Step away from the Shakespeare, show
ER The Beginning of the End
The more I've thought about it - like the meaning of the title - the more aware that I am that a good episode was lurking underneath what we got. Unfortunately, the totally misjudged Midsummer Night's Dream thing (what was it? A long-held writerly ambition to have Wallace Shawn doing something Shakespearian or to have a love potion on the show?). The ep was already set on Valentine's Day, it had enough of a hook, a few characters dressed on as Cupid or whatever would have been quite enough, the dressed-up, blissed-out wedding party and Shawn's pseudo Puck dispensing fatherly advice (having kind of drugged some nubile 'faries' into snogging him if I understodd the background business aright?) was a waste of time, it never came off tonally, and no amount of The Princess Bride goodwill was going to be enough.
Let's start with the adventures of the current regulars, although it was the return of Carter that brough about the most potent and meaningful dramatic moment, which is telling and why 'the end' of that title is also about the demise of the show. I have moved to kind of wanting those crazy kids (Sam and Tony) to work it out, and I have higher hopes/expectations for them than any of the other couples shown, although I'm less invested in them. They have dragged this one out, but I think that Sam watching Tony be a positive male model for Alex (via that ER staple of basketball playing outside, which was nice, less good was that the montages seemed more substantial than normal scenes for most of the ep), him accepting that she knows what she's doing and can make and stand up for her own decisions professionally (although she needs to do the same for him personally is the point, I think) was promising. Speaking of another storyline where the character got the point about four or five weeks late, was the brave not so little daughter of the literally heartless non-biological mother enough to change Banfield's mind about getting her niece to donate an egg? (Who would carry the baby in that scenario, Banfield?) Or will the show still go for the complicated medical procedure? The truth is, I don't care, I thought Banfield would have realised what she could offer as an adoptive parent with that little boy in foster care who's big brother got into trouble from a few weeks ago, but I don't really care about the new chief of staff.
I do care about Claudia and Archie. I was so happy for them and enjoying the banter at the start of the ep, but he's Setting the Tone and being a superhero and the way they're writing Claudia is that she can't live up to that. Boo. (I think the main problem here is that this character's introduction and the development of the relationship is too rushed, to be honest, which is a contrast to much of the dragging things out that's going on in most of the rest of the show). I wanted it to work out between them, but this issue of ethics is a big obstacle (although they could write Morris out of being a prig. Because yes, he's right, Claudia should have intervened, because cops should not beat up suspects, but as an attending who everybody has grown to listen to, does Archie really get how vulnerable she is? Oh, look, I'm trying to add complexity here.)
So, Simon 'Romantic Gestures!' is trying so very hard with Neela, but failing to share his past - especially when it guides his behaviour towards kids and their parents - is, as I foresaw, always going to make a long-term, viable relationship between him and Neela fail. Also, she's not quite on the same page as him, not as serious (not as desperate) and she's at a cross roads professionally. And there I was thinking that she really should get away from County, try stretching her wings as an attending, somewhere further south and then see where things went (I'd put an ellipsis in, but what I mean is eventually end up with Ray because they're my OTP with this show). BUT THEN RAY SENDS HER A MIXTAPE EQUIVALENT ON VALENTINE'S DAY, and the show gives me permission to hope again. That and the title, I'll accept the end of Archie/Claudia if I get the end of Neela/Simon.
Okay, and to the kicker. The return of John Carter and the final scene. Oh, Wyle, I am a little angry with you, because if you'd decided to stay away, Carter would have had a shot at the idyllic bliss that Luka and Abby are enjoying off screen (nice having him and Sam as Luka's ex having that talk). Hasn't Carter been through enough? I started listing it during the ep, dead kid, near-death stabbing and subsequent drug addiction, other stuff I don't remember and now renal failure? At least, I assume he's on dialysis. No wonder he left Africa. Is he going to be a regularish character now to the end? How will that affect the dynamics - Archie's grown and grown and grown and Banfield is Da Boss? He has a connection with the place - and I'd love to see him work with Chuny or Haleh, and to a lesser extent Neela, Archie and Sam - and the past and the viewers but, well, I suppose there are the other returning characters (who I hope don't get this googlie of a twist.) I wonder if they'll include Thandie Newton as Kim.
Anyway, I want Benton and Resse to be happy and healthy and functional. I'll take functional over happy for Benton. But not Reese.
Watched Pushing Daisies. Simone! Li'l Emerson Codd! Heh. Them more than the well-known guest stars.
The more I've thought about it - like the meaning of the title - the more aware that I am that a good episode was lurking underneath what we got. Unfortunately, the totally misjudged Midsummer Night's Dream thing (what was it? A long-held writerly ambition to have Wallace Shawn doing something Shakespearian or to have a love potion on the show?). The ep was already set on Valentine's Day, it had enough of a hook, a few characters dressed on as Cupid or whatever would have been quite enough, the dressed-up, blissed-out wedding party and Shawn's pseudo Puck dispensing fatherly advice (having kind of drugged some nubile 'faries' into snogging him if I understodd the background business aright?) was a waste of time, it never came off tonally, and no amount of The Princess Bride goodwill was going to be enough.
Let's start with the adventures of the current regulars, although it was the return of Carter that brough about the most potent and meaningful dramatic moment, which is telling and why 'the end' of that title is also about the demise of the show. I have moved to kind of wanting those crazy kids (Sam and Tony) to work it out, and I have higher hopes/expectations for them than any of the other couples shown, although I'm less invested in them. They have dragged this one out, but I think that Sam watching Tony be a positive male model for Alex (via that ER staple of basketball playing outside, which was nice, less good was that the montages seemed more substantial than normal scenes for most of the ep), him accepting that she knows what she's doing and can make and stand up for her own decisions professionally (although she needs to do the same for him personally is the point, I think) was promising. Speaking of another storyline where the character got the point about four or five weeks late, was the brave not so little daughter of the literally heartless non-biological mother enough to change Banfield's mind about getting her niece to donate an egg? (Who would carry the baby in that scenario, Banfield?) Or will the show still go for the complicated medical procedure? The truth is, I don't care, I thought Banfield would have realised what she could offer as an adoptive parent with that little boy in foster care who's big brother got into trouble from a few weeks ago, but I don't really care about the new chief of staff.
I do care about Claudia and Archie. I was so happy for them and enjoying the banter at the start of the ep, but he's Setting the Tone and being a superhero and the way they're writing Claudia is that she can't live up to that. Boo. (I think the main problem here is that this character's introduction and the development of the relationship is too rushed, to be honest, which is a contrast to much of the dragging things out that's going on in most of the rest of the show). I wanted it to work out between them, but this issue of ethics is a big obstacle (although they could write Morris out of being a prig. Because yes, he's right, Claudia should have intervened, because cops should not beat up suspects, but as an attending who everybody has grown to listen to, does Archie really get how vulnerable she is? Oh, look, I'm trying to add complexity here.)
So, Simon 'Romantic Gestures!' is trying so very hard with Neela, but failing to share his past - especially when it guides his behaviour towards kids and their parents - is, as I foresaw, always going to make a long-term, viable relationship between him and Neela fail. Also, she's not quite on the same page as him, not as serious (not as desperate) and she's at a cross roads professionally. And there I was thinking that she really should get away from County, try stretching her wings as an attending, somewhere further south and then see where things went (I'd put an ellipsis in, but what I mean is eventually end up with Ray because they're my OTP with this show). BUT THEN RAY SENDS HER A MIXTAPE EQUIVALENT ON VALENTINE'S DAY, and the show gives me permission to hope again. That and the title, I'll accept the end of Archie/Claudia if I get the end of Neela/Simon.
Okay, and to the kicker. The return of John Carter and the final scene. Oh, Wyle, I am a little angry with you, because if you'd decided to stay away, Carter would have had a shot at the idyllic bliss that Luka and Abby are enjoying off screen (nice having him and Sam as Luka's ex having that talk). Hasn't Carter been through enough? I started listing it during the ep, dead kid, near-death stabbing and subsequent drug addiction, other stuff I don't remember and now renal failure? At least, I assume he's on dialysis. No wonder he left Africa. Is he going to be a regularish character now to the end? How will that affect the dynamics - Archie's grown and grown and grown and Banfield is Da Boss? He has a connection with the place - and I'd love to see him work with Chuny or Haleh, and to a lesser extent Neela, Archie and Sam - and the past and the viewers but, well, I suppose there are the other returning characters (who I hope don't get this googlie of a twist.) I wonder if they'll include Thandie Newton as Kim.
Anyway, I want Benton and Resse to be happy and healthy and functional. I'll take functional over happy for Benton. But not Reese.
Watched Pushing Daisies. Simone! Li'l Emerson Codd! Heh. Them more than the well-known guest stars.