S02.E04: Keys Phone Cash ID

[formerlyfreedom]

While on their way to Wichita, Sam and Tricia finally tell Mary Jo why they’re temporarily moving her from the care facility. After accidentally blowing his own cover stalking Brad, Joel opens up about his personal crisis stemming from Fred’s upcoming wedding.

Airing Sunday, May 14, 2023.

[peeayebee]

I love this show so much.

The conversation betw Joel and Brad was sweet and lovely and funny. Who knew Brad would be such a great person. After Joel tells him about coming to the church to see him, Brad says, "Feels kind of nice to be... 'stalked' I guess has a negative connotation." And then after Joel tells him he had blessed a goat once, Brad says, "Nobody likes a braggart." :D

And so sweet that Joel turned off his Fitbit so he wouldn't rack up so many more steps than Sam. 

Tricia and Sam talked about the Lying c*** pillows was great. I was wondering what Tricia was getting messages about. "New c*** Who dis?" was great.

I'm using this word again: Sweet. The letter from their dad was very sweet. I was wondering when he spoke of being with his brother if Mike Hagerty's actual brother was also deceased, so this was a way of saying that they were together again.

Sam and Joel's relationship continues to be the best.

Sam: Is that the sound of children laughing?
Joel: Better than children laughing.
Sam: Most everything is.

[AheadofStraight]

I don't like that Joel is withholding from Sam. I took a more sinister view on him turning off the fitbit. Sam would've wanted to know why he walked without her and how he got all of those steps.  Aside from that, I adored the episode as usual! I was expecting bad news with the letter from Dad so that was a relief. (I watched this show after Barry so that might be why I was always waiting for the next shoe to drop haha!)

[peeayebee]

Yeah, might cause whiplash to go betw Barry and Somebody Somewhere. :D Not that you can't love both, as I do.

I don't see anything nefarious about Joel turning off his Fitbit. I see him doing it just because he wanted to be suportive rather than getting ahead her on a day that was very hard for her. And then when they were having drinks together, I don't think he was intentionally hiding from her his time with Brad. It was a special drinking day because she needed it. It was all about her. It wasn't the right time for him to throw in the info about his possible new boyfriend. 

[sistermagpie]

3 hours ago, AheadofStraight said:

I don't like that Joel is withholding from Sam. I took a more sinister view on him turning off the fitbit. Sam would've wanted to know why he walked without her and how he got all of those steps.  Aside from that, I adored the episode as usual! I was expecting bad news with the letter from Dad so that was a relief. (I watched this show after Barry so that might be why I was always waiting for the next shoe to drop haha!)

 

56 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Yeah, might cause whiplash to go betw Barry and Somebody Somewhere. :D Not that you can't love both, as I do.

I don't see anything nefarious about Joel turning off his Fitbit. I see him doing it just because he wanted to be suportive rather than getting ahead her on a day that was very hard for her. And then when they were having drinks together, I don't think he was intentionally hiding from her his time with Brad. It was a special drinking day because she needed it. It was all about her. It wasn't the right time for him to throw in the info about his possible new boyfriend. 

I thought he was hiding it and it will eventually be a problem, but he had good reason to do it. Sam's been making it clear how difficult it is for her to have any new people in their group, so he probably doesn't want to make it a thing yet. 

[ProudMary]

Nice tribute. Well done, show.

 

[Cheezwiz]

I was really relieved that the letter home didn't contain bad news. The little cow drawing kind of made me tear up.

The pastoral farm scenery is indeed gorgeous. Can't wait for Fred's wedding!

[luna1122again]

I know it's going to come back to bite him when Sam finds out Joel has a new boyfriend, but friends, no matter how close, don't owe each other EVERY single detail of their life. Joel knows Sam will be kind of possessive and jealous, and he's just feeling things out with this guy (who he also knows Sam will make fun of) before he tells her. There is nothing sinister about that. 

[peeayebee]

10 hours ago, ProudMary said:

Nice tribute. Well done, show.

 

I noticed that but wasn't sure if we had seen it before. 

[retired watcher]

I just love this show more and more. You know Sam will get mad at Joel for hiding his budding relationship. I love the changes Tricia is making and I adore the pillows. They sell things kind of pillows on Etsy.

Edited May 16, 2023 by retired watcher

[monakane]

I love this show so much.  It's a nice, sweet story with relatable characters and funny as hell.  I think with so much going on in the world, we need a nice place to escape to.  I do want a "Live, Laugh, C##t" pillow.

[Iseut]

This show is just so sweet and relatable. The characters are not at all without their problems, but again, the problems are relatable. We've all had problematic family members, emotional baggage, difficult relationships, etc., but this show helps me remember that we also have wonderful people and moments in our lives to laugh and get us through. 

I do foresee problems when Sam finds out about Joel and SLS but I have faith in the show that it will be a blip in their friendship and they will come back together beautifully. I also have faith that I will cry buckets of happy tears when it happens. 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Iseut

[TVbitch]

I also watch this show after Barry, and thank god, cuz it is like a cozy ray of sunshine to remedy that unrelenting darkness. Otherwise I would be afraid to go to sleep! 🤣 

This was a gem of an episode. All of the interactions seemed so genuine. Sometimes awkward and usually humorous --much as life can be. I really hope Sam does not react with anger or possessiveness if Joel and Brad start spending more time together. It's human nature, of course, so she probably will, but hopefully she can adapt.   

[chediavolo]

On 5/15/2023 at 2:15 PM, peeayebee said:

I love this show so much.

The conversation betw Joel and Brad was sweet and lovely and funny. Who knew Brad would be such a great person. After Joel tells him about coming to the church to see him, Brad says, "Feels kind of nice to be... 'stalked' I guess has a negative connotation." And then after Joel tells him he had blessed a goat once, Brad says, "Nobody likes a braggart." :D

And so sweet that Joel turned off his Fitbit so he wouldn't rack up so many more steps than Sam. 

Tricia and Sam talked about the Lying c*** pillows was great. I was wondering what Tricia was getting messages about. "New c*** Who dis?" was great.

I'm using this word again: Sweet. The letter from their dad was very sweet. I was wondering when he spoke of being with his brother if Mike Hagerty's actual brother was also deceased, so this was a way of saying that they were together again.

Sam and Joel's relationship continues to be the best.

Sam: Is that the sound of children laughing?
Joel: Better than children laughing.
Sam: Most everything is.

I was wondering that too about Mike Hagerty‘s brother. So sad how he died. Anyone know why the actual name of the antibiotic that  killed him is not being published? I’d really  like to know! I know big Pharma is incredibly powerful, but in all my research, I haven’t even seen the name of the medicine in print, just “antibiotic”. 

[laurakaye]

Sam being jealous of Joel's new beau would be very true to her character, especially in light of Mary Jo's revelation that Sam has never been in a relationship - maybe ever?  I can see where Joel finding a partner as well as Fred getting married could be a lot for Sam, but I have faith that the show will handle it beautifully and will probably make me cry in the process, lol.  

I think this show gets to me because I don't feel like I am listening to written and rehearsed dialogue, I feel like I am looking in at very real people doing everyday things and talking about them, which is far more relatable to anything else I've ever seen on television.  It's more "reality tv" than actual reality tv.

Edited May 18, 2023 by laurakaye

[oldCJ]

On 5/18/2023 at 1:24 PM, chediavolo said:

Anyone know why the actual name of the antibiotic that  killed him is not being published? I’d really  like to know! I know big Pharma is incredibly powerful, but in all my research, I haven’t even seen the name of the medicine in print, just “antibiotic”. 

It was most likely cephalosporin, imipenem, or ciprofloxacin. Those three types of antibiotics as well as penicillin have a highest risk of causing seizures, esp in people with renal dysfunction, mental disorders or epilepsy. 

[chediavolo]

3 hours ago, oldCJ said:

It was most likely cephalosporin, imipenem, or ciprofloxacin. Those three types of antibiotics as well as penicillin have a highest risk of causing seizures, esp in people with renal dysfunction, mental disorders or epilepsy. 

I wondered about the Cipro. One of the most dangerous antibiotics out there with doctors still prescribing  when something else could be used. I have had to tell my doctor no on more than one occasion. 

[formerlyfreedom]

Folks, let's please stick to the episode. Discussion of non-episode topics should happen in either the Small Talk or Media topics. Thank you.

[paramitch]

Joel deliberately running into Brad was so sweet and cute! I loved how real and nervous he was, and how kind Brad was when he realized Joel was there to meet him.

I'm liking the complexity of their navigating the friendship and how possessive Sam is about it. To the extent that she's jealous of anyone who joins their friendship circle, and Joel is lying to her about Brad because he knows she will feel threatened. 

 

On 5/15/2023 at 11:15 AM, peeayebee said:

I love this show so much.

The conversation betw Joel and Brad was sweet and lovely and funny. Who knew Brad would be such a great person. After Joel tells him about coming to the church to see him, Brad says, "Feels kind of nice to be... 'stalked' I guess has a negative connotation." And then after Joel tells him he had blessed a goat once, Brad says, "Nobody likes a braggart." :D

And so sweet that Joel turned off his Fitbit so he wouldn't rack up so many more steps than Sam. 

I do too. And I thought it was sweet of Joel to do that -- it was a kind thing to do for Sam, so that he could save that for her, and she wouldn't feel bad that he had walked without her. Some lies are lies of kindness, and this is a good example.

On 5/15/2023 at 2:28 PM, AheadofStraight said:

I don't like that Joel is withholding from Sam. I took a more sinister view on him turning off the fitbit. Sam would've wanted to know why he walked without her and how he got all of those steps.

Joel knows Sam very well, and he knows she would want to know what he was doing, and then probably be grumpy at him for doing something without her. (And I say that with love.)

On 5/15/2023 at 5:26 PM, peeayebee said:

Yeah, might cause whiplash to go betw Barry and Somebody Somewhere. :D Not that you can't love both, as I do.

I don't see anything nefarious about Joel turning off his Fitbit. I see him doing it just because he wanted to be suportive rather than getting ahead her on a day that was very hard for her. And then when they were having drinks together, I don't think he was intentionally hiding from her his time with Brad. It was a special drinking day because she needed it. It was all about her. It wasn't the right time for him to throw in the info about his possible new boyfriend. 

This! Exactly. Especially when Joel himself doesn't know what they are yet. He's just interested in someone. And he is allowed to not tell her everything.

On 5/15/2023 at 6:23 PM, sistermagpie said:

I thought he was hiding it and it will eventually be a problem, but he had good reason to do it. Sam's been making it clear how difficult it is for her to have any new people in their group, so he probably doesn't want to make it a thing yet. 

Yeah, this, exactly. He knows that Sam will either be irritated or hurt by it, and he's not ready for that -- especially if nothing comes of it. It isn't even a relationship yet! He has a right to keep it to himself until he knows where he stands.

And honestly, let's remember -- she laughed at Brad. She mocked him and was cruel about him. Joel has plenty of reason to think Sam may not be, er, kind about or to Brad. Or the news he's maybe dating him.

On 5/16/2023 at 8:52 AM, retired watcher said:

I just love this show more and more. You know Sam will get mad at Joel for hiding his budding relationship. I love the changes Tricia is making and I adore the pillows. They sell things kind of pillows on Etsy.

It is SO LOVELY to see Tricia softening this season, and becoming a better person! And loved that Amy Sedaris was the celebrity who favorited her "c*nt pillow" -- I absolutely could see Amy loving that and promoting it.

On 5/17/2023 at 3:46 PM, Iseut said:

This show is just so sweet and relatable. The characters are not at all without their problems, but again, the problems are relatable. We've all had problematic family members, emotional baggage, difficult relationships, etc., but this show helps me remember that we also have wonderful people and moments in our lives to laugh and get us through. 

I do foresee problems when Sam finds out about Joel and SLS but I have faith in the show that it will be a blip in their friendship and they will come back together beautifully. I also have faith that I will cry buckets of happy tears when it happens. 

I agree. And it feels so real to me. The problems of these characters are universal -- they aren't glamorous people in penthouses vying for power, they're just people in a small town trying to get through each day just like the rest of us.

[possibilities]

On 5/16/2023 at 1:18 PM, monakane said:

I do want a "Live, Laugh, C##t" pillow.

The show really should sell merch.

[LuvMyShows]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:30 AM, luna1122again said:

I know it's going to come back to bite him when Sam finds out Joel has a new boyfriend, but friends, no matter how close, don't owe each other EVERY single detail of their life. Joel knows Sam will be kind of possessive and jealous, and he's just feeling things out with this guy (who he also knows Sam will make fun of) before he tells her. There is nothing sinister about that. 

To me the problem isn't so much that Joel didn't tell Sam about his time with Brad, as that he lied when she asked him about his day.  He made too many qualifying statements that were lies or disturbingly lie-adjacent. It would be different to me if she had asked him about his day, and he had just said something about how her day had been enough for the both of them so let's discuss my day some other time, or this is a day about supporting you so we can discuss me later (or some similar remark to dismiss or end the subject), and then no more was said about his day. But that is not at all what happened.

It can be too easy to fool yourself into thinking that you are withholding something from someone to spare their feelings, when really it's that you don't want to have deal with their reaction. It also takes away their agency, to decide for someone about what they can or cannot handle. And if you're worried that they can't handle the original news, how on earth will it be better for them when you end up telling them the original news, and they find out that you lied, and they hear your explanation about why you chose to lie rather than telling them the truth originally?  And how about if they find out the original truth from someone else besides you?  Now it's just compounding the awfulness. And if Sam was worried about the effect of bringing someone else in, then the lying would have confirmed to her that she was right to be wary/reticent/unresponsive to it...see, when someone else comes in, bad changes start to happen. 

[EtheltoTillie]

On 8/2/2023 at 7:42 PM, LuvMyShows said:

 

It can be too easy to fool yourself into thinking that you are withholding something from someone to spare their feelings, when really it's that you don't want to have deal with their reaction. It also takes away their agency, to decide for someone about what they can or cannot handle. And if you're worried that they can't handle the original news, how on earth will it be better for them when you end up telling them the original news, and they find out that you lied, and they hear your explanation about why you chose to lie rather than telling them the truth originally?  And how about if they find out the original truth from someone else besides you?  Now it's just compounding the awfulness. And if Sam was worried about the effect of bringing someone else in, then the lying would have confirmed to her that she was right to be wary/reticent/unresponsive to it...see, when someone else comes in, bad changes start to happen. 

Yet this is so real life.  It really was well written to show how people struggle with these internal conflicts.  Moreover, they both started out by making fun of the new guy, so that was another issue where Joel would feel embarrassed admitted he liked the guy who gave them diarrhea.

The Amy Sedaris reference really was great, I agree.

She does crafts and her comedy.  She's definitely a part of whatever scene produces the people who work on this show. 

Edited August 22, 2023 by EtheltoTillie