Top 5 Venice Season 2 Moments
Last year I did a review of season one of VENICE the Series on my LiveJournal. I thought about doing one for season two for a while and wondered if I would really do it justice. Then I found these Venice Recaps by some of my favourite Otalia writers: Rysler, Jaina47 and Kelinswriter. They did a fabulous job of it - including screengrabs, witty commentary and just plain fun. I found that I actually had plenty to say, as the weeks rolled on and the episodes kept on improving and the stories kept coming together (posted in their comments section). It's still not too late to subscribe if you haven't yet - the episodes will be up until 31st January. All the Venice recaps are here:
Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6
Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12.
This week, they did their Top 5 Moments of Season 2. Now I've posted my comments there, but I thought I'd also post them here as well (and my LiveJournal).
Gina's breakdown - so very, very raw and exposed. I think it's the beginning of Gina's isolation and realizing that she's lost so much, some of which she's caused or at least been part of (the breakdown of her relationship with Ani - though it wasn't just one-sided; the split from Tracy, the antagonistic relationship with her father), and some which was out of her control (her mother's death, her father's stroke). It's all so very raw. And Crystal's portrayal was just so well done.
Gina's relationship with her Aunt Jane/Guya. This was so well done. Even if it did come out of guilt or someway of repaying her debt to her sister or simply just stepping up and taking care of her sister's family because that's the type of nurturing person she is; there is such a strong familial bond between Gina and Guya. The close friendship Crystal has with Hillary shows through easily. The dynamic is lovely to behold. One of my favourite scenes is the two of them talking at High Bar drinking their coffee/water. It was a moment where we got to see Gina start to think of her father more than she probably ever has; that he's a retired decorated military officer and a respected man capable of so much, but now because of his stroke is not able to do a lot for himself. Initially he hates that he has to rely on someone else, on her. I love that Guya insinuated that John's stubbornness was inherited by Gina. Also the audience got a chance to see what John was like when Katie was alive - he was a romantic at heart, loved Katie with a strong passion.
Gina's relationship with her father. Part of this was mentioned above. It was interesting to see their (his and Gina's) relationship come around, because John/The Colonel had told her in ep1 that she was going to help him because they were family. He just hadn't anticipated that it would take the course it did. And Gina's realization that she would indeed take care of him, even if would kill her (or drive her nuts). I think John could see Gina's stubbornness in her looking after him and I'm glad that he called her out on her seeming lack of love life and her all important job - mostly because it did show that he cared. I think unwittingly he's thanking her in a roundabout way, simply in that realizing that she's spent all this time looking after him, that she has avoided much of her life that she had been previously so proud of. There was a really good turnabout when he actually asked about her life, including her love life - then calling her on the bullshit about being willing to love Ani from afar if she had to. Him hearing her read the letter in ep11 - John Brogno the inner mushball - much like Gina, he has a strong outter core to protect himself (grief, hurt) but he's hurting underneath. Gina's informing him about his friend dying (from medical-related cause) and his thanking her. That is personal growth for both of them. John mailing the letter for her [without her knowledge] - the affection with which he said 'little girl' as he mailed it - I wanted to give him a hug. Crystal and Jordan are masters of their craft. There's a stark noticeable difference between Gina's and her father's growing relationship and the lack of any progress (or even regression) on the part of Owen and the Colonel. Owen keeps putting up excuses, and I don't think it has much at all to do with his failure of the movie deal.
Gina's relationship/friendship with Ani. What seemed so fractured and broken at the end of season one was slowly rebuilt over season two. Ani's going to see Gina after hearing about The Colonel's stroke wasn't even an option for Ani. She would, because no matter what happened with them, Ani understood the dynamic between Gina and her father, and she knew that even as that relationship was strained, he was still Gina's father. That Gina would be hurting. The flashback showing when things were good between them (I'd love to see/hear about how things all went to shit with them). I knew there was a kiss coming (in as much as Crystal had tweeted about it), but to actually see it was just lovely. Better than any of the kisses in S1Ep1. Much more hot. The phone call about making a reality series of her family - The Brogno Bunch, but really fucked up. Loved seeing Ani so relaxed and free in that conversation with Gina. The tenderness was just beautiful. The discussion before the dance - the encouragement about Gina getting her father to finally going along with his exercises, to the talk of pigs in a blanket and Ani's body-image issues. When Ani said, 'you know me,' it solidified for me anyway, that Ani's body image issues predate her relationship with Gina. That 'you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met' - THAT made my heart beat double and triple time, because that was from the heart (and I truly believe that's not just Gina - that was Crystal). Gina's raw want for Ani to have the success of the art show - finally Ani making it to the big time. At the pool party post art show - I swear I saw 'pigs-in-blankets' there. After Lara's tumble in the pool and they're getting her out, Ani says that she thinks Lara doesn't handle stress well, and Gina responds, 'something like that, sweetheart.' She knows the world of hurt that could be coming down on Ani but for now she's not interferring. Not until Ani asks for her help. She helps Ani get the drunk Lara home and settled. The smile as she recognizes the old shirt (which I still think was originally Gina's that Ani obsconded with at some point during their relationship) and then the sniffing it - and being caught doing so by Ani. The letter for Ani. Wow. Wish someone would write a letter like that for me. Actually, as I think on that, it reminds me of when Olivia went to Doris's office to get Doris to back off on her 'attack' on her (non) relationship with Natalia. After Olivia's defence of Nataliai, Doris says 'I wish some man would talk about me the way you just talked about her.'
Okay, so the first four are Gina oriented. There is so much going on this season, I think Jamie's situation as confidante for Gina, Owen, Lara, Michele is a very key position. He's the 'chorus', so to speak. He gets to freak out at dealing with the dead body, he's there for Gina when she needs him, he calls Owen out once he learns of the movie deal going south and tells him to tell his family what's going on, he encourages Michele to show Gina the designs she came up with and letting Michele know the designs were good. He's there listening to Lara - first as she refuses to tell Ani about her looming deadlines (and by this point I believe her editor as already given her notice at least once that the book deal is in jeoapardy), then as she tells him about the book deal being cut and the possibility of losing Ani. He offers advice and sometimes says what the audience is thinking - but it has to be up to the 'listener' (the characters) on whether or not (or how) to use that advice wisely. Lovely also to see Jamie happy with a boyfriend. Also, the clothes - FAB. :)
Also stuff I loved: Guya & revelation about how Katie died and what happened - just about broke my heart as I watched the gut-wrenching performance in that scene. Guya's interactions with Amber/Katie's ghost, her interactions with Katherine (Tina Sloan), her joy at seeing her son Van, and the guilt that's been eating at her, her new relationship with Brandon.
Liz Keifer & Tina Sloan: More Please. Also more Michele and Anita.
Less of: Owen/Sami - just never got a positive vibe out of that relationship this season - except maybe the first ep into the second. Past that, I thought it went downhill, while I saw the chemistry between Sami & bad-boy Owen.
[PS. As I write this I'm listening to my Guiding Light playlist. Tearing up with songs like Naimee Coleman's "So Will I" and Gabriel Mann's "When We Are One".]