S01.E08: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

[AnimeMania]

(Season Finale)

When the pieces click into place, Charles faces the difficult task of revealing his true purpose at Pacific View. Emily helps him unpack the past.

Premiere Date: November 21, 2024   Netflix

[SoMuchTV]

Ooh! Surprise guest star (assuming you haven’t checked IMDb).  Blink and you’ll miss it. 

[Sailorgirl26]

On 11/21/2024 at 6:32 PM, SoMuchTV said:

Ooh! Surprise guest star (assuming you haven’t checked IMDb).  Blink and you’ll miss it. 

Was it definitely her? I thought it was an Easter egg--I was just coming here to ask if anyone else caught it. 

Just the extra rose of icing on a beautiful cake. 

Edit to add: I think you're talking about not-a-girl but there was an Eleanor Shelstrop shout out in the classroom, which is what I'm referencing. They show the back of a student standing up and she's wearing a white sweater that has rainbow stripes around the collar and the same haircut and color as Eleanor. It's a very intentional shot.

This was a wonderful, bittersweet, touching, and heartwarming show.

My mom developed early onset Alzheimer's when she was 52 so this show was a gut wrencher for me at times. Someone in that writers' room definitely has a relative with Alzheimer's or they put the time and effort into observing and really understanding the onset of the disease. 

The two scenes that really got me were when Charles was explaining to his daughter that he'd broken his promise to Victoria and was putting her into memory care. Having to make that decision for my mom really broke my dad. 

The second was the second to last scene when the woman with Alzheimer's was gently petting the stuffed dog Charles had given her. My mom had a stuffed seal that she was attached to in that way. I held onto that seal for a really long time. 😢💜🥰

Edited Saturday at 05:56 AM by Sailorgirl26

[abbyzenn]

Can't praise this show enough.  I think the way old age as well as Alzheimer's was covered is what really moved me.  It was also wonderful seeing so many familiar faces.

Sailorgirl you're right that one of the writers has had close contact with an Alzheimer's  - a truly heartbreaking disease.    My mom died in 2020 of the disease after living with it for about 10 years.   We were lucky that we were able to keep her home because my brother and his family moved in with parents.  The last few years someone had to be with her 24/7 just because of the stupid things she would do (like use a laundry basket full of clothes as a toilet).  It also gave my Dad a break because it's hard taking care of someone 24/7.  He probably aged 10 years in 2.

I do hope there's a second season.  Curious as to what "job" it could be next for next for Charles.

 

[SoMuchTV]

9 hours ago, Sailorgirl26 said:

Edit to add: I think you're talking about not-a-girl but there was an Eleanor Shelstrop shout out in the classroom, which is what I'm referencing. They show the back of a student standing up and she's wearing a white sweater that has rainbow stripes around the collar and the same haircut and color as Eleanor. It's a very intentional shot.

I was just referring to the former.  I didn't catch the latter, but I imagine I'll be rewatching this with family before long so I'll try to spot her.

3 hours ago, abbyzenn said:

I do hope there's a second season.  Curious as to what "job" it could be next for next for Charles.

I was also thinking of that.  Now that there are several more people who are in on Charles's "occupation" it could expand the possibilities...

[iMonrey]

This got sad. I mean, it was still a wonderful show, but somewhere in the middle around the time Florence died it took a sad turn. I guess I just wasn't expecting it. 

I'm glad most of the residents came around to forgiving Charles. 

On 11/22/2024 at 11:48 PM, Sailorgirl26 said:

The two scenes that really got me were when Charles was explaining to his daughter that he'd broken his promise to Victoria and was putting her into memory care.

Although he didn't end up breaking his promise since she never ended up leaving her house. But I get where he feels that way since it was his intention. 

Also: Emily's kids were awful!

Edited Sunday at 04:30 PM by iMonrey

[lookeyloo]

the Mr. and I both enjoyed this show.  We also think that someone who wrote it/developed it, etc. had Alzheimers in the family.  It was produced or developed by Michael Schur who is Regis Philbin son in law.  So maybe...  

Mr's mother died of a dementia, very similar, and it made us both cry at times, but, worth watching.

[cardigirl]

I loved this. Just so well done, and filmed. I hope there is another season because I want to learn more about many of the characters. 

[Marley]

I loved this show.

The only thing I didn’t like were the annoying grandsons. I don’t need to see more of them they add nothing.

[chaifan]

This was just a lovely show.  Just the right balance of comedy, absurdity, and heartfelt emotion.  I had a feeling that Gladys was our thief, but I couldn't figure out why she gave Charles Elliot's watch.  I loved the evolution of Emily and Charles' relationship, and them going through his wife's belongings.  My one little nit to pick is that I felt Calbert's response to Charles was a little too extreme, I wish they had made that just a bit more nuanced.

I agree, they handled the alzheimer's aspect of this incredibly well.  And I was really touched by Elliot's conversation with Charles an episode or two ago when he talked about how many residents had died in the time he'd been there.  My mom went into a combined independent/assisted living several years ago, and after a few years she was commenting on how people "went there to die", so why bother making friends.  (They also rented apartments short term for hospice care, so that didn't help things any.)

I like the set up for a second season.  I'm intrigued by what the job could be that Charles was the only option.  I just hate that we will likely be waiting a year for it.  

I haven't watched a lot of Michael Schur's shows, but was a huge fan of The Good Place.  Do his other shows also reunite cast members from prior shows like this one?  It was great seeing D'Arcy, even in just a small role.  I did not see "Eleanor" in the classroom, but I wasn't paying too close attention to that scene.   It would have been a little funny if Charles had passed Professor Chidi in the hall, though...  

[chaifan]

Just because I'm a bit of a geek, I was trying to figure out what this investigation would have cost Helen's son.  I'm figuring a minimum of $15,000 per month for the senior residence.  Charles' pay had to be at least $10,000.  Probably something similar for Julie's fees.  So, $35,000 for a month's investigation.  If Helen's son (fabulously played by Mark Evan Jackson) had been a more emotional, nostalgic type of person, it would have made more sense.  But he came off as a guy who would have been just as happy with the insurance money, with no real attachment to the necklace itself.