The Raw and The Cooked  (both of which am i)


Thoughts on

 

 


 

It's a little hard for me to go into a lot of detail, at first glance, because my compulsion is to just say, it rocked.  Go watch it right now.  But that would be kind of a cop out, since I feel like there's so much to love about this episode.  You also surely realize that going into detail isn't an overwhelming problem for me.  Rather, my inability to come to and express my point in 25 words or less is the problem for me.  Ya think?

 

But now that you're here...

 

This ep is one of those that makes you feel; really, really feel, if you're a DD fan, for sure, but I like to feel.  Everything, even pain.  Nothing will make you feel alive like pain, and there's nothing like pain to make you wish you weren't alive.  But at least you know you're alive.  I like being alive and think part of being really alive is feeling, and it's one reason I love movies and TV.  I get to feel things I'd never feel in real life, if I'm lucky/unlucky, and it can open up my mind to the differences in us all, help me understand better why people are who they are, fictional people or otherwise.  I've a hunger for knowing why, and I always have.  A curse and a blessing.   

 

It wasn't all pain, actually.  It was hilarity, romance :swoon!:, joy, competitiveness, compassion, forgiveness, envy, lust, greed, sloth, most of the Deadly Seven, at one time or another, I'd guess.  Sadness, disgust, discomfort to the extreme, heartbreak, a punch to the gut.  It had it all, and all of it packed into this little 30-minute thing of beauty, short and bittersweet, and that's why I thought it was so brilliantly played.  They had their 30 minutes to rock me, and they did it.  Everybody in the ep did an excellent job.  I learned a lot about these characters, and I liked most of what I learned, for a change.  I could kill Mia, but God love her, she speaks the truth, doesn't she?  "Don't shoot the messenger!"  Don't tempt me.  <g>  Would a punch to the face be better?  May I offer you a spoonful of your own medicine, perhaps? 

 

I'm kidding.  I like her, in spite of everything.  She's a mess, and it's all gonna hit home with her, one of these days, if the series lives long enough, that is, and I'll bet ya 10 bucks Hank's the one that saves her and straightens her out when it does.  Like I said before, she intends to be Hank, or maybe Hankerella, and she's got a tough act to follow, if nothing else.  Hankerella would make a great name for the little vampire, by the way.    

 

It was almost like having seen all these people as someone else entirely, until we see them at their most honest, vindictive, snarky, assertive, arrogant, awkward, intelligent, phony, heartbroken, vulnerable selves, at the dinner table together, of all things.  A lot like a family might, nobody held anything back when it came to speaking their minds, and you can see how it turns out, when a group of plain-speaking people, and two druggies get together to break bread.  Contained chaos, collective inner turmoil boiling to the surface for everyone to see, except for the Runkles.  They pretty much had that feel good thing happening, I think.  Absolutely everything is cool on Ecstasy, I have to assume from the Runkles.  It has its advantages, this plain speaking, but it wasn't exactly pretty to watch.  At the same time, it was glorious to watch, hilarious and heartbreaking all at the same time.  So convincing.  I'm in awe.

 

But that was along about the middle of the ep, and there was lots more fun and Moody mayhem before and after that. 

 

It starts with Hank goofing off and Karen nagging him to do what she needs him to do, and it isn't playing Guitar Hero.  Very cute scene. 

 

It gets even better for the proposal scene.  Very nice.  I don't guess I need to tell anybody what That Whispery Voice does to me, but rawr, anyway.  I loved that part.  Don't doubt it for a minute.  Hank is such a romantic!  And Karen was so honestly open to it, for a change, and even I could've kissed her for responding the way I would have, for a change!  Woo!  <g>  Honestly, I guess it's just me and my bias, but I have no idea how anybody could reject that kind of offer, from that kind of guy.  Holy Hanklust!  I mean it hurts just to look at him, sometimes, he's just so ...there and so beautiful and earnest.  Looking into those eyes, even through the glass of the TV or computer screen, no less, a signal beamed into my electronics, it's hypnotic, and how anybody could come face-to-face with that and say no, I haven't a clue.  Dignity?  Morals?  What morals?  Define morals.  ;-P  Karen did the right thing is all I'm sayin'.  Two points for her.

 

Next, the little extended family, extended by the addition of the mostly silent, but bemused Jealous!Mia, sitting on her ass at her laptop, while everyone else is preparing for the dinner party.  They talk about her like she's not there, kind of the way she talks about everyone else.  Why is she there?  Karen's concerned she's lonely.  Mia insists alone is not lonely.  Lonely she is not.  That's total BS and she knows it as well as I do, but I've come to think of Mia as someone who can open her mouth and spew truth about anything but herself.  Honest about everything except what's really inside her.  Hank still wants to argue the logic of inviting yet another she-devil into their home, while he uses the blender to his advantage and the irritation of others.

 

Hank's little she-devil comes out of her room, wearing what her mother considers still-inappropriate apparel, Becca complains she already changed once and her mother's insistence that she do it again is annoying.  Karen persists, Hank steps in, and suddenly Becca's back in her room with a closed door between her and her annoying parental units, where she doesn't change again, I noticed later.  Hank makes a cute mediator, btw. 

 

As Mia watches and listens and types up a fury (methinks her next book, "Watching and Typing" [since she seems to go for obvious titles for her literature] is underway), while Hank does that thing he does so often, and yeah, where it used to tickle my Funny!Bob bone, it's beginning to sound a little redundant and egotistical that he has to remind every woman he beds that he does good orgasm (talk about stating the obvious!  I don't even have to be there myself to believe that one).  I realize it's part of the fabric that is Hank.  He has little else to brag about, I suppose, other than his awesomeness in the sack, his ability to cajole and please his prey. 

 

But I guess it's that 'preaching to the choir' effect it has on me that's starting to wear on me.  I just think Hank's witty and intelligent enough to find something else to leave 'em laughing as he leads them to the Heaven in bed that is Hank, than the constant reminders that he knows how to please them.  They know that already, just like we do.  It's cute, to a degree, truth, to the nth degree, but I just think they could use it a little less sparsely than they do and it wouldn't hurt my feelings any.  Positive reinforcement is one thing, but the never-ending boasting about it is another.  I think Hank's charm is in his brazen understatement and this feels like brazen overstatement.  It's like they're afraid if they don't remind the audience frequently why Hank is so attractive to women, no will understand why he is.  :waving:   It's OBVIOUS.  You can stop now.  ;-D

 

Still, bitching and moaning aside, PlayfulBraggart!Hank makes for a ticklish little scene, and I promise I was pleased with the little display of bawdy affection and marriage talk in full view of the Mia.  Note her reactions.  Tap, tap, tap.  I even liked Karen in the scene.  I didn't like the way she asked Hank if he'd heard her say 'yes' to his proposal somewhere, though.  Um ...isn't that sort of what a guy's to assume when you accept the engagement ring?  If still undecided, she had no business taking the ring, IMO.  But I did like the way she couldn't wipe the grin off her face, in spite of her inevitable discomfort with the situation and Hank's big, bawdy mouth.  Had that problem, myself.  Grinning, while I rolled my eyes at Hank's ceaseless tease.  Maybe I was just wishing I was Karen, and that's why the previous paragraph.  Jealous, much?   Possibility.  Already one jealous female in the scene, so you can count one more member of her club.

 

But that which I both love and hate comes to a screeching halt.  It's The Boy.  I love Damien.  Casting shoots, they score!  Two points and an Emmy for casting.  First time I laid eyes on him, I knew I was gonna like this kid and his second appearance really sealed it for me.  He's adorable and fun and cool and intelligent, sensitive, atypical, in a way, and he can hold his own with Hank, seems refreshingly honest and forthright, and as someone else mentioned, he could almost be Hank's son, appearance-wise.  Anybody else think we could be seeing a preview of Miller at 15?  He really does look a lot like David, but that's not what I like best about him.  He's a cool kid, and a great boyfriend for Becca.  "They" say women often pick men just like their fathers, and it took me decades to realize it, but I did.  I think Becca has, too, and in her case, it's a definite score.  Two points for the Becca.

 

"Mia?  Load my shotgun." 

 

Me: :snort:  Mia: :tap, tap, tap: 

 

Loved the test questions Hank used to make his assessment of The Boy, so much so I almost didn't notice Marcy and Charlie on E in the background.  I laugh every time I hear Damien tell Hank why Hank should let him come in.  I was heartened by Hank's new reason to brag, and I noticed he used it a couple of times.  Maybe he'll brag to all his women of his Guitar Hero status once in a while, for variety's sake.  ;-P  I love you, Hank, I promise.  Mwah!  You say whatever you need to say to serve your purpose, my good man.  I'm kinda wearing out the complaint in this piece and it's becoming a little redundant, and therefore, hypocritical of me to complain about it, eh?  The guiltiest person in the room is usually the one complaining the loudest. 

 

It's official. The Runkles are retards.  Hank has spoken.  And spoken.  ;-P  If any of you haven't seen Louis CK's special on Showtime, he makes a case for the use of offensive words, now considered unspeakable, how you can say them without intending prejudice or defamation of any focus group offended by it.  Very funny and true for a lot of us, I think.  Still, I'm a little surprised they get away with using the term, almost every ep now, because I can remember reading where the word has been removed from the dialogue in movies and TV shows in the past, because of complaints from advocates for the handicapped.  I guess it speaks to how relatively obscure a program this is to everyone except us.  Way off mainstream, perhaps, so not worth the scrutiny.  So, shhh!  Don't tell anybody they're constantly using terminology considered offensive and off-limits! 

 

I'm with everyone else, the Runkles never been more hilarious or interesting than they are on drugs, which I guess is why people do drugs.  But it's kind of sad, too, what you know this nearly always leads to, eventually, and how many bad decisions you can make when you're drug-addled, day in and day out.  But truly, they've become one of the highlights of the show, even Charlie, and I didn't really see them as that interesting before.  I've always loved them both, Marcy is a hoot and my second favorite character after Hank, but I was just never as enthralled with their scenes together last season.  But this season, I wouldn't miss them for the world.  I hate that it took a drug problem to make them interesting to me, but perhaps they can keep their appeal steady, even after the drugs are gone, as I'm sure they will be, eventually.

 

I agree with everyone else about Marcy.  She opens her mouth and something totally rockin' is going to come out.  She's just superb in this role, no question.  Charlie's fascination with fabric is amusing and I liked *that* as a running theme in the ep.  <g>  He's a changed man.  And again, too bad it's all drugs.  He's funnier when he's high.

 

Hank's intervention into Becca's bedroom and the 'she could be in her first trimester by now!' was sweetly daddy-like, and I also like it as a recurring theme with Hank.  He's protective of her, because he only has to go as far as the nearest mirror to know what damage men can do to women, and he wants to protect Becca from the kinds of things he knows men and boys are capable of, from a young age.  I'm sure Hank remembers raging hormones, since they never left him, actually, and it results in the over-protective daddy in him.  But better safe than sorry, and I like his attempts to ward off trouble for his offspring.  Hank's a cool Dad and I cherish his humor in handling even the most serious issues.

 

Mia has lovely hair.  Marcy's right. 

 

I've come to despise Julian.  He's so obviously a phony and I love Hank continually calling him on it, but I have to admit, he never backs down.  An answer for everything.  Phonies are like that, just like honest people are, but there's a difference.  Julian appears ever on the defensive, and I think there's a reason for that.  Nevertheless, he's disgusting, like I said before, a pig.  I knew a guy that would just kiss you on the lips like that, without any warning or invitation or asking permission, act like he was going for a friendly hug, and slip a kiss in on you, before you knew what was happening, and I'm sorry, whatever the motive, it's not cool.  Instead of slapping him, my first thought, I, personally, went straight to the restroom and washed the unwanted kiss off, with soap.  Yack.  Julian does it here for the shock value, I think, especially with Hank, challenging him, and again, high-five for Hank's response to it.  Go get him, Hank!  I giggle every time I see the expression Hank follows him into the living room with.  I couldn't have emoted it better myself.

 

Mia and her big mouth and the big dagger she loves twisting in Karen.  She's evil.  J-e-e-e-a-a-a-lous!  She'll do anything to shit on Karen and Hank's potentiality, won't she?  I felt sorry for Sonja, through the whole ep, mostly.  Her naivety is pretty astonishing, for a woman her age, which is why Mia's comment to her, however rude and crude, was dead-on truth she could use.  You'll notice how FeelGood!Marcy said the most well-mannered, albeit false hope-ish thing she could say, like most people would, but Mia says what everyone's thinking.  Sonja would do well to listen to what Mia said, and learn something from the comment, but my guess is, she knows that already, but she wants so much to believe she hasn't made yet another mistake in choosing her man and religion.  She's putting up a front to others that Julian's a great guy that loves her, and it's already obvious to me, he doesn't come anywhere close to deserving the praise she heaps on him, and she knows it. 

 

But I felt for her, anyway.  She's pregnant and desperately needs a man to help her get through that, and now that she knows Hank's back with Karen, an obvious disappointment for her from ep 1, she's clinging by her fingernails to her faith in Julian.  I, too, think she's still after Hank, and most likely will turn on the afterburners, as soon as she learns of Hank and Karen's inevitable split.  And she will, because she's in business with Karen currently. 

 

I'm not liking the scenario at all, I must confess, but I'm also willing to let the people who gave us the show prove to me that they can make this an interesting subplot with a satisfactory conclusion.  I will, however, send my most fervent prayers that the baby belongs to her ex-husband (the first respite I ran to) or Julian, when the baby's true parentage is finally revealed, hopefully, long before the season (series?) finale in December.  I've never been fond of 'who's the daddy' plot devices, but maybe that's just me. 

 

There is one advantage I see to her interference and possible ulterior intentions with Hank.  Sonja could end up playing the Bill role this season, instead of Trixie, as previously mentioned, if anybody's getting my drift.  Hank stepped up his efforts to win back Karen, because he finally realized Karen was serious about Bill, in the series pilot.  She announced her engagement, and Hank (and we) were off and running to get Karen away from Bill and back to Hank.  Maybe this season, Sonja will be the eye-opener for Karen, that what Hank suggested in season one, about how Karen wouldn't be able to stand seeing Hank having fun or getting serious about anyone else could turn out to be true, after all. 

 

She'll see Hank getting all enamored with the nobility of taking care of someone he possibly impregnated, especially now that his beloved has rejected him and carries on without him, and she'll freak.  She'll be in Hank's shoes, trying any and everything to get Hank away from Sonja and her baby, especially, if it's proven Hank didn't do it.  In fact, I can see Hank finding out it's not his, but still feeling bad enough about Sonja's dilemma that he wants to take care of her and the baby anyway, something Julian claims he's prepared to do.  I have my doubts, thanks.  I'm pretty sure Sonja does, too, which is why the pursuit.  But, just a theory.  I think she could be the catalyst Karen needs to lean her back in Hank's direction.  Maybe not.  I'm anxious to see how it pans out, but I hope Hank's not the father.

 

Speaking of Sonja's pursuit of Hank, I, too, question Sonja's motives, in spite of finding her a bit pitiful and worthy of sympathy.  I mean, how convenient is it that she shows up to elicit Karen's expertise with her latest project when she did?  Things are going sour with Julian, she runs into Hank, the guy she's chosen to believe is the father of her child, sees him with Karen and realizes that if she's going to nip this in the bud and rope Hank into a shotgun wedding or child support (and who better to lay guilt on than Hank?  If you're a woman and you know him at all, the way Sonja does, you know it's almost a sure thing he'll bend over backwards to do the right thing by you), she better do it quick. 

 

She was already formulating a way to get her and Karen necessarily involved and together frequently, before they left for the party at Lew's, so she can keep up on the latest from the Moody household, if nothing else.  She insinuated later that she'd intended to tell Hank and/or Karen about her baby's apparent father, and if it really didn't matter, like she said, why even tell them?  If it wasn't to break them up, or get support of some kind from Hank, then why else rear her pregnant head?  I'm suspicious of her, but I still think she might have an interesting role in helping Hank and Karen, loopy as it sounds on 'paper'.  Not hatin' on her yet.  I think Paula is lovely, and Sonja has a pleasing, serene and kind way about her, but she's desperate and confused.  I get that. 

 

The living room with Guitar Hero scene was an oddly intense one, but still funny.  Charlie was funny.  Hank was snarky.  Julian was defensive, surprise.  He spent the whole scene needling Hank and he was enjoying it way too much.  I love how he remained stoic at Hank's constant mocking.  Yeah, he's a phony.  Phony's often take themselves way too seriously, and Julian embodies the symptoms.  I like the guy playing him.  He's good.  But I loathe the guy he's playing.  He does a good job making me dislike him.

 

More cute Daddy!Hank when he ignores the doorbell to place Becca and Damien at a more comfortable (for him) distance.  Go, Hank! 

 

I heart Lew more every ep.  I really couldn't tell you why, but I just think he's a cool guy for a prick.  Not the best friend for Hank to have (as if Charlie is?), because he's a troublemaker and doesn't like doing anything alone.  He wants back-up for his behavior, has that 'c'mon, play with me!' childish thing going on, and Hank's the perfect guy to involve in most anything despicable.  But he's still kind of a tragic figure, knows who he is and doesn't apologize for it, though, and he's funny as Hell, sometimes.  I think he's one of those guys that's a lot smarter and certainly and lot softer inside than you'd think.  He's got that tough, devil-may-care asshole outer shell for a reason.  But I like him.  Mr. Rennie's on my list of new favorites, along with Lew.  I don't think he'll be an ongoing thing beyond this season, but I hope, if the show goes beyond season two, that maybe he'll pop in from time-to-time.  

 

In fact, I even thought Destiny was kinda cool in this episode, and much more likeable with clothes on.  Hank didn't seem to think Lew's idiocy was as funny as he, himself, did, but it was so Hank to side more with the woman scorned (by him), in this situation, and not see the same level of humor Lew did.  Irony, maybe, but humor, not so much. 

 

The dinner table scene ...well, what can I say?  The most uncomfortably funny dining experience I remember for a while.  Little bit of everything, remember.  The Runkles were their hilarious best, Mia her most aggravating, Hank at his most snarky and arrogant self, Karen characteristically anxiety-ridden and helpless to stop anything from happening as in her worst nightmares.  Julian topping Hank in arrogance and boastfulness, the big phony, Sonja, her empathetic and convincing best as a lost individual, Lew and Destiny as friendly antagonists and objective observers, Damien as a silent, but absorbent one, and last and best of all, Becca at her kick-ass, mini-Moody best.  I've never loved Becca more than I did in this scene, and I've loved her a LOT before, and I hope it's a trend we can expect to continue.  Her calmed tirade against Julian was priceless.  Seriously, Hank paled to her in caustic wit and wisdom, and that did, indeed in spades, deserve a slo-o-ow handclap.  Go, Becca!

 

But then, the baby daddy thing rolled around, and it all went heartbreakingly south.  South Pole south.  But I have to mention how nauseatingly real it all seemed to me.  I've never felt more awkward watching a whole table-full of people react to some seriously dicey dinner table discussion, with practically their whole world watching.  Too close for comfort, in fact, but I thought everyone in the scene handled his or her part really well.  I got the impression that Julian was as shocked as everyone else that Hank was the guy Sonja had told him about, and that surprised me.  I thought he'd gone into lavish detail about Sonja's pregnancy for the specific purpose of humiliating and destroying Hank and his tenuous relationship with Karen.  Their disdain for each other couldn't be more obvious.  But it would appear he was actually just trying to make himself look all commendable and holy, to get the admiration and attention from all the ladies in the room because he's such a courageous and decent guy.  That would figure.  Have I mentioned I could kill Mia?  <g>  She-devil is kind of an understatement.  I felt sorry for Karen, too, of course.  Natascha did a fine job of handling her reactions to the startling revelation.  You could see every possibility ahead of her, with this new hitch in the proceedings, going through her head, all at once.  It was thing of beauty to watch, and I really, really felt for her, for a change. 

 

Hank looked pretty vexed, too, but seemed to be hiding it better outwardly, as a man almost surely would.  I'm sure he knew he was in for a spanking, for sure, but trying not to think about how he'd handle Sonja having his child, the obligation involved, and what it could mean to what he hoped was his budding relationship with and marriage to Karen.  I could tell.  David did really well, too.

 

But they all survive the dinner and everybody hangs around after it.  Gall, much?  So Hank goes the diversionary route, and I can only imagine how much he dreaded what was coming when their company departed, and it would figure he'd sneak a smoke in the bathroom.  They're like comfort food.  I wouldn't venture to guess what was going through Hank's head, but I'd assume it wasn't happy thoughts.  I know it's his own doing, this fine mess he's gotten into, and I'm still surprised he was so reckless and random about using condoms, because we had indications to the contrary, or I thought we did, until this episode.  But I still felt sorry for him, and I hope he's being wrongly paternally accused.  Bill was right about one thing; Hank can't get out of his own way, can he?  Poor cool guy.

 

IndignantDaddy!Hank, this time, throwing the wayward children out of his daughter's bedroom, scolding Charlie in the process was cool, but I saw where they were going with it, when they walked out and left their blow on the bed.  No self-respecting coke user would even consider leaving the costly and beloved stash behind, so I noticed how they just pouted their way out of the room, and left the clean up to Hank. 

 

I have a gnawing question as to why there were fast food containers all over the kitchen counter, paper sacks and drink cups with lids and straws, that Becca and Damien and Julian all seemed to be partaking in.  Didn't they all just have dinner?  Why would take out food be necessary at that juncture?  Something tells me there was a last-minute scene change somewhere, maybe nobody got to eat anything of Karen's meal, before the bad news came out, or it all got ruined somehow, and they ended up having to go for take-out to feed everybody?  But then they decided on everyone actually eating Karen's dinner, and forgot about the fast food stuff that shows up, later in the first version.  OR, Becca got up from the table, once the shit had hit the fan, took Damien with her, so maybe they hadn't eaten much, and walked over somewhere close to buy their own dinner?  Julian was just being his usual piggish self by helping himself to their fast food, too.  Otherwise, I'm puzzled about Julian picking up a big sandwich off the counter and Damien and Becca chowing down, when I thought they'd just eaten.  One of those, 'did anybody notice?' things for you.

 

I thought the 'floater' thing was kind of silly, and I could've done without that, but I get where they're trying to amp up the contentiousness between Julian and Hank.  I just don't think they needed the floater to do it.  It's not like it's always an insult to have to relieve yourself in someone else's home.  I'd rather not, if it was me, but when nature calls, you must answer sometimes.  But okay, so Hank took it as vindictiveness.  And oh man, if it were anybody but Mr. Moneybags that the coke belonged to, Hank would be in some big trouble for flushing Lew's purchase down the toilet. 

 

But again, I knew the whole scene was leading to Hank and his insurmountable weakness for most any illegal or unhealthy medicating, and how it always gets him in trouble with Karen, and voila.  Hank realizes he's flushing away some preemo medication, goes for it, and Karen walks in.  I was so not surprised.  CanŐt get out of his own way...  And the ad-lib distraction he tried wasn't working for Karen, or me.  I didn't like the floater idea to begin with, so I wasn't buying it anymore than Karen was.

 

Good thing Lew almost dies from allergic reaction.  Prefect timing, dude!  Actually, I don't think it mattered by that time, but it was still cool that Hank got to save Lew's life.  Nobody else seemed to be doing anything when he ran in, so why not Handy!Hank?  And of course, Charlie's taking everything too literally and I have to admit, I laughed when he stabbed Lew with an ink pen.  But the Hank to the rescue part, I liked.  And Marcy pointing out the foam on Lew's face.  :snort:

 

Lew offers shelter, and I somehow already knew Hank was going to need it, so the ep was heading downward to its heartbreaking closure for me.  Sweet of Hank to try protecting Mia's interests, despite her thievery.  I see Destiny as part of Hank's destiny, with her parting gesture (no pun intended) but I really hope he doesn't go there.  I don't like her *that* much.  

 

Oh man, I love Hank and Damien together, and loved how Becca reacted.  She was so proud of Hank, I could tell.  She actually looked happy, for once.  Not sure when the Runkles left or when Julian and Sonja departed, but I remember wishing we could put off the scene with Karen a little longer.

 

Speaking of, painful though it was, it was strikingly beautiful and realistic to the circumstances.  For the first time, I could relate to Karen.  She finally admitted her contribution the mess she and Hank have made of their relationship, hallelujah, and where it breaks my heart that she turned Hank down, I regretfully admit that it's probably best, in the long run, for her and for the show, actually. 

 

But really, why not just tell him she thinks they should wait a while to start planning a wedding, because she's still unsure of the good sense of that kind of commitment, instead of giving him his ring back, uneasily similar in to Hank's psyche as giving his book back without reading it?  I just thought returning the ring was just shy of cruel, when she really didn't need to make it all so final that way.  But I guess she felt like it was the only decent thing to do, set him free, while she works on herself.  But even that seemed a little selfish to me, knowing what turning Hank out into the world can do to him.   

 

I'm still kind of glad she did it, perhaps for selfish reasons.  I, frankly, think Hank deserves better than the kind of treatment he gets from Karen most days, and I have to hope that when she gets her head on straight, she'll see what she's missing, and she'll learn how to love him for what he is.  He's going to need a lot of slack, certainly, and she knows him well enough, better than anybody, and she really should be able to do that, if she realizes what a treasure he could be to her, if she understood him better.  She could manipulate him to her liking better, if she'd stop trying to change him.  Maybe she'll wise up and maybe she won't, but I have to hope that that's what she'll find out in her solo searching phase; that Hank is, truly, the only guy she'll ever really love, and maybe she can relax and enjoy being loved back the same way.

 

I was already all teary, naturally, huge lump in my throat, but the scene with Becca was so full of win and the scene so punch-to-the-gut raw, I was in full-blown tears, at the end.  So sad.  Did anybody else notice Becca's glance from Satan in Karen's direction?  I could be misinterpreting that look ...may have been, 'guess I better go comfort mother, again, sigh' ...but I got a vibe that Becca blames Karen more for Hank's endless heartbreak than the other way around.  Looked more like her, "I hate you!" look, to me. 

 

I'm bummed that Hank really did give the ring away this time, but oh well.  I have no idea why watching Hank drive away and out of sight in his one headlight-ed Porsche to the rocking refrains of Freebird would make me cry, because it didn't seem like it should, but it did.  I felt more like I should be singing along, bebopping to the beat, my Bic lighter held high.  But I cried all the way through next week's teaser, instead, and had to rewind it and watch it again.  

 

For now, Hank's a free bird and doesn't want to be.  Should be interesting how he gets caged next.  Can't wait!  My Thanks for reading. 

 


 

 

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