S03 E05 Signs

they're starting to come out of the dark forest

Too much going on this week. Gonna go for promptness over completeness and get this posted so the conversation can begin. Spoilers below the photo.

So Shandy was just the Edwin Akufo of this season? Disappointing. I thought the actress did a great job, but the plot line felt like filler. I reserve the right to revise that opinion if she sticks around on the show.

Hey: Rebecca set out to destroy Rupert’s team and gradually became a boss ass bitch in her own right. Could Shandy set out to get revenge on Keeley, then find her way into something meaningful too? Maybe, maybe not.

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EQ Warriors Alert: Higgins, always with the perfect blend of integrity and heart. Of course they should at least consider a change in leadership. And of course it’s heartbreaking to contemplate. Radical candor. That’s why we love Higgy-smalls!

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With all the focus on Michelle and Henry this season, my stock in Team Stays is dropping like a stone, which is to say, faster than a feather. But at least Ted is getting his mojo back.

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I still stand by Jade’s coming across as very dim-witted last episode, even as she sees through Nate, but I was wrong about the character as a whole. Love what we’re seeing of Nate. His speech to Anastasia was so touching.

Zoolander reference!

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Zoreaux/Van Damme: love the “no room for racism” patch.

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“Talent dysmorphia.” Best phrase since “semantic satiation.”

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So Keeley dips her toe back into the lady pool. Great, I’d been complaining at the lack of queer representation on the show. But can we please stop with the boss-subordinate relationships?!?! The perils of a workplace drama, I guess—a closed community, with limited numbers of people to match folks up with. But come on.

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Speaking of queer representation: Trent’s rainbow mug. 🌈

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I didn’t know I needed Roy Kent as a gorilla, but here we are.

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A small nice moment: Jan Maas is spotting Colin while he benchpresses. Whereas in season 2, Colin got trapped thanks to Jamie’s inattention, Jan Maas is very attentive, even giving him a supportive pat on the chest when he’s done. Love these incidental affectionate moments with our boys.

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Headfake Watch: Even if they hadn’t resolved the fertility storyline this very episode, we knew that wasn’t going to go anywhere. She’s not going to have a baby, she’s going to have a family. Hannah Waddingham acted the crap out of that phone conversation with the doctor.

BTW—I was rewatching earlier season 3 episodes, and Rebecca’s mother wants to connect her with psychic Tish for some “maternal guidance.” I just thought it was her flakiness coming through, but it’s interesting given Tish’s message about motherhood.

While we’re on the subject of Tish, an interesting connection between the kintsugi bowl and the Believe sign, which is now torn into pieces. Brilliant.

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Assuming Zava is gone, I will miss him.

BUT. While the team is listening to Zava’s retirement video, don’t miss the look between Roy and Jamie. Get ready folks… traaaaaaaaaaining montaaaaaaaage

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Wonder if Keeley’s missing Rebecca’s call during her romp with Jack will lead to some guilt and perhaps the end of that fling even earlier than it would have. Keeley deserves to have fun, but I’m still Roy-Keeley endgame.

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Ted’s handling of the panic attack: When we do self-talk, we’re often taught not to use first person “I’m OK” but to speak to or about ourselves. Ted says, “He’s okay.” Am I the only one who thinks Ted is talking about himself as much as Henry?

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That closing speech was an all-timer.

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And GO!

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