Hindsight - General Discussion

[Jordan27]

Yep, definitely the weakest ep for me for the simple reason that the best thing about the show is Becca and Lolly's relationship.  Not enough of them together in this one.

 

And no way to know if Andy is her one true love until she goes down that road.  She thought so of Sean and that didn't end well.

 

Paige fighting, the cop and the Dad storyline were not entertaining. 

 

I did like the REM part, but it was so little of the story.

 

I'm still watching.  Every ep can't be great.

[Chrissytd]

I wonder if the switch up in writers/directors had an effect on weakness of the episode. Looking at the IMDb, up to this episode, all the episodes were written and directed by the same people (last week's director was a different one from the first 3 episodes).

Yep.

 

Something was even more off than usual.  I felt bad for the actors as they fought with their own tepid dialogue.  I still don't know what the fuck Paige is doing in this story.  I don't buy that any of the guys would hang out together.  

 

And lolly's dad stuff? Hit the ground like a wet sock.

 

I was relieved that they killed off Andy.  It was the only interesting plot maneuver.  Characters sure can't hold this sucker up.

 

What a waste. Boo!

 

 Wait, he was killed? If they did, wouldn't that have a major effect on Becca's future?

 

I did find it interesting that they had Alan Ruck playing Lolly's dad on the heels of the Ferris Bueller mention in last week's episode, especially since it specifically referenced the Detroit Red Wings jersey worn by Cameron in the movie.

I thought that was him but I wasn't sure.

[Deanie87]

Oh my God, Nightswimming is THE song that reminds me of my life just after college, when I was working a crappy job but living with my friends and having fun. It completely captures for me that feeling of missing the semi-carefree college days but also being ready (but scared) for whatever came next. The song is so gorgeous and full of meloncholy and nostalgia, with the picture on the dashboard, and the streetlights...and the line "these things they go away, replaced by everyday," may cause me to weep openly while typing this. No lie, if I hear it in the car, I will tear up and have to explain to my 5 year old son about "happy crying.". Good Lord, it nearly did me in this episode.

I am a couple of years older than they are supposed to be (I was 26 in 1995), so not everything strikes a cord, but when it does, I want to call all my friends and make them sit on the phone with me while we drink Natural Light beer and Sex on the Beach shooters and watch the show.

Beyond that, I kind of don't care about Becca's love life.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Deanie87

[LADreamr]

I'm still watching and still like it. I liked the angle she took for the REM article, although I could have done without it being a rip-off of the Rolling Stone article in Almost Famous, especially without referencing it, but that's just me. I'm hoping to see her take on the more serious issues ahead, if the show lasts a while. Being that she's not actually in her twenties anymore, I hope her world view on the show stretches a bit beyond boyfriends and pop culture.

[TVHappy9463]

I really like this show, maybe this wasn't a perfect episode but it developed the characters back story.  Now that Becca didn't marry Sean, I bet Lolly doesn't sleep with him.  I hope VH1 doesn't give up on this.  

They must pay a ton for the music rights, every week is huge hit after huge hit, this is not random 90's music. 

[Peanut6711]

Wait, he was killed? If they did, wouldn't that have a major effect on Becca's future?

 

I wan't sure either and the previews for the next ep didn't make it clear exactly.  Though I'm typically not a fan in books and shows of that kind of plot twist in this one it seems very plausible and fitting to the nature of the show. Once Becca has come back and messed with the past, future events are changed and, thus, so are some people's fates, putting them on a different "road" if you want to make a pun. 

 

If it wasn't clear that Andy is supposed to be Becca's great love, this episode pretty much cleared any doubt. Becca is totally realizing that she really does love Andy and he's not just the safe choice.

 

I'm still not convinced of that at all, both from a storytelling perspective as well as life experience as an almost 40 year old. I can't buy that if Becca was really in love with Andy in the future that she would have had such doubt that propelled her into the past to have a second chance. Then once she arrives in the past instead of seeking out Andy, she sleeps with Sean.  To me that was very telling about her real feelings.  My husband and I's biggest complaint about this show is how wishy-washy Becca is for a 40 something. We both feel that at times the show forgets that it's her 40 self and not 20 self thinking, beyond the knowledge of events and technology she has. For an example, if Becca and Sean's marriage was a failure due to their careers and Becca ended up hating her job years later then why didn't Becca just try to fix what went wrong with their marriage? It seems someone with the maturity of a 40 year old would know that marriage was more about fixing the problems rather than running out. Instead Becca's 40 year old self goes back to the past and pulls a really immature 20 year old stunt of dumping him at the alter. I actually thought that was pretty cruel though the show seems to go for a carefree attitude about it all.  

[Peanut6711]

Yikes! Becca is a horrible friend, or rather, frenemy. I know she doesn't like Meerkat Melanie but she copped her costume, slutted it up and straight out snaked Andy out from under the poor girl. I don't care if they're destined; that is Not Cool.

 

It bothered me last week and even more this time. Becca has got to stop macking on someone else's boyfriend. She wasn't even sure she wanted to marry Andy in her own timeline, for crying out loud. It also bugged me that Andy didn't immediately go after Melanie when she stormed out.

I don't get why if Becca had so many doubt about marrying Andy in the future that she'd blow the opportunity in the past to come back and chase after him. Their past selves seem even more different/mismatched than their future ones. Plus, she knows that he and Melanie break up in a few years without her interference so why not just buy the time till then to find out if there's someone else she's meant for. 

[Peanut6711]

Yes, some guys did. Did women use straightening irons daily? I honestly can't remember.

I seem to recall (and I'm only a few years younger than Becca in 1995) that more women's hair styles were curly unless your hair was naturally straight. But I don't remember any of my friends using a straightening iron. 

 

One thing I'm sure they are off the mark with is the cell phones. Yes pagers were big then but people had plain old cell phones in late '95 (not smart phones). And Becca with a job like she had where she was in demand all the time for Simon would certainly have had one.  So when she complains about her pager I have to roll my eyes. 

[RedHawk]

I wonder if the switch up in writers/directors had an effect on weakness of the episode.

 

 

I caught in the opening credits that this episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes, who played Lt. Riker in "Star Trek: The Next Generation". I know he's done a lot of directing so looked him up on IMDB.com. He also directed the previous (Halloween party) episode. He is not credited with any future episodes so we'll see how it plays out.

[DangerousMinds]

I moved to San Francisco in 1995 and don't remember anyonr using any kind of cell phone. Beepers, yes. I'm sure some were (this is Silicon Valley), but those I knew were not using them. I lived there for 15 years and didn't get a cell until 2004 or so. My friends and I called each other at work a lot, and then at home. When we went out, no need for them.

Edited February 7, 2015 by DangerousMinds

[DangerousMinds]

She doesn't know how long she'll remain in the past, though. Maybe forever, maybe just a few more hours.

[Pristine]

I am a couple of years older than they are supposed to be (I was 26 in 1995), so not everything strikes a cord, but when it does, I want to call all my friends and make them sit on the phone with me while we drink Natural Light beer and Sex on the Beach shooters and watch the show.

 

Me, too, Deanie87! 

The REM thing seemed a bit off, time-wise, but maybe that's because I saw them, for the first time, in 1987.

Loved Lolly and Kevin.  Really loved seeing Alan Ruck.

[Peanut6711]

I moved to San Francisco in 1995 and don't remember anyonr using any kind of cell phone. Beepers, yes. I'm sure some were (this is Silicon Valley), but those I knew were not using them. I lived there for 15 years and didn't get a cell until 2004 or so. My friends and I called each other at work a lot, and then at home. When we went out, no need for them.

I didn't own one myself either till 2004 when I was pregnant with my oldest but several of my friends and my boss had them in the '95-96 time frame. I generally avoided owning one at that time because I didn't want to get called into work (lol) and because I didn't want the extra expense because plans back then weren't so "unlimited" like they are today and there were those pesky roaming charges if you were out of area.  So if Becca would have had one to call AAA when they had that flat tire in Chapel Hill, she'd have had a nice extra fee for being 'out of area.' 

[TattleTeeny]

Did college-aged guys do the whole "layer a short-sleeve shirt over a long-sleeve" shirt deal in 1995? I thought that was more an early/mid-'00s deal and guys weren't really layering much in '95.

Yes--they'd been doing that where I'm from for years before 1995. And don't forget about the grunge guys (like, the famous ones, I mean) also did it in the public eye in the early '90s.

Edited February 7, 2015 by TattleTeeny

[Deanie87]

Me, too, Deanie87! 

The REM thing seemed a bit off, time-wise, but maybe that's because I saw them, for the first time, in 1987.

Loved Lolly and Kevin.  Really loved seeing Alan Ruck.

Automatic for the People came out in 1992, which was the year after I graduated college so it doesn't quite synch up, but I thought the song fit he scene. Although I think it would have worked better in a scene about Becca's and Lolly.

[bilgistic]

Yes, but at the "concert" in "Chapel Hill", R.E.M. was playing "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" which was on "Monster" (released in 1994), the following album. I saw them when they came to Charlotte about the same time as the show has it, so I'm doubly fanwanking that someone did their homework and looked up when their NC tour dates were.

Edited February 7, 2015 by bilgistic

[applecrisp]

     If you want to see a period nailed, watch Being Erica, which absolutely nails the 1990s in the episodes where Erica travels to them. Not only do they nail it, but they get the nuances of the different periods of it absolutely right- the tail-end 80's part of the 90's, the mid-90's, and the late 90's.

 

Just started watching this show because of this forum.  Really like it.  BE is very specific and Hindsight is just full on she is back in the 1990s.

 

Like them both, but I do like Erica's sessions with Dr. Tom where she is processing everything.  Would like something similar in this show.

[applecrisp]

She doesn't know how long she'll remain in the past, though. Maybe forever, maybe just a few more hours.

That is something i did not think of, very good point.  I do however think if she came back to present day she would still be with Andy.  So no need to try so hard.  He may need to grow up a little himself.

[applecrisp]

 And I always love Becca's slip ups about future events.

I do too.  They just come out in the middle of a conversation.  Talk about spoiler alert.

[RedHawk]

I agree. If she truly loves Andy and had wished in the present day that she'd spent more time with him in their younger years then I would understand her heavy push to be with him now. However, my feeling from the first episode was that she was very uncertain about marrying him, almost that she felt she was settling for the "nice guy" who'd always had a crush on her and who she had known for ages.

 

If she's so bummed over her marriage with Sean not working out but there weren't any bad circumstances (drug or alcohol problems, for example) then why isn't she trying to steer their relationship to a better outcome?

[Electruck]

My sister and I talked about whether we'd have tried marriage to Sean again, since we could anticipate the issues, and make different choices for ourselves, like not hide in our jobs, or change jobs. But Becca did list a bunch of unappealing Sean traits (in the first ep, I think), and she can't change him. (I'd have tried again with a different job; my sister would not have married him again.)

[DangerousMinds]

I'm with someone now in my 40's that I first knew in my early 20's, and although we may have been attracted to each other back then, it would never have worked out. We both had lots of work and travel and growing up to do. So Andy may be perfect for 40-something Becca, but be a terrible match for her in her 20's.

[Jordan27]

I know this is light fare, but seriously, how long would it take someone to talk about what happened a little later....

 

....911.

[runforcover]

I know this is light fare, but seriously, how long would it take someone to talk about what happened a little later....

 

....911.

Hmmm, you are totally right.  It's kind of interesting.  In the fog of friends references and high waisted nostalgia as some kind of spiritual imperative maybe VH-1 accidentally considers 9-11 an equally banal event.  The absence of 9-11 is perhaps this show's most critical and contentious feature.

 

But in answer to your question, I would say by hour two, you'd be like "Oh dude, stop the soundtrack for a sec ..." 

Edited February 8, 2015 by runforcover

[peachmangosteen]

People talked about that in the pilot episode thread. I think a) the show isn't the type that's gonna go there and b) no one would believe Becca anyway and she could probably get into real trouble if she went around telling people about it. Also, it is several years away and she hasn't been back in the past for that long, so I'm not shocked she hasn't brought it up yet

 

This ep was definitely the weakest so far, but I still enjoyed some of it. 

 

I think they need to bring Xavier back soon. So weird it seems they've just dropped him.

Edited February 8, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[Jordan27]

People talked about that in the pilot episode thread. I think a) the show isn't the type that's gonna go there and b) no one would believe Becca anyway and she could probably get into real trouble if she went around telling people about it. Also, it is several years away and she hasn't been back in the past for that long, so I'm not shocked she hasn't brought it up yet

 

This ep was definitely the weakest so far, but I still enjoyed some of it. 

 

I think they need to bring Xavier back soon. So weird it seems they've just dropped him.

Well, the suggestion wasn't that she would tell anyone in authority.  It is way too early to consider that.  She has no idea when she might be right back in her time.  But, telling Lolly about it.  She already believes her.    It seems unlikely that someone could keep quiet about future events especially to someone who believes you.  

 

And you know if someone popped into your world from the future,  how could you not ask about future events?

 

But, I will take this show for it's worth.  It's light fare and isn't going to get bogged down in serious topics like 911. 

[peachmangosteen]

But, I will take this show for it's worth.  It's light fare and isn't going to get bogged down in serious topics like 911. 

 

Yea that's the main thing. It's not that kinda show.

 

And honestly it does make sense to me that Becca specifically hasn't brought it up. She's kinda shallow. Plus I don't know, I might not wanna tell my best friend about that event, especially not right away and especially if I didn't know whether it was something that could be stopped or not.

Edited February 8, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[dubbel zout]

Melanie's being awfully passive-aggressive to Becca. That doesn't excuse Becca's behavior, but Melanie isn't helping the situation. And what about Andy? He's the one in a relationship—he's not exactly pushing Becca away.

 

The interview montage was very funny. The magazine guy's enthusiasm for his new IBM notebook was hilarious. I like that Becca has a job that will her use knowledge of the future in a good way.

[dubbel zout]

They must pay a ton for the music rights, every week is huge hit after huge hit, this is not random 90's music.

 

I was thinking that, too. Maybe VH1 threatened to show the worst videos again and the bands caved and gave them a deal. Hee.

[WookieeCookieez]

I'm really enjoying the show & think the fickle and shallow tendencies they're playing are believable. There are many times I look around at my friends (many of us are late 30s) and shake my head at the decisions and antics, so age doesn't necessarily dictate maturity. Yes, Becca has done some selfish things with this second chance at the past, but we didn't see enough of modern-day Becca to know if that's her normal. When I'm feeling especially angsty I play a mental game of "what if I'd done..." and other than going straight to college instead of the working world, it usually involves things with boys rather than something deeper. I suspect the fact that she'd been at her assistant's job for so many years without growth is contributing to her self-centered behavior and not thinking through what the consequences may be.

Re: Andy and Becca's attempt to connect with him, I agree it's not great that she is ignoring the fact he's with Melanie. In the glimpse we had of her 2014 life we only saw her apparent annoyance with the impending wedding. Without having more time to see their interactions that may explain why she wasn't looking forward to marrying him, I don't know that her ambivalence was specific to Andy or getting married again to anyone. The inclusion of Andy's toast at the rehearsal when he mentions loving her since their shared childhood summers at the lake is called back directly when she sees his gift for the wedding to Sean. Her reaction to that was strong because twenty years later she may have seen it as a throwaway sort of comment, something charming to say for the sake of the toast. The picture tells her it's something he was thinking about then, too. Kissing him was an impulse, but not necessarily a bad one.

Clearly I've given this too much thought. I blame the nostalgic aspect of the music (I happened to see the filming of the video for "Breakfast at Tiffany's") and how Becca could be Angela, Sean as Jordan, and endearingly geeky Andy as Brian Krakow in a variation of "My So-Called Life". 

[RedHawk]

They must pay a ton for the music rights, every week is huge hit after huge hit, this is not random 90's music

 

 

Or it might be called "free advertising". Sure, they must pay something to use the songs, but for example, not a lot of people are buying Soup Dragons songs on iTunes every day. Playing one song on the show could lead to who knows how many folks saying, "Oh, I loved that song, need to get it!" and buying it 2 minutes later.

[RedHawk]

when she sees his gift for the wedding to Sean

 

 

I don't remember, what did Andy give her and Sean at the wedding? 

[Bort]

Or it might be called "free advertising". Sure, they must pay something to use the songs, but for example, not a lot of people are buying Soup Dragons songs on iTunes every day. Playing one song on the show could lead to who knows how many folks saying, "Oh, I loved that song, need to get it!" and buying it 2 minutes later.

I don't know what it says about me that I have most of this show's music on my iPod already but I did run off and download the Spacehog song. I surprisingly didn't have that.

[RedHawk]

I used the Soup Dragons as an example because in recent years I looked for their song "I'm Free" a few times and it wasn't available. Once I heard it on the show I assumed it was, and it is. (Although I haven't bothered buying it, for some reason.)

[Chrissytd]

I don't remember, what did Andy give her and Sean at the wedding? 

I framed photo of her and Andy when they were children.

[RedHawk]

I thought so, and remember thinking it was weird and inappropriate for a guy to give a woman who was marrying another man a photo of himself with her even if it was when they were children. That's more of a birthday gift than something to give for a wedding! But it did start her thinking about Andy and their future(?) relationship and how her being in the past might affect it.

[methodwriter85]

Yea that's the main thing. It's not that kinda show.

 

And honestly it does make sense to me that Becca specifically hasn't brought it up. She's kinda shallow. Plus I don't know, I might not wanna tell my best friend about that event, especially not right away and especially if I didn't know whether it was something that could be stopped or not.

 

 

I just don't see them touching it. Haven't you guys noticed that they haven't shown the World Trade Center in the numerous skyline shots they've done? I think they're consciously avoiding it. It's not that hard to fake it.

Edited February 10, 2015 by methodwriter85

[dubbel zout]

It helps that they film in Georgia. ;-)

[Tara Ariano]

Everyone hopes that Andy will pull through after his car accident. Meanwhile, Paige and Sean inch closer together through their bond as artists, and Jamie's bold attempt to win over Lolly backfires.

[blugirlami21]

I think I'm done.  I've been really struggling with getting behind Becca from about the second episode and I find her to be so unlikeable and holier than thou and this episode put all her worst qualities on display.  Everything she did was not what a normal person would do if they were sent back to the future.  If I knew what caused my first marriage had failed and I knew that the love was real, why would I not work at that relationship a little harder?  Why not go back and make better decisions?  I was so angry that she had the nerve to go back to Sean after everything that she had done.  I'm even more confused about why he is allowing her back into his life.

 

What she did to Melanie and Andy was ridiculous, especially Andy.  What was the whole point of the whole Andy side plot?  She kept going on and on about how she ruined Melanie and Andy's relationship but did she forget the fact that they don't make it to the future anyway?  She was with Andy ten years into the future so what difference does it make if they break up now or later?

[DangerousMinds]

I did appreciate the*69 reference. I knew it was going to go there as soon as they called and hung up.

[dubbel zout]

If Becca is going to ping-pong between Sean and Andy, I'm out. She's an asshole to keep giving these guys hope and then telling them, "Oops! Sorry, I love the other guy." Not that either guy is that great a catch, being so willing to dump their current girlfriends for Becca at the drop of a hat.

 

I loved Jamie's Say Anything... moment being ruined by the batteries dying. Hee.

[Bort]

Becca being an asshole actually has me intrigued. I had been thinking that at 40, she's too old to be acting this way but then started thinking about how even in the pilot, she was established as having stuck through that crappy job with Simon for 20 years. And that whole convo between her mom and Phoebe about what a flake she is. Becca is a tool, always has been. And she isn't doing well at correcting it. She's only fixed her career options, her personal life is an even huger mess.

And I'm beginning to think that the rift with Lolly is all Becca's doing. Like maybe she slept Lolly's dad or something. Which isn't out of the realm of possibilities. We did see that he likes him some young booty.

[dubbel zout]

I'm fine with Becca being an asshole, but I don't want to see her go back and forth between Sean and Andy. That's boring.

[TattleTeeny]

This one made me think of an episode of The OC, in which Seth was planning a "grand gesture" and Ryan was mortified by the idea and said, "Nograndgestureno!" in the funniest, fast way. I miss that show.

 

I imagine that there's probably no way to completely avoid being an asshole in this time-travel situation, simply die to the WTFery of it all.

Edited February 12, 2015 by TattleTeeny

[applecrisp]

Well people on this forum have told me about Being Erica and I am now watching it.  Because so far, Becca is staying in the past there are so many possibilities, to make money, change small things and even big things.  I still think her outcome will be similar to 2014.  Everything will not be different.

 

Being Erica is the better show, but I do wish Erica could stay in one place for a little while.

 

I like time travel like this where it is not about the science but about the life and regrets.  We all have them and I am always skeptical of people who say they have none.

[dubbel zout]

The comparison between this show and BE is a little unfair, I think, as Erica goes to the past for a specific moment that informs her about what's happening in her present. What happens in the past stays in the past: She can't change what happens.

Her brother still dies.

Becca is back in the past for an unknown period of time, and we don't really know how what how much of a butterfly effect there is or will be with what she does.

Edited February 13, 2015 by dubbel zout

[Deanie87]

Yeah, I may be out too. I just don't care about Becca's love life or who she ends up with. I would MUCH rather see her try to connect with her parents more or Lolly or just do something that isn't about guys. I don't know, I'm just not interested In watching a 40-something woman blather on and on about who she is "supposed" to be with.

[Fuzzysox]

I keep getting hints of Christina Applegate when I watch her.

Me too and I keep thinking it's Christina and I get distracted!

[dubbel zout]

I like the touch that her name is Rebecca, which was a very popular name in the 1970's. Not Amy or Heather level,

 

Amy was popular in the '70s? I know maybe three Amys total. (Granted, I'm a little older.) Maybe it's more of a regional/cultural thing.

 

I kind of wonder if that's intentional, though- like mentally she knows what it's like to be 42 and not get het up over stupid stuff, but at the same time her brain and general hormones are that of a 23-year old.

 

I think that has to be where she is. Her body and general emotional maturity is 23, but she has the memories and life experience of a 42-year-old. I think the show could do a better job of explaining this.

Edited February 14, 2015 by dubbel zout