S01.E08: Sk8

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Liza gets a glimpse into a more age-appropriate world; Kelsey's affair comes to a head.

[dubbel zout]

Nice sideboob, Maggie.

 

When Liza went up the stair in the town house, I thought she might have flashed Charles.

 

"I am the walrus." Hee. If that whole business about a vagina being as soft as a walrus fold was just to set up that joke, I'm okay with that.

[HunterHunted]

When Liza gets on Kelsey about the affair, I don't know why she doesn't reframe it as something that happened in her parents' marriage. I think Kelsey would have been a lot more empathetic if she saw that a similar situation had traumatized her friend.

I ship Liza with Charles so hard. Even if they don't end up together, I would love it if he was Liza's secret work confidante who knew about her ruse. I love that Charles and Liza can be so relaxed around each other.

[Valny]

Was that Diana's biggest necklace to date? They keep growing!!!  It looked pretty hefty too. Oh, and I really liked her hairstyle at the awards.

 

I felt bad for Liza when Swedish wife was whacking her with the book(manuscript?)

Edited May 13, 2015 by Valny

[tennisgurl]

" I am the walrus". Honestly, how did I not see that one coming. Love it.

 

Glad that Kelsey finally realized what she was doing was messed up. I felt bad for Liza dealing getting bitched out in the restaurant.  

[kirinan]

I ship Liza with Charles so hard. Even if they don't end up together, I would love it if he was Liza's secret work confidante who knew about her ruse. I love that Charles and Liza can be so relaxed around each other.

 

Amen, HunterHunted! Sutton Foster and Peter Hermann have loads more chemistry than Sutton and Nico Tortorella--although let me qualify that by saying I think she and Nico have excellent chemistry, so we're talking (IMO) off the charts with Liza and Charles. I loved how she was with the girls, too. If they don't take advantage of this development, I'll be very disappointed.

 

And let me just say I'm getting REALLY tired of the vagina fixation. I got tired of it in Sex & The City, and I'm even more tired of it here. It's funny in very small doses, like once or twice through the season--not in EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE. That's my only argument with the show so far (beside the fact that as much as I love her, I can't believe everyone is accepting Liza as 26. Oh, and the underuse of Debi Mazar).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Was that Diana's biggest necklace to date? They keep growing!!!  It looked pretty hefty too. Oh, and I really liked her hairstyle at the awards.

On a related note, Nico's hair is growing too. In the opening scene, I couldn't decide if he was channeling Chris Isaak circa 1990 or Bob's Big Boy.

 

When Liza went up the stair in the town house, I thought she might have flashed Charles.

When he watched her walking up the stairs, all I could think was that from that angle he was looking right up her skirt.

[dubbel zout]

I ship Liza with Charles so hard.

 

It could be really interesting to see if he's as into her if he knows she's 40. I hope they play that out.

[slowpoked]

I'm loving Kelsey's character so far. She is not a stupid young person that this show seems to imply (or at least from the viewpoint of the older people on this show). She has acknowledged her mistake with missing the first meeting with Anton due to her hungover, has helped Maggie and didn't drag out acknowledging the affair and letting Liza take the fall for it.

 

I like Liza and Charles together too, especially their last conversation - "You have a young man waiting for you...how did you know it was a young man....isn't it?" There's just enough of a spark there that both actors played out well. 

[Julia]

I'm loving Kelsey's character so far. She is not a stupid young person that this show seems to imply (or at least from the viewpoint of the older people on this show). She has acknowledged her mistake with missing the first meeting with Anton due to her hungover, has helped Maggie and didn't drag out acknowledging the affair and letting Liza take the fall for it.

 

I don't think Kelsey is supposed to be stupid. She's very successful at an early age, and clearly went to a very selective school. 

 

I do think that she makes the choices of someone who doesn't really understand the stakes and hasn't had to think about consequences very much, and they bite her in the ass sometimes.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

The Swedish author cutting himself freaked me out!  Oww!  And is he going to be a total stalker?

 

I feel bad for Diana.  You know she will be crushed when Liza and Charles get together.  (Which I'm totally on board with.)

 

OK ... I'm old and square ... what were they inhaling in the beginning?  That wasn't just an e-cigarette, was it?

[Bort]

OK ... I'm old and square ... what were they inhaling in the beginning? That wasn't just an e-cigarette, was it?

I was guessing it was an e-cigarette with THC.

[dubbel zout]

The Swedish author cutting himself freaked me out! Oww! And is he going to be a total stalker?

 

What a drama queen. Kelsey outed herself as the walrus (hee), so I wonder what's going to happen next. Do Diana and/or Charles know about the affair? It wasn't really clear if Charles did from the conversation he had with Liza. She said Kelsey went home early because she was sick, but I don't know how much face-saving that did.

Edited May 13, 2015 by dubbel zout

[butterbody]

That was a PAX Vaporizer used for marijuana. There are several vaporizers on the market but pax is the best. I work in a medical marijuana dispensary and we sell them for $250. They are healthier than smoking & give off very little smell. They're awesome!

[slowpoked]

I don't think Kelsey is supposed to be stupid. She's very successful at an early age, and clearly went to a very selective school. 

 

Oh definitely. I meant "stupid" in the context of the show's "what do young people know?!" premise. Yes, she makes mistakes you expect of a 26-year old, but she has shown great maturity in handling the consequences and trying to fix things afterwards.

 

Also, I love how Kelsey immediately confessed to the affair after she saw how potentially cray-cray Anton can be. A lesser show would have had Kelsey appease him by continuing the affair, "afraid" of what Anton may do to himself if she leaves. But here she stops it immediately by doing the correct thing and not prolonging it. I wonder how the workplace would be after the admission. Would Anton be dropped? Or would another editor be assigned to him?

[Julia]

I wonder how the workplace would be after the admission. Would Anton be dropped? Or would another editor be assigned to him?

 

In every publishing and advertising job I've ever had, Anton would be assigned to another editor and Kelsey would be fired.

[dubbel zout]

And Kelsey might be unofficially blackballed, so finding another job would be tough.

[allonsyalice]

I'm glad Kelsey did the right thing though. I go back and forth on Kelsey's character a lot, but she did the right thing this episode and that basically solidified it for me. 

As for Liza/Josh/Charles, ugh. I like Josh together, but there is no way Liza can keep this up, and anyway, Diana definitely has bagsies on Charles, so. 

Maybe Liza should just be single. 

This was Sutton's favourite episode (she said so) and i thiiink i can see why. I think this show has hit its groove and thank god. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I mentioned this in the last episode thread, but what pisses me off about this show is that Liza has absolutely no reason to lie to Josh about her age.  Never had a reason and never will.

 

Aside from that I like the show.

[dcalley]

On a related note, Nico's hair is growing too. In the opening scene, I couldn't decide if he was channeling Chris Isaak circa 1990 or Bob's Big Boy.

I'm picturing Liza saying that on the show and getting a bunch of blank stares, a la the Punky Brewster reaction.

[marmalade]

I really like the fact that Kelsey did not do the typical thing of keeping the affair going . She made a mistake and that's pretty normal for someone her age.

I like Josh and Liza, but the chemistry with Charles is great!

I am enjoying the show but I don't get how anyone buys that Liza is 26. I would believe she is in her 30's, but not 20's. Also, dressing her in very trendy styles make her look even older , since she doesn't look 26 in her neck and face, and her voice and mannerisms are older.

It's not as though Liza has wrinkles, but her face does look aged a bit, not the perky skin, especially around the neck and mouth.

Also, her boss looks ridiculous with the Cruela hair style, which is supposed to somehow help Liza look 26 on contrast.

I work with 20 something year olds, and Liza would not pass for that age at all. Also, 40 something year olds these days are not automatically old frumpy women.

[Malif]

I know this will sound shallow and horrible, but if I were Liza, I would have taken one look at the amazing apartment and life of Charles, ditched my tattoo artist boyfriend, and thrown all my energies into being with him.  He's cute, age appropriate, kind, and rich.  A beautiful Upper West Side apartment over a mushroom infested, one door apartment full of stoned gamers is no contest.  

[Bort]

At the very least, if I were Liza, I'd tell Josh that we would be hanging out at my place from now on. It's much nicer.

[Jillybean]

I definitely agree that SF/Liza does not look 26 at all.  Also, I don't care how cute or great in bed Josh is, it wouldn't be worth hanging around his funky apartment with him and his roomates playing video games.  I wouldn't have done that at 40, or much past 30.

 

Diana is kind of a caricature.  At her age and in her position, she should look more fabulous and be much less uptight.

 

With J Lo, Jennifer Aniston, etc. all being 45-46, the positioning of someone in her 40s as a tired old hag is just silly.

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I know this will sound shallow and horrible, but if I were Liza, I would have taken one look at the amazing apartment and life of Charles, ditched my tattoo artist boyfriend, and thrown all my energies into being with him.  He's cute, age appropriate, kind, and rich.  A beautiful Upper West Side apartment over a mushroom infested, one door apartment full of stoned gamers is no contest.

 

This, or "word".  Do people still stay that? 

 

So many people have wondered, how can this show go on with this premise?  I'm a big proponent of shows having a built-in, pre-designed lifespan. Could be 2 years, maybe 3, but something that tells the viewers that they won't be strung-along forever.  Another idea would be to sort of "reboot" the show after her lie is revealed.  Liza's deception will be revealed, everyone will be mad at her, then they will get over it, and then maybe the show can just continue as a new "Sex and the City" set in a publishing house with twenty-somethings working with forty-somethings.

[Julia]

I want Diana to buy Liza's book about her adventures as a fake 26YO and why she thought she needed to do it. Then I want Kelsey to be assigned as her editor.

[Maharincess]

Marmalade, I agree. No way.

I've watched this show a few times and it's not bad but I have a hard time believing that people think Liza is 26. I can suspend reality for the sake of a show but she doesn't look 26 to me at all and nobody ever questions her age.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Maharincess

[Snarklepuss]

I've ranted on enough about Liza not looking or acting 26 and how every week the wrinkle-erasing filter used on the camera to film her is even stronger, but I still can't get over it.  People have actually questioned her age in the show - In this episode it was Charles, but only after she said something "wise".  I agree that it would be more interesting if she can level with him about her age if no one else.  I think she lied to Josh because she was afraid he wouldn't be interested in her if she were 40.  Ummm, judging from how unconventional he is, I doubt that.  And again with making her look like a total 70 year old.  She should remember not to use references that out her age.  And seriously I find it hard to believe that someone born in 1975 would never have played a freaking video game.  I've played them and I'm 56.  She raised a child - on that alone she should have played them!  And she should know some of those younger references based on her daughter.  All my friends with kids know stuff even I don't because of that. 

 

I know this will sound shallow and horrible, but if I were Liza, I would have taken one look at the amazing apartment and life of Charles, ditched my tattoo artist boyfriend, and thrown all my energies into being with him.  He's cute, age appropriate, kind, and rich.  A beautiful Upper West Side apartment over a mushroom infested, one door apartment full of stoned gamers is no contest.  

 

I agree, but speaking as someone who was once 40, divorcing and dating a guy 10 years younger, I don't think she should be at that stage emotionally after her divorce where she's 100% ready for that.  I think the show is trying to make her look like she's in that separated/divorcing stage where she's trying to reclaim some lost youth that she never had because she married young, had a child and missed all of that.  The only thing is she's not really in the mindset of someone who's in that stage.  It makes it look like she took on this younger age purely to get a job, when it might have been more realistic to make it an outgrowth of where her mind is at as well.  The show is setting her up for it with the younger boyfriend with the broken door and electronic pot smoking device (or whatever that was), but she still acts like a super responsible joy-kill anyway.  I think the show would actually be more realistic, funny and ironic if she was the one thinking more irresponsibly and her workmate Kelsey was the level headed one cautioning her.  Actually I think she might be headed for some of that with Charles so even as she cautions Kelsey she's really being somewhat of a hypocrite. 

 

Kelsey reminds me of any responsible young woman who would go into an affair not thinking about the consequences, but when rubbed in the face with them gets scared and puts on the brakes.  Liza should actually be the one not caring about the consequences at this point if she really is supposed to be in a post-divorce crazy phase.  And actually as much as she acts like she's so responsible she really isn't being all that responsible by living a lie, is she?

 

Anyway, I think the show is finally heating up - I hope it continues to go in this direction.  I couldn't believe the statement necklace this week.  They've been getting bigger every week - How can they possibly top that one, LOL?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ha, maybe next week they will just hang one of those world globes around her neck.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I always admired Annalise Keating's necklaces on How to Get Away with Murder, too:

 

https://www.google.ca/search?q=annalise+keating+necklace&espv=2&biw=1009&bih=559&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=fcRXVcOuCMrOsQTt84HQBA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

[dubbel zout]

Diane Lockhart wears some good ones, too.

[Julia]

I kind of like her style, although her hair is way too harsh.

[rho]

 

And seriously I find it hard to believe that someone born in 1975 would never have played a freaking video game.  I've played them and I'm 56.  She raised a child - on that alone she should have played them!

 

I think some people just aren't into video games while others REALLY get into. I was born in 1989 and am actually 26. I don't recall ever playing video games. My parents never bought them and we never asked for them. It still blows my mind that grown men shut themselves in for a week any time a new game comes out. I would say the same about my mother. She is closer to Liza's real age and I doubt she's ever played a video game.

 

At the end of the day, I don't think there's any reason for him to think she's 40. When she gets caught slacking on her 26yo knowledge, he usually just waves it off as a quirkiness. I find that easy to believe. It's the work technicalities that get me.

[KYBlonde]

There is an economic factor as well.  I didn't play video games because they were too expensive. I didn't have endless quarters to feed the machines in the video arcades and my single mom paid bills and bought groceries first and foremost, so home video games were out of the question.  I knew better than to ask.  I lost myself in books which were much cheaper than video games.  That really makes me sound like a mega nerd but that was how it was - I was a book worm due to economics and a love of reading.

[Snarklepuss]

I never owned any video games either being of that generation that was just a little too old to have grown up with them but I knew people younger than me who had them and that's how I played them.  It was one of those things that in my day would have been tantamount to never playing checkers or Monopoly.  Lots of people never owned those games but many more people have played them.  It's just the sheer number of things she is unaware of that is over the top for someone who is supposed to be that age.  I think I can be pretty sure she didn't grow up poor or sheltered in some way, so some of these things don't seem congruent with the rest of her personality.

 

I think some people just aren't into video games while others REALLY get into. I was born in 1989 and am actually 26. I don't recall ever playing video games. My parents never bought them and we never asked for them.

 

I actually think it might have been more popular when Liza was a kid because Atari and Nintendo were HUGE in the '80s.  Seriously I did not know one home with kids that did not have video games back then.  It was hard not to run across them at friends' and relatives' houses even for bookish types like myself.  Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man and Super Mario anyone?  Then again, even if she had played them back then her knowledge of them would probably not be up to date.

 

ETA:  I did actually own a video game console once back in the early 90s.  A friend was upgrading to a newer model and I just kind of inherited it.  People were always giving their old units away to friends and relatives back then as I recall.  I never used it much.  I did enjoy going to one particular arcade, though, to play Ms. Pac Man and Space Invaders, LOL.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Snarklepuss

[Bort]

I I actually think it might have been more popular when Liza was a kid because Atari and Nintendo were HUGE in the '80s.  Seriously I did not know one home with kids that did not have video games back then.  It was hard not to run across them at friends' and relatives' houses even for bookish types like myself.  Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man and Super Mario anyone?  Then again, even if she had played them back then her knowledge of them would probably not be up to date.

I was going to say this exact thing. As someone who is almost Liza's exact age (39), I played tons of video games as a kid but it was all off the original Nintendo console and even some Sega Genesis as a teenager. But the stuff now? I'm worthless at playing it, nor do I have the interest. "We weren't allowed to have video games" seems to be a pretty safe cover story explanation for someone in her situation, although I don't think she was lying about that.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I think that video games were not a blanket thing for everyone. I never had video games at home. I don't know if it's because my parents were strict with me or because I was a girl or that they preferred me to read or that I never asked them to buy me video games or if there was some other reason.

 

My cousin (around the same age), on the other hand, was a boy and his parents were much more lax with him about school (and everything else) and he had tons of video games (although I do remember my mom once mentioning she thought this was partly because his dad wanted to play).

 

Apparently my parents' attitude changed later because my younger sister had a Sega game system. The only time I played video games was when I played arcade games at Chuck E. Cheese birthday parties. I liked playing them in that setting but it never occurred to me to want to play them at home.

 

When I lived in the dorms, there were some people who brought their video games with them and they offered to let me play but I wasn't interested. Mr. EB has a Playstation but I never play even now. It's not because I actively dislike his video games but there are just other things I would rather do. The few times my sister tried to get me to play Mario Kart with her, I was terrible at it!

 

I find it believable that Liza the 26 year old could have been one of those people who didn't have video games and wasn't interested in them, and I also find it believable that Liza the 40 year old let her daughter have video games but that she never played with her (I know my mom never played Mario Kart with my sister!). She has come up with plausible excuses for things like not playing video games and daring to have pubic hair, so it's not like she is a time traveler who has no idea what these things are when people bring them up.

[SonofaBiscuit]

After watching this episode, I'm rooting for Liza and Charles.  I just prefer his personality and maturity when compared to Josh (I don't dislike Josh, I just like Charles more), and I think that he has loads of chemistry with Liza.

 

I HATE Liza's work clothes.  They're seriously awful.  She never matches, and she wears ugly flannel shirts or flowered coats over her tops...I don't get it at all because I never see ANYONE dressed like that in real life, let alone 26 year olds.  In one episode, she met up with her ex and was wearing jeans, a black top, a scarf, and a long coat.  She looked lovely.  More of that, please.

[Julia]

She's not dressing as a 26YO, though. She's dressing as a fortysomething man's idea of a fortysomething woman's idea of a 26YO hipster. And the fortysomething year old man is Darren Star, by way of Patricia Field, who was born the year after my mom. And I could technically be Liza's mother...

Edited May 18, 2015 by Julia

[Maharincess]

There is an economic factor as well. I didn't play video games because they were too expensive. I didn't have endless quarters to feed the machines in the video arcades and my single mom paid bills and bought groceries first and foremost, so home video games were out of the question. I knew better than to ask. I lost myself in books which were much cheaper than video games. That really makes me sound like a mega nerd but that was how it was - I was a book worm due to economics and a love of reading.

If you're a nerd then I'm a super nerd. Having older brothers we did have video games in the house but I preferred books.

Video games were in their infancy when I was a kid. My kids had all of the latest Nintendo crap but they would choose books more often than not.

[methodwriter85]

She's not dressing as a 26YO, though. She's dressing as a fortysomething man's idea of a fortysomething woman's idea of a 26YO hipster. And the fortysomething year old man is Darren Star, by way of Patricia Field, who was born the year after my mom. And I could technically be Liza's mother...

 

Darren Star is 53. Which kind of proves your point. He's not exactly 40 years old, either.

[Julia]

Darren Star is 53. Which kind of proves your point. He's not exactly 40 years old, either.

Good lord, is he really?

This is the sort of thing that makes me grateful that I wasn't all that good at being young, because so many people who were really suck at middle age.