S03.E06: Swing Vote

[radishcake]

Ray must ensure Verona's Election Day victory to protect his NFL interests.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Promo:

 

Clips:

 

[MrsRafaelBarba]

I got my Deadwood reunion.

Plus Rose from GH's Kelly's Diner is the new Governor.

[yourmomiseasy]

I should be annoyed at Abby lapping up any little morsel of affection Ray flings in her direction, but I actually liked them together this episode.  I don't know why.  Maybe because it seemed like they were both trying.  I didn't find Abby or Bridget annoying and Connor was missing.  

 

Poor dumb Bunchy.  Things are surely not going to work out with that girl and him confiding in anyone about Ray murdering the priest is obviously not going to go well, even if it wasn't someone manipulating him specifically to get the info.  

[scrb]

Did Bunchy tell her he got a big settlement for being molested?

If she's playing him, she's a virtuoso at it, with the watering eyes.

The conditions she laid down, including marriage being a longer conversation, seemed genuine.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

She overheard the priest/fake friend asking Bunchy about his settlement at the gym a few episodes ago so she went into his office and asked him about it. I don't think he mentioned anything to either of them about how much money it was though.

 

I think the reason that Abby and Ray seemed less abrasive/annoying this week is that they were both genuinely trying to be honest with each other.

 

And yay for Avi!

 

I never understand when shows go out of their way to make up fictional things in real places. In this case, Mission Bay Field as the private airport where Albert had his plane land in San Diego doesn't actually exist. But why bother to name it at all? They could have had the pilot just say that they would be landing in San Diego soon.

[SomeJabroni]

I got my Deadwood reunion.

Plus Rose from GH's Kelly's Diner is the new Governor.

 

I thought she looked familiar!  And though I didn't recognize her when she was onscreen, Brynn Thayer (Jenny from OLTL) was the outgoing governor's wife.  Reunions all around!  Now bring back Avi.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Bryn Thayer plays Lucifer Finney's wife.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I want to know more about Finney being in love with Paige's husband. Did this happen before Paige and her husband got married? Or was this a recent thing? Were Paige and her husband ever in love or was this some kind of mutually beneficial marriage?

[Rahul]

I want to know more about Finney being in love with Paige's husband. Did this happen before Paige and her husband got married? Or was this a recent thing? Were Paige and her husband ever in love or was this some kind of mutually beneficial marriage?

I was wondering why Paige's husband was such a cuckold. His wife and Ray were clearly making eyes at each other in the boardroom and Varrick didn't seem the least bit bothered. Now it all makes sense.

Streaming tears or no, I still think Chunky Chica is after Bunchy's church settlement. She may have been playing on a long con with the move to Bakersfield or perhaps she's not that well versed in the art of psychological manipulation and the opportunity to fleece some hapless sap fell into her lap once again. Who knows at this point. Whatever the case may be, Bunchy is in for a rough ride with the vigilante undercover priest (or whatever he is).

Of course things won't work out for Ray. That was all to obvious with how uncharacteristically upbeat he was this episode, all smiles and such. Leave it to Ray to put all his eggs in one basket and start counting chickens before they've hatched. That is exactly why I'm a bit superstitious about sharing good news of endeavors on the horizon with others.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Rahul

[ethalfrida]

I noticed last night there was a record number of F-bombs thrown. When that happens I feel there is a lack of writing talent available. That used to annoy me about Debra, Dexter's sister. Kind of takes away from the points they are trying to make. 

[scrb]

Well she left and Bunchy chased her, though maybe she dropped a hint and told him where she was going to.

 

The actress Alyssa Diaz may have put on weight for the role.  Her other pictures on IMDB don't show the same kind of heft.  Though it's hard to believe she'd put on so much weight for a TV role, on a relatively obscure show.

 

 

As for the F-bombs, is it maybe a Boston Southey thing?  Abby swears up a storm while trying to send the kids to the most exclusive schools.  Maybe it's easier for Paula Malcomson to do the Southey accent with the swearing.

[Dobian]

Poor Terry.

 

Paige and her husband are all kinds of weird.

 

I was glad to see they didn't take Gidget and her teacher to creepy town...yet.  I hope it stays that way.

 

Bunchy and the latina dominatrix, least interesting storyline of the season after Gidget.

 

Now that Ray's blown it with Ian McSchane over Tinsel Teeth, can he just ask for his company back?  Avi wants to come home!

 

 

I noticed last night there was a record number of F-bombs thrown. When that happens I feel there is a lack of writing talent available. That used to annoy me about Debra, Dexter's sister. Kind of takes away from the points they are trying to make.

 

Still, her "Holy Frankenfuck" was a classic among Debra's F-bombs.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Dobian

[33kaitykaity]

And I'm yelling at the screen DON'T TELL HIM, BUNCHY.  Fuck, he told him.  That guy is one smooth operator.  

 

I so want to believe that Brendan's Dominatrix is for real, but hey, what show am I watching again?  And for the record, she's not chunky, she's not fat, she's not any of those insulting things.  So she's not a stick woman barely out of her teens with fake everything.  So what?  

 

No way a seasoned operator like governor doesn't know the outcome of that election well before what we're supposed to believe.  Politicians pay pollsters loads and oodles and scads of money.  No way a professional pol wouldn't have known.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I noticed last night there was a record number of F-bombs thrown. When that happens I feel there is a lack of writing talent available. That used to annoy me about Debra, Dexter's sister. Kind of takes away from the points they are trying to make.

I didn't notice the increase last night. But maybe I'm immune after watching The Sopranos and Deadwood.

And for the record, she's not chunky, she's not fat, she's not any of those insulting things. So she's not a stick woman barely out of her teens with fake everything. So what?

ITA - we have such an unrealistic standard of beauty and expectation of how women are supposed to look that this actress somehow qualifies as chunky? If she gained weight for this role, it was probably to make it look realistic that she was actually a full time lucha style wrestler who is taking down men in the ring. To me her body resembles that of most of the women on the American Olympic gymnastics team that won the team gold in London a few years ago (and those are women who work out a minimum of 6-8 hours per day).

No way a seasoned operator like governor doesn't know the outcome of that election well before what we're supposed to believe. Politicians pay pollsters loads and oodles and scads of money. No way a professional pol wouldn't have known.

And Finney's son knew earlier in the night so clearly something was going on. Would Finney want to spite Paige so badly that he would fix an election and lose having a governor in his pocket? It's a good thing Finney insisted that he had to release Terry immediately, not after the election as the governor wanted. Edited August 17, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Rahul]

Why isn't Audrey enrolled in school? It doesn't seem like Ginger is home schooling her either. What a disservice to the child. I hope CPS gets involved.

I was glad to see they didn't take Gidget and her teacher to creepy town...yet. I hope it stays that way.

Isn't her name Bridget? Perhaps there is something I'm missing, but I don't get the reference.

I so want to believe that Brendan's Dominatrix is for real, but hey, what show am I watching again? And for the record, she's not chunky, she's not fat, she's not any of those insulting things. So she's not a stick woman barely out of her teens with fake everything. So what?

I respectfully disagree. That wrestler is on the chunky side, not that there is anything wrong with being a zaftig woman. I'm sorry if my epithet for her offended you. Edited August 17, 2015 by Rahul

[Dobian]

Isn't her name Bridget? Perhaps there is something I'm missing, but I don't get the reference.

 

 

Yep, it's Bridget.  I prefer to call her Gidget.  Old 60s show.

[Bannon]

I noticed last night there was a record number of F-bombs thrown. When that happens I feel there is a lack of writing talent available. That used to annoy me about Debra, Dexter's sister. Kind of takes away from the points they are trying to make. 

 

I'm pretty sure that was an homage to "Deadwood", what with Al and Trixie appearing in a scene together for the first time, in 21 century Los Angeles. 

Edited August 18, 2015 by Bannon

[ethalfrida]

I'm pretty sure that was an homage to "Deadwood", what with Al and Trixie appearing in a scene together for the first time, in 21 century Los Angeles. 

Okay.

 

I totally lost track of Deadwood for some reason. Tried to find it on Netflix but it is only available on CD rental. So I don't really remember Al and Trixie. Was he the head guy and Trixie the madam?

[cattykit]

 

Still, her "Holy Frankenfuck" was a classic among Debra's F-bombs.

"Holy Mary, mother of fuck" was my favorite Debra F-bomb.  Which would be appropriate on this show, given all the Catholic church references.

 

 

I'm pretty sure that was an homage to "Deadwood", what with Al and Trixie appearing in a scene together for the first time, in 21 century Los Angeles. 

Al and Trixie would have tossed more F-bombs in the first five minutes of Deadwood than we heard in this ep. 

 

Someone explain the appeal of Katie Holmes, in any shape or form.  And the appeal of the two storylines of Ray and Abby's Kids Go Through Puberty.  One kid per week, I guess.  Yawn.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Al and Trixie would have tossed more F-bombs in the first five minutes of Deadwood than we heard in this ep. 

Becauses this never gets old, all the swearing in S1 of Deadwood. But yes, I'm pretty sure that there was more swearing in the first five minutes of the first episode than there was in this entire episode!

 

[grumpypanda]

Some random thoughts:

I hope CPS does get called in Ginger. Audrey should be in school and not spending her days with Mickey and her hooker mother.

What was Ray's plan with Finney? He had to have known that Finney would find out about his deal with Paige. Didn't Ray sign a contract with Finney?

I don't believe Paige's story about the love letter. Sounds like bullshit just to get Ray on her side. And because it can't be said enough, Katie Holmes looks hideous on this show. Please, please remove those braces and get that girl a comb.

Did I miss this great love story between Bunchy and the wrestler. I'm confused, she showed him her boobies once and bossed him around a bit and now they're in love? I almost feel like some scenes were cut out because none of it makes any sense.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

She even mentioned that they have only known each other a week which made his proposal even more ludicrous.

Edited August 18, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Rahul]

Did I miss this great love story between Bunchy and the wrestler. I'm confused, she showed him her boobies once and bossed him around a bit and now they're in love? I almost feel like some scenes were cut out because none of it makes any sense.

Luchadora with a heart of gold? I think not. However, I do think she will be Bunchy's secret weapon when Father Badass tries to off him.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The one thing she has going for her is that she already knows Bunchy was molested and she didn't run screaming so she gets some points from me. And she told Bunchy that they would not be getting married right away so more points. If her sole intent was getting his settlement money, she would probably want to marry him right away. Of course, there's also the possibility that she will just try to get him to spend it on putting on shows for her. I hope that the real reason she showed up at the diner was not because her brothers came up with that plan.

[missy jo]

Did I miss this great love story between Bunchy and the wrestler. I'm confused, she showed him her boobies once and bossed him around a bit and now they're in love? I almost feel like some scenes were cut out because none of it makes any sense.

 

 

It doesn't make any kind of sense. They've known each other a week and she's a dom and he's a sub* and so she should leave her life to live with him and then they should get married?

 

*Not that there's anything wrong with that. However ... it squicks me out that they're portraying it with a character that hasn't recovered from childhood sexual abuse.

[scrb]

Timeline seems more than a week.  Maybe she was exaggerating for effect.

 

She's been on every ep this season and last night was ep. 6.

 

She was there while Terry was rotting in prison.

[Margherita Erdman]

The show wants us to believe that that

(1) a statewide election in California can turn tide in its final days -- in an election on a scale that large, especially one that involves a high percentage of absentee/early voting, that just never happens

and

(2) a major corporate player is invested solely in one candidate/party, with no hedging of bets and no bipartisan political game plan

and -- my favorite --

(3) whether or not a new state of the art football stadium can be built (after razing a power plant on the current site) is decided entirely by the governor

The whole setup of this episode and the "crushing of the dream" by a single election result was so ludicrous it took me out of the story completely. This is 2015, not 1915. The demolition and evaluation and environmental remediation of the power plant alone would take years, and for both demolition and construction you'd have city, county, regional, and federal authorities involved as well as state agencies independent of the governor.

Plus, when moving an NFL team, even with the promise of a new stadium, don't you have to have a temporary place for the team to play while the stadium is built?

I'm willing to hand wave and suspend disbelief all the time, but this just feels like sloppy plotting, when it is supposed to be the pivotal, razor's edge, worm's turn type development

Edited to add that on further reflection I think maybe my very negative reaction to this whole plot line (aside from the borderline creepy Uncanny Valley effect of Ray actually smiling in a moment of unguarded happiness, which was also just all wrong because you know he has a better poker face than that and he wouldn't trust anything good to happen until the $ was in his hands) --

I am still bitter about the black hole of suck that was S2 of True Detective and I just don't have the stomach for another half-assed plot involving a ludicrous land deal and corrupt public officials. I live in LA, I've worked in local and state politics here, and it's rich material for storytelling, but apparently it's easier to just make shit up that's less interesting than how it really works

Edited August 18, 2015 by Margherita Erdman

[Christina]

I told myself I would not complain about Katie Holmes every week. I lied to myself, but have spared you all the blathering. However, I noticed that they kept showing her braces this episode, and think there must be a reason. I've decided that the reason is to help identify her body after she is killed, probably for screwing somebody on a deal, but possibly for annoying me during her scenes. I'm trying out a new narcissism since everyone else gets to have one :pouts: (I've been reading the Teen Mom threads).

 

Anyhoo, the actress who is playing the wrestler, Theresa I think, had several scenes where I thought they were covering a pregnancy for her. When you got a shot of her stomach, the way the clothes hung made her look pregnant, then she would move so a coat covered her. I don't know if the actress is pregnant in real life or not, it just jumped out to me because it looked like she was actually in the ring doing maneuvers, and even choreographed, I don't think she would have been if she was pregnant. If not, and she is just heavier, it's nice to see another body shape, especially one who is physically fit. EDIT: I was trying to get a screen shot, but my computer says no I'm not. If you watch as Bunchy and she are walking in to the club in the last 5 mins of the episode, you can see the rounded abdomen. No biggie, just adding it because of the comments above about her weight.

 

This season has been harder for me to watch, and I can't put my finger on why. I start and stop it a few times from boredom, and other than KH and Theresa's dominatrix story line, nothing else really bothers me. It's just dry or something. Nothing unexpected happens. I'm in for the season, and maybe on second viewing it will improve for me.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Christina

[Margherita Erdman]

Anyhoo, the actress who is playing the wrestler, Theresa I think, had several scenes where I thought they were covering a pregnancy for her. When you got a shot of her stomach, the way the clothes hung made her look pregnant, then she would move so a coat covered her. I don't know if the actress is pregnant in real life or not, it just jumped out to me because it looked like she was actually in the ring doing maneuvers, and even choreographed, I don't think she would have been if she was pregnant. If not, and she is just heavier, it's nice to see another body shape, especially one who is physically fit. EDIT: I was trying to get a screen shot, but my computer says no I'm not. If you watch as Bunchy and she are walking in to the club in the last 5 mins of the episode, you can see the rounded abdomen. No biggie, just adding it because of the comments above about her weight.

Funny because I had a similar thought, except I was wondering if maybe she's recently given birth. Because I agree she looks very fit just not in a skeletal way, more a Venus & Serena Williams way, but definitely soft and doughy around the middle, like she's losing that pregnancy paunch and the rest of the softness/puffiness you get when your body's been carrying an extra person and everything that goes with it for 9 mos.

edited because paunch not launch

Edited August 18, 2015 by Margherita Erdman

[terrymct]

And I'm yelling at the screen DON'T TELL HIM, BUNCHY.  Fuck, he told him.  That guy is one smooth operator.  

 

I so want to believe that Brendan's Dominatrix is for real, but hey, what show am I watching again?  And for the record, she's not chunky, she's not fat, she's not any of those insulting things.  So she's not a stick woman barely out of her teens with fake everything.  So what?  

 

 

I'm holding out hope that Brendan/Bunchey's new girl friend deals with the undercover priest for him and saves the day.  Of course, saving the day doesn't happen much for good people in this show.  

[Dobian]

The show wants us to believe that that

(3) whether or not a new state of the art football stadium can be built (after razing a power plant on the current site) is decided entirely by the governor

The whole setup of this episode and the "crushing of the dream" by a single election result was so ludicrous it took me out of the story completely. This is 2015, not 1915. The demolition and evaluation and environmental remediation of the power plant alone would take years, and for both demolition and construction you'd have city, county, regional, and federal authorities involved as well as state agencies independent of the governor.

Plus, when moving an NFL team, even with the promise of a new stadium, don't you have to have a temporary place for the team to play while the stadium is built.

 

Being from Northern California and having watched numerous stadium/ballpark plans over the decades, both finished, pending, cancelled, or dead in the water, I can concur that it is an exhaustive process that takes years to complete.  Before anything else, you have to get the local community where you are putting the new facility to buy into it, which can be daunting.  San Francisco recently rejected putting a new arena for the Warriors on the Embarcadero because of complaints over traffic and the height of the arena obscuring views of the bay.  The new proposed site is to the south of the Giants ballpark.  Speaking of which, it took decades and countless proposals to get that park built while the Giants suffered at Candlestick.  The Giants could have wound up in San Jose, Toronto, or Tampa, depending on what day or year you were reading the paper.  The Forty Niners bounced back and forth between San Francisco and the South Bay for twenty years trying to come up with an approved plan before finally building their new stadium in Santa Clara.  The Raiders of course defected to L.A. then returned to Oakland when they couldn't get their new stadium built down there.  The A's are still looking at the possibility of leaving the area as they flounder around with their own ballpark plan.

 

Hypothetically, if Tinsel Teeth bought the Chargers they would remain in San Diego until a stadium could be built (unless they wanted to play in, God forbid, the L.A. Coliseum like the Raiders did while they fruitlessly tried to get their stadium built in Ingleside).  And the NFL would have to approve the move to L.A. before anything else, and even if they approved it, that's not a guarantee it would ever happen.  So the Chargers could remain stuck in S.D. indefinitely.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Dobian

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Still LMAO @ Tinsel Teeth!

 

God I love this forum!

[tricknasty]

When Brace Face leaned in for a kiss Ray looked physically repulsed. What did Abby do that Ray won't forgive? If Five head and that teacher hook up, I'm gonna vomit.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

What did Abby do that Ray won't forgive?

She slept with that cop last season. Ray, being the adulterous hypocrite that he is, refuses to forgive her even though he bones randos left and right.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

She slept with that cop last season. Ray, being the adulterous hypocrite that he is, refuses to forgive her even though he bones randos left and right.

Abby annoys me, but Ray can have a stadium full of seats with his bruised ego.

Abby tiptoed out the door and got her some Cougar luvin from Det.Hurt Locker.

He needs STFU, take the Damn L and move on.

Especially since he's not going to divorce her.

[Ailianna]

Not to defend Ray's cheating or anything, but I think there is something different in what Ray does (did?  seems like that was one of the changes he is trying to make) and what Abby did.  Ray's were all "randos"--they meant nothing, and there was no emotional investment.  Abby was creating a real relationship, and thinking of moving in with/marrying this guy.  The cop was very much an emotional affair, not just sex, and I think part of the reason Ray has a hard time dealing with it is that emotions are so difficult for him.  He doesn't express his own well or easily, and he's not good at interpreting the emotions of those close to him.  If Abby was just getting some cardio, I think it would be easier for him to move past it.  Half his women were out the door before they were even dressed; he never had an emotional connection.  The reporter, maybe--but then I think it was about the situation and the challenge rather than that he could really open up to her.  Abby already knows most of his stuff and doesn't let it faze her.  Where else can he find that?

[yourmomiseasy]

Did I miss this great love story between Bunchy and the wrestler. I'm confused, she showed him her boobies once and bossed him around a bit and now they're in love? I almost feel like some scenes were cut out because none of it makes any sense.

 

I could see Bunchy thinking he was in love that quickly.  He's immature and somewhat impulsive due to his molestation.  I don't know enough about her to guess what her motivation would be and whether or not it's benign.  

Edited August 24, 2015 by yourmomiseasy

[BigBlueMastiff]

Y'all are killing me, Brace Face, Gidget, Tinse Teeth, ha ha ha. Katie Holmes is the worst, and the braces make her look like Gidget's peer not a business mogul. I've been wondering if her dad molested her and her brother, he's such a creep, and her hatred of him is so deep, beyond cuckolded hubby, deep.

 

Still can't believe Ray thought he could get away with this, and why he would ever trust Tinsel Mouth, christ.  The teacher/Gidget thing is getting weird, and creeping me out. what teacher in this day and age would have a texting relationship with a student??? I don't care how innocent it is, seems or looks, it can be misconstrued, and bye bye teaching career. Here's to hoping nothing ever comes of this.

 

ETA: Thanks, Medicine Crow, I like Tinsel Mouth, too ;)

Edited August 28, 2015 by BigBlueMastiff

[Medicine Crow]

Y'all are killing me, Brace Face, Gidget, Tinsel Mouth, ha ha ha. Katie Holmes is the worst, and the braces make her look like Gidget's peer not a business mogul. I've been wondering if her dad molested her and her brother, he's such a creep, and her hatred of him is so deep, beyond cuckolded hubby, deep.

 

Still can't believe Ray thought he could get away with this, and why he would ever trust Tinsel Mouth, christ.  The teacher/Gidget thing is getting weird, and creeping me out. what teacher in this day and age would have a texting relationship with a student??? I don't care how innocent it is, seems or looks, it can be misconstrued, and bye bye teaching career. Here's to hoping nothing ever comes of this.

We must give full credit when due -- one of our creative posters dubbed her "Tinsel Teeth".  I loved that one!!!

[paramitch]

The rage of Finney was scary as hell. Ian McShane! Freaking glorious when he just unleashed all the crazy right then and there. The total change in the party's atmosphere was stunning.  It was interesting that evidently Casey was completely aware that the Gov was going to lose (and that Paige and Ray would also lose). I'm really waiting for the reveal that Casey is just utterly and completely batshit crazy beyond anyone else in the Finney family. There's something about him that says when he cracks, it's gonna be messy. Like, with a(nother) body count messy.

 

Meanwhile, I loved Abby and Ray in this episode, and it was nice to hear him calling her "Abs" again. I think they make a good team. She understands him in ways that I think very few other people do, and while I get that she can be a pain in the ass, I like her and think she's what he needs.

 

I know it's probably all going to go downhill in all sorts of inappropriate ways, but I thought the scene of Bridget and the teacher exchanging their phones and just sitting quietly, looking at the pictures of their dead loved ones, was very moving. I just hope the guy doesn't go there with Bridge, and turns out to be a truly good guy. Come on, Ken Cosgrove, don't let me down!

 

I like Wrestler Girl and thought the actress really killed it in the scene when she gave Bunchy the conditions for a relationship. I like her. She could have been an ass and taken total advantage of him, but instead she stopped playing games and was sober, thoughtful, and very mature with him, and I love that she was disarmed in spite of herself by this guy declaring his love for her out of the blue. (It reminded me a little bit of Robin Williams's scene with Amanda Plummer in The Fisher King.)

 

I'm wondering if Paige's braces are supposed to infantilize her, to really push what a "Daddy's Little Girl" she is. They're such an odd, odd choice. They aren't exactly sexy, you know? I think Katie Holmes is perfectly beautiful, but I don't think the braces would be attractive to Ray, and thus far there's something very self-conscious about her performance-wise. I think she needs to be fiercer and colder. But we'll see.

[nyxy]

Quote

Meanwhile, I loved Abby and Ray in this episode, and it was nice to hear him calling her "Abs" again. I think they make a good team. She understands him in ways that I think very few other people do, and while I get that she can be a pain in the ass, I like her and think she's what he needs.

I'm responding a couple of years after you posted, but wanted to say I absolutely and completely agree. I think she is what he needs; in fact, he's shaped her into being the kind of person he needed. I'm not sure he is what she needs, but love goes a long way to correct any imbalances.

 

Quote

ITA - we have such an unrealistic standard of beauty and expectation of how women are supposed to look that this actress somehow qualifies as chunky? If she gained weight for this role, it was probably to make it look realistic that she was actually a full time lucha style wrestler who is taking down men in the ring. To me her body resembles that of most of the women on the American Olympic gymnastics team that won the team gold in London a few years ago (and those are women who work out a minimum of 6-8 hours per day).

Thank you so much for pointing this out, electric boogaloo. The athletic comparison is especially apt. I actually wondered if she was picked specifically for balance- to preempt any potential criticism of the show going overboard for very skinny women. Katie Holmes is a prime example IMO.

Edited September 12, 2016 by nyxy