S03.E05: Ah, Love!

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, peeayebee said:

This may go with the theory that there are (at least) two Bens who have different personalities

Heh, I just recalled that the real reason I first adopted the screen name of shapeshifter was because I enjoyed debating the Theory of The Two Shapeshifters on the old Roswell threads on the FanForum boards.

And that experience probably explains why I am not now interested in the Two (or 3) Bens Theory.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 8/29/2023 at 1:38 AM, sjankis630 said:

For some reason that tooth scene squicked me out too much.....

On 8/29/2023 at 3:59 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Oliver and Mabel's love lives fared better even if it cost Oliver a tooth in the process. 

On 8/29/2023 at 8:40 AM, cardigirl said:

He lost a tooth to a rock hard pork chop, and then she encouraged him to throw it away.

On 8/29/2023 at 11:10 AM, Phebemarie said:

Why didn't Oliver go to an emergency dentist to get the tooth fixed that evening?  There are emergency dentists in rural Oregon, certainly he could find one in Manhattan.

On 8/29/2023 at 7:04 PM, cardigirl said:

I think I was mostly wondering why Oliver wasn't freaking out and finding someone to try and put it back in. If it was one of his own, adult teeth, he's gonna need it. Baby teeth are different. Now he'll have to get an implant or at least a bridge to fill that gap.  It's not a small thing to lose an adult tooth. That's why I was kind of weirded out by that whole thing. Why weren't they doing more to take care of his tooth? (I know, it was supposed to be a funny bit and I'm being far too literal.)

On 8/30/2023 at 1:02 AM, Quilt Fairy said:

You and me both.  Plus, Oliver is far too vain to dismiss losing a tooth out of hand just because he's looking forward to "dessert". 

On 8/31/2023 at 11:21 PM, Pi237 said:

I couldn’t get past the throwing of the tooth. Maybe because dental care is so expensive, but all I could think about after that scene was-couldn’t he have gotten that put back in!? Or used as a model for a replacement? Was it a plate? Or an implant!? Seriously distracted me for the entire rest of the episode. 

Yes!  I was internally screaming, put that tooth in a glass of milk or salt water and find an emergency dentist ASAP!

On 8/29/2023 at 4:51 PM, sistermagpie said:

I thought it was sweet--is it any less charming than putting a tooth under your pillow for money?

For a tooth that falls out naturally, it's very sweet.  For a mature tooth that might be reimplantable, it's ridiculous (to me.)

On 8/29/2023 at 10:25 AM, shapeshifter said:

Loretta went on and on about her microwave not working
— probably in order to serve Oliver a rock-hard (possibly real 🪨 rock) pork chop to get a tooth
— to test for DNA!
— Right?

On 8/29/2023 at 11:50 AM, ofmd said:

But wouldn't it be easier to get a strand of hair from him than knocking out a tooth?

Yes, the odds of him losing a tooth that way do not seem overwhelming, and she gave him back the tooth (unless you think she switched them).  She could get DNA off his fork or glass if she wanted to and they slept together, so she had access to abundant DNA.

On 8/29/2023 at 11:50 AM, ofmd said:

Or... well, let's not contemplate other opportunities arising with a certain level of intimacy....

Seems like the easiest way to me!  Just say you are going to draw a bath....

On 8/29/2023 at 6:01 PM, Snazzy Daisy said:

The newspaper clippings in her scrapbook mostly have images of Dickie too, in the background. She has been keeping tabs on Dickie. Ben was too vain to realize this. When Loretta was singing “Look for the Light”, she looked lovingly at Dickie at one point.

I think you are correct.

On 8/30/2023 at 2:53 PM, chaifan said:

I have no idea who killed Ben, or if anyone did.  But I love the pull out bookcases in the reading nook.

I totally want one.

[sistermagpie]

6 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

For a tooth that falls out naturally, it's very sweet.  For a mature tooth that might be reimplantable, it's ridiculous (to me.)

On 8/29/2023 at 10:25 AM, shapeshifter said:

Definitely--we're in agreement on that one. I doubt even her mother intended for her tradition to be used on adult teeth lost to tough meat!

[ofmd]

On 9/6/2023 at 11:30 PM, Lugal said:

Yeah, it's definitely lost something this season.  The Arconia is a character itself and losing that fells like we've lost a central pillar of the show.  Not to mention all the recurring background characters, Teddy, Theo, Lucy, Ursula, Lester, the podcast fan club, etc.  Howard is the only Arconian we've seen regularly.

Pretty much all of this.  This season feels very unfocused.

Both the Arconia as a character and its quirky residents were essential to the show, for me. Also, I'd love to see more of the Horticultural Homies, they were fun!

I also find myself not really caring, even forgetting about the murder case. Maybe that's because the show doesn't seem to care that much either.

The only thing that actually works for me is Meryl Streep's integration into the show; I had my doubts initially.

10 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Exactly. 
There are some different writers this season, but it feels like something more than that.

Idk, I find that new writers can make a lot of difference for me, in terms of tone, characterization, and much more.

Overall, so far, season 1 is my favorite.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 9/3/2023 at 8:51 PM, Crs97 said:

Yes, Joy was ridiculous.  No one wants to be accused of murder, but her very specific lipstick was found in his dressing room with a horrible note so asking her about it wasn’t out of bounds.  Her behavior was already so manic that Charles was uncomfortable in his own place. 

Joy eventually explained that while she was in Ben's dressing room covering his slap mark "I'm guessing that my lipstick fell out of my clutch when I was back there."  That makes no sense, because it wasn't her personal lipstick; it was one of many in her work container of lipsticks. Normally, I might think she was lying, but I really don't think she wrote the lipstick message on the mirror, so I think it's just a mistake in the script.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Joy eventually explained that while she was in Ben's dressing room covering his slap mark "I'm guessing that my lipstick fell out of my clutch when I was back there."  That makes no sense, because it wasn't her personal lipstick; it was one of many in her work container of lipsticks. Normally, I might think she was lying, but I really don't think she wrote the lipstick message on the mirror, so I think it's just a mistake in the script.

Or…💭🤔💭
Maybe Joy is guilty of something related to one of her lipsticks being left in Ben’s dressing room near the time of his death, even if Loretta (or Ben*) wrote the F’in’ Pig 🐷 on the mirror with Joy’s lipstick. 💄 
__________________

*Theory that Ben might have called himself an F’in’ Pig 🐷 because of not being able to restrain himself from eating cookies.

Spoiler

And if Ben is Loretta’s son:
Maybe they have similar handwriting?

Note:
Spoiler tagging theory from next episode.

Edited September 8, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Dobian]

I knew Joy couldn't be the killer this season because they already went that route with Jan before.

[7-Zark-7]

For me, this season wasn't up to the standards of the first two.  I think it's because we spent most of the time in the theatre.  New York and the Arconia are essentially leading cast members of the show and this season, they were missing.

On the bright side:

1- The Streep was Streeping.  Whenever she had to reach the audience, like with her song, she nailed it. Also casting Streep as an actress who never broke through is a nice touch.

2- As with past seasons, we really felt what the murdered person was going through before they were offed. They are never left as just an excuse for a whodunit. They're fleshed out.

3 - Finally, I like the additions to the opening animation number, like Howard walking his cat instead of Bunny walking a pigeon, and the one episode when the sandbag nearly missed the trio. I hope they do something like that next season.

[aradia22]

I swear I already commented on this episode but I really love what they did with Loretta and Oliver's date and I'm sorry she likely won't be sticking around

ETA: I'm glad we got to see some of Jonathan's cabaret show. 

Edited December 24, 2023 by aradia22