Reservation Dogs: Elora's Dad

September 20, 2023 2:09 PM - Season 3, Episode 9

Elora is looking to go to college. But college costs money. Since her mom has passed she needs to find her dad to get help with financial aid.

And her dad is Ethan Hawke. Written by Devery Jacobs.

posted by downtohisturtles (10 comments total)

I really don't want this series to end.
posted by Quonab at 6:52 PM on September 20, 2023 [12 favorites]

A progressive podcaster I listen too made an off the cuff comment the other day that with the writer’s strike going on Hollywood - where are you are going to get your good TV from? Oklahoma?

I almost screamed back to the podcast - YES OKLAHOMA. RES DOGS FOR LIFE.

Anyway, great episode. Only one left. Going to miss this show :-(
posted by inflatablekiwi at 3:29 PM on September 21, 2023 [7 favorites]

I love Ethan Hawke's voice, and his excitement and happiness really shines through. Nailed the role.

‘Reservation Dogs’ Taps Ethan Hawke for Powerful Penultimate Episode [rollingstone]
posted by porpoise at 5:46 PM on September 21, 2023 [3 favorites]

OK, none of the recap sites I follow have said anything about this, and I really want to talk about it: was I the only one who was really, really put off by the scene with Elora and the college counselor? What the HELL was that about? I can only assume that the character was supposed to represent the trans or Two-Spirit community, but the actor (and/or possibly the writer) did them no service by playing the character as a colossal, incompetent jerk. (I suppose I should say that I already know I wasn't the only one put off--my wife, who is trans, was also pretty offended.)

I think this partially gets under my skin because I work for a university and often work closely with financial aid people and know that making a student track down a longtime absentee parent to complete a FAFSA is absolutely not done. It's invasive and potentially traumatic and would not be done! Elora has no legal guardianship and would be considered an independent student and/or would file under special circumstances.

I know that something was needed to get the plot in motion, but it was just handled so terribly. Once Elora met Rick we were all good--realistic and beautiful in all its honesty and awkwardness--but I almost didn't get there. And that, from this show, is really painful.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:38 PM on September 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

I agree with all of that, dlugoczaj.
I think I feel it with a fraction of your intensity, though. I was nowhere near giving up, more just kind of awkward. This show has built up a lot of goodwill and I think it's safe to assume good intentions.
The meat of the episode was so good. I'm glad this show exists.
posted by Acari at 8:49 PM on September 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think this might be my favorite episode of the series. The two leads are so subtle, and the relationship opens up so slowly and deftly.
posted by Gorgik at 9:24 AM on September 23, 2023 [2 favorites]

I agree that that scene played really strangely, dlugoczaj, and felt weird and forced. There were many ways in which it just didn't make sense and wasn't up to what I expect from this show. I didn't like it at all.

The rest of the episode, thankfully, was vastly better. I particularly loved the music choices. And by the time it ended, I had a little heartache from both the story and from the fact that the show is almost over.
posted by EvaDestruction at 2:23 PM on September 23, 2023 [2 favorites]

I was also yelling at the TV that you don’t need to hunt down your absentee parent that doesn’t claim you as a dependent to access federal aid.

I also cheered out loud when Ethan hawke appeared onscreen.
posted by WedgedPiano at 3:20 PM on October 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

We were really interested in the “she’s your sister!” thing. I feel like he gave her options for the meet up, but we maybe didn’t see what she said she wanted, then he announced she was a sister rather than letting her tell them. I think we don’t know if he’s being a little unreliable at this moment, but even if he is, that’s a better narrative decision than making him perfect. I am normally down on parent reconciliation plots because jerk parents just almost never redeem themselves, but this worked really well in my opinion.
posted by snofoam at 6:51 PM on October 11, 2023

Also, everyone likes sugar, but neither one having a pen just might be genetic.
posted by snofoam at 6:53 PM on October 11, 2023 [2 favorites]