From: kimi@fang.att.com (Kimiye Tipton)
Subject: Re: Progeny
Organization: AT&T Tax Systems Development, Maitland FL
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 20:13:03 GMT

In article <BxuHqr.6Br@unix.amherst.edu> hrfortso@unix.amherst.edu (HARDY RYAN FORTSON) writes:
>
SPOILERS?

>sweeps month after all.  Plus, remember Rob Morrow's interviews in the summer
>saying that Joel and Maggie would "consumate" their relationship this season,
>I think in the first ten episodes even. 

WHAT?!?  Nah, I just started getting a.tv.nx last week, and I never saw
any of this during the summer.  When did this happen?  What a prediction!

Thing is, I was thinking that we would see Maggie fall hard for Mike,
totally beside herself with not being able to consummate the relationship,
and then manage to fall into bed with Joel accidently on purpose.  What 
possibilities for guilt and recrimination, secrets and confusion!  All 
the complexities of adultery without the sin, so to speak.  Gets 
especially interesting if she tries to continue both relationships,
possibly with Mike's approval.  Shifts the battle to Maggie's heart
and mind, rather than her physical needs.   Hmmmmm.

Makes sense that if Brand and Falsey are leaving after 13 episodes, they
would have most major events of the first half season mapped out early
on, and they would probably tell their players what was in store.
For that matter, if I knew I had a guaranteed two seasons, I would try
to map out major plot turns and character growth for the whole series.
"China Beach" and its last 10 episodes is a prime example of a planned
season.

(Is it truly possible to be allergic to sex?  I know there is some
basis for women being allergic/sensitive to some men, but haven't
heard of the opposite.  Hmmmmm.)

On this week's show, I'm one of those who didn't care for the crane
episode, but I missed a lot of it due to two long distance family
crises, so I'm judging on mostly impressions.

Seemed that what I did see relied
more on the humiliation style of humor than I personally prefer.
Instead of laughing along with the characters because we recognize
our own human foibles, we were invited to laugh at these jerks
doing stupid things we wouldn't be caught dead doing.  Most of the
time, even Maurice has some measure of shared humanity, so that we
can see ourselves in him.  But in this case, I thought Chris and
Ed's dance was plain goofy (and too reminiscent of the much better
dance on Ruth Ann's grave), and Joel's pained dinner conversation
was awful.  I mean, if I invite someone to dinner, it's my job to
put that person at ease, not let him run on in obvious discomfort.
This is the sort of thing that is controlled by the direction
and editing of the episode, at least as much as the acting and
writing.

I felt like this one could have been written better, but really
needed a totally different hand in direction to stay within
the Cicelian atmosphere of tolerance and whimsy.  I mean, Holling's
daughter had no redeeming features whatsosever-- I thought I was
watching Quantum Leap's Zoey, who is supposed to be the Devil's
assistant!  I'll rewatch this one with pen in hand to catch the 
guilty parties.

That crane dance music, Byrne or Eno or neither, was just great,
though.


Kimiye Tipton    kimi@kokomo.att.com    
                      "First, we'll need a sample."
                             "Come again?"
                      "Once will be sufficient."


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