With the show's environment and story settled after the time jump, strangely I still feel like I'm adjusting. For while nothing really major has happened when it comes to character development, outside of Betty, the show just feels different in a way which just doesn't appeal to me. Be it because I miss Bill interacting with patients, Scully being on the show, or it seeming like Virginia had her own life outside of Bill, something feels absent from this episode which made it a bit hard to finish.
Topic 1: See Me As Who I Think I Am – Libby & Flo
With Libby helping CORE she finally has something which she can call her own. A job which, unfortunately for Bill, means his wife isn't just his little housewife waiting for him to get home. Now, between Bill's mom, Pauline, Virginia, and her work in CORE, Libby has found some sort of way to make it so Bill is no longer the center of her life. She now has people who need her, want her, could use her help, and show they are appreciative of it. Something Bill hasn't shown possibly in years.
As for Flo, with her business growing bigger and bigger, and she getting almost everything she wants, she sets her eyes back on Dr. Langham. Someone who she recognizes prefers young and petite girls, but with her on a mission to get some from him, she proves to him preferences aren't set in stone. However, with him seemingly having sex with her out of pity, or just so she would finally get it off her mind, it seems she didn't achieve her goal of having him see her as more than a boss abusing her position. For while Flo is probably the most confidant woman, and person, on the show, it doesn't mean she doesn't desire the feeling of someone lusting over her body and sharing pleasure. And with the way Dr. Austin acts, you can see he chinks her armor a little bit. Not enough to make her cry or anything of that nature, but you can tell he stung her a bit with him, even after them having sex twice, still not showing any real interest in her.
Topic 2: Strength in Vulnerability (Part 1) – Lester & Barbara
As we saw in the last episode, Lester has a developing crush on Barbara. Issue is, Lester is terrible at having conversations with people. Especially if the topic doesn't have to deal with films or film history. So when he approaches Barbara they have a conversation in which he offends her due to this lack of belief in God and thinking faith, among other things, is a bit silly. However, during their second conversation, he tries to explain how his view point came about. Something which Barbara accepts, as well as his apology, and through him opening up to her about his issues with faith, it leads to him revealing his sexual dysfunction and, in return, she reveals hers. And it seems this little victory, in terms of talking with a woman successfully, puts a little pep in Lester's step. Now, whether or not he and Barbara may become something can't be said for sure, but certainly the ground work has been laid down.
Topic 3: Strength in Vulnerability (Part 2) – Bill, Francis, and Virginia
As Virginia continues to go to therapy, as mentioned in the last episode, we are shown more signs that Bill should perhaps join her. For with his impotence caused likely by his increasingly lack of control over his finances, his wife slipping away, and now his brother's desire to repeatedly bring up the past, you can see some of the current reasons why Bill is having issues. Though the real meat of Bill's story comes from him dealing with Francis who, with his program, is starting to weird out their mother, and really upset Bill.
For with Bill slowly becoming protective of his mom, and disliking how Francis calls her an alcoholic, he decides to really push Francis' buttons. Though, I should note, Francis calling their mother an alcoholic was just what lit the match, what set Bill on fire was Francis implying Bill was an alcoholic and him continuing to make their suffering, during their upbringing, a sense of "we" suffered instead of "You" suffered and perhaps "I" did as well. Thus leading Bill to damn near turn into the spawn of Lucifer. He pushes Francis by reminding him of how he, Bill, took Francis Sr.'s punishment and hits like a man. He didn't cower before him or become a clown to subdue his anger, he stood his ground, took what Francis Sr. gave him, and has become a man. One which he openly admits is like his father and through the taunting and insults, he shows Francis Jr. that it doesn't take a single drink to reveal they both are their father's sons.
And with Bill going so far with Francis, he gets punched in the face a few times. Something which, again, he takes like a huge slab of meat. But when he joins Virginia, and the iron wall comes down, he weeps for what he has done. He long ago abandoned his only brother to an alcoholic monster, and then, as his brother tries to finish the last bit of his recovery, Bill punishes him for not validating his victim hood; not surviving the way he did; and daring to want to share, with the only person who knows, what it was like to be the son of Francis Masters Sr. The guilt swoops over Bill and, as always, Virginia is there to wipe the tears. Leading to the moment being a bit ruined by Bill's impotence suddenly going away.
Topic 1: See Me As Who I Think I Am – Libby & Flo
With Libby helping CORE she finally has something which she can call her own. A job which, unfortunately for Bill, means his wife isn't just his little housewife waiting for him to get home. Now, between Bill's mom, Pauline, Virginia, and her work in CORE, Libby has found some sort of way to make it so Bill is no longer the center of her life. She now has people who need her, want her, could use her help, and show they are appreciative of it. Something Bill hasn't shown possibly in years.
As for Flo, with her business growing bigger and bigger, and she getting almost everything she wants, she sets her eyes back on Dr. Langham. Someone who she recognizes prefers young and petite girls, but with her on a mission to get some from him, she proves to him preferences aren't set in stone. However, with him seemingly having sex with her out of pity, or just so she would finally get it off her mind, it seems she didn't achieve her goal of having him see her as more than a boss abusing her position. For while Flo is probably the most confidant woman, and person, on the show, it doesn't mean she doesn't desire the feeling of someone lusting over her body and sharing pleasure. And with the way Dr. Austin acts, you can see he chinks her armor a little bit. Not enough to make her cry or anything of that nature, but you can tell he stung her a bit with him, even after them having sex twice, still not showing any real interest in her.
Topic 2: Strength in Vulnerability (Part 1) – Lester & Barbara
As we saw in the last episode, Lester has a developing crush on Barbara. Issue is, Lester is terrible at having conversations with people. Especially if the topic doesn't have to deal with films or film history. So when he approaches Barbara they have a conversation in which he offends her due to this lack of belief in God and thinking faith, among other things, is a bit silly. However, during their second conversation, he tries to explain how his view point came about. Something which Barbara accepts, as well as his apology, and through him opening up to her about his issues with faith, it leads to him revealing his sexual dysfunction and, in return, she reveals hers. And it seems this little victory, in terms of talking with a woman successfully, puts a little pep in Lester's step. Now, whether or not he and Barbara may become something can't be said for sure, but certainly the ground work has been laid down.
Topic 3: Strength in Vulnerability (Part 2) – Bill, Francis, and Virginia
As Virginia continues to go to therapy, as mentioned in the last episode, we are shown more signs that Bill should perhaps join her. For with his impotence caused likely by his increasingly lack of control over his finances, his wife slipping away, and now his brother's desire to repeatedly bring up the past, you can see some of the current reasons why Bill is having issues. Though the real meat of Bill's story comes from him dealing with Francis who, with his program, is starting to weird out their mother, and really upset Bill.
For with Bill slowly becoming protective of his mom, and disliking how Francis calls her an alcoholic, he decides to really push Francis' buttons. Though, I should note, Francis calling their mother an alcoholic was just what lit the match, what set Bill on fire was Francis implying Bill was an alcoholic and him continuing to make their suffering, during their upbringing, a sense of "we" suffered instead of "You" suffered and perhaps "I" did as well. Thus leading Bill to damn near turn into the spawn of Lucifer. He pushes Francis by reminding him of how he, Bill, took Francis Sr.'s punishment and hits like a man. He didn't cower before him or become a clown to subdue his anger, he stood his ground, took what Francis Sr. gave him, and has become a man. One which he openly admits is like his father and through the taunting and insults, he shows Francis Jr. that it doesn't take a single drink to reveal they both are their father's sons.
And with Bill going so far with Francis, he gets punched in the face a few times. Something which, again, he takes like a huge slab of meat. But when he joins Virginia, and the iron wall comes down, he weeps for what he has done. He long ago abandoned his only brother to an alcoholic monster, and then, as his brother tries to finish the last bit of his recovery, Bill punishes him for not validating his victim hood; not surviving the way he did; and daring to want to share, with the only person who knows, what it was like to be the son of Francis Masters Sr. The guilt swoops over Bill and, as always, Virginia is there to wipe the tears. Leading to the moment being a bit ruined by Bill's impotence suddenly going away.
