S01.E07: Don't Kill The Princess

[ShellSeeker]

 

Abby (Lisa Edelstein) throws a birthday party for her daughter Lilly (Conner Dwelly) only to have Jake’s (Paul Adelstein) girlfriend, CW actress Becca Riley (Julianna Guill), show up uninvited. Abby wonders if she’s pregnant... and entertains what she’d do if she were.

 

[ScoobieDoobs]

OK, so this ep we got teens using vodka-soaked tampons (to avoid the calories) & then all jumping in Abby's pool to relieve their ensuing pain.  Was this supposed to be funny?  I was horrified.  It made me scream at my TV, "WTF?"  Why didn't they just get Bethenny's Skinnygirl shit if they were worried bout calories?  Man, I hated this bit.

 

So the divorce lawyer looks to be a major character now.  Except I don't even know her name.  She's OK, but Phoebe is still an idiot.

 

Janeane calls Phoebe at the very end to say she's relocated and she's happy.  Er, huh?  When the hell was that character ever happy?  Didn't even sound like Janeane.  Well it did, but there was no emotion -- like it was her voice computer generated.

 

Is anyone still watching this?

[Momof2boyz]

The whole Lyla storyline wrapup was very hastily put together.  So did she say that she had called her ex (Dan I think his name was) and he came down too?  What?  So they got back together?  I thought the whole point was that she was running away with her kids.  For the ex to join her makes no sense and they could have created some good drama if she ran away and stole her kids.  I had read that Janeane had stayed on the show after quitting so they could wrap up her storyline but it seems like they threw it together in an hour and then added the divorce lawyer to replace her in their coffee shop scenes.   They probably already had the scripts written and just deleted Lyla and inserted the other chick.  Really obvious.  

Edited January 14, 2015 by Momof2boyz

[bichonblitz]

OK, so this ep we got teens using vodka-soaked tampons (to avoid the calories) & then all jumping in Abby's pool to relieve their ensuing pain.  Was this supposed to be funny?  I was horrified.  It made me scream at my TV, "WTF?"  Why didn't they just get Bethenny's Skinnygirl shit if they were worried bout calories?  Man, I hated this bit.

 

So the divorce lawyer looks to be a major character now.  Except I don't even know her name.  She's OK, but Phoebe is still an idiot.

 

Janeane calls Phoebe at the very end to say she's relocated and she's happy.  Er, huh?  When the hell was that character ever happy?  Didn't even sound like Janeane.  Well it did, but there was no emotion -- like it was her voice computer generated.

 

Is anyone still watching this?

I tried, Scoobie, I really tried. I fast forwarded most of it. That whole rediculous bit  with Janeane leaving her house and high powered job and everything she knows and the lawyer all of a sudden being a BFF sealed the deal for me. 

Don't these actors have a contract? How are they just able to leave the show in the middle of filming? 

Edited January 14, 2015 by bichonblitz

[Momof2boyz]

I feel bad for the actors that played her husband and kids too.  They were probably so happy to have a paying job on a TV show and then she quits and their characters are written off!

[jennylauren123]

What bothers me about the show, well, besides everything, is that each character seems phony.

 

I realized that Lisa Edelstein smiles about 85% to 90% of the time. Even when she's crying, she smiles. I tried to smile with her through the show, just to see how that felt, and man did my face hurt!

 

Also, Phoebe can't act. Can't act at all. The husband is pretty goofy looking, and I find it a little unbelievable that a hot young actress would find him, well, hot. 

 

Also, the gay brother and sister don't even look like they could be distantly related. There is not an ounce of similarity between them.

[whack-a-mole]

OK, so this ep we got teens using vodka-soaked tampons (to avoid the calories) & then all jumping in Abby's pool to relieve their ensuing pain.  Was this supposed to be funny?  I was horrified.  It made me scream at my TV, "WTF?"  Why didn't they just get Bethenny's Skinnygirl shit if they were worried bout calories?  Man, I hated this bit.

Good to know I actually saw that and it wasn't some kind of fever dream.

[Crazy8]

I haven't watched yet and honestly these comments aren't inspiring me to. I just can't help but feel that Janeane made the right decision to leave even if it put those other actors out of work. It must be soul-crushing to work on something you know is this bad. I even feel sorry for Beau who really can't act at all.

[Jade Foxx]

So we're supposed to believe Abby is even CONSIDERING having this baby? How old is she?  This is stupid.

 

And if that chick says "mama" one more time, I'm out.

[ScoobieDoobs]

Everyone uses the Halle Berry example, so it's certainly possible to have a healthy baby at her age, but the risks are certainly there.

 

So did she say that she had called her ex (Dan I think his name was) and he came down too?  What?  So they got back together?  I thought the whole point was that she was running away with her kids.  For the ex to join her makes no sense and they could have created some good drama if she ran away and stole her kids.

 

 

Wow, I completely missed Janeane said this in her unemotional-sounding last phone convo with Phoebe.  Janeane sounded like someone kidnapped her & was reading something she forced to say.  Unless she really did steal the kids & was lying to Phoebe?  Eh, it doesn't matter.  Shitty, shitty writing.

 

And speaking of shitty writing, I'm still scratching my head over the vodka-soaked tampon bit.  It just seemed so vile & mean.  Like something out of a cruddy Adam Sandler movie   Was this supposed to be hilarious?  Were we supposed to be laughing our asses off at the sight of all the teen girls jumping in the pool to relieve their obvious pain?  Ugh.

 

Idk, seeing Jake in those tighty t-shirts is hurting my eyes.  I get it.  He's got a girlfriend who's 20 years younger so he wants to dress youngish, but he really looks silly -- and just not good.  The actor can't pull this look off.  He doesn't have the body or the looks.  

[Otherkate]

I couldn't get beyond the fact that this adult woman who has birthed 2 children would have the reaction of a teenager after having unprotected sex one time. Add in her age. What are the odds? I mean, really. Of course, it's POSSIBLE. But the stars would need to align so perfectly. Does this older woman know absolutely nothing about her cycle? I would have been fine if she'd been like oh man what if? But she reacted like an actual 16 year old who had just had sex for the first time. 

 

And, yes, she smiles ALL THE TIME.

 

This show is dumb.

[jennylauren123]

Yeah, I mean, once, at that age, does not a baby make, usually. It was just so dumb, as all of us have been pointing out. The whole show is crap, but I'll keep watching. At least one more eppie.

 

But I have to say, it didn't measure up last night after I caught up on some Downton Abbey!

[bichonblitz]

Everyone uses the Halle Berry example, so it's certainly possible to have a healthy baby at her age, but the risks are certainly there.

 

Difference is Halle most likely did what all older Hollywood actresses do that are having babies (and alot of them twins). Artificial insemination, Invitro, surrogates, adoption, you name it. How old is Abby suppposed to be? Late 40's? Just another stupid storyline. 

[portfino]

Have they issued an episode when Answering Maching Guy is showing up? It's just so strange to promote the entire show around a character and they haven't shown up yet.

[Lone Wolf]

So, have two parties - the originally planned one at Abby's house without Becca, and a second one somewhere else that Becca attends. Problem solved, but of course if they did that, there wouldn't be a plot line. OTOH, it was a pretty weak plot line to begin with.

 

And now we know how Janeane got written out.  Even weaker plot line.

 

I realized tonight that Abby's face reminds me of the Easter Island statues, to wit:  

 

http://assets.wornon.tv/uploads/2014/12/abbys-blue-triangle-pink-floyed-tee.jpg

 

http://fractal.fractalenlighten.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/Easter-Island-Heads.jpg

 

Abby's house (as has been mentioned in previous threads) is an awesome place, shifting foundation notwithstanding.

 

 

[ahpny]

Abby's house (as has been mentioned in previous threads) is an awesome place, shifting foundation notwithstanding.

 

Since she mentioned that she and Jake "built this house," possibly long ago and perhaps near the beginning of their 17 year marriage, they should have some awesome equity in that house - like in the millions of dollars. Even with my very limited knowledge of LA real estate, that made the 20K foundation worry a bit puzzling.  Perhaps they have already tapped that equity, but that wouldn't seem logical given their (well, her) financial success up to pretty much now.

 

Regarding Abby's age, she mentioned in one of the earlier episodes that she and Jake graduated college in 1989 - the same year Jake's now ex-girl friend was born. That would make Abby 46-47 presuming a usual high school-to-college route and a four year college stint.

 

In real life and on TV, 47 isn't always too old to have a child, but as acknowledged here, pretty rare and with significant risk. Maude Findley back in the 1970's became pregnant at 47 on Maude, and chose to have an abortion, which was the first time an American TV character had ever done that.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I couldn't get beyond the fact that this adult woman who has birthed 2 children would have the reaction of a teenager after having unprotected sex one time. Add in her age. What are the odds? I mean, really. Of course, it's POSSIBLE. But the stars would need to align so perfectly. Does this older woman know absolutely nothing about her cycle? I would have been fine if she'd been like oh man what if? But she reacted like an actual 16 year old who had just had sex for the first time. 

 

And, yes, she smiles ALL THE TIME.

 

This show is dumb.

Very good points. At her age, her few remaining eggs would be of low-quality. Sadly, if she had conceived, she probably would have miscarried without a day-after pill.

I like Lisa Edelstein, so it upsets me that either the writing or directing of the show is making her kind of difficult to relate to.

The vodka tampon thing was terrible. And then we hear one mom confide to Jake that she had tried it and it totally doesn't work. Tsk, tsk, show.

[HouseofBeck]

OK, so this ep we got teens using vodka-soaked tampons (to avoid the calories) & then all jumping in Abby's pool to relieve their ensuing pain.  Was this supposed to be funny?  I was horrified.  It made me scream at my TV, "WTF?"  Why didn't they just get Bethenny's Skinnygirl shit if they were worried bout calories?  Man, I hated this bit.

 

So the divorce lawyer looks to be a major character now.  Except I don't even know her name.  She's OK, but Phoebe is still an idiot.

I only got to the coffeeshop scene where Abby makes up with Phoebe and then reveals the drunken sex before I had to pause it for later, so now I am afraid. Very afraid. Eeeyugh.

I like the divorce lawyer and wish her name was Lyla, because I can only remember those three names, and barely at that. Anyway, done right, I'd watch a spinoff divorce lawyer show with her as the lead. I haven't thought this through other than Complicated Backstory With Dad and Dealing With Douchebag Clients.

[ScoobieDoobs]

Ratings for this ep was 773 thou viewers.  Not good.

 

Have they issued an episode when Answering Maching Guy is showing up? It's just so strange to promote the entire show around a character and they haven't shown up yet.

 

 

If this is Answering Machine Guy-

 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751076/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t111

 

Then he will show up for 1 ep -- ep 9, which is the one after the next.  Btw, he's 32, so if he doesn't know what an answering machine is, then there's something seriously wrong with him or it's once again shitty writing.  Or just dumb jokes that go thud -- like teen girls writhing in pain from using vodka tampons.  Still squicked out as hell by that image.

I agree that Lisa's smiling is annoying as fuck.  And when this show gets cancelled, the divorce lawyer should get her own show.  The actress & the character are interesting.  Probably the only thing worth watching on this show.

[Jade Foxx]

 

Very good points. At her age, her few remaining eggs would be of low-quality. Sadly, if she had conceived, she probably would have miscarried without a day-after pill.

 

I'm not even questioning the pregnancy storyline from the age perspective - but that she would consider having an "oops" baby with an almost ex-husband, and already being emotionally exhausted with raising her 8 (?)yr old son and 14yr old daughter. Oh, and she is technically unemployed!

 

SO DUMB.

[Lone Wolf]

I like the divorce lawyer and wish her name was Lyla, because I can only remember those three names, and barely at that. 

Lyla...Delia.  Pretty similar.  You'll be okay ;).

[izabella]

I can't believe I'm even asking this, but how exactly does one insert a vodka soaked tampon?  They're meant to go in dry, when they're little, and before they inflate with fluid.  WTF with this story line?

 

I like Delia.  I like that she gets stuff done, and doesn't wallow around.  I could maybe like Abby sometimes, but her ex-husband makes my skin crawl, so I just can't get on board with her being sad about him. 

 

What was going on with Pheobe and that necklace?  I think I missed something...was the man who gave it to her supposed to be her ex?  Was she acting sad when he wanted her to leave, or was she genuinely sad (or upset)?

Edited January 17, 2015 by izabella

[Crazy8]

What was going on with Pheobe and that necklace? I think I missed something...was the man who gave it to her supposed to be her ex? Was she acting sad when he wanted her to leave, or was she genuinely sad (or upset)?

I wish I could answer this, but I can never tell if the actress who plays her is constipated or emoting.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I think we are supposed to believe that Phoebe was sad. Or at least that her ex had bruised her ego. I only know that it was her ex bc another character joked that Phoebe had mastered the art of getting great jewelry from an ex-husband. Also she looked really pissed when she saw the interior decorator, who was not some bimbo.

[Momof2boyz]

 

What was going on with Pheobe and that necklace?  I think I missed something...was the man who gave it to her supposed to be her ex?  Was she acting sad when he wanted her to leave, or was she genuinely sad (or upset)?

This was her ex-husband, with whom she had a sex for jewelry arrangement. She pretended not to care and just be in it for the jewelry, but when he broke it off with her for someone else, she obviously cared. Agree, though, the actress is terrible so it's hard to tell what her emotion is supposed to be.

[Crazy8]

The real problem with this is that we're meant to feel something for someone who prostitutes herself, not because she's desperately poor, but because she likes shiny things and it boosts her ego. She's either a psychopath or really badly written. Or both.

[Guest]

On 1/14/2015 at 3:40 AM, ScoobieDoobs said:

OK, so this ep we got teens using vodka-soaked tampons (to avoid the calories) & then all jumping in Abby's pool to relieve their ensuing pain.  Was this supposed to be funny?  I was horrified.  It made me scream at my TV, "WTF?"  Why didn't they just get Bethenny's Skinnygirl shit if they were worried bout calories?  Man, I hated this bit.

Is anyone still watching this?

Apparently yes, since it's fourth season is about to start.  Though no one who likes it was posting here during the first season, apparently.  I'm guessing that changes because who hate-watches through three seasons?

Skinny Girl... The teens might be smart enough to know that the only things that makes those drinks 'skinny' is low alcohol content.  So it's basically just to show that you're having a cocktail, not achieve any actual effects.  So why not pay less and just have a soda water, or just request a watered down drink?  

I also assumed the vodka was stolen from a parent's supply.  

On 1/15/2015 at 8:48 AM, ahpny said:

Since she mentioned that she and Jake "built this house," possibly long ago and perhaps near the beginning of their 17 year marriage, they should have some awesome equity in that house - like in the millions of dollars. Even with my very limited knowledge of LA real estate, that made the 20K foundation worry a bit puzzling.  Perhaps they have already tapped that equity, but that wouldn't seem logical given their (well, her) financial success up to pretty much now.

Their panic over the $20k repair wasn't too realistic, given the wealth level they've implied.  What I thought was worse was the implication she wouldn't just pay a handyman $50 to come fix her window, but instead had to beg her ex as he walked out of the house with his bags.  How much does a limo from LA to Vegas cost, with a full bar?  

Edited August 2, 2017 by Guest