Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 22:22     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she a shrew? Or is/was she the only adult in the house and had to do and decide everything for decades.

Am curious what her role versus the husbands role was over the last 50 years and how they got where they got.

Or we can throw another woman character under the bus and deem her impossible to live with.


It’s a good question. It looks like they started filming season three so hopefully we can flush out her character more.

They certainly don’t have her be very sympathetic. But maybe there’s more to her story. It’s also possible that some people are just not great people.

I get what you’re saying about the female characters but a lot of the male characters don’t fare so well either. This show does a good job of showing the complexity of people and no one‘s really coming out looking great. I mean, we are rooting for Coop a little bit, but it’s not like all the men are saints or anything.


They have too many directions to take too many things.

My first impression of Coops dad was he was this passive quiet dude who says and does nothing. That makes others around him have to overcompensate. That also makes a pushy affair partner an easy non-decision.
And let’s face it- it’s much easier to meet someone for Fun Fantasy Time every Thursday than to live and raise a family with someone.


DP. But where are you getting this from? Of course he raised his family with his wife. Both Coop and Ali seem very close to him. It's interesting that you can't even conceive of his mother being overbearing and rude for Coop's entire life and his father being "passive" and quiet in reaction to her behavior. I would certainly withdraw somewhat if I had to live with someone who was constantly berating and nagging me.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 22:18     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she a shrew? Or is/was she the only adult in the house and had to do and decide everything for decades.

Am curious what her role versus the husbands role was over the last 50 years and how they got where they got.

Or we can throw another woman character under the bus and deem her impossible to live with.


It’s a good question. It looks like they started filming season three so hopefully we can flush out her character more.

They certainly don’t have her be very sympathetic. But maybe there’s more to her story. It’s also possible that some people are just not great people.

I get what you’re saying about the female characters but a lot of the male characters don’t fare so well either. This show does a good job of showing the complexity of people and no one‘s really coming out looking great. I mean, we are rooting for Coop a little bit, but it’s not like all the men are saints or anything.


Exactly.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 22:17     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Good episode this week. Was that Mare Winningham in the bowling alley?


Yes! I also enjoyed the episode.

This was the best episode this season for me. Hamm actually did some acting, and very good acting. I loved seeing the Cooper women relating to each other, and the comic awfulness of some people’s behavior at the funeral was extremely relatable. There was no subtlety in Mare Winningham’s commentary on the striver mentality that is strangling so many of the characters. Will be interesting if this has any impact on Coop going forward.


DP. I really enjoyed the rapport Coop and Mare Winningham’s character had together and the fact that Coop wasn’t upset that his dad had been having an affair - he was grateful that his dad had had some love and affection in his life. Because let’s face it - Coop’s mom is an utter shrew. I still remember the first episode (I think) when Allie was coming home from rehab and her mom didn’t even bother to clean out the spare room or make up a bed for her. Horrible woman.


Maybe there was only a couple hours notice she got released.

Maybe she’s been enabled for so long that some tough love was warranted. Plus take the meds.

Maybe what they all have is inherited, and some set of parent / child have the same bipolar-ness or OCD or whatever


Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 22:13     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:Is she a shrew? Or is/was she the only adult in the house and had to do and decide everything for decades.

Am curious what her role versus the husbands role was over the last 50 years and how they got where they got.

Or we can throw another woman character under the bus and deem her impossible to live with.


You know this is fiction, right? And - believe it or not - some women actually *are* shrews, just as some men are aholes. Women don't get some sort of pass for their bad behavior.

Coop's mom was not a nice person. She was exhausting to live with, as stated in various ways by Coop, Allie, and Coop's dad. Curious why you always think a man must be to blame if a woman behaves poorly.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 17:12     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is she a shrew? Or is/was she the only adult in the house and had to do and decide everything for decades.

Am curious what her role versus the husbands role was over the last 50 years and how they got where they got.

Or we can throw another woman character under the bus and deem her impossible to live with.


It’s a good question. It looks like they started filming season three so hopefully we can flush out her character more.

They certainly don’t have her be very sympathetic. But maybe there’s more to her story. It’s also possible that some people are just not great people.

I get what you’re saying about the female characters but a lot of the male characters don’t fare so well either. This show does a good job of showing the complexity of people and no one‘s really coming out looking great. I mean, we are rooting for Coop a little bit, but it’s not like all the men are saints or anything.


They have too many directions to take too many things.

My first impression of Coops dad was he was this passive quiet dude who says and does nothing. That makes others around him have to overcompensate. That also makes a pushy affair partner an easy non-decision.
And let’s face it- it’s much easier to meet someone for Fun Fantasy Time every Thursday than to live and raise a family with someone.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 17:09     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
I find the Jon Hamm character inconsistent.

His thoughts and narrative demonstrate maturity, thoughtfulness, and caring (coached daughter her his life, opines on parenting, etc.).

But we are to believe he ignored his wife, kids and household in order to make it big at work.

If the above are both true and he has changed for the better, why is he still not apologizing to his Ex or kids?
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 15:58     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:Is she a shrew? Or is/was she the only adult in the house and had to do and decide everything for decades.

Am curious what her role versus the husbands role was over the last 50 years and how they got where they got.

Or we can throw another woman character under the bus and deem her impossible to live with.


It’s a good question. It looks like they started filming season three so hopefully we can flush out her character more.

They certainly don’t have her be very sympathetic. But maybe there’s more to her story. It’s also possible that some people are just not great people.

I get what you’re saying about the female characters but a lot of the male characters don’t fare so well either. This show does a good job of showing the complexity of people and no one‘s really coming out looking great. I mean, we are rooting for Coop a little bit, but it’s not like all the men are saints or anything.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 15:28     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Good episode this week. Was that Mare Winningham in the bowling alley?


Yes! I also enjoyed the episode.


Seems to be foreshadowing that everyone should be cheating and shamming their marriages. Especially if your nag of a woman isn’t worshipping you or praising the lord for your paycheck and occasional presence.


+1

Guess they left the door open for the mom widow to be having an affair as well. Or was Coop just seeing her giving things away not talking with the same dude closely all the time?
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 15:24     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Good episode this week. Was that Mare Winningham in the bowling alley?


Yes! I also enjoyed the episode.

This was the best episode this season for me. Hamm actually did some acting, and very good acting. I loved seeing the Cooper women relating to each other, and the comic awfulness of some people’s behavior at the funeral was extremely relatable. There was no subtlety in Mare Winningham’s commentary on the striver mentality that is strangling so many of the characters. Will be interesting if this has any impact on Coop going forward.


DP. I really enjoyed the rapport Coop and Mare Winningham’s character had together and the fact that Coop wasn’t upset that his dad had been having an affair - he was grateful that his dad had had some love and affection in his life. Because let’s face it - Coop’s mom is an utter shrew. I still remember the first episode (I think) when Allie was coming home from rehab and her mom didn’t even bother to clean out the spare room or make up a bed for her. Horrible woman.


Maybe there was only a couple hours notice she got released.

Maybe she’s been enabled for so long that some tough love was warranted. Plus take the meds.

Maybe what they all have is inherited, and some set of parent / child have the same bipolar-ness or OCD or whatever
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 15:23     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Is she a shrew? Or is/was she the only adult in the house and had to do and decide everything for decades.

Am curious what her role versus the husbands role was over the last 50 years and how they got where they got.

Or we can throw another woman character under the bus and deem her impossible to live with.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 13:29     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Good episode this week. Was that Mare Winningham in the bowling alley?


Yes! I also enjoyed the episode.

This was the best episode this season for me. Hamm actually did some acting, and very good acting. I loved seeing the Cooper women relating to each other, and the comic awfulness of some people’s behavior at the funeral was extremely relatable. There was no subtlety in Mare Winningham’s commentary on the striver mentality that is strangling so many of the characters. Will be interesting if this has any impact on Coop going forward.


DP. I really enjoyed the rapport Coop and Mare Winningham’s character had together and the fact that Coop wasn’t upset that his dad had been having an affair - he was grateful that his dad had had some love and affection in his life. Because let’s face it - Coop’s mom is an utter shrew. I still remember the first episode (I think) when Allie was coming home from rehab and her mom didn’t even bother to clean out the spare room or make up a bed for her. Horrible woman.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 21:31     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wonder how the wife died…


Ashe mentioned in the last episode how the last house he lived in was his wife's. My guess is that he inherited her fortune. I think he had something to do with her death.


Agree on all accounts.
Caught that too and I think Mel or coop did as well.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 14:21     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:Wonder how the wife died…


Ashe mentioned in the last episode how the last house he lived in was his wife's. My guess is that he inherited her fortune. I think he had something to do with her death.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 14:13     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Good episode this week. Was that Mare Winningham in the bowling alley?


Yes! I also enjoyed the episode.

This was the best episode this season for me. Hamm actually did some acting, and very good acting. I loved seeing the Cooper women relating to each other, and the comic awfulness of some people’s behavior at the funeral was extremely relatable. There was no subtlety in Mare Winningham’s commentary on the striver mentality that is strangling so many of the characters. Will be interesting if this has any impact on Coop going forward.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 13:47     Subject: Your Friends and Neighbors
This show is supposed to be set in Westchester County where 1) the property taxes are so high that almost no one sends their kids to private school, much less an entire neighborhood/social circle. Scarsdale High is status symbol enough. and 2) no daughter would be turning down Princeton ED.