Shades of Gray: Is anyone here just GOOD?

[truthaboutluv]

It doesn't help me hate Hank that we have no idea really what Nina saw on his laptop.  She suggested it was child porn but who knows if that's where the writers will be going with this. 

 

Actually Nina never used the word child porn. The whole thing was inferred without ever saying the words. She opened the laptop and turned the screen towards Hank. Whatever was on it bothered him enough to make him demand she stop it. She then said that he is the one who enjoys watching it and he responds by saying he just looks at it but has never done that to anyone. That is when Nina goes into her spiel about understanding that this is simply who Hank is and he can't control it but a jury will not be so understanding. That they will see these videos and see him as a monster and convict him.

 

Now, if we are just following the crumbs the writers have dropped, I don't know how we get to a place of saying that is not what was happening. Whatever was on that laptop was enough to make this man confess to a murder he did not commit, rather than take his chance at a trial. We now have been shown emphatically that he has pedophile urges to the point of castrating himself to avoid sexually abusing any young boys. Again, it seems to me the crumbs that have been dropped is that Hank very much has pedophilia urges and likely was engaging in child porn as a release against physically abusing a child. 

 

It wouldn't surprise me if they'll reveal that he never bought anything actually illegal, just visited some sites that are legal but clearly targeted toward people like him.

 

I am not being facetious when I ask this but what legal sites are there for pedophiles? Or do you mean that he was visiting discussion boards and sites aimed at pedophiles, where they could talk to each other? Except we know Nina was showing a video because you hear the sound playing, even while not seeing anything on the screen and she told him, "he is the one who enjoys watching it." 

 

Again, I'm all for twists and turns, which is why I love mystery books, shows and films. That said, I've never been a believer in nothing and everything is something else because then in my opinion, the story just falls apart and makes no sense. No matter how twisty and how much the writer may want to surprise, there has to be some kind of sense and logical development. In other words, there has to be some method to the madness. It can't just be "well we'll just throw that in because they won't see it coming..." 

Edited April 20, 2016 by truthaboutluv

[Guest]

I'm not much of a porn consumer but I believe it's not uncommon for legal porn sites to have content that is barely-adult actors in childish costumes, like cheerleader uniforms or schoolgirl uniforms.  I assume there are 18-20 year old male actors who pretend to be 12 and look very boyish.  If I was into that sort of thing, especially if it involved same-sex child-like actors, I would be hugely embarrassed if a cop played it in the station and talked about showing it to a jury, in relation to a missing child case.   But it's not child porn and it's not against the law. 

 

I just don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that Hank's one illegal (sex-related) act was the exposure event, and even that might've been something pretty forgivable, given the right context.  Maybe some adult seduced him in the bushes then called foul.  He's confessed to one horrific crime out of guilt and shame, maybe he did nothing and just confessed to charges then, too.  

 

We know Nina misrepresents things.  She killed an unarmed man and lied about it.  I don't trust her at all, especially in full intimidation mode.  

[lucindabelle]

I do feel bad for Hank. Child porn IS watching a crime in progress, but it;'s true, he might have been looking at fake child porn, or on a message board or who knows what.

 

he was born that way. clearly his mom didn't abuse him. some people just are. it's tragic for them and they can't be wired away anymore than gay people can change their orientation (NOT saying gay people are criminals, just that sexual impulses are born not made).

 

I like him.

[Guest]

What little I've read on the topic of sexuality suggested that it's fairly normal to have fantasies about socially unacceptable or criminal acts, it's just that acting upon them outside of a consensual, adult, safe, legal situation is bad.  But most never do.  Look at the popularity of the 50 Shades of Gray garbage slash fanfic.  Many people like the idea of violent sex but few ever commit violence.  (Not that mild S&M is on the same level as pedophilia, but it has similarities in that acted out literally, it's going to be a crime.)

 

But I can imagine that a small town, mama's boy could believe that even just having sexual thoughts about young males means he's a monster and he deserves to be castrated, imprisoned, ridiculed and all else that he's brought on.  Shame is a powerful emotion and pedophilia is waaaayyy outside of socially acceptable, even just from a fantasy standpoint.  There's like a primal level, human-wide revulsion to the idea, which probably helped us survive as a species as long as we have.  I do feel bad for him and wish he could get therapy (if he was real, I mean).

[ari333]

I do feel bad for Hank. Child porn IS watching a crime in progress, but it;'s true, he might have been looking at fake child porn, or on a message board or who knows what.

 

he was born that way. clearly his mom didn't abuse him. some people just are. it's tragic for them and they can't be wired away anymore than gay people can change their orientation (NOT saying gay people are criminals, just that sexual impulses are born not made).

 

I like him.

But being gay is normal. Being a pedophile is not. (imo)

[truthaboutluv]

I'm sorry I'll be completely honest but I am so uncomfortable and slightly disturbed with this thread right now. 

[FakingIt]

You can stop reading it.

 

I too like that all the characters are gray.  I keep thinking it's got to be leading to something for them to paint the 'pedophile' in a somewhat sympathetic light.  I guess we'll see.

[ari333]

The gray part of the characters keeps me guessing and draws me into the story

[truthaboutluv]

You can stop reading it.

 

 

A fair point and no worries, I'm happy to do so. 

[RedInk]

You can stop reading it.

I too like that all the characters are gray. I keep thinking it's got to be leading to something for them to paint the 'pedophile' in a somewhat sympathetic light. I guess we'll see.

Doesn't seem like it needs to be leading anywhere. They've outright stated that he's a pedo, among other gratuitously nasty acts, and plenty of people still like him. It's completely alien to me & I never could have imagined I'd see the commentary I've seen here, but I'll probably punish myself and see how it plays out. The writers could make him the tragic hero, sure, but I can always hope he chokes to death on another glass shard sandwich. Edited April 21, 2016 by RedInk

[Guest]

But being gay is normal. Being a pedophile is not. (imo)

I'm not arguing that being a pedophile is 'normal' but what is and isn't normal is determined by society and it changes.  50 years ago being gay wasn't considered normal by most people, and it still isn't by many.  I don't think pedophilia is at all normal but if it's something you're born with, should you be punished for it whether you act on it or not?  If you get stuck with a trait only 1 of 300 people have are you more at fault than the one that 1 of 20 of people have (gayness)?  

 

I guess this is something they do research-- if you can be born with it.  

http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/item/20020-is-pedophilia-okay-if-you-re-born-that-way

Like many forms of sexual deviance, pedophilia once was thought to stem from psychological influences early in life. Now, many experts view it as a sexual orientation as immutable as heterosexuality or homosexuality. It is a deep-rooted predisposition — limited almost entirely to men — that becomes clear during puberty and does not change.

 

 

I don't mean to make anyone uncomfortable.  I think it's interesting to consider all angles.  I'm not sympathetic to anyone who commits crimes.  I'm a mother and my brain can't even go there.  

 

And my apologies if anyone liked 50 Shades of Gray, for calling it garbage slash fanfic above.  I meant it's poorly written is all, and it was originally written as slash fanfic.  I'm not S&M-shaming.  (Actually I guess it's just Twilight 'fanfic'.  Slash means it has gay elements.  I thought it meant sex elements.  Not really my area!)  

 

I saw some interviews with Andrew McCarthy where he said he came out of his 5-year acting hiatus to do Hank because it was such an interesting, complex role.  He said he was able to do it because he doesn't care what people think of it and doesn't worry about it affecting his acting future, since he's been more of a director for a while.  

 

http://zap2it.com/2016/03/the-familys-andrew-mccarthy-on-playing-a-pedophile-i-was-liberated/

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/03/10/andrew-mccarthy-on-his-return-to-acting-by-playing-a-suspected-pedophile-in-the-family-2/

Edited April 21, 2016 by Guest

[formerlyfreedom]

Lots of discussion happening about the characters on the show that really extends past the usual episode discussion. Here is a spot to talk about that!

 

As always, please remember - respect each others' opinions. Remember, this is a television show!

[iMonrey]

 

I saw some interviews with Andrew McCarthy where he said he came out of his 5-year acting hiatus to do Hank because it was such an interesting, complex role.

 

That and the fact that he's probably not getting tons of other offers. I mean, it's not as if Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay are knocking his door down begging him to star in their blockbusters.

 

I have never liked Andrew McCarthy. I grew up in the era of the "brat pack" movies with him, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, etc., and he was always the creepiest one to me. There's just something off about him - which ironically makes him ideally suited to this role.

[nara]

 

I have never liked Andrew McCarthy. I grew up in the era of the "brat pack" movies with him, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, etc., and he was always the creepiest one to me. There's just something off about him - which ironically makes him ideally suited to this role.

Well, he did have sex with a mannequin... ;)