Season 1 of The Bridge comes to an end this week and while Diane Kruger’s red carpet and street style is often a point of discussion here at TV Ate My Wardrobe, it’s the costuming of her character Sonya Cross that I will be taking a look at today. Sonya isn’t the only one who has a specific look on The Bridge and Steven Linder’s smart rodeo wear adds another layer of intrigue to his character.
This article discusses the events of The Bridge prior to the finale.
While it has never been explicitly mentioned in dialogue on The Bridge, Sonya has Asperger’s syndrome and what she wears is a direct reflection of that. The one item that Sonya wears each week is the leather jacket in the above photo and it’s a fascinating item as it’s completely different from everything else she wears. This jacket has so much detail that in week 12 I’m still noticing embellishments that I haven’t picked up on before. The horse is one of the more obvious details, as is the leopard print on the shoulders and this is all down to costume designer Anna Terrazas who modified a leather jacket that was found in a Los Angeles vintage store. These changes include aging and distressing the piece to make it look well worn.
The backstory of the jacket is that it belonged to Sonya’s murdered sister and Terrazas explains that as a piece of clothing it “doesn’t make sense for what she does as a detective or who she is, but the whole idea is that it has sentimental value and is worn in memory of her sister.” This process wasn’t a solo one and Terrazas worked with a team to create this costuming centerpiece and this is evident by how many different details there are. The horse isn’t a mystery as Sonya’s sister loved horses but other details like the different tiger imagery, the faded star and the duct tape are more ambiguous. There was great distress from Sonya in the penultimate episode when she found out that her sister’s Bronco was beyond repair and she mourned this as if she had lost her sister all over again. It doesn’t help that her replacement car doesn’t have a tape deck.
Marco mirrored this behavior as he wore the hoodie of his dead son Gus and slept in his bed to preserve the memory of him.
Anna Terrazas explains that Sonya is a “very uniform person and does the same routine every day” and this is reflected in the rest of what she wears. The jacket is very much part of her daily wardrobe and it’s easily the most flamboyant thing in her wardrobe as everything else is in basic neutral tones; there are no bold colors here. In one way this is similar to how I would describe Scandal’s Olivia Pope’s costuming but the big difference here is their jobs and what image they need to portray. Everything about Sonya’s clothes screams function as she wears shirts in white, grey, black and light blue, always pants and flat shoes. Sonya is not dressing up for anyone.
Steven Linder is socially awkward in his mannerisms and the way he speaks but he also takes pride in how he dresses even if his facial hair is a tad on the unruly side. Linder believes that he has a calling to save young women and his is one of the stranger aspects of The Bridge. He mumbles but he also tries to present himself in a manner which will make his rescue missions less scary – cast your mind back to the first episode and it is clear that he can be a foreboding figure. The iron that he uses to press his shirts also became a murder weapon as he was attacked in his own home, serving a purpose that the manufacturer did not intend.
When the serial killer story took over the middle part of the season, Linder was pushed to the sides and while we know why he thinks he has this calling there is also much about him that is still a mystery. What he did last week was act as a conduit between Sonya and Marco; giving the pair a reason to work together again and to get Marco out of his period of despair.
Oh and Steven Linder will totally wear his best suit to make a proposal even if it makes no sense in that kind of heat. Linder is as buttoned up as his shirt and by giving him such a distinct look he stands out even when he doesn’t want to.
At the same time as I started The Bridge I was also watching Top of the Lake and it helps a great deal that Thomas M. Wright is playing incredibly different characters in both of these projects. Wright’s Steven Linder mannerisms, speech pattern, costuming and hair style show no similarities to Top of the Lake’s Johnno; as viewer this helps with the whiplash that can occur when one actor features in two distinct worlds and I would say that Wright has been one of the breakout stars of the year.
So the summer is over but our Comeback first watch isn’t and Kerensa Cadenas joins us once again to talk all things Valerie Cherish. The two episodes we are discussing this week are “Valerie Relaxes in Palm Springs” and “Valerie Hangs with the Cool Kids.”
Emma: I’m going to start with a bold statement and say I think this might be the strongest pair of The Comeback episodes that we have watched yet as we got to see Valerie away from the show and L.A. as they retool Room & Boredand an episode that explores Valerie’s role within the cast and with her family.
Starting with the trip to Palm Springs we got to see Valerie confronted with the notion that she cares far too much about what people think and how this could end up having a negative toll on her life. This observation comes from Donna, a friend of Valerie and Mark’s who Valerie is talking up until Donna comes across as brash on the camera and Valerie starts to distance herself from Donna. It turns out that Donna has recently had cancer and so this new outlook on life is a direct result of this experience. There are several moments at this dinner where Valerie is incredibly uncomfortable – first she didn’t even know that Donna had cancer (who reads Christmas newsletters) and then she is perturbed by the guy (Damian from Mean Girls!) who has been obnoxiously talking Hollywood all day on his phone and smoking cigars.
Valerie is very set in her ways and she’s not good when things deviate from a plan; the hotel has had a ‘trendy’ refurb since they last visited and the new clientele is much younger and party orientated. Valerie doesn’t like to see herself as aging, I mean who does but there is an extra burden in this industry. The trip she had planned isn’t what she ends up with, but this entire experience is a valuable one and even though I don’t think Donna’s advice will have a huge amount of impact in the long run (I mean Valerie is back to her old self in the next episode) it was good to see Valerie’s carefully controlled mask drop.
One thing that we have discussed in the past about Valerie is how she pretends that everything is ok when it really isn’t, this links into everything that Donna is trying to tell her about bottling things up and getting drunk and calling Paulie G is Valerie’s way of expelling this negativity. So far Valerie has pretty much taken every despicable piece of shit move that Paulie G has made. The reality TV cameras have captured moments where we can see that Valerie is visibly upset, but she only lets her guard drop for the briefest amount of time and then her smile is back. When Juna rings to find out where Valerie is this is an incredibly awkward moment as it’s all on speakerphone. This is another example of how self absorbed and unaware Juna is, there’s nothing malicious about this inquiry. Valerie is in no state to call Paulie G – she can’t even find his name on her phone and suggests looking under Fatty – but Jane isn’t going to let this piece of the real Valerie go to waste and she does what she’s not meant to and helps make the call. I thought the message was going to feel like a triumphant moment; instead it made me feel incredibly sad as she tells Paulie G that he has hurt her feelings. I was wondering what impact if any this would have on their relationship and it turns out the answer is none.
The episode closes with “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick and this is the perfect anthem for Valerie – it’s also a song that I will forever associate with Joey Potter from Dawson’s Creekand 10 Things I Hate About You. If you haven’t seen the Joey version here it is:
There’s quite a bit more to talk about including Valerie showing just how ruthless she can be but I’m going to throw it across to you to see what you thought of Donna’s observation/advice.
Kerensa: I agree entirely, I think this pair of episode were by far the strongest we’ve seen so far.
I loved Valerie’s friend, Donna, and I think she gave Valerie some of the real talk advice that she desperately needs, even if she won’t use it. Valerie is terrible at just letting go–you can just see how tense she gets when things aren’t how she expected or needed them to be. I mean her reaction to the hotel’s renovated decor was hilarious and super cringey. Also, I think that the bell boy guy who was showing her around was on some 90s Saturday Morning teen show, it was either USA High or maybe the Saved by the Bell: The New Class, but he looked super familiar. And Damian! He was perfect as a typical LA douchebag. In related LA douchebag things to say, I was at a VIP gay pool party he was at once. I did not talk to him cause I was too nervous.
I think the thing with this episode that was so thrilling for me was to get those little glimpses of the actual Valerie. I think The Comeback is fascinating because we have this character who is so filtered, even to us. Like we’ve discussed before, neither of us have a really great idea of who Valerie actually is because we aren’t shown that side of her. So seeing her snap at the car guy or learning that she has Paulie G under “Fatty” in her phone is so interesting to me. While I know that drunk dialing Paulie G was a rookie move (I did that this weekend 😦 ), I felt so excited that she did it. While it obviously won’t change anything, it was nice to kinda see her not “give any fucks.”
This Dawson’s Creek clip is ridiculous–Joey’s shirt! “Punk” Chad Michael Murray! Why is there a live band?! But I do agree that it’s the perfect song for Valerie. Also, I’ve never watched all of Dawson’s Creek…
We have to talk about Valerie’s ruthlessness because at times the people she’s kinda exploiting aren’t terrible. It’s super uncomfortable to watch.
Emma: With regard to Dawson’s Creek I’ve spoken about the huge influence it had on my haircut and while it was one of my favorite shows at high school when I started university I only ended up seeing a handful of episodes. This was back before all the many ways that we can watch TV now and so I think things like sleep or being out got in the way. I’ve been meaning to do a full rewatch but haven’t found the time and I still haven’t seen the final episode and as we’ve discussed before I think we still need to do some kind of Dawson’s Creek related viewing project. I mean scenes like this will totally make it worth it.
Back to The Comeback and Valerie’s reaction to the car guy and this got funnier with each time that he tried to get Mark to say the car name. That’s the thing with product placement as it always sounds so unnatural and forced as no one calls their car by the full make and model name. As far as product placement goes I don’t tend to have an issue with it because I get that it makes sense from a business perspective but there are times that it can take you out of the moment and it reminds you that the thing you are watching is also so you buy shit. There are some shows like 30 Rock that handled all of this stuff in the funny obvious way that you would expect and others like New Girl that missed the mark last season with the episode “Models.” This seems like The Comeback’s way of getting their product placement in and turning it into a joke within the show. With something like Sex and the City it was an advertisers dream but I wonder how many of those big name labels actually paid to have their stuff in the show, I’m guessing very few.
Valerie is so incredibly ruthless as she convinces someone who is not out to his parents to sign a waiver so that he can be on the show. The gay couple are big fans of Valerie and it’s good to see Valerie have this happy encounter but it all becomes a bit seedy when she backs the guy into a corner so this moment can be used. As you said it’s uncomfortable to see her push this hard, particularly with something that will have a huge impact on this guys life. It also made me think of the Mickey situation that we saw a few weeks ago where he was also cagey about how his sexuality was being perceived on camera.
Both this and the second episode have big Valerie meltdown moments and when Lisa Kudrow lets it all go and freaks out it is hilarious. The first one is the after effects of Valerie taking a sleeping pill and she loses out on the good pool chairs, the other is when she gets the call at home to say that everyone else is at work except her. The subtle stuff that Kudrow does is great, but it’s in these really big moments that we get to see what a great physical comic actress she is.
What did you think about the way Mark reacted on the golf course? Do you feel like we know him any better now?
Kerensa: I was so excited for Valerie when the couple came up to her and she seemed genuinely excited too. But when she basically coerced that guy into essentially coming out on her show and totally to benefit her, it was pretty horrifying to watch. It’s interesting to see Valerie be so ruthless with people that genuinely care about her and for her to not use those same tactics on someone like Paulie G. Her sheer intimidation by him is so strange to me. I mean, really, Paulie G? He’s some bullshit sitcom writer who has an Emmy and is a gross, misogynistic slob. But I guess that idea of feeding on those who are weaker on you maybe holds some weight here, which is supremely sad.
Mark’s reaction on the golf course was hilarious and pretty spot on. Granted, I don’t/can’t play any sports but I would be super uncomfortable about being filmed while I was playing especially if I wasn’t doing great. And I still can’t get a handle on Mark–and maybe that’s the point. He’s totally guarding himself while the cameras are on. Although I will say is that he does seem to be a calming presence for Valerie’s more than manic edges. What do you think?
Emma: I get the impression that Mark didn’t want to come across as a terrible golfer as this seems like something he takes super seriously so the fact that the cameras were distracting him made this even worse for him. That and Valerie’s ringtone which is pretty obnoxious and even though Valerie said this was going to be a phone free weekend she hasn’t put her phone on silent. I seem to recall the mid-2000s was a time when everyone used ringtones still, this doesn’t seem to be the case anymore and if this was now we’d get some awkward phone vibrating on a table noises.
I agree with you about Mark and I think because he is a lawyer he is being reserved and closed off to protect his career. Every time Valerie tells the car guy that he’s got to stop with his product placement interruptions Mark’s expression shows that he is happy with Valerie stepping in. Mark doesn’t fawn over Valerie and her fame and I think this adds to the calming presence so while in other episodes where it seems like a negative thing that he doesn’t get her, on this occasion it works and they work.
Moving on to the next episode; there are two main threads here with Valerie’s relationship with her stepdaughter and the major shakeup with Room & Bored. As we’re talking about Valerie and Mark I’m going to start with Francesca. The few times we have seen Francesca it’s clear that her new found interest in Valerie is because of the cameras and we get to meet Francesca’s equally fame hungry current BFF Kalla (played by a very young looking pre OC Willa Holland). Both girls have a new obsession with Juna and her new album so Valerie becomes even more likable to them thanks to her access to Juna. This doesn’t stop them from talking shit to Valerie, smoking – it’s ok they’re American Spirit – and being infinitely embarrassed because their teenagers. We also get to see some more Sidekick action as the girls communicate with each other via their phones even when they’re sitting next to each other. Once again Atkins gets a mentioning reminding us this is very much 2005.
This is one of the first occasions where Valerie’s fame helps them cut the long line of people waiting to have their CDs signed by Juna – what do people sign now that digital music sells so much more than physical copies? Valerie has authority issues with the girls and she hasn’t quite developed a rapport with them that means they take her seriously. The main reason why Valerie is being so nice to Kalla in the first place is because she has connections to Kevin Costner and this is another occasion where Valerie sees an opportunity that might benefit her career. The only Kevin Valerie gets to meet is one of the boys that has come over while Valerie is out and this leads to a hilarious game of chase around Valerie’s back yard.
What did you think about Valerie’s interactions with Francesca and Kalla?
Kerensa: Another hallmark of the times–Francesca’s Balenciaga bag!
I feel like when Valerie is around Francesca, she desperately wants her to like her. I think this is even more magnified by having the cameras around. Valerie’s a cool mom, not a real mom! But at the same time having the cameras there magnifies how clueless Valerie is when it comes to parenting. She wants to be cool but she still wants to be a parent which I think is super apparent in a lot of her actions. She takes the girls to Juna’s signing because it shows that she’s hip, has cool friends and has clout. But then she takes away Kalla’s cigarette and is automatically uncool again.
And then at the end of the episode, when Valerie leaves them alone, not purposefully obviously but trusts them enough to leave them there. When she comes back they are all drinking and smoking and have invited a bunch of other kids over. And Valerie’s “cool” exterior cracks again when she begins screaming at all of them and chasing that kid around the yard, which was hilarious.
But Valerie can’t seem to find a happy medium between both these sides of herself when it comes to parenting Francesca and even parenting her co-stars at Room & Bored. I think Valerie’s constant contradiction with this is totally mirrored in the situation at work and Mark especially nails it when he tells her, “[You] are as bad as Francesca with peer pressure.”
What do you think?
Emma: I think you’re spot on with this Valerie assessment and it mirrors what Donna was saying to her in the previous episode; Valerie just can’t let go and this image she wants to project is a pipe dream. With the work situation up to this point Valerie has been the consummate professional through vile jokes and snide remarks so for her to ditch work it’s a big deal. As you mention Mark references Valerie’s inability to not going along with the group and on this occasion because she is acting like the mother of the cast she feels like she has to stand with them. Of course they all go into work and forget to tell Valerie, not out of cruelty but because they are so focused on themselves that they just don’t consider it. Oh and because Kellan Lutz can’t stop crying – this was hilarious and even though I don’t think he’s a very good actor he’s perfect for this part.
The work situation is terrible because they’ve added two new characters (it took me forever to realize that Kaveen is Jonathan from 30 Rock) and they’re taking screen time away from everyone except Juna. This divides the original 5 and you can tell that it means a lot to Juna that Valerie went to her signing (which she only did to be the cool mom). I also love that they tried to have an important work chat in the middle of the signing, they’re both so unaware sometimes.
Now the new characters and considering the racist stereotypes criticism that has been voiced about Michael Patrick King’s current show 2 Broke Girls, this is a critique of those same practices that occur with minority characters on sitcoms. The whole thing is super cringey from how much Paulie G and the writers are laughing at their put on accents to Valerie doing an impression of them to Mark and then repeating this back to them. It’s a whole circle of awkward and it subverts what you think might happen – at first it looks like they are playing incredibly racist representations of Indians, but they’re putting on those accents to get in with Juna. This is followed by them calling out Valerie when she does her impression and they tell her they’re fucking with her.
When Valerie tells them that they won’t be able to use any footage that has swearing they start emphasizing this word instead. They’re basically jerks and you can see why Paulie G has a comedy boner for them.
How do you think The Comeback handled the notion of racist stereotypes?
Kerensa: I think they handled it pretty well. I mean it was a spot on critique of what we’ve seen in terms of 2 Broke Girls and Dads–just lame, lazy racist humor that’s packaged as “edgy.” And if you think it’s racist, you are too sensitive. Doesn’t Valerie say something basically along those lines? Like being “cool” with non-PC humor. I mean it would have been interesting if anyone would have called it out, but everyone was too concerned with their jobs and probably wouldn’t have even if they weren’t.
And of course Paulie G thinks it’s hilarious. Ugh. The Comeback has really nailed the perfect inside look of a terrible sitcom that we would all be complaining about on Twitter and would use its negative critiques as publicity but would still miraculously get ratings!
It’s also hilarious that after the re-tooling–the first thing they decide to do is make the show MORE racist! Since that makes a ton of sense.
Emma: Yeah they’re all too concerned with how many of their lines are getting cut rather than the awful direction the already awful Room & Bored has taken. I wonder if anyone will mention it in the next episode if it continues this way. Valerie has called attention to a racist joke in the past (Korean barbecue/puppies) but that’s because she was worried that it would turn the audience against her, so she definitely has awareness of the line that exists. You’re right about things being branded as edgy as an attempt to excuse lazy, ignorant writing and how this is the perfect satire of bad sitcoms.
I think this is why The Comeback has such a strong reputation; even though there are only 13 episodesit manages to dissect everything that can make a sitcom terrible.
“Breathe Me” by Sia, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Before the Devil Knows Your Dead” by Delta Spirit are three songs that accompanied the final moments of season finales that I hold in high regard.* The last episode can be controversial and divisive (see Lost and The Sopranos), all round hated (the Dexter swansong) or generally satisfying (Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock). As Julie Hammerle points out in her excellent Breaking Bad review the last outing is rarely the best episode of the show and Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan even stated that the penultimate penultimate episode “Ozymandias” is the best hour of this show.
For me Breaking Bad falls into the generally satisfying category and yes the story was wrapped up neatly, but it felt fitting to what we have been watching; a show that has been chaotic and reckless, but has always had a strong structure much like the crystal meth that Walt has been making.
*Those shows are Six Feet Under, The Sopranos and Friday Night Lights
The closing song choice as Walt lays down to die surrounded by meth equipment similar to what allowed to be a king is Badfinger’s “Baby Blue” a song which starts with the line “I guess I got what I deserved.” While this notion might be in contention as Walt got to die pretty much on his terms and as he told Hank he would die before he was convicted – from a gunshot and not the cancer as he predicted. The song title is also a not so subtle nod to the color of the meth that made Walt so famous and as he lays dying in a lab it is pretty fitting.
What a final song choice needs as we witness the last few minutes of a character, that we have not only watched but discussed for hours is some sort of finality and while something like The Sopranos refused to give that with its closing scene (a scene which I love) the end of Breaking Bad is not ambiguous in any way. Walt’s story is over and while characters like Jesse will be haunted by what has happened in the unseen hours of the show (fanfic time!) our protagonists tale is over. This neatness is not the ending that all will find satisfying but on this occasion I’m more than happy with the end result.
It’s been a big red carpet week thanks to the Emmys (for all our coverage head here) and so Out of the Box is going to return its focus to the costuming that has caught our eye on TV this week. Featuring characters that are Out of the Box regulars and some new faces this is a snapshot of the week on TV and costuming that has caught our attention.
The penultimate episode of Breaking Bad saw Walter White isolated and broken as he started a new life in a cabin somewhere in New Hampshire. It’s not much of a life as he has to spend $10,000 for an hour of company and two copies of Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium is all he hasto watch. His first attempt to leave the cabin begins with him putting on the Heisenberg hat; a symbol of the empire he had created and the elusive figure that was feared. Combined with the parka coat and the surroundings this takes any of the menace out of it and the trip is futile, with Walt returning to his cabin of solitude. The next time we see him venture outside he has ditched the Heisenberg hat and opted for a more sensible beanie and it appears as if Heisenberg has gone for good. That is until he sees the Charlie Rose interview with his former partners and for one last episode Heisenberg is set to return.
Oh Sleepy Hollow you are the most nonsensical fun that is on TV at the moment and the first two episodes have certainly squeezed a lot of mythology into them. The one thing that is grounding the show is the central relationship between Tom Mison’s Ichabod Crane and Nicole Beharie’s Lt. Abbie Mills. The crazy story part isn’t necessarily what hooks people into a show; it’s the chemistry between the characters that increases the satisfaction of a journey like this and it makes the ridiculous moments easier to swallow. Ichabod is still dressed in the clothes he arrived in and it’s unclear whether he will get a wardrobe update. This helps with the notion that he isn’t from this time and I can’t quite picture him in jeans and a t-shirt, though I also really want to see the inevitable makeover episode when they don’t have witches and headless horseman to deal with.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is another new show that benefits from a strong central pairing with Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher playing two very different cops. Braugher is the new Captain at the precinct Andy Samberg’s Detective Jake Peralta works at and the second episode reinforced the conflict between Jake’s easy going style and Captain Holt’s by the book attitude. Uniform has been a point of contention in both the pilot and with their undercover surveillance this week; Jake is seeing how far he can push his new captain. Jake’s minivan disguise is Harvey Norgenbloom and Harvey wears sandals, not the best footwear choice for chasing after bad guys. This push and pull works because Samberg is so good at doing the goofy manchild role and Braugher has the perfect level of deadpan. I’ve been impressed with both of these episodes and how quickly these characters have been established.
Jess got wasted on New Girl this week after Nick’s solid advice that drinking makes you cooler and her hangover outfit is wonderful; the plaid shirt she slept in – it looks like it could be one of Nick’s but it’s actually a woman’s shirt that you can buy here – the key is that it is baggy as you don’t want anything too tight after a night of heavy drinking and toilet bowl dancing. The sunglasses are an important addition as is the coffee cup that Jess is clutching (a can of Diet Coke is my preferred solution).
It’s April’s yellow mustard hoodie that is top of my clothing wish list and you’d be surprised how hard it is to find something this simple. Parks and Recreation returned for season 6 yesterday with a double bill episode and a trip to London (and Scotland). April’s dress at the awards ceremony is the same Alice + Olivia dress that Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford was seen wearing at New York Fashion Week. Along with this mustard hoodie there are other repeated outfits featured in this premiere of Parks and Rec that are on my most wanted list including Leslie’s mixed polka dot blouse and it makes sense to reuse costumes with these types of characters.
Special mention has to go to the wardrobe of Jean-Ralphio and Mona Lisa; this more than double denim explosion is as amazing as Jean-Ralphio’s hair is huge.
Diane Kruger is a TV Ate My Wardrobe favorite and this week she shows off great street style and an incredible red carpet look. Kruger has reason to celebrate as FX renewed The Bridge for a second season and while the show hit some bumpy steps with the overall serial killer plot, the central relationship between Kruger’s Sonya Cross and Marco (Demián Bichir) has been brilliant throughout.
Now to the fashion and first up is Diane Kruger in Prabal Gurung at the Metropolitan Opera Season Opening on Monday. This is a whole lot of dress but as we’ve seen on countless occasions Kruger brings her A game to events like this and she never sticks to one style of gown. With a dress this fanciful she has dialed back on all accessories and opted for minimal makeup and a simple updo. The white pumps could be considered too bridal but as they mirror the top panel of the dress I’d say they work. The pocket detail is always a favorite of mine, both on the red carpet and with the dresses that I tend to wear – sadly there is nothing like this hanging in my wardrobe.
After a big fancy pants event it’s all about dressing down the next day and Kruger did just this as she hit Bergdorf Goodman. This is why she is a constant fixture on “Best Dressed” lists because you know that however great Diane Kruger looks for premieres, her street style is effortlessly chic. Wearing a pair of purple pants, 3.1 Phillip Lim flats, black blazer and black top this is the perfect shopping outfit. There’s also the matter of the trusty Hermès shoulder bag and while an item like this is perhaps a tad out of my price range this is an easy outfit to recreate.
The pink lipstick is a nice touch and it’s a slightly darker shade than the one I have been experimenting with over the summer.
When high school is over you can still end up in situations that mirror the awful not fitting in feeling and Jess ends up in this position on this week’s New Girl after she finds herself friendless in her new teaching job – where is Mary Lynn Rajskub? The adult version of the mean but cool clique isn’t anything particularly new, but it gives the Nick and Jess relationship a chance to breath and shows how they can make them work as a couple without losing the tension that made season 2 so much fun.
I’ve mentioned before how New Girl works best when it walks the line between the ridiculous and grounded emotional moments; this happens multiple times in this gag-packed Kay Cannon script (you can see the rapid fire approach of jokes per page from Cannon’s 30 Rock background at work). There’s a discussion between Nick and Jess about whether he would have noticed her in high school and this leads to Nick’s “Miller Sack Pack” revelation. This coupled with Winston’s big Daisy decision as he now wants to be exclusive and tell her that his “heart is a two man bike and I want you in the rear” demonstrates the many tawdry jokes that exist within the emotional framework.
This isn’t the first time Nick has tried to give advice to Jess*, the difference now is that Jess is “his old lady” and so the stakes for him are higher (though I’d argue that even if they were still just friends he’d offer free drinks at the bar to help out). Having Nick and Jess’ first real challenge as a couple not being about them is also a good start and while I suspect there will be other relationship drama around the corner it doesn’t need to happen this early. Nick’s original idea is to give some free school supplies to the cool clique, because who doesn’t want $15 and a halfie worth of stuff? Luckily Nick also works at a bar which doesn’t seem to have a problem with him giving away drinks so this alternate suggestion is a big hit.
*Kay Cannon also wrote the season 2 opener “Re-launch” which saw Nick comforting Jess after she was made redundant. On this occasion he gave her better advice than just drink lots telling her “Life sucks and then it gets better and then it sucks again and then it just sucks.”
Following on from Nick’s observation that this is like high school all over again, with Jess being a nerd in both scenarios she takes this to heart and gets wasted. Drunk Jess dances in toilet bowls, sings 4 Non Blondes and gets accepted by the other teachers. The drunk Jess singing moment is topped by the guys performing a rendition of “I Believe I Can Fly,” this is reminiscent of them singing “Time of my Life” in the pilot but under very different circumstances of course. This is where Zooey Deschanel gets to show off her excellent comedic timing as she pulls a good hangover face of pain and discomfort. The guys really should get the band together.
Winston points out that Nick is basically imprinting himself on Jess with his getting drunk suggestion and instead of sending Nick in a tailspin of doubt it spurs him on to rectify this. When Nick gets caught between Jess and Winston both acting impulsively it hilariously ends with Nick stuck in the middle between two potential crimes. When Nick is the sensible one in the scenario it adds another level of chaos as he yells in an exasperated fashion.
Nick is of course smitten with Jess and while her idea to break into her new bosses garden is not the best; this doesn’t matter as Nick tells her that “If you’re going to do something that’s obviously very stupid then I’m going to do it with you.” He’s also willing to take the fall for her and when she steps out from her hiding place the absurd kicks in as the Dawson’s Creek theme “I Don’t Want to Wait” begins to play – I will never not love a gag that features this song (see also Urban Legend).
The Schmidt love triangle plot is dragging along and because there is a short shelf life on Merritt Wever’s guest starring role it’s now entered slightly tedious territory. I think Wever is great and I liked how she reacted to Schmidt’s terrible role play idea, but I also think this whole narrative is tired. The one surprise is that Schmidt didn’t get caught and Max Greenfield played this moment well as it seems he really wants to get caught as this resolve this mess even if he ends up with no one. The 2/3 replica of Don Draper’s office gag worked like a charm as did the competitive chemistry with Beth, reprising a work rivalry from early season 1.
Winston is also having relationship drama and this is the episode where they have to write Brenda Song out because of her Dads commitments (giving me all of the sads). This was another play on the “Winston is crazy” angle but unlike last week’s puzzle adventure there was a point to the crazy even if it did involve potential cat murder. Now there is pet in the loft and the cats love Schmidt’s nipples visual only got funnier as the episode went on (yes there are already gifs).
Everyone being back in the loft gives a sense of familiarity that was missing last week, even if the dynamic has shifted. The scene in the elevator that turns into a relationship discussion between the guys is hilarious because they all forget to press the button; too preoccupied with their romantic entanglements. By the end of the episode Schmidt is still stuck in two-timing hell, Winston goes from having a girlfriend to having a cat and Nick is the only one who is content – this might be a first for him.
One criticism I would have with the Jess plot is that while the guest stars did the best with the material they didn’t really get all that much to do. This can be a problem with these small roles that are serving the central characters and so I hope both Angela Kinsey and Dreama Walker will return later in the season.
This is a much more cohesive episode even with the amount that is going on and while the season premiere was a bit of a disappointment I would say that this is more like the New Girl that was raved about last year.
And because it’s now stuck in my head it can be stuck in yours too!
Breaking Badisn’t a show that I turn to for fashion ideas; a yellow hazmat suit is hard to pull off in everyday life. This isn’t to say that costuming and the colors these characters wear isn’t important and something like the Heisenberg pork pie hat is an integral part of the Heisenberg/Walter White persona divide.
A few weeks ago I wrote about Lydia’s blue coat and Lydia’s wardrobe is the most high-end of these characters. No one would suspect that a woman who dresses in designer labels is part of a global crystal meth operation – the same can be said for Walt and his unassuming look. Lydia always looks incredibly out of place when she has to deal with the folks who are running the ground operation and her skittishness adds to this vulnerability. This was abundantly clear when she used Uncle Jack and his crew to dispatch the substandard meth making team she had employed since Walt has retired.
Fancy office wear is not really appropriate for the desert, drug related massacres or meth labs. Lydia’s appearance could be one of the reasons why Todd is so drawn to her; she looks nothing like the people he is used to dealing with and so far we have seen him act protectively towards her. Jesse Plemons spoke to Vulture about Todd’s Lydia attraction and he thinks that Todd “might have some mom issues. It makes sense. She needs him and he’s misinterpreting that a little bit.” This is the polite way of saying that Todd is developing a Lydia obsession and I wouldn’t want to be the person to get in the way of Todd and his crush.
When Todd met up with Lydia in the most recent episode he ditched the scruffy look and went for a smart pale button-down shirt – nothing says I love you like a clean, ironed shirt. This is his way of signalling to her that he can help run a successful venture and he’s essentially wearing his best clothes to impress her and mirror what she wears. It also helps reinforce the success that Todd has had with manufacturing meth that is of Heisenberg quality and color.
Back to the blue coat in the photo above and I have found a similar looking cobalt blue double breasted wool coat from French Connection in their A/W ’13 collection. While the collar detail is different and Lydia wouldn’t wear those pants, it’s definitely a near match. We’re about to enter coat season and between this and Olivia Pope’s Burberry trench I’m getting a lot of ideas.
There were probably more lows than highs during the 2013 Emmy telecast, particularly during the musical numbers and rushed thank you speeches. One highlight came early on after a very lackluster opening; Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to the rescue. Heckling from the front row about how terrible the intro was (they were kidding, but there is truth in these jokes), they donned 3D glasses and had a twerking reference that didn’t feel stale. Bonus Hugh Dancy and Claire Danes laughing behind the pair.
Neither Tina Fey nor Amy Poehler won in their acting category and while I don’t begrudge Julia Louis-Dreyfus winning for Veep, it’s hard to believe that Poehler has never won in this category (same goes for Jon Hamm and all his Mad Men nominations/no wins). As Parks and Recreation showrunner Mike Schur put on Twitter “I simply do not understand it. #Poehler“
Tina Fey didn’t go home empty handed as she won in the comedy writing category with Tracey Wigfield for the 30 Rock finale.
Now to their dresses and Tina Fey is stunning in this cobalt blue Narciso Rodriguez gown. Fey has a habit of playing it safe with darker colors and this bold blue affair shows that she can work a more daring and confident look.
Amy Poehler’s Basler dress is not as striking, but I do really like the pocket detail that makes this more than just another black gown. The orange Irene Neuwirth earrings are a nice touch, particularly when coupled with the simple ponytail.
Amy and Tina need their own awards category for being amazing at all award shows.
It’s a busy day of fashion and TV thanks to last night’s Emmys (for my brief thoughts on the show head here) and while monochrome was a big trend, bold color and the standard nude tones were also big players on the red carpet. This post is for those dresses that don’t fall into one easy category and this post features a couple of dresses that still has me pondering whether they’re a hit or miss.
Let’s get to it!
Zooey Deschanel has a habit of wearing princess type gowns with a 1950s influence so this Barbarella looking icy blue J. Mendel number is a huge surprise. You can’t see it in this photo but the dress had a huge sexy slit up one leg and I’m so glad to see Deschanel opting for something outside of her standard wheelhouse. She looks amazing which almost makes up for the lack of New Girl nominations. Almost.
Kiernan Shipka continues to impress with her age appropriate red carpet looks and this floral Delpozo frock is perfect for the 13-year-old; yes at 13 Shipka has already outshone every good fashion moment I have ever had. This dress could come across as too fussy which is why the ponytail/minimal makeup works and I don’t think we’re ready for Shipka to go for the Taylor Momsen raccoon eyes approach – now or ever.
Kerry Washington was top of my red carpet most anticipated list and I’m disappointed with the Marchesa gown. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it and while I like the floral embellishments, it’s also reading wedding gown. I think if my expectations weren’t so high I would like this fine, but considering all of the other exquisite dresses she has worn this year it doesn’t quite hit the mark. It does fall into the Olivia Pope color scheme though and as always she looks flawless. It’s just not the dress I was hoping for.
Following closely behind Kerry Washington on that anticipated list, was Claire Danes and this is another dress that had me wrinkling my nose in disappointment, especially after what she wore last year. I’m not a huge fan of blush tone gowns which might be why I’m finding it hard to get excited about either of these dresses and with Danes this Armani Privé number washes her out. I do like the change in hairstyle and her makeup is also a win, more accessorizes would help.
Danes does get red carpet legend status for crashing Lena Dunham’s E! interview and chatting about her Scandal obsession with the Girls star. A Romeo and Juliet reference was also thrown in regarding their Showtime/HBO standing; this has me reaching for those angel wings I’ve been holding onto for a Romeo + Juliet revival.
Christina Hendricks doesn’t always get it right on the red carpet and designers inexplicably seem to have a hard time with her body shape, not so with Christian Siriano who always hits the mark with Hendricks. Hendricks described this gown as looking like a Sargent painting, a reference that was lost on Seacrest (Twitter quickly deduced that Madame X is the painting). Incredible from H to T (yeah I’ve been watching too much Top Model).
Mindy Kaling’s eggplant colored Edition by Georges Chakra dress is not the sparkly number that you might expect from Kaling and as with Deschanel I like this change up. Hair and makeup are understated and because of the embellished neckline accessorize beyond a cute clutch aren’t needed.
Carrie Preston won an Emmy last weekend for her guest starring work on The Good Wife and she shone on the red carpet in this pale pink Romona Keveza gown with a touch of black detail. Preston’s incredible auburn locks instantly make her standout and this is another winning look.
Last night the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles and the show was a mixed bag featuring unnecessary extended musical numbers, winners both predictable and surprising, a seemingly random dedication to 1963 and a band that played the winners off in record time (apparently a performance by Elton John is more important than the actual awards themselves). The direction felt all over the place and if it wasn’t for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler the awards opener would have been a huge dud (please host the Golden Globes again).
Luckily the fashion on the red carpet wasn’t such a shambles and first up is the women who are rocking the big monochromatic trend.
Anna Gunn won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a drama category; a well deserved winner for that walk of despair into the swimming pool and her subsequent breakdown on the first half of Breaking Bad’s final season. Wearing Romona Keveza, Gunn looks stunning in a dress that is simple and elegant.
Merritt Wever! Another winner and not just for Nurse Jackie as she gave the best speech of the night that got straight to the point “Thank you so much! I’ve gotta go, bye.” While Wever doesn’t look all that convinced in the above photo, I think she looks incredible and I’m so happy that she won. Bonus points for an amazing lip color choice and for being generally awesome. It’s already been said on here countless times but can Elizabeth stay on New Girl please?
Breaking the “if you wear a monochromatic dress you will win” cycle is Elisabeth Moss and I’m pretty bummed out that both Top of the Lake and Mad Men went home with nothing. Moss is a vision in Andrew Gn and her blonde choppy cut continues to serve her well as this awards cycle is the best we’ve seen Moss yet. As with Wever, Moss has opted for a bold red lip color and is the key to setting off a great black and white ensemble.
Now to one of the younger stars of the red carpet and Homeland’s Morgan Saylor; this Honor gown is perfect for an 18 year old as it’s not too prom but it also doesn’t age her up to 30. One thing I would change is her hair as it looks a little too casual for an event like this, nicely played with the red lips and makeup that isn’t too severe though. I’m hoping that season 3 of Homeland will give her a story that is less Kim Bauer like, she’s a really great young actress and I don’t want her bogged down in contrived melodrama.
Julianna Margulies was on hand to present because somehow she wasn’t nominated for The Good Wife and so this Reed Krakoff dress is a little more on the relaxed side. Yes it resembles a fancy bed sheet, but sometimes this can work too and maybe I’m just very excited by the return of The Good Wife next Sunday – yes on the same night as the Breaking Bad finale – but I think she looks fantastic.
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TV Ate My Wardrobe 
