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Ringer: Shut Up and Eat Your Bologna

"You've completely transformed your entire life."

Unfortunately, I feel like I'm at that point where Ringer has lost me. I still watch the show, and I'll tune in and review for the rest of the season, but my general interest in the characters and the storylines has drifted, and I don't think I'm ever gonna be completely drawn in again. I bring this up because "Shut Up and Eat Your Bologna" featured a ton of movement in several story arcs, but I was never particularly moved myself. When that sort of thing occurs, you can't help but feel that the show's general tone just doesn't work for you.

The soapy elements here involved the reveal that Gemma is very much alive, Charlie having chained her up in his basement. It wasn't particularly shocking on either front, since everybody had assumed she hadn't perished, and we already knew that Charlie was nuts. I did, however, enjoy Bridget and Malcolm doing their detective double act thing. With Malcolm suddenly actively involved in a lot of the proceedings, it's only Agent Machado who remains a character drifting around aimlessly on the fringes of the show. He wasn't even in this episode.

Bridget's undercover stint in therapy was interesting, primarily because it dealt with the themes I find most interesting about this show, the ones that have so far been sparingly explored. Bridget is falling for Andrew because of the good that he sees in her, and its directly linked to Bridget's own lack of self-worth. When all the world gives up on you, it's suddenly new and exciting to see this handsome wealthy businessman discovering new depths to your character. Obviously this is gonna quickly blow up in everybody's faces, especially with Olivia and her undoubtedly blackmail-happy ways, but I like the insight into Bridget's psychology.

This had a couple of interesting moments. I liked the therapy, I liked Bridget becoming pro-active after weeks of being a passive non-entity of sorts, the Gemma reveal promises some fun in the future. But generally the show has become elevator music for me, which sucks. Meh.

Notables

- Considering Bridget and Charlie were all the way across the city, Malcolm could have probably had time to smash that door down. Damn plot contrivance!

Quotage

Henry: What's your story, Olivia?
Olivia: What have you heard?
Henry: That you're a bitch.

Charlie: When I take off this tape, you are not gonna cry, you're not gonna spit, and you're not gonna beg. You're not gonna make a peep. You are gonna shut up and eat your bologna.

Previously posted at Unwelcome Commentary.

2 comments:

  1. Sad to hear how you're feeling about the show!

    I agree with your original estimation, but it's really grown on me lately. So much so that i did go hunt it down after a DVR mishap.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You're not the only one. I just read an article about the show and how its suddenly found its footing and is firing on all cylinders right now. I don't know what it is, but it's suddenly started not working for me. Maybe I'm just having a bad week. Heh.

    But I'll keep reviewing until the season wraps up.

    ReplyDelete

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