|
|
Sorry to invent a new word, but that's exactly how I feel after watching last night's "finale." I feel creatively slimed.
It's clear as the final weeks played out that the writers of this show failed the characters...Or got really, really, tired. Either way most of these ?endings? were unfair to the whole process, fans in particular. You writers just dumped on us pretty lazy ?solutions" for every character. No one outcome made me feel the least bit satisfied. Sort of like a meal at a great restaurant where every dish wasn't quite there.
I'm actually a little pissed about it. I invested 43 hours in your show and you guys caved when you should?ve dug deeper. I kept waiting for more from Paul and his wife (the amazing Michelle Forbes) and we ended up with muck. It was an embarrassment to watch Paul grovel with his penis last night! What a child he is. What a clueless fop! He gets an anxiety attack and then runs to Gina whining about "poor me." Not once does he have his own epiphany (clearly incapable of that) about the larger ramifications and consequences of his behavior. Even worse was his outright disregard for Laura. Now I've never felt a drop of sympathy for her (though Melissa is phenomenal), however last night I felt such pity for her when she began removing her shirt. It was so clear she no longer wanted him, yet she was willing to sleep with him because he wanted and expected that. More pity.
Paul is such a dumb lunkhead. He ought to have hated himself at that moment; instead he whines about feeling emasculated. What a complete and utter child! Going to Gina was such a mistake. It felt false and forced. Obviously, the writers were looking for a device to "explain" why Paul and Laura did not sleep together. Oh effin' brother. That is some weak-ass crap-ola there, let me tell you.
Had Paul driven home in distress and walked up to his wife, with not a little guilt, and finally confessed to her that he doesn't really know what the hell he's doing or who he is - you know, give her something to work with whether they stay together or not - maybe that confession he's resisted for so long is just what they both needed to begin, to end, to finally move on. Anything better than this lame escape.
I'm sooooo disappointed in you Rodrigo. As an audience we don't always require neat endings, but we deserve so much better than this.
|
Posts:
318
Registered:
2/26/08
|
|
(20 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 31, 2008 7:53 AM
|
> HBO has too much sex -- characters acting like dogs
> in heat.
> Caveman follows his dick around
Charming. Like if someone incessantly referred to Kate as
SlutBabe following her ____ around.
SlutBabe follows her ___ to Rome. Answers phone. Grosses out Rosie. Blah, blah, blah.
Kate is a humane, albeit flawed character. Human. So is Paul and most everyone on IT. No one's subhuman.
As bad, pathetic as Amy's infidelity is; as accurate as Jake is that she had the look of a woman "on the prowl." I felt for her in objecting that he is talking about her as though she's an animal. This isn't civil, humane.
Dogs have sex when they're in heat. Humans aren't so limited. Sounds like you'd be happier if they were: Less sex. Well, we're not. What's too much sex?
|
|
|
Posts:
318
Registered:
2/26/08
|
|
(19 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 31, 2008 3:43 AM
|
> Its very strange behavior and whatever we may
> think of Laura, she didnt deserve her final "Treatment".
Yes!
> As far as having him come back and have sex with
> Kate. No...ick. The only tenderness I ever saw
> between the two was the scene where she puts a
> bandaid on his finger and the Imago scene. Other
> than that, they dont appear to love each other in any
> sort of passionate way now. They'd need to convince
> me of that passion before I'd be ready to see him
> having sex with her.
Agreed. Though I thought Paul tried when he remarked about Ian's scary rashes when sick with the flu: "Didn't help when I put the wrong crearm on him remember?" -- and smiled and looked longingly at Kate; but was met with her averting her eyes downward. Consistent with Ian's account of Kate being disappointed all the time over everything -- with Paul, but not only with Paul.
Paul professed his love and need for Kate and Kate said she didn't believe him and "True enough, maybe there's nothng you can say." Shes' also convinced Paul and she know he "could have done better." This even after Gina replied: "But he married you" and Paul's exasperation at Kate's negating her sexuality. Paul told Kate he married her in part because she was "sexy" to him; but what can he do if she perists in having such pathetic self-esteem?
Besides, Paul lamented in his first session with Gina that Kate he can't remember the last time Kate wanted to make love with him. Paul has made advances, so: "Once a month if I'm lucky." But he realizes Kate's not into it, not into him. Kate said she was exicited about Edward precisely because he moves different from Paul: "He does everything different!"
That's a mighty rejection. Plus all the deceit and how much Kate loathes what she once appreciated Paul for -- how he takes what she says seriously, as the psychoanalyst he is.
|
|
|
Posts:
318
Registered:
2/26/08
|
|
(18 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 31, 2008 3:19 AM
|
> Too bad, during his panic attack, Paul didn't tell
> himself, "this is coming from within you, and because
> it's coming from within you,
> you...can...make...it...STOP."
Hillarious, bellableu! I hadn't thought of the connection. Yes, Paul's so much better as a therapist then at everything else. I suppose this fits with Gina's interpretation that Paul wanted the panic attack.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid Paul's charcterization was right that he's terrified of being "swallowed up." I think it's going to take a lot before Paul stops being terrified of losing control, of being like his father, leading to the "nightmare" with his mother.
|
|
|
Posts:
48
Registered:
3/21/08
|
|
(17 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 31, 2008 2:51 AM
|
> As far as having him come back and have sex with
> Kate. No...ick. The only tenderness I ever saw
> between the two was the scene where she puts a
> bandaid on his finger and the Imago scene. Other
> than that, they dont appear to love each other in any
> sort of passionate way now. They'd need to convince
> me of that passion before I'd be ready to see him
> having sex with her.
But you might have been convinced by the evident passion of it, no? By Paul rushing in to the bedroom and telling Kate what happened and how it made him realize how much he loves her, needs her, misses her, and how lost he is, and she says that she's sorry for everything and that she understands, she cares, she grabs his ass and we fade to black... I mean, it would have been quite a plot twist, you must admit!
|
|
|
Posts:
1,756
Registered:
3/19/08
|
|
(16 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 6:38 PM
|
> I'm not sure Paul having sex with Laura would have
> made him seem more of a man. Sex can be as pathetic
> and unmanly as anything else. > How would you have felt if he'd not gone to Gina's
> after laura's but home to Kate and made love to her,
> declaring his wish to fight for their marriage?? I
> hadn't thought about that possibility until now, but
> I would have preferred that to the sad scene at
> Gina's, and it certainly would have been more
> dramatic!
Its not as simple as saying that I think if he'd had sex he'd be more of a man. Because of the situation that he, an adult, had chosen to put himself into, I believe that would have been more manly than the route he chose.
It would also have been manly if he had just met with Laura and told her he didnt want to have sex because he had no plans to leave his wife, or because he still believed their love for each other was temporary. I might not have liked that ending but I wouldnt think he was a wimp.
But calling her on the phone 10 times in one week, begging her to see him, going over to her house, anxiously quizzing her as to whether she is over him or not, telling her that he loves her and assuring her that he does indeed want this....and then just running out of the house, is not just unmanly...its weird. Its very strange behavior and whatever we may think of Laura, she didnt deserve her final "Treatment".
As far as having him come back and have sex with Kate. No...ick. The only tenderness I ever saw between the two was the scene where she puts a bandaid on his finger and the Imago scene. Other than that, they dont appear to love each other in any sort of passionate way now. They'd need to convince me of that passion before I'd be ready to see him having sex with her.
|
|
|
Posts:
2,173
Registered:
1/30/08
|
|
(15 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 6:30 PM
|
> like dogs
> in heat.
Killer asks, "what's wrong with that?"..woof, woof
|
|
|
Posts:
48
Registered:
3/21/08
|
|
(14 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 4:41 PM
|
> Yes, Yes I wanted to see them have sex. Yes I did.
> My real objection to this finale is that
> they made Paul look so pathetic and weak and out of
> control by turning him into a quivering bowl of
> jello.
>
> I did not want to see this strong, beautiful man made
> into a wimp and thats exactly what they did.
I'm not sure Paul having sex with Laura would have made him seem more of a man. Sex can be as pathetic and unmanly as anything else. Gina at least believed that his strength won out, over his weakness. Part of me would like to believe that, but I wish that had been what Paul had to say about the encounter, rather than cowering in his own shame about losing his last chance at love. How sad he was, and how lost. But, still, I believe a man, a lost man, but a man.
How would you have felt if he'd not gone to Gina's after laura's but home to Kate and made love to her, declaring his wish to fight for their marriage?? I hadn't thought about that possibility until now, but I would have preferred that to the sad scene at Gina's, and it certainly would have been more dramatic!
--
Edited by moomsy at 03/30/2008 1:43 PM PDT
|
|
|
Posts:
2,173
Registered:
1/30/08
|
|
(13 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 12:50 PM
|
> And, if you don't like the sex on HBO, why do you
> watch? There's always the Disney channel you know.
Or Nick at Nite...
|
|
|
Posts:
173
Registered:
3/4/08
|
|
(12 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 12:30 PM
|
|
Too bad, during his panic attack, Paul didn't tell himself, "this is coming from within you, and because it's coming from within you, you...can...make...it...STOP."
|
|
|
Posts:
2,044
Registered:
6/4/07
|
|
(11 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 12:24 PM
|
I did not want to see this strong, beautiful man made into a wimp and thats exactly what they did.
As always Touched, so eloquently said.......ditto on EVERYTHING you said
.Caveman follows his dick around
Needs to go home to his wife -- learn to behave better
I don't know what the hell that means, isn't it possible Kate doesn't want him back? Not saying it's the right thing to do, but sometimes marriages fall apart, people cheat for a myriad of reasons and he's NOT just following his dick around. There was much more made of the depth of his feelings, not the ache in his balls.
And, if you don't like the sex on HBO, why do you watch? There's always the Disney channel you know.
--
Edited by rubyjtcat at 03/30/2008 9:26 AM PDT
--
Edited by rubyjtcat at 03/30/2008 9:27 AM PDT
--
Edited by rubyjtcat at 03/30/2008 9:29 AM PDT
|
|
|
Posts:
22
Registered:
3/28/08
|
|
(10 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 10:41 AM
|
>Yes, Yes I wanted to see them have sex. Yes I did.
HBO has too much sex -- characters acting like dogs in heat.
> I was always rooting for him to finally cave and tell her he loved her.
Caveman follows his dick around
Needs to go home to his wife -- learn to behave better
Laura loves Andrew -- Clueless Caveman picks up the picture -- still has no clue
|
|
|
Posts:
1,756
Registered:
3/19/08
|
|
(9 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 10:26 AM
|
> TouchedByThPoet
>
>
> Are you saying you wanted tosee Paul have sex with
> Laura?
>
> Let me try and make this easy for you:
>
> Sophie/Zack = Laura/Paul
>
>
> Laura REJECTS Paul the same way Sophie does
> her Father.
>
> Outside Laura looks grown up. Still prances
> around in high heel shoes (like she did when she
> wears her mother's shoes down the hallway of the
> hotel to have an affair with CHILD MOLESTING
> David).
>
> Inside, Laura's still a "Little Girl." Someone
> who's NEVER GROWN UP since that HORRIBLE encounter
> with David.
>
> She looks just like Sophie in that Bedroom scene.
> Very vulnerable. Like a 15 yr old, because
> "Emotionally" speaking that's what she still is, an
> ABUSED CHILD.
>
> So you'd be happier if Paul took advantage of her,
> the same way as David did? After telling Laura he'd
> NEVER do that?
>
> IMO, wanting to see that happen is SICK, Sick,
> Sick.
>
> > Touched - If there is a new season I would LOVE
> to
> > see your version of Paul onscreen. This one IS
> > missing a pair.
>
> Paul wasn't missing a pair when he threw coffee into
> the face of Alex and then shoved him into those book
> shelves. Was he?
>
I'm not sure how to respond to this post. Its all over the place. But I will try.
Yes, Yes I wanted to see them have sex. Yes I did.
Could I state that any plainer? No I could not. I would have loved to have seen them start there on the couch and move to every stick of furniture in the house.
Did I make that simple enough for you to understand?
Secondly, Paul said a lot of things in this show and we all hungrily watched as his resolve about Laura withered away. So yes, I was always rooting for him to finally cave and tell her he loved her. I knew it was unlikely that this would be a long term relationship but it was a sexy one and I wanted to see it play out. His marriage is a shambles and I think its beyond repair so I dont see him going back in that direction either.
I dont think that Sophie/Zack = Laura/Paul makes a lot of sense. There is a big difference between the story of a minor child whos had two suicide attempts and the story of a 30 year old woman trying to throw off the sexual ghosts of her past.
It seems to me that if Laura is restricted to your narrow definition of Abused Child, she really cant have sex with anyone again can she. Because if she does, she will always be re-enacting her David experience.
Poor Laura I guess she might as well go ahead and kill herself because, according to you, sex and love are strictly off limits to her from now on. Or is it that you believe its only off limits where Paul is concerned? I'm not sure.
But again, I would have been satisfied with having Paul and Laura NOT consumate their love if they could have just had a final kiss and then a graceful ending. My real objection to this finale is that they made Paul look so pathetic and weak and out of control by turning him into a quivering bowl of jello.
I did not want to see this strong, beautiful man made into a wimp and thats exactly what they did.
> --
> Edited by Two25 at 03/29/2008 11:50 PM PDT
|
|
|
Posts:
372
Registered:
1/28/05
|
|
(8 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 2:40 AM
|
TouchedByThPoet
>>>I admit I wanted to see a little bit of passion between Laura and Paul so yes I am disappointed that did not happen
Are you saying you wanted tosee Paul have sex with Laura?
Let me try and make this easy for you:
Sophie/Zack = Laura/Paul
Laura REJECTS Paul the same way Sophie does her Father.
Outside Laura looks grown up. Still prances around in high heel shoes (like she did when she wears her mother's shoes down the hallway of the hotel to have an affair with CHILD MOLESTING David).
Inside, Laura's still a "Little Girl." Someone who's NEVER GROWN UP since that HORRIBLE encounter with David.
She looks just like Sophie in that Bedroom scene. Very vulnerable. Like a 15 yr old, because "Emotionally" speaking that's what she still is, an ABUSED CHILD.
So you'd be happier if Paul took advantage of her, the same way as David did? After telling Laura he'd NEVER do that?
IMO, wanting to see that happen is SICK, Sick, Sick.
> Touched - If there is a new season I would LOVE to
> see your version of Paul onscreen. This one IS
> missing a pair.
Paul wasn't missing a pair when he threw coffee into the face of Alex and then shoved him into those book shelves. Was he?
--
Edited by Two25 at 03/29/2008 11:50 PM PDT
|
|
|
Posts:
9
Registered:
2/21/08
|
|
(7 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 1:56 AM
|
I feel much better after sharing with you all and reading your clever insights and comments.
Touched - If there is a new season I would LOVE to see your version of Paul onscreen. This one IS missing a pair.
RandomFem - Sorry for making you shudder, but thank you for making laugh at that! Your last sentence poses a great question, doesn't it? Jeez!
KatieD - Yes, we the slimed! How dare they, huh? From what I understand they had license to do anything with the U.S. version, so I can't fathom these choices. 
Moomsy - I can only surmise none of the writers have had successful therapy - or any at all. Arrgh! So am I "crazy" for wanting a season 2 as well? 
|
|
|
Posts:
60
Registered:
2/29/08
|
|
(6 of 20)
Re: Paul - the poorliest written character.
Mar 30, 2008 1:34 AM
|
writers to tired to write more or to come up with a better ending can be our worse nightmare, if they can't keep this up as a series, what is to say a season 2 will show up. Yes the writers do need to keep going as long as they can and stop feeling tired of a show that can be as successful as any other show.
its just scary that your thoughts can be (or is) true.
|
|
|
|
|
