wasn't that jazzed about the after-episode spoiler. Partially, I think, because on the one hand there's all this talk about how they're getting to experiment with different genres and story telling methods, because of the diversity of storylines that crop up naturally in the daily work of a Marshal. But on the other hand, especially with so much going on between characters 'off the job' so far, these differences aren't readily apparent. So there's not much room to be all 'ooh, they're going to approach this story from this way, and it'll be so interesting to see how it plays out. Instead, it's just another conflict, and I won't know if I like it until I actually watch it and get to meet the characters.

At which point I'll divert for a moment: In a way IPS reminds me of a more irreverent Pretender (the early, episodic years.) (Or the Fugitive, for classic TV buffs.) Anyone else get that vibe? Mary's all chameleon-esque, and each week features a new cast of characters in which the WOTW attracts trouble and needs help.

I dunno. I was completely uninterested by the last episode based on its spoilers, but it turned around and really surprised me. I'm hoping that the next ep is a similar pleasant surprise. I can also never really tell anything about the narrative from previews - there were many occasions on Dawson's Creek (since it's the same producer I'm using him as an example) where the teasers gave no clue that they were going to do the "horror story" narrative or the whole Oceans 11 takeoff with the senior prank.

It was pretty good, but the angsty parts didn't really fit with the feel of the show, IMO, so it felt awkward and forced. A little too "Very special episode" for me.

I'm still processing. While I loved the Marshall-Mary interplay in this one - the stuff with his personal life was hysterical - I wasn't as emotionally gratified as I have been by other episodes. It's not the worst episode thus far, but it's definitely not my favorite.

Favorite line: "How flexible ARE you?"

I really enjoyed the ep. Yeah, it had a slightly different tone from the first few eps - less humor and more angst, but I enjoy angst and seeing characters discovering things about themselves. It helps them grow as individuals.

Despite Mary's revelations, painful as they were for her (and I was delighted to see her take part in the Gamb-anon meeting. Most often we see characters actively fighting that kind of help) she's not going to change in any significant way. It doesn't work like that. Eventually, we may see her opening up to people (probably Marshall), but it won't happen overnight. This sort of revelation can help a character evolve.

I love that Mary is a strong woman who can *cry*. It doesn't make her weak. In fact, I saw this as Mary being strong enough to face her demons and it's much more gratifying and interesting than most character revelations.

I also loved seeing Marshall get a romantic interest. Yeah, yeah, I love the idea of Marshall and Mary together, but I'm fairly confident we won't get to see that very soon and it's great to see that he's at least as adventuresome as Mary is. Whoo-hoo! Sex in a restaurant bathroom! I really enjoyed him sharing Dana's texts with Mary. This shows their friendship has few bounds. Marshall isn't uptight and embarassed about it even though he knows full well that Mary will give him crap about his 'flexibility' at some future time. They aren't awkward about it. Besides, it gets boring and cliche to have one of the pair pining away for the other in celibacy. I've seen that dynamic in too many shows. I can see them having a sort of hit and miss thing. Mary's free but Marshall's dating someone. Later, Rafe will be back when Marshall's not seeing anyone.

I expect we'll see Marshall drop Dana later due to her daredevil tendencies. I think he gets enough excitement in his job. It's fun for a while, but...

Anyway, those are my thoughts. I don't expect them to be in the majority, but hey, I thought it was interesting.

One of the very enjoyable features of this show is that it keeps throwing us the unexpected. Never would have expected to see Mary at that podium.

Glad we got to see more of why she is as she is. As she was sitting next to the older brother listening to the different speakers at the meeting, you could see in her face that the defensive layers were peeling away to the “hurt Mary” underneath. In fact, when she dashed out of the meeting, I thought she was getting out of there to get some air and re-establish her, “I don’t need this #### persona”. Instead she left to engage in some seriously cathartic (as it turned out) eye-leakage.

Still, I’m conflicted about her opening up at the podium. On the one hand it seems out of character because she has always come across as so closed off and non-touchy-feely. Yet, maybe, hearing all those stories along with that express letter about declaring her Dad dead was enough of an epiphany to bring her feelings to forefront and make her have to talk about her demons. I guess it’s a case of right place, right time, right circumstances.

Loved Ms. Prim-and-Proper who turned out to be not so…. When we first meet her I’m thinking Marshall is all gushy and probably had a thing for her waybackwhen. But, she (with school teacher her hair piled on top of her head) probably would require a lot of sincere time and attendance. Boy, was I ever wrong. The relationship seems to be burning hot, hot, hot. But as a poster Courser said earlier, it is probably not going to last because of her “daredevil tendencies”. I agree that it most likely will not last, I just think that it will be she not he who does the dumping. Daredevils always need new devils to dare.

It certainly was unexpected. But I think the 'anon' bit is important here. With all the crying Mary does in cars, with all her candid conversations with witnesses, I see her more as only closed off to the people who know her, people who can use the information later. When it's a free pass, that 'one night, one conversation' deal, the same qualms don't apply. Her rationale for going up to the podium is still a complicated question. Did she feel mostly obligated? How much did she wonder if it was fate for her to be there? I'm guessing with her, there's more than one possible explanation and even Mary couldn't pick out one that explains it above the others.



LOL! when I saw her I was all like- 'dumb-ass chick. Just smart enough to know better book learning when she sees it, stupid enough to be impressed. ... Or maybe she just gets off on the diatribes. In which case, good for her!' *blushes* I'm an intellectual snob. I know it. But that 'intellectual' art ramble of Marshall's at the dinner table? Well phrased, I admit, but too vague and too old a point to be a good one in any discussion they'd been having. If Ms P&P didn't rebutt, she ain't looking for talk - which, as an academic, offends my sensibilities.

Otherwise, ooh. That it'll likely be her to dump him is a good point. Maybe even she's also sleeping with one of her TAs. Wouldn't be the first time. And really, Marshall falling short brainwise is more likely to hurt him than falling short, um, otherwise. So I really hope they pull that card. Would make for some interesting scenes.

I am floored, Just got done watching this episode, and I am still crying. Yes I am a marshmallow. Ooey Gooey tearful snotfest.

Well then, Mary surprises me every week, and I totally agree with BadAssJammieSquad about the "anon" part, and the way it relates to Mary, her as I call it "silent suffering", you don't want to hand ammunition to your closest friends, so yes it is easier to bare your soul in front of strangers. I ought to know I think I was a lot like Mary in my first 35 years on this planet. But still, this complete breakdown to the point of tears in front of all these people, it freaked me out a little. I realize in that moment she was just that 7 year old little girl who wanted her Daddy, and for her Mommy to be happy again.

I was very happy with this glimmer into Momma's habits, it made her seem more human and fragile, I felt so sad for her.

The way these 2 related women deal so differently with something is astounding. The Mother chooses to ignore the mail, doesn't even want to know what it says, while the daughter head on confronts the news.
They are so different....and in a way, so alike. My heart ached for both of them.

Marshall sure got the funny again this week...his Sacre Bleu had me rolling, although French is really not his strong suit.

This has quickly become one of my favorite shows. No wonder with episodes like this, and having a strong black man cry like a baby, man that had me going too. Yeah I know, I should have bought stock in kleenex long time ago, at least I would get dividends from all my waterworks.

Can't wait what's next for Mary.

My heart broke for the Scott too. Like any caring "parent" he blamed himself. Since he provided for his brother during his formative years by gambling, he naturally felt that because of him Chris had gotten hooked into that lifestyle. When Scott broke down after Mary talked him into not bailing Chris out, I thought, Tough Love is tough on everybody, not just the person who has the addiction.

Scott had taken care of his brother all his life and was so proud of how well he had turned out. Now to learn that all is not as well as it seemed AND that he must leave his brother to what could be a very painful fate had to be heartbreaking.

This is another thing I like about this show. It waves all these moral flags at us, but we are so entertained that we either take it all in within without noticing, or it's so nicely packaged that we don't mind.


My favorite quote of the night: (Marshall to Mary after she asked him to leave her to talk with Chris while he soaks in a tub in the training room) "Ok, but you better not be all wet when I get back."

Just saw this episode tonight. I buy them on Zune Marketplace and download them to watch while on the eliptical. Anyway, WONDERFUL episode. Watching Mary at the end finally get into her emotions about her past about made me cry. Not a good thing to do while at the gym! LOL Also, the scene of them in the locker room where Mary says "he called me ma'am" and Marshall says "he was looking down your shirt". LOL ahhh, greatest 45 minutes ever spent at the gym. and i was so happy Marshall was finallly getting his freak on! LOL

Now that I've had some time to process...
I liked it. It's still not my favorite, but in terms of this season (or the entire series, hopefully) this will likely be one of the most important episodes of the series. We finally get to see why Jinx is Jinx, and in my mind it's enough of a reason to allow her to live on the caveat she finds a freaking hobby or speaks fluent French (or something) very soon, and why Mary's Mary. Brandy/Squish is still a bit of a mystery, but her complexities were revealed last week.

I also got to thinking about a few of the reactions, and I reflected on tough versus strong. A tough person would push down feelings and ignore the very real problems that not dealing with a gambling-addicted father would bring on - and increase his/her chances of winding up in an early grave because toughness is a very brittle thing, and tends to lead to physical and mental injury one way or another. A strong person, however, would deal with those emotions, and it would come out in complex ways that makes the audience uncomfortable. Bravo for making Mary strong, rather than tough.

Mary running out to her car to breakdown felt true to character but her going to the meeting and opening up felt false. I expected her to go back to the meeting, sit in her car contemplating going to meeting and riding off.

Aww so I was looking forward to this episode because I wanted to see Mary get all jealous and admit that she has feelings for Marshall! I watched an interview with Fred on the website and he mentioned some episode where she gets jealous... was this not the one? Because she really didn't seem to jealous to me.

And... Im new to these boards Howdy all

I don’t know; everyone reacts differently. She may have been inspired to open up. Her father about to be considered dead by the FBI, her stalling relationship with Raph (which she knows is stalling because of her), and seeing Scott go through what she knows first hand may all of played a part in her being inclined to open up. Besides, she opened up to people she didn’t know and will probably never see again (outside of the meetings). Groups, such as this, offer both a place to open up and anonymity since you don’t normally see these people any other time. Notice she went back this time by herself.

I appreciated how the whole situation was handled. To me it was better crafted than the actual story line of the brothers. I thought Mary McCormack did a good job of portraying how this would affect someone with her character’s personality. If she had gone to the meeting spontaneously by herself or with family or friend then I would question the writing. She went to get Scott to go not because she thought she needed to go. While there (for Scott’s sake) what she saw and heard struck a nerve and she realized that she needed to be there. Her character has been in denial that her family had affected her in any way, since she wasn’t a screw-up like mom and sis. Yet, she can’t deny her trust issues with people such as Raph and Marshall. First response to the truth is denial, then the realization hits home and you find your more screwed up than you let your self believe, then you either ignore what now know to be the truth or you start making steps to straighten up what’s amiss.