Episode Ten (Smoldering Children) Member Reviews

[Infantata]

Yet another fun fact-filled episode, which still brought up questions!

While I didn't like their continuing take on what they now call "Boy Dahlia" - Travis's murder, I was happy to finally see an episode dedicated to Constance, even though it was a bit gratuitous. By the time she visited Larry at the end, I had my fill of Miss Lange for the night. But she still owns the screen like no other!

• We learned what happened to Hugo after being shot by Constance. I don't know who to feel more sorry for - Hugo or the dogs!
  
• We learned how Larry got burned. Tate had a busy school day!
  
• We learned something crucial about Violet that most of us have speculated on since the Rubber Man episode.
  
• We learned Larry may not be back in circulation for the remainder of the season or any other season.
  

Now for my question: Has Tate know all along that he's been a ghost since he died, or is that just a misconception by Constance? He tells Violet at the end of Smoldering that he didn't want to introduce himself as a ghost to Violet when she moved in. He had to have known at some point before she arrived that he was dead and ghosty.

[dawndilion]

Cool! A discussion post. Now to try to gather my thoughts from last night. I couldn't shut my brain off and go to sleep, so I'm functioning (I use that term loosely) on about 4 hours of sleep.

• I thought killing Travis in the last episode seemed kind of useless, but I have to admit that my Grinch heart grew about three sizes when I saw him playing tea with Larry's little girls. Travis seems to be an anomaly among the ghosts. He doesn't care at all that he' dead. He's gleeful about it. He seems kind of dimwitted, but kind-hearted. Wish we could've seen more of that when he was alive, but there are so many characters it probably would've been impossible.
  
• I think Tate's known all along. I don't think Billie Jean is some sort of amazing psychic, but I think she probably is the type who just tells people what they want to hear. Fact is, Tate probably feels better off in death than he did in life, but that's not something Constance would want to hear.
  
• I love the phrase "scenery chewing" when talking about Constance. Jessica Lange cranks it up to 11 and I think she's amazing.
  
• I think this has been my favorite episode so far. It was Constance and Tate-centric so that makes me a happy camper. There were scenes where I teared-up a bit. I feel like there are three groups about Tate: those that see him as a complete monster, those who just want to get in his pants, and those that see him as a complex character. I think he really loves Violet and he's never felt that for anyone before. The scene with him and Vi in the crawlspace broke my heart.
  

[amity]

Dec 8, 2011 8:51:04 GMT -5 Infantata said:

Yet another fun fact-filled episode, which still brought up questions!

While I didn't like their continuing take on what they now call "Boy Dahlia" - Travis's murder, I was happy to finally see an episode dedicated to Constance, even though it was a bit gratuitous. By the time she visited Larry at the end, I had my fill of Miss Lange for the night. But she still owns the screen like no other!

• We learned what happened to Hugo after being shot by Constance. I don't know who to feel more sorry for - Hugo or the dogs!
  
• We learned how Larry got burned. Tate had a busy school day!
  
• We learned something crucial about Violet that most of us have speculated on since the Rubber Man episode.
  
• We learned Larry may not be back in circulation for the remainder of the season or any other season.
  

Now for my question: Has Tate know all along that he's been a ghost since he died, or is that just a misconception by Constance? He tells Violet at the end of Smoldering that he didn't want to introduce himself as a ghost to Violet when she moved in. He had to have known at some point before she arrived that he was dead and ghosty.

I will take travis any way they want to show him lol
and i think both constance and tate lie a lot.

[amity]

Dec 8, 2011 12:09:32 GMT -5 dawndilion said:

Cool! A discussion post. Now to try to gather my thoughts from last night. I couldn't shut my brain off and go to sleep, so I'm functioning (I use that term loosely) on about 4 hours of sleep.

• I thought killing Travis in the last episode seemed kind of useless, but I have to admit that my Grinch heart grew about three sizes when I saw him playing tea with Larry's little girls. Travis seems to be an anomaly among the ghosts. He doesn't care at all that he' dead. He's gleeful about it. He seems kind of dimwitted, but kind-hearted. Wish we could've seen more of that when he was alive, but there are so many characters it probably would've been impossible.
  
• I think Tate's known all along. I don't think Billie Jean is some sort of amazing psychic, but I think she probably is the type who just tells people what they want to hear. Fact is, Tate probably feels better off in death than he did in life, but that's not something Constance would want to hear.
  
• I love the phrase "scenery chewing" when talking about Constance. Jessica Lange cranks it up to 11 and I think she's amazing.
  
• I think this has been my favorite episode so far. It was Constance and Tate-centric so that makes me a happy camper. There were scenes where I teared-up a bit. I feel like there are three groups about Tate: those that see him as a complete monster, those who just want to get in his pants, and those that see him as a complex character. I think he really loves Violet and he's never felt that for anyone before. The scene with him and Vi in the crawlspace broke my heart.
  

jessica lange should be in every tv show ever written. she is a gift from the tv gods. playing large and still watchable, not easy to do.

[kayekaye]

Taissa sure changed my mind about the Violet character last night. She had only been able to brood previously, so I enjoyed the focus on her last night.

And holy crap on a stick! Our man Tate is really strong for a scrawny high school kid when he gets his undies in a bundle. Always such a psycho and I kinda don't like it - especially when he does it twice in one episode. (Ben and the exterminator) Seriously - padded room for the criminally insane material.

I agree with dawn on the Travis thing. He was so good about making Addie feel normal and now he is helping the girls be not so lonely. What a sweetie! The scene with Larry's wife and daughters made me think of the scenes in Beetlejuice where the Maitlands go to get advice from Juno about how to deal with being dead and all the staff at the agency are shown in their manner of death. Juno with her slashed neck. the receptionist with the slashed wrists and that mail guy who was flattened by a car. Kinda had to laugh about his wife's smoldering face. It was a really informative hour that's for sure!