S01.E03: Velveeta

[AntFTW]

Quote

While Steve is away in India, Nick cooks up his next creative triumph. But when Steve returns home, he has other plans for the show.

Air date: November 29, 2022

[peridot]

Steve is such a buttoned up guy.  I can't believe he was wearing that suit when everyone else was in a linen outfit.  I thought his phone calls to Irene were too much, but then I realized this was pre-cell phones and he was in another country.  It wasn't unreasonable to wonder where his wife was if she wasn't at home after the show.  Also, wouldn't the Velveeta go bad if it wasn't refrigerated?

At first I thought it was just a safe practice for Nick and Denise to have one night stands in the same place, before I realized they actually lived together now.  I thought the show they were cooking up would be mind-blowing, but it just seemed weird to me.  Steve shouldn't have blown up like that in front of everyone, though.

Does Steve just need his ego stroked before he empathizes/listens to people?  First Otis and now the suck-up photographer?  It was a shit move to remove the dancers without warning and not involve Nick at all with the calendar.  The calendar could have been a joint effort between them to smooth the ruffled feathers.

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, peridot said:

Also, wouldn't the Velveeta go bad if it wasn't refrigerated?

I wondered that as well, so I googled it, and apparently, an unopened package of Velveeta is shelf-stable. It kind of makes sense since it's highly processed and doesn't have much in common with real cheese.

[iMonrey]

I sort of want to feel bad for Steve after seeing his mother lay that guilt trip on him. I'm not sure if it's family-specific or a cultural thing, but it's completely unfair of his parents/family to expect him to live at home and take over his father's business. And saying his father worked himself to death which caused his heart attack would hardly be Steve's fault. His father operated a printing business. Not exactly back-breaking work. 

Unfortunately, knowing what I do ab out what happens to Steve makes it hard to find him sympathetic no matter his backstory.

Steve blowing his top was excessive but I think he was right about the rock opera idea, it sounded stupid to me.

I'm having a hard time seeing what Irene sees in Steve.

Edited November 30, 2022 by iMonrey

[AheadofStraight]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

And saying his father worked himself to death which caused his heart attack would hardly be Steve's fault. His father operated a printing business. Not exactly back-breaking work. 

.....

I'm having a hard time seeing what Irene sees in Steve.

Wouldn't Steve also be sending home large amounts of money so his father wouldn't need to keep working??

I've read that Steve was very "charming" but I'm not getting that vibe in the show.

I did crack up at the scene of Irene dancing wildly after the cocaine!

[Snazzy Daisy]

A lot of significant time jump to get to this episode:

• Steve and Irene are married.
• Nick and Denise are now besties and roomies.
• Tensions between Steve and Nick are all-time high.

How are we supposed to care and feel for Steve and Irene as a married couple, struggling to connect emotionally? 

We saw the early signs of power struggle between Steve and Nick in the previous episode. And now it's like animosity on steroid. Where’s the build up to this?

At least we get a glimpse of Steve’s background and the parental pressure.

Quote

“Some people are not meant to be rich.”

What a putdown and coming from his own mother! It isn’t wrong to always want more.

Am not feeling the Hunkenstein act, how can it bring out the horniness from the ladies? 

The Room Service act is interesting though, especially the rotating bed. I giggle at Otis holding a phone to his crotch. WTH is that? 😂

I cannot believe Steve sloppily executes his pin-up calendar idea. No proper concept, storyboard, props and lighting, also without a professional photographer.

The club scene where Irene Banerjee is finally enjoying the 80s, that’s fun to watch. 🤣

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“I love cocaine!”

Edited December 1, 2022 by SnazzyDaisy

[vibeology]

On 11/30/2022 at 5:51 PM, iMonrey said:

Steve blowing his top was excessive but I think he was right about the rock opera idea, it sounded stupid to me.

I don't think it sounds stupid but it does very much sound like a Rocky Horror rip-off. And considering the way the Chippendales went out of their way to not market to gay men, I'm not sure what the motivation would be for a man to create the perfect man?

The calendar is a good idea but it would need some actual art direction to put it over the top. Like the shots of the one guy laying on the dining room table holding a rose in his mouth? Why a table and not a bed or a plush rug? Why was every shot taking place in bright sunlight? That's not the sexiest lighting. But Steve is so insecure that he can't let anyone get credit but himself and Nick does forget his place in the hierarchy. Hiring a whole band for a rock opera without taking to Steve first was crossing a line. Would it have done any harm to wait a week for Steve to come back? That being said, he's right that there's nothing proprietary about what he's doing and could easily just go off and do it himself. He wouldn't be able to recycle routines but he isn't doing that anyway.

Steve and Nick need each other. No way does Nick have the business skills and Steve can't do the creative. This should have been a dream partnership but their egos are just so huge. It's tragic.

Irene high on cocaine was the greatest thing. I don't think this show will ever top it.

[Scarlett45]

On 12/1/2022 at 1:16 AM, SnazzyDaisy said:

A lot of significant time jump to get to this episode:

• Steve and Irene are married.
• Nick and Denise are now besties and roomies.
• Tensions between Steve and Nick are all-time high.

How are we supposed to care and feel for Steve and Irene as a married couple, struggling to connect emotionally? 

Yes we did get a big time jump. Last episode we knew they were together, but they totally skipped over their falling in love/marriage. 
 

On 11/30/2022 at 4:51 PM, iMonrey said:

I sort of want to feel bad for Steve after seeing his mother lay that guilt trip on him. I'm not sure if it's family-specific or a cultural thing, but it's completely unfair of his parents/family to expect him to live at home and take over his father's business. And saying his father worked himself to death which caused his heart attack would hardly be Steve's fault. His father operated a printing business. Not exactly back-breaking work. 

Going in reverse- pre-digital printing and computers, running a printing business wasnt construction or anything but it was more physical work, those plates and reams of paper were heavy. But no of COURSE it wasn’t Steve’s fault that his father had a heart attack. Yes it was very much a cultural expectation that Steve as an only son would take over the family business and the care of his parents in their elder years. His sister moving to another city was expected (not that they didn’t miss her, but her duty was to go with her husband) Steve’s duty was to his parents, and his Mom thinks he failed his duty. His mom was upset and grieving, I don’t think she was right but I’m not surprised at ANYTHING she said.

On 11/30/2022 at 7:28 PM, AheadofStraight said:

Wouldn't Steve also be sending home large amounts of money so his father wouldn't need to keep working??

I could see his parents not willing to accept his money. 1. They didn’t need it, as his mother said they didn’t need to be “saved” by the USA and USA money. They were middle class people with a business. 2. Their pride was such they wouldn’t accept “night club earnings”. If Steve had a printing business or was a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer, it’s likely his parents might have been agreeable to accepting money from him and retiring.  

On 12/2/2022 at 9:43 AM, vibeology said:

Steve and Nick need each other. No way does Nick have the business skills and Steve can't do the creative. This should have been a dream partnership but their egos are just so huge. It's tragic.

YUP! It’s called “show business” for a reason. 

On 12/2/2022 at 9:43 AM, vibeology said:

I don't think it sounds stupid but it does very much sound like a Rocky Horror rip-off. And considering the way the Chippendales went out of their way to not market to gay men, I'm not sure what the motivation would be for a man to create the perfect man?

I too saw it as a Rocky Horror type thing, I thought it sounded cool. But they didn’t have women dancers in the show, so it would’ve been this Dr Frankenstein creating this perfect man for the women to enjoy. Like a male Galatea ?

[HunterHunted]

On 12/2/2022 at 10:43 AM, vibeology said:

I don't think it sounds stupid but it does very much sound like a Rocky Horror rip-off. And considering the way the Chippendales went out of their way to not market to gay men, I'm not sure what the motivation would be for a man to create the perfect man?

The Perfect Man actually was a regular part of the Chippendales show and was very popular. The dancers and patrons loved it.

[Meedis]

On 12/1/2022 at 1:16 AM, SnazzyDaisy said:

“Some people are not meant to be rich.”

What a putdown and coming from his own mother! It isn’t wrong to always want more.

 

 

Part of the attitude was due to a cultural difference.   It's part of the caste system belief that the social standing you're born in is the social standing you must remain in.   They definitely would love TLC's hit song of Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls.   *LOL*.

Loving the series overall but I do agree in the sentiment that the time jump is a bit jarring.   I guess with only 6 episodes they had to speed the story along.

[Snazzy Daisy]

42 minutes ago, Meedis said:

I guess with only 6 episodes they had to speed the story along.

There’ll be 8 episodes in total.

The last episode will be on Jan 3.