Is the Last Ep the Cliffs of Insanity? Being Erica : s04e10
Ignoring all the cranky for the next few hours: I'm a good little optimist when I'm not being cynical. Hell, I'm a good little optimist even when I AM being cynical. It's a gift.
I am wondering where the hell everyone is - I've checked LJ, FB, even Twitter. Nada, or rather, very very little. I expected more of spoilers, I really did.
Previouslies - well, they managed to pick the tiny fraction of the painful Kai/Erica break up which doesn't make either of them look urky (and Pigott's line read there is quite nice.) Very lovely and tragic.
I'm starting to wonder if Kai won't be back, but that mystery "Time" song will be the last whisper of him, playing on a radio. Not sure what the actor intimated about not being back on show, but it might fit since he would have recorded the song previously, and separately.
While I know that Brent would use the term "DL," I still have mental dissonance given that I only know it in related to homosexual black men sneaking off from their wive to meet up on the "down low" without ruining their lives. It saddens me to think how well that might fit in this situation.
Oh, Jenny's back? Thought we saw the tail end of her - though I suppose the AU was a tip off, not a nod back. I'm not cool with this "you hurt me!" shit, since Erica does nothing but hurt other people -coughs-Julianne-coughs- and somehow that never warrants an angst-ridden episode. I'm rooting for Julianne to get one goddamn punch in, have Erica take her seriously, and have it stick. I will settle for Erica not mucking around in Jent in any "helpful" manner.
Oh, so Adam's shout-out was the whole football thing with Kai, don't know how I missed it (I do, it's because I don't really care and didn't remember) - which could explain the slightly weird way Kai acted in that scene. It wasn't mockery, just an in-joke.
Try and fail, TRY AND FAIL. And btw, if we're going back to Purim, why is Erica's family completely irrelevant to the Previouslies?
Showtime
Once again, Adam is strides ahead on domesticity. Srsly, it's like he's not an emotional fuckup at all. Which I would argue is because he isn't, really, not to the extent that Erica is. Adam bounced through relationships because he was scared of them, and scared of trying, not because he couldn't do it. Erica bops around because she can't relax. Does this make her and Adam perfect afterall? IDEK, clearly I'm on a different page from everyone else, though at least I'm not alone on my wtf raft.
Though yes, I will admit that on the subject of being a nervous pee'er, Adam can challenge Erica and help her mature. -rolls eyes- A very useful skill should she find herself in jail. Which we haven't seen, btw, and would have been interesting.
Why wouldn't Erica like a robot? Who wouldn't like a robot? I mean, a spa day is a day at a spa, but a ROBOT IS FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. Or less, but the less time it last the more fun you must have had, eh?
W/e, I like this scene. Cute, domestic, the kind of thing that lulls us into believing they might be good together except when the shit hits the fan the ugly spews forth. But IDEK because there's no time for more drama and let's just mark them off as "done" and move off to more interesting subjects yes?
I remember Kate Gosslin going to a spa with Mikey Teutul. That was funny. Don't judge me. It was long long ago when everyone was still kinda cute.
Whoops, there's my name again. I'm still really really conflicted only more so because this time I noticed.
On the other hand I'm please they didn't drop the book because it's central to the Jent storyline, as well as Brent / 50/50 and 50/50 / RR. Looking at it like that, how did I ever think it was a throwaway plot twist and excuse for the guest star? Though I'm not seeing how Friedkin is getting involved in this, except that he seems to be 2IC over at The Rock now.
The Rock hit Mick Foley over the head waaay to many times and cut his head wide open in front of his kids. And then didn't apologize for going off script. D:
I also can't help but notice that FINALLY Erica has the time and energy to look around her, and is trying to hook up Julianne. With people their working with! Maybe not a great idea, like ever, though it sounds like her selection is very very different than Brent, which I'm sure will provide laughs and/or angst. It's possibly a bit strange that she never tried to matchmake Julianne before? Aside from that one-night stand she's been single for years.
Okay, sneaking into the bathroom with that little "I have to pee!!!" dance was adorable. I see what someone meant, when they said it felt like season 1 and 2 again. Makes me wonder if half the problem wasn't just that the last couple seasons lacked in the laughter department, and the heart of this show was always the joy we find in moments, and in laughing at ourselves.
Also note that if Erica is so concerned about bathroom privacy, she might want to invest in a solid door, or at least a more substantial curtain. Plus she was walking in on Ethan in the shower, was the door those times? Can't recall.
I am disoriented by the flying shot but will guess we're going to 50/50 to see Jent, because I don't know where else we'd be going, basically. I'm also going to assume Erica already took the day off, or else it's a little lame she's just up and taking time off again. Poor attitude. Let me rephrase. -squints- I"ll just play it and see what happens.
Oh, VO. Could go anywhere, possibly going to DrT then because Refuge is a bit extreme for Jent and they have to get DrT to quitty times.
I went -facedesk- again though. "Refuge" is the safeword between Jarod and Sydney and even if the show itself hadn't punched that into my head, it's a favourite plot point for fanfiction writers. I have thoughts on The Pretender fanfiction, but this isn't the time or place and none of you actually care anyway (but thank you for putting up with my re-obsession.)
Small flower bush, not a garden. Hi Erica! Walking straight into emotional upheaval. (Oh god, now I'm doing it, someone grab some of the Monk's brandy, or Ocee's tea, by the truckload.) The theme of this episode is somewhere around being in a good place, having good, static relationships, and then having them turn topsy turvy. Which we'll see play out in the Jent reveal, and will be massively displayed in DrT's decision to become just T, though it doesn't sound like Erica's going to find out about that one until the finale.
I thought it was a bit of a clinical moment, entirely from Erica's POV, Julianne talking as if to a camera... Or the viewer, and as viewer I'm feeling penned in and alarmed and OMG JENT IS SO FREAKING ADORKABLE!!! Not only are they once again in office well before Erica (play nice, after all, they aren't actually working this time) but they are actually ROLEPLAYING the reveal. Man, they're making this such a big deal, it would be hilarious if Erica's response was just "aw, I'm so happy for you two!"
But this is Erica, so happily, we know she won't. XP
"Cut! … You're telling her that we're dating, not that she has terminal cancer."
ROFLOL!!! I need a couple minutes off keyboard to giggle about this.
So this is why Jent works for me. Even though in so many things Brent is submissive and Julianne is legitimately more dominant, in those spaces where she's unsure and lost, he's always there to prop her up and set her back on track.
OMG .
OMG.
Well, that was ONE way to tell her.
And I do believe it was one of may options speculated previously. Because I can pretty much run the gambit of spec.
Totally solves a lot of problems, and causes the maximum number of other problems. Though it does make Jent look a little unprofessional, which makes me sad, but it wasn't like they were making out and this is a 50/50 relevant problem, Erica not knowing. BTW, where is RayRay? I get that Jent wouldn't want her in on these "planning sessions" but she'd have decent input and has known about them for longer almost than THEY knew about them.
On the downside Erica now won't be trying to set up Julianne, which I thought would lead to an interesting "coming out" situation, especially if Julianne felt she needed to play along with the date until she could get out of it.
"That we..." "Heart each other?" JULIANNE JULIANNE JULIANNE
Erica looks surprised and confused, as she well might. Not judgey yet.
Intro thingy. Credits.
"Brent and I are dating... Each other." Only Julianne would feel it necessary to add the clause. -giggles-
The thing I want to point out about Julianne is that under the gun, she doesn't fall to pieces. Unless she goes scattershot, but in the normal course of events she faces front and trucks on. I mean, she has a wardrobe malfunction and a weird encounter with Brent, who gives her a crystal dove and asks for peace and a (date) - and three minutes later she's onstage giving a flawless toast. That's class.
Ooh, okay. So we're going to fun with how they've been hiding it for a really long time and how Erica's world hasn't been nearly as stable and transparent as the thought it was? Though it's her own damn fault for not only not noticing, but not making her friends feel comfortable telling her.
Is it weird that I actually thought it was more than a month? Don't know- Oh, I think it was because I was so sure that Erica would go on tour with Kai. So I mentally shoved everyone forward a few weeks.
RayRay should be a little more sensitive, what with her psychic nature? Now I'm not sure Erica's going to be there long enough to drink that latte.
"Who has two thumbs and is psychic? Moi!" This episode is way quotable. :D:D:D
And Julianne has some great faces going.
I'm not adding anything productive here at all.
Ooh, they were rollplaying at Erica's desk? Thorough! But if it's not hemmed in, why, when Erica walked in, did Brent cross around from the other side? Was it to avoid stepping straight into Erica, or more about getting to the right position for the camera angles?
Erica has her upset face on, and Brent gives her this weird smile. Like, it's too nice and friendly, and nothing else, and I expect more observation from him. I've always seen him as being good with picking up on other people's discomfort, that is, if he's not the one causing it. Boundary issues.
One day someone needs to tell me who Jay Manuel is. I know he's on Next Top Model (maybe it's time to start judging me... But it's great pulp tv when it's a dull afternoon and you just want to veg and like, knit.) But does he like, do anything?
Ooh, disagreement! Julianne and Erica pick different favourite covers, Brent tries to sneak a look but isn't getting in the middle of this one. This is so typical of their MO that I won't even put it entirely down to Erica being still in shock - Erica wants to "elevate" their material, Julianne wants to capitalize on trends. They work best when they can make their competing aesthetics work together, so hopefully they will here too, though at heart I want Brent to weigh in.
So they devolve into quasi-personal insults, and the designer, instead of offering a third option or middle ground, tries to throw it off on Brent. Who promptly falls off his chair, in a gag that was gratuitous but really, really funny because I like to watch people fall off chairs. Too much I Love Lucy in my childhood. Not enough Charlie Chaplin. Why doesn't PBS play that sort of history? More relevant than BBC castoffs, at any rate. (Though never, ever tough Poirot or that one string of Miss Marples.)
Julianne is overly concerned because she is laughing inside and barely restraining herself from laughing outside too. Which is cuteness, because overconcern sickens me but this doesn't.
Erica has a weird moment that might be judgment but is more like confusion plus WTF. So I'm baffled by this one.
For a second I worried he would go with Erica's, even though it's not his taste. It might have been nicer if he'd made an alternative suggestion, but of course now it looks like Jent have the power in the business, just because they're dating. And the thing is, she has a point. They're 50/50, but as soon as it's a three-way vote it's no longer fair and equal.
Though at the end of the day Brent brought it in and should get final say. Or at least Julianne should, since he was a) giving it to her and b) trading it to HER in return for help of the Friedkin book. I still can't spell Freidkin. It's a mental block. TBH this is the reason I always used to call him Freakman. I can spell that. Usually.
How many first books do they have? Everything seems to define their company. It's weird.
Personally, I also thought the second option was dull. All I could think was "Cary Grant" because I picked up a bio of him that was similar. I think. B&W and plainish? Only it was Cary Grant and I think a better pose.
Prepare to laugh at me: We're looking through bubbles (Dr.N?) listening to Erica rant about the morning, in what looks like a circle of people.... Yeah, I thought she was in Group. And I got all excited.
But it's just her and Adam at the spa. Is it weird I forgot all about the spa? Is it weirder I assumed you couldn't just walk in and are meant to make reservations?
Imma go back on an older idea here, that Erica's root problem is relationships. No matter what professional dynamic Erica and Julianne had, Erica always had the upper hand on the emotional aspects. Now that Erica finallyfinally feels completely settled in a forever relationship, she was ready to turn around and bestow her wisdom on Julianne. Only to find that Julianne has gone out and made her own choice, apparently long before Erica made her finalfinal. Moreover, by the time Brent sided with Julianne (which he would have done dating or not... There's a reason they worked together for so long) she also saw them in an authentically caring, sweet relationship. Ie, Julianne is doing much better than Erica. Or at least doing better/easier/cheating.
Anyone else always find it creepy when people hold personal conversations while a bunch of "servants" pamper them? Especially when Butler's uniforms and the tacit ownership a la Jeeves and Wooster is not involved.
Adam is voice of reason, because yeah, he's always been pretty good at Group, and pinpointing troubles, so long as he isn't directly involved. Erica certainly feels betrayed, though I think it's more than that and I also think she has some valid concerns about the company, though not the ones she's claiming. I don't think, professionally, Brent would ever side with Julianne against his inclination, I think Jent is stronger than that, they both know it, and both are too committed to their careers to trainwreck themselves.
"It's the fact that her personal life is now affecting my professional life." Pot, meet kettle. And since we're ending the scene on that line, I do believe the introductions will be made.
DrT/Amanda. -ducks- >_>
I always find DrT's personal life pretty uncomfortable, because it's so divorced from his T3 demeanor, and because it's so different than most ever role I know him from. It's like the zombie curse - every time I see a dead person, no matter what show, I ALWAYS sit there with my hands poised next to my eyes because I'm absolutely certain in a crazy stupid certainty that the dead body is going to lurch up, grab the nearest character, and rip their throat out.
Imma go out on a limb and say that DrT is just burning out because he was driving himself so hard and he's not infatuated by this "new life" with Amanda. But you can't spend every second devoted to one person, that's nuts, and so after a while he'll miss Therapy, want it back, be ready and itching for the new challenge of a new patient, guiding them through the process and watching them grow. Unless he had these feelings BEFORE meeting Amanda. Of which there might have been signs. Were there?
"I'm your new adventure." -gag-
IDEK. Is this like an old-person thing? Am I just an unrepentant geek? In the "passion comes first, work comes first, discovery trumps all" sense? "People come and go, but truth burns regardless"
It's not a character flaw, it's a quirk. >_>
Thought someone would be watching DrT/Amanda but no, just a little camera jerk to lead us into Erica whooshing by to blow out this cute arrangement of cupcakes. Or rather, blow out the candles, not the cupcakes, because that would be weird. Is this a thing, the line of cupcakes? I know cupcakes have been really big, in popularity, not size, for a while, but I've never see this line thing. It's nifty.
Jude is trying to apologize for Jenny, which all at once makes no sense and perfect sense. No sense because Jude has it relatively together and I don't even know why she's friends with the spaz Jenny. Total sense because Erica was a spaz too, and she's Judith's bestie. Apparently, Judith is a friend for life.
During the talk, Erica appears to be spying on Jent.
Aww, Julianne calls her Chicken! Has that happened in a while? I miss that!
Erica is looking around like she's trying to escape. Awkward. But Julianne being Julianne just asks what's wrong, because even though she is a social disaster she is also guileless.
Judith goes to talk to Brent, and while it's likely just small talk I want to hear it. Brent watches Julianne in real concern because he can do no wrong that's worse that a little facepalming "oh Brent..." Erica harshes it out on Julianne which is reminiscent of that early "it felt like you were treating me as an assistant, when you had me get drinks" discussion, only this resolution isn't so easy.
Erica finally comes out with the statement that she wouldn't have done that to Julianne "in a million years" which is going to get a T3 session, as a hurt Julianne escapes to the offices and Erica decides she's sorry and should go after he. Which she does a lot, btw, and generally always gets office time. It this a fundamental character trait or more of an expedient route into Therapy?
Oh, my bad, not repentant. Instead she heads into the bathroom. Brent watching her like he KNOWS what's up and I can't actually tell what he's thinking except that he's thinking SOMETHING (sad, disappointed) and I hope what he's thinking is that there's a point at which he's going to step in and defend Julianne.
We see the bottom ¼ or so of the elusive painting-of-the-week. I don't know what it is, anyone have a guess? I blame it on my AP Art History course. The teacher got cranky and stopped teaching us when we hit the Renaissance. Go figure, I always thought quite a bit of Art History happened DURING OR AFTER the Renaissance, eh?
"Well lucky for us I can manipulate time." Man, this ep is batting out the wit like that guy who hit all the home runs that year. I think it was McG- something. Clearly I'm not a sports fan. WHERE WAS THIS WRITING EARLIER IN THE SEASON? -CLINGS-
Is Purim the one where the story of the desert trip is told to the children? My only experience is with Sports Night, which I thought was lovely, btw, so I'm guessing but I'm also not looking it up because if the show doesn't provide it I'm not expected to know it. -shrugs- See, this is why I hate the necessity of exposition...
And they use Purim to dig in about Jenny and how she's really an endlessly loyal friend. I'm not getting it. DrT is being wildly inconsistent, unless dumping someone then accepting them back is a reasonable way to live one's life. Especially given all the hullabaloo about working through the tough times with -coughs-Adam-coughs- your man. Sorry "Girl Power," apparently men are Kings after all.
I'm going to assume we'll continue the explanations with our lovely clueless Jenny (who's never heard of this is all the years she's known Erica?) because like-Halloween-but-with-Queens isn't really helping.
Picture perfect outdoor shot. CGI? Canned?
Sam and gendrer play! This is a whole other level to her character that we've only hinted at so far. It's wonderful to see, especially as she kowtows to Josh so early in her life. Though the fact that Erica's favourite grandpa doesn't have a special bond with Sam is another tidbit for the memory banks.
I don't actually know where this regret is going.
Mini!Sam is doing a pretty good job of replicating Adult!Sam's cadence. Has she always played the little Sam or is this her first go?
Jenny did pretty good there. I am also pleased to note that upon hearing about the naked dancing she did not, in face, find it wise to remove her clothing.
PS, Sam stealing the booze and having a secret relationship with Leo = Gold.
How did she have all that wine in her jacket/vest without it pulling everything massively askew? And why doesn't it ever work for me?
That was possibly the single most abrupt cut ever. Or it was a rip error, which is quite possible.
Aw, Jent on the couch. They're already cute.
And I know what they're thinking: "THAT didn't go as well as hoped."
And in fact, went worse.
Because Julianne thinks that firing Brent is the option (I don't know if he would have felt better if she'd said they need to break up?). And Brent thinks that is a shitty option and breaks up with her, again, now planning to avoid her forever down to waiting 'til she's out of office to get his things.
I'd like it more if I thought he was more pissed about the lines her solution is taking, rather than just the job.
I'm also concerned that for someone who was in love with her for years, he's spending a lot of time breaking up with her.
Remember when everyone kept saying Jent was gold, Jent was settled, look how awesome they're going to forever be?
Yeah.
o.O
So,... Did I curse them by saying I wanted Erica to throw a major wrench? Is Brent upset here because he wanted Julianne to fight for him? Because what I meant was for Brent and Julianne to stand up to Erica, and it's looking more like Erica's going to come back, say it's all alright, Jent can be, and Julianne will go convince Brent to come back. Only if I was him, I wouldn't. Damn.
So we split out in the middle of a regret in order to watch Jent break up. Have we done this before? Not often, I think, or I would have noticed. Man, it puts Jent pretty prominent, which is highly fitting since they've been in the entire run, but it's also a little weird - for years the arc was subtle and now it's a major factor in the final minutes?
Ah, so the point of this is that she too played like everything was chill, long past when she should have, because she was trying to protect the way life was. As did Julianne. Which is a rather thin interpretation, imho.
What Erica gets out of this is apparently that we expect our friends and family to be like us, and it sucks when they aren't. I still feel... I KNOW that yeah, Erica would totally date an employee. (And I snuck in another TP reference, this is too easy -g-)
Nerp. DrT is getting all personal. Whoa.
BTW, still over 10 minutes of episode left.
But, back to the personal.
WTF.
Is he quitting already?
Yo girl, if it all fits, shouldn't you have demonstrated any of it, like ever?
I say that half-heartedly because I legitimately liked her in this episode. I mean, she's rude and all, but it's the old sort of rudeness.
Don't see where this "almost there" is coming from apart from a need to wrap up the show.
But I can now see why Julianne would be drunk. When I thought it was at the party that was lame. But post-breakup due to Erica yet again being crazy? Yeah, totally.
Not cool she's onstage. Is this payback for the time Erica was upset over Adam and got trashed and knocked over the ice penis?
Remember how Ivan and everyone pulled Erica down off that bar? Erica needs to get Julianne off the stage, and if she was a friend, she would. If Adam is the kind of boyfriend he's acting like, HE'D get Julianne off the stage.
Oh god, they did NOT just mane "Brulianne" canon. I'm so never calling them that. For one thing, is disastrously long to type. And do you know how many times I type "Jent" in a day/review? A lot. That and the perpetual mental reference to crème brulee and thus a torch.
Of course she couldn't tell you, you freaked out, yelled at her, made her fire her boyfriend, and are now once again using convenient T3 to make you seem like the responsible one while the only way JULIANNE can get out of this is by leaving a permanent scar on her relationship.
This can be fixed by having Brent walk back in for a word with Erica. After all, Erica is manipulating Julianne because Julianne looks up to her and values her opinion, that's not cool, and that's where someone needs to step in. If Brent and Adam get in a fight and Adam gets pissed and whales on him, that's okay too. Not really. But kinda, eh?
So I, with careful consideration, fell off the wagon today, got some cloves, did a little smoking and discovered my lungs aren't so great with the smoke anymore (ouch.) But it's been hours and I'm still feeling it in my chest, the expectancy I always associate with sitting on a rooftop, wandering the city streets at night when everything is quiet but nothing is stopped.
Eh, happy music? Julianne HEARTS Erica for... Being reasonable? Julianne apologizes unprompted, doesn't even spill the rather relevant information about Brent being in love with her for years, and Erica gets to cheat and STILL doesn't recognize that she was ignoring Julianne?
WELL THIS ISN'T COOL SO MUCH.
I can see Jenny as a real estate agent, but is it really that quick and easy to get licensed? A friend of mine did it for a summer, but her boyfriend owned a real estate company and I'm not sure if she was just working under him or what.
Ooh, slinky. SLINKY. (Pretender ;> ) So is DrT saying goodbye to his office? In general, if not for the last time? Because just disappearing isn't so much cool. But we pan down to see Erica's notebook of regrets with a pen on top, as if... as if what? He's leaving it, unfinished? For someone else to take up? As if it's the last thing he's working on?
Is it me or is it a bit early for a VO. Is this is? No more talky scenes?
So Julianne is text-apologizing, and making it sound like she came to the conclusion, when really it's just that Erica said it's okay?
I think Jent needs to break up for a while, until Julianne can make up her own mind. Much as I know they would work wonderfully together, it's better, with Erica involved, to be in different places.
The weird thing is that a drunk Julianne makes no typing errors. But the WEIRDEST thing is that a texting Julianne makes no abbrs.
Me the luddite questions why her phone is telling her who she is? Is this something people nowadays are likely to forget?
Brent apparently does not respond right away but reads it and is happy to make up. He's better off not. Cut losses and just move on. To get back together later, don't get me wrong, OTP here, but right now it's just not working out and there are things you work through and things that you have to wait for.
Erica finally accepts the motorcycle. I care not.
So there I am, terrified that riding off on the motorcycle is our "into the sunset" and there goes the ep, when at least we're in DrN's office so DrT can resign. After pacing, lots of pacing.
Yo T - you don't need DrN to understand, you need Erica to understand. And since she's in a good place and will believe she can keep seeing you anyway, she probably will.
Whoa.
So.
How does this work?
Like, does he have to move? Because T was just walking down the street and bumped into Adam. How do they avoid that sort of thing.
What's the logic behind this?
What?
It's actually kinda a kick in the gut.
-crying a little bit-
Explains why Erica43 hadn't seen him in a long time.
But means this moment is somewhat fatalistic.
Because the chances that he doesn't quit are like 2%.
And so we walk into this conversation knowing the outcome and I, oddly enough, haven't taken a real English class in a decade so is this the definition of tragedy, or it it something else?
And why is Erica the only one who doesn't have to give anything up? She gave up Kai, but only after convincing herself that he was an illusion and she didn't love him.
By contrast, Julianne was willing to give up her relationship for her friendship with Erica, and their business. DrT is giving up all of T3 for a real shot with Amanda and a real life.
-tears-
I want my Pretender blanket because at least they're all so fcuk'd up from the beginning that all they're ever doing is losing things, and the small handful of things that are always true stay always true and actually get stronger over the years.
Nice to hear Camilla is still alive, and still ahead of Erica.
Oh, I get it - when we're looking at the text it's on Brent's phone, and that's why the top says "Julianne." My bad. Makes so much more sense this way, though still not really pleased with the way that played out.
I have nothing more to say, I guess, in a bit of shock.
Except WTF is up with LJ lately? And when I don't know if I'm in html or rich text (without buttons, I dunno) can I code?
Ooh, thought. So with Brent always dumping Julianne, over Erica, is he really just grasping at the excuse, because after all of it, he needs Julianne to chase him a little bit? As in, he needs Julianne to prove that she's in it for real, which is a little messed up given how easily he confessed everything, but makes sense on the whole.
I am wondering where the hell everyone is - I've checked LJ, FB, even Twitter. Nada, or rather, very very little. I expected more of spoilers, I really did.
Previouslies - well, they managed to pick the tiny fraction of the painful Kai/Erica break up which doesn't make either of them look urky (and Pigott's line read there is quite nice.) Very lovely and tragic.
I'm starting to wonder if Kai won't be back, but that mystery "Time" song will be the last whisper of him, playing on a radio. Not sure what the actor intimated about not being back on show, but it might fit since he would have recorded the song previously, and separately.
While I know that Brent would use the term "DL," I still have mental dissonance given that I only know it in related to homosexual black men sneaking off from their wive to meet up on the "down low" without ruining their lives. It saddens me to think how well that might fit in this situation.
Oh, Jenny's back? Thought we saw the tail end of her - though I suppose the AU was a tip off, not a nod back. I'm not cool with this "you hurt me!" shit, since Erica does nothing but hurt other people -coughs-Julianne-coughs- and somehow that never warrants an angst-ridden episode. I'm rooting for Julianne to get one goddamn punch in, have Erica take her seriously, and have it stick. I will settle for Erica not mucking around in Jent in any "helpful" manner.
Oh, so Adam's shout-out was the whole football thing with Kai, don't know how I missed it (I do, it's because I don't really care and didn't remember) - which could explain the slightly weird way Kai acted in that scene. It wasn't mockery, just an in-joke.
Try and fail, TRY AND FAIL. And btw, if we're going back to Purim, why is Erica's family completely irrelevant to the Previouslies?
Showtime
Once again, Adam is strides ahead on domesticity. Srsly, it's like he's not an emotional fuckup at all. Which I would argue is because he isn't, really, not to the extent that Erica is. Adam bounced through relationships because he was scared of them, and scared of trying, not because he couldn't do it. Erica bops around because she can't relax. Does this make her and Adam perfect afterall? IDEK, clearly I'm on a different page from everyone else, though at least I'm not alone on my wtf raft.
Though yes, I will admit that on the subject of being a nervous pee'er, Adam can challenge Erica and help her mature. -rolls eyes- A very useful skill should she find herself in jail. Which we haven't seen, btw, and would have been interesting.
Why wouldn't Erica like a robot? Who wouldn't like a robot? I mean, a spa day is a day at a spa, but a ROBOT IS FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. Or less, but the less time it last the more fun you must have had, eh?
W/e, I like this scene. Cute, domestic, the kind of thing that lulls us into believing they might be good together except when the shit hits the fan the ugly spews forth. But IDEK because there's no time for more drama and let's just mark them off as "done" and move off to more interesting subjects yes?
I remember Kate Gosslin going to a spa with Mikey Teutul. That was funny. Don't judge me. It was long long ago when everyone was still kinda cute.
Whoops, there's my name again. I'm still really really conflicted only more so because this time I noticed.
On the other hand I'm please they didn't drop the book because it's central to the Jent storyline, as well as Brent / 50/50 and 50/50 / RR. Looking at it like that, how did I ever think it was a throwaway plot twist and excuse for the guest star? Though I'm not seeing how Friedkin is getting involved in this, except that he seems to be 2IC over at The Rock now.
The Rock hit Mick Foley over the head waaay to many times and cut his head wide open in front of his kids. And then didn't apologize for going off script. D:
I also can't help but notice that FINALLY Erica has the time and energy to look around her, and is trying to hook up Julianne. With people their working with! Maybe not a great idea, like ever, though it sounds like her selection is very very different than Brent, which I'm sure will provide laughs and/or angst. It's possibly a bit strange that she never tried to matchmake Julianne before? Aside from that one-night stand she's been single for years.
Okay, sneaking into the bathroom with that little "I have to pee!!!" dance was adorable. I see what someone meant, when they said it felt like season 1 and 2 again. Makes me wonder if half the problem wasn't just that the last couple seasons lacked in the laughter department, and the heart of this show was always the joy we find in moments, and in laughing at ourselves.
Also note that if Erica is so concerned about bathroom privacy, she might want to invest in a solid door, or at least a more substantial curtain. Plus she was walking in on Ethan in the shower, was the door those times? Can't recall.
I am disoriented by the flying shot but will guess we're going to 50/50 to see Jent, because I don't know where else we'd be going, basically. I'm also going to assume Erica already took the day off, or else it's a little lame she's just up and taking time off again. Poor attitude. Let me rephrase. -squints- I"ll just play it and see what happens.
Oh, VO. Could go anywhere, possibly going to DrT then because Refuge is a bit extreme for Jent and they have to get DrT to quitty times.
I went -facedesk- again though. "Refuge" is the safeword between Jarod and Sydney and even if the show itself hadn't punched that into my head, it's a favourite plot point for fanfiction writers. I have thoughts on The Pretender fanfiction, but this isn't the time or place and none of you actually care anyway (but thank you for putting up with my re-obsession.)
Small flower bush, not a garden. Hi Erica! Walking straight into emotional upheaval. (Oh god, now I'm doing it, someone grab some of the Monk's brandy, or Ocee's tea, by the truckload.) The theme of this episode is somewhere around being in a good place, having good, static relationships, and then having them turn topsy turvy. Which we'll see play out in the Jent reveal, and will be massively displayed in DrT's decision to become just T, though it doesn't sound like Erica's going to find out about that one until the finale.
I thought it was a bit of a clinical moment, entirely from Erica's POV, Julianne talking as if to a camera... Or the viewer, and as viewer I'm feeling penned in and alarmed and OMG JENT IS SO FREAKING ADORKABLE!!! Not only are they once again in office well before Erica (play nice, after all, they aren't actually working this time) but they are actually ROLEPLAYING the reveal. Man, they're making this such a big deal, it would be hilarious if Erica's response was just "aw, I'm so happy for you two!"
But this is Erica, so happily, we know she won't. XP
"Cut! … You're telling her that we're dating, not that she has terminal cancer."
ROFLOL!!! I need a couple minutes off keyboard to giggle about this.
So this is why Jent works for me. Even though in so many things Brent is submissive and Julianne is legitimately more dominant, in those spaces where she's unsure and lost, he's always there to prop her up and set her back on track.
OMG .
OMG.
Well, that was ONE way to tell her.
And I do believe it was one of may options speculated previously. Because I can pretty much run the gambit of spec.
Totally solves a lot of problems, and causes the maximum number of other problems. Though it does make Jent look a little unprofessional, which makes me sad, but it wasn't like they were making out and this is a 50/50 relevant problem, Erica not knowing. BTW, where is RayRay? I get that Jent wouldn't want her in on these "planning sessions" but she'd have decent input and has known about them for longer almost than THEY knew about them.
On the downside Erica now won't be trying to set up Julianne, which I thought would lead to an interesting "coming out" situation, especially if Julianne felt she needed to play along with the date until she could get out of it.
"That we..." "Heart each other?" JULIANNE JULIANNE JULIANNE
Erica looks surprised and confused, as she well might. Not judgey yet.
Intro thingy. Credits.
"Brent and I are dating... Each other." Only Julianne would feel it necessary to add the clause. -giggles-
The thing I want to point out about Julianne is that under the gun, she doesn't fall to pieces. Unless she goes scattershot, but in the normal course of events she faces front and trucks on. I mean, she has a wardrobe malfunction and a weird encounter with Brent, who gives her a crystal dove and asks for peace and a (date) - and three minutes later she's onstage giving a flawless toast. That's class.
Ooh, okay. So we're going to fun with how they've been hiding it for a really long time and how Erica's world hasn't been nearly as stable and transparent as the thought it was? Though it's her own damn fault for not only not noticing, but not making her friends feel comfortable telling her.
Is it weird that I actually thought it was more than a month? Don't know- Oh, I think it was because I was so sure that Erica would go on tour with Kai. So I mentally shoved everyone forward a few weeks.
RayRay should be a little more sensitive, what with her psychic nature? Now I'm not sure Erica's going to be there long enough to drink that latte.
"Who has two thumbs and is psychic? Moi!" This episode is way quotable. :D:D:D
And Julianne has some great faces going.
I'm not adding anything productive here at all.
Ooh, they were rollplaying at Erica's desk? Thorough! But if it's not hemmed in, why, when Erica walked in, did Brent cross around from the other side? Was it to avoid stepping straight into Erica, or more about getting to the right position for the camera angles?
Erica has her upset face on, and Brent gives her this weird smile. Like, it's too nice and friendly, and nothing else, and I expect more observation from him. I've always seen him as being good with picking up on other people's discomfort, that is, if he's not the one causing it. Boundary issues.
One day someone needs to tell me who Jay Manuel is. I know he's on Next Top Model (maybe it's time to start judging me... But it's great pulp tv when it's a dull afternoon and you just want to veg and like, knit.) But does he like, do anything?
Ooh, disagreement! Julianne and Erica pick different favourite covers, Brent tries to sneak a look but isn't getting in the middle of this one. This is so typical of their MO that I won't even put it entirely down to Erica being still in shock - Erica wants to "elevate" their material, Julianne wants to capitalize on trends. They work best when they can make their competing aesthetics work together, so hopefully they will here too, though at heart I want Brent to weigh in.
So they devolve into quasi-personal insults, and the designer, instead of offering a third option or middle ground, tries to throw it off on Brent. Who promptly falls off his chair, in a gag that was gratuitous but really, really funny because I like to watch people fall off chairs. Too much I Love Lucy in my childhood. Not enough Charlie Chaplin. Why doesn't PBS play that sort of history? More relevant than BBC castoffs, at any rate. (Though never, ever tough Poirot or that one string of Miss Marples.)
Julianne is overly concerned because she is laughing inside and barely restraining herself from laughing outside too. Which is cuteness, because overconcern sickens me but this doesn't.
Erica has a weird moment that might be judgment but is more like confusion plus WTF. So I'm baffled by this one.
For a second I worried he would go with Erica's, even though it's not his taste. It might have been nicer if he'd made an alternative suggestion, but of course now it looks like Jent have the power in the business, just because they're dating. And the thing is, she has a point. They're 50/50, but as soon as it's a three-way vote it's no longer fair and equal.
Though at the end of the day Brent brought it in and should get final say. Or at least Julianne should, since he was a) giving it to her and b) trading it to HER in return for help of the Friedkin book. I still can't spell Freidkin. It's a mental block. TBH this is the reason I always used to call him Freakman. I can spell that. Usually.
How many first books do they have? Everything seems to define their company. It's weird.
Personally, I also thought the second option was dull. All I could think was "Cary Grant" because I picked up a bio of him that was similar. I think. B&W and plainish? Only it was Cary Grant and I think a better pose.
Prepare to laugh at me: We're looking through bubbles (Dr.N?) listening to Erica rant about the morning, in what looks like a circle of people.... Yeah, I thought she was in Group. And I got all excited.
But it's just her and Adam at the spa. Is it weird I forgot all about the spa? Is it weirder I assumed you couldn't just walk in and are meant to make reservations?
Imma go back on an older idea here, that Erica's root problem is relationships. No matter what professional dynamic Erica and Julianne had, Erica always had the upper hand on the emotional aspects. Now that Erica finallyfinally feels completely settled in a forever relationship, she was ready to turn around and bestow her wisdom on Julianne. Only to find that Julianne has gone out and made her own choice, apparently long before Erica made her finalfinal. Moreover, by the time Brent sided with Julianne (which he would have done dating or not... There's a reason they worked together for so long) she also saw them in an authentically caring, sweet relationship. Ie, Julianne is doing much better than Erica. Or at least doing better/easier/cheating.
Anyone else always find it creepy when people hold personal conversations while a bunch of "servants" pamper them? Especially when Butler's uniforms and the tacit ownership a la Jeeves and Wooster is not involved.
Adam is voice of reason, because yeah, he's always been pretty good at Group, and pinpointing troubles, so long as he isn't directly involved. Erica certainly feels betrayed, though I think it's more than that and I also think she has some valid concerns about the company, though not the ones she's claiming. I don't think, professionally, Brent would ever side with Julianne against his inclination, I think Jent is stronger than that, they both know it, and both are too committed to their careers to trainwreck themselves.
"It's the fact that her personal life is now affecting my professional life." Pot, meet kettle. And since we're ending the scene on that line, I do believe the introductions will be made.
DrT/Amanda. -ducks- >_>
I always find DrT's personal life pretty uncomfortable, because it's so divorced from his T3 demeanor, and because it's so different than most ever role I know him from. It's like the zombie curse - every time I see a dead person, no matter what show, I ALWAYS sit there with my hands poised next to my eyes because I'm absolutely certain in a crazy stupid certainty that the dead body is going to lurch up, grab the nearest character, and rip their throat out.
Imma go out on a limb and say that DrT is just burning out because he was driving himself so hard and he's not infatuated by this "new life" with Amanda. But you can't spend every second devoted to one person, that's nuts, and so after a while he'll miss Therapy, want it back, be ready and itching for the new challenge of a new patient, guiding them through the process and watching them grow. Unless he had these feelings BEFORE meeting Amanda. Of which there might have been signs. Were there?
"I'm your new adventure." -gag-
IDEK. Is this like an old-person thing? Am I just an unrepentant geek? In the "passion comes first, work comes first, discovery trumps all" sense? "People come and go, but truth burns regardless"
It's not a character flaw, it's a quirk. >_>
Thought someone would be watching DrT/Amanda but no, just a little camera jerk to lead us into Erica whooshing by to blow out this cute arrangement of cupcakes. Or rather, blow out the candles, not the cupcakes, because that would be weird. Is this a thing, the line of cupcakes? I know cupcakes have been really big, in popularity, not size, for a while, but I've never see this line thing. It's nifty.
Jude is trying to apologize for Jenny, which all at once makes no sense and perfect sense. No sense because Jude has it relatively together and I don't even know why she's friends with the spaz Jenny. Total sense because Erica was a spaz too, and she's Judith's bestie. Apparently, Judith is a friend for life.
During the talk, Erica appears to be spying on Jent.
Aww, Julianne calls her Chicken! Has that happened in a while? I miss that!
Erica is looking around like she's trying to escape. Awkward. But Julianne being Julianne just asks what's wrong, because even though she is a social disaster she is also guileless.
Judith goes to talk to Brent, and while it's likely just small talk I want to hear it. Brent watches Julianne in real concern because he can do no wrong that's worse that a little facepalming "oh Brent..." Erica harshes it out on Julianne which is reminiscent of that early "it felt like you were treating me as an assistant, when you had me get drinks" discussion, only this resolution isn't so easy.
Erica finally comes out with the statement that she wouldn't have done that to Julianne "in a million years" which is going to get a T3 session, as a hurt Julianne escapes to the offices and Erica decides she's sorry and should go after he. Which she does a lot, btw, and generally always gets office time. It this a fundamental character trait or more of an expedient route into Therapy?
Oh, my bad, not repentant. Instead she heads into the bathroom. Brent watching her like he KNOWS what's up and I can't actually tell what he's thinking except that he's thinking SOMETHING (sad, disappointed) and I hope what he's thinking is that there's a point at which he's going to step in and defend Julianne.
We see the bottom ¼ or so of the elusive painting-of-the-week. I don't know what it is, anyone have a guess? I blame it on my AP Art History course. The teacher got cranky and stopped teaching us when we hit the Renaissance. Go figure, I always thought quite a bit of Art History happened DURING OR AFTER the Renaissance, eh?
"Well lucky for us I can manipulate time." Man, this ep is batting out the wit like that guy who hit all the home runs that year. I think it was McG- something. Clearly I'm not a sports fan. WHERE WAS THIS WRITING EARLIER IN THE SEASON? -CLINGS-
Is Purim the one where the story of the desert trip is told to the children? My only experience is with Sports Night, which I thought was lovely, btw, so I'm guessing but I'm also not looking it up because if the show doesn't provide it I'm not expected to know it. -shrugs- See, this is why I hate the necessity of exposition...
And they use Purim to dig in about Jenny and how she's really an endlessly loyal friend. I'm not getting it. DrT is being wildly inconsistent, unless dumping someone then accepting them back is a reasonable way to live one's life. Especially given all the hullabaloo about working through the tough times with -coughs-Adam-coughs- your man. Sorry "Girl Power," apparently men are Kings after all.
I'm going to assume we'll continue the explanations with our lovely clueless Jenny (who's never heard of this is all the years she's known Erica?) because like-Halloween-but-with-Queens isn't really helping.
Picture perfect outdoor shot. CGI? Canned?
Sam and gendrer play! This is a whole other level to her character that we've only hinted at so far. It's wonderful to see, especially as she kowtows to Josh so early in her life. Though the fact that Erica's favourite grandpa doesn't have a special bond with Sam is another tidbit for the memory banks.
I don't actually know where this regret is going.
Mini!Sam is doing a pretty good job of replicating Adult!Sam's cadence. Has she always played the little Sam or is this her first go?
Jenny did pretty good there. I am also pleased to note that upon hearing about the naked dancing she did not, in face, find it wise to remove her clothing.
PS, Sam stealing the booze and having a secret relationship with Leo = Gold.
How did she have all that wine in her jacket/vest without it pulling everything massively askew? And why doesn't it ever work for me?
That was possibly the single most abrupt cut ever. Or it was a rip error, which is quite possible.
Aw, Jent on the couch. They're already cute.
And I know what they're thinking: "THAT didn't go as well as hoped."
And in fact, went worse.
Because Julianne thinks that firing Brent is the option (I don't know if he would have felt better if she'd said they need to break up?). And Brent thinks that is a shitty option and breaks up with her, again, now planning to avoid her forever down to waiting 'til she's out of office to get his things.
I'd like it more if I thought he was more pissed about the lines her solution is taking, rather than just the job.
I'm also concerned that for someone who was in love with her for years, he's spending a lot of time breaking up with her.
Remember when everyone kept saying Jent was gold, Jent was settled, look how awesome they're going to forever be?
Yeah.
o.O
So,... Did I curse them by saying I wanted Erica to throw a major wrench? Is Brent upset here because he wanted Julianne to fight for him? Because what I meant was for Brent and Julianne to stand up to Erica, and it's looking more like Erica's going to come back, say it's all alright, Jent can be, and Julianne will go convince Brent to come back. Only if I was him, I wouldn't. Damn.
So we split out in the middle of a regret in order to watch Jent break up. Have we done this before? Not often, I think, or I would have noticed. Man, it puts Jent pretty prominent, which is highly fitting since they've been in the entire run, but it's also a little weird - for years the arc was subtle and now it's a major factor in the final minutes?
Ah, so the point of this is that she too played like everything was chill, long past when she should have, because she was trying to protect the way life was. As did Julianne. Which is a rather thin interpretation, imho.
What Erica gets out of this is apparently that we expect our friends and family to be like us, and it sucks when they aren't. I still feel... I KNOW that yeah, Erica would totally date an employee. (And I snuck in another TP reference, this is too easy -g-)
Nerp. DrT is getting all personal. Whoa.
BTW, still over 10 minutes of episode left.
But, back to the personal.
WTF.
Is he quitting already?
Yo girl, if it all fits, shouldn't you have demonstrated any of it, like ever?
I say that half-heartedly because I legitimately liked her in this episode. I mean, she's rude and all, but it's the old sort of rudeness.
Don't see where this "almost there" is coming from apart from a need to wrap up the show.
But I can now see why Julianne would be drunk. When I thought it was at the party that was lame. But post-breakup due to Erica yet again being crazy? Yeah, totally.
Not cool she's onstage. Is this payback for the time Erica was upset over Adam and got trashed and knocked over the ice penis?
Remember how Ivan and everyone pulled Erica down off that bar? Erica needs to get Julianne off the stage, and if she was a friend, she would. If Adam is the kind of boyfriend he's acting like, HE'D get Julianne off the stage.
Oh god, they did NOT just mane "Brulianne" canon. I'm so never calling them that. For one thing, is disastrously long to type. And do you know how many times I type "Jent" in a day/review? A lot. That and the perpetual mental reference to crème brulee and thus a torch.
Of course she couldn't tell you, you freaked out, yelled at her, made her fire her boyfriend, and are now once again using convenient T3 to make you seem like the responsible one while the only way JULIANNE can get out of this is by leaving a permanent scar on her relationship.
This can be fixed by having Brent walk back in for a word with Erica. After all, Erica is manipulating Julianne because Julianne looks up to her and values her opinion, that's not cool, and that's where someone needs to step in. If Brent and Adam get in a fight and Adam gets pissed and whales on him, that's okay too. Not really. But kinda, eh?
So I, with careful consideration, fell off the wagon today, got some cloves, did a little smoking and discovered my lungs aren't so great with the smoke anymore (ouch.) But it's been hours and I'm still feeling it in my chest, the expectancy I always associate with sitting on a rooftop, wandering the city streets at night when everything is quiet but nothing is stopped.
Eh, happy music? Julianne HEARTS Erica for... Being reasonable? Julianne apologizes unprompted, doesn't even spill the rather relevant information about Brent being in love with her for years, and Erica gets to cheat and STILL doesn't recognize that she was ignoring Julianne?
WELL THIS ISN'T COOL SO MUCH.
I can see Jenny as a real estate agent, but is it really that quick and easy to get licensed? A friend of mine did it for a summer, but her boyfriend owned a real estate company and I'm not sure if she was just working under him or what.
Ooh, slinky. SLINKY. (Pretender ;> ) So is DrT saying goodbye to his office? In general, if not for the last time? Because just disappearing isn't so much cool. But we pan down to see Erica's notebook of regrets with a pen on top, as if... as if what? He's leaving it, unfinished? For someone else to take up? As if it's the last thing he's working on?
Is it me or is it a bit early for a VO. Is this is? No more talky scenes?
So Julianne is text-apologizing, and making it sound like she came to the conclusion, when really it's just that Erica said it's okay?
I think Jent needs to break up for a while, until Julianne can make up her own mind. Much as I know they would work wonderfully together, it's better, with Erica involved, to be in different places.
The weird thing is that a drunk Julianne makes no typing errors. But the WEIRDEST thing is that a texting Julianne makes no abbrs.
Me the luddite questions why her phone is telling her who she is? Is this something people nowadays are likely to forget?
Brent apparently does not respond right away but reads it and is happy to make up. He's better off not. Cut losses and just move on. To get back together later, don't get me wrong, OTP here, but right now it's just not working out and there are things you work through and things that you have to wait for.
Erica finally accepts the motorcycle. I care not.
So there I am, terrified that riding off on the motorcycle is our "into the sunset" and there goes the ep, when at least we're in DrN's office so DrT can resign. After pacing, lots of pacing.
Yo T - you don't need DrN to understand, you need Erica to understand. And since she's in a good place and will believe she can keep seeing you anyway, she probably will.
Whoa.
So.
How does this work?
Like, does he have to move? Because T was just walking down the street and bumped into Adam. How do they avoid that sort of thing.
What's the logic behind this?
What?
It's actually kinda a kick in the gut.
-crying a little bit-
Explains why Erica43 hadn't seen him in a long time.
But means this moment is somewhat fatalistic.
Because the chances that he doesn't quit are like 2%.
And so we walk into this conversation knowing the outcome and I, oddly enough, haven't taken a real English class in a decade so is this the definition of tragedy, or it it something else?
And why is Erica the only one who doesn't have to give anything up? She gave up Kai, but only after convincing herself that he was an illusion and she didn't love him.
By contrast, Julianne was willing to give up her relationship for her friendship with Erica, and their business. DrT is giving up all of T3 for a real shot with Amanda and a real life.
-tears-
I want my Pretender blanket because at least they're all so fcuk'd up from the beginning that all they're ever doing is losing things, and the small handful of things that are always true stay always true and actually get stronger over the years.
Nice to hear Camilla is still alive, and still ahead of Erica.
Oh, I get it - when we're looking at the text it's on Brent's phone, and that's why the top says "Julianne." My bad. Makes so much more sense this way, though still not really pleased with the way that played out.
I have nothing more to say, I guess, in a bit of shock.
Except WTF is up with LJ lately? And when I don't know if I'm in html or rich text (without buttons, I dunno) can I code?
Ooh, thought. So with Brent always dumping Julianne, over Erica, is he really just grasping at the excuse, because after all of it, he needs Julianne to chase him a little bit? As in, he needs Julianne to prove that she's in it for real, which is a little messed up given how easily he confessed everything, but makes sense on the whole.