S01.E09: The Do-Over / S01.E10: Pranks For Nothin' 2015.04.12

[SlackerInc]

I just think infidelity is incredibly overrated as a sin.  Over and over, we see politicians and movie stars discovered to have had affairs, and everyone tut-tuts and psychoanalyzes why these men do this, ignoring that it's just part of human nature.  

 

And as Phil stated in this episode, he admits he should not have said "I do".  But Carol kind of put him in a tough position.  He had made it clear previously that he just wanted to have sex with her without marrying her.  But she was adamant (and we have seen with her slut-shaming this episode that she is rather Puritanical in her values), such that his prospects appeared to be (a) never have sex again, or (b) go along with a sham marriage to humor Carol, which did not really seem to matter as long as she was the only other person left on earth (and his attire and attitude at the "wedding" should not have created any false expectations on Carol's part that it was anything more than that).

 

But Todd said he was on his way out of town when he saw the fireworks. That's the joke of the situation, if Phil hadn't been so intent on winning Melissa over with a bunch of cheesy romantic overtures she didn't care about anyway, Todd would've never shown up at all. I don't think he'd been there for weeks, but I find it hard to believe he drove all the way to Tucson only to leave without looking around a bit first.

 

The series of shots we were shown seemed to me to indicate that he did indeed drive all that way, drove around Tucson, didn't see any sign of people, and was prepared to leave without so much as getting out of his car.  Premature, I'd agree; but that was what we were shown.

[Myrna123]

I just think infidelity is incredibly overrated as a sin.  Over and over, we see politicians and movie stars discovered to have had affairs, and everyone tut-tuts and psychoanalyzes why these men do this, ignoring that it's just part of human nature.  

Then don't stand up in front of all of your friends and family (and God if you believe) and promise to be monogamous.  If you promise (publicly or privately) not to have sex with other people and then you have sex with other people, you're a feckless, cowardly asshole (male or female).  If you want to have sex with more than one partner, own up to it and do it.  Everyone in a relationship deserves to be in the relationship they think they're in and if they think they're in a monogamous relationship and their partner isn't being monogomous, well, see feckless, coward and asshole.

 

I agree in this particular situation that Phil was overwhelmed and steamrolled by Carol--and also he thought they were the only two humans left so he wasn't really sacrificing anything as far as he knew.  At least he's now confronted the situation and ended the marriage since it's not what he wants.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I just think infidelity is incredibly overrated as a sin.

 

If your spouse agrees with you (hypothetical you) that infidelity is incredibly overrated as a sin, then I'd say, go nuts.

But if Hypothetical You has a spouse with whom you've promised to be faithful, the spouse has accepted this promise and has said please don't be unfaithful, and you turn around and do it?  For me, it's rated as a bad thing to do just fine.

 

There's infidelity that people commit that people are totally cool with, and then there are just promises you break or deceptions you make where the person you've broken with is absolutely not cool with.

 

A lot of promises that people make towards each other are probably unnatural.  But there are expectations that promises will be kept.  That's what vows are, that's what a marriage contract is.  People use and trust a lot of things that are unnatural.  If people want to enter into a horribly unnatural monogamous relationship I'd prefer that they have to agree to the terms or get out.  And as you say, it's so unnatural, and the choice to never enter one  - or even legally leave one entered -- is always there.  For Phil it was a little bit awkward , but he kept lying to Carol until the absolute breaking point.  If no one found Phil out my opinion is he would have lied to Carol forever.  That's being a coward.

 

But Carol kind of put him in a tough position.

 

Boo hoo, the so-called 'tough position' was over once Melissa showed up and he decided what he wanted to do about it.  He decided to do everything, except come clean and divorce Carol.

 

(b) go along with a sham marriage to humor Carol, which did not really seem to matter as long as she was the only other person left on earth (and his attire and attitude at the "wedding" should not have created any false expectations on Carol's part that it was anything more than that).

 

I think by Carol's words and actions, Carol really took it to be a real marriage, and Phil also seems to be completely aware of that.  If not, then what was all the lying for?  He even admitted to having some 'guilt' this past episode.  Wonder where that came from.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Rockstar99435]

And as Phil stated in this episode, he admits he should not have said "I do".  But Carol kind of put him in a tough position.  He had made it clear previously that he just wanted to have sex with her without marrying her.  But she was adamant (and we have seen with her slut-shaming this episode that she is rather Puritanical in her values), such that his prospects appeared to be (a) never have sex again, or (b) go along with a sham marriage to humor Carol, which did not really seem to matter as long as she was the only other person left on earth (and his attire and attitude at the "wedding" should not have created any false expectations on Carol's part that it was anything more than that).

 

Or © wait 1 month before making his decision. I know it had been at least 2 years since he'd had sex but it wouldn't have killed him to wait long than a day to agree to the marriage. He could have told Carol that he didn't feel comfortable getting married to someone he just met and that they should just be friends/neighbors/co-survivors for awhile before complicating things with a sham marriage. If he had done that, he wouldn't have been married to Carol when they met Melissa and the whole problem could have been avoided.

[SlackerInc]

I think by Carol's words and actions, Carol really took it to be a real marriage, and Phil also seems to be completely aware of that.

As it happens, I'm rewatching early episodes with my son, and I have a counterpoint to that. Two, in fact.

(1) At the end of the pilot, Phil is strenuously objecting to getting married. He says "Marriage doesn't mean anything to me, Carol!" Her response: "Then why do you care?" IOW, "Just humor me and go through the motions then."

(2) Near the beginning of the next ep, Phil gripes, "Are you really going to make me go through with this marriage thing, Carol?" Carol: "Phil, this marriage is happening--let's just make the best of it." Then Phil shows up at church, attired in cargo shorts, rolling his eyes and making sarcastic comments all the way through, without having even gotten the rings as instructed. I'd call that ample evidence that she has no call to be shocked--SHOCKED!--at his infidelity.

Besides, what happened to her concession that for humankind to repopulate, all fertile females need impregnating? That means either Todd or Phil needs to get down with the Aussie (Kiwi?) chick.

Edited April 15, 2015 by SlackerInc

[LADreamr]

Aussie. She said she was from Sydney.

[Irlandesa]

Besides, what happened to her concession that for humankind to repopulate, all fertile females need impregnating? That means either Todd or Phil needs to get down with the Aussie (Kiwi?) chick.

It was an agreement that he could sleep with Melissa.  It wasn't a blanket pass.  But it's a good point because this goes back to the whole "fidelity is what you make of it" notion.  He got Carol to agree to him sleeping with Melissa.  Why not try the same thing with the Aussie?  He didn't. He chose lies.  To Carol.  To Melissa.  To Todd.  To the new women.