I'm new to this community and thought I'd post some quick impressions before I head off to bed.
First off, I was definitely not expecting the time hop! I'm really curious to see what has evolved / changed in the 7 months. Clearly, Paige has taken Elizabeth's words to heart, and is not at all pleased by it.
I adored the Elizabeth / Paige scene, because I feel like it's been a long time coming. Elizabeth has held back alot in terms of her feelings about what Paige did, and while I felt sympathy for Paige in that moment, the great thing about this show is that it has me rooting for characters whose actions normally I wouldn't agree with...Elizabeth's right that Paige's "operation" (although she isn't quite using that word with Paige) can't be at the whim of Paige's moods. There is too much riding on the fact that Pastor Tim and Alice stay quiet. I also loved the conversation because it also just felt like a very real conversation parents have with their children about responsibilities that you have when you get older (like deciding I'm just not in the mood to go to work today etc.)
And ahhhhh...finally, Elizabeth went to EST. I love how they kind of set us up for thinking that Elizabeth does get it (and I think to an extent she does) but then she totally ruins the conversation with Philip when she criticizes it for the consumerism. I wonder if she ever went back during the 7 month period?
And I love how they both kind of just screamed at each other in a very brutally honest and hurtful conversation that was so different from the previous episode's "are you crazy? ...I love you" one. That conversation brought up alot of issues they hadn't ever truly discussed and this one too I feel with the mention of Gregory and Irina. The pain they were both feeling individually at the beginning of this episode and their inability to express that to one another in a way that was helpful and productive just filled this episode with sooo much tension that really came together nicely when they had that argument.
I like how it was broken when Elizabeth had to dispatch of Lisa and Philip's concern for her wellbeing took over in the apartment with Gabriel...I just feel the whole Martha situation and Pastor Tim situations had been taking their toll on both of them and they really were reaching the breaking point and it was nice to see Gabriel realize that as well.
Gabriel suggesting a vacation of all things was not something I had anticipated (also nice that they finally mentioned that yes, the Kimmy operation is still happening) and was totally unexpected but welcome -- and it just feels like it makes sense in terms of the plot. I don't know if those two could have kept going on any longer as they were without making some big misstep.
I'm curious how much they have worked on their own individual wellbeing and well as their relationship with each other and with their kids (looks like the Paige relationship is still strained though understandably since she is far from on vacation when it comes to operations) in the 7 month period. Going into what I'm sure the next drama will be, I really want to know where their heads and hearts are at.
Also, I loved the Gabriel/Claudia conversation (I think I just loved about every conversation this episode -- so many good one-on-one moments) where Gabriel is also feeling pressure and Claudia is telling him to stop whining and face reality. It was nice to get more of Gabriel's POV. I don't often sympathize with him because I'm such a Philip fan but hearing the story about what he had to do for the cause when younger really puts him in perspective for me more.
Also Elizabeth's operation with Young Hee should be interesting further down the line as what happened with Martha and Lisa shows us what the end results for these "agents" often are. Especially since Elizabeth seems to genuinely enjoy Young Hee's company in a way I haven't seen her do so before with others. It was nice to see her having fun...although it's always hard to tell how much of that is just faked but it seemed real.
Stan coming in to get beer and use Philip as emotional support when he hasn't really apologized for being an asshole was typical Stan btw.
Also what I loved about the Philip / Elizabeth conversations in this episode was that it highlighted their competing ideologies pretty nicely in a way I hadn't seen in awhile and that felt like a callback to S1: Elizabeth seeing people as agents / Philip more as humans and Elizabeth focusing on the consumerism of EST while Philip is focusing on the emotional benefits.
Also I liked that the Gregory situation was brought up because I think the parallels of the situation is what was weighing down on Elizabeth...she really thought Philip loved Martha the way she loved Gregory but it's definitely not the same and it just brought up all these insecurities for her. (I am hoping those two had another conversation during the 7 month period where they revise some of the hurtful things they said such as "I took you back after blah blah blah" --> that conversation also just felt like a typical couple conversation where a present-day thing brings up all these past hurts and wrongs --> Gabriel being all annoyed at their marital spats to Claudia was too funny).
Anyways, just rambling thoughts. Curious to hear what others thought of the episode!
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2016-05-05 03:36 am (UTC)I'm new to this community and thought I'd post some quick impressions before I head off to bed.
First off, I was definitely not expecting the time hop! I'm really curious to see what has evolved / changed in the 7 months. Clearly, Paige has taken Elizabeth's words to heart, and is not at all pleased by it.
I adored the Elizabeth / Paige scene, because I feel like it's been a long time coming. Elizabeth has held back alot in terms of her feelings about what Paige did, and while I felt sympathy for Paige in that moment, the great thing about this show is that it has me rooting for characters whose actions normally I wouldn't agree with...Elizabeth's right that Paige's "operation" (although she isn't quite using that word with Paige) can't be at the whim of Paige's moods. There is too much riding on the fact that Pastor Tim and Alice stay quiet. I also loved the conversation because it also just felt like a very real conversation parents have with their children about responsibilities that you have when you get older (like deciding I'm just not in the mood to go to work today etc.)
And ahhhhh...finally, Elizabeth went to EST. I love how they kind of set us up for thinking that Elizabeth does get it (and I think to an extent she does) but then she totally ruins the conversation with Philip when she criticizes it for the consumerism. I wonder if she ever went back during the 7 month period?
And I love how they both kind of just screamed at each other in a very brutally honest and hurtful conversation that was so different from the previous episode's "are you crazy? ...I love you" one. That conversation brought up alot of issues they hadn't ever truly discussed and this one too I feel with the mention of Gregory and Irina. The pain they were both feeling individually at the beginning of this episode and their inability to express that to one another in a way that was helpful and productive just filled this episode with sooo much tension that really came together nicely when they had that argument.
I like how it was broken when Elizabeth had to dispatch of Lisa and Philip's concern for her wellbeing took over in the apartment with Gabriel...I just feel the whole Martha situation and Pastor Tim situations had been taking their toll on both of them and they really were reaching the breaking point and it was nice to see Gabriel realize that as well.
Gabriel suggesting a vacation of all things was not something I had anticipated (also nice that they finally mentioned that yes, the Kimmy operation is still happening) and was totally unexpected but welcome -- and it just feels like it makes sense in terms of the plot. I don't know if those two could have kept going on any longer as they were without making some big misstep.
I'm curious how much they have worked on their own individual wellbeing and well as their relationship with each other and with their kids (looks like the Paige relationship is still strained though understandably since she is far from on vacation when it comes to operations) in the 7 month period. Going into what I'm sure the next drama will be, I really want to know where their heads and hearts are at.
Also, I loved the Gabriel/Claudia conversation (I think I just loved about every conversation this episode -- so many good one-on-one moments) where Gabriel is also feeling pressure and Claudia is telling him to stop whining and face reality. It was nice to get more of Gabriel's POV. I don't often sympathize with him because I'm such a Philip fan but hearing the story about what he had to do for the cause when younger really puts him in perspective for me more.
Also Elizabeth's operation with Young Hee should be interesting further down the line as what happened with Martha and Lisa shows us what the end results for these "agents" often are. Especially since Elizabeth seems to genuinely enjoy Young Hee's company in a way I haven't seen her do so before with others. It was nice to see her having fun...although it's always hard to tell how much of that is just faked but it seemed real.
Stan coming in to get beer and use Philip as emotional support when he hasn't really apologized for being an asshole was typical Stan btw.
Also what I loved about the Philip / Elizabeth conversations in this episode was that it highlighted their competing ideologies pretty nicely in a way I hadn't seen in awhile and that felt like a callback to S1: Elizabeth seeing people as agents / Philip more as humans and Elizabeth focusing on the consumerism of EST while Philip is focusing on the emotional benefits.
Also I liked that the Gregory situation was brought up because I think the parallels of the situation is what was weighing down on Elizabeth...she really thought Philip loved Martha the way she loved Gregory but it's definitely not the same and it just brought up all these insecurities for her. (I am hoping those two had another conversation during the 7 month period where they revise some of the hurtful things they said such as "I took you back after blah blah blah" --> that conversation also just felt like a typical couple conversation where a present-day thing brings up all these past hurts and wrongs --> Gabriel being all annoyed at their marital spats to Claudia was too funny).
Anyways, just rambling thoughts. Curious to hear what others thought of the episode!