S02.E01: Simone

[Cherry Cola]

Rose is so gorgeous! It was nice to see her be more relaxed in Paris.  

I just watched season one over the weekend, I am so glad 2 is out now. 

I really liked how Susie charmed the thugs and they let her go.  

[Clanstarling]

I just watched a documentary about Rose-Marie (who played the woman writer on the Dick Van Dyke show). Before I watched it, I knew nothing about her, and she had an amazing career as a comedian before the Dick Van Dyke show.

But the reason I'm writing this post, is that prior to watching the documentary, I thought it was strange that thugs were sent after Susie.

In the interviews they showed, Rose Marie made no bones about the Mob being highly involved in her career, and once they had to avoid a city (forget which) because the mob boss there didn't like her husband (or something like that) - so I'm guessing it was actually a thing, and not so far fetched as I originally believed.

The documentary is on YouTube. It was pretty fascinating. I was too young to really remember the Dick Van Dyke show from its original airing, but have watched it as an adult.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Clanstarling

[ShadowFacts]

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I just watched a documentary about Rose-Marie (who played the woman writer on the Dick Van Dyke show). Before I watched it, I knew nothing about her, and she had an amazing career as a comedian before the Dick Van Dyke show.

But the reason I'm writing this post, is that prior to watching the documentary, I thought it was strange that thugs were sent after Susie.

In the interviews they showed, Rose Marie made no bones about the Mob being highly involved in her career, and once they had to avoid a city (forget which) because the mob boss there didn't like her husband (or something like that) - so I'm guessing it was actually a thing, and not so far fetched as I originally believed.

The documentary is on YouTube. It was pretty fascinating. I was too young to really remember the Dick Van Dyke show from its original airing, but have watched it as an adult.

Really interesting, I'll have to check that out.  I thought the thug thing with Susie was melodramatic but maybe not.  

[shapeshifter]

24 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I just watched a documentary about Rose-Marie (who played the woman writer on the Dick Van Dyke show). Before I watched it, I knew nothing about her, and she had an amazing career as a comedian before the Dick Van Dyke show.

But the reason I'm writing this post, is that prior to watching the documentary, I thought it was strange that thugs were sent after Susie.

In the interviews they showed, Rose Marie made no bones about the Mob being highly involved in her career, and once they had to avoid a city (forget which) because the mob boss there didn't like her husband (or something like that) - so I'm guessing it was actually a thing, and not so far fetched as I originally believed.

The documentary is on YouTube. It was pretty fascinating. I was too young to really remember the Dick Van Dyke show from its original airing, but have watched it as an adult.

 

Really interesting, I'll have to check that out.  I thought the thug thing with Susie was melodramatic but maybe not.  

Now that you've reminded me of Rose Marie, I wonder if her character of Sally provided some inspiration for Susie.

Googling Rose Marie, I read about more mob connections too.

[heatherchandler]

On 12/13/2018 at 9:32 PM, stillshimpy said:

 

But that's actually a writing foible of ASP's -- apologies, I assumed the acronym would have caught on here, it's handy, but yes, the showrunner Amy Sherman-Paladino, she of many hats -- has always been a bit of hyperbole even within the narrative that the world of the story pretends is unremarkable but is as actually so extraordinary as to be outlandish.  ASP makes outlandish work in a really charming way.  It's a foible that this show is making work well for her.  It would be so fitting for Midge that it's best to just breeze past the likelihood.   
 

HA!

[CousinAmy]

After her father's phone call Midge rushed home to check on her children. She's still in that apartment and still working. Who did she leave her children with for four days? The housekeeper? I can't believe she didn't try to check with her mother at least once to get an update on how their day went. Was that just a set-up for the physical joke of checking Ethan's eyes, nose and feet.

I loved the scene st the switchboard at B. Altmans. I've also worked an old PBX board, though never that busy, and only as a fill-in at lunchtime. We were told to never say, "One moment please" because that was giving the caller a command. That's why they said, "I will connect you" instead of "Hold on." Civility; it was a beautiful thing.

[WildPlum]

I watched this last night, thinking it was S1E1 and I spent a lot of time thinking "wow, they are really going for in media res". Hmmm, no, I am jumping in to the middle. I kept up, mostly.

[Iseut]

I agree that studying Russian history/literature makes sense for a Jewish character,even if the timeline would definitely have raised some eyebrows. But yes, French would have been in there somewhere. At least enough for Midge to be able to do the tourist thing and nagivate her and Abe from the airport to her mom's apartment.

More likely, I think that Russian Literature is part of Midge's backstory so that ASP could have a good reason for Midge to get married in Emily Gilmore's (and, I assume, ASP's) fantasy Russian winter wedding. Which probably wouldn't have been a trendy thing since Dr. Zhivago wasn't even written until 1957, but hey, the wedding was indeed gorgeous!

Edited January 11, 2019 by Iseut

[Razzberry]

On 12/12/2018 at 11:47 AM, stillshimpy said:

I'm rationing these episodes rather than binging them.  Good lord, it's nice to see something fully diverting, that also gives us a kinder view into the past than something like Mad Men, that gave such a cynical rendering of the time periods it touched, I was amazed that the generations before us hadn't perished from despair death in greater numbers (references to Plath notwithstanding).   I understand that the truth was probably uglier than Mrs. Maizel but less unrelentingly grim than Mad Men.  I'm up for the primarily diverting at present, so this fills that category nicely.  

Very well said.  I just binged the first season and enjoyed it so much that I'm wishing I hadn't, if you know what I mean. Each episode should be savored, much like Mad Men (loved the cynicism, though).

[aradia22]

I forgot how this show makes Midge the most competent person who ever lived. I'm surprised she isn't running B. Altman's yet. Also, why does she continue talking like a middle-aged housewife when she's so young? Weird character choice.

This was a weak excuse to get them to Paris. And only in season 2! They usually save the vacation for when the show is running out of steam. The costumes continue to be gorgeous though.

I understand French but it's been a while and everyone was mumbling so I only caught the gist of what was being said. It was enough. Nothing that important.

I wonder if this would have felt more natural if I had jumped right into this episode after watching season 1. Because even though I'm sympathetic to Rose, this feels less like an empowered decision and more like a tantrum. Mixed with some Eat, Pray, Love BS. And again, it feels illogical that Rose and Miriam can just do whatever they want and Abe goes along with it... his protests that he makes the money are just token resistance. It feels like one area where they don't care about historical accuracy.

The mob guys following Suzy was cheesy but I found the back and forth funny.

The female impersonators were gorgeous. (I call them that because they looked much more natural than drag queens typically do.) Not sure that was a big trend in Paris at the time but whatever. Maybe it's me but as pretty as they were, they were quite obviously men. It was weird that Midge was so shocked. I feel like I never have a good grasp on what should and should not be shocking to her because this show has a muddled sense of historical accuracy. There are happily integrated spaces and she has sex against a tree but the restrictive gender roles enter when they need to for the sake of the story. 

I get that Midge just gets to wander into spaces and do what she wants but it's weird that no one (like say the waiter who overcharged her) tried to get her off the stage when it was turning into a stand up act. Also, how in the hell was anyone supposed to hear the woman translating for her when they were yelling over each other at the same time? I feel like there was a better way to depict that onscreen. 

The Sylvia Plath line was a cheap throwaway. I wish the writing was better on this show.

This week I enjoyed Suzy's B plot more than Miriam or Joel or Abe or Rose. Well, Tony Shalhoub is always great but they didn't give him much to work with. Still, he had one or two funny lines. 

Weird ending. It was kind of nice for Joel/Miriam to finally have a more mature conversation but I'm hoping this was just clearing up loose ends to move forward. Because if they keep jerking us around, that was a waste of time.

[Clanstarling]

22 hours ago, LadyKenobi said:

Thank you for bringing that up! I was confused why she involved Lenny Bruce. So Suzie's argument is "Well, what could I do, Lennie Bruce introduced her?" Because otherwise I was wondering why she just didn't change the name and keep going.

Yep, I think that's how she found a loophole in the order. Lenny put Midge on stage, Not Suzie, so she fulfilled the part of the order that was that she wasn't supposed to do it, and since Lenny's a big deal,  and he's a big deal so they're not going to go after him. So she probably figured that made her safe.

I didn't recognize Rose from Two and Half Men at all, until someone mentioned it. And I watched way too many seasons before I broke the bad habit.

[zillabreeze]

On 12/7/2018 at 10:44 AM, MissLucas said:

I think a mental illness is too dark for this show. I wonder if we were supposed to view the scene as funny. I agree with those above who mentioned that the humor has become quite crass and sometimes border-line offensive. And Joel's father in the Gojim bank wasn't particularly funny (or believable) either.

K. I'm binging and late to the PTV game on this show so not sure which episode   BUT!  The scene with the business card to see the shrink that had "done wonders for my friend, Sylvia Plath" nailed it!  IMHO, that's the Palladino writing that I adore and miss from GG.

The quick asides and literary references that let you know that the writers aren't pandering to the common dumbass.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

This episode covered A LOT. My favorite thing was Midge's mother moving to Paris. My least favorite thing was her husband becoming apoplectic about it - but only after Midge spelled it out for him. Dude, you didn't even realize that your wife had moved out and gone to another country so you don't get to be indignant. If that's how little you pay attention to her, no wonder she left.

I also hated the way that Midge reacted (although I did keep reminding myself that this took place decades ago back when a woman's only aspiration was supposed to be becoming a wife and mother). Why shouldn't her mother go to Paris and be happy? Why should she stay in New York just so her spouse and child could keep ignoring her/not listening to her/taking her presence for granted? Clearly her husband and daughter WHO LIVE IN THE SAME APARTMENT WITH HER don't need her if they didn't even notice she was gone for four days. Her husband didn't even bother to look in her closet to notice that all of her clothes were gone. Zelda can plan the dinner menus and watch Midge's kids.

[PRgal]

I’ve just started season 2 and the episode did t seem all that realistic to.  The French thing was already brought up.  There’s no way Midge could not have been exposed to at least a little bit of French.  Even if she has forgotten everything she learned in middle and high school, she should be able to understand at least a few words.  Secondly, picking up and going like “that?”  How much did flights cost back then?  Even today, a last minute flight would be pretty expensive!  I did like how Rose was pretty much giving Abe a taste of his own medicine.....

[kwnyc]

Back to the "never been to Philadelphia" thing...in the first season, didn't Joel take Midge to see Lenny Bruce at the Troc (infamous Philly strip club)?

[Kirsty]

It doesn't make sense to me that Midge doesn't even consider quitting comedy for Joel. It's the 1950s; she's never had any ambition to be anything other than a wife and mother until now; she doesn't have a comedy career yet because she only took it up a few months ago; and it's the only thing standing in the way of her marriage.