Secret Diary of a Callgirl S03E02 'Episode Two'

The theme to the second episode of the season is fantasies. This is fitting, as Belle’s whole job revolves around satisfying someone’s fantasy. We see just that during the cold open – dressed in clothing from a time long ago, and even donning a wig. We see how much detail she goes to, to get things right. But then we see her afterwards, taking off her wig – it’s almost as though the scene is telling you that playing out fantasies can only last so long, before you know it, it’s back to reality. Where she is just Hannah, and everything is as it was beforehand.

The major storyline revolves around the arrival of Hannah’s sister – Jackie. She believes Hannah to hold a job as a secretary, and has no knowledge of either her line of work as a callgirl, or of her recent publishing of her first book. Hannah finds her real job t be hard to hide, it is so much a part of her now, that perhaps it can be a little hard to separate the fantasy of Belle, from the reality of Hannah. Her sister finds evidence of her occupation, an abundance of sex toys, she however dismisses it and merely believes her sister simply enjoys sex.

In order to draw out the more wild side of her sister, who seems a bit prudish from the outset, Hannah takes her to a fetish club. Her sister seems shocked, and more than a little uncomfortable about the scenarios that surround her and wants to leave. She however, finds someone to talk to about the act of betrayal, which leaves time for Hannah to have a look around for herself. It is here, that she runs into her ex boss, Madam Stephanie. As predicted in the earlier post, she questions Hannah about being the author of ‘Secret Diary of a London Callgirl.’ It doesn’t take Hannah long to fold in her original denial, and it’s easy to see the contempt she holds for Stephanie and the rubbishing she gave her in her book.

The madam returns in a later scene, shared with the young callgirl Bambi. Bambi knows she isn’t getting paid enough, but doesn’t yet have the profile or the client base to draw upon as Belle does, so cannot essentially go it alone. Although the madam takes a high percentage of the fees, she is a necessity as she has the connections to screen and obtain the clients. The madam in this scene is contemptible, as she explains to Bambi that she will never get a higher rate than what she is on now, because she is ‘black.’ Not only do we feel Bambi’s rage at such a statement, we also are further ostracized from the madam.

It seems as though that the fetish club did nothing to heighten Jackie’s sexuality. The ensuing confrontation the two have which shows the lack of respect for the way each of them live their lives is also pivotal. It is Belle’s book, however, that seems to do the trick. It is clear that she is quite turned on, and when Ben turns up, she displays at least some form of subtle invitation. This is quite a different version of the Jackie we have seen thus far.

While Jackie essentially ruined the liaison Belle had with a longstanding client by hitting her, and therefore giving her a black eye – Jackie on the other hand, has quite a successful time with Ben. As they drink more and more, it is obvious that they are attracted to each other. And the chemistry between the two actors is a lot more steamy than it is with Hannah and Ben, it must be said.

The final scenes show that Ben has now put a wedge between the already strained relationship of the sisters. Hannah turns to writing, and when she finds she cannot, she calls her publisher. This plotline will surely continue to develop, as it seems as though there is some mutual attraction between the two. But as we learned last season, with the relationship between Hannah and Alex, it was impossible for her to have a normal relationship. But perhaps something will happen between the two, as he does know what she does for a living at least....

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- The ramifications of Ben hooking up with Hannah’s sister will surely put a strain on the friendship
- Could it be possible that he is using Jackie as a substitute for Hannah?
- Is Hannah jealous of her sister?
- The whole fantasy Bambi is having with her client, seems to have been set up to end badly
- The comparison between Hannah and Jackie’s sexuality was quite well done, and essentially shows how different they are. It seems as though Hannah is quite comfortable with herself and who she is, wheras Jackie is not.
- Was nice to see the family dynamic come into play a little bit. Hannah’s family is barely mentioned, and Im guessing at some point, she will be publicly revealed, much like the real author was. It will be interesting to see the fallout.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“We all fantasize to escape our ordinary lives. And in my line of work, I am the fantasy. Every encounter lingers like a ghost, following me all the way home, keeps me company. Someone to share the secret of who I am, and what I’ve just done.” Belle
“I don’t need loosening up, you need tightening up.” Jackie
“Under the cloak of darkness our fantasies can come out to play, but when the sun comes up, we all have a life to be getting on with.” Hannah
“The key to fantasies, is knowing that you’re in one. It’s when you start thinking things are real that things become complicated. Fantasy and reality, and never the twain shall meet.”

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Secret Diary of a Callgirl S03E01 'Episode One'

So the first episode back for Secret Diary of a Callgirl. I’ve been a fan of the show since it originally aired, and have even gone so far as to read the books. There are large discrepancies between the two, however, both are great in their own right. Of course the essential ‘coming out’ of the former anonymous writer of the Belle De Jour books, Brooke Magnanti, only taking place a few months ago proved to be free publicity for the show if anything.

This show has many female followers, as the area of topic is quite an intriguing one. A woman leading a double life; lady on the street, freak in the bedroom. To be able to do the book justice at all, the show had quite a challenge. They had to show the lives of Hannah and Belle, without making them completely cliché and stagnant. And I think they’ve achieved this, and will continue to make the character/s grow more in this third season. Of course, the show doesn’t lack male followers. It’s pretty raunchy, which will always attract male attention.



At the end of the second season, we saw that Hannah had written a book about her exploits, under the banner of anonymity, ‘Belle De Jour.’ It was unclear if she was going to keep going in her profession, or if she was simply going to rest on her laurels. It didn’t take long to find out that she was going to continue on with her old tricks, and what a relief that was. The show simply couldn’t work without it.

We see Hannah at the book launch of ‘Secret Diary of a London Callgirl’ in the disguise as a waitress. As the real author stayed hidden for so long, it was interesting to see how both Hannah and the publishing agent thought that this was a better idea than merely being a face in the crowd, so as not to draw attention to herself.
She however, is not please with the launch. By getting a porn star lookalike to read an excerpt from the book, she was both upset that this was meant to be a portrayal of her, and that it also cheapened the literary experience greatly.

The juxtaposition between Belle’s best friend, Ben, and herself in their respective sexual conquests is quite humorous. Ben is mistaken by a PR lady at the book launch as being the author. He fails to correct her, and we see them having sex later on. However, it is almost clumsy sex – and the PR lady realises this couldn’t possibly be the author of the book who has seemingly had hundreds of sexual exploits.

Belle on the other hand, has everything under control with one of her favourite clients. They both have a much better time than Ben and his partner, and they seem to have a genuine connection. This may be merely because they have had sex before, the client being a repeat customer. Or it may be because Belle is a professional, and knows the right things to do in order to create some sort of chemistry. Alternatively, they may just get along because they seem to actually like one another. Perhaps it’s all three?

One of the later scenes sets the pace for the entire third series. Her publisher requests her having a manuscript ready in three months to follow up the book she’s just published. It’s seemed to have garnered considerable media attention, and it would make sense to try an capitalise it by printing another book in the same vain as soon as possible. To do this however, Belle needs material, and to get material there is only one solution - get back to work.

Of course, in the dying minutes of the first episode, with her sister showing up is obviously going to cause trouble. Her family is unaware of her occupation, and with the buzz of the book and her need to go back to work – it will be almost impossible to do with her sister hanging around and not finding out the truth about Belle.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- While there has always meant to have been a certain chemistry between Belle and Ben, I actually think it’s a bit hard to see. It almost seems like they’re too good of friends at this point to turn it into something more
- Belle’s madam, a recurring character, a former callgirl herself, who in her own way is quite amusing, due to the way that she takes the whole business so seriously suspects that Belle wrote the book. And Belle wasn’t exactly favourable in the representation of her, so I’m sure this storyline will be revisited in the future
- The differences between the two clients Belle had in this episode was also quite humorous. As discussed above, Belle seemed to have a genuine affection for her first client. The second, although he was very wealthy, seemed to be very plain, and made the whole affair seem very passionless. Belle seemed more like a prop than a partner in this scene which I thought was interesting
- Billie Pipe is really wonderful as the lead in this show, and looks amazing post baby.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“If you want to stay on top, you need to be in control at all times.” Belle

“Get dressed then, shall I?” Ben

“Maybe I can fake it till I make it.” Hannah

“If I’m going to write a second book, I’m going to have to do some serious whoring.” Hannah

“Prostitute. Author. Sister. Shit.” Hannah

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Big Love S04E03 'Strange Bedfellows'

So I’ve just watched the third episode of this great series, and have started to worry that it may be losing its way. I think the thing that makes this show so great, is the dynamics of the family. But the more this political storyline continues, I worry that the family screen time will be sacrificed to allow Bill to pursue his ambitions. I may be alone in thinking this, but it feels like the political storyline is the most forced and I enjoyed every other story arc this episode much more. But let’s not forget, this show is one of the best on HBO, and HBO is the best on TV. So let’s keep the faith.

Bill and Nikki in Washington was interesting. It’s a place where they didn’t have to hide, or so was the reasoning behind Nikki’s attendance. However, it seemed a little strange she would have frequented the trip, as the two are still trying to reconcile their relationship – and with the whirlwind trip, and Bill trying to get Clarke’s endorsement of his campaign, it just seemed like it was destined to be a fail for them. Of course with the present of CaraLynn on the trip, it is even more apparent that the weekend will not end well. And this was proven on the first night, where Bill bought her sexy lingerie (with no bottoms, much to Nikki’s amazement). Now he has been married to Nikki for years, and it just seems so blatantly obvious that sexy lingerie is not her scene. She is the most conservative of all the wives, and to gift her something so raunchy, suggested to me that either he wasn’t really thinking, or that he was possibly thinking with something other to his brain, or the third option; he simply just doesn’t know her.

CaraLynn’s presence on the trip allows the viewer to get to know her a little better, as she has previously fallen under a cloud of mystery. She clearly likes the protection that the very compound chic clothes and hairstyles offer her, although this assessment could merely be based on the fact that she wouldn’t really know any better. It is evident that she feels uncomfortable in the clothes that Nikki bought for her. When she was first introduced at the end of season three, I wondered if she would be somewhat devious. There was a chance she would be, as Nikki has proven to be in the past. We find out that CaraLynn lied to her Nikki, by telling her that she had asked Jay Jay if she was allowed to go to Washington with Nikki and Bill – and that he had given his consent. We find this out to be a lie, as we see Jay Jays blind rage when he finds out Nikki took her without asking, as he confronts Margene back at the house, which of course leads to later, very important events, in the episode. This also brings into question a statement made in a previous episode where she tells Jay Jay she doesn’t really like it with Nikki, and will return with him to Kansas when he goes.

So not only do we find that CaraLynn lied about that, but after an argument with her mother in the lobby of the political soiree being thrown which Bill so vehemently needed to get into, CaraLynn announces to the security guard that Nikki has a gun. She showed it to CaraLynn earlier in the episode, and told her it was for protection. Nikki seemed really vulnerable in this episode, almost afraid of being in a big city. The quote below which she delivers in the later part of the episode does a lot to explain Nikki’s fear, and brings to the forefront that perhaps she doesn’t really know what she wants. She was horrified when Bill told her to take the metro, and we see her giving CaraLynn safety advice upon their arrival. Growing up in the compound, I guess it’s safe to say she’s not exposed to large amounts of violent crime that cities often see, and she’s just trying her best to protect both herself and her daughter. However, her undoing here is her innocence in the matter. She draws her gun to show the security guard it’s not even loaded and is swiftly arrested.

And while Nikki and Bill are trying to reconcile their relationship in the time Bill can spare from pursuing his political career, the two main stories at home are much more engaging.

What can be said about Margene’s career? It is so often dismissed by the family, that it is barely acknowledged at times. That is until they found out how much money she is making. Perhaps Margene sees the inevitable demise of the family, and is saving for her own future away from them. Or perhaps she just wants something of her own, and to be taken a little seriously by the others. She discovers at work that she is to be thrust onto centre stage; going on the shopping network in a prime time position, and to top it off, it’s a live performance. She’s excited by the prospect, and asks Barb to come for support. However, Barb is too busy with the work at the casino, so turns down the invitation, crushing Margene. With Bill and Nikki out of town, it seems as though she has to go it alone. But then there is Ben, who we know to have a major crush on Margene. Who may actually see Margene’s demise in terms of her position in the family. He rearranges his commitments, and makes it to the studio in a show of support. And she kisses him. She looks shocked, and perhaps a little apprehensive about the ramifications after the fact. The kiss was misconstrued by one of the shows producers, and they put the camera on him, announcing him to be Margene’s partner. This doesn’t go down well with Barb, who is watching the telecast from home, and will surely be given massive mileage over the coming weeks.

The other major storyline of the episode was Sarah trying to reconnect with Barb. She does so by going to the casino with her, for a sensitivity training session run by her mother. As it would turn out, it is shown through one of the workers having an outburst, that Barb doesn’t know much about the native Indians culture at all. It has been shown in a previous episode, the almost masked contempt of the native workers towards Bill when he was making a speech about how both groups (mormons and native Indians) have been oppressed. Surely Barb had this coming, and as someone that has had training in psychology, it seems like it would be a priority to research basic facts around their culture in order to identify with differences, and to see things from their point of view.
This is magnified while on the drive home, Barb accidentally hits someone. While the young native, Layla, is not badly hurt, she has broken her leg. Tommy’s advice to Barb is to leave, because while she is barely tolerated at the casino, things would surely become worse if the community were to find out she hit one of their own, and this would of course have ramifications for the casino. Barb is out of her depth here, and relies on Tommy’s advice and leaves, much to Sarah’s incredulity.

A minor storyline which is likely to have large affects on how the season plays out is the relationship between Alby and Dale. As Dale was appointed to oversee Juniper Creek by the state, the fact that they are quite literally, in bed together, is going to cause some massive drama. It’s been shown that both are very uncomfortable with their homosexuality, but Dale struggles with it as he is not only married, but is a man of great belief. Alby, on the other hand, seems to be encouraging it – it would seem his reasoning for this is to get what he wants. And this seems to be the case, as Dale suggests they work together to fix Juniper Creek, and to give Alby the reputation of being a great reformer and making Juniper Creek a better environment. The fact that Alby took a picture of them together in bed while Dale was asleep will surely come back into play later in the season.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- It seems like everytime this series focuses more on the external forces that guide their world, rather than the internal family unit, it seems to lose its way a little bit. I can appreciate what they are trying to do, but the writing is really at its best when the three wives and Bill are at its centre
- Although brought up in a throwaway comment by Leigh, someone advising Bill on the world of politics, it still seems strange that he believes he will not get caught...
- Jay Jay is a very haunting character, and brilliantly portrayed. He has that air of creepiness about him. What his plans are though, are still unclear – although it would seem his wife (who is very possibly not sick at all) wanted to leave them alone. He however, dismisses the idea.
- Teeny is back from camp, with a new actress inhabiting the role. She does look markedly similar to the original though, good casting
- If Barb has time to watch the live telecast at home, it would seem that she might have been able to make it in to the studio to support Margene
- Will Ben try to protect Margene? It’s a theory not to be discounted, as he does seem to have a genuine affection for her. As it was shown last week, with the very minimal interest everyone feigned in the delight that his band had landed their first gig, they are both somewhat dismissed by the family. Maybe there is a natural kinship between the two
- It was nice to see Jodine, Kathy’s twin, on the screen. She seems violently unhappy, perhaps she feels guilty for the goings on with the trial – although it was done out of necessity...
- Did Bill seem really cheap this episode? I know the money they were asking for the event was a bit steep, but when he told Nikki that she couldn’t catch a cab because they were so expensive ...

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Yeah, well you’re lucky, if things go bad with one, you’ve got two more on the bench.” Leigh
“I just realised, I don’t like you.” Marilyn (expressing most people’s sentiment)
“Homosexuality is a sin. We were just fooling around. I like fooling around.” Alby
“This burden, it’s only for a lifetime.” Dale
“I’m trying to do everything I can so you don’t become like me. I don’t want you to be afraid of yourself. To be afraid of the world.” Nikki

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Greys Anatomy S06E12 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked'

Another week, another pressing question that seems to encompass the lives of every surgeon at Seattle Grace. When it comes down to it, what would they choose, love or surgery? Out of the original interns (obviously minus George) I think it’s glaringly obvious that all bar Izzie would choose surgery over love. Each of them is fiercely ambitious, and even though their busy love lives often complicate matters – there is no way that they would choose the joy of love over the joy of cutting.

The great thing about the patients that come to Seattle Grace, is their life stories often make the surgeons question their own lives – handy, isn’t it?
This week we saw a larger than life character, who sung. His whole life was singing, without giving much regard to his partner. This of course parallels pretty much every relationship we have seen on Grey’s Anatomy thus far – commitment to the job over commitment to the person. Another metaphor, on top of this, is the patient explaining that singing is his release from all he finds bad in the world, more or less. And of course, this is a running theme through the show. We constantly see the surgeons antsy when they haven’t operated for awhile. Surgery is their release. They need it in order to be at peace. With themselves, and the world.

First of all, we see it in Meredith And Derek. Derek has found out that Richard has relapsed, and is in fact drinking again. This is a secret that Meredith has been closely guarding, and as soon as Derek does find out, he starts talking about going to the board to tell the truth. Although this is probably the right thing to do, in light of there are actual lives at risk here, it doesn’t erase the fact that Derek is the most likely candidate to be the next chief. In this case, there is a very fine line between being noble and ambitious. And let’s not forget, that the chief and Derek are supposedly very good friends. There are two ways to go about it, either trying to help him – or giving him up. And it does seem as though one of the options reaps a much greater reward for McDreamy.....
The problem for Der/Mer’s relationship stems from the fact Meredith specifically asks him not to go to the board. The chief has always been a mentor for her, and especially over the last few episodes, has been educating her on the finer points of surgery – and it could be said, giving the least likable character (in my eyes at least) a distinct advantage over her fellow residents.

Another relationship that examines the question is that of Izzie and Alex. She is back, however briefly – giving viewers just enough ingormation to know that this relationship is most certainly doomed. Of course we already know that Alex has attempted to move on, after several episodes of pining for her. He slept with Lexie, or ‘Little Grey’ and literally the next morning, his wife shows up. Now that’s timing. Izzie, the one character who would choose love over her job, is the one that broke her husband’s heart in an uncharacteristically cruel way. She battled cancer, with Alex by her side the entire time, and then .... she just left. So while she would most likely put Alex before her job, she put herself and her needs miles ahead of Alex’s feelings – and in the end, Alex couldn’t handle it. He knew he deserved better than what she put him through, and he’s right. Even though her intentions are of working on the relationship, moving back and being there for her husband – it just seems as though it’s too little too late for this relationship. She has been given a clear bill of health however, and Alex wishes her well, but makes it very clear that it is over. Stating her wants her to go away, and be happy, and to not come back. And off she goes again. Forever running away from her problems, something I suspect she will do for good around say ... the season finale.

Alex is probably the most interesting character on the show. Although not much is known about his childhood, there are some snippets letting us know that is fundamentally pretty dark, which echoes through on his personality today. And while Izzie, on paper at least, is probably the most likable character on the show, I can’t help rooting for Alex.

The other relationship that looked at this paradigm, was Christina and Owen. Her over enthusiastic love of her career is nothing new. In fact, it may be one of her most endearing/annoying qualities. She has made no secret to anyone, from the word go, how important her career is. And she continued to prove this last week, when she finally found a mentor that measured up to her very high expectations. The last person that actually taught her, was Burke. And we all know how long ago that was, so it is understandable that she would want Teddy to stay. But to actually let the words ‘take him’ escape her mouth, is a little strange. In that brief moment, she wanted a mentor so much, that she was willing to trade her boyfriend for it? She made her choice about career over love long ago, and she’s sticking to it.

That’s the crux of this weeks episode. There was some added background issues with Callie coming down with the chicken pox and Arizona lying to her, saying she’s never had them. Although her reasoning was explained as not wanting to lose the ‘sexy part’ of the relationship, the move did seem a little shallow. The return of Mark Sloane also graced our screens, and he went to Callie’s aid. I actually find their friendship one of the greatest part of Grey’s Anatomy, I really think the two characters balance each other out. And of course the return of Mark, brought up the issues between himself and Lexie. He admitted sleeping to Addison, and she admitted to sleeping with Alex. He, however, seems quite hurt by the news, that she would do that to him while his daughter was sick, and he was hurting etc etc. However, if you watched Private Practice last week, it’s not like he only slept with Addison once. He did it several times, and even floated the idea about moving to California to be with her – all the while calling Lexie a child ..... so does he really have any right at all, to be mad?
No, he does not.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- Bailey was almost mourning the loss of the chief, before he got called up by the board. His sacking, or whatever is in store for him, will certainly affect her greatly, as those two characters seemed to share a special bond on some level. I think the question of a relationship a few weeks back by the chiefs ex wife, Adele, was a tongue in cheek reference to this.
- It’s been made relatively clear that Katherine Heigl is leaving the series, and while I love her as actress – I honestly think that the show is suffering with her reappearances, and continued leaving.
- There was one other doctor we saw tonight that came over from Mercy West – have they sort’ve forgotten this whole merger story??

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Alex and I have done it before, that was recycling, it was like good for the environment.” Lexie
“I know that I’m good enough not to deserve this. Not to have to feel like this. Not to love you so much, I almost hate you.” Alex

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Big Love S04E02 'The Greater Good'

Big Love is back with a bang. The story arcs are getting set up to run season long, and if nothing else it will be an hour filled drama every week to say the least. I do believe that this season is going to be fairly action packed, as we already have an abundance of storylines to keep track of, the most significant of all would be the plight of keeping the family together, when it looks uncertain as to whether it can be achieved.

The main story coming out of episode two of the HBO heavyweight, was Bill’s plans to run for office. Just the thought, of course, runs contrary to what we have seen in previous episodes, where we’ve constantly seen the family having to hide who they really are. The thing about political campaigns are, your dirty laundry is normally aired. So to run that risk, and expose everybody, seems to not really parallel the values and motives behind previous story lines.

But this has certainly set up some conflict between all three wives and Bill. It’s quite obvious Margene in particular, does not want Bill to run. And within reason. Her business has just started taking off, she has made $9000 in the last month alone, which is no mean feat for the wife that everyone considered to be a little .. ditzy. For the first time, we see Margene as the most level headed wife, even if her reasons are to protect herself, they are still no less valid. But the past few seasons have seen Margene mature, and I think this trend is going to continue, as she’s really found her calling. Although bringing up the matter in the middle of having sex with her husband, may not have been the best idea.

Margene’s business is beginning to create conflict between the three wives, and between herself and Bill. Nikki finds evidence of how much money Margene has actually been making through her jewellery venture, and is outraged that the family has been left in the dark about it, as is Barb when she finds out about it. Bill later asks her how much money it is that she’s making, and when she tells him he chides her for not putting it in the communal pot – a comment which she side steps and it is not mentioned again on this episode, but it is sure to be the centre of further unrest in the future.
Bill’s motives behind running, are of course noble. He wants to save Juniper Creek in a certain aspect. After all, it’s where he grew up, what he knows. And his belief is he has to defend the principle, and its way of life. The entire notion of Bill conceiving to run comes from a meeting where he is present, where the current administration is calling for the court appointed trustee, Ray, to bulldoze the compound and prosecute people involved in the illegal act of polygamy.

Nikki doesn’t have as many qualms about it as both Margene, and to a lesser extent, Barb do. However, she believes with her father no longer residing on the compound as prophet, that the position he held rightfully belongs to Bill. That being a prophet is his calling. Bill is adamant that he doesn’t believe this to be the case, and goes so far as to say that he believes he can do a better job running for office and being able to help the people of Juniper Creek by having influence and say in the persecution of the group, rather than residing over them as prophet. He wants Juniper Creek to become a community, and is going to do everything in his power to make it happen.

The other major storyline of the episode revolved around Sarah and Scott’s relationship. We heard last week, that they were looking for a church that felt right for them to get married in. Barb tentatively suggested their own church, with Bill conducting the ceremony. But how things change in a week. Scott seems fed up of waiting, and hasn’t seen a church he feels in anyway affiliated with, and suggests they get married straight away at the Justice of the Peace. Sarah agrees to this, and the next scene brings back a welcome face. Her former best friend, Heather, who Sarah messed around with choosing colleges etc. It would seem that Heather has not forgiven her for this, and even when Sarah informs her she’s marrying Scott in a couple of days, Heather remains stoic. Sarah will not take no for an answer, as she wants Heather to be a witness. After finally saying yes, the two hug, and we hope the reunited friendship lasts longer than an episode.
She also requests her brother Ben’s presence as a witness, and although he is originally reluctant, he seems to come around after Scott asks him to be there for his sister. However, he does seem to take issue with the fact that Sarah is doing this behind their parents backs.

Nikki’s story arc, following on from the previous season, shows the outfall of her dalliance with her former boss, Ray. It was clear at the time she liked him, as she took his phone calls even when she was standing near members of her family, and even tried to dress Bill up to look at him at one stage. He again makes an appearance in the second episode, when Nikki goes to see him, and we realise just how much he did, and still does, mean to her. To the point where she is questioning her beliefs, and is entirely unsure of her relationship with Bill. This is an interesting angle, as Nikki always seemed to be the most certain of the principle, and what it was exactly, that she believed in. And although Ray was clearing out of town, I don’t think somehow, that we have seen the last of him. Nikki brings up later on in the episode, that she now knows what love is. This doesn’t bode well for the mending of her relationship with Bill, as she is obviously stating that her feelings for Ray are stronger than any feelings she’s ever had with Bill. She goes so far as to admit she doesn’t know what she feels for Bill anymore, to Margene, of all people. But she also admits to Bill she is unsure of where this marriage is going if he does not become prophet, which unsettles him considerably.

Although not overly explored this episode, the conflict between Bill and his partners in his casino is still present. A throw away comment was made about having to do a perimeter search to check for dead bodies was made toward Barb, as she seemed to be in charge of the business side of things for this episode at least. There is a very interesting dynamic between barb and Tommy, one which I hope will get explored further on. I like watching them on the screen together.
The audience is also exposed to Jay Jay for longest amount of time we’ve seen him yet. And it doesn’t make him any less creepy. Besides the fact that he has no fingernails, the whole family is subjected to awkwardness throughout the dinner, before they each make their excuses and leave him alone with Nikki and one of his wives, where a short and sharp exchange takes place, where Nikki makes the aforementioned love statement, although doesn’t allude to whom she is referring to.
Another welcome return stems from Wanda and Joey. I have always really enjoyed these characters, and something else has been added to the element as we know that it was in fact Joey, that killed Roman Grant. Wanda, is paid a visit from her brother Jay Jay, which seems to frighten her greatly. He tells her he knows Joey’s great secret, that he is the murderer. And he also alludes to something he has of Wanda’s, which scares her more and she requests his immediate departure. Meanwhile, Bill’s brother Joey, is expressing similar sentiments to Bill as Nikki has been. That he believes that he is Juniper Creek’s next prophet, even though Bill does not agree and tells him of his plans to run for office.

In a call back to last weeks ‘hike’, involving Alby and the court appointed trustee that’s overseeing the financial management of Juniper Creek, Dale – they share a scene this week. Alby has followed him to a meeting which Dale is running, which involves talking to other members on how to suppress their homosexual urges. We find out Dale is a religious man, and is also married. He confronts Alby after the meeting, asking if he followed him there. Alby tries to kiss him, before Dale walks away. Again, this storyline obviously has to be going somewhere – but in which direction? And what is Alby trying to achieve?

The final couple of points I’ll make on the seasons second episode, is Nikki’s attendance at her fathers funeral, even though she was adamant she would not go. She admitted to her mother she believed Roman Grant to be a false prophet, and Adaleen tells her not to go to the funeral to say goodbye to the prophet, but to say goodbye to her family. Even though, in many ways Roman Grant was a conniving human being, we have seen evidence of Nikki’s affection for him, and perhaps it is for this reason she wishes to say goodbye to him.

Another major story arc that is setting up the entire season, is Bill’s decision to definitely run. More interestingly though, he states that after he is elected (assuming that he is), he plans to come clean about his polygamous lifestyle. This is obviously going to cause a world of problems for the wives, in particular Margene’s business. And what about the poor kids, that are trying to maintain a normal life, without everyone having to know their parents business? It seems in a large part, a massive turnaround from previous seasons. It seems as though, that Bill was influenced by something his daughter said about not wanting to hide who she is anymore, that he realised that he should do the same, in order to most help his plight.

The show finishes up with Sarah and Scott getting married, surrounded by her family. And although it didn’t have quite the emotional impact it could have, seeing Nikki crying at the end, was quite touching as we now know her inner turmoil – she has loved and lost.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- What exactly is it that Jay Jay has on Wanda? And what exactly does he plan to do with the very valuable info of how Roman actually died?
- Does Scott have no family that would have liked to have been present at his wedding...
- Get ready for some massive conflict. Margene fighting for her business, Nikki perhaps having conflict within herself and what she thinks her marriage means – and a lot of conflict at Bill for exposing the entire family.
- I’m not from America, so am not entirely familiar with the political system, so I may be wrong about this – but could this possibly be grounds for impeachment? Being elected under false pretenses? It is mentioned that they’ll probably convict them, but that polygamy is merely a ‘misdemeanor.’ At any length, he’s not exactly endearing the public toward them.
- Will they be found out? It would seem likely that they would, even going back to the season where Barb was going to be award mother of the year, it was found out then – so I don’t see why it would be so different now.
- Why would Bill want to expose them at all? The kids especially, who don’t have a choice, and try their best to maintain normal lives amongst school friends etc. It seems harsh to put them in the limelight like that.
- Is Alby trying to buy Dale's affections in order to be able to run Juniper Creek to how he sees fit?

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Someone has to defend the principle, someone has to fight back.” Bill

“We have to defend our most monumental beliefs Marge, whatever the consequences, whatever the sacrifice” Bill

“This is just all there is” Barb

“I just don’t want to have to hide who I am anymore” Sarah

“Don’t you have any pills to take? You just seem so cheerful today.” Tommy

“It so happens I do have feelings, I am a warm.” Nikki

“He didn’t love me, i was just daughter number eight, a commodity to be traded” Nikki

“Its really brought me back to life, you know?” Margene

“My daughter, I don’t know what she believes in. Certainly not me” Bill

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Brothers and Sisters S04E13 'Run Baby Run'

Okay, I know it’s a little unorthodox to start reviewing a show when it’s already half way through the season, but I solemnly swear that if there’s reason for it, I will go back to the start of season four and make things right. So, what is there to say in a way of introduction about this show. In some ways, it’s very real. It looks at issues that a lot of people are facing. The only thing is, that as a family, they are facing almost every single problem that the writers can think of.
Let’s just examine some of the things that have happened to the Walker’s up to this point in time.

- Father dies in the first episode
- Discover his infidelities
- Discover a secret love child in Rebecca
- Weddings
- Surrogacy
- War
- Cancer
- Heart attack
- Coming out
- Finding out about even more infidelities
- Discovering a second secret love child in Ryan
- Separation
- Divorce
- Kidnap
- Juvenile diabetes
- Drug addiction
- Embezzlement
- Spirituality
- Transplant
- Death of an infant
- Pregnancy
- Miscarriage
- Custody battles
- Depression

And that’s just what comes to me on the top of my head. I wonder how many other families have had to deal with all of these issues within the last four years. So back to episode thirteen of this show. There are a few storylines that are getting quite a bit of attention this episode, none more so than Kitty and her evolving story arc of finally running for a congressional seat. This initially came up one or two episodes ago, when she was battling lymphoma, and she realised that she’s never realised one of her dreams.

However, a roadblock was thrown in her way this episode, as before she ever had a chance to tell Robert of her plans, he announced that he wanted to get out of politics altogether. After all the painstaking election campaigns, the anguish and heartache it had caused on their marriage, not to mention the massive heart attack he had suffered – he wanted to get out. I wonder what tipped him over the edge?
This makes it difficult for Kitty to tell him she wants to run for congress, and he finds out by overhearing a conversation she is having with Saul and her mother. Initially upset, it takes him about two minutes of screen time to come around to the idea – and suggests that she should aim higher, and run for his own seat in the senate that he is vacating. In fairness to the writers though, they did bring up the irony of Kitty questioning her and Robert’s marriage when she found out he was running for governor when he was recovering from his bypass. And it seems that the action she so despised Robert for doing, is one that she turned around and did herself. There still seems to be a double standard to this, but I’ll let it go for now. This seems to be a story line that is going to play out for the rest of the season.

Kevin and Scotty have also got a lot on their plate. They’re moving full steam ahead with the surrogacy, with the help (and womb) of Scotty’s good friend that nobody had ever heard of until it was necessary to the storyline, Michelle. On top of this, although it is barely mentioned, Kevin knows he is no longer going to be working with Robert in the political arena. So is he worried about job security? Or are they setting him up to work with Kitty?After Michelle has been implanted, it’s advised she be on bed rest for at least a day – but how are the writers going to involve her in the storyline if all the action is at Sarah’s on the pretence of a family dinner? Answer is: a gas leak, of course. Michelle has to conveniently relocate to Sarah’s, for at least the night, and be subjected to the very overbearing Kevin. Some of the points he made were valid, but when he told her he doesn’t wanting her watching scary movies, I started to worry for the embryo. Is he not going to be the most overprotective father ever? This story arc has been set up for some conflict/laughs, with Kevin and Scotty finding out Michelle has a younger boyfriend. The nineteen year old also comes to Sarah’s, because why wouldn’t he? Anyhow, the audience also finds out Michelle isn’t supposed to have sex for sixteen weeks, something Kevin likes to remind her of once or twice, and you sometimes get the impression that he’s a little ungrateful of what Michelle is doing for them, as he is treating her like she is a child (though of course, the writers have again covered their tracks on this and given a ‘you know i’m grateful’ throw away line in there).

To the last major storyline that took place in this episode. Unlucky in love Sarah. She has met and bonded with a single dad at a science fair in the previous episode. The opening shot is of them sharing coffee and trading war stories of their tweens. She then invites him to a family dinner, but later as they fight about their children’s civil rights in relation to backpack searches at school, she assumes that he no longer will be joining her. But Roy does make an appearance, and makes a point of saying that they don’t need to agree on everything. A lesson, you might have thought, she would have learnt by now.

A minor storyline in this episode, centres around the underutilised Saul. The long suffering uncle, who is alone and all he really has is his work. He has joined an online dating agency, which he ultimately hopes will add some meaning to his life, which sees him more or less playing surrogate father to five grown children who constantly find themselves in new sorts of trouble every week.

Further Thoughts

- Where was Justin and Rebecca? They were in one scene and didn’t even make it to the family dinner at all? It’s gone from being a show almost centred around their relationship, to them barely getting a look in.
- Why would Sarah actually think inviting Roy to dinner would be a good idea, particularly for a first date? When has a Walker family dinner actually went well?
- I may be wrong on this, but it seems every family dinner they have, at least one person leaves before they eat. In this case it seemed as though everybody did. Under appreciative guests.
- Does anyone else think that Scotty deserves more screen time? He is probably the most redeeming character on that show, and perhaps for that reason, he is subjected to the background.
- I found it interesting that not only did Robert McCallister know who Shakira was, he always knew where she came from. He didn’t always strike me as the type that would know anything about pop music.

Quotable Quotes

- “So is this your first Walker dinner party? Good luck.” Robert
- “You can’t tell what’s in a kids backpack unless you check it.” Roy (Thankyou for stating the obvious)
- “‘We’re still here, so I think we have to go for it” Kitty

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Big Love S04E01 'Free at Last'

All hail HBO, the network of all that is great. It really does bring a smile to my face, to know that one network at least, is dedicated to airing groundbreaking television. And Big Love is no mean feat. The major content of this show is religion and polygamy, a highly taboo subject for most networks to even hint at. Yet Big Love does it in such a way that it is handled not only with sensitivity, but with class.

I was introduced to this show when it was airing its third season, by a friend that has almost identical taste (save a large disagreement about the merit and legacy of The Wire). I find it a fascinating exploration into the lives where , for all intents and purposes, would be defined by their way of life by anybody who is not involved in it. But as we have continued to see, the four major characters; Bill, Barb, Nikki and Margene are far more complex than simply being polygamists.

The opening scene reveals that all three wives are still in Bill Hendrickson’s company, which is a relief to all of those who are fans of Chloe Sevigny’s portrayal of the more traditional Polygamist wife, and the only wife of the three that grew up on the compound and has been exposed to the lifestyle her entire life. Those who watched the third season saw that Nikki had more or less ‘stepped out’ on her marriage with her ex – boss, who she did have genuine feelings for, even if her predominant reason for working for him was to undo the case he was bringing forwards onto her father, Roman Grant. As we see the family and some friends present, Nikki asks for forgives of her family for her actions and ‘disseminations’, and it becomes apparent that her family is having trouble getting over what she has done in both aiding her father to walk free when the case fell down around him, and gaining the affections of her boss.

Amanda Seyfried’s Sarah, too, is still on the scene, however brief her appearance may have been. If you follow entertainment headlines at all, you will know that this is going to be her last season, as her career is really beginning to take off. Scott is also briefly mentioned in relation to their impending nuptials – which Barb thinks they should have done in their own church, and although you can sense some tension between the mother and daughter, it is clear to see that Barb has at least come to terms with Scott’s presence in her daughters life, and is finally letting her make her own decisions. Perhaps the writers are gearing up for Barb to have to say goodbye to Sarah?

Let’s face it. Alby has always been a little odd. And although the audience are aware that some people know he is more inclined towards men than he is women, its unknown how widely this knowledge is known. As he sits, looking through his binoculars at various different males that are in the park, he is approached someone, asking what it is he is doing. A fair enough question, I would have thought. Although he is claiming to be bird watching, looks are exchanged between Alby and this mystery man, one that suggests he is invited to follow this stranger for a ‘nature walk’ in the woods with him.

The FBI are still actively seeking Roman Grant for his past discretions. They barge in the house where Adaleen and the other wives claim no knowledge of where he is, although we later find this is untrue. As we saw Roman die in the finale of season three, at the hands of Bill’s brother Joey, as he is seeking retribution for the part Roman played in his almost-got-to-be-sealed-as-the-second-wife, Cathy. He was suffocated on his bed, and as the police are looking for a live Roman Grant, it begs the question – where’s the body? We do also see a reappearance by Nikki’s ex boss – with Bill accusing of him as making the Roman Grant case and the harassment of his daughter, for whom he did use to have feelings for, his personal vendetta. Which, you can’t really blame him for really. She did manipulate him, lie to him and bring his career case crashing down around his feet.

Another significant development in the season premeire, sees the UEB accounts have been placed in the hands of a court appointed trustee, as Roman Grant harbours a fugitive status, meaning that he is unable to see the assets of the UEB. But wait! Doesn’t that trustee look familiar? Oh wait, he is the man that Alby followed into the woods to have a rendezvous with! Now on opposing sides of the fight. As this plot unfolds, I only expect it to get more and more interesting.

There is a lot of conflict in this episode. We see Lois being reunited with Frank after her foiled attempt at killing him. This leads to Frank wanting to seek retribution, and later in the episode we see him coming back to seek it. Although, it inevitably fails, and Lois instead proposes a business venture. Another conflict which was seen throughout, was that between Bill and his partners (Gerry and his son Tommy). By association they are getting harassed by the FBI on the whereabouts of Roman Grant, and it’s even been suggested that they may be laundering money through their tribal accounts. The partners also have problems dealing with Barb, who is somewhat of a control freak and have a beef over the all important questions of salmon vs crab legs. Bill sees this situation for what it is, and realises that he needs Margene’s help in the matter, as Gerry has always taken a liking to her. And this in turn, leads us to the third bubbling up conflict. Although it has not come to a head, it has been made clear that Margene’s own business venture, her jewellery line, is beginning to suffer due to all the time that is being devoted to the casino. I believe that this will be explored further in the coming weeks, as Margene will have to make a choice between her dreams, or her husbands.

The main reveal of the episode, however, is learning what exactly has become of Roman Grant. Nikki sees her mum on the pretence of delivering a new generator. However, Adaleen demands to make her daughter a BLT before her departure, and as Nikki looks for the bacon in the walk in freezer, she instead discovers the frozen corpse of her father. Adaleen explains to Nikki that she didn’t know how to tell her what had happened, but you would have to believe that it would be easier to hear about it before seeing the frozen body.... Anyhow, Nikki is upset, and tells her brother, Alby, that Roman Grant is in fact dead. Rather than being sad, he and his main wife are overjoyed, as he was their main obstacle in taking over Juniper Creek.

They drive the body to Bill’s newest business venture, the casino, perhaps as payback for the heated conversation at the meeting of the trustee. However, there has never been any love lost between the two. This is inevitably going to cause more conflict between Bill and Gerry, as Gerry’s son Tommy had heard that the body had been dumped there, but Bill insisted that it was merely a hoax. Both he and Nikki drive back the body to Adaleen’s house, although the reasoning behind this is not fully explained, and it sounds as though a plan is being hatched as Bill seeked clarification that Nikki remembered what to say to her mother. On this car ride, Nikki breaks down, because we do know that Nikki did love her father, despite all the going ons and trouble that he had caused for Bill in the past. Despite who he was, he was still her father – and the audience got to see the emotion she felt upon losing him, endearing her to us .. and hopefully to Bill. The final dialogue exchanged in the episode however, is Gerry and Tommy confronting Bill about Roman Grant’s hat that had been found on the property, revealing that they now know that he was lying when he dismissed their information as merely a hoax, all the while giving him a look of ominous distrust.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- Barb’s parenting has changed dramatically. Her youngest wasn’t even in the entire show, although she was referenced as being away (and ultimately being replaced by a new actor to her previous). She is still having trouble accepting Scott into Sarah’s life, and she gave Ben’s news of his paying gig an air of indifference. I guess she did use the band to save the casino’s opening night though

- What is going to happen with Cara-Lynn? Although she seemed to be enjoying her time with Nikki, and especially relishing the fact that she gets to go to school, a grade above what she should be due to her test results, does she really want to stay? She did tell her dad she doesn’t really like it there, and will return to Kansas with him when he decides its time to go. So who is she playing?

- The Alby/Dale story arc is hopefully going to develop into some deliciously juicy viewing, as Alby is going to battle it out for his place of top dog on the compound.

- We do see Bill trying to reach his brother Joey, who we knows is responsible for Roman Grant’s death. The brothers are caught up in a rift, but at this stage, no one suspects murder – so we wonder how long it will be before questions are asked.

- A congratulations to Chloe Sevigny for winning a Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her wonderful portrayal of Nikki! I’ve long loved Nikki, and Sevingy deserves kudos for bringing both her flaws and her more endearing qualities to life.

- Just as a sidenote, I hope to see more of Lois this season as well. I believe she steals every scene she’s in.

QUOTES

“We thought you were the sunny face of polygamy.” Tommy

“Mormons don’t eat salmon, we like crabs legs!” Barb

“I was wrong in attempting to hasten your demise” Lois

“Heaven forbid we should upset Bill” Nikki

“God will surely punish thee that block my path to glory” Alby

“I don’t want to hurt you, I just want to kill you” Frank

“Tonight we share a new beginning. Tonight a ghost that has haunted us all through these years has passed, and we are truly free” Bill

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For the first act...

Okay, I'm just going to admit it.
I love watching TV.
The idea of being able to get lost in a world, often where you do not belong, nor will you ever, is appealing to me.
In a good show, it is easy to get lost in the stories, get invested in the characters that grace your screen. But not all TV shows are created equally.

For every drama that's as perfect as The Wire, there are 100's of shows that barely cut it. Some comedies hardly deserve to fall under the category at all. Often when you compare a supposed comedy to one of the heavy hitters in the genre, which was admittedly canceled due to lack of interest, Arrested Development, you wonder what goes on in the head of Hollywood execs altogether.

A lot of people don't agree with the way that television is such a large part of our culture these days. Think about all the times conversations with family or friends are littered with phrases that you heard while watching your flat screen. Like it or not, generally speaking of course, people just want to escape the mundanity of their own lives and to escape into someone elses.

I'm well aware of all the blogs that are available on TV shows. I'm also aware that they are composed of better writers than I. But either way, whether others want to discuss what's on the box we point all our furniture towards or not ... I have a written account of exactly how I wasted my youth. Read more!