S06.E10: Groundbreaking

[ElectricBoogaloo]

SEASON FINALE!

Quote

Selina and her team prepare for the long-awaited groundbreaking of her library; Amy seeks clarity on her role; Jonah asks Dan, Ben and Kent for help.

Promo:

[Ms Blue Jay]

Mike and the team had Leon West's diary in possession so I didn't get why they didn't just blackmail Leon with that.  I guess nothing that Leon wrote would be nearly as interesting or desired or as important as Mike's because of Selina.

[Irlandesa]

That really felt like a series finale. It's not, I know, but could have served as one.  I feel torn because I love this crew and have enjoyed this season but I think it'd be hard to top this as a series finale.

Do we think Selina will end up as Veep again?  With Jonah as prez? 

I liked seeing New Christine as the donor taking Andrew's "donation" on the bus.  And Richard remains the MVP with things like "he's also 1/16th French Huguenot" and "he's got my elbows."

[bunnyblue]

I don't know how realistic it is for Selina to be able to run for president again, but I'm all for if it brings the team together again. And Leon West replacing Mike as the speech writer is inspired. I can't wait to see how he interacts with the rest of the team considering he's been a thorn in their side for years. And how absurd is it that Mike is now a college professor? 

Selina is just awful for publicly naming the baby Little Richard over Marjorie's and Catherine's protests. 

Mike's wig and beard and Gary's wig in the flashbacks were hilarious. Why am I not surprised that Gary was a sad-sack candy striper who latched onto Selina from the moment they met.

Holy shit, Amy and Dan are going to have a baby! I know they're awful people and having a kid together should probably be considered child abuse, but my little shipper heart fluttered when Amy told him she was pregnant. I was not expecting that at all.

I guess next season (the final season?) will be about Selina's campaign for president. Although I can't imagine a scenario where she wins her party's nomination, it should be fun watching her on the campaign trail. The seasons where Selina campaigned were usually my favorite. Should be fun!

Edited June 26, 2017 by bunnyblue

[Enigma X]

Seriously, Mike and Sue need to be back in place next season very early on. Then the team will truly be back together.

[bijoux]

22 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

And Richard remains the MVP with things like "he's also 1/16th French Huguenot" and "he's got my elbows."

And skeddadling to the KKK piss in.

Excellent use of flashbacks. Andrew truly never changes. I have no idea how he apparently hid being with Selina from Monnie while they were being followed by the press.

I was surprised how affected Selina was by the break up. And Jafar even brought the girls baby wipes warmer. Marjorie's reaction was easily the episode highlight.

[taragel]

That definitely could have served as a good finale, but how thrilled am I that the gang is back together! 

All the flashbacks were pretty great, but zonked out Selina at the "spa" was my favorite--Ok, and Gary the candy striper. Ok, and Gary and Mike's wigs. Hee. 

OMG Dan and Amy having a baby (well, maybe)! I knew those drinks meetings would lead to SOMETHING. A little sad we didn't get to see some hookup payoff after so many years but the pregnancy storyline should be good fodder for next season. 

I laughed out loud at several of Selina's cracks, especially "Where are the toys? Or is the baby just going to be playing chess with death?" 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, bunnyblue said:

And how absurd is it that Mike is now a college professor? 

That was hilarious.  I'm wondering if he will be back with the team next year or if he'll be intermittent since he did get cast in the Black-ish spinoff and it'd be easier to give Matt Walsh a split schedule.

44 minutes ago, bijoux said:

And skeddadling to the KKK piss in.

That part confused me.  He did seem determined.  Was he going to join in? Does this mean he's (k?)weer?  Or was he going to break it up?

45 minutes ago, bijoux said:

Marjorie's reaction was easily the episode highlight.

That was great.  I also liked Kent's aside to Amy that they "can split that part" when Dan says she can bring a feminine perspective.

[pivot]

So, happy that the gang is all back together. They are the best comedy team on TV IMO. 

Have to admit that I've shipped Amy and Dan together even if they are awful people.

Listening to Selina's speech at the end was like listening to a documentary for Hillary's last campaign which was depressing on so many levels.

I just hope the show ends with her back being Veep again. 

[bijoux]

6 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

 

That part confused me.  He did seem determined.  Was he going to join in? Does this mean he's (k?)weer?  Or was he going to break it up?

Huh. I just assumed he was going to join in. He might not be kweer, but Catherine and Marjorie are. But you're right, it could have been his intension to break it up.

[bunnyblue]

On my rewatch I noticed Chung's reluctance to let BKD (Ben, Kent, Dan...creative name there, boys) interview the Marine he famously pulled from the burning tank and the other soldiers who witnessed it. Kent made a face at Chung's excuse that he didn't want to 'retrigger' them. Hmmm, I wonder if this whole Chung-the-war-hero story was an exaggeration or even a lie?

Also, this time I caught Selina's comment about everything always being about ice cream for Amy. Was that a subtle clue to Amy being pregnant? 

WTH, Will and his wife are considering making Jonah their baby's legal guardian?! Are they on crack?

Julia Louis-Dreyfus has aged so well that 1993-Selina looked just like Elaine Benes. Gods, JLD is beautiful.

2 hours ago, bijoux said:

I was surprised how affected Selina was by the break up.

Me too. I was sure her crying on the escalator was for the benefit of the paparazzi so I was shocked when it turned out her tears were genuine. I'll miss Jafar, he was easy on the eyes.

2 hours ago, bijoux said:

And Jafar even brought the girls baby wipes warmer. Marjorie's reaction was easily the episode highlight.

Marjorie's joy at the baby wipes was so funny because it's so out of character for her. That's the most excited I've ever seen her.

1 hour ago, pivot said:

I just hope the show ends with her back being Veep again.

That would be perfectly hilarious. Selina would hate it.

[nilyank]

3 minutes ago, bunnyblue said:

1 hour ago, pivot said:

I just hope the show ends with her back being Veep again.

 

I actually think the way the show should end is with her finally winning with Jonah as her Veep. 

[bijoux]

6 minutes ago, bunnyblue said:

On my rewatch I noticed Chung's reluctance to let BKD (Ben, Kent, Dan...creative name there, boys) interview the Marine he famously pulled from the burning tank and the other soldiers who witnessed it. Kent made a face at Chung's excuse that he didn't want to 'retrigger' them. Hmmm, I wonder if this whole Chung-the-war-hero story was an exaggeration or even a lie?

Also, this time I caught Selina's comment about everything always being about ice cream for Amy. Was that a subtle clue to Amy being pregnant? 

Oh, that was definitely confirmation that Chung's story was bullshit, it only remains to be determined to what extent. Frankly,  I actually assumed that's why the guys had him come in. I'm sure I saw them exchanging smug looks after that comment.

Was the ice cream comment in present day or in the flashbacks?

I dug how they kept going back further into the past and Gary was. always. there.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 hours ago, bijoux said:

And skeddadling to the KKK piss in.

 

4 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

That part confused me.  He did seem determined.  Was he going to join in? Does this mean he's (k?)weer?  Or was he going to break it up?

One of the rules of Skull and Bones is that if a non-member says "Skull and Bones" in front of a member, the member must immediately leave.

[BusyOctober]

Great episode and too many scenes to pick one as a favorite.  Selina giving birth to Catherine and complaining about the mess & noise was awesome.  Then Gary showing up as a candy striper (as a very mature looking 16 year old, BTW) killed me.  "I'm going to get you a cookie."  All the flashbacks were great, and I love that Selina orchestrated pretty much all of the madness to launch her run for President.  Selina using her mother & daughter's "mental health" as a cover was so true to form.  As was grabbing her biracial grand baby for a photo op.  Pure evil genius.

While the gang is seemingly back together, Mike needs to get back into the fold.  It won't be the same without his stumbling around, trying not to be verbally abused by anyone. 

Tony Hale is one of the funniest actors ever!

OMG!  That "nursery" was sooo Catherine & Marjorie.  Poor Little Richard is going to need therapy thanks to being raised in such a bi-polar environment; his moms are hyper vigilante to inclusion, political correctness and advocating for the underprivileged, and then his grandmother being...Selina. 

Edited June 26, 2017 by BusyOctober

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I agree that this felt like a series finale, but unlike, say, The Originals, I think that Veep hasn't painted itself into a corner with this episode (in contrast, The Originals is going to have to come up with a way to undo most of what happened at the end of their season finale in order to have somewhere to go next season). They set up some interesting storylines for S6 (Selina running for president again, Jonah throwing his hat into the ring, Amy and Dan's spawn, Leon joining the team, etc) that I'm really looking forward to.

There were so many things to love about this episode, from the hilarious hair we saw in the flashbacks to the model of Selina's vagibrary.

Seeing how upset Selina was about ending things with Jaffar was a humanizing moment, but it also showed that she is willing to sacrifice her personal happiness to achieve her professional goals, which is something that not everyone is willing to do.

I feel kind of cheated that we saw nothing of Dan and Amy's hookup. His reaction to her pregnancy was so perfectly Dan. What happened to the fertility specialist's assessment that it was extremely unlikely he'd ever get anyone pregnant?

Speaking of cheating, Andrew has always been a slimy disgusting cheater. But I loved that Selina used one of those moments to get the money she needed for her campaign. Shrewd and ruthless? Yes. But if you're going to have a philanderer for a husband, you might as well get something useful out of the situation, right?

Edited June 26, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[revbfc]

33 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I agree that this felt like a series finale, but unlike, say, The Originals, I think that Veep hasn't painted itself into a corner with this episode (in contrast, The Originals is going to have to come up with a way to undo most of what happened at the end of their season finale in order to have somewhere to go next season). They set up some interesting storylines for S6 (Selina running for president again, Jonah throwing his hat into the ring, Amy and Dan's spawn, Leon joining the team, etc) that I'm really looking forward to.

There were so many things to love about this episode, from the hilarious hair we saw in the flashbacks to the model of Selina's vagibrary.

Seeing how upset Selina was about ending things with Jaffar was a humanizing moment, but it also showed that she is willing to sacrifice her personal happiness to achieve her professional goals, which is something that not everyone is willing to do.

I feel kind of cheated that we saw nothing of Dan and Amy's hookup. His reaction to her pregnancy was so perfectly Dan. What happened to the fertility specialist's assessment that it was extremely unlikely he'd ever get anyone pregnant?

Speaking of cheating, Andrew has always been a slimy disgusting cheater. But I loved that Selina used one of those moments to get the money she needed for her campaign. Shrewd and ruthless? Yes. But if you're going to have a philanderer for a husband, you might as well get something useful out of the situation, right?

My SO loves the Originals, but I always fall asleep due to lack of interest.  Now that you're comparing the two, I'm a little curious.  Not curious enough to rewatch the show, but enough to ask for more of your thinking.

[Rinaldo]

5 hours ago, bunnyblue said:

Hmmm, I wonder if this whole Chung-the-war-hero story was an exaggeration or even a lie?

Oh, that's definitely been a prime speculation by other characters about his story from the start. This finally pretty much confirmed it.

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

One of the rules of Skull and Bones is that if a non-member says "Skull and Bones" in front of a member, the member must immediately leave.

Bingbingbing! I think we have the definitive answer. (And a great example of a background joke that's not going to be picked up by everyone on first viewing.)

7 hours ago, bunnyblue said:

And how absurd is it that Mike is now a college professor? 

I wasn't getting a college-professor vibe from that scene, what with a bell ringing to signify end of class. Though the students looked college age or even older... I'm thinking community college. (Which is far more likely for someone like Mike to get at short notice, anyway.)

34 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

What happened to the fertility specialist's assessment that it was extremely unlikely he'd ever get anyone pregnant?

"Extremely unlikely" is not the same as "utterly impossible," especially in the world of TV. And undoubtedly the diagnosis led Dan to dispense with the idea of precautions.

[taragel]

2 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

Great episode and too many scenes to pick one as a favorite.  Selina giving birth to Catherine and complaining about the mess & noise was awesome.  Then Gary showing up as a candy striper (as a very mature looking 16 year old, BTW) killed me.  "I'm going to get you a cookie."  

Lol, he was supposed to be 16!!?? Ha ha. I loved that he leaned over and whispered the doctor's name to her--so perfect for the start of their relationship.

1 hour ago, Rinaldo said:

I wasn't getting a college-professor vibe from that scene, what with a bell ringing to signify end of class. Though the students looked college age or even older... I'm thinking community college. (Which is far more likely for someone like Mike to get at short notice, anyway.)

I thought he was teaching adult education classes (or maybe citizenship?) at a local high school at night or something. I think in one of Mandel's post-finale interviews he said it was a high school.

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I feel kind of cheated that we saw nothing of Dan and Amy's hookup.

Me too, but now that they've kind of opened the door to flashbacks, maybe we'll get one of it next season. Mandel did say something like "In my head, I imagined they had a lot of drinks and it was easy enough." (So you know, not exactly shipper fireworks fodder, but I'd still like to see some of the leadup to them actually falling into bed together.)

Edited June 26, 2017 by taragel

[Tosia]

I thought that Dan was infertile, from tests for Marjorie and Catherine's sperm needs. 

Sooooooo?

LOVE JLD's hair in flashbacks.  She is beautiful and has aged imperceptibly.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Tosia said:

I thought that Dan was infertile, from tests for Marjorie and Catherine's sperm needs. 

Sooooooo?

This was answered above.  It was determined it'd be unlikely for him to get a woman pregnant due to sperm issues.  But not impossible.

[Traveller519]

5 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

 

One of the rules of Skull and Bones is that if a non-member says "Skull and Bones" in front of a member, the member must immediately leave.

If that's the reason that was truly inspired!

 

I enjoyed the flashbacks, it was fun to see where Selina has come from, which has only been alluded to previously. I like that the show waited so long into its run to really get into some of those things though. They let the characters become fleshed out in order to explore what made them, rather than trying to force it the other way. I think this works much more naturally in comedy.

One interpretation that's interesting to look at. How do you reflect on Catherine's treatment by Selina after the birth scene. On one hand she's terrible to Catherine from the start, which seems to reingrate how mean she is, but on the other I think it shows that being a mother was just something she never wanted to do. That's the treatment I afford it. It was probably something she did as she thought that she should, but when literally faced with the prospect of Motherhood, she realized it's not what she wanted. That doesn't make her treatment of Catherine fair or excused, but it would underlay some of it. In addition to the results of her own upbringing, of course.

[iMonrey]

It definitely felt like it was meant to be a potential series finale. I'm guessing they didn't know yet whether they'd be back for another season. But what they've set up feels very much like they are aiming for something that will parallel the 2016 presidential election. Selina will be Hillary, constantly dogged by all her baggage, running against Jonah, the oafish buffoon who will somehow end up winning. 

I'm a little confused about what year it's supposed to be and where they are in the election cycle. Or how much of a time jump there's been between the last episode and this one if Jonah is already out of office. Time enough for an entire mid-term (I'm guessing) election to have taken place, which means Selina has been out of office for two years. They sure have covered a lot of ground this season.

It's strange they chose to make Amy pregnant. Anna Chlumsky just had a baby back in August, so I imagine she was pregnant when they filmed some of these episodes, but she won't be next season. 

[bunnyblue]

10 hours ago, bijoux said:

Oh, that was definitely confirmation that Chung's story was bullshit, it only remains to be determined to what extent. Frankly,  I actually assumed that's why the guys had him come in. I'm sure I saw them exchanging smug looks after that comment.

 

5 hours ago, Rinaldo said:

Oh, that's definitely been a prime speculation by other characters about his story from the start. This finally pretty much confirmed it.

I never realized the team suspected Chung's story was bullshit. I thought they were just annoyed with him constantly bringing it up and they enjoyed mocking him for it. I wonder how Chung, a public figure, could get away with telling such a huge lie (for years) without anyone coming forward and calling him out on his lie?

10 hours ago, bijoux said:

Was the ice cream comment in present day or in the flashbacks?

Present day, as it happened in Selina's Bronx office.

4 hours ago, taragel said:

I loved that he leaned over and whispered the doctor's name to her--so perfect for the start of their relationship.

And Selina still mispronounced the doctor's name. Never change, Selina.

[Pallas]

On 6/26/2017 at 1:27 PM, iMonrey said:

But what they've set up feels very much like they are aiming for something that will parallel the 2016 presidential election.

Absolutely, except that Selina and Jonah are in the same party: they'll be fighting each other for the nomination, to run against Montez. That's what would set up a ticket with Jonah at the top and Selina as the Veep-nominee. (This scenario was considered by Republican leaders at the 1980 convention when they nominated Reagan, and urged the candidate to add the similarly recent, accidental, half-term President Ford to the ticket as a voice of experience and face for the establishment.)

If Selina accepts, the first female President would be choosing to campaign tirelessly and ardently for her former intern and one-term Congressman, in order to re-gain the office of the Vice President. Win or lose: her campaign with running mate Jonah Ryan would be her legacy.  

Edited June 28, 2017 by Pallas
Don't type with cat on lap and laptop pronged in one hand, above.

[vibeology]

5 hours ago, taragel said:

Lol, he was supposed to be 16!!?? Ha ha. I loved that he leaned over and whispered the doctor's name to her--so perfect for the start of their relationship.

Gary turned 40 this year and the flashback said it was 25 years ago so depending on exactly how much time has passed between his birthday episode and this one 16 or 17 which only made the scene funnier. Gary already doing his thing with the whispering was also delightful.

I am miffed we saw nothing of Dan and Amy! Miffed! I love them despite knowing that they'd be a total mess.

Mike being replaced by Leon West made perfect sense to me. It neutralizes someone who is a thorn in Selina's side and gets rid of Mike who has been extra useless seeing as he lost the diary. I love Mike, but he had that firing coming.

Everything around Little Richard's birth was hilarious but also sad. Selina naming her grandchild instead of leaving that for Catherine and Marjorie was one of the more selfish things she has ever done and that's not a short list. Jafar bringing the perfect gift (and building up to it in sweet way that demonstrated he knows Catherine and Marjorie) shows that he's way too good for Selina and it's actually a shame she had to break up with him. Selina taking that moment outside of the hospital to throw Catherine under the bus was normal politics for her.

[peeayebee]

9 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

One of the rules of Skull and Bones is that if a non-member says "Skull and Bones" in front of a member, the member must immediately leave.

That's interesting. What this actually said in the ep? If not, then I don't think that's what Richard intended to do. I'm guessing most people don't know this Skull and Bones rule -- I mean, Richard probably knows, but we the audience are not as informed. So I'm still confused as to what he left to do. I'll have to rewatch.

I was very touched seeing how sad Selina was about breaking up with Jaffar. 

I was kind of creeped out by Gary in the spa flashback. He liked Selina being overmedicated.

Richard and Jonah playing video games was great with Jonah asking his mom if Richard could sleep over, and Richard saying Yes, please.

I must admit I got confused at times with the flashbacks. After each title card saying where we were, I was assuming that all the scenes from that were from that period. I guess each time it was just the first scene that was the flashback.

[Roaster]

In the last electoral cycle, when there were so many candidates in the primaries, I saw a TV pundit speculate that some candidates got in the race because they were bored.  They had nothing going on in their lives and if donors will fund the campaign, it gives them something fun to do for a few months.

The Veep gang seems in the same place in this episode.  In Ep 1 of this season Ben was rational enough to tell Selina nobody wanted to see her run.  By the end of the season even he is so bored he is willing to jump in.
 

[taragel]

5 minutes ago, Roaster said:

The Veep gang seems in the same place in this episode.  In Ep 1 of this season Ben was rational enough to tell Selina nobody wanted to see her run.  By the end of the season even he is so bored he is willing to jump in.
 

But it's not just that he's bored. Selina is now a Nobel Prize candidate because of Tibet and that changed the game for her. She's more of a contender now.

[bijoux]

9 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I feel kind of cheated that we saw nothing of Dan and Amy's hookup. His reaction to her pregnancy was so perfectly Dan. What happened to the fertility specialist's assessment that it was extremely unlikely he'd ever get anyone pregnant?

I think Danny owes his past hook ups the abortion money refunds he planned to extract from them.

Another nice piece of background comedy was Amy saying that she needed to fuck an intern during Selina's conscession speech. And an intern swiftly backs away! ? Speakinf of interns, I watched the episode teice and I'm almost positive Jonah introduced himself as the White House internist. ?

[scrb]

Did they film the flashbacks this season or years ago?  Looks like some of the footage could have been filmed years ago when the actors were noticeably younger.

Really impressive job.

I think the show runners, especially Frank Rich who gave some interviews  at the start of the season, strongly hinted that part of the joke is that Selina will never be president.

 

OK so in previous seasons, they kind of teased Dan and Amy many times.  So it finally happens offscreen and she's pregnant!

[Rinaldo]

3 hours ago, peeayebee said:

[Was this Skull & Bones rule] actually said in the ep? If not, then I don't think that's what Richard intended to do. I'm guessing most people don't know this Skull and Bones rule -- I mean, Richard probably knows, but we the audience are not as informed. So I'm still confused as to what he left to do. I'll have to rewatch.

The rule wasn't stated in the episode, but I don't see how that matters. Lots of the humor in the show is in the background, waiting to be noticed by the extra-attentive (or in this case, the extra-well-informed). If we miss something (as I often do), there's plenty more going on at the same time for our amusement.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

10 hours ago, revbfc said:

My SO loves the Originals, but I always fall asleep due to lack of interest.  Now that you're comparing the two, I'm a little curious.  Not curious enough to rewatch the show, but enough to ask for more of your thinking.

In the season finale of The Originals, they separated the Mikaelson siblings (who are the main characters) permanently. The show has always been about their promise to stay together "always and forever" but in order to defeat this season's unkillable Big Bad, they needed a powerful magical vessel to lock it in. When the object they intended to use was destroyed, one of the witches came up with the idea to split the big bad into four parts and put one part into each sibling, similar to separating the skeleton pieces of an evil dead guy. They were told that they could never be near each other again because the Big Bad is still alive in each of them and being near each other would result in the Big Bad trying to put itself back together. This means the entire premise of the show - that these four siblings would stick together - has been destroyed. The final scenes were showing each sibling in a different city beginning a new life. Because the show has now been renewed for a fifth season, they are going to have to come up with a way to undo the whole premise of the finale. They've already said all season that the Big Bad is unkillable so unless they retcon that and have someone having a eureka moment where they figure out a way to kill an unkillable, next season will consist of everyone skyping each other. Honestly, the episode would have been a great series finale because it forced these codependent siblings to strike out on their own. Their lives have been unhealthily tangled together for a thousand years and they've been shown to have difficulty forming relationships outside of their family, so separating them was actually a good thing. It forced them to stand on their own, learn to trust others, and create lives separate from their usual bickering and guilt trips. But the show being renewed is going to force them to undo all of that so the siblings can be together again and share scenes. The season finale felt very much like they were tying up loose ends and giving everyone a new beginning.

In contrast, I felt like the season finale of Veep was not tying up loose ends (except for Leon replacing Mike). Instead, they were finishing a chapter and giving us a peek into the next one. They have set up Selina being alone again (I think that was the most truly upset she's been about a relationship ending in all six seasons), Dan and Amy having to figure out what the hell they're going to do with the baby and each other, and most importantly, Jonah and Selina going head to head. I think it could have worked as an open-ended series finale if necessary (which would allow me to imagine Selina & co. coming up with even more insults for Jonah as he campaigned against her) because it gave me hope that Selina and her team finally had a purpose again (as opposed to languishing this season due to boredom and a lack of purpose). Really just seeing that they got the gang back together was a high note!

15 hours ago, bijoux said:

Was the ice cream comment in present day or in the flashbacks?

That was definitely present day because Amy said she knew Leon was the one who leaked the info about Selina's library site at Yale being on the old slave site and then Selina said that she was the one who leaked the info to Leon so that the library deal would be destroyed. Then they walked into her office and Selina said it was because she was running for president again.

2 hours ago, Roaster said:

The Veep gang seems in the same place in this episode.  In Ep 1 of this season Ben was rational enough to tell Selina nobody wanted to see her run.  By the end of the season even he is so bored he is willing to jump in.

 

2 hours ago, taragel said:

But it's not just that he's bored. Selina is now a Nobel Prize candidate because of Tibet and that changed the game for her. She's more of a contender now.

And more importantly, working for her was, as Ben said, "Not working for Jonah." Anything is better than that!

[Keepitmoving]

Well, seems like the gang is back together and better than ever. This was great season finale. I'm going to miss Jaffar, although something tells me he'll be back, he'll be used no doubt against her. Yeah, that affair is going to come up.  

Poor Little Richard, that's all, LOL.

When she called Katherine, Katherinekinte, I died laughing. Nothing is sacred to Selina, nothing, and you better just watch this show and expect to be offended. Every group gets it when it comes to this show, every damn group is getting it.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Keepitmoving

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I loved how Jaffar prefaced his gift by saying that tradition says he should give them goat meat but that he didn't because they're vegan (because unlike Selina, he respects their choices). Marjorie's joy at the wipes warmer was delightful. I think that's the happiest I've ever seen her on this show!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

4 hours ago, peeayebee said:

What this actually said in the ep? If not, then I don't think that's what Richard intended to do. I'm guessing most people don't know this Skull and Bones rule -- I mean, Richard probably knows, but we the audience are not as informed. So I'm still confused as to what he left to do. I'll have to rewatch.

 

50 minutes ago, Rinaldo said:

The rule wasn't stated in the episode, but I don't see how that matters. Lots of the humor in the show is in the background, waiting to be noticed by the extra-attentive (or in this case, the extra-well-informed). If we miss something (as I often do), there's plenty more going on at the same time for our amusement.

It was just another one of those jokes that requires pop culture knowledge but isn't going to ruin your enjoyment of the show if you don't know it. Similarly, if you aren't familiar with The Seventh Seal, Brokeback Mountain, the Penn State scandal, or Roots, then the Butch and Sundance, Katherine Kinte, chess with death, and Sandusky jokes this week might not have been noticeable or funny but it wouldn't ruin the episode for you if they sailed over your head. The Air Force One joke was especially funny to me because I had just watched the OITNB episode where they said the PR guy dies in that movie.

[Eyes High]

5 hours ago, vibeology said:

Everything around Little Richard's birth was hilarious but also sad. Selina naming her grandchild instead of leaving that for Catherine and Marjorie was one of the more selfish things she has ever done and that's not a short list. 

I don't know. As someone who knows all too well the particular cruelty a shitty baby name entails, and given Catherine and Marjorie's previous stated preferences for the baby name--Dana or Leslie for a boy, Linus for a girl--Selina ruthlessly cutting them off at the pass and ensuring that the baby would get the name of Richard was maybe the least selfish thing she has done in quite some time.

Also, Selina thinks so highly of Richard that she dedicated her book to him, so naming the baby after him was probably the highest compliment she could bestow.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Eyes High

[bunnyblue]

1 hour ago, Keepitmoving said:

When she called Katherine, Katherinekinte, I died laughing. Nothing is sacred to Selina, nothing, and you better just watch this show and expect to be offended.

I felt bad for laughing but I couldn't help myself, it was a funny insult. 

2 hours ago, scrb said:

OK so in previous seasons, they kind of teased Dan and Amy many times.  So it finally happens offscreen and she's pregnant!

I think this was their second hookup. After Dan slept with Amy's sister and he went over to the Brookheimer residence, Amy's Dad said something like, "now that you've had both my daughters are you here to sleep with my wife?". And in another episode Amy's mom implied that after a brief fling with Dan, Amy had a hard time getting over him. Since that affair happened before the series began, I'm not surprised we didn't get to see their drunken night together. 

[EarlGreyTea]

Maybe it's because the damn HBOGO app kept buffering, causing me to miss some information, but how much time was supposed to have passed between last episode and this one?

I was hoping Selina would pull a Catherine Meyer, Sr., and dote upon her only grandchild. Was disappointed to see that wasn't the case. Maybe Selina of several seasons ago might have. She showed more emotion breaking up with Jaffar!

I'm glad they're getting the gang back together into politics. This season hasn't done it for me, with the team fractured and Selina far away from the action in the WH. Bring Mike back into the fold! They finally got Dan back in and ditched Mike. Come on already.  Having said that, Mike was the biggest fuck up in a sea of fuck ups, so that wasn't all that surprising. Also, he has the happiest and most stable home life of all of them, so he has that at least.

I low-key ship Dan and Amy, so this latest development was amusing, but kind of sad that there was no buildup and that Dan was pissed about the pregnancy, which isn't too surprising, I guess. I'm watching the wrong comedy for that kind of romance.

Edited June 27, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[EarlGreyTea]

7 hours ago, bunnyblue said:

 

I never realized the team suspected Chung's story was bullshit. I thought they were just annoyed with him constantly bringing it up and they enjoyed mocking him for it. I wonder how Chung, a public figure, could get away with telling such a huge lie (for years) without anyone coming forward and calling him out on his lie?

Look no further than Brian Williams, who now has his own show once again on MSNBC!

Edited June 27, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[ganesh]

21 hours ago, taragel said:

I laughed out loud at several of Selina's cracks, especially "Where are the toys? Or is the baby just going to be playing chess with death?" 

The Indian casino gift shop was good, but this one took it. 

I liked the flashbacks. Selina running for Senate was fantastic.

19 hours ago, bunnyblue said:

Kent made a face at Chung's excuse that he didn't want to 'retrigger' them.

It looked like they all did. Dan smirked. I always thought it was a lie though. 

14 hours ago, Rinaldo said:

I'm thinking community college. (Which is far more likely for someone like Mike to get at short notice, anyway.)

Which means he's probably an adjunct and not getting paid again. 

Weren't we talking a few episodes back whether Jonah is old enough to run for president? The consensus was no. 

[william0102]

Jonah could be old enough to run for president, I think. If he was 22/23 when he was an intern, and they had Selina say that the then president would be a one term pres, then he was probably two term president, which means Jonah would have been 30/31 when Montez took office. By the time it comes to the actual election for her second term Jonah would be 34/35 and old enough to accept the presidency.

[Mileman]

Jonah's hug to Teddy making sure his hips were well away was a nice touch.

I would love to see more Furlong, he kills it every time he is on.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Mileman

[scarynikki12]

The VP also has to be at least 35 because he/she needs to be ready and able to step in the second the Pres resigns/dies/is removed.  As long as he's 35 on the day of the election, he's fine.  Since Jonah seems to spend his time at his mom's playing video games when he's out of a job, I think he probably did that for a few years after college and then his uncle got him the West Wing job as a favor to his mom.  Since Hughes was a partial one term president, they're cutting it close with his age but I think it works.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it be a plot point next season now that I think about it.

[Blakeston]

10 hours ago, william0102 said:

Jonah could be old enough to run for president, I think. If he was 22/23 when he was an intern, and they had Selina say that the then president would be a one term pres, then he was probably two term president, which means Jonah would have been 30/31 when Montez took office. By the time it comes to the actual election for her second term Jonah would be 34/35 and old enough to accept the presidency.

Selina's initial run for president was six years ago, so Hughes couldn't have had two terms. He must have stepped down with less than a year left in his first (and only) term.

That said, I could see Jonah being older than typical intern age when he landed his internship. It would make sense, character-wise, for him to be 5-10 years behind on his career track.

[iMonrey]

Quote

Maybe it's because the damn HBOGO app kept buffering, causing me to miss some information, but how much time was supposed to have passed between last episode and this one?

No, they didn't say, but apparently a mid-term election took place in the interim because Jonah was already out of office, and the flashback to when Selina ended her presidential campaign was six years ago, so two years since the election she lost. 

Quote

I'm thinking community college. (Which is far more likely for someone like Mike to get at short notice, anyway.)

It was definitely some sort of community college, and moreover, it appeared to be one of those classes for immigrants to become US citizens. The two men sitting at the back of the class were in their 50s or 60s. And Mike couldn't even remember the 3rd branch of government (Executive) so he definitely did deserve to get fired.

Quote

Look no further than Brian Williams, who now has his own show once again on MSNBC!

Chung's a politician though, he even ran for president so it's hard to imagine his famous story hadn't been debunked at that point by his rivals. Brian Williams is a newscaster, nobody really cares about his personal life, someone just happened to dig up some dirt on him for the LOLs. 

Did anyone catch what Richard said after Jonah told him his empty box present was stupid? I rewound it twice and couldn't make it out.

[ganesh]

He said it cost him 30 bucks. 

[william0102]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

Selina's initial run for president was six years ago, so Hughes couldn't have had two terms. He must have stepped down with less than a year left in his first (and only) term.

That said, I could see Jonah being older than typical intern age when he landed his internship. It would make sense, character-wise, for him to be 5-10 years behind on his career track.

That's a good point- I stopped keeping track of when the flashbacks were lol. Usually I hate flashbacks, but these were really good. I guess we have to assume he was what, 27 or 28 when Selina was first VP?

I thought Selina and Gary running upstairs to stop Marjorie was going to be the highlight of the episode for me, but when Jaffar gave them the baby wipe warmer and Marjorie got so excited topped it, lol. I'm really glad the show got another season, even if this one was a little hit or miss for me in the beginning. I'll miss Jaffar, he and Selina really seemed to be on the same wavelength.

[PotterOtherP]

I was hoping we'd learn that Selina had orchestrated all of Jonah's humiliating downfall, thus earning her Kennedy Center honors.

[bijoux]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

And Mike couldn't even remember the 3rd branch of government (Executive) so he definitely did deserve to get fired.

I guess Harrison Ford neglected to mention that one.

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Did anyone catch what Richard said after Jonah told him his empty box present was stupid? I rewound it twice and couldn't make it out.

Something to the effect of 30$ down the drain.