S01.E08: Broken as F**k

[ridethemaverick]

1 hour ago, Brooklynista said:

It seems definitely a pleasant change after all those years watching Carrie Bradshaw have polite relations in her damn bra. Ugh!

Bwahaha! Some sex columnist. Carrie didn't have the range. I never once saw her back arch like Tasha.

[Ohwell]

3 hours ago, ridethemaverick said:

Also, why can't all Ebony porn look like that? That there was black excellence.

I've wondered why (some? most?) black porn was somewhat "lacking" and concluded that maybe we're afraid that our mamas might find out somehow. 

[Empress1]

9 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I don't think the bank teller made it to work the next day.

You know that song "Side to Side?" Yeah.

[announcergirl]

On 11/30/2016 at 1:48 PM, Ohwell said:

Yeah, both were really good but Lawrence is the one I'd want to roll over and look at afterwards, not Daniel.

Girl ain't nobody trying to have no morning after! I guess Zaldo is gonna call my folks again...hmph. 

 

Totally random and misplaced thought: Wonder if my baby Ryan from 9 Mag can put it down like Lawrence or Daniel? Good night and thank me for the visuals in the morning. Ta. Da.

[Brooklynista]

9 hours ago, announcergirl said:

Totally random and misplaced thought: Wonder if my baby Ryan from 9 Mag can put it down like Lawrence or Daniel? Good night and thank me for the visuals in the morning. Ta. Da.

Still off topic, but I would guess no. To me Ryan looks like he relies on being pretty instead of putting in work.

[Sheenieb]

I wonder if the title of this episode had a double meaning. The first being Issa and Lawrence's relationship, the other being Tasha's back ... 

[Ohwell]

Tasha's back:  

In my younger days:  Hell yeah

Now?:  Ouch!

[Empress1]

Agree or nah?

[Sheenieb]

17 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Agree or nah?

Ha, I read this earlier. I was trying to comment, but disqus won't let me be great. Keep getting a 'pending' notification.

Anyway! There's truth in the article, but overall, what really did Issa and Lawrence in was lack of communication and passive-aggressiveness. It's hard to keep a long-term relationship going. All relationships have ebbs and flows, but when you add job loss and feeling like a failure on top of it, it tends to speed up the destruction. The Lawrence we met in the beginning was shiftless. I completely understood why Issa was emotionally checking out. Didn't help matters that he didn't even try to plan something nice for her birthday. He wasn't trying at all.

But when we found out more about his situation, I softened a bit. What he told Tasha or was it Chad? About doing everything right, going to college, getting a job, and then life humbling the fuck out of you like:

is what he should've been telling Issa.

As someone whose own relationship went down in flames last year partially due to job lay off and the subsequent mental torture that is job hunting, it hit home for me. These are the moments when you have to rely on your partner. When the things you thought were constants in your life turn out to be variables, but we get too wrapped up in our own shit and end up neglecting them.

I don't care for the argument that he was getting shit together for her. As another poster said, he should've been getting it together for himself. He started to smarten up when he realized that he was losing her. But the bouch buying and new job was only a band aid. They needed to have a Molly style of fight and really hash shit out. The gulf between them was just too wide. Regardless though, she was dead ass wrong for cheating. I'll never understand the "it didn't mean anything" explanation. You're going to blow up your relationship for someone that means nothing? Dafuq? 

Just take the L.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Sheenieb

[scrb]

2 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Agree or nah?

I don't recall exactly but didn't Lawrence have at least the BB job and they were kind of in a good place, got rid of the old couch, bought a new couch?

So the timing of the cheating kind of doesn't make sense.  That is why she had such remorse, because they were well past him forgetting her birthday or not getting his stuff together.

It's not like he was watching TV all day while she comes home after a long day at work and having to cook and clean for him.

From the article, these two sets of ideas seem at odds with each other:

Quote

Had he been giving it to Issa like this the entire five years maybe she would’ve been all, “Daniel who?” Because who really cares about a damn high school crush. But he wasn’t stroking her like that, so here we are.

vs.

Quote

An actual “good guy” who feels inadequate because his finances aren’t in order at least tries to go the extra mile at home. Laundry, dishes, Fabuluoso’ing the bathroom down, cooking, anything that doesn’t make you look like a shiftless bum. Not Lawrence though. He sulks. Lawrence is too bool to get an edge up. He can’t even remember Issa’s birthday. An unemployed broke boy forgetting your birthday is unforgivable. Even if he couldn’t spend any money, it should’ve been the most creatively sentimental celebration he could muster up. He has nothing but time to visit Dollar Tree and Michael’s for some arts and crafts. Issa should’ve cheated sooner!

So the writer is positing two different reasons why Issa may have cheated, the first being Lawrence's performance in the bedroom vs. his performance in the rest of the house.

So which is it ladies?

[damalanop]

On 11/28/2016 at 9:59 AM, Stardancer Supreme said:

Ahh. I'm glad Molly and Issa made up.  Those two need each other!

Of course Lawrence was going to hit up the Chase ho (TM Crissle). I was thinking that there was no way he's going to pay upwards to $400 for some action when he had a chick who was DTF just for him!  

What would really make me like this series is if Issa finds a new man to vibe with. Let Lawrence go for good. His petty ass left that Best Buy shirt just to twist the knife, IMO. He thinks he's hot shit because he has a new job that Issa had to force him to take!  

I also want to see Tiffany's marriage blow up.  She's way too snooty for me and I'm sure her hubby is hiding hella things from her.

I agree with everything you said here, especially the part about Tiff's marriage. Well, maybe I don't want to see it blow up, but something's definitely "off" with that relationship and I want to see shit get real with them.

Y'all have me dying reading the Daniel vs. Lawrence and Lawrence working it out with Tasha comments.  If someone is keeping a tally...I'd go with Lawrence. A sad Lawrence seems to be a "good" Lawrence in some ways apparently!

Really, really enjoyed the entire season and I think the finale brought everything home.  So much going on, but in the end I'm just glad that Molly and Issa made up.

[withanaich]

13 hours ago, Sheenieb said:

Agree or nah?

Kinda sorta have to agree. Not with the specifics (nothing wrong with a job at Best Buy if that's all you can get at the moment, and nobody "needs" to cheat, come the hell on), but both Lawrence and Issa should do some growing up before they're ready for a relationship, with each other (though I hope that ship has sailed) or anyone else.

Quote

I don't care for the argument that he was getting shit together for her. As another poster said, he should've been getting it together for himself. He started to smarten up when he realized that he was losing her. But the bouch buying and new job was only a band aid. They needed to have a Molly style of fight and really hash shit out. The gulf between them was just too wide. Regardless though, she was dead ass wrong for cheating. I'll never understand the "it didn't mean anything" explanation. You're going to blow up your relationship on someone that means nothing? Dafuq? 

This, this, this all day long. This is a much better read on the situation, although I have to admit that this line from the article cracked me the hell up:

Quote

It was the pounding of a man looking for a new home for his pitiful pillow.

Hee! I was a bit dumbfounded that he even took his pillow when he moved out! That must've been some expensive pillow. Was it one of those buckwheat dealies? Gold flakes? What?

Edited December 2, 2016 by withanaich

[tenativelyyours]

Cheating for me is cheating.  Issa cheated.  If the argument is that to some Lawrence is not catch?  Then you release his ass before you grabbed onto to another.  For me I don't find arguments to be valid that try to justify cheating.  You can let a dick go before you let another one in.  Its that simple for me.  Issa cheated.  And she knew that.  She knew exactly what she did while some of Daniel was still in her. 

Okay now we have exhausted whose pounding we want, how's about the real pillow talk? 

Of course I would take my pillow.  Something I sleep on every night?  doesn't have to gilt or expensive, if I am in the habit of resting my head on something I certainly am going to take that certain something with me unless I know I'm going to a place they have better and that works for me. I'm used to my pillows.  And I know exactly how I like them to sleep versus read versus watch tv.   Pillows sometimes take a little work too to get just right, just like bank teller's backs! 

[Irlandesa]

On 12/1/2016 at 5:02 PM, Empress1 said:

Agree or nah?

Nah.  First, I don't know the author but I felt I recognized the spirit of the writing as something I could see myself doing in reaction to a reaction that felt offensive.  In other words, it opens talking about the reaction she'd seen from men (maybe women) cheering on Lawrence dumping Issa like it was some kind of victory of a hero over a Jezebel.  Honestly, even though I like Lawrence and think Issa was wrong for cheating, seeing a reaction tinged with misogyny would annoy me as well. And I might be tempted to write a "hold up..." kind of post.

But the article seems to both blame Lawrence for Issa cheating and claim that it's refreshing to see a cheating scenario because lust. 

[Nanrad]

19 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Nah.  First, I don't know the author but I felt I recognized the spirit of the writing as something I could see myself doing in reaction to a reaction that felt offensive.  In other words, it opens talking about the reaction she'd seen from men (maybe women) cheering on Lawrence dumping Issa like it was some kind of victory of a hero over a Jezebel.  Honestly, even though I like Lawrence and think Issa was wrong for cheating, seeing a reaction tinged with misogyny would annoy me as well. And I might be tempted to write a "hold up..." kind of post.

But the article seems to both blame Lawrence for Issa cheating and claim that it's refreshing to see a cheating scenario because lust. 

Well, for me, I completely understand the author's position and agree with it, but here's why: he didn't deserve to be cheated on, but some fans are trying to "whitewash", for the lack of a better term. Issa was wrong and should've left, but her cheating doesn't automatically turn him into a "good" man. Lawrence was decent, but before he got his shit together, which Issa forced his hand on, he didn't have much going for himself boyfriend wise. He forgot her birthday, and then asked her to go to 7/11 instead, didn't cook or clean, hell, didn't even lay down some bomb pipe. All he had actively going for himself at that moment was that he didn't cheat and wasn't constantly running the streets. THEN, he finally got his shit together after 4 years.

I don't think the author found it refreshing to cheat because of lust per se, but rather, just like Issa wanted to show, women cheat as well and not always for "emotional" reasons, which is what men and many others think. When men cheat, it's never personal; for women, it's always a personal/emotional thing. Issa cheated for lust, which is a noteworthy thing when it comes to black women and media. 

===

I know this old, but that whole chase ho discussion: I wouldn't call her a ho, but Ms. Tasha ain't innocent. She knew Larry had a girlfriend and popped up at his job with a shirt that barely covered her bosom and inviting him out with her talking about she was looking for some batteries. Okay... (For one night, she didn't mind being a sidechick tho.)

[Ohwell]

Maybe I missed it, but I'm confused as to how long Lawrence had been out of work prior to the Best Buy gig.  I know being unemployed can bring on depression and inertia (I know--some people might call it shiftlessness) so, having periods of unemployment myself, I'm just wondering how much of a liability he actually was to Issa.  

Also, while forgetting her birthday was bad, I don't think it was that awful, assuming he had other things like joblessness on his mind.  One year my mom forgot my birthday and she didn't have dementia either.  I knew she had a lot on her mind and, thankfully, I don't think she ever realized she forgot, because I didn't want her to and I knew she'd feel awful. 

[Nanrad]

Jay Ellis claims he was jobless for four years, which doesn't match up with the checks, but that's what he said. It's one thing to forget and another to suggest 7/11 and chilling on the couch. lol

[scrb]

If he was unemployed for 4 years, she'd have cheated on him and dumped him a long time ago.

[Sheenieb]

I don't think he was out of work for four years, either. I think he was talking about getting his business plan/app together for four years, but whatever full-time job he had either laid him off or folded, so my guess would be he's been out of work for months or up to a year. Especially since he was cashing unemployment checks. Unemployment benefits don't last years.

[FuriousStyles]

On 12/4/2016 at 0:34 AM, Sheenieb said:

I don't think he was out of work for four years, either. I think he was talking about getting his business plan/app together for four years, but whatever full-time job he had either laid him off or folded, so my guess would be he's been out of work for months or up to a year. Especially since he was cashing unemployment checks. Unemployment benefits don't last years.

Which makes Issa pushing Lawrence the way she did (passive aggressively and unsupportive some times) even more glaring.  Basically she wanted Lawrence in a job he hates (like her) for what?  To keep up appearances with her boughie (non-Molly) friends? From what I could tell, they weren't hurting for food or other necessities and she was still able to go out to dinner and whatever else with Molly.  Also, not sure how it is in California but in NY (more specifically NYC) you have to "work" for your unemployment money.  Especially as a single (legally speaking Lawrence would be considered a single person) man with no kids, you gotta do all kinds of shit.  Job readiness programs and what not.

Now with all that said, Im not going to absolve Lawrence from not doing anything for Issa's birthday and he clearly got comfortable in the relationship, but IMO Issa could have been a bit more supportive.  Lawrence was a good dude. At least he was trying....maybe not the way Issa wanted him to try (having a 9-5 type of job) but he was trying.

I think Issa was bored and would have cheated on Lawrence eventually. She was catching the vibes for Daniel even before she knew Lawrence forgot her bday.  She just used that as an excuse to finally contact him.

I am Molly and Molly is me. Damn if I havent been that type.  Just being a tad bit too aggressive in the beginning of a romance.  I hope the show delves into Molly's past (especially with the therapy thing).  I just find her fascinating because she's otherwise a very confident, capable likable person, but when it comes to romance she turns into this almost desperate type. I'd like to know what her prior relationships were like and what her relationship is like with her parents.  Has she mentioned them yet? 

And I might be the only one, but I hated that Molly drove Issa back to her apt.  I didnt think Issa had earned enough cache for Molly to do that for her. I see another big blowup in their future.  

[qtpye]

On 11/28/2016 at 9:59 AM, Stardancer Supreme said:

Ahh. I'm glad Molly and Issa made up.  Those two need each other!

Of course Lawrence was going to hit up the Chase ho (TM Crissle). I was thinking that there was no way he's going to pay upwards to $400 for some action when he had a chick who was DTF just for him! 

I also want to see Tiffany's marriage blow up.  She's way too snooty for me and I'm sure her hubby is hiding hella things from her.

I'll be honest, when I first saw them all hanging out together, I thought Tiffany's husband was the gay best friend in the group.  I am not saying that you have to be ultra manly, but it would be nice to see a strong relationship on this show.

I love that Molly and Issa are good.  Molly kind of reminded me of Tony's character on Girlfriends.   However, Tony's character was a caricature and Molly is much more fleshed out. I also appreciate how put together and focused Molly is, compared to much more dreamy Issa.  I like that Molly's apartment is a hella lot nicer then Issa's and both women have definite distinctive styles in clothing.  They balance each other nicely.

On 11/29/2016 at 4:22 PM, LydiaMoon1 said:

You know, I'm still fuming over the black male nostalgia for the "good old days" of grandma accepting any old behavior and staying.  Someone needs to tell them that grandma was born in a time when families married their daughters off at the ungodly ages of 13, 14, 15.  By the time they were 21 they were  burdened with abusive husbands, a house full of children to feed, little to no education to support themselves and their children, and few resources. They weren't loyal; they were stuck. While some women today still find themselves in similarly hopeless situations, thank God most black women in the US have much better options.

Lord, it's like these fools think their dream woman should be Celie from the Color Purple, with a bigger booty.

[Sheenieb]

Quote

Which makes Issa pushing Lawrence the way she did (passive aggressively and unsupportive some times) even more glaring.  Basically she wanted Lawrence in a job he hates (like her) for what?  To keep up appearances with her boughie (non-Molly) friends? From what I could tell, they weren't hurting for food or other necessities and she was still able to go out to dinner and whatever else with Molly.  Also, not sure how it is in California but in NY (more specifically NYC) you have to "work" for your unemployment money.  Especially as a single (legally speaking Lawrence would be considered a single person) man with no kids, you gotta do all kinds of shit.  Job readiness programs and what not.

To be fair, we were dropped into their relationship in medias res. We don't know if Issa was supportive and Lawrence turned down jobs that were 'beneath' him because he was holding out for something better, or if this is a recent development and Issa's been emotionally checking out for a minute. 

I was unemployed in NYC for the first time last year and all I had to do was keep a record of my job hunt, go to an orientation to explain how the process worked and then three months later, go to a followup meeting and present my work search record to the counselor that held the followup meeting. They're definitely more strict now than years ago when my sister got laid off, and the time is shorter, you only get 6 months instead of the year to collect benefits.

I thought Lawrence started to try when he realized how unhappy Issa was, but in the beginning, judging from what we were shown, he just seemed ... there. They both were too comfortable. 

[Zeebreezy]

On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 10:06 PM, announcergirl said:

 

 

Totally random and misplaced thought: Wonder if my baby Ryan from 9 Mag can put it down like Lawrence or Daniel? Good night and thank me for the visuals in the morning. Ta. Da.

I think he can girl.  I usually don't like men that good looking.  I prefer my man to have a little ugly in him,  But Ryan, is an exception to the rule cus he looks like he doesn't know he is as good looking as he is if that makes sense.  So I think he puts it down like a ugly dude :-)

[FuriousStyles]

On 12/5/2016 at 3:20 PM, Sheenieb said:

To be fair, we were dropped into their relationship in medias res. We don't know if Issa was supportive and Lawrence turned down jobs that were 'beneath' him because he was holding out for something better, or if this is a recent development and Issa's been emotionally checking out for a minute. 

I was unemployed in NYC for the first time last year and all I had to do was keep a record of my job hunt, go to an orientation to explain how the process worked and then three months later, go to a followup meeting and present my work search record to the counselor that held the followup meeting. They're definitely more strict now than years ago when my sister got laid off, and the time is shorter, you only get 6 months instead of the year to collect benefits.

I thought Lawrence started to try when he realized how unhappy Issa was, but in the beginning, judging from what we were shown, he just seemed ... there. They both were too comfortable. 

You're right, we were kind of just dumped into the middle of Issa and Lawrence's drama.  I got the impression Lawrence hasnt been unemployed for long.  For the simple fact as someone upthread mentioned.....you cant be on unemployment for long. I think its like 6 or 9 months.  And obviously to be on unemployment you'd have to have been employed at some point.  I wonder what the job was that Lawrence was doing previously.  Was it similar to what he's doing now at the app place or was it more of a dead end "I'll take this in the meantime" type of job.

Yessss to the poster upthread who thought Tiffany's hubby was the gay friend.  I thought he was actually checking out Molly's date.  I forget the guy's name. 

[scrb]

Do the web series use the same characters?

Like maybe provide more back stories?

[withanaich]

No, the web series is completely different. You should definitely check it out, though!

[Empress1]

On 12/3/2016 at 10:37 PM, scrb said:

If he was unemployed for 4 years, she'd have cheated on him and dumped him a long time ago.

You laugh, but one of my best friends dated a man for four years and he was unemployed the whole time. He was in his last semester of law school at the beginning of their relationship, then couldn't pass the bar or find a job for the rest. He did the occasional freelance thing but nothing steady. And HE was the one to ultimately call it quits for good (they broke up a few times), citing incompatibility (he was right). 

I was on unemployment for six months last year before I found a job, and it was close to running out then. So I assumed Lawrence had had a job and was trying to get his app off the ground as a side hustle, and he was laid off from whatever job he'd had & never got the app going. And as someone who's been laid off, I can speak to the depression that Lawrence was probably experiencing.

[Ohwell]

57 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

And as someone who's been laid off, I can speak to the depression that Lawrence was probably experiencing.

Yup, same here.

[aradia22]

I really liked this episode. Issa should write (or be head writer... whatever the situation is) on more episodes. I thought the humor worked better in this one (mostly from Kelly), I liked how they really came around to reaffirm the Issa/Molly relationship and they did surprise me at the end.

While I did like what they did with Molly/Issa, I was mentally screaming the whole time since she left the Malibu house. There was a tentative peace. Don't rush back too soon and ruin it! But I guess it didn't matter in the end.

I watched a few times to understand that last scene. First I was like... why is she staring at his Best Buy shirt? And are did he have sex with her in their bed and then leave? But I think the point was that he'd taken all his stuff (minus the shirt) out of the closet and then went over to have sex with the bank teller? So the keys he left on the counter were like... goodbye, when it seemed like they were heading for reconciliation.

Also, what you do in the bedroom is your business... but since this is a piece of media, it seemed pretty clear that was a show of dominance from Lawrence, not looking at her face, pushing her into the bed like that. So he may not be the kind of guy who wants to pay for sex but he's not the R&B sing out your feelings guy his friend thinks he is either. I wonder if Tasha will stick around. If she does, she can't stay a fantasy forever, she'll eventually assert herself as a human being with her own wants and needs.

But this is probably the end of my journey with the show. While I enjoyed this episode, it hasn't been fantastic for me and I don't get HBO anymore, and this isn't worth it for me to pay for HBO Go.