S01.E02: The Movie In Your Mind

[AnimeMania]

In the past, an intensely passionate connection turns sour when Dan realizes Alex wants more from him than the impression she's been giving. In the present Dan’s loved ones reel from his reappearance in their lives; Dan and Mike are reunited and Ellen discusses her hopes for her relationship with Dan with her therapist.

Premiere Date: April 30, 2023    Paramount+    

[Spartan Girl]

Oh screw you, Dan! Don’t blame the dog for messing up the house while you were gone! It wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been too busy cheating!

[Enero]

I thought this series would give more insight into Dan’s decision to have an affair with Alex. Unfortunately it has not and he’s still as much a cheating ass as he was in the movie. He seemed to have a solid marriage. But decided to cheat because the opportunity was presented to him on a silver platter. Not unheard of for many men (and women) in real life but still not making his character sympathetic at all. Not that the writers are trying to make him sympathetic. Just saying though.

I did find his handling of Alex’s suicide attempt interesting. Though he took her to get help, he really didn’t want her to get help for obvious reasons. Their affair would be exposed and his career would be ruined. Hence he kept asking her what she wanted to do. If he truly wanted to help he wouldn’t have kept asking if she wanted to go get help he would’ve taken her without hesitation. Then after all that he leaves her alone for the night. SMH. I understand he was between a rock and hard place but what a mess.

So Dan is going to attempt to clear his name and prove he did not kill Alex. Everyone is assuming this will align with the original ending of the movie but I’m kind of feeling like they may throw in a different twist. I guess we’ll see. 

The critics are right about this being a slow burn. It’s not bad, but it’s not great either. And it doesn’t look and feel modern like I thought it should. Perhaps that’s because they’re attempting to play homage to the movie. 

[gesundheit]

I don't remember the original that well, but I foggily recollect that the affair was deliberately brief because of a situation (were they at a work conference, or was the wife away? regardless, I recall it being much more contained) and I also foggily recollect Alex making up-and-down assurances that this was indeed a one-time thing, she had no interest in more, it would remain between them. Which never made Dan a great guy, but I think at the time brought a little more grey area into the audience reaction (he betrayed his wife, but he certainly didn't lead Alex on -- while in this one, you could argue that he certainly did, or at least didn't bother to clarify before jumping in).

I'm irritated that Dan is essentially playing martyr/hero in the present-day scenes. I don't need him to be a monster because, again, it's the grey areas that compel. But this is a bit much.

I was extremely confused by his claim that a record of her being suicidal would get her fired (though in most states it would likely have a mandatory hold -- 24-72 hours, depending -- which could put her in a rough spot with work regardless). That feels like a lawsuit, but then I don't know employment law in... California? I don't really understand where they are, did they tell us? I think it's Southern California but it's weirdly got east-coast-urban-coded production designs for the historic scenes with west-coast-greater-urban-environs-coded production design for the present day. I feel like they mentioned some California exurban towns.

54 minutes ago, Enero said:

And it doesn’t look and feel modern like I thought it should. Perhaps that’s because they’re attempting to play homage to the movie. 

That too! The affair timeline doesn't look 21st century to me. I can't even remember where the original took place.

Anyway, nice bunny shoutout at the end there! Particularly because that's probably all we'll get, and the cute little feller will remain unboiled.

[Enero]

@gesundheit I think they’re supposed to be in Southern California but as you said it does at times, have an urban New York City feel.

I agree about Dan not being clear about his expectations and I don’t think we’ve seen Alex be clear either about what she’s looking for. Which is odd considering they’ve slept together how many times now? And spent a day together at the beach. I don’t think Alex has been led on as even if Dan didn’t say I’m sure she saw that shiny wedding band on his finger. But as you said, he’s not made it clear that he’s just looking for sex and nothing more either.

I do think they’re attempting to make Dan sympathetic in the current timeline via his interactions with his daughter and the relationship therapy book or whatever it is his daughter is listening to along with her therapy sessions. I guess they’re trying to show how he rebuilds his life and relationships after being imprisoned for 10 years. Arguably it could be an interesting story thread if played right,  but I think the more interesting story is what exactly happened to Alex and did he kill her or not. His relationship with his ex-wife and daughter should be the C or D story as we’ve seen more interactions between him and Alex and him and his work buddies than his family. Thus I’m not really invested in those relationships at this point.

[txhorns79]

I just really want future Dan to comb his hair, or at least get a hair cut.  There's no reason he needs to look like that, except for goofy show symbolism (i.e. his messy hair is a metaphor for the state of his life!)

[Spartan Girl]

20 hours ago, gesundheit said:

Anyway, nice bunny shoutout at the end there! Particularly because that's probably all we'll get, and the cute little feller will remain unboiled.

I hope so. I truly hope so.

21 hours ago, Enero said:

 

I thought this series would give more insight into Dan’s decision to have an affair with Alex. Unfortunately it has not and he’s still as much a cheating ass as he was in the movie. He seemed to have a solid marriage. But decided to cheat because the opportunity was presented to him on a silver platter. Not unheard of for many men (and women) in real life but still not making his character sympathetic at all. Not that the writers are trying to make him sympathetic. Just saying though.

 

I don’t know, I think that they do give us more of an insight in the sense that this Dan is a more overtly entitled, privileged douche that used not getting the appointment he wanted as an excuse to sexually work out his frustrations. Not to mention the “excuse” that was shared in the movie: his wife was gone with his daughter for two days and he apparently could not go that long without getting some.

I’m very glad that Beth divorced him, can’t you tell?

Edited May 1, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[Whimsy]

22 hours ago, Enero said:

I thought this series would give more insight into Dan’s decision to have an affair with Alex. Unfortunately it has not and he’s still as much a cheating ass as he was in the movie. He seemed to have a solid marriage. But decided to cheat because the opportunity was presented to him on a silver platter. Not unheard of for many men (and women) in real life but still not making his character sympathetic at all. Not that the writers are trying to make him sympathetic. Just saying though.

I did find his handling of Alex’s suicide attempt interesting. Though he took her to get help, he really didn’t want her to get help for obvious reasons. Their affair would be exposed and his career would be ruined. Hence he kept asking her what she wanted to do. If he truly wanted to help he wouldn’t have kept asking if she wanted to go get help he would’ve taken her without hesitation. Then after all that he leaves her alone for the night. SMH. I understand he was between a rock and hard place but what a mess.

So Dan is going to attempt to clear his name and prove he did not kill Alex. Everyone is assuming this will align with the original ending of the movie but I’m kind of feeling like they may throw in a different twist. I guess we’ll see. 

The critics are right about this being a slow burn. It’s not bad, but it’s not great either. And it doesn’t look and feel modern like I thought it should. Perhaps that’s because they’re attempting to play homage to the movie. 

That’s not how I read that particular situation. Alex wasn’t showing any signs of having ingested a ton of pills. I think he figured she was lying (which I did immediately before he parked because she looked lucid) and was testing that theory by basically asking her if she wants to risk her career for a lie. 
 

I also think they’ll throw in a twist and it won’t perfectly align with the movie ending. 

8 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I hope so. I truly hope so.

I don’t know, I think that they do give us more of an insight in the sense that this Dan is a more overtly entitled, privileged douche that used not getting the appointment he wanted as an excuse to sexually work out his frustrations. Not to mention the “excuse” that was shared in the movie: his wife was gone with his daughter for two days and he apparently could go that long without getting some.

I’m very glad that Beth divorced him, can’t you tell?

I also think Dan basically used his being passed over for the appointment as a reason to just do whatever he wanted.  It’s not a good look, Dan, not a good look. 

[Cementhead]

16 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I just really want future Dan to comb his hair, or at least get a hair cut.  There's no reason he needs to look like that, except for goofy show symbolism (i.e. his messy hair is a metaphor for the state of his life!)

My brain is having a really hard time facially recognizing Joshua Jackson in this because he looks so unlike what I am used to thinking he looks like.  I'm not expecting him to look like Pacey from Dawson's Creek or anything but the last time I watched him in something was The Affair and he stilled look like Joshua Jackson in that.  I think it's the lack of his usual facial hair and whatever the hell that is going on on his head. 

[AstridM]

On 4/30/2023 at 6:24 PM, gesundheit said:

I don't remember the original that well, but I foggily recollect that the affair was deliberately brief because of a situation (were they at a work conference, or was the wife away? regardless, I recall it being much more contained) and I also foggily recollect Alex making up-and-down assurances that this was indeed a one-time thing, she had no interest in more, it would remain between them. Which never made Dan a great guy, but I think at the time brought a little more grey area into the audience reaction (he betrayed his wife, but he certainly didn't lead Alex on -- while in this one, you could argue that he certainly did, or at least didn't bother to clarify before jumping in).

I'm irritated that Dan is essentially playing martyr/hero in the present-day scenes. I don't need him to be a monster because, again, it's the grey areas that compel. But this is a bit much.

I was extremely confused by his claim that a record of her being suicidal would get her fired (though in most states it would likely have a mandatory hold -- 24-72 hours, depending -- which could put her in a rough spot with work regardless). That feels like a lawsuit, but then I don't know employment law in... California? I don't really understand where they are, did they tell us? I think it's Southern California but it's weirdly got east-coast-urban-coded production designs for the historic scenes with west-coast-greater-urban-environs-coded production design for the present day. I feel like they mentioned some California exurban towns.

That too! The affair timeline doesn't look 21st century to me. I can't even remember where the original took place.

Anyway, nice bunny shoutout at the end there! Particularly because that's probably all we'll get, and the cute little feller will remain unboiled.

What does a 21st century affair look like? I don’t get this. I was also confused about how getting mental health treatment would result in her losing her job. How?

[gesundheit]

10 minutes ago, AstridM said:

What does a 21st century affair look like? I don’t get this.

I just mean that the affair scenes look like they take place in the 80s or 90s in terms of a lot of the design, cinematography, and lighting

[Trini]

23 minutes ago, gesundheit said:

I just mean that the affair scenes look like they take place in the 80s or 90s in terms of a lot of the design, cinematography, and lighting

Homage to the original film, maybe?

[chocolatine]

I've never watched the movie in its entirety, but I have negative feelings about it because it coined the term "bunny boiler" and perpetuated a harmful stereotype of women that still persists. This show promised to be a "modern" take on this topic, but so far it's the same old cliches. I really like Joshua Jackson and Lizzie Caplan, so I'll keep watching and waiting for the modern perspective to emerge.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Episode 1 was really boring while episode 2 did pick up the pace a little bit.

Oh my, this is going to be like the atrocious Showtime’s American Gigolo reboot all over again, isn’t it? Reimagined as a limited series with a male lead on a pursuit to clear his name.

Fatal Attraction 2.0 is not an erotic thriller. It’s just a thrill-free murder mystery with sprinkles of mental health element in it.

Alex’s suicide attempt - is that it? No wrist cutting whatsoever? Am actually expecting something more dramatic.

The casting isn’t right. Alex Forrest 2.0 is neither alluring nor captivating. Do viewers really want to see Dan Gallagher 2.0 in his tighty whities with bad hairdo and beer belly? 😣 

 

[AstridM]

13 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I've never watched the movie in its entirety, but I have negative feelings about it because it coined the term "bunny boiler" and perpetuated a harmful stereotype of women that still persists. This show promised to be a "modern" take on this topic, but so far it's the same old cliches. I really like Joshua Jackson and Lizzie Caplan, so I'll keep watching and waiting for the modern perspective to emerge.

The original Fatal Attraction was in part an homage to a much older movie, Play Misty for Me. I love that one, although it does also push the “crazy woman” trope. But it’s well done and a classic. 

[millennium]

On 4/30/2023 at 5:26 PM, Enero said:

Unfortunately it has not and he’s still as much a cheating ass as he was in the movie. He seemed to have a solid marriage. But decided to cheat because the opportunity was presented to him on a silver platter.

Agreed, but from the other perspective Alex saw an opportunity to wheedle her way into the life of a married man and presented herself on a silver platter.    Dan made his own choices, but Alex's hands are by no means clean.

 

 

[AstridM]

57 minutes ago, millennium said:

Agreed, but from the other perspective Alex saw an opportunity to wheedle her way into the life of a married man and presented herself on a silver platter.    Dan made his own choices, but Alex's hands are by no means clean.

 

 

He was the only one who made vows to another person. 

Edited May 4, 2023 by AstridM

[millennium]

43 minutes ago, AstridM said:

He was the only one who made vows to another person. 

Yes, but vows or not, it's a pretty shitty thing to do.    And Alex's designs may be even more devious than simple home-wrecking.   As of this episode, she could also nail that stupid, stupid man on sexual discrimination/harassment and destroy his whole career.

Edited May 4, 2023 by millennium

[chocolatine]

12 hours ago, millennium said:

As of this episode, she could also nail that stupid, stupid man on sexual discrimination/harassment and destroy his whole career.

Which Dan knows perfectly well because he's a DA. Yet he still chose to do what he did.

[millennium]

6 hours ago, chocolatine said:

Which Dan knows perfectly well because he's a DA. Yet he still chose to do what he did.

Hence, "stupid, stupid man."

[T Summer]

On 5/2/2023 at 3:33 AM, SnazzyDaisy said:

Episode 1 was really boring while episode 2 did pick up the pace a little bit.

Oh my, this is going to be like the atrocious Showtime’s American Gigolo reboot all over again, isn’t it? Reimagined as a limited series with a male lead on a pursuit to clear his name.

Fatal Attraction 2.0 is not an erotic thriller. It’s just a thrill-free murder mystery with sprinkles of mental health element in it.

Alex’s suicide attempt - is that it? No wrist cutting whatsoever? Am actually expecting something more dramatic.

The casting isn’t right. Alex Forrest 2.0 is neither alluring nor captivating. Do viewers really want to see Dan Gallagher 2.0 in his tighty whities with bad hairdo and beer belly? 😣 

 

I  agree on all points. Didn't watch the American Gigolo reboot, I can't even imagine...

Joshua Jackson's portrayal of Dan lacks the smarmy entitled quality original Dan exhibited right up until the threat of being exposed and losing everything caused him to regret acting   on  impulse / opportunity.

if they had just gone their separate ways, original Dan would had [kept] his "quiet life".

I don't care for Lizzie Caplan in the role of Alex either. Tanned blond Alex with her chunky gold jewelry and affinity for stark white clothing and surroundings could come across as self assured, worldly and probably sexy. This Alex only  seems to occasionally be  able to camouflage being a bundle of nerves and anxieties simmering below the surface.

 

 

 

 

On 5/2/2023 at 2:56 PM, AstridM said:

The original Fatal Attraction was in part an homage to a much older movie, Play Misty for Me. I love that one, although it does also push the “crazy woman” trope. But it’s well done and a classic. 

Love Play Misty For Me!

[Kiss my mutt]

The reason I even had any internet in watching this was that the write-ups indicated it was going to show a sympathetic side of Alex and tell her story. Maybe that is coming in future episodes, but it feels like an unimaginative reboot and I’m not seeing Lizzie Kaplan, as the femme fatale. Joshua Jackson will always be Pacey to me.

[millennium]

22 hours ago, T Summer said:

Didn't watch the American Gigolo reboot, I can't even imagine...

Sorry to hear American Gigolo was atrocious.  Didn't that star Jon Bernthal?  He's usually very good in everything he does.

 

3 hours ago, Kiss my mutt said:

Joshua Jackson will always be Pacey to me.

Same.    Pacey wasn't immune to forbidden affairs, either.   Maybe there's a shocking reveal ahead where we find out Dan's boyhood nickname was Pacey.

 

[T Summer]

22 hours ago, Kiss my mutt said:

 Joshua Jackson will always be Pacey to me.

I finally went to IMBD  to look up this Pacey character and the show where Joshua Jackson  played  him, Dawson's Creek.

4 seasons over on The Affair board and lots of people expressed the same: "Joshua Jackson will always be Pacey to me."

He looks so young in the clip I watched!

 

 

Before The Affair I'd only ever seen him in a pretty bad movie, Shutter.  I really enjoyed his work on the Showtime series The Affair.

[Sweet-tea]

On 4/30/2023 at 5:24 PM, gesundheit said:

I don't remember the original that well, but I foggily recollect that the affair was deliberately brief because of a situation (were they at a work conference, or was the wife away? regardless, I recall it being much more contained) and I also foggily recollect Alex making up-and-down assurances that this was indeed a one-time thing, she had no interest in more, it would remain between them. Which never made Dan a great guy, but I think at the time brought a little more grey area into the audience reaction (he betrayed his wife, but he certainly didn't lead Alex on -- while in this one, you could argue that he certainly did, or at least didn't bother to clarify before jumping in).

I'm irritated that Dan is essentially playing martyr/hero in the present-day scenes. I don't need him to be a monster because, again, it's the grey areas that compel. But this is a bit much.

I was extremely confused by his claim that a record of her being suicidal would get her fired (though in most states it would likely have a mandatory hold -- 24-72 hours, depending -- which could put her in a rough spot with work regardless). That feels like a lawsuit, but then I don't know employment law in... California? I don't really understand where they are, did they tell us? I think it's Southern California but it's weirdly got east-coast-urban-coded production designs for the historic scenes with west-coast-greater-urban-environs-coded production design for the present day. I feel like they mentioned some California exurban towns.

That too! The affair timeline doesn't look 21st century to me. I can't even remember where the original took place.

Anyway, nice bunny shoutout at the end there! Particularly because that's probably all we'll get, and the cute little feller will remain unboiled.

It doesn’t look modern to me either. If it weren’t for the cell phones and the cars, I’d think it was set decades ago. His hair contributes to the ‘80s throwback look of the movie. 

I’ve also been trying to figure out were they were. 

I don’t like the current scenes. They ruin it for me. I like watching the flashbacks though. 

In the original, his wife and daughter were out of town. Alex comes onto his when they were having drinks after a work event. He takes her up on it and then she invites him over to her place for dinner the next night. His wife is still gone so he thinks, why not another romp? But he’s pretty much done with her after that. It all unravels from there. 

It does look like they’re leading to the original ending of the movie that was changed because it didn’t test well. I guess we will see. 

I loved the shout out to the bunny! 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Sweet-tea

[Sweet-tea]

On 5/2/2023 at 2:33 AM, SnazzyDaisy said:

 

The casting isn’t right. Alex Forrest 2.0 is neither alluring nor captivating. Do viewers really want to see Dan Gallagher 2.0 in his tighty whities with bad hairdo and beer belly? 😣 

 

I remember the original getting flack because some people were saying Dan’s wife (Anne Archer) was prettier than Alex (Glenn Close). In interviews, Glenn Close said she almost wasn’t cast because she wasn’t considered “hot” enough. 

His hair is a mess but I don’t see a beer belly. 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Sweet-tea

[gesundheit]

56 minutes ago, Sweet-tea said:

I remember the original getting flack because some people were saying Dan’s wife (Anne Archer) was prettier than Alex (Glenn Close). In interviews, Glenn Close said she almost wasn’t cast because she wasn’t considered “hot” enough. 

That is wild to me. But irrespective of anyone not having found Glenn Close as attractive as Anne Archer, it's also incredibly irritating that so many people think it's only plausible for a man to cheat on his wife if the other woman is "hotter."

[Sweet-tea]

15 hours ago, gesundheit said:

That is wild to me. But irrespective of anyone not having found Glenn Close as attractive as Anne Archer, it's also incredibly irritating that so many people think it's only plausible for a man to cheat on his wife if the other woman is "hotter."

Agree! It bothered me then and still does now. 

[Vivigirl10]

On 5/1/2023 at 12:05 PM, Whimsy said:

That’s not how I read that particular situation. Alex wasn’t showing any signs of having ingested a ton of pills. I think he figured she was lying (which I did immediately before he parked because she looked lucid) and was testing that theory by basically asking her if she wants to risk her career for a lie. 

That's how I took it too.  He called her bluff.  

On 5/2/2023 at 2:33 AM, SnazzyDaisy said:

The casting isn’t right. Alex Forrest 2.0 is neither alluring nor captivating. Do viewers really want to see Dan Gallagher 2.0 in his tighty whities with bad hairdo and beer belly? 😣 

Hilarious!  I don't get the appeal of this Alex at all.  I think Joshua Jackson is hotttttt but the saggy, tighty whiteys were a total turnoff!  😆

The current day scenes about and with his daughter just don't interest me at all.  

The conversations about Dan's hair are pretty funny.  I totally agree that the messy current look makes no sense other than to be a visual reminder of how his life is in shambles.  The hair reads 80/90's frat boy to me which is an odd contrast to Dan's aging face.