Hmm. While I get your point that Tim is not Julie's type, I have to disagree that her sudden interest in him is OOC. The fact of the matter is Tim is extremely physically attractive and even if he's not "boyfriend material" there aren't that many women/girls who would be totally immune to his charms (and if Julie was I think I'd find that unusual). The guy is gorgeous and aloof and unattainable; Julie is a teenage girl with eyes and hormones, and she's certainly not above fancying boys who aren't intellectual. Before he moved in she never would have considered him an option because he is, as you say, not her type, and doesn't move in her circle. But he's in her face now. And not only is he a babe, he's quite a lovely person: great with the baby, sly sense of humour. Her attraction to him is probably only physical but I definitely don't find it implausible. (Also, I don't find Tim particularly "jocky". He's a talented sportsman, yes, but I'd say he's more of a slacker/rebel than a jock.)
Great points about the Tami/Shelley relationship. I found it hard to sympathise with Tami in this episode, because she is so condescending (to the point of nastiness) when it comes to Shelley, but you're absolutely right that it goes both ways.
And you already know I agree with you on the Tyra/Landry plot. I was enjoying it and then the last scene ruined the whole thing for me.
Good points re. Julie. So you do think she was played/written as being interested in Tim? I was pretty confused as to what we were supposed to think. It was pretty clear that while drunk she was responding to any attractive guy in close proximity. So I wasn't sure if we were meant to think she had an interest beyond that.
I think my sympathy is still largely with Tami simply because it seems clear that she only behaves this way because she's extremely pressured and stressed generally and then Shelley presses all her buttons. That said, I'd find her a real bitch as a sister! ;) But the show's done such a great job of portraying Tami with complexity--I think we've seen her own frustration at the fact that she's not free to do fun stuff like go see bands or hang out carefree with her sister. And I think that unspoken regret fuels her bitchiness to some extent. Tami could never say it because it would sound ungrateful to her family, but I think she envies Shelley her freedom.
So you do think she was played/written as being interested in Tim
Well a lot of the acting is improvised, so it was possibly a choice by the actress, but I do believe her perving at him with the aunt in the early scenes was lovely, funny, realistic and in character. The joining him on his trip to the store felt incredibly familiar too. That's exactly the kind of thing I would have done in her position at her age (and Tim's not "my type" either). As for the drunken grope, I think that was one of the most true to life moments in the entire episode, unlike Coach walking in on them, which felt contrived (they needed a "reason" for Coach to kick Tim out because FNL loves to punish Tim).
So I wasn't sure if we were meant to think she had an interest beyond that.
I didn't get the sense that she had much genuine romantic interest in Tim. Not beyond a schoolgirl crush at any rate. And it's clearly one sided at this point, which also rings true to me. She's even less his type than he is hers, and he pretty obviously sees her as a "little sister" who he feels responsible for. That's actually why I kind of hate where they went with the story, because I was enjoying him being part of the Taylor family so much, and, as you say, some of the storylines delve too far into melodrama these days.
Yeah, I liked the perving--that felt real. The idea of Julie perving at Tim but kind of laughing at herself and not being serious hangs together for me. The going to the store with him I just really don't get...maybe because it was more premeditated? but hey, whatever. The drunken grope I totally do get--especially at that age. I'm sure I'd have gone for it too if I'd had the chance. ;)
I agree that Tim sees her as a 'little sister'--he seemed amused by her trying to set him up with Lois and he was definitely NOT making a move on her in any way. In fact, I found his alpha-ing with that guy at the party had an echo in the way Coach reacted when catching him with Julie later... both of them know how to do that tough my-word-is-law don't-mess-with-me thing really well. SO pissed off they've destroyed that relationship! It was one I was definitely enjoying.
Great points about the Tami/Shelley relationship. I found it hard to sympathise with Tami in this episode, because she is so condescending (to the point of nastiness) when it comes to Shelley, but you're absolutely right that it goes both ways.
And you already know I agree with you on the Tyra/Landry plot. I was enjoying it and then the last scene ruined the whole thing for me.
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I think my sympathy is still largely with Tami simply because it seems clear that she only behaves this way because she's extremely pressured and stressed generally and then Shelley presses all her buttons. That said, I'd find her a real bitch as a sister! ;) But the show's done such a great job of portraying Tami with complexity--I think we've seen her own frustration at the fact that she's not free to do fun stuff like go see bands or hang out carefree with her sister. And I think that unspoken regret fuels her bitchiness to some extent. Tami could never say it because it would sound ungrateful to her family, but I think she envies Shelley her freedom.
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Well a lot of the acting is improvised, so it was possibly a choice by the actress, but I do believe her perving at him with the aunt in the early scenes was lovely, funny, realistic and in character. The joining him on his trip to the store felt incredibly familiar too. That's exactly the kind of thing I would have done in her position at her age (and Tim's not "my type" either). As for the drunken grope, I think that was one of the most true to life moments in the entire episode, unlike Coach walking in on them, which felt contrived (they needed a "reason" for Coach to kick Tim out because FNL loves to punish Tim).
So I wasn't sure if we were meant to think she had an interest beyond that.
I didn't get the sense that she had much genuine romantic interest in Tim. Not beyond a schoolgirl crush at any rate. And it's clearly one sided at this point, which also rings true to me. She's even less his type than he is hers, and he pretty obviously sees her as a "little sister" who he feels responsible for. That's actually why I kind of hate where they went with the story, because I was enjoying him being part of the Taylor family so much, and, as you say, some of the storylines delve too far into melodrama these days.
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I agree that Tim sees her as a 'little sister'--he seemed amused by her trying to set him up with Lois and he was definitely NOT making a move on her in any way. In fact, I found his alpha-ing with that guy at the party had an echo in the way Coach reacted when catching him with Julie later... both of them know how to do that tough my-word-is-law don't-mess-with-me thing really well. SO pissed off they've destroyed that relationship! It was one I was definitely enjoying.
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