When tv goes blech
So the last "Episodes"... um, episode managed to wrench a giant "urg" as well as an, "omg, no!" from me. Which... I guess is something? First off, adultery is a massive turn-off for me. (I'm not talking about a marriage where the couple both have an understanding. But rather where one partner betrays the expectations of the other.) So when Bev actually had sex with Matt LeBlanc I was unhappy. That, in and of itself, has come close to killing the characters for me.
And it was such a stupid, stupid choice on Bev's part! (That's what had me calling out, "No, Bev, no!") Matt's character is used to women falling into bed with him. Bev had just had a big speech about being a woman of integrity. She'd also made it very, very clear that she didn't like Matt and held his life-style of casual, constant sex in contempt. And then when the first opportunity, the first moment of temptation came along, she did exactly what so many women had done before her and tumbled into bed with him.
This wouldn't have been a big deal if Bev herself was interested in casual sex in general and had thought Matt would make for a fun time. In that case she wouldn't have been compromising her principles. But that's not how she's been presented at all. Everything that she'd said previously - her anger at her husband's possible cheating, her distaste of Matt and the "LA lifestyle" - all of that was compromised. Her self-stated integrity went right out the window as soon as Matt made a move.
And Matt was compromised as well. Yes, he'd said he was bad about making the absolute wrong choice and sabotaging any positive relationships in his life... But still! His friendship with Shaun was one of the redeeming things about his overtly irredeemable character. And despite the foreshadowing of his "I make bad choices" remarks, he just wasn't in the same emotional state Bev was. Part of the comedy (I thought) was the clarity he had compared with Bev's emotions clouding her read of things. But again, as soon as the opportunity came, he slept with the wife of a friend who'd just demonstrated the importance he placed on their marriage. Matt knowing he's a dick doesn't hand-wave away the fact that he was a dick.
And then on top of everything, it was such a cliche move. The two characters who despise each other fall into sex as soon as they're put in close proximity has been done. A lot. So, yes the moment didn't come out of nowhere, but if you're going to shred your characters, at least do it in the service of a really interesting story-line. How much more interesting would it have been if Bev had said stop and then stopped? Or if Matt had pulled back on his own? (I was pleasantly surprised by the cliche-breaking of Morning not wanting to sleep with an executive producer on her show, and of her wanting to talk to Bev. Also with Carol actually caring about Bev. Those characters have grown on me because they've developed past a cliche.)
I'm going to watch the next episode. They may come up with some method of restoring the likability of Bev and Matt for me. But as of the moment? I'm about ready to give the show up.
And it was such a stupid, stupid choice on Bev's part! (That's what had me calling out, "No, Bev, no!") Matt's character is used to women falling into bed with him. Bev had just had a big speech about being a woman of integrity. She'd also made it very, very clear that she didn't like Matt and held his life-style of casual, constant sex in contempt. And then when the first opportunity, the first moment of temptation came along, she did exactly what so many women had done before her and tumbled into bed with him.
This wouldn't have been a big deal if Bev herself was interested in casual sex in general and had thought Matt would make for a fun time. In that case she wouldn't have been compromising her principles. But that's not how she's been presented at all. Everything that she'd said previously - her anger at her husband's possible cheating, her distaste of Matt and the "LA lifestyle" - all of that was compromised. Her self-stated integrity went right out the window as soon as Matt made a move.
And Matt was compromised as well. Yes, he'd said he was bad about making the absolute wrong choice and sabotaging any positive relationships in his life... But still! His friendship with Shaun was one of the redeeming things about his overtly irredeemable character. And despite the foreshadowing of his "I make bad choices" remarks, he just wasn't in the same emotional state Bev was. Part of the comedy (I thought) was the clarity he had compared with Bev's emotions clouding her read of things. But again, as soon as the opportunity came, he slept with the wife of a friend who'd just demonstrated the importance he placed on their marriage. Matt knowing he's a dick doesn't hand-wave away the fact that he was a dick.
And then on top of everything, it was such a cliche move. The two characters who despise each other fall into sex as soon as they're put in close proximity has been done. A lot. So, yes the moment didn't come out of nowhere, but if you're going to shred your characters, at least do it in the service of a really interesting story-line. How much more interesting would it have been if Bev had said stop and then stopped? Or if Matt had pulled back on his own? (I was pleasantly surprised by the cliche-breaking of Morning not wanting to sleep with an executive producer on her show, and of her wanting to talk to Bev. Also with Carol actually caring about Bev. Those characters have grown on me because they've developed past a cliche.)
I'm going to watch the next episode. They may come up with some method of restoring the likability of Bev and Matt for me. But as of the moment? I'm about ready to give the show up.