S03.E04: What if it spreads?

[AnimeMania]

An unexpected issue arises on Sam and Tricia’s trip to Kansas City for a trade show. Meanwhile, Joel reluctantly attends Brad’s bible book club and runs into a complicated figure from his past.

Premiere Date: November 17, 2024   HBO   10:30pm

[Harvey]

Trish had quite a large reaction to getting an STD, but I guess that is how you react when you have it for the first time.

I thought Joel's bully storyline was quite interesting, and I wish they did more with that. It was more compelling to me than the other stuff going on in this one.

[MrWhyt]

true sisterly love, you won't see any of my siblings willingly getting a close up look of my hypothetically infected genitals.

[peeayebee]

I ain't asking my sister to do that.

I was surprised to see Sam bring up being interested in a guy. I didn't think she'd acknowledge that so soon. But I like it. She and Tricia had some nice sisterly conversations.

I guess the 'love notes' that Sam found really were from their mom to their dad, but I kind of wonder if they're actually from another woman. Probably not.

Why have I never before come across a woman who spelled her name Cathleen with a C. 

When Tricia and Sam went to urgent care, I was surprised Tricia didn't mention her breakfast appointment with Cathleen. I wondered if she even forgot.

I felt so bad for Joel and how uncomfortable he was with the bible study group. The guy coming up to Joel saying, "I didn't want to assume you don't like sports," and then running into the bully from high school. Those two guys were trying to be accepting, and maybe they really are, but it was all very awkward and triggering for Joel.

Brad continues to please me. All Joel had to do was ask to be allowed to load the dishwasher as he likes -- but glasses on the bottom rack?!? -- and to put photos on the fridge, and Brad said ok.

Brad having road rage was pretty funny, esp when the other driver sincerely apologized.

I have to tear up at least once per ep, and here it was when Joel and Brad said 'I love you' to each other.

BTW, what's with the names Brad, Bruce, and Brett? I always wonder why writers choose particular names for their characters, and it bugs me when names are too similar. I can get confused. Obviously I won't confuse these three guys, but still, why choose such similar character names?

Brad to Joel: Bruce was just telling me he has a lot of weapons.

Sam: Say hi to jesus for me.
Joel: I always do.

Edited November 18 by peeayebee

[Juneau Gal]

Over the weekend I rewatched Seasons 1 and 2 and realized the writing in this show has always had a lot of “loose ends”; things happen with no preamble or follow up. As an example: There was one brief scene of Sam working at a jewelry store that kinda came out of nowhere, although it did set up further storylines. Another is: what is happening with Ed? I was under the impression he was just on a little vacation, but it seems he’s moved to Texas for good? I understand they were put in a tough spot with the death of the actor, but they could have handled it better. This current episode it was the breakfast with Cathleen. Tricia was so excited about it for it to never have mention again. 
So much happens off camera that the viewer is suppose to just get through random one off lines. The mother had a stroke. Ed is on a boat with his brother. How much time has supposedly elapsed on this show? How long has Sam been back just drifting aimlessly along? 
On one hand I can appreciate this because this show is so real and we are just seeing snapshots of life. And life is inconsistent and messy and things don’t always march forward. For a me as a viewer it can be confusing. 
Since I’m at it, I’m just gonna say what I’ve been thinking from just about the very first episode: Sam is not that great of a singer for all the tongue bathing Joel, Darlene, and others give her. Everytime they  set up a singing bit I think, oh this will be the time I hear the greatness. Never do. Perfectly okay, but not “OMG the gift you have!” level. 
Bridget Everett has a fun, bawdy, nightclub act where quality of singing is not really an issue. I wish they had leaned more into that ala the “she’ll be comin’ on the mountain”. 

[SoMuchTV]

8 hours ago, peeayebee said:

Why have I never before come across a woman who spelled her name Cathleen with a C. 

I have run across so many variations of Kathleen/Cathleen/catherine/kathryn/whatever.  People complain about creative spellings that people have been using recently, but in the 60s I couldn’t have told you what my classmate Cathy or Kathy’s actual name was. Don’t get me started on Caitlin and its various spellings!

[Blakeston]

7 hours ago, Juneau Gal said:

Since I’m at it, I’m just gonna say what I’ve been thinking from just about the very first episode: Sam is not that great of a singer for all the tongue bathing Joel, Darlene, and others give her. Everytime they  set up a singing bit I think, oh this will be the time I hear the greatness. Never do. Perfectly okay, but not “OMG the gift you have!” level. 

Agreed. I can buy that people in her small community would say that she has a great voice, and look forward to her singing, but it's just brought up so much. Often needlessly, like in this episode.

I really, really hope that Brad's road rage wasn't foreshadowing anything. If I were him, I would be far angrier about the glassware on the bottom level of the dishwasher than being cut off in traffic.

 

 

[sistermagpie]

I liked how Joel going through hell at that Bible meeting made him brave enough to ask to put pictures on the fridge.

So it seems Sam really does have a crush on Iceland, but I'm still hoping she's just assuming it's a crush when it's really wanting to be more like him. Although hey, if he invites her to see the Northern Lights on a romantic trip she's earned that too!

Re: Sam's singing voice, I still feel like it's mostly just that she's at her warmest and most open when she sings more than she's supposed to have the biggest knockout voice, and since we're usually hearing her friends praising it, that's part of it. Most of her singing moments just make other people happy more than impress them.

I was talking with a friend after this ep and we both agreed that it would never occur to either of us to ask the other one to look at our vagina if it burned when we peed!

Edited November 19 by sistermagpie

[HoneyBeach]

On the topic of Sam's voice, I really don't have an ear and I can't carry a tune in a picnic basket, but if my friend/sister had a voice like hers, I would be hyping her up too. Wanting her to sing at every karaoke, every gathering, telling everyone she could do it professionally. Just cause it's better than everyone else in our circle.  

[chaifan]

OK, so Sam really is into Iceland.  Not quite sure where that is going to lead to. 

I'm glad Sam finally opened the box.  Of course, if it were me, it would have been opened once I got in my car, while still sitting in the driveway.  Or, at the very latest, when I got home.  I've found boxes of old greeting cards that my parents gave to each other, they date back to the 60's.  And they are surprisingly sappy.  It's rather sweet.  I have no idea what to do with them.

The weird part of this show is how it doesn't really address the fact that Sam has -0- money.  I assume the house is paid off, but how is she paying her electric/phone bill?  If I were in her financial position, I'd be applying for any odd job I could, working 2-3 jobs if I had to, not just bartending part time.  I really don't get it.  And Trish seems really oblivious to it. I know she wouldn't know exactly how broke Sam is, but she knows she's struggling to some extent.  I'd be paying her to be at that trade show, as my assistant.

Joel and Brad are cute.  I'm glad Joel is expressing what he wants/needs, even the simple stuff.  And yes, I'm one of those people who puts glasses on the bottom rack.  Not all glasses, not all the time, but sometimes it just works out that way.  (Like when the top rack is full due to a lot of tupperware/plastic use.)  And they do seem cleaner when I do that.

Under no circumstance would I be looking at my sister's bits.  If it burns that bad we're going to urgent care.  Because it doesn't matter what I see or don't see, that's where we'd end up anyways. 

This is a really enjoyable show, but it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere, at least as far as Sam is concerned.  And there are what, 2 episodes left this season?

 

[Juneau Gal]

2 hours ago, chaifan said:

 

This is a really enjoyable show, but it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere, at least as far as Sam is concerned.  And there are what, 2 episodes left this season?

 

Agreed. As I mentioned in a post above, I recently rewatched the first two seasons. Binging like that, I really got frustrated with Sam. Especially when she got so mad at Joel for having a relationship she didn’t know about. This is teenager/20 something shit, not for someone pushing 50 as Sam is. Yeah, it sucks when friends get new lives and potentially drift away, but that’s life. Most of us get real used to it happening in our 20s. Like someone mentioned above, Sam seems to have no girlfriends, no friends at all really except for Joel and Fred. I watch the show this season and Sam is tiresome, I’m losing my empathy for her. I keep shouting (in my head) at the TV, “Get therapy!” 

[peeayebee]

5 hours ago, chaifan said:

The weird part of this show is how it doesn't really address the fact that Sam has -0- money.  I assume the house is paid off, but how is she paying her electric/phone bill?  If I were in her financial position, I'd be applying for any odd job I could, working 2-3 jobs if I had to, not just bartending part time.  I really don't get it.  And Trish seems really oblivious to it. I know she wouldn't know exactly how broke Sam is, but she knows she's struggling to some extent.  I'd be paying her to be at that trade show, as my assistant.

Maybe I'm misremembering, but didn't Tricia say (at some point, maybe an earlier ep) something about giving Sam money or helping her out with something?

[Blakeston]

On 11/20/2024 at 10:33 AM, chaifan said:

And yes, I'm one of those people who puts glasses on the bottom rack.  Not all glasses, not all the time, but sometimes it just works out that way.  (Like when the top rack is full due to a lot of tupperware/plastic use.)  And they do seem cleaner when I do that.

 

The spray is more forceful at the level of the bottom rack, but that means the glasses are more likely to be damaged. I'm just saying!

Trish has indicated that she gives Sam some money for her help with the pillows (I don't remember the exact line or when it was said, though). Considering how Trish is raking it in, she should probably be giving her more.

Sam is suffering in silence out of stubborn pride, which is typical for her.

There are 10 episodes this season, so the writers still have some time to liven things up. I really don't have any desire to see a Sam/Iceland romance, though.

Edited to Add: Apparently there are only six episodes after all. Never mind!

Edited November 25 by Blakeston

[sistermagpie]

9 hours ago, Juneau Gal said:

Sam seems to have no girlfriends, no friends at all really except for Joel and Fred.

How many friends does Joel have on the level of Sam? It seems like both of them have other people in their lives--Sam seems friends with the other women at the bar too--but they're just particularly close to each other. We don't see Fred at home so we don't know what this transition has been like for him, but Joel's been unhappy about not seeing his friends enough too, and I assumed that meant Fred and Sam. 

I mean, what I'm seeing is that her friends aren't drifting away, they've just both hooked up with partners who expect to take over their lives in ways Joel and Fred don't expect in return. It doesn't seem to be something Fred or Joel enjoy either. 

[pasdetrois]

On 11/20/2024 at 10:38 PM, Blakeston said:

Sam is suffering in silence out of stubborn pride, which is typical for her.

Its a bit of immaturity, too.  As much fun as she is, and supportive, Sam would wear me down sometimes because she cannot get out of her own way. She's stuck in her misery, or maybe it's ennui. The unhealthful lifestyle makes it worse.   Sometimes someone confronts you, prompting you to seek answers and change, and sometimes you struggle along until you figure it out.

I think that's what the show is about and I'm OK with Sam not having a clear trajectory. I love that the show gives us other people's journeys too.

[Cliff dweller]

On 11/18/2024 at 10:44 AM, Juneau Gal said:

Over the weekend I rewatched Seasons 1 and 2 and realized the writing in this show has always had a lot of “loose ends”; things happen with no preamble or follow up. As an example: There was one brief scene of Sam working at a jewelry store that kinda came out of nowhere, although it did set up further storylines. Another is: what is happening with Ed? I was under the impression he was just on a little vacation, but it seems he’s moved to Texas for good? I understand they were put in a tough spot with the death of the actor, but they could have handled it better. This current episode it was the breakfast with Cathleen. Tricia was so excited about it for it to never have mention again. 
So much happens off camera that the viewer is suppose to just get through random one off lines. The mother had a stroke. Ed is on a boat with his brother. How much time has supposedly elapsed on this show? How long has Sam been back just drifting aimlessly along? 
On one hand I can appreciate this because this show is so real and we are just seeing snapshots of life. And life is inconsistent and messy and things don’t always march forward. For a me as a viewer it can be confusing. 
Since I’m at it, I’m just gonna say what I’ve been thinking from just about the very first episode: Sam is not that great of a singer for all the tongue bathing Joel, Darlene, and others give her. Everytime they  set up a singing bit I think, oh this will be the time I hear the greatness. Never do. Perfectly okay, but not “OMG the gift you have!” level. 
Bridget Everett has a fun, bawdy, nightclub act where quality of singing is not really an issue. I wish they had leaned more into that ala the “she’ll be comin’ on the mountain”. 

Yes, and the episode where she sleeps with a guy she met at a bar (?); they show him at her house in the morning, but nothing more is ever mentioned about it.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 11/18/2024 at 5:09 AM, Harvey said:

Trish had quite a large reaction to getting an STD, but I guess that is how you react when you have it for the first time.

I'm surprised she didn't immediately call Rick and let him have it.  And after her official diagnosis, she certainly needed to let him know before he could spread it to others.  I assume she knows that she has not done so (spread it.) (Now that would be an embarrassing conversation.) 

On 11/20/2024 at 11:07 PM, sistermagpie said:

Sam seems friends with the other women at the bar too--but they're just particularly close to each other.

One is the woman who owns the bar, who Sam sees at the beginning of her shifts, and the other is a nightly patron who is probably an alcoholic.  Sam likes her dog.

On 11/20/2024 at 10:33 AM, chaifan said:

The weird part of this show is how it doesn't really address the fact that Sam has -0- money.  I assume the house is paid off, but how is she paying her electric/phone bill?  If I were in her financial position, I'd be applying for any odd job I could, working 2-3 jobs if I had to, not just bartending part time.  I really don't get it. 

She might even qualify for food stamps.  But that won't pay for alcohol or gas.

On 11/20/2024 at 10:33 AM, chaifan said:

And Trish seems really oblivious to it. I know she wouldn't know exactly how broke Sam is, but she knows she's struggling to some extent.  I'd be paying her to be at that trade show, as my assistant.

Trish said she got her health insurance.  If by that she means she's paying the premiums for Sam, that's a notable expense.

Edited November 26 by ItCouldBeWorse

[sistermagpie]

40 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

One is the woman who owns the bar, who Sam sees at the beginning of her shifts, and the other is a nightly patron who is probably an alcoholic.  Sam likes her dog.

On 11/20/2024 at 10:33 AM, chaifan said:

Right, but iirc the question was why Sam didn't have any other friends, like she was isolated compared to Joel or Fred. But her social life doesn't seem that different. Those women aren't friends like Joel is her friend, but she's friendly with them. As I think Joel pointed out, Sam's a good fit as a bartender, talking to regulars at the bar.  

[Dminches]

On 11/20/2024 at 10:33 AM, chaifan said:

 

This is a really enjoyable show, but it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere, at least as far as Sam is concerned.  And there are what, 2 episodes left this season?

 

This show has "gone" so far this season. It is all about how the characters wade their way through life. It isn't a storyline-drive show.

Sam is learning that she can't just depend on those around her to make her life happy. Joel has a new b/f. Tricia's personal and professional lives are taking off. Sam needs to forge her own path. Each of them are learning how to deal with change. There is a lot of happiness and pain in their journeys.

I guess we all watch these shows differently. For me, every show has had such meaning for the characters.