S03.E07: Agg

[AnimeMania]

(Series Finale)

Joel returns to church after recognizing a fundamental hole in his life. Sam and Tricia reach a surprising understanding on Holly's birthday, and later, Sam takes a chance with Iceland.

Premiere Date: December 8, 2024   HBO   10:30pm

[Blakeston]

That was very sweet. I'll miss the show a lot. I was way too excited that we got a glimpse of a photo to see what Holly looked like!

[Juneau Gal]

Oh how I’m going to miss these people. 
The conversation about how departed loved ones “fade” over time really hit hard because it’s true and it is sad when it happens. I started crying in that scene and pretty much kept the tears going the rest of the episode. 
A nice closing to the show. I’m still worried about Fred though! 🤣

[Ms.Lulu]

At least there was no Susan this episode!

[sugarbaker design]

I am going to miss this quirky, funny, special show!

[peeayebee]

8 hours ago, Ms.Lulu said:

At least there was no Susan this episode!

That was weird, but I guess she really doesn't like Fred's friends. Maybe their relationship is a parallel to Joel & Brad's. A couple doesn't have to do every little thing together.

Of course I had several crying moments watching this ep. When Joel went back to his church and talked to Pastor Deb, I cried at how happy she was to see him and how happy Joel was. And I love how real the scene was when he told Brad. Understandable that Brad would be disappointed and hurt AT FIRST. There's nothing wrong with that. It was a surprise to him, but it doesn't mean he doesn't still love Joel.

I hadn't realized (or had forgotten) that Tricia hadn't been in Holly's house since she died. It was a lovely scene betw her and Sam. Sam saying, "The sadness isn't her," was perfect. And how kind for Sam to give Tricia the necklace.

I'm so glad Tricia went to yell at Iceland. It was bad of Sam to let her and Joel think it was Iceland's fault the relationship wasn't going anyway.

When Sam was on top of the table singing, I literally gasped when we see Iceland standing in the background. I know a lot of people here don't think she's that great a singer, and I disagreed, but this last performance didn't really display a good voice to my ears. However, the passion and happiness she showed was good.

"If cows can tip, so can you."

I loved Joel miming smoking a cigarette when he came out of the bathroom. OK, what does AGG mean?

[sistermagpie]

13 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

I loved Joel miming smoking a cigarette when he came out of the bathroom. OK, what does AGG mean?

All Glory to God, I thought.

Loved this ep and it made a great ending. Everybody made good choices to move forward and be healthy and happy. I was looking for Iceland throughout Sam's song, and I loved how they first just showed him in the background watching her.

Oh, and love that Sam's now volunteering at the pet shelter. I see a foster fail in her future.

I didn't even mind the lack of resolution to Fred's marriage story--or I guess it's more accurate to say it was just a subtle resolution. Brad and Joel don't do everything together, but it seems like it's in a good way, where they both understand why the other is doing something else, and they can be a little disappointed, but it's okay. I totally get why of course it would be easier for Joel to talk about this with Sam than with Brad--and I loved how we saw why Brad loved his church the way Joel loved his. Him being all excited about the sermon and having all these questions was so Brad--this is the same guy who gave Joel that great history lesson (real and made up) on their first date. It's something Joel loves about Brad, but doesn't share.

But with Fred it seems like it's less healthy. His wife is just putting down rules and it doesn't seem like it's something she's as open to talking about as Brad, so Fred is just going to work around her. 

In fact, it was nice how the show had little nods to that, like the way that, iirc, Joel waved to the guy who used to bully him in school. He'd accepted his apology, but he didn't want him in his life. Likewise it would have been false for Susie to be at the bar at the end. But Fred was, so it was happy. 

[Blakeston]

It was only yesterday, when I read this interview, that I realized that the makers of the show didn't know that this season would be the last one when they wrote it.

I guess that explains why a few things got emphasized this season but didn't get much follow-through (like Joel wanting kids).

[Harvey]

They actually wrapped up the show a lot better than I expected it to. Sam, Tricia & Joel had very good endings where you can kinda see where their story is going in the future. And since they gave Fred literally nothing in the back half of the season, I guess we are meant to assume he lives happily ever after with Susan while sometimes eating trash food in secret.

I read all the after-series finale interviews the showrunners and cast did and put the most interesting revelations here:
 

Quote

 

Fun fact! This was not written as a series finale, just a season finale. The showrunners did not know the show was ending: “We didn’t know that would be the series finale. But we really have been writing like any moment could be the last moment of the show,” says co-creator Hannah Bos"  The showrunners also went on record to say that they really want to continue the show is some way. The actress playing Sam had this to say about that: "Maybe we’ll get to do a movie or something one day where we can wrap it up the way that I pictured in my head,” she added.“

On the idea behind the Sam-Iceland Romance: This is about showing a different side of Sam, about her trying to push through issues with self-worth and confidence and going outside the bubble of her relationship with Joel. It’s about taking a big swing. It’s not ‘girl meets boy, girl feels better about herself.’ It’s about what it took to get her in the room with him in the first place. In another interview: “It’s not necessarily about Sam finding love and falling in love,” Everett says of the flirtation, which is more about Iceland patiently admiring Sam than sweeping her off her feet. “It’s just meant to show you that she’s trying to grow. She’s trying to push through her fear and her feelings about herself.”

 

 

[GiveMeSpace]

Apparently AGG in texting means "cool".

[cardigirl]

I enjoyed this show and am sad that they aren't coming back for another season. It was very sweet and low-key, and since I grew up in the Midwest, it was very familiar to me in many ways. I enjoyed how respectful the show was about life in a small town, agricultural society. These people are not wealthy, except in all that matters, which is love and friendship. Kudos to the writers, actors, and directors. 

 

[marceline]

This really was a perfect finale. I hate losing this show but if I have to then this was a good way to say goodbye.

So many many sweet small moments.

I never realized that Tricia had been avoiding the house. I'm going to need to do a full rewatch. 

I loved Sam getting a phone call from her dad. I like that the character is still alive even though the actor passed away. On a different show that might have bothered me but not here.

I like how we see Iceland show up blurred in the background during Sam's performance.

 

[chaifan]

A very atypical series finale for a very atypical cast in a very atypical show.  No big revelations, epiphanies, resolutions.  Just everyone moving on with their lives.  I think it worked.

I would have liked some resolution for Fred, but it's not a deal breaker.

Was I the only one who thought that the call from "Dad" was going to lead to news about their mother dying?  

The song and performance by Sam was fun, but it was weird to be for such a small audience.  

This was a good show.  Earlier comments made it sound like the decision to end after 3 seasons was the show's decision, but the comments above make it seem that wasn't the case.  It's a shame shows like this don't get renewed.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

12 hours ago, peeayebee said:

Of course I had several crying moments watching this ep. When Joel went back to his church and talked to Pastor Deb, I cried at how happy she was to see him and how happy Joel was. And I love how real the scene was when he told Brad. Understandable that Brad would be disappointed and hurt AT FIRST. There's nothing wrong with that. It was a surprise to him, but it doesn't mean he doesn't still love Joel.

I think that they're each fortunate to have found someone else who was interested in attending any church - not a given for gay men in a small town.  One of them might have resented the other one's interest in organized religion.  It's still an interest that they share, even if they practice it under different circumstances.

Edited December 10 by ItCouldBeWorse

[pasdetrois]

A rare occurrence of a show ending on a perfect note. Ordinarily I would want to see more of Sam and Iceland, but the show chose to end on an everyday moment of happiness and harmony. Sam showed growth in  dependably helping her sister and best friend through sorrow and anger. These characters are real in my brain and I will miss them and Manhattan, KS-world.

[Juneau Gal]

6 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

A rare occurrence of a show ending on a perfect note. Ordinarily I would want to see more of Sam and Iceland, but the show chose to end on an everyday moment of happiness and harmony. Sam showed growth in  dependably helping her sister and best friend through sorrow and anger. These characters are real in my brain and I will miss them and Manhattan, KS-world.

You are so right. I really don’t want to see episodes of Sam dating Iceland; I’m good knowing they will be moving forward in their relationship, as is everyone else. As much as I’ll miss them, it was good to end without belaboring things. 

[AheadofStraight]

I'm not ready for this show to be over and it is a shame that HBO canceled it when the folks involved were willing to continue. Too bad it can't get picked up somewhere else. Definitely will re-watch!

[GiveMeSpace]

I just did a rewatch, apparently AGG means "All Glory to God" .