Life Sentence - General Discussion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Wes: Hey, thank you for being so understanding about the whole Pippa thing. I love you.
Stella: I love you too.
Guy sitting behind them at the movie theater: I'd love for you to be quiet.
Stella: Sorry. We just went through a really trying time in our relationship.
GSBTATMT: Oh, I'm sorry. I had no idea. Maybe we should stop the movie, turn on the lights, and you two can act out your drama for the whole theater.

Finley: I find nepotism repulsive.
Stella: Doesn't your father own this coffee shop?

Coffee shop customer: It's "Luke" with two Os. L-O-O-K.
Aiden: So, Look.

Lizzie: Did you move the mixing bowls?
Diego: I didn't even know where they were in the first place so it would have been hard for me to do that.

Ida: Organizing soothes me so I started over here with the spice cabinet. Everything is color coordinated. It goes from the spiciest to the least spicy. I put the tastes of the far east all the way to the right which is east on the map so it makes perfect sense.

Nurse Gretchen: Eat, pray, love, bitches!
 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know a movie theater is not a library, but it's also not a place to start discussing your relationship once the lights go down. If you want to talk about your relationship, do it at home. Hell, discuss it in the lobby of the movie theater while you're waiting in line to buy that giant tub of popcorn. I don't really care about movie trailers, but my general rule of thumb is to shut up once the lights are dimmed.

I had a hard time feeling bad for Aiden when he told Stella the backstory about how he became a drug dealer. When he said that he didn't mean to become a drug dealer and it just happened, I was like DUDE, you made the choice to refill your prescription and keep selling to soccer moms after you ran out of pills. That didn't "just happen." He CHOSE to do that. I get that lots of people do dumb things when they're young, but for me the point is that Aiden is still doing dumb things. When he confessed to his dad that he already had a record for "borrowing" an ATV during a camping trip and that the drugs he was selling were schedule 2, I was like does this guy seriously expect me to feel sorry for him because he's telling me about his other bad choices? It just proves his dad's point - that Aiden keeps making bad choices.

I felt for Stella this week. She can't help that her subconscious had a sex dream about (allegedly) Hot Doctor. After it happened, she tried to avoid him. She turned down his offer to get a ride, set boundaries with him, and told him that she loves her husband. Yes, it sucks that Wes overheard some of what she said, but Wes should not be guilt tripping her because she said that she chooses him. Relationships are a choice. You make a choice every day to be with someone. You choose every day how to treat people. Stella saying that she chooses him doesn't mean that she's mulling over her other choices as Wes seemed to think.

I think it would have helped if she had explained to Wes that her connection with Hot Doctor is that his brother died when he was young so he understands what Stella's family is going through. I think one of the reasons it's been easy for her to talk about how guilty she feels about all the effects her illness has had on her family is because Hot Doctor doesn't know any of them. I'm not making excuses for her though - she should definitely be talking about her fears with Wes (and honestly, I think she could use a good therapist to talk about all of her post-cancer stuff).

Ida was way out of line. If you are a guest in someone's house, that doesn't give you the right to rearrange anything or feed their kids sugary stuff. You are a guest so you are supposed to respect the space and the existing rules.

Even though the show was dealing with other pretty serious topics in the earlier episodes, it felt like the tone definitely shifted this week due to Aiden being arrested and the subsequent family meeting.

I don't love Stella's job at the coffee shop but it's been giving us some good moments of comedy. Luke with two Os was killing me. I actually thought that the "Aiden gets hired at the coffee shop" storyline was going to be that Aiden slept with Finley which would make things awkward for Stella. Some of the possibilities I thought might happen: Aiden continues to suck a being a barista so Finley makes Stella do all his work, Aiden sleeps with someone else and Finley finds out so she takes her anger out on Stella, Aiden decides that Finley is nuts so he dumps her and gets fired, Finley's dad somehow finds out that she is sleeping with Aiden and punishes both of them (firing Aiden, demoting Finley, or moving one of them to the new coffee shop location).

[tennisgurl]

I really hope they dont go there with Stella and Hot Doc. I think Stella and Wes figuring their relationship out is WAY more interesting than another love triangle. I dont think its inherently wrong that Stella is attracted to Hot Doc. Before Wes, was she ever even in any other relationships? I could see her being curious about other men, and as long as its just in her head, its fine. But, he does seem to be giving her flirty vibes, so its good that she set those boundaries. Hopefully Wes can get over what is clearly some kind of self esteem issue and they can make it work. 

Hey, Lizzie has returned from her month long writing workshop! And Ida is now officially the house guest who wouldn't leave. Its nice that Lizzie and Diego are letting her stay, but I dont blame them at all for wanting her to go if she`s sending mixed signals to the kids, and moving stuff around all the time. 

I felt for Aiden and how he feels like he kind of got sucked down the hole he is currently in, but his parents were right in that he needs to get some tough love to pull himself out of this. It`ll certainly be harder now, but its not impossible. I can get how he started selling some meds on the side just to make some quick cash, and it just sort of spiraled. Its not an excuse, but I can at least understand how he ended up here.

[KaveDweller]

19 hours ago, possibilities said:

Did I miss something? Did Mom and her girlfriend break up between episodes, or did they show us and I forgot?

I wondered that too. I think it happened offscreen, but very weird to not show us that development.

[ketose]

So, Mom, Dad and Aiden are homeless now? Paul has a decent job. Does Ida work? Can they not get an apartment or something? I also suspect this breakup is to push Ida and Peter back together.

[Enginerd]

Are we supposed to feel sympathy for Aiden? His sob stories aren't working on me. Yes, it's sad that he was worried about his sick sister and struggling in school. But going from seeing a doctor and getting meds to help to selling those drugs to moms for frivolous use and continuing for YEARS to do this and nothing else with his life is a huge leap.  He could have gotten a job as a janitor or security guard or something else that doesn't require a high level of mental focus all the time, or gone to a trade school if he's just not academically inclined. How much money can you make selling off one person's Ritalin prescription, anyway? I have no clue about these things.

And those moms were kind of the worst. I'd have more sympathy for them if they seemed like they were struggling more...working long hours out of necessity, felt they had no energy or focus left to spend any time with their kids or keep up on anything else. But they seemed like pampered helicopter moms with cushy lives. Drugging yourself to help your kid win the spelling bee? How does that even work? The kid is the one who actually has to know how to spell when they're up on that stage, and they have to go to bed and get plenty of sleep. Is mom spending hours a day helping the kid study and then staying up late to get all her other work done? I don't know, but I have general disdain for parents who do their kids' school work for them. It's so unhelpful in the long run, in so many ways.

Stella is so naive. It's very realistic, since she's young and has been so sheltered, but it's painful to watch sometimes, especially the way she's flattered by Dr. Boundary Issues's attention rather than seeing him as the invasive smarmy creep he is. But she also didn't seem bothered by the way Finley was sexually harassing her brother.

Glad Lizzie survived the incredibly long writers' retreat and made it home alive.

I love the premise of this show and the pretty settings, and the characters have a lot of potential, but if it wants to survive, I think it needs to feel a little more developed and detailed. Like do these people have friends, or just spouses/dates/hookups? If people like Finley and the miracle cure doctor are going to be recurring characters, they need to be less one-note. You should have more of a sense of what these people's lives are like when they aren't standing there talking at one another. Like does Lizzie still have a job? What does Diego do that involves going to a dinner with doctors and needing childcare but being terrible at arranging it in advance? Why do Diego and Lizzie have so many spices? Do they love to cook? Does Peter ever play with his grandchildren? What happened with Ida and the godmother?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

12 hours ago, Enginerd said:

Why do Diego and Lizzie have so many spices?

Haha, I was wondering the same thing when Ida opened that cabinet and I saw that it was filled top to bottom with spices. I have spices but good lord, that was A LOT of spices!

[possibilities]

I like it. I have a lot of spices in my kitchen, too. And it makes them more interesting as a couple which previously seemed kind of bland.

If anyone rearranged my spices, I'd be verrrrrry angry. I alphabetized them for a reason!

[Enginerd]

Diego said he didn't know where stuff in the kitchen was in the first place before Ida messed with it, so I'm guessing he doesn't use all those. Maybe Lizie would really like to be a chef or a food writer or something, not novelist or whatever Stella was claiming was her dream and pushing her back into?

[Enginerd]

My comments have been fairly negative, but I actually really enjoy this show. I love a not-too-serious drama with pretty people in a beautiful little town, like Gilmore Girls or Hart of Dixie, even if the plots and characters are sometimes a little aggravating. It's like living in a lifestyle magazine for an hour a week. They could amp up the Pinteresty nature of this show more, though. Remember on Hart of Dixie how awesome Lavon's kitchen was, sort of the heart of the place with its neverending lavish pastry displays? Or the town square or the Rammer Jammer or Zoe's garden cottage; these places that varied from aspirationally stylish to familiar and comfortable but really gave you a sense of place? I like more of that. Stella's and Wes's apartment is a really cool studio. The hospital I could do with less of, mostly because I don't like Dr. Creep. The rest of the family seems to drift around, although we finally got more of a look at Diego's and Lizzie's place. I like when they have scenes at the marina or wherever; it sort of fills in the color and detail of where these people live. The coffee shop could turn into another anchor place, but it's usually full of Finley being needlessly hostile or inappropriate.

Anyway. More aspirational real estate ogling and more scenes of Wes being handsome, please. More furniture building would not be unwelcome.

[possibilities]

I like how the show focuses on people trying to work through their relationship conflicts, rather than looking for ways to indulge their whims and get out of their obligations. Most of their actual problems seem fairly credible to me, as well. It's not that they're just utterly obnoxious people, it's that they've been dealing with hard stuff. I find the whole focus on "what happens AFTER the crisis is over?" oddly refreshing. Most dramas focus on the peak trouble, and then act like "whew! glad that's over!" is the entire resolution.

[7-Zark-7]

This family is irritating and I need to stop watching this show.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Stella suddenly finds herself on a road trip with Dr. Grant and Sadie to help get Sadie into a clinical trial. While Stella is away, Wes gets a call from his ex about a job opportunity. Peter and Aiden try to find a new normal between them, and Aiden discovers an unexpected new friend. Meanwhile, Lizzie and Diego learn that their son is being bullied at school, which brings out a new side of Diego.

Promo:

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Paul: I just got off the phone with Asheville's top defense attorney. He's taking the case and he thinks we can fight this.
Aiden: Wait, even though I'm guilty?
Paul: Let's not say that anymore.

Paul: I can't risk Aiden becoming a felon because someone called in a tip.
Stella: If Aiden becomes a felon, it's because he committed a felony.

Finley: Wow, you must be Stella's sister.
Lizzie: Yeah, how did you know?
Finley: You're both four feet tall and have the same creepy doll eyes.

Lizzie: Why were you wiping down tables? I thought you got fired.
Stella: I did but I'm going to keep working for free until she rehires me.
Lizzie: So now you have two jobs that don't pay.

Wes: You just song banged my wife in front of a bar full of people!

Lizzie: If I got a B, he'd come down on me like a ton of bricks. If you got a C, he'd buy you an ice cream cake.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know that the take away from this episode is supposed to be awwwww, family! Instead I was annoyed that a heartfelt speech from a tv dad talking about what a great son he has despite what a crappy father he's been is all it takes for an admitted drug dealer to face almost no consequences for his actions. The maximum sentence was three years, the plea bargain sentence was nine months (which the lawyer said would be reduced to five months with good behavior), and Aiden ended up spending ONE WEEK in county jail and only had to plead guilty to possession. WTF? And then spoiled Aiden still had the fucking gall to complain!

Dr. Creepy continues to be creepy. Stella told him that they could only be friends yet he spots her at the bar and proceeds to eye fuck her in front of her husband, her sister, and her brother in law. Classy. Glad he's respecting her boundaries. Ugh.

And speaking of boundaries, I am pretty sure that the show wants me to admire Stella's pluck and gumption for continuing to show up to work unpaid after being fired. Instead I wish that Finley had called the cops and reported her as a disgruntled former employee who was trespassing. While I think it was unfair for Stella to be fired because of what Aiden did, I still think that her plan to keep showing up until Finley hired her back was inappropriate.

I had to laugh when Aiden got mad at Stella for keeping a secret from him. HELLO, he and everyone else in the family actively lied to Stella FOR YEARS. Pot, kettle.

[ketose]

I've discovered that the flashbacks are the best part of the show. The last few weeks, they've been using them to redeem Aiden. But since the judge (Christina Cox!) hasn't seen those flashbacks, the light sentence was kind of out of nowhere. Actually, the "big speech" killed whatever positive thoughts I had about the show up to that point.

I also called it last week when I wrote that the show was planning to hook Peter and Ida back up.

The Dr. Creepy story line seems to be the biggest miss of the show. Wes and Stella have enough problems with being a couple where Wes repressed all his opinions (and farts) because Stella was dying. Plus, the whole Pippa thing. Sadly, the previews for next week look like more of that.

Stella's unpaid / repaid week was dumb, but it's kind of a sitcom staple. As bad of an employee as Stella is, Finley is a bad manager. She verbally berates employees and hires guys because they're hot. I have to assume keeping Stella on means at least some work will get done.

[possibilities]

Until now, I've liked Wes, but that thuggery was unacceptable. Also, all Stella really has to do is spend time talking to Wes about her feelings and experiences and all the stuff she talked to Dr Creepy about, and he will get it. Wes is empathetic. And it's not that hard to understand. But now that he's shown that his reaction to Dr Creepy is to make threats and attempt assault, I think his behavior is way worse than hers OR Dr Creepy's.

I thought Dad was deliberately not telling Aiden about the odds of losing his case because he wanted Aiden to go to prison, thinking that was the only way he would ever learn about consequences. I was disappointed that it turned out he really was just delusional due to overblown guilt.

Seriously disgusted that they had Ida ditch her lover/best friend (off screen and with no explanation whatsoever) and go back to hubby. What the hell, show?

[tennisgurl]

At last Aiden did accept that he messed up, even if the judge was pretty lenient for a hard ass judge type. I actually thought that Dad was lying to everyone about the judge to get him to jail, in some kind of tough love thing. 

I dont like the Doctor guy, he so obviously is hitting on Stella, even when she told him to back off, and he knows she has a husband. Like, back off, dude. 

[UGAmp]

There are some elements of this show that are good... or more so have the potential to be good. But they are just making a lot of mistakes in my opinion. If they really wanted to have this ridiculous love triangle, I wish they just would have had Stella be engaged or something. The fact that she’s married and the doctor is still hitting on her this hard, really is ridiculous. Especially when the husband is likable! Maybe the writers want you to root for Wes? It’s just... Weird. Ugh. 

I seesaw about whether or not the guy playing the brother is a good actor or not. I thought he was best in the flashback at the dock telling Stella she was brave. But the rest of the time, he’s just not great. And I’m not sure if that’s suppose to be because he’s such a screw up or intoxicated or the dude just can’t act. Plus he reminds me SO much of this guy I used to watch on YouTube who is an actor (not in any super well known roles) that I’m convinced that guy (Justin James Hughes) must have been in the running for the role. And I almost think JJH would have done a better job.

It’s just hard to root for this family. They all make really dumb decisions. The sister was missing for 4 episodes so we don’t really know her. The brother was an idiot and I don’t feel bad for him getting caught at all. I don’t understand why the dad is still living in their old guesthouse and the new owners are okay with him throwing a dinner party in the backyard. Very little makes sense on this show. I think Lucy Hale has a lot of potential to carry a show on her own but the creators/writers are doing her no favors here. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On 5/5/2018 at 2:13 PM, possibilities said:

Until now, I've liked Wes, but that thuggery was unacceptable. Also, all Stella really has to do is spend time talking to Wes about her feelings and experiences and all the stuff she talked to Dr Creepy about, and he will get it. Wes is empathetic. And it's not that hard to understand.

ITA - I get that Dr. Creepy is being creepy and that Wes is angered by it. That is understandable. But it's not acceptable to try to punch the guy in an alley behind a bar, especially because as far as Wes knows, Dr. Creepy hasn't technically done anything wrong ("he was eye fucking my wife while his band played" is probably not going to hold up in court). Imagine how much worse things would have been if he knew about Dr. Creepy's comment from a few weeks ago ("I wish I'd met you eight months ago").

I mentioned last week that if Stella had just explained to Wes WHY she has a connection with Dr. Creepy (his brother's cancer and the effect it had on their family), Wes would understand and not be so hurt by it. To me, that bond is like people who served in the military and randomly meet afterward. They shared an experience that other people are not going to get on the same level. That's not something you need to be jealous of though. It's just something that they both went through and therefore understand about the other person. Without explaining the source of her connection with Dr. Creepy, Stella is letting Wes believe that they just have a connection and that he gets her in a way that her own husband doesn't, so of course he's hurt and jealous.

[KaveDweller]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I mentioned last week that if Stella had just explained to Wes WHY she has a connection with Dr. Creepy (his brother's cancer and the effect it had on their family), Wes would understand and not be so hurt by it.

Wait, did she not explain that? That's ridiculous if she didn't, it seems like the most natural thing to say after Wes heard that.

[possibilities]

As far as I recall, she just admitted she had feelings, and told Wes she chooses Wes and told Creepy she needs him to back off. So all Wes knows is that she has feelings for the other guy, and then Wes heard her tell Creepy that he understands her better than her husband ever will. Stella keeps making big eyes at Wes and saying "are we okay?" and "I love you" and Wes keeps saying how hurt he is and that his feelings for Stella are not a choice and he needs time. Then when he admitted he wasn't fine, he told her she had to fix it and she said asked him how.

I honestly don't get how any couple that had been through so much together, and had not even been together for a year yet, could be so disconnected and uncommunicative. They should be in a honeymoon phase, high off the reprieve from death, wanting to spend all kinds of time together, and reveling in the possibilities.

If we are meant to believe that Wes was not just with her because he wanted a time limited rebound, or because he has a compulsive savior complex, and that in fact they really do love each other and have a reason to be together other than "because we said we would and the universe called our bluff"-- well, I want that to be the case and I want to see it, but they are both acting like they've been together too long and got too bored to try.

[Penguins71]

And...cancelled.  Not really surprising given the exceptionally low ratings.

 

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/more-tv-news/life-sentence-cut-short-canceled-after-one-season-on-the-cw/

[biakbiak]

Shocking no one, no season 2. Also, Lucy does not seem to understand that "manic pixie dream girl" is not a compliment.

[Enginerd]

This show had so much potential. It coulda been a contender! But...no. They didn't seem to know what to do with it. It also wasn't promoted much, was it? I'd never have known it existed if I didn't get ads for it while watching Riverdale.

[Lady Calypso]

7 minutes ago, Enginerd said:

This show had so much potential. It coulda been a contender! But...no. They didn't seem to know what to do with it. It also wasn't promoted much, was it? I'd never have known it existed if I didn't get ads for it while watching Riverdale.

Not really promoted, but it's not even just that. This network has had dramedy hits before, but the last two years haven't done well for most freshman shows. Even their current dramedies are doing less than stellar compared to their DC shows. I knew the moment that Life Sentence was picked up that it would do poorly. After last season's disaster with No Tomorrow, I was waiting for the cancellation. The show did deserve better and it really could have been good, just in different circumstances. I think the showrunners even knew it (or they only had the idea but didn't know where to go with it). The pilot was basically its own movie, so I was never sure of where they were really going with things. I think the showrunners did know that it wouldn't last, so I felt like they half assed the series. I only watched the first few episodes before the show moved to Fridays. 

[tennisgurl]

Thats really sad news. I think this show had a lot of potential, but the CW had no idea what to do with it. Thats whats been happening with a lot of their new shows lately, especially their kind of quirky dramady shows. I hope they at least get to air the episodes already filmed. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

When Stella and Wes start discussing their future, they learn some news that neither expected. After discussing the issue with Lizzie, Stella realizes that she might not be as ready for the future as she thought. Normally a ladies' man, Aiden realizes he has unfamiliar feelings for a girl at his community service job which puts him in uncharted waters. Meanwhile, Diego's plan to impress his new boss at brunch turns awkward when both Ida and Peter are interested in her.

Promo:

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Stella: Hey, are you awake?
Wes: Sod off.
Stella: Can I start talking now or do you need a second?

Stella: We need a time machine. This is how we fix things. We back to before I met Dr. Grant, before I got this job. Everything was much simpler back then, plus everyone listened to better music.

Stella: Are you okay? Was [jail] awful? Do you have any new tattoos?
Aiden: Guys, I'm fine. It was a week in county jail, not seven years in Tibet.

Ida: As far as mandatory community service goes, this doesn't look so bad.
Aiden: Mom, they're going to make me build stuff - with my body.
Ida: Oh, come on. It'll be fun. Look at all these criminals. Do you think any of them have killed people? How about that guy? He looks shifty.
Aiden: They're not all criminals. Most of these people are volunteers.
Ida: Even better. They'll share their joy of a hard day's work.
Aiden: I'm not really a hard day's work kind of guy. I have soft hands, mom. That is one of the things that women love most about me.

Aiden: What am I supposed to do with a tray of muffins?
Ida: Share them with the convicts. Muffins mean "hello" and "please don't shiv me." I love you! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Ida: Make good choices! For once.

Ally: Sorry, I couldn't help but see that. Did your mom just give you muffins?
Aiden: No, I'm just holding onto these for warmth.

Diego: You are not a helicopter.
Lizzie: Damn right I'm not. I'm a tank, and I will run her down. What size trash bag do we need to hold a human body?

Todd: Look, boys will be boys. I don't have time to get involved in kindergarten play fighting.
Diego: But you have time to join a kickball league.

Stella: You brought me to the middle of the woods? Are you going to murder me?

Diego: There's something wrong with this beer.
Aiden: It's non-alcoholic.

Stella: Do you want to have a pillow fight? Or a dance party? We should trash this place. I don't know what people do in hotel rooms on field trips.

Wes: Did you call to mock me?
Pippa: Of course. I'm English.

Aiden: You know the feeling when you meet a hot girl and they're really into you and they want to hang out with you at night but you can't because you're wearing an ankle bracelet?
Peter: Of course. That's a tale as old as time.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

When Stella said she had to set some boundaries at work with Dr. Grant, I just rolled my eyes. Dr. Creepy knows no boundaries. He made that clear when she tried to set some boundaries with him and he responded by eye fucking her at a bar in front of her husband and family.

Aiden needs to STFU. He KNOWS that he got off so easy with his sentence and he's still whining about how he's not a manual labor/hard work kind of guy. 150 hours of community service is nothing compared to three years in prison.

I thought it was unfair of Wes to equivocate interviewing for a job in San Francisco set up by Pippa with Stella driving to Seattle with Sadie and Dr. Creepy. First of all, she was only there because Sadie insisted AND because she didn't know that Dr. Creepy was going with them. Secondly, she was only going to be gone for less than a day. Thirdly, nothing has actually happened between Stella and Dr. Creepy. In contrast, Wes was in love with Pippa and was going to marry her, all of which he kept a secret from Stella. And while I am all for Wes getting a dream job that doesn't require him to be up all night, is this job going to mean a move to San Francisco? Taking a job that might mean Stella has to leave behind her family doesn't sound like something she would be willing to do.

On the plus side, I appreciate that Lucy Hale gets to do a wider variety of acting here than she ever did on PLL. I think 90% of her job on that show was to look shocked/scared/guilty and wear insane outfits.

[possibilities]

I HATE Dr. Creepy. He's relentless. He's disrespectful as HELL.

I hate him so much that I'm starting to hate Lucy and think she's utterly STUPID.

I think it's fine for Wes to go to the interview. I agree that moving to SF is not a great plan for Lucy, but he's disrupted his entire life for her, and she might owe him a return of the favor if it comes to that. At least they should talk about it. Lucy is looking more and more selfish every minute. And the thing about interviews is this: it's good to do it even if he doesn't get the job, or if he doesn't take it if he gets it. It will help his morale and get things moving. Maybe they could go to SF for a year while he looks for something else closer to Seattle, or maybe just doing the interview will give him a leg up for another opportunity if he makes a good impression. He could also leverage one offer into another.

I also liked that it made Lucy reflect for a second about how Wes might be feeling, instead of only seeing her own point of view. He's so accommodating of her, and she takes him totally for granted.

Of course, Pippa could have left a freaking message if Wes wasn't answering her calls. But whatever, it's TV.

 

Aiden appears to have learned nothing. I kind of want him to fuck up and be sent back to jail. That whole "I can sleep during the day" nonsense made it seem like the rare jail that doesn't actually have rules. So he was just sent to a sleepaway camp with no arts and crafts for a week? And he's whining and shameless about his lack of desire to do his community service? He's so unlikable, it's kind of making me like his family less, sort of like how Dr Creepy is making me like Stella less.

 

I liked the Diego's and... I can't remember Lucy's sister's name... story. Of course the bully kid had obnoxious parents, but still-- bullies exist. How do you handle them without becoming one of them or one of their victims? Good to see at least one couple on the show sort of trying to communicate with each other and deal with a problem, instead of acting like there's nothing they can do but feel helpless and self-pitying.

 

I'm really angry that they broke up Mom and her best friend/girlfriend with zero explanation, but I'm glad she's not really interested in getting back with Dad.

 

There are only a few episodes left, so I predict either no resolution to anything or a shallow feel good finale that glosses over everything. I really liked the premise of the show and I thought it had potential, but I've also grown annoyed because the writing seems to spin its wheels and not really be making much out of its potential. Lucy week after week being passive and self-absorbed. Aiden week after week making bad choices and feeling sorry for himself. Dad pining for Mom. Mom being annoying and indecisive and irritable. Sure, in real life people spin their wheels and often don't change much, we do stupid things and stay stupid. But it's not a good story and comes off like lazy writing by people who actually have no idea what to do with their show and are kind of just phoning it in.

Edited May 12, 2018 by possibilities

[ketose]

15 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

On the plus side, I appreciate that Lucy Hale gets to do a wider variety of acting here than she ever did on PLL. I think 90% of her job on that show was to look shocked/scared/guilty and wear insane outfits.

She spends at least 50% of the time doing those things on Life Sentence.

 

I understand crafting a series finale for a more mission driven show, like killing the Big Bad. In this case, it's a show about a family and their drama. There's not much of a resolution unless they jump ahead a few years and everyone is suspiciously drama-free. That's what Life Unexpected did.

[ketose]

She may have an emotional connection to Dr. Creepy, but that isn't much of a comfort to Wes because 1)Wes doesn't know Stella as well as he thought and emotional affairs can turn into physical ones and 2)Stella was having sex fantasies about Dr. Creepy as well as similar experiences.

[biakbiak]

40 minutes ago, ketose said:

She spends at least 50% of the time doing those things on Life Sentence.

 

I understand crafting a series finale for a more mission driven show, like killing the Big Bad. In this case, it's a show about a family and their drama. There's not much of a resolution unless they jump ahead a few years and everyone is suspiciously drama-free. That's what Life Unexpected did.

This show has been in the can for so long, I doubt there will be any resolution and a possible cliff hanger. 

[Enginerd]

Getting away from her family and their dysfunctions and lying and enabling of bad behavior for a couple years is probably the best thing Stella could do. Not cut off contact or anything, just not be around it all the time and go somewhere else and cultivate healthier relationships and learn from better role models. And with Wes in a better job and not staying up all night, maybe she could focus more on school and get onto a real career path so then he could step back from his job and pursue the furniture thing. Plus, getting away from Dr. Creepy would be a huge bonus. Maybe Sadie could go with them and get into a trial there.

 

This show has been pretty good at showing the aftermath of a crisis, how it isn't just happily ever after once the threat is gone. There isn't just the decisions Stella made based on thinking she wouldn't live, but all the fallout from the family focusing so much on the crisis that they neglected and mismanaged so many other things. That part seems pretty realistic.

[Enginerd]

I'm starting to think the grand finale will be that we find out the reason Stella and only Stella was miraculously cured is that her cancer was actually an elaborate case of Munchausen by Proxy on Ida's part, and she was never really sick other than however Ida was inducing symptoms. Ida, obviously, did this to gain sympathy and to divert attention from whatever other problems she was having/causing. But then she got tired of the whole sick child routine and decided to give it up and move on with her life. Aside from the not-realistic cure, how else did Stella perk up enough to go jaunting off to Paris alone when she'd supposedly had cancer for 8 years and was near death?

[tennisgurl]

On 5/13/2018 at 10:19 PM, Enginerd said:

This show has been pretty good at showing the aftermath of a crisis, how it isn't just happily ever after once the threat is gone. There isn't just the decisions Stella made based on thinking she wouldn't live, but all the fallout from the family focusing so much on the crisis that they neglected and mismanaged so many other things. That part seems pretty realistic.

Thats what I like about the show. It can be corny and the characters can make REALLY bad life choices, but it really nails what I imagine it would be like if a family always in crisis mode suddenly realized the crisis was over. Then they have to start just living their lives, and that can lead to real problems, especially with all these problems that have been obviously put on the back burner until now. I think it does a good job at that.

The Doctor can just STFU though. What a creep he has become. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Stella and Wes realize that their issues are bigger than they thought and seek out professional help. Aiden starts looking for a job and enlists the help of Wes. Lizzie and Ida begin working together, but it brings up issues that neither anticipated. Meanwhile, Peter's relationship seems to be going well, but he has to make a tough decision about who comes first.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ugh, Aiden. He is such an idiot. If he had just been honest and said that he was walking his neighbor's dog instead of lying and pretending that it was his dog, Kayla wouldn't have gotten so standoffish. Why is it so hard for him to just NOT LIE? She already knew about the biggest hurdle, which was that he's only there because it's court ordered community service.

I also hated how he kept pestering her after she told him that she didn't think it was a good idea. Seriously, dude, learn to accept the boundaries that people set. No, you SHOULD go out with me! I'm hot! I like you! Isn't that enough to make you want to date me? Why not? Come on! it was like listening to a kid whine for a cookie after his mom already told him no.

On the other hand, I liked seeing Alyssa Diaz again. I remember her from The Nine Lives of Chloe King. I wish she had just kept Aiden as a friend though.

I hate the whole Peter and Ida both like Diego's boss storyline. Quit acting like you're in high school! Asking Diego to find out who Gina likes is like writing her a note that says, "Do you like me? Yes, no, maybe."

Given that Stella had cancer for so long, I was shocked that she was able to get pregnant. When the doctor told her that she might not be able to get pregnant, that made a lot more sense.

I'm glad that Lizzie finally got through to Stella and helped her realize that having kids will not fix your marriage. Sure, it's great to share a common goal and be excited about something together, but that isn't going to fix what's already wrong. If you think your relationship has cracks in it now, wait until you're both sleep deprived with a crying baby.

While I agree to an extent with Wes about how Stella makes a lot of the decisions in their relationship, to be fair he was totally indulging her in that when he thought she was going to die. I'm not saying she's a hissyfit throwing brat or anything, but she is used to a certain dynamic in their relationship which he enabled. But as far as recently, she was very supportive when he told her about the job offer and encouraged him to take it. I think that's the first major decision they have made as a couple since they found out she wasn't sick anymore.

And yes, he's right that they should talk about what he wants too, but having a kid isn't something you can kind of do. You either have one or you don't, and if one of you thinks they aren't ready then you probably shouldn't.

Very sweet to see Lizzie come over at the end to comfort her after the really mean and petty things Stella said to her the night before. But that's what being family means sometimes. They did a pretty good job casting Lizzie because their perfect eyebrows make me believe they are sisters!

Edited May 19, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Kayla: The dog park is full of people looking to get laid. Basically it's like going to a bar during the daytime with no alcohol and a wingman who pees on your foot.

Aiden: What do friends do?
Kayla: They hang out and don't have sex.
Aiden: That sounds awful!

Aiden: We're walking five miles - on purpose?
Kayla: You do know what hiking is, right?
 

[ketose]

That plot with Peter and Ida was pretty dumb. At least Gina wasn't bi, then that story would have taken up even more of the episode. Ida is not coming off well lately.

I'm kind of hoping Aiden finally stops backsliding, except for the occasional borrowed dog. He's already a convicted felon.

I have to wonder if the writers were eventually planning for Stella and Wes to break up so they could have her newly dating as well. Luckily, I won't have to worry about that.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

[ketose]

Two guys opening a bar is such a hackneyed TV plot. Neither of those guys has any money. Plus, I've seen way too many Bar Rescue episodes and they don't have any idea the upkeep that's involved.

That being said, this was a halfway decent episode. Most of the Abbots were aware of the dumb stuff they were doing.

[possibilities]

I wouldn't go into business with Aiden. I wouldn't kiss him, either, though, so what do I know.

This episode felt like a finale.

[biakbiak]

I really think they missed the opportunity to do a romantic comedy in sort of reverse where they find out about each other but  by putting the love triangle in the mix so early it messed it all up. The chemistry between Stella and Wes was the biggest strength of the show and they should have built on that rather than trying to tear it apart. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Stella: Step one - research. So it turns out we are not the first people in the world to have marital problems, so high five!
Wes: The We Factor, Crisis Immersion, Emotional Stress Fracture Theory? Kinda sounds like the lineup at Coachella.

Wes: Now that Stella's not sick, do you mind if I have my key back?
Aiden: Sure. Full disclosure - I have copies.
Wes: Alright, well, one key at a time. So are you just here to mainline jam?
Aiden: No, I'm here to talk to you about the bar.
Wes: You're going to law school?
Aiden: No, I'm talking about a real bar, the important kind where people get drunk.
Wes: Of course. How silly of me.

Wes: You want to buy a bar?
Aiden: It's brilliant, right?
Wes: Uhh...where's the money coming from?
Aiden: I'm going to get a small business loan?
Wes: How's your credit score?
Aiden: I don't have one of those.
Wes: Collateral?
Aiden: Got nothing.
Wes: And you're a convicted felon, right? No offense, but why do you think a bank is going to hand you money to open a bar?

Wes: We still need to go over your five year plan [for the bar].
Aiden: I'm pretty sure the five year plan is to sell as much alcohol as possible. Nailed it!

Aiden: Please, Wes. I've never asked you for anything before.
Wes: That's literally all you've ever done.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ugh, no! Aiden is an irresponsible mess who has no experience with, well, ANYTHING, let alone running a business. My guess is that his idea of running a bar is sleeping in late, showing up to the bar when he feels like it, pouring a few beers, and then going home when he's tired or when he has a date. It was a completely idiotic idea for him to try to buy a bar because in real life, that would be money flushed down the toilet.

I loathe that his solution to not qualifying for a business loan (and I totally agree with the loan officer at the bank - he has no savings, no experience, no collateral, etc) was to rope his brother in law (who also has no savings, no experience, and no collateral) into doing this with him. Just because Wes hates the job he has now doesn't mean he should jump into doing something that he's never even considered doing. It would be one thing if this had been his dream, but it's not. It's not even Aiden's dream. it's Aiden's impulsive decision based on trying to game the system so that he can stay out later while he's still wearing his ankle monitor.

On top of all that, one of the issues that Wes and Stella said that they need to work on is her intrusive family. How is going into business with her brother going to help that? I guarantee it will just make her family even more entangled in their lives. What happens when Wes and Aiden disagree about some decision involving the bar? Stella is going to get caught in the middle and asked to take sides.

Also on the list of moronic decisions: Stella's dad texting his girlfriend to say he wasn't coming to her friend's engagement party. If you can answer the phone to talk to your daughter, you can use that same phone to call your girlfriend. It's actually safer for you to call her on speakerphone than it is to text while driving so calling her would have been the safe AND polite thing to do. As much as I love technology, I hate that some people use it as the easy way out. He didn't want to have the conversation with her about how he was ditching her at the last minute so he texted her and then ignored her calls. DICK MOVE. Stella criticized her for breaking up with him in a text, but considering that he flaked on her via text, he kind of deserved it. Tit for tat, man.

I can see why Lizzie gets stressed out by her mom. Even when she isn't flat out criticizing her, she's still being critical. All of those suggestions were really inconsiderate. She didn't ask you to change her book ideas. She asked you to illustrate a cat. She didn't ask you to draw a pineapple or a friend for the cat. Stay in your damn lane and do as you're asked. It's not surprise that her kids have boundary issues.

I really hope that Stella and Wes keep going to therapy because they obviously need it. All the things that the guy told them were true. The fact that Stella thinks she's making sacrifices because she buys one percent milk shows just how self centered she is. This guy moved to another country to be with you. He gave up his job, his family, his friends, his favorite restaurants, EVERYTHING, and you think that buying milk you don't like is a sacrifice?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Stella and Wes feel like they are finally in a good place but they soon find that staying in that good place is harder than they thought. Stella is given the opportunity to help plan an event for the hospital, which touches a nerve for Dr. Grant. Aiden spends money without consulting Wes, forcing Wes to find an investor that no one is happy about. Meanwhile, Peter learns about Ida's dream and has to decide if he will help her make it real.

Promo:

[Free]

5 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I really think they missed the opportunity to do a romantic comedy in sort of reverse where they find out about each other but  by putting the love triangle in the mix so early it messed it all up.

This could've been a much more charming comedy ala Jane the Virgin/Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, but I feel like the dysfunctional family antics brings it down.

39 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Ugh, no! Aiden is an irresponsible mess who has no experience with, well, ANYTHING, let alone running a business. My guess is that his idea of running a bar is sleeping in late, showing up to the bar when he feels like it, pouring a few beers, and then going home when he's tired or when he has a date. It was a completely idiotic idea for him to try to buy a bar because in real life, that would be money flushed down the toilet.

I loathe that his solution to not qualifying for a business loan (and I totally agree with the loan officer at the bank - he has no savings, no experience, no collateral, etc) was to rope his brother in law (who also has no savings, no experience, and no collateral) into doing this with him. Just because Wes hates the job he has now doesn't mean he should jump into doing something that he's never even considered doing. It would be one thing if this had been his dream, but it's not. It's not even Aiden's dream. it's Aiden's impulsive decision based on trying to game the system so that he can stay out later while he's still wearing his ankle monitor.

That seems to be what happens in the next episode according to the promo.

[MostlyC]

I thought this was the series finale.  Everyone (mostly) gets their shit together and the the future is bright.