THE New Normal- Page 9
THE New Normal
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#201THE New Normal
Posted: 9/25/12 at 11:22pm
I thought this was the most irritating episode yet, but Andrew Rannells was less grating than I've found him in the previous episodes.
Why do these people keep letting Barkin into their home?! She's the grandmother of their surrogate. What the hell do they care what she thinks, especially after she's treated them so poorly? Where are they going to go with this character?
I still haven't started caring for the characters, and I definitely don't think they've thought through the responsibilities of being parents. Still, it does get a laugh or two out of me and it's only 17 minutes, so I'll keep watching.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
#202THE New Normal
Posted: 9/25/12 at 11:30pm
Whizzer, that Barkin thing drives me crazy too. Last week, Goldie and the guys even basically said they would NOT allow people with hateful attitudes be around them or their children. Then she pops over with Nana... Sigh. I do admit that the fact that it goes by so fast, I don't have to pay much attention, and I do laugh (sometimes despite myself) a bit has kept me watching.
Phyllis, your mention of Linda Bloodworth-Thompson made me think of her show for HBO, 12 Miles of Bad Road that filmed half a season, and cost a $25 mill bucks and then was never even aired (but has leaked). This should prob be a different thread, but I wondered what you thought of it--the general consensus actually sorta made me think of what many seem to think of Murphy's shows--schizophrenically veering from sentimental to crass comedy, with some great moments and some truly awful.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#203THE New Normal
Posted: 9/25/12 at 11:51pm
I thought I was out but I broke down and watched it. I agree with Whizzer about Rannells being less grating, but man, like Addy and everyone has said, this had the subtly of someone trying to make an original metaphor about subtly. But subtle, this show ain't.
I found Nene Leakes more believable this week, too. So I guess I do think it's getting better, but... His show is called Sing! for God's sake!
Eric, I think you meant Namo's coment about Linda Bloodworth-Thompson. I'm in agreement, though.
And again, I think that kid is too young to be making sexual double entendres like he does.
#205THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 10:21am
And did anyone notice the reference to Rannell's producing partner 'Brad'? I mean...
This episode...well...School House Rock handled political issues with more subtlety and intelligence.
And the one moment that was an interesting plot point (the suing of custody for Shania back in Ohio) was SO glossed over that I thought I had a mini-stroke for a second.
This is the problem I'm having with the show thus far. It's not the mouthpiece of hate that Barkin represents. It's not the vacuousness of the Rannells character or the (supposed) butchness of the Bartha character (doesn't Bartha just feel like the bottom in this relationship?). I don't even have a problem with the tone veering wildly between satire and sentimental.
It's that it feels as if it's being written by someone who wants to have a baby...not someone who's gone through the process. It's like wish-fulfillment. I'm not saying someone has to have gone through the actual process of conceiving and bearing a child (in this case, in an unconventional way) to create a show that feels truthful. But this show really feels like 'Ryan Murphy's Hopes and Dreams Journal As He Considers Walking Down the Path of Fatherhood.' Now available on the Nook.
#206THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 10:34amIf passive/aggressive were a TV show this would be it.
....but the world goes 'round
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#208THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 10:41am
It's that it feels as if it's being written by someone who wants to have a baby...not someone who's gone through the process.
Yes. This. Every time I hear "it's based on Ryan Muprhy's real life" I think how it feels more like it's Ryan Murphy journaling about how he hopes his life will go, without really understanding anything about surrogacy or even other human beings.
#209THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 11:00am
Ryan Murphy seems to think he has the insight and depth of a Norman Lear and the political savvy of an Aaron Sorkin.
As it turns out, he has the insight and depth of a Saved by the Bell and the political savvy of a Charles in Charge.
#211THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 11:11amThe show doesn't actually bother me. I don't think it's good enough to warrant my defense or bad enough to warrant my scorn. I just think there's potential in the idea and (as of yet) the potential is not being fulfilled.
#213THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 11:35amThe ratings dropped last night- 5.24 million viewers and a 2.0 in the 18-49.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
#214THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 12:43pm
Nice to see Scott Ellis get TV work (I think he's directed episodes of Glee, as well?)
SonofRobbie basically got my view of this episode. The show seems afraid to even pick up on compelling points. I would have prefered to see the "black Republican" talk with Goldie than have it be some afterthought.
StockardFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/19/08
#215THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 1:17pmLast night was the first time I watched. I thought it was ok. Not great but not horrid either.
KFTC!!!!!
#216THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 2:02pm
'I would have preferred to see the "black Republican" talk with Goldie than have it be some afterthought.'
Right? It was just a surprise reveal with no real payoff. And saying Mitt Romney is better on the economy might have worked a month ago...which just goes to show just how dangerous up-to-the-minute topical humor can be.
I may be alone in feeling this, but I prefer the sarcastic, inappropriate Brian. First of all, Rannells has enough inherent charm to make it work, plus he has the chops as an actor to smooth out the moments when the character shows growth and warmth. As much as I love Ellen Barkin as an actress, the Nana character is simply useless (at least if we're going by her 'Republican Mouthpiece Tirade' last night where we were supposed to glean some kind of what? truth? out of it). The situation of a clueless gay couple deciding to become parents and the down-on-her luck single mom decided to be the surrogate is pregnant (pun intended) with enough possibilities to make a really interesting, coherent show. I still think the show could settle down and explore that...but Goldie's choices have been so questionable in her life, that it's hard to root for her. And she, not the Brian character, is the problem, as of right now. I see in Rannells the ability to make the arc. But for that poor actress, Goldie has been saddled with such awful choices that she'd have to hop on the Falcon, turn on the hyperdrive and pray that that's enough to go from utterly stupid to somewhat intelligent and enlightened.
NYadgal
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/04
#217THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 2:15pm
Fascinating points.
I'm still going to keep watching. I neither love nor hate the show - but feel it falls so short of its potential. And that's too bad. Because I see alot of potential...
"Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. . ."
#218THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 2:52pm
This was another Lear influenced episode. All in the Family did one all about Nixon, the Meathead vs. Archie battle of writing letters of praise and condemnation to Nixon, and that was just the second episode in the history of the series. But in that show's world Lear always set up Archie as not really having higher ground but coming from a place where he was initially not used to anybody checking his views until his daughter married somebody from the counter-culture, which Lear certainly made to be the view he had. Rannells and Bartha's characters have never had their views checked at all either but their counter-views are made to be so ridiculous. There is no comparable conflict like the academic versus blue-collar or chauvinism versus feminism found comparable to the Mike, Archie, and Maude relationships to really find understanding where either side comes from on this show- except the odd reveal that Nana's husband was a closeted gay man that somehow makes her homophobia come from a place of hurt than just standard, narrow-minded bigotry.
I also wish the Black Republican got used more or the reveal had come quicker (NeNe's character already had a palpable annoyance toward him- and that would explain a lot rather than having her being surprised he was voting Republican as she already seemed to despise him).
Also wish the insularity of the guys and their friends was more than just having 'diversity' in their lives. It reminded me of John Waters remarking that some liberals just cannot imagine there being people with a different POV than them. I feel like Ryan Murphy is one of those people. Most of the dinner scenes oddly work in a satire of insularity and playing to the whole stereotype over people on both coasts act except the satire is never realized.
Updated On: 9/28/12 at 02:52 PM
#219THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 3:01pm
I completely agree. Goldie as a character is a non-entity. She is still married (I guess my earlier questions about if she was even married to Clay and if he was Shania's father) to a man who apparently cheated on her for 9 years and she felt all she could do was bleach his underwear. Apparently Nana bought a house in California, off screen, and she's still living with her. And her big claim to being someone who is finally doing something for herself--aside from the lame junk food stuff--is... This? Has misogyny been added to Ryan Murphy's list (it probably has already)? This was the first episode Ali Adler wrote solo??
(And I'll say again--why is Shania not more messed up? Besides the fact that she likes camp stuff like Bryan). Who the freak cares who she votes for--even her mother should realize by now that the fact she didn't cause her grandaughter to be aborted was a waste, if this is how she's going to be portrayed.
I have started to like Bryan more over his partner, simply because Bartha's character has become "the voice of reason". (Is this what Ryan Murphy sees his husband as? It's unfair to judge, but he has brought up the autobiographical aspect enough that I think it's valid).
#220THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 3:39pm
'even her mother should realize by now that the fact she didn't cause her grandaughter to be aborted was a waste, if this is how she's going to be portrayed.'
I totally would make out with you right now for that single sentence.
I think I'm sounding more down on the show than I really mean to. Again, I find nothing terrible or wonderful about it. It's kinda fun to watch (mostly for Rannells...can ya tell I find him just marvelous?). But the idea of this show is terrific...and I hope they start trusting the audience more and start exploring these characters in some kind of meaningful way. Like, actually meaningful. Not 'Ryan Murphy Meaningful.'
#221THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 3:55pmIf the creators of "Parenthood" were in control of this show it would be so much better and could actually contribute something to the discussion about 21st Century families instead of being just another tired (if sometimes funny) caricature about fashion savvy bitchy homos.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#222THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 3:56pmHey now, only one is fashion savvy. The other one watches sports!
#223THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 3:57pmOh that's true. He and Nana should go beat up some Fag on the street sometime. Y'know, have some Ryan-Murphy-Bonding-Time.
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#224THE New Normal
Posted: 9/26/12 at 4:05pm
The other one watches sports!
Like on that other NBC show, Smash! Cross-over episode in a sports bar? Where some drunk bigot says he doesn't want to go there if it's going to be a gay bar, then the two decide to be better people and just have a fun tailgate party at home?
