"I wouldn't want them to mistake me for a wizard."
This is another splendidly crafted episode, as I keep having to say, but a much lighter one than usual, and certainly than last episode, no doubt as a last bit of lightness before we head towards the finale. Yes, I know; Sam's anxiety about going to uni is a serious thing. So is Casey's unhappiness at Clayton and her apparent subconscious desire to fail. But the serious themes are allowed to unfold in a light and humorous way, at least for now. That's a sure sign that the last two episodes, while unlikely to be humourless, are set to be pretty damn intense.
Sam's stress about art school leads to, as well as the palaver about losing his art portfolio, the epiphany that what seems to be the perfect uni is close to home- and the fact that he has a wonderful sister who would do anything for him even when she has a big scary biology test coming up is the icing on the cake. And Casey, while under said intense pressure, at least has a really supportive boyfriend.
Meanwhile there's Elsa and Doug slowly moving together, their meeting with Julia about autism training for emergency services being sidetracked somewhat while they have a moment of bonding over bad puns. Doug's date with the rather lovely Megan is awkward precisely because there's the question of Elsa, but the episode ends on a hopeful note as he holds out the olive branch of couples counselling and the end up in the shower together. Mmm. Surely something is going to go very wrong very soon to drive them apart again?
All in all that was a very calm episode. There's definitely a storm coming.
Showing posts with label Casey Wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casey Wilson. Show all posts
Saturday, 17 August 2019
Thursday, 15 August 2019
Atypical: Season 2, Episode 7- The Smudging
"Your wall is ringing..."
It seems that my blog of every episode consists of effusive praise about how perfectly crafted it is, which is getting quite repetitive. That’s awkward, because I’m going to do so again. This is awesome, and masterfully dine.
The slow outrage of Sam’s treatment at the hands of the police is simmering here. We learn that Sam has been sending Julia messages in place of his old appointments, something she has seen as harmless, but she is appalled at what happened to Sam. So, naturally are his parents, but this is also bringing them together. They agree that Doug, with his having a police mate, is the person to confront the police- but, while he makes it clear he’s not happy, all he achieves is an assurance that they will keep a photo of Sam to check in case it should happen again, which is clearly not good enough. But by the end Elsa suggests they both produce autism training for emergency services, not a bad idea. I like this; it’s a clever combination of building on their ongoing reconciliation while highlighting a real issue.
On a happier note, Sam has agreed to be with Paige in her lock-in, although she uses the worrying word “platonic”. On a distressing note, though, Casey does the right thing and tells Izzy about Nate’s move on her- only to be blamed and victimised when Izzy believes her skanky, creepy boyfriend. He’s a twat, of course, and I understand Izzy isn’t thinking straight, but isn’t she being incredibly stupid here? After all, why on Earth would Casey have said anything if she had anything to hide? Still, at least the whole incident with the trainers helps her to bond a bit with her mother.
We also get Sam stressing about choosing which uni to attend, and Paige sees him (single now, let’s remember!) getting a kiss from the cute and gothy girl. So many balls in the air yet it all makes total sense. This is good telly.
It seems that my blog of every episode consists of effusive praise about how perfectly crafted it is, which is getting quite repetitive. That’s awkward, because I’m going to do so again. This is awesome, and masterfully dine.
The slow outrage of Sam’s treatment at the hands of the police is simmering here. We learn that Sam has been sending Julia messages in place of his old appointments, something she has seen as harmless, but she is appalled at what happened to Sam. So, naturally are his parents, but this is also bringing them together. They agree that Doug, with his having a police mate, is the person to confront the police- but, while he makes it clear he’s not happy, all he achieves is an assurance that they will keep a photo of Sam to check in case it should happen again, which is clearly not good enough. But by the end Elsa suggests they both produce autism training for emergency services, not a bad idea. I like this; it’s a clever combination of building on their ongoing reconciliation while highlighting a real issue.
On a happier note, Sam has agreed to be with Paige in her lock-in, although she uses the worrying word “platonic”. On a distressing note, though, Casey does the right thing and tells Izzy about Nate’s move on her- only to be blamed and victimised when Izzy believes her skanky, creepy boyfriend. He’s a twat, of course, and I understand Izzy isn’t thinking straight, but isn’t she being incredibly stupid here? After all, why on Earth would Casey have said anything if she had anything to hide? Still, at least the whole incident with the trainers helps her to bond a bit with her mother.
We also get Sam stressing about choosing which uni to attend, and Paige sees him (single now, let’s remember!) getting a kiss from the cute and gothy girl. So many balls in the air yet it all makes total sense. This is good telly.
Wednesday, 7 August 2019
Atypical: Season 2, Episode 4- Pants on Fire
"I'm like your hair cutting pimp."
Another splendidly constructed episode, developing both plot and character with masterful aplomb and centring it all around the theme of lying. It's brilliantly bookended by Sam's two essays, the first criticised for being too literally truthful and the concluding essay showing a less literal, and thus more truthful, kind of truth about his friendship with Zahid.
This conceit leads to some magnificent drama- Sam telling Elsa that she's the biggest liar he knows, and practising the lying techniques he's learned from the magnificent Zahid on poor Paige, making her believe he's with someone else, with, er, bloody consequences. Yet, as ever, the humour has pathos lying behind it.
We also get Casey being endearingly shy with Evan about her drunken exploits, though- it leads to lots of adorable banter but, I think, shows a real vulnerability to Casey. We also see her concern for Doug, who insists he's coping but ends up collapsing. And Sam's most triumphantly successful lie also saves Zahid from losing his job. Most endearingly of all, Julia slowly comes to terms with the fact that she's pregnant.
This is at once a particularly funny episode and, underneath, a particularly dark one, showing how fragile our lives are and how close we are to disaster.
Another splendidly constructed episode, developing both plot and character with masterful aplomb and centring it all around the theme of lying. It's brilliantly bookended by Sam's two essays, the first criticised for being too literally truthful and the concluding essay showing a less literal, and thus more truthful, kind of truth about his friendship with Zahid.
This conceit leads to some magnificent drama- Sam telling Elsa that she's the biggest liar he knows, and practising the lying techniques he's learned from the magnificent Zahid on poor Paige, making her believe he's with someone else, with, er, bloody consequences. Yet, as ever, the humour has pathos lying behind it.
We also get Casey being endearingly shy with Evan about her drunken exploits, though- it leads to lots of adorable banter but, I think, shows a real vulnerability to Casey. We also see her concern for Doug, who insists he's coping but ends up collapsing. And Sam's most triumphantly successful lie also saves Zahid from losing his job. Most endearingly of all, Julia slowly comes to terms with the fact that she's pregnant.
This is at once a particularly funny episode and, underneath, a particularly dark one, showing how fragile our lives are and how close we are to disaster.
Thursday, 1 August 2019
Atypical: Season 2, Episode 3- Little Dude and the Lion
“Was that a brag or an apology?”
More superb character development this week as Sam recognises his “pack” is falling apart, leaving him vulnerable to predators. His mother has left the family home after an affair; his girlfriend has left him but with the door confusingly ajar; his sister is at another school; his former therapist has other clients. And yet he’s coping well- even after running out of class after too much stimulation he copes rather well- and he finishes the episode determined to go away to college and determined to get there.
Coping much less well are his parents, who struggle to communicate the parenting stuff, leading Doug to finally admit that, while it may have been Elsa having the affair, he needs to cooperate more with her on Sam’s appointments. Julia is in denial about the baby and unsure whether to marry her boyfriend; it was, I think, unfair of him to spring it on her like that but the whole thing is a mess of gender expectations. The door to being with Paige is opened a little, though, as she agrees to walk with Sam at busy periods. And Casey, in detention, gets to bond a little over vodka(!) with her tormentor Izzy, who turns out to be ether less upper class than thought. But she’s still confused and, perhaps, guilty about how she lost her virginity, wanting to dial things down a bit until the “second first time”.
But she’s in trouble with her mum about the vodka. Oops. I suspect Elsa will be rather less understanding than mine was at that age.
Oh, and it seems this is all set in Connecticut, not Texas?
More superb character development this week as Sam recognises his “pack” is falling apart, leaving him vulnerable to predators. His mother has left the family home after an affair; his girlfriend has left him but with the door confusingly ajar; his sister is at another school; his former therapist has other clients. And yet he’s coping well- even after running out of class after too much stimulation he copes rather well- and he finishes the episode determined to go away to college and determined to get there.
Coping much less well are his parents, who struggle to communicate the parenting stuff, leading Doug to finally admit that, while it may have been Elsa having the affair, he needs to cooperate more with her on Sam’s appointments. Julia is in denial about the baby and unsure whether to marry her boyfriend; it was, I think, unfair of him to spring it on her like that but the whole thing is a mess of gender expectations. The door to being with Paige is opened a little, though, as she agrees to walk with Sam at busy periods. And Casey, in detention, gets to bond a little over vodka(!) with her tormentor Izzy, who turns out to be ether less upper class than thought. But she’s still confused and, perhaps, guilty about how she lost her virginity, wanting to dial things down a bit until the “second first time”.
But she’s in trouble with her mum about the vodka. Oops. I suspect Elsa will be rather less understanding than mine was at that age.
Oh, and it seems this is all set in Connecticut, not Texas?
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