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We finally meet Sutton’s mom, Barbara, and Kat finds herself going toe to toe with Jacqueline as Jane toils over Ben, Ryan, and having BRCA.
| Network | ||
| FreeForm | ||
| Director(s) | Victor Nelli, Jr | |
| Writer(s) | Céline Geiger, Neel Shah | |
| Air Date | 7/31/2018 | |
| Actors Introduced | ||
| Barbara | Rya Kihlstedt | |
A Time To Be Young and Dumb: Ryan, Jane, Ben
Being that Ben keeps pushing being a doctor than a boyfriend, and Ryan is saying and doing the right things, Jane gets a little thrown off. For with this BRCA stuff, and having to grow up too soon, she just wants to return to being young and having fun. Doing dumb stuff you know? But, since Jane isn’t trying to be reckless, she decides to just drink the day away and when Sutton calls for a road trip, while going through Kat’s parents’ car, she finds a vape pen with some kind of weed. Meaning we get a drunk and high Jane.
But, once she comes down, mostly sobered by Sutton’s situation and Kat’s to a point, she decides to read the medical journal draft Ben gave her and decides to freeze her eggs. Which may lead you to think they are good now but with Ryan pointing out he wants to not just be there for the fun times, they aren’t out of the woods yet.
Commentary
I really do think Ben is at a different place in his life than Jane. Maybe not on a Richard level but definitely pass Jane’s need to be young and not have to worry about making tough decisions. For while I feel for the girl and her BRCA situation, I do feel she likes Ben since he is stable, and a doctor, more than she likes him because of the way he is. Though, let’s not pretend her going to Ryan with her problems was probably a bad idea. I mean, isn’t that what Alex is for? Well, at least in season 1 that was his purpose? But I guess with him working more, low-key blowing Jane off, she didn’t have much of a choice. It’s not like she could talk to her brothers about this. Never mind it seems Kat and Sutton’s opinions aren’t good enough anymore.
Which is why I really think homegirl needs therapy. Not that most people couldn’t use it, but Jane seems to, more and more, need it if Kat and Sutton can’t be her go to people. Plus, between this BRCA thing and her mom, she seems like she could use a licensed stranger.
Communication is Necessary: Jacqueline, Richard, Kat, Adena
We had to expect, sooner or later, Jacqueline and Kat would butt heads right? Both are strong-willed, fighters, and do what they think is best for Scarlet from their perspective right? So it was bound to happen and it does over having a comment section. Being that Jacqueline sees it as a place for trolls, she doesn’t want it. However, for Kat, she sees it as a means for engagement so she isn’t for this.
But, unlike most of Kat’s past battles, she isn’t willing to really slug it out with Jacqueline or, kind of, publicly embarrass or prep for a major fight. Instead, she tries to use Richard. Which only pisses Jacqueline off for with an article making it seem like she is at the end of her career, she is feeling a certain type of way. Which perhaps only gets worse with her having the comments turned on, learning the relaunch of the website hasn’t boosted numbers, and with Richard talking about the board may oust her (which was in the preview).
As for Kadena? Well, despite Kat doing pretty well in her ho phase, she decides it needs to be over. Going on dates and hookups has led to her side pieces getting in the way of her actual relationship. So, no more open relationship and all Adena. Which may be a complicated thing to get back into the swing of for her lack of Kat time has led to her being more focused and working. So they definitely got more difficult conversations ahead.
Commentary
First and foremost, why was there a hit piece on Jacqueline? Her name being mentioned made it sound very personal and you got to wonder who that writer is, their editor, and what’s the beef? Second, with his being the episode before the season finale, what are they setting up here? Are they going to make it seem Jacqueline should have taken the position on the board when it was offered? Will this be a Jane thing where she gets let go, they see things tank, and bring her back? You know, a “We did something stupid, please forgive us!” and the forgiveness comes way too quickly?
I don’t know but between what was mentioned and ageism, I hope for something deeper than causing drama. With that said, I truly wonder, with the way the New York lesbians talked, how is it Kat went to Harrisburg on Sutton’s whim and found another queer person in no time flat? Much less, they honed in on her. I get she likely is using an app but DAMN!
Though, the bigger question is whether Adena maybe proposed all this, Kat having time to explore her sexuality, to get some more me time. So that she doesn’t just have free time during the day but night and with Kat dating, she wouldn’t necessarily be at beck and call. For I could imagine, with her visa time counting down, she needed to rediscover what her world was. Particularly since she is so immersed in everything Kat. She lives in her home, in the city she grew up in, Kat talks so much about her friends and while Adena has friends too, how many did she not date? Which could make issues for her and Kat who could get jealous? You get what I mean? Adena doesn’t have the luxury of time so she needed to redefine who she is so that she could earn maintaining her visa vs. just using it as a means to seeing Kat on a consistent basis.
Mommie Dearest: Sutton, Barbara, Jane
Barbara, Sutton’s mom, has been dragged for as long as we can remember. It all boiled down to her being a neglectful drunk who pretty much left Sutton to raise herself. Yet, to get to Paris, she needs an original birth certificate. Something which can only be found at home and since Sutton doesn’t live there anymore, she needs Barbara to give her the key.
Leading her to learn Barbara has been sober for around 7 months and it’s all because of Sutton. With realizing how much she is missing on her daughter’s life, she wanted to give Sutton a reason to include her. To have a real and secure attachment again. Something which is hard for Sutton to give for she has seen her mom be clean for a bit then go on a bender. Which, of course, Barbara acknowledges and owns. However, that pushes her to want Sutton to hold her accountable and with Jane pushing the ole, “At least you have a mom” argument, Sutton reconciles with her mom, gets her birth certificate, and is on her way to Paris. A trip Kat is apparently going on too.
Commentary
I’m torn. On one hand, it’s hard to not want one show to not give into the idea of reconciling upon seeing the person whose presence has been hyped up. Not that I wanted a Shameless, Frank and Fiona kind of moment between Sutton and Barbara but this show gives us so many ideal outcomes that things not going well and being resolved feels like a treat. It makes the ladies feel more human and complicated.
Which isn’t to reply being estranged from a parent, especially since they are/were an alcoholic isn’t human. The bigger issue is, for me, Jane’s place in this. If Sutton came to the idea her mom changed with seeing the house clean, her mom working, and her ex saying she is doing better, I’d be fine. Maybe a little eye roll would happen, but I’d be cool with how things went down. However, Jane continuing to be presented as the lead character who has a dictator like influence over Sutton’s life, it just bugs me.
Granted, it is because Jane bugs me in general so I’m projecting a little bit. But I just get tired of hearing about her mom sometimes. It would be like Kat bringing up she is Black all the time or Sutton bringing up her rough childhood. I get the trauma never really ends, there are just good days and bad days, but there is just something so unnatural about Jane’s character from how she is written and thus performed that gets to me. So anytime a character starts veering to how Jane is crafted freaks me out.
With that said, Barbara and Sutton’s conversation was sweet and I hope we see Jane’s dad and brothers soon. They are the last family members to meet.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- So, is Alex no more for everyone’s favorite, platonic, guy friend?
Highlights
- Meeting Barbara.
- Kat and Adena ending the open relationship.
- Jacqueline and Kat going head to head, kind of.
- Ryan is getting his first book published.
Low Points
- This Ben, Jane, and Ryan love triangle that just refuses to die.
On The Fence
- Richard making it seem the board is ready to kick Jacqueline within a few weeks, or months.
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