TV Ate My Wardrobe

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

So many red carpets this week including the several Upfronts events we have already looked at (here and here) and “Out of the Box” is covering the best of everything else. We’ve got dudes looking dapper in suits and some super cute dresses now the weather is finally of the sunshine variety.

The Normal Heart is on the anticipated list and Matt Bomer is a power clashing delight at the premiere, wearing checks, polka dots and floral. This Tom Ford suit is exquisite and so is the dude wearing it.

This is a fun, flirty dress on Orange is the New Black’s (which is back in under a month!) Samira Wiley and the dotty trim at the bottom make it way more than just a run of the mill navy frock.

Here celebrating Born Free Africa Mother’s Day Family Carnival is Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy, with Danes wearing a Marni maxi dress that is part of the exclusive Born Free range (available on ShopBop). It’s a beautiful design and it looks perfect for the warmer weather that is coming, plus it has pockets (always a bonus) and the proceeds go to an excellent cause. Dancy’s pale blue Oxford shirt and dark blue pants is the perfect complement to pinks on Danes’ dress and I’m digging his brown shoes.

An event at Windsor Castle hosted by Prince William is time to bring out the big guns and once again Benedict Cumberbatch is showing just how it is done; repeating the success of this Met Gala attire this time opting for a suit rather than grandiose tails.

Rashida Jones is making up for the Met Gala by wearing this beautiful Tanya Taylor ensemble. The skirt has a 50s kick to it and paired with a silk ivory tee it manages to look retro without feeling costumey. The side pony tail and pink lip add a fun and simple edge; this is a really great outfit and could go toe-to-toe with some of the other floral and spring inspired looks from the Upfronts this week.

Rachel Bilson looks adorable in a Mary Katrantzou floral print shift dress at the CW Upfront. The green and pink design is striking and pairing it with white Bionda Castana heels doesn’t detract, nor does it get the same blah effect a nude pair of shoes would give. The Hart of Dixie star is as delightful on the red carpet as ever.

Last night was the premiere for season 2 of Orange is the New Black and the red carpet stylings are as wildly different as the characters these women play. Taylor Schilling’s skull covered – which I first thought were Stormtroopers – Monique Lhuillier dress is a striking and bold look. Both Uzo Aduba and Danielle Brooks have gone for a different take on the full skirt/crop top trend and I love both interpretations. Aduba has gone for chic simplicity and Brooks has opted for deep purple/fuchsia, with Aduba adding a colorful pop with her lipstick choice. All three women are wearing metallic heels (once again three very different types) and they look amazing.

Tags: Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Danes, Danielle Brooks, Hugh Dancy, Matt Bomer, Orange is the New Black, Rachel Bilson, Rashida Jones, Samira Wiley, Taylor Schilling, The Normal Heart, Upfronts, Uzo Aduba

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Categories Out of the Box: Look of the Week
Author Emma Fraser

The Americans 2.12 “Operation Chronicle” Review: “Take it Easy”

15 May

These words from Philip offer little comfort to Elizabeth as she questions how well their own children would handle Jared’s current predicament and she believes this day will eventually come. Family has played an intrinsic part on The Americans this season and remains in focus as we head into the final episode of the year. There is the burden of isolation that runs through all of these characters with some choosing this path of loneliness, while others cling to the relationships they have. Some of these connections are there to serve a greater purpose and yet still produce moments of emotional honesty even if the bonds aren’t real.

One unseen threat – to Philip and Elizabeth – is Larrick as he continues his hunt, building the tension and dread as the episode progresses. How much you can rely on the country you serve is called into question and Paige also feels doubt towards her parents as she continues to (rightly) sense they are lying to her.

A couple of episodes ago I wrote about the kitchen location and how it represents the constant push/pull between their home life and their work; it’s where they spend time with their kids and doing domestic tasks, but it’s also where they debrief and plot. There’s also the rebellious streak with Elizabeth smoking in there and having sex on the dining room table while the kids sleep upstairs. The family they have is part of their cover and the initial union between Philip and Elizabeth was nothing more than part of this setup. Emotions were never meant to come into play, but when you bring children into the world together and really fall for each other, well then it is going to get complicated.

The first season saw Philip and Elizabeth take the first steps towards making this real and in doing so they have become stronger as a couple, however they have also compromised their abilities to remain impartial. With Paige and Henry, Philip might have always been the fun dad and Elizabeth as the disciplinarian but in “Operation Chronicle” we see that Philip has a lot more confidence in their abilities to deal if they were put in the same position as Jared.

Elizabeth is far less certain of this citing the fact they had each other when they first came to this unknown country, plus they had training. The one thing they have in common is their lack of choice. Jared is now heading to a destination unknown – Switzerland, Hungary and Australia are all options – and he’s going to lose any connections he once had. Jared has already lost his family, but to lose everything else that makes up his identity doesn’t sit well with Elizabeth. This feels like a role reversal as Elizabeth is taking the position of questioning the decisions of the Centre; this isn’t her duty to her country talking, but the promise she made to a friend and her instincts of being a mother. It’s not like Philip is shoulder shrugging the whole thing, but he’s of the more pragmatic school of thought on this one.

When it comes to their own kids, Philip has faith in them pointing out how smart Paige is and while Henry is still a kid, who knows in a couple of years? In fact we’ve seen Henry’s capacity for defending both himself and his sister when he smashed a bottle of beer over the creepy duck feeding dude last season. Plus he knows how to break and enter, even if it is just to play video games. Henry also provides some pop culture analysis this week discussing the first Star Trek movie (which he is not a fan of) and the forthcoming Wrath of Khan (which he thinks has some potential thanks to Khan, but he doesn’t have high expectations) so hey he could be a movie critic. Get in there Henry, while there is still money in it.

There continues to be tension between Paige and her parents, with Elizabeth on the receiving end of Paige’s disappointment this week thanks to a work emergency. The emergency is real (Jared), but of course they concoct a semi-believable lie to throw Paige off the scent. Paige listens in on their phone call, but the click of the receiver reveals her presence and her parents are far too experienced to fall for this. Paige wanted to pack her bags for her big protest trip with her mom and this disappointment is genuine; yet another occasion where their work has got in the way of spending time with their kids. Paige talks to Pastor Tim – who I get a creepy vibe off, it might be his hair – about her parents and how she thinks they both could be having an affair and whatever it is, she doesn’t believe anything they say anymore. The magic is gone and her instincts are right, I mean they have both technically had affairs, it’s just there’s no way Paige would ever think they were something as dramatic as KGB spies.

The above outfit would not look out of place now proving that plaid is a timeless pattern that transcends the decades of the latter half of the twentieth century and this one we are currently in.

Oh hey it’s Elizabeth’s disguise she used a few weeks ago when she went to an AA meeting and now she’s using this as a cover to help push Fred towards getting what they need with the RAM paint samples. It’s appropriate that these two disguises are paired together as Philip had his moment of despair while wearing this attire in the same episode as Elizabeth’s post AA share session. Stan mentioned how KGB spies would look for weakness and exploit it and Philip and Elizabeth are doing just this with Fred. Fred is a loner and so Emmett used tales of his family to make Fred feel wanted and part of something, by bringing Elizabeth along to this meeting Philip is doing the same thing. They also appeal to Fred’s sense of superiority and this achieves the response they want as he agrees to going through with their plan.

Let’s take a moment to look at this stunning shot of Fred in the snow and looking as isolated as it comes – oh hey thanks Polar Vortex for helping create these shots even if it’s the worst to shoot in.

The reasons behind helping the cause are varied; for Elizabeth and Philip it’s how they were raised, with Larrick it’s blackmail, for some it’s money, others think their government is corrupt and deserves it and for someone like Fred it’s there chance to be a somebody and belong. Loyalty and trust are hard to come by and while Philip and Elizabeth now implicitly trust each other, it hasn’t always been the case. This is one of the benefits of falling in love and while it has had a negative impact on how well they do their job at times, this kind of trust is not the kind that can be bought. Of course they still have very different processes and Elizabeth’s hot headed nature is the kind of thing that could put them in danger, it has put them in danger in fact. Philip is more emotional in general, but more measured in the field and as they come up against the unseen Larrick I wonder if either of them is really prepared for what they will face.

Martha’s figured out one of Clark’s secrets and that’s his ‘toupee’ situation. Philip is quite taken aback by this, but there’s no way that thing that sits on his head feels like actual hair. If anyone was wondering whether Martha and Clark use any form of protection the used condom disposal answers that question, but uh oh as Martha wants to have kids with Clark. This isn’t up for discussion and now I’m wondering if Martha will go to any kind of extremes to get what she wants.

As Clark, Philip discusses why having kids in this line of work is a bad idea and this applies to his real life, but the kids he had are part of that cover. Those kids, like Jared are a product of a larger plan they are unaware of and these children are caught in the crossfire (for Amelia the literal kind). It’s a complex scheme because their children are going to be their number one priority and they’ve been told to produce something they will be more loyal to than the country they are serving. Elizabeth is the more staunch believer and her reaction and instant desire to protect a child that is not even hers shows the lengths she would go to if there was a threat to either Paige or Henry. Family trumps country.

What about a lover? Stan is being asked to betray his country to save Nina’s life and while she’s playing him, her life really does hang in the balance if he doesn’t come through. Stan’s been going through it this season and I’d really like to see him get a win, as long as this doesn’t cause Nina’s death, nor negatively impact Philip and Elizabeth. Stan has been tasked with getting information on Echo (the title of the finale) to save Nina and Nina has another benefactor in Oleg as he gives her an envelope stuffed full of cash if she has to go on the run. Where would Nina go? Like Jared, Nina would end up somewhere unknown and alone and the connections she has made, both real and fake would end here. Stan is also pretty isolated as Sandra’s moving in with this other guy and his son can barely look at him; unlike the Jennings’ kitchen which is generally full of warmth (Bible destruction aside), the Beeman’s couldn’t feel anymore sterile or unwelcome. Not even a pilfered VHS copy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show can win Stan cool dad points.

Taking it easy is a luxury none of these characters can afford, especially when there is a silent threat stalking them. The seen and the unseen is an important concept as there is a lot of blind loyalty and following orders from someone they never see. In losing Kate and their answering service George, they have lost their physical connection to what they are trying to achieve and now they are being sent short messages with missions that serve the cause, but don’t protect them from other dangers. Larrick and Stan threaten Philip and Elizabeth for very different reasons and Larrick poses a far bigger menace to the personal safety of their family. One other source of peril is Philip and Elizabeth themselves as while they are a more united than they have ever been before, there does still exist conflict between them and how they deal with the problems they encounter; could this be the real enemy within?

With just one episode to go the crackling tension that has been building all season is about to boil over and I have a feeling we are in for some heartbreak come next week. How many physical and emotional casualties will there be? As with last year my worries lie at the feet of both Nina and Martha.

Tags: "Operation Chronicle", 2.12, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Review, The Americans

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Categories The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

Best of ABC and NBC’s 2014 Upfronts Red Carpet

14 May

More Upfront red carpet fashion and it’s a joint NBC/ABC post. From what I can gather from the previews there’s a whole lot of unappealing “I’m good at my job, but suck at my personal life” female centered narratives, sitcoms that might work better as rom-coms and SO many murder shows. This is of course a simplistic overview and I’m sure there’s more to these shows than this – a snap judgement can be wrong as Sleepy Hollow has proved – but at the moment comedies are holding my interest way more than most of the new dramas.

Karen Gillan is the lead in Selfie and while I’m eh on the title and Gillan not using her real accent, she is incredibly charming so I will at least watch the pilot (ditto John Cho). I’m sensing a Clueless vibe from the preview, which is probably a far too kind comparison at this point. Gillan’s still rocking the pixie cut (her character is not) and those appear to be hashtags on her Thom Browne dress, which makes sense considering the name and focus of her new show. Hashtags alone would be too on the nose, but combined with the textured looking wings shifts the focus. Gillan tends to wear slightly more unusual dresses on the red carpet and I cannot wait for the Guardians of the Galaxy promo trail.

Going for a more a more simple approach is How to Get Away with Murder’s Aja King and other than the clunky looking shoes (strappy would be much better) this is a fun look for this kind of event; the accessories make up for the footwear. How to Get Away with Murder is the latest from Shonda Rhimes with Viola Davis in the lead role and it looks twisty, soapy and like the kind of show I will be watching with an Olivia Pope size glass of wine.

Juliette Lewis is pulling double duty as she’s in Fox’s 10-part Twin Peeks esque Wayward Pines and Secrets and Lies for ABC. They are set to debut midseason and her presence in both makes them instantly more appealing. Finally some shoes that aren’t too clunky or too nude and power clash fine with the print on her ALICE by Temperley dress What you can’t see in this shot is the cut out back section of this vibrant floral frock and even though it reminds me of a bedspread from my grandpa’s house, Lewis is totally working it.

There’s no preview yet for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and it’s on my ‘please don’t be terrible’ list for all the Tina Fey-producing, Ellie Kemper starring reasons. Both dresses – Fey in Veronica Beard and Kemper in Parker – are signs of Upfronts veterans as they are both the right blend of fancy/casual.

Cristin Milioti is starring in A to Z which while I’m not sure how long the premise can sustain, I will be watching because of her and Ginsberg. This look is pure 90s and something Liv Tyler would have worn; this is not a bad thing and we all know how much I adore this fashion period. It’s floral and pretty much all of these dresses are making me glad the sun is shining right now (even if my current attire is less than fun, flirty dress and more clashing baggy threads). Pink lip color and bangs are detracting my attention from the blah nude footwear, also known as ‘why do people keep choosing these shoes?’

Tags: ABC, Aja King, Cristin Millioti, Juliette Lewis, Karen Gillan, NBC, Tina Fey, Upfronts

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Categories Red Carpet, Upfronts
Author Emma Fraser

Best of the Fox 2014 Upfront Red Carpet

13 May

Upfronts week is here and this means an onslaught of promos as each network has new shows for us to fall in love with, break our hearts, covet costuming and snark about. Stars from both current and the forthcoming roster attend this presentation and the red carpet style can vary greatly from those who are already sporting their hiatus beards to the more eager to show off first timers.

Upfront fashion has a spring in its step as the colors are brighter and the hemlines are shorter and here are our highlights from Fox.

It is so good to see Sleepy Hollow’s Nicole Beharie and Tom Mison together again; Beharie’s gone for a super sexy look in a Haute Hippie top and Dominic Louis skirt. Tom Mison looks dapper and casual as his trousers skim on the skinny side; he also thought it would be a good idea to crash the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast photo. This is no hiatus beard as Sleepy Hollow has just started shooting its second season and we will be getting a 5 episode bump this year going from 13 to 18.

Hannah Simone’s Dolce & Gabbana floral dress is on the more demure end of the scale and the only downside are her shoes which are a bit of a snooze.

The Mindy Project’s Xosha Roquemore is wearing vintage Moschino Cheap & Chic and I love the cobalt blue of the dress and strappy shoes – on this occasion the matchiness works – with the bold leaf pattern of the shirt. Roquemore is showing off the perfect day to night feature fashion magazines as if she took off the shirt it becomes very much an evening outfit. The shirt is great so it should stay.

There’s a retro edge to the white Vivienne Westwood Red Label frock Zooey Deschanel is wearing. The kitten heels add to this vintage feeling and it’s very much a Zooey Deschanel look. The only thing missing is a bold red lip color to make this outfit truly pop.

This is a really great color on Taraji P. Henson and she will be starring in Empire (debuting midseason). While I normally have an aversion to nude shoes (see Hannah Simone above) on this occasion and with a dress color this bold I’m really digging this choice of nude patent Mary Jane Louboutin pumps.

Tags: Empire, Fox, Hannah Simone, New Girl, Nicole Beharie, Sleepy Hollow, Taraji P. Henson, The Mindy Project, Tom Mison, Upfronts 2014, Xosha Roquemore, Zooey Deschanel

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Categories Red Carpet, Upfronts
Author Emma Fraser

Mad Men: Keep me Hanging on the Telephone

12 May

Continuing this look at Mad Men’s final season through a variety of essay topics, soundtrack observations and style pieces (both personal and general costume design).

There is a new computer at the offices on Mad Men, but it occurred to me while watching “The Runaways” that because so many of the characters are in scattered locations there’s not much keeping everyone connected. Except for the telephone and so I present to you my look at this week’s episode in the guise of phones and those making the calls.

Long distance relationships are hard and long before there was Skype; phone calls were the way to stay in touch beyond the written word. It’s not surprising to see a chunk of Megan/Don’s interactions over the phone this season and last time we saw them chatting things weren’t so swell:

Megan sobbed into the mint green receiver unable to hide her resentment and rage tears at Don’s latest deception. Being on the phone means we can mask our feelings as the person on the other end can’t see those eye rolls or blah blah blah expressions and on this occasion Megan’s emotions poured out. It’s all good between Don and Megan again, well it’s mostly good except the gulf between them continues to grow and there’s new points of deceit. This time it’s coming from Megan after she was given a window of opportunity to dispatch Don’s kinda niece Stephanie back to where she came from with a check for $1000. Megan’s insecurities are showing and there’s a competitive streak with this beautiful blast from Don’s past and who he really is.

Enter Stephanie and she goes from one grimy phone booth to another. This is a connection to Don’s Dick Whitman life and it’s the first time the name ‘Dick’ has been uttered this season. You can conceal a lot on the phone and Stephanie doesn’t rat Megan out for pretty much pushing her out of the door.

Post threesome morning after phone calls from a pregnant girl who is sorta your husband’s niece but not really, takes some of sexy sheen off the whole thing. Actually that’s the hangover sweats and I love that both Megan and Don kind of look like shit, well as shit as you can look when you look like them. Megan’s pink dressing gown is becoming quite the focal point and it takes on a different appearance for any situation; she looks so sad and Betty like when she’s sobbing into the phone (not that Betty would sob “I’m not stupid. I speak Italian”), Stephanie had a whole new glow in it, which in turn prompts Megan’s bratty reaction and here it signals booze and sex.

Is it rather extravagant to have two phones in an apartment this small?

Amy is comfortable enough in Megan’s world to answer her phone with a bit or just whenever and the phone rings a lot. This is very much Megan’s apartment, so when someone from Don’s world enters it shifts the balance. As it does when Harry Crane showed up and I laughed so hard when I remembered how much Megan despises him. Harry does have his uses as he spills some rather important information to Don. Everyone in this firm is so divided with both the West/East Coast aspect and where loyalties lie. Harry might be a chump, but he’s also been very helpful on more than one occasion. This is a chance meeting that could only happen in person.

Betty has to deal with more Sally drama as she broke her nose “sword fighting” and like her mother I don’t buy this BS story. Anytime Betty gets a call and pulls this face you know it’s because Sally fucked up somehow.

In the most heartbreaking moment of “The Runaways” Ginsberg suffers a full on psychotic break that has been in part triggered by the new computer. Ginsberg once told Peggy the story of how he came to be and he turns to her once again with these new fears. After a semi-spiral where he ends up at her apartment he appears lucid when he comes to her office with a gift and a solution to the computer’s presence; he has cut off his nipple and all is clearly not well. Peggy’s reaction is one of horror and she manages to make it to the nearest phone, cradling it as she calls the necessary people with the computer looming large in the background. It looks like Ginsberg is heading to a psychiatric hospital and Peggy looks understandably heartbroken by this turn of events.

So yes phones are an important connection tool on Mad Men and yet they also help conceal a multitude of things, it’s why Don could spend so long lying to Megan about his job situation even if she assumed he was having an affair because he was never in the office. It’s why things get so fraught between the two offices as the conference calling technology is still super glitchy; phones are aiding communication and alienating in equal measure.

And if you want your very own 1960s phone there are plenty on eBay.

Tags: "The Runaways", 7.05, Mad Men, technology

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Mad Men
Author Emma Fraser

The Good Wife, Boundaries and Changing the Rules

12 May

Boundaries are important and these have shifted this season on The Good Wife; relationships are not what they were and the rules have been redefined. Loyalties changed, first when Alicia and Cary started their own firm and Will’s death has further altered the equilibrium. When Kalinda tells Canning “Or we could be adults, just ask questions and talk” it seems like the most simple and obvious statement, however this isn’t how things work in either the legal or political sphere and it’s all about gaining the upper hand by whatever method no matter how nefarious. Straight talking can make things even worse from hyperbolic off the cuff remarks to throwing a glass of water in someone’s face (actually that was pretty great) and there should be a certain amount of wall building, but there’s also a danger that you will cut yourself off from everyone as Diane is learning.

Alicia’s arrangement with Peter is problematic for all the reasons Eli lists as someone is always going to talk, no matter how much you think they won’t. Peter might be an incredibly savvy politician, but when it comes to his emotional reasoning he runs hot. We see this in his interactions and face soaking of Castro, but Castro’s not going to yell about this from the rooftops and yet if he sleeps with this intern (with a blog) then he’s the biggest idiot there is. She will definitely talk (or blog) and yes I love that lipstick too. It also calls into mind this New York magazine Eliot Spitzer cover, after all that is who Peter is loosely based on.

The goal posts have been moved and Will’s death did act as catalyst, but it’s not just this and Alicia reiterates her feelings of being tired and done with this aspect of her life, this time to Eli. Eli tries to appeal to her from an emotional standpoint mentioning how good they have been together over the past year and while part of me knows this is part of Eli’s job, I do also think he is the only Alicia and Peter shipper out there. Enter James Castro’s smear tactic and Finn claims there is nothing hiding in his closet – as an aside it’s interesting that the word divorce pops up with his wife and why haven’t we seen Mrs Polmar yet? Is this why he moved to Chicago from New York? – Castro takes something innocent as a suggestion of something duplicitous. It’s a security photo of Finn leaving Alicia’s apartment, Castro claims it was from only two weeks ago but Finn is wearing his sling in the photo which he definitely hasn’t worn for a while now. Instead of showing the photo to Finn or Alicia, Peter barely shows it to Eli and gets in a huff about it. To Peter it’s another Will waiting to happen and he probably thinks this is partly why Alicia implemented the new rules. Peter has been given no choice in this decision and that’s compounding these bratty reactions.

Boundaries have always been important to Alicia when it comes to her relationship with Eli; she imposed them when it came to using the kids during campaigns and there’s always been frankness to their interactions. So when Eli mentions they need more walls at Florrick Agos he is talking about the physical kind and yet he needs to break down the mental ones that both Peter and Alicia have erected so he can do his job to the best of his capabilities. The reason he interferes with Peter’s interactions is because if Peter fucks up it could bring the whole thing crashing down and the way he watches the Florrick family at home shows just how vicarious his relationship with them has become. Alicia notes “we seem to share everything these days” and Eli really is the third person in this marriage and there’s this blurring of professional and personal responsibility.

Alicia and Cary’s case is all about a lack of filter and how words can be worth a whole lot of money. Diane is learning this the hard way as a smear campaign is being waged against her by Louis Canning as he’s using Will’s death to try and undermine her. This is pretty low tactic, but it is Canning after all. Diane’s only really ally at Lockhart Gardner is Kalinda and really if I had to have anyone in my corner it would be Kalinda. Kalinda unfortunately doesn’t hold much sway in the grand scheme of things and Diane realizes this is a fight she has to go at alone. Cary didn’t seem overly receptive to Diane and her problems so while I’d love to see Diane join their firm, there will be resistance.

Costuming wise there’s an interesting amount of color palette sharing between the three main women, a few weeks ago this happened with teal and once again there is a mirroring. Both Alicia and Diane wear monochrome:

It’s a flip reverse it take on monochrome with Diane in predominantly white and black dominates this look on Alicia. Diane’s includes a bow flourish standing in for the usual pin or statement necklace. The balance is off with both of these characters at the moment because of what happened with Will and these women are connected by their relationships with Will, as well as a professional and personal admiration for each other. It’s why Alicia doesn’t react in a hostile manner (as Cary does) to Diane’s accusations.

Diane and Kalinda both wear deep shades of blue in “The One Percent” and this color has featured heavily in their costuming recently. Blue means loyalty and it’s significant that despite their very different styling this is something they share. Diane is pretty exposed at Lockhart Gardner and the only thing that will ensure her position is her monetary worth to the firm. Her worth could be impacted greatly by Canning’s tactics and he is doing a very good job of making her very paranoid. Kalinda’s loyalty is vital and it’s another case of these women being tied together by their relationship with Will; he might be gone, but the bonds he formed are still very present.

Next week is the season 5 finale and there’s a fight brewing. I’m not sure it can top the dizzying heights of “Hitting the Fan” or the shock of Will’s death and yet I am also very excited to see how they are going to finish this exceptional season. Everything has dramatically changed since this time last year and I don’t even want to try to predict where these characters will end up in the aptly named “A Weird Year.”

Tags: "The One Percent", Alicia Florrick, Christine Baranski, costume design, Diane Lockhart, Julianna Margulies, Review, The Good Wife

Comments 4 Comments
Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

9 May

As there’s been a lot of red carpet goings on this week starting with the WHCD followed by the Met Gala (parts one and two) “Out of the Box” is going for a selection box approach of looks that have caught our eye this week. This includes magazine covers, premieres and one of the many romantic moments from The Mindy Project season finale.

Aubrey Plaza attends the LA Palo Alto premiere in a striking Peter Pilotto dress. It’s an edgy take on a spring floral frock and the mix of prints on this silk-blend dress creates a strong visual using bold color and pattern. While it might look a bit like a Magic Eye picture – sadly my eyes weren’t magic as I could never see the boat or whatever it was – it manages to avoid looking like a hypnotic mess. Love the combination of purple, blue and white.

Another bold and colorful choice with Yvonne Strahovski in Emanuel Ungaro at the UK premiere for 24: Live Another Day. This color block creation looks like a fancy bathrobe (in this case not a bad thing) and the contrasting blue panels make quite the impression. It’s been a good week for Strahovski as she also appeared on the new season of Louie and I still need to catch both that and 24. Let the end of season/new shows pile up begin.

Regular readers will know how much I love TV editions of magazines and this year’s New York magazine cover star is in one TV event that I am highly anticipating – The Normal Heart on HBO – and the most watched sitcom on TV right now. Jim Parsons isn’t who I was necessarily expecting to see on the cover (last year was Michael Douglas, Jessica Paré in 2012) and while I’m not a Big Bang Theory fan, I do really like this cover image. It’s an incredibly bright color combination and as with the Jessica Paré covered issue, yellow is an important part of the design concept. If it came out in January this might be too much sunshine styling to handle, but it’s May and I’m all for color explosion like this.

http://instagram.com/p/npM7E8JQ-_/

The Mindy Project aired its excellent season 2 finale this week and one of the visual highlights was the Danny and Mindy New York tour that paid homage to the Nora Ephron movies that both Mindy Kaling and Mindy Lahiri hold close to their heart. Mindy Kaling’s Instagram account is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes photos from The Mindy Project including this beautiful sunset shot. It also shows how important it was on this occasion to use real New York rather than a backlot in LA, where it would be impossible to capture a moment like this.

Tags: 24, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Messina, Jim Parsons, Mindy Kaling, New York Magazine, The Mindy Project, Yvonne Strahovski

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Categories Out of the Box: Look of the Week
Author Emma Fraser

TV Rewind: Felicity, “The Depths” and “Crash”

8 May

Felicity, Episodes 2.4 & 2.5
“The Depths” & “Crash”
Original Air Dates: Oct. 17 & 24, 1999

Emma: These first few episodes focus on the relationships that have been impacted by Felicity’s choice at the end of last season and what I think is really smart is how the show gives the audience a chance to breathe by laying off any kind of Ben/Felicity post breakup interaction until episode 5. By doing this she gets to repair the relationship that clearly means the most to her, at least on a friendship level, and that’s Noel, as well as addressing her not BFF status with Julie.

At the end of the last episode after Felicity has been publicly humiliated in class for her interpretation of hands (which, as I said last time, look more than fine to me, anyone would think she drew stick figure hands), Noel took all his anger and made the first steps towards forgiveness. This continues in the next two episodes and while there is still plenty of awkwardness between them – which Elena has no time to deal with and her lack of filter is wonderful – it’s so much better and I’m so happy to have it like this again. Felicity mentions to Noel that things are different with Julie as despite coming across on the surface as besties, they never had the same intimacy (and not the kissing kind) that Noel and Felicity had. Friendships with the opposite sex are so misrepresented on TV and movies because this closeness always ends up in a will they/won’t they and while I can be quite the shipper (as I have been with this show), it would also be good to see this kind of friendship just be friends – slightly related as I’m pretty sure The Vampire Diaries is about to destroy my favorite platonic ship. So with Noel and Felicity, I’m quite looking forward to seeing them going back to just friends. If only Amy Smart was not in the picture because she is the worst, that whole thing about touching someone’s hands to find out what kind of work they do made my eyes roll so hard.

So this all ties in with Julie, as Julie has written and performed a song about Felicity, something which Meghan thinks is pretty much the best thing ever. Felicity is less than thrilled; and if I hadn’t been watching a lot of The Americans recently, I would have been shocked to hear Felicity talk about punching Julie in the face. But I’ve seen Keri Russell punch a lot of faces now. This song is what prompts Felicity’s assertion that Julie never operated at Noel friendship level status and it’s something we’ve both been saying for a long time now, so I’m glad to see this show is on the same wavelength as us.

In a slightly contrived situation Felicity and Julie end up on the same subway train and it just so happens that it stops between stations for hours (thanks to someone getting hit, they’re not too specific but I guess trains never are when stuff like this happens). It’s the perfect time to hash out these bad feelings and what better than 20 strangers with various issues adding their many opinions to this fraught discussion?! It’s pretty ridiculous but as a process to air grievances it works for me.

What did you think of the set up? Are you glad to see how Felicity and Noel are handling being friends again?

Julie: The stopped train thing, which took up a big chunk of the episode, was completely ridiculous, but also completely expected. It’s not like we’ve never seen this sort of “people stuck somewhere/big truths revealed” thing before. I thought it was handled pretty well. One guy was peeved at the girls for being so caught up in problems that are not problems at all. He’s trying to get a loan for a house, not arguing with a friend over a stupid boy. And then there was the lady who posited that all problems are relative, which is also true. And then a lawyer jumped into the fray, and he was just annoying as hell. Really, that was where this storyline lost me. No attorney worth his salt would’ve gotten involved in this conversation. If he were commuting to work, he would’ve been either a) asleep or b) working or c) reading/watching a movie. Also, that actor was horrible.

How about the mole people? Did you see the Meghan reveal coming?

Anyway, I love that the show addressed the thing we’d been talking about all along — Julie and Felicity were never great friends to begin with. They’ve been kind of frenemies all along, what with Julie hooking up with Felicity’s crush and then calling Felicity an inexperienced virgin and finally Felicity traveling cross country with Ben. They never had the easy rapport Felicity displays with either Noel or Elena. And it was the song that finally got them talking. Maybe they can start over and grow to become the kind of friends they always assumed they were.

I am so glad that Felicity and Noel are back to talking. The two of them together (plus Elena, especially in the second episode of the two we watched this week) are my favorite part of this show. I know the show eventually drags us back into the will they/won’t they Team Noel situation, but right now I’m just enjoying Scott Foley being fun and funny and not mooning over Felicity. And, yeah, if only Ruby could GTFO really soon.

The other thing this episode was the addition of Teri Polo as Ben’s Older Woman. What did you think of this episode? Was it a little early for one of the characters to be getting involved with a cougar? I mean, 90210 waited until at least Season 4.

Emma: Oh yeah that lawyer guy was the worst and it’s such a cheap gimmicky set up to get them to talk about what’s going on. Honestly being stuck underground for that long in a situation like that would make me way more cranky that most of these dudes. Having some teen drama to partake in would either send me over the edge or be incredible entertaining. I’m sure the former is more likely than the latter.

The mole people moment was so bizarre and I kind of want it to be this unexplained Meghan thing. Like this is just something she does. Meghan’s wardrobe continues to be the most amazing collection of awful clothes including a pair of snakeskin trousers in this episode.

The label best friend is so funny when you think about it and I remember at high school feeling this weird pressure to have that best friend, so it makes sense that both Felicity and Julie clung to the first person they met. It’s been a very passive aggressive friendship in a way and both their insecurities has impacted their behavior around each other and this competitive nature hasn’t really been present with Felicity and Elena, even with their academic achievements. They fell out because of a guy, but those cracks already existed and I’m all for shows exploring difficult female relationships.

In the end they both end up at the art gallery, despite going their separate ways which seemed to indicate initially that this relationship is dunzo. The photograph that frames them in this final shot is kinda cheesy in its symbolism, but hey I like a bit of cheese sometimes and it worked for me. The next episode has the pair taking more steps towards being friends again and I’m happy that there are not so many fraught relationships on the show, but I’m glad that they’re not instantly besties again. Julie even gives Felicity dating advice and one thing I’m glad the train conversation addressed was how Julie had given Ben a pass while she was super pissed at Felicity, it’s just one of those things and I think people are always going to pick one person to forgive first. It’s just easier that way.

So we never got to hear Julie’s song which puts us in this interesting position – the folks on the train hear the song but only fragments of the Ben, Julie, Felicity drama. Whereas we have seen everything prior to this, but don’t know how badly the song portrays Felicity (though it sounds like it’s pretty mean). This leaves some mystery and while I’d have liked to hear just how bitchy the song is, I also get why we didn’t. Did you want to hear the song?

The Teri Polo older woman story does seem rather sudden, mostly because it looks like Ben moves on pretty quickly. Also she’s an actress I’ve never really warmed to – including my recentish West Wing first watch – so it instantly got my back up. I don’t mind the older woman story and it was inevitably going to happen as this is a story teen shows love to do and it makes it less creepy that it’s a customer rather than a teacher. Jumping ahead to the second episode what do you make of her going cold on Ben after they slept together? She has a pager which is my favorite thing about ’90s technology.

Oh while I’m on the subject of ’90s moments Noel having a G Shock watch is so utterly perfect for this period and of course Ruby is so impressed that he got it off the internet, which I guess at the time wasn’t all that common. Noel is so cutting edge. I’ve also decided that Noel is probably based on JJ in some respects especially as he loves his Apple products. This is probably a better guess than last season’s initial Zach comparison. Fun Noel is good to have around, just get a better love interest dude.

Julie: The whole “Best Friend” label has always felt icky to me. My “Best Friend” in grade school used to make lists ranking her friends all the time. Sometimes I’d be at the top. Sometimes I’d be second or third. It was kind of an S&M friendship, and this was her way of exerting power over me. Since then, I’ve always had trouble naming anyone my “Best Friend.” If your friend is best enough, I’d like to think everyone would know it without having to label it.

I do love that this show (like My So-Called Life before it) is daring to show the complexities of female friendships. There’s just not a lot of that on TV; even Parks & Rec, which is very pro-gal pal, mostly only shows the women on the show respecting and cherishing one another.

I think they do leave the Meghan-as-mole-person thing unexplained, which I appreciate. We don’t need to know any more than the fact that Meghan wanders around the subway late at night with a group of similarly-dressed people. That is plenty.

As far as Julie and Felicity go, I’m glad we didn’t hear the song. I don’t think it would’ve lived up to the hype that Meghan gave it, and it would either make Felicity look petty or Julie look mean. We didn’t need to hear the song to pick a side. We saw what happened. We lived it.

Teri Polo is totally married. I actually don’t know that, because I don’t remember how her storyline turns out, but that’s my guess. She booked it out of there right quick, and that’s why I definitely think Ben is her sidepiece, which doesn’t make me like her any more than I’m already predisposed to like Teri Polo (i.e. not much; I’m in your camp). You are definitely right that Ben moves on too quickly. It’s like — Boom! — he’s over Felicity. He’s over Julie. He’s over everything. He’s all id at this point, Ben. I believe he certainly thinks with his pants’ head more than he thinks with his head head.

But Felicity is also moving on, sort of, with her professor’s son. What did you think of David and the blind date?

Emma: That Teri Polo theory sounds very plausible, especially as she had to get a new number which is very shady indeed. Ben is the flakiest for sure and I’m kinda sad that we didn’t get an initial Felicity hair reaction. Or he just hasn’t noticed and that would be the most perfect if that’s the case.

Even though it’s SO inappropriate of her professor to set her up and it’s initially an utter disaster, I’m glad Felicity went on that date. She didn’t date during high school and it’s only been Noel and Ben so far which went to a very intense place very quickly. A blind date is just what Felicity needs (incidentally I have never been on a blind date) even if it is a terrible experience. At least she gets to be badass with her French language skills that David didn’t expect she would possess.

There’s something about Felicity that draws people to her that I have a hard time believing she was such a wallflower in high school, I guess she maybe needed a different environment to shine (I sound like a PSA). It might have been the French or David just realised what a drunk dick he’s been as he comes begging for another chance. I love that Felicity doesn’t just accept his apology and she lets him know just how awful he was even if he does have a sad story to explain his behavior (this breakup story reminded me of Before Sunrise and why Jesse is in Europe as I only watched this for the first time recently). It’s no excuses and Meghan’s open jaw reaction to Felicity’s tirade is amazing. Meghan gives amazing reaction face.

Felicity does go on a second date and it’s a lot better than the first, they even hold hands which is pretty adorable. The only point that made me frown at Felicity was during her closing tape to Sally as she explains why she didn’t tell Noel about David – it’s weird for Felicity to talk about the B list date with an A list guy. I get that she’s trying to explain Noel’s position, but this labeling came across as kinda snobby on this occasion. Am I being too harsh on Felicity? Also why do you think Felicity could tell Ben about David and not Noel?

Julie: Ben totally hasn’t noticed Felicity’s hair! What a dumbass. He is so clueless. At this point, he’s going to need to do a lot of work to even make me consider joining Team Ben. Noel definitely has the edge right now.

I was happy that Felicity stuck up for herself with David, and that they did have a nice second date together, but a big part of me wishes she had just told him off and had that be the end of it. Why did he have to have the sob story? Why did he have to acquit himself so nicely on the second date? And, really, other than her French speaking, what was it that compelled him to even seek her out for a second date? The whole thing just feels like a way to shove Felicity into a new love situation that doesn’t involve Ben or Noel. Why can’t Felicity do the Mindy Lahiri thing and date a new guy every episode for a while? Why does David have to turn out to be kind of a nice guy? It’s all too tidy.

Also, I’m wondering if Felicity isn’t starting to see Noel in a more romantic light right now because of his dalliance with stupid Ruby.

Anything else?

Emma: I would love to see “Felicity dates…” and then just a parade of hot dudes from the late ’90s. The David thing was extra weird as I mentioned on Twitter as I watched Elementary after this and there he was kidnapping Joan. It is a bit too easy that he’s this good guy in the end, they should just let some people be jerks and there’s always some kind of redemption angle.

I think you could be right about Felicity’s reason behind her withholding from Noel and with Ben she seemed more curious than jealous that he had an older lady thing occurring.

We do need to talk about the excellent Noel and Elena bonding subplot over video games that Elena dismissed initially before her competitive nature got the better of her. The only consoles I’ve owned myself are a Megadrive and a Game Boy, we do have a Wii and a PS3 but I use the latter for watching things on and I’m definitely not what you would call a gamer. I tend to be terrible at video games and I have little patience to get any better so I’m definitely the Felicity in all of this. So Noel has got himself a PlayStation and considering how much he likes tech stuff this isn’t a surprise and because I don’t know games all that well I have no idea what they are playing. Whatever it is, it is addictive and Noel blows off class to play. Soon Elena gets sucked in and they become incapable of paying attention to anyone else. This includes ignoring phone calls and blowing off plans. We only get Ruby on the phone in this episode, which pleases me.

It all goes too far when Noel makes a kid cry and I love how disheveled both Elena and Noel look by this point. Now they could just go on YouTube for a walkthrough rather than relying on a 7 year old.

What did you think of this subplot?

Julie: How did I completely forget about the video game subplot? I loved it! I have been known to become addicted to video games periodically. I spent too much of my 20s enveloped in the Sims universe, suffering a very brief relapse around Christmas last year. We have a PS3, which we’ve just started to use for video games, since my son is into Legos and there are several Lego games. He and I have also become hooked on Skylanders, which is really the most brilliant money-making scheme of all time. Seriously. The creators should be giving seminars.

During freshman year of college, we used to rent a Nintendo 64 console from Blockbuster (how old am I?) during finals week and everyone would congregate in one room and play Bond or MarioKart whenever they had time. After freshman year, John bought his own Nintendo 64, and we’d spend too much time playing the aforementioned games along with Diddy Kong Racing and Mario Golf. I’m sad to say that the console died recently when our basement flooded, taking the Diddy Kong cartridge along with it.

Anyway, yeah. I loved how Elena and Noel had to go old school and get the 411 from a kid (or they could’ve bought one of the game books that we all used to devour back in the day). It’s so much easer in 2014 with the YouTubes and all.

Also, yes, Noel and Elena hanging out > Noel and Ruby hanging out any day of the week.

Julie Hammerle is, according to Klout, an expert in the areas of both Morgan Freeman and glasses. Her writing can be found at chicagonow.com/hammervision and you can holler at her on Twitter as well.

Tags: "Crash", "The Depths", 90s, Felicity, Keri Russell, Teen TV

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Felicity, TV Team-Up
Author Julie Hammerle

The Americans 2.11 “Stealth” Review: Making a Difference

8 May

Even when Philip and Elizabeth disagree on how to deal with their daughter’s new found interest in religion, they present a united front and this harmony has been developing since the pilot episode. Family has been in focus this season and the idea of making a difference comes to the forefront this week; it is why these characters take the risks they do. This takes several different forms and since Jared’s family was murdered in the premiere the fear for their own kids and Elizabeth’s sense of duty to her fallen friends has taken over.

Stan’s visit to Jared poses a threat on several levels; an ideological one as Elizabeth doesn’t want an American to reveal they were KGB and a more immediate danger as he’s once again looking for the illegals who just happen to be them. Larrick’s revenge mission is fueled by the deaths at the Contra camp and while we don’t know if he has any personal connection to the men Philip and Elizabeth killed, they could just be symbolic brothers to him.

Starting with Larrick and he once again proves what a terrifying enemy he is as he barely questions Kate before he snaps her neck. Larrick is picking off those who Elizabeth and Philip rely on for contact with the Center as he continues his quest to find them. Larrick wants to put an end to this mess, which he in part blames himself for. Unlike Stan who works within certain parameters (which he has broken in the past with Vlad), Larrick is dangerous because he doesn’t appear to have a stopping point and it’s all about self-preservation. Larrick is pissed that he’s had to do so much to damage his country, but he’s done it regardless and when it comes to finding Philip and Elizabeth there’s no guessing what he will do to achieve this objective. Even though he said he didn’t kill Emmett, Leanne and Amelia can we trust him? Threatening or even killing Paige or Henry doesn’t seem beyond the scope of what Larrick is capable of.

Larrick is also doing a very good job of covering his tracks and he removes any trace of his presence in Kate’s apartment. This includes untying her dead body from the ceiling fan and putting everything back as it was. Kate does leave a message behind on the cardboard toilet roll tube showing she’s not the dolt Philip might have suspected she was and she valiantly fought against Larrick, but his size and experience overpowered her. Kate’s last act of defiance involved spitting in his face and not everyone can be coerced into betraying their country. I’m sad to see Kate go so soon as Wrenn Schmidt barely got to scratch the surface with this character; who will be their next handler and will they be up to the high Jennings standard?

“Stealth” is very much a table setting episode as the tension and unease continue to grow. The Jennings’ have a list of issues they have to deal with and thankfully Philip seems to have recovered from his brief personal torment a few weeks ago. This isn’t to say that this isn’t going to resurface at any point, but at the moment he is very much focused on the mission at hand. Larrick is one threat and he’s not alone as Stan continues to connect the dots with the illegals and Emmett and Leanne, not to mention the Paige drama that continues. It’s all a balancing act and in part it’s why Elizabeth relents so quickly when Paige asks to go to a demonstration. Paige asks at a time when her parents have much bigger concerns and her pre-planned “Who I am and what I think and believe is mine. I’m me” speech isn’t really necessary – it’s annoying in a way when you have a whole argument ready and your parents say ok straight away. I understand why Paige decides to plead on a personal level as earlier Elizabeth refuses to explain why she can’t go to camp beyond the vague and frustrating “Because I’m your mother” and there’s no way to argue against this kind of reasoning.

In the final scene Elizabeth has an epiphany about her daughter as she notes how similar Paige is to her and how they both want to make a difference, however Paige is looking in the wrong place. Elizabeth talks earlier in the episode about how she doesn’t want Paige to get indoctrinated, but this is also what has happened with Elizabeth and Philip with Communism; it’s just a different kind of ideology and there’s probably a lot of similarities between the Young Pioneers camp that Nina spoke of last week and what Paige wants to do with her summer.

This is the “they’re just like us” portion of the week and Stan’s desire to do something worthwhile is not all that different from why Elizabeth and Philip do what they do. Stan’s work is more transparent as he can talk to Henry for his school project about his job in a way Philip never could. There’s a hint of envy when Philip asks Stan to do the hero paper with his son as while his cover job is kind of boring, he would get hero status for what he is doing if they were back in Russia. Stan doesn’t see himself as a hero and the fantasy of the FBI comics he read as a kid chasing down the bad guys outside movie theaters is nothing like his reality and he seems ashamed of his commendation. Feelings of guilt might be overshadowing this joy with his betrayal to his country over the documents he gave Oleg, or because he killed someone in cold blood and then received an award for killing someone else. Being an FBI hero sure looks different to the days of gangsters and Henry’s surprise at the existence of these comics shows just how much the world has changed. Stan still has the desire to make a difference and do something good; this requires compromise and getting your hands dirty and it is something both Philip and Elizabeth know so well.

The grass is always greener and all that as Stan is still very taken with Philip’s new car and his own disintegrating marriage mirrors where we found Philip and Elizabeth at the beginning of the show; the gulf between Sandra and Stan has grown as Philip and Elizabeth’s marriage gained strength. The framing of Stan and Sandra’s scenes has reflected this distance all season and this technique is used once again as they discuss whether their marriage is over. In every sense beyond them saying it out loud it has been done for a long time and there’s no emotional connection between them beyond nostalgia for what they were.

Stan’s got other problems to deal with as Nina comes to him doing some damsel in distress posturing as she explains her deception has been discovered and while Nina is in a very precarious place, we know part of this plea is a manipulation as Arkady has known for a long time. They are using Nina to get Stealth information from Stan as he has the clearance they need, but Nina will get sent home and face a trial for treason if it all goes wrong or so Arkady says. How much of this is part of a bluff or double bluff is unclear and yet I am pretty certain that Arkady wanted Oleg to tell Nina that she is in danger.

Oleg praised Nina earlier this season for not trusting him and in the world they live in there aren’t many people who can be relied on. Philip and Elizabeth have this trust and no matter how much Oleg cares for Nina (and I think he has fallen for her), Nina is caught in a perilous position as she is being used by both sides. The Lenin Young Pioneers pin is a very sweet touch as Oleg has moved from antagonist to confidant. I could be completely wrong and Oleg might still be working all the angles for himself, I just don’t know anymore.

One person who keeps coming up with the goods is Fred as he provides Philip with the necessary person who knows all about the tech side of Stealth and it’s one of the ultimate “Hey! It’s that guy!” Zeljko Ivanek. Ivanek is playing John Skeevers who worked on RAM and has since got cancer that he blames on the paint that was used to suspend microscopic balls as part of technology for Stealth. This introduces us to a new Philip disguise and this one is on the very hairy side. It’s all about finding someone’s vulnerability and using this to their advantage; John’s memory might be a bit unreliable as he can’t remember who Philip is (which also is a bonus), but he is coherent enough to reveal some important detail about the paint and the bad side effects.

Jared is also in a vulnerable position and Stan’s visit prompts Elizabeth to don her short wig and big glasses as she poses once again as someone from the Child Advocacy Center. Elizabeth is feeling guilty for burning Leanne’s letter and Elizabeth feels responsible for him. Jared knows that something is up and boy does this kid break my heart as his eyes plead with her to tell him the truth. Jared also meets with Kate and this is another mystery for The Americans to solve in the next two episodes; why was she visiting him in no form of disguise? Why do they have to get Jared out?

Making a difference and compromise are two key themes in “Stealth” and this episode suggests that achieving both is an extremely difficult task when the stakes are this high. Missions have been going wrong all season and as the tangled web grows, Philip and Elizabeth might get to a point where they will have to make a choice between family and their duty to the cause.

Tags: "Stealth", 2.11, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Comments 2 Comments
Categories The Americans
Author Emma Fraser

The Mindy Project and the Rom-Com Narrative Part 4

7 May

The first part of The Mindy Project and the rom-com narrative started back in September when the show returned for season 2 and it’s sprawled into a much bigger discussion as this year has progressed. At the time I tried to resist the Mindy/Danny “will they/won’t they” set up that was clearly taking place and while I couldn’t deny their super hot chemistry, a really great platonic male/female friendship on TV is the dream (it’s something I elaborate further on in the Felicity chat later this week). The Peter and Mindy dynamic has been pleasant surprise and this does hold the potential to be just this type of relationship. After the season 2 premiere I was pretty conflicted about the Danny and Mindy coupling and as the season progressed it became impossible not to jump on board this ship.

For all of The Mindy Project’s creative stumbles and constant changes, the one aspect that has been stable throughout is the exploration of rom-coms that both Mindy Lahiri the protagonist and Mindy Kaling the creator know so well. The Danny/Mindy relationship is the other constant since the pilot episode and despite my reservations about the romance angle, the plotting this season has been magnificent. After the incredible first kiss, the first obstacle came in the form of keeping the relationship secret and it’s all part of the TV dilemma of “What next?” that the movies Mindy adores don’t have to deal with. The suddenness of the breakup after a long build-up and tonally awkward episodes that followed suggested they might have wasted an opportunity by not sticking the landing. This hasn’t been the case and last week’s rejection by Mindy, followed by the ups and downs of this pairing in the finale show how Kaling has a firm grip on who this character is and what she wants this relationship to be.

Before we get to the “What next?” sequel let’s have a look at where we are right now. Grand romantic gestures are important to Mindy, but she’s not just a day dreamer with unrealistic expectations and it’s why it was important that Danny has to work to win her back after he broke up with her initially. It’s why I’m glad that Mindy rejected his kiss last week after he only showed interest in her when there was another guy on the scene. Danny felt like he was recreating the plane moment and instead he didn’t consider how Mindy would feel about his hot/cold behavior.

In the finale Danny decides to go for another tactic he thinks she will dig and that’s a catfish plan using the “Was it You?” column in the paper posing as Andy (or Dr Greg from Mad Men). It’s a set up straight out of a Nora Ephron movie which is why Danny thinks it’s a winning idea and the Bradley Cooper photo pinned to his mirror so he can recreate the three-piece suit look is maybe the most adorable thing he has done. To stop Mindy from coming up to his apartment and ruining the surprise, Danny lies and says he’s “being intimate with himself” and I would never have predicted that two different comedies would use The Good Wife as part of a masturbating gag this season (the other being Broad City). I guess it can be a pretty sexy show. When Mindy tells Danny that he was right about them not being a couple he gets cold feet and instead of telling Mindy the truth he lets her go to the Empire State Building where he knows she’s going to get stood up and that’s pretty shitty.

The montage and Danny narration as they take in the sites of everywhere Megan Ryan has laugh/cried is the most adorable and it’s something I was anticipating thanks to the preview Kaling gave on her Instagram last month when they were shooting these scenes. This show gets the rom-com moments spot on, including the misunderstandings that almost doom the relationship. When Mindy see fake Andy on the subway and starts yelling at him it is time for Danny to come clean. Danny’s initial email plan has all the marks of a grand romantic gesture, but it’s also based on deceit and while rom-coms have these kinds of moments, Danny has read this situation completely wrong.

Danny not wanting to come clean about their relationship in front of their colleagues was the ultimate slap in the face for Mindy and it’s why she has a hard time buying his “I love you declarations” as they are just words and she can’t trust anything he says “because you love me until you don’t.” This conversation in the bathroom is a heartbreaking repeat of when Mindy called Danny on his “I don’t want to lose my best friend” BS reason for breaking up. It’s teary once again and this is when The Mindy Project feels at its most real; the rom-com is just the palette they work from and they can do emotional honesty just as well. Mindy doesn’t want to fall for this as despite these romantic notions she still has self-worth and she doesn’t want to be made a fool of again.

It all comes back to the earrings that Mindy left behind at Danny’s apartment as the sign that Mindy needs; words can be manipulated but the inclusion of these earrings in Danny’s box of important stuff speaks so much louder. The build up to the Empire State Building climax uses Bruce Springsteen, Danny getting hit by a cab but running on regardless and Mindy having to take the stairs as the lift is briefly out. All the trappings for an excellent ending and as I’ve walked 20 flights of those stairs I know I would definitely be lying on the floor wheezing like Mindy is after climbing all of them. Danny’s “I wanna go all in” is wonderfully misinterpreted by Mindy and their final smooch is adorable even if they’re lying on a probably dirty floor. They just don’t care.

So, what next?

Tags: "Danny and Mindy", Chris Messina, Mindy Kaling, Nora Ephron, Rom-Com, The Mindy Project

Comments 2 Comments
Categories The Mindy Project
Author Emma Fraser

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TV Ate My Wardrobe

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

The Americans 2.12 “Operation Chronicle” Review: “Take it Easy”

Best of ABC and NBC’s 2014 Upfronts Red Carpet

Best of the Fox 2014 Upfront Red Carpet

Mad Men: Keep me Hanging on the Telephone

The Good Wife, Boundaries and Changing the Rules

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

TV Rewind: Felicity, “The Depths” and “Crash”

The Americans 2.11 “Stealth” Review: Making a Difference

The Mindy Project and the Rom-Com Narrative Part 4

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