Kevin Can F**k Himself: Fixed
July 25, 2021 2:13 PM - Season 1, Episode 8 - Subscribe
Characters deal with the repercussions of their actions.
Actual summary: Detectives question Allison about the night before; after the trauma of the break in, Kevin searches for meaning by running for city council; Kurt plants a seed of doubt, while Allison and Patty deal with the repercussions of their actions.
Actual summary: Detectives question Allison about the night before; after the trauma of the break in, Kevin searches for meaning by running for city council; Kurt plants a seed of doubt, while Allison and Patty deal with the repercussions of their actions.
I read a review that loved the Sam breakup because it pointed out that she was saying no to being rescued. And Sam a)has his own shit to deal with rather than running off with his high school hookup and b) she tried being rescued before and it was terrible - she needs a partner not a white knight figure. Patty sees her, the whole messy her and she is starting to see Patty - that breakup between the two of them with Allison’s jealousy, the deliberate confusion between girlfriend and *girlfriend* by both of them, the rawness - so good!
And the slip where Allison called Kevin a sick and left, there was a gap like the sitcom show was malfunctioning and then it just smoothed right over. Which is ominous given - I ça. Barely - the choking in the sitcom scene was so visceral because it was still sitcom laugh track - like all the casual woman beating humor but then the horror of it, so jarring. And the size difference between them, the positioning - it felt like a rape/murder in progress. The sudden shift to her reality with Patty appearing (twice!) and the bottle - also twice. But this time to defend. Patty saves her and Allison reaches out.
Oh and the sombre sitcom police station scene! Where the male partner steps in and delivers most of the lines and the female partner is reduced to nodding her head and hmming in agreement. So unreliable - the phone call between them at the salon has a totally different vibe.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:42 PM on July 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
And the slip where Allison called Kevin a sick and left, there was a gap like the sitcom show was malfunctioning and then it just smoothed right over. Which is ominous given - I ça. Barely - the choking in the sitcom scene was so visceral because it was still sitcom laugh track - like all the casual woman beating humor but then the horror of it, so jarring. And the size difference between them, the positioning - it felt like a rape/murder in progress. The sudden shift to her reality with Patty appearing (twice!) and the bottle - also twice. But this time to defend. Patty saves her and Allison reaches out.
Oh and the sombre sitcom police station scene! Where the male partner steps in and delivers most of the lines and the female partner is reduced to nodding her head and hmming in agreement. So unreliable - the phone call between them at the salon has a totally different vibe.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:42 PM on July 25, 2021 [2 favorites]
The Allison-Patty-Tammy was the best part of the show.
But. WTH.
No resolution, no payoff, just another cliffhanger. The show is in limbo right now, no word either way on a season 2.
That said, how pissed off I am right now speaks to how great the show has been. But I'm still pissed off.
posted by porpoise at 5:47 PM on July 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
But. WTH.
No resolution, no payoff, just another cliffhanger. The show is in limbo right now, no word either way on a season 2.
That said, how pissed off I am right now speaks to how great the show has been. But I'm still pissed off.
posted by porpoise at 5:47 PM on July 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
Have loved this show up till here, but I didn't enjoy this as a season finale, it felt like it was all just setup for a second season, no resolution. This is why I try to wait until at least a second season with good reviews comes out to try a show.
They've got a lot of loose threads to mess around with next season, maybe too much:
1. Kevin's gun is probably stolen, probably in Vermont, probably within a day or two of Allison and Patty's trip.
2. The pill bottle Allison planted at the guy's house can be tied to the trucker, which is also tied to Vermont, and the date of A & P's trip.
The police will not know about the trip, but Kevin and everyone else will. Did Patty's ex know about the trip? Can't remember.
posted by skewed at 6:16 PM on July 25, 2021
They've got a lot of loose threads to mess around with next season, maybe too much:
1. Kevin's gun is probably stolen, probably in Vermont, probably within a day or two of Allison and Patty's trip.
2. The pill bottle Allison planted at the guy's house can be tied to the trucker, which is also tied to Vermont, and the date of A & P's trip.
The police will not know about the trip, but Kevin and everyone else will. Did Patty's ex know about the trip? Can't remember.
posted by skewed at 6:16 PM on July 25, 2021
Patty’s ex did know about that trip because he called her on the fact that there was no beauty expo, if I recall correctly. He doesn’t know where they actually went but thinks it’s shady. They’re also setting him up to tell on Patty even more next season.
Agree that there are lots of tentacles of unresolved plot points that could or could not be picked up next season (please please be a next season!). It was interesting though to start seeing that just as Kevin turns everything he touches to gold plate in the sitcom world, Allison is leading somewhat of a charmed criminal life in the “grim world”. I’m not sure if that’s intentional but it definitely seemed like both worlds are “magical” as others have mentioned in previous FF threads, which means those unresolved details may just fall into place while still being consistent with the show.
posted by rogerroger at 6:25 PM on July 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
Agree that there are lots of tentacles of unresolved plot points that could or could not be picked up next season (please please be a next season!). It was interesting though to start seeing that just as Kevin turns everything he touches to gold plate in the sitcom world, Allison is leading somewhat of a charmed criminal life in the “grim world”. I’m not sure if that’s intentional but it definitely seemed like both worlds are “magical” as others have mentioned in previous FF threads, which means those unresolved details may just fall into place while still being consistent with the show.
posted by rogerroger at 6:25 PM on July 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
Can't remember exactly where the car was pulled over, but Kevin called it in as stolen, a cop pulled it over (and called it in, and to cancel the alert), so there may well be a record tying Allison+Patty's location with the trucker on that date.
Unless the trucker's pills are from someone else, and not prescribed under the trucker's name. That'd be the easiest out.
I do appreciate Neil going through the looking glass into the grim world - he had an odd look on his face afterwards, and the head trauma could 'explain' the transition.
But, yikes, that switch flipping into violence against a woman, neck choking and all.
posted by porpoise at 7:13 PM on July 25, 2021
Unless the trucker's pills are from someone else, and not prescribed under the trucker's name. That'd be the easiest out.
I do appreciate Neil going through the looking glass into the grim world - he had an odd look on his face afterwards, and the head trauma could 'explain' the transition.
But, yikes, that switch flipping into violence against a woman, neck choking and all.
posted by porpoise at 7:13 PM on July 25, 2021
Well, I've watched the first season of this, and while I admire the innovative, meta format, this show annoys me so, so much. The sitcom parts of the show are terrible -- as they're supposed to be -- but thing is, the gritty drama parts of the show employ sitcom conventions as well, such as the ridiculous plotting. Allison's scheme to kill her husband, the over-the-top ineptitude of the way she goes about it, Patti's willingness to help her... it's all fingernails-on-a-blackboard idiotic, just as so many sitcom plots are.
Allison's so angry with Kevin for the 15 wasted, shitty years they've been together that she wants to kill him in order to punish him for it, but the thing is she doesn't demonstrate anymore intelligence or impulse control or consideration for others than he has, so I feel like they deserve each other.
I'll probably watch a second season if there is one, but I think I'm really watching for Patti.
posted by orange swan at 5:20 AM on July 26, 2021
Allison's so angry with Kevin for the 15 wasted, shitty years they've been together that she wants to kill him in order to punish him for it, but the thing is she doesn't demonstrate anymore intelligence or impulse control or consideration for others than he has, so I feel like they deserve each other.
I'll probably watch a second season if there is one, but I think I'm really watching for Patti.
posted by orange swan at 5:20 AM on July 26, 2021
"Oh and the sombre sitcom police station scene! Where the male partner steps in and delivers most of the lines and the female partner is reduced to nodding her head and hmming in agreement. So unreliable - the phone call between them at the salon has a totally different vibe."
Oh damn, I didn't even catch that! I remember her acting like a hot doggin' has-it-her-way cop but I think the overbearing partner slipped by me. I wonder how far in she'll get dragged into this world.
Is there a name for the trope of dating a cop causes a ton of extra problems?
I was ready to write this show off at the start if they didn't kill Kevin by the end of the season, I had half a mind to quit when it was revealed Kevin survived, but they way they pulled together all the little rube-goldberg disaster moments together and where the character development went, I think they were right and justified to not kill the Kevin character, least not yet. Really hoping for a season 2, never seen a show quite like this.
That said, if no season 2... well I hope they filmed some alternate endings or some shit, need a Kevin head to roll.
posted by GoblinHoney at 7:48 AM on July 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
Oh damn, I didn't even catch that! I remember her acting like a hot doggin' has-it-her-way cop but I think the overbearing partner slipped by me. I wonder how far in she'll get dragged into this world.
Is there a name for the trope of dating a cop causes a ton of extra problems?
I was ready to write this show off at the start if they didn't kill Kevin by the end of the season, I had half a mind to quit when it was revealed Kevin survived, but they way they pulled together all the little rube-goldberg disaster moments together and where the character development went, I think they were right and justified to not kill the Kevin character, least not yet. Really hoping for a season 2, never seen a show quite like this.
That said, if no season 2... well I hope they filmed some alternate endings or some shit, need a Kevin head to roll.
posted by GoblinHoney at 7:48 AM on July 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
Can't you guys just enjoy anything? I thought it was fun, funny & unique. Getting so terminally annoyed at things just because they're not perfect is Allison's thing.
posted by bleep at 11:32 AM on July 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by bleep at 11:32 AM on July 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
Coming into a show just to trash it makes other people not want to watch it which means we will not get the benefit of creators trying new things.
posted by bleep at 11:33 AM on July 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by bleep at 11:33 AM on July 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
I don't read this as anyone being "terminally annoyed". People are discussing their honest thoughts about the show. If their thoughts don't match yours, it isn't a reason to shut down the conversation.
Saying commenters are trashing the program, and that nuanced discussions (on a dedicated discussion site) make it more difficult for Hollywood creators to do their jobs, that seems like an uncharitable read of what's happening here.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 11:47 AM on July 27, 2021 [4 favorites]
Saying commenters are trashing the program, and that nuanced discussions (on a dedicated discussion site) make it more difficult for Hollywood creators to do their jobs, that seems like an uncharitable read of what's happening here.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 11:47 AM on July 27, 2021 [4 favorites]
Bleep, can't you just enjoy anything? I thought the discussion here was inciteful and interesting. Coming into a thread just to trash it makes other people not want to contribute, which means we will not get the benefit of discussion.
posted by skewed at 12:07 PM on July 27, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by skewed at 12:07 PM on July 27, 2021 [3 favorites]
IMHO this show lends itself to more detailed comments/questions because the act of watching it feels like solving a mystery - what's really going on in Allison and Kevin's marriage? We can extract some truths from the cheesy sitcom scenes, and then see contradictions in the single-cam scenes. We're still learning about Allison's inconsistencies (and Allison herself is, too).
But because it's still a TV show that's created by humans, maybe there are unintentional inconsistencies too, and it's fun to tease out which is which. I have relished the first season and hope there's more, and have enjoyed talking through it on FanFare, especially when others have caught details I missed.
posted by rogerroger at 12:49 PM on July 27, 2021
But because it's still a TV show that's created by humans, maybe there are unintentional inconsistencies too, and it's fun to tease out which is which. I have relished the first season and hope there's more, and have enjoyed talking through it on FanFare, especially when others have caught details I missed.
posted by rogerroger at 12:49 PM on July 27, 2021
Still don’t understand why plain old divorce isn’t an option.
Still don’t have a clear in story explainer for the stock sitcom set pieces.
Still willing to give it more watches for generally sharp, funny writing, and some great individual performances.
posted by notyou at 9:15 PM on August 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
Still don’t have a clear in story explainer for the stock sitcom set pieces.
Still willing to give it more watches for generally sharp, funny writing, and some great individual performances.
posted by notyou at 9:15 PM on August 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
YAY! It's been renewed for Season 2!
posted by rogerroger at 1:22 PM on September 1, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by rogerroger at 1:22 PM on September 1, 2021 [3 favorites]
If this was the BBC, Kevin would be dead by now and this would be a perfect miniseries. I hope there's an actual principled plan for season 2, and I suspect there might be.
The premise is: this is a show about TV, and about the rules of TV, and what happens when you try to play by other rules. I think the show ends when they break the rule that "when Kevin is onscreen, it's a sitcom and he's the main character". Either they bring Kevin into the grim world, and/or... they let Alison become the main character of the sitcom. Maybe she needs to realise that the main character in a prestige drama is an antihero more often than not.
Anyway, I really loved the storytelling by colour profile in this episode where we knew something was wrong because everything was in saturated hues when she was supposed to be alone. I don't think I've ever seen that done before.
posted by Wrinkled Stumpskin at 2:15 PM on September 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
The premise is: this is a show about TV, and about the rules of TV, and what happens when you try to play by other rules. I think the show ends when they break the rule that "when Kevin is onscreen, it's a sitcom and he's the main character". Either they bring Kevin into the grim world, and/or... they let Alison become the main character of the sitcom. Maybe she needs to realise that the main character in a prestige drama is an antihero more often than not.
Anyway, I really loved the storytelling by colour profile in this episode where we knew something was wrong because everything was in saturated hues when she was supposed to be alone. I don't think I've ever seen that done before.
posted by Wrinkled Stumpskin at 2:15 PM on September 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
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Other thoughts: Kevin becoming a mini-Trump barking about "law and order" and automatically getting community support is so on the nose. The Sam/Allison breakup seemed narratively inconsistent and felt more like "We need to write Sam out of the show so let's have 3 minutes of breakup dialogue here" rather than an actual thought-out plot development. The Patty/Allison friendship is SO GOOD and Mary Hollis Inboden is magic here. Allison doesn't deserve Patty's loyalty!
posted by rogerroger at 2:21 PM on July 25, 2021 [1 favorite]