S03.E18: Good Bones

[CooperTV]

Quote

Elizabeth enlists the help of Hollywood star Ashley Whittaker (Julia Nicole Schlaepfer) to help sway the president of Kyrgyzstan to end human trafficking in his country, but the added attention could put an American captive at risk. Also, when Henry finds the bomb that’s being held by the doomsday cult, he uncovers information that they could be planning a deadlier attack.

 

[kwnyc]

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when Henry finds the bomb that’s being held by the doomsday cult, 

Of course he does. From his wheelchair, no less.

[thewhiteowl]

Will open closer to air time so discussion can be about the episode. 

[Netfoot]

Madam Secretary endangers an actress to satisfy the whim of a foreign potentate, and gets an American aid-worker gets killed.  (Along with 42 other foreign women of no real consequence.)

Meanwhile the Man of the House, hobbling on two sticks, drives the Big Bomb to a secluded area, thereby saving the day and the Eastern Seaboard.

Proving once again, that a show about a strong, capable woman in a position of authority won't float unless the real star of the show is a man.

Edited April 10, 2017 by Netfoot

[Xantar]

On 3/28/2017 at 9:24 PM, kwnyc said:

Of course he does. From his wheelchair, no less.

Not quite from his wheelchair, but pretty close. I started laughing out loud when he pulled his Jack Bauer routine.

One of the things I like about this show is that our heroes don't always win. Last year, they were powerless to stop the execution by stoning of a gay man in Iran becaues they needed a nuclear deal. In this episode, they did all that work to rescue trafficked women but were too late in the end. I wanted Daisy to ream out those journalists a little longer.

I get that Alison feels like Jason didn't stand up for her, but seriously what was he supposed to do? 

[Guest]

Well, this episode was a downer.  I like that they don't always solve every world crisis in 43 minutes (unless, of course, superhuman Professor Doctor President SuperSpy Superhusband Superdad Arm Candy is involved), but it was heavy tonight.  

[VinceW]

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 9:41 AM, deaja said:

Well, this episode was a downer.  I like that they don't always solve every world crisis in 43 minutes (unless, of course, superhuman Professor Doctor President SuperSpy Superhusband Superdad Arm Candy is involved), but it was heavy tonight.  

The worse part was the viewers getting Henry's walking boot in our faces time and again in order to let us know that he was hurt. The writers seem obsessed with the concept of appeasing rogue nation state leaders with entitlements, no matter the danger, as a form of diplomacy which is scary if this kind of leverage is actually how things happen in real State Department politics. Elizabeth pushing the cause with the celeb mother was hard to watch because it seemed so out of character for her. The human trafficking premise was pretty much a train wreck. After Henry's accident, a show spokesman said that Henry's role was limited for the rest of the season, but once again he was involved in a critical action scene driving a truck loaded with a bomb off to a nearby field and then running away before it exploded using leg braces which was just overdone.  IMO.

ETA: Final TV Primetime Live + Same-Day ratings adjusted up.  The episode pulled in 0.8 rating in adults 18-49 and 7.58 million viewers, airing at 10PM due to overrun of network Masters Tournament coverage.  "NCIS: Los Angeles" pulled 1.1, 9.5 million in regular MS 9PM slot. The last original MS episode (3x17) (9:35PM-10:35PM) pulled in 1.1/8.77.  The sports overrun adverse effect is exaggerated. At this point in the season, it presents more about content.

Edited April 12, 2017 by VinceW

[kwnyc]

Quote

I get that Alison feels like Jason didn't stand up for her, but seriously what was he supposed to do?

Tell the guys talking trash that he heard them and it's not all right. (It also works when people are being racist or homophobic).

Noodle was hurt, but she has enough self-esteem to know that a guy doesn't get to paw her up and down, and that she wasn't "asking for it." And she was right: it's decent guys who don't say anything when a jerk tries to take advantage who are part of the problem. (The one "win" of the episode: Jason actually got it.)

And I don't think that was the dirty bomb (what are the odds of Dr. Professor Arm Candy getting TWO doses of radiation from a homemade dirty bomb?)

And I'm glad Daisy read off some of the names of the victims: she was bringing it back to the topic. They barely touched on the plotline of how the kidnapped/missing girl's parents demanded that the FBI pay a ransom for her. It's a very touchy subject on the international scene, and some countries actually either do it or look the other way when a private entity does it.

[betsyboo]

11 hours ago, Xantar said:

I get that Alison feels like Jason didn't stand up for her, but seriously what was he supposed to do? 

agreed on both sides. I think it was a realistic look at brother/sister friction and knowing when to step in. It was a lose-lose all around, but I loved that they worked it all out and could laugh during the re-telling. 

It really was a bummer of an ep. I agree that I like that they don't always win. And I like that Bess asked - why this time?

Bebe continues to knock it out of the park every ep.

[Mellowyellow]

That was a really rough episode. I know that they can't always win but I would have liked for them to win on this one. Still it was a realistic way to lose though and I think that's what hit me the hardest. It was a little too realistic.

Really liked the Noodle and Jason plot. Really great sibling interaction. I don't normally care for the B and C plots but this one was really well done and meaningful.

I love Dr Arm Candy Super Human Super Spy World's Best Father/Husband but he's just getting ridiculous!!!! Superhero-ing while on CRUTCHES???? What can that man not do?

[Beden]

16 hours ago, VinceW said:

ETA: TV Rating falls to Low for the series. The episode pulled in 0.7 rating in adults 18-49 and 6.5 million viewers, airing at 10PM due to overrun of network Masters Tournament coverage. A drop of approx. 36% in the key demo and 25% in total viewers compared to last original episode which aired two weeks ago.  "NCIS: Los Angeles" pulled 1.1, 9.2 million in regular MS 9PM slot.

I don't know but the fact that the show is often either preempted of pushed back an hour or more because of a sports event may have something to do with it. Sunday night is a school/work night and some of us have to get up early the next day and have to get sleep.

[Xantar]

I know anecdotes are not data, but I personally do not watch Madam Secretary live. It's just too hard to catch it from the beginning because it's so often pushed back (and I have no interest in watching NCIS:LA while I wait). I always stream off the website the next day.

[shapeshifter]

On April 10, 2017 at 8:01 PM, betsyboo said:

. . . It really was a bummer of an ep. I agree that I like that they don't always win. And I like that Bess asked - why this time?

Bebe continues to knock it out of the park every ep.

Indeed she does. Has she been nominated fo an Emmy for this show? But even as I was shedding a tear or three, I questioned the likelihood that her character would be making the notification by phone rather than in person.

As for "Why this time?" I thought there was also an intended second, real-world meaning. These are troubled times in which we live.

Edited April 12, 2017 by shapeshifter
MS Word has made me unable to leave a dangling preposition even when it sounds okay.

[betsyboo]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Indeed she does. Has she been nominated for an Emmy for this show? But even as I was shedding a tear or three, I questioned the likelihood that her character would be making the notification by phone rather than in person.

I questioned that, too. Then I decided that it *couldn't* have been the initial notification, right?? I cannot imagine that they would let someone tell the mother over the phone --  and didn't have a liaison of some sort at their home. So I went with that she was calling to express her condolences on behalf of the State Dept but not making the notification. .....?

[secnarf]

19 minutes ago, betsyboo said:

I questioned that, too. Then I decided that it *couldn't* have been the initial notification, right?? I cannot imagine that they would let someone tell the mother over the phone --  and didn't have a liaison of some sort at their home. So I went with that she was calling to express her condolences on behalf of the State Dept but not making the notification. .....?

That was my thought too - and I also thought it wouldn't be the initial notification because Daisy's press conference had already happened.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

On 4/10/2017 at 6:05 PM, kwnyc said:

And I'm glad Daisy read off some of the names of the victims: she was bringing it back to the topic.

Those were the names of people who were successfully rescued during the operation.

[legxleg]

I'm probably zeroing in on the least important thing of the episode, but did anyone else think it was weird how everyone insisted that Noodle's dress was so scandalous? It seemed to go solidly to mid-thigh, maybe even lower. When I was in high school, girls wore uniform skirts rolled shorter than that. Is it the weird clear panel at the mid-drift? That seemed more awkward than sexy to me (which is not out of line since it was home-made). Or maybe I've watched too much Gossip Girl and The OC, so my understanding of a scandalous dress for a teen girl is irrevocably skewed.

[betsyboo]

17 minutes ago, legxleg said:

I'm probably zeroing in on the least important thing of the episode, but did anyone else think it was weird how everyone insisted that Noodle's dress was so scandalous? It seemed to go solidly to mid-thigh, maybe even lower. When I was in high school, girls wore uniform skirts rolled shorter than that. Is it the weird clear panel at the mid-drift? That seemed more awkward than sexy to me (which is not out of line since it was home-made). Or maybe I've watched too much Gossip Girl and The OC, so my understanding of a scandalous dress for a teen girl is irrevocably skewed.

HA! Yes, I believe it was the mid-panel. IIRC, the clear middle panel was not there when she brought the dress into the kitchen the first time. (Or if it was, I didn't notice since the back would have blended in.) I'm guessing douche-date was just excited to see under-boob. And of course her father didn't like it. i loved where he took a pic of the license! HA!

[VinceW]

1 hour ago, legxleg said:

I'm probably zeroing in on the least important thing of the episode, but did anyone else think it was weird how everyone insisted that Noodle's dress was so scandalous? It seemed to go solidly to mid-thigh, maybe even lower. When I was in high school, girls wore uniform skirts rolled shorter than that. Is it the weird clear panel at the mid-drift? That seemed more awkward than sexy to me (which is not out of line since it was home-made). Or maybe I've watched too much Gossip Girl and The OC, so my understanding of a scandalous dress for a teen girl is irrevocably skewed.

The objection to the length of the dress was forced and it really seemed awkward to the story given that the audience is well aware how much Alison is versed now in fashion design. The writers must have forgotten about the home scene in Season 1 when Stevie allowed a boyfriend of Alison into the house without the parents being home and she actually started to let them go upstairs into the bedroom to have some fun because Stevie wanted to payback her mother over recent arguments between them about her career path decisions.  I don’t like Alison being used this way by the writers to make a social point and at the same time make Jason look unable to be strong for his sister.

Edited April 12, 2017 by VinceW

[kwnyc]

Quote

The objection to the length of the dress was forced and it really seemed awkward to the story given that the audience is well aware how much Alison is versed now in fashion design.

She was going for the Edie Sedgwick look and (I think) made the dress herself. And no one gave her kudos for both the concept AND the making of it. Poor Noodle! 

[AfterTheDance]

11 hours ago, betsyboo said:

HA! Yes, I believe it was the mid-panel. IIRC, the clear middle panel was not there when she brought the dress into the kitchen the first time. (Or if it was, I didn't notice since the back would have blended in.) I'm guessing douche-date was just excited to see under-boob. And of course her father didn't like it. i loved where he took a pic of the license! HA!

I agree, I think it was the transparent mid-panel.  A bit retro 60's (think Twiggy) for my taste, but still kinda sexy.

1 hour ago, kwnyc said:

She was going for the Edie Sedgwick look and (I think) made the dress herself. And no one gave her kudos for both the concept AND the making of it. Poor Noodle! 

Alison said it was a homage to Andre Courrege, (a French fashion designer who died about one year ago). Noodle is quite the fashionista!

[AfterTheDance]

On 4/10/2017 at 8:01 PM, betsyboo said:

agreed on both sides. I think it was a realistic look at brother/sister friction and knowing when to step in. It was a lose-lose all around, but I loved that they worked it all out and could laugh during the re-telling. 

It really was a bummer of an ep. I agree that I like that they don't always win. And I like that Bess asked - why this time?

Bebe continues to knock it out of the park every ep.

Jason clearly intended to say something to the boys in the bathroom, but he stepped out of the stall too late. At that point, I think a good move on his part would have been to find Alison and tell her what her date was saying about her in the bathroom.

[AfterTheDance]

On 4/11/2017 at 10:11 AM, Xantar said:

I know anecdotes are not data, but I personally do not watch Madam Secretary live. It's just too hard to catch it from the beginning because it's so often pushed back (and I have no interest in watching NCIS:LA while I wait). I always stream off the website the next day.

Is it just me, or is anyone else's mind boggled that Comcast, the largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world by revenue, can't properly record a show that has been pushed back because of a sporting event that runs long (like The Masters this past week)? Is this really rocket science?? I am truly astounded by this! I had to watch the last half of this week's episode online. Ridiculous!!

[roughing it]

I liked Noodle's dress.

 

12 hours ago, AfterTheDance said:

Jason clearly intended to say something to the boys in the bathroom, but he stepped out of the stall too late. At that point, I think a good move on his part would have been to find Alison and tell her what her date was saying about her in the bathroom.

I agree.  Jason could have said something as he came out of the stall, but he was outnumbered and risked getting beat up.  Good for Noodle that she figured out on her own what a jerk Thad was.

[sinkwriter]

Funniest double take of the episode - Elizabeth's stunned reaction when they tell her that Blake called and said he was running late. That was my reaction too, because Blake is so organized, it would take something pretty huge to make him distracted or late.

I found her follow-up conversation with the staff to be a fascinating one. The careful way she essentially tried to ask, "Why are you all freaking out now? We've seen plenty of horrible things. What makes this one throw you all off so much?" It's a hard question. But if they feel their government could have done more, and didn't, and those deaths were the result (or, those deaths were left unavenged, so to speak, their captors and murderers left un-caught, because of bureaucracy), I can see why it's weighing more heavily than the usual stuff they have to deal with. I appreciated Matt's comment: "I want to slay dragons, ma'am. Not play whack-a-mole with evil."

Edited April 14, 2017 by sinkwriter