S01.E03: The Photo Shoot

[formerlyfreedom]

Tori starts to feel the pressure of balancing the cast's requirements for the reboot, while keeping the wheels in motion. Jason and Ian both struggle with their marriage issues, Jennie meets her new bodyguard, Brian hires a new assistant and Gabby asks Christine for advice. Meanwhile, the cast turns to a familiar face for help and Tori goes to extremes to get Shannen on board with the reboot.

Airing Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

[missyb]

I am loving this show and looking forward to it!

[MeLikesTV]

Brian Austin Green is getting the nice guy cut of the male characters. I’m alright with that

[mtlchick]

I love that each episode starts with some random dream sequence that scares the hell out of the person that has it. 

MAMA WALSH!  

I'm glad that Jason got to direct the episode where Shannen FINALLY comes home. 

Tori is not a great actress, but I have always thought she had some good comedic timing on Saved By The Bell, so I had to laugh at her trek through the mountains in Peru.  But I feel the standout in this series has been Jennie.  Girl gives out good snark. 

[Chaos Theory]

I am glad the show isn’t shying away from exploring Gabby’s sexuality especially so late in life when she already had a husband who has no reason to understand kids and even now a grandchild. 

I also like the way the show is writing Jennie.  That actress who only hangs out with her employees but still might not know their names.  I like the hot and cold aspect of her personality.

i also really enjoyed the therapy season.

Brian’s assistant is all kinds of shady.   I am not sure if he let the kid out himself or just used the opportunity but either way he played it to perfection. 

SHANNON HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING!!!!

Edited August 22, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[TomGirl]

I am loving this show!  It is just such pure FUN!  Already wishing there were more than six episodes in the series.

[methodwriter85]

8 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I am glad the show isn’t shying away from exploring Gabby’s sexuality especially so late in life when a husband who has no reason to understand kids and even now a grandchild. 

I'm glad they didn't make it easy for her, either. Some spouses can handle their s.o. exploring their sexuality or even being in a long-term relationship with someone of the same sex because they don't see it as a threat to them, but Gabby's husband clearly can't. And that's okay, too.

I'm loving Christine Elise clearly toying with the cast. I think she's got an agenda, but I can't tell what it is yet.

Brendan Penny has gotten really hot. They're really stacking the deck with the "Hey, It's That Guy" of Canadian t.v actors. LOL.

Ian and the female writer are totally going to end up boning, but in a respectful, consensual way, I believe. People have been picking up on "Ian" kind of being an asshole and it seems like it was kind of on purpose- he's a fossil.

I was dying laughing at Shannen living with a tribe in Peru and her shaman giving her his blessing to leave.

[punkypower]

Not trying to be the bummer girl here; but, I didn't care for this episode at all (with the exception of the ending).

The first two episodes FLEW by for me. This one crawled slower than a snail.

I think thet should have saved Carol Potter for down the road.

Hoping Shannen brings it starting next week!! I REALLY do want to love this show!

[tennisgurl]

So do you just get a parka as soon as you get off the plane in Peru? I love super zen Shannon with her llamas and her guru, that should be an interesting ingredient to add to this hot mess soup.

So when will Ian and the new head writer hook up? It its nice to know that his jerk-ish side is being written purposefully, presumably as part of an arc. "I think it was 2007 when it turned that curb." 

Tori isn't what I would call a particularly good actress (especially compared to the rest of the cast, who are quite good) but I do think she has good comedic timing, especially in the broader comedy, and she seems really open to laugh at herself, which really endears her to me. Giving her a lot of the more wacky bits (stealing the dress, hiking around Peru) as the long suffering producer who is trying to coral all of these weirdos together and create a show is a good use of her talents.

Of course I still remember So No-Torious, so I will always have a soft spot for Tori!

[Writing Wrongs]

I'm glad that actor Tahmoh Penikett is gone. He ends up being on every Vancouver show I watch and he always looks like he is sucking on a lemon.

I'm not really loving any of the fake spouses on the show. I'm starting to find all the blurring of reality/tv show kind of distracting.

Christine Elise is surprisingly entertaining.

[jewel21]

I was iffy about the whole concept of this show but it's really working for me. I found this episode highly entertaining. I think Tori is my favourite character so far. I find her amusing and I loved her trekking to Peru with her luggage and petting the llama. I think she does comedy really well. Also, maybe I'm just getting used to it, but I'm not having an issue with her face. I feel she's been looking better as the episodes have gone on. I think she looked quite lovely tonight. 

Shannon is in the house. I'm curious to see more of her next week. 

BAG and his stalker story line is continuing to intrigue me. 

I can't believe there's only three episodes left. 

[Surrealist]

35 minutes ago, Writing Wrongs said:

I'm not really loving any of the fake spouses on the show.

Christine Elise is surprisingly entertaining.

I don't think the fake spouses add anything interesting either, but I'm enjoying the show. 

I think Christine has something up her sleeve. I can't wait for it to unravel. 

[Angeleyes]

Interesting that Gabby is the one that kept pushing the counseling then she walks out saying she doesn’t need counseling. Considering what she’s going through right now, it seems a bit hypocritical. She may be fine with the group stuff, but she probably needs to talk to someone to help sort out the personal stuff or maybe even marriage counseling. I’m siding with Gabby’s husband on this one. She wants to rewrite the rules of their relationship and suddenly have a free pass to cheat and he’s not on board with that. It’s one thing to have attraction to someone else, but quite another to act on it. It looks like Gabby and Christine might have an affair. 

It seems like the writer guy who knocked up Jason’s wife walked away from being fired a little too easily. I think he’s not done causing problems yet. 

Any bets on how long it will be before Jennie and the bodyguard hook up? 

Tori’s trip to Peru was ridiculous, but funny. I wish Shannen would have been in more of the episode though. 

[Bringonthedrama]

1 hour ago, methodwriter85 said:

I'm glad they didn't make it easy for her, either. Some spouses can handle their s.o. exploring their sexuality or even being in a long-term relationship with someone of the same sex because they don't see it as a threat to them, but Gabby's husband clearly can't. And that's okay, too.

I think the scenes between Gabby and husband are well-acted, but it seems to me like she's trying to make it easy for herself by asking for a storyline where Andrea is "exploring her sexuality" so that she - Gabby - can try being with a woman but not be labeled by her husband/thought of by people she knows as a cheater because she's doing it "in character" instead of as herself. 

In general I like Jennie in this reboot, but Jennie's tantrum about Jason being a hypocrite made me roll my eyes. He's allowed to be furious that his wife got pregnant by another man, and was lying to him. Yeah, I know the wife said she thought it was his (not knowing he had a pre-existing condition), but she knew quite well the writer could be the father. He's also allowed to be furious and disgusted that the writer taunted him about his marriage. If some woman got pregnant by her husband and the woman taunted her about her marriage, she'd be furious too.

I'm disappointed that there was no acknowledgement of missing Luke during the therapy session, when Ian said he was happy to be at the bar with "my boys," or recreating the cast photo shoot. It seems like "ok, we touched on missing Luke in the first episode, check." Shannen was not in person with them for the first episode, so I would have liked to see a small gesture written in such as just before the cast photo shoot she touches Luke's face in either the original cast photo or the sketch of the cast photo and gets tears in her eyes. One small moment would have an impact. 

[Steph J]

1 hour ago, Writing Wrongs said:

Christine Elise is surprisingly entertaining.

I'm loving Christine Elise in this, which is odd seeing as I always haaaated Emily Valentine.  She was legitimately my favorite part of this episode, though.

I've never seen Lala Anthony in anything before this show.  Is she always so... not good?

I'm so sad that we're already half-way through the season.  It makes me kind of annoyed that the show keeps diverting to the kid who's insinuating himself into Brian's life, and the fired writer who I assume is going to return for some kind of petty revenge, and the conflict in Brian's marriage, etc.  There's more than enough to explore just between the main cast and it's been fun to watch everyone playing off of each other as "themselves."

[TenaciousWarrior]

Not enough Shannen!!!

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Writing Wrongs said:

Christine Elise is surprisingly entertaining.

She was my favorite part of the episode.

I liked the new head writer shooting down all of Ian's attempts at "I'm sorry for whatever innocent thing I did that you totally overreacted to, you hysterical woman" and "us poor men just don't know what's okay anymore," especially when he said he can't win and she asked him, "What are you trying to win?"

[DivaLasVegas82]

20 hours ago, jewel21 said:

I was iffy about the whole concept of this show but it's really working for me. I found this episode highly entertaining. I think Tori is my favourite character so far. I find her amusing and I loved her trekking to Peru with her luggage and petting the llama. I think she does comedy really well. Also, maybe I'm just getting used to it, but I'm not having an issue with her face. I feel she's been looking better as the episodes have gone on. I think she looked quite lovely tonight. 

Shannon is in the house. I'm curious to see more of her next week. 

BAG and his stalker story line is continuing to intrigue me. 

I can't believe there's only three episodes left. 

I agree. Tori has always been at her best when she's doing comedy. Nate comes off as really jealous. I wonder if that is how Dean is. And I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out why show Tori and real life Tori is so okay with both Nate and Dean not having a job?

I'm glad Shannen is finally going to be getting some airtime next week. 

19 hours ago, Steph J said:

I'm loving Christine Elise in this, which is odd seeing as I always haaaated Emily Valentine.  She was legitimately my favorite part of this episode, though.

I've never seen Lala Anthony in anything before this show.  Is she always so... not good?

I'm so sad that we're already half-way through the season.  It makes me kind of annoyed that the show keeps diverting to the kid who's insinuating himself into Brian's life, and the fired writer who I assume is going to return for some kind of petty revenge, and the conflict in Brian's marriage, etc.  There's more than enough to explore just between the main cast and it's been fun to watch everyone playing off of each other as "themselves."

Same here. I love Christine more than I ever liked Emily Valentine. Is it just me or does she look like the singer P!nk now?

 

20 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

So do you just get a parka as soon as you get off the plane in Peru? I love super zen Shannon with her llamas and her guru, that should be an interesting ingredient to add to this hot mess soup.

So when will Ian and the new head writer hook up? It its nice to know that his jerk-ish side is being written purposefully, presumably as part of an arc. "I think it was 2007 when it turned that curb." 

Tori isn't what I would call a particularly good actress (especially compared to the rest of the cast, who are quite good) but I do think she has good comedic timing, especially in the broader comedy, and she seems really open to laugh at herself, which really endears her to me. Giving her a lot of the more wacky bits (stealing the dress, hiking around Peru) as the long suffering producer who is trying to coral all of these weirdos together and create a show is a good use of her talents.

Of course I still remember So No-Torious, so I will always have a soft spot for Tori!

It's funny you should mention "So NoTORIous" because the reboot reminds me of that show. It's a shame that show only lasted one season.

 

When Jason got indignant about Camille's affair despite his ONS with Jennie, he reminded me so much of Brandon. Brandon always had that self-righteous indignation about him, which is why I always had a love-hate relationship with Brandon.

[Koco321]

I agree with the posts saying the spouses are generally not great. I'm loving the concept of this reboot and enjoying it generally, but the easy chemistry between these longtime friends and colleagues really points out how bad the chemistry generally is with the fake spouses. Lala Anthony is not convincing at all. She kind of blurts out her lines. And BAG is acting so well in this that their contrast is particularly glaring. Loved comedic Tori crawling up the mountain and Shannen's super zen response.

[alexa]

I have mixed feelings.  The show is better than the first episode by a mile, but I am still not really all that into it.  But okay to watch for a few episodes.  I agree about the spouses completely.  I think they should have found a way to use mainly the cast and not have these other people be a part of storylines noone really cares about. 

[screamin]

8 hours ago, Bringonthedrama said:

I think the scenes between Gabby and husband are well-acted, but it seems to me like she's trying to make it easy for herself by asking for a storyline where Andrea is "exploring her sexuality" so that she - Gabby - can try being with a woman but not be labeled by her husband/thought of by people she knows as a cheater because she's doing it "in character" instead of as herself. 

...but apparently her husband would consider this emotional cheating anyway, as far as I gathered from their scene.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Not to be nitpicky, but it's Shannen. 

Worked late and it seems that Shannen wasn't in most of it? Boo! But then again, how many of these episodes were filmed before Luke passed? I know Shannen decided to become part of it after his shocking death. Then again, isn't she also one of the producers? From the few interviews I've read and seen before this premiered, I was expecting to see a lot of Shannen and Jason together. Or maybe they're saving that for the last two episodes?

Sigh...

[Whimsy]

I'm loving BAG's little side comments each episode.  His "I wouldn't drink that" killed me. 

I agree the "spouses" are bringing the show down due to the lack of chemistry with their on-screen spouses.  

I'll echo the comments about liking Tori in the comedic stuff.  I actually think she's pretty funny.  Even her line delivery can be really funny.

I like the bodyguard so I'm down for a Wyatt/Jennie hook-up, especially if they move on from Brandon/Jennie.  I think, if they do go there with B/J, it's too soon.  I don't know if there is going to be more seasons (I sincerely hope so), but if so I think they can wait to explore that relationship for later. 

[Miss Bones]

11 hours ago, mtlchick said:

I love that each episode starts with some random dream sequence that scares the hell out of the person that has it. 

MAMA WALSH!  

I'm glad that Jason got to direct the episode where Shannen FINALLY comes home. 

Tori is not a great actress, but I have always thought she had some good comedic timing on Saved By The Bell, so I had to laugh at her trek through the mountains in Peru.  But I feel the standout in this series has been Jennie.  Girl gives out good snark. 

I am shocked at how well Tori is coming across, acting-wise.  I was waiting for a lot of cringeworthy-ness in her scenes, but she is doing surprising well, and I have been impressed.  Also, not to be mean, but her face doesn't look as bad as it has in the past, and they are doing a somewhat decent job at covering her boob cavern, so far.

6 hours ago, DivaLasVegas82 said:

When Jason got indignant about Camille's affair despite his ONS with Jennie, he reminded me so much of Brandon. Brandon always had that self-righteous indignation about him, which is why I always had a love-hate relationship with Brandon.

Totally agree!  That is what I am liking most about the show, is how the "characters" they are playing are very similar to our original Bev-9ers.  Shannen, Jennie and BAG seem the farthest from Brenda, Kelly, and David, respectively, in my opinion.  But I was getting definite self-righteous/braying Brandon vibes from Jason tonight, Ian was being very Steve in this episode with his #metoo offensiveness, Gabby was being very Ohhndrea for me when she stormed out of the therapy sesh, and of course Carol Potter had a few definite Cindo moments.  I am just loving this so far, and can't believe it is half over already!

[GHScorpiosRule]

6 minutes ago, Miss Bones said:

But I was getting definite self-righteous/braying Brandon vibes from Jason tonight

🤣🤣🤣

[funandfitpt]

I'm loving how Tori is showing Dean/Nate. She must go home everyday and say no honey, really it's just an actor. Not based on you at all. Lol How the hell is she still married to that jerk?

[angelusgirl]

I am loving this show.  It makes me feel what I wanted to feel with Veronica Mars season 4. I am pleasantly surprised at how great Jennie and Brian have been, and Tori has her moments as well. All three seem to excel at the quieter comedic moments, the little asides they make like Tori's coach comments in episode one and Brian's "I wouldn't drink that" I am also enjoying Christine Elise more than I ever did Emily Valentine. Shannen has always been my favorite, so I hope to see more of her.

I agree with those that aren't fully on board with the spouses.  Vanessa Lachey isn't too bad, but Lala is terrible and Ivan isn't much better. 

[luckyroll3]

9 hours ago, Steph J said:

I've never seen Lala Anthony in anything before this show.  Is she always so... not good?

 

She's so bad.  I'm always shocked when she gets jobs.

[seaELare]

45 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

I'm loving BAG's little side comments each episode.  His "I wouldn't drink that" killed me. 

Agree! They've given him the best side comments and reaction shots. I'm waiting for someone to gif his kiss on IZ's neck and arms around his chest. Swoony.  

[screamin]

I have to say, I hope I look as good as Carol Potter when I get to her age.

Also, does anyone else have the distinct feeling that nearly every time we see Shannen, it will be in a weirdly blocked scene which will look (and probably be) like she and the rest of the cast were filmed on separate soundstages so they never have to see each other?

[Miss Bones]

As a big fan of the Child's Play movies, I also loved when Tori was trying to kiss Christine Elise's ass, and she said "You were my fav in Chucky!" 

[Sakura12]

Jennie is doing great bringing the snark and I love that she admits that she's hot and cold and can turn emotions on a dime. She's definitely hooking up with Bodyguard. While I think Jennie was a little bitchy about how she went about it. She was right in Jason taking the high ground in regards to his wife when he just cheated on her too. Although he does still have a right to be upset that his wife cheated on him and got pregnant. 

I also am loving Christine Elise far more than I ever loved Emily Valentine. I figured she was being set up as Gabby's love interest. I didn't know if they were going to make her queer or not, so I didn't mention it last episode. Shay should've stuck with her first instinct in that kid being creepy. I don't understand how Brian went from I don't trust him to giving him the key to his house. That was such a weird transition. 

39 minutes ago, screamin said:

Also, does anyone else have the distinct feeling that nearly every time we see Shannen, it will be in a weirdly blocked scene which will look (and probably be) like she and the rest of the cast were filmed on separate soundstages so they never have to see each other?

I'm hoping it's more that Shannen signed on after they filmed or wrote the first few episodes and had to film her scenes later and separately and cut them in. Shannen's been doing press with BAG and Ian, so they seem fine to be working with her. 

However still not enough Shannen for me, but I'm enjoyed her giving zen platitudes as answers to Tori. I also figured she'd tell Tori after her trek up the mountain that there was a path on the other side and Tori would think it's another platitude and Shannen would be like, no there was a path you could've walked up instead of coming through the jungle. Even though I agree Tori is doing a great job with the comedy. Which is her strength, she should let the rest of the cast handle the drama. 

Although it's interesting that Brian isn't telling anyone about his secret friend. He didn't tell Tori that's he's been in contact with Shannen this whole time. Or that he told already told her that Tori's been trying to reach her for the reboot. So she knew to ignore her calls. 

I really hope that Carol Potter is back for one more episode, I would love to see a therapy session with Shannen, Jason and Carol so we can have 3/4 of Walsh family together again. 

[Chaos Theory]

I actually kinda “like” the spouses.  They all bring the right kind of mix to the cast.   Tori basically married a leech but when she gets an opportunity to fix their financial problems all he sees is how it will inconvenience him.   Gabby has reached the point in her life where she wants to explore the parts of her personality she has never explored but her husband isn’t wrong for being hurt and angry.  Brian has been a stay at home husband for the entirety of his marriage to a pop star but when he gets a chance to shine on his own a little his wife bristles at first when his assistant doesn’t fall all over himself at meeting her and then finds out being more then the fun parent his harder then it looks.  I even iliked Ian’s story.  A guy who was a playa in his youth now older and who has been married for awhile put in a dating world that has dramatically passed him by.

My favorite line though was “You got famous so young you never grew or evolved as people.   Which is repellent and so deliciously fascinating.”

i think that is what the show is going for and how they are writing the cast.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[alexa]

1 hour ago, funandfitpt said:

I'm loving how Tori is showing Dean/Nate. She must go home everyday and say no honey, really it's just an actor. Not based on you at all. Lol How the hell is she still married to that jerk?

Honestly, I think Dean has far more things to deal with in regard to Tori than the other way around.  He isn't a saint, but he is actually more level headed than she is.  

[thesupremediva1]

11 hours ago, Bringonthedrama said:

I'm disappointed that there was no acknowledgement of missing Luke during the therapy session, when Ian said he was happy to be at the bar with "my boys," or recreating the cast photo shoot.

I was also shocked by that. One blight in an otherwise smooth 3-ep. run. The first zoom-in on the cast photo with Tori at the studio should have been the moment. I would have liked to see her go up to the photo and say something like, "Come on Luke, send me a sign" or something like that.

Also, not exactly a stretch for Tori to invoke Luke's name when she finally finds Shannen in Peru. That's how Shannen decided to do the reboot anyway! None of it would have been awkward, sad, or ham-fisted. They missed all those moments for organic tributes in this ep. I also would have liked to have the 7 of them acknowledge him at the very end when Shannen arrived. 

I guess I just miss him too much. It was really tough when Shannen arrived, actually. 7 of the 8 originals were back together, and it hit home that we are now seeing what remains of the full group. Even the opening credits didn't give me that kind of gut punch. 

[TomGirl]

1 hour ago, thesupremediva1 said:

12 hours ago, Bringonthedrama said:

I'm disappointed that there was no acknowledgement of missing Luke during the therapy session, when Ian said he was happy to be at the bar with "my boys," or recreating the cast photo shoot.

I was also shocked by that. One blight in an otherwise smooth 3-ep. run. The first zoom-in on the cast photo with Tori at the studio should have been the moment. I would have liked to see her go up to the photo and say something like, "Come on Luke, send me a sign" or something like that.

I don’t know.  I think there’s a fine line between remembering Luke and milking his death for ratings.  I think the show is on the right side of that line.

Edited August 22, 2019 by TomGirl

[Surrealist]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

My favorite line though was “You got famous so young you never grew or evolved as people. Which is repellent and so deliciously fascinating.”

Jason says something to this effect in his memoir. The age that Hollywood entertainers reach fame is also the age at which they become mentally stuck. 

ETA: I understand how people feel about the lack of continued mentions of, or nods to, Luke. I still miss him too. However, if he were still alive, he would be focused on Riverdale. I didn't get the impression he would be fully involved in the reboot, so mentioning him every episode would seem kind of weird too. 

At any rate, we still have three episodes left, so it's possible Luke will be mentioned again. 🙂

Edited August 22, 2019 by Surrealist

[Steph J]

9 hours ago, DivaLasVegas82 said:

And I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out why show Tori and real life Tori is so okay with both Nate and Dean not having a job?

I don't think show Tori is okay with it (and given the similarities between show Tori and real Tori, I suppose we can infer that real Tori isn't either).  In the first episode she was frustrated with him for turning down a job because it wasn't high profile enough.  I think she just knows that she's stuck with him whether she's okay with him being a loser or not.

[Bringonthedrama]

1 hour ago, TomGirl said:

  I think there’s a fine line between remembering Luke and milking his death for ratings.  I think the show is on the right side of that line.

I don't see it as milking his death for ratings, esp. given that Carol Potter and Shannen were not physically present for the first episode. Carol acted with Luke on a regular basis, so (to me) for her not to acknowledge his death and that they're all sad about it was glaring.  I wanted some acknowledgement of missing Luke/honoring his memory from Shannen as she entered the space with the other original cast members. Touching his face in the original photo or sketch of the photo and whispering "for you" right before she's about to help recreate the cast photo without him would have worked.  

Edited August 22, 2019 by Bringonthedrama

[joanne3482]

9 hours ago, DivaLasVegas82 said:

Is it just me or does she look like the singer P!nk now?

When they first showed her in the previews without showing her face that was my first thought, that they got P!nk which I loved but didn't make any sense to me. 

I hope the next 3 episodes aren't basically "will they/won't they" episodes where the cast constantly threatens to quit.  That will annoy me. 

[UsernameFatigue]

2 hours ago, alexa said:

Honestly, I think Dean has far more things to deal with in regard to Tori than the other way around.  He isn't a saint, but he is actually more level headed than she is.  

I would agree that he was more level headed on the reality shows that I watched. Tori was the one who insisted on having the huge houses that they could not afford, as well as all the rented storage lockers because she could not throw anything out. I also don't think that IRL at this point that Dean is getting many if any offers for acting jobs. He has not aged well and was not that good to start with. He did take a gig a few years ago to host a competitive cooking show in Canada, so it isn't like he won't take what is offered. 

I do find it interesting that on the show, "his" character is considered a loser because he doesn't work, but is taking care of 6 kids while Tori pursues her dream of producing a reboot. BAG's character OTOH is a saint for being a SATD to 3 kids. 

Another thing I found interesting, and am not sure if it was intentional on the part of the writers, was when Ian got shot down by the writer for telling her she had nice eyes. I don't buy that he didn't know it was inappropriate because he was married for years, since this was at the workplace, not in a bar. However, there was the discussion about men feeling that they cannot even give a woman a compliment now in case it is considered harassment. A few scenes later Tori and Jenny are objectifying the bodyguard, and Tori asks him to flex his muscles. Later, Jenny refers to him as bodyguard, not even being respectful enough to call him by his name. Objectifying is wrong not matter which sex it is directed at, so if the writers were trying to make that point, good on them. Objectifying men certainly continues in shows like the RH franchises, where the howives will hire men and then treat them in totally inappropriate manner. And think it is cute or sexy. Blech. 

Edited August 22, 2019 by UsernameFatigue

[OhSarah69]

3 hours ago, TomGirl said:

I don’t know.  I think there’s a fine line between remembering Luke and milking his death for ratings.  I think the show is on the right side of that line.

This times a thousand.  I would rather subtle reminders of Luke here and there (not here and there, and there, and there, and there......).  Like a tiny classy twist of freshly ground pepper on your salad.  I don't have to be hit over the head with it.

[Earmuffs Mom]

Shannen/Brenda was always my favorite OG character. While I'm loving most aspects of this reboot, am I alone in being peeved that Shannen has gotten 5 mins of airtime over the first three episodes, even though she features prominently in the promos? I completely understand she joined late, etc., but considering it is such a limited run of episodes, I feel cheated. I would have loved for her to be part of that group therapy with Carol Potter and bicker with Jason for Carol to say, "Ja-son!" or "Shan-nen!" in her best appalled Cindy Walsh voice.

I would have liked a tiny acknowledgement of Luke missing from that "cuddle puddle" photo shoot too.  Shannen touching the photo or something would have acknowledged him and reinforced the premise that she did not want to sign on until after he died.  Maybe they'll get into that a tiny bit next week since the description says Shannen questions her decision to join the reboot?

[OhSarah69]

Hey...this is waaaay out there, but does anyone else think that Brian's new stalker/assistant might not be a stalker nor the person mailing the dismembered dolls, but that it's...wait for it...Jennie's Bodyguard guy?  Or is my radar way off?  I just thought he seemed to conveniently be all over the place whenever Jennie turned around...a real "sidler", as Elaine Benes might put it.

So either Brian was cray-cray giving the keys to his house (and life) to CouldBeStalkerBoy, or that was just a red herring and the doll-dismemberer was someone else entirely.

[Bastet]

The only time I felt like the absence of a Luke mention was noticeable was in "The Pitch" when the network executives first met with, I think, Tori and Jennie, and the usual mutual bullshit society stuff at the top of the meeting segued into something about being excited to work with all of them/have all of them together again - something about all of them.  In real life, that would have been another moment where someone - probably a network exec this time - realized that "all of them" is impossible now.  But that would have been a direct repeat of the first episode, so I understand why they skipped it in the fictional version.

In this one, yes, him being missing from their recreation of an old photo would have easily lent itself to someone - especially Shannen, since this is her first time with the new version of the group - acknowledging his death, but them not going there didn't stick out to me like it did in "The Pitch" for some reason.  Every time they're "all" together is going to be such an opportunity, but the cast wouldn't bring it up every time in real life, so it's fine that they don't on the show.

They're walking a fine line, and I think erring on the side of caution to not come off (to his family, never mind the audience) like they're exploiting his death for sympathy points.  Had Luke lived, he wasn't going to be involved other than perhaps a one-off cameo due to his shooting schedule, so this series was already plotted as not involving him -- I think they're wary of coming off as shoehorning the memory of him in.  They had to acknowledge him in the first episode, and I think they did it perfectly.  After that, though, it gets tricky, and I think they'd rather risk a "wait, that's it?" reaction from some than a "quit milking it already" reaction from more.  I suspect we'll get one more nod to him at most.

[toomuchtv47]

14 minutes ago, OhSarah69 said:

Hey...this is waaaay out there, but does anyone else think that Brian's new stalker/assistant might not be a stalker nor the person mailing the dismembered dolls, but that it's...wait for it...Jennie's Bodyguard guy?  Or is my radar way off?  I just thought he seemed to conveniently be all over the place whenever Jennie turned around...a real "sidler", as Elaine Benes might put it.

So either Brian was cray-cray giving the keys to his house (and life) to CouldBeStalkerBoy, or that was just a red herring and the doll-dismemberer was someone else entirely.

I was thinking this when I watched. Maybe the kid is just a super fan, if him and his mother used to watch together, and the obvious stalker wall and other clues they're giving us are red herrings. On the other hand, maybe since there's only 6 episodes, there's no time for subtlety.

[TomGirl]

20 minutes ago, Bastet said:

 Every time they're "all" together is going to be such an opportunity, but the cast wouldn't bring it up every time in real life, so it's fine that they don't on the show.

Exactly.

[Jillybean]

I'm a little disappointed in Ian's (or "Z's") persona. It is exactly what I would expect Steve Sanders to be like at this juncture. Hard to separate him from his character here.

I, too, was expecting a mention of Luke -- or at least some type of facial expression from SOMEONE -- when they re-created the photo. A missed opportunity.

I wish Christine Elise was being written/portrayed as a tough executive instead of a complete bitch. I still think she sent the dolls. She seems to have a real dislike for the entire cast that doesn't seem to have been explained.

We haven't seen the last of the writer/Vanessa Lachey's baby daddy. 

Other than all this...I'm pretty much enjoying it. Tori has been surprisingly funny.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Jillybean

[Surrealist]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

The only time I felt like the absence of a Luke mention was noticeable was in "The Pitch" when the network executives first met with, I think, Tori and Jennie, and the usual mutual bullshit society stuff at the top of the meeting segued into something about being excited to work with all of them/have all of them together again - something about all of them.  In real life, that would have been another moment where someone - probably a network exec this time - realized that "all of them" is impossible now.  But that would have been a direct repeat of the first episode, so I understand why they skipped it in the fictional version.

In this one, yes, him being missing from their recreation of an old photo would have easily lent itself to someone - especially Shannen, since this is her first time with the new version of the group - acknowledging his death, but them not going there didn't stick out to me like it did in "The Pitch" for some reason.  Every time they're "all" together is going to be such an opportunity, but the cast wouldn't bring it up every time in real life, so it's fine that they don't on the show.

They're walking a fine line, and I think erring on the side of caution to not come off (to his family, never mind the audience) like they're exploiting his death for sympathy points.  Had Luke lived, he wasn't going to be involved other than perhaps a one-off cameo due to his shooting schedule, so this series was already plotted as not involving him -- I think they're wary of coming off as shoehorning the memory of him in.  They had to acknowledge him in the first episode, and I think they did it perfectly.  After that, though, it gets tricky, and I think they'd rather risk a "wait, that's it?" reaction from some than a "quit milking it already" reaction from more.  I suspect we'll get one more nod to him at most.

You said everything a thousand times better than I could have. 

[notcreative enough]

2 hours ago, OhSarah69 said:

Hey...this is waaaay out there, but does anyone else think that Brian's new stalker/assistant might not be a stalker nor the person mailing the dismembered dolls, but that it's...wait for it...Jennie's Bodyguard guy?  Or is my radar way off?  I just thought he seemed to conveniently be all over the place whenever Jennie turned around...a real "sidler", as Elaine Benes might put it.

So either Brian was cray-cray giving the keys to his house (and life) to CouldBeStalkerBoy, or that was just a red herring and the doll-dismemberer was someone else entirely.

I think it might be the writer that got fired he left way to easy and he had a look on his face when he walked away. The bodyguard thing was weird he just shows up at her house no phone call no paperwork nothing. How does she even know he is a bodyguard because he said so. 

I'm sticking with the kid being Brian's long lost son. The kid said something about his mom doing way worse stuff. If they are going that route it's kinda icky because he basically abandoned his son.