S02.E07: Episode 7

[formerlyfreedom]

Feeling nothing but pain and conflict, Taylor continues to become emotionally undone as he tries to find a way to stop feeling like a victim; and Anne's private medical records are anonymously posted online in an effort to shame her. The act catches the attention of Sebastian, who makes another attempt to engage Anne. Meanwhile, Leslie offers a generous settlement to Evy's father in order to protect the school from litigation, and Eric tries to find some misguided solace with a stranger.

[represent]

I'm only half way through this episode and OMG, WTF?

 

Oh the heavy that is this show.

 

I'm crying at this woman sitting there clutching her son, this is horrid. 

 

He was leaving, he was leaving. I think what the secretary said to him and then going in an watching the dancers, he had changed his mind.

 

But then the bullying ensued, petrified and gun at hand...lives changed forever.

Edited February 18, 2016 by represent

[Primetimer]

And more not-quite-burning questions sparked by the latest episode.

Read the story

[janeta]

I missed part of it-- who did Eric slash?

[Madding crowd]

This show is horrible. Once again I am sitting here crying. Too heavy handed and trying to deal with too many subjects. And again with the stupid dancers. 

[PQuinn]

Is everyone ok? I'm still not.

[represent]

Oh and what happened to Eric? They never went back to him, did he kill that guy? I think he stabbed him with something.

 

And was he prostituting himself or was it just another hook up?

[Jodie Landon]

I really wish that I hadn't watched tonight. This was probably the most depressing thing I've ever seen on television.

[Broderbits]

I'm just really disappointed in the way Taylor's story has unfolded; it feels like he never had a chance. Now his life is pretty much over and the kids who put this whole thing in motion are going to get away with it, no one has learned anything, no one except Taylor is going to suffer any consequences. Plus, his former caretaker should have checked to see that the gun was still in the drawer after he spent so long in the bedroom and went banging out of the house.

What was the point of the Sebastian character? There can't be that many episodes left, are they saving a big surprise for the finale?

[tennisgurl]

So...anyone else need a picture of some puppies or something?

 

I really need to know what happened with Eric. 

[PQuinn]

@represent. It was a hook up -- they connect via a cruising app. I think he either stabbed him with a knife or a piece of the beer bottle; it was hard to tell.

[represent]

 

 

Are you okay after this episode?

I'm not either.

No, I'm not but I'll tell you right now, this show better win an Emmy. I wish it could be eligible for an Oscar.  This entire ensemble deserves it, these young actors are outstanding.

@represent. It was a hook up -- they connect via a cruising app. I think he either stabbed him with a knife or a piece of the beer bottle; it was hard to tell.

Thanks.

[TobinAlbers]

Yeah, that school secretary prevented Taylor's rampage. His shooting Wes was actually more a self-reflexive defense move but with his leaving behind the list of names and having the gun and trespassing since he was no longer a student...::sigh:: there's the argument of pre-meditation. His injuries from the attack only give more evidence of his coming there for payback....damn, I just so sad for Taylor and Anne.

And it was telling, Taylor went to his mother, finally, when it was all said and done. He trusted her to know what to do because he knew he was lost. And rather than cover it up, she made the heart wrenching right choice of turning him in once she got a handle on the situation, got the gun away from him, and sent everyone else out of harm's way. And then her clinging to him and him just sinking bank to collapse into her....goodness.

Eric having to use near lethal force to escape his own attack....wow.

And the coach's daughter is the school dealer. Someone pointed out that not only is she now involved in the shooting now, if she was the one who provided the drugs at the party where Taylor was raped she's involved in another crime as well.

Coach is hip to the principal's deal but it may be too little too late. His daughter is going to be the final straw once it comes out she supplied the drugs to Taylor before the shooting.

No exaggeration that was an amazingly well done, complex, emotional hour of acting, story, and directing.

[Eolivet]

I'll be honest: while the shooting on school grounds was horrific (and I kept silently hoping Taylor wouldn't shoot the nice secretary when Leslie was gone), it didn't hit me anywhere near as hard as the guy attempting to rape Eric did.

 

It just occurred to me that the guy likely used the excuse about "needing a beer" to have the bottle opener to incapacitate his victims. Disturbing on every level.

 

I really could've lived without that, show. Taylor, I get -- his is an awful tragedy, but Eric's story seemed gratuitous. Am I supposed to feel...something, since Eric all but admitted to raping Taylor? Am I supposed to be...I don't know...assured that rapists get theirs? Because I'm not.

 

Taylor's story had pathos -- Eric's was just senseless.

[represent]

 

Coach is hip to the principal's deal but it may be too little too late. His daughter is going to be the final straw once it comes out she supplied the drugs to Taylor before the shooting.

Yep, when he said his wife tells him that he's too trusting, I was like yes, listen to your wife. She seems like a smart woman, you've probably been married long enough...always listen to your wife. 

 

Too bad it may be too little to late like you said, since his daughter apparently is a drug dealer.This shouldn't surprise us though given her lack of understanding when it comes to the concept of "guilt."

 

Also, had it been  a more mature, introspective teenager, Taylor might have gotten that hug and comfort that he was seeking when he told her that he just needed to be with someone. 

 

Unfortunately, she didn't get it. She didn't have the capacity to understand that, he didn't want sex, he wanted a friend. He wanted that more than the drugs.

Edited February 18, 2016 by represent

[possibilities]

Damn.

 

Grace has a lot of guts. I like her. And I like that a small kindness can have such a powerful positive result. More people should try it.

 

I didn't understand why Anne rejected Sebastian's offer to help. Did she think he was pranking her? I guess that would make some sense, after so many other betrayals and disappointments.

 

The bully (Wes?) doesn't really have my sympathy. It's bad that Taylor shot him, but at the same time, he was assaulting Taylor (again) and at a certain point you have to think he can expect that to have some consequences for him. For anyone who thinks it's terrible what happened to him, well... I agree, the response was disproportionate, and I'm not defending it. But the whole stand your ground movement justifies murdering in cold blood with much less provocation. We can't honestly live in a world that says Taylor is wrong without also convicting a hell of a lot of people who have already been exonerated (legally). So I hope the show demonstrates the hypocrisy of any inconsistency around who gets punished. I don't defend murder. But Taylor is more sympathetic than a lot of the people who get away with it, and his victim was not an innocent either. I really hope they don't gloss over all of that.

 

Of course, Taylor leaving his notebook behind will make it look premeditated.

 

I was astonished that Taylor went to his mom after the shooting. I think I was more surprised by that than by the shooting itself.

 

And people: lock up your guns for godsake.

 

Eric's story shows how consent works or doesn't. Just because he was in the car doesn't mean he wanted or deserved to be assaulted. And his ability to defend himself against the attack... will that be seen in the same light for him as for Taylor? Guns vs knives... it's easy to see why one should be more regulated than the other.

 

I was surprised that blonde girl-- Coach's daughter/the drug dealer-- was so friendly to Taylor and acted like she didn't have any awareness of his pariah status. She's been oblivious before, but the way the show has focused on the machinations of the people against him, until tonight they really made it seem like there wasn't any support. I think that's interesting. In a lot of high stress situations, I bet that's how it feels. The bad actors get the most notice, and the neutral or supportive people are in the background, not really speaking up or taking part or having the impact that they could. I realize Becca... is that her name?... was interested in making a sale, but still-- I highly doubt that she's hurting for customers, and she could have made a sale while throwing a lot more shade than she did. Surprising. She almost seemed like a kid, not the jaded monster she seemed like in some of her other scenes.

 

Is it true there are only 3 more episodes? I guess they plan to pick the pacing up a lot compared to how they've managed the first 2/3 of the season, or else leave a lot of loose ends.

 

I guess not everyone worships Terri. I'm glad. I don't know if her boss suspects she's responsible for the leaking of Anne's medical records, or what exactly pushed him over the edge with ignoring her shit, but I didn't see it coming, and again it shows that there is not as much consensus as it may often appear there is, when certain people look like they are unstoppable and in charge.

 

Eric's brother is a little shit, but I guess he gets it from his mom. Not that I think he doesn't have reason to have issues with his brother, but turning it into "God Hates Fags" is an unimpressive move. I did love that the principal who doesn't give a shit about his own bigotry got reamed for trying to take some kind of moral high ground with the dad. Chickens will come home to roost.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Eric slashed his hookup with the bottle opener. At least that's what the closed captioning said and they wouldn't have used such a big deal sound effect (opening the beer, hearing the cap fall off as opposed to a twist top) if they hadn't wanted to convey that to the viewer.

Binge watched the prior episodes over the weekend. Wanted to smack Leslie from the jump. Such a manipulative character. So scary for the people who unwittingly trusted her.

[Madding crowd]

I think it was too much showing Eric being assaulted, seeing the aftermath of Taylor's assault, and the shooting. This is going to end badly for everyone, isn't it? I have such a hard time seeing teenagers hurting, it's just killing me. The actors who play Taylor and Eric in particular are great.

 

i was scared that Taylor was going to shoot the nice secretary too, just because he was in a crazy state of mind. I thought the part with Becca seemed a little off-I get it that she is a dealer but have we seen any kind of relationship between the two characters before? I would think she would stay clear of him unless they were friends which wasn't shown before. Still think there is too much going on here and would have preferred if they stayed with the sexual assault story and the difficulties faced by the gay students, without adding in the school shooting.

[izabella]

I'm speechless.

 

So I'll just ask...did anyone else think that was Priscilla Presley's face on the poster Taylor bought?

[TobinAlbers]

Another thought regarding Anne- it's so sad that she did exactly what we hope and pray women/mothers who recognize they need help do and actually got help for herself while making sure her son was cared for instead of trying to forge ahead with things getting worse for herself and her son to the point she opts out and takes him with her. She had the clarity, strength, and wisdom to take those actions and it's getting thrown back in her face as a weakness to be exploited. She knows it was the best thing she could've done and yet she does feel guilty which compounds her desire to make it up to Taylor.

And yet she didn't go so far as to take Taylor and run, but they both stay and face up to the consequences. That woman is tough. Leslie will break before she will.

Edited February 18, 2016 by TobinAlbers

[Lemons]

@represent. It was a hook up -- they connect via a cruising app. I think he either stabbed him with a knife or a piece of the beer bottle; it was hard to tell.

he cut him with the bottle opener. He likes to hook up and just make out.

[tennisgurl]

This show seems to be trying to tackle as many social issues as it possibly can in a relatively short amount of time. We have already had rape, homophobia, racism, classicism, drinking, drugs, consent, and sex involved with social media, and now we are adding more rape, mental illness, and school shooting? That is a lot of balls up in the air, show.

 

It seems like they are really going with the school shooter angle (especially with next week and the interviews with real survivors), which I think can get a little tricky. Taylor, while absolutely in the wrong for what he did, and what he almost did, has been an extremely sympathetic character, who seemed to be in an extremely out of it state of mind when he shot that other student. He hardly seemed to understand what he did until it had already happened. Whereas, we hardly know the shooting victim. All we know is that he was one of the homophobic assholes who beat up a rape victim, and was in the middle of threatening to kill him. If they want to talk about the real things that have happened in the real world, they are going to run into some problems here.

 

While Taylor was having his drug vision, there was a flash of him as a kid. Are they implying he was molested or something, and that it was maybe a repressed memory that came back at the party? The party that we will probably never really understand?   

[numbnut]

Poor Taylor. Everyone's so incapable of helping him and he can't help himself. Sad. WTF happened in that minivan? I don't understand the perpetrator. Is he a violent homophobe? Is he a serial killer? Are his dead victims scattered throughout the state? I'm getting frustrated with the glacial pacing. Only three eps left and key characters like Kevin are fading into the background? Is he important to the story or not? Meanwhile Sebastian was introduced way too late and his scenes are too brief.

[Woebegone]

It just occurred to me that the guy likely used the excuse about "needing a beer" to have the bottle opener to incapacitate his victims. Disturbing on every level.

 

I don't think the attack was premeditated. I think he has issues of his own and when Eric kept going on and on about his problems -- he just snapped. Eric was the one who used the bottle opener, not the guy attacking him.

 

I don't really know what to say. It seems like this show is just trying dump more and more crap on its characters and it really feels like they've pushed things too far.

[represent]

 

Leslie will break before she will.

I agree, because Leslie has OCD and needs/must control everything and shit has long spun out of control. And based on the previews she's now lose control of staff because the coach calls her out so...

 

Anne is amazing IMO, I would watch the scene again if I could keep from crying, wow.  "I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving him..." OMG, the heart strings/ the hit in the gut from watching that scene. 

 

Nobody would help this woman and her son. This is a clear case of  the system failing it's most needy once again.

Edited February 18, 2016 by represent

[Woebegone]

Poor Taylor. Everyone's so incapable of helping him and he can't help himself. Sad. WTF happened in that minivan? I don't understand the perpetrator. Is he a violent homophobe? Is he a serial killer? Are his dead victims scattered throughout the state? I'm getting frustrated with the glacial pacing. Only three eps left and key characters like Kevin are fading into the background? Is he important to the story or not? Meanwhile Sebastian was introduced way too late and his scenes are too brief.

 

I thought Kevin's involvement at the party was hinted at again because he was the second person on Taylor's list after Eric, which is interesting because Taylor didn't mention him at all when he was questioned by police. And Kevin's own version of events places him well out of the way of what we've been told happened. So he's definitely involved, maybe not as the primary assailant (which still seems to be Eric at this point), but enough to warrant a place on Taylor's enemies list.

[Lemons]

Anne is amazing IMO, I would watch the scene again if I could keep from crying, wow.  "I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving him..." OMG, the heart strings/ the hit in the gut from watching that scene. 

 

 

 

Anne seems to be the only parent who is completely there for her child and wants to do what's best for him.  Eric has no one.  His mother is rejected him because of religion.  He hateful brother rejected him.  His father is weak and can't help him.  Kevin's parents seem more interested in his future success and money than what kind of man he will grow up to be.  The coach's daughter has an ineffective father. 

 

I wish they hadn't thrown a murder in the mix.  Way too much.

[FanOfTheFans]

I'm just sick and angry after watching tonight. Angry everyone failed Taylor and sick about the shooting. I totally see why this child was driven to this point. What a mess. My heart aches for kids trying to grow up in this atmosphere. So much dysfunction. It really brings it home how difficult it is for young people to navigate their teen years and come out unscathed.

[Armchair Critic]

I'm so sad and angry for Taylor and his mother. 

[sjohnson]

This is one time when the games with the camera are not just a distraction but a positive disservice. There were no witnesses to the dead kid screaming "I'll kill you" at Taylor. Therefore the only plausible course of events at this point is the cops arrest Taylor and everybody vilifies him. The only serious question left is whether he's tried as an adult so they can kill him. It is not believable that anybody but Anne and his lawyer will care about anything. Sebastian has nothing to offer that anyone will be interested in. Eric can report being attacked or the guy can lie about Eric and it won't matter because it won't be prosecuted either way lest it foul up the official story on a school shooting.

[numbnut]

I thought Kevin's involvement at the party was hinted at again because he was the second person on Taylor's list after Eric, which is interesting because Taylor didn't mention him at all when he was questioned by police. And Kevin's own version of events places him well out of the way of what we've been told happened. So he's definitely involved, maybe not as the primary assailant (which still seems to be Eric at this point), but enough to warrant a place on Taylor's enemies list.

 

I got all that but I was referring to screen-time. The show started focusing on Taylor and Eric as if Kevin doesn't have a storyline that can explore his motivations.

[Bobbin]

@sjohnson -- We don't execute children even if they're tried as adults. There is even a movement to ban mandatory life without the possibility of parole for teenage felons. Besides, Taylor is well-justified in pleading not guilty by reason of emotional incapacitation.

[FiveByFive]

This episode made me feel like I was thrown down a flight of stairs after. Wow, what a great hour of television!

 

Only three eps left and key characters like Kevin are fading into the background?

 

I feel like we're about to circle back around to him.  Taylor flashing on "Kevin" in a shot from a scene I don't think we've seen before makes me think he def. had something to do with with went down. 

 

So many parallels explored this episode:

 

• Eric needs to talk to someone so he confided in a trick that tries to rape him. Taylor needs to talk to someone so he tries to hang with a drug dealer who can't understand he doesn't need sex but he needs a friend.
• While the principle of the school is upset at a Eric's dad for not doing enough to stop his son's homophobic behavior, the same parent is calling out the principle for not doing something to solve their school's race issues. 

 

The difference between Anne/Taylor and The LaCroix's and Eric's parents are pretty clear at this point:  

 

• While Anne may have not been the best mother a few years ago, she tries her damndest to get into Taylor's head to see who he is as a person.  She didn't care that he was gay. She wanted to help him when he wouldn't help himself. She stays with him to the very end. She doesn't care that they are destroying her life. She just wants her son to be able to have one.
• Kevin's parents have a perfect future planned for their child and they refuse to see him for who he really is. He has to date who they want. He has to play basketball how they want. It's about him but it's not really about him. It's about their idea of him. The son in their head could NEVER do something horrible.
• Coach and his wife's daughter is up to no good.  They seem to suspect something but neither takes the time really delve into it.
• Eric's father is trying to hold it all together but still won't talk to his son about what's happening inside of his head. I was happy when Eric finally had his, "but what about ME" moment with him. 

 

When piecing together what happened that night I'm reminded of the end of a great movie, Eve's Bayou. Long story short, we're not really sure what happened between two characters in the film even after hearing both their sides but we're told, "the truth changes color, depending on the light. And tomorrow can be clearer than yesterday." Both Taylor and Eric could be correct in what happened based upon their own perspectives or they could both be wrong. We shall see. 

 

I don't really know what to say. It seems like this show is just trying dump more and more crap on its characters and it really feels like they've pushed things too far.

You've never seen a season of Shameless? j/k ... but actually ...

Edited February 18, 2016 by FiveByFive

[vixenbynight]

Bravo to Connor and Lili for their amazing performance in last night's episode.

My heart aches for Taylor and Annie.

Nothing will ever be "okay" for that family.

As much as Taylor tried so hard to try and keep things and folks from messing with his mom, Anne was attempting to do the same thing in order to get justice and make things right for her son.

The cast of this season should be very proud of their work on this show.

[Woebegone]

I felt terrible for Anne. No mother should be put in the situation that she was put in at the end of the episode. I don't think I could have handled that nearly as well as she did.

But she made it worse from the very beginning. She wouldn't let it go, so Taylor couldn't let it go. He got attacked last episode because the basketball team blames him for snitching and in this episode her medical records released because of the lawsuit. Her priority should be to take care of Taylor and that's not what she's doing right now.

[Neurochick]

I felt terrible for Anne. No mother should be put in the situation that she was put in at the end of the episode. I don't think I could have handled that nearly as well as she did.

But she made it worse from the very beginning. She wouldn't let it go, so Taylor couldn't let it go. He got attacked last episode because the basketball team blames him for snitching and in this episode her medical records released because of the lawsuit. Her priority should be to take care of Taylor and that's not what she's doing right now.

 

This is a very good point.  I think this program is showing the effect that social media has on all of this.  When I was in college over 30 years ago, I knew of a girl who was gang raped, I heard about it after the fact.  She left school and I never knew what happened to her.  What happened to her was terrible and nothing happened to the guys who raped her.  However because there was no social media at that time, what happened wasn't broadcast for all to see.  For all I know, she could have gotten therapy, gone to school in another state and may even have a good life now.  Last week, Taylor told, I don't know if it was the therapist something important.  He said that if he'd been dragged down a dark alley and raped, then he would just not go down that street, but because of how this happened, Taylor had to relive it over and over again.  That's what social media has done, people now have to relive shit over and over again.  Anne never would have brought charges against anybody, had Taylor not been suspended and Taylor wouldn't have been suspended had it not been for the pictures.  

 

Don't get me wrong, Eric raped Taylor, Taylor was drugged and Taylor was the victim, but the real crime was that Taylor wasn't allowed to heal.  It seems today that teen victims really can't heal from their bullying and abuse by classmates, and that's even if they change schools.  

[PQuinn]

This is a very good point.  I think this program is showing the effect that social media has on all of this.  When I was in college over 30 years ago, I knew of a girl who was gang raped, I heard about it after the fact.  She left school and I never knew what happened to her.  What happened to her was terrible and nothing happened to the guys who raped her.  However because there was no social media at that time, what happened wasn't broadcast for all to see.  For all I know, she could have gotten therapy, gone to school in another state and may even have a good life now.  Last week, Taylor told, I don't know if it was the therapist something important.  He said that if he'd been dragged down a dark alley and raped, then he would just not go down that street, but because of how this happened, Taylor had to relive it over and over again.  That's what social media has done, people now have to relive shit over and over again.  Anne never would have brought charges against anybody, had Taylor not been suspended and Taylor wouldn't have been suspended had it not been for the pictures.  

 

Don't get me wrong, Eric raped Taylor, Taylor was drugged and Taylor was the victim, but the real crime was that Taylor wasn't allowed to heal.  It seems today that teen victims really can't heal from their bullying and abuse by classmates, and that's even if they change schools.  

"but the real crime was that Taylor wasn't allowed to heal"

You just made me cry at work. Thankfully it's early and I'm on my own. But you are so right.  This show has made a mess of me.

[elzin]

That scene in the van was horrifying. Yeah yeah so much of the show (both this season and last) is horrifying, but for me, that van scene was one of the most terrifying things I've seen.  And unless I missed what was going on because of the weird editing this show does, when you're just sitting there talking and then mid-sentence the person you're talking to leaps up and starts whaling on you? Yeah, that's a thing that happens. I'm surprised I got any sleep last night instead of trigger-induced nightmares.

 

I'm ... well... I wouldn't say ENJOYING because this show is not fun, but I'm preferring this season to last. It's bleaker in some ways, but there is a tiny bit more hope. The constant changes that keep happening, that you think the show is going to be about this thing and then it says no we're going to be about that thing, then it says no we're going to do this third thing, etc, really seem natural and realistic.

[vixenbynight]

This is a very good point.  I think this program is showing the effect that social media has on all of this.  

Last week, Taylor told, I don't know if it was the therapist something important.  He said that if he'd been dragged down a dark alley and raped, then he would just not go down that street, but because of how this happened, Taylor had to relive it over and over again.  That's what social media has done, people now have to relive shit over and over again.  Anne never would have brought charges against anybody, had Taylor not been suspended and Taylor wouldn't have been suspended had it not been for the pictures.  

 

Don't get me wrong, Eric raped Taylor, Taylor was drugged and Taylor was the victim, but the real crime was that Taylor wasn't allowed to heal.  It seems today that teen victims really can't heal from their bullying and abuse by classmates, and that's even if they change schools.

Exactly. Taylor has been victimized, bullied and shunned by his attackers, his fellow classmates and the school over and over again.

Anne was and is trying to do right by her son.

[PQuinn]

@elzin I think that scene was done in one uninterrupted shot! And I am right there with you when it comes to enjoying the show: I'm not. A friend was saying to me how he feels like there is something missing but he can't figure out what, and I think it's that the episodes are so relentless there's no letup; there's never a moment where the audience can come up for air.

But I am aware that I am watching a legitimate masterpiece and that it may be many years before we see a show of this calibre on network television again.

Edited February 18, 2016 by PQuinn

[TobinAlbers]

Woke up this morning still thinking about this episode and two things hit me.

 

Does the school have security cameras? Because that will go some way towards showing a bit more of the context of the shooting. Taylor was leaving when Wes physically stopped him and began his threats. The problem is that if the security feed has no sound, you won't necessarily know that Wes was threatening to kill him over not spilling about the beating. On the flip side if there is no security camera but there were people nearby that heard the shouting (but wasn't on the scene) what they heard was 'If you tell anyone, I'll kill you!' which could actually be attributed to Taylor rather than Wes. A lot of the time people can't correctly identify a person's voice so anyone who heard the yelling may just be able to say they heard a teenage boy's voice saying 'If you tell anyone, I'll kill you!'. If there is a tape, then you can then match the threat to Wes and not Taylor.

 

I'm still in awe of that final scene in the diner. Taylor comes in and Anne immediately knows what happened. She's able to get the gun away from him to put in her purse in the cabinet but is distracted by the call from the police that she leaves it unlocked. We follow her to the phone and lose track of Taylor for the moment (like she does) and when she hangs up with the cops and immediately looks for him our stomach drops as her's does when we realize we don't know where he is. Then we begin to freak as she paws through her bag-now on the counter-and realize the gun is gone again. We're so ready for a gunshot from somewhere offscreen as she calls for him running through the diner and then have a moment of relief when she spots him sitting in the corner booth, then THAT relief is gone when we see him cradling the gun and it's pointing out at Anne. The woman in the next booth looks over and Anne calmly tells her there's no problem and then locks right back on Taylor, talking him down, moving closer, is the gun going to go off? Is he going to suddenly turn it on himself? It's only when she's able to lay her hand on top of his and pull the gun away from him to set it out of his reach next to her that you relax. And then the final punch in the gut after she tells the staff to clear the diner is her calling the police to turn him in. It was sad but understandable that dispatch would tell her to get away from him because many shooters have killed their parents and Taylor is high on drugs so it isn't inconceivable that he might want to 'end his mother's pain' that he feels he 'caused' by being bringing all this on him by being attacked -not saying he caused it but he may believe it's his fault/responsibility. But bless her, Anne remained firm that he was unarmed and she wasn't leaving her son. Just a well directed and blocked scene.

[The Mighty Peanut]

So...anyone else need a picture of some puppies or something?

 

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by The Mighty Peanut

[Happytobehere]

I need time to process what I just saw, but all I can say is I'm crying -- literally f'ing crying. I'm sitting here asking myself how everything all went so horribly and mindbendingly wrong.

There is nothing and I mean NOTHING! on television that compares to American Crime.

[sjohnson]

 It was sad but understandable that dispatch would tell her to get away from him because many shooters have killed their parents and Taylor is high on drugs so it isn't inconceivable that he might want to 'end his mother's pain' that he feels he 'caused' by being bringing all this on him by being attacked -not saying he caused it but he may believe it's his fault/responsibility. But bless her, Anne remained firm that he was unarmed and she wasn't leaving her son. Just a well directed and blocked scene.

Dispatch wanted her to leave so the cops would have a clear shot at Taylor. It would automatically be regarded as a good kill. His dead body would have been quite a trophy.

 

@sjohnson -- We don't execute children even if they're tried as adults. There is even a movement to ban mandatory life without the possibility of parole for teenage felons. Besides, Taylor is well-justified in pleading not guilty by reason of emotional incapacitation.

Well, the recent death of Antonin Scalia removed one of the most bloodthirsty justices from the Supreme Court. But for a school shooter, the embodiment of evil, I'm not so sure an exception wouldn't be made. And I am sure that an exception would be argued for. 

[Samwil]

I still feel like Eric looked getting out of the minivan.

 

I'm hoping Sebastian comes through in showing all of the online threats. 

 

The acting in this show is top notch.  I'm still reeling.

[izabella]

I'm ... well... I wouldn't say ENJOYING because this show is not fun, but I'm preferring this season to last. It's bleaker in some ways, but there is a tiny bit more hope. The constant changes that keep happening, that you think the show is going to be about this thing and then it says no we're going to be about that thing, then it says no we're going to do this third thing, etc, really seem natural and realistic.

 

There is hope here somewhere?  I wish I could find it.  This seems nothing but grim to me, and I don't see where the hope lies for any of them.  It's really depressing and they just keep pilling more on top.

[TobinAlbers]

 

Dispatch wanted her to leave so the cops would have a clear shot at Taylor. It would automatically be regarded as a good kill. His dead body would have been quite a trophy.

 

Oh, yeah, you totally knew that was also in play in that scene. Anne totally knew that if she left him, he was a sitting duck for the cops to just put a bullet in him rather than concede he was no longer an immediate threat.

 

But the idea that he may still be on a continued spree and targeting his mother is also in play. When these mass shooters finally carry out their plan it's to get everyone they feel wronged them which usually includes parents. There are often multiple locations they plan to target (home, school, parent's place of business) to get everyone so the instruction was twofold- A) getting another potential victim away from danger and B) clearing the space to take him out.

[starri]

La-la-la, I'm just focusing on the product placement for Agents of SHIELD and Marvel's new Totally Awesome Hulk.  Nothing else happened in this episode.

[marceline]

I'm with everyone else trying to process all of what we saw.

 

It's amazing that the secretary showed Taylor a tiny bit kindness and by doing that saved lives. Then it was all ruined by Wes' homophobic macho ass. IMO, that shooting was self defense but no one will ever know that. So many bad decisions coming from everywhere yet Anne is dragged through the mud for the good decision she made years ago to get some help.

 

The saddest thing for me is that no matter what happens Taylor's life is over. He's looking at prison and/or a psych ward and even if he gets out at 18 he will always be a "school shooter." There's no happy ending even possible.

 

Anne's reaction to the shooting really got to me because I've been listening to the interviews with Sue Klebold, mother of one of the Columbine killers. Think about that. That's how that woman has been described since 1999: "mother of one of the Columbine killers."

[Rock knocker]

Here is a link to a current, real-life story with many parallels occuring now at the University of Tennessee, where Peyton Manning got away with exposing himself to female athletic trainers.

 

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/02/10/lawsuit-vols-player-put-hit-on-ut-teammate-who-helped-rape-victim/