S07.E6: Oslo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

PENULTIMATE EPISODE!

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Selina tries to arrange a meeting via her Finnish contact, Minna. Gary helps Catherine plan a big event. Jonah and Amy push an anti-vax message in Pennsylvania. Mike finds a new home. Richard may have an enemy.

Promo:

Original air date: 5/5/19

Edited May 11, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Traveller519]

All hail the rise of Richard, (soon to be) Majestic Emperor Pooba of Loose Allegiance of American States!

Of course Gary earnestly believes he'll be with Selina in prison when she inevitably ends up there

Edited May 7, 2019 by Traveller519

[Dots And Stripes]

My two favorite moments tonight were Amy and Dan reuniting and the preview of Selena and Amy reuniting. I've been re-watching early seasons and I miss the dynamic of the group.

Catherine choosing to get married in Europe after Selena's suggestion is the most like Selena she's ever been.

Selena was mostly awful again tonight, although it is interesting she started to have some sort of a conscience. Feeling bad for doing bad things does not redeem her, but it is at least a step towards making her human again.

So we end the episode with Selena's campaign on the downward swing, Richard is on his way up, and Jonah appears to still be building a fringe following. So who becomes the new Veep? I feel like it's got to be Selena. She's been awful and making her Veep again would be the most fitting punishment. Plus, we can't have another series end with her in jail.

[DrSpaceman]

7 hours ago, Dots And Stripes said:

My two favorite moments tonight were Amy and Dan reuniting and the preview of Selena and Amy reuniting. I've been re-watching early seasons and I miss the dynamic of the group.

Catherine choosing to get married in Europe after Selena's suggestion is the most like Selena she's ever been.

Selena was mostly awful again tonight, although it is interesting she started to have some sort of a conscience. Feeling bad for doing bad things does not redeem her, but it is at least a step towards making her human again.

So we end the episode with Selena's campaign on the downward swing, Richard is on his way up, and Jonah appears to still be building a fringe following. So who becomes the new Veep? I feel like it's got to be Selena. She's been awful and making her Veep again would be the most fitting punishment. Plus, we can't have another series end with her in jail.

I get the feeling, as ridiculous as it would be, this is being set up for Richard being the president and Selena as the VEEP

Trying to trade Tibet for the presidency, Tibet being the sole reason she even has a chance.......about as low as it gets. 

[nilyank]

I know that Jonah is bad but his uncle is the absolute worse. Who laughs at someone like that during a funeral? Especially since he was related to the deceased. 

Richard for President and I do think that he will pick Jonah.  

[Roaster]

They were shoe-horning too much plot into this episode.  And too many extreme reversals of fortune.  The Richard-as-holy-fool thing is fun, but Selina's adventures are way past credibility.  In Norway to get the Peace Prize (and parley with the Chinese president), then she's a fugitive from the police, then Minna (who turned her in) gives diplomatic asylum, then an escape through secret tunnels, then crashing the prize ceremony, then on top of the world and talking about running mates, and then faced with protests over killing the elephant.  It seems the show-runners had ideas for a full season but strained to get them all in this shortened season.

The OB-GYN is really pretty.  Has Dan ever called anyone his girlfriend before?

[teddysmom]

This episode was just all over the place.  Way too many story lines.

Why a shortened season? I'm sure HBO would have let them have 20 episodes if they wanted them. 

The whole thing with Minna turning Selena in was ridiculous. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was surprised that Marjorie was so chill about the wedding planning. I was doubly surprised that Catherine decided to get married in Europe as Selina suggested.

[ChicksDigScars]

What was Selina's line about wanting her Nobel acceptance speech to be so good that it would be like Bono preaching to his own reflexion? That made me LOL. 

And Marjorie's smokey eye, of course. 

And I fucking KNEW that Andrew was not dead. Bummed me out. 

But yeah, it is like they are trying to shove way too much into a half hour. It had to be a show decision to only do 8 episodes, right? HBO surely would have welcomed a normal full 13 episode season.  

Edited May 6, 2019 by ChicksDigScars

[patty1h]

I really hate obnoxious Sen. Furlong and hope, before the end of the series, that something horrible happens to him.  I'd be happy if we found out that he and his aide were really in a BDSM relationship and that's why the aide stayed around (and that the aide was the dom).  I'd even be happy with a sentence or two where it comes out Sen. Furlong died in some embarrassing fashion, involving an auto-erotic asphyxiation accident and dildo.  

Edited May 6, 2019 by patty1h

[iMonrey]

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This episode was just all over the place.  Way too many story lines.

Agreed. The whole seasons feels like they had a checklist for every political parody they could think of and they're going through them one by one. This week with the whole Julian Assange thing and asylum at an embassy. 

The whole thing with Minna didn't make any sense either. If she felt duty bound to turn Selina into Interpol why did she offer her asylum at the embassy? Either she wants her arrested or she doesn't. 

[Joimiaroxeu]

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Why a shortened season?

Not sure if serious. 🤔 JLD had breast cancer. IMO it's a gift we got a seventh   season at all given what she suffered.

[junemeatcleaver]

It's a show in it's seventh season, the costs and salaries could be on the expensive side.  The price tag, along with working around any issues JLD possibly could have been still dealing with, may be the reason for the shortened season.

The show is still entertaining, but this season is not really working for me.  Too bad this is the final season.

[Dots And Stripes]

3 hours ago, teddysmom said:

This episode was just all over the place.  Way too many story lines.

Why a shortened season? I'm sure HBO would have let them have 20 episodes if they wanted them. 

The whole thing with Minna turning Selena in was ridiculous. 

Per Wikipedia, this is season is only slightly shortened. Most seasons have had 10 episodes. Season 1 had 8 episodes. This season has 7.

I don’t think they crammed so much plot in this week because they ran out of episodes. I think a lot of shows rush toward the end of the run because they want to telegraph the end half way through the season. I feel like it’s typical to have the last episode or 2 feel rushed.

[ChicksDigScars]

I know that Julia's breast cancer treatments were why the season was delayed a year. There were two years between last season and this one. I thought she was done with treatments. The delay is also why someone else was able to win those Comedy Emmy's last year. Veep and Julia weren't in the running due to the extra year between. 

[DrSpaceman]

I didn't realize there were only two more episodes. 

Going to be really rushed to finish up in any reasonable fashion. 

[bijoux]

Minna offers Selina asylum. Gary: She prefers spa. That honestly killed me. 

We have Amy being an absolute idiot for jonesing to hook up with Dan, and the OB GYN that Amy and Dan went to for an abortion now in a relationship with him, and Andrew being alive? Blergh.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

4 hours ago, ChicksDigScars said:

But yeah, it is like they are trying to shove way too much into a half hour. It had to be a show decision to only do 8 episodes, right? HBO surely would have welcomed a normal full 13 episode season.  

6 minutes ago, DrSpaceman said:

I didn't realize there were only two more episodes. 

Going to be really rushed to finish up in any reasonable fashion. 

This season has seven episodes, not eight. Next week is the series finale. 

[peeayebee]

5 hours ago, Roaster said:

The OB-GYN is really pretty. 

I think she looks like Amal Clooney.

I don't have much if any sympathy left for Selena. I thought Jonah was the worst, but I think it's her. And in this ep Jonah was actually likable for a bit when he was bonding with his dad. Of course that didn't last.

I thought it was great seeing the map of the cases of chicken pox tracking where Jonah's campaign has been.

I also liked the joke that Mike would be the youngest CBS correspondent (by law).

[ganesh]

I thought "homosexual doppelganger" was the funniest phrase I've ever heard until Selina spat out "autistic Barbie". 

Wow, stellar casting for the governor. 

Edited May 6, 2019 by ganesh

[ganesh]

6 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I was surprised that Marjorie was so chill about the wedding planning. I was doubly surprised that Catherine decided to get married in Europe as Selina suggested.

I liked that she knew how to do a smoky eye. 

There aren't actually vaccinations for chicken pox, are there? That's why when a kid gets it, the parents shove all the other kids over there to get it too. It didn't quite make sense to me. 

I like when Dan told Amy how he'd mistaken her and ended with "and then call you an unstable slut", Amy was actually flattered, "It's a new dress."

I don't know if anyone does better reaction shots that her because while the uncle was going on about Jonah killing his dad, just standing there glaring, Amy was the one that really stole the scene. 

[Roaster]

There is a chicken pox vaccine these days.  There wasn't back when I was a kid.

[MBJ]

Amy was wearing form-fitting dresses all episode for once and looked so good.

Anyways, I'll go light some sage for my "Praying for a Richard Splett Spin-off" Shrine.

Edited May 6, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[iMonrey]

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I also liked the joke that Mike would be the youngest CBS correspondent (by law).

Oh, I thought he said "by a lot."

Quote

There is a chicken pox vaccine these days.  There wasn't back when I was a kid.

I knew Jonah was going to catch something, the minute he kissed a baby in a crowd filled with anti-vaxers. It probably should have been measles but I guess they didn't want to go there.

[Caseysgirl]

Ms. Blue Jay - I’m with you! I would totally be on board fora Richard Splett spinoff

[ganesh]

2 hours ago, Roaster said:

There is a chicken pox vaccine these days.  There wasn't back when I was a kid.

I had no idea. 

[peeayebee]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Oh, I thought he said "by a lot."

Maybe he did. I thought "by law" was kind of odd.

[khyber]

The Chicken Pox vaccine was released about 4 months after I contracted Chicken Pox at the age of 39.  I knew the vaccine was under development & would have been first in line to get it. 

[tennisgurl]

Giving Tibet, the only good thing she really achieved as a leader, back to China really is a new low for Selina, so low that even she started to feel guilty at the end. Its been forever since Selina felt bad about anything, so you know its bad. 

"Like Bono says when he talks to his own reflection." 

There were WAY too many plots going on, and too much happening in just one episode. It felt like a mad rush to get tons of stuff into the episode before we get to the season finale. It was so much, I kept getting whiplash!

I am now convinced that Richard ends the series as President. 

[Ottis]

23 hours ago, iMonrey said:

The whole thing with Minna didn't make any sense either. If she felt duty bound to turn Selina into Interpol why did she offer her asylum at the embassy? Either she wants her arrested or she doesn't. 

I think Minna is one of those people who simply "does the right thing," with no context. She turned Selina in because she must, and then she offered asylum because she could.

On 5/6/2019 at 8:26 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I was surprised that Marjorie was so chill about the wedding planning. I was doubly surprised that Catherine decided to get married in Europe as Selina suggested.

I'm guessing Marjorie has already figured out the Europe property law ruse, and knows a loophole. Marjorie is probably a secret billionaire, for all we know. Catherine going there was intriguing. Is the show saying Catherine is, at her core, as bad as her mom, and not the do gooder she pretends to be? Might be.

17 hours ago, iMonrey said:

It probably should have been measles but I guess they didn't want to go there.

I actually assumed measles, and at first I thought the map was to show where dumb fucker anti-vaxxers lived. Then I realized it was due to Jonah's campaign.

20 hours ago, ganesh said:

Wow, stellar casting for the governor. 

No kidding. As soon as he appeared, all my BCS feelings hit me at once and I thought, "You are such a dick to your brother! Even if you were right!"

[DrSpaceman]

I have no idea how they wrap this up in one more episode. 

[ganesh]

When Richard was governor, they asked him who he would endorse because he was now a super delegate. I'm not quite seeing a pathway to him becoming president. I didn't think he was old enough anyway. 

[iMonrey]

Granted the quality in the writing has gone downhill but there are still some fantastic lines here and there. It really cracked me up at the end when they were surrounded by elephant protesters, and Kent said that Kathleen Noonan had a column about Babar and American Exceptionalism, and Selina replied "Well she's a dumb c*!@." Also, Ben saying the two things Americans care about killing are animals and white girls on spring break. 

[bijoux]

47 minutes ago, Ottis said:

I'm guessing Marjorie has already figured out the Europe property law ruse, and knows a loophole. Marjorie is probably a secret billionaire, for all we know. Catherine going there was intriguing. Is the show saying Catherine is, at her core, as bad as her mom, and not the do gooder she pretends to be? Might be.

The show said this a while back when Catherine basically turned into Selina for an episode. I can't remember which episode it was exactly and what pushed her.

[Dots And Stripes]

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

When Richard was governor, they asked him who he would endorse because he was now a super delegate. I'm not quite seeing a pathway to him becoming president. I didn't think he was old enough anyway. 

I have no idea his age, but the path to the nomination would be through a brokered convention. I suppose it’s possible that his rapid assent was to give him a vote as a delegate. Maybe it’s a brokered convention and his vote is needed. I do think there is a reason the writers have given him so much good fortune and power so suddenly. 

[Ottis]

35 minutes ago, bijoux said:

The show said this a while back when Catherine basically turned into Selina for an episode. I can't remember which episode it was exactly and what pushed her.

As you say, that was a while back. Catherine has since been portrayed in a much different light. I actually prefer Selina because at least you know who you at dealing with. Catherine always seems fake and/or shallow to me. 

[Totale]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

I am now convinced that Richard ends the series as President. 

And all because Selina gave chocolate to the dog.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

A year or two ago, I would have said that Catherine doesn’t care about money because she’s always had enough of it that she didn’t need to worry about it.

But between inheriting all that money from Selina’s mother and constantly being hit up for money by Andrew, I wonder if he embezzled a bunch of her money or if she’s concerned about being able to provide for little Richard or what.

Catherine seemed pretty practical about money after she inherited but maybe knowing that she needs enough to raise a kid and send him to college is making her paranoid. I can’t think of another reason why she would suddenly want to take Selina’s advice about getting married in Europe.

Then again, knowing Catherine there’s probably some weird and obscure reason she found like somehow this will save the endangered ruby chested warbler owl.

[ganesh]

Yeah, I think it's much more likely Richard's vote will be important than him ending up president. 

[peeayebee]

BTW, I LOVED Selina's necklace that she wore with the red dress.

[biakbiak]

[Roaster]

Ha, but the original had Lady Bird and Jackie.  Richard needs a wife.

America has not elected an unmarried person to the presidency in over a hundred years.  But in this show, Selina, Buddy Calhoun, and Richard are unmarried.  Jonah's married to his half sister.  I guess Kemi is married.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 minutes ago, Roaster said:

I guess Kemi is married.

Yes, she's married. In the previous episode, Selina accuses Kemi's husband of being shady (per Kent, using the Joseph Goebbels playbook to divert attention away from Andrew actually doing shady things).

[ganesh]

I saw the pic in the show, but it was blink and you miss it. 

[chitowngirl]

On 5/6/2019 at 10:50 AM, ChicksDigScars said:

And I fucking KNEW that Andrew was not dead. Bummed me out

I missed where this happened.

[ganesh]

When Selina was in the limo after escaping you see a disheveled person who looks a lot like Andrew standing on the sidewalk in a dark jacket. Selina does a doubletake. 

[Lemons]

On 5/6/2019 at 5:39 PM, Roaster said:

There is a chicken pox vaccine these days.  There wasn't back when I was a kid.

There’s been one for 25 years.  People didn’t freak out so much back then. 

[rejnel]

Did you follow HOW Selina could give Tibet back to China? I didn't understand it at all. (I followed what was said, but not how it could result in that.)

I think the moment where Marjorie brushed off wedding plans was supposed to be spoofing a typical groom's attitude--"I don't care what you do, as long as there's prime rib" or whatever.

[Milburn Stone]

On 5/27/2019 at 11:13 AM, rejnel said:

Did you follow HOW Selina could give Tibet back to China? I didn't understand it at all. (I followed what was said, but not how it could result in that.)

They weren't talking about Selina giving Tibet back to China (since she doesn't have the power to do that). They were talking about China invading Tibet and claiming it for its own, with a Selina-led United States (the only world power with the leverage to prevent it) looking the other way.