S03 E02 (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea

Trent Crimm, Dependent.

Good morning!

Spoilery talk appears below the mildly spoilery meme. Proceed at your own risk…

Trent Crimm is back! (Check out this wonderful interview with James Lance.) Why do you think Ted said yes to the book project, despite the other leadership saying no? Is it Ted’s people-pleasing tendencies and not wanting to make the hard decision? Or his preternatural tendency to believe the best in people, which allows folks to (mostly) rise to the occasion? Or both? Either way, Trent is a fan favorite and I’m excited to see him. It’s weird to see him without his customary swagger, eating so much humble pie… but it’s also fitting. Like everyone else on this show, he’s growing. So that will be fun.

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Did I detect… chemistry between Trent and Ted??

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Roy carried that newspaper clipping around for years. That’s the comment.

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His speech about how he should have enjoyed Chelsea until the end and not cut and run… that’s for Ted. Anyone want to adjust their predictions of whether Ted stays or goes? (I’m still Team Stays.)

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MVP of this episode: Phil Dunster/Jamie. The scene pictured above, but also catch his face in the locker room when Roy confronts Trent. He really looks like he’s about to break, but keeps it 100% in character. Legend.

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Stealth MVP: Higgins and all the reconnaissance around Zava. A callback to season one when Rebecca asks whether the photographer can be traced back to her and he says “I’m not a spy!” Isn’t he though?

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Back to Jamie. Remember in season 2 when he says he needs to give his teammate some space? It’s meant to be an object lesson for Roy’s relationship with Keeley, but we get a callback in this episode during halftime as Jamie offers some perspective on game play. I’m not sure if we’re going to see Jamie become a strategic genius, but I like that they’re showing him as having good instincts.

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Charlie Hiscock (Will Kitman) continues to do a lot with a little (lurking in the corner during the Roy/Jamie scene). Also a subtle commentary on the ways lower status folks in our society become invisible.

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Best line of the episode: “Not yet.” Hashtag growth mindset.

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Keeley’s confrontation with the CFO. It’s interesting that Rebecca is played up as Keeley’s mentor, because that scene was all Ted. You’ve heard of a feedback sandwich? Keeley does a reverse sandwich: feedback on either side, with empathy over the snow globes in the middle. 

Her scenes are hard for me to watch so far—she’s off her game, and low-confidence Keeley is a tough hang—but her ultimate triumph will be that much sweeter. I kinda want her to kick all these drips to the curb and/or walk away from the venture capital handcuffs, but maybe she’ll win them all over instead. Again: Ted.

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Ted telling Roy to deal with his conflict with Trent illustrates exactly the boundaries and accountability we’ve been waiting for—with an assertiveness he wasn’t able to express toward Nate last season.

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Rebecca is still in a regressive space and too reactive toward Rupert, but I love to see her being boss ass bitch. Their scenes are a little too War of the Roses for me (the Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner movie, not the Tudor thing), but we’re also getting an excruciating peek into just how abusive their relationship was. (Google “love bombing”)

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There’s been lots of fan speculation that Colin (strong and capable man) will make some decisive plays this season. They’re setting that up for us—I can’t recall any scenes of him on the field until this ep.

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Why do you think Zava said yes to Richmond?

And why is the team so unequivocally positive toward Zava, given how hard he is to work with? On the one hand, of course he could be key to their success. They want to win. On the other hand, he will represent a huge challenge for the culture of the team. Do they trust their cohesiveness to be stronger than whatever dynamics Zava will bring with him, or are they being short-sighted? Only Jamie seems to have some reservations about him coming on… which could also be ego.

Discuss…

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