Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This show stresses me out big time. That episode... ooof. It was so exhilarating figuring out what was happening when Carrie told Logan that she'd "send his regrets" about the wedding as he was on the phone in a conference room filled with people -- my husband and I immediately knew that he was going to push through the sale while the kids were occupied. And then Tom, talking to Greg...

The problem I have with the show, which I otherwise really love, is that there isn't really anyone to root for. I mean, I feel bad for the kids but also they don't really deserve anything. They've treated everyone around them horribly and have no redeeming qualities, so why *should* they get anything? All the time, they've only been in the positions they occupy because of nepotism. Logan is probably making the correct business decision even though he is 100% also the devil.

The fact that there is no one to root for is what makes it interesting. Most people are not all good or all bad or even born that way. The greatness of this show is that they give you reasons to hate these people and then toss in just enough backstory or humanity for you to feel a pang of pity and give you a tiny bit of hope but NO! It also makes people like us feel good about not being super rich because it looks miserable.

What I find interesting about the show is just when you start really hating someone, something happens to them that makes you feel bad for them then they become horrible again. We've seen this repeatedly with Kendall - one minute he's a sorry sack, the next a total d-bag, then a sad sack again. Same with the other characters, maybe just not as many highs and lows.

It’s ridiculous to think that the siblings would think that Logan would negotiate this deal without having figured out a way around their vote. Having Kendall bounce back from his breakdown in 30 seconds was stupid. This season had a few good moments, most of them during Kendall’s birthday party, but ultimately it was very bad. The writing was just poor.

Fundamentally, I just don’t get why these siblings are so obsessed with the idea of taking over this company when they are so obviously not qualified or capable. I know they want to prove themselves to their dad and stuff but I don’t get why him handing them a public company would do that. You would think they would be off trying to do their own thing.

This episode did help me understand that the reason they have such large stakes in the company in the first place is their parent’s divorce. That makes sense - she negotiated that part of her half be in their names. Otherwise I doubt he would have handed them so much control.

They are all antiheroes. I’m always rooting for the kids over Logan though.

Anonymous wrote:NPR leads their recap with "Guess Shiv shouldn't have told Tom she didn't love him, huh?"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HOLEEY CANNOLI.

That is something I did not see but it is sooo perfect.

SO satisfying! Tom gets his MFing revenge!!

I was shocked. SHOCKED.

What are you talking about?

There was no twist with Tom

Tom clearly sold them out to Logan after being treated like shit by Shiv for years, with the finale last week when she told him she didn’t love him. What’s unclear to me is why Logan needed Tom to tell him what shiv, Kendall and Roman were planning- Logan would have known that the super majority was in the divorce agreement with his ex wife and presumably would have already planned to circumvent this. But nevertheless it was clear that Tom was in on it when he showed up and Logan patted him on the shoulder, combined with the foreshadowing this season: Logan telling Tom he “wouldn’t forget” his willingness to to help the scapegoat and go to jail, and the love he showed for Tom when he had the UTI and was delusional. Clearly the kids won’t take over, and Tom is gunning for it now, though he will obviously get crushed in the end.

I think you are reading too much into a pat on the arm.

The entire rest of the world disagrees with you, so maybe go have a think.

Indeed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I didn't understand was Shiv's reaction when she realized Tom betrayed her. I expected her to be repulsed by him but instead she seemed to be intrigued.

Was there a hint of respect for him from her? She knows he helped Logan and will have some favor when the deal goes through. Is she hoping whatever good things come his way from Logan she will be able to parlay into an important spot?

Shiv also looked pregnant. She was shot from the side so many times and the dress made her look like she is already pregnant.

In the “Controlling the Narrative” short at the end, the writer said they filmed it multiple times, until they got a shot where Shiv realizes Tom betrayed her, and then she pulls on her “armor” and reacts like a Roy. I do think she looks at Tom with a new respect, but at the same time is devastated. Her look at the very end after she walks across the room is brilliant acting.

Did anyone else catch the similarities with the shot through the doorway to the end of The Godfather?

Yes, Tom = Fredo!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This show stresses me out big time. That episode... ooof. It was so exhilarating figuring out what was happening when Carrie told Logan that she'd "send his regrets" about the wedding as he was on the phone in a conference room filled with people -- my husband and I immediately knew that he was going to push through the sale while the kids were occupied. And then Tom, talking to Greg...

The problem I have with the show, which I otherwise really love, is that there isn't really anyone to root for. I mean, I feel bad for the kids but also they don't really deserve anything. They've treated everyone around them horribly and have no redeeming qualities, so why *should* they get anything? All the time, they've only been in the positions they occupy because of nepotism. Logan is probably making the correct business decision even though he is 100% also the devil.

The fact that there is no one to root for is what makes it interesting. Most people are not all good or all bad or even born that way. The greatness of this show is that they give you reasons to hate these people and then toss in just enough backstory or humanity for you to feel a pang of pity and give you a tiny bit of hope but NO! It also makes people like us feel good about not being super rich because it looks miserable.

PP, and I agree with you. It makes the show interesting and not cliche. But, that same interestingness also makes me stressed.

^ to add - it is a lot like Dexter in that he is an awful person who loves killing but they show you why he is that way so you soften but then he’s just slicing people up with gleee which is wrong but then he kills people that we all think really needed killing so while we feel it is both morally and socially wrong we can’t help but kind of appreciate it - so it challenges the viewer in a very real moral sense and makes us think about who we are and our values and the fairness or unfairness of our system. That’s good tv!

Anonymous wrote:This show stresses me out big time. That episode... ooof. It was so exhilarating figuring out what was happening when Carrie told Logan that she'd "send his regrets" about the wedding as he was on the phone in a conference room filled with people -- my husband and I immediately knew that he was going to push through the sale while the kids were occupied. And then Tom, talking to Greg...

The problem I have with the show, which I otherwise really love, is that there isn't really anyone to root for. I mean, I feel bad for the kids but also they don't really deserve anything. They've treated everyone around them horribly and have no redeeming qualities, so why *should* they get anything? All the time, they've only been in the positions they occupy because of nepotism. Logan is probably making the correct business decision even though he is 100% also the devil.

The fact that there is no one to root for is what makes it interesting. Most people are not all good or all bad or even born that way. The greatness of this show is that they give you reasons to hate these people and then toss in just enough backstory or humanity for you to feel a pang of pity and give you a tiny bit of hope but NO! It also makes people like us feel good about not being super rich because it looks miserable.

Anonymous wrote:I love how I originally read the Greg/Tom scene one way when I thought Tom was going with Shiv, and then knowing Tom went the other way made it deeper. Like now Tom is married to Greg. And while Tom has at times been mean to Greg, he did totally offer to take the jail fall for him and so really HAS totally been the only one in the family to look out for him. Kendall pretended to but ultimately sold him out.

I also thought it was interesting how Logan wanted Kendall to leave at the beginning of the discussion. Would Logan have shared more of his real plans with Roman and Shiv if Kendall hadn’t been there, so the takeover would seem less dire? I mean, you KNOW Logan is not really ceding full control of his company, right, and has some ultimate plan to take it back? Would he have shared it if Kendall wasn’t there so Roman and Shiv would have willingly gone along?

Poor Roman. He lost the most here. Feel bad for him the most because he was almost human comforting Kendall and everything. The GoJo guy liked him, though, so I wonder if he is really as out as the other two.

That was a divide and conquer strategy. I don't think there are any more "real" plans other than what was revealed. Logan gets buckets of money and some enduring company presence because his name's on the building. If the kids would have gone with him they might have been thrown a bone/given a token role. Kendall is totally out and by sticking with Kendall they assured that they are also out.

Shiv is a terrible person and I don't feel bad for her, but she is really in a bad place.

This show stresses me out big time. That episode... ooof. It was so exhilarating figuring out what was happening when Carrie told Logan that she'd "send his regrets" about the wedding as he was on the phone in a conference room filled with people -- my husband and I immediately knew that he was going to push through the sale while the kids were occupied. And then Tom, talking to Greg...

The problem I have with the show, which I otherwise really love, is that there isn't really anyone to root for. I mean, I feel bad for the kids but also they don't really deserve anything. They've treated everyone around them horribly and have no redeeming qualities, so why *should* they get anything? All the time, they've only been in the positions they occupy because of nepotism. Logan is probably making the correct business decision even though he is 100% also the devil.

I love how I originally read the Greg/Tom scene one way when I thought Tom was going with Shiv, and then knowing Tom went the other way made it deeper. Like now Tom is married to Greg. And while Tom has at times been mean to Greg, he did totally offer to take the jail fall for him and so really HAS totally been the only one in the family to look out for him. Kendall pretended to but ultimately sold him out.

I also thought it was interesting how Logan wanted Kendall to leave at the beginning of the discussion. Would Logan have shared more of his real plans with Roman and Shiv if Kendall hadn’t been there, so the takeover would seem less dire? I mean, you KNOW Logan is not really ceding full control of his company, right, and has some ultimate plan to take it back? Would he have shared it if Kendall wasn’t there so Roman and Shiv would have willingly gone along?

Poor Roman. He lost the most here. Feel bad for him the most because he was almost human comforting Kendall and everything. The GoJo guy liked him, though, so I wonder if he is really as out as the other two.

Last night was so good, it makes me angry that the rest of the season sucked.

I loved the Greg switch up. They made him such a blubbering idiot all season and last night he was intelligent, handsome, a winner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HOLEEY CANNOLI.

That is something I did not see but it is sooo perfect.

SO satisfying! Tom gets his MFing revenge!!

I was shocked. SHOCKED.

What are you talking about?

There was no twist with Tom

Tom clearly sold them out to Logan after being treated like shit by Shiv for years, with the finale last week when she told him she didn’t love him. What’s unclear to me is why Logan needed Tom to tell him what shiv, Kendall and Roman were planning- Logan would have known that the super majority was in the divorce agreement with his ex wife and presumably would have already planned to circumvent this. But nevertheless it was clear that Tom was in on it when he showed up and Logan patted him on the shoulder, combined with the foreshadowing this season: Logan telling Tom he “wouldn’t forget” his willingness to to help the scapegoat and go to jail, and the love he showed for Tom when he had the UTI and was delusional. Clearly the kids won’t take over, and Tom is gunning for it now, though he will obviously get crushed in the end.

I think you are reading too much into a pat on the arm.

The entire rest of the world disagrees with you, so maybe go have a think.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To be honest, I don’t get why the kids even want to run the flailing company at this point. Kendall, who’s the most qualified to take over, is in his own words, an emotional mess. Shiv is completely against everything the company and ATN stands for, and Roman is even less qualified than his siblings. Don’t get why they wouldn’t stay on the board and walk away with board seats and simply standing to inherit billions of dollars.

Because being given control of the company would mean that Daddy loves them and respects them. (Which he doesn’t.)

Did you notice the difference in Logan’s demeanor when he talked to Mattson? He finally found someone he respects. Even though he said “No” to Mattson’s proposal, it was clear he was going to take it after he got Roman out of the way. Even though Roman told Shiv Logan told Mattson to “F*ck off,” he didn’t.

Exactly. These people are not us. They are not motivated by money. They are looking for power and validation. They are seeking to fill a hole that cannot be filled. I loved this episode! Can’t believe I have to wait to see the next.