S02.E08: The Anchor

[OnceSane]

Frankie has issues with Brianna's ideas for her yam lube and makes a stand.  Phil asks Grace out for lunch.  Sol tries to work things out with Robert.

[ally862]

So I might be in the minority for this and I remember really liking Frankie last year but she's driving me crazy this season and this episode really pushed it over the edge.  I feel like she just keeps acting like a bratty child and I don't enjoy watching it.  The whole meeting really just pushed it over the edge for me though.  I tend to be a little more rule follower, straight laced though so I'll probably be the minority opinion.

[Chaos Theory]

31 minutes ago, ally862 said:

So I might be in the minority for this and I remember really liking Frankie last year but she's driving me crazy this season and this episode really pushed it over the edge.  I feel like she just keeps acting like a bratty child and I don't enjoy watching it.  The whole meeting really just pushed it over the edge for me though.  I tend to be a little more rule follower, straight laced though so I'll probably be the minority opinion.

 

I think that is the thing.  Some of us are Grace and some of us are Frankie but most of us are somewhere in the middle.  That is what makes both characters funny.   Both are capable of change and both have changed due to a huge disruption in their lives.  These were two women who didn't particularly like each other and were only friends because their husbands worked together.    This is a much better version of the Odd Couple then the one on CBS.  Funnier too.

[AuntieMame]

I think the writers misstep with a lot of their comedy. Crunchy granola or not, Frankie is the wife of an attorney and firmly bourgeois. Note that money has never really been an issue. Frankie just wouldn't be this naive, even if she was a bourgeois bohemian. The writers could have lampooned the same hypocrisy in a more subtle way. This is where they always get off the track.... When they go over the top. Its such a brilliant show in so many ways that I cringe when they do this. I know they don't want to loose the comedy aspect of the dramedy but they go over the top too often.

[OnceSane]

^^^This.  Frankie isn't completely oblivious so she would have known the "blood" wouldn't play well to a corporate crowd…no matter how eco-friendly.  But I liked that she realized how badly she fucked up.

[Maysie]

Frankie's been all over the map on this lube stuff. She demands to be taken seriously, but she doesn't read the legal forms, paperwork, proposals, etc. She doesn't offer a viable alternative to the palm oil. And then she pulls an embarrassing, theatrical stunt, potentially alienating someone who could be a great ally. I was team Brianna all the way.

I've been back and forth all season on Frankie. I go from liking her to almost hating her. I don't know if it's on purpose, if it's poor writing, an acting choice or what. I get that she's a free spirit and all that stuff, but like AuntieMame pointed out, I can't believe that someone in her position would behave so foolishly. In fact, I have a hard time believing she's at all hard up for money. I can't see Sol not providing for her (especially with his guilt) and Frankie isn't the type to go on spending binges and burn through money. I can see that her lube business would be important for the sense of self, sense of worth it would give her, particularly during this transition, which is why it's even more difficult to reconcile Frankie's awful, immature behavior in regards to her business.

[hnygrl]

I think the problem is that Frankie's never had to worry about money (and still doesn't. The divorce settlement left them both pretty comfortably set for life). She also never had to worry about consequences because Sol and Bud. With two lawyers to bail her out or stand between her and trouble,she could pretty much go crazy. But now, with no Sol, and kinda sorta no Bud, she's forced to grow up and deal with the consequences of her actions. And it's uncomfortably sad to watch.

I get Brianna had to play hard ball, but damn...she decimated the woman who gave her the ONLY good Idea she's had since taking over the company. Honestly I get it. But I'm just not Team Brianna on this one. There had to have been an easier way to bring Frankie to reality without slapping her in the face with it. Yeah yeah, "but this is FRANKIE" how other way could you do it? See my dilema? I get it, I agree with it, but it's still horrifically painful to watch. Oh the look on Frankie's face when she realized what she'd done...

[Empress1]

On May 7, 2016 at 7:15 PM, AuntieMame said:

I think the writers misstep with a lot of their comedy. Crunchy granola or not, Frankie is the wife of an attorney and firmly bourgeois. Note that money has never really been an issue. Frankie just wouldn't be this naive, even if she was a bourgeois bohemian. The writers could have lampooned the same hypocrisy in a more subtle way. This is where they always get off the track.... When they go over the top. Its such a brilliant show in so many ways that I cringe when they do this. I know they don't want to loose the comedy aspect of the dramedy but they go over the top too often.

Right. In 40 years, she never went to a client dinner with Sol? She never learned to dress somewhat professionally and act right? Or at the VERY least, not to pour blood on herself in a meeting? Come on. 

[Julia]

On May 9, 2016 at 11:18 PM, Maysie said:

I've been back and forth all season on Frankie. I go from liking her to almost hating her. I don't know if it's on purpose, if it's poor writing, an acting choice or what. I get that she's a free spirit and all that stuff, but like AuntieMame pointed out, I can't believe that someone in her position would behave so foolishly. 

Obviously no reflection on the poster (and it's a great nym), but it struck me as funny that Auntie Mame thinks Frankie should act her age. 

[Blakeston]

On 5/9/2016 at 11:18 PM, Maysie said:

In fact, I have a hard time believing she's at all hard up for money. I can't see Sol not providing for her (especially with his guilt) and Frankie isn't the type to go on spending binges and burn through money.

I think Frankie is the type to go on spending binges. Last season, Sol and Robert mentioned that she has a tendency to blow huge wads of money whenever she's emotional - like buying some extremely expensive yurt when Coyote went to rehab.

I've known rich ultraliberals like Frankie who have no qualms about spending lots of money on themselves, so long as what they're buying doesn't violate their standards when it comes to the environment, fair trade, etc.

I could see her spending a whole lot of money on things like art, furniture, organic food, homeopathic stuff, and whatnot.

[RCharter]

On 5/10/2016 at 5:49 PM, Empress1 said:

Right. In 40 years, she never went to a client dinner with Sol? She never learned to dress somewhat professionally and act right? Or at the VERY least, not to pour blood on herself in a meeting? Come on. 

I still can't hate Frankie.  Yes, she is kooky and crazy, but she cracks me up, even when she is wrong.  I think a beautiful point of this show is that it takes all types to make the world spin.  To me, it would be boring if everyone dressed professionally, and even if there weren't insanely kooky personalities in the world. I feel like we have just started to try to take all the passion out of people in the interest of "professionalism."  And 99.99999999% of the time I think thats good, and okay, if the world was chock full of Frankie's it would be a mess, but I'm happy for the non-cookie cutter Frankie's of the world too.

As for the client dinners, I'm not sure how big the firm is....sounds like its pretty much Bud, Sol and Frank.  They may not do a ton of client dinners, it sounds like they do divorces....which may not lend itself to client dinners.

[Empress1]

I don't hate Frankie at all. She'd drive me crazy as a roommate, but at the core, I think she's a very good person. She's a great friend and a good mother, and funny as hell. I'd have an easier time getting along with her than with Grace, I think, although I'm WAY more corporate than hippie chick.

Re: client dinners, who knows. I can't remember if Robert and Sol have only ever worked for themselves; if so, that's rare. It's more common to pay your dues at a firm and then strike out on your own, in which case there likely would have been firm events. And "somewhat professional" dress doesn't mean a suit, necessarily. Actually, now that I think about it, if Frankie had behaved professionally, I don't think her wardrobe would have been an issue in the lube meetings (hee) - she's not working FOR the company so the dress code wouldn't apply to her.

As @Maysie said, what irked me about Frankie re: the lube business dealings is that she was dead set on being seen as a professional, but then didn't behave remotely professionally. She doesn't read the contract or materials (which is stupid. Sorry, but it is. SHE isn't stupid, but that was a stupid thing to do), has a tantrum in the meeting ... that's not the way professionals behave, and SHE was the one who went in there trying to speak formally, "please meet my counsel," etc. She was playing at it, but then when it came time to actually do the work required to be taken seriously she couldn't be bothered to do it.

3 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I think Frankie is the type to go on spending binges. Last season, Sol and Robert mentioned that she has a tendency to blow huge wads of money whenever she's emotional - like buying some extremely expensive yurt when Coyote went to rehab.

I've known rich ultraliberals like Frankie who have no qualms about spending lots of money on themselves, so long as what they're buying doesn't violate their standards when it comes to the environment, fair trade, etc.

I could see her spending a whole lot of money on things like art, furniture, organic food, homeopathic stuff, and whatnot.

I could definitely see her spending a lot of money on green living. Organic food is expensive.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Empress1

[Maysie]

Quote

I think Frankie is the type to go on spending binges. Last season, Sol and Robert mentioned that she has a tendency to blow huge wads of money whenever she's emotional - like buying some extremely expensive yurt when Coyote went to rehab.

I've known rich ultraliberals like Frankie who have no qualms about spending lots of money on themselves, so long as what they're buying doesn't violate their standards when it comes to the environment, fair trade, etc.

I could see her spending a whole lot of money on things like art, furniture, organic food, homeopathic stuff, and whatnot.

Since it was the first season, I don't recall the allusion to Frankie's spending habits, but yeah, I do see your point about her potential for being freewheeling with the $$ when it suits her. I'm sure she's got a boatload invested in art supplies alone. I still don't believe that she would be financially strapped, but I can see how when it came time to pay the piper she was a bit shocked by the reality of the situation. It seems Sol must have handled the money and Frankie went about her business blissfully unaware of finances, which is a dangerous situation for any person to be in.

[Clanstarling]

Having put my kid through art school - it's shocking just how much a single tube of paint costs, not to mention the brushes, canvases, etc. So yeah, she has a small fortune in her art supplies.

[debraran]

Frankie is one of those friends I would like but not want to live with. She is a little too much at times, although I laugh. I did like how their friendship grew and changed although 2 different human beings. Frankie is ultra liberal and "hippie-like" but she believes in "sickness and in health" with marriage and her character tells Grace that. She has principles and although over the top at times, is "real". I thought she was unprofessional at the meeting at work but I also thought having her see it, was good and added depth to her character. In some ways she is much more multi-faceted than Grace.

I am interested to see how the writers continue the Phil story line, of course much having to do with Sam Elliot's desire to stay on.  Their affair might have worked if they divorced or maybe it would have petered out because the attraction was partly in sneaking around and the staleness of marriage at that age. If they have Elaine conveniently die, why did they bring the dementia angle into the picture at all? Phil told her about Grace and later when she started to fail mentally, that was never 100% forgotten which is sad too. How awful Grace must have felt when she saw her, even for a second.

I hate the long waits after binge watching, but look forward to an even better third season.

Edited May 17, 2016 by debraran

[AuntieMame]

.

On 5/9/2016 at 9:18 PM, Maysie said:

Frankie's been all over the map on this lube stuff. She demands to be taken seriously, but she doesn't read the legal forms, paperwork, proposals, etc. She doesn't offer a viable alternative to the palm oil. And then she pulls an embarrassing, theatrical stunt, potentially alienating someone who could be a great ally. I was team Brianna all the way.

I've been back and forth all season on Frankie. I go from liking her to almost hating her. I don't know if it's on purpose, if it's poor writing, an acting choice or what. I get that she's a free spirit and all that stuff, but like AuntieMame pointed out, I can't believe that someone in her position would behave so foolishly. In fact, I have a hard time believing she's at all hard up for money. I can't see Sol not providing for her (especially with his guilt) and Frankie isn't the type to go on spending binges and burn through money. I can see that her lube business would be important for the sense of self, sense of worth it would give her, particularly during this transition, which is why it's even more difficult to reconcile Frankie's awful, immature behavior in regards to her business.

 

On 5/10/2016 at 1:23 PM, Julia said:

Obviously no reflection on the poster (and it's a great nym), but it struck me as funny that Auntie Mame thinks Frankie should act her age. 

I know that the clothes and jewelry the Frankie character is wearing are incredibly expensive. I tried to find out what one of the embroidered peasant dresses was and where to buy it and while I didn't find information about the dress I liked, I ended up finding out about a lot of the other brands.

As for the jewelry, most of it is hand made, bead embroidery statement pieces and semiprecious stones and miyuki deluca seadbeads. Good beads are expensive. Not to mention, tools, backing leather, sterling or gold findings and hours of hand work. I know the techniques to make stuff like that. Even on etsy, a necklace like the ones Frankie wears will run $500 to $2000 depending on the artist. From a named artist in a gallery or boutique in Southern California? At least that or more.

Yes, it is funny that AuntieMame is telling films to act their age, lol. Perhaps I'm not the total free spirit I hope to be. But the real Auntie Mame had plenty of the folding green and I have the feeling may have been a bit shrewd behind closed doors with her money man.

Anyway, I've been described as a hippie (frighteningly enough, just this week, and I like a good embroidered dress) I've also had a corporate job. Always provide an alternative if you want to change something. Grace tried to explain. If someone had done a little blood dance in my office, I wouldn't have taken them seriously, even if they had a serious point. 

The joke the writers wanted to make was about the hypocrisy of the hippie trappings. There were just better ways to do that.

[Bastet]

Quote

Actually, now that I think about it, if Frankie had behaved professionally, I don't think her wardrobe would have been an issue in the lube meetings (hee) - she's not working FOR the company so the dress code wouldn't apply to her.

With what Brianna was wearing in that meeting, I don't think Frankie has to worry about a corporate dress code at that company regardless.

I loved Brianna's reaction, showing how very hurt she was by Frankie disrespecting her, who runs the company, and Grace, who built it, by jeopardizing a valuable business relationship with that stunt.  And I loved Frankie's reaction at home, when she realized she'd screwed up (but I still don't think she realizes what she did to Brianna as much as she realizes what she did to herself).

Something I noticed in this episode, and have in several episodes this season, is the occasional adorable look of amusement/affection on Grace's face when Frankie does or says something so very Frankie.  If it had happened all along, I might chalk it up to Jane being charmed by Lily's performance, and I'm sure she is, but because it's a developing thing I think it's an acting choice to show the evolution of Grace's reactions to Frankie.  Very nice touch.

The one downside for me with this show continues to be the relationship between Robert and Sol, as I just don't feel much chemistry between the actors.  So I'm having a hard time getting invested in what happens between them.  When watching any other combination, I feel the relationship the show is telling me the characters have.  But not with those two.

[debraran]

I remember thinking it was cute when Grace was talking to Phil at their house and saying he had 5 minutes before Frankie started watching Jeopardy and shouting out the wrong answers...and then in a few minutes you hear her doing just that. Made me feel like they had bonded more since season one. They seemed more irritated with each other then, now, more accepting.

[Chaos Theory]

On May 8, 2016 at 11:18 PM, Maysie said:

Frankie's been all over the map on this lube stuff. She demands to be taken seriously, but she doesn't read the legal forms, paperwork, proposals, etc. She doesn't offer a viable alternative to the palm oil. And then she pulls an embarrassing, theatrical stunt, potentially alienating someone who could be a great ally. I was team Brianna all the way.

I've been back and forth all season on Frankie. I go from liking her to almost hating her. I don't know if it's on purpose, if it's poor writing, an acting choice or what. I get that she's a free spirit and all that stuff, but like AuntieMame pointed out, I can't believe that someone in her position would behave so foolishly. In fact, I have a hard time believing she's at all hard up for money. I can't see Sol not providing for her (especially with his guilt) and Frankie isn't the type to go on spending binges and burn through money. I can see that her lube business would be important for the sense of self, sense of worth it would give her, particularly during this transition, which is why it's even more difficult to reconcile Frankie's awful, immature behavior in regards to her business.

Money is a strange thing especially when you are use to having it.  My grandparents on my fathers side were wealthy.  Very wealthy.  When my grandfather died he left my grandmother enough to live on for the rest of her life if she was careful with her money.  She wasn't.  She spent it like it was still coming in and by the time she died she was broke.  MY aunt got a large divorce settlement but immediately spent it on "apartment maintenance"  which basically means she spent all her money on really expensive wallpaper and couches.  But then my aunt is nuts so I give her a really is nuts pass on that one.  Long story long  My guess is , and I am not sure if this was ever explicitely stated, that Sol was in charge of the finances when they were married and Frankie did her art thing. Frankie has never learned how to manage her money and its actually interesting because money has always just been there for her and now that is isn't she has to deal with the very real issue of financial reality and sometimes your political and personal issues have to take a back seat to that reality.  

[MissLucas]

Frankie was beyond annoying this episode. I can understand her objections to palm oil but instead of pulling a stupid stunt with fake blood how about doing some research in order to suggest alternatives? Like using only palm oil produced under supervision of the RSPO or an alternative like jojoba since Brianna claimed the palm oil was added to extend the lube's shelf life and jojoba can be used as a preservative too. (It is however more expensive.) Frankie simply ignored the main problem - the extreme short shelf-life of her baby. It's a major health concern that she simply chose to ignore in order to go all eco-warrior. And this time it wasn't cute or funny.

Edited June 24, 2016 by MissLucas

[paramitch]

On 5/27/2016 at 1:34 PM, Bastet said:

I loved Brianna's reaction, showing how very hurt she was by Frankie disrespecting her, who runs the company, and Grace, who built it, by jeopardizing a valuable business relationship with that stunt.  And I loved Frankie's reaction at home, when she realized she'd screwed up (but I still don't think she realizes what she did to Brianna as much as she realizes what she did to herself).

Something I noticed in this episode, and have in several episodes this season, is the occasional adorable look of amusement/affection on Grace's face when Frankie does or says something so very Frankie.  If it had happened all along, I might chalk it up to Jane being charmed by Lily's performance, and I'm sure she is, but because it's a developing thing I think it's an acting choice to show the evolution of Grace's reactions to Frankie.  Very nice touch.

I really enjoyed this episode, especially the scenes between offbeat pairings for the show -- Grace and Sol, Frankie and Brianna. I'm always a fan of these kinds of scenes because they shake up the characters and show us new aspects of who they are.

I also love the little ways in which we see Grace and Frankie express affection and appreciation for each other. I love the fact that Grace and Frankie's friendship is now an established thing. They are now free to love and support each other without all the other stuff getting in the way. It's made this season even lovelier and sweeter for me overall.

On 6/18/2016 at 4:24 PM, Chaos Theory said:

My guess is , and I am not sure if this was ever explicitely stated, that Sol was in charge of the finances when they were married and Frankie did her art thing. Frankie has never learned how to manage her money and its actually interesting because money has always just been there for her and now that is isn't she has to deal with the very real issue of financial reality and sometimes your political and personal issues have to take a back seat to that reality.  

I thought this was a great observation. I think sometimes Frankie's liberalism sometimes overshadows her privilege, but I actually love that paradox about her and find it very real.

For instance, I knew someone about 15 years ago who was a former assistant of a very famous, very liberal actress in her 60s. She had many nice things (and nothing all that bad to say about her, by the way), but nevertheless the impression I got from her was that the star was very Frankie-like in many ways -- of someone whose wealth and privilege were such established facts to her that she took them for granted. She would chain herself to nuclear power plant fences but didn't have any idea what things cost -- she didn't pay attention to prices. She expected the assistants to smooth their ways through life, travel, food, access, etc., in a thousand different ways. She might do things like protest for a higher minimum wage then not tip her waiter, that kind of thing. 

So Frankie's a very believable character to me. She's fairly well off, has never had to worry about money throughout her marriage to Sol, and even now is sort of overspending and just waving her hands. Even her lack of business acumen makes sense to me here -- she expects everything to be too easy.

 

On 6/24/2016 at 2:50 PM, MissLucas said:

Frankie was beyond annoying this episode. I can understand her objections to palm oil but instead of pulling a stupid stunt with fake blood how about doing some research in order to suggest alternatives? Like using only palm oil produced under supervision of the RSPO or an alternative like jojoba since Brianna claimed the palm oil was added to extend the lube's shelf life and jojoba can be used as a preservative too. (It is however more expensive.) Frankie simply ignored the main problem - the extreme short shelf-life of her baby. It's a major health concern that she simply chose to ignore in order to go all eco-warrior. And this time it wasn't cute or funny.

Yeah, this was a bit annoying to me as well, although I found it believable that Frankie would be all forest, no trees, on things like this. I actually would have liked Brianna to be even more informed and forceful in the end than she was, but it was nevertheless a nice ending. I like Frankie, but she deserved to be taken down a peg here -- she embarrassed herself, not to mention her longtime friend and new business partner.

[auntiemel]

In the initial meeting when Frankie came in to voice her displeasure about the recipe change, I loved the assistant taping the exchange. "I have some friends who don't believe Frankie is real." Also, on a shallow note, June Diane Raphael was rocking that red dress!