Here And Now - General Discussion

[IslandGirl]

Had to come back to add my racial two cents. I'm of mixed race; I was never white enough for the light skinned world, or dark enough for the dark skinned world, hence I fit in nowhere. I've also been with fair skinned friends who were treated infinitely better than I in the same exact situation, so I understand what Ashley is going through. And I hate to say this, but I find Oregon to be one of the most racist states I've ever visited. Of course there are exceptions there, but my overall treatment was abhorrent. My very light skinned friends noticed it too, so it was not my imagination. Driving through Oregon, we saw extremely racist signs & racist billboards last summer. :-( 

I think Ashley is split in half: part of her seems to despise her blackness because she feels "white" inside (having been raised as such), & the other part is suddenly wanting to rise up as a powerful black woman & fight racial injustice. Perhaps the awful treatment she was subjected to in jail woke her up to the realization that she's not seen the way she feels--not seen the way she sees herself.  She's simultaneously telling her mother (or was it her father in that one scene?) that "not all her problems are because she's black", while at the same time, suddenly they, & her daughter's, are.

When my very dark skinned son was in pre-school, he came home crying one day. An adorable blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy told him, "I don't like you because your skin is too dark." This boy's mother was mortified, & reacted nothing like Chloe's asshat mother. She apologized profusely, but the harm was done. My tiny son kept coming up to me, putting his arm next to mine, & saying, "Look Mama, my skin is lighter than yours." It actually wasn't. Heartbreaking really. Anyway, this racial stuff truly resonates with me... <3 

Edited March 19, 2018 by IslandGirl
Edited to add that I don't really like Ashley all that much, yet. But I reserve the right to change my mind as she develops! ;-)

[DrivingSideways]

9 hours ago, The Solution said:

Is it wrong that I cracked up at this scene?

Okay I am glad it wasn't me.  I burst out laughing and I didn't know why.  Something about that actor and that whole scene ("Hey Dr. B!  Guess what!  She said yes!") was so corny to the point of parody.  

I like Ashley but she's a little hard on her mom about her childhood, and as annoying as Babette is, the Carrot-Head comment was kind of interesting.  For children, can sometimes "your hair is orange, your skin is brown" just be observations?  I guess my problem with all of the racial politics of the show is that this is a family, so I would expect a degree of comfort from growing up with each other to know that their motives are pure, even if the parents handling of the racial issues are clunky.  It's either the script or the acting, but these people act like they barely know each other, and are all majorly suspicious of each other.  I did have Ashley's back with Babette calling the husband - first of all, WTF, and second of all, if my some rando called my husband to complain about me, he would certainly not be siding with HER - and that conversation on the couch would be us shit talking her all night long.

I am an idiot who barely speaks English, and the one word I recognized in Farid's dream was Mariposas.  I was surprised a scholarly man like him had to put that into a translator.  Also, I am so sick of the woman scratching her face with 4 fingers.  I'm not intrigued, I'm annoyed every time this 1111 thing comes back.  This show doesn't work as a family drama and it definitely doesn't work as a supernatural mystery.

Edited March 20, 2018 by DrivingSideways

[HazelEyes4325]

31 minutes ago, DrivingSideways said:

I like Ashley but she's a little hard on her mom about her childhood, and as annoying as Babette is, the Carrot-Head comment was kind of interesting.  For children, can sometimes "your hair is orange, your skin is brown" just be observations?  I guess my problem with all of the racial politics of the show is that this is a family, so I would expect a degree of comfort from growing up with each other to know that their motives are pure, even if the parents handling of the racial issues are clunky.  It's either the script or the acting, but these people act like they barely know each other, and are all majorly suspicious of each other.  I did have Ashley's back with Babette calling the husband - first of all, WTF, and second of all, if my some rando called my husband to complain about me, he would certainly not be siding with HER - and that conversation on the couch would be us shit talking her all night long.

Well, I think there are a couple of issues at play with the name-calling at school.  For one thing, name-calling is not nice and that should be addressed.  Beyond that, yeah--I guess it could be said that young kids are just making observations on appearance EXCEPT "carrots" are pretty benign.   Unless you really, really hate vegetables or are Anne Shirley, I can't see a negative connotation with "carrots."  "Poop," however, DOES have negative connotations that even young children would understand.  Still, I question if Carrot-Head was pure fiction as it sounded to me as something the mom made up as sort of a retaliation against Ashley.

I do agree that Ashley is a bit too hard on her mom, at least in the scene in this episode.  I do get that she's hyper-sensitive given some of her recent experiences (including the cringe worthy conversation with Greg last week) and what sounds like her entire upbringing, but in this particular incident I do think she was a wee bit (just a wee bit!) too harsh on her mom.  Although, I found myself sympathizing a bit more with Audrey in general in this episode, thanks to Greg's betrayal.

[bilgistic]

The kid's hair was blonde, so I don't get what "Carrot Head" was supposed to mean.

[HazelEyes4325]

17 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

The kid's hair was blonde, so I don't get what "Carrot Head" was supposed to mean.

Yeah, one more reason why I think the insult was fabricated by the mother.

[DrivingSideways]

2 hours ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

Unless you really, really hate vegetables or are Anne Shirley, I can't see a negative connotation with "carrots." 

Bwahaha!  Good point.

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

The kid's hair was blonde, so I don't get what "Carrot Head" was supposed to mean.

I assumed it was just more terrible writing.

[iMonrey]

Quote

The one thing I thought was really shitty of Ramon was confronting Henry about it at work. That is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Whenever people do that on tv, I think dude, that is so rude! 

Maybe so, but for me, the highlight of the episode was the expression on the face of the guy standing in line behind Ramon when he stormed in and yelled "Did you fuck that guy in the tent?" It was hysterical. Now I just want Ramon to bust into random coffee shops and yell "Did you fuck that guy in the tent?" at random baristas so I can see the expressions on the customers' faces. I'd watch an hour of that.

Quote

Layla is a far more compassionate person than I am. I don't think I could put up with being the housekeeper to my husband's asshole relative. 

She's not compassionate, she's an idiot. Farid's uncle is clearly an emotionally and verbally abusive jerk. Forcing her husband to subject himself to his abuse is, in itself, another form of abuse. She is guilting him into taking care of this guy when he could obviously and easily afford to hire a house-keeper and have groceries delivered. Farid's supposed to be a psychologist, I don't get why he allows this. It's ridiculous. 

Quote

I am an idiot who barely speaks English, and the one word I recognized in Farid's dream was Mariposas.

I remembered "siempre" from high school Spanish but that's it.

[HazelEyes4325]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

She's not compassionate, she's an idiot. Farid's uncle is clearly an emotionally and verbally abusive jerk. Forcing her husband to subject himself to his abuse is, in itself, another form of abuse. She is guilting him into taking care of this guy when he could obviously and easily afford to hire a house-keeper and have groceries delivered. Farid's supposed to be a psychologist, I don't get why he allows this. It's ridiculous. 

I don't disagree with this and I firmly believe that she is wrong to force her husband to spend time with someone who is abusive towards him.  However, I do think the uncle probably treats Layla far differently than he treats Farid.  Didn't he make a comment that Layla was a "good woman," unlike Farid's mother?  Again, not that this excuses Layla's part in this situation...

[sheetmoss]

Observation, carrot head is different then being called a carrot top - kids like to put 'head' on things when being nasty...doodyhead, poopyhead, butthead so the calling her carrot-head may not be quite so innocuous.  You can use egghead for praise or to knock a person.

Kids also go for the most obvious, so I can really see her calling a dark-skinned kid, poopy 

Used to be, may still, kids w/glasses were called 4-eyes

That said, other mom was a pill.

Edited March 20, 2018 by sheetmoss

[iMonrey]

Quote

I don't disagree with this and I firmly believe that she is wrong to force her husband to spend time with someone who is abusive towards him.  However, I do think the uncle probably treats Layla far differently than he treats Farid.  Didn't he make a comment that Layla was a "good woman," unlike Farid's mother?  Again, not that this excuses Layla's part in this situation...

It doesn't really matter whether the uncle is nicer to Layla or not. Assuming she's aware of how Farid's uncle treats him it is unreasonable of her to expect him to put up with his abuse just because he "saved" him by getting him out of Iran. It's like saying you should let your parent beat you because they gave birth to you and you owe them. (That's actually a thing some people say, believe it or not.) It's twisted and sick, and as a mental health professional I would expect Farid to know that.

[HazelEyes4325]

4 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

It doesn't really matter whether the uncle is nicer to Layla or not. Assuming she's aware of how Farid's uncle treats him it is unreasonable of her to expect him to put up with his abuse just because he "saved" him by getting him out of Iran. It's like saying you should let your parent beat you because they gave birth to you and you owe them. (That's actually a thing some people say, believe it or not.) It's twisted and sick, and as a mental health professional I would expect Farid to know that.

Oh, I do agree with you.  I have no tolerance for expecting other people to take abuse.  I actually think the difference in how Layla is treated reflects worse on the Uncle...I mean, he's not some mean old guy to everyone--he's just abusive to Farid.  And, yeah, Farid should know better...but sometimes mental health professionals (like many medical professionals) can be great at helping others and terrible at taking care of themselves.

I will say, though, that I continue to find Farid's story far more interesting than anything that is going on in the main family.  

[Rozali14]

I really enjoy this show (even though all the critics seem to hate it...).

I loved Ramon and Henry together, and hope we haven't seen the last of them together !

I really didn't get a "user" vibe from Henry. More of a "hero complex", if anything... He really seemed very interested in Ramon, and obviously very attracted to him. Maybe a little pushy, but I read than as "pursuing his interest aggressively", rather than "desperately needs to use his indoor plumbing".

Even though Henry  wasn't upfront about being homeless, and it IS a lie by omission, I can understand why he would hide this. Seriously - how many people from an affluent family would willingly enter a relationship with a homeless person?  

Also, this might be a really insensitive comment, and I apologize in advance, but  how many people would willingly and knowingly enter a relationship with a possibly mentally ill guy, albeit a very pretty one... Henry didn't bat an eyelash when Ramon had his first episode of whatever-it-was (and I'm invested in finding out what it is...) practically on their first date.

I love Farid's storyline - he is so much more sympathetic then Greg.

And Kirsten is growing on me, teenage self-absorption and all. Especially when Navid is also present. They have a really engaging chemistry. 

[veronicalodge44]

i'm actually really digging this show, moreso since i just decided to go with its flow and not expect lots of plot development every episode.

 

my personal favourite line was audrey to greg: "it's the most interesting thing you've written in years!"

 

but yeah, the scene with her confronting him was stellar.

 

i'm intrigued by ashley and interested to see where her storyline goes.  when the other wife said to her, upon learning that ashley was adopted and that her parents are white, 'oh, that makes sense,' you could see ashley's face fall and i really felt for her.  the navigation between two worlds aspect of her experience is really ringing true to me.

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Rebuffed by Ramon, Farid finds his growing obsessions disrupting his career and his marriage. After Audrey turns the tables on her husband, Greg makes a vivid point about life's meaning during a lecture. Ramon and Duc turn to Carmen for clarity during difficult times. Ashley is unsettled by a boutique interloper. Kristen and Navid plot their revenge on Madison and her pals.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Dear Show,

I can put up with a lot of guts and gore and other gross stuff, but I never need to hear a character having explosive diarrhea.

Sincerely,
EB

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Farid: So they're angels?
Ramon: No, they're just guys who used to have wings.

Ramon: So it was real?
Dex: Optically, the pixels existed, yes.

Navid: Maybe they still think of the swastika as the Sanskrit symbol for well-being?
Kristen: I'm pretty sure the girl who moves her lips while reading street signs is not familiar with Sanskrit. We have to destroy Madison and her she-tard fuck goblins.
Navid: Slippery slope.
Kristen: They're all slippery, Navid. That's why they're called slopes.

Layla: You came to our son's school high?
Farid: I didn't come here high on purpose. I was high when I got the call.

Gamer: In life, we accumulate wealth for work.

Greg: When did war become entertainment?
Ramon: The Illiad?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

My sympathies to the foley guy who was assigned the task of making diarrhea sounds for this episode. This is the second time we've had references to Duc having stomach issues, so when Audrey said that he had colitis it made a little more sense. Still not interested in hearing it though.

I'm sure that Duc's mother did the best that she could but every time I see one of his flashbacks, I wish she had put up a curtain or a wooden screen or something so that this poor child wouldn't have to watch his mother have sex with random men.

I rolled my eyes when Farid told Layla that she should have woken him up because he could have had an early patient. Dude, be responsible for yourself. Set your own alarm clock and get yourself up in the morning. It is not your wife's responsibility to get you up in the morning like you're a six year old child.

Usually Kristen kind of annoys me but this week I felt for her. When she texted Ramon to say their dad was coming to the gaming expo and then followed that up with KILL ME, I laughed. Same when Greg was going on about how important it was for him to be supportive of all of them and her response was to text Ramon "Dad is being weird."

I think I love Ramon's friend Dax.

On the other end of the spectrum, Audrey is the worst. She doesn't know how to do a fucking thing and instead of asking someone to show her how to do things, she says she'll bring a lamp from home and then calls the head of the company to have him delegate these oh so difficult tasks to the interns. When he said that's what the interns are for, I just rolled my eyes. No, the interns are not there to coddle an old person who refuses to learn how to use the existing protocol. It's not rocket science. It's just logging in and filling out a form.

[Rozali14]

No Henry and Ramon..well,that’s disappointing!!

I can’t believe they Made the me care about them,built it up, and then decided to just forget about it...it’s like the heart of the show is no longer there.

Kristen and Navid continue to be interesting. 

I can’t decide whether Audrey is relatable or too annoying. She is so fierce, and she obviously loves her kids, but she is sooo overbearing and convinced her every word is gospel..

[bilgistic]

I hate Audrey now. People in companies who have an "in" with the boss and use it to get favorable treatment are unscrupled assholes.

How is the school not looking for who spray painted the lockers? Those girls committed a hate crime. Instead they bring in one of the victims' families?

[The Solution]

Duc's Number Three scene was my favorite of the whole series. It's kind of like this series in a nutshell. I have gone from finding this show intriguing to hate-watching. Now all we need is for Sarah Jessica Parker and Lena Dunham to show up for one of Audrey's red moon parties.

[The Solution]

Can I try my hand at the synopsis? Feel free to delete if it's too snarky:

 

Quote

In which:

• Sarah Jessica Parker and Lena Dunham show up for Audrey's red moon party
• Duc is still suffering from Number Three
• Ramon wigs out
• Kristen and Navid apply clown makeup (again) and hunt down the Heathers
• In a surprise twist, Greg and Audrey's boss have hate-sex and leave Audrey in the cold
• Ashley comes to her senses and takes Hailey and moves to Atlanta sans Mr. Ashley and the rest of this crew
• Angela Chase finally meets Jordan Catalano; and
• Farid realizes that mushrooms and Farid don't agree.

[woodscommaelle]

53 minutes ago, The Solution said:

Duc's Number Three scene was my favorite of the whole series. It's kind of like this series in a nutshell. I have gone from finding this show intriguing to hate-watching. Now all we need is for Sarah Jessica Parker and Lena Dunham to show up for one of Audrey's red moon parties.

Yes! I feel like I'm hate-watching, too. What happened? I loved the first episode. Every agenda-type thing seems to have been covered.  This is no fun. 

I will say the show is pleasing to the/my eye, though. Is that cinematography?  It's just pretty, for lack of a better word.

PS: I'm so glad the people I told to watch this show didn't listen to me ?.

[HazelEyes4325]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

My sympathies to the foley guy who was assigned the task of making diarrhea sounds for this episode. This is the second time we've had references to Duc having stomach issues, so when Audrey said that he had colitis it made a little more sense. Still not interested in hearing it though.

I really could have lived with a mention (or a much abbreviated scene) of Duc having colitis rather than a full blown two minutes or so of him on the pot.  Just saying.  I'm also not sure how they are trying to tie this into his story--other than maybe a lazy and erroneous way of saying he's tightly wound.  While stress can bring on a colitis attack, it doesn't cause colitis.

2 hours ago, bilgistic said:

How is the school not looking for who spray painted the lockers? Those girls committed a hate crime. Instead they bring in one of the victims' families?

I think the school is....sort of.  They called in Navid's parents, which seems strange since he was the victim and not the perpetrator.  I'm not sure why there is this danger than Kristen might get blamed for it.  Yeah, the mean girls took her picture--but didn't Kristin just walk out of a classroom when she noticed it?  I would think it would be pretty clear that she would not have had time to vandalize the school, given that she was just in class and the girl(s) who took the picture...weren't.  That all seemed over-fabricated to me.

Farid was so, so over the line in this one.  I have been interested in his story, but I'm frustrated and disgusted with him after this ep.

I have a feeling that the show is trying to get me to sympathize with Greg.  Guess what, it's not working.  He just seems to be more pathetic with every episode.

I did enjoy the scenes of Ashley at the dinner party.  She is the one character who I've actually grown to like over the series so far.

Honestly, I felt like this particular episode was just...boring.  Nothing of note really seemed to happen and it felt like it was all over the place.

[iMonrey]

For some reason I thought this was the season finale. On the one hand I'm glad it wasn't because it just ended without any resolution whatever. On the other hand I'm not exactly looking forward to seeing one more episode. 

I think the whole thing with Ramon and Farid and their visions is interesting. The rest of the show? Not so much. I honestly don't give a damn about whatever personal crap Ashley and Duc are going through. And I could not possibly care less about Audrey and Greg and their marital woes, or about this dumb project Audrey has going on (which I don't even understand, frankly). So those are pretty big chunks of the show that I don't give a damn about.

[Rahul]

Liking this show less and less. Poor Michael. He did not deserve to go that way.

As usual, Ramon hogs the sibling screen time but I find him insufferable. His assholery reached new levels when dealing with Dr. Shokrani, cursing at him and demanding that he leave his room immediately. Granted, I can see why he would be annoyed with the doctor paying him a home visit and then revealing all these strange details, but have some decorum. It's entitled shits like him that give the mentally ill a bad name. I'm only a decade older than Ramon, but if any child of mine behaved in such a way with a professional that was treating them they would be in for some severe discipling. Shame on Audrey and Greg for not scolding him at the very least.

Kristen could have run to her school teacher and reported the incident right after observing it. I doubt anyone would suspect she was responsible if she had stepped out sans paint can just moments earlier.

I felt for Duc. Ostensibly he has had to endure this insidious, barely veiled racism in this circle of white biking buddies. That jerk Phil deserved to have his lights knocked out since he threw the first punch, but of course Duc took it way too far. I wonder what the fallout from this whole incident will be.

All plots aside from Ramon and Greg's seem to be about the systemic racism against minorities endemic to Portland. It's a bit much.

[scrb]

That game looks cool and isn't like most games these days.  More convincing as a unique game than the game made by Cameron that they showed a lot of in the final season of Halt and Catch Fire.

Duc was triggered by Greg and Audrey's break up?

Or his childhood trauma has always driven his behavior, which is fueled by more anger than he let on.  

Family believes in therapy -- even Ramon gave it a try before his latest visions -- yet Duc may not be the type to even give it a shot.

So far we've seen the visions and memories of the male characters -- Ramon, Farid and Duc.  Greg had that one moment in the forest.

But nothing about the interior lives of the female characters.  Are they all trauma-free, without any indelible memories?

[Rozali14]

Like some previous posters - I too  don’t like the series very much anymore…

Most of  the characters (except Ramon and Kristen , perhaps ) became really unlikeable.

Greg is the embodiment of the deer in the wood – he just wanders around aimlessly, with a confused look.

Also – have you seen Duc's huge expensive home?  And Audrey and Greg's home?

Duc and Ashley seem to have had good (expensive) education and can now both afford a nice home.  Ramon, who is still a student,  has parents to pay his rent (and presumably his tuition and health insurance), and can go back home to cuddle with his mom and have his dad bring him comfort food when his relationship with Henry implodes  (yeah, I'm still bitter about that…). 

Don't get me wrong - I think it's great that he has a home to come back to -   I did too when I was his age, and my parents pampered me as well.

It's just that none of the Bayer-whatevers seem even remotely appreciative of what they have – when many, many people have so much less! And it seems that in their liberal, educated world, the worst crime to commit is to be an employed homeless person.

None of them try to make any sort of difference .

Not one of the adopted adult children raise any question regarding their family of origin or wonders how their families of origin live now, in Liberia or Vietnam or wherever… I bet Duc's mother would have LOVED to have had Duc's problems..

Also- not one of the well-off family members had any empathy (ha!) towards Henry , the employed  homeless person…

[DrivingSideways]

I think I hate everyone on this show.  Maybe Navid is the only one I don't cringe at when they enter the scene.

[Dminches]

On 3/26/2018 at 7:04 PM, Rahul said:

As usual, Ramon hogs the sibling screen time but I find him insufferable. His assholery reached new levels when dealing with Dr. Shokrani, cursing at him and demanding that he leave his room immediately. Granted, I can see why he would be annoyed with the doctor paying him a home visit and then revealing all these strange details, but have some decorum. It's entitled shits like him that give the mentally ill a bad name. I'm only a decade older than Ramon, but if any child of mine behaved in such a way with a professional that was treating them they would be in for some severe discipling. Shame on Audrey and Greg for not scolding him at the very least.

 

I totally disagree.  Ramon is intelligent enough to realize that Farid's interest in Ramon has only to do with Farid.  He is using one of his patients to understand more about himself.  If he was a true professional he would tell Ramon that he can no longer be his doctor.  Instead he continues to dig deeper into Ramon for his own good.  Ramon's parents should be asking Ramon questions to understand why he doesn't want to see Farid again.  They would quickly see why Ramon is right.  Not only is Farid abusing him, he is lying to the parents to convince them that he should have increased access to Ramon.

[humbleopinion]

This is the kind of mishmash episode that usually stops me from watching any further.

But this show is riding on  Six Feet Under's coattails, so I will watch the whole season even if it means viewing while cringing...

sigh...

[formerlyfreedom]

Greg and Audrey uncover unpleasant truths about Ramon’s adoption. Kristen and Navid embrace their rare connection, but pay a price. Audrey has second thoughts about Steve after his true intentions are exposed. Ashley considers a lucrative business offer as the chasm between her, Malcolm and Hailey widens. The family celebrates a landmark birthday with cold pizza and honesty.

[humbleopinion]

Duc is so full of shit...am not surprised some of it is leaking out.

[Rahul]

Ramon is still a little shit. With awful hair, as always. I don't understand how someone with his repulsive personality and looks keeps bedding relatively good looking guys on the regular.

Its hard to imagine a first date worst than Duc's...uncontrollable bowel movements in the wilderness topped by a precipitous fall that lands you in the hospital? Ouch.

This is the most likable Greg has ever been. I particularly liked when he muttered "Self righteous, much?" (or something to that extent) about Audrey.

Turns out Dr. Shokrani is a creep after all. Does Peter Macdissi play anything other than the creep in Alan Ball productions?

I wish the storylines weren't so disjointed. There's very little gelling all the moving parts together at this point. That usually happens in later seasons of an established show but this is just season one.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ashley: You're the only mom I have, even if you are a white supremacist.

Audrey: These are the most uncomfortable shoes I've ever had. I love them!
Ashley: Oh, good! You look fantastic.
Audrey: Do I have a place to wear them?
Ashley: Fuck it. Wear them to Whole Foods.

Carmen: While you were pooping, I farted. Does that help?
Duc: A little.

Ashley: Alterna-mitzvah?
Kristen: Yeah. What? Mom makes up rituals. So can I.

Kristen: Ugh, optimism. I can't do it.
Greg: Well, it's either that or spiritual death and armed insurrection. Cheers!

Layla: If you saw this behavior in one of your patients, what would you say?
Farid: I'd say, "Hand this guy a medal."
Layla: No, you would up his medication.

Ashley: I bet mom just went off the deep end about some tiny stupid thing.
Greg: Enough. You guys are too tough on your mother.
Ashley: I'm just saying she overreacts. She gets over involved.
Kristen: She over everythings. That's kind of her thing.
Greg: Why aren't you harder on me?
Ashley: You're the opposite.
Kristen: Yeah, she's like two inches away and you're like way down the block.

Audrey: I slept with Steve.
Greg: Clearly. You know, revenge is cheap.
Audrey: It feels pretty good.
 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

It was hard for me to feel bad for Duc when he was bitching at his doctor. Yes, it sucks to have colitis, but as the doctor said, it's treatable. Boo hoo, you have to take nine pills a day.

I did end up feeling sorry for Duc later in the episode because his phone call to Carmen was so awkward. Seriously, how does he get so many girls to fuck him in Vancouver if this is how he acts around them? That phone conversation was like middle school levels of awkward. I was getting second hand embarrassment from listening.

Audrey tottering around the house in her robe and her sexy new shoes was hilarious.

Greg can go fuck himself though. Complaining about Audrey being self righteous when she just found out a week or two ago that he cheated on her for months with a hooker? FUCK YOU, GREG.

One of the worst things about cheaters like Greg is their impatience about the person who they hurt. "Gawd, are you STILL mad about me fucking somebody else? Sheesh!"

When Duc and Ramon were talking on the phone while ordering at the food trucks, I half expected them to turn around and see each other two trucks away from each other. I did love when Ramon complained about his parents telling Duc what happened with him and then Ramon telling Duc that they told him about his most recent bout of explosive diarrhea.

Now just how far were Duc and Carmen planning to hike? They were strolling at such a slow pace that I can't imagine they were going to hike more than a mile or two, yet they both brought backpacks. As someone who has gone for leisurely hikes as well as strenuous hikes, I only bring a backpack if I'm planning to be gone for hours. Otherwise I just bring a bottle of water.

The guy who taped the sign on the door at Ashley's shop was the typical preachy bully. I knew one girl who lectured her neighbors about recycling whenever she saw them taking out their garbage. When I was in high school, we always put up signs for our performances and other events in store windows, but we ALWAYS asked first. We would never walk into a store and just tape a sign on their door or window without talking to the owner first. And if any store said no, we wouldn't accuse them of being assholes or anything. We would just say "thank you" and go to the next store.  

Damn, Audrey's boss has a nice house. I get that they've had a thing for each other since college, but banging the guy who's funding your project is probably not a great idea. Also a terrible idea - making out at work when your office has a glass wall and a glass door. You know that people can see you, right?

I had to laugh when Greg texted her and she told him not to wait up. When he kept calling her earlier to ask why she wasn't home for family dinner, I just rolled my eyes. He didn't tell her ahead of time that he was making dinner so she was not obligated to be there. In point of fact, she made sure to tell him that since Ramon had gone home, there was no reason for Greg to still be at the house, so Greg acting like she stood him up was a bit much.

Greg is lucky that he only got six months off for pulling that stunt with his class. JFC.

A+ for using "Under the Milky Way" by The Church at the end of the episode!

[iMonrey]

How many more of these are there? I was under the impression there were only eight episodes. I'm ready for it to end. I just don't get the point of any of it. What exactly is this show trying to say? I have no idea. 

Quote

Seriously, how does he get so many girls to fuck him in Vancouver if this is how he acts around them?

That whole sequence in the pilot makes less and less sense with each episode. It has never been referenced or revisited. I'm starting to get the feeling that maybe it was just supposed to be a dream sequence or a fantasy sequence and it didn't really happen. 

[Rozali14]

That was so underwhelming.

The only saving grace were  the last 5 minuets with “under the Milky Way”.

Also, the new guy Ramon picked up couldn’t put on some pants when he knew they were not alone? Ew...

Edited April 2, 2018 by Rozali14

[The Solution]

This episode didn't bother me as much as the other recent ones.

Duc has no game. I'm not buying that he has had numerous hotties in the Niagara Falls area. I think the Number Three should be a regular part of his character.

Kristen and Navid are fun. Does that kiss mean that at least one of them is a lesbian?

Greg was likable this episode. I didn't see anything wrong with the gun stunt. IT WAS A TOY! He was making a point with these worthless entitled students. I hope he gave at least one of them a good case of Number Three.

They certainly don't spend much on wardrobe for Ramon's boyfriends. How did Greg not know what was going on as soon as he saw that overheated face and no shirt?

Quote

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were .... entertaining.    Indeed.

Audrey continues to be the worst person alive.

I wonder what they're foreshadowing with Ashley and the guns.

[Seppuku]

Audrey is self righteous b**ch... such a typical TV show, when a guy cheats he’s a selfish a**hole who can’t keep it in his pants, when a woman cheats, she’s hurt, unloved, unappreciated, blah, blah, blah.

as the saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right.  Greg is an a**hole for doing what he did, but that doesn’t justify Audrey cheating (unless the marriage is over) no matter how much this stupid show tries to masquerade this cheating as something deeper.

at any rate, this show sucks; I’m only watching to see what this 1111 and the connection between Ramon (selfish brat) and Farid

[JonasArm]

3 hours ago, The Solution said:

Audrey continues to be the worst person alive.

 

3 hours ago, Seppuku said:

Audrey is self righteous b**ch... such a typical TV show, when a guy cheats he’s a selfish a**hole who can’t keep it in his pants, when a woman cheats, she’s hurt, unloved, unappreciated, blah, blah, blah.

To add  to that, the moment she ashed Ashley "You still think I look down on you for what you do? It's not true. That's ancient history, and I'm so proud of you".

This is Audrey 4 episodes earlier talking to her daughter about her work: "this is so much easier than trying to make the world a better place".

Audrey is the worst.

[JonasArm]

4 hours ago, The Solution said:

Duc has no game. I'm not buying that he has had numerous hotties in the Niagara Falls area

I think it fits him. He has no trouble with the women who are already into him are in for a one night stand. He plays his usual impressive intellectual self like he started at the dinner at Ashley's house.

Carmen is different because she is not buying in the whole character he has built for himself and tries to sell to others including his family. She almost only takes him as the Duc underneath and that's a man who is lost if he doesn't wear his mask.

At the same time Duc seems attracted to her for more than just sex and as a man who has never dated, he is awkward.

[DrivingSideways]

This show is so stupid.  I was enjoying Duc being cute on his date, even with his colitis, but he was a jerk to Carmen in the end.  She saw you shit yourself and break your ankle and she's still interested - treat her nice!

Navid and Kristen's water gun victims dancing reactions to two strangers squirting them with an unknown substance was very unbelievable and strange.  Even though I hate those girls, I still didn't think that was funny - should I have been laughing?  The Black Lives Matter scene was next level.  Why was the lady asking her about the shop when it happened so creepy?   The Boatwright-Bayer's Portland sure has a lot of psychotic, aggressive people.

Edited April 3, 2018 by DrivingSideways

[scrb]

25 minutes ago, DrivingSideways said:

The Boatwright-Bayer's Portland sure has a lot of psychotic, aggressive people.

Yeah I was going to say, WTF is going on up there?

The previews from next week show Navid and Kristen being attacked.  Pretty intense for high school, other than a situation like Columbine or Parkland.

Right now several of the characters are being horrible to each other.  The Bayer-Boatwrights are not some happy clan in a United Colors of Benetton ad as they try to portray themselves.

 

You could say Farid and Duc still are haunted by intensely traumatic memories.  Ramon might have repressed memories but right now he has disturbing visions.  We haven't gotten any representation of the interior lives of the women but maybe that will come -- though in 6FU, it was again mostly the male characters who would have imagined conversations with old man Fisher or some of the corpses.  Maybe Ball just doesn't get the female mind or doesn't even try.  Instead, Ramon and Farid are getting triggered left and right while Duc keeps remembering his mother.

[Beezella]

What was Ramon seeing in the fire in his game? I didn't see anything odd. I was looking for an 11 11, or a face or something. His friend Dax evidently saw it too.

[iMonrey]

Quote

Also, the new guy Ramon picked up couldn’t put on some pants when he knew they were not alone? Ew...

At first I thought that was Henry because, uh, I wasn't looking at his face.

Quote

two wrongs don’t make a right.  Greg is an a**hole for doing what he did, but that doesn’t justify Audrey cheating (unless the marriage is over) 

Well, she did tell Greg it was over. And I don't care that she told Greg she slept with Steven. The problem is - I just don't care about either one of them and their tiresome marital issues. This is hardly a groundbreaking storyline. 

I saw Tim Robbins promoting this show somewhere and he seemed to think the whole point of the show was how relevant it was WRT racial relations in the current (Trump) era. Which is weird because . . . if that's what the show is trying to be about, it's failing miserably. Every reference to racial issues has seen overworked and trite, whereas most of the characters are in tailspins over things that have nothing to do with race whatsoever. I just don't get a sense of what this show wants to say.

[The Solution]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

At first I thought that was Henry because, uh, I wasn't looking at his face.

Nether regions are like faces. Each one is unique and has its own personality.

[Rahul]

5 hours ago, The Solution said:

Nether regions are like faces. Each one is unique and has its own personality.

And like faces, some are prettier than others.

[Accidental Martyr]

10 hours ago, iMonrey said:

 

I saw Tim Robbins promoting this show somewhere and he seemed to think the whole point of the show was how relevant it was WRT racial relations in the current (Trump) era. Which is weird because . . . if that's what the show is trying to be about, it's failing miserably. Every reference to racial issues has seen overworked and trite, whereas most of the characters are in tailspins over things that have nothing to do with race whatsoever. I just don't get a sense of what this show wants to say.

The swastika painting and Black Lives Matter sign scenes both seemed contrived and unrealistic.

I was a huge fan of Six Feet Under but this show isn’t really grabbing me.

[woodscommaelle]

Bye show. I can't do it. Tried to watch this ep on four different ocassions. I made it a total of 14 minutes.

These characters have grated on my very last nerve.

?

[jennylauren123]

1 hour ago, woodscommaelle said:

Bye show. I can't do it. Tried to watch this ep on four different ocassions. I made it a total of 14 minutes.

These characters have grated on my very last nerve.

?

I know how you feel! It seems that many of us are watching, just hoping that we'll somehow get invested in a show that doesn't deserve it. Six Feet Under was so great that it made me think there must be something--anything--to make me hold on. I think I'll watch another, but I'm losing patience, for sure.