can befriend, or a local chapter of "Mob Wives" that she can infiltrate, even though she's Irish. And what about that kinda-creepy woman that she met after yoga? Or Ezra's girlfriend? They could go steal some shoes again.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Lena's face as she was watching Cochran's cover band made the entire episode worthwhile. If only his band had a better name than Eddie and the Undercovers! But Side Boob was already taken so I guess you do what you gotta do.

 

So great to see Bunk again! Heh, and I do have to agree with him - what the hell do you want with a $15K wedding dress? And I say that as someone who also never asked my parents for a dime, worked my way through college, and then paid for my own wedding.