S01.E05: The Bitter Cup

[Scarlett45]

Quote

When the Brobergs' marriage is thrown into jeopardy, Bob and Mary Ann must face the terrible consequences of their mistakes. B. strengthens his sinister hold over Jan.

Air Date: October 13, 2022

The thread is for episode discussion ONLY. Do not include spoilers or discussion of real life events in the episode thread. 

[Armchair Critic]

15 days in jail.

This show is making me feel most sorry for Bob Broberg. Mary Ann shouldn’t have taken Jan to see B. Does she actually love her husband or did she come back because she could see it would be hard being single. 

I know Jan is a victim, but when she had a fit because her parents wouldn’t let her go to Wyoming by herself (when she’s only 13) makes it hard for me to find her sympathetic. Her sisters are getting neglected because of Jan too.

The new Jan (not Brady though), the actress is playing another stressful part on The Handmaids Tale.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Armchair Critic

[peachmangosteen]

It is getting increasingly hard to feel any empathy for Mary Ann. I also don't really like the way Anna Paquin is playing her but I don't know anything about the real woman so maybe she's being like her.

I really liked the original Jan actress. So far, McKenna Grace isn't really as good but hopefully she gets better.

I can't believe there's 9 episodes of this. How much more can happen to justify that?

[Snazzy Daisy]

Mary Ann handed over her underage daughter to her kidnapper on a silver platter. That’s just plain stupid.

It was so satisfying to finally see Bob yelled at Mary Ann, filed an “imminent danger” claim on her, served her divorce papers, kicked her out of their home, keeping her away from their daughters.

Then he took her back. Sh!t. 😣

Don’t know what Mary Ann saw in Brother B, screwing around in his dirty camper in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t even bother to take her to a nice, clean motel. Blinded by lust.

This episode was hard to watch for me because am not a fan of Anna Paquin. She’s overrated. Various emotions but one expression - her usual constipated look. Ugh.

The transition between 2 Jans felt disjointed. The kidnappings were only two years apart. There is no need for recasting to age-up Jan. Just let McKenna Grace plays Jan Broberg throughout.

[Cinnabon]

4 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

Mary Ann handed over her underage daughter to her kidnapper on a silver platter. That’s just plain stupid.

It was so satisfying to finally see Bob yelled at Mary Ann, filed an “imminent danger” claim on her, served her divorce papers, kicked her out of their home, keeping her away from their daughters.

Then he took her back. Sh!t. 😣

Don’t know what Mary Ann saw in Brother B, screwing around in his dirty camper in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t even bother to take her to a nice, clean motel. Blinded by lust.

This episode was hard to watch for me because am not a fan of Anna Paquin. She’s overrated. Various emotions but one expression - her usual constipated look. Ugh.

The transition between 2 Jans felt disjointed. The kidnappings were only two years apart. There is no need for recasting to age-up Jan. Just let McKenna Grace plays Jan Broberg throughout.

Jan was only 9 when the families met for the first time. 

[AntFTW]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:24 PM, peachmangosteen said:

I can't believe there's 9 episodes of this. How much more can happen to justify that?

They could have wrapped this up in 5 or 6 episodes

[Scarlett45]

On 10/13/2022 at 6:15 AM, Armchair Critic said:

15 days in jail.

This show is making me feel most sorry for Bob Broberg. Mary Ann shouldn’t have taken Jan to see B. Does she actually love her husband or did she come back because she could see it would be hard being single. 

I know Jan is a victim, but when she had a fit because her parents wouldn’t let her go to Wyoming by herself (when she’s only 13) makes it hard for me to find her sympathetic. Her sisters are getting neglected because of Jan too.

The new Jan (not Brady though), the actress is playing another stressful part on The Handmaids Tale.

Yeah my mom was yelling at the tv about Jan speaking to her father that way. I do feel badly for Jan, she’s been brainwashed, but I feel badly for her father too. Bob is trying to do what he thinks is best for everyone. Mary Ann makes no sense. 

On 10/14/2022 at 11:26 AM, SnazzyDaisy said:

It was so satisfying to finally see Bob yelled at Mary Ann, filed an “imminent danger” claim on her, served her divorce papers, kicked her out of their home, keeping her away from their daughters.

Then he took her back. Sh!t. 😣

Yup. 
 

Knowing B had his hooks in Jan and that he wanted them to all go to Jackson Hole, WHY would she leave the girls alone???
I get she had to go to the store, but why not all go together if the girls were out of school for the summer. 

[Cosmocrush]

On 10/15/2022 at 4:50 PM, Scarlett45 said:

Knowing B had his hooks in Jan and that he wanted them to all go to Jackson Hole, WHY would she leave the girls alone???
I get she had to go to the store, but why not all go together if the girls were out of school for the summer. 

I agree.  But it really wasn't uncommon for parents to leave their kids at home while doing errands, especially if a 13 year old was there.   That's the age I was when I started taking babysitting jobs, lol. 

[Scarlett45]

34 minutes ago, Cosmocrush said:

I agree.  But it really wasn't uncommon for parents to leave their kids at home while doing errands, especially if a 13 year old was there.   That's the age I was when I started taking babysitting jobs, lol. 

Well yes at that age, in 1998, I was in charge of my mentally disabled sister who was 11, and my blind and disabled grandfather in his 80s. But no one was trying to kidnap me, nor was I trying to get a job in another state to get close to a grown man who had brainwashed me!! 
 

I think that it was lazy parenting on Mary-Anne’s part. B had just served a few days and was OUT!

[Cosmocrush]

4 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

But no one was trying to kidnap me, nor was I trying to get a job in another state to get close to a grown man who had brainwashed me!! 

So true!!  My mom recently reminded me that worst part of me being grounded was she and/or my Dad had to stay home too.  This of course was due to my bedroom window conveniently located over the porch roof where a forbidden boyfriend could be just driving by.  😉

Still where did 13 year old Jani get the funds to not only call a taxi but buy a plane ticket?

[Scarlett45]

Just now, Cosmocrush said:

So true!!  My mom recently reminded me that worst part of me being grounded was she and/or my Dad had to stay home too.  This of course was due to my bedroom window conveniently located over the porch roof where a forbidden boyfriend could be just driving by.  😉

Still where did 13 year old Jani get the funds to not only call a taxi but buy a plane ticket?

I’m assuming B sent the taxi to her and went with her on the plane. (Or left a ticket for her at the gate). 
 

Remember this is far before 9/11- no ID required to board airplanes. Jan is old enough where traveling alone wouldn’t be so odd, if anyone asked she would probably lie and say she was meeting a friend. 

[gesundheit]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:24 PM, peachmangosteen said:

It is getting increasingly hard to feel any empathy for Mary Ann. I also don't really like the way Anna Paquin is playing her but I don't know anything about the real woman so maybe she's being like her.

I really liked the original Jan actress. So far, McKenna Grace isn't really as good but hopefully she gets better.

I can't believe there's 9 episodes of this. How much more can happen to justify that?

SO MUCH, that's the crazy part!

On 10/14/2022 at 12:26 PM, SnazzyDaisy said:

The transition between 2 Jans felt disjointed. The kidnappi                        ngs were only two years apart. There is no need for recasting to age-up Jan. Just let McKenna Grace plays Jan Broberg throughout.

Yeah, I got extremely thrown by that. It hadn't been long enough, and even though MG's Jan is only 13 in this episode, she looks every minute of MG's 16 years. When the year came up on screen I'd already lost track of the timeline of everything else so I got a bit lost.

While I think both parents and especially Mary Ann were reckless fools on many levels, I don't think they knew the level of Jan's brainwashing. At this point they think she just likes B, but not that she thinks they're each others great loves or that her parents are obstacles to saving lives. She's doing a good job covering that, so I assume they thought she was fine to leave at home with the younger kids since B wasn't anywhere around. (I can't believe I'm defending them in any way because my GOD they're awful, but on this one point of Mary Ann letting Jan watch the younger siblings, I can see the rationale... just on virtually nothing else)

Mary Ann's sister cracked me up. "Wow, sorry your husband's ditching you, that's a real loss and your life is basically ruined, sucks to be you!" Ah, the comfort of family!

[Glade]

15 days is a joke.  Actions were justified, but I couldn't help but see the hypocrisy here, Bob slept with B himself, but wasn't divorced or thrown out/excommunicated for it, and I was with Jan in principle because her parents are stupid AF, just not for the reasons Jan was naming at that moment.  I seriously expected Mary Anne to marry B though, so it was a surprise that hopefully she has seen some sense.   B got some pretty groovy new accomplices, so I guess his wife actually divorced him by now?

Edited October 26, 2022 by Glade

[Scarlett45]

7 hours ago, Glade said:

15 days is a joke.  Actions were justified, but I couldn't help but see the hypocrisy here, Bob slept with B himself, but wasn't divorced or thrown out/excommunicated for it, and I was with Jan in principle because her parents are stupid AF, just not for the reasons Jan was naming at that moment.  I seriously expected Mary Anne to marry B though, so it was a surprise that hopefully she has seen some sense.   B got some pretty groovy new accomplices, so I guess his wife actually divorced him by now?

Bob hooked up with B, one time (according to the story), but he confessed to what he did and this was BEFORE the kidnapping. He never took Jan to see B after he kidnapped her. I see this as a very different situation. If Mary-Anne told Bob that she had hooked up with B before the kidnapping, I don’t think “divorce” would’ve entered his mind (he would’ve been upset, but he would’ve forgiven her). 
 

It was the sleeping with B (multiple times) after he kidnapped their daughter, and then taking said daughter to see the kidnapper that caused Bob to think she was a danger to the kids and want a divorce. I understand Bob’s thinking and don’t think he was being unfair. 
 

The church however- yes. 

[methodwriter85]

On 10/21/2022 at 11:07 PM, gesundheit said:

Mary Ann's sister cracked me up. "Wow, sorry your husband's ditching you, that's a real loss and your life is basically ruined, sucks to be you!" Ah, the comfort of family!

She was being blunt in the way only a meddling sister can be. LOL

On 10/21/2022 at 11:07 PM, gesundheit said:

Yeah, I got extremely thrown by that. It hadn't been long enough, and even though MG's Jan is only 13 in this episode, she looks every minute of MG's 16 years. When the year came up on screen I'd already lost track of the timeline of everything else so I got a bit lost.

It would have been too much to buy MG as an 10-year old, which is where we start with Jan. Hell, I don't think even 13 is that believable for MG at this point as tiny as she is. I do think we could have had a transition less jarring, though. Personally I would have had a scene where Jan starts singing, and then we cut away to the aged up Jan still singing.

I

[Miss Bones]

On 10/13/2022 at 5:24 PM, peachmangosteen said:

It is getting increasingly hard to feel any empathy for Mary Ann. I also don't really like the way Anna Paquin is playing her but I don't know anything about the real woman so maybe she's being like her.

On 10/14/2022 at 12:26 PM, SnazzyDaisy said:

This episode was hard to watch for me because am not a fan of Anna Paquin. She’s overrated. Various emotions but one expression - her usual constipated look. Ugh.

I'm not Anna Paquin's biggest fan either, but I said in another thread that after watching the Netflix doc "Abducted in Plain Sight", I think Anna's performance is SPOT ON!  Mary Ann was much older in the documentary than the years that she is being portrayed in this series, but I almost see her exact facial expressions, with the way that Anna is acting it.  And yes, it is unbelievable a person can be so dumb.

On 10/26/2022 at 2:15 AM, Glade said:

15 days is a joke.  Actions were justified, but I couldn't help but see the hypocrisy here, Bob slept with B himself, but wasn't divorced or thrown out/excommunicated for it, and I was with Jan in principle because her parents are stupid AF, just not for the reasons Jan was naming at that moment.  I seriously expected Mary Anne to marry B though, so it was a surprise that hopefully she has seen some sense.   B got some pretty groovy new accomplices, so I guess his wife actually divorced him by now?

When she told them they were stupid or idiots (whatever she said when she was yelling at them), I laughed and said out loud "She's not wrong there!  They are IDIOTS!"