22 replies to this topic

[TWoP Gadget]

HUNG 10: "A DICK AND A DREAM" OR "FIGHT THE HONEY"

Rated TVMA: ADULT CONTENT, ADULT LANGUAGE
Running Time: 28 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Alarmed by a bad omen, Tanya ends up battling Lenore for control of Ray, who is worried about his future after hearing rumors from Mike about job layoffs at school. As Ronnie flirts with an old flame at work, an unfulfilled Jessica decides her battery needs a jump start. Ray finds a sweet surprise inside his home, courtesy of his local bees and his frisky neighbor. With a new relationship losing steam, Damon turns to Darby for advice and comfort. (TVMA) (AC,AL)

[neciamorris]

First time poster to these forums. I haven't been inspired by Hung to join the conversation, but I gotta say I'm done with this show. Why? Tonya. It is so uncomfortable and unappealing to watch this woman unravel week after week. She's pathetic, stupid and I can't take it anymore. This week's episode, sealed the deal. That conversation with Lenore and the follow up with Ray. Good, lord woman, locate your self-respect, please. It's just painful.

[Scrb]

This week showed that Lenore may be more talk than anything. She delivers Jessica?

Tanya is going to be all right. She's gotten over not wanting to be a killer.

[chimere]

Ray needs to tell Tanya to respect some boundaries! She just walks in on him whenever she feels like it--whether he is teaching class, having time with his kids, or screwing the neighbor lady.

When she walked in on him having sex in his own house, intead of being sorry and apologizing for having intruded on his privacy, she yelled at him as though he were the one at fault. Sure, he's an idiot (witness rvealing his name and workplace to Jemma), but would he take a wealthy paying client to his pathetic burned out home? (He took Jemma to his tent because he wanted her as a girlfriend, not as a paying client.)

I think the three-way set-up with Lenore has some potential, at least, for helping him get the business set up as a real moneymaker, but Tanya is just too damned ridiculously pathetic. I assume her finally being able to kill a fly is supposed to let us know that after readinf Women Who Run with the Wolves she will be more assertive and effective next season. She'd better be, because the show has far too much of the squirm factor. We need to see some positive movement, not just more and more trouble piled onto sad-sack protagonists. There should be obstacles, yes, but it shouldn't feel so damned hopeless.

[Funke]

That's the end of the season right? Bit of a damp one to go out on i must say.

I mean, i really like the show and i find most of the characters interesting, especially Tanya, Ray and his kids. But i think it really failed to really go anywhere for the entire season. Which is disappointing because there seems to be so many fun, interesting and cool places they could have gone with it, but just didn't.

Edited by Funke, Sep 13, 2009 @ 11:27 PM.

[Recovering TV Addict]

Hey Funke, hope you get over your never-nudity soon.

What is up with the son?!? Are they trying to tell us he might be in love with his twin sister? Would they actually go there?

First there was the creepy way he defended her against her ex-boyfriend at the drive-in (more than just a brother defending his twin sister, IMO). Now he seems to have led his gay friend on, and when the gay friend calls him on it, he turns to his sister (sorry, can never remember names) for comfort. Of course, he may not have been leading the gay friend on--he may have just had a hard time taking the next step with him. Or maybe he just liked him a lot as a person so he strung him along to keep the friendship. I can't tell what's going on there.

This was kind of a weak season finale. I guess the final scene was supposed to symbolize that Tanya is about to grow a pair against Lenore?

Of course we knew the ex-wife would end up as a client for Ray. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon in the series. I figured pretty early on in the scene at the hotel that once he saw her in the lobby that he wouldn't out himself to her--it's definitely too soon in the series for that. Therefore I knew him standing outside the room was a set-up for a total fake-out. Lame.

On a superficial note, MAN do I hate seeing dog shit (even if it's fake) on TV and in movies.

[ChicagoCita]

I don't see the son (Damien?) as needing anything but comfort at this point in his life. He's confused, he and Darcy have had to move back in with the parent they didn't choose to be their primary custodian, he'd just manipulated a break-up with someone he didn't feel he could be intimate with, and I think he just needed someone to hold him and give him some intimacy (of the non-sexual variety). He obviously isn't getting any emotional support from his mom or stepfather, and I think the show's done a nice job of showing his closeness with his twin.

Poor kids are really victims in this scenario. It's not easy being a teenager, especially a geeky, not-overtly-attractive one, and there's no family - except Ray's cameo appearances - to have their backs.

The only part of the episode I found intriguing was Tanya's killing the fly with the assertiveness book. I hope next season is better. I like Ray, and I think Lenore is interesting. Tanya is just sad; and I'd love to see the dynamics of her changing into someone less crazydependent and more ruthless.

Edited by ChicagoCita, Sep 14, 2009 @ 8:12 AM.

[maatkare]

I'm done with this show. Why? Tonya. It is so uncomfortable and unappealing to watch this woman unravel week after week. She's pathetic, stupid and I can't take it anymore.

I skipped a few eps and thought I'd try the finale. I flipped channels after she went shrieking down to the tent in the first scene. Dreadful. Aside from the general unpleasant theme of the show, she makes it completely unwatchable.

[Imonrey]

I can't believe what a weak finale this was, or that HBO renewed this crap. I think at least half their ratings come from people who don't turn their TV off after True Blood is over and get up to do other things.

I saw the ex-wife inadvertently becoming Ray's client about 2 episodes into the season. A better finale would have been just Ray knocking on her hotel door room. That at least might have enticed a few viewers to tune back in next time so see their reactions to the situation. Tanya swats the fly? Ooh, how symbolic. Seriously, that's all they've got?

[peeayebee]

I wouldn't lose any sleep if this show never came back. I know it's been renewed, but IF it didn't come back, I'd be fine with that. The whole concept was promising. I found the first few eps interesting. But there's just not much "there" there.

Or, and the two titles thing is dumb. Trying too hard to be cute.

[OrchidLady]

In agreement, this show could have been so much more but hasn't been - I'm surprised to see it renewed also. I think part of it is that it couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It does deal with some sad people with serious issues and it could have chosen a more serious drama route with just bits of wry humor here and there. Or it could have chosen to be really funny and campy without so much sober stuff to it. But I don't find the two mix very well. Never liked horror mixed with comedy either, but that's just me.

[fadooski]

I don't think that Damien desires his sister, I think that her relationship with her boyfriend threatened their sibling bond (form his point of view). She's the one person in the whole world to whom he feels the closest. Now suddenly, she has this whole other range of experiences that have nothing to do with him, making him feel excluded. So he goes and gets a boyfriend, engineers a break-up and then bonds with his sister about 'boy trouble'. Not only that, but she left her boyfriend's side to go after him and comfort him, reassuring Damien that men may come and go but their best-friendship will always be intact.

[redrobin27]

Did Tanya really call Lenore a bottom feeder? The most unhappy person she knows? Without irony? Really?

Lenore might be a bitch, but at least Lenore will insult you to your face. If Tanya had pulled clients on her own instead of using Lenore's name or resources, I'd be halfway on her side. Not to mention that she's all shocked that Ray doesn't operate as her "friend." Hello? She's surprised that Ray is acting in his own best interest? When has he not? There's naive, and there's stupid, because you refuse to read the signs of a borderline non-reciprocal relationship.

She's all "righteously" indignant that Lenore is trying to get in on the business when Tanya has been using her name for (attempted) profit? I can't.....

Shut up, Tanya.

As for the twins' relationship, I don't know what to think, but it's a symptom to the lack of focus as a whole with the show. On the one hand, I agree with fadooski. On the other hand, I've not seen enough of the sibling bond between the two of them to truly believe that Darcy having her own life is the core issue. So it makes Damien's clinginess seem a little strange, when I don't think it's supposed to be. I've been thinking if it were two sisters, or two brothers, would it translate the same way? I don't know.

Ray believes he and Jessica are good parents? Alrighty then.

This week showed that Lenore may be more talk than anything. She delivers Jessica?

IMO, this is a function of plot driving characterization, even when it doesn't really make sense. So Lenore has been able to produce wealthy, willing to pay clients for Tanya, and now suddenly, her first client is Jessica? People called Jessica being a potential client very early in the season, and it seemed to me that Lenore was the way to for Ray and Jessica to "collide" and have a meaningful, non-hostile conversation, even though it doesn't really jive with Lenore's ability.

[Rare Books]

I agree that the season finale was underwhelming. (Combined with True Blood's mediocre finale, that makes HBO 0 for 2 in that department.) I have always been a supporter of Tanya, but I agree that her behaviour this episode was appalling and made me less enamoured of her. On the other hand, the obvious symbolism in the final scene was encouraging in terms of her character and intriguing in terms of plot development and conflict for Season Two.

Happiness Consultants cannot continue to be just a one-man operation. In that regard, I suspected from the outset that Gregg Henry - who plays Ray's teacher pal - would become the second gigolo. I got the impression that the storyline with the teacher layoffs was a hint that that would be the direction for Henry's character. I personally think that would be awesome, as he is an excellent actor and deserves a much larger role on the show.

As for the dermatologist husband, I assume that he will have an affair with his old high school classmate.

[artgal]

So he goes and gets a boyfriend, engineers a break-up and then bonds with his sister about 'boy trouble'.

Yes, I totally agree with this. He couldn't break up with his "boyfriend" fast enough.

This show has grown on me, but to keep me interested, the characters are going to have to develop and change. I liked the scene where Ray realized that his client was his ex-wife. We all saw it coming and I expected it to play out like a total cliche, where they would surprise each other in the room. I was glad it didn't happen that way. I also like that he called her and "did his job" by giving her what she really needed in that moment, which was reassurance that she is a good person and a good mother. I think Ray has the makings of being a very good prostitute.

[Scat]

True artgal, that was a touching moment. I'm really enjoying this show and I look forward to the next season. I think they still have a lot of places to go with this show so my only concern is that they might become bogged down with this whole Tanya-Lenore-Ray feud.

[dutchsofa]

I can't believe what a weak finale this was

This. I can't quite shake the feeling that nothing actually happened on this show. I can take being underwhelmed for a couple episodes, but the entire season became such a non-entity that I can't even bring myself to hate it. It was just...there. I would, however, watch an entire series focusing on Lenore becoming a master con artist.

[revbfc]

This show has grown on me, but to keep me interested, the characters are going to have to develop and change. I liked the scene where Ray realized that his client was his ex-wife. We all saw it coming and I expected it to play out like a total cliche, where they would surprise each other in the room. I was glad it didn't happen that way. I also like that he called her and "did his job" by giving her what she really needed in that moment, which was reassurance that she is a good person and a good mother. I think Ray has the makings of being a very good prostitute.

Thank you, artgal! I was thinking the same thing. Between Ray NOT going to Jessica's room and the hint of Tanya's coming assertiveness, I was left very satisfied with this finale.

[bullznbearz]

Echoing some of what's already here: this finale was weak in the extreme. And I can't believe they played the ex-wife-as-client card so early. Premium cable shows are supposed to have the luxury of not blowing their plot-point wads in the first season.

But I really think this show's major problem is Thomas Jane's weakness as an actor. The writing demands a lot from Ray that he's just not pulling off -- I don't laugh when he's supposed to be funny and I don't feel sadness when he's trying to convey poignancy. His facial expressions were just weird when he was standing outside his ex-wife's hotel room, and that was obviously supposed to be a moment of great pathos.

I don't think I'm coming back.

[CantThinkUpName]

But I really think this show's major problem is Thomas Jane's weakness as an actor.

That doesn't bother me that much because I always bought Ray as kind of a dope. And, from my experience, dopes are kind of ... there. No real discernible personality or changes of personality. They just remain constant. That's how I've always read Ray.

I agree with those who complained about Ray/Jessica and how it was silly to play that card this early.

Tanya's using a book on empowerment to swat a fly. Brilliant symbolism. Real subtle. All the show needed to make it clearer was a rainbow shining in through the window while birds tweet and some appliance that wasn't working to suddenly turn on.

Edited by CantThinkUpName, Sep 20, 2009 @ 11:23 PM.

[redrobin27]

Tanya's using a book on empowerment to swat a fly. Brilliant symbolism. Real subtle. All the show needed to make it clearer was a rainbow shining in through the window while birds tweet and some appliance that wasn't working to suddenly turn on.

Hee. My issue is not with Tanya taking a step towards assertiveness, but that, once again, the self-righteous attitude she has about it all. Ray's her friend, but she has no problem pimping him out so that she can quit her temp job. She wants to lecture him on Molly, but didn't even provide the courtesy of a heads up (since Ray, the man who slept with her and never called, is supposed to be Mr. Sensitive). She wants to use Lenore's resources, but she doesn't seem open to Lenore's advice on marketing and the like. She had a problem with Ray opening his life to Jemma, yet she's constantly invading his personal/work space and putting him at risk, usually for her own personal bullshit. She has an air of entitlement pretty similar to characters like Ray or Lenore, but I'm supposed to feel sorry for her that Lenore's trying to move in on the business. Sorry, just not buying it. If I tune into the season 2, perhaps I'll feel differently.

The writing demands a lot from Ray that he's just not pulling off -- I don't laugh when he's supposed to be funny and I don't feel sadness when he's trying to convey poignancy. His facial expressions were just weird when he was standing outside his ex-wife's hotel room, and that was obviously supposed to be a moment of great pathos.

I think Thomas Jane is a solid actor - I think the cast itself is pretty solid. But I do think that the writing is a weakness, and I have to agree that the scene between Ray and Jessica didn't hit the mark at all. I read that scene completely differently than someone upthread - I thought he was keeping her on the phone to confirm she was the client he was to meet, got sentimental, but didn't go in because he didn't want her to know that he was a manho. Hell, Thomas didn't seem all that certain how to play it, hence the strange facial expressions.

[Fisher King]

Great post, redrobin27.

I think you're right on about the solid cast and I blame the writers for the inconsistencies, especially with regard to Tanya's character. She was up and down with nowhere to go. Since season 2 is a go, maybe they'll get their act together.

[photoshopgirl]

I think Thomas Jane is a solid actor

I used to think so too until I saw "The Mist".... especially the ending. It was painful to watch how bad he was. I have loved him in other things and I actually think he plays this character very well. Not sure Ray is supposed to be all that intelligent or charismatic. After all he has a big dick. ;)