I stole the teevee.
Life 2.10: First of all, that episode had possibly the two most delightful scenes ever put to film, namely, 1) THERE'S ONLY ONE ROOM LEFT IN THIS HOTEL?, and 2) "So how long have you two been together?" "Since we met in prison." followed by "She's not your daughter?" The amount of delight filling my soul at both those, I can't even describe it. Mulder/Scully fic tropes ftw, especially with how massively uncomfortably Charlie was. Also whenever the show mentions how gay Charlie and Ted are for each other, I can't even deal. MY TWO DADS WITH RACHEL, IT'S JUST CANON.
Other things that 100% delighted me:
The Office: First, let's talk about how the non-Jim/Pam parts of this show are 100% delight. Andy/Oscar! Ryan Howard the temp! The Office, starring Michael Gary Scott and his Broken Heart. Darryl! HOLLY LEAVING AND BREAKING ALL OUR HEARTS. Toby's return, and the sexual tension between him and Michael, hahaha. Basically everything else that has happened this season, AWESOME AWESOME.
However, you guys, I am gravely, gravely concerned about the Jim/Pam arc. Like, I was actually sort of okay with Pam coming back from New York, because the second she did Dwight asked her to make copies, and I thought, look, the show's showing that Pam got scared in New York when she was failing, and missed Jim and so she wimped out and came home, because it always takes Pam a little while to work up the courage to do things, but now she's the RECEPTIONIST again and that blows and so she's going to have to find a way to be awesome despite her fears. And that's fine, that's an interesting arc. And I know the show is a little handcuffed by how they need to keep Jim and Pam on the show, even though the natural consequence of Pam's arc (and maybe Jim's) should be her getting a better job.
BUT LAST WEEK. Okay, Jim buying her this house is just so far beyond the pale, first of all. Hey Pam, I got you the gift of lack of agency as an adult woman! Everybody loves that! I mean, my god, you just don't buy real estate or cars or anything huge without talking to your partner about it, for heaven's sake. But okay, everyone in the office seemed to understand that it was a horrible idea, and I even liked Jim a lot when he got all panicky about it and clearly understood that he had made a huge mistake. And Pam had that look on her face. But... then she SAID SHE LOVED IT? WHAT? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? AUGH. I am hoping they explain this nonsense this week, or go somewhere with this, because right now I'm really concerned about how they're making badfic tropes a thing with Jim and Pam. Ugh ugh ugh it gives me the creeps. SHOW, DON'T BLOW IT.
Also, is it just me, or is Oscar the new Jim now that Jim always seems to be a dbag? His reaction shots as the normal dude have been cracking me up lately.
Other things that 100% delighted me:
- How mad Charlie was that Rachel was out all night with a boy, considering that she's like 23 years old. And then how they got into a big fight about it where it seemed like Rachel was really over the top upset about Charlie being gone and out of touch. Uh, wow, you two sure do have a (sexy) emotionally charged relationship. They are seriously kind of becoming my pairing, it's a little sick, you guys, and I don't even care. She's his young ward! The murders 13 years ago ruined both their lives and they're the only two survivors (except Jen, but whatevs, her life recovered fine). agate said she hopes that Rachel finds the conspiracy wall and becomes fiercely loyal to Charlie and they investigate the whole thing together, and her being the Robin to his Batman would be pretty hot, you guys. Fingers crossed.
- Haha, when the cop at the beginning, like, listed Charlie's possible 'ships. Bring your ex-wife! Or your "roommate" you met in prison! Or your hot partner!
- Speaking of which, it's kind of hilarious after last week's "cliff-hanger" that they just started this episode with basically, "And with one leap, Jack was free!" I'm not sure if it's retarded or a daring narrative choice. But I'm putting this in the list of things I liked, so I guess it's the latter. Sort of. I'm not sure if I enjoyed it ironically or not, I guess.
- Seriously, only one hotel room?? HAHA IT'S JUST SO AWESOME. And Dani SHOWERING, and Charlie babbling and oh god, the Tidwell conversation. Which -- haha, Dani has a lot of balls. Her boyfriend grosses out her partner, and then she makes her PARTNER go find somewhere else to sleep? Haha, poor Charlie. Also, I very much enjoyed Tidwell being jealous of Charlie re: the hotel room. And God, the social awkwardness of the scene was just beautiful.
- Charlie trying to talk to Dani about how it's good she's opening up to love in her life, hahahahaha. He's so supportive/hilariously sort of mean, all at once. I really love their brother/sister relationship kind of a lot.
- Hey, have I ever mentioned how I think Damian Lewis is a hottie?
- Well, I was actually on board with Dani/Tidwell until this episode, but in this one it actually skeeved me out. I think that is because it seemed like Dani went from being her cranky self to being, like, some generic sexual fantasy. Or something. Idk, it was just weird and gross. Also, isn't Dani, like, my age? Why does she think "dude" is a form of address and not an interjection, as though she's my dad's age? I mean, like, if my friend says, "That movie sucked," and I say, "God, I know, right?" I'm not calling her "God," you know? Whatevs, writer.
- Plots are never this show's strong point, and to be fair I was a little distracted by the Jonas Brothers playing Rockefeller Center for the first 15 minutes, but this plot seemed kind of particularly boring. And the character parts of the show are starting to feel a little shoehorned in? I don't know, the balance feels off to me somehow. Also, what is with the over-focus on plots, does this show think it's a Law and Order? Because I really only need one SVU to torture me. Sheesh.
- I don't know. I still love this show like a crazy person, but it's a little sad to me that it's less... I don't know. It's less, like, aftermath-y than the first season was, in that way that really pinged me and made me crazily overidentify. I mean, it makes sense -- Charlie's been out of prison a lot longer, Dani's been in rehab a lot longer, so of course that feeling of recovering after a huge trauma is less, but I still sometimes wish it were more like season 1, in the prison thing feeling so immediate and personal. Sometimes they still get back there, like when they really hit on the huge losses for Charlie and Jen, for instance. But still, it doesn't feel like enough. Ah, well.
The Office: First, let's talk about how the non-Jim/Pam parts of this show are 100% delight. Andy/Oscar! Ryan Howard the temp! The Office, starring Michael Gary Scott and his Broken Heart. Darryl! HOLLY LEAVING AND BREAKING ALL OUR HEARTS. Toby's return, and the sexual tension between him and Michael, hahaha. Basically everything else that has happened this season, AWESOME AWESOME.
However, you guys, I am gravely, gravely concerned about the Jim/Pam arc. Like, I was actually sort of okay with Pam coming back from New York, because the second she did Dwight asked her to make copies, and I thought, look, the show's showing that Pam got scared in New York when she was failing, and missed Jim and so she wimped out and came home, because it always takes Pam a little while to work up the courage to do things, but now she's the RECEPTIONIST again and that blows and so she's going to have to find a way to be awesome despite her fears. And that's fine, that's an interesting arc. And I know the show is a little handcuffed by how they need to keep Jim and Pam on the show, even though the natural consequence of Pam's arc (and maybe Jim's) should be her getting a better job.
BUT LAST WEEK. Okay, Jim buying her this house is just so far beyond the pale, first of all. Hey Pam, I got you the gift of lack of agency as an adult woman! Everybody loves that! I mean, my god, you just don't buy real estate or cars or anything huge without talking to your partner about it, for heaven's sake. But okay, everyone in the office seemed to understand that it was a horrible idea, and I even liked Jim a lot when he got all panicky about it and clearly understood that he had made a huge mistake. And Pam had that look on her face. But... then she SAID SHE LOVED IT? WHAT? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? AUGH. I am hoping they explain this nonsense this week, or go somewhere with this, because right now I'm really concerned about how they're making badfic tropes a thing with Jim and Pam. Ugh ugh ugh it gives me the creeps. SHOW, DON'T BLOW IT.
Also, is it just me, or is Oscar the new Jim now that Jim always seems to be a dbag? His reaction shots as the normal dude have been cracking me up lately.