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S01.E07: Wheels on the Bus

AnimeMania

By AnimeMania
in Nine Perfect Strangers

Lady Calypso
Message added by Lady Calypso,

Hi everyone! Book Talk in the episode threads is not allowed. If you would like to discuss anything about the book, please take it to our Show vs Novel thread. Thank you for your cooperation! 

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archer1267

archer1267

Not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure keeping Carmel locked in a room against her will constitutes kidnapping. I'm not sure why Masha didn't just let her leave Tranquillum - Carmel has been physically violent a couple of times now. I guess Masha feels like she can "heal" Carmel, or that it's too risky to have her potentially go to the police?

I must have missed something because I don't remember Masha being cool with Lars being a journalist - to the point where he gets to witness the Marconis' drug trip.

No death threat for Masha today?

Loved Frances' conscious dream of Tony quoting her book back to her.

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Steph Sometimes

Steph Sometimes

Can someone confirm something in the book for me? 

Spoiler

Did it end with the guests locked in some kind of room together and then it turned out, they were able to get out the whole time on their own--they just thought they were locked in? Or am I mixing it up with another book?

Somehow in the time between two episodes ago (I think it was when he was wiping the oatmeal off her glasses) and this one, I've now gotten to the point where I only care about Frances and Tony and their scenes. I don't know if the writing just seems better in their scenes or the chemistry between Melissa and Bobby is just working or I just felt in a shippy mood but it almost feels like a different show than the other characters. I was thinking about their kiss scene last episode and it goes from funny to sweet to romantic to heartfelt back to funny. Also, I thought in this episode when he asked her why she was holding his hand, it was going to turn out that she hallucinated the kiss and I would have been a sad little shipper (I'm not usually like this, I promise). 

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure they end up together in the book though.

The rest is a mess. I wish Zoe would get the F out of there. I've lost interest in Carmel although I like the actress. The lottery couple could just disappear and I don't think it would affect anything. 

One more episode?

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Sarahsmile416

Sarahsmile416

2 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

Can someone confirm something in the book for me? 

  Hide contents

Did it end with the guests locked in some kind of room together and then it turned out, they were able to get out the whole time on their own--they just thought they were locked in? Or am I mixing it up with another book?

Somehow in the time between two episodes ago (I think it was when he was wiping the oatmeal off her glasses) and this one, I've now gotten to the point where I only care about Frances and Tony and their scenes. I don't know if the writing just seems better in their scenes or the chemistry between Melissa and Bobby is just working or I just felt in a shippy mood but it almost feels like a different show than the other characters. I was thinking about their kiss scene last episode and it goes from funny to sweet to romantic to heartfelt back to funny. Also, I thought in this episode when he asked her why she was holding his hand, it was going to turn out that she hallucinated the kiss and I would have been a sad little shipper (I'm not usually like this, I promise). 

  Hide contents

I'm pretty sure they end up together in the book though.

The rest is a mess. I wish Zoe would get the F out of there. I've lost interest in Carmel although I like the actress. The lottery couple could just disappear and I don't think it would affect anything. 

One more episode?

The answer to both of your questions is yes.  

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Laurie4H

Laurie4H

1 hour ago, Cinnabon said:

Both of those are 70s movies. My 10-11 year old self was completely obsessed!

Xanadu is from 1980.   But I’m anal about dates lol.  I’m going to be singing that song all night now.  I assume Carmel’s resembling the shooter was Masha’s drugs kicking in. 

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chocolatine

chocolatine

(edited)

I've had a really hard time getting through the past couple of episodes. I watch in 10-15 minute increments throughout the day. This episode just completely went off the rails. Liane Moriarty is credited as an executive producer, so I'm surprised that this mess happened on her watch. 

Edited by chocolatine
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Johnny Dollar

Johnny Dollar

Is it possible to get a contact high from watching a tv show, because I can’t remember if I hallucinated some of the shit from this episode. Was there a scene where Carmel was dancing to Xanadu one minute, and then put a white colored contact lens in her eye in the next minute?

Adult Frances still feels the loss of her father when she was ten, but eleven year old Frances was the life of the party.

The Jessica and Ben characters’ sole purpose seems to be to fill out the slate to make the title accurate.

While many fatal heart attacks are caused by undiagnosed pre-existing conditions, overdosing on acid ain’t helping matters.

Taking hallucinogenic drugs so that you can imagine being with your dead kid seems like a very short term solution to a literal lifelong problem.

Aren’t they getting to the end of the week-long stay already?  Masha keeps talking about adjusting doses like she’s still got a few months to get it right.

Every actor in the cast deserves an Emmy for not busting out laughing over some of this dialogue.  Except Nicole who’s been in too much of this kind of shit lately to not take some of the blame.

 

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BusyOctober

BusyOctober

Am I getting micro dosed thru my tv?  I swear I am seeing Nicole Kidman’s face morphing into a porcelain statue with each episode.  Her accent and her acting seem to be getting incrementally worse too?  I think I am only tuning in each week so I can see her final transformation completed.

 I was never a big fan of Kidman, but this mess, on top of her performances in The Undoing and Big Little Lies seals it.  Nine Perfect Strangers is truly the trifecta of shitty Nicole Kidman series.   She’s lucky she has supporting actors and  moderately good writing to hide behind.
 

 

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pennben

pennben

There is part of me now that wonders whether Kidman chose this role & interpretation of the book as a statement against cults, such as say, for no reason, Scientology? Was Masha escaping a cult leader? Did she turn into one after escape in effort to reconnect to dead daughter? Are people just pawns in these scenarios as leaders reap "rewards"?  

Just something I started thinking about today.  

Intrigued by how this concludes, regardless.  

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eXiled

eXiled

The only thing I got from this episode is that Delilah has grown tired of servicing Masha. She has forbidden Yao from resuming his sexual duties, therefore, sis is ready to go.

The show wants me to believe Delilah's a good person who's grown wary of what Masha is doing to the guests, but I ain't buying. She knew what was up for a while now. Delilah is tired of making Masha's toes curl and decided to bounce.

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Kenz

Kenz

Was that Nicole Kidman warbling Moon River? Was it in her contract that she could sing songs in her light, breathy voice? I think she's going to look back on this series with embarrassment due to her frozen look and terrible accent, along with the ludicrous, jumpy plot. I am a big fan of Lianne Moriarty, and although I didn't enjoy the book as much as her others, I don't remember it being this disjointed. I am usually a fan of Nicole Kidman, but this and The Undoing haven't been very good showcases for her acting ability. Unfreeze your face, Nicole. It's too distracting.

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mostlylurking

mostlylurking

22 hours ago, Kiss my mutt said:

 

I’m still waiting for Manny Jacinto to break character and give a “JACKSONVILLE!” shoutout.  (The Good Place reference)

 

Pretty much every time he’s on screen I yell “I call Jaguars!”.  My husband just loves that;)

17 hours ago, Johnny Dollar said:

Taking hallucinogenic drugs so that you can imagine being with your dead kid seems like a very short term solution to a literal lifelong problem.

I was thinking the same thing although with many medications you end up taking them for the rest of your life as well so is it really that different?  I don’t know.

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dmc

dmc

(edited)

This show is a train wreck.  A Big Sky meets last season of Grey’s Anatomy disaster.  
 

I know you guys are blaming Nicole.  But the writing is atrocious. The characters all fall flat.

 

I should care that that family cannot get over the grief of their son 

I should care that influencer cannot connect with her husband and feels like she’s never enough

I should care that Lars is writing a story about this place and that his partner broke up with him

I should care that Carmel left an an abusive relationship and is on the edge

I do care about Francis and Tony but I can’t tell if it’s the show or just because I care about the actors

I should care that Masha is clearly off her rocker and is sexually harassing both her employees.

But I don’t care.  
 

It’s just a one big gigantic mess and I can’t connect to any of the characters.

 

Anytime I watch a show that I think it’s terrible I try to picture somebody else that I know is a good actor in the role and I don’t think anyone could save the show. 
 

If I never found out how the show ended I would be OK.

 

🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️
 

I think that with better writing and if they had concentrated on one character an episode and then brought it all together in the end it would’ve been better.  Also I think they should’ve focused on character based writing and not dramatics or drugs. Or maybe they should’ve dragged out the drug reveal because since we knew so quickly it really didn’t have much of an impact

Edited by dmc
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Snazzy Daisy

Snazzy Daisy

This episode is full of nonsense! 👎

I lost interest in Frances/Tony. Did they really kiss last week or just hallucination? Frances/Masha conversation by the cliff was OK, at least we know something about Tatiana. Masha mentioned nothing about her husband/partner.

Zoe is way smarter than her parents. Am glad she can rely on Lars for some good advices.

So… Carmel shot Masha & has been sending her threats. Then what?

Ben and Jessica might as well pack their bags and leave for a much better resort, they are just fillers here. Nobody cares about them!

I can’t believe it that Masha blames Aaron Connelly’s death on cheeseburgers! 😵

Masha’s decisions/actions are getting more dangerous and unethical. Besides Dee, why can’t anyone else stand up to her and say “Enough!”. Not even Lars has the courage to say NO to her.

Am not expecting much for next week’s finale. I hope Masha dies so she can be with her daughter and others will be saved from her psychedelic experiment.

I keep thinking… what if Masha is played by Sarah Paulson, would it be better and more believable? 🤔

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Lady of nod

Lady of nod

I seem to be the only person liking this show. Must be all those drugs I took in the 60’s and 70’s. I don’t love it like I did Big Little Lies, but I find it pretty enrertaining.
Wheels on the bus ha I think she’s my favorite charactet 

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Anela

Anela

I actually fell asleep.  I woke up, and tried to resume watching, but I fell asleep again.  I usually watch this when I’m more awake.  
Carmel was right, she does need to be in a hospital.  What the hell was that? Did she shoot her?

On 9/15/2021 at 6:10 PM, archer1267 said:

Not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure keeping Carmel locked in a room against her will constitutes kidnapping. I'm not sure why Masha didn't just let her leave Tranquillum - Carmel has been physically violent a couple of times now. I guess Masha feels like she can "heal" Carmel, or that it's too risky to have her potentially go to the police?

I must have missed something because I don't remember Masha being cool with Lars being a journalist - to the point where he gets to witness the Marconis' drug trip.

No death threat for Masha today?

Loved Frances' conscious dream of Tony quoting her book back to her.

Carmel picked a phone out of the lamp in that room.  Unless I dreamed that? I did fall asleep.  Maybe it was her, and she didn’t send another one, because she’d actually attacked her, and been sedated.  

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Ms Blue Jay

Ms Blue Jay

(edited)
12 hours ago, Lady of nod said:

I seem to be the only person liking this show. Must be all those drugs I took in the 60’s and 70’s. I don’t love it like I did Big Little Lies, but I find it pretty enrertaining.
Wheels on the bus ha I think she’s my favorite charactet 

I love  the show.  I'm enjoying every episode and always looking forward to the next one.

I prefer it over BLL.  The second season of that show was a nightmare.

They'll probably do the same thing with this show.

Edited by Ms Blue Jay
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Roxie

Roxie

On 9/16/2021 at 1:34 PM, Kenz said:

Was that Nicole Kidman warbling Moon River? Was it in her contract that she could sing songs in her light, breathy voice? 

No, it was Audrey Hepburn singing it, from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

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Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

I think Nichole Kidman is a brilliant actress and people are way too critical of plastic surgery.   You have to remember it is still very recently a female actress hit 40 and was told she was only suitable to play the aging grandmother guest roll while a 40 year old man was cast as a suave secret agent cast with a 23 year old female costar.   Of course actress will do almost anything to attempt to look younger and sometimes it backfires.  
 

But I don’t think you can blame Kidman for the mess this show is.   The writing is problematic.  I actually like The Undoing because it was simple and not complicated and there was no gotcha twist in the end.   This seems to be overly twisty for no particular reason and the characters seem to be assholes for no reason.  

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dmc

dmc

37 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I think Nichole Kidman is a brilliant actress and people are way too critical of plastic surgery.   You have to remember it is still very recently a female actress hit 40 and was told she was only suitable to play the aging grandmother guest roll while a 40 year old man was cast as a suave secret agent cast with a 23 year old female costar.   Of course actress will do almost anything to attempt to look younger and sometimes it backfires.  
 

But I don’t think you can blame Kidman for the mess this show is.   The writing is problematic.  I actually like The Undoing because it was simple and not complicated and there was no gotcha twist in the end.   This seems to be overly twisty for no particular reason and the characters seem to be assholes for no reason.  

agreed its mainly the writing

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pezgirl7

pezgirl7

On 9/16/2021 at 12:07 PM, eXiled said:

The only thing I got from this episode is that Delilah has grown tired of servicing Masha. She has forbidden Yao from resuming his sexual duties, therefore, sis is ready to go.

Hmm, I didn't get that impression at all. Throughout the show, Delilah has shown concern over Masha increasing the doses too quickly, and doesn't want another patient to die. That's why she's headed to the police. I kept expecting something bad to happen to her while she was driving away. But I guess the ominous music was for Carmel.

On 9/15/2021 at 9:30 PM, Johnny Dollar said:

Was there a scene where Carmel was dancing to Xanadu one minute, and then put a white colored contact lens in her eye in the next minute?

I thought she took her contact out, to reveal the white eye. So she dressed up as a man, and shot Masha in the parking garage because Masha was having an affair with her husband? Didn't really see that coming! Since she has the hidden phone, I guess we are to assume she was the one sending the threatening texts to Masha. I hope Masha doesn't die, taking Carmel's secret with her. Carmel needs some serious help.

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mostlylurking

mostlylurking

I thought it was funny that they had this huge locked gate but then just a few yards away there is a fence with huge gaps.  Heh.

I wish we would have gotten more backstory on all the staff members.  Like, Yao was an EMT that saved Marsha after being shot.  How did he come to work for her here?  What about the two ladies that make the smoothies??  Even Delilah.  I’d love to here more about them, but there are just too many characters on this show.

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Haleth

Haleth

(edited)
1 hour ago, pezgirl7 said:

thought she took her contact out, to reveal the white eye. So she dressed up as a man, and shot Masha in the parking garage because Masha was having an affair with her husband? Didn't really see that coming! 

Masha was hallucinating. 

Edited by Haleth
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Kath94

Kath94

2 hours ago, pezgirl7 said:

I thought she took her contact out, to reveal the white eye. So she dressed up as a man, and shot Masha in the parking garage because Masha was having an affair with her husband? Didn't really see that coming! Since she has the hidden phone, I guess we are to assume she was the one sending the threatening texts to Masha. I hope Masha doesn't die, taking Carmel's secret with her. Carmel needs some serious help.

Yes, they deliberately showed her messing with her eye.  I thought she was putting the contact lens IN, but after reading your comment, she very well could have been taking one OUT.  It was definitely NOT Masha imagining Carmel looking like her shooter.

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Johnny Dollar

Johnny Dollar

With all the hallucinating going on, we don’t know if Masha was imagining Carmel was her shooter. However, with only one episode left, it’s gotta be somebody we’ve seen before. I’m hoping it’s Glory who feels slighted for not getting enough credit for the great smoothies they’re whipping up. But if it is Carmel, why wouldn’t she go after her ex husband’s new wife instead of some woman who had a meaningless fling with her husband?

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chediavolo

chediavolo

On 9/15/2021 at 11:45 PM, Nordly Beaumont said:

 

On 9/16/2021 at 10:23 AM, BingeyKohan said:

Each episode makes me feel progressively more embarrassed for Samara Weaving. I feel like you can see the 'what am I doing here??' in her posture and facial expression.

I can’t look away from her weird face/teeth. She looks like a puppet. 

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Soobs

Soobs

On 9/16/2021 at 9:55 PM, Lady of nod said:

I seem to be the only person liking this show. Must be all those drugs I took in the 60’s and 70’s. I don’t love it like I did Big Little Lies, but I find it pretty enrertaining.
Wheels on the bus ha I think she’s my favorite charactet 

I like it! It's one of the few shows my husband and I watch together. I really don't need twists and turns. I would have been happy watching their antics, all zonked out on their smoothies, roaming the property having weird, emotional revelations.

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AG921

AG921

When Carmel is packing her bags she zips up a suitcase then the camera scan out of her room to show Masha walking over. When the camera scans back to Carmel she is zipping a duffle bag. 

This is why I assumed we entered Mashas hallucination. Am I remembering that scene correctly?

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Anela

Anela

19 hours ago, Johnny Dollar said:

With all the hallucinating going on, we don’t know if Masha was imagining Carmel was her shooter. However, with only one episode left, it’s gotta be somebody we’ve seen before. I’m hoping it’s Glory who feels slighted for not getting enough credit for the great smoothies they’re whipping up. But if it is Carmel, why wouldn’t she go after her ex husband’s new wife instead of some woman who had a meaningless fling with her husband?

I think she said the affair convinced him that he could do better (in his own opinion).  She is envious of younger women.  His new wife, and now Masha.  

 

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Ms Blue Jay

Ms Blue Jay

(edited)

??  Masha already admitted to having an affair with Carmel's husband and Carmel admitted that's why she came to the resort.  Regina is younger than Nicole.  The affair would probably make her more envious than Masha's age.

Edited by Ms Blue Jay
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Cinnabon

Cinnabon

10 hours ago, Anela said:

I think she said the affair convinced him that he could do better (in his own opinion).  She is envious of younger women.  His new wife, and now Masha.  

 

No way Nicole Kidman is younger than the woman playing Carmel.

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Anela

Anela

(edited)
6 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

??  Masha already admitted to having an affair with Carmel's husband and Carmel admitted that's why she came to the resort.  Regina is younger than Nicole.  The affair would probably make her more envious than Masha's age.

 

5 hours ago, Cinnabon said:

No way Nicole Kidman is younger than the woman playing Carmel.

I didn't say that Nicole was younger than her. She said that the affair left him thinking that he could do better, didn't she? And before that, she told the younger woman that she was envious, and bitter, because he married a younger woman. I didn't say that he did better than her. The affair was the catalyst for their divorce. I'm not watching again, to find exactly what she said.

Edited by Anela
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Blue Plastic

Blue Plastic

I thought they were saying Carmel was the shooter.  Would an LSD-induced hallucination be detailed enough to show Carmel messing around with her contact lens case before coming at Masha with the cloudy eye?  Plus Carmel does have a violent streak, has beef with Masha, has a hidden cell phone from which she could be sending threatening texts, and is on whatever unfortunate medication cocktail Masha "prescribed" for her.

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Bluesky

Bluesky

On 9/15/2021 at 10:37 PM, BusyOctober said:

Am I getting micro dosed thru my tv?  I swear I am seeing Nicole Kidman’s face morphing into a porcelain statue with each episode.  Her accent and her acting seem to be getting incrementally worse too?  I think I am only tuning in each week so I can see her final transformation completed.

 I was never a big fan of Kidman, but this mess, on top of her performances in The Undoing and Big Little Lies seals it.  Nine Perfect Strangers is truly the trifecta of shitty Nicole Kidman series.   She’s lucky she has supporting actors and  moderately good writing to hide behind.
 

 

She apparently came to the US as an adult from Russia and has zero accent.  Well sometimes she’s attempting an accent but it’s not a Russian one.   Casting by popularity and being well known sometimes ruins a show. 

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BusyOctober

BusyOctober

Just finished this. No need to pick up the book, unless it is 180 degrees opposite of this pile of Kidman vanity project shit (ex.- good character development, sensical continuity, engaging storytelling…).  WTF indeed.

No matter who is cast and how much I typically enjoy the actors’ work, I will not be fooled into watching anything else Nicole Kidman produces and/or stars in (or god forbid, anything she “sings” the opening credits for either).

 

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Cinnabon

Cinnabon

1 minute ago, BusyOctober said:

Just finished this. No need to pick up the book, unless it is 180 degrees opposite of this pile of Kidman vanity project shit (ex.- good character development, sensical continuity, engaging storytelling…).  WTF indeed.

No matter who is cast and how much I typically enjoy the actors’ work, I will not be fooled into watching anything else Nicole Kidman produces and/or stars in (or god forbid, anything she “sings” the opening credits for either).

 

I have never rushed to fast forward a show’s opening theme song more than with this one’s. Yikes!

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chocolatine

chocolatine

8 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

Just finished this. No need to pick up the book, unless it is 180 degrees opposite of this pile of Kidman vanity project shit (ex.- good character development, sensical continuity, engaging storytelling…).  WTF indeed.

The book is not a literary masterpiece by any means, but it does have the things you listed. The way the show changed things made everything incoherent.

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quirkygal

quirkygal

On 9/14/2021 at 1:59 AM, AnimeMania said:

 

nps-clip-index-1631491105.png

Dear Hair Department,

Yes, Tony's Fabio look was a good laugh and a clear sign Frances was tripping. However, his wig -likely from a Spirit Halloween store clearance bin in mid-november - is still far and away better than anything you've put on the Oscar winning executive producer's head. Sometimes it's worth asking for a little extra in the budget or checking the couch cushions for extra change.

Basically what I'm saying is don't expect a recommendation from Ms Kidman when interviewing for your next job.

Love, Just about everyone in tv land

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