“Tell Me You Love Me” — Episodes 2 and 3
I had a feeling it was going to be this type of series. I hadn’t got around to seeing last week’s episode until earlier Sunday afternoon, and thanks to HBO On-Demand posting each new episode a week early was able to hammer through both that and the new one in a single sitting. I expect this pattern to continue throughout the show’s run. It is such a low-key narrative it’s hard to get excited about week in and week out, but if you let a few episodes build up, once you start watching it’s pretty easy to forget about the time and just let the characters wash over you. More after the jump…
Three episodes in, the amount of sex has ebbed a bit with some pretty raw emotion taking over. David and Katie and Palek and Caroline have proven to be the most interesting of the couples. David and Katie because the kids are involved and because whatever resentment the two may have for each other deep down is fairly well hidden. Caroline and Palek are interesting for the opposite reasons. They are very much vocal about their frustrations and it’s souring the relationship at a breakneck pace.
The Hugo and Jamie storyline frankly bores me. Aside from the general issue of jealousy, which rings true, both characters are so self-involved and stubborn (and Hugo seems to be a special kind of asshole) it’s hard to get worked up over their problems. If anything I find myself rooting for resolution so we can get back to the couples with real problems. There’s something about the actual marriage bond that certainly does up the stakes a bit — not that I’m going to run away and join Focus on the Family. I do question how Hugo and Jamie were able to get as far in their relationship as they did, seeing as how they couldn’t be more incompatible. Oh yeah, the sex. That’s probably it.
As for Dr. Foster, I’m not quite sure what we’re to make of her relationship with Arthur. It’s starting to seem like she’s separated from her husband of 47 years, despite suggesting otherwise. That being said, she really hasn’t done anything that makes me care one way or the other.
Again, I ask, “Is anyone watching this show?” HBO has quickly gone from the network with incredibly popular adult-dramas everyone watches to the network with incredibly innovative narratives that are completely inaccessible to the average television viewer. I guess the question is whether or not that is a bad thing. Either way, they get our subscription fee.
