Sequence Five Discussion Thread

[Jack Malone]

AUDITION | "Sixth Time's The Charm" Review

Fell behind a bit, but I'm catching up. This episode of Audition was an oddly refreshing one. It carried the weight of Alex's darker story, but approached it in a more lighthearted way that was paired really well with a subplot of both his friends secretly planning a birthday party for him, and the more public return of Angela, who fits back into the fabric of the show really well. 

The subplots aside for a second, I wanted to talk primarily about Alex's story. I think it's been really hard watching him get rejected again and again, and sink into himself in a way that we haven't seen before. Obviously, that is building him towards a specific direction, but things were able to slow down a bit in this one and allow us inside his head a little bit. And you did it in a really creative way — the setting of that waiting room, the character of Manny, and the nice little twist at the end of it. The setting was perfect. I think anyone who has auditioned, or essentially gone for a job interview, knows those feelings of sitting in a room waiting to be called in. I think it was the perfect place to put Alex for us to understand his thoughts, his feelings, and have all those dots connect from the previous episodes. As for the character of Manny, he was a genuinely sweet character that seemed to relate to Alex on a level that allowed him to open up. But there was a point towards the end of the Manny/Alex interaction where I was starting to feel like there was a huge information dump and things felt a little forced, and I was trying to reconcile with the fact that Alex is opening up to a complete stranger, and so that reveal that Manny was a figment of his imagination, and he was talking to himself, essentially... it was just the perfect reversal and made everything really clear. I understand the show is grounded in reality, and so the way you tackle ideas often outside of reality are so creative, and are used in a way that brings out the best of your characters or your story. So I really appreciated this entire scene for Alex, and the unpredictable way you went about explaining his feelings, and what he's been going through. So props for that, it was really well done. 

Also, before I move on, I wasn't expecting a happy ending at all. When Alex got the phone call, I was on the edge of my seat and the dialogue started to lean in one way and I was freaking out, and so it was like you were there with him. I'm sure there are more bumps in the road to come for Alex, but this was a victory that was very much needed and I'm glad it was a positive outcome for an overly positive episode of the show.   

While all that's going on for Alex, his friends were planning a party for him, and it brought a lot of humour to the episode. As I said, this felt like a lighthearted episode of Audition that was quite refreshing to read, especially because it came in a way of bringing all the characters together. There were some nice moments between Alisha and David — which I enjoyed the line about tension fading and a friendship reigniting — and it was nice to see Paula back at her best and bringing so many damn laughs to the table. And we even got a really great Rose/Alex moment to open the episode up that really tackled my concerns about her actions in the previous episode — I was super convinced that Rose's conclusion to send Alex to an audition was a terrible idea, but Alex didn't need much convincing and there was an understanding that just going to it made him feel a little better about things too. 

Lastly, Angela resurfaced and reunited with everyone. I'm really happy about her being back. And at first, it was an excitement to see this dynamic between her and Alisha, but it's grown to include everyone. I hope we see bonds form and new dynamics to come out of Angela's return to the show. And I hope it's as permanent as it can be. I loved her gifts to everyone, primarily her gift to Rose. It was a nice callback for the show, and as you know, I absolutely love when things tie back into earlier seasons (which is why Angela showing up in the first place is making me all kinds of happy). I also love how she won over Paula with tater tots.

Honestly, this whole episode and the interactions we had, and the fun that was involved with all the characters coming together... I left the episode wanting these scenes to run on for pages and pages. And so I need to remember when you do a "pick your top five episodes of the sequence" poll at the end of this sequence that "Sixth Time's The Charm" is at the very top. I have zero complaints. It was a wonderful episode. 

[Jack Malone]

AUDITION | "Georgia Boy" Review

This was a pretty game-changing episode of Audition. From something as simple as hearing advice, to admitting secret feelings, to really awful news, 'Georgia Boy' definitely had the tone and the vibe of a mid-season finale that has me pretty upset about the show being on hiatus (but obviously that's paired with the excitement to see it come back for more episodes). 

First up, I have to talk about Alex. I think I was expecting bad news to come from the audition, but a part of me also entertained the idea that he would get the job and be unable to cope/balance it or something with what's going on in his life right now. So the revelation at episode's end was still quite a shock, especially after an episode of seeing him finally be free and happy. With his story, I really liked how you "visually" showed us his recount of leaving the audition, and how we got to see that in his telling of the events to David. Plus, the callback to the twerking was great. I love when references, or quick flashbacks to prior events/episodes are featured because it gives new relevancy to old scenes/stories (which happens again later, but I'll talk about that in a second). Beyond that, it was just nice to see Alex be free and happy. And I think, as much as I was expecting bad news on some level, it came to a point where you were hoped being this happy and being in this environment with his friends would keep him in that "high" enough for the bad news not to be completely earth-shattering, so when that moment did happen... it still maintained its power, especially because of the direct contrast it had to everything else in the episode for him. 

I think my favourite story in the episode came with Paula. There are always little moments with her that crack me up, and I think as the series has developed, you've been a lot more subtle with her quirks and really balanced those with some of the meatier arcs she's had. So the "dog shaped ice cream maker" bit was hilarious, and it also gave us insight into some of the things she does when she's upset (as learned by her sister Judy). Speaking of which, it was great to have Judy back. Their whole scene was the highlight of the episode for me. I loved it. And not just because it contained the moment when Paula finally admitted to having feelings for Michael. I think it was just crafted really well, especially starting it with Judy having a video chat after having sex with this guy she knew back in high school, and then ending it with Judy wanting Paula to do the same if her night ends that way with Michael. So it wasn't just a funny, and insightful scene, but it was structured really well, too. Obviously, revealing her feelings for Michael didn't go to plan, and obviously as a "viewer" that pisses me off, but I think those road bumps and the suspense and waiting for things to happen... it makes the moment where these characters finally do get together so much more powerful, and if all goes well, hopefully that's a moment that happens in the finale. I'm pretty locked into this journey. I think it's been handled really well. But underneath all of that I am definitely screaming at you because they should be together damn it. 

In talking about Paula, and you being super crafty with everything in this episode, I really liked how you paralleled her story with Alisha and her experiences in this episode. Hearing Alisha talk about Kelsey, and feeling like she was too late... it was cool to see that mirrored in Paula trying to tell Michael about how she feels for him. I also liked the added touch of the quick flashback, remembering their dance together. And I like the discussions of trying to get over someone you never even dated. I think there's a lot of pain there — a lot of picturing moments and hoping for moments that they never got to share, and feeling the hope that they would, only for it to never become a reality and to never align with the feelings you have. I appreciate that story, especially for Alisha. I think its a good continuation of what she's been through, and honours a lot of that, in regards to her dynamic with Kelsey as well. Again, I get a little nervous about Kelsey because I didn't see anything in their relationship that made me want to see it come to fruition. And I'm not necessarily sure if Alisha's arc about moving through this pain would be best served with finally being paired up with Kelsey by season's end, but I'm always open to see what happens and where things go, and I trust whatever you do will be awesome whether I ship it/like it or not. 

One of the more surprising aspects of the episode came in the form of one Angela Davis. She's definitely solidifying herself as an empathetic character who is able to take her own experiences, feel what people are going through or even feel who people are, and apply her experiences to theirs in hopes of guiding them out of a shitty situation/outlook. At first, I didn't really like Angela's interaction with Mia. But I sat with it for a while and I think knowing that it affected Mia on a more introspective level... it felt less rude than I had read it the first time. But I do feel like Mia was trying to connect with Angela, and her methods of doing that are almost habitual at this point. Maybe Angela's advice was needed, because I felt like Mia trying to gossip and trying to connect through that "ice-breaker" of sorts... it reflected who she was BDS (Before-David-Sullivan), or at least reflects how she is or how she thinks she should be around women, in order to solidify a bond. It makes me want to either see more interactions between Mia/Angela, or to see Mia come out of that interaction and question herself a little and maybe change. 

While I'm on the topic of Mia, it was so good to have her back. I love this character. She's grown so much. And I definitely have a perception of her that is so different to how Angela saw her or experienced her (although I understood the impression she got). I just hope there's more of Mia in the back half because I would hate to see the development and progression of that character be sidelined. And I think, in terms of offering anything beyond "I want more of her," you know David is my favourite character on the show, and he manages to steal a lot of scenes for me by just being a supporting character in Alex's world and Alex's storyline. So even doing the same for Mia would be great. *starts the Mia Edwards Defense Squad* 

Overall, I thought it was a really great episode. Again, I always have to distinguish between the fan who has their bias and loves specific characters and relationships and wants them all to be happy, with the guy that appreciates the writing and loves how you go about telling the stories and delivering the character/relationship development that makes me love the show in the first place. So while the fan in me is screaming at so many of the painful moments that took place in this episode — because these characters deserve nothing but love and happiness — I have nothing but appreciation and admiration for the stories you're telling and how you go about telling them. So, all in all, this was a perfect "mid-season finale" and I can't wait for the show to come back. And hopefully I can keep up week to week this time, haha! 

[Brady Brown]

Jul 6, 2017 4:03:43 GMT -6 A. Blackwood said:

5.07 "Raven of LA" review

Look at me, getting two reviews done within a week. This is what happens when I have time off work! Anyway, on to my opinions of Audition's seventh episode of sequence five, "Raven of LA".

Thank you SO MUCH for this review! Sorry it's taken me this long to reply. Life is so busy!

Alisha & Angela

I always love good character development and Angela's character development has been huge. Considering Angela started off as what appeared to be a very two-dimensional antagonist, it's been incredibly interesting to see her get to the point where she could very well become a good friend of Alisha's. That said, did you realise early on that Angela and Alisha would be sharing so many scenes? Because reading their names one after the other when they are so similar did make me have to stop sometimes and really check who was actually speaking, haha! Not really a criticism, because if this was filmed they sound different enough, they just look similar on paper. Might be something to consider when you're bringing in new characters though.

I've wanted to bring Angela back for a long time, and I think with Alisha's current storyline was the perfect time for her to show back up. Sorry their names both start with "A" haha but yes I definitely knew they would be sharing a bulk of their scenes together when Angela returned.

Regarding their shared scenes though, again I'm loving how the show is avoiding petty drama. It would have been really easy for Alisha to not want anything to do with Angela or hold and grudge, and it would have been really easy to not have Angela address her past behaviour. Instead, Alisha shows an understanding of the situation Angela was in at the time, and Angela owns up to the fact she was a pretty terrible person and not just because of outside reasons. If these two characters were going to have a chance of a believable future friendship then these things needed to be addressed properly and I think you did that really well, following on from the last time Alisha and Angela saw each other.

I don't really like pettiness in drama (or, at least, when it takes over the majority of the show) so I'm definitely trying to steer clear of that route. Alisha (and Angela) have grown too much to harbor grudges like that. Glad you're enjoying their dynamic so far

In another throw back to the last time Angela and Alisha were together, we have Angela being the support that Alisha seems to be needing at the moment. It was a nice full circle having Angela repeat Alisha's words to her, and the fact that Angela expended on it too shows how she has obviously been reflecting and rebuilding herself as a person since we last saw her. It was a really nice scene they shared together before their karaoke song, but unfortunately the karaoke part itself really took me out of this scene. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a bit tongue-in-cheek or a bit of a shoutout to a role Elizabeth Gillies has had before, but the fact that this scene mirrored a scene from 'Victorious' didn't sit the best with me (and in all honesty, I wouldn't have know that the scene existed in Victorious except that I had seen that clip before on Facebook or Tumblr and remembered the song). I feel the scene would have been fine for me if it had been any other song, but as it stands it was really scene breaking. If it was meant to be a shout-out then that makes a lot more sense and makes it seem a bit more fun, but I feel it would have worked a lot better if it was something more subtle.

That said, Angela and Alisha's scenes in this episode were some of my favourites and I really hope Angela will be sticking around for a while!

Yeah, I've definitely seen that before. I didn't want to not put the scene in the episode because of that though. I chose the song back in sequence 1, and thought it was the perfect way to bring this newfound friendship full circle by having them sing it again. The context from this episode is different than the "Victorious" one though. I try not to base creative decisions over if another show has done something similar, but I definitely get what you're saying with the same actor singing the same song.

The Band

It was nice to catch up with the band again in this episode and see what they're up to, and it seems to be arguments and misunderstandings all around unfortunately. I feel sorry for Rose here because she's working to try and make sure everyone is happy but it seems like Robbie and Stella will be butting heads for a while yet. It's annoying (in a good way) that they keep arguing about Trey and other things, because I feel like Stella might have a really good reason for acting the way she does but unless she actually opens up and tells everyone that reason the band is probably going to be having a lot more arguments. I'm also trying to work out if there is history with Stella and Trey, or if Trey maybe just reminds Stella of someone which is why she's being really protective of him.

Either way, I am more intrigued by Stella than annoyed by her at this point. I'm curious to see more of her (and the whole band) just so some of these questions will be answered and I'm not left making up wild theories in my head.

You're definitely supposed to be intrigued with why Stella acts the way she does. I'm hoping to fit in her backstory in the back half of s5, but if not then definitely within the first few episodes of s6. She's a really stubborn character, and I enjoy writing her a whole lot because she's so different from everyone else. Lots of Stella, Trey, and the band during the rest of the sequence tho!

Alex and David

I think Jack might have mentioned it in his review from what I remember, but the scene with Alex and David felt a little bit off in a way I can't just put my finger on. In all honesty it could just be how out of character Alex is acting that makes his interactions at the moment seem odd, which is actually a good thing because it's not just the characters noticing something is up, but us as readers too. We also got a little bit of insight into what David could be heading into in the future, that being comics. I don't think anyone would be surprised by this but it will be interesting to see what aspect of the comic world he'll end up in- is it going to be as simple as owning a comic book store or is he going to get into writing or drawing?

A majority of Alex's scenes are going to feel off for a while. He's going through a large shift in his mental health, and it's taking a toll on how he interacts with people around him. I don't want to reveal what David attempts to do in the comic book field. Hopefully it's something that's satisfying and surprising at the same time

And finally we have Alex doing a really dumb thing and accepting drugs. I was so mad at this but at the same time, I know people who have done the exact same thing- in fact, that was probably why I was so mad. Audition has always proclaimed to be a drama/comedy and I feel like, while it has become more balanced between these two genres as time goes on, this sequence is definitely focused on the drama so far, particularly with Alex's fairly heavy storyline so far. All I can say is I really hope Alex doesn't end up too deep in this hole, because it's going to be a heck of a struggle to dig himself even with the help of friends.

I want Alex's decisions (such as this one) to definitely be rooted in understanding from the audience. He's got a lot going on, and he doesn't know how to handle it, so he'll look for anything that will help him not be so sad all of the time. This sequence is probably the darkest one, but I still hope to find a balance between that and the comedy aspect. This story is a lot of fun to write for Alex, and a lot more happens in the upcoming eps!

Overall

A very long episode (20 pages I think?) of Audition that was mostly all hits except for that one scene I mentioned earlier in the review. At the moment I feel like we're mostly cruising, and while there are things happening it also feels like more of a slow build for a number of storylines that will probably come to a head around the mid-season if I had to guess. So on the whole a good episode and I'm looking forward to catching up and seeing what's happening in the newest episodes.

Thanks again for reading! Hope you enjoy the next few episodes!

[Brady Brown]

Jul 14, 2017 15:55:41 GMT -6 Jack Malone said:

AUDITION | "Sixth Time's The Charm" Review

Fell behind a bit, but I'm catching up. This episode of Audition was an oddly refreshing one. It carried the weight of Alex's darker story, but approached it in a more lighthearted way that was paired really well with a subplot of both his friends secretly planning a birthday party for him, and the more public return of Angela, who fits back into the fabric of the show really well. 

YAY FOR REFRESHING AUDITION EPS!

The subplots aside for a second, I wanted to talk primarily about Alex's story. I think it's been really hard watching him get rejected again and again, and sink into himself in a way that we haven't seen before. Obviously, that is building him towards a specific direction, but things were able to slow down a bit in this one and allow us inside his head a little bit. And you did it in a really creative way — the setting of that waiting room, the character of Manny, and the nice little twist at the end of it. The setting was perfect. I think anyone who has auditioned, or essentially gone for a job interview, knows those feelings of sitting in a room waiting to be called in. I think it was the perfect place to put Alex for us to understand his thoughts, his feelings, and have all those dots connect from the previous episodes. As for the character of Manny, he was a genuinely sweet character that seemed to relate to Alex on a level that allowed him to open up. But there was a point towards the end of the Manny/Alex interaction where I was starting to feel like there was a huge information dump and things felt a little forced, and I was trying to reconcile with the fact that Alex is opening up to a complete stranger, and so that reveal that Manny was a figment of his imagination, and he was talking to himself, essentially... it was just the perfect reversal and made everything really clear. I understand the show is grounded in reality, and so the way you tackle ideas often outside of reality are so creative, and are used in a way that brings out the best of your characters or your story. So I really appreciated this entire scene for Alex, and the unpredictable way you went about explaining his feelings, and what he's been going through. So props for that, it was really well done. 

I've had the idea to seclude a character for the majority of the episode by pairing him up with a completely new character, and I thought this episode would be the perfect time. I wanted to bring in Alex down into his own head and away from everything else. I'm glad you liked the inclusion of Manny. I went back and forth on the twist for a while, but I chose to stick with it because I thought it added a better reasoning for why Alex was opening up so quickly to a stranger - it was Alex all along. Sometimes I think we give ourselves our own best advice, so that was what I wanted to showcase in this episode, in a fresh way.

Also, before I move on, I wasn't expecting a happy ending at all. When Alex got the phone call, I was on the edge of my seat and the dialogue started to lean in one way and I was freaking out, and so it was like you were there with him. I'm sure there are more bumps in the road to come for Alex, but this was a victory that was very much needed and I'm glad it was a positive outcome for an overly positive episode of the show.   

Omg YAY for suspenseful, happy endings!

While all that's going on for Alex, his friends were planning a party for him, and it brought a lot of humour to the episode. As I said, this felt like a lighthearted episode of Audition that was quite refreshing to read, especially because it came in a way of bringing all the characters together. There were some nice moments between Alisha and David — which I enjoyed the line about tension fading and a friendship reigniting — and it was nice to see Paula back at her best and bringing so many damn laughs to the table. And we even got a really great Rose/Alex moment to open the episode up that really tackled my concerns about her actions in the previous episode — I was super convinced that Rose's conclusion to send Alex to an audition was a terrible idea, but Alex didn't need much convincing and there was an understanding that just going to it made him feel a little better about things too. 

I needed to bring back the comedy before I go into full on depressing darkness! haha. This part of the episode was really about repairing relationships, and this was the real start of Alisha and David dropping everything between them and starting as friends. The same for Angela (who we'll talk about next haha). I also definitely didn't want to make Rose's suggestion of going on another audition to be completely one sided. No fun in that! haha

Lastly, Angela resurfaced and reunited with everyone. I'm really happy about her being back. And at first, it was an excitement to see this dynamic between her and Alisha, but it's grown to include everyone. I hope we see bonds form and new dynamics to come out of Angela's return to the show. And I hope it's as permanent as it can be. I loved her gifts to everyone, primarily her gift to Rose. It was a nice callback for the show, and as you know, I absolutely love when things tie back into earlier seasons (which is why Angela showing up in the first place is making me all kinds of happy). I also love how she won over Paula with tater tots.

Angela is officially BACK on Audition, at least part time, and her first major arc was to repair these relationships. I've wanted to make a callback to Rose's camera for ages, so I'm finally glad I got to. And since she's never met Paula I thought tater tots would be perfect.

Honestly, this whole episode and the interactions we had, and the fun that was involved with all the characters coming together... I left the episode wanting these scenes to run on for pages and pages. And so I need to remember when you do a "pick your top five episodes of the sequence" poll at the end of this sequence that "Sixth Time's The Charm" is at the very top. I have zero complaints. It was a wonderful episode. 

I'm so glad you enjoyed this ep so much! Thanks again for the review!

[Brady Brown]

Jul 21, 2017 18:38:00 GMT -6 Jack Malone said:

AUDITION | "Georgia Boy" Review

This was a pretty game-changing episode of Audition. From something as simple as hearing advice, to admitting secret feelings, to really awful news, 'Georgia Boy' definitely had the tone and the vibe of a mid-season finale that has me pretty upset about the show being on hiatus (but obviously that's paired with the excitement to see it come back for more episodes). 

Aren't all of the mid-sequence and sequence finals game changing episodes of Audition?!

First up, I have to talk about Alex. I think I was expecting bad news to come from the audition, but a part of me also entertained the idea that he would get the job and be unable to cope/balance it or something with what's going on in his life right now. So the revelation at episode's end was still quite a shock, especially after an episode of seeing him finally be free and happy. With his story, I really liked how you "visually" showed us his recount of leaving the audition, and how we got to see that in his telling of the events to David. Plus, the callback to the twerking was great. I love when references, or quick flashbacks to prior events/episodes are featured because it gives new relevancy to old scenes/stories (which happens again later, but I'll talk about that in a second). Beyond that, it was just nice to see Alex be free and happy. And I think, as much as I was expecting bad news on some level, it came to a point where you were hoped being this happy and being in this environment with his friends would keep him in that "high" enough for the bad news not to be completely earth-shattering, so when that moment did happen... it still maintained its power, especially because of the direct contrast it had to everything else in the episode for him. 

I needed to bring Alex all the way up before bringing him back down. He's got to find a way to pull himself back up, and that's what he's going to be trying to do in the back half. I'm glad there was a level of uncertainty with how it was all going to play out. That's something I'm always trying to keep up with this show, since it's so grounded in realism. But going back, I've fallen in love with incorporating wacky scenes into the show, like David's daydream and now Alex's audition story.

I think my favourite story in the episode came with Paula. There are always little moments with her that crack me up, and I think as the series has developed, you've been a lot more subtle with her quirks and really balanced those with some of the meatier arcs she's had. So the "dog shaped ice cream maker" bit was hilarious, and it also gave us insight into some of the things she does when she's upset (as learned by her sister Judy). Speaking of which, it was great to have Judy back. Their whole scene was the highlight of the episode for me. I loved it. And not just because it contained the moment when Paula finally admitted to having feelings for Michael. I think it was just crafted really well, especially starting it with Judy having a video chat after having sex with this guy she knew back in high school, and then ending it with Judy wanting Paula to do the same if her night ends that way with Michael. So it wasn't just a funny, and insightful scene, but it was structured really well, too. Obviously, revealing her feelings for Michael didn't go to plan, and obviously as a "viewer" that pisses me off, but I think those road bumps and the suspense and waiting for things to happen... it makes the moment where these characters finally do get together so much more powerful, and if all goes well, hopefully that's a moment that happens in the finale. I'm pretty locked into this journey. I think it's been handled really well. But underneath all of that I am definitely screaming at you because they should be together damn it. 

Paula's kinda been on the back burner for this season, at least compared to last season, so I wanted to make a large step for her in this episode. I think Judy is the person who knows Paula best, so she was the perfect one for Paula to admit these feelings to. Their entire scene was so much fun to write. I hope I can bring Judy back somehow soon, but who knows haha. Going into the back half, Paula will be focusing a lot on herself and achieving things before she feels like she'll be too old to do so. Like I've said, Paula's feelings for Michael represent a lot more than trying to put these two together - it's about what Paula thinks she's missed out on, and what she still has time to do.

In talking about Paula, and you being super crafty with everything in this episode, I really liked how you paralleled her story with Alisha and her experiences in this episode. Hearing Alisha talk about Kelsey, and feeling like she was too late... it was cool to see that mirrored in Paula trying to tell Michael about how she feels for him. I also liked the added touch of the quick flashback, remembering their dance together. And I like the discussions of trying to get over someone you never even dated. I think there's a lot of pain there — a lot of picturing moments and hoping for moments that they never got to share, and feeling the hope that they would, only for it to never become a reality and to never align with the feelings you have. I appreciate that story, especially for Alisha. I think its a good continuation of what she's been through, and honours a lot of that, in regards to her dynamic with Kelsey as well. Again, I get a little nervous about Kelsey because I didn't see anything in their relationship that made me want to see it come to fruition. And I'm not necessarily sure if Alisha's arc about moving through this pain would be best served with finally being paired up with Kelsey by season's end, but I'm always open to see what happens and where things go, and I trust whatever you do will be awesome whether I ship it/like it or not. 

This was a huge moment for Alisha. From here on, we're really gonna see her start to move forward. Her actually admitting her whole situation to Angela was a hurdle she needed to get over to move on. Alisha truly thought she was going to date Kelsey, and get to experience all of these firsts with her, and all of that was completely ripped away from her, and it's really hard to cope with a fantasy crashing down so suddenly. Alisha's gonna be contrasting Alex in the next episodes, because now she's finally beginning to overcome her sadness and go towards a happier, lighter life.

One of the more surprising aspects of the episode came in the form of one Angela Davis. She's definitely solidifying herself as an empathetic character who is able to take her own experiences, feel what people are going through or even feel who people are, and apply her experiences to theirs in hopes of guiding them out of a shitty situation/outlook. At first, I didn't really like Angela's interaction with Mia. But I sat with it for a while and I think knowing that it affected Mia on a more introspective level... it felt less rude than I had read it the first time. But I do feel like Mia was trying to connect with Angela, and her methods of doing that are almost habitual at this point. Maybe Angela's advice was needed, because I felt like Mia trying to gossip and trying to connect through that "ice-breaker" of sorts... it reflected who she was BDS (Before-David-Sullivan), or at least reflects how she is or how she thinks she should be around women, in order to solidify a bond. It makes me want to either see more interactions between Mia/Angela, or to see Mia come out of that interaction and question herself a little and maybe change. 

As soon as I wrote Angela/Mia's scene I KNEW you were gonna say something like this! haha. I know you too well. From Angela's perspective, she sees her past self in Mia as someone who tears people down. While yes, Mia has definitely grown a lot, I still think she has a large part of herself that is vindictive and harsh. Angela's advice to her was the starting point for a stroyline Mia will have in the next half. Sequence 5 has a huge theme of trying to better yourself, so Mia will be following suit in the regard

While I'm on the topic of Mia, it was so good to have her back. I love this character. She's grown so much. And I definitely have a perception of her that is so different to how Angela saw her or experienced her (although I understood the impression she got). I just hope there's more of Mia in the back half because I would hate to see the development and progression of that character be sidelined. And I think, in terms of offering anything beyond "I want more of her," you know David is my favourite character on the show, and he manages to steal a lot of scenes for me by just being a supporting character in Alex's world and Alex's storyline. So even doing the same for Mia would be great. *starts the Mia Edwards Defense Squad* 

Mia will have a much larger part in the next half. She's gonna grow a lot more, and she's gonna have a lot more scenes that aren't with David (thought, of course there will be great Dia scenes). Don't worry!

Overall, I thought it was a really great episode. Again, I always have to distinguish between the fan who has their bias and loves specific characters and relationships and wants them all to be happy, with the guy that appreciates the writing and loves how you go about telling the stories and delivering the character/relationship development that makes me love the show in the first place. So while the fan in me is screaming at so many of the painful moments that took place in this episode — because these characters deserve nothing but love and happiness — I have nothing but appreciation and admiration for the stories you're telling and how you go about telling them. So, all in all, this was a perfect "mid-season finale" and I can't wait for the show to come back. And hopefully I can keep up week to week this time, haha! 

Thanks again for this review! I'm glad you've enjoyed this sequence so far, and hopefully the next half is even better! Look out for spoilers soon!

[Jon Van Pelt]

Let’s talk Audition! One of my favorite VS  .


Like I mentioned in one my earlier posts, the more characters you introduce, the more complex the story gets and it’s fantastic.


I specifically enjoyed Alex’s journey into darkness (the scene where he’s talking to an imaginary actor really threw me off guard). I guess being an actor is one of the toughest jobs there is out there. Constantly having to go to auditions, giving it everything you got and then being rejected for the part. At some point you’ll start questioning yourself; am I good enough? So does Alex so it’s really nice to see that side of an “actor’s life” as well.


Alisha: It’s through her relationship with Kelsey that she managed to find the courage to come out and explore her sexuality. Now that Kelsey is in a relationship with another girl, it feels like Alisha is struggling again to accept who she is. Kelsey was her “first contact” in to this strange new world. Now that she’s lost her (as a lover, but not as a friend) I guess she has to find a way to accept who she is and get her own life back on track. Plenty more fish in the sea.


Michael/Paula: it seemed that their story somewhat took a back seat to Alex/Alisha. Nevertheless it’s nice to see Paula becoming a more well-rounded character through the Michael/Paula relationship.


So that’s in short my review/thoughts. Looking forward to the next batch of episodes.