S05.E10: The Salesman

[Notabug]

16 minutes ago, Cosmocrush said:

I didn't think Delilah didn't "move" there until she was already there.  Didn't she just go for a month because her Dad was sick?  Then Covid travel restrictions or something made it so she couldn't get back?  Then she just never came back, although Danny came and went mulitple times.   The whole thing was weird but I might be remembering the details wrong. 

I believe Delilah originally went with her father for a visit.  Her father was in the early stages of dementia and wanted to visit France one last time (Delilah's father was American, her mother French).  Once they got there, her father had a medical emergency which delayed their return.  I think maybe he fell and broke his hip?  She stayed to help him as he recovered enough to fly home. Then, the COVID pandemic came and travel was impossible.  

In real life, the show is filmed in Canada and there were significant restrictions on travel during COVID.  Most of the cast just stayed in Canada but Stephanie Szostak lived in New York and had school aged kids there.  Prior to COVID, she frequently flew back and forth while shooting; but, once travel was limited, she stayed in New York with her kids, naturally, so Delilah was left stranded in France and we only saw a couple of Face Time visits with her.  I'd like to think TPTB also realized Szostak is not a very good actress and Delilah is a very unlikeable character, but recent developments seem to indicate that they do not realize that even now.

[circumvent]

On 4/13/2023 at 4:07 PM, tennisgurl said:

Maggie and Gary are always annoyingly self obsessed, but that's gone up to an eleven since they had a baby. Watching them interrupt this poor woman as she cries about her fears of infertility to do their standup routine was so cringy.

If I am in that support group I would do one of two things: call them on the side and dress them down, or leave the group. Behavior like that in a place where people need to feel comfortable enough so they can open up without shame or guilt is not acceptable. To me it would be a matter of them or me. It was disrespectful to say the least. then the woman was thanking Maggie. Seriously, I am convinced that the writers of this show are some of the worst people in the business. I would not like to meet any of them, ever. If they write things like that, they must relate to it at some level and that reflects bad in their character - I am being 100% judgmental, yes

Aaaaaand we have, again, pigtails in a grown ass woman. 

Putting aside his ever annoying personality, Theo is growing up into a very handsome young man.

I snorted when someone said that Regina was a successful business woman, that Jon left her the restaurant because he knew that. Sorry show, she is all but  successful. Covid hit hard, so the restaurant failed. But I think it was already failing. Then she did something I can't remember and then food truck that doesn't sell, not really. 

They turned Eddie into a boring too perfect guy who understands everything and everyone, and has good advice for all. That does not feel real. He went from a very flawed human to a boring saint. I prefer humans, don't believe in saints.

 

So, I wrote this very early in the morning and it was posted. Then it disappeared. So, here it goes

[historylover820]

Taking a short break from OT to post. I haven't read anyone's posts, so I'll come back to read after I'm through.

I thought this was a mixed bag.

Regina is "a successful business owner"? Since when? She will lose so hard, or Boston will go into bankruptcy, one of the two.

I get where Sophie is coming from. I get where Tyrell is coming from. I kind of like that this is fairly realistically messy. I like that Eddie was the first to figure it out. I loved the conversation between him and Sophie.

At first I was a little annoyed at the Maggie/Gary storyline, but then I thought it was nice that Gary and the guy were talking about having a support system for the support system. Men should be able to lean on each other, because, yes, breast cancer does happen in men!

I was flabbergasted, but I totally agreed with Theo about not wanting his dad's mistress at his mother's wedding. In fact, I don't like how cool and comfortable Katherine is at including Delilah in anything. Plus, yes, Delilah doesn't know Greta and has been gone a long time to really be included in the group. I didn't like that he backed down so fast. 

I'll think of more later, but I got to get back to OT. And after I read your comments. 

[historylover820]

I'm caught up reading your posts. :)

I should say that I totally agree with you guys about the interrupting the support group, and that's what really annoyed me with Gary and Maggie this go-round. But I did like that Maggie apologized to the woman and Gary bonded with the guy. That feels more real to me than the "friendship" with Evan and Clare, that they are also making fun of.

Yeah, not a smart idea to go to Haiti right now. But, hey, this show is almost over, and we won't get a kidnapping of Tyrell and Sophie plot.

I'm also hoping that Eddie says nope to all of his "options" and ends this show single. I caught one of the characters (not sure who it was, since I'm just remembering) asking why can't men and women be friends on TV shows. And ditto for me on that. 

And I do understand Eddie being invited to Katherine and Greta's wedding. They're on good terms, they're friends, and Eddie is even friends with Greta. Plus he's the father of Katherine's son. I'm still flabbergasted at Katherine wanting Delilah there. That just boggles the mind.

I also really like seeing Ron Livingston there. But, am I the only one who though Jon looked older in the flashbacks than when he committed suicide?

But, yeah, the two laugh out loud moments I had were Gina being a successful businesswoman. Sure. And I also laughed at Delilah telling Eddie that Jon and her had always talked about moving to France. Well, according to your flashbacks, you whined about wanting to go to France, and Jon ignored or dismissed.

[ams1001]

9 minutes ago, historylover820 said:

Yeah, not a smart idea to go to Haiti right now. But, hey, this show is almost over, and we won't get a kidnapping of Tyrell and Sophie plot.

Good point; silver linings...

9 minutes ago, historylover820 said:

And I also laughed at Delilah telling Eddie that Jon and her had always talked about moving to France. 

Heh, me too. I said "no, you talked about moving to France. Jon called the realtor to find a house for your dad" (at which I said, "maybe ask her dad if he wants to move to Boston first?"). (I talk to my TV a lot. It's probably a good thing I live alone.)

[historylover820]

Oh, yeah, sorry about the triple post, but I thought of Gina's qualifications for city council:

Owned and was the chef of a restaurant for about 5 minutes. It was trendy for two of those minutes, but was struggling before it was trendy, and Covid killed it.

After that, she was a chef at a franchise restaurant for even less time and was fired for doctoring up the meals the way she wanted to.

Then, she and Val spent a few minutes in Florida thinking they could cater a film crew with just the two of them. She seemed to have quit that before the film ended. But she let it be known that Val had served time in prison for credit card fraud, so there was that.

She seems to have spent the most time with the food truck. But, yeah, giving away food and parking it at weird places, like a homeless camp and a high school.

There is her becoming a foster mom, and that's very commendable. 

This afternoon, I was watching the movie "The Candidate," 1972, starring Robert Redford and Peter Boyle. It's a satire on political campaigning, one that's not very much different then than it is now. While Robert Redford's opponent started making fun of Redford for his youth, pretty-boy looks, and the fact that he's a former governor's kid, the character does have some issues that he stands on, is a lawyer for legal aid, so knows something about issues going on of the day (and issues that are still going on!)

Is Gina's only issue that we must feed the homeless?

I agree with the person above who said that Gina could get together with other food truck owners and start a charity. That would work.

[ams1001]

9 minutes ago, historylover820 said:

After that, she was a chef at a franchise restaurant for even less time and was fired for doctoring up the meals the way she wanted to.

Then, she and Val spent a few minutes in Florida thinking they could cater a film crew with just the two of them.

I completely forgot about both of those things...

[Winston Wolfe]

On 4/14/2023 at 1:12 AM, Lethallyfab said:

On 4/13/2023 at 4:07 PM, tennisgurl said:

Guys, its a support group, not your set at the local comedy club, just sit down and shut up until its your turn to talk

It is *always* Gary’s time at the comedy club.  There are literal comedians who are performing less.

Yeah, Gary can't turn it off. He's a real laugh machine. And he had such a hard time being serious with the other Male Breast Cancer survivor. When the interaction is not all on his terms, Gary's a bit of an Ass.

On 4/13/2023 at 11:45 AM, tennisgurl said:

On 4/13/2023 at 11:20 AM, Clanstarling said:

Real life tends not to get in the way of a story-line on this show. Was it only me who snorted when she was referred to as "a successful businesswoman"?

I literally scoffed out loud at that. Successful businesswoman? Are they referring to her closed restaurant, or the food truck where she gives away half her food for free and never seems to move her truck from this one homeless encampment? I'm glad that at least with the show ending we wont get an annoying election storyline, I know it would just bother me. Does Gina even know what a city councilperson does? What would her platform be? Are they going to fund her campaign with Rome's teachers salary and Regina's food truck where she gives tons of food away? 

Oh, her opponent is going to have such fun with the endless succession of failed businesses. But we know how Regina is going to get the remaining 1,491 signatures she needs to run for office - just track down the recipients of all the free food she's given away. While I was the first (!) to call Regina's running for public office, but becoming a social worker would have been the better, more realistic choice. And throwing your future opponent's campaign fliers in the trash? Really honorable and mature. And since the co-dependent weirdos always get what they want, we all know she's going to win despite having no freaking experience.

Edited April 16, 2023 by Winston Wolfe

[circumvent]

8 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

When the interaction is not all on his terms, Gary's a bit of an Ass.

A bit?

[hoosiergirl]

As implausible as the Regina running for city council thing is, I really loved Rome’s realization about it in the food truck and then their interaction at the end where he calls her his favorite person. They’ve always been my favorite couple. And Romany Malco’s acting is always perfect to me. 

I did like seeing Jon again even though apparently he was a big disappointment of a husband. 

I was glad when Delilah wasn’t invited to the wedding. But then I thought her exchange with Theo was sort of sweet. 

Edited April 17, 2023 by hoosiergirl

[Lady Calypso]

On 4/15/2023 at 11:47 AM, circumvent said:

They turned Eddie into a boring too perfect guy who understands everything and everyone, and has good advice for all. That does not feel real. He went from a very flawed human to a boring saint. I prefer humans, don't believe in saints.

I find that the issue isn't that Eddie changed and became a boring saint; it's more that the show lost their flawed character to call out because everyone else on this show gets away with shit. So when Eddie stopped being the show's default bad guy, they didn't bother replacing him and have any other character called out. So of course it becomes boring when everyone gets away with everything. 

Like, if Eddie changed and someone like...I dunno, Maggie got called out and reprimanded for her actions, it would balance out again. But they don't really do that.

On 4/15/2023 at 8:52 PM, Winston Wolfe said:

Yeah, Gary can't turn it off. He's a real laugh machine. And he had such a hard time being serious with the other Male Breast Cancer survivor. When the interaction is not all on his terms, Gary's a bit of an Ass.

Yeah, Gary, the one with all those classic TV Sitcom jokes.

Ah yes, let's throw in Gina becoming a city councilor, since the show hadn't touched on anyone in politics yet! 

All I'm seeing is a miserable ending to this show and I don't like anything they've set up.

[Sandman]

On 4/13/2023 at 12:04 AM, txhorns79 said:

Finally, Delilah's flashback bob wig was terrible. It looked like she cut her hair herself, got bored and then stopped before she finished.

Well, this my headcanon now. Delilah’s pretty flaky. 

If I hadn't known better, I’d say this episode could have been the finale. I’m glad somehow that Delilah remembered how much she loved Jon. That wasn’t where I was expecting the episode to end up.