Divorce - General Discussion

[txhorns79]

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But Frances still gets the commissions for the sold-out show at her gallery, no? That's a big win in its own right. And as a suburban small gallery owner, surely she must have known that if she discovered anyone special that artist would eventually move on to more prominent galleries in the city. Her gallery is a stepping stone, not a goal.

I think Frances would understand if Sylvia eventually moved on, but I think a one and done was much faster than Frances ever considered.  I mean, I get it.  Frances felt like she dedicated all this time to Sylvia when no one else cared, put in the hard work of getting Sylvia to return to painting and the moment Sylvia was successful she immediately left Frances behind.  It really isn't personal, but it very much feels that way.      

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With nothing in writing, there's not even anything stopping Sylvia from screwing Carrie Frances on the commission: "Thanks for letting me borrow your space; here's an Edible Arrangement to show my appreciation."

I'm not entirely sure how it works, so if I am wrong, someone please correct me.  I think the way it works is at some point after the show, Frances gives Sylvia a check for the sale with her commission already deducted, so it wouldn't be like Sylvia would ever be in a position where she could just decide Frances wouldn't get the commission. 

I also didn't understand Jackie's attitude about Robert getting a lawyer to look at the deal.  That's an entirely normal business practice. 

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It passed through my head last night, as Jackie pitched the business idea to "Robbie" (barf) - whatever happened to Robert's plan to open that warehouse arcade whatever-it-was that was the big plot point of season one? It's entirely possible I've blocked out the resolution, of course.

 

I think it fell apart when Robert and Frances were warring last season, and perhaps Frances' lawyer got Robert's accounts frozen? 

Edited February 27, 2018 by txhorns79

[JD5166]

On 1/22/2018 at 4:26 AM, Gem 10 said:

What I would like to know is how they are living in Westchester, N.Y. On the Hudson River when he's making $20 an hour and she has the art gallery upkeep and two kids?  Either they have a stash tucked away ( doubt it) or a Fairy Godmother somewhere.  Unrealistic !   And, no offense, because I love SJP, but she looked terrible in this episode between the heavy eye makeup and that long hair parted in the middle as usual.  Both do not suit her.

I am loving this show, but this REALLY bothers me as well. That house is worth millions!

[LilaFowler]

I'm surprised that she wasn't made to give up the house in the divorce, especially since their finances were shaky. I don't get the impression that they have money socked away. Does she get alimony? Does he?

[Mindthinkr]

7 minutes ago, LilaFowler said:

I'm surprised that she wasn't made to give up the house in the divorce, especially since their finances were shaky. I don't get the impression that they have money socked away. Does she get alimony? Does he?

I don’t recall them discussing financial issues. I would have thought that the house would have been sold and the equity split. He also had to come up with money to purchase (at least a down payment) and begin renovations on the one he sold. 

[candall]

On ‎2‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 3:47 PM, Mindthinkr said:

I’m new to this shows threads (or late) but there’s very little activity. I’m wondering that all the bad press SJP got for her fight with Kim Catrall over SITC 3 has bled over to this s not a wonderful show IMHO but I am enjoying parts of it (especially THC). 

Not for me.  When I watch old SATC shows/movies, I admire how Parker and Cattrall do a fairly convincing job of appearing to be besties when it's pretty well-known they didn't get along.

 

I think the main problem with this show is related to Parker's position as an executive producer.  Mary Tyler Moore played both Laura Petrie and Mary Richards with similar tics--stammering, awkward uncertain gestures, big wide eyes, etc.  When she made Ordinary People, Director Robert Redford was reportedly brutal about knocking all those familiar mannerisms out of her, and her performance was amazing.

 

Sarah Jessica Parker really needs someone with the eye, and the power, to do that for her, but no one has the authority to overrule SJP in an SJP production.

[Mindthinkr]

@candall That’s true. Anyone wanting to keep their job is not in a position to argue with her. 

Thanks for the insight on MTM in Ordinary People. I didn’t know that. I also think it keeps an actor/actress from giving a one note performance or having a character bleed over into another character. 

[Gem 10]

1 hour ago, LilaFowler said:

I'm surprised that she wasn't made to give up the house in the divorce, especially since their finances were shaky. I don't get the impression that they have money socked away. Does she get alimony? Does he?

A friend of mine is getting a divorce, has 2 kids and was married over 10 years.  She is staying in the house, her husband has to pay all bills and she's allowed to. Live the lifestyle she's accustomed to.   He has to find a basement apartment.  It might be how long a person was married?  Another friend was married 5 years, one child, and had to sell house and split the money.  Any attorneys on this thread?

[Gem 10]

On February 24, 2018 at 4:35 PM, Mindthinkr said:

I understand that SJP is playing a character but her outfit at the school event was odd. The blouse (solid maroon) didn’t match the shirt (black with gold leaves) and then the addition of blue shoes but no purse. Especially as she’s supposed to be a gallery owner. They usually have some panach and style. 

That woman Janice was a bit freaky...can I pee on you, put my big (or any other toe) in your butt or how quickly she jumped onto the threesome idea! I can’t imagine her being a real person but rather some males idea of a fantasy woman. 

HA !   I'll be a bitch for a minute.  SJP'S clothes are horrible and so is her hair and makeup.  She's an older version of Carrie and can't pull it off.  Just my opinion.  I love the concept of this show but don't care for the cast except for T.H. Church and Talia Balsam.

[newyawk]

Wow. Hard to believe Sylvia didn't even have the consideration to say "Let me speak to Frances first" before jumping on that offer.  What a kick in the gut to Frances. Really, really, disrespectful of her, especially considering that she had given up on an art career when Frances came along.

 

Skip does strike me as a bit Big-ish. I guess we will see.  He could just be a one off character.

 

I like Robert and Jackie. They have something sweet.

[msrachelj]

22 hours ago, jennylauren123 said:

Did anyone else notice Jackie's awkward-in-heels walk across the street when she left the gallery? Very odd!

yes! was that intentional for some reason or is that the way she walks because it looks ridiculous. 

15 hours ago, candall said:

But discovering someone that special--and repping her--is the very thing that could have put The Dufresne Gallery on the map. 

The art world is famous for artists who were locked into brutal contracts giving early mentors exclusive rights to their work or disproportionate shares of the income.  An early gallery owner sometimes winds up making more money from a successful artist than the artist himself, for years. 

So it seems silly to make Frances so incredibly naïve she assumed Sylvia would remain with her tiny gallery because they'd 'bonded.' 

With nothing in writing, there's not even anything stopping Sylvia from screwing Carrie Frances on the commission: "Thanks for letting me borrow your space; here's an Edible Arrangement to show my appreciation."

 

I agree that a professional like Jackie isn't aggrieved by a second party review of any contract.  Even her . . . boyfriend.  Pffft.

i think what sylvia did was shitty. but frances was stupid not to have a contract. 

[msrachelj]

5 hours ago, newyawk said:

Wow. Hard to believe Sylvia didn't even have the consideration to say "Let me speak to Frances first" before jumping on that offer.  What a kick in the gut to Frances. Really, really, disrespectful of her, especially considering that she had given up on an art career when Frances came along.

 

Skip does strike me as a bit Big-ish. I guess we will see.  He could just be a one off character.

 

I like Robert and Jackie. They have something sweet.

sylvia used her. if it weren't for frances she would not have even finished her paintings. it was a shit move. she should have spoken to frances first about the offer as you say. they probably could have come to some arrangement. the way she did it was awful. she would be nowhere without the big push and talks frances gave her. i do not want to see her again. ingrate.

On 2/25/2018 at 11:04 PM, EdnasEdibles said:

I felt like the art dealer did legitimately like Frances (he sent her the magnifying glass before he even saw Sylvia's art). I can understand Frances' anger even if it doesn't make sense from a "business is business" point of view. The gallery show was her big win and now it's gone.

I really didn't see where Robert has that much of a type really. Yes, their hair is roughly the same length but his new girlfriend is much more carefree than Frances ever seems. She has a confidence that I haven't seen Frances display at all. She just seems more fun than Frances has ever been. So Robert's freakout (and the friend mistaking them for each other) was a bit out of nowhere. 

I do think that Frances wasn't ready for Andrew and pulled the cheating out of her back pocket to force his hand. She's seemed kind of tentative this whole time. 

Now granted, I know very little about wildlife but how the fuck did the raccoon get inside of the brand new locked house and then die and bleed all over the tub?

about the raccoon. my first reaction was someone killed that poor raccoon and deliberately placed it in the bathtub. i would have called the police before removing it. looks like there is an animal torturer on the loose. no way it got in there on it's own. this was a secure home, not an abandoned building. something is fishy. 

[luna1122]

Hated the poor dead raccoon, and that it was played for laughs. Seriously, if it had just gotten in and died of natural causes or something, that's one thing...but what had happened to it? It did look like some psychopath is practicing his murder techniques in that house. It was disturbing and very not funny.

I didn't find Faux-Mr.Big even remotely attractive. I did find it odd that that Frances regifted such an expensive piece. I also didn't really understand the break up with the Andrew, but whatever. Her conversation with him reminded me of Carrie and Berger, who was so distressed over his last cheating girlfriend, and Carrie had also been a cheater.

[LilaFowler]

On 2/5/2018 at 1:27 PM, candall said:

If anyone wants to see Sarah Jessica Parker play the same stammering, begging-her-rude-daughter-for-love, inept, "Sorry sorry sorry!" character in a two-hour feature film, I recommend All Roads Lead To Rome.  YEOWCH.

 

Signature head-tilting, running in high heels and downcast eyes all included.

I have the flu so I watched this last night. You are totally right. This is Frances in five years when Lyla starts to rebel in a major way. Good Lord, SJP needs an honest director. Her mannerisms/acting-isms are so pronounced and frequent.

[BingeyKohan]

I'm confused on how we're supposed to take the Sylvia defection. Is it really just (perhaps sloppily handled) character-building around the sharkiness of Skip, as some kind of foil for Frances? Given that SATC got knocked for lack of diversity (and then they threw in Blair Underwood and Miranda's neighbor as token ways to address that) I felt like Sylvia was a little bit of the same - an easy for the show to diversify its landscape. Which also makes me think they would be reluctant to complicate her character so much as being perceived to be screwing Frances over. Here I will admit I haven't finished the episode, let alone watched a preview for the next, but I wonder if the machinations are just to keep Skip around and create a reason for Frances to pursue or punish him.

[candall]

LOL, I wasn't even under the influence of cold medicine--just watching in a get-off-my-lawn kind of pique.  "For heaven's sake, Carrie Bradshaw--we're all over 50 now."

 

(Did you recognize Claudia Cardinale?  I watched her in Once Upon A Time In The West only a few days earlier.  The years are smoke puffs.)

 

Hope you feel better soon, LilaFowler.

[iMonrey]

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Hated the poor dead raccoon, and that it was played for laughs. Seriously, if it had just gotten in and died of natural causes or something, that's one thing...but what had happened to it? It did look like some psychopath is practicing his murder techniques in that house. It was disturbing and very not funny.

I didn't get this either. How did it wind up in an upstairs bathtub? This would have made more sense if it were in the garage or had gnawed its way into a downstairs pantry or something like that. It it was bleeding there would have been a blood trail leading all the way up to the bathroom. 

[EdnasEdibles]

If I recall, Frances lost that one really good job last season because she wanted them to hold off on hiring her until after her divorce was finalized. The salary was going to be so high that she was worried she'd have to pay alimony to lazy ol Robert. But she acted like such a moron that they revoked the job offer. 

[msrachelj]

17 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I didn't get this either. How did it wind up in an upstairs bathtub? This would have made more sense if it were in the garage or had gnawed its way into a downstairs pantry or something like that. It it was bleeding there would have been a blood trail leading all the way up to the bathroom. 

how did they not think to find out how this raccoon was murdered and put in the bathtub. what the heck?!

i don't find tortured or dead animals funny and the people that laugh at these kinds of situations scare me, as finding humor in abuse is not normal to say the least.  i wish these sitcoms would cut it the hell out. i have seen a few of these situations in the last couple of years. it's distressing. ap bio, that new( terrible) show's second episode also had a story about animal torture just recently.

[TV Diva Queen]

On 2/27/2018 at 5:17 AM, msrachelj said:

yes! was that intentional for some reason or is that the way she walks because it looks ridiculous. 

i think what sylvia did was shitty. but frances was stupid not to have a contract. 

the light went off as soon as I read this.  Maybe that the difference between Robert and SJP, he's demanding a contract for his business, she didn't even consider one.  

[bilgistic]

On 2/26/2018 at 12:59 PM, Caseysgirl said:

Why is it that I can never stand SJP's characters when I don't feel any personal antagonism toward her ? Because her characters don't exist in real life! Let's face it, most 45 year old women living in a suburb of NY with two teenagers don't live a life where they are able to quit a lucrative job to open up a business that is difficult at best to succeed; live in a beautiful home, immediately find not one but two attractive men interested in you ( and dismiss one for no good reason ). Just as I could never believe that Carrie Bradshaw was so desireable and talented that she could live the life she did while barely doing anything except eating out.  

Not for nothing, but SJP will be 53 this month. For the record, Thomas Haden Church is 57.

[atlantaloves]

and Miss Parker is way too old for that frigging hair, it drives me nuts. 

[Pallas]

In the season finale, Frances enlists Robert’s help. Nick and Diane host another party.

[Armchair Critic]

On 3/2/2018 at 5:02 PM, atlantaloves said:

and Miss Parker is way too old for that frigging hair, it drives me nuts. 

The dark eye makeup and dark roots are what drives me nuts, they would be so easy to fix

[Gem 10]

On March 2, 2018 at 5:02 PM, atlantaloves said:

and Miss Parker is way too old for that frigging hair, it drives me nuts. 

Me too, and it's always flopping in her face and she's constantly pushing it back.  So Annoying to watch.  Just watched T.H.C. In "Sideways" last night and he was great.  Wonder who cast him for this show.

[LilaFowler]

On 3/3/2018 at 5:26 PM, Pallas said:

Frances prepares for Sylvia’s upcoming show. Jackie surprises Robert with a business proposition. 

Wasn't that last week? TVGuide has this for tonight's finale:

In the Season 2 finale, Robert and Jackie move toward a new step in their real-estate business. Meanwhile, Frances faces the fallout of a successful opening at her gallery, and enlists Robert's help with a home-repair project; and a returned favor from Frances sends Diane on a bender, which comes back to haunt her at another eventful party.

[LilaFowler]

SJP loves to have that hair to push back, though. It's one of her -isms when she acts. She will never stop and her characters will always have long hair and wear it down. I agree, very annoying.

THC was cast by SJP. He talked about it in an interview once. They did a move together called Smart People (THC played the brother of a professor, SJP was one of the professor's former students) and I guess they got on well enough that she thought of him for this.

Edited March 5, 2018 by LilaFowler

[scrb]

Well they might as well call this Post-Divorce, because they seemed to have both settled into their separate lives.  Show was originally suppose to be about the drawn-out process of a messy divorce but maybe they kind of rebooted it to make it about life after divorce for these middle-aged upper middle class characters.

Frances has taken several jumps on the trampoline and has landed on her feet.

At the beginning of the season, they both faced financial as well as emotional uncertainty.  Now, Robert can write $75k checks and casually give it to Frances, who can casually endorse it to Diane, who can drunkenly lose it at some dive bar.

Frances says she didn't get into the art business to make money yet it just happens to be a potentially lucrative field.  So she can afford to sanctimoniously reject Skip's rather generous offer?  Maybe she will wise up next season, though I haven't heard of an official renewal.

Good for Diane to go back to the cosmetics counter at the department store rather than back to Boca but can you live in New York these days working retail?  Maybe if there's another season, they'll explore that.  I think they're good comic relief so I hope they and the show returns.

Another possible title:  Money and the (rich upstate) Suburbs.

[Gem 10]

Seems to me like they tied it up tonight.  Robert starting a new life all of a sudden and taking the kids to Italy.   The engagement came so quickly, but as he said "life is too short".   Dallas happily getting closer to the tennis pro, and Diane flipping out over the husband in the clinker.  Who would want a friend like that who goes over the rails because of the gallery and then gets smashed at the bar and crashes into a zillion cars?  The woman is looney tunes.  I can't see her behind the counter selling cosmetics either.  I'm glad this season is over.  I couldn't take those close ups of Frances  anymore.  I'd be surprised if the show came back.  I think T.H.C. could do better.  

[bilgistic]

They sure were nonchalant about $75,000. I would be ecstatic if someone gave me $75,000.

We found out the turd sculpture cost $2 million. What a great investment. :|

I'm glad Frances let the kids go to Italy (though I'm handwaving that the kids could've gotten their passports within the two-week timespan or whatever it was). It seemed selfish and petty for her to say she wanted the kids "with her". She gets to be kid-free for two months! That's a dream for the parents of some teenagers!

Robert is one of those men who just wants to be married and "can't" be single. If there's a third season, his marriage with Jackie is going to be a mess. They're already a mess.

ETA: Diane went to inquire about jobs at the gloves counter at Saks, not the cosmetics counter. She used to work at that gloves counter, which is where she met her embezzling husband.

Edited March 5, 2018 by bilgistic

[LilaFowler]

Frances is so unbelievably selfish. Every sentence that comes out of her mouth begins with “I.” Let your kids go to Europe with their dad. Don’t make it all about you, bitch. Scene at the gallery: more me, me, me. I’m the training wheels. They ride off in the sunset without me. Blah blah.

Why did she go to Skip Zakarian’s museum to confront him? It’s business, let it go. Are we supposed to side with Frances here? Because I don’t. The writing on this show is so bizarre.

“New” Frances sucks. If she didn’t want Robert and has an affair, no one else is allowed to want him and he is not allowed to be successful in life after her. She hears that he’s successful and happy and goes in for another kiss. What a disgusting person.

SJP looked like a haggard old mutt in this episode. The smokey eye doesn’t work in natural light scenes when the character is wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. They must have spent all of their hair and makeup budget on the stunt driving in this episode.

So Diane’s husband gets carted off by the police and Frances dominates the conversation about her ex-husband’s love life. Yep, more of the same. She can’t stand that Robert is happy with someone else. If this show returns for another season (which I'm doubting at this point), I'm sure we'll hear how everyone came home from Italy early after Robert and Jackie break up because he's still so in love with Frances or something. Frances will have already started her affair with Skip and then she'll have to choose between them.

SJP always has to get the guy.

Oh, and taking the kids to Italy to stay in a villa is totally what her character in All Roads Lead to Rome did. More recycled material...

[Armchair Critic]

This was the first episode I actually liked, everybody ended on a high note except for loony tunes Diane and husband.

[BusyOctober]

This show is a mess.  SJP wants to be Carrie Bradshaw until the day she dies I guess?  I never watched Sex in the City, but through osmosis, I picked up on enough about the characters to know I haaaated all of them. It makes me crazy when shows try to make the lead female seem so charming/sexy/gorgeous that every.single.man wants her immediately upon meeting her.  The whole famous gallery owner guy story was more Sex in the City shenanigans.  He sees her once and buys an expensive gift?  Sees her small show in her small gallery and instantly knows she's an amazing art world savant? 

And with all the dopey acting & sloppy writing, the thing that irked me the most had almost nothing to do with the "plot".  When Frances was attempting to hang the new sunny painting, she tried to use a 6" masonry nail to do it. I get that there had to be some contrivance to get Robert over to the house, but really? Does Frances use railroad spikes to hang art at her gallery too?

If this show comes back for another season, I won't be watching.  The only marginally "likeable" character for me is Dallas.  The kids are awful.  Too much Molly Shannon is annoying.  Is Robert supposed to be the dopey, n'er do well with bad financial skills we met in Season 1? Or the well adjusted, real estate tycoon with a healthy relationship he became so quickly after divorcing Frances? Sloppy and unfocused IMO.

[qtpye]

8 hours ago, LilaFowler said:

Frances is so unbelievably selfish. Every sentence that comes out of her mouth begins with “I.” Let your kids go to Europe with their dad. Don’t make it all about you, bitch. Scene at the gallery: more me, me, me. I’m the training wheels. They ride off in the sunset without me. Blah blah.

Why did she go to Skip Zakarian’s museum to confront him? It’s business, let it go. Are we supposed to side with Frances here? Because I don’t. The writing on this show is so bizarre.

“New” Frances sucks. If she didn’t want Robert and has an affair, no one else is allowed to want him and he is not allowed to be successful in life after her. She hears that he’s successful and happy and goes in for another kiss. What a disgusting person.

SJP looked like a haggard old mutt in this episode. The smokey eye doesn’t work in natural light scenes when the character is wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. They must have spent all of their hair and makeup budget on the stunt driving in this episode.

So Diane’s husband gets carted off by the police and Frances dominates the conversation about her ex-husband’s love life. Yep, more of the same. She can’t stand that Robert is happy with someone else. If this show returns for another season (which I'm doubting at this point), I'm sure we'll hear how everyone came home from Italy early after Robert and Jackie break up because he's still so in love with Frances or something. Frances will have already started her affair with Skip and then she'll have to choose between them.

SJP always has to get the guy.

Oh, and taking the kids to Italy to stay in a villa is totally what her character in All Roads Lead to Rome did. More recycled material...

 

3 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

This show is a mess.  SJP wants to be Carrie Bradshaw until the day she dies I guess?  I never watched Sex in the City, but through osmosis, I picked up on enough about the characters to know I haaaated all of them. It makes me crazy when shows try to make the lead female seem so charming/sexy/gorgeous that every.single.man wants her immediately upon meeting her.  The whole famous gallery owner guy story was more Sex in the City shenanigans.  He sees her once and buys an expensive gift?  Sees her small show in her small gallery and instantly knows she's an amazing art world savant? 

And with all the dopey acting & sloppy writing, the thing that irked me the most had almost nothing to do with the "plot".  When Frances was attempting to hang the new sunny painting, she tried to use a 6" masonry nail to do it. I get that there had to be some contrivance to get Robert over to the house, but really? Does Frances use railroad spikes to hang art at her gallery too?

If this show comes back for another season, I won't be watching.  The only marginally "likeable" character for me is Dallas.  The kids are awful.  Too much Molly Shannon is annoying.  Is Robert supposed to be the dopey, n'er do well with bad financial skills we met in Season 1? Or the well adjusted, real estate tycoon with a healthy relationship he became so quickly after divorcing Frances? Sloppy and unfocused IMO.

I think a problem is that they are still trying to style SJP the same way and it has been 20 years.  I remember when Carrie had a shorter shag and that would probably flatter Francis her a lot more, then the limp blonde hair with the visible roots.  It also kind of feels like the makeup artist hates her.

I am a little surprised everyone likes Dallas so much.  I enjoy the actress, but if you cut her out of the show, I doubt if I would even notice.
 

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They sure were nonchalant about $75,000. I would be ecstatic if someone gave me $75,000.

We found out the turd sculpture cost $2 million. What a great investment. :|

 

I think I read somewhere that the average American family make something like $58,000 a year.  The way that they were so careless about that check made me realize that this show is truly about rich people's problems.

It also makes it seem like Francis and Robert are much more financially secure after the divorce, which in reality practically never happens.  They had Robert struggle for about five minutes and now he has got a gorgeous new fiance and amazing business prospects ahead. 

I do not believe that Skip would be into Francis, either.

I think I am supposed to feel sorry for Diane, but I think she is pretty selfish and entitled.  Driving drunk is not funny.  I also think she would not be with her husband if it was not for the money.  I hated the way she was mooning over he expensive ill got jewelry at the prison.  Her lifestyle probably bankrupted many innocent people (though she did not know this), so I do not have a ton of sympathy.

[jennylauren123]

7 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

And with all the dopey acting & sloppy writing, the thing that irked me the most had almost nothing to do with the "plot".  When Frances was attempting to hang the new sunny painting, she tried to use a 6" masonry nail to do it. I get that there had to be some contrivance to get Robert over to the house, but really? Does Frances use railroad spikes to hang art at her gallery too?

Seriously. She owns a gallery, but she doesn't recognize the difference between the size of the nail that you use to hang a picture (the small nail fits through a small hole in the hanger part of it) and the size of that huge nail she was using? 

[chocolatine]

13 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Robert is one of those men who just wants to be married and "can't" be single.

I agree, and I wasn't surprised that he proposed, but I was surprised that Jackie accepted. Just a few episodes ago she was all about not needing a man and being fine on her own.

13 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I'm glad Frances let the kids go to Italy (though I'm handwaving that the kids could've gotten their passports within the two-week timespan or whatever it was).

Maybe they already had passports? She said they'd never taken the kids to Europe, not that they'd never taken them out of the country. 

I'm a dummy when it comes to the art world, but wasn't Skip's offer a perfect fit for Frances? When she quit her corporate job she said she wanted her own gallery because she loved art and discovering great artists, not because she was gung-ho about running her own business. With Skip's offer she could have focused 100% on art and made great money.

Was anyone else was surprised that Nick turned out to be an embezzler? Yeah, me neither. If the show comes back, I really hope Diane moves to Boca and Dallas's role is expanded to fill in Diane's screen time.

[LilaFowler]

The new (S2) showrunner who, to the surprise of exactly no one, worked on SATC and is responsible for the more "hopeful" (and less realistic) tone of this season is basically already planning S3.

https://www.bustle.com/p/when-does-divorce-season-3-premiere-the-showrunner-is-already-planning-new-episodes-8335153
 

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For the second season of HBO's Divorce, Frances and Robert finally went through with the title of the show. But even though the act of divorce is said and done, the series continues to follow their complicated relationship. With the Season 2 finale on March 4, you'll have to wait and see what becomes of them when Season 3 of Divorce premieres. While HBO hasn't officially renewed the Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church series yet, showrunner Jenny Bicks spoke to Collider about her plans for Divorce Season 3 and it seems there will be plenty of dysfunction to come.

Season 1 of Divorce (creator: Sharon Horgan) premiered in October 2016 and consisted of 10 episodes that ended in December. Season 2 premiered a little more than a year later in January 2018 and only had eight episodes, which explains how the finale crept up so quickly. So if HBO does, in fact, renew Divorce, it stands to reason that Season 3 will premiere sometime in 2019.

For Season 2, Bicks replaced Paul Simms as showrunner. According to Deadline, Simms had left because of creative differences. In an interview with IndieWire, Bicks said she strived to give Season 2 "more hope" and "more forward movement." That also meant making the divorce actually official, which is how Season 2 started. "To me, I think there's so much story to tell once you sign those papers that it's equally, if not more so, interesting," Bicks said to IndieWire.

In her interview with Collider, Bicks said that she does already have ideas for a Season 3 — and she didn't mention the prospect of not getting renewed. "There's stuff I'm interested in exploring, staying tonally with where we've landed in the second season, and finding ways to put them into even more predicaments," Bicks said. She continued:

"Frances is somebody who's always wanted to live in the city. What would happen, if she moved to the city, now that she's single? What does that look like? What does Robert's success look like, now that he has money? He's never had money. He's a complete f*ck-up. For him, money is a challenge."

Although their kids, Tom and Lila, are still in school in the suburbs, previews for the Season 2 finale show that Frances may be joining professional forces with Skip Zakarian after he poached Sylvia from her. That could possibly lead her to relocate to New York City. And Robert and Jackie's real estate partnership appears to be moving forward, which will give Robert that cash flow that Bicks mentioned.

But the main reason people tune into Divorce is for the personal relationships. "Even as you have a relationship coming apart, whether you're married or you're breaking up with someone [you've] been dating, there's still always potential for something new," Bicks told Collider. "What was fun about Season 2 was that potential. The word seems so final, but there’s nothing final about divorce. It never stops. So, it's a show called Divorce, where you’re just exploring the realms of relationships."

Robert's relationship with Jackie has been pretty healthy so far, but cracks have started to show. It's quite possible that Robert isn't ready for the same type of commitment that Jackie is, so there could be a fallout from that in Season 3. As for Frances, she just ended things with Andrew during "Going, Going ... Gone," so she's open romantically — and will be seeing Skip again. Bicks also spoke to Collider about the possibility of Robert and Frances getting back together and made it pretty clear she has no plans on forcing that story line to occur. Then, there's Dallas, who is dating a younger man from the tennis club and Diane, who will continue her outrageous shenanigans with her husband Nick.

A lot can change from one half-hour episode to the next on Divorce, so if Season 3 does happen — as Bicks seems to think it will — expect for the unexpected. Because just like in real life, life on Divorce rarely goes according to plan.

 

Mark my words: if there's a S3, Frances and Robert will either get back together or Frances will end up with her own Mr. Big. SJP always, always has to get the guy.

[cpcathy]

I'm embarrassed, because I still like this show. Don't get me wrong, SJP is the worst thing about it--she's continually dumb and selfish, I don't know if I'm supposed to like her, but I don't think SJP is that smart, to want to play an "antihero" type. I thought this was a great episode, even my husband was talking back to the TV!

[Mindthinkr]

The best part of the episode (to me) was seeing the Storm King Art Center. 

The most confusing was how weakly she hit that nail into the wall and that it got through the pipe so easily spraying water all over (you’d think that she would have moved the sunny piece of art away from the area immediately lest it get wet or ruined). 

Glad the kids got to go to Italy but little does Jackie know that the honeymoon is going to be over before it really starts. 

[Caseysgirl]

I couldn't get over the way a $75,000 check was treated like a tip. Excuse me, for most of us, $75,000 would make a significant improvement in our lifestyle, but it didn't seem to make a big difference to any of them. Diane, hits at least 3 vehicles and just drives off without consequences?  Robert meets a beautiful , rich woman who immediately accepts his proposal of marriage AND helps him become a big success when he looked like such a loser in Season 1.  France's first show is a big success and a millionaire wants to hire and she says no?  None of these scenarios reflect the life of most divorcees that I know.  The first season seemed more realistic in that we could see that getting out of a long term marriage is sad,expensive, and hard. This is the Sex & the City version of divorce.

[scrb]

I can definitely see that they rebooted the show.  The hook almost seemed to be how a divorce would play out but the new show runner decided to just quickly end the divorce process and make it a different show.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing but to some viewers, a middle-aged SATC is a deal breaker.

IIRC the divorce threatened to get acrimonious and bitter.  Now they're friendly and even when they get into a fight, it's not as venomous as Robert making the crack about Frances being gang banged in the first season.

I guess if the divorce made had made them bitter, there would be little or no interaction between them.

I'd be curious to see what the original show runner planned for this season.  Apparently he believed in it enough to leave when presumably HBO vetoed it.

If they continued with the divorce process and there was more sniping back and forth, maybe HBO believed that viewers would become alienated.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 3/2/2018 at 3:33 AM, bilgistic said:

Not for nothing, but SJP will be 53 this month. For the record, Thomas Haden Church is 57.

I honestly thought SJP was older.. Not that I'm judging because everyone ages differently. But I think that weird eye makeup isn't doing anything for her. 

[atlantaloves]

I heard that she had permanent eyeliner put under her eyelashes, that's why it is so harsh. 

[txhorns79]

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I'm a dummy when it comes to the art world, but wasn't Skip's offer a perfect fit for Frances? When she quit her corporate job she said she wanted her own gallery because she loved art and discovering great artists, not because she was gung-ho about running her own business. With Skip's offer she could have focused 100% on art and made great money.

I kind of understood in that she'd essentially be working for him.  Even if she didn't love running her own business, it's a big change to being in charge of yourself to having to answer to a boss again. 

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Seriously. She owns a gallery, but she doesn't recognize the difference between the size of the nail that you use to hang a picture (the small nail fits through a small hole in the hanger part of it) and the size of that huge nail she was using? 

 

I didn't understand that at all.  She clearly knows how to hang pictures given she managed to hang an entire show's worth of paintings.  The nail was so out place huge, you just knew she was going to break something. 

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Robert is one of those men who just wants to be married and "can't" be single. If there's a third season, his marriage with Jackie is going to be a mess. They're already a mess.

Wasn't Jackie the one who like two or three episodes ago made a huge deal about how she didn't need Robert and she and her daughter were fine on their own?  Did Robert or Jackie even discuss getting married with their kids before she accepted the proposal?  I'm not saying the kids would have veto power, but it seems bizarre to agree to something so big that affects them without even a conversation. 

Edited March 6, 2018 by txhorns79

[Gem 10]

4 hours ago, cpcathy said:

I'm embarrassed, because I still like this show. Don't get me wrong, SJP is the worst thing about it--she's continually dumb and selfish, I don't know if I'm supposed to like her, but I don't think SJP is that smart, to want to play an "antihero" type. I thought this was a great episode, even my husband was talking back to the TV!

 I liked the show also .. It's the cast I wasn't crazy about especially SJP and Shannon.   Yes, SJP is not Carrie anymore, and it annoys me that she still acts like her at her age.  I would have liked to see more of the divorce problems, but it went from not getting along to practically besties overnight.  That's why I think this show is done as they wrapped everything up.  I wouldn't want to see Carrie come back in the dating scene.  She's too old for that and not cutesy anymore.  Maybe Andy Cohen will make her a New York housewife and she could continue skipping around the city and the Hamptons.

[EdnasEdibles]

I actually didn't mind the main leads tonight either.

Don't get me wrong - I hate Diane. Can't stand her. Thought she was being such a brat that I honestly didn't get why Frances wouldn't be like "Fuck you. I don't need your crazy ass annoying the hell out of me anymore." But for everyone else, I liked them. I'm glad the therapist friend had a good boyfriend. 

Robert is moving too quickly with Jackie and if the show is renewed (and I am assuming it won't be) their marriage would be a nightmare. But he was relatively fine during this ep.

I also got Frances' reaction to the Italy trip. I'm separated and if my husband didn't tell me about a trip before he told the kids, I'd be really annoyed with that. And yes I appreciate a night or two on my own but two months would be really sad and lonely. It would be a pretty jarring change to my summer. And then the idea that they're somewhere fabulous that I'd always wanted to take them but with someone other than me . . . that would hurt. Plus, there's this sad feeling about not having a "traditional family" anymore - and knowing that they're out in a psuedo traditional family structure -- that no longer includes me - It would all hurt quite a bit. So I didn't blame Frances for her reaction. I thought she was a big person for coming around and changing her mind though. 

The only thing (other than Diane) that I really hated was the casual treatment of the $75,000 check. WTF. And who endorses a check like that to hand over? Deposit in your account Frances. Write your friend her own check. What the actual hell is wrong with these people?

Slight annoyance with the screamy reaction to the water too - turn the damn water off. Sheesh. Get some command strips for hanging pictures. 

[qtpye]

12 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I kind of understood in that she'd essentially be working for him.  Even if she didn't love running her own business, it's a big change to being in charge of yourself to having to answer to a boss again. 

I didn't understand that at all.  She clearly knows how to hang pictures given she managed to hang an entire show's worth of paintings.  The nail was so out place huge, you just knew she was going to break something. 

Wasn't Jackie the one who like two or three episodes ago made a huge deal about how she didn't need Robert and she and her daughter were fine on their own?  Did Robert or Jackie even discuss getting married with their kids before she accepted the proposal?  I'm not saying the kids would have veto power, but it seems bizarre to agree to something so big that affects them without even a conversation. 

 

10 hours ago, EdnasEdibles said:

I actually didn't mind the main leads tonight either.

Don't get me wrong - I hate Diane. Can't stand her. Thought she was being such a brat that I honestly didn't get why Frances wouldn't be like "Fuck you. I don't need your crazy ass annoying the hell out of me anymore." But for everyone else, I liked them. I'm glad the therapist friend had a good boyfriend. 

Robert is moving too quickly with Jackie and if the show is renewed (and I am assuming it won't be) their marriage would be a nightmare. But he was relatively fine during this ep.

I also got Frances' reaction to the Italy trip. I'm separated and if my husband didn't tell me about a trip before he told the kids, I'd be really annoyed with that. And yes I appreciate a night or two on my own but two months would be really sad and lonely. It would be a pretty jarring change to my summer. And then the idea that they're somewhere fabulous that I'd always wanted to take them but with someone other than me . . . that would hurt. Plus, there's this sad feeling about not having a "traditional family" anymore - and knowing that they're out in a psuedo traditional family structure -- that no longer includes me - It would all hurt quite a bit. So I didn't blame Frances for her reaction. I thought she was a big person for coming around and changing her mind though. 

The only thing (other than Diane) that I really hated was the casual treatment of the $75,000 check. WTF. And who endorses a check like that to hand over? Deposit in your account Frances. Write your friend her own check. What the actual hell is wrong with these people?

Slight annoyance with the screamy reaction to the water too - turn the damn water off. Sheesh. Get some command strips for hanging pictures. 

You guys are right about the Sex in the City references, particularly to unrealistic finances. In the first season, there was some anchor in reality about how emotionally and financially devastating a divorce can be.  Now, the two divorced people think nothing about handing over a amount of money that would be huge to even upper middle class people.

Robert has been much more likable this season and I found him somewhat charming and cute by the end.  However, Jackie is basically a reverse gender role of Robert's prince charming.  She is an attractive and successful woman who gives him a new lease on life.  She partners up with him romantically and financially and makes him such a success that he can casually hand his wife a check for $75k.

Francis, I guess has money by splitting the commission on the 2 million dollar from the Pelts (it was loaned from another gallery) and the fact that the artist that she discovered had a sold out show?  I mean as a gallery owner in an absolutely charming, but slightly provincial part of town, how can she be so nonchalant about that amount of money?

That artist she found was a jerk to her, but she should never get her emotions in the way of business.  The truth is any artist will use Francis's gallery as a springboard to get into larger more prestigious galleries in NYC.  Of course, Francis has a millionaire art dealer who is dying to work with her and date her.

Also, what is up with Diane?  It is obvious that Francis finds her taste in art bourgeoisie at best, and would ditch her in a heartbeat to sit at the cool table with her new artist friend.  I agree that Francis gave her that check to be rid of her, more so then doing the right thing in paying her back.  Of course, Francis had always said it was a loan and did not want Diane meddling in her business, but I think Diane thought of it as more of a partnership.  Again, there would have been papers drawn up, specifying the exact nature of the agreement no matter how rich Diane thought she was.

Believe it or not, I like this show.  If it does come back, I hope the finances are a little more realistic, but I am also okay with how they ended the season.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 3/5/2018 at 1:36 AM, bilgistic said:

They sure were nonchalant about $75,000. I would be ecstatic if someone gave me $75,000.

We found out the turd sculpture cost $2 million. What a great investment. :|

I'm glad Frances let the kids go to Italy (though I'm handwaving that the kids could've gotten their passports within the two-week timespan or whatever it was). It seemed selfish and petty for her to say she wanted the kids "with her". She gets to be kid-free for two months! That's a dream for the parents of some teenagers!

Robert is one of those men who just wants to be married and "can't" be single. If there's a third season, his marriage with Jackie is going to be a mess. They're already a mess.

ETA: Diane went to inquire about jobs at the gloves counter at Saks, not the cosmetics counter. She used to work at that gloves counter, which is where she met her embezzling husband.

Two months without their teenagers might be a dream for some parents but not all. And even if they're happy to let the kids go, they might still pretty sad about it. Like she said, it's the only time her kids aren't so grumpy from lack of sleep. She worked long hours in the city (among other things, later in the marriage) and it didn't leave a lot of non-work, non-extracurricular hours to spend with her teenagers, especially her son who will soon be leaving. In the end, she let them go, which is great. But I don't think it was petty to want to spend time with her kids or at least take time to think about it.  

[BingeyKohan]

Did anyone else think they were setting up Dallas to be part of a throuple next season? I think her new man is still with his ex and they want a third. 

I don’t see much momentum for a new season, though. I do like that Frances showed backbone this season, standing up to Cathy and not letting Sylvia or Skip off the hook without making it clear how she felt.  But none of this are engines a show runs on for long.

[iMonrey]

I'm trying to figure out what this show is trying to say - about divorce, or just in general. And I'm not really sure. There was a jarring shift in the tone between Season 1 and Season 2. Frances is the one who wanted out of the marriage but Robert is the one who got to move on and be much happier and more successful with someone else. Frances, on the other hand, has had one beat down after another - the guy she was having an affair with didn't want to be with her and that was her main reason for wanting a divorce. She finally got her dream artist to show and then promptly got dumped by her. Her dating prospects have turned out to be jerks. The kids are leaving and she's in empty nest territory and even her friends are starting to turn on her. And after all is said and done she keeps turning to Robert just for the comfort of it.

What I'm getting out of this is that Frances should never have gotten divorced and should have appreciated her lot in life because now she's worse off but everyone else is better off. And I honestly don't think that's what the show is trying to say but that's what I'm seeing play out.

If nothing else this show just seems to be character study for the sake of character study without any real story to tell. In which case I see no reason for them to make another season.

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At the beginning of the season, they both faced financial as well as emotional uncertainty.  Now, Robert can write $75k checks and casually give it to Frances, who can casually endorse it to Diane, who can drunkenly lose it at some dive bar.

That's quite a leap, no? Robert went from living in an unfinished house with no running water and working construction jobs just to get by to suddenly having 75 grand to hand over to his ex. Now, I get it - he sold that house. But still. I can't imagine he got that much profit out of it considering how long he had to sit on it. In fact I'd be surprised if he wasn't still in the red, just less so. If nothing else, this speaks to how little the writers have given thought to the realities of finances.

[qtpye]

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That's quite a leap, no? Robert went from living in an unfinished house with no running water and working construction jobs just to get by to suddenly having 75 grand to hand over to his ex. Now, I get it - he sold that house. But still. I can't imagine he got that much profit out of it considering how long he had to sit on it. In fact I'd be surprised if he wasn't still in the red, just less so. If nothing else, this speaks to how little the writers have given thought to the realities of finances.

Last season, Robert seemed like such a loser that you wondered why Francis married him in the first place.  This season, he was really likable and seemed to be on a rocket ship to success.