S07.E03: Cooked

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Alicia and Lucca work together on a complicated case involving a designer drug dealer.  Meanwhile, Eli persuades Alicia and Veronica to participate in a mother-daughter cooking show to help Peter's campaign, but things don't go as planned.

 

Promo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lsuwlf133g

 

Clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZFDR6HktHI

[Ms Blue Jay]

These past two episodes have been a big, positive turn-around for me, because Alicia is actually working law cases.  This is why I started liking the show in the first place.  It's like if Olivia Pope suddenly started working Scandals again.  Can you even imagine?

 

Questions:

 

1)  Would the FBI really be that stupid and just have a Google Image popup of an undercover agent?

2)  What the fuck is the security situation at Alicia's condo, where people can just walk up and knock without any interference?  Why is my building so much more secure than her's?  Every guest is a surprise.  And Grace is no gatekeeper.

 

Noticed:

 

There was no Jeffrey Dean Morgan today.  Kind of strange.

Stockard Channing's face.  Mamma Mia.

I really like Luke Kirby, who played the opposing ASA to Alicia.  He looks like someone; not sure who yet.  Mark Ruffalo mixed with David Moscow.

 

Laughs:

 

Shooter McGavin referencing golf!  That's amazing.

The last shot of the episode, the guy nodding vigorously to Lucca asking "You exposed yourself in public?" 

Edited October 19, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Rinaldo]

Nice in-joke at the start with Lyman telling Jackie she has the face of an opera singer. Mary Beth Peil is (I suppose I have to say "was") an opera singer of some stature, with major roles and premieres to her credit.

[dbell1]

The case of the week was too convoluted for me to follow. And Grace using facial recognition software to bust an undercover agent? Yep, implausible.

Diane's face when the chosen mentee was babbling on about her internet boyfriend was all kinds of awesome.

Howard and Jackie? That should be fun to watch Ruth try and control those two.

Did not see the ending coming. Go Eli.

Edited October 19, 2015 by dbell1

[whatsatool]

Loved the cacophony but its like an old movie when single women had no locks on their front doors. Grace as secretary is hilarious.

[mrsdalgliesh]

1. Apparently the writers' room this year has a big flow chart on the wall, strictly for Eli's machinations. I'm on board for that. This season has some new life. I know some of the usual players are sidelined for a bit, but it's worth it. (Too bad Christine Baranski doesn't have a reason to be in the Alan/Margo shenanigans. Mroowr! )

2. Howard's turnaround is preposterous but welcome. Viva Jackie!

3. Of all the fiction on this show , the most irksome -- this season in particular -- is how neat and tidy Alicia's apartment is. There is No Way.

[jjj]

I am really enjoying this season-- as noted, it is cases in a courtroom, some fresh faces, and oldies but goodies. 

 

But the big flaw in the case was that the FBI, in the final stage of a two-year sting operation on a judge, was winging it with random attorney.  If I were in charge of that operation, I'd be damn sure I had a ringer representing the undercover agent. 

 

And how did this judge suddenly have time for a mini-trial?  In the first episode this year, he made a big deal of processing 300 defendants per day.  I thought his role was to decide bail and then assign cases to a court.  Plus, while any judicial misconduct is very wrong, he is very small potatoes for a two-year sting operation.  How many indigent defendants are in a position to offer bribes at this level of the process?

 

But hey, I did enjoy it.  I thought it was odd that Alicia told Eli about the sting; she could have said it was nothing to do with her or Peter, and let Eli get back to choosing plants for his office.  Oh, and having a quarter-acre desk in a closet is not the best feng shui.  (Did he have to crawl over it to sit down?)   

[buckboard]

Way to go, Alicia, blurting out to Eli that the FBI were after the judge and thus blowing attorney-client privilege that you supposedly care so much about.

Am I the only one who thinks that will come back to bite Eli and/or Alicia in the future? Judge will be caught up in something and to get out, mentions that he was warned about a trap by the chief of staff of the governor's wife, who just happened to be the attorney for the FBI agent trying to bribe him. Heck, maybe it will take down Peter, too.

Also, since when is it legal to conduct a presidential campaign IN the governor's offices?

Edited October 19, 2015 by buckboard

[jjj]

Am I the only one who thinks that will come back to bite Eli and/or Alicia in the future? Judge will be caught up in something and to get out, mentions that he was warned about a trap by the chief of staff of the governor's wife, who just happened to be the attorney for the FBI agent trying to bribe him. Heck, maybe it will take down Peter, too.

Also, since when is it legal to conduct a presidential campaign IN the governor's offices?

I don't think it will come back to bite them -- is it illegal to alert someone that they are being set up? The FBI stupidly had no agreement with Alicia.  (again, they should have had their own plant.)

 

And I said last week that no, you can't run a campaign out of a state office!  Not EVEN in Illinois! 

[Tetraneutron]

I can't believe I watched a serious, prestige, Emmy-winning drama that tried to wring dramatic tension out of a hack Three's Company plot. I was so embarrassed for Julianna Margulies and Christine Baranski. Yes, have the characters get mad at each other because of a silly misunderstanding that could have been cleared up if anyone acted remotely like a real person. 

 

It makes no sense for multiple reasons. First, why would Alicia scheme to try and get back at Lockhart/Agos/Irrelevant? She hasn't before. And why would she involve Howard? His whole deal is he's unreliable and no one likes or trusts him. And why would she care if L/A took back the charity they were giving her. She doesn't seem to need the money that bad and she would be too proud to take it. 

 

I have no idea why the show thinks we care whether Alicia gets along with her old law firm anyway. These are adults running businesses. And L/A is so boring to watch now I'm not invested in what happens there at all. And why is the show trying to retcon that Diane was Alicia's mentor? Diane originally didn't want to hire Alicia. She used Alicia's partnership for the capital contribution and then screwed her over. And she and Alicia have since been rivals or business partners when it suits them. Only really being friends after Will died. 

 

Besides, if they're going to do a plot about how millennials are lazy and ungrateful I'm going to quit the show altogether. Really, with that blonde lawyer? In the real world there are so many unemployed law school graduates they happily take unpaid internships in non-legal fields for "exposure" and are grateful for it. I'm genuinely surprised they didn't have blonde lawyer take a selfie and then snapchat it during that scene. 

Edited October 19, 2015 by Tetraneutron

[Morbs]

Well, Diane is a great/intelligent lawyer, that's why she has such a bad read on Alicia even after knowing her seven years! That storyline line seriously is like a Three's Company plot, haha.

I liked this episode a lot though. I kinda love how dumb the show can be though when it comes to comparisons to real life.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Morbs

[photo fox]

I'm getting really tired of the show writing Cary to be an idiot. There's a reason he's a founding partner at a major Chicago firm. There's no way he would make that comment in a meeting.

As soon as Alicia was so blabby about the case to Eli, I knew that would come back. That's completely OOC for her. She never volunteers information about personal stuff, let alone a case.

I did really like the COTW. The FBI agent and the opposing counsel were both great. I'm getting tired of Lucca being like a legal genie - rub her lamp and she pops out with legal magic every damn time. I like her, but it's getting ridiculous.

Eli, as always, was a highlight. I just wish his story wasn't completely separate from every other regular. The bit with Veronica was hilarious.

If they aren't going to let Cary and Diane do anything besides stand around and fret over Alicia, I wish they'd just write them out. Release Baranski and Czuchry from their contracts, and release me from watching this show.

[MissLucas]

Jackie's white suit was fantastic. Loved Eli's face during the cooking show, like a kid setting something on fire. The Diane/Alicia plot on the other hand was ridiculous.

[wonderwoman]

Kudos to the costume people this week. Looked like Diane was channeling Kalinda in that turquoise leather suit. And loved Jackie's white pantsuit. It was good to see her again. It's been a while.

[fivestone]

This was ridiculous. I don't mind if everything doesn't pop up roses for Alicia, but if this season is just going to be her getting undeserved aggression from other attorneys because of stupid misunderstandings, then I don't have time for it. Surely there is another way to drum up dramatic tension. On the plus side, I do enjoy watching Alicia work real cases. I wish the show would focus more on that than trying to manufacture ridiculous drama.

[roomtorome]

I don't get what this show is doing right now.  People are acting out of character and the story lines are absurd.  No more slapstick crap please with the small Eli office.

 

So, suddenly Alicia is dumbed down to this extent?  Is being spoon fed and manipulated on all sides?  Who is this woman?  And, that she would blab to Eli the actual situation about the judge instead of just telling him it had zero to do with her or her scummy husband?  Come on.  And, then, Eli is willing to risk Alicia's trust b going and blabbing to the judge?  And, instead of Diane asking for an explanation, she races over like in a soap opera to appear on her door and denounce here?  Ack!

 

I'm stepping back until I read things have gotten better - too many nice things on PBS this season to waste time on this drivel.  

[MoreCoffeePlease]

 

Today. 9:42 am

Kudos to the costume people this week. Looked like Diane was channeling Kalinda in that turquoise leather suit. And loved Jackie's white pantsuit.

 

 

 I agree.  Love, love, love that turquoise suit.  CB looks so supremely gorgeous all of the time. 

 

Jackie looked a tad more up-to-date in her white pantsuit.  Love it, and she didn't bother me too much.

 

JM on the other hand, looks too skinny at this point for my tastes.  It was extra obvious when she was standing in  her pant suit.

 

I agree about all of the people coming in and out of Alicia's apartment.  That is why there are rules about running a business out of your home.

 

I too am enjoying the cases of the week.  Keep it up.

[izabella]

I can't believe I watched a serious, prestige, Emmy-winning drama that tried to wring dramatic tension out of a hack Three's Company plot. I was so embarrassed for Julianna Margulies and Christine Baranski. Yes, have the characters get mad at each other because of a silly misunderstanding that could have been cleared up if anyone acted remotely like a real person.

 

I really hate the misunderstandings trope, and loathe what they did with Diane and Alicia.  So dumb.  This is not why I watch the show!

[Primetimer]

Alicia takes a break from a case involving designer GHB to go on a cooking show and yell at her mother. How's that rehabilitation strategy going, Ruth?

Read the story

[TV Diva Queen]

Enough already with the running a campaign out of state office, Its against the freaking law just ask Blago and G. Ryan how that worked out for them.  

 

Hey, did every notice that Eli's office is really really small?  I hope I didn't spoil that for you.

 

I hate the Three's Company style of the misunderstandings. UGH!! Speak up SOMEONE, use your words.  You're attorneys....that what you DO!

(I'm silently giggling at this Friends exchange)

Chandler: Oh--I think this is the episode of "Three's Company" where there's come kind of misunderstanding.

Phoebe: Then I've already seen this.

[lidarose9]

These first two episodes have been boring, stupid, and trite. Color me disappointed. 

[CleoCaesar]

What is wrong with the Kings? What is wrong with their brains that they think Howard Lyman is someone viewers want to watch? Why do they keep forcing him into episodes? Does the actor have some kind of blackmail on them? So many questions.

Really a two-year sting depends on a random lawyer's actions? The FBI couldn't use one of their own attorneys?

Yay for dumb manufactured dramaz between Alicia and Diane.

Although I like this Grace FAR more than the Grace we've seen up to this season, I have to give her sudden transformation the side-eye. A few seasons ago she was so dumb that she was practically drooling into a cup, and now she's using facial recognition software to expose undercover FBI agents. Huh?

[izabella]

Although I like this Grace FAR more than the Grace we've seen up to this season, I have to give her sudden transformation the side-eye. A few seasons ago she was so dumb that she was practically drooling into a cup, and now she's using facial recognition software to expose undercover FBI agents. Huh?

 

"With some help from Zach," lol. Totally unbelievable that Grace is suddenly all tech savvy and clever.

 

I was happy for a Jackie sighting, but I do not understand why Howard is suddenly the star of this show.  Why is Diane relegated to trying to mentor an uninterested intern, while Howard is front and center dating, suing, getting new clients, etc.?  Why is Cary a foil for Howard?  WTF?

[Rhondinella]

I'm calling BS on Grace being able to verify with Stanford that the guy never attended there.  I'm faculty at a university and I assure you that you cannot just call a registrar's office and get that kind of information.  It's called the FERPA law (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act).  It's the educational equivalent of HIPAA for medical records.  Educational records, which include not only grades but things like when a student was enrolled at a school and what classes he/she took are all private information that cannot be released without his/her consent, even to a parent if they are 18 or over.  Even people who work at the university, either staff or faculty, don't have access to those records unless they have a direct need to have them to perform a specific duty in their job.  For example, as faculty I can't just look up the schedule or grades of any student on my campus, only ones I am advisor for.

 

So, an outside stranger definitely cannot call up a school and ask them to verify the enrollment of a student without providing written evidence of the student's consent.  Schools are so terrified of being sued under this law (it happens) that employees are required to undergo yearly training on legal compliance.  Schools found to be out of compliance can lose federal funding, namely, student loans and grant funds.  So, yeah, it's a big deal.

 

To conclude: the Kings clearly have not worked in higher ed in the last 20 years.

 

1)  Would the FBI really be that stupid and just have a Google Image popup of an undercover agent?

 

 

THANK YOU!!! That was my second WTF moment of the show after the above.

 

No more slapstick crap please with the small Eli office.

 

Ok, I admit I kinda enjoyed that.  Every time.  Hee!  It reminded me of the recurring gag with the pole in the middle of Pete's office on one of the seasons of Mad Men.

 

The FBI agent and the opposing counsel were both great.

 

 

I certainly enjoyed the FBI guy more here than I did on OITNB where he bugged the hell out of me.  But to be fair that was more the stupidity of the plot than the actor himself.

 

I do not understand why Howard is suddenly the star of this show.

 

 

I'm kinda getting a kick out of Howard all of a sudden being competent.  I mean, it's a nice change, and it shows you why it is that he managed to make partner in the first place.  He couldn't have been that idiotic for his whole career if he was able to get where he is, so it's kinda nice to see that he can still turn it on when sufficiently motivated.  That's actually the plot I'm probably enjoying most.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Rhondinella

[Ms Blue Jay]

Chandler: Oh--I think this is the episode of "Three's Company" where there's come kind of misunderstanding.

Phoebe: Then I've already seen this.

 

Phoebe:  They don't know that we know that they know.   

Rachel:  And Joey, you better not tell them.

Joey:  I couldn't if I wanted to.

 

Haha, sorry guys

 

I kind of enjoyed Eli's office too.  I'm a bit ashamed of that because I can't explain why.  Like why couldn't Eli put the desk against one wall.  Maximize space.  It'd be amazing if he had a decorator.  Well amazing for me. Most of the audience would probably hate that.  More Eli is always fine for me.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Pixie Chicken]

I really like Luke Kirby, who played the opposing ASA to Alicia. He looks like someone; not sure who yet. Mark Ruffalo mixed with David Moscow.

He played the reporter for Life magazine in The Astronaut Wives' Club miniseries, though he had thick black eyeglass frames there. "Who IS that guy?!" was niggling at me for a good 20 minutes.

[dargosmydaddy]

He also plays a lawyer on the wonderful show Rectify. 

[candall]

The big news with Jackie wasn't the suit!  She FINALLY got rid of that one ridiculous rolled curl at the bottom of her big bouffant that ran from ear to ear all the way around the back of her head.  That curl has been driving me to distraction for years.

 

The more Howard touched her, the softer her hairdo became.  Heh!

 

Stockard, I weep for you.

 

I knew it was going to be about the judge and I knew Eli was going to be the one who intervened.  Stupid for Alicia to be a blabbermouth and equally stupid it doesn't even occur to her the one other person who might have ratted.  Do we know the person Eli named when he went to the judge for his payoff?

 

If getting rid of the whole election angle meant losing Eli, I'd be okay with the sacrifice.  I think Alicia leaving the petticoat clients behind and getting down with the scruff is interesting.  It wouldn't be hard to finagle some of those clients having connection/opposition overlap with Diane & Cary.  More law, less campaign!

 

 

[Athena5217]

This Hillary running mate story line has almost driven me away from the show, and it's only to third episode. It wouldn't be so bad opinion it was an imaginary presidential candidate, but when they use a real name, they have to use the real facts about the person. Hillary would have to be the dumbest politician ever to pick Peter as her running mate because 1) his sex scandals remind everyone of Bill's sex scandals: 2) she is from Illinois so she doesn't need Peter to deliver that state; and 3) Peter has been in prison and many people would not like the idea of an ex-con being a heartbeat away from the presidency. So whether you like Hillary or hate her, you have to admit that she is not that dumb.

I like Alicia being on her own, and I'd be happy if the show focused on that. If they need a secondary storyline, bring back Owen.

[lovinbob]

I kind of enjoyed Eli's office too.  I'm a bit ashamed of that because I can't explain why.  Like why couldn't Eli put the desk against one wall.  Maximize space.  It'd be amazing if he had a decorator.  Well amazing for me. Most of the audience would probably hate that.  More Eli is always fine for me.

I loved when said something like, "A few plants, I think I really can make something of it." Without a hint of sarcasm, yet so ridiculous it's obviously insincere. Can't adequately describe it, but I loved it.

 

Stockard Channing... why, why why?

[anniebird]

What the hell happened to Stockard Channing's face?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Based on the promo for this episode, I thought the cooking show was going to be more of a disaster and take up much more of our time. I was surprised that it was barely a blip in the episode. Not that I'm complaining. I don't need to see round 97 of Alicia vs. Veronica. But it was still worth it for two reasons (1) watching Veronica laugh and laugh and then laugh some more when Eli explained what the show was and that he wanted her and Alicia to do it together (2) Eli's naughty boy face when the show was blowing up and then Ruth called him.

 

Of course the simplest solution would have been for Grace and Alicia to do the show together because it's still generational and family values but without a drunk loose cannon like Veronica.

 

I also loved the look on Diane's face as the summer intern was going on and on about how she hadn't dated anyone in three years and blah blah blah. I could practically see the cartoon bubble over her head that said, "What the fuck?"

[TigerLynx]

What I got out of this episode was that these people have double crossed and stabbed each other in the back so many times, that now they just assume that is what is going on.

 

What is Eli's plan?  All of these supposedly great legal minds, investigators, political operators, whatever, are now completely inept and incompetent in order for the dumb plots to work so all Eli has to do is sit back and watch them dig their own graves.  As much as I enjoy the actor, Eli is being wasted just like Alicia, Diane and Cary.

[preeya]

The guy who played the FBI UC agent was on L&O SVU last week.

[beeble]

Come and knock on our door...yeah, add me to the list of people not bowled over by the wacky highjinks this week.

 

Does Grace even go to school any more? 

 

So Alicia can't divulge non-privileged info about Howard but can blurt out privileged info on a f**king FBI sting? Has she not met Eli? 

 

Speaking of the FBI...way to create a super-secret under cover dude. If Grace, a Catholic school drop-out (I'm guessing here) can figure this out in a few hours then surely the criminal masterminds of the worlds he is trying to infiltrate can do it in the same amount of time...assuming they also hire Grace, which they might if she decides they need more Jesus (a topic I'm grateful she seems to have forgotten about).

 

You can't hire a hot investigator and not show him charming the pants off everyone. 

 

But I love Stockard Channing. I had some wine but I haven't been drinking. Best line ever.

[grannygeek]

*What the hell happened to Stockard Channing's face?*

Anniebird, somebody might have found the key to the closet with her painting in it.

[txhorns79]

I don't recall seeing Alicia give Eli a token $1 bill to hire him as his attorney so that their conversations would be privileged, but even if she had, that information is privileged between her and Roland, regardless of what his name is.

 

I feel like I'm missing something.  I'm pretty sure you don't need to have paid your attorney to make the conversation privileged.  For example, if I meet with an attorney about taking a claim, but he ends up not agreeing to the representation after we talk about the case, it doesn't mean that he can suddenly be called to the stand to testify about our conversation, just because we didn't exchange money.      

[Julie23]

I'm with the group that does not need to see more Howard. Why the sudden redemption? Why is L-A not taking any cases anymore? They just seem to sit around in conference rooms all the time. Why is this firm still on the show?

Sad that Eli betrayed Alicia for his own ends, but loved his plotting on the cooking show.

Oh No She Di-int! - Grace finding the FBI agent on line via facial recognition? Seriously? Unbelievable. Most police forces don't even have that, let alone some random internet user.

I was really liking the Alicia-Diane plot until they ruined it with stupid, stupid misunderstanding plot device.

[marny]

I feel like I'm missing something.  I'm pretty sure you don't need to have paid your attorney to make the conversation privileged.  For example, if I meet with an attorney about taking a claim, but he ends up not agreeing to the representation after we talk about the case, it doesn't mean that he can suddenly be called to the stand to testify about our conversation, just because we didn't exchange money.      

 

You're completely correct.  I'm an attorney.  If I meet with a potential client, and they ultimately decide not to hire me to represent them, I'm still bound by privilege.  Just like Alicia was bound by privilege not to reveal the content of her conversation with Howard even though she didn't agree to take his case.  Alicia violated privilege big-time by revealing to Eli what was going on with her client and the FBI sting.  Eli wasn't bound by anything-- he wasn't Alicia's counsel-- but Alicia definitely was. Funny how she wouldn't tell Diane about what was going on with Howard because of privilege, but didn't hesitate to tell Eli everything about her actual client.

[pennben]

 

Funny how she wouldn't tell Diane about what was going on with Howard because of privilege, but didn't hesitate to tell Eli everything about her actual client.

 

That drove me up the wall!!  Honestly, Alicia is smart and ethical when talking to Diane, so as to preserve the drama and misunderstanding between them; Alicia was stupid and breached a fundamental code of ethics when talking to Eli, so as to allow Eli to hatch a plan to get the judge to owe him a favor. 

 

I guess there is an overriding code of ethics that the plot is the ultimate client to be served above all others that I missed when studying for the bar, glad it didn't come up when I took the exam!:)

Edited October 20, 2015 by pennben

[beeble]

As irritatingly naive as Alicia continues to be, I will say that I love how evil Eli can be. He's the Peter Baelish of the show. Now I'm just waiting for him to sell off Grace to one of Mitt Romney sons.

[Kel Varnsen]

Shooter McGavin referencing golf!  That's amazing.

Not only that but when the other guy wanted to change the topic of conversation he said "shoot" and did the finger gun thing. 

 

On top of what everyone else has said the only other thing that bugged me is, has anyone else ever heard of a reality show that is shot live? It seems that the whole thing with Alicia and her mom ending up on TV, and probably going crazy on youtube would hurt her reputation at least as bad as the election scandal did.  Especially her reputation as it relates to her potentially becoming the first lady of the united states. 

[wendyg]

Couple of points:

 

- Maybe Grace couldn't have called Stanford, but she *could* have used one of the online services that will verify credentials for you for a modest fee. Employers (and others) do this sort of thing all the time. That said, I don't like this abrupt transformation of Grace. I never thought she was as dumb as others did, but I think we could be shown her getting up to speed rather than arriving fully formed. I also think it's useless to say someone called and said you were due in court in an hour without mentioning what *time* they called. And, you know: doesn't Luca have Alicia's cell phone number? A timed-stamped text message would be a more reliable communication.

 

- It would have been so much more fun - but probably was time the writers didn't want to take - if Eli had realized Ruth was probably pulling the meeting time ploy and checked with someone and had her know he'd do that and pull a last-minute reschedule. Seeing smart people second-guess each other is always fun.

 

- I didn't get the sense the intern was entitled, just, like Caitlin, making different choices than older feminists did. And I rather like the Kings pointing that out, because the varying expectations are a real issue that comes up in real life.

 

- I'd have expected anyone political operative mentioning Hillary and the chocolate chip cookies to immediately scrub whatever event they were comparing it to because that was a total and complete disaster.

 

- Eli's small office took me all the way back to the Marx Brothers and the very famous stateroom scene from A NIGHT AT THE OPERA. Which of course was an elaboration of umpteen clown cars. But the stateroom scene begins just that way with a giant trunk that impedes opening the door. Anything more recent surely derives from that. If you haven't seen it, hie thee to YouTube (and then watch the whole movie!).

Edited October 21, 2015 by wendyg

[MissLucas]

As irritatingly naive as Alicia continues to be, I will say that I love how evil Eli can be. He's the Peter Baelish of the show. Now I'm just waiting for him to sell off Grace to one of Mitt Romney sons.

And now I long for a 'chaos is a ladder'-speech at the end of the show when Eli has thoroughly trashed Peter's campaign.

[Driad]

 

The crowded cabin scene from "A Night at the Opera" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZvugebaT6Q

 

[MissLucas]

 

 

The crowded cabin scene from "A Night at the Opera" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZvugebaT6Q

 

Thanks - I knew those shenanigans looked oddly familiar!

[dinkysquid]

Jackie should have hooked up with Howard ages ago because all of a sudden, she seemed somewhat "human," and in that killer white pantsuit, she looked.....dare I say it.......LOVELY!!!!! She is obviously a woman from the Age Naturally School, either that or she has one damn good doctor, unlike poor Stockard whose face actually scared me for a second. Why do women think that tons of Botox, puffed up chipmunk cheeks, weird lips and too-long eighties hair, make them look younger? They look like desperate FREAKS!!! Again, I go back to the Brits - ladies like Helen Mirren, Judy Dench who are aging with class, and dignity and looking bloody good in the process.

 

JM needs to eat a hamburger. Or three. She has become thinner with each season. Her legs!!!! Ugh!  

[izabella]

Why do women think that tons of Botox, puffed up chipmunk cheeks, weird lips and too-long eighties hair, make them look younger? They look like desperate FREAKS!!!

 

This proliferation of plastic surgery, fillers, botox and wahtnot is one of the saddest and freakiest things that's happened to modern actresses.  Even men are getting into it now, and I feel like nobody looks better.  What's worse, most of it prevents them from actually being to use their faces to emote, which every actor needs to do.  It's sad to me that people feel the need to deform themselves to look "younger."  They don't look younger.  They look like they had work done and it's usually somewhat freaky. 

[Tetraneutron]

- I'd have expected anyone political operative mentioning Hillary and the chocolate chip cookies to immediately scrub whatever event they were comparing it to because that was a total and complete disaster.

That's Alicia's arc for the whole season so far. She wants to be an independent woman, evil Peter and his flying monkey Ruth want to sacrifice her and make her into a 1950s housewife to fulfill Peter's political ambitions, without caring about her own thoughts and goals and needs. And it's sexist and gross and flies in the face of everything that's happened to her since she stood by Peter's side, humiliated, as he went on TV and talked about banging hookers. This makes Alicia sympathetic and rootable as a character. (Or so the show thinks).

 

It's an old trick of the show. The easiest way to have the audience on Alicia's side is to have the world against her, usually in the form of people projecting sexist assumptions on her, whether it's that she can't cut it as a lawyer because she was a SAHM, whether it's people laughing at her for being the punchline in Peter's sex scandals, whether it's people assuming she slept with Will when she didn't. Now (apparently) the character REALLY needs sympathy, so they're pulling out all the stops. I suppose it's believable that campaign managers, even Democrats in a blue state, would think it's politically prudent to do the Hillary-baking-cookies ploy of 1992. I mean, Michelle Obama's an accomplished professional but all the WH ever lets her do is garden and tell kids about vegetables.

[wendyg]

I read somewhere an interview with Christine Baranski, who recounted that early in her career someone advised her to fix the gap between her front teeth. She took the advice. Would the wondrous actress we know her to be ever have had a chance if she hadn't? We'll never know. But neither will she - and not having a spare lifetime to experiment with, she didn't take the risk.

 

Tjhe one that really saddens me is Carol Burnett, who had a fabulous career, and yet throughout it had enormous amounts of work done - which she admits. Even her chin was reshaped at one point.