S02.E07: Walk This Way

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Conor demands a birthday party with Terry, Bunchy and Mickey in attendance.

 

Promo:

 

Clips:

 

[CynicalGirl]

Ok, I just have to say the end really made me laugh.

[sheetmoss]

Well that was a tour de force episode

[jonesingjay]

Was Ray in love with his sister?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know this entire family is a bunch of assholes, but man, tonight felt like they were all trying to outdo each other with their assholishness.

 

I remember what it was like to be Bridget's age and how annoying it was whenever I couldn't go out with my friends, but what a snotty little brat. As Abby pointed out, all Bridget was really doing was taking her anger at Abby and Ray out on Conor. what you made me do, Bridget? I had to agree with Abby because of your behavior!

 

She was also a vindictive bitch to tell Ray about Abby being out late the night before. She didn't do it because she cares. She just said it to be mean and hurtful. And now she has run away with Marvin? Briliant. I would like to add that you should never have to specifically be told not to make plans on your sibling's birthday, especially when it falls on a Saturday night. She never should have made plans to go to the recording studio in Conor's birthday. That's her own fault for being a thoughtless sister. Even if Conor hadn't asked for a family party, wouldn't they at least have had a small family dinner and then cake and presents? Bridget should have known better than to make plans that evening.

 

And what is it with all of these people bringing uninvited guests to Conor's birthday party? This isn't happy hour at TGI Friday's. This is your son's/grandson's/nephew's birthday party so this is not the time to invite your girlfriend/friend who has never even met Conor to his house without even asking Conor if it was okay.

 

I think I love drunk Ray. He is usually silent and wound so tight that hearing him let loose and tell people what he really thought was a nice change of pace (even if everything he said was hurtful).

 

Poor Darryl. I thought he had finally learned his lesson that Mickey will always disappoint you and make you feel like shit. Apparently not. How did Mickey plan to get himself back to his place (and Claudette and Darryl for that matter) if he gave that car to Conor?

 

I wish I could say I was surprised that Abby bribed the kid at the cake shop to give her someone else's cake but that is the asshole kind of behavior I expect from her now. She is such a mess that I can't believe that cop hasn't gone running.

 

I can't believe Ashley's stalker is back after everything that Ray did to him last season. So is he really trying to protect her? I mean, we already know that Steve has a temper based on the guy in the closet last week. Is this going to lead to Steve hurting Ashley and then Ray and Bob teaming up to take him out?

 

Poor Bunchy and Terry. Terry just wants to get the fuck out and I don't blame him. Bunchy seemed okay with what happened last week so I was annoyed with his SNAP friend kept being such a Negative Nancy. As if that weren't bad enough, then he had to kiss Bunchy and make him question his sexuality? That guy is the worst!

 

What is the name of Conor's celebrity friend? I know Ray thinks he is an idiot, but at least he remembered his birthday (and was nice enough to get some British girls to show him their boobies).

 

Ha, I loved drunk Conor blasting "Walk This Way" and dancing with Ray. If I have learned anything from Grey's Anatomy, it's that sometimes you just have to dance it out.

Edited August 25, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Mama No Life]

Things I enjoyed: the watch and the dancing.

Things I did not enjoy: most of the rest.

I wonder if one of Ray's enemies is behind this cop seducing Abby, b/c he is very much the aggressor, it putting up with a lot of crap and is seemingly desperate to bed one incredibly unattractive woman.

[bc1795]

Sorry, this show has nothing going for it for me, especially when I lothe all of the characters.  But put them all in one room together and let the sparks fly ala David E. Kelly  of yor and you've got a wildly entertaining episode.  Schrieber a good actor, wasted here,  shinned in this episode.

[Mama No Life]

Even more impressive because he directed it....

[RubyWoo72]

Was Ray in love with his sister?

No, not Bridgette. I think he was talking about the old ex-girlfriend whose murder Mickey took the rap for.

[jonesingjay]

No, not Bridgette. I think he was talking about the old ex-girlfriend whose murder Mickey took the rap for.

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I was confused by that scene. When his daughter said, "Haven't you ever loved someone you knew was wrong for you?" After the themes of molestation, I wondered if that's what was being hinted at. Then Ray went on to deny it being the girl who was murdered. Of course, even when drunk I doubt Ray would've admitted it was the murdered girlfriend. One thing I took away from that scene is Abby 'Harpy' Donovan might've been the rebound that became the wife.

[Turtle]

And what is it with all of these people bringing uninvited guests to Conor's birthday party? This isn't happy hour at TGI Friday's.​

 

 

So funny.  That was sort of weird, though, especially Bunchy bringing that SNAP guy.  

 

These people are all so awful that I find it kind of fascinating.  I mean, we can all be real assholes occasionally, but these folks are consistently the absolute worst.  It must be exhausting going around treating everyone like shit all of the time.  

I loved Ray and Conor drunk dancing at the end.  The best bit was when Ray first started moving to the beat a little - don't know why, but it was hilarious.

[Insomnia]

I know this entire family is a bunch of assholes, but man, tonight felt like they were all trying to outdo each other with their assholishness.

Right? I had this great idea to just start calling shows Assholes, because that's how people ended and it summed up everything about the show easily.

 

Then I realized that Assholes was on several times a week, sometimes even the same night and couldn't keep them straight.

 

I think Revenge was the first show that is now just Assholes to me. But this will have to be Boston Irish Assholes, or something. (True Blood is, and will always be True Assholes). Dexter of course was the exception: it was just Asshole.

 

Bunch of course was the only person who wasn't an asshole, kept proclaiming he wasn't gay. Fitting.

[Dobian]

What Conor should have said when he handed the car keys back to Mickey: "I don't want the car anymore grandpa, it's a piece of shit now".

[CynicalGirl]

[scrb]

Started out okay but then blew up.

 

Mickey says inappropriate things, does lousy things including hurting those closest to him.  Yet he is, literally in this episode, the life of the party.

[Haleth]

Wow.  That was awkward.  I've been to some family gatherings where people blew off steam, but nothing like this.  Poor Conner (er, Conor), poor Darryl, poor Terry.

[tricknasty]

This might be the most depressing show on tv

Pros: Ray and Conor busting some good moves.  Didn’t know Ray had it in him.

Cons: Everything else, but mainly:  (1) Please God don’t bring that reporter back.  (2) Annoying blond is being abused…and I don’t care.

Assholes:  Ray and Mickey tied for first place.

Non-assholes:   Terry, Bunchy, Avi and Lena

That’s all I got.

[Dobian]

I can't believe Abby didn't spell out the name to the kid, there are multiple spellings for "Conor" (Conner, Connor...).  But the thing that annoyed me most about the cake is that Abby could have just run down to Safeway and bought a tube of icing for a couple of bucks, and fixed the name herself.  She couldn't even be bothered to do that. 

 

I did get a kick out of the subtext at the end of the episode..."Yeah, we finally got rid of mom and sis, time for father/son bachelor pad!"

Edited August 26, 2014 by Dobian

[alexvillage]

I don't know why but I keep watching the show, even though I really don't like any of the characters. 

 

Are we supposed to feel sympathy for any of them? Because I don't. I keep fanfic-ing in my head about how each one of them are going to disappear, die, suffer, get screwed by someone new who I can sympathize with.

Yet, I keep watching.

 

Can't stand anything Jon Voight, but I think he is kind of a big star in the show, so I have to put up with him. Can we get rid of Conor, then? That kid is annoying and useless

[Dobian]

I have to do the inevitable Sopranos comparison.  That show had an unlikable family too.  Carmela, Meadow, and A.J. were all completely obnoxious.  I wanted to smack all of them.  Tony was an even bigger ass than Ray.  The likable characters on the show were his crew - Chrissy, Silvio, Paulie, Bobby, etc.  That's why I wish Ray would focus more episodes on him working with his team, and on just him and his brothers.  Just like in Sopranos, the Ray episodes that tend to be annoying are the ones that focus on his home life.

[alexvillage]

Funny, I could never watch The Sopranos, found it unbearable to watch. I cannot watch Ray Donovan when it airs either, I need to watch on demand, and have a few pauses. But there is something compelling about it. Good point though. The two people who work for him, forget their names, have not bothered me - yet

[cattykit]

At least we finally found out that Ray never killed Ashley's stalker, as was speculated last season.  Now if Ashley herself could go away, that would be lovely.  And add me to the groans when Ray called blond reporter girl.  I half expected a pan to the street that showed she never left L.A.

 

When Ray started dancing it reminded me of the scene in Airplane where the guy gets stabbed in the back and Julie Hagerty mimics his pained, stilted gyrations.

 

Pairing baby-faced Brian Geraghty (he looked about twelve on Boardwalk Empire and is only marginally aged here by the facial hair) with Paula Malcomson just makes it more obvious that Abby's been rode hard and put up wet.  Haggard and used, she is.

 

Something is going to happen with Frances.  She can't keep repeating, "I saw what you did," and have nothing come of it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Bunchy bringing that SNAP guy.

Even though the SNAP guy was a total stranger to the rest of the family and shouldn't have been invited, Bunchy is the only one who invited his guest out of genuine caring. The guy said he missed having a family so Bunchy was trying to cheer him up. Terry and Mickey, on the other hand, invited their guests out of spite to annoy Ray, which is a dick move to pull at your grandson/nephew's birthday.

[Happytobehere]

Okay, the people Never. Need. To. See. Each. Other. Again! What a horror show that was.

Hearing that Ray thinks Abby is the "best thing that ever happened to him" begs the question: "Has anything good ever happened to you?" Cause chic is a nightmare. I always looked at Abby and saw her as the girl Ray marries and stays with because he has to prove he is not Mickey (even though he clearly is). He insists he loves her and won't leave her because then he couldn't tell himself he is better than Mickey, but his actions demonstrate the exact opposite.

Abby is beyond awful. At this point, I actively hate her. Good to see you were thrilled to ruin some innocent kid's (whose parents actually gave a damn enough about him to remember his/her birthday), so you can continue the pretense with your awful kid who matters nothing to you as far as I can see.

There is no way Abby's boyfriend isn't a plant of some sort. Either that or he is a mentally ill drugging because who could stand to be in her presence.

Frances needs to stop. You are screwing around on your husband, and two days ago couldn't have given a flying you jp know what about Terry as you were begging Ray to get him to leave you alone, or is you forget the stalking? Making threats to a man you know is a murderer just proves you are stupid, pointless and deserved of whatever fate Ray is going to make sure befalls you. I hate your fate sudden love for Terry, a guy you have been using since day one.

Bunch is going to be in a drunken coma before the season is over. As long as he does nothing hurtful to the bike lady or her kid.

Mickey is such a POS. He might love Claudette, but he only cares for Daryl as an extension of her.

Still have to say I can't stand Abby or the kids because it can't be said enough.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Happytobehere

[Joimiaroxeu]

Did Ray really call Claudette a whore? Good grief, he really knows how to hold a grudge. I'm surprised Claudette's husband is okay with her spending so much time with Mick and his family. But, I guess a paroled former gangster living on subsistence pay isn't much of a threat to him.

 

That moment at the end with Ray and Conor dancing was sweet but holy crap what an effed up family.

 

I find it very hard to believe that Terry had no clue that the gym was being used to launder money. Those must be some huge blinders he's been wearing for so many years.

 

Something is going to happen with Frances.  She can't keep repeating, "I saw what you did," and have nothing come of it.

Yep. Does she have a death wish or something? She knows what these people can do so why keep provoking them like they wouldn't "take care of" her too?

 

There is no way Abby's boyfriend isn't a plant of some sort.

I've definitely been wondering if he's an undercover agent with (three-letter acronym agency). There's something oddly deliberate about the way he's wormed his way into Abby's affections and set himself up for her to view him as her rescuer.

 

Mickey is such a POS. He might love Claudette, but he only cares for Daryl as an extension of her.

I don't think he gives a flying fig about Daryl. Mick views pretty much everybody as a means to an end although I agree that he does sincerely seem to care for Claudette. However, he uses her too when the need arises and tonight it was all about sticking it to Ray.

[jennylauren123]

If my family were portrayed in a TV show, a really good title would be "Assholes."

 

When you combine excessive drinking with so much simmering hostility--often based on childhood abuses--which has been on the back burner for, say, 30 or 40 years, this is what you get.

[monakane]

 

Carmela, Meadow, and A.J. were all completely obnoxious.  I wanted to smack all of them.  Tony was an even bigger ass than Ray.

 

True, but they were more compelling to watch and Carmela was consistent.  Maybe it's because Edie Falco is a better actress that I found the character unlikeable but not unwatchable.  I can't stand any scene with Abby in it.  She's so insecure and whiny.

[RubyWoo72]

True, but they were more compelling to watch and Carmela was consistent. Maybe it's because Edie Falco is a better actress that I found the character unlikeable but not unwatchable. I can't stand any scene with Abby in it. She's so insecure and whiny.

I'm with you. And I'll go one further by admitting that much of my disdain for Abby and the daughter is because they're so damned hard to look at. Cartoonish facial features, always contorted into bitchface is just not easy on my eyes. I know it's shallow. But, ugh.

[lonestar]

Comparing the Sopranos to the Donovans:  Carmela would never forget her son's birthday, she would have planned a gathering in advance, no matter how mad at Tony she was.  Abby is just a miserable bitch, and not even an attractive one. 

[paigow]

Right? I had this great idea to just start calling shows Assholes, because that's how people ended and it summed up everything about the show easily.

 

Then I realized that Assholes was on several times a week, sometimes even the same night and couldn't keep them straight.

 

I think Revenge was the first show that is now just Assholes to me. But this will have to be Boston Irish Assholes, or something. (True Blood is, and will always be True Assholes). Dexter of course was the exception: it was just Asshole.

 

Bunch of course was the only person who wasn't an asshole, kept proclaiming he wasn't gay. Fitting.

Just need theme song rights from Denis Leary!

[paramitch]

I'm a little late with the season, but thought I'd chime in anyway (I'll turn the lights off when I leave, hee).

 

I thought this was a terrific episode, although I agree that the season isn't holding up as well as 1 thus far (we do need to see more of Ray as a fixer, and less of Ray constantly responding to his messed-up family). But the final minutes were quintessential RD for me, with Ray giving his son the watch (and such a great callback to last season -- we know Conor loves and covets those watches), and then the two of them dancing around the house like that. It was great.

 

I also found the stalker situation rather poignant, because the actress looks out to him as (literally) the lesser of the two evils in her life. She has one guy who scares, beats and disempowers her -- to the extent that the stalker now seems far less threatening. The scene where the actress stood there with a black eye and waved sadly at the stalker was creepy and horrible, slightly funny, and really sad to me.

 

Anyway -- I still like the show. I still like Ray and yes, I actually do like Abby. (I know. We exist!) I've always liked her, and I like what Paula Malcolmson brings to the part. There's something about everyone's messiness that weirdly rings true for me, and I like Abby's toughness and fragility, the little ways in which Ray's inarticulate feelings come to the surface -- his love for Abby and his brothers, his rage and fear over his abuse when it comes to his father, etc.

 

I felt so bad for Daryl here. Mickey is just unbelievable -- he keeps finding new lows to sink to. Yet I credit Voight for somehow making him human and occasionally, horribly likable in weird ways. I'm starting to look forward to his incredible tone-deafness because Mickey always looks so hilariously hurt and nonplussed when nobody else likes his stolen/fake presents or his terrible child molester jokes, etc. And I continue to like seeing him suffer guilt over what happened last season -- it does show that there's a soul in there somewhere.