Let me make it clear I am still in Rosie's corner. I know exactly how she feels, and identify with it, based on what I have alluded to, going on, outside the contents of this blog.
The first thing to say about the episode was how widely it deviated from the book. When the show began, Rosie and Gary were in an art gallery, and it took me several seconds to grasp this was the past; not one of Gary's present shows, but when he and Rosie first met. (Robbie--Jon Robin Baitz, that is--what the hell are you doing???????).
Rosie is said to have tried various careers--modeling, sales, jewelry making, never really settling on one. This is important, in the context of what comes up later.
In this episode, Hugo is going for his first day of school. He never makes it to that point, in the book. And this has to be the fastest weaning job I have ever seen, because not once for a moment does Hugo reach out for"titty!!!!!!!!!!"
Hugo being Hugo, school comes crashing down on him, with the school saying, after day one, they couldn't handle him. Hell, I had the same problem, having to repeat kindergarten because I was too damn bright for the teachers and students to cope with. Fuck them, and anyone who reads this from that time, I don't care! You wanna talk to me--TALK!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like I said, this show, and Rosie, press all my issues.
As I said, the show does not really go into Rosie's tragic past, which includes a negligent mother, and an alcoholic father who gambled the house away, and ends up committing suicide. Which, since Rosie didn't get great parenting, limits her perspectives on it. It seems the ones who really nurtured her were her school friends, Aisha and Anouk.
But, for all that Rosie loves and believes in Gary, the problem being projected on her here is that she sees herself unfavorably, in comparison to her friends, Aisha is a successful physician, and Anouk a promising writer, and currently writing a TV series. Rosie is a stay at home Mom. At one point, after committing a glaring faux pas that even I could not overlook--going to see Harry at his car dealership, and asking him to plead "No contest," just to end it all, at which point, even I was crying out, "Oh, no, Rosie!!!!!!!!!"--she and Gary have a big fight which results in her lashing out at him, wishing that he were more "successful," so that she could have a quality of life more like her friends. This drives Gary into a one-night stand with an art student he encounters at a gallery, proving that save for Manolis, none of the men on "The Slap" can remain faithful to their lives. Interesting.
The trial, and its outcome, take place midway through the book, with the remainder showing how longtime friendships and relationships fall apart as a result, and everyone goes their separate ways. Gary and Rosie, by the end, are moving to a different part of Australia, as he has a new construction job. And the outcome in the book is that Harry is found guilty, but not convicted. Rosie, understandably, is not happy, but when she goes home, she lies to Hugo, telling him they won--and that the bad man is going to jail. No, no., Rosie! Eventually, Hugo will find out the truth--he is not stupid--and how will that effect your relationship with him, not to mention your credibility as a mother?????????????
Nothing was resolved in this episode; Baitz seems to be going for some big
"Law And Order" type finish, that is so in keeping with NBC. Political pandering to the network, and good writer selling out!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My beloved seems to be of the mindset that the writing will go for a "Pyrrhic victory," in which no one is satisfied. Who knows? I am just interested in seeing how the show ends itself--what about Richie and Connie? By the way, it looks like Richie will be put on the stand; another deviation from the book. Oh, and Richie's mother telling Rosie to stay away from Richie and find another babysitter is lifted from the book, where a friend of Rosie. who has turned Islamic, but who has moved up the economic rung she wants to, tells her to stay away from he and his wife. as her kind is bad!
Poor Rosie! She is not a bad person, but she is not perfect! I admire her for having the courage of her convictions, not caving in to others.
But is any character on this show perfect? Are we?
Of course not. And that is what I think the end of "The Slap" will ultimately prove!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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