Physical - General Discussion

[Cinnabon]

Just now, CarpeFelis said:

Same. I remember having a step and started out with Cher’s step video, which came out in 1991, before taking any live classes.

Those classes were so amazing - I completely understand the mindset Sheila is trying to tap into. If you’re into that type of exercise, it’s pure joy. 

[CarpeFelis]

6 minutes ago, Cinnabon said:

Those classes were so amazing - I completely understand the mindset Sheila is trying to tap into. If you’re into that type of exercise, it’s pure joy. 

I need to clear some space in my house (long story) to start doing step videos again. Collagevideo.com has them (streaming and DVD), but some of my all-time favorites were by Rebecca Small and are now on YouTube. Also loved Rob Glick’s choreography.

Edited August 5, 2022 by CarpeFelis
typo

[wendyg]

3 hours ago, Cinnabon said:

California is a community property state. Women do the same to men who are sometimes the only ones who ever worked a day in their lives. As a married couple, all earnings are split evenly, no matter who put in the labor.  Divorcing wives with husbands who are doctors, lawyers, professors - they all expect their share even though their husbands were the ones who spent years in school and did all of the work. Sheila would be doing the same if the roles were reversed.

Of course, in a lot of those cases the only reason the husband could spend all those years in school and do all that work is because the wife worked a crappy job and took care of the kids so he could do it. And for much of Sheila's and Danny's marriage he was the breadwinner and she stole their money to binge in motel rooms.

[BingeyKohan]

Hm. In retrospect I think it was telling what kind of overall season this was that 2 of the most powerful moments from the series trailer happened in the last five minutes of the season finale. (Danny saying 'actually it's half my business' and Sheila answering 'annihilation" to the question of what do you want) Normally shows wouldn't even use anything from the last few episodes in a trailer - let alone literally the last words spoken from the season.

[Cinnabon]

6 hours ago, wendyg said:

Of course, in a lot of those cases the only reason the husband could spend all those years in school and do all that work is because the wife worked a crappy job and took care of the kids so he could do it. And for much of Sheila's and Danny's marriage he was the breadwinner and she stole their money to binge in motel rooms.

All true. The court just sees a marriage as a partnership in which both members get 50% of everything earned or acquired during the marriage. It can be problematic, but often seems fairer than the arbitrary splits judges sometimes  make in other states. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Cinnabon

[QQQQ]

When Sheila was in treatment last episode, the calendar she was using to cross off days showed May 1982.

History of Step Aerobics

Yeah, the show is definitely playing fast and loose with the real timeline of step aerobics. Also, Sheila's prototype was not what the first steps looked like... She's quite the visionary!!

Edited August 6, 2022 by QQQQ

[AllyB]

I can't actually believe that was the final episode. I really enjoyed season 1 but this season was really poor overall. There were way too many plot strands and as a result, we didn't end up with any real plot. It just meandered around with lots of boring things happening. While I am fond of both Bunny and Tyler, they served absolutely no purpose in this season that couldn't have easily been written differently. Tyler having video of Breem and Sheila and then rescuing Danny, so they could tell him about Breem and Sheila, just felt like contrivances designed to keep them included, rather than them being important to events. Sheila's ovary felt unnecessary, and again largely designed to keep Bunny around in a really bizarre, went nowhere, plot of Bunny taking over for her for a little while.

A tighter storyline of Sheila feeling stifled with her contract, having a more realistic affair with Breem, where we are shown that her attraction is to become him, rather than just being told that in the last episode. Her fascination with Vinnie Green being more developed. And maybe some actual drama with Danny as she has come to hate him and planning to leave him but then appreciates, to a degree, how he supports her as he realises she has anorexia. No Bunny and Tyler, tighter writing on the Greta/Ernie stuff both with and without Sheila, maybe more of Breem being clueless in a bar and enjoying his tap-dancing, but less overall with his family. I don't care that about Breem's relationship with his dad's male lover. I don't care that his son is dating a Catholic. I don't care that his wife wants to bury her Hispanic heritage. Because those characters are all so tangental to the main storyline that their personal wants and needs take time that the actual story of Sheila and her pursuit of an aerobics empire was left lacking.

[chediavolo]

On 7/2/2022 at 12:12 PM, DakotaJustice said:

I don’t think it’s the money as much as sheer hatred for Sheila on Bunny’s part. 
Bunny blames Sheila for all her misfortune even though a lot of it is of her own making. Breem was already aware that Bunny and Tyler were squatting/living in the back of their space in the mall so he was probably ready to evict them. Bunny still could have taught her classes at Body by Bunny as Sheila isn’t teaching in person classes -at least not yet.  The video company was only interested in Sheila, not Bunny. 

Two losers due to circumstances of their own plus dumb luck. Looks like Tyler needs to start watching those exercise tapes or have Bunny whip him into shape. He looks like he has no muscle tone, his arms don’t even look masculine. Was he this out of shape last season? This show is weird. I really don’t care if it’s cancelled or gets another season. Apple TV programming is pretty bad for the most part. 

[QQQQ]

If this had been season 1, I would not have continued watching. I'm on the fence about season 3.

[pasdetrois]

The slow pace was deadly.

[BingeyKohan]

On 8/8/2022 at 7:24 AM, AllyB said:

Sheila's ovary felt unnecessary, and again largely designed to keep Bunny around in a really bizarre, went nowhere, plot of Bunny taking over for her for a little while.
 

And did we even see Bunny leading a class as Sheila's sub? We didn't, right? We just take it for granted it happened? 

[AnimeMania]

Physical Renewed for Season 3 at Apple

[chediavolo]

1 minute ago, AnimeMania said:

Physical Renewed for Season 3 at Apple

Oh God, I was hoping it was over. My OCD is going to make me watch this. 

[Harvey]

I am surprised at the renewal, and I'm strongly hoping they will get it together for the 3rd season.

Bunnie and Tyler need to be written off fast or receive minimal screen time. Breem's family could be neglected more as well. We need more screen time devoted to Sheila's fittness endeavor and see the process of how she makes it big and starts her empire.

Edited August 11, 2022 by Harvey

[WildFlower87]

[WildFlower87]

The Show is Ending With Season 3

https://deadline.com/2023/05/physical-rose-byrne-apple-tv-series-cancelled-season-3-premiere-date-1235370140/

[Harvey]

Probably for the best. Season 2 was a big BIG dip in quality.

S3 Debut:  August 2, and they knew it will be the final season so we will get a proper ending. Thank god. I want lots of self-deprecating monolouges and inner struggles next season, those are the best part. And less Danny is never a bad thing.

Quote

“With this final season, Sheila’s three act saga of rebellion, recovery, and redemption comes to the satisfying conclusion that she and her fans so richly deserve.

“We are aware of just how much of an impact this character and story has had on audiences around the world and can’t wait for them to join us on this final exhilarating ride that culminates in an immensely rewarding finale for this celebrated series.”

That sounds really promising.

[Harvey]

 

Season 3 trailer is here.

I don't like that they gave Sheila a rival and it seems that that will be a big focus through the final season. What set this show apart was Sheila's self-hateful inner monoluge and there is none of that in here. It's so weird when a show writer doesn't understand what made their own show good

[SoMuchTV]

Heads up, the first two episodes are up on AppleTV.

[AllyB]

I find it really odd that they cast Zooey Deschanel here and then have her, as Sheila's mean voice replacement, repeatedly taunt Sheila over her age. They are the same age, there is literally 6 months between them. I know Sheila responded the first time with, 'you're not that young yourself' but that had the implication that Kelly Kilmartin is maybe in her 30s, not that she's the exact same age. For two years Sheila had an actual younger rival in Bunny, who is actually 10 years younger than her. To give her a new younger rival, played by a same age actor is weird. I like Deschanel but they needed to cast a younger woman if they wanted her to stir Sheila's insecurity about her age.

[Harvey]

Agreed with the casting mishap here. Zooey Deschanel is just not pretty enough to be a realistic nemesis for Sheila even if it's in her head, and that blonde wig they make her wear looks ridiculous. Like okay I get that it's a manifestation of Sheila's insecurities but still, they could have chosen a better actress...I sure do hope she won't be sticking around for long.

Danny still gets too much screen time, specially in the second episode, and I hope to god it will lead somewhere since we know the writers knew this was going to be the final season, but for now it's just a bunch of nothing.

I loved the scene with Sheila in therapy, that was good.

[Harvey]

S3EP3: Wow, I loved the scene where Sheila owned her nastiness in front of Danny. "This is who I have always been. I just didn't let you see it". That was so empowering. I started just skipping the scenes with Breem. I literally do NOT care about his wife or family drama. But at least in this episode most of the focus was on Sheila and not the secondary characters, which is where the show shines.

If I saw correctly, the Italian guy fed Sheila a simple salted tomato. While that is flavorful, it is not THAT good 😄. The scene where she told Greta about meeting him was so cute  though🥰

[Kel Varnsen]

My wife and I have been binging this show over the last week and a bit and have just started season 3. It is pretty fun and the soundtrack is pretty amazing for a show that doesn't seem to be that big. 

One thing I think would be a bit better would be less Breem (who is a weirdo) and more Greta and Ernie. Because Ian Gomez is freaking hilarious.

On 8/8/2022 at 7:26 AM, chediavolo said:

Two losers due to circumstances of their own plus dumb luck. Looks like Tyler needs to start watching those exercise tapes or have Bunny whip him into shape. He looks like he has no muscle tone, his arms don’t even look masculine. Was he this out of shape last season? 

I weirdly kind of noticed that too in the scene where he rescues Danny. I have only tried surfing once and even though I was relatively fit at the time swimming regularly I found it a crazy hard workout and was super sore the next day. With how much Tyler surfs he should be in crazy good shape.

[chediavolo]

On 8/9/2023 at 6:15 PM, Harvey said:

S3EP3: Wow, I loved the scene where Sheila owned her nastiness in front of Danny. "This is who I have always been. I just didn't let you see it". That was so empowering. I started just skipping the scenes with Breem. I literally do NOT care about his wife or family drama. But at least in this episode most of the focus was on Sheila and not the secondary characters, which is where the show shines.

If I saw correctly, the Italian guy fed Sheila a simple salted tomato. While that is flavorful, it is not THAT good 😄. The scene where she told Greta about meeting him was so cute  though🥰

Yeah! And no universe is a sliced tomato better than surf & turf. 

[Harvey]

S3EP4: Wow, this episode was really good. I love that Danny / Breem were not in it at all, all the focus was on Sheila. As it should be. I am not sure what exactly freaked her out so much on stage, but it was interesting to see her relapse and be led astray by her competition.

I am not sure where they are going with Vinny's illness (I guess he has cancer?) but I am sure they are building towards something.

[AstridM]

On 8/14/2023 at 7:04 AM, chediavolo said:

Yeah! And no universe is a sliced tomato better than surf & turf. 

Depends how fond you are of meat. 🤷‍♀️

[MartyQui]

On 8/16/2023 at 9:20 AM, Harvey said:

I am not sure where they are going with Vinny's illness (I guess he has cancer?) but I am sure they are building towards something.

I was thinking it was some kind of nervous breakdown?

[bilgistic]

19 hours ago, AstridM said:

Depends how fond you are of meat. 🤷‍♀️

Yeah, I'm a vegetarian, and let me tell you, a homegrown/small farm tomato sandwich is🤌💋.

[AllyB]

So was the last 5 minutes or so of that episode a dream? It seemed she genuinely had a panic attack hanging out with Kelly and passed out. Then dreamed she woke up, was in the fashion show, had a public freakout and everyone laughed, then ate her way through a bath filled with cookies. After which she woke for real and Breem was there. 

[CarpeFelis]

On 8/16/2023 at 6:20 AM, Harvey said:

I am not sure where they are going with Vinny's illness (I guess he has cancer?) but I am sure they are building towards something.

I’m thinking cancer, too, after the “medication is working” comment. I suppose it will present an opportunity somehow for Sheila to take advantage of.

Zooey Deschanel’s fake accent for prank calling sounded just like Carol Kane as Pelia in Strange New Worlds.

11 minutes ago, AllyB said:

So was the last 5 minutes or so of that episode a dream? It seemed she genuinely had a panic attack hanging out with Kelly and passed out. Then dreamed she woke up, was in the fashion show, had a public freakout and everyone laughed, then ate her way through a bath filled with cookies. After which she woke for real and Breem was there. 

I was wondering the same thing. Especially the fashion show fiasco.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to 1983 when I was 25 and in the best shape of my life… and then this show reminds me of the things that really sucked for women at that time. (Though on the plus side… Evil Starter Husband and I were both engineers and that was right about the time I started earning more than he did and boy did he pitch a fit when he found out!)

[Kel Varnsen]

On 8/19/2023 at 5:15 PM, AllyB said:

So was the last 5 minutes or so of that episode a dream? It seemed she genuinely had a panic attack hanging out with Kelly and passed out. Then dreamed she woke up, was in the fashion show, had a public freakout and everyone laughed, then ate her way through a bath filled with cookies. After which she woke for real and Breem was there. 

It is really hard to figure out what was a dream. I mean did she really have a pillow fight with the real Kelly? Was there something in her drink in the hot tub more than it just being really strong.

On 8/19/2023 at 5:30 PM, CarpeFelis said:

I’m thinking cancer, too, after the “medication is working” comment. I suppose it will present an opportunity somehow for Sheila to take advantage of.

 

He was a gay man in 1983 so the obvious storyline would be HIV/AIDS. Wikipedia tells me that Rock Hudson was diagnosed in 1984 and I know that he was traveling to Europe for experimental treatments.

[Harvey]

So I guess that's how Sheila will win, Vinny dies, and Deschanel's character doesn't really like exercise so she will leave the business when she gets a different opportunity. So then Sheila can go on to dominate that niche in the exercise market.

[CarpeFelis]

On 8/20/2023 at 5:51 PM, Kel Varnsen said:

He was a gay man in 1983 so the obvious storyline would be HIV/AIDS. Wikipedia tells me that Rock Hudson was diagnosed in 1984 and I know that he was traveling to Europe for experimental treatments.

Good point. I didn’t even think of that.

[Harvey]

S3EP5: oh wow, this episode was so good. FIrst of all, I love that the self-deprecating voice is back. It's fascinating and it was so heartfelt watching the end of the episode, and how Sheila fought against her own inner turmoil, trying to make things better.

I loved her scenes with Breem, and also with Carlos. I was shocked she was honest with him about what happened. Of course she kept the fact that she went on another eating binge a secret, which means she will do it again. Shockingly, even Danny's scenes were okay. I like that the backstory provided by his sister makes his character and behavior make more sense.

[AllyB]

I actually quite liked ep 6. I liked Sheila speaking out about her problems and that there are no quick fixes to making real change in your life. It also reminded me how much I disliked Greta last year when she reacted so selfishly to Sheila having an eating disorder. She doesn't view Sheila as an actual person with complicated feelings. She wants Sheila to be who she wants her to be and is repeatedly angry when Sheila's problems mean she can't live up to Greta's view of her. Sheila can be an awful friend too but she doesn't try to make Greta into someone she isn't and act like the victim when it doesn't work.

[Harvey]

EP 6: I love how Danny's sister keeps explaining his behavior and giving us the necessary context to understand his behaviour.

Sheila's honest moment was amazing, and so well acted. I had to re-watch it 3 times. The show is really going out on a bang, can't wait to see what happens next.

[Shermie]

I’m not going to comment on episodes right now since I’m not caught up. But I was halfway through season 2 before I realized that Greta was not played by Kathy Najimy. Same looks, same voice, same laugh. Everyone has a twin, they say.

[Harvey]

S3EP07: Oh wow, the show is really knocking it out of the park in it's final season. The therapy session between Sheila and Breem was so cool. And I loved the demonstration of Sheila's inner struggle while she was having dinner with Carlos. And it was even better when she was alone in her bed.

Breem and his wife bonding in that destructive way at the end was kind of cute I guess. Their relationship is so weird.

[AstridM]

I hate Breem and don’t like the guy Sheila is now dating. This show has gone so far downhill from what it used to be. 

[BingeyKohan]

On 9/7/2023 at 5:03 PM, AstridM said:

I hate Breem and don’t like the guy Sheila is now dating. This show has gone so far downhill from what it used to be. 

Agree. Just totally bizarre choices all over the place. 

[CarpeFelis]

Episode 8: I thought I couldn’t possibly hate Danny any more than I already did, but boy was I ever wrong! WHAT. AN. ASSHOLE.

Bad enough he takes Maya out in the middle of the night and almost crashes the car. But then he tries to shift the blame onto his sister with “it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t gone out.” WTAF?! What a self-serving little worm.

And the ending… in Sheila’s studio, really? Was that supposed to be some sort of power move? I hope Sheila fires whatever-her-name-is.

Don’t much care for Carlos either. He gets on Sheila’s case for talking about work. I wanted her to say “Men do that all the time and we women are expected to listen” after calling him sexist.

Edited September 13, 2023 by CarpeFelis

[GiveMeSpace]

Can anyone tell me whose doors The Breems were throwing tomatoes at?

[Harvey]

3 hours ago, GiveMeSpace said:

Can anyone tell me whose doors The Breems were throwing tomatoes at?

Their own.

[GiveMeSpace]

8 hours ago, Harvey said:

Their own.

Wow. I thought it was the church elders or something. Now I have to rethink the symbolism. 

[AllyB]

I'm not sure that the writers know what they are doing? I'm left wondering at this point if they even remember that the very first scenes of this show were Sheila being a massive success who was a  dismissive bitch to the production woman in 1986. The whole show just seems to have characters who lurch through different motivations from episode to episode. Or even within the same scene sometimes. And I honestly can't tell what the hell they are going for with John Breem and his wife and Sheila's feelings for him. When she was crying at the thought of never seeing him again, I was wondering if she was setting him up or something. Not actually emotionally devastated to lose him.

I also find it really irritating that the writers think that all of the women they recruited, women who have very clearly spent years in regular athletic training, need Sheila to explain to them how empowering and strengthening exercise can be for women. Especially the woman who was weightlifting. That's just patronising to all women everywhere. 

[BingeyKohan]

On 9/14/2023 at 5:55 AM, AllyB said:

I'm not sure that the writers know what they are doing? I'm left wondering at this point if they even remember that the very first scenes of this show were Sheila being a massive success who was a  dismissive bitch to the production woman in 1986. 

I think about this a lot! Well not a lot but sometimes when I'm watching. My theory until recently had been that the woman she threw the Walkman at in the pilot episode opening was going to turn out to be her assistant and she justifies being rude to her because she knew she was sleeping with Danny but now that she already knows it seems like too much time would pass to have that make sense. Otherwise, yeah, it doesn't totally track since she's been on kind of a redemption arc and what we see of her in the pilot flash forward is also still very body focused which doesn't seem as much where their business is going.

[AstridM]

Breem shouldn’t have even been in this season, imo. There might actually be an interesting story to tell here without him. 

[BingeyKohan]

On 9/15/2023 at 2:09 PM, AstridM said:

Breem shouldn’t have even been in this season, imo. There might actually be an interesting story to tell here without him. 

And the actor seems to not even know how to play him.

[LEILANI2]

I liked this episode.  Too bad they didn't keep it like this all season instead of the weird alter ego with Zooey Deschanel.

Was the daughter played by a new actress in this one?

I don't recall ever ordering pizza with out paying for it first, is this how it was done? The poor kid has to collect when he gets there and what happened back then to prank calls, did people just call up for pizza delivery to a  vacant home as a joke and the pizza joint eats the cost?

[AstridM]

33 minutes ago, LEILANI2 said:

I liked this episode.  Too bad they didn't keep it like this all season instead of the weird alter ego with Zooey Deschanel.

Was the daughter played by a new actress in this one?

I don't recall ever ordering pizza with out paying for it first, is this how it was done? The poor kid has to collect when he gets there and what happened back then to prank calls, did people just call up for pizza delivery to a  vacant home as a joke and the pizza joint eats the cost?

Yes, you paid for the pizza when it arrived 🤷‍♀️. That’s only changed fairly recently.