There's a couple of "girl power" scenes in the Marvel movies, where they get all the female superheroes together. It's cringey but it also works on me. I'd like an opportunity for all the women to get together for a good juicy scene: Rebecca, Keeley, Bex, Jade, Sassy, even Julie Higgins, whom I've missed this season... a logical place they'd come together would be Rupert's funeral. Just need to figure out how to get Barbara, Sharon and Mae there.
Mae wouldn’t be a stretch, as he’s been in her pub before. We could argue for Barbara if she went along with Keeley (and B strikes me as someone who would find enjoyment in that, much like Jane). Sharon though would be a hard one to justify being there, especially given the amount of time we’ve seen her this season
Roy's press conference is also a payoff to "I hate what you've done to me," because telling a story from your own past to a roomful of reporters as an answer to their question about a player did was pure Ted.
Right?! That’s why I appreciated that they didn’t go for the tonsil-swabbing kiss when he found Jade. Or even quick hug, kiss, come inside. That was a choice to be people for each other as opposed to Rupert objectifying the women at the bar.
Isaac is centering himself, viewed from that angle, but from another, he's centering the friendship he thought they had. And he's not showing anger that it wasn't about him but pain that somehow he failed as a friend. Which he did, and he knows it, and that's what became the rage that sent him into the stands.
In a friendship, everything's about both people, even when it's most immediately about one, and about the love the friends have for each other. That was deep friendship in that scene, not the TV/movie kind we're almost always served up when it's men. We don't get to see that kind of representation almost ever. But now in this one show, there are two: Ted and Beard, Colin and Isaac. (Roy and Jamie, as much as we love the pairing, are on a TV/movie/romcom/buddy path.)
I'm not reminded of my job as an ally by that scene, but of what I miss. That kind of friendship is rare.
--I thought from Jade's facial expressions and her joke about Jade being short for Jaded that she knew right away that Rupert was full of Sugar Honey Ice Tea. But when Rupert left she told Nate that she thought he was nice. Maybe she was trying to be polite with Nate.
--The Colin/Isaac story was brilliantly done. Also, bonus: really great to see Colin get his mojo back on the soccer pitch.
--A sign of Jamie's growth. He didn't go back and forth with Sam about the arm band. And he playfully got him back on the cheer after Sam said "I love you guys," Jamie responded with "I love you guys on 3!" and then both were laughing with Jamie slapping Sam on the chest to say gotcha
--Trent Crimm is incredible and will write one helluva book
--One of my favorite lines was when Roy, after being told to get his hair arse to Rebecca's office, looked at the others sorrowfully and said "You know I don't have a hairy ass and no one stood up and said anything."
--Roy's story at the post game press conference was deeply moving. And also a counter to Ted's metaphor fumble at halftime
--I'm a bit puzzled by Higgins. Is it me or does he seem a bit off or out of sorts in these last couple of episodes. He's always been a bit goofy but never super awkward as he's been recently.
The way this phrase has been deployed this season has been magic. We’re seeing people on their journey - especially Roy who’s been on the receiving end of the phrase twice. Colin’s journey of choosing who to trust, Roy not settling, Isaac supporting his friend, Nate finding his authentic space between shadow and light. (Ted too, I guess - just I’m so much more interested in everyone else this season!) I love it!!!! It highlights the true work of authenticity, and how it’s not a snap of the fingers.
La Cage Aux Folles. Love it so much. Personally, I’ve been on a journey of deciding if it’s still my favorite musical, as it has been for a decade or two. The uncontrollable tears that came at the overture and at I Am What I Am is maybe a clue. “It’s one life, and there’s no returns and no deposits. One life, so it’s time to open up your closets.” Yes! Colin, you are a strong and capable man. And we’re glad to see what happens when you can be your authentic self!
P.S. Will Colin get a new car now? I really enjoy how folks’ cars match their personalities. His was “too much car.” What’s the new model!?
I was so glad for the Rebecca/Roy interaction. I agree that it would take someone of Rebecca’s caliber to call out Roy’s *ish, but it calls me back to season 2 when Roy similarly proclaimed to Rebecca, “Don’t you dare settle for fine.” Her “get out of your own way and get over this image you portray” was the same kind of callout, and I love it.
Jade sees right through Rupert (no surprise), but what made me happy with that is, her doing so is enabling Nate to see it, too. He’s finally seeing Rupert is not the powerful role-model he’s wanted, and that maybe he didn’t actually want that in the first place. The last three (NO!!!!) are going to be epic in terms of what they bring about, to say nothing of Edwin Akufo rejoining the dynamic!
Lastly, I’m glad that they went Isaac’s response, and the reforming of his & Colin’s friendship, imperfectly and perhaps not as wholly complete as we fans may have wanted. How often, in life, does such a process actually happen so perfectly, or so fully formed in one moment?
Tea leaf time: the show runners have been cagey about possible spin-offs. Also Brett Goldstein has gone on record saying he’d happily play Roy forever. Is the shift toward Roy as manager starting to set that up?
Absolutely loved this episode! I’ve watched Roy’s press conference like 5 times at this point. He really is becoming more like Ted, while also keeping his more direct, snarky personality. I had been frustrated with Roy’s regression this season, but hopefully this will be a turning point for him. Also really glad that Colin et all didn’t just accept Ted’s horrifying Broncos fan comparison as being ok, and that Ted apologized afterwards. On the negative side, I feel like Isaac’s apology was a bit of a letdown, mostly because he spent all that time ignoring Colin and acting homophobic towards him- I know that was part of the misdirect, and that he was upset about the friendship, but that doesn’t mean you can treat your friend and teammate poorly.
On a somewhat related topic, has anyone else felt like there’s this huge gap between viewers and critics when it comes to this show? Personally I have loved season 3 almost as much as season 1, and most casual viewers seem to agree that it’s not perfect, but overall well done… but every critic seems to be trying their best to demolish it. Articles keep hitting my feed about it, to the point that some of them are saying this season is so bad that it has affected their perception of the previous seasons too… maybe they’re being like the old Trent Crimm, and trying to be “edgy” by hating on a show most people like?
Yes, the critics have been big ol' party poopers about this season. I agree with you--parts have been wobbly, but I've enjoyed it and gotten a lot out of it, as always.
Woke up thinking about this:
There's a couple of "girl power" scenes in the Marvel movies, where they get all the female superheroes together. It's cringey but it also works on me. I'd like an opportunity for all the women to get together for a good juicy scene: Rebecca, Keeley, Bex, Jade, Sassy, even Julie Higgins, whom I've missed this season... a logical place they'd come together would be Rupert's funeral. Just need to figure out how to get Barbara, Sharon and Mae there.
Mae wouldn’t be a stretch, as he’s been in her pub before. We could argue for Barbara if she went along with Keeley (and B strikes me as someone who would find enjoyment in that, much like Jane). Sharon though would be a hard one to justify being there, especially given the amount of time we’ve seen her this season
Roy's press conference is also a payoff to "I hate what you've done to me," because telling a story from your own past to a roomful of reporters as an answer to their question about a player did was pure Ted.
Listen...
*Rebecca the BOSS is back. The glimmers were there last week, but boom.
*Roy’s names for the reporters. Gold.
*Jade’s response to Rupert... perfection
*Love love love that Nate went for the hug with Jade at the end. A long, healing, belonging kind of hug.
*I wonder if now that Jack is gone, Keely might lose some of the pink muppet wardrobe?
ALL of Roy’s names for reporters!! “5:00 shadow head guy” “New Trent...I like you better than Old Trent”
If Nate hadn’t left at the bar.. I would have been DONE with him. I would also like Rupert dead by the end... what an ass
Right?! That’s why I appreciated that they didn’t go for the tonsil-swabbing kiss when he found Jade. Or even quick hug, kiss, come inside. That was a choice to be people for each other as opposed to Rupert objectifying the women at the bar.
Yes… while the Love of a Good Woman trope is problematic, we do become our best selves when people who love us help call that out.
Isaac is centering himself, viewed from that angle, but from another, he's centering the friendship he thought they had. And he's not showing anger that it wasn't about him but pain that somehow he failed as a friend. Which he did, and he knows it, and that's what became the rage that sent him into the stands.
In a friendship, everything's about both people, even when it's most immediately about one, and about the love the friends have for each other. That was deep friendship in that scene, not the TV/movie kind we're almost always served up when it's men. We don't get to see that kind of representation almost ever. But now in this one show, there are two: Ted and Beard, Colin and Isaac. (Roy and Jamie, as much as we love the pairing, are on a TV/movie/romcom/buddy path.)
I'm not reminded of my job as an ally by that scene, but of what I miss. That kind of friendship is rare.
Yes, I love that it was pain and not anger/defensiveness.
Such a beautiful episode.
--Nate is starting to see who Rupert really is
--I thought from Jade's facial expressions and her joke about Jade being short for Jaded that she knew right away that Rupert was full of Sugar Honey Ice Tea. But when Rupert left she told Nate that she thought he was nice. Maybe she was trying to be polite with Nate.
--The Colin/Isaac story was brilliantly done. Also, bonus: really great to see Colin get his mojo back on the soccer pitch.
--A sign of Jamie's growth. He didn't go back and forth with Sam about the arm band. And he playfully got him back on the cheer after Sam said "I love you guys," Jamie responded with "I love you guys on 3!" and then both were laughing with Jamie slapping Sam on the chest to say gotcha
--Trent Crimm is incredible and will write one helluva book
--One of my favorite lines was when Roy, after being told to get his hair arse to Rebecca's office, looked at the others sorrowfully and said "You know I don't have a hairy ass and no one stood up and said anything."
--Roy's story at the post game press conference was deeply moving. And also a counter to Ted's metaphor fumble at halftime
--I'm a bit puzzled by Higgins. Is it me or does he seem a bit off or out of sorts in these last couple of episodes. He's always been a bit goofy but never super awkward as he's been recently.
A bit of Flanderization of Higgins, sadly.
Michelle and Ted- international co-parenting, new roles for both which allows Ted to maybe stay in London?
“Look at all that blue.”- glad iPhones were invented after my active daring years
Ok, Nate did good.
Her name is Jade, short for Jaded.
Colin is brave, and Trent is the most awesome.
Roy. Just Roy. He’s the team hero this episode. He turned the supposedly independent, jock-y journalists into mush.
Loved this episode! 🏳️🌈
*active DATING years
Not yet.
The way this phrase has been deployed this season has been magic. We’re seeing people on their journey - especially Roy who’s been on the receiving end of the phrase twice. Colin’s journey of choosing who to trust, Roy not settling, Isaac supporting his friend, Nate finding his authentic space between shadow and light. (Ted too, I guess - just I’m so much more interested in everyone else this season!) I love it!!!! It highlights the true work of authenticity, and how it’s not a snap of the fingers.
La Cage Aux Folles. Love it so much. Personally, I’ve been on a journey of deciding if it’s still my favorite musical, as it has been for a decade or two. The uncontrollable tears that came at the overture and at I Am What I Am is maybe a clue. “It’s one life, and there’s no returns and no deposits. One life, so it’s time to open up your closets.” Yes! Colin, you are a strong and capable man. And we’re glad to see what happens when you can be your authentic self!
P.S. Will Colin get a new car now? I really enjoy how folks’ cars match their personalities. His was “too much car.” What’s the new model!?
I may have to watch La Cage again. Been a long time.
Great call on the car!! Awesome comments.
I was so glad for the Rebecca/Roy interaction. I agree that it would take someone of Rebecca’s caliber to call out Roy’s *ish, but it calls me back to season 2 when Roy similarly proclaimed to Rebecca, “Don’t you dare settle for fine.” Her “get out of your own way and get over this image you portray” was the same kind of callout, and I love it.
Jade sees right through Rupert (no surprise), but what made me happy with that is, her doing so is enabling Nate to see it, too. He’s finally seeing Rupert is not the powerful role-model he’s wanted, and that maybe he didn’t actually want that in the first place. The last three (NO!!!!) are going to be epic in terms of what they bring about, to say nothing of Edwin Akufo rejoining the dynamic!
Lastly, I’m glad that they went Isaac’s response, and the reforming of his & Colin’s friendship, imperfectly and perhaps not as wholly complete as we fans may have wanted. How often, in life, does such a process actually happen so perfectly, or so fully formed in one moment?
Tea leaf time: the show runners have been cagey about possible spin-offs. Also Brett Goldstein has gone on record saying he’d happily play Roy forever. Is the shift toward Roy as manager starting to set that up?
Ummmm, could it be a musical, please?
Honestly thought this episode was going to be the fabled musical
If only!
Some smart publisher needs to publish Trent's book once the season is over. I'd move that to the top of my reading pile.
For sure!!!
Absolutely loved this episode! I’ve watched Roy’s press conference like 5 times at this point. He really is becoming more like Ted, while also keeping his more direct, snarky personality. I had been frustrated with Roy’s regression this season, but hopefully this will be a turning point for him. Also really glad that Colin et all didn’t just accept Ted’s horrifying Broncos fan comparison as being ok, and that Ted apologized afterwards. On the negative side, I feel like Isaac’s apology was a bit of a letdown, mostly because he spent all that time ignoring Colin and acting homophobic towards him- I know that was part of the misdirect, and that he was upset about the friendship, but that doesn’t mean you can treat your friend and teammate poorly.
On a somewhat related topic, has anyone else felt like there’s this huge gap between viewers and critics when it comes to this show? Personally I have loved season 3 almost as much as season 1, and most casual viewers seem to agree that it’s not perfect, but overall well done… but every critic seems to be trying their best to demolish it. Articles keep hitting my feed about it, to the point that some of them are saying this season is so bad that it has affected their perception of the previous seasons too… maybe they’re being like the old Trent Crimm, and trying to be “edgy” by hating on a show most people like?
Yes, the critics have been big ol' party poopers about this season. I agree with you--parts have been wobbly, but I've enjoyed it and gotten a lot out of it, as always.