Guys and gals...
You can't have a character listening to a tape recording of a conversation that took place in the previous episode...and then have the recording show noticable differences to what was shown in that episode!
You especially can't do it when you have a show that is re-run several times a week, and is also accessable On Demand. Unfortunately, this is what you have done by showing Huff listening to a recording of his Ecstasy-fueled therapy session, but eliminating several of the dramatic pauses Azaria took. Adding a few lines of dialogue that were not in the scene last week, to boot.
It don't work.
This show is still hanging on to my interest by its fingernails, mainly by virtue of the acting, particuarly Azaria's, and whatever residual caring I still have for the characters.
And to follow up on my comments about Beth's flirtation with The L Word last week...well, they're still going after that dollar, they just didn't use her for it this week.
Which is actually kind of why I was upset about it. It wasn't that I minded the scene or was offended by it. It was just that I knew, with absolute certainty based on the way they've been handling that character this year, that there would be no follow-up on it.
This year Beth is all about faddism. She shows an interest in prayer and church...for a few episodes. Suddenly she's doing heart-pounding, shallow-breathing kissing with another woman...and the next episode it's as if it never happened.
None of the questions are raised that might be. Not even the obvious ones, let alone those I might have expected from last season's writing.
Last season I lost count of the number of episodes that made me tear up by the end. No matter how many times I saw them. This season that's turned into a sad, resigned sigh...when it's not an annoyed grunt.
Here's irony for ya: Huff's expressions of discontent with his marriage...have begun to sound echoic of my dissatisfaction with this series.
As I say, that's irony for ya.
2 comments:
At this point, the primary plotline to hold my interest is Teddy's attempt at living outside the institution - the character has such a richly defined fragility that I can't help feeling for the guy . . .
Yeah, me too, and I should have mentioned that. I really like the way they're keeping Teddy from being just a "wacky eccentric" as he might be on a lesser series.
He is a seriously mentally ill man, and even as you want him to have his feeling of freedom, you're always aware of what's buried underneath.
Though at this point, I'm inclined to chalk that up to great work on the part of the actor more than the writing.
Of course, part of me hopes he'll twist the head of Byrd's punk little friend clean off for messing with him.
So you can see where I'm divided.
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