Divorce - General Discussion

[cardigirl]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I get direct deposit, but I have no "online file," whatever that may be, that I know of where I can randomly check my information.  I have an idea as to who to ask to get it for me, but otherwise I wouldn't have any idea. 

I was a little confused as to how Robert appeared to be leveraging jointly owned assets as collateral without Frances being in the loop. 

Do you get a pay stub? Do you have online access to your checking account? I'm pretty sure you have records you can access. And you get info every year to do your taxes with. Francis was acting like she had no idea how much she was paid.

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Robert hires a lawyer, much to Frances' surprise, so she counters with one of her own. Meanwhile, Frances tries to get the attention of a well-known artist; and Nick is wary of Robert's get-rich-quick scheme.

 

 

[LilaFowler]

I wonder who files their taxes.  Robert?  The shady guy who is paid by the hour and who works out of his car?  They seem like the type of people who would hire an accountant to do all of that.  Frances being so clueless was so Carrie Bradshaw to me.  Pity that she doesn't have a Charlotte to bully into selling her old engagement ring for money.

[Kenz]

This was my last try at this show. Both Frances and Robert are miserable characters. SJP looks like she's sick and wants to curl up in a ball, and THC plays a nasty jerk. I'm wondering why these two actors signed on to this depressing mess.

[CofCinci]

17 hours ago, cardigirl said:

I get that the scene where Francis asked for help with getting her financial information was supposed to be comedic, but come on.  She can't figure out where to find her financial information from the company?  Even if you do have direct deposit, you're going to have an online file where you can sign in and see what you're paid, what taxes are taken out, and how much you're putting in the 401(k).  And if not there, you can go online and check your bank account, or call the bank for information. I was deeply insulted by that scene. She's an executive in a high pressure business.  Not some woman who just started back to work after staying home for 10 years.  Gah.

And I agree with all the parenting observations.  Although, the scene where they finally tell the kids played very real for me.  Of course the kids knew something was up. Kids are smart.

While she does seem to be in a leadership role, I thought it was mentioned that she recently returned to work to support the family during the husband's new career change.  

[justjen]

I'm really liking the songs at the end of the episodes, particularly this one. SJP just doesn't come off as a real person to me and this episode solidified that. I'm really aware, for 30 minutes, that I'm watching SJP play pretend mother and busy career woman without assistants to help her navigate life. But Boyfriend likes it (even if he doesn't believe Thomas Haden Church was on Wings) and I really like the songs at the end, so I guess I'll keep watching? Maybe this will be like Togetherness and will be over soon.

[BeatrixK]

20 hours ago, luna1122 said:

Yeah, this was the first episode that kind of jelled, for me. I kind of liked it all. Robert, for all his stomach issues and talking about 'twosies', wasn't just a buffoon. He was great with the kids, telling them about the divorce, and then with Frances too, as he left. For the first time, I remembered that THC is a handsome guy, or would be, without the terrible 'stache.

And I got Frances' absolute dismay over the moustache, and how it felt like a hostile act for him to grow it. Her weeping over the inexplicable, perpetual dampness (Ew) of it was both poignant and funny, tho SJP has never learned to cry on camera. The scene with her falling apart in front of the coworker eventually seemed over the top, but it began well. Going thru a divorce makes you a little crazy. You often do and say things and fall apart in front of people it's inappropriate to fall apart in front of. I got it. I liked it.

Oh, so this -- and that actually felt like a 'real' moment for me.  Good lord...when I went through a divorce...the day before I had my appointment with my attorney to file, the president of our company asked me 'Hey, how are you doing,'...and I burst into tears right in front of the poor dood and just started babbling about my divorce. (Granted...it was a small company...so we interacted with him on a daily basis anyway...but just went all kindsa nutso.  But at least got the full day off for my filing outta the deal.)

THC just cracks me up.  I guess I just love his acting style...but he is selling it for me.

 

20 hours ago, luna1122 said:

[kassa]

I liked the office scene with the employee - it cemented for me that we're not actually supposed to be all team Frances -- in her own way she's just as bad as Robert (would be interesting to see scenes from his point of view of her annoying him, similar to the ones we've had of her being aggravated in those petty but torturous ways (the humming along with the car radio, the wet mustache (ick), the TMI about bodily functions, etc. )   

Was Robert's new lawyer Alvin from the Cosby Show?

[luna1122]

3 minutes ago, kassa said:

   Was Robert's new lawyer Alvin from the Cosby Show?

It was him!

[izabella]

18 minutes ago, kassa said:

I liked the office scene with the employee - it cemented for me that we're not actually supposed to be all team Frances -- in her own way she's just as bad as Robert (would be interesting to see scenes from his point of view of her annoying him, similar to the ones we've had of her being aggravated in those petty but torturous ways (the humming along with the car radio, the wet mustache (ick), the TMI about bodily functions, etc. )  

She was the one cheating, so I don't think we were supposed to be team Frances to begin with.  I think they're both flawed and both at fault for their divorce, so I'm not team anyone.  I may not even be "Team Show" because this is depressing without enough funny to make it worth watching.

[ChlcGirl]

I watched the first two episodes of Divorce and for the past two and a half weeks, I have sat down to watch the next two EPs and instead, ended up watching 7 year old Gilmore Girls episodes.  I have however been reading these boards.  The fact that we are two days out from a new episode and there are only 18 comments on the last show's thread?  That tells me a lot.

Edited November 4, 2016 by ChlcGirl

[NutMeg]

On 11/5/2016 at 7:43 AM, ChlcGirl said:

I watched the first two episodes of Divorce and for the past two and a half weeks, I have sat down to watch the next two EPs and instead, ended up watching 7 year old Gilmore Girls episodes.  I have however been reading these boards.  The fact that we are two days out from a new episode and there are only 18 comments on the last show's thread?  That tells me a lot.

Yes, I've just watched this episode, so obviously it's not urgent TV for me. That being said, I'll continue watching, but will maybe wait until I can watch two episodes in a row. My low urgency is not only about the show itself, but also due to the number of other shows I've found I like (more) this season. Then again, while far from being uplifting, I find a lot of details very well done, and I'll continue watching.

What I like is the frank look at divorce and all its messiness. Nobody looks great. It's tough for both ex-spouses. Each one will have random WTF moments. I don't remember any other shows showing it this way, usually it's played mostly upbeat after 15 tough minutes, with the cheated on partner for instance magically transforming his/her life in an unrealistically quick turnaround. So I do like that this is dragging on, even if, because of that, I'm not going to rush to watch it.

[NutMeg]

I really liked this episode, the bumbling lawyer is horrible in a comedic way, makes sense that he was recommended by the hapless accountant. It was nice to see the female friends again, and I enjoyed the "Phone tears" that didn't come. Also the fact that this friend (no idea of her name, though she's the one I like the best) is a therapist was a nice unexpected touch. Artists fighting is somethink I can relate too, having seen it happen more often than not, although I never saw it become physical, but the verbal part of it was spot on.

I'm still not clear on what Frances' day job is. The scenes where she first thoughtfully packs and labels Robert's stuff (I LOVED the part where she jumped to see if she had forgotten anything) and then throw them away is anger were both good. Unrealistic that she would ask one of her kids to answer the home phone when she was so close to it, but apart from that, that phone call made for an interesting outcome.

Robert is becoming a more interesting character too, both slightly pathetic (totally tone deaf in most of his interactions, notably both last episode and this scene with his "friend" to get him to invest) and increasingly interested in getting something financially out of this.  

[chocolatine]

So Robert is supposed to have been a successful Wall Street broker in the past (based on what he told Nick)? That doesn't gel at all with how financially clueless he's being now (failure to flip his investment properties, stupid business idea and undignified begging for capital, hiring incompetent accountant and lawyer). IDK, after what looked like slow improvement over the last two episodes, the show is losing me again with the amount of stupidity.

The gallery seems like it's becoming a disaster before it's even opened. Are gallerists supposed to buy the art with their own money and then re-sell it? I thought they just display the art and earn a commission if it sells, but based on what the two fighting artists were saying, they seemed to be targeting gallerists who have money.

The actor who plays Robert's new lawyer played one of Carrie's flings on SATC. He was the guy who Carrie was trying to turn from an occasional hookup into a real relationship, but the guy turned out to be a giant bore.

[cardigirl]

Ugh, just ugh. I hate everyone in this show. Is this how women want to be perceived?  I get that this is a dark comedy, but nothing about anyone's thought processes on this show resonates with me. 

[EdnasEdibles]

10 hours ago, NutMeg said:

I'm still not clear on what Frances' day job is. The scenes where she first thoughtfully packs and labels Robert's stuff (I LOVED the part where she jumped to see if she had forgotten anything) and then throw them away is anger were both good. Unrealistic that she would ask one of her kids to answer the home phone when she was so close to it, but apart from that, that phone call made for an interesting outcome.

I think her normal day job is that she's a head hunter/recruiter. She was interviewing that one guy (seemed to be a laid off executive or someone looking to make that change) and I think there was another scene where she was talking about openings. I might have made this up but I thought it was mentioned?

[BusyOctober]

Robert was actually funny.  And I am definitely interested to see what Dean Winters will bring!  Loved him in everything he's done, including the Allstate 'Mayhem' ads. No one does smarmy douche bro better! 

[iMonrey]

I don't understand what Robert is trying to do with this "Fun Zone" space. He's in the middle of a divorce, so why would he be trying to launch a new venture right now? Wouldn't that force him to share it with Francis? Why not wait until the divorce is finalized so he doesn't have to split the income with her? Or is this some kind of strategy on his part, to make her pay for it? I don't get it.

[Chas411]

Roberts story about buying water during 911 cracked me up. I'm in the minority but he's definitely the bright spot of this show for me.

[EdnasEdibles]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I don't understand what Robert is trying to do with this "Fun Zone" space. He's in the middle of a divorce, so why would he be trying to launch a new venture right now? Wouldn't that force him to share it with Francis? Why not wait until the divorce is finalized so he doesn't have to split the income with her? Or is this some kind of strategy on his part, to make her pay for it? I don't get it.

Perhaps this is the season 2 plot - Fun Zone & the Gallery launch - which one will succeed? Which one will fail? Will the funny ever stop?

[LilaFowler]

Both of them are starting risky new ventures a second after deciding to divorce.  It's odd and a little unreasonable.  If it were just them, maybe I wouldn't even think about it, but won't someone think of the children?  Robert is in so much debt that they are essentially a one-income family right now.

[scrb]

That guy was also Tina Fey's love interest on 30 Rock, to show what a mess she was, because he had a similar persona.

He was a pager salesman in a world of cell phones!

[txhorns79]

I don't really understand why either of them would get high priced, highly aggressive attorneys for this divorce.  What assets do they even have that need to be divided?  The house?  Robert's failing business?  They seem comfortable, but not particularly wealthy.  They would need to work out custody of the kids, and perhaps alimony/child support.  Otherwise, it seems like a huge waste of money to hire those types of attorneys. 

[ennui]

5 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I don't really understand why either of them would get high priced, highly aggressive attorneys for this divorce.

Divorce laws vary by state. Not every state allows no-fault divorce.

I wish THC weren't acting the buffoon. 

Edited November 8, 2016 by ennui

[txhorns79]

Quote

Divorce laws vary by state. Not every state allows no-fault divorce.

My point was more that the lawyers they hired are people you would get if you were wealthy, the divorce was very high profile and you had substantial assets at stake.  It feels like Frances and Robert, based on what we have seen, do not fit that category.   

[iMonrey]

Quote

I don't really understand why either of them would get high priced, highly aggressive attorneys for this divorce.

Not only that, but it's really a TV trope to utter the name of a divorce attorney and have two of your friends gasp aloud because he is so famous. How many people can really name "well known" divorce attorneys, even if they've gone through a divorce?

[scrb]

Maybe it's a plot device so the lawyers can say or do over the top things for comic effect.

[beeziebee]

14 hours ago, scrb said:

 

Maybe it's a plot device so the lawyers can say or do over the top things for comic effect.

 

And then maybe then it could be accurately classified as a "comedy".  I've yet to find the humor in this series.

[kassa]

On 11/7/2016 at 0:01 AM, NutMeg said:

Unrealistic that she would ask one of her kids to answer the home phone when she was so close to it, but apart from that, that phone call made for an interesting outcome.

I was about to say that it made sense to me (as a non mom) that if the call was going to be for the kid anyway, why pick it up.  Except kids don't use landlines, do they?  Never mind. 

[formerlyfreedom]

Frances and Robert try to set their differences aside and make their annual Christmas trip to her parents' house with the kids.

 

[Corgi-ears]

On 9 November 2016 at 8:31 AM, iMonrey said:

Not only that, but it's really a TV trope to utter the name of a divorce attorney and have two of your friends gasp aloud because he is so famous. How many people can really name "well known" divorce attorneys, even if they've gone through a divorce?

That's part of the joke here, right? It shows that Hastings is plagued by divorces, to the extent that the women in the area of a certain socioeconomic class know exactly which divorce lawyer is good or bad, etc. It's certainly the case that high-society ladies in NYC know who the top divorce lawyers are. 

Possibly related note to self: remember to pitch idea for reality TV show to Andy Cohen

[ennui]

On 11/9/2016 at 7:53 AM, beeziebee said:

And then maybe then it could be accurately classified as a "comedy".  I've yet to find the humor in this series.

Is it supposed to be a comedy? I thought it was dramedy. Some moments are very sad. 

[formerlyfreedom]

Frances discovers that Robert has misled her about their financial situation. Robert tries to re-enter the "dating" pool.

 

[auntiemel]

I think this was the first "Christmas Episode" of a show I've seen this year. Weird feeling! :) I liked this one, though. It was more subtle, and they seemed more like real people and less like broad cartoons.

[Armchair Critic]

I did like the son's FYI that his headphones weren't plugged in at the end

[cpcathy]

The entire episode I was trying to figure out who SJP's mom was, I kept thinking Flo from Alice (is she still alive??) but no--Dorothy Lyman! All My Children!

[iMonrey]

I remember her from All My Children too, cpcathy. And boy does that make me feel old. 

I don't really understand why Robert was being so generous and taking the blame for the divorce to spare Frances. I guess they're trying to humanize him, like neither party is totally to blame or totally innocent, but so far Frances has looked like the bad guy about 99% of the time if you ask me.

And if I'm not mistaken, her mother was hinting around that she'd had an affair at some point too, right?

[LilaFowler]

32 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I don't really understand why Robert was being so generous and taking the blame for the divorce to spare Frances. I guess they're trying to humanize him, like neither party is totally to blame or totally innocent, but so far Frances has looked like the bad guy about 99% of the time if you ask me.

And if I'm not mistaken, her mother was hinting around that she'd had an affair at some point too, right?

That was the impression that I got.  Plus, the mother was all about forgiveness while the dad gently placed the knife right to Robert's jugular and remind him to do right by his daughter.  Yes, I think the mom is the cheater.

This episode was just okay.  The lighting in the parents' kitchen did nothing for SJP.  I thought that the way Frances announced to the room that they were getting divorced was par for the course as far as this show goes.  Everything that could have been handled subtly is blown up until it's another disaster.  From next week's previews it appears that this couple may not be able to afford to get divorced.  Good thing the show was renewed for a second season.

The scene with Julian and his family and his mistress's husband was bizarre.  Less of that, please.

Edited November 14, 2016 by LilaFowler

[iMonrey]

The scenes with Molly Shannon's character (Diane), and with Julian and his family, did not feel earned - if that makes any sense. They haven't done enough at this point to establish any of those characters as legitimate sub-plots. When they cut to scenes of those characters having dinner with the families, my reaction was kind of like "Oh, really? We're doing this?" The show had to sort of spell it out for me that they considered these other characters to be important, somehow, on their own, instead of just characters who were in Frances and Roberts' lives.

[scrb]

I wouldn't have minded more of the dinner at Diane's.  A little more sniping between her and Nick's ex might have been entertaining.

And looks like the Conchord guy is a serial cheater with married women.

Frances sure can pick them.

[auntiemel]

I think part of the reason Robert "admitted" to the affair was because, in a weird way, he felt more powerful being the cheater than the cheated on in their story.

[LilaFowler]

Yes, that was what I figured, too.  Being cheated on really hurt his ego.

[luna1122]

How does the Conchord guy keep getting all these married chicks into bed? He seems charmless and pathetic.

Not a lot stood out for me, in particular, in this episode, but I really liked it. It felt a little more relatable, in a real life way, than previous episodes, or maybe I'm just getting used to the weird blend of comedic styles. Robert/THC is becoming more of a person than a sitcommy caricature. I do hope Dean Winters manages to get him to shave that stupid 'stache. Yeah, I do think he 'admitted' to the affair for just the reason he said: he'd rather be seen as a cheater than a cheat-ee.

Speaking of, I like seeing SATC folks show up here and sort of hope for more. So far, we have Carrie's publisher and her hot-but-dumb fuckbuddy. 

[auntiemel]

11 hours ago, luna1122 said:

How does the Conchord guy keep getting all these married chicks into bed? He seems charmless and pathetic.

 

Never underestimate the power of an accent!

[sasha206]

On 11/17/2016 at 0:16 AM, auntiemel said:

Never underestimate the power of an accent!

And being a Professor!  Even though it's not necessarily great money, it's a status/intelligence thing.

[NutMeg]

I loved how Robert stubbornly wanted the guy to be French. That was so unexpected. And leaving him messages in French - nice touch.

[sauce62]

SJP really looks awful and I can't stand Robert. I think I officially hate this show.

[dbell1]

I gave up on the show 5 minutes into this episode.  I tried to like it, and I do love biting black comedy, but it's like a drama trying to be a sitcom. And I curse as much as any Jersey woman, but if you took the curse words out of this show, it would probably lose a good five minutes. I was waiting for Hannah the dog to start barking out swear words. 

[PetuniaP]

This show is terribly miscast and it makes it sooo difficult to watch. SJP was supposed to find the comedy in finding out that her husband had bankrupted them and she just couldn't do it. And Robert's failed attempts at dating are of little interest. 

Edited November 21, 2016 by PetuniaP

[BusyOctober]

It's just so...off.  I get that there is dark comedy like "Veep", and there is "dramedy" like "Parenthood" or "This is Us".  This show isn't funny enough or dramatic enough to be anything.  It's in bad premise TV limbo.  Robert is written too goof-ball sit-com-y a character, yet isn't allowed to really bring the funny.  SJP is trying too hard for pathos and gravitas in her character.  It doesn't work.  There is zero chemistry between anyone on this show!  I don't sympathize or like either of the main characters. There is no apparent reason for Robert & Frances to have ever been in love or even liked each other enough to get married.  Was Frances in a coma for 15 years and suddenly woke up to see she married an irresponsible, socially awkward doofus? Or did Robert just have a midlife crisis a few years back & turn into a jerk?  The show runners & the 82 "Executive Producers" probably should have had a few more meetings to match up their visions for what this show was supposed to be.