I really enjoyed the “Terriers” pilot and am pleasantly surprised by how serialized this show is from the very beginning. I know we’re going to have some procedural, case-of-the-week elements thrown in, but it’s comforting to know there’s also a long term arc in place that we’re going to be following for awhile.
Co-stars Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James have a very cool and comfortable chemistry with each other that immediately sucked me in. There’s a great sense of history between these two without the need for a whole bunch of exposition to convey it. Longue and Raymond-James are close friends in real life and actually lived together during production, which is undoubtedly one of the reasons their camaraderie feels so authentic; namely, because it is. You can even tell in the way Hank interacts with Britt’s girlfriend Katie, that this woman has come to think of Hank as a natural extension of Britt, an inextricable part of the whole. She has no problem discussing personal details of her relationship with him.
While Raymond-James is solid and charming in the pilot, I don’t yet have as clear a sense of his character as I do of Hank. Just one episode in, and this show has already made me love its protagonist. There were some great, defining moments for Hank:
-Loved Hank's reaction to finding out his ex-wife is getting remarried. The anguish and desperation that washes over his face is absolutely brutal and perfectly played by Donal Logue.
-I love the sense of pain and regret from Hank every time his drinking is referenced. This is a man who has made really bad, self-destructive choices in his life, and they’re mistakes he thinks about every day.
-Also love the scene where Katie cracks a joke about Britt being hopeless because Hank is his mentor, in reference to Hank’s own painful past. Katie can see she’s hurt Hank’s feelings right away, but Hank views his problems as his problems, and he quickly sucks it up, chooses not to lay any of it on her, and gives her some words of encouragement.
-I love the whole idea that Hank has become a better, redemption-seeking person because of his personal failings. His outrage over what happened to his friend in the final scene with Lindus is palpable. This is a man who has been through hell and caused hell, a man who has crossed a threshold and just can’t handle seeing another injustice or another person taken from him. When he tells Lindus he’s going to destroy him, I believe him.
Despite how satisfying outspoken heroics might feel to Hank, I’m not sure it was the best strategy to tell Lindus that they’re coming after him. After all, this man just had 2 people killed. What exactly is stopping him from having Hank and Britt killed next? This is an huge risk they’re taking, but then, these two like to gamble.
-Side note: Hank Dolworth obviously has a little Vic Mackey in him with the way he had his partner plant that gun.
Overall, I think this was a solid and entertaining pilot. I enjoy these characters and this universe, and I see no reason to think I'm not in it for the long haul with this show. Looking forward to next week.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
SONS OF ANARCHY: "So"
First off, I just want to say I’m thrilled SAMCRO is back on the air. Along with Breaking Bad and Mad Men, it’s one of my three favorite current shows. And I think Tuesday’s premiere did a terrific job of seizing on the emotional intensity of last season’s finale, specifically the final ten minutes, and using it to propel the narrative and the tone of season 3.
Season 2 ended with a desperate chase to stop Cameron Hayes from absconding with Jax’s son Abel. The final image of Jax on his knees screaming in anguish was devastating. Season 3 picks up just a few days later. I love this decision because it allows us to experience the initial devastation of our characters; their emotions at their rawest. I also think situations like this are what define characters. Through the choices Jax makes during this crisis, we’ll learn which father he’s becoming, John Teller or Clay Morrow-and the final moments of the episode might lead us to believe it’s Clay.
In the chase for Abel at the end of season 2, we saw Jax in front of the motorcycle pack, as well as being the first one down the docks to stop Cameron. The point is—he had fire in his belly. His fear and anger and adrenaline propelled him. But three days later, all that fire appears to be gone. This is a problem in Jax’s circle. Showing weakness, even in response to something like losing your son, can be fatal. Jax spends most of this episode feeble and weak: someone who seems to have no fight left in him:
-The guys first find him drunk and incapacitated. They have to run the shower over him just to get him conscious.
-On their way down to Cameron’s boat, Jax lags behind. Clay has to ask, “You with us?” That question has large implications, such as, “Are you one of us?” and “If you are, you better start acting like it.”
-When the two gangsters show up for Cameron’s boat, Jax is the last man after them. Moreover, he stops the first chance he gets, ostensibly to help Opie untangle himself, but really because he wants no part of the impending melee.
-When the Sons are cornered by the rival gang who now own Cameron’s boat, Jax convinces them to talk, not through intimidation or cunning, but through pity, through the look and tone of a man who is genuinely desperate and terrified. And those are two things a SAMCRO VP can’t afford to be.
Clay tries to help Jax by gently prodding him through most of the episode. But after Jax’s display, Clay senses that if Jax doesn’t pull himself out of it now, he might lose his reputation forever. So he cuts through the bullshit and tells him the men need to see him angry. Doesn’t matter if it’s because Abel’s dead and he wants revenge, or if it’s because Abel’s alive and Jax “will kill to get him back.” The point is, all Sons from all charters are watching Jax and wondering what kind of man he is. In the world of SAMCRO, the only acceptable response to a tragedy of like this is lethal fury. It’s a gauge of masculinity, pure and simple.
In the episode’s final scene, it’s clear that Clay’s speech worked, and also that Jax had been suppressing his anger, and that it was always there and ready to explode. Jax beats the assassin’s head into the concrete like a mad man, very possibly to death. Thus erasing the question of whether he’s weak, and begging the question of whether he’s unstable: a much better question to have hanging over you in the world of SAMCRO.
I wouldn’t assume Clay’s motives are purely altruistic, though. Keep in mind, while it’s been about a year since Clay & Jax’s near-war for most of us, for them it’s only been a couple weeks. Clay may see a golden opportunity to make Jax forget about John Teller once and for all. That’s my biggest concern for Jax after the episode: In the search for Abel, will he go so far and lose himself so deeply that he ceases to be the man who questions the reasons behind the violence? Will he cease to be the man who wants reform? I, personally, have invested myself in Jax’s long term struggle to achieve Michael Corleone’s dream and make his family business legit. So I’m hoping Jax won’t lose the thing that makes him Jax.
But part of our anti-hero wants to lose himself in the anger and depression. That's part of why he tried to send Tara away. One reason, to be sure, was his stated one, a deep sense of guilt about bringing her into this life and putting her in danger. But part of it is also that if Tara stays, if he still has to see her on a daily basis, he’s not going to be able to lose himself completely. He’ll have to keep it together for her. Trying to end that relationship was a self-destructive act on Jax’s part.
Ironically, insisting on staying may be a self-destructive act on Tara’s part. She’s also experienced a great trauma and is struggling to deal with it. She even breaks down during an operation and has to excuse herself. But how is she supposed to deal with it, except by going back to the people who have become her family? That’s what’s so terrifying to her about Jax breaking up with her, not just losing him, but about losing her whole network of support and community at the moment she needs it most.
But at the same time, she’s deluding herself if she thinks she’s a better person with Jax than without him. Without him she was a doctor. With him, she’s a doctor who breaks down during surgery, punches her boss in the face and threatens the woman's children. Tara’s letting herself believe this lie because the alternative-dealing with everything she’s going through alone-is just too scary. But it may cost her a couple more pieces of her soul in the long run.
Charlie Hunnam was amazing throughout the episode and it seems like season 3 may center around Jax even more than the first two. Jax’s transition from incapacitating grief to terrifying rage was front and center throughout and totally riveting.
Gemma was pushed to the side a bit this episode, not even being told that her grandson is missing. But she's still been through a trauma just as much as Jax and Tara. Gemma is coming to grips with having just killed someone and with being framed and having to flee from the police. It’s clear that being trapped in a motel doesn’t agree with her. Also, Gemma doesn’t have her family to lean on in the same way Jax and Tara do because of her fugitive status.
We see a lot of parallels between mother and son in the way Jax and Gemma handle their respective traumas. Jax ends the episode with a psychotic act of violence misdirected (albeit at someone who still completely deserves it) from the person he really wants to kill. Similarly, we see Gemma stab that poor man in the groin just for stopping her from stealing his car. By the end, we see that Gemma has the same desire to retreat that Jax does. She returns to her father where she doesn’t have to be the strong, powerful matriarch. She can be a kid again. Note the way she calls him “daddy” and the way she rests her head against his knee in the closing montage.
The scene between father and daughter was surprisingly affecting, considering we'd just met the man. He's lost his mind to dementia and his wife has just passed away (I believe she saw her mother’s obit in the paper and then went to see her father…but I wouldn’t bet my life on that). When she hears her dad call out for his wife, "Rosie," with no clue that she’s gone, Gemma realizes he needs her as much as she needs him.
The episode’s final scene was definitely in keeping with Sons of Anarchy tradition. I wonder if we should now start to expect some horrific tragedy at the end of every season premiere? Poor Hale is dead just like that…so much for his hopes to reform Charming (which functioned so well in tandem to Jax’s desire to reform SAMCRO itself). Guess the island was finished with him. Prediction: Jacob Hale is responsible for the attempt on SAMCRO and inadvertently for his own brother’s death.
If this episode was all about how our characters initially cope with thtragedy, the next episode should help clarify their long term trajectories.
Other thoughts:
-Gemma had some great moments: every scene with her dad; stabbing that man; admitting to being a little crazy; and her awesome line, “If I wanted him dickless, it’d be layin’ on the ground next to him.”
-Really enjoyed Half-Sack’s funeral with everyone wearing their jackets and Half-Sack’s cut laid on top of his coffin. All that ritual and tradition really conveys the history and sense of brotherhood behind the club. Reminds me of a mob funeral.
-This was a very good episode for Tara. Her breakdown and both of her scenes with Jax were highly charged. Strange moment when the hospital administrator Tara bloodied catches her falling apart. I wonder if that was just an interesting moment or if the administrator will have a substantive role this season.
-Was good to see Paula Malcomson, a.k.a. Trixie from “Deadwood.” I wonder how the Charming and Belfast story lines will string together. I just hope they work in tandem rather than feeling like 2 separate stories. But Kurt Sutter has done nothing to shake my confidence so far.
Season 2 ended with a desperate chase to stop Cameron Hayes from absconding with Jax’s son Abel. The final image of Jax on his knees screaming in anguish was devastating. Season 3 picks up just a few days later. I love this decision because it allows us to experience the initial devastation of our characters; their emotions at their rawest. I also think situations like this are what define characters. Through the choices Jax makes during this crisis, we’ll learn which father he’s becoming, John Teller or Clay Morrow-and the final moments of the episode might lead us to believe it’s Clay.
In the chase for Abel at the end of season 2, we saw Jax in front of the motorcycle pack, as well as being the first one down the docks to stop Cameron. The point is—he had fire in his belly. His fear and anger and adrenaline propelled him. But three days later, all that fire appears to be gone. This is a problem in Jax’s circle. Showing weakness, even in response to something like losing your son, can be fatal. Jax spends most of this episode feeble and weak: someone who seems to have no fight left in him:
-The guys first find him drunk and incapacitated. They have to run the shower over him just to get him conscious.
-On their way down to Cameron’s boat, Jax lags behind. Clay has to ask, “You with us?” That question has large implications, such as, “Are you one of us?” and “If you are, you better start acting like it.”
-When the two gangsters show up for Cameron’s boat, Jax is the last man after them. Moreover, he stops the first chance he gets, ostensibly to help Opie untangle himself, but really because he wants no part of the impending melee.
-When the Sons are cornered by the rival gang who now own Cameron’s boat, Jax convinces them to talk, not through intimidation or cunning, but through pity, through the look and tone of a man who is genuinely desperate and terrified. And those are two things a SAMCRO VP can’t afford to be.
Clay tries to help Jax by gently prodding him through most of the episode. But after Jax’s display, Clay senses that if Jax doesn’t pull himself out of it now, he might lose his reputation forever. So he cuts through the bullshit and tells him the men need to see him angry. Doesn’t matter if it’s because Abel’s dead and he wants revenge, or if it’s because Abel’s alive and Jax “will kill to get him back.” The point is, all Sons from all charters are watching Jax and wondering what kind of man he is. In the world of SAMCRO, the only acceptable response to a tragedy of like this is lethal fury. It’s a gauge of masculinity, pure and simple.
In the episode’s final scene, it’s clear that Clay’s speech worked, and also that Jax had been suppressing his anger, and that it was always there and ready to explode. Jax beats the assassin’s head into the concrete like a mad man, very possibly to death. Thus erasing the question of whether he’s weak, and begging the question of whether he’s unstable: a much better question to have hanging over you in the world of SAMCRO.
I wouldn’t assume Clay’s motives are purely altruistic, though. Keep in mind, while it’s been about a year since Clay & Jax’s near-war for most of us, for them it’s only been a couple weeks. Clay may see a golden opportunity to make Jax forget about John Teller once and for all. That’s my biggest concern for Jax after the episode: In the search for Abel, will he go so far and lose himself so deeply that he ceases to be the man who questions the reasons behind the violence? Will he cease to be the man who wants reform? I, personally, have invested myself in Jax’s long term struggle to achieve Michael Corleone’s dream and make his family business legit. So I’m hoping Jax won’t lose the thing that makes him Jax.
But part of our anti-hero wants to lose himself in the anger and depression. That's part of why he tried to send Tara away. One reason, to be sure, was his stated one, a deep sense of guilt about bringing her into this life and putting her in danger. But part of it is also that if Tara stays, if he still has to see her on a daily basis, he’s not going to be able to lose himself completely. He’ll have to keep it together for her. Trying to end that relationship was a self-destructive act on Jax’s part.
Ironically, insisting on staying may be a self-destructive act on Tara’s part. She’s also experienced a great trauma and is struggling to deal with it. She even breaks down during an operation and has to excuse herself. But how is she supposed to deal with it, except by going back to the people who have become her family? That’s what’s so terrifying to her about Jax breaking up with her, not just losing him, but about losing her whole network of support and community at the moment she needs it most.
But at the same time, she’s deluding herself if she thinks she’s a better person with Jax than without him. Without him she was a doctor. With him, she’s a doctor who breaks down during surgery, punches her boss in the face and threatens the woman's children. Tara’s letting herself believe this lie because the alternative-dealing with everything she’s going through alone-is just too scary. But it may cost her a couple more pieces of her soul in the long run.
Charlie Hunnam was amazing throughout the episode and it seems like season 3 may center around Jax even more than the first two. Jax’s transition from incapacitating grief to terrifying rage was front and center throughout and totally riveting.
Gemma was pushed to the side a bit this episode, not even being told that her grandson is missing. But she's still been through a trauma just as much as Jax and Tara. Gemma is coming to grips with having just killed someone and with being framed and having to flee from the police. It’s clear that being trapped in a motel doesn’t agree with her. Also, Gemma doesn’t have her family to lean on in the same way Jax and Tara do because of her fugitive status.
We see a lot of parallels between mother and son in the way Jax and Gemma handle their respective traumas. Jax ends the episode with a psychotic act of violence misdirected (albeit at someone who still completely deserves it) from the person he really wants to kill. Similarly, we see Gemma stab that poor man in the groin just for stopping her from stealing his car. By the end, we see that Gemma has the same desire to retreat that Jax does. She returns to her father where she doesn’t have to be the strong, powerful matriarch. She can be a kid again. Note the way she calls him “daddy” and the way she rests her head against his knee in the closing montage.
The scene between father and daughter was surprisingly affecting, considering we'd just met the man. He's lost his mind to dementia and his wife has just passed away (I believe she saw her mother’s obit in the paper and then went to see her father…but I wouldn’t bet my life on that). When she hears her dad call out for his wife, "Rosie," with no clue that she’s gone, Gemma realizes he needs her as much as she needs him.
The episode’s final scene was definitely in keeping with Sons of Anarchy tradition. I wonder if we should now start to expect some horrific tragedy at the end of every season premiere? Poor Hale is dead just like that…so much for his hopes to reform Charming (which functioned so well in tandem to Jax’s desire to reform SAMCRO itself). Guess the island was finished with him. Prediction: Jacob Hale is responsible for the attempt on SAMCRO and inadvertently for his own brother’s death.
If this episode was all about how our characters initially cope with thtragedy, the next episode should help clarify their long term trajectories.
Other thoughts:
-Gemma had some great moments: every scene with her dad; stabbing that man; admitting to being a little crazy; and her awesome line, “If I wanted him dickless, it’d be layin’ on the ground next to him.”
-Really enjoyed Half-Sack’s funeral with everyone wearing their jackets and Half-Sack’s cut laid on top of his coffin. All that ritual and tradition really conveys the history and sense of brotherhood behind the club. Reminds me of a mob funeral.
-This was a very good episode for Tara. Her breakdown and both of her scenes with Jax were highly charged. Strange moment when the hospital administrator Tara bloodied catches her falling apart. I wonder if that was just an interesting moment or if the administrator will have a substantive role this season.
-Was good to see Paula Malcomson, a.k.a. Trixie from “Deadwood.” I wonder how the Charming and Belfast story lines will string together. I just hope they work in tandem rather than feeling like 2 separate stories. But Kurt Sutter has done nothing to shake my confidence so far.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
RUBICON: "The Truth Will Out"
I enjoyed Monday’s “Rubicon,” though I wasn’t quite on the edge of my seat the way I have been the last 2 weeks. This episode, “The Truth Will Out,” slowed the pace of the story down so that we could get to know our characters a little better. A mole hunt, in which each character is forced to answer a series of personal questions while strapped to a polygraph, is a perfect device to accomplish this.
“Everybody has secrets,” Maggie tells Will at the end of the episode, and the desire to keep those secrets is what this episode was all about.
Each character was terrified that some piece of baggage from his or her past, something about them, would signal them as the guilty party and cause their downfall. Tanya was so nervous that the polygrapher had to ask her what her name was several times before he could get an accurate reading. She was terrified her substance abuse would be exposed. She makes it through the polygraph because the question she is asked, "Have you ever used any illegal drugs," allows for the possibility that it was all in the distant past. But she may not make it through the drug screening Will set up for her (if indeed that hasn't happened yet off-screen?). Either way, protecting this secret is going to be an ongoing problem for Tanya.
Miles is so paranoid and self-deluded that he actually thinks he might be the mole the FBI is looking for because he accidentally left a file in a cab. Rather than getting to know “facts” about Miles, as with his two colleagues, we got to learn what it was like to be inside his head, and it was not pleasant. Miles lives in a constant state of anxiety. He always feels that in some way, shape, or form, the sky is going to fall on him. I loved the shock on Miles’ face when he was informed he would only be suspended for about a week, and he realized he wasn’t the mole. Miles is definitely someone in danger of becoming like Ed and letting the codes crack him.
We learn that Grant may have cheated on his wife. He insists the machine is wrong, but the polygrapher tells him that even if he didn’t cheat, he’s going to and is already thinking about it-otherwise the needle wouldn’t have jumped. And this comes in the middle of a day in which Grant has already been obsessing about unintentionally letting down both his wife and daughter. Whether he has cheated or not, it’s clear that his exchange with the polygrapher left him shaken to the point where he was afraid to go home after the FBI left. Let’s see if this was just a random bit of character insight or if it comes up again, because Grant struggling with monogamy might not organically mesh with the central plot lines of this series.
The only two people who are not remotely nervous for their polygraphs, Kale and Spangler, are probably the two people with the most to hide. But because these two are so experienced and formidable, they know they’ll have no problem beating the polygraph no matter what they’re asked.
Overall, this was a good episode and I was happy to take some time to get to know these characters. But I wouldn’t mind if the focus now stayed on our central plot lines for the remainder of the season, and the story was allowed to build as much momentum as possible without slowing down. That's not to suggest that I don't want character moments, just that I'd like them in the context of the serialized story we've been watching for the home stretch.
Other thoughts:
-Katherine Rhumor’s scenes were even more noticeably separate from the rest of the show than in episodes past. There was no cross-over between the two storylines. And I couldn’t even figure out what Rhumor was doing during her scenes. It seems like she figured something out, I’m just not sure what.
-Miles finally admits that he’s separated, even if only to the polygrapher. Then we see Julia cross his path again…looks like that relationship might actually be heading somewhere.
-Very suspenseful scene where Will switches out the CD in Spangler’s office. He’s taking a lot of chances. But it seems he finally realizes Spangler is the big bad he’s been looking for.
-Spangler got to be awesome and intimidating once again. Loved the line, “The FBI couldn’t find a mole if one was in a cardboard box at their doorstep!”
“Everybody has secrets,” Maggie tells Will at the end of the episode, and the desire to keep those secrets is what this episode was all about.
Each character was terrified that some piece of baggage from his or her past, something about them, would signal them as the guilty party and cause their downfall. Tanya was so nervous that the polygrapher had to ask her what her name was several times before he could get an accurate reading. She was terrified her substance abuse would be exposed. She makes it through the polygraph because the question she is asked, "Have you ever used any illegal drugs," allows for the possibility that it was all in the distant past. But she may not make it through the drug screening Will set up for her (if indeed that hasn't happened yet off-screen?). Either way, protecting this secret is going to be an ongoing problem for Tanya.
Miles is so paranoid and self-deluded that he actually thinks he might be the mole the FBI is looking for because he accidentally left a file in a cab. Rather than getting to know “facts” about Miles, as with his two colleagues, we got to learn what it was like to be inside his head, and it was not pleasant. Miles lives in a constant state of anxiety. He always feels that in some way, shape, or form, the sky is going to fall on him. I loved the shock on Miles’ face when he was informed he would only be suspended for about a week, and he realized he wasn’t the mole. Miles is definitely someone in danger of becoming like Ed and letting the codes crack him.
We learn that Grant may have cheated on his wife. He insists the machine is wrong, but the polygrapher tells him that even if he didn’t cheat, he’s going to and is already thinking about it-otherwise the needle wouldn’t have jumped. And this comes in the middle of a day in which Grant has already been obsessing about unintentionally letting down both his wife and daughter. Whether he has cheated or not, it’s clear that his exchange with the polygrapher left him shaken to the point where he was afraid to go home after the FBI left. Let’s see if this was just a random bit of character insight or if it comes up again, because Grant struggling with monogamy might not organically mesh with the central plot lines of this series.
The only two people who are not remotely nervous for their polygraphs, Kale and Spangler, are probably the two people with the most to hide. But because these two are so experienced and formidable, they know they’ll have no problem beating the polygraph no matter what they’re asked.
Overall, this was a good episode and I was happy to take some time to get to know these characters. But I wouldn’t mind if the focus now stayed on our central plot lines for the remainder of the season, and the story was allowed to build as much momentum as possible without slowing down. That's not to suggest that I don't want character moments, just that I'd like them in the context of the serialized story we've been watching for the home stretch.
Other thoughts:
-Katherine Rhumor’s scenes were even more noticeably separate from the rest of the show than in episodes past. There was no cross-over between the two storylines. And I couldn’t even figure out what Rhumor was doing during her scenes. It seems like she figured something out, I’m just not sure what.
-Miles finally admits that he’s separated, even if only to the polygrapher. Then we see Julia cross his path again…looks like that relationship might actually be heading somewhere.
-Very suspenseful scene where Will switches out the CD in Spangler’s office. He’s taking a lot of chances. But it seems he finally realizes Spangler is the big bad he’s been looking for.
-Spangler got to be awesome and intimidating once again. Loved the line, “The FBI couldn’t find a mole if one was in a cardboard box at their doorstep!”
Monday, September 6, 2010
Mad Men: "The Suitcase"
I’ve just finished re-watching last night’s “Mad Men” and have confirmed my initial reaction: “The Suitcase” is now my all-time favorite episode of this incredible series. The episode centers around Peggy and Don, and results in the kind of powerful emotional connection both of these closed-off characters have tried and failed to achieve since the show began.
“The Suitcase” is a prime example of something serialized television can do, that a 2 or 3 hour movie simply cannot. It’s an hour of drama that absolutely requires every single other episode that came before it, since the series pilot, for it to be as powerful as it is-and I don’t think “Mad Men” has ever been more powerful.
- If we don’t see Don spend 3 ½ years destroying virtually every single chance for genuine intimacy that’s crossed his path-Anna is the exception-then this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
-If we don’t spend those years watching Don and Peggy’s tempestuous relationship, and all the hills and valleys it entails, from mentor/protégé to Liston/punching bag and back again, then this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
-If we don’t see Don visit Peggy in the hospital, and be there for her during her darkest hour, this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
-If we don’t know about Don’s hidden past and his complex relationship with Anna, if we don’t know that she’s dying tonight, then this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
In short, “The Suitcase” is my favorite episode because I the entire hour is an emotional climax this series has been building towards since we first met Don Draper; it's the moment he removes his mask, lets another human being in, and has that intimacy reciprocated. That last part, Peggy’s full reciprocation of that trust and that intimacy, is what separates this episode from the moments when Don revealed his past to Betty (with disastrous results) and when he ever so briefly gave Rachel Menkin a glimpse at Dick Whitman. Betty and Rachel both ran off soon after Don opened himself up. But Don and Peggy’s connection is not ephemeral, and if he ever truly does let her leave SCDP, it might really be his darkest hour.
The episode starts with a debate over the 2nd fight between Muhammad Ali (widely still referred to at the time as Cassius Clay by white people who refused to acknowledge his change in identity) and Sony Liston. Don prefers Liston because he sees him as the strong, silent type. Don disapproves of Ali’s self-promotion (“I’m the greatest…Not if you have to say it”). The fight mirrors the internal conflict that has always existed within Don: talking vs. silence, his intense desire to keep his past hidden vs. his desire for an honest human connection. We saw that battle take place in this season’s premiere, which is bookended by two interviews given by Don, the first in which he stonewalls the reporter, the second in which he openly shares his triumphs. But Don gave that second interview out of obligation, not desire. In “The Suitcase,” Don chooses to open himself up to Peggy out of trust and desire, not out of obligation. Ali’s victory over Liston parallels his own transition from a closed book to someone who can open up. The somewhat on-the-nose final scene of Don asking Peggy to leave the door open symbolizes his own shift from a Liston to an Ali.
Last week I worried about Don’s mistreatment of Peggy. I predicted this situation would come to a head, conceivably resulting in a firing or a resignation. And I must confess, with the direction this episode seemed to be headed early on, I was worried. Don has been getting drunker and meaner all season. In this episode, he shows up over two hours late, and cringes when the non-alcoholic coffee Ms. Blankenship laid out for him offends his pallet. Don telling Peggy, “I’m glad this is an environment where you feel free to fail,” was a brutal moment, and this has been a season full of them.
Don’s abuse only gets worse: fueled by alcohol, grief over Anna’s imminent death, and the whole downward spiral he’s been on since his marriage ended. Peggy finally reaches a tipping point and has to fight back. I was stunned when she yelled, “You have no family, no friends!” I was afraid Don would fire her right there on the spot. She continues by complaining about her lack of credit for the Glo-Coat ad, which she has resented Don for all season. It was an amazing acting moment for Jon Hamm, one of many this episode, when he hits Peggy back with a combination of his recent repulsive behavior and some genuine tough love. I harked back to his hooker-like treatment of Allison when he responded to Peggy’s desire to be thanked with, “That’s what the money’s for!”
But what hit Peggy closer to home were some words of genuine wisdom and tough-to-handle truth,
“You gave me twenty ideas and I picked out one of them that was a kernel that became that commercial!”
&
“You’re Young. EVERYTHING to you is an opportunity.”
These are realities Peggy needs to accept. She doesn’t know everything. She isn’t a master yet. She needs to be patient, to learn, and to wait her turn. Don remembers her contribution to Glo-Coat but points out that it wasn’t nearly as significant as she’s making it out to be. All she had was the germ of an idea; Don was the one who ran with it and made it a commercial. She complains that Don accepted the CLIO, but after Don’s response, she realizes the reason Don got the CLIO is because Don earned the CLIO, not her. She has to wait not only for the recognition she wants, but for the ability to deserve it. She’s only 26. Everything is before her, and it's all opportunities and learning experiences. On the one hand, this undercuts Peggy’s sense of her own accomplishments and current value to the firm, on the other, Don is making her face reality and is once again stepping into the mentor’s role.
Hearing her value questioned comes at a particularly bad moment for Peggy, after she has sacrificed her relationship with Mark for Don and for her job. But she forgives Don in a hysterical scene where the two of them listen to Roger’s notes for his autobiography. The fact that Matthew Weiner and co. were able to find an appropriate moment for humor in the middle of such an emotionally charged episode, without the drama losing any momentum, is pretty amazing. Cooper has no balls? Roger had a fling with Ms. Blanklenship who was the “queen of perversions?” Freaking hilarious.
At the end of the scene, Don confesses he grew up on a farm, Peggy’s first glimpse of Dick Whitman. Don then invites Peggy out for the kind of intimate birthday dinner she wanted, as opposed to the surprise attack Mark tried to spring on her. It’s important to note that Don understands Peggy as well as she understands him. Mark doesn’t know her at all. He completely undercuts what Peggy wants for her own birthday so he can get in good with her family, whom Peggy hates. That lack of connection is the reason Peggy lets him go and the reason she was never that into him in the first place. Don understands that Peggy would much rather have a quiet dinner with someone she can connect to than a surprise party. He understands that, like him, the most important part of her day goes on in that office. And he understands what she went through at her absolute lowest, after she had given her baby up for adoption and was stuck in the hospital in a traumatized state, because he’s the one who helped her through it. That’s why she chooses him throughout the episode, several times over Mark and once over Duck.
The scene with Duck was no less hilarious than the one in Roger's office. I loved seeing Peggy try to deal with the two important alcoholic men in her life; Don is vomiting on one side of her, while Duck is attempting to crap on the other. Don and Duck’s half-assed brawl was comically pathetic. What's important is that Duck calls Peggy a whore, while Don fights for her honor, so at the end Peggy gets rid of Duck and goes back with Don.
Another reason Peggy stays is because she can tell how much pain Don is truly in, even if no one else can. It’s not just about the Samsonite commercial, it’s also about recognizing that Don is in trouble. As the night wears on they both let their guards down. They each share how they saw their fathers die. And Don lets Peggy see more and more of the real him. There was genuine excitement with each new nugget of Dick Whitman that Don left for her. And at each step along the way I was afraid one of the two of them would emotionally close up shop, and they’d both wind up right back where they started. I was nervous when Peggy prodded him about Allison and even more scared when Duck showed up. But Peggy stayed with him through all of it, and Don sleeping in Peggy’s lap was an incredibly tender moment.
In the middle of the night, Don sees a spectral image of Anna visiting him, smiling, and walking off. Whether this is Anna’s actual ghost smiling at the sight of her Dick Whitman having found someone else to connect to, or just a drunken image seen by Don as a result of alcohol and his subconscious, is irrelevant. Either way it signals a transition. Anna may have been the only person who truly knew Dick Whitman, but after that night, Peggy is now the only person who can claim that. On a certain level, Don and Peggy have always understood each other as kindred spirits, but “The Suitcase” marks a definite turning point in terms of truly opening themselves up to each other.
When Don wakes up, still on Peggy’s lap, he chooses to call Anna in front of her, rather than going to another room or asking her to leave. Don wants her there for that moment when he finds out Anna is gone. And after it’s done he breaks down crying and allows himself to be vulnerable in front of Peggy. He says Anna was the only person who truly knew him. But Peggy points out, “That isn’t true.” Especially after that night. In fact, if you consider Don Draper a genuine part of the Draper/Whitman persona, which I do, then Peggy knows Don even better than Anna did, since Peggy’s gotten to experience both sides.
As touching as that moment was, I was still scared when Don briskly sent her home. I was afraid that as soon as Peggy came back Don would act as though it never happened, much like he did with Allison. When Don shows Peggy his ad for Samsonite it seems to be business as usual. But then something unexpected happens, as Don puts his hand on top of Peggy’s and they both look at each other. For me, this was the most moving moment of the series to date. Don acknowledges everything that happened between them the night before as something genuine and real. The end, where he asks Peggy to leave the door opened, may have been a little overt intellectually, but emotionally it worked just fine.
I don’t think this means that Don is now fixed or that he will cease to have a drinking problem and get his life back on track immediately. But I do think rock bottom is now in his rearview mirror. I believe this will prove to be a turning point for Don, and that Peggy will be instrumental in his turn-around. This episode marks a shift not only from the drunken jack-ass Don has been all season, but from the closed book Don has been all series.
Other thoughts:
-It seems less likely than ever that a Don/Peggy romantic relationship will actually happen. Their relationship seems to be built on more of a father-daughter bond. Still, I wouldn’t object if the show went that route in the future, so long as it was handled seamlessly.
-Ms. Blankenship’s racist joke fell a bit flat for me. I’m not sure how much more mileage they can really get out of the terrible secretary joke. Though I did like the reference to her as “the queen of perversions.”
-Poor Duck is so pathetic with his useless business cards and his, “I need you, baby.” Hard to imagine Peggy stayed with him for as long as she did…however long that is.
-Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Moss were both absolutely astonishing throughout. I fully expect this to be the episode they submit to the Emmys next year. And quite frankly, if they don’t win, it will be ridiculous. Not just for their performance this episode, but for their performance all season long. Jon Hamm has never had to portray Draper undergoing as much tumultuous change as he has this season, and every part of it has felt organic. With Bryan Cranston ineligible, and this incredible episode to submit, I think 2011 will be Hamm’s year.
-Just in general, I’ve loved the way this season has oscillated back and forth in tone, from hilarious episodes to episodes like this. There were times during season 3 when I thought the show was dragging, but this season has been gaining momentum as it’s progressed.
-“Breaking Bad” remains my favorite show on TV, but after last night’s episode, I may have to start considering “Mad Men” #2 again…We’ll see when “Sons of Anarchy” premieres tomorrow night. One of the reasons I sometimes rank “Mad Men” below other shows of similar quality is because of the nature of Draper himself, which is so distancing. It’s integral to his character that he keeps everyone from the “real him” and that he shuts down genuine intimacy, but that same quality has left me a little cold and distant as a viewer at times. But after “The Suitcase,” I feel kind of like Peggy, more fully immersed and invested in the story of Don Draper than ever before.
“The Suitcase” is a prime example of something serialized television can do, that a 2 or 3 hour movie simply cannot. It’s an hour of drama that absolutely requires every single other episode that came before it, since the series pilot, for it to be as powerful as it is-and I don’t think “Mad Men” has ever been more powerful.
- If we don’t see Don spend 3 ½ years destroying virtually every single chance for genuine intimacy that’s crossed his path-Anna is the exception-then this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
-If we don’t spend those years watching Don and Peggy’s tempestuous relationship, and all the hills and valleys it entails, from mentor/protégé to Liston/punching bag and back again, then this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
-If we don’t see Don visit Peggy in the hospital, and be there for her during her darkest hour, this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
-If we don’t know about Don’s hidden past and his complex relationship with Anna, if we don’t know that she’s dying tonight, then this episode isn’t as powerful as it is.
In short, “The Suitcase” is my favorite episode because I the entire hour is an emotional climax this series has been building towards since we first met Don Draper; it's the moment he removes his mask, lets another human being in, and has that intimacy reciprocated. That last part, Peggy’s full reciprocation of that trust and that intimacy, is what separates this episode from the moments when Don revealed his past to Betty (with disastrous results) and when he ever so briefly gave Rachel Menkin a glimpse at Dick Whitman. Betty and Rachel both ran off soon after Don opened himself up. But Don and Peggy’s connection is not ephemeral, and if he ever truly does let her leave SCDP, it might really be his darkest hour.
The episode starts with a debate over the 2nd fight between Muhammad Ali (widely still referred to at the time as Cassius Clay by white people who refused to acknowledge his change in identity) and Sony Liston. Don prefers Liston because he sees him as the strong, silent type. Don disapproves of Ali’s self-promotion (“I’m the greatest…Not if you have to say it”). The fight mirrors the internal conflict that has always existed within Don: talking vs. silence, his intense desire to keep his past hidden vs. his desire for an honest human connection. We saw that battle take place in this season’s premiere, which is bookended by two interviews given by Don, the first in which he stonewalls the reporter, the second in which he openly shares his triumphs. But Don gave that second interview out of obligation, not desire. In “The Suitcase,” Don chooses to open himself up to Peggy out of trust and desire, not out of obligation. Ali’s victory over Liston parallels his own transition from a closed book to someone who can open up. The somewhat on-the-nose final scene of Don asking Peggy to leave the door open symbolizes his own shift from a Liston to an Ali.
Last week I worried about Don’s mistreatment of Peggy. I predicted this situation would come to a head, conceivably resulting in a firing or a resignation. And I must confess, with the direction this episode seemed to be headed early on, I was worried. Don has been getting drunker and meaner all season. In this episode, he shows up over two hours late, and cringes when the non-alcoholic coffee Ms. Blankenship laid out for him offends his pallet. Don telling Peggy, “I’m glad this is an environment where you feel free to fail,” was a brutal moment, and this has been a season full of them.
Don’s abuse only gets worse: fueled by alcohol, grief over Anna’s imminent death, and the whole downward spiral he’s been on since his marriage ended. Peggy finally reaches a tipping point and has to fight back. I was stunned when she yelled, “You have no family, no friends!” I was afraid Don would fire her right there on the spot. She continues by complaining about her lack of credit for the Glo-Coat ad, which she has resented Don for all season. It was an amazing acting moment for Jon Hamm, one of many this episode, when he hits Peggy back with a combination of his recent repulsive behavior and some genuine tough love. I harked back to his hooker-like treatment of Allison when he responded to Peggy’s desire to be thanked with, “That’s what the money’s for!”
But what hit Peggy closer to home were some words of genuine wisdom and tough-to-handle truth,
“You gave me twenty ideas and I picked out one of them that was a kernel that became that commercial!”
&
“You’re Young. EVERYTHING to you is an opportunity.”
These are realities Peggy needs to accept. She doesn’t know everything. She isn’t a master yet. She needs to be patient, to learn, and to wait her turn. Don remembers her contribution to Glo-Coat but points out that it wasn’t nearly as significant as she’s making it out to be. All she had was the germ of an idea; Don was the one who ran with it and made it a commercial. She complains that Don accepted the CLIO, but after Don’s response, she realizes the reason Don got the CLIO is because Don earned the CLIO, not her. She has to wait not only for the recognition she wants, but for the ability to deserve it. She’s only 26. Everything is before her, and it's all opportunities and learning experiences. On the one hand, this undercuts Peggy’s sense of her own accomplishments and current value to the firm, on the other, Don is making her face reality and is once again stepping into the mentor’s role.
Hearing her value questioned comes at a particularly bad moment for Peggy, after she has sacrificed her relationship with Mark for Don and for her job. But she forgives Don in a hysterical scene where the two of them listen to Roger’s notes for his autobiography. The fact that Matthew Weiner and co. were able to find an appropriate moment for humor in the middle of such an emotionally charged episode, without the drama losing any momentum, is pretty amazing. Cooper has no balls? Roger had a fling with Ms. Blanklenship who was the “queen of perversions?” Freaking hilarious.
At the end of the scene, Don confesses he grew up on a farm, Peggy’s first glimpse of Dick Whitman. Don then invites Peggy out for the kind of intimate birthday dinner she wanted, as opposed to the surprise attack Mark tried to spring on her. It’s important to note that Don understands Peggy as well as she understands him. Mark doesn’t know her at all. He completely undercuts what Peggy wants for her own birthday so he can get in good with her family, whom Peggy hates. That lack of connection is the reason Peggy lets him go and the reason she was never that into him in the first place. Don understands that Peggy would much rather have a quiet dinner with someone she can connect to than a surprise party. He understands that, like him, the most important part of her day goes on in that office. And he understands what she went through at her absolute lowest, after she had given her baby up for adoption and was stuck in the hospital in a traumatized state, because he’s the one who helped her through it. That’s why she chooses him throughout the episode, several times over Mark and once over Duck.
The scene with Duck was no less hilarious than the one in Roger's office. I loved seeing Peggy try to deal with the two important alcoholic men in her life; Don is vomiting on one side of her, while Duck is attempting to crap on the other. Don and Duck’s half-assed brawl was comically pathetic. What's important is that Duck calls Peggy a whore, while Don fights for her honor, so at the end Peggy gets rid of Duck and goes back with Don.
Another reason Peggy stays is because she can tell how much pain Don is truly in, even if no one else can. It’s not just about the Samsonite commercial, it’s also about recognizing that Don is in trouble. As the night wears on they both let their guards down. They each share how they saw their fathers die. And Don lets Peggy see more and more of the real him. There was genuine excitement with each new nugget of Dick Whitman that Don left for her. And at each step along the way I was afraid one of the two of them would emotionally close up shop, and they’d both wind up right back where they started. I was nervous when Peggy prodded him about Allison and even more scared when Duck showed up. But Peggy stayed with him through all of it, and Don sleeping in Peggy’s lap was an incredibly tender moment.
In the middle of the night, Don sees a spectral image of Anna visiting him, smiling, and walking off. Whether this is Anna’s actual ghost smiling at the sight of her Dick Whitman having found someone else to connect to, or just a drunken image seen by Don as a result of alcohol and his subconscious, is irrelevant. Either way it signals a transition. Anna may have been the only person who truly knew Dick Whitman, but after that night, Peggy is now the only person who can claim that. On a certain level, Don and Peggy have always understood each other as kindred spirits, but “The Suitcase” marks a definite turning point in terms of truly opening themselves up to each other.
When Don wakes up, still on Peggy’s lap, he chooses to call Anna in front of her, rather than going to another room or asking her to leave. Don wants her there for that moment when he finds out Anna is gone. And after it’s done he breaks down crying and allows himself to be vulnerable in front of Peggy. He says Anna was the only person who truly knew him. But Peggy points out, “That isn’t true.” Especially after that night. In fact, if you consider Don Draper a genuine part of the Draper/Whitman persona, which I do, then Peggy knows Don even better than Anna did, since Peggy’s gotten to experience both sides.
As touching as that moment was, I was still scared when Don briskly sent her home. I was afraid that as soon as Peggy came back Don would act as though it never happened, much like he did with Allison. When Don shows Peggy his ad for Samsonite it seems to be business as usual. But then something unexpected happens, as Don puts his hand on top of Peggy’s and they both look at each other. For me, this was the most moving moment of the series to date. Don acknowledges everything that happened between them the night before as something genuine and real. The end, where he asks Peggy to leave the door opened, may have been a little overt intellectually, but emotionally it worked just fine.
I don’t think this means that Don is now fixed or that he will cease to have a drinking problem and get his life back on track immediately. But I do think rock bottom is now in his rearview mirror. I believe this will prove to be a turning point for Don, and that Peggy will be instrumental in his turn-around. This episode marks a shift not only from the drunken jack-ass Don has been all season, but from the closed book Don has been all series.
Other thoughts:
-It seems less likely than ever that a Don/Peggy romantic relationship will actually happen. Their relationship seems to be built on more of a father-daughter bond. Still, I wouldn’t object if the show went that route in the future, so long as it was handled seamlessly.
-Ms. Blankenship’s racist joke fell a bit flat for me. I’m not sure how much more mileage they can really get out of the terrible secretary joke. Though I did like the reference to her as “the queen of perversions.”
-Poor Duck is so pathetic with his useless business cards and his, “I need you, baby.” Hard to imagine Peggy stayed with him for as long as she did…however long that is.
-Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Moss were both absolutely astonishing throughout. I fully expect this to be the episode they submit to the Emmys next year. And quite frankly, if they don’t win, it will be ridiculous. Not just for their performance this episode, but for their performance all season long. Jon Hamm has never had to portray Draper undergoing as much tumultuous change as he has this season, and every part of it has felt organic. With Bryan Cranston ineligible, and this incredible episode to submit, I think 2011 will be Hamm’s year.
-Just in general, I’ve loved the way this season has oscillated back and forth in tone, from hilarious episodes to episodes like this. There were times during season 3 when I thought the show was dragging, but this season has been gaining momentum as it’s progressed.
-“Breaking Bad” remains my favorite show on TV, but after last night’s episode, I may have to start considering “Mad Men” #2 again…We’ll see when “Sons of Anarchy” premieres tomorrow night. One of the reasons I sometimes rank “Mad Men” below other shows of similar quality is because of the nature of Draper himself, which is so distancing. It’s integral to his character that he keeps everyone from the “real him” and that he shuts down genuine intimacy, but that same quality has left me a little cold and distant as a viewer at times. But after “The Suitcase,” I feel kind of like Peggy, more fully immersed and invested in the story of Don Draper than ever before.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
RESCUE ME: Finale or Premiere?
I had really enjoyed the last few episodes of "Rescue Me" leading up to tonight. It seemed to be returning to a top-notch character drama, which quite frankly, it hasn’t consistently been for a number of seasons. But tonight’s finale…I’m not even sure where to begin with all the problems I had with it. Do I begin with what it didn’t do? Or with what it did do? Because both bothered the hell out of me. I think I’ll start with what it didn’t do.
Last week’s penultimate episode finished Damien’s tug-of-war arc about whether or not to remain a fireman. On the one side, Tommy was pushing him to continue following in Jimmy’s footsteps and remain a firefighter. On the other side, Sheila and Mickey were trying to pull him out and convince him to pursue a safer career. In the end, Tommy won the battle for Damien, and as a result, Damien literally met a crushing end. This tragedy befalling one of the show’s most likeable and innocent characters set up what should have been a powerful and emotionally draining finale.
Here are the powerful dramatic moments I was expecting to see:
1) Sheila learning what happened to her son, resulting in the emotional tour de force acting I’ve come to expect from Callie Thorne. Presumably, Tommy would have been the one to break the news to her, making the moment all the more powerful.
2) Sheila’s rage towards Tommy manifesting itself in putting all the blame on him.
3) Tommy being driven back to the brink of the bottle because of his own massive sense of culpability for what happened.
4) Janet’s initial reactions of rage and jealousy at seeing Tommy try to help Sheila after Damien’s tragedy drove him back to her as a protector.*
5) The very serious treatment of the reaction of everyone in this universe, and the toll Damien’s accident took on them.
#4 we did get, but because it was so much later, Janet is able to take a much firmer and more reasonable stand against Tommy's priorities. It would have been more compelling to see her dealing with the ambiguity of having these feelings while simultaneously knowing it was inappropriate to tell Tommy not to be there for his godson and his godson's grieving mother right after the accident.
These are the moments that would have made for a riveting, emotionally powerful piece of drama. These are the moments that would have completed the season long story this show has been telling. In short, these are the moments that would befit a finale.
Instead, what we got functioned far more like the opening chapter to season 7 than the closing chapter to season 6. It’s true that the episode’s opening scene was sufficiently powerful, with Sheila breaking down in agony, and then the shocking pan over to Damien, who I’d assumed was dead from Sheila’s phone conversation, but is instead crippled and brain damaged in a wheel chair, completely unable to speak. The image of this condition was far more horrific than an actual death would have been. As such, I expected the issue to be treated with the utmost seriousness. I was severely disappointed to learn that we were picking up two months after Damien’s accident, and as a result missed out on all the powerful dramatic moments that should have followed last week’s episode.
Moreover, after that opening scene, Damien’s condition was tastelessly treated as a joke. It was repulsive to see the boys using Damien to pick up chicks, and then arguing over who got to use him as a wing man on which nights. But the most disturbing piece of disrespect thrown Damien’s way by the writers was when Tommy attempted to mimic him over the cell phone to Sheila by emitting a panged squeal. These jokes, this general attitude of making light of Damien’s situation, are things I probably could have accepted in the season 7 premiere...you know, after we’d been given an entire finale dealing with this tragedy in a very serious way. And after I’d had several months distance from the show in between seasons and time to process. But the fact that two months elapsed for our characters before they made these jokes is fairly irrelevant to how I perceived their behavior. For me, Damien’s tragedy just happened last week. For me, this is still fresh. And to see the show come back a week later and spend the entire hour making fun of this poor, 18 year old kid, who heroically gave up everyhting in the line of duty, and who I’ve come to like and care about over the last several seasons, was disgraceful. I needed catharsis. I needed closure. And I felt the writers somewhat spat in the face of that.
Moreover, the episode in general functioned more as a setup for the upcoming season than like the conclusion of this one. We learned that Tommy has been neglecting his family in favor of other duties and Janet is pissed off. We learn that Sheila is more addicted to medications than ever and is obsessed with finding a miraculous cure for Damien’s paralysis. We learn that Mickey couldn’t take what happened and vanished for 2 months, that Colleen is having trouble staying on the wagon, and that Lou has been ignoring his doctor’s warnings to stay off the job. Again, every single one these feels like the kind of establishing drama we would get in a premiere, and not at all the emotionally powerful closure we deserve from a finale.
To make matters worse, Teddy shows up once again to become Colleen’s new sponsor. I wrote last week that it bothers me every time he shows up, because I find it completely absurd that everyone has just accepted what he did to Tommy as if it’s no big deal…and that’s not even to mention the fact that for some reason there was no police investigation into Tommy's shooting. So the notion that Colleen would agree to have Teddy, the man who literally shot and killed her father, become her new AA sponsor, is an absolute absurdity and completely detracts from the realism of the universe for me.
This makes three straight "Rescue Me" finales that have massively disappointed me. But as ludicrous as Teddy’s shooting of Tommy was in last season's final episode, the complete and utter disrespect shown to a beloved character last night makes this finale the worst of all. I hope they find a way to end next season in a more fitting way, because as it happens, it will also be the end of the series.
So very disappointed. And I’m out.
Last week’s penultimate episode finished Damien’s tug-of-war arc about whether or not to remain a fireman. On the one side, Tommy was pushing him to continue following in Jimmy’s footsteps and remain a firefighter. On the other side, Sheila and Mickey were trying to pull him out and convince him to pursue a safer career. In the end, Tommy won the battle for Damien, and as a result, Damien literally met a crushing end. This tragedy befalling one of the show’s most likeable and innocent characters set up what should have been a powerful and emotionally draining finale.
Here are the powerful dramatic moments I was expecting to see:
1) Sheila learning what happened to her son, resulting in the emotional tour de force acting I’ve come to expect from Callie Thorne. Presumably, Tommy would have been the one to break the news to her, making the moment all the more powerful.
2) Sheila’s rage towards Tommy manifesting itself in putting all the blame on him.
3) Tommy being driven back to the brink of the bottle because of his own massive sense of culpability for what happened.
4) Janet’s initial reactions of rage and jealousy at seeing Tommy try to help Sheila after Damien’s tragedy drove him back to her as a protector.*
5) The very serious treatment of the reaction of everyone in this universe, and the toll Damien’s accident took on them.
#4 we did get, but because it was so much later, Janet is able to take a much firmer and more reasonable stand against Tommy's priorities. It would have been more compelling to see her dealing with the ambiguity of having these feelings while simultaneously knowing it was inappropriate to tell Tommy not to be there for his godson and his godson's grieving mother right after the accident.
These are the moments that would have made for a riveting, emotionally powerful piece of drama. These are the moments that would have completed the season long story this show has been telling. In short, these are the moments that would befit a finale.
Instead, what we got functioned far more like the opening chapter to season 7 than the closing chapter to season 6. It’s true that the episode’s opening scene was sufficiently powerful, with Sheila breaking down in agony, and then the shocking pan over to Damien, who I’d assumed was dead from Sheila’s phone conversation, but is instead crippled and brain damaged in a wheel chair, completely unable to speak. The image of this condition was far more horrific than an actual death would have been. As such, I expected the issue to be treated with the utmost seriousness. I was severely disappointed to learn that we were picking up two months after Damien’s accident, and as a result missed out on all the powerful dramatic moments that should have followed last week’s episode.
Moreover, after that opening scene, Damien’s condition was tastelessly treated as a joke. It was repulsive to see the boys using Damien to pick up chicks, and then arguing over who got to use him as a wing man on which nights. But the most disturbing piece of disrespect thrown Damien’s way by the writers was when Tommy attempted to mimic him over the cell phone to Sheila by emitting a panged squeal. These jokes, this general attitude of making light of Damien’s situation, are things I probably could have accepted in the season 7 premiere...you know, after we’d been given an entire finale dealing with this tragedy in a very serious way. And after I’d had several months distance from the show in between seasons and time to process. But the fact that two months elapsed for our characters before they made these jokes is fairly irrelevant to how I perceived their behavior. For me, Damien’s tragedy just happened last week. For me, this is still fresh. And to see the show come back a week later and spend the entire hour making fun of this poor, 18 year old kid, who heroically gave up everyhting in the line of duty, and who I’ve come to like and care about over the last several seasons, was disgraceful. I needed catharsis. I needed closure. And I felt the writers somewhat spat in the face of that.
Moreover, the episode in general functioned more as a setup for the upcoming season than like the conclusion of this one. We learned that Tommy has been neglecting his family in favor of other duties and Janet is pissed off. We learn that Sheila is more addicted to medications than ever and is obsessed with finding a miraculous cure for Damien’s paralysis. We learn that Mickey couldn’t take what happened and vanished for 2 months, that Colleen is having trouble staying on the wagon, and that Lou has been ignoring his doctor’s warnings to stay off the job. Again, every single one these feels like the kind of establishing drama we would get in a premiere, and not at all the emotionally powerful closure we deserve from a finale.
To make matters worse, Teddy shows up once again to become Colleen’s new sponsor. I wrote last week that it bothers me every time he shows up, because I find it completely absurd that everyone has just accepted what he did to Tommy as if it’s no big deal…and that’s not even to mention the fact that for some reason there was no police investigation into Tommy's shooting. So the notion that Colleen would agree to have Teddy, the man who literally shot and killed her father, become her new AA sponsor, is an absolute absurdity and completely detracts from the realism of the universe for me.
This makes three straight "Rescue Me" finales that have massively disappointed me. But as ludicrous as Teddy’s shooting of Tommy was in last season's final episode, the complete and utter disrespect shown to a beloved character last night makes this finale the worst of all. I hope they find a way to end next season in a more fitting way, because as it happens, it will also be the end of the series.
So very disappointed. And I’m out.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
RUBICON: “Look to the Ant”
How do you know a show has gotten really, really good? Answer: When you’re approaching the end of the hour and you feel bitter disappointment because you just don’t want it to end. That’s where Rubicon is at for me right now, after what was admittedly a pretty slow start to the series.
Sunday's “Look at the Ant” followed up on last week’s sporadic moments of intense fear and paranoia, with an entire episode full of it. I loved Will's response to finding out his place was bugged. He went full-on Harry Caul (Gene Hackman’s protagonist from The Conversation) on his apartment: ripping out fire alarms, unscrewing electric sockets, and dismantling his phone.
That sense of being watched, of someone coming for Will around every corner was palpable throughout the hour. And in some cases, people were literally coming for him around corners. I thought after last week’s episode that Spangler had dropped the surveillance on Will. I guess he must have subsequently learned that Will is still on the hunt. In any event, the scene where Will confronts his pursuer was just epic. The last time he confronted someone following him, he got a fierce right fist to the solar plexus. Even though he ignored that man's warning not to confront the next person following, this time he's at least smart enough to bring a loaded gun with him. I imagine the fantastic, threatening speech Will gave him, followed by the picture he took, terrified this guy almost as much as Will, himself, was terrified. And isn’t it so fitting in this world of espionage, deceit, and ambiguous information, that this guy had no clue why he was following Will and couldn’t have coughed up any meaningful information even if he wanted to?
The episode’s title, “Look to the Ant”, undoubtedly refers to the social nature of that particular insect. This if fitting, given the desolately solitary life that people in Will’s field are wont to lead. Indeed, Sunday’s episode found various isolated characters craving some form of companionship, and reaching out to get it, only to regress back to isolationism in the end.
Maggie was left alone in her apartment for the first time in a long time, when her ex-husband took her daughter for the evening. Her first instinct was to reach out to Will, whom we know she has a thing for from previous episodes. Will complimenting the way she looks at work that day undoubtedly spurred her on. When Will, too flummoxed by his own justifiably unnerving situation, blows her off, she reaches out to a man from her night school class that she doesn’t even like. She even goes so far as to jump his bones for a deeper sense of connection. However, it’s clear immediately upon finishing the act, that there is no connection. She turns on her side and faces away from him, as he pathetically tells her how “nice” it was.
To make matters worse for Maggie, a terrified Will shows up at her place wanting to spend the night, even if it was purportedly only on her couch. Will catches her with her night school nerd and promptly takes off. Maggie immediately and callously throws her one night stand out of the apartment like a piece of trash. The arrival of the man she actually wanted highlights for her just how much she doesn’t want the man currently wrapped in her sheets. Moreover, she was probably upset that Will catching her like that damaged a chance at a relationship between them in the future. And that’s not even to mention her realization that if she had just waited, Will would have spent the night after all. In the end, Maggie’s forged connection was ephemeral at best, and shw wound up feeling even more isolated than before her night began.
Miles, meanwhile, is so lonely at API that night he finds himself wheeling around the surveillance room in his chair. When George Beck turns out to be speaking Urdu instead of German, Miles needs someone to translate. The image of him frantically running through the halls of API in search of another living human being to help him was a wonderful visualization of the episode’s central theme, and of the toll that life takes on all its participants.
Unfortunately, Miles is entirely unable to accept the true state of his marriage, which appears to be almost certainly over. Because of this self-delusion, he blows his shot with fellow analyst Julia by flashing his ring when she inquires about his status. I’m not sure yet whether this plot line was simply meant to illustrate Miles’ present state of being, or whether we’re going to see this woman again as a potential love interest. My money is on the latter. But at the end of the day, Miles’ attempt at connection, like Maggie’s, ends in failure.
Katherine Rhumor has been alone ever since her husband supposedly blew his brains out. This isolation has been amplified by having to undertake her search for the truth behind her husband’s death all on her own. But this episode finds her connecting with a fellow widow whose husband died under the exact same circumstances as Tom. For a brief moment, the two widows share the sorrow and anguish they’ve both experienced. When Katherine discovers this other man not only served on the same board as Tom, but also died with a four leaf clover on his desk, she chooses not to share this information with her new friend, but instead rushes off to once again pursue her investigation on her own…an investigation that is leading her to Atlas McDowell and undoubtedly to Will. But like Miles and Maggie, Rhumor finds herself alone again at episode’s end.
Will, himself, has been more isolated than anyone since the death of his family. What’s the worst thing that can happen to a lone wolf like Will? Answer: to be put in a situation that makes you genuinely terrified of actuallybeing alone. When Will shows up at Maggie’s apartment he tells her he just “doesn’t want to be alone.” Unfortunately, Will’s attempt at companionship is more short-lived than anyone else’s, as Maggie’s man scares Will off before he can even get through the front door.
The last part of the episode I want to address is Kale. I know a lot of people viewed last night’s episode as proof that he wants to do the right thing, but needs to limit the extent of his involvement to avoid being put at risk. While this is a distinct possibility, I’m not entirely convinced yet. Last week’s episode revealed that Kale is now mistrustful of Spangler and Mr. Roy. We also know from this week’s episode that part of Kale’s motivation is to protect his ex-lover Donald Bloom, and by association, himself. The other part of his motivation might be to protect his country from enemies “both foreign and domestic,” as he so eloquently puts it. But I’m not positive yet that Kale’s motivation isn’t more selfish, that he might not be waging some personal war on people he feels have betrayed him. We’ll find out in coming weeks I’m sure.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Excuse me while I go unscrew some outlets.
Sunday's “Look at the Ant” followed up on last week’s sporadic moments of intense fear and paranoia, with an entire episode full of it. I loved Will's response to finding out his place was bugged. He went full-on Harry Caul (Gene Hackman’s protagonist from The Conversation) on his apartment: ripping out fire alarms, unscrewing electric sockets, and dismantling his phone.
That sense of being watched, of someone coming for Will around every corner was palpable throughout the hour. And in some cases, people were literally coming for him around corners. I thought after last week’s episode that Spangler had dropped the surveillance on Will. I guess he must have subsequently learned that Will is still on the hunt. In any event, the scene where Will confronts his pursuer was just epic. The last time he confronted someone following him, he got a fierce right fist to the solar plexus. Even though he ignored that man's warning not to confront the next person following, this time he's at least smart enough to bring a loaded gun with him. I imagine the fantastic, threatening speech Will gave him, followed by the picture he took, terrified this guy almost as much as Will, himself, was terrified. And isn’t it so fitting in this world of espionage, deceit, and ambiguous information, that this guy had no clue why he was following Will and couldn’t have coughed up any meaningful information even if he wanted to?
The episode’s title, “Look to the Ant”, undoubtedly refers to the social nature of that particular insect. This if fitting, given the desolately solitary life that people in Will’s field are wont to lead. Indeed, Sunday’s episode found various isolated characters craving some form of companionship, and reaching out to get it, only to regress back to isolationism in the end.
Maggie was left alone in her apartment for the first time in a long time, when her ex-husband took her daughter for the evening. Her first instinct was to reach out to Will, whom we know she has a thing for from previous episodes. Will complimenting the way she looks at work that day undoubtedly spurred her on. When Will, too flummoxed by his own justifiably unnerving situation, blows her off, she reaches out to a man from her night school class that she doesn’t even like. She even goes so far as to jump his bones for a deeper sense of connection. However, it’s clear immediately upon finishing the act, that there is no connection. She turns on her side and faces away from him, as he pathetically tells her how “nice” it was.
To make matters worse for Maggie, a terrified Will shows up at her place wanting to spend the night, even if it was purportedly only on her couch. Will catches her with her night school nerd and promptly takes off. Maggie immediately and callously throws her one night stand out of the apartment like a piece of trash. The arrival of the man she actually wanted highlights for her just how much she doesn’t want the man currently wrapped in her sheets. Moreover, she was probably upset that Will catching her like that damaged a chance at a relationship between them in the future. And that’s not even to mention her realization that if she had just waited, Will would have spent the night after all. In the end, Maggie’s forged connection was ephemeral at best, and shw wound up feeling even more isolated than before her night began.
Miles, meanwhile, is so lonely at API that night he finds himself wheeling around the surveillance room in his chair. When George Beck turns out to be speaking Urdu instead of German, Miles needs someone to translate. The image of him frantically running through the halls of API in search of another living human being to help him was a wonderful visualization of the episode’s central theme, and of the toll that life takes on all its participants.
Unfortunately, Miles is entirely unable to accept the true state of his marriage, which appears to be almost certainly over. Because of this self-delusion, he blows his shot with fellow analyst Julia by flashing his ring when she inquires about his status. I’m not sure yet whether this plot line was simply meant to illustrate Miles’ present state of being, or whether we’re going to see this woman again as a potential love interest. My money is on the latter. But at the end of the day, Miles’ attempt at connection, like Maggie’s, ends in failure.
Katherine Rhumor has been alone ever since her husband supposedly blew his brains out. This isolation has been amplified by having to undertake her search for the truth behind her husband’s death all on her own. But this episode finds her connecting with a fellow widow whose husband died under the exact same circumstances as Tom. For a brief moment, the two widows share the sorrow and anguish they’ve both experienced. When Katherine discovers this other man not only served on the same board as Tom, but also died with a four leaf clover on his desk, she chooses not to share this information with her new friend, but instead rushes off to once again pursue her investigation on her own…an investigation that is leading her to Atlas McDowell and undoubtedly to Will. But like Miles and Maggie, Rhumor finds herself alone again at episode’s end.
Will, himself, has been more isolated than anyone since the death of his family. What’s the worst thing that can happen to a lone wolf like Will? Answer: to be put in a situation that makes you genuinely terrified of actuallybeing alone. When Will shows up at Maggie’s apartment he tells her he just “doesn’t want to be alone.” Unfortunately, Will’s attempt at companionship is more short-lived than anyone else’s, as Maggie’s man scares Will off before he can even get through the front door.
The last part of the episode I want to address is Kale. I know a lot of people viewed last night’s episode as proof that he wants to do the right thing, but needs to limit the extent of his involvement to avoid being put at risk. While this is a distinct possibility, I’m not entirely convinced yet. Last week’s episode revealed that Kale is now mistrustful of Spangler and Mr. Roy. We also know from this week’s episode that part of Kale’s motivation is to protect his ex-lover Donald Bloom, and by association, himself. The other part of his motivation might be to protect his country from enemies “both foreign and domestic,” as he so eloquently puts it. But I’m not positive yet that Kale’s motivation isn’t more selfish, that he might not be waging some personal war on people he feels have betrayed him. We’ll find out in coming weeks I’m sure.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Excuse me while I go unscrew some outlets.
Monday, August 30, 2010
HUNG: “This is America or Fifty Bucks”
Last night’s Hung was just okay.
Like my favorite critic, Alan Sepinwall, I have a big problem with stories that require their protagonist to be unrealistically stupid. Last night’s episode did just that. Moreover, it impinged upon a specific pet peeve I have in TV shows and movies. I absolutely hate it when the following happens:
a) A character’s secret gets exposed to someone.
b) That secret either has mitigating circumstances or in some cases is outright false.
c) The character doesn’t take the time to reveal the mitigating circumstance or explain that the secret the other party thinks he or she knows is entirely untrue.
In last night’s episode, “This is America or Fifty Bucks,” Lenore confronts Ray about stealing her cut from his business with Frances. Ray, we know, has had nothing to do with this and is learning about it for the first time as Lenore tells him. He makes one feeble attempt to say he didn’t do it. But other than that, he lets her walk away having threatened to destroy his life. Anyone…ANYONE would have chased her down the hall and vigorously and convincingly explained that Tanya duped them both. Then again later, when Mike accuses Ray of having betrayed and plotted against him, Ray makes virtually no attempt to explain the situation. So that bugged the hell out of me.
Secondly, I’m really not sure what to think of Tanya becoming such a terrible human being. I’m not sure Lenore’s accusation of her being a sociopath was entirely inaccurate. I was disgusted with the way Tanya spoke to Ray after he caught her in her betrayal. Ray, as we know, is a genuinely good person who never wishes ill will on anyone. And he certainly doesn’t deserve to be lumped together in the same moral realm as Tanya. I hope he has the good sense to go with Lenore over Tanya in next week’s finale.
Ronnie’s meltdown at the dermatology award ceremony would have caused me to shield my eyes in horror if I remotely liked Ronnie. He has derailed his entire marriage and now the respect of his peers as well. And of course his tirade drives Jess straight out of the room and into Ray’s arms.
I’m also a little disappointed that the whole idea of Ray learning to become a successful male escort has been dropped entirely.
Truth be told, not much in that episode worked for me. Hopefully, next week’s finale will be better.
Like my favorite critic, Alan Sepinwall, I have a big problem with stories that require their protagonist to be unrealistically stupid. Last night’s episode did just that. Moreover, it impinged upon a specific pet peeve I have in TV shows and movies. I absolutely hate it when the following happens:
a) A character’s secret gets exposed to someone.
b) That secret either has mitigating circumstances or in some cases is outright false.
c) The character doesn’t take the time to reveal the mitigating circumstance or explain that the secret the other party thinks he or she knows is entirely untrue.
In last night’s episode, “This is America or Fifty Bucks,” Lenore confronts Ray about stealing her cut from his business with Frances. Ray, we know, has had nothing to do with this and is learning about it for the first time as Lenore tells him. He makes one feeble attempt to say he didn’t do it. But other than that, he lets her walk away having threatened to destroy his life. Anyone…ANYONE would have chased her down the hall and vigorously and convincingly explained that Tanya duped them both. Then again later, when Mike accuses Ray of having betrayed and plotted against him, Ray makes virtually no attempt to explain the situation. So that bugged the hell out of me.
Secondly, I’m really not sure what to think of Tanya becoming such a terrible human being. I’m not sure Lenore’s accusation of her being a sociopath was entirely inaccurate. I was disgusted with the way Tanya spoke to Ray after he caught her in her betrayal. Ray, as we know, is a genuinely good person who never wishes ill will on anyone. And he certainly doesn’t deserve to be lumped together in the same moral realm as Tanya. I hope he has the good sense to go with Lenore over Tanya in next week’s finale.
Ronnie’s meltdown at the dermatology award ceremony would have caused me to shield my eyes in horror if I remotely liked Ronnie. He has derailed his entire marriage and now the respect of his peers as well. And of course his tirade drives Jess straight out of the room and into Ray’s arms.
I’m also a little disappointed that the whole idea of Ray learning to become a successful male escort has been dropped entirely.
Truth be told, not much in that episode worked for me. Hopefully, next week’s finale will be better.
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