S01.E09: Follow Through

[photo fox]

Eliza's effort to "follow through" on a work idea impacts her relationship with Freddy. Henry rejects an admirer, leading to unexpected consequences.

[applecrisp]

Hot and steamy ending!!!  Another good ep.

[Mockingbird]

Created an account just so I could post about Eliza's jazz riffing. I was crying. I'm really going to miss this show, but I'm so glad we get to see these episodes.

[kassygreene]

What's her name's (seriously, I should remember her name) realizing she'd interrupted riffing, apologizing for same, and assuring the Saper that she'd convey the message that he was in a jazz meeting.

 

The thought processes that can produce these scripts are just flipping marvelous!

 

I think, if this ever comes out on actual dvd, I think I will have to buy it.

[mamey2422]

What's her name's (seriously, I should remember her name) realizing she'd interrupted riffing, apologizing for same, and assuring the Saper that she'd convey the message that he was in a jazz meeting.

 

The thought processes that can produce these scripts are just flipping marvelous!

 

I think, if this ever comes out on actual dvd, I think I will have to buy it.

 

Me too!

 

Saperstein has been such a pleasant surprise as a character. He takes absurd things and makes them seem so normal and endearing. 

 

Holy elevator scene! The way Henry said "No" when Eliza asked him if he was sure he wanted to go home was so great. 

 

I love that Eliza is the one to realize they should pursue something and I love how she's going about doing it. Her voice over/inner dialogue made it all feel very natural.

 

I'm not sure of the timing of things but I do hope that the show knew that it was canceled before filming had ended and that a proper ending (where Eliza and Harry are a happy couple :)) could be shot. If that's the case it actually lessens the blow of the cancellation as I feel this one season could exist as a wonderful little story and we avoid all the plot devices to break them up/get them back together that so many sitcoms fall into, including, in my opinion, Emily Kapnek's last show Suburgatory. 

 

5 episodes left!

[BooBear]

Ahh I thought this one was a little transitional.. some awkward moments. Even though it was awkward at the end the set up in the elevator. Didn't Eliza wonder why he was there? But I loved that she finally came the place were she wanted Henry and I died laughing when Henry was manically pressing the elevator button after she stripped for him.

 

I love the way Henry is so supportive of her in the workplace.  He was obsessed with her taking credit for her idea.

 

On and I loved the "little bit you .. little bit me".... those ginger-korean kids are looking better and better huh, Henry?

Edited December 3, 2014 by BooBear

[Eolivet]

Don't get me wrong: I'm one of the biggest "Heliza" shippers out there, but this was kind of sudden for me. Last week, we go from Henry (presumably?) sleeping with Julia, and this week, he's being hit on by Pru's friend (name escapes me) and Eliza? I actually wondered why he didn't immediately tell what's-her-face "I have a girlfriend" when she started hitting on him. It was as if this episode was written prior to Julia existing and that one line about Julia being a workaholic was added in later.

 

I do have to give the show credit for zagging when I thought it would zig: I thought for sure Henry and Eliza were being set up as the awkward-guy-pines-for-beautiful-girl trope. I think I like this role reversal even more. I love the idea of Eliza breaking up with Freddy and deciding she's going to pursue Henry for real -- just thought the execution could've been better. It really gives me hope that Emily Kapnek sensed the show would be done after 13 episodes and is writing toward an actual ending.

[ohjoy]

When Eliza started taking that jacket off I thought to myself said out loud, "there's no way this can end well." Henry was either about to cheat on his girlfriend, or crush Eliza's fledgling feelings. I did not expect her to so easily take "no" for an answer, much less as an actual win. (Granted, Henry didn't really say "No" so much as "I gotta get outta here.") Oh, this show. If they managed to write an adorable sweet ending for this shortened series like they've been writing recent episodes, I may just have to beg for some dvds. (And since the last comedy I actually wanted to buy dvds for was "Newsradio", that's really saying something.)

[allonsyalice]

What's her name's (seriously, I should remember her name) realizing she'd interrupted riffing, apologizing for same, and assuring the Saper that she'd convey the message that he was in a jazz meeting.

Joan! her name is Joan!

 

fantastic episode. It keeps getting better and better with every episode. I'm still left wondering how it was cancelled when it just hit its stride and now that it has it is amazing things like the office themed party last week, and their jazz meeting from this week are all so great. There are amazing growth in both Eliza and Henry's characters and i just WANT THEM TO KISS SO BADLY. (then get married and have 2.5 adorable little children. please) (when i started the series, it was a hate watch because i never thought i would like Eliza but I LOVE ELIZA)

This episode was best too. I love the chemistry Eliza and Henry hold.

and that ending. 

[applecrisp]

I too thought it was a little early for the romance part.  Eliza realizes their potential but think Henry may resist for a while.  That they work together or the age gap or because they share few interests.  I think they are a lot alike, I just don't think Henry sees it that way. 

[Whimsy]

I liked this episode.  Karen is SOOO pretty!  I thought she looked luminous when she went to meet Freddy's parents and in the elevator.  I am sad that both of their pretties will be off of TV.  I hope that Karen gets another series.  She is genuinely funny.  She also can show a large range of emotion so I hope this is just the beginning for her.

[thuganomics85]

Enjoyed the episode, but for a second, I had wondered if that was aired out-of-order, because it felt like some of the earlier episodes for some reason.  I think it might have been because of the return of Eliza's book club neighbors.  That, and that it took Henry a while to even mention Julia.

 

But, that ending sure did change things.  Definitely took the already shorten series into a new direction.  Because, while Henry might not be an expert on picking up hints, even he has to know what Eliza was insinuating by stripping in front of him.  I thought the ending worked for the most part.  I didn't want Henry to cheat; even if she's naked and looks like Karen Gillan; but I'm glad that it doesn't seem like it is going to crush Eliza or anything.  I mean, it is obvious that he clearly does have feelings for her, judging from his reaction.

 

Plus, I think we got more signs pointing towards him and Julia being doomed.  The way he talked about them both being "workaholics" and saying they don't need to see much of each other; the way it was delivered, I really got a sense he's already getting bored with it.  Plus, I do wonder about him never bringing her up when both Brenda (I think that's what her name was) and Eliza hit on him.  It could have just been sloppy writing, but I thought it was kind of telling he didn't automatically think of her and their relationship, when all this happen.  Instead, he resorted to making up having a cat on the spot, when it came to being in the presence of Eliza's naked body.  Heh, yeah, he digs her.

 

I like the idea that Freddy's parents were actually into social media, and weren't just typical "behind on the times" oldsters, that some parents are portrayed as.  I found up the break-up interesting, because this was a case where getting to know Eliza and Gillan's performance played a part in it.  Out of context, it was kind of horrible of Eliza to dump him, right in front of his parents.  I still felt bad for him, but knowing Eliza, I thought it made sense.  It wasn't out of malice, but she is someone who, once she discovers something about herself, just automatically says or does what she thinks needs to be done.  Clearly, she needs to work on it, but I thought it was in-character, and Gillan's natural likability, prevented me from getting too mad at her.

 

I am totally not surprised that Henry took a woman's liberal studies course.  That really sounds like something Henry would do, and try to use parts of it to interact with the opposite sex.  Oh, Henry.  At least you fixed things, before it went too south. 

[ohjoy]

Actually, I'm pretty curious as to the reasoning Henry had in his thesis for why Jo and Laurie should be together (since "sexual tension" obviously was not it).

[BooBear]

Enjoyed the episode, but for a second, I had wondered if that was aired out-of-order, because it felt like some of the earlier episodes for some reason.  I think it might have been because of the return of Eliza's book club neighbors.  That, and that it took Henry a while to even mention Julia.

 

Yes as someone said up thread it seemed like the reference to Julia was written in as an after the fact scene. Henry was a little off here because it doesn't seem in character for him not to bring up Julia at every point out of pure loyalty.  And he was a little too... nieve? I mean after what happened with that smolder in Never block cookies... seems his reaction was a little odd.. like a reaction he might have had 4 episodes before that episode.  However still made me laugh.  Also, I did feel like it was odd the way he talked about Julia. Last week they are having sex and now he is very much talking about it as if it is over.

 

I thought it was interesting the way that Charmonique sort of turned the light bulb on for Eliza as to what a mature relationship was, and Eliza started thinking she had that or wanted to have that with Henry.

 

I agree that I think Henry might resist. He was very clear at the start with her that they weren't going to have a romantic relationship and I think it would be out of character for him not to question her interest as being too immature / young / flighty to really know what she is feeling. Even as a viewer I am not sure that Eliza really does know her feelings on Henry. Her feelings could be a reaction to having a true friend for the first time in her life and how much better Henry as made her life since the pilot.

 

While watching Freddy's parents I kind of was sad we probably won't get to see Henry or Elizas.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I think that one of the reasons Henry may resist is that he has been trying to teach Eliza to have meaningful non-sexual relationships with people. He might also see it as Eliza reverting to her past behavior in seenig herself as a sexual creature in relation to men. In both cases, he may think that he has to be the bigger person and say no even though he is tempted. On another level, I think that Henry has a very defined view of himself which includes not being a cheater and that's why he would not give in to temptation while he is still in a relationship with Lilith Jr.

 

I totally loved that jazz meetings are a thing and that Joan knows to let him be when Saperstein is riffing.

 

I'm not sure of the timing of things but I do hope that the show knew that it was canceled before filming had ended and that a proper ending (where Eliza and Harry are a happy couple :)) could be shot.

IIRC they finished filming the 13th episode very close to the cancellation notice, but like REALLY close. I think I remember reading that the show wrapped the day after the cancellation was announced.

[mikem]

I was very surprised, but happily so, that Eliza decided to dump Freddy and pursue Henry in Episode 9.  I guess TPTB knew that the show would be wrapped up in 13 episodes, even if the announcement wasn't official at that point.  I'm not glad that the show has been canceled, but at least, it seems like the storyline will be wrapped up nicely.

 

And I thought that Eliza's realization this episode that she should be with Henry and not Freddy seemed organic and character-driven, and showed the arc she has gone through over the course of the series, which has been nicely portrayed.  The Eliza of Episode 1 would never have come to that conclusion, but it seemed natural for the Eliza of Episode 9.  Good job, show!

 

I also thought the show did a good job in coming up with a natural explanation why Henry and Eliza would run into each other that night with no one around.   It would have seemed odd for either of them to have sought the other person out on that night, but Henry had a reason to be in Eliza's building that had nothing to do with Eliza.  It's a little odd that Henry didn't mention Julia to Wren, but I think it's because he just wasn't attracted to Wren and, even if Julia hadn't existed, he still would have been uninterested.  I think, in the scene with Eliza taking off the jacket in front of him (which was extremely well acted and directed), the sexual tension just caused him to start babbling.

 

Henry and Julia have always seemed (probably intentionally) to be an ill-fitting couple.  They have no chemistry at all, and in the last episode, it seemed that Julia doesn't really want to understand Henry and isn't really good for him.

[shapeshifter]

...I'm not sure of the timing of things but I do hope that the show knew that it was canceled before filming had ended and that a proper ending (where Eliza and Harry are a happy couple :)) could be shot....

...IIRC they finished filming the 13th episode very close to the cancellation notice, but like REALLY close. I think I remember reading that the show wrapped the day after the cancellation was announced.

Whenever a show I follow is canceled rather than having a planned final season, I fantasize that TPTB got to see the rest of the episodes and/or scripts and were influenced as much by where the story was going as by poor ratings. Does that ever happen? I really hope the end is Happily Ever After, but it could go the opposite way too, especially if the idea was to create a new conflict for the next season.

...Out of context, it was kind of horrible of Eliza to dump him, right in front of his parents. I still felt bad for him, but knowing Eliza, I thought it made sense. It wasn't out of malice, but she is someone who, once she discovers something about herself, just automatically says or does what she thinks needs to be done. Clearly, she needs to work on it, but I thought it was in-character, and Gillan's natural likability, prevented me from getting too mad at her....

It was also pretty much the same MO as Henry shutting down the book club sandwich girl earlier in the episode, demonstrating that Henry and Eliza are really very much alike.

Actually, I'm pretty curious as to the reasoning Henry had in his thesis for why Jo and Laurie should be together (since "sexual tension" obviously was not it).

I would guess it's because they were best friends, which would be another hint at why Eliza and Henry should likewise be together. Edited December 6, 2014 by shapeshifter

[possibilities]

Before Joan's reaction, the riffing was just another silly moment for the show, one of many, and the sort of thing any comedy could do. But once she got in there and dropped the whole "I'm sorry; I'll tell them you're in a jazz meeting" business, it became sublime.

 

I love Saperstein. I will miss that character at least as much as anything else about this show. He's a rare and perfect mix of harsh, silly, lovable, wacky, observant, creative, oblivious, and surprising.

 

I liked that Henry didn't make the excuse that he had Julia, as a reason why he wasn't interested in anyone else. Sometimes when men hit on me, I tell them I'm a lesbian (which is true), in hopes it will get them to drop it without being personally insulted, so I understand the impulse to use a shield like that. But the fact that he had a girlfriend already wasn't the real issue, and Henry doesn't want to have her hit on him in the future if he and Julia break up. And his reaction to Eliza was very different, so we also know that a rote answer given to all offers is not really where he's at. He could have been more tactful, though.

 

I also like that he's considered so desirable, not only by Eliza and Julia, but also by cookie lady and muffin woman-- I mean, why not? Asian descent men are routinely desexualized in the US media, so this is a refreshing change.

Edited December 11, 2014 by possibilities

[aradia22]

I love this show. I'm so sad we're going to be losing it. It's rare for me to find a comedy I genuinely find funny... throughout the episode... and consistently through a season. But more than that, it's a show with a healthy number of female characters in addition to having a female protagonist. It has a feminist bent but it isn't locked into a particular mindset. I loved that Henry just came right out and told Ren he wasn't interested. That would make things so much easier in the real world. And he wasn't really that harsh. It stung because she was interested but he wasn't really insulting or anything. Also, it's a show that's bright and colorful and pleasant to watch. Yes, there are a few bumps but those would be smoothed over with time. They would have pulled back on the extremes and stereotypes as they found the voices of the characters. There are some stereotypes and caricatures (as there were in Suburgatory) but generally the humor itself is clever and referential and wonderfully silly. Reverse garbage Santa. 

 

Why can't I keep anything I like for long? This might be my new Pushing Daisies. I wish this had been on cable. It's not a perfect fit on Lifetime but with Drop Dead Diva and Devious Maids it might have gotten a bit more of a chance. I know there's an audience for this show.