S01.E06: Parentsite

[Cranberry]

Quote

When Obie’s mother comes to town, Zoya begins to question his nature – and nurture. Julien decides to take her brand to the next level. Aki and Max come together to support Audrey.

Original air date: August 12, 2021

[surfer]

Oh Zoya, there’s a time and a place. Although I guess I found myself siding with her more than Obie. Speaking of, I can’t for the life of me figure out what Julien sees in the guy.

And I know Aki’s supposed to be a little dim but did he not figure out that Audrey accidentally outed him? Or were the lamb chops and impending threesome too distracting to bring it up? Also was it ever mentioned that his father is basically Rupert Murdoch?

Rafa, nerdy teacher (still don’t know his name) and Obie all still suck to varying degrees but I actually didn’t mind Kate Keller this episode. She’s tolerable with Zoya’s dad (still don’t know his name either).

Kind of loved Audrey terrifying the hospital staff with some good old fashioned Waldorf hysteria this episode. She’s strangely become my favorite character. 

Also continue to be amused by the random Carla Hall appearances. It’s like the show films in her kitchen and she just happens to be there lol.

Edited August 12, 2021 by surfer
xoxo

[Chicago Redshirt]

14 hours ago, surfer said:

Oh Zoya, there’s a time and a place. Although I guess I found myself siding with her more than Obie. Speaking of, I can’t for the life of me figure out what Julien sees in the guy.

And I know Aki’s supposed to be a little dim but did he not figure out that Audrey accidentally outed him? Or were the lamb chops and impending threesome too distracting to bring it up? Also was it ever mentioned that his father is basically Rupert Murdoch?

Rafa, nerdy teacher (still don’t know his name) and Obie all still suck to varying degrees but I actually didn’t mind Kate Keller this episode. She’s tolerable with Zoya’s dad (still don’t know his name either).

Kind of loved Audrey terrifying the hospital staff with some good old fashioned Waldorf hysteria this episode. She’s strangely become my favorite character. 

Also continue to be amused by the random Carla Hall appearances. It’s like the show films in her kitchen and she just happens to be there lol.

I mean, Obie is handsome enough. And he's rich. And he was/is good for her brand. And his powerful and rich mother loves her. If I was a teen and someone made sure that they had monogrammed towels for me at ALL their properties, I might be a little wowed. I didn't put it together that "Obie" is "O.B." as in "Otto Bergman" -- don't know if we knew his actual name.

One of the issues with the show is it's unclear what there there is under Julien. Is there any substance to her, or does she just want to be the top cool kid?

Papa Zoya=Nick

Nerdy Teacher=Jordan

Aki wasn't present for the actual outing, and Audrey didn't come out and say close to "I outed you," and Mama Aki was hovering generically enough so that Aki would not be able to read it was about him being bi. Once Papa Aki did out him, I guess the pieces of the puzzle came together and he didn't care all that much that it was Audrey? Or maybe once the shock of having been outed on TV subsided it paved the way for threesome action, so he didn't care at that point? But I would have been supersalty at Dad, even if I weren't closeted. Because it's such a BS approach to say "How could I discriminate when my son's gay?" People make exceptions for those close to them all the time.

 Wait, I haven't noticed Carla Hall, as in Top Chef's Carla Hall? When did she pop up?

Edited August 12, 2021 by Chicago Redshirt

[txhorns79]

So Max's dad figures out his son is having sex with a teacher, and how is it that he isn't immediately on the phone to the school?  I get that none of these people (except Zoya) have parents who actually seem interested in being parents, but how can a parent honestly not say anything?  What happens to the next student Rafa targets?

[Ms Blue Jay]

Can someone explain the relationship between Obie's mother and Aki's father?

Oh, and the male teacher who participates in Gossip Girl --- is he straight (or maybe bi), and in love with Kate?

Obie has not even 1 percent of charisma, he is negative charisma.  And the two stars of this show are supposed to love him???  PPPuuuuuuhhhhlease 😄. 

Oh my god I just saw the end 😮

Edited August 13, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[TeeVee329]

I get that she's a teen on TV and teens on TV are always know-it-alls with no filters, but Zoya is seriously so annoying.  No 15-year-old talks to adults - let alone adults you are meeting for the first time, let alone when you know the situation you are entering is already fraught with awkwardness - like she did at the dinner.

Not that Obie's any better.  His showing up to blame Julien for his problems with Zoya and then immediately putting out feelers for a reunion tour, seemingly determined to fuck up the sisters' fledging bond, was gross.  And, of course, he only likes Julien again now that her ideologies and interests are aligning more closely to his.  Shut up, Obie.

Julien is far and away the most likable in the triangle, which is crazy given the show tried to position her in the pilot as this HBIC.  I really like her relationship with her dad, their interactions were sweet this week.  And I really liked her advising Zoya and trying to be a good big sister.

And there's the trouple.  That final scene with Max, Audrey, and Aki was pretty hot.  And in other Audrey relationship news, I kinda love her rapport with Zoya, that she's just kinda casually snappy with her.

I'm so embarrassed I gave Rafa any credit for his handling of Max back in episode two, I was so young and naïve!  I actually thought he was going to out Aki via Gossip Girl (when Malcolm McDowell - and what the hell are you doing on this show, Malcolm? - did instead, casually using Aki as a prop in front of the press, I gasped), but his actual actions - calling the students he's slept with "conquests", spreading rumors about a student's STI status, trying to revenge fuck the dad - were f-ing dastardly.  

Having had to sit through Kate's endless monologuing about her failures as a writer, it was even more enjoyable to see her hoisted by her own petard when the other teacher posted about her and Zoya's dad.  And how stupid to print out a bunch of incriminating Gossip Girl documents and BRING THEM INTO SCHOOL.

I didn't get why Malcolm McDowell was trying to warn Aki away from Julien.

All that said...I'll be back in November.  It's ended up being a guilty pleasure that's bad instead of a guilty pleasure that's good, but it's a guilty pleasure nonetheless.

Edited August 13, 2021 by TeeVee329

[Ms Blue Jay]

10 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

I didn't get why Malcolm McDowell was trying to warn Aki away from Julien.

The protests?  Or he's planning to do something to Julien's father?

11 minutes ago, TeeVee329 said:

All that said...I'll be back in November.  It's ended up being a guilty pleasure that's bad instead of a guilty pleasure that's good, but it's a guilty pleasure nonetheless.

Oh noooo.  I had no idea about the hiatus.

[TeeVee329]

23 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

The protests?  Or he's planning to do something to Julien's father?

Oh, maybe he and Obie's mom are going to blame Obie's presence at the protest on Julien?

Edited August 13, 2021 by TeeVee329

[zenithwit]

On 8/12/2021 at 9:20 PM, TeeVee329 said:

I get that she's a teen on TV and teens on TV are always know-it-alls with no filters, but Zoya is seriously so annoying.  No 15-year-old talks to adults - let alone adults you are meeting for the first time, let alone when you know the situation you are entering is already fraught with awkwardness - like she did at the dinner.

Yeah, Zoya probably could have been a bit more polite at dinner but I got the sense that Malcolm McDowell's character just viewed her as a mouthy teenager and wasn't really phased by anything she said.  The thing that got me was Zoya practically expecting Obie to put her (someone he has only known a few months) at the same level as his mother.

On a side note: there's no way someone as rich and paranoid as Malcolm McDowell's character (who pays a restaurant to shut down and brings in his own staff) would be cool with someone he doesn't know being invited an hour before the dinner.  Realistically, Zoya probably would need to go through a background check before meeting him.

On 8/12/2021 at 8:35 PM, Ms Blue Jay said:

Can someone explain the relationship between Obie's mother and Aki's father?

I think they are long-time (very successful) business partners.  It seems Obie's mother is in real estate and Aki's father works with her to get whatever space he needs for his business.

On 8/12/2021 at 2:08 AM, surfer said:

Also was it ever mentioned that his father is basically Rupert Murdoch?

I guess that explains why Aki is so diplomatic lol.  But in all seriousness, I think Aki may actually be richest out of the core group?  I would have never guessed that prior to this episode.  His more mellow personality doesn't quite match his father's more machiavellian personality (I guess he takes after his mother which would make sense).

On 8/12/2021 at 6:08 PM, txhorns79 said:

So Max's dad figures out his son is having sex with a teacher, and how is it that he isn't immediately on the phone to the school?  I get that none of these people (except Zoya) have parents who actually seem interested in being parents, but how can a parent honestly not say anything?  What happens to the next student Rafa targets?

That was a big WTF moment.  Another one was when the teachers saw the video, their initial reaction was how the other teacher could lose his job.  Uh guys, you just discovered your colleague is a sexual predator.  Maybe that should be your focus?

[Ms Blue Jay]

28 minutes ago, zenithwit said:

I think they are long-time (very successful) business partners.  It seems Obie's mother is in real estate and Aki's father works with her to get whatever space he needs for his business.

Thank you.

[BingeyKohan]

Watching this episode a little late, and separated from the others, somehow made me enjoy it more than I might have otherwise. Same nitpicks as I always had but I was more willing to go with the flow. I thought Tavi was pretty solid in this one, and like others, I'm digging Audrey (and yes I feel guilty for gravitating to two blonde white women but I feel there is a writing problem around Zoya and Julien and also Emily Lind may be the strongest actor of the bunch so they just give her stuff that requires more range, which is rewarded with more viewer attachment?) The protest and its characterization as becoming out of control was silly. They gave quick lip service to BLM but then for some reason made the protest about something that couldn't be interpreted as racially charged, even though I feel these characters would be more motivated by BLM? I wonder why. I also wonder if brands like Revlon and Sephora knew they were going to be represented here (or god forbid paid to be) since they both looked kind of bad?

[phoenics]

On 8/19/2021 at 11:14 AM, BingeyKohan said:

Watching this episode a little late, and separated from the others, somehow made me enjoy it more than I might have otherwise. Same nitpicks as I always had but I was more willing to go with the flow. I thought Tavi was pretty solid in this one, and like others, I'm digging Audrey (and yes I feel guilty for gravitating to two blonde white women but I feel there is a writing problem around Zoya and Julien and also Emily Lind may be the strongest actor of the bunch so they just give her stuff that requires more range, which is rewarded with more viewer attachment?)

It's interesting how people see things - I find Emily Lynd to be the blandest of bland actresses and her histrionics don't come across as "strong acting" to me - just a failed attempt to elicit "Blair".  I actually find her to be the worst actress on the show and cringe during her scenes.  So the fact that she seems to be more centered in the writing is actually really problematic given who the leads are.

It is also problematic how Zoya and JC as characters are given scraps and not elevated in the writing more.  Especially JC as she's the top billed lead.  With the original show, this wasn't being done on purpose - but here I almost feel like it is, which is a shame.  Both Audrey and Teacher Blonde lady (I DGAF what her name is) seem to be centered more in the writing.  The writing decentering and giving the more "show moving" storylines to the white women characters is sooooo problematic.  But typical.  It wasn't an off-hand decision to make GG the teachers and then show the story from their PoV more from the beginning vs JC/Zoya.  Even the train scene in the beginning framed Tavi's character AS SERENA vs JC who really is supposed to be Serena Part 2.

Why did the show make the parallel with the teacher vs the actual lead?  Why did the show center Tavi/Emily at all given they aren't the leads?  This stuff is deliberate - if not unconscious.

Shows with WoC leads do this All. The. Time.  Charmed reboot just did it and lost their best actress over it (and most of the fandom).  Twisted did it.  Sleepy Hollow tried it.  The Flash did it.  Each of these shows had woc (mostly black) leads and each of them tried to erase their leads - in some ways they openly sabotaged them to justify running to the white women characters to "save" the show.

I hope GG wakes up and properly centers JC/Zoya as leads.  I'm sick of seeing this happen again and again.  It's erasure and it's gross. Especially on a show patting itself on the back for being "woke".

Fans are so quick to write off the woc characters and throw them in the bad writing pile, when EL's been plagued by that this whole time and hasn't elevated her material at all.  I found the hospital scenes grating because EL was so obviously trying to channel Blair and failing spectacularly.  Half her scenes she comes off as drugged and the other half she's over acting.  

There is a reason fans are gravitating this way and that and it's partly racial status quo and partly the writing keeps decentering Zoya and JC in stories meant to be about them - this is a common enough pattern on shows that feature woc leads as bait to fans when the shows really don't plan on following through and won't follow through unless forced by the fandom. 

Quote

The protest and its characterization as becoming out of control was silly. They gave quick lip service to BLM but then for some reason made the protest about something that couldn't be interpreted as racially charged, even though I feel these characters would be more motivated by BLM? I wonder why. I also wonder if brands like Revlon and Sephora knew they were going to be represented here (or god forbid paid to be) since they both looked kind of bad?

Making the protest BLM focused would have made Obie look even worse for his performative activism and worse, his judgmentalism directed at two women of color (really, two black women).  He judged one for being unable to take off her "activism" hat at the dinner, when she LIVES an experience that makes it impossible for her to do so without burying that part of herself and he judged the other for not being into what he was into and casting her influencer career as shallow and non-impactful, when she rose to being a super prominent influencer as a black woman - which is still super hard in the fashion influencer circles.  JC was exemplary just by existing while black as an influencer - her activism WAS her presence.  So Obie judging that and Zoya and then being all BLM would have made his hypocrisy even worse.

And given no one has called Obie out for his performative activism yet - how would the show handle BLM when Obie has done all the judgment of JC/Zoya?  It's bad enough Obie was such a dick to Zoya for dinner when she brought up BLM and was roundly silenced - if the protest had been BLM after all of that and Obie faced no blowback it would have been far worse.  It's still bad - but that would be bad on a whole other racist level. 

As it is, I don't know if the show realizes how badly they've screwed Obie up with their characterization.

Frankly I want to see JC and Zoya as LEADS.  I don't GAF about Audrey and TBL (who really just seem to be there to appease white fans who refuse to self insert with woc/black characters).

Edited August 25, 2021 by phoenics

[Artsda]

That was quite the outing for your own gain. Aki's father didn't even seem mad, just a way to use it.

Interesting that Aki's dad wants him to stay away from Julien. 

Zoya was annoying at that dinner.