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Celebrating 1,000 NCIS-franchise episodes
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S01.E02: Handcuffs

Tara Ariano

By Tara Ariano
in Togetherness [V]

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peeayebee

peeayebee

I couldn't figure out how she hit his balls.

 

I was getting so frustrated with Brett when he wouldn't just let Michelle lead the way thru the little gameplay. 

 

I love seeing Alex and Tina together. I think they're great together as friends.

  • Love 1
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BooBear

BooBear

I was getting so frustrated with Brett when he wouldn't just let Michelle lead the way thru the little gameplay.

 

I thought that was the funniest part of the show. Last week when he wanted to know why she didn't want to have sex with him, well, now we know. Those two are so messed up. Tina and Alex are a treat. I love the way they are so comfortable with each other.  It does feel like we are missing something -- did they date or something?

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Momof2boyz

Momof2boyz

Tina and Alex are a treat. I love the way they are so comfortable with each other.  It does feel like we are missing something -- did they date or something?

No, they just met. They obviously have some chemistry though.
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BooBear

BooBear

No, they just met. They obviously have some chemistry though.

Yeh she just up and shows him her tits. Now that is comfortable. :)

 

I actually really like Alex.  Sometimes when they have the large depressed friend -- they have no personality. Alex has one.

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EdnasEdibles

EdnasEdibles

Brett was killing me during the sex role play. God that guy is daft. First time we see him initiate sex he pretty much just wants to use his wife--seemed like he had no real concern of her desires or needs at the time. Then he catches her reading Fifty Shades with makeshift nipple clamps and gets all whiny. Then she tries to draw him into her fantasy and he whines about being hungry and won't play along. I think we know why she's not terribly into sex with him.

My heart also broke a little when he came home and she was all dressed up and he offhandedly says, "You going out or something?" Sheesh dude, keep some of the magic alive.

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Momof2boyz

Momof2boyz

I believe they last saw each other at Brett and Michelle's wedding.

Right. I remember she said that. Anyway, they don't know each other well. They obviously have that antagonism/chemistry that will probably lead to romance.
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EdnasEdibles

EdnasEdibles

His assumption that she was going out made sense since she hasn't wanted to have sex for a while.

I know, it's just that she looked really nice, much fancier than she normally does. If he'd made some sort of a sincere compliment, it may have helped him out down the road.

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BooBear

BooBear

I know, it's just that she looked really nice, much fancier than she normally does. If he'd made some sort of a sincere compliment, it may have helped him out down the road.

I just find the whole thing so spot on. Not that I am married but what I know of my married girlfriends is this sort of thing. People just get stuck in these roles that they can't break out of ... I would argue that it is a problem in all older than a certain age people but can manifest itself this way with sex in marriage.  It was tragic but funny.  Sometimes though I think this show is too short. Also this week I had this feeling like, that's it? Like I was just sort of getting into the flow when it ended.

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EdnasEdibles

EdnasEdibles

BooBear, you're right. Married with kids over here and their relationship is uncomfortably spot on. They aren't connecting well at all. I don't think they hate each other but the problems are going to get worse if they don't figure it out.

I just like this show. It isn't making fun of anyone for their issues which I appreciate. It's not all bleak. It captures the weary bleakness and simple comfortable joy of middle-aged married life.

  • Love 3
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qtpye

qtpye

I was afraid that Amanda Peet was going to be the typical irresponsible and wacky sister, but she seemed more grounded and it was nice to see her sincerely trying to help Alex and Michelle.

  • Love 2
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bunnywithanaxe

bunnywithanaxe

(edited)

I could't stand Peete before this show. Her mincey little voice and the insipid roles they put her in. She is rocking my world in this. "Okay, one Mississippi."

( and the way she shook herself out after offering to flash her boobs, like she was getting ready to do a long jump or something.)

And I love how she absolutely refuses to play straightman to Alex when they banter. No matter what he throws at her, she throws it back, harder.

Melanie Lynsky as her poison courtesy dominatrix was fantastic-- and I loved how she broke character and whined "will you just do it? "

I also loved the sheepish grin our lovebirds exchanged on the couch apres. They will be ok.

Edited by bunnywithanaxe
  • Love 2
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teddysmom

teddysmom

I couldn't figure out how she hit his balls.

 

 

Me either.  To the point that she hit them so hard that he was about to vomit, etc. She smacked him on the side of his left butt cheek and somehow his balls were up there?  

 

That being said, I do like this show.  Even Amanda Peete, who I'm iffy on sometimes.   I loved how Brett was kinda into the dominatrix stuff, but also a little scared.   You could see him thinking "I THINK this could be fun, but then again, she could be planning to kill me". 

  • Love 1
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scrb

scrb

No wonder his wife wouldn't have sex with chatty Brett.

 

Not sure if they were playing the scene for laughs, like something out of The League, or if it was to show how uncomfortable the characters were with themselves.

 

She complained that the sex had become routine, with Brett always doing the same things.  And then we see him at work being kind of a PITA to work with.

 

Some have compared this show to Married on FX.  These shows are all trying to generate some laughs but the expectation is that Togetherness isn't only about gross out humor like The League.  The foibles of the characters are suppose to make them sympathetic?

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blixie

blixie

 

I also loved the sheepish grin our lovebirds exchanged on the couch apres. They will be ok.

 

I agree, I think the whole episode proved to both of them that they still care and will find their rhythm again. The failed D/s was hilarious to me, I didn't really blame Brett for being reluctant and confused, you can't just go from Zero sex to D/S nor jump into that kind of "game playing" w/o *communicating* that's pretty essential and that's the actual source of the disconnect. She told him last week she didn't know why she didn't want to have sex, but this week she told Tina exactly why, that things are too staid and predictable.

 

I loved this episode again, Tina and Alex, as has been said have an easy chemistry and comfort that while it may not mean a romantic relationship immediately definitely seems to imply they could eventually. I also appreciate that Tina is neither a total fuck up  nor a total success she has ambition, and skill, but perhaps not the kind of dedication/devotion, to make a relationship or career fully succeed. This is a great role for her and I feel like in sliding doors this part might have gone to Lake Bell who runs in the same creative circles as Marino and the Duplasses'.

  • Love 4
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Rickster

Rickster

(edited)

I thought it interesting how they juxtaposed Tina taking control of Alex ("don"t talk, just do it" re the pizza), and Michelle trying to take control of Brett in the bedroom.

Edited by Rickster
  • Love 3
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arc

arc

Totally agree with blixie: Michelle just springing the BDSM on Brett without any prior discussion was a big part of why that was going badly.  Though ultimately Brett got on board and then it was just down to bad spanking technique.  Also, I think it was kind of crummy that she didn't even let him get a bite to eat first...  Then again, the sound stage was full of catered goods, most going to waste, so he could easily have eaten a little something at the office. Unless he's on a diet and doesn't want to nosh throughout the workday before coming home to dinner at a reasonable time, I guess.

 

I'm generally fascinated with shows about the grittier, less glamourous side of life in the trenches of Hollywood, so the stuff about Alex's acting career and Brett's sound editing stuff was all pretty entertaining.  The 'tweener' joke was largely made on 30 Rock, though (something about how the newly heavier Jenna has to gain an additional 60 or lose 30).

 

I don't quite get how Tina had a party supply business in Houston but has now apparently transplanted it wholesale to LA already.  (Even assuming she sold the stuff in Houston, got cash, and is buying new stuff in LA, it's more about how she got a business license, a customer base, etc etc etc.)  I will say that LA is absolutely full of party supply stores compared to the few other cities I've lived in.

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rab01

rab01

My cable company just handed out a few months of free HBO and I saw this series for the first time last night.  I was very pleasantly surprised although some of the jokes were a bit uncomfortable for me because they were too close to real life.

 

As others pointed out, the dom/sub scene went so badly in part because she gave him absolutely no warning earlier in the day that he should be prepared to go along with her lead on a date night. One vague text to prepare him and it all goes way differently.  But ... that's just surface comedy writing stuff necessary to allow a funny scene to happen. 

 

On a deeper level, that was prrobably the worst fantasy to have him act out on that evening. He'd just spent the entire day being dominated and emasculated at work and now his wife wanted him to act out the same position at home. I bet his character would have tried to go along with it given a few minutes to prepare but boy I'll bet that wasn't his fantasy that night.

  • Love 3
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Milburn Stone

Milburn Stone

(edited)

I agree Brett and Michelle's relationship is very relatable. Only part of the show that bothered me a bit was that having to do with Brett's work. Anyone who has reached the stage he has (sound person on a feature film) would know how to read directors better--or he'd have been out of the business before this. Reach for the stars, get that real coyote sound, everyone will admire that. But when it's rejected, handle it with a sense of humor and humbleness. (Even if you have to fake it.) That is, if keeping working matters more to you than being right.

 

So, it wasn't just that I hated to see Brett made small in the mixing room, although that was part of it. It was that I didn't buy it. Because it wouldn't have happened. Because he wouldn't have responded that way. (Or he'd have been in another line of work by now.)

Edited by Milburn Stone
  • Love 2
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ElectricBoogaloo

ElectricBoogaloo

I've honestly never heard anyone say "underpants" in real life. Thank God!
Underpants is a 'TV word'. Let's hope it doesn't spread to the real World.

The last time I heard someone use the word "underpants" was when my mom said it to me. I was about six years old, so yeah, definitely not something I want to hear in the bedroom.

 

To be honest, I prefer "underpants" to "panties." For some reason, "panties" gives me the heebie jeebies. I always associate it with pervs saying things like "What color are your panties?" in a creepy whisper.

 

I agree that Brett and Michelle will be okay in the long run. They love each other but they're just not communicating well right now and they're at that phase where they are annoying each other. The good thing is that some of the lack of communication is because they care about each other and don't want to hurt each other's feelings. Last week Michelle told Brett she didn't know why she didn't want to have sex with him but this week we heard her explain exactly why. It's hard to tell someone you love that he is being predictable and boring (whether it's in or out of the bedroom).

 

The detail about getting the pillow showed that he is trying to be considerate of her which probably makes it all the more difficult for her to criticize that to him or tell him that she wants the exact opposite of that. She just needs to find a way to tell him what she wants without making him feel bad like he is doing something wrong. I totally understand her making the effort to make her fantasy happen but I can also understand why having that sprung on him without any warning was disconcerting for him (although as I was watching that scene, the only thing I kept thinking was SHUT UP, BRETT! - all of his talking and questions was ruining the moment for her). But now that the door has been opened, I think they are on the right path. The important thing is that they both make an effort (and sorry, Brett, waking up your wife at 6am because you are staring at her boobs and don't want to waste your morning wood is not what I would consider making an effort) and keep trying.

 

I have disliked Amanda Peete in just about everything I have ever seen her in so I wasn't enthused about her being on this show, but I like that she isn't just the wacky irresponsible sister. Trying to help both Alex and Michelle was a good step in showing us who she is and that her character isn't just there for comic relief and drama. She genuinely wants to help both of them which gave her a lot more depth than she had in the first episode.

  • Love 2
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SlackerInc

SlackerInc

(edited)

Brett was killing me during the sex role play. God that guy is daft. First time we see him initiate sex he pretty much just wants to use his wife--seemed like he had no real concern of her desires or needs at the time. Then he catches her reading Fifty Shades with makeshift nipple clamps and gets all whiny. Then she tries to draw him into her fantasy and he whines about being hungry and won't play along. I think we know why she's not terribly into sex with him.

 

Okay, but I kind of think if you don't start out as a "BDSM couple", it shouldn't just be expected that a few years into a marriage with kids one partner can decide they want that and just expect the other to go along.  If people connect with each other that way, okay (although when it's a male "D" and a female "s" I kind of side-eye it but w/e).  But I personally do not like it at all and I would be super turned off if my wife wanted to do that (thankfully I can't imagine it) no matter which way the roles were turned.  And if that's the only way she wanted to have sex, I think we'd just be headed for a divorce.

 

She complained that the sex had become routine, with Brett always doing the same things.  And then we see him at work being kind of a PITA to work with.

 

I sympathize with him there though.  I mean, sure: if we're going for realism, then Milburn Stone is right.  He would not have lasted in that job with that way of interacting with directors.  But the director was a douche, a hack, and Brett to me comes across as the only conscientious artiste in the interaction among the three of them.  Same with the food getting constantly thrown away: that's not cool, and he's the one in the right--even if he is jeopardizing his position by saying anything about it.

Edited by SlackerInc
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