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Friday, October 19, 2018

Before Writing About Last Night's 'SVU,' Let Me Say Something About The Week Before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                  "Revenge," aired October 11, should have pressed my buttons, but it did not quite make it.  Still, after seeing a clip, there are some things I must say.

                                     The clever thing was the plot hinged on an Incel ( a technical term I still don't get) update of Hitchcock's "Strangers On A Train," which is actually referenced at one point.  Three sick and lonely losers--and let me tell you, Central Casting must have had a field day recruiting the actors to play them, because big name 'Sponge Bob' star Ethan Slater, cutest of the three, as Riley Porter, Will Dagger as Chris Canasis, and Steven Maier, as Tony Kelly were just perfect.  Each not conventionally attractive, yet not ugly enough to stay in the corner.  Which made them disturbed; the right attitude and perseverance could have landed them someone.  My story proves that.

                                      So, these guys are losers, not because of what they are told, but because they allow themselves to believe it, even well into their Thirties, when they should have started believing themselves.

                                       And this comes out best in the climactic scene,  featuring Callie Thorne as Nikki Staines, and provides a showcase Steven Maier, as Tony Kelly, the smartest and most disturbed of the three.

                                        Tony is not conventionally handsome, but if he would redo his act, he could make it.  That's the sad part.   He can't.  He talks about the "winners of the genetic lottery," the pretty people out there, who seem to be having all the fun he wants to have.  Except that rape is not having fun.  I mean, I once felt that way about the so-called pretty people, too.  But then one learns to value oneself, and move on from there.  Tony never did.  And so he stalked and raped this girl named Carol Solomon, who, it turns out never dissed him the way he said.  Only Tony cannot see it.

                                        More is revealed about Tony earlier.  The squad learns from his mother, Melanie Pierce, played by Deidre Madigan, that Tony went to the prom with Carol--only she is not in the picture, just Tony is there, in a suit!   Huh?   His mother explains he is pursuing a doctorate in English Literature--poetry-- and when the hell is he going to get a real job?  Now, this touched a nerve, because I heard this from relations in my first years out of college. So I knew the real bitch of the piece, the one who should have been gone after, albeit not raped, was his mother!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Tony probably felt her brunt too, but was too repressed to deal with it, so took it out on her, by raping and harming others.  Even causing Carol's boyfriend's death!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Tony's monologue, where he says he is entitled to love, and hates being all alone, despite being arrested in a library where he is obviously working toward something he loves, should have gotten to me, but it didn't, because I was able to see the ilogic in Tony's speech that he couldn't.  I was like that, myself, once, though rape or harm never crossed my mind, but was able to get the help and self-awareness I needed.  Tony could not.  Hey, Tony, people less attractive than you find personal happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               The episode's title was "Revenge;" the tragedy was it was a revenge not necessary. And misdirected at the wrong person.   Norman Bates says, famously that "a boy's best friend, is his mother."

                                                 Not necessarily, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
Here is the scene I was talking about. Note Maier's performance, and pathos, but twisted sense of logic!!!!!!!!!!!

2 comments:

Videolaman said...

The "incel" bit is one of those "its a straight thing, you wouldn't understand" issues that few gays could possibly wrap their minds around. The less attractive or personable among us certainly encounter hurdles and challenges to finding companionship and affection, but even the most desperate eventually realize the harsh but soothing truth that "even trolls fuck". Despite our often-fanciful nature (or perhaps because of it), gays are better equipped to accept or work around the harsh reality that the Danny De Vitos among us are not going to land Liam Hemsworth unless we pay for him.

The unfortunate subset of "incel" straight men cannot and will not accept this reality. They rail against the universe, consumed with hatred against the objects of their unrealistic desire (and the more appealing men who can easily attract what they cannot get near). Each of them believes it is their birthright to have a Kardashian on their arm, and in their bed, even if they themselves are dull, inarticulate, boring slobs. Ironically, they don't grasp the "be careful what you wish for" factor: if they HAD a Kardashian, she would make their lives a literal hellscape. But straight men being straight men, the penis blinds the brain. They cannot abide the thought of being a "Marty" who should consider himself lucky that a "Clara" would even talk to him, much less date him.

The worst among these head cases it the "Tony" character from this SVU episode. As you noted, a little effort would get him remarkably close to his goal, but in his mind ANY effort is capitulation and failure. These are the dopes who are just educated enough to forget they're emotional and social morons. They all think they're Arthur Miller and deserve Marilyn Monroe. Reality check, fools: Miller was an asshole, Marilyn was a needy basket case, the relationship was a slow-motion trainwreck. And BTW, Miller had the aura of talent and fame: if you think Marilyn would have given him the time of day if he was an accountant, you're delusional.

You wanna know how the Frog and the Princess usually plays out? Look no further than today's headlines re Pete Davidson and Arianna Grande. Obnoxious useless loser inexplicably meets and attracts charismatic beautiful talented girl far above his league. The loser spends his life savings on whirlwind romance and an engagement ring ten times tackier than anything she could have bought herself. The Princess quickly tires of the novelty, and when the affair becomes public she sees the folly reflected in TV images and drops the loser on his head. The end.

The Raving Queen said...


You are so right, darling, even
trolls fuck. I have seen some truly
ugly, but happy couples, both straight
and gay out there. The "Marty" reference
is spot on; I saw it when young, and cried
because I felt that would be me. Ernest
Borgnine fit it perfectly; another example
of a homely comic who could do drama. While
Betsy Blair was glammed down, she was actually
too pretty for Clara. Look at the TV original,
where a handsomer than Borgnine Rod Steiger is
a moving Marty, and a young Nancy Marchand, who
was so homely she looked like a man, and should
have given even Marty pause; but, hey he was
desperate. And, of course, she turns out to
be a lovely person.

You are right; if Miller were an accountant,
Marilyn would never given him a glance. I once
met Miller at a playwrights conference. The
others were Lanford Wilson, David Mamet, and
one I cannot recall. Miller was the only one
who was not arrogant, did not display a high
opinion of himself--he, who could outwrite the
others, and did--and answered even the most
idiotic questions with the respect the asker
deserved. Such qualities count for a lot.

As you said, guys like Tony, and they are in
the gay community too, are always overreaching,
then blame everyone else. I get it, I was there,
when young, but there comes a time when, like
puberty it stops.

If Tony was just a miscreant I would have felt
sorry for him. But rape and murder? Oh, no!
He was trapped one way, and now he is forever
trapped with himself in prison.

Bet he'll get some unwanted action there!