Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rikyl]

Forty-four exclamation points doesn't look as impressive as I was expecting.

Comments

[saucydiva]

Love your thoughts, as usual.

I think the idea that Ben giving up his job is equal to Leslie giving up her job ignores historical context and seems to assume we have solved that sexism problem. It’s like women keeping their last names when they get married-and not that I am opening that can of worms, and I think that everyone has the right to do whatever, and individual choices are not sexist, etc, etc, but I think generally we can agree there is cultural pressure that overwhelmingly favors a certain outcome, which is why according to google only 18% of American women keep their maiden names when they married. Likewise, I am sure there is culturally more pressure on women to quit their jobs at various points in their lives-for childcare, because they are statistically probably earning less money, and because there is historical precedent. Which, again, not to judge anyone’s choices, but I don’t think it is an even equation most of the time. And I am sure that the audience has many people who either were the woman who sacrificed

[sullen_aquarian]

But if Ron gets promoted, won't he have to learn the names of the department heads? I'm not sure he's ready for that.

[stillscape]

No, because if Ron gets promoted, the first thing he'll do is dismantle all of the departments.

[jncar]

Chris would stop him. But Ron would certainly try. I'd love this scenario--those two would but heads in a wonderful way.

[rikyl]

Good point. I don't think promoting him makes good logical sense. I just think it'd be fun. And I want Leslie to move up the ladder (or get elected--getting elected is honestly fine too obviously)

[craponaspatula]

Well, it would answer my question about who is going to keep spending down with Ben gone.

[saucydiva]

I laughed so hard at that scene. Oh Donna, you long- suffering excellent human being.

[rikyl]

I think this episode might have been funnier than I gave it credit for. Maybe I was just too caught up in all the feelings to appreciate it.

[saucydiva]

I rewatched it again this afternoon, and really, I laughed through most of it. Rewatch, ignore the puppy faces, and realize that this episode is way funnier than it has the right to be given all the drama and tension.

[rikyl]

What if I just want to replay the kissing scene 15 more times instead, though? Is that a valid choice?

[stillscape]

I think I speak for all of us when I say yes, that is always a valid choice.

[rikyl]

Honestly I'm not very qualified to talk about the issue, having never studied it or read up on it or anything, so I've been curious what other people think. You're probably right, that in the larger cultural historical context, people just get more excited about seeing the man sacrifice for the woman, because it's less common in real life. I guess I'm just lucky that in real life I know couples like Ben and Leslie, where the woman is the career person and the man is the supporter of that, but you're right, that's not the norm.

I'd love to see Ben back in City Hall too, come to think of it, it just hadn't occurred to me that might be an option. If it had just been Chris getting rid of him, or him quitting without the whole bribery deal ... I hope they could still get that to work though.

[saucydiva]

I mean, it probably isn't possible that Ben is coming back to City Hall, and I haven't heard anything to make me think that's even possible. But it is a workplace comedy, and that requires the cast to be in the workplace, so I am hopeful! I mean, whatever, show, I am willing to suspend my disbelief.

[rikyl]

I think being married to Leslie shortly, he would have plenty of reasons to drop by constantly. He'd be like season 2 Ann.

[saucydiva]

And everyone will be like, ok, why is he always there? And then by the end of season five he'll be back in CH.

[craponaspatula]

Yeah, I just tried to make a similar point somewhere down at the bottom of this post since I am always a few steps behind you. But I will not tolerate fewer Ben storylines. And as much as I adore Ben/Leslie storylines, having him there at work allowed him to interact with other people, too, in a way that is more organic than if he had popped by to see Leslie.