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Best of TV Costuming 2014: Best of the Rest – From Statement Necklaces to Wedding Gowns

Welcome to TV Ate My Wardrobe’s “Best of 2014″ costuming series and rather than doing a straightforward countdown we’re going to do a variety of posts that look at which costumes and shows have made a huge impact this year. From items that we want in our own wardrobe to pieces that got everyone talking, we want to look at this year’s TV through the prism of costume.

So far the end of year “Best of” discussions have covered a lot of individual shows such as The Americans, Hannibal and The Good Wife, along with certain trends such as leather jackets and now comes the quick-fire roundup of TV Ate My Wardrobe’s best of everything else such as accessories, special occasion gowns and even modes of transport. It is a chance to address some our favorite shows and looks of 2014.

Best Statement Necklace Wearer

There can only be one winner of this and The Good Wife’s Diane Lockhart wears chain necklaces like no other. She also has a very fine collection of antique broaches/pins and a stare that can stop you dead in your tracks.

Best Fancy Hat

Freddie Lounds take on court attire was even better than Hannibal checking out his own butt as he got ready for Will’s trial. This hat reads more day at the races or wedding and isn’t really court appropriate unless she is starring in a remake of His Girl Friday.

Best Casual Hat

I never thought I would pick a trucker hat to appear on a ‘best of’ but Orphan Black managed to turn one into a symbol of love as Helena shared her first dance and smooch with the adorable Jesse. This love token has been dropped and all she is left with is a beanie to stuff her hair into.

Best Sunglasses

I can’t believe this is the first time I am talking about You’re the Worst on TV Ate My Wardrobe and Gretchen’s face in the shot above sums up how ridiculous that is. Plus her Ray-Ban Opal Yellow Wayfarers are super awesome and perfect for all kinds of hungover sunny days.

Best Sweaters

Another slam dunk as Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Gina has excellent sweater game week in, week out including an excellent double wolfie turtleneck from the most recent episode. There might have been more competition if Robyn hadn’t mysteriously become a character who exists in the off screen wilderness on The Good Wife.

Best Tights

Nobody does patterned tights quite like Selfie’s Eliza and now is also a good time to sadly bid adieu to yet another comedy show that was the perfect mix of funny, sweet and sharp. So long Eliza and Henry; you deserve more than this.

Best Bathrobes

Going from the sanitized hospital location with the stiff blue robes to something more decadent with quality hotel bathrobes and in Masters of Sex’s best episode this season “Fight” Bill and Virginia spent a rather sizable portion laying their souls bare while wearing this garment.

Best Late Night Drinking

Okay so this one isn’t about what a character is wearing, instead it is the manner in which this scene in the Homeland finale showcased the best of what has been a mostly very enjoyable season leaving behind the mess of almost all things Brody. There’s an initial awkwardness from Lockhart that turns into a moment of warmth thanks to a shared horrific experience and drinking whiskey from paper cups.

Best Mode of Transport Part 1

Lucy’s beautiful blue bike wouldn’t look out of place now as retro bicycles are on trend and it also symbolizes freedom for both Lucy – she doesn’t have to rely on a man for transport – and Thack as he experiences a non-drug induced pleasure when he takes it for a spin on The Knick.

Best Mode of Transport Part 2

The Comeback has been a pleasure to experience even when watching through fingers or with constant Home Alone face and the season finale is just as exceptional. Valerie Cherish is my everything especially when she has to avoid a shit covered front yard and gets carried in her Emmy gown by a shirtless Brad Goreski and her publicist Billy.

Best Hoodie to Hide in

There is a lot to love about the costuming on Broad City and one of Abbi’s most practical pieces is this drawstring hoodie (as with April Ludgate’s mustard hoodie I am still on the hunt for it) which doubles as a Bevers blocker.

Best Dress for Time Travel

Confession – I still need to watch beyond episode 3 of Outlander and it is one of those shows that I just fell behind on. Claire’s 1940s simple white keyhole dress didn’t seem totally out of place for the 18th century time period she found herself in during the pilot and this allowed her to blend in as best she could without betraying the original post-World War II setting. I really need to catch up on this, don’t I?

Best Wedding Gown

Another wedding didn’t go so well (or it actually worked out better for the bride) on Game of Thrones, but that can’t take away from the exquisite beauty and detail of Margaery’s gown. The rose embellished train is stunning.

Best Business Wear

On The Honourable Woman Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Nessa Stein has a wardrobe that contains endless billowy silk blouses and everything is super chic and well tailored. Pieces that stand out include the Roland Mouret leopard jacquard dress from the first episode and pretty much every item acts as some kind of armor between Nessa and the messiness of the world she is part of. Yep even those silk blouses represent both supreme business wear and a way to protect herself.

Best Pattern Clashing

Mindy wins this one hands down.

Tags: Abbi Jacobson, Ane Crabtree, Aya Cash, Broad City, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Chelsea Peretti, Christine Baranski, Claire Danes, Diane Lockhart, Freddie Lounds, Game of Thrones, Hannibal, Homeland, Karen Gillan, Lisa Kudrow, Lizzy Caplan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Mindy Kaling, Natalie Dormer, Orphan Black, Outlander, Selfie, Tatiana Maslany, The Comeback, The Good Wife, The Honourable Woman, The Knick, The Mindy Project, Valerie Cherish, You're the Worst

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Categories Best of 2014
Author Emma Fraser

Hello, Hello, Hello: The Comeback 2.07 “Valerie Faces the Critics” Discussion

28 Dec

Before tonight’s season 2 finale of The Comeback I am joined by Kerensa Cadenas to discuss the penultimate episode, which featured one of the most devastating scenes of the season and once again Lisa Kudrow knocks it out of the park and slays us in the process. Plus we ponder Jane’s motives and talk about what we think could happen in tonight’s episode.

Emma: Valerie gets more than one professional win and everything in her personal life crumbles around her. First off I want to note once again – I don’t think it can be said enough – the incredible and devastating performance Lisa Kudrow is delivering. Valerie has been nominated for an Emmy for Seeing Red and I hope Lisa Kudrow will be getting one for playing Valerie because she is doing so many different things in any given moment.

In the last two episodes Valerie has seen her marriage disintegrate around her and we’ve been talking about the stability and support Mark provides; now I have a lot of conflicted feelings towards Mark and his reaction to Valerie’s career reboot. Mark and Val have been together for 14 years and so he has only been there for the least successful part of her career as this is after “I’m It!” and of course during the disastrous Room & Bored period. Now that Valerie is getting great reviews and award nominations things have shifted. The argument in the car park was pure attack mode from both Mark and Val and it is both mesmerizing and so hard to watch (The Comeback’s go to position) as both have a lot of painful shit they want to say to each other. We are so used to seeing Val in ‘everything is all great’ mode that when she does snap like this it is 100% unfiltered Val and it is like she forgets the cameras are there for this brief moment. In the same way she lost her shit with Ron last week yelling “Where were you?” as she gets berated for not being on the super hot set, Mark doesn’t get let off easy.

While he complains that he has always been there for her, she rightly points out that she has been his champion whether it is some golf tournament he has won or how she made sure his daughter Francesca ate something after he had long left the dinner table. Marriage (or really any relationship) is about give and take; both Mark and Val feel like they have not been served well by the other. What really kills me in this scene is when Valerie reacts to Mark’s suggestion that he was the only person that believed in her and I kid you not that me typing “I believed in me” just made me a little teary (I guess this is where I am right now) and that’s the thing I love about Val as no matter how much others don’t see what she is worth she still believes that something good will come for her. Some of this might be considered delusional, but I think to persevere for as long as she has done she has needed this self-belief. This brings me back to the idea that because Mark has only been there for the years that have not really included any professional success he isn’t equipped for when Valerie is receiving all this praise. I am conflicted when it comes to Mark for the simple reason that having these cameras filming their every moment and using the house as a set has been incredibly disruptive and it is entirely self-serving for Valerie. She is not entirely blameless, but Mark has not been entirely supportive either.

What do you make of the Valerie/Mark relationship breakdown over the last two episodes?

Kerensa: As we’ve talked about before, Mark has really seemed like Valerie’s rock so seeing the slow crawl of their marriage falling apart is so hard to watch. The thing I love so much about The Comeback, and especially in this season, is how we learn all these small off-camera things about Mark and Valerie (that abortion!) through their conversations. They have been through so much together but it seems like neither is entirely blameless in this marriage falling apart. I mean, I love Valerie, but could you imagine being married to her? I couldn’t. This scene when Mark and Valerie are tearing each other apart in the parking lot is incredibly rough to watch and they both crush it.

I’m hoping that they work it out but I wouldn’t blame Mark especially after the way Valerie asks him to go to the Emmys with her. I mean, it seems like things are too far gone for both of them at this point.

Do you think they’d reconcile? It’s also so upsetting to see Valerie get what she’s wanted but at the expense of other portions of her life.

Emma: What I find really brutal about the whole thing is that Valerie has such good intentions when it comes to this secret date, but she just can’t say no to Jane when she paints it as this big love story aspect. She doesn’t have to wear the mic or get filmed but she can’t turn down the opportunity to give this documentary that extra something. Valerie is very easy to convince when she is painted a grand story. And she also doesn’t want something that could be painted in a negative way to come up hence why she tries to cover the mic when Mark says the word abortion. It reminded me of their chat about doing coke in season 1, but far more personal.

I also don’t think Valerie can see this whole set up going this wrong when Jane pitches it to her, even though she must now that Mark will go ballistic (which he does) when he cottons on to the mic and the film crew.

At this point I can’t see them reconciling, maybe they can in the future but not with one episode left. It’s gone too far for Mark and he really doesn’t recognise her, I’m not sure what she can do to convince she is still in there. To me she’s still the same Val but as you mention she must be a tough person to be married to. And oof when she asks him to the Emmys. What a misjudged moment. And in terms of the standard ‘can she have it all’ debate it sucks that for Val is experiencing a professional high while her marriage is such a mess.

Kerensa: Totally agree with all of that. Speaking of Jane, I’m supremely nervous about this documentary that she’s making. One thing that I noticed in this episode was how heavily Jane was pressuring Valerie to do things i.e. this whole Mark conversation that she didn’t want to do. Maybe I’m not remembering correctly, but I do not remember Jane ever pressuring Valerie like this.

Do you think Jane’s going to screw Valerie over with this documentary?

Emma: I’m worried too because she also kinda fucked her over in the first season and she’s pushing a lot more with this one, plus like you I can’t remember when she has been this insistent on Valerie doing something she initially didn’t want to do. For Jane this project is a means to an end; this isn’t what she wanted to do and she got coerced into it by Valerie’s persistence. I don’t think Jane is a bad person but everyone has an ego and I think there’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff with her and the HBO executives about the direction of the doc that we’re not seeing (so we’re as oblivious as Val) that is pushing the narrative in a certain direction.

Everyone is using someone for something and now I am totally bummed out.

What do you make of all the Mickey stuff? I was worried (and Val definitely was even though she attempted to cover her fears up). He’s super ill, but at least he’s getting laid. Oh and dong on HBO alert. Mickey’s apartment is beyond perfect for this character.

And do you think Valerie will win the Emmy in the finale? And if Lisa Kudrow doesn’t get a nomination for this I will add to my ever growing list of Emmy omission disappointments. You’ll be in good company Lisa (as someone pointed out to me on Twitter she did get nominated for S1).

One other quick Jane point is the title of the documentary – “The Assassination of Valerie Cherish” – which could means so many different things and yet it also makes me nervous about what is to come in the finale in regards to this doc.

Kerensa: I was super worried about Mickey too, but yeah at least he’s getting laid? Also, hilarious that the first dick I’ve remembered seeing in some time on HBO is on THE COMEBACK.

I’m still kinda worried about Mickey, but I was so convinced for legitimately the last three episodes that he was going to die that maybe they won’t go there? It’s too obvious. I did feel sad when he said to Val that why are you here? You haven’t been here since ’94 or something. Valerie needs to check herself I think.

I could see Valerie winning the Emmy but something awful happening because of it. I can also see the complete opposite happening–not winning the Emmy and something awful happening because of it. I’m just fully expecting something awful to happen to her whether it’s losing Mickey or Marc or something deeply upsetting happening with Paulie G. Or maybe I’m completely wrong and I dunno Valerie will win the Emmy and bone Kellan Lutz’s character (he says in the preview he has always had a crush on Val). What do you think?

Emma: The only reason I think Mickey might be okay is because I can’t imagine The Comeback without Mickey. But then again if there was going to be a third season – and I’ve heard Lisa Kudrow talk about wanting to do more, plus the cost of making it must be super cheap – it would be a challenge for Valerie if she was without her emotional crutches. I will be devastated if he does die.

I also think that something awful is going to happen because this show tends to tread in very dark waters. And I could see them coupling a huge professional high with something truly horrible. I am nervous and excited with what’s to come in the finale, particularly when it comes to Juna’s party. I want all the good things for Val but as you mention she does need to start thinking beyond herself. Her intentions are never malicious she’s just so narrow sighted so she misses a lot of what’s going on around her.

Kerensa Cadenas is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is an Editor for Snakkle. She also writes for Women and Hollywood, The Week, This Was Television, Forever Young Adult, and Bitch magazine. You can follow her on Twitter to read her thoughts on teen TV, snacks and terrible pop music.

Tags: "Valerie Faces the Critics", HBO, Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback, Valerie Cherish

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Categories The Comeback, TV Team-Up
Author Emma Fraser

HBO’s Best of 2014/What’s to Come in 2015 Video Includes New Game of Thrones Shots

23 Dec

HBO has said goodbye to two longstanding staples, welcomed back one from long ago, delivered top notch episodes from both new and old shows and they’re set to do it all again in 2015. This video celebrates the best of 2014 while also revealing what is coming in the new year.

These moments are brief and if you want to go straight to the “Coming in 2015” portion skip to 1.37 where you will see a variety of pensive looking Game of Thrones characters including Cersei and Tyrion. Also on the returning shows ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ new footage list are Veep, Looking and Girls. True Detective gets a title card and The Leftovers is a shot of Justin Theroux in aviators, which is the best placeholder for a show with no new material as of yet. Queen Latifah is going down the biopic route playing iconic blues singer Bessie Smith in Bessie, Dwayne Johnson will star in the half-hour dramedy Ballers and the Duplass brothers are bringing Togetherness.

It has been a very good year for HBO with Boardwalk Empire going out on a creative high, True Detective delivering two of the performances of the year, producing one of my favorite episodes of the 2014 with Looking’s “Looking for the Future,” outrage and laughter in equal measure with a side order of shirt approval while watching Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, bringing back Valerie Cherish and introducing Carrie Coon to the non-theatre world.

Here is a look at all of that and more:

For more promos previewing HBO’s 2015 offerings head here and here.

Tags: Ballers, Bessie, Boardwalk Empire, Carrie Coon, Dwayne Johnson, Game of Thrones, Girls, HBO, Jay Duplass, Justin Theroux, Last Week Tonight, Looking, Mark Duplass, The Comeback, The Leftovers, Togetherness, True Detective, Valerie Cherish, Veep

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Categories Preview
Author Emma Fraser

Hello, Hello, Hello: The Comeback 2.05 “Valerie is Taken Seriously” Discussion

13 Dec

The Comeback continues to be one of the year’s best shows as it examines Hollywood perceptions through Valerie Cherish with the word ‘brave’ in terms of performance taking center stage this week. I am once again joined by Kerensa Cadenas and we’re both a little concerned for where everything Paulie G related is heading for Valerie this season.

Emma: A reporter from the New York Times calls Valerie’s Seeing Red performance “brave” and this sends Valerie spiralling because she thinks brave is a reference to how she looks. As we know Valerie is all about how she appears and she never wants to come across in a negative light, which tends to make her look bad by extension. The Comeback is the ultimate show in terms of the terms ‘unlikeable’ and ‘difficult’ in that it explores what these characteristics mean while the lead character is trying to do everything in her power to be liked. Fame is Valerie’s ultimate goal but she’s determined to be seen positively along the way, that might be an even stronger impulse for her so when she’s called ‘brave’ and she sees the dailies it horrifies her.

It’s rare for Valerie to snap, but she does exactly this when Jane insists on use low lighting. This is exactly the kind of set up that Valerie views as insinuating that she looks terrible. Brave does get thrown around in terms of performance so often that it really has lost its meaning – Julia Roberts is brave for not being made up in The Normal Heart, Jennifer Aniston in Cake, Charlize Theron in Monster and the list goes on – and it does tend to mean when a glamorous stunning actress looks normal. It’s insulting to both their performances and every regular person. Or what Lena Dunham and her attitude towards nudity, which is also referred to as brave rather than the actual work she is doing. And this is what Valerie is told brave means in this context as Valerie has never been seen like this before, not unmade up but emotionally raw.

I’ve got to say that while the script is clearly a turd (because Paulie G will always be a hack) it’s quite captivating seeing Valerie acting like this and while I’m not surprised that she is great, I think she is surprised by what she sees in these dailies and it scares her.

What did you think of the whole ‘brave’ aspect?

Kerensa: I thought that Valerie’s reaction to being called ‘brave’ was exactly how Valerie and maybe anyone would take it in that position. But I agree with you, while Paulie G’s lack of talent is apparent, Valerie crushes it. She’s so good, even in the low lighting. Good enough for Mickey to say, “wow you can act Red!”

I think the sad thing though in the episode is just how intensely Val ties that ‘brave’ to how she looks where you can almost sense her desperately about to claw her face off the entire episode until she speaks to the NY Times reporter at the end of the episode.

What also seems to scare Val is this idea that we’ve discussed over and over again and is always discussed and I’m so tired of: unlikeability. Val knows that this role will make people see her differently and she’s terrified that means they won’t like her. I think it’s one of the reasons why she overcompensates so much with Paulie G, even though she shouldn’t give a fuck, but she can sense how much he loathes her and she’s desperate to change that, even now. It’s why she goes to Tom to see about helping Paulie. She can’t stand people not liking her in both her personal life and public life which could possibly change.

Emma: Unlikeable as a term to describe character needs to be done with and it definite only seems to aply to women – men are difficult, women are unlikeable. Flawed is a much better way to describe what we all are and one of Valerie’s greatest flaws is her drive to get people to like her. As you mention this is why she is so determined to get Paulie G to change what is a very strong hatred (let’s not sugarcoat this is as it goes way beyond disliking) as she can’t stand to be seen like this. I think this is a pretty common reaction especially as Paulie G’s reaction to Val far outweighs anything she has ever done to him, can he really justify why she is the monster who rips apart his inner child? Val goes way beyond the point most people would if they were to experience this level of abuse, but Val doesn’t know when to quit and this determination is both a strength and flaw.

Going to see Tom is Valerie’s way of trying to help out Paulie and after the suicide that ended last week’s episode, plus Paulie’s needle comment and signs that he is cracking under the pressure she thinks Tom can help. But Tom doesn’t give a shit about Paulie and is pissed that Paulie as the fuck up is the one who got the HBO show. I don’t have a huge amount of sympathy for Tom as while he never reached Paulie G levels of vile, he was still a massive shit at times. What do you make of his outburst?

Another person who has a meltdown is Billy and a lot of this episode covers the fear of getting left behind. Billy feels undermined when HBO ask him to scrap all the interviews he has set up (and they are all with reputable sites) and thinks that it is history repeating with yet another client leaving him behind. There’s a lot of ego in this business and everyone is striving to get ahead so it’s not surprising that nerves are frayed and Billy has always had a temper issue. His terrible attempt at leaving dramatically only to come back for his phone had me in stitches. Poor Billy, but hey he gets his job back at the end.

Kerensa: Billy’s meltdown was funny and completely made sense to me, but at least for me, watching anything after Val’s meeting with Tom was kinda hard to pay attention to. Their whole interaction made me feel nauseous. Not because Tom necessarily did anything wrong–but finding out more that happened behind the scenes in that Room & Bored writers room was horrifying. I felt bad for Tom when he complained about how much Paulie G had fucked up but was still able to make it within the industry. And there was Tom, who did everything he felt was right, and is stuck working on Nick shows.

When Tom mentioned all the horrific things that Paulie G said about Val–wasn’t there something about wanting to basically murder her–I just felt this awful sinking feeling. I don’t think The Comeback is going to GO THERE obviously, but I am so so nervous about what is going to happen with Paulie G and Val. It’s just been building and I’m really stressed about it.

Are you feeling like that? Am I just being insane?

Emma: If definitely sucks that Paulie G has been gifted his own comeback while Tom’s career was torpedoed by Room and Bored. And pretty much everything that happened in that writers’ room sounds incredibly toxic and horrifying. Tom definitely alludes to Paulie G saying he wanted to harm Val, how he called Valerie the devil and said they should “find a stake and pound it through your heart. If you have one.” He also explicitly warns her to stay away from Paulie G and while I hadn’t considered that he would hurt her before you mentioned it, he did write a sequence with Mitch with a shotgun outside Malory’s house so his mind has definitely gone there.

I second your stressed out feelings and it is a vibe that is permeating the whole show, so much so that the documentary is now going to be focusing on this relationship. It’s like everyone is aware of how much Paulie G hates Valerie and I find it hard to believe she is that oblivious to it all. Maybe it’s just her grin and bear it demeanor but I wonder how long she is going to tolerate the way he treats her and if she pushes back what he will do next.

He’s clearly crumbling under the pressure and Valerie is getting positive notes, which is also not going to help his negative feelings. Also what do you think Paulie G made of his replacement director?

Kerensa: Actually the whole Paulie G’s replacement director thing was weird to me. She was SUPER annoying I thought. And I bet he hated it because he couldn’t be in control because he’s falling apart.

What did you think?

Emma: She was weirdly a bit cutesy for me with the whole dance thing, I’m guessing they wanted to go for the complete opposite type of director who is warm and encouraging but it came across as a little forced. But I’m happy that it probably/definitely pissed Paulie G off. And I found the green screen stuff to be very disorientating aesthetically which makes sense as it is meant to throw Valerie as well. I did like how she didn’t really get that the fake audience were laughing on cue and so she really dug that reaction as it felt real to her.

What did you make of Mark’s decision to go ahead and get a sublet now they are using their house to double as a hospital?

Kerensa: Mark’s decision to get a sublet is just another ingredient to my anxiety about this final episode. Seeing Val’s face when she says that to the camera while trying to blow it off as nothing is A+ from Kudrow who totally nails the almost casual anguish (is that a thing) that Val is trying to hide. But it does make me even more worried for her. Mark’s always been her rock, a really grounding force, and if he’s gone, then what?

Emma: Val doesn’t have a whole lot of people she can really rely on and with Mark reaching his fame breaking point, it’s only really Mickey that she has truly on her side (I’d argue you Jane as well, but she’s definitely not in the same support league as Mark and Mickey). Mickey has his own concerns of course with his skin cancer diagnosis and it’s unclear what’s going on there as it didn’t get mentioned this week. I’m pretty concerned about that as week. Everything is stacking up and it feels like the breaking point is coming. And I think Valerie is the poster child for casual anguish.

Tags: "Valerie is Taken Seriously", 2.05, HBO, Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback, Valerie Cherish

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Categories TV Team-Up
Author Emma Fraser

Hello, Hello, Hello: The Comeback 2.03 “Valerie is Brought to her Knees” Discussion

26 Nov

We’re back to talk about The Comeback and “Valerie is Brought to her Knees” takes us to even darker places with Valerie Cherish with Paulie G hitting new levels of vile. As always I am joined by Kerensa Cadenas and we’ve got a lot to discuss this week.

Emma: Last week I wondered if I was being a little too harsh on Paulie G and at the time a tiny part of me thought there might be a chance of redemption for one TV’s most vile characters and this week he lives up to that vile reputation and then some. “Valerie is Brought to her Knees” is an important and difficult half hour of TV to watch as it once again turns the cameras inward on the Hollywood process showing some of its darkest and most deplorable methods.

HBO has long been criticized for what I tend to refer to as the ‘boob count’ as female nudity is common, whereas a dude getting totally naked is very rare (you might get to see the odd butt here and there, but dongs are a different tale). In one scene in this episode they get the HBO naked quota, but “that was hell.” For a minute we watch two completely naked woman stand there staring at the camera while multiple crew gaze on and then they are asked to make orgasm noises, all while Valerie is wearing the Aunt Sassy trademark frumpy tracksuit in-between them. Valerie rarely complains about what she is asked to do and while this is a hushed aside to Mickey it speaks volumes.

Paulie G wants to humiliate Valerie repeatedly and by doing it in this overtly sexual way he has somehow reached new levels of demeaning behavior towards Valerie. There is so much in Seeing Red that relates to what happened between them, down to the wardrobe and yet he creates this entirely fictitious blowjob encounter and Valerie wants to know why. In fact everyone wants to know why and Jane’s reaction to everything Paulie G gives me hope that we will see his downfall this season. Valerie isn’t alone in this and Paulie G isn’t going to be able to dictate everything on set, particularly when there is big movie star also on this project who thankfully is nothing like the disgusting character he is playing. What did you make of this whole set up and Seth Rogen’s role in it all?

Kerensa: It was hands down one of the most uncomfortable, squirm inducing and important episodes of television I’ve watched all year. I wasn’t holding out any hope for Paulie G at all and in a discussion with a friend last night about this episode, he mentioned that he thought having more of a focus on Paulie G as the creator of Seeing Red shows us how he’s even worse than we could have imagined than when he was just merely a writer, who tortured Valerie, but was still somewhat in the background.

The whole scene was deeply uncomfortable but what really made me want to die especially for Valerie was her outburst about raping her and then Paulie G’s excruciating description of how he wants Valerie to play the blow job. He was making it so painful to humiliate her. Yes, Valerie certainly isn’t an easy person to get along with and at times I want to shake her out of sheer frustration but Paulie G’s hateful motivations towards her are still so unclear for me.

I felt so thankful that Seth Rogen is taking Valerie’s side in everything and it was so endearing when he called her Gingersnaps. It’s nice seeing Valerie have someone on her side but even with Seth there, I think things are just going to get worse. What did you think about Seth’s saving Valerie?

Emma: This show puts Valerie (plus us) through a lot, but I think if Seth Rogen had been anything like Paulie G in his treatment of Valerie I think that would have been just too much to take. So I was very pleased to see not only did he recognise how uncomfortable that scene was making Valerie feel, but he also used his movie star clout to rectify it and allow Valerie to keep some semblance of dignity that Paulie G for whatever reason wants to strip her of. I still don’t know why he took such a dislike to Valerie and yeah she can be a bit much, but she’s never been cruel or spiteful.

My main concern for Valerie after this is that because Seth came to her aid, Paulie G is going to hold this against her as I think he probably thought that he would be best bros with the dude playing him. Except Seth isn’t Mitch or Paulie G and he can see how awful Paulie G’s directions are and I love that he asked ‘why would you do that?’ when he told him to push Val’s head into his crotch. Seth is the dude who can crack jokes on set, but he’s also good at sensing the bad vibe and addressing it. One very depressing aspect about this scene is how Val has no agency and for one reason or another she doesn’t feel like she can say no to this request, hence the rape improv line. I’m glad Seth was the hero; I just wish he didn’t have to be if that makes sense.

The nickname is adorable and this is the kind of thing Valerie lives for; he could have been a douche with the ham gift and just dismissed it but he takes it in good nature and I think this really fucks Paulie G off even more. I think it might get worse for Valerie, but at least she has people on her team and with more influence than last time.

It’s rare that we see Valerie this publicly nervous so what did you make of seeing this different side of her?

Kerensa: I mean Valerie has influence and people on her team this time around but I don’t think that means it’s going to make anything easier for her at all. Paulie G is like a straight up villain. I think it’s just going to get worse. I mean hopefully the finished product is what Valerie needs it to be but watching this process is painful.

It was unsettling to see her like this. I mean she generally has a nervous energy but to see that manifested in such a way made me feel sick. I mean it really just overtook every action throughout the episode from her interactions with Seth in the beginning even to her brief mention to how nervous she was to Mark in bed. But it was also I think another side of Valerie that we were shown that we haven’t quite got before–like her look to Jane while her head is in his lap or her aside to Mickey that she’s in hell. It’s the truest I think we’ve seen her.

What did you think?

Emma: The brief moment with Mark when she came in really late further emphasized what we were both saying about Mark last week and how good this relationship is. He is supportive and voices his concern, but ultimately he lets Valerie make up her own mind. Mark knows she is nervous and peppers the conversation with jokes and she talks about how long it has been since she did a scene like this – sex scenes just aren’t in her wheelhouse which also adds or heightened nerves.

That look at the end is haunting, before she clocks that camera and smiles it’s like we’re frozen with her and as you mention it’s a very honest moment. It’s still humiliating having her in the position at Paulie G’s behest, but at least it’s only captured on the BTS footage.

Speaking of which it’s funny seeing a whole new set of people getting used to the cameras and Paulie G clearly hates it – when he asks Val to speak in private I love that Jane quips “you mean like a blow job” – and Ashley who is playing the Juna role really doesn’t seemed phased by them, or interested in anything other than her phone.

I definitely want to talk about Valerie’s $7000 wig because that was hilarious.

Kerensa: Oh Valerie’s wig is hilarious! I mean the whole idea that she even needs a wig that looks exactly like her own hair is totally absurd and very Valerie. It also feels like such a conscious decision to try to make it clear that Paulie G’s Seeing Red character is NOT the real Valerie Cherish.

Emma: And the whole two hairstylists is SO Valerie and that she’s willing to pay for Mickey out of her own pocket shows how much she wants both of them; it’s extravagant and ridiculous. I’m glad this episode had these moments because the rest is pretty brutal. The Comeback is definitely at its strongest when it goes to these dark, real places and I think we’ll be talking about this episode for a long time.

Tags: "Valerie is Brought to her Knees", 2.03, HBO, Lisa Kudrow, Seth Rogen, The Comeback, Valerie Cherish

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Categories The Comeback, TV Team-Up
Author Emma Fraser

Hello, Hello, Hello: The Comeback 2.02 “Valerie Tries to Get Yesterday Back” Discussion

21 Nov

It’s time to talk The Comeback and I am joined once again by Kerensa Cadenas as we take a look at the second episode of this second season “Valerie Tries to Get Yesterday Back.” More familiar faces return and the issue of cosmetic surgery is discussed along with some maybe shade at how certain shows are treated with regards to HBO’s legacy.

Emma: I want to start with the return of the greatest producer there is – Jane. Jane Benson that is, but Valerie doesn’t know that and this is one of many forgotten or fumbled names from this episode alone. Valerie is terrible at remembering, but she hasn’t lost her ability to wear someone down until they say yes and she just keeps going with flattery and pointing out the benefits with a splash of emotional blackmail. Jane of course relents despite her better judgement and she’s back producing the behind the scenes footage for Seeing Red.

This is a searing indictment on the Hollywood setup in that Jane has an Oscar and yet she can’t get the funding for her next documentary. So she uses the Oscar as a doorstop “because it doesn’t matter.” Valerie is super impressed by the Oscar and has multiple photos taken posing with it and who can blame her. I know I would and I’m not fame hungry like Valerie.

Jane’s living a super chilled lifestyle up on a ranch and it’s easy to see why she rejects Valerie’s first 20 attempts to get her back on board. First of all she feels like shit for how it all went down with The Comeback and she points out how uptight Valerie is around Paulie G. What could loosen Valerie up is the joint that’s getting passed around (and that Mickey is very happy to partake in) and the reason she relents to having some is to prove that she isn’t uptight. More stoned Valerie please.

Do you think Jane is already regretting returning to this project?

Kerensa: She might be? But I don’t think yet. And I think that any regrets that Jane will end up having will be because of Paulie G and not Valerie. It was so nice to see Jane and Valerie interact again even though Valerie has no idea what she’s talking about and literally did no research or even tried to understand Jane’s viewpoint or personal work.

I don’t think that Valerie’s particularly great at trying to talk people into doing things for her but no matter how off-putting she is she ends up as pretty endearing. Which is kinda how I felt that HBO meeting worked out–super awkwardly the whole time but ended up with Valerie getting what she wanted–this new reality show footage.

What did you think about that meeting?

Emma: Yeah I think you could be right about Jane and Paulie G, especially as there isn’t the same agenda with what kind of footage they get. Jane’s feelings of guilt from how The Comeback went will make her far more sympathetic to Val and I can’t see Paulie G keeping up the civil act.

With the HBO meeting it comes across to me like they want to keep Val sweet so and because they don’t really get what this whole project is, plus it does tie in with stuff that they can throw up on their website/social media. Plus the young exec who suggests this loves Valerie from I’m It! and The Comeback, feeding into her ego. I figure they think it’s an easier to say yes and then she kind of forgot about her other questions. Well she didn’t forget about the schedule but that’s something that she can’t negotiate.

This tackles one of the subjects Lisa Kudrow mentioned in the Buzzfeed profile addressing the plastic surgery question. Kudrow thinks that Valerie is the type to go down this cosmetic route, but Kudrow herself doesn’t want to do this. They get around this by moving the schedule out for the start of Seeing Red and so there’s no time to get anything done with recovery. Val still tries and this where Mark comes in with a photo of a bad filler experience. HBO wants Valerie to look real and I’m pretty sure it’s because Paulie G has been rather disparaging about Valerie’s age/appearance in his script.

It’s another smart critique on Hollywood standards from The Comeback, but what do you make of Mark’s reaction to it all?

Kerensa: It just really endears Mark to me even more. When we first talked about the show, I didn’t get Mark and I didn’t understand his and Valerie’s relationship at first. But I think he’s truly a grounding force for her and this was just another example of that.

I do agree with Kudrow that Val totally would get work done if she thought it would benefit her career. But then it’s funny how in some respects to her her looks, she’s completely unwilling to negotiate. I’m thinking specifically in her fitting for the Golden Globes with Brad Goreski–she really doesn’t want to try on that insane red feathered dress, even for the cameras, which fair. But then the dress she picks for herself is pretty terrible itself. I think that it’s an on point example of the hypocrisy of Valerie Cherish which makes her such an interesting character.

Do you have thoughts about their whole failed Golden Globes trip?

Emma: Mark has definitely grown on me too and while he is definitely not that bothered by the showbiz side of things, I love how happy he is about the Golden Globes invite and dressing up all fancy. I figured he was going to be ditched for the camera crew – didn’t Val do this at the People’s Choice awards? – so I was glad to see he made the cut even if Mickey didn’t.

I was actually impressed with how Valerie took the whole Golden Globes viewing party situation, but it’s classic Val hiding disappointment with optimism. Valerie isn’t the only one to get a little screwed over by HBO as Paulie G’s there and Mark really doesn’t want to talk to him. Valerie does her thing and Paulie looks pretty pissed that Jane and the crew are back, but he is trying to be civil even going so far as apologising. I don’t buy this whole reformed act and I’m pretty sure he will be back to his vile self soon.

Am I being too harsh on him?

Kerensa: No, you aren’t. I think the exact same thing about Paulie G–there is something here that isn’t adding up–I don’t buy the reformed act and all that.

So I’m just gonna go ahead and throw my theory out there–just from the way he was around Valerie in this episode and body language things, I think he wants to fuck Valerie. And I could be completely wrong and off base but that was just the very intense feeling I got from this episode.

Emma: Especially because we overheard him saying he didn’t want her in the first episode when her mic pack got stuck in the door. I don’t think he wanted her anywhere near this project.

It’s not something I’d thought about before you mentioned it, but I can definitely see how that could be a thing. He is strangely awkward around her and that might be why, plus he’s also kind of weird with Mark. The way they ditched the party, but wanted to make sure they didn’t get the same elevator with Paulie is hilarious.

Going back briefly to the HBO trip and I really want more Valerie comments about past and present HBO projects. The Leila Durham name confusion was a highlight, but it was her “the show that started it all” comments about Sex and the City and The Sopranos that really stuck with me and I couldn’t help but wonder if this is Michael Patrick King’s way of calling out everyone who ignores SATC when HBO’s TV legacy is discussed.

Kerensa: Oh man, I didn’t even think about that! I hope so because that would be SO smart–also even thinking about how ahead of its time The Comeback was and no one really appreciated it at the time.

God, we don’t deserve this show.

Emma: Right?! Like I know he’s said some shitty things at TCA panels regarding Two Broke Girls and the SATC movies are terrible, but the show deserves so much better. And yeah same with a The Comeback. It definitely made me think of the Emily Nussbaum piece in response to the Difficult Men book.

Kerensa: Yeah, he’s certainly very flawed but SATC has received a much rougher legacy than it really deserves.

Kerensa Cadenas is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is an Editor for Snakkle. She also writes for Women and Hollywood, The Week, This Was Television, Forever Young Adult, and Bitch magazine. She was the Research Editor for Tomorrow magazine. You can follow her on Twitter and read her ridiculous thoughts about teen television at her website.

Tags: HBO, Lisa Kudrow, Sex and the City, The Comeback, The Sopranos, Valerie Cherish

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Categories The Comeback, TV Team-Up
Author Emma Fraser

Catch Up on The Comeback

4 Nov

Valerie Cherish returns to TV and The Comeback this Sunday (November 9) so there is still time to marathon the 10 episodes from what used to be the first and only season (on HBO Go, Amazon Prime or DVD). Originally this return was conceived as a 6-episode run, but as they shot so much footage this was extended to 8 with an hour long finale.

To find out where we will find Valerie at the start of the season and for an extensive interview with Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King you should check out Kate Arthur’s excellent feature on the return and cancellation of The Comeback and how the reality TV landscape has changed dramatically since 2005 when the show debuted.

I will be joined once again by Kerensa Cadenas to talk about all things Valerie and I think I can speak for the both of us when I say we got really attached to this character. In fact you can find out for yourself through the links below as we followed Valerie through forced cheery smiles and moments of true sadness as she let the mask drop on occasion. Reality TV is something we cover in-depth across the various episode discussions as well as issues of age/ beauty in the entertainment industry, mid-o0s fashion, Valerie’s narcissism, sexism, racism and the need to stay relevant.