S01.E05:I Have No Idea What You're Talking About, Eileen

[Whimsy]

Quote

When someone from Eileen’s past comes to Alaska, she goes against orders, causing a frenetic scene which has some unexpected consequences. Meanwhile, Eileen and Roz gain a new lead on Gloria’s case.

original airdate 11/3/22

[SouthernChick]

Didn’t really like this episode .

[possibilities]

I loved that the tavern (?) where they met was called "Tolstoy's Beard".

[Snazzy Daisy]

When Roz went to talk to Ezra Fisher, I don’t understand why she didn’t ask him about Rega Horne as well since they couldn’t locate him. 🙄

The stinky ferret story is a waste of screen time. Ugh.

I don’t get it. What does Aaron Pritchard see in Eileen Fitzgerald? It doesn’t make any sense. 🤔

[thuganomics85]

As soon as they showed the ferret, you just knew that little fellow was going to be busting out at some point!  Did like it leading to some bonding between Bob and Claire and learning more about Bob's personal life, even if sounds like it's destined for a tragic end.  He never actually said what it was, but it certainly sounds like his wife has some kind of disease that is likely fatal.

After kind of thawing a bit (kind of), Eileen seem to be at her most obnoxious here with the way she treated Austin and going against Stanley's instructions to not go to the defense secretary's press conference.  But, of course, since it seems like she was right and there is going to be some form of consequences now, she'll likely skate any real punishment for it.  Suspect this isn't the end of it though: doubt they would get someone like James McDaniel to play Green and only have him on for one episode.

At least Roz made some good progress despite Eileen's absence.  Looks like while Ezra Fisher wasn't a good dude at all, he wasn't responsible for Gloria's murder.  Sucks that the prosecutor ended up being a scumbag who got "justice" for his domestic abuse victims, but only if they slept with him.  Dude really thought he didn't do anything wrong and was a true ally. 

Looks like Pritchard is being set up as a possible romantic parter for Eileen: although she doesn't want to move forward right now.

[mythoughtis]

Pritchard may be interested in Eileen, but I think this scene was put here as part of the larger harassment story.   He’s the owner’s son.   Whether or not he’s going to interfere with the paper’s reporting hasn’t yet been decided either. 

Edited November 4, 2022 by mythoughtis

[possibilities]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

At least Roz made some good progress despite Eileen's absence. 

...or maybe because of it.

[threebluestars]

I thought this was the weakest episode. I don't care about the military stuff and Eileen's previous story, I prefer focusing on the missing women - I'm just afraid the two stories will end up being related and I would hate that.

I'd actually like to see each season tackle a missing woman case and solving it. I don't want a government conspiracy.

[SunnyBeBe]

56 minutes ago, threebluestars said:

I thought this was the weakest episode. I don't care about the military stuff and Eileen's previous story, I prefer focusing on the missing women - I'm just afraid the two stories will end up being related and I would hate that.

I'd actually like to see each season tackle a missing woman case and solving it. I don't want a government conspiracy.

I agree. I’m so done with military stories…..enough already. 

[Daff]

18 hours ago, SnazzyDaisy said:

I don’t get it. What does Aaron Pritchard see in Eileen Fitzgerald? It doesn’t make any sense. 🤔

Conquest of the ice queen. 

18 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Looks like Pritchard is being set up as a possible romantic parter for Eileen: although she doesn't want to move forward right now.

She had better stick to her warning. 

18 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

Pritchard may be interested in Eileen, but I think this scene was put here as part of the larger harassment story.   He’s the owner’s son.   Whether or not he’s going to interfere with the paper’s reporting hasn’t yet been decided either. 

Because anything other than a professional relationship would be highly unethical, even for one so prone to “bend” the rules to breaking point. 

[Daff]

15 hours ago, threebluestars said:

I thought this was the weakest episode. I don't care about the military stuff and Eileen's previous story, I prefer focusing on the missing women - I'm just afraid the two stories will end up being related and I would hate that.

I'd actually like to see each season tackle a missing woman case and solving it. I don't want a government conspiracy.

14 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I agree. I’m so done with military stories…..enough already. 

We haven’t seen the last of Fancy. I’m sure he’s trying to figure out how to eliminate her for good, as merely having her shipped to Alaska kind of backfired. I’m interested because he’s a corrupt, unelected, government official who’s putting young pilots’ lives at risk for a bonanza. Gee, we haven’t seen that before. Just think of him as a sanctioned mob boss, then, and try not to see the disgraced uniform. 

[saber5055]

I liked this episode, liked how Eileen let all the military guy's harsh shade just slide off her back. I don't watch that closely so I didn't even know who the guy was at Eileen's door, the one who kissed her. I never paid attention to who he was in previous episodes. I guess that's why I come here!

I thought this was a much more interesting story than the Giant Cabbage of last week.

Edited November 5, 2022 by saber5055

[possibilities]

On 11/4/2022 at 12:33 AM, possibilities said:

I loved that the tavern (?) where they met was called "Tolstoy's Beard".

I really expected it to be a gay bar, which would have been funnier, but even though it wasn't, it was still funny.

[Msample]

It just dawned on me that we never see Eileen drive; she’s always getting a ride from someone. I wonder if its because she’s always lived in NYC and never owned/needed a car ?

[possibilities]

I noticed that, too. At first I thought it was some weird celebrity/VIP treatment. But now I think it's just what you said; she doesn't have a license. The thing is, even people in NYC who don't use a car, typically do have a license. Getting your license is like a rite of passage for most people in the USA. So I wonder whether there's more to her not driving than we've seen yet. She seems to not have come originally from NYC, either. Wherever she and her current boss who hired her to come to Alaska worked together before, that didn't seem to be NYC. 

[KaveDweller]

4 hours ago, Msample said:

It just dawned on me that we never see Eileen drive; she’s always getting a ride from someone. I wonder if its because she’s always lived in NYC and never owned/needed a car ?

I think that's it, and even if she'd had a car in New York, she may not have wanted to drive it all the way to Alaska. But the woman should get herself a car now. It's fine for Gabriel to give her rides the first couple weeks while she gets settled, but that doesn't seem like a long term solution. 

[theartandsound]

Wasn't there a scene in the preview/promos for this week's episode where Eileen was in a room and someone came in with a gun in their hand? I didn't see it in the episode. Wonder if they cut that scene.

[mojito]

16 hours ago, possibilities said:

The thing is, even people in NYC who don't use a car, typically do have a license. 

Did a quick Google search. NY Comptroller's office estimates 57% of eligible population of NYC has a license. If you don't have access to a car (or the need for one), there's a good chance you won't have a driver's license.  I suspect many in that number are transplants from other states who allow their licenses to lapse after not having driven for ages. I can attest to what a pain they can be when they leave the area; they have to be toted everywhere. You go on a trip, there's no sharing the driving with them. 🤬 Yeah, my experience with this is extremely current. 

[Leeds]

On 11/4/2022 at 1:37 PM, SnazzyDaisy said:

I don’t get it. What does Aaron Pritchard see in Eileen Fitzgerald? It doesn’t make any sense. 🤔

Paucity of alternatives?  (Men outnumber women in Alaska.)  Likes a challenge?  Masochist?  Appreciates strong, independent women? 

[possibilities]

Maybe he's a smug jerk like she is and wants someone to validate that they make a couple who are superior to everybody else.

I really loathe Eileen. And dude seems smarmy, to me. They're made for each other, except I don't think she would want to be his sidekick and I doubt he'd really want to follow her around absorbing reflected glory, which I suspect is her ideal partner's role.

He may also be the type who enjoys using his power. So, he's in a position to reward her career if only she validates his masculinity. Like that lawyer who was screwing his clients who he portrayed as women done wrong who he would champion.

[txhorns79]

On 11/4/2022 at 4:38 PM, thuganomics85 said:

After kind of thawing a bit (kind of), Eileen seem to be at her most obnoxious here with the way she treated Austin and going against Stanley's instructions to not go to the defense secretary's press conference. 

I thought Eileen's comment to Austin in that meeting about wanting to bring Yuna along to date her was extremely inappropriate and was surprised that Stanley said nothing to her about it. 

[Pamela]

On 11/5/2022 at 9:08 PM, theartandsound said:

Wasn't there a scene in the preview/promos for this week's episode where Eileen was in a room and someone came in with a gun in their hand? I didn't see it in the episode. Wonder if they cut that scene.

Spoiler

That scene is in the preview for the next episode (in two weeks).

[CrazyDog]

I'm hooked on this show. This was my least favorite of the episodes so far, but it was still effective. Her gotcha of the Defense Secretary was impressive, if risky.

I liked the thawing and (slowly growing) mutual respect showing between Roz and Eileen. 

I don't mind Eileen at all - I think she's interesting to watch. And as the episodes go on, she seems less like the lead and more as part of a very strong ensemble cast. They are all skilled reporters; it's just an underfunded paper. I wonder if using Hilary Swank as a promo focus was just a hook to get eyes on the show.

The DA storyline was hard to watch. What a sleaze.

(As a huge fan of Drop Dead Gorgeous, I reallly struggle to see Matt Malloy (Bob) as anything other than a creep, ha. But his butting heads with Eileen is very reasonable, and solid. He's not petty, he's just protective of his team. The writing on their dynamic is well done).

I do not trust Pritchard at all, and I really hate that he's flirting with Eileen. Thankfully she squashed that, at least for now.

[pasdetrois]

Quote

The stinky ferret story is a waste of screen time. Ugh.

Too many side stories in the script. The show has lost focus.

[LuvMyShows]

On 11/4/2022 at 4:37 PM, SnazzyDaisy said:

The stinky ferret story is a waste of screen time. Ugh.

On 11/4/2022 at 4:38 PM, thuganomics85 said:

As soon as they showed the ferret, you just knew that little fellow was going to be busting out at some point!  Did like it leading to some bonding between Bob and Claire and learning more about Bob's personal life, even if sounds like it's destined for a tragic end.  

Yeah, I get it, but it really stuck out like a sore thumb, since we haven't had any little slice-of-life vignettes in the newsroom previously.

On 11/4/2022 at 4:38 PM, thuganomics85 said:

After kind of thawing a bit (kind of), Eileen seem to be at her most obnoxious here with the way she treated Austin and going against Stanley's instructions to not go to the defense secretary's press conference.  

I thought it was super obnoxious that she just barged into Stanley's office, while the door was closed and he was in there talking with someone.  What she said about Austin just seemed ridiculous, like they're writing at extremes for her character, even if it really doesn't seem to me at this point like she would say that.

On 11/5/2022 at 11:34 AM, Daff said:

We haven’t seen the last of Fancy. I’m sure he’s trying to figure out how to eliminate her for good, as merely having her shipped to Alaska kind of backfired. I’m interested because he’s a corrupt, unelected, government official who’s putting young pilots’ lives at risk for a bonanza. Gee, we haven’t seen that before. Just think of him as a sanctioned mob boss, then, and try not to see the disgraced uniform. 

Speaking of the uniform, the wardrobe dept made a mistake. Back in the first episode, they made a big deal of pointing out that he was a 5-star general.  There are no 5-stars in the Army and haven't been since about the 1950s.  But let's pretend he was a 5-star...problem is, the beret he was wearing, was the beret of a 4-star!