All Episodes Talk: Better Things

[EdnasEdibles]

This episode was so weird. With the Duke thing, she absolutely slammed into the side of the car. I mean, Phil should have probably been driving slower and to be honest, Phil probably shouldn't be driving at all but it wasn't Phil's fault entirely. The middle daughter is so damn rude. I was glad that she helped Duke out but she's such a little bitch all the time I was surprised by that. The whole dinner conversation of why did you leave my dad was annoying.

Now the whole "I keep having a dream that my ex-husband is raping me" storyline was so bizarre and I hope that's over. It made no sense and I feel like she just liked telling people that for shock value. I don't think it meant on any level that she was supposed to have sex with him. I don't know why she even entertained that idea. So weird. 

[sistermagpie]

2 hours ago, EdnasEdibles said:

This episode was so weird. With the Duke thing, she absolutely slammed into the side of the car. I mean, Phil should have probably been driving slower and to be honest, Phil probably shouldn't be driving at all but it wasn't Phil's fault entirely.

I took it that it really wasn't Phil's fault--Duke actually was playing in the street in that she rolled right out into it and wasn't hurt because luckily the car didn't hit her, she hit the car. But Phil's been having plenty of accidents and this incidents made her experience what it would be like to hit a person instead of all the other thing's she's hit, so she made a surprisingly good decision in that moment. 

2 hours ago, EdnasEdibles said:

The whole dinner conversation of why did you leave my dad was annoying.

Yeah, that seemed like another set up just to have Phil distract everyone. Seems to me all the daughters should know perfectly well why she left their father (same father for all, right?). They know the guy. He lets them down all the time. But they're definitely intentionally having Frankie just be awful all the time because that's the phase she's in.

Duke's story seemed really  trippy to me. I can buy that she could have just been so shaken up by the accident and so young (how old is she?) that it made sense she would think internal bleeding was a more likely explanation than getting her period (rather than, say, her not knowing what a period is). But that just contributed to the dreamlike quality, as did the resolution that Duke just gave her all of Sam's tampons. (You'd think there'd be more in the house given that Max and Frankie also live there.)

Funny how Max almost seems like the baby of the family with the way she demands attention. I really hope the show doesn't go the way of dropping some big, impressive life into her lap.

[QQQQ]

Max is my least favorite daughter. She's a triple-threat: self-entitled, dumb, and manipulative. I would think she's Sam's least favorite too, but I might be projecting 😂😂

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 3/29/2019 at 1:50 PM, sistermagpie said:

On 3/29/2019 at 1:22 PM, scrb said:

Even if Sam never gave permission or encouraged her to call her Sam, she let it go.

Oh, I agree. She didn't acknowledge it or anything. I just didn't think it had to do with her doing that thing where she wants the kids to call her Sam. I don't think she particularly minds it either, though. She's never been the kind of mother who seemed to have established rules about respect to her as a mother. 

Sam and her brother Marion call their own mother "Phyl".

On 3/29/2019 at 2:58 PM, luna1122 said:

Most of Sam's friends at the restaurant were kind of obnoxious---I'd have hated to have been their server

The servers figured they'd get a very large tip as a result of all the wine they were pouring.

On 3/29/2019 at 12:07 PM, TVbitch said:

I didn't mind the menopause talk, but I seriously doubt any male doctor would touch a female patient who just brought up him fingering her.

I'm pretty sure most medical malpractice insurers require a female staff member (nurse) to be present when a male doctor does an internal exam.  Maybe for all doctors.  It's devastating if the patient claims inappropriate touching.

[Jeanne222]

The Phil and Duke collision almost seemed like and 'aha' moment to both of them.  Something they both thought could never happen but did and how horrible it COULD have been.  Time to put their 'thinking caps' on.

I was kind of surprised there was no nurse in the office during the 'exam'.  Most doctors seem to be covering themselves during exams with a nurse present.

I went and had a look and sure enough Pam Adlon does have three daughters.  One of them was dating Will Smith's son.

Pam was born in 1966 and then there is this; 

https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/pamela-adlon-is-devastated-about-louie-c-k-scandal/

Following a blistering New York Times exposé in which five women came forward to accuse Louis C.K. of sexual harassment, his longtime collaborator Pamela Adlon has released a statement revealing she is “devastated” after her good friend released an apology saying the stories were true.

[ichbin]

I cannot believe that I continue to watch this show.  I must be a closet optimist thinking it will change (pssssst....it hasn't).  I guess I'm still trying to figure out why I am missing what makes it get the positive critical reviews.  All I'm seeing is a case of The Emperor's New Clothes.   A comedy should not be solely comprised of miserable characters.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

David: If your ex-husband was here right now, what would you say to him?
Sam: Why didn't you drown in a puddle of diarrhea yet?

Xander: I'm fully erect right now.
Sam: Ugh. I'm sick to my stomach.

Phil: Don't linger there like a huckster.

Phil: My car keys. I've decided it's time. And I don't want to talk about it. Ever. Do you understand?
Marion: Yes.
Phil: I do have conditions, however. I want unlimited Ubers for life and a black American Express card.
Marion: Is there anything else, or-
Phil: What? No, what do you mean?
Marion: Nothing.
Phil: You agree to the terms then?
Marion; Phil, we can't get a black American Express card.
Phil: Well, Ubers then. And I want the service that brings you a different flavored popcorn every month.
Marion: I'll look into that.
Phil: Good.
Marion: Okay. All right.
Phil: Well, I'm making dinner now.
Marion: That's very nice-
Phil: So you should leave.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

There are times when I feel like Sam brings shit on herself (like when her kids are assholes and she just takes it), but I felt for her when Frankie asked out of the blue why Sam left their dad.

Sam has covered for his ass SO MUCH, lying to the kids when he inevitably flakes at the last minute, because she wants them to have a good relationship with him.

When Sam asked if he had said something to Frankie when she saw him a few days ago, I wanted to smack Frankie when she replied, "This has nothing to do with what he said to me. This is about what you haven't said to me." Seriously? You think that everything that has happened between your parents is your business and you should get to hear it in great detail? How about asking your dad why your mom left him?

Phil farting was a great distraction, but I knew that was just a temporary distraction. It's just a matter of time before Frankie brings it up again, so I hope that Sam uses the time until then to come up with an answer.

I knew that Max walking around with a camera would lead to her inevitable career as a photographer. It's been all of a few weeks and she's already shooting bands.

Gawd, Max and Frankie are fucking exhausting. Max getting hysterical because Sam wouldn't let her borrow her boots just goes to show how emotionally immature Max is. And unfortunately Sam plays right into it. Max has a whining temper tantrum and then Sam gives in and lets her borrow the boots. WHY?

If she's mad at her kids wasting money on Uber, Postmates, and apps, then she needs to limit their usage (she could give each kid a prepaid credit card with a set amount of money on it and tell them that once they spend that amount for the month, they're on their own). Instead, she gets stressed out and then makes excuses for it ("I know they need to get around and I can't always do it"). I know it's easy to forget that stuff like that is relatively new, but teenagers managed to get food and get from place to place before 2010.

Even though Phil voluntarily gave up her car, I was horrified that she told Duke to just go home and lie down. She could have had a concussion! She was willing to risk Duke's safety so that she wouldn't get into trouble AND she was so manipulative when she told Duke that SHE would get into trouble if Sam found out. Ugh.

20 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I'm pretty sure most medical malpractice insurers require a female staff member (nurse) to be present when a male doctor does an internal exam.  Maybe for all doctors.  It's devastating if the patient claims inappropriate touching.

Not always. Larry Nassar was accused by his patients (mostly underage female gymnasts) of inappropriate touching and everyone he worked for (including Michigan State and USA Gymnastics) covered it up every time by gaslighting the victims and they continued to let him work with young female athletes. It took over two decades for a case to finally go to court. Even after he was publicly accused multiple times, he ran for the local school board and got 21% of the vote.

20 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

and then there is this; 

https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/pamela-adlon-is-devastated-about-louie-c-k-scandal/

This is pretty widely known and it's the reason why he is no longer a producer, writer, or director for the show. FX fired him from all the shows he was working on. Many people assumed that was one of the reasons for the delay between S2 and S3 of Better Things. After Pamela's initial reaction, she cut ties with him professionally and also fired her manager (who was also Louis CK's manager).

ETA: in a recent New Yorker interview, Pamela confirms that after the news about Louis CK came out, she was undecided about whether to continue the show and ended up hiring four new writers for S3.

Edited April 6, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[sistermagpie]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

When Sam asked if he had said something to Frankie when she saw him a few days ago, I wanted to smack Frankie when she replied, "This has nothing to do with what he said to me. This is about what you haven't said to me." Seriously? You think that everything that has happened between your parents is your business and you should get to hear it in great detail? How about asking your dad why your mom left him?

I wasn't sure if this was a thing Frankie was going to be pressing or if it was just her in the moment figuring out another way to be confrontational. Like she wasn't really obsessing about it, but just wanted to accuse her mother of something in that moment. I guess we'll see.

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I knew that Max walking around with a camera would lead to her inevitable career as a photographer. It's been all of a few weeks and she's already shooting bands.

Exactly. What even is that? She acted like a grown toddler the whole ep but oh, on the side she's somehow also found the drive to start putting together something that's going to be a career by doing something that every person her age does all the time, take pictures. Classic TV career where you get the right prop or clothing and you're set.

I still hope it would be more realistic where we'd learn that Max hanging out with random people and taking their picture while she's there is not having a career, but they played the dropping out of college hints pretty straight.

[scrb]

Not going to comment about the older daughters in this episode other than, horrible as usual.

Was Sam really that conflicted about boinking her ex?  Must be because she kept the boots and the underwear all these years, in her safe from the prying hands of her kids.

They showed her dawdling in the hotel corridor as if she really wanted to bail but eventually ends up at the hotel door and he opens it.

Then she goes in, puts on the turquoise panties and the boots and lies in bed while he’s at the other end of the room doing who knows what for a few minutes.

Then she abruptly gets up, takes off the panties, leaves it there and finally throws the boots in the trash in a big gesture to throw it in the face of the ex and then leaves.

What did he do that made her change her mind?

Or she was on the bed long enough to remember how horrible he was and this is suppose to mean she’s over it now?  No more sex dreams?  She now has closure?

She’s completely transitioned to a divorcee because of this encounter?  

Meanwhile her youngest daughter has her own transition — they never showed her as a tomboy skater before but she’s suppose to be entering womanhood now?

No emperors clothes indeed.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

6 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

She acted like a grown toddler the whole ep but oh, on the side she's somehow also found the drive to start putting together something that's going to be a career by doing something that every person her age does all the time, take pictures. Classic TV career where you get the right prop or clothing and you're set.

I would have accepted her gradual career as a photographer more readily if they had only mentioned the band she was shooting at a bar because that is barely even a gig. If you know someone in the band, someone at the bar, or someone at a local newspaper/website, they will give you a press pass (heh, or just let you into the venue) so that you can take pictures (often for no pay). When I was a performer, I was able to get a press pass for Mr. EB by just saying, "I'm bringing a photographer so I will need a press pass."

But at the beginning of the episode, she said some guys contacted her to do a photo shoot for them, which seems to imply that she has put in at least some bare amount of effort to market herself as a photographer (even if was just setting up a separate Instagram account for her photography "business"), which, given what we've seen of her over three seasons, seems really unlikely. Ambitious motivated go-getter is not the way I would describe her.

And ewwww to Paisley dating a 70 year old guy. Girl, you're 18 and you live in LA. I know you can find someone to date who is less than FIFTY YEARS older than you.

I also felt bad for Duke. Not only did she get hit by a car and guilt tripped about it, but her sister gave her a tampon to deal with her first period. Maybe there are girls who were ready for that from day one, but I know I definitely wasn't ready to use one the first time I had mine.

[sistermagpie]

2 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

But at the beginning of the episode, she said some guys contacted her to do a photo shoot for them, which seems to imply that she has put in at least some bare amount of effort to market herself as a photographer (even if was just setting up a separate Instagram account for her photography "business"), which, given what we've seen of her over three seasons, seems really unlikely. Ambitious motivated go-getter is not the way I would describe her.

Yes, this is exactly the type of thing that seemed completely out of character for Max as we've seen her up until now. Everything about her more seems like she's the type of person who'd walk around with a camera with the vague idea that this would lead or is already a career. The only thing that seems believable would be if she just met a bunch of guys who said hey, take our picture. But it sure sounded like she'd been contacted as if she'd done some work to establish herself as a photographer when we've never seen her put work into anything.

This actually seems like an even more difficult thing to establish yourself in today when everyone has access to good cameras. I have no experience with bands or anything but it seems like a lot of the people in them would probably be going out with somebody or be friends with somebody they'd just ask to take pictures.

6 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I also felt bad for Duke. Not only did she get hit by a car and guilt tripped about it, but her sister gave her a tampon to deal with her first period. Maybe there are girls who were ready for that from day one, but I know I definitely wasn't ready to use one the first time I had mine.

This was the other thing in the ep that seemed really off to me. I didn't want to speak for everyone, but it is hard for me to imagine somebody going from being a tiny girl who doesn't even understand she's having her period to using a tampon.

[TVbitch]

Sam keeps saying the dreams are her ex husband raping her, but in all the clips we have seen of these dreams, they are having what looks like pretty steamy consenual sex that she is totally into. 

Sam's children act like Sam: Frankie is "in your face" and rebellious. Max is impulsive. Duke is the put upon tomboy.

Please tell me Sam will not continue to see a shrink that she knows and flirted with in the first session.

I admit I kind of hate watch this show. ...just like I did Louie. 

[scrb]

Yeah you don't just decide to become a concert photographer.

First of all, photographing bands is not that easy.  The lighting isn't consistent and you may or may not be able to use your own lighting.  Professionals may be allowed to set up strobes and such.

But in general, you need fast camera and expensive heavy lenses.  You won't get great results with a $500 camera.

So did Sam buy her $5-10k in professional gear for her hobby?

Second, she can go to a dark club and take pictures but it's not going to be something that would go in magazines or would be used by the band or the record company for promotional materials.  Even beyond the technical and logistics obstacles, does she have talent for it?

Maybe.  She's boho and couldn't stand the strictures of college so maybe she's the next Annie Leibowitz.  If they want to say that she takes to it and decides to work hard to become good at it, that's fine.

But if next season, they already have her at 18 or 19 getting jobs taking concert pictures, either they will have taken big shortcuts to depict her as having ability and having done the hard work or they're seriously underestimating how much work and money it requires.

Photography is not a dependable, lucrative profession, except for people who've worked at it for years and built up a clientele and a reputation.  But if she's some kind of Instagram superstar soon, it's not going to be credible at all.

[QQQQ]

Yes, as an academic/career advisor it's this type of portrayal that drives me crazy, and makes my job a lot more difficult. Yes, one-in-a-thousand (fewer, actually) might fall into a successful, glamorous career without trying but the vast majority need education, training, and/or lots of experience.

Edited April 6, 2019 by QQQQ

[Blissfool]

I enjoy this show and, in turn, enjoy Pamela Adlon as an actress. However, this episode made me wonder if she really secretly supports Louis CK and if she only said she was "devasted" because it was the pc thing to say to protect her professional life.

When Max mentioned the nude photography, Phyl said, "Boys will be boys." I expected Sam to admonish that statement, but she didnt. 

Then the whole hotel room scene with the ex watching her and getting off on it seemed very Louis CK-ish to me.

[sistermagpie]

54 minutes ago, Blissfool said:

When Max mentioned the nude photography, Phyl said, "Boys will be boys." I expected Sam to admonish that statement, but she didnt. 

Putting it in Phyl's mouth is an admonishment in itself, I think. This is a character that dropped the n-word in an earlier ep. As for the ex-husband, if it's full consensual it imo avoids any Louis CK issues.

[Ottis]

I don’t know why anyone expects this show to have any kind of logical flow. It’s more like a series of vignettes, each with a female-driven admonishment or victory. 

I FF’d through much of Sam’s indecisiveness to go do whatever it was she and her ex used to do. It was clear it would be a vehicle for her triumph, so seeing the boots go into the trash can at 2x was pretty much all you needed to see. 

It struck me that every straight male on this show is portrayed either as a jerk, a weirdo or some kind of lame, stuck-in-the-past symbol of toxic masculinity. I still enjoy her show because there are some nice moments between Sam and her girls that are real. But the show isn’t actually very funny IMO. 

[possibilities]

I don't think it needs to be funny. It seems like if a show is half an hour, it's supposed to be funny, but why can't we have half hour dramas?

I have mixed feelings about the show, overall. I do like that it doesn't seem the same as every other show. So I'm somewhat engaged just by the lack of deja vu.

[Blissfool]

2 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

Putting it in Phyl's mouth is an admonishment in itself, I think. This is a character that dropped the n-word in an earlier ep.

AIthough I believe it happened, i don't remember the episode with the n-word so I don't remember Sam's reaction to it. I just think that Sam is "woke" enough to have a WTF reaction to the "Boys will be boys."

2 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

As for the ex-husband, if it's full consensual it imo avoids any Louis CK issues.

But weren't the Louis CK incidents fully consensual, too. It wasn't until years later that the women brought the incidents to light and said they were uncomfortable while it happened. (Sam, too, was clearly uncomfortable, but she consented.)

I'm sorry if I am being contrary, I just think I expected differently from Pamela Adlon's character and was wondering if I was the only one who felt this way. I'm assuming Sam is Pamela' s voice.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

9 hours ago, scrb said:

What did he do that made her change her mind? 

He didn't eagerly come to bed? In that moment, he was acting much more sensibly than she was.

[Jeanne222]

I'm not so sure she went to the ex husband hotel room!  Didn't the next scene show her waking up in her bed?

Maybe it was all a dream!

[sistermagpie]

2 hours ago, Blissfool said:

AIthough I believe it happened, i don't remember the episode with the n-word so I don't remember Sam's reaction to it. I just think that Sam is "woke" enough to have a WTF reaction to the "Boys will be boys."

She said "Da fu...?" to the initial story and Phyl's comment was in the context of her saying that the band was being childish so I can see why she didn't think Sam would feel the need to step in there. Phyl wasn't defending them, she was accusing them of trying to take advantage of her and her girlfriends.

2 hours ago, Blissfool said:

But weren't the Louis CK incidents fully consensual, too. It wasn't until years later that the women brought the incidents to light and said they were uncomfortable while it happened. (Sam, too, was clearly uncomfortable, but she consented.) 

Sam was the one who initiated the whole thing. She was uncomfortable because she was disgusted with herself for wanting to do this thing. Then when she walked out on her own. There was nothing non-consensual about it for either of them. She was just grossed out by the idea that she wanted to do it. Then realized she didn't want to do it and walked out.  She was struggling with herself, not giving into her ex.

[possibilities]

The CK incidents were not consensual. He ambushed them and blocked the door.

Sam called her ex, they discussed what they were going to do, they agreed. She went there expecting it to happen.

There is really nothing the CK situations have in common with this episode of Better Things.

[Blissfool]

29 minutes ago, possibilities said:

The CK incidents were not consensual. He ambushed them and blocked the door.

Sam called her ex, they discussed what they were going to do, they agreed. She went there expecting it to happen.

There is really nothing the CK situations have in common with this episode of Better Things.

I considered them consensual because he asked them permission, but, alas, carry on. I'll sit at my table for one. 

Good point made by the previous poster that reminded me that Sam initiated the rendezvous. That made me consider her less of a victim 

[Pepper Mostly]

On 4/6/2019 at 11:57 AM, sistermagpie said:

This was the other thing in the ep that seemed really off to me. I didn't want to speak for everyone, but it is hard for me to imagine somebody going from being a tiny girl who doesn't even understand she's having her period to using a tampon.

I find it impossible to believe that Duke, who is supposed to be what, 9 or so?, with two older sisters and an outspoken mother, knows NOTHING about periods.

[sistermagpie]

3 minutes ago, Pepper Mostly said:

I find it impossible to believe that Duke, who is supposed to be what, 9 or so?, with two older sisters and an outspoken mother, knows NOTHING about periods.

Yes, I wasn't sure if the show meant she didn't know what a period was or that she was just so discombobulated after hitting the car that in her mind it made more sense to see it as internal bleeding. Especially since she really seems very young--I don't know how old she's supposed to be. As you say, her sisters and mother and even grandmother are kind of known for being blunt about this kind of thing. Elsewhere in the episode Max is blabbing about her friend's 70-year-old boyfriend insisting that she shave her pubic hair before sex. (He's already sleeping with a teenager at 70 but wants her to not even have body hair?)

[bilgistic]

The actress who plays Duke is 12. Her father is John Edward, the "psychic"!

[Lone Wolf]

14 hours ago, Blissfool said:

I considered them consensual because he asked them permission, but, alas, carry on. I'll sit at my table for one. 

Good point made by the previous poster that reminded me that Sam initiated the rendezvous. That made me consider her less of a victim 

I'll drag up a chair and join you.  I thought that entire plot line was Adlon's commentary on the CK issue.

Phil's response at the time of the accident wasn't right, but it was true to the character.  As was her deciding to give up the keys with conditions; she did the right thing but took advantage of the situation.

I think that Max was exaggerating the guy she was talking about's age.  70 is too unrealistic, even for this show.

[sistermagpie]

1 hour ago, Lone Wolf said:

I'll drag up a chair and join you.  I thought that entire plot line was Adlon's commentary on the CK issue.

So who was Sam in the situation and who was her ex husband and how did their whole situation comment on it? I honestly don't see how they're related to each other

[Door County Cherry]

17 hours ago, Blissfool said:

I considered them consensual because he asked them permission,

Asking for permission only counts if you care about the answer.  Considering he was said to have not waited for an answer and/or blocked doors when people tried to leave indicates, to me, that he didn't. 

I'm not sure what the hotel thing was about.  If it was ended because the husband didn't participate.  Or if that was the "thing" they always talked about.  He sat in the corner and watched. 

[bilgistic]

1 hour ago, Door County Cherry said:

Asking for permission only counts if you care about the answer.  Considering he was said to have not waited for an answer and/or blocked doors when people tried to leave indicates, to me, that he didn't. 

I'm not sure what the hotel thing was about.  If it was ended because the husband didn't participate.  Or if that was the "thing" they always talked about.  He sat in the corner and watched. 

Yes, and thank you to the first paragraph.

Second paragraph: I thought they were mutually masturbating?

[Marci]

This show is getting more disjointed every week.  It’s like they’re trying to push some “women’s” agenda, but they’re not sure what it is or how to do it.

So far, we’ve seen a gynecological exam be referred to as fingering by a doctor, a bunch of 50 somethings hitting on 20 somethings in a drunken night out,  we’ve been given the mental image of stinky cooches, grandma farting at the dinner table, tampons for a first timer, dreaming of being raped by an ex then meeting him in a hotel room (in a very weird scene). 

I’m almost afraid to see what’s next.

[cpcathy]

18 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Second paragraph: I thought they were mutually masturbating?

Ohhhh, right, right, right, right, right. I think that was it.

[possibilities]

If Adlon was commenting on CK, which I didn't think she was but I could be wrong, I would think she's highlighting the difference between consent and ambush.

Sam called her ex and they had a conversation about what they were thinking about, how it felt, and what they would and would not do, and what they expected from each other. All of this happened in the context of what had been a personal, sexual relationship, where the terms were negotiated and both knew they could opt out with no negative repercussions. They both indicated strong interest (he said he was fully erect when she called him, she initiated the event and traveled to meet him for it) and also acknowledged each others' caveats and limitations (she said it made her feel uncomfortable, he said he might not be able to go through with it).

In the CK situations, none of the women who complained were in personal, sexual relationships with him at any time. They were all professional acquaintances, and he was considered a "kingmaker" in the industry, who could promote their careers or bad mouth them to others and harm their reputations. He did not ask them if they were interested and listen to and negotiate with them about anything. He surprised them, made it difficult for them to leave, and mocked them when they complained.

Maybe Adlon was trying to show the difference between uncomfortable but consensual arrangements between peers, and contrast that with abuses of power and actual harassment, but I don't think she was setting the situations up to look the same at all.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

I have so many things to say. One, just like any other crime, when someone claims they have been assaulted; most of the time they have. Having a nurse in the room with a gynecologist should be to protect the patient as much if not more than the doctor. 

Two, if Sam says she feels like she's being raped in her nightmares about her ex-husband then she feels like she's being raped in nightmares about her ex-husband. I might describe a dream I have about eating Peeps as a nightmare and you might think that doesn't really sound like a nightmare but if it's how I feel in my dream, it's how I feel. That's HER dream. You can't really tell someone else how they should feel about their own dream; that's the nature of dreams.

Three, asking for permission is meaningless if you are not 100% free to say no. A mugger might ask for your wallet and you might give it to him but I would not describe that as consensual. A mugger has put you in a situation where you are scared of what might happen if you say no. So technically he has "asked permission" to take your wallet and you have given it to him but there is no way you would have handed it over if you weren't scared of the consequences. Similarly, Louis CK put his victims in a situation where it was difficult to say no. In one, he made what the women thought was a joke about it and then instead of clarifying that he wasn't joking and getting a yes from them, he blocked the door and disrobed. In others, he used his position of power as a successful and respected comic to do it to new comics at their place of work. 

Four, just because someone comes forward about being assaulted years later does not mean they are lying. It means that no one was willing to listen at the time. And I can see how that would be the case just seeing all the commentary around a lot of horrible incidents that have come out in recent years.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside S3: music

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S3.E7: Toilet

Quote

Sam preps.

Promo:

Clips:

The moment;

Nurse Roy:

Original air date: 4/11/19

Edited April 24, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ugh, Frankie continues to be the worst. Do you want your mom to buy these concert tickets for you or not? Even if you don't want to go to the show anymore, the least you could do is not be fucking rude when your mom asks what night you want to go. If I were Sam, I would have been like well, you had your chance to go and you lost it. And then to ask for money so you can go get lunch? GTFO.

I loved that Sam finally told one of her kids what a shitbag she was being, but of course Frankie followed in Max's footsteps and just doubled down on being a dick and tried to guilt trip her mom by saying she would ask a stranger for money and get trafficked.

I'm disappointed that we had Ferris Bueller as a guest star for such a brief amount of time.

[Marci]

Well, they didn't disappoint this week with the repugnant factor.  I knew it would be particularly gross when I saw the episode was titled “Toilet.”

What’s with this show? Have they figured the gamut has been run on shocking by sex and violence, so now they’re down to disgusting us with bodily functions?

[luna1122]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Ugh, Frankie continues to be the worst. Do you want your mom to buy these concert tickets for you or not? Even if you don't want to go to the show anymore, the least you could do is not be fucking rude when your mom asks what night you want to go. If I were Sam, I would have been like well, you had your chance to go and you lost it. And then to ask for money so you can go get lunch? GTFO.

I loved that Sam finally told one of her kids what a shitbag she was being, but of course Frankie followed in Max's footsteps and just doubled down on being a dick and tried to guilt trip her mom by saying she would ask a stranger for money and get trafficked.

I'm disappointed that we had Ferris Bueller as a guest star for such a brief amount of time.

I was a mouthy, moody teen who hated my mom half the time just for existing, but I would never have acted or spoken to my mom the way these kids do, especially Frankie. Just what is supposed to be her problem? it's not just typical teen stuff, it seems almost pathological now, like she needs serious therapy to sort out her anger issues.

But not with Dr. Ferris, who winds up being kind of creepy and inappropriate. I'm uncertain just how we're supposed to feel about any of that, or how Sam feels about him, at all. She is certainly therapy-adverse, at any rate, tho she needs it bad.

[EdnasEdibles]

I honestly don't know why I'm even watching this show anymore. I don't even like it. And it's funny because then I saw Alan Sepinwall's review and he says "This is one of the smartest and most emotionally rich shows on television" and I don't get that at all.

The thing that was weird for me was that she gave her doctor a high five about her polyps. And then when the plumber came over she didn't give him a high five. They both touch gross things. I realize the doctor wears gloves and washes her hands but the plumber also washed his hands with the good soap. 

And her daughters are such brats, I can't even handle it. 

[txhorns79]

8 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I loved that Sam finally told one of her kids what a shitbag she was being, but of course Frankie followed in Max's footsteps and just doubled down on being a dick and tried to guilt trip her mom by saying she would ask a stranger for money and get trafficked.

I think I would have just left her trapped in her room.  I get that it is normal to have an unpleasant, moody teen under your roof, but I would never vote convict Sam if she was up on child abuse charges for beating the crap out of Frankie. 

[sistermagpie]

4 hours ago, luna1122 said:

I was a mouthy, moody teen who hated my mom half the time just for existing, but I would never have acted or spoken to my mom the way these kids do, especially Frankie. Just what is supposed to be her problem? it's not just typical teen stuff, it seems almost pathological now, like she needs serious therapy to sort out her anger issues.

I think it really is just supposed to be moody teen issues. She's just being a jerk to her mother 24/7. I was surprised Sam was even considering buying her tickets for anything.

But even more than that I couldn't get over her reaction to Frankie flushing all that stuff down the toilet. WTF? Even if the toilet will suck it down surely it's not great for the pipes below the toilet and who throws away towels as if they're disposable? She's like a toddler. Duke's the only one at an age where she's still considerate of her mother.

7 hours ago, Marci said:

What’s with this show? Have they figured the gamut has been run on shocking by sex and violence, so now they’re down to disgusting us with bodily functions?

I think she's focusing on the issue of aging and the often undignified things that go along with that, like colonoscopies, menopause, etc. 

I was confused by the thing with the plumber high-5 too.

Meanwhile, Max's only appearance is to call her mom in the hospital after her procedure to demand she immediately give her a deposit on an apartment Sam hasn't seen? I assume Sam will be paying the rent on this apartment too? Or is Max already making enough money to pay rent by sometimes wearing or referring to a camera?

[For Cereals]

5 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

Or is Max already making enough money to pay rent by sometimes wearing or referring to a camera?

Snort...

[TVbitch]

What was up with Sam's colonoscopy dream? Who was the guy who looked just like Louie CK? I don't care enough to try to analyze it. 

Again with Sam being inappropriate with her doctors. And her doctors finding her butthole talk and her calling them at home super charming. Uh huh. 

[Lone Wolf]

On 4/7/2019 at 1:58 PM, sistermagpie said:

So who was Sam in the situation and who was her ex husband and how did their whole situation comment on it? I honestly don't see how they're related to each other

Setting aside the left turn that this story line took compared to the usual middle-aged-single-female-asshole-kids-working-B-List-actress-mother-issues arcs that this show usually takes:

Sam was representative of all the women that CK (apparently) victimized.

Her ex was in her head against her (conscious) will, like CK (allegedly) forced himself onto his accusers.

Sam stood up against her ex by reaching out to him like CK's (alleged) victims stood up against him by Me Too'ing him (whether they were really victims and to what degree I'm not sure I accept, but that's a different topic).

Her ex was wackin' it and CK wacked it (that I believe).

Sam overcame her adversity as symbolized by throwing the boots in the trash can, representative of CK's (alleged) victims pretty much getting him thrown out of show business.

Of course, all the foregoing is my opinion, conjecture, interpretation, blah blah blah, fueled by a tummy full of Pino Grinot.  It just seemed like a weighty plot for this show.  After Life, it isn't.  I do like it, though...

Edited April 13, 2019 by Lone Wolf

[Lone Wolf]

On 4/8/2019 at 2:10 PM, possibilities said:

In the CK situations, none of the women who complained were in personal, sexual relationships with him at any time. They were all professional acquaintances, and he was considered a "kingmaker" in the industry, who could promote their careers or bad mouth them to others and harm their reputations. He did not ask them if they were interested and listen to and negotiate with them about anything. He surprised them, made it difficult for them to leave, and mocked them when they complained.

Actually, (at least in one case), he asked first whether he could.  Sarah Silverman said on Howard Stern that he asked her and she said, yes.  She thought it was funny.  

FTR, I'm a casual fan of CK at best, so I don't really feel the need to defend him.  However, I also think the pendulum's swinging back too far these days.  

Edited April 13, 2019 by Lone Wolf

[Blissfool]

On 4/12/2019 at 11:35 AM, sistermagpie said:

But even more than that I couldn't get over her reaction to Frankie flushing all that stuff down the toilet. WTF? Even if the toilet will suck it down surely it's not great for the pipes below the toilet and who throws away towels as if they're disposable? 

Reminded me of the time I caught my son tossing his $100 Bluetooth speaker into the pool just because the pamphlet said it can be "submersed in water."

Me: "still. You don't do that!" 

[Lone Wolf]

Props to Sam for coming out of the anesthesia a lot more coherent than my girlfriend was or (according to her) I was after our respective colonoscopies (she was pretty adorable, though. My girlfriend, not Sam).

Like the poster above, I'd have left Frankie locked in her room too, but she'd have probably called CPS on Sam if she had.

Unfortunately, not all therapists are professionals.  I once dated someone whose dear friend was a psychiatrist who slept with at least one of her patients.  I imagine that she could have gotten in as much trouble over having done it as she would have over the fact that she told my GF about it.   

Edited April 13, 2019 by Lone Wolf