S1 Episode 4 – Longing

One of the things that I am enjoying in “rewinding” and viewing these early episodes is a fresh peek into different aspects of the main characters as we are getting to know them from the beginning. I can also appreciate how in the early episodes, the story lines had continuity and progressed to a logical conclusion instead of just being introduced and dropped as we saw in subsequent seasons.

Jenny so torn between her deep love for Tim and the life she sees with him and so tortured by the feelings for Marina that she can’t ignore. What I can appreciate about Marina now, is that she is finally stepping back and giving Jenny some room to come to terms with these feelings and to make it her choice. I think she was so over-bearing in previous episodes and she was almost predatory in her pursuit.

We get a glimpse of Bette at work, and a taste of what she is up against in her job at the CAC. We now understand a bit more of why she has to always be on top of her game. She not only has the stress and pressures from external sources in this highly competitive field, she also has to deal with a boss and a board of directors that are not progressive and have no vision.

The Bette and Tina connection/chemistry (or whatever you want to call it), is becoming more evident now as we witness the subtle communication with body language and glances. We are getting more of the nurturing Tina as we see her taking interest in Bette’s work and offering her support in any way that she can. We also start seeing some traces of Bette putting work first, but Tina in her subtle way reminds her that she will accept it for now, but she won’t be shut out and she reels Bette back in. I think this is evidenced when Tina follows Bette as she suddenly gets up from the table without a word to anyone, and starts heading for her car on her way to see Peggy Peabody.

I love Tina’s approach to Jenny in offering to be a friend she can talk to if she chooses, but being respectful and not intruding where she is not wanted. We see the same thing with her comment to Bette about Kit when asked why she didn’t stop Kit from drinking and Tina says it wasn’t her place. A bit off the subject – I loved Tina’s top in the scene with Jenny 

S1 Episode 3 – Let’s Do It

The title of this episode was very appropriate as it dealt with most of characters coming to terms or making a bold decision about something that they were conflicted about. They just took the bull by the horns and said “let’s do it”. The group dynamics were palpable, the intimate moments touching, and the overriding humor was a great way to present some very heavy subjects in a light-hearted way.

I loved everything about Bette and Tina’s scenes together. It was so obvious that they were in a good place in their relationship, they are both ready to start a family, they have re-connected on all levels as a couple. It was beautiful to watch.

We saw a different side of Bette than the one we were introduced to in the pilot and episode 2. She portrayed the self-righteous woman, strong in her convictions and not compromising in her beliefs but we also saw a gentle, loving, caring, softer, humorous side of Bette which drew me in deeper. In the pilot and episode 2, she came off as so self-centered and self-absorbed that you would think that she didn’t have a heart. We saw more of Bette’s heart in this episode.

Loved Tina in this episode because like Bette we saw another dimension to this character that we had not seen before. We saw Tina’s inner strength, and her nurturing nature. We saw that she is the type of person that is not impulsive in her decision making. She needs to process things in her own time, and in her own way. She tries to see the good in people and she is a peacemaker.

I might have reacted the same as Bette did to Kit’s attempt to make amends given the situation. Kit did not sound sincere, and she did not sound like these were things coming from her heart. She was reading them, and most of them sounded pretty trivial to me. Also, just because you are ready to say something does not mean that the other person is ready to hear it, and you need to respect that. This scene also gave us the impression that Tina (the peacemaker) might be the reason Kit is still in Bette’s life.

My heart just went out to Jenny in this episode. She is in so much trouble. She was fragile to begin with, and getting involved with Marina was just the beginning of the cracks in her psyche that ultimately leads to her demise.

Alice / Dana / Shane: These guys really click and it’s fun to watch their interactions. I loved that they knew when they were over their heads with relationship issues and decided to consult Bette and Tina.

I loved everything about how they carried out the “Lara” mission, from the planning stages in the bedroom to the execution at the restaurant.

I found it a bit ironic that “the four “F”s “ Shane was giving Alice advise about Gabby, but I knew Alice wasn’t going to be able to resist.

This was the first time Shane was “called out” and she totally deserved it. Fast forward six years later – nothing changed. Only the stakes are higher.

Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. I experienced a great sense of joy when Tina told Bette that she wanted to have her baby using Marcus’ sperm. I felt compassion for Jenny and her struggles with her sexuality and her conflicts about her relationship with Tim and Marina. I was sympathetic to Dana and her plight of being attracted to someone, but not knowing their disposition and intent.

I understood Alice’s temptation to bite into the forbidden fruit, even though she knew the consequences. But what stood out most for me in this episode is not only how connected these friends are, but how they blur all the boundaries. We are stepping into their world of “framily” to use Max’s word. With the exception of Marina who is on the outside of this group we are seeing just how interrelated these friends really are and how they connect as a family.