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S01.E12: One Hour Photo

Tara Ariano

By Tara Ariano
in Finding Carter [V]

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lumpy narwhale

lumpy narwhale

They can reach as many breaking points as they want--as long as Max remains with us. I'm going to need him to be the focus of season 2.

 

 they could announce they're turning "finding carter" into "max makes croutons and plays with his hair for an hour" and i'd totally tune in. actually i think the ratings would sky rocket 

  • Love 10
grandemocha

grandemocha

(edited)

I knew Lori was fucking nuts. She's just cuckoo crazy. No other explanation necessary.

 

Like what does Lori think is going to happen exactly? She's going to have to brainwash Carter hardcore or keep her tied up 24/7 because as soon as the drugs are out of her system, she's going to try and run away.

 

The girl who plays Carter is a better crier than the girl who plays Taylor.

 

So shady!dad is clearly still shady.

Edited by grandemocha
  • Love 1
grandemocha

grandemocha

(edited)
Lori seemed to be implying that they had hired her or were using her or something.

 

I honestly thought that was just more of her crazy talk. She clearly knows David on a different level than Elizabeth, but I felt like half of her ranting was just that of a nut job, and a bit trying to make Carter feel guilty.

 

ETA: Oh, I almost forgot!! Come on, in what universe would someone smart like Elizabeth not have had an undercover cop in the cafe WITH Carter? Watching her, making sure she was okay.

Edited by grandemocha
  • Love 4
Bubbles

Bubbles

How inept are those cops that they let Carter be nearby and didn't have anyone watching her? The second Elizabeth told Carter to wait out of sight at the coffee shop it was obvious Lori was going after Carter.

If Lori is trying to convince Carter that she's not crazy and everything David and Elizabeth have said about her is a lie, drugging and kidnapping her seems like a rather poor way to go about it.

  • Love 5
dohe

dohe

(edited)

As Shimmergloom mentioned, why the heck would a show give away the end of it's episode in a promo 10 minutes before the ending of the episode.  That is one of several poor decisions.  The worst though was giving the bad actors who play Max and Taylor a difficult scene to play.  I understand that often looks or a persona will play more into casting than actual acting chops.  I get that.  However that was awful and the showrunners should have been more careful to place those two individuals in a situation like that.  While the acting was bad, Taylor and Max's behavior was easy to understand.  They are undergoing tremendously difficult situations and it is realistic to lash out. 

 

The show is really hurtling along way too quickly.  Instead of having Carter come to terms with the traumatic events that have unfolded it has sequences between her and Elizabeth appearing in a season 1 finale that should appear much further down the line.  Stop pandering MTV and trust your audience!

 

As usual, Prescott and Watros are on such a higher level when it comes to acting that sequences without them come across much, much worse in comparison.

Edited by dohe
dohe

dohe

(edited)

I did enjoy that it was the stalking that really appalled Carter. She'd been living with a stalker for 13 years. That whole kidnapping part? Eh.

Actually that makes sense in terms of the plot and the thought process by someone in her position.  Carter is a person who, as pretty much any young person in that situation would, has clung to Lori as her real Mom.  While the show is moving too fast, it is natural that Carter slowly begins to question Lori.  Considering the very close bond between the two, it is not surprising that it is not an action visited directly upon Carter that causes an epiphany but an action that demonstrates Lori's kidnapping of Carter had a basis in something besides desiring a child of her own.  That the kidnapping may have come from a sexual interest in Carter's father is a layer that would have the power to shake up Carter.

 

As the viewer, we see both actions rightfully as crimes.  However, to the victim Carter there are distinctions between these actions by Lori. 

Edited by dohe
  • Love 4
t7686

t7686

(edited)

While I feel for her, Elizabeth is the worst cop ever. It was obvious it was Lori from the phone call. The whole way it went down was so predictable. Imagine being in the FBI and losing your kid twice. Twice! I bet the other cops laugh at her behind her back.

A cool twist could have Taylor or Grant getting kidnapped instead. Let Carter see it from the other side.

Max better be back and with Taylor. Shady dad need to get less shady. Elizabeth, poor career choice aside, can't be the only likable parent.

Edited by t7686
  • Love 3
GaT

GaT

How inept are those cops that they let Carter be nearby and didn't have anyone watching her? The second Elizabeth told Carter to wait out of sight at the coffee shop it was obvious Lori was going after Carter.

 

 

These really are keystone cops. First they let Carter get bailed out by some kid, then nobody thinks of guarding Carter when Lori is supposed to show up. As soon as the waiter brought the drink, I knew where it was going. How stupid to let her sit there all by herself.

 

I hope Max is going to be on the show next season, I don't care if he's with Taylor or not, but I would really miss his hair.

  • Love 2
Whimsy

Whimsy

I don't understand why Carter didn't tell Elizabeth about her first meeting with Lori in their house.  I get that she was still trying to wrap her head around what Lori said, but they were teaming up together to find her.  That made NO sense!  Even somehow sending a "she's HERE!" text or something when Lori's back was turned. 

 

I also didn't understand the scene of Carter and Elizabeth on the bench minutes before Lori was supposed to show up.  If they really wanted to have that scene/dialogue, they should've had it at a different local.  Did it not occur to them that Lori might possibly be staking out the area, watching for cops?  That was so dumb!

 

I liked that Carter was starting to come around and realize that Lori is very unstable.  I don't know if I like where the storyline is going.  I really want the kids to have a strong father-figure (plus I love Alexis Denisoff) so I wish that Lori was actually stalking David and took the twin that looked the most like it could've been their daughter.  I don't want them to have had an actual relationship.  But, alas, I don't think that'll be the story.  I really was hoping for some sort of redemption arc for him with this teaching job, etc.

 

I don't mind the actress that plays Taylor most of the time, but that hospital break-up scene was acted sooooooo badly.  I was so distracted by the bad acting that there was no emotion by me about their break-up at all even though previous to this I thought they were an adorable couple.

  • Love 1
politichick

politichick

I honestly thought that was just more of her crazy talk. She clearly knows David on a different level than Elizabeth, but I felt like half of her ranting was just that of a nut job, and a bit trying to make Carter feel guilty.

 

ETA: Oh, I almost forgot!! Come on, in what universe would someone smart like Elizabeth not have had an undercover cop in the cafe WITH Carter? Watching her, making sure she was okay.

Thank you! I thought it was totally stupid to not have someone in the cafe watching Carter and even more stupid to have a counselor you've never met come to your house to talk to your child and you're not there. These parents are idiots and David is a piece of shit. Also dumb as fuck was Elizabeth and Carter sitting outside the cafe like Lori might not see them. Wow.

  • Love 1
CaliforniaLove

CaliforniaLove

I was already shaking my head just at the very first scene. How long were Carter & Crash together? About ten minutes? Funny how in those ten minutes (half of which were spent on the lam & shooting people), they somehow found time to take a slew of pictures as if they'd been together 6 months.

I'll watch next season only if we get to see Elizabeth punch Lori in the face.

  • Love 4
joanne3482

joanne3482

I don't know if I like where the storyline is going.  I really want the kids to have a strong father-figure (plus I love Alexis Denisoff) so I wish that Lori was actually stalking David and took the twin that looked the most like it could've been their daughter.  I don't want them to have had an actual relationship.

 

I agree. I don't want a sob story or some backstory that "explains" why she took Carter. I want her to be batcrap crazy and a true bad guy. Anything else, to me, is too predictable. 

  • Love 3
lumpy narwhale

lumpy narwhale

I was already shaking my head just at the very first scene. How long were Carter & Crash together? About ten minutes? Funny how in those ten minutes (half of which were spent on the lam & shooting people), they somehow found time to take a slew of pictures as if they'd been together 6 months.

I'll watch next season only if we get to see Elizabeth punch Lori in the face.

 I was saying that exact thing to my husband. We've  been married 7 years and I've barely gotten around to getting wedding pictures printed. These two have been together a few weeks it's "love" and they have a million printed memories? I rolled my eyes so hard when Lori said it had only been 3 months.

Since everyone else seems as concerned with Max as I am I have to say that I'm sure he'll be back. He's the clear fan favorite and has been more clearly ushered out of his role on the fosters.

 

I was REALLY impressed with him during the break up scene. I don't know, it was totally cheesy but he tugged those heart strings. No way will I believe that he'll be off 2 hours away while Carter is missing, which I suspect she may be for at least a good part (2-3 episodes?) of the next season. 

  • Love 1
lumpy narwhale

lumpy narwhale

If she was on the fence at all this most recent kidnapping will surely convince Carter how crazy Lori is. I can't imagine Lori letting Carter go out and live a life. I suspect she'll be locked up in some terrible apartment. 

I'm still surprised Lori hasn't kidnapped another baby. That birthday flashback scene in the hospital nursery, a few episodes back, was so creepy! My daughter roomed in when she was born, my hospital didn't have a public nursery like that and that scene made me so happy for that. I can't imagine someone lurking on my baby and talking about them like that-- even if it's in jest. Really made my skin crawl. 

ihavenoidea

ihavenoidea

(edited)

 

I'll watch next season only if we get to see Elizabeth punch Lori in the face.

That would be nice, she should also punch David in the face.

 

 

 

I wonder if the producers were heading towards phasing Max out of next season. It seems like they intended to give Max the kiss off. I hope they see the fan reception to Max and keep him around. As another poster said, I don't care if he's with Taylor, I just want him around.

There was an interview posted yesterday where the show runner said in the beginning the plan was indeed for Max to die, she even told Alex Saxon when they started the season, but as they were prepping episode 10 the crouton scene got circulated online and people loved it and the network asked if they wouldn't kill him.  They realized they loved him and kept him.  So, he'll be back next season for sure.

Edited by ihavenoidea
  • Love 7
gesundheit

gesundheit

I was already shaking my head just at the very first scene. How long were Carter & Crash together? About ten minutes? Funny how in those ten minutes (half of which were spent on the lam & shooting people), they somehow found time to take a slew of pictures as if they'd been together 6 months.

Right? I was cracking up. I've had relationships that lasted 5 years that didn't accumulate that many remembrances.

 

I'm torn. I was so worried in the middle that the show was doing exactly what I've been afraid of the whole time -- making Elizabeth and David into bad guys who were somehow complicit in the kidnapping of their own child. Which is fine and soapy, but is zero percent the conceit I came to watch. But then with the way things progressed, it does seem like Lori's just crazy and that David is definitely lying about not knowing her, but maybe they just had an affair and Lori is a nutter who blames Elizabeth for David not marrying her or...whatever. I don't love the idea of them having their cake and eating it too (yes, the kidnapping happened and was awful, but ONE parent was somewhat complicit and is a bad guy and a big evil liar!). I also had to continue to roll my eyes at the idea that someone in Carter's position isn't in therapy because it just 'isn't her thing.' Wow. Family and child therapists the world over would be out of work if anyone found out all a kid has to say to get out of therapy is that they don't WANNA!

 

Anyway, ultimately the ending prioritized contrivance and high drama over the show I want to see, but at the very least it'll clarify some things once it gets sorted out. And maybe then they can actually tell stories about a traumatized child and family and how they're able to heal and move forward from this somehow? And actually get to know each other? We'll see.

 

That sure sounded like they're sending Max away but keeping him in a back pocket. I do not want Max away!

  • Love 2
Kat

Kat

Oh show, I just can't quit you. 

 

After reading this article from TVLine, I don't think Alex Saxon is going anywhere, especially since he's already basically been written out of his other series "The Fosters". And "Finding Carter" 's producers aren't idiots - if MTV says they want Max around, they'll keep him around.

 

That said, I actually thought it was realistic that Max would break up with Taylor. He's just been through a life-changing event and has months of rehab etc. ahead of him. Taylor needs to be allowed to have a senior year and not be burdened. Just as long as she doesn't hook up with Gabe. Yuck.

 

Show, stop making me try to be sympathetic to Lori! She's a nutso.

  • Love 2
dohe

dohe

I wonder if the producers were heading towards phasing Max out of next season. It seems like they intended to give Max the kiss off. I hope they see the fan reception to Max and keep him around. As another poster said, I don't care if he's with Taylor, I just want him around.

Surely they were.  He is an awfully written character who is basically an insult.  However he is also a teenage boy with good looking hair who, in the end, always acts as a surrogate voice for the biological parents.  It is sad that such poorly written, poorly acted characters are popular but it is the way it works with teen tv.  The character is beneath contempt, basically the writers mocking the audience with a written by committee surrogate for the writer's viewpoints.  It is cheap.  It is patronizing.  And when it is a teen boy it tends to work for MTV's primary audience.

SonofaBiscuit

SonofaBiscuit

Grant is really underused on this show.  I hope that they find something interesting for him to do next season.  I thought that maybe he would run away or be kidnapped by Lori in this last episode, but nope.  Here's hoping that we have some sibling bonding time next season.

 

Things kind of suck for Max right now.  He's just been shot, he broke up with his girlfriend, he probably just lost his job, and now he is saddled with a huge amount of medical debt that he surely has no way to pay for.  I'm guessing he didn't have any health insurance through his job at the convenience store.  I wonder...if you are shot at your job, can you file a work comp claim?  Get on that, Max. 

SonofaBiscuit

SonofaBiscuit

Max sounded pretty concerned about the cost of rehab and being able to afford it so I hope that things work out for him.  I'd like to see a season two entitled Finding Max.  The plot could involve Max suing the convenience store, winning a big settlement, going through rehab, being a big bro to Grant, reuniting with Taylor, making croutons, whatever.  I'd watch the hell out of that show.

  • Love 3
lumpy narwhale

lumpy narwhale

I need confirmation that he is in fact over 18 before swooning too hard for Max. He/ his people keep that shit on lock. I'm guessing it's because he's much older then the characters he plays. 

But at this point anything he's in, I'll watch. I loved him in The Fosters and worried that Finding Carter would take him out of The Fosters, but then I realized I preferred Finding Carter so I'm glad he's a fan favorite. 

  • Love 1
Kromm

Kromm

That would be nice, she should also punch David in the face.

 

 

There was an interview posted yesterday where the show runner said in the beginning the plan was indeed for Max to die, she even told Alex Saxon when they started the season, but as they were prepping episode 10 the crouton scene got circulated online and people loved it and the network asked if they wouldn't kill him.  They realized they loved him and kept him.  So, he'll be back next season for sure.

I actually think this is good on several accounts.  First of all, I think it was gutsy they were willing to kill an important character.  But it was also wise that they didn't when they realized how beloved he'd become and that it would hurt their viewing audience.

 

So I hope they continue to do both things--try a few gutsy moves but also pay attention to what's actually working and don't change it just for the hell of it.  

 

We have to accept, I guess, that this is primarily a soap, so ridiculous things will happen.  With that in mind, I hope besides dealing with Max's angst and being jealous/angry at her new sister, they finally come up with something interesting for Taylor to do. Lets see HER go off the rails and Carter be the stable one maybe (because you know Carter isn't going to stay lost for long).

  • Love 1
lumpy narwhale

lumpy narwhale

They can kill off Gabe! That's gutsy :)
(I feel bad saying that because the actor seems pretty funny on twitter but ugh I hate Gabe's character. I disliked him until the episode where he's complaining to Ofie that he "only got a kiss" while Carter and Bird are fighting in the hall... ugh that put the nail in the coffin for me.)

  • Love 1
Swellcatt

Swellcatt

(edited)

Here's a madcap idea. What if they hired Lori as a surrogate? She became pregnant and then Elizabeth became pregnant. They had their twins but Lori wanted Carter because she was the surrogate. That could be why they knew her and knew all about her. And if David had an affair with her, even more insanity! Just my thought on that. I thought it was weird that David took the "stalker" picture and propped it up on his desk, like awwww, not like VIOLATED!
 

Edited by GenL
to fix double post
RachelKM

RachelKM

(edited)

I have difficulty with any scenario in which Lori was pregnant, the pregnancy was in anyway related to the Wilson family, and Elizabeth knew about the pregnancy for the simple fact that it would make Lori not having been the most obvious kidnapping suspect completely ludicrous.  Elizabeth in particular has seemed totally in the dark about Lori and her motives and she seemed utterly surprised Lori was involved when she found out in the pilot.  And if Lori carried Carter in any fashion or was in any way related to the pregnancy, there is no reason that her moving into their neighborhood and befriending them after Carter and Taylor were born would not have alarmed them and made her the obvious suspect when Carter disappeared.  

 

David's behavior, however, is sketchy as hell.  He obviously knows more about Lori than he's let on and she knows him better too.  And his reaction to the photo was super weird.  I just cannot tell if he had enough information at the time of the kidnapping to have willfully hidden stuff that would make Lori an obvious suspect making him virtually complicit in the kidnapping, or his behavior is more about him realizing now that his failure to disclose his relationship with Lori was, in retrospect, what helped her get away.  Either way, he appears to be hiding shit now to cover his butt about how his relationship with her (whatever it was) related to the kidnapping and his failure to come clean aided Lori (whether he realized at the time or not).

Edited by RachelKM
grandemocha

grandemocha

(edited)

 

She became pregnant and then Elizabeth became pregnant. They had their twins but Lori wanted Carter because she was the surrogate.

Then where are Elizabeth's babies? If Lori had the twins and Elizabeth was also pregnant, where's the other baby in your scenario? It's not Grant, he's alot younger than the twins.....because the pictures from the finale clearly showed Elizabeth pregnant within the right time frame for Carter/Taylor to be born.

 

This surrogate theory never made sense to me, and it won't work unless the show majorly majorly retcons their own episodes, because up until now, Elizabeth has had completely genuine reactions concerning Lori and everything she has said to Carter has been said with 100% honesty. There's been no shifty eyes, tense music, awkward pauses, or anything to suggest Elizabeth is lying.

 

Based on Lori's speeches in the finale, it appears that the crazy bitch simply thought it was no big deal to kidnap a toddler, and that it was "just ONE lie" and other families are far worse.

Edited by grandemocha
ihavenoidea

ihavenoidea

(edited)

In the episode where David and Elizabeth were cuddling on the couch, Elizabeth mentioned David marrying her because he "kinda had to", to which he responded something like he would have married her even if she weren't as big as a beach ball.  So I assume he had knocked her up and that's why they got married.  Why would they need a surrogate?  This was also the same conversation where Elizabeth mentioned he'd always liked brunettes btw.

Edited by ihavenoidea
Swellcatt

Swellcatt

Im like my mother in these forums ("how does computer work?"). I don't know how to reply to @grandemocha directly. I meant If Elizabeth was pregnant with one baby and Laurie was pregnant with another, that would be the two babies ergo they would have their twins. It was just something that Lori said that made it sound like they were lying to Carter about not knowing Lori that well. It really wouldn't surprise me with the shoddy writing of the show that they pull that. Lori seemed genuinely surprised by their reactions to her. It could just be general craziness but I feel that they're going a different direction with her. It's obvious her and David had a fling. Very obvious. Maybe carter really is lori's and David stole her from Lori to make it look like they had twins. Because one of their twins died. Yes I sound crazy but shoot, that's something that would totally have it in the show. Ha ha. I need to lay down

RachelKM

RachelKM

Im like my mother in these forums ("how does computer work?"). I don't know how to reply to @grandemocha directly. I meant If Elizabeth was pregnant with one baby and Laurie was pregnant with another, that would be the two babies ergo they would have their twins. It was just something that Lori said that made it sound like they were lying to Carter about not knowing Lori that well. It really wouldn't surprise me with the shoddy writing of the show that they pull that. Lori seemed genuinely surprised by their reactions to her. It could just be general craziness but I feel that they're going a different direction with her. It's obvious her and David had a fling. Very obvious. Maybe carter really is lori's and David stole her from Lori to make it look like they had twins. Because one of their twins died. Yes I sound crazy but shoot, that's something that would totally have it in the show. Ha ha. I need to lay down

I will be pissed if they give Lori any sort of justification, and more so with something like David stole her kid.  Lori straight up drugged Carter and then kidnapped her again.  I don't want that BSC bitch to turn out to have some justification because she still wouldn't be justified; but I'd feel the show was trying to sell me she was.  If she really was the mom, get a fucking paternity test and prove it.  Don't just steal the kid.  And if you do steal the kid and she's found, work with someone to prove she was yours.  Also, why be all secret and not just tell Carter the truth and have her help to prove it?

  • Love 2
Swellcatt

Swellcatt

I will be pissed if they give Lori any sort of justification, and more so with something like David stole her kid. Lori straight up drugged Carter and then kidnapped her again. I don't want that BSC bitch to turn out to have some justification because she still wouldn't be justified; but I'd feel the show was trying to sell me she was. If she really was the mom, get a fucking paternity test and prove it. Don't just steal the kid. And if you do steal the kid and she's found, work with someone to prove she was yours. Also, why be all secret and not just tell Carter the truth and have her help to prove it?

Agree!! That would be lame. But it would sort of explain why they've glossed over the whole kidnapping thing and trying to find the kidnapper

Kromm

Kromm

I have difficulty with any scenario in which Lori was pregnant, the pregnancy was in anyway related to the Wilson family, and Elizabeth knew about the pregnancy for the simple fact that it would make Lori not having been the most obvious kidnapping suspect completely ludicrous.  Elizabeth in particular has seemed totally in the dark about Lori and her motives and she seemed utterly surprised Lori was involved when she found out in the pilot.  And if Lori carried Carter in any fashion or was in any way related to the pregnancy, there is no reason that her moving into their neighborhood and befriending them after Carter and Taylor were born would not have alarmed them and made her the obvious suspect when Carter disappeared.  

I agree.  For me no theory works that involves Elizabeth knowing anything about Lori other than what she's told us.  The whole narrative we've had (with the notable big exception of her affair--which she seemed fairly incompetent at covering up anyway) has been about what an open book Elizabeth is.  Whatever the situation is it involves David and not her (although it's possible that Lori may not know that and assume Elizabeth knows something she doesn't).

Mabinogia

Mabinogia

I'm pretty sure Lori thinks Elizabeth knows more than she does, and I'm certain that Elizabeth knows nothing more than she's said, that Lori was some chick who moved into the neighborhood and randomly (well, until she saw the photos I think Liz thought it was a random abduction) took one of her children. If the show tries to say otherwise, at this point it would really feel like retcon (or the worst writing ever). Dramatically, I think it makes more sense for David to be the only one who knows who Lori really is. Because when Elizabeth finds this out it is going to be epic! But, I can't think of a way to keep David on the show after that reveal and I do love the actor even as I hate the character so I don't know that I want him gone. I was hoping for a redemption for him but if he knew Lori was a threat before she took Carter, there is no coming back from that, at least for me. And I can't imagine him knowing Lori and not thinking of her as a threat. The woman has nutter written all over her crazy eyes.

RachelKM

RachelKM

(edited)

It wasn't clear, but from David's reactions both during the phone call with Lori a few episodes back and the finale's revelations, I could see David just being a sad sack of shit who never really took his ex's BS seriously and didn't think she was capable of the kidnapping and now is hiding shit because his dishonesty in the past accidentally abetted Lori in the kidnapping and he's too much of a coward to come clean now.  In which case, he's pathetic (some more) but did not choose hiding his affair or whatever past with Lori over his kid (which would be more than any character could recover from in my opinion). 

 

The thing is, if that is true, he's still an idiot.  A woman whom you had an affair with, or even dated in the past, moves into your neighborhood, causally befriends your wife, and then conspicuously disappears the same time your three year old does.....?  So the only way he isn't somewhat complicit is if 1) Lori really was a full fledged stalker and she somehow got that photo without him knowing or stole it from Elizabeth (though that wouldn't explain apparent subtext of their phone call), or 2) he willfully deluded himself, which perhaps still makes him complicit.

 

David is totally the type that wouldn't be able to face his role and would hide that shit til the end.  But I have trouble with the idea that he is such a narcissistic sociopath that he would protect his secrets over finding his daughter.

 

Argh... David is problematic on many fronts.

Edited by RachelKM
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