State of the #SHEA 26: Cowbells, Hurricanes, and Ex-Husbands, Oh My! ("The Uncertainty Principle")

Let’s dive right into the matter of Lea’s ex-husband, the heavily-promoted revelation on Lea’s part from “The Uncertainty Principle” (TGD 4.7):

-- The timeline checks out, give or take how soon out of high school she got married and how old Lea just turned at that birthday earlier in the month (Paige Spara is 31; they might be placing Lea a year or two younger). Lea indicated she left the ski machine with her ex 10 years ago-- is there a subtext here that she left him/moved out of their home? (indicating maybe it didn’t start as a mutual decision to split up?) Or did they leave on such good terms that he kept the machine as a favor to her when she moved to San Jose?

-- Her explanation as to why not telling Shaun? It was believable, because she probably doesn’t think of it often. Over a decade removed, living on the other side of the country in a demanding job, with new love in her life… why look back? 

-- However, l think most of us agree she still should have told Shaun before now (and I DO wish she’d have apologized outright for the omission; she did with her eyes, but not her words). And I can see her leaning on the “wasn’t important” for future news that might surprise and upset Shaun. I hope I’m wrong… that’s the kind of thing that’s going to require continued growth on her part...

-- … Because they need transparency for longevity, and just because it comes more naturally to Shaun doesn’t let Lea off the hook. This reminds me of something else that didn’t happen in this episode: Shaun asking Lea how they could build the trust she wants when she “doesn’t mention” things as potentially important as a prior marriage.

But then again, “The Uncertainty Principle” unfolded in ways that perhaps a lot of us didn’t really expect…

-- So far, the ex-husband story isn’t as dark as we thought it might be. No prison sentences, no anger issues, no abuse mentioned of any kind. One of the things I suggested in my last post was that TGD writers might keep the marriage explanation simple so that Shaun can wrap his mind around it fairly easily… and that they have. For Shaun was more distraught by the surprise of Lea’s revelation than the revelation itself; more upset that Lea didn’t even think about the ex than remotely concerned that the ex has her current address and is sending her things (even if it’s her own “thing” that was sent).

-- But rather than dwell on what she hadn’t told him, or ponder the idea of her being “bad at marriage,” he pivoted directly into big picture thinking (with a little help from the I’m-gonna-live-forever guy). For now that Shaun’s found love, it seems he’s thinking about the challenges of long-lasting love for the first time-- which is a terrific echo to his first “love challenge” of Season 4 (the challenges of temporary long-distance love a la “Frontline Pt. 1 and 2”). 

About those “shower scene” bookends...

In the promo for “The Uncertainty Principle,” it was tough to make a correlation between the shower sex dispute and the jaw-dropping news about

the ex-husband. So while COVID precautions presumably kept us (at least in part) from actually witnessing a moment of the “no soap involved” steamy shower love, the dispute itself was a fun metaphor throughout the episode illustrating the benefits of “adjusting course,” as Shaun might say:

Step 1: Outright refusal on his part (including a “brutally honest” note that intelligent Lea should have known better than to suggest such a thing)

Step 2: (Gather opinions on the matter directly from colleagues) Poll nearly 100 hospital staff in search of a majority approving/disapproving shower sex. (And might I say, SO hilarious that Shaun thought such an approach would come across as “abstract”... over on Twitter, ahead of the episode airing, I’d wondered if Shaun would bring the whole matter into hospital conversation and several pointed out how his ability to filter himself has improved somewhat (see 4.5 “Fault” for a reminder). I loved how Shaun’s early-morning poll represented heavy on the “somewhat” side! 

Step 3: Report preliminary findings to your (very amused) partner, who has already “fielded questions” on the matter (again, as with the “Newbies” discussion about breast size, Lea’s proving to be quite amenable to Shaun’s oversharing tendencies). Shaun’s cautionary “don’t get too excited, Lea” was especially endearing to me for some reason.

Step 4, after a pause to let the dust settle on the ex-husband bombshell: Figure out the necessary steps to a compromise (no soap involved, shampoo bottles moved out of the way, stay away from temperature controls), alert partner you’ve officially changed your mind… and that you’d like to test said compromise immediately.

Was it a swing-and-a-miss on Lea’s backstory?

Honestly, I was hoping for more with Lea’s teen marriage tale. Many of us are chomping at the bit for new pieces to the puzzle that is Ms. Dilallo-- was this a missed opportunity for the writers? I think it’s too early to say. “The Uncertainty Principle” was not an episode designed to spotlight any single supporting character, regardless of how ABC tried to promote it. Within the framework of the episode-- Shaun’s case-of-the-week + his personal life = staring eternity and uncertainty in the face and coming up with a minor coping method (the cowbell)-- it wouldn’t have worked for Lea to even hint at a deep, dark story behind her divorce.

However, the upcoming “Parenting” episode has (dare I say it?) the potential to be pivotal in a wealth of ways-- Lea’s revelation being only one small part of that. The fact that the Ex was described as “literally the boy next door” and “it was expected (that we marry)” makes it very likely that her parents were a huge part of that “expectation”... is the reason they apparently dislike every guy she goes out with is because they compare him, inadvertently or otherwise, with Boy Next Door? And if so, maybe we’re likely to hear about “him” again (and again and again) on Monday? Or learn some additional details of that failed relationship that put Lea in a negative light?

Makes you wonder all the more what their take will be on Lea’s most recent Boy Next Door-turned-lover/best friend, doesn’t it?

Look closely on the left and you can see the lettering on the outside glass: "Lea Dilallo, IT Director"

How Lea stood out

Maybe it’s because she was wearing the same striped sweater she wore on their “Islands” road trip in S1… but the way Lea handled Shaun’s unspooling in her office gave me a tiny throwback to when Shaun put The Striped Tomato in a ditch. He was much more upset back then, and it took a number of “Shaun, look at me” requests on Lea’s part to get him calmed down.

You can see Shaun's profile...

        

...shift to look at her here

This time, she let him go on for about 30 seconds (unpredictable change, hurricanes before 1873, houses flattened, etc.) before a gentle “Shaun…” got him to pause and look directly at her (no prompting) before she came with the reassurance about their own relationship. Of course, the final minute of 3.10 “Friends and Family” is arguably the most challenging “calm down” Lea’s faced to date, and depending on what lies ahead, who knows how many more times we’ll witness this display of love from her. But big moments or smaller ones, this is the kind of thing that keeps endearing us to Lea, leaving us to wonder how anyone could harbor contempt for this character as they have (and continue to do).

And yes, Shaun’s circle-back to #Shea beginning in a natural disaster was duly noted… and hilarious.

How Shaun stood out

As I mentioned last week, I already expected/hoped that this challenge would carry him past his previous assessments of people being “good” and “bad” at marriage. But with the ex-husband news itself not even getting a mention by their final scene together, it was refreshing to see Shaun put that information in its own box-- one with the message I’m still learning things about Lea and that’s okay-- and leap right into What can I do to help ensure that what happened with Lea’s marriage doesn’t happen to us? 

That’s what’s at the heart of the matter, right? If their conversation in Lea’s office didn’t cement that idea, the one with the cowbell certainly did. And while I joked on Twitter that #Shea does NOT need “more cowbell” (referencing a certain SNL sketch from many years ago), I actually hope this kind of fun solution on Shaun’s part doesn’t go the way of Albert the Fish. “Only for emergencies,” Lea concluded after seeing Shaun’s strong reaction to its sound. But sounding it would certainly put things into perspective in a hurry, would it not?

Because… there’s going to be an “emergency.” Maybe this season (Could be as many as 13 episodes still to go!), maybe next, maybe both… but so far, their challenges have been relatively minor. Shaun and Lea are getting made of stronger stuff with every scene they share. The tests are gonna come. But that’s a large part of why we watch.

 "Shaun is coming into the realization that this cocoon of love he's in with Lea might end one day, as what happened with Lea's marriage. He learned that change isn't a problem as long as you change in the same direction. Good marriage fundamentals here. -- Guaind97 on Twitter

"That again gives me the idea that the writers are preparing the couple for some tough challenges in the second half of the season. Challenges that they only can overcome together." -- Andreas (via Twitter) 

Other tidbits from the episode

-- Did anyone else notice that right at the top of Lim’s walk-n-talk with the St B’vites, she mentioned it was “a three day weekend with a full moon”... leading into her lie about how she got the giant bruise on her forehead? I took note that Lim was saying that in an episode that aired on MLK day (third day of a 3-day weekend), making me think of times we’ve discussed TGD timespans vs. real ones... but in studying lunar calendars, I see that the next full moon is not until this coming Thursday (January 28)-- no three-day weekend there. Hmm.

-- Dr. Enrique Guerin gave some of us some major “Gonzo on Trapper John M.D.” vibes with his van set-up in the St. B parking lot. OK, when I say “some of us” I mean those that are old enough to remember Trapper John M.D. (a medical drama that ran on CBS from 1979-86). As for him and Claire… I’m only interested if he really does become some sort of platonic friend whose relationship wisdom and laid-back vibes are able to help propel Claire forward in some manner. (Somehow I doubt this is what the writers have in mind.)

-- For the second time in two years (and almost at the exact same time in January as last year), Shaun came to Dr. Andrews with questions about love and relationships. And for the second time in two years, it came as a process of elimination. Last time Shaun had determined Glassman not a proven-enough success story to ask; this time, he disregarded three opinions (“Park’s marriage failed… Enrique doesn’t even try… Asher is an unknown quantity”) on his way to challenging Andrews again. The irony, though, comes in the fact that I don’t think we’ve seen Andrews’ wife on-screen since season one (with a minor story arc about fertility issues)! Since I tend to agree there’s no room on the current TGD canvas for Andrews’ wife to re-surface, I guess it’s nice that they keep finding ways to verify the marriage is still going strong. (They also did so, in a way, with the scenes of Andrews in his makeshift garage living space during the “Frontline” 2-parter.)

Glassy w/Mr. Rogers vibes... will he be more Mr. Rogers-like with Lea this season?

“PARENTING”: the meet-the-folks episode we’ve waited for

As you surely know by now, Monday January 25 is the day that Shaun-- I mean, we-- I mean, SHAUN will meet Pam and Mike Dilallo (Lea’s parents) for the first time.

Do you know what ELSE this means...!?!?! 

We’ll FINALLY get to hear Lea’s last name spoken on the show!😲

Anyway… as you also surely know (or figured, at least), none of the names that you and I floated last summer for the roles of Lea’s mom and dad were cast in the roles. But no matter, the show’s about to happen and that’s what counts. Here’s a crash course on who’s who:

Barclay Hope (Mike Dilallo)  is a Canadian actor (b. 1958) whose extensive TV credits include Riverdale, Eureka, and Stargate SG-1. 

Julie Warner (Pam Dilallo) hails from New York (b. 1965) and had starring roles in early 90s films such as Doc Hollywood (opposite Michael J. Fox) and Mr. Saturday Night (opposite Billy Crystal) before settling into a wealth of minor TV roles, a recurring role on Nip/Tuck among them. 

Pulled from the ABC promo for "Parenting"

What will happen once we get past all the introductions? Here are a few of my inside knowledge-free speculations, outside what I’ve already mentioned:

-- The initial encounter won’t go well (duh)... either Shaun will be so afraid of saying the wrong thing he’ll barely speak at all, or he’ll tilt the other direction, saying anything and everything.

-- Of her two parents, I’m going to guess that Lea has bigger issues with Mom than with Dad. I’m not sure how those will manifest themselves in this episode, but I’m curious to see if anything further gets said about Mama D and prescription medications (see “Fault” for the reference). 

-- Lea’s estranged (assuming it still is?) relationship with brother Donnie should crop up. It’d better crop up. Please? (C’mon, Dilallos, we need to know what’s happening with all that.)

-- Shaun’s ASD getting discussed is practically a given; how it gets discussed will be interesting to see. Will it be discussed openly in front of him, or will we have a rare Lea scene where Shaun is nowhere around? How will he react and respond to such a discussion? Will anything from their darkest days of season 3 be addressed yet? 

-- All discussions of the ex aside… how much grilling might Mama and Papa D do in the direction of Shaun and Lea getting married in the future? Will they bring up the prospect of future grandkids? What will Shaun and Lea’s reaction be if they do?

-- Finally… what kind of “note” will the episode end on, and what magic words will Shaun come up with if it ends on a good one?

The floor is yours! Whether you want to discuss “The Uncertainty Principle” or “Parenting,” please leave a comment and join the conversation!

State of the #SHEA Pt.25: You Dropped A Bomb on Me

 

Allow me to dive into a near worst-case scenario. Just to get it out of the way:

The Ex To Be Named Later (assuming TGD gives him a name) comes to San Jose somewhere down the road of time, maybe after Shaun and Lea take their relationship to the next level again (I’m afraid to use the M-word outright yet). The Ex’s timing is highly relevant, as the challenges of #Shea’s ASD/NT relationship are making themselves known more than usual and Lea is feeling vulnerable. She confides in the Ex, old flames look to be re-kindled, and it becomes a situation where... in spite of herself... her commitment to Shaun is put to the test. 

(In MY worst-case scenario, she passes the test. No cheating on Shaun. Just… no. But still…)

What comes after that? Does she tell Shaun about the temptation? When he trusts that she did the right thing, as I believe he will, do other voices (Shut up, Morgan. You too, Park) overwhelm him with doubt? Does he reach a place of anger that reminds Lea of that awful night with the baseball bat in the parking garage? Does he take it out on the Ex in a way that gets him arrested?

And… how much will any of these possible outcomes affect Shaun and Lea long-term as a couple?

My probably over-simplified take, should any of this actually turn up in the #Shea crystal ball, is the following:

-- I believe TGD is committed to Shaun and Lea for the long haul. It’s season 4... I’d be surprised if the series goes more than 7 seasons in all (if we’re blessed enough to have it last THAT long)... and they only just became a couple. What value would there be in suddenly bringing it to an end, requiring Shaun to do a sort of “rebuilding” that would take exponentially longer than a NT person? I expect rough patches, perhaps brutal ones. But so long as there is breath in each character’s body, so to speak, I have a hard time believing Shaun and Lea will fully separate.

-- Having said that… I wonder if it might be a disservice to neurotypical/autistic relationships to avoid eventually putting Lea in a situation where the temptation to check out is (temporarily) strong. It wouldn’t have to involve her ex; wouldn’t have to involve another man at all, since the Road Not Taken looks appealing in a certain light regardless. Because we all know there are aspects of this story rarely seen on TV. It would be a shame not to explore them.

(For a refresher course on the difficulties I’m referencing, check out my post NOW THAT WE’VE FOUND LOVE PT. 3 from last September. Lots of interesting stuff there about ASD/NT relationships in general.)

And having said that, I’ll say just one more thing about coming attractions featuring #Shea and the Ex… IF anything remotely like this happens, it won’t happen for a while. Maybe a long while. So let’s enjoy the here and now as it unfolds, okay? I’m not suggesting these things to make y’all crazy, but rather to address some fears and try to show a way around them.

__

Speaking of the here and now, let me provide a quick impression of me (and maybe you) during the “Lim” episode…

Act 1: Wow, those frogs Shaun waved around were singing! Cute! But really, Morgan just walked away without a single word or suggestion, kind or otherwise? Weird.

Act 3: Shaun’s now trying out St. B gift shop ideas? Hmm. I think he’s moving in the wrong direction. He said Lea’s birthday was “tomorrow”-- does that mean it falls during this episode after all? Bummer.

Act 4: “Why are there adult toys on my desk?” Oof, Shaun and his horrifically timed questions about “The Llama”. Some say that was dumb, he knows better than to solicit these kinds of opinions; I respond Wasn’t Lim the one who told Shaun all about parades and “going 3% longer” during a certain memorable breakroom chat last spring? Precedent, people! By the way, do we get to see Lea this episode? We’re more than halfway through now…

Act 6: So I guess we’re into “tomorrow” now, which means… Oh, look! Lea’s birthday is being celebrated in the distance while Lim has a mini-breakdown. Quick, gotta balance a little bit of “Aww!” with a lot of “Oh, Lim, how far down this hole are you going to fall?”

Also… so, the shower scene is probably not in this episode after all. Got it. 

PROMO: Ah, THERE’s the shower! But, yeah, like I thought, the dual shower idea isn’t gonna go over with Shaun as well as it does the rest of us… at least not at HOLY CRAP DID LEA JUST SAY THE SKI THING CAME FROM HER EX-HUSBAND???????????

(And then I think I fell over from shock and hit my head on the floor. Ouch. Don’t remember much after that.)

SO. MANY. QUESTIONS…

1. Lea was married?? How can this be???

(Hey, we’ve been begging for some back story on her. This qualifies!)

2. I guess the better question is… how could she have kept something like this from Shaun for 3 ½ years? Through all the different incarnations of their relationship?

(People keep parts of themselves hidden for all kinds of reasons. Maybe the closer she and Shaun have become, the harder it’s become for her to tell him no matter how much she wanted to. Stakes get high. It happens.)

3. Really?? Doesn’t this feel a little contrived to you?

(Did they have “divorced” in Lea’s character description from the start? I doubt it. But maybe this is one of the luxuries of adding backstory to a character whose screen time has been limited-- and storytime line even more so).

4. But why did they have to give Lea such a HUGE thing to keep secret from Shaun? Don’t they know all the Lea-haters of the universe are doubling down on their “she doesn’t really love him/she’s gonna use him for a while and leave/F--- her” angst?

(The Lea-haters are gonna hate, save for a few blessed exceptions. When she’s “the perfect girlfriend,” e.g. “Fault,” they’re suspicious at best. When she complains, e.g. “Newbies,” she’s a whiner who said the wrong thing after Shaun reiterated his love for her in their final scene. And now, as we’re finally hitting on what could prove to be THE reason she was so fearful of real love with Shaun that it took a near-death experience to turn the tide… they see it as the ultimate ammo to prove their case. Block ‘em, ignore ‘em, clap back at ‘em if you really think it’s worth it (I don’t), but do what you need to do to keep the faith. We’re the ones with the longer, more bountiful ride ahead of us.)

5. What if-- in spite of all we love and cherish with #Shea-- Shore and company aren’t feeling it the way we do, and ARE prepping for these two to break up later this year or next year? With this ex-husband thing being the start of their way out of this storyline?

(Then we’ll make AT LEAST as much noise as a certain other fandom of TGD has made over the past 9 months…? That’s where I’d start, I guess. But of all the things to think about right now-- which includes, again as before, TRUST THE WRITERS-- this particular question isn’t on my short list.)

6. I’d like to know why Lea’s ex-husband is sending her expensive gifts that she apparently doesn’t want? I saw a longer clip that started making the rounds over the weekend, which verifies she has no interest in keeping the ski thing.

(Now THERE’S a question we can all get behind!)

THEORIES… Oh, do we have THEORIES…

Here are some of the ideas I’ve heard thus far, and/or thought about myself… 

• She married a high school sweetheart and it fell apart quickly because that’s what happens sometimes with young, immature love

• She married a guy who mentally and/or physically abused her

• She married someone so he could get his Green Card and stay in the U.S.

• She married someone too early into the relationship because she was desperate to leave home

• She married someone who turned out to be gay

• She married someone with substance abuse issues, or some other sort of addiction

• She married someone who committed a crime and went to prison

• She married someone who was just plain MEAN, which could manifest itself in a variety of ways

• Any combination of the above

If I didn’t touch on your own personal theory, feel free to share it in the comments! The point is, there are a lot of potential explanations. Maybe the writers want a backstory that will be easier for Shaun to wrap his head around once he processes the whole “love of my life used to be married” thing. Or, maybe they purposely want it to be more complex. 

The more I think about it, the more eager I am to see how this new wrinkle irons out. We get them at least four times this coming Monday: the shower scene, the “my ex sent it” scene, the scene in Lea’s office (which appears to be where the ex-husband discussion continues), and the scene where Lea’s in the red checkered jacket. The order of those things remains to be seen… Plus, we don’t know what other character and/or storyline is going to impact the way Shaun’s processing things yet… but he’s sure to bring it up somewhere else.

So now let’s think about the good that could come from Lea’s revelation… 

• The simple fact that she didn’t try to hide the news any longer-- she could have made up a story about who sent her the ski thing; when Shaun asked, she made a momentous decision in that exhale she gives before standing up to face him-- is progress in and of itself.

• We wanted to know what demons were holding Lea down; this twist could unlock some answers. (As could meeting Lea’s parents next week; can you believe we don’t even have time to dig into that yet with all the ex-husband stuff?!)

• Shaun will, I hope, suggest to Lea that building trust and commitment in their relationship only happens when both sides are doing the building. (In other words… how can the trust issues she talks about get any better when she apparently felt she couldn’t trust Shaun with this news any earlier than now?) Consequently, I’d like to see Lea come clean with what happened in a way that’s bare, and beautiful, and something that of course allows Shaun to be the man she’ll need him to be in that moment. 

• Shaun will find himself moving past black and white assessments of success and failure in marriage-- remember how he has matter-of-factly stated others on the show to be “not good” at marriage because they didn’t stay married (Glassman, Park, Lim I think)? I’d like to think that going through this with Lea will help him see the complexities he hasn’t seen before.

• Just as we considered the timing of Lea’s move-in imperative to Shaun’s emotional needs the following week (Shaun/Asher’s patient dying), I have to wonder if this revelation was necessary because it’s some sort of factor with the Dilallos’ arrival in the upcoming “Parenting” episode. If so, look for the remainder of the January TGD episodes to be some of the most important yet in the #Shea journey.

• And this one is a longshot, but… discussing Lea’s relationship with her ex will be the first time we know of that either of them will be discussing marriage in so close a context. Could it possibly lead to any foreshadowing of marriage for THEM? (Example: Shaun asking Lea if she thinks she’ll want to get married again someday; or Lea saying something about their own relationship that indicates longevity)

So keep calm, listen hard, and don’t panic if we don’t get all the answers exactly when we feel we should! #Shea magic reveals on its own timetable. Let’s savor every moment.

2021 U.S. Nationals Preview & Predictions... (Hold the Predictions)

 

I’ve been blogging about figure skating since 2008, and yet it’s hard to know what to write in a new post now.

Except this: At this spectator-free U.S. Nationals, I hope they find a way to adjust the “crowd noise” to match the performances we see. I mentioned on Twitter during Skate America (SkAm) that they should have at least three options, including blow-the-roof-off-the-joint, not-perfect-but-highly-respectable, and Thank-God-that’s-over.

We shall see.

Anyway, the last time I posted here about skating was early last February… just after U.S. Nationals excitement had died down, and when we all still expected the rest of the 2019-20 season would unfold as usual. Since then, I’ve been doing what a lot of YOU have likely been doing (aside from all the pandemic prevention measures), which is keep an eye on figure skating’s timeline since last March. I watched many off-ice training clips, I cheered when I saw the first video of someone back on the ice after rinks re-opened (it was Keegan Messing), took note of who changed partners, who changed coaches, who retired.

I thought about picking up again with Junior Grand Prix events—until those got cancelled altogether. Then I thought about covering the Senior Grand Prix events—the events that actually took place, I mean—but it just felt so odd, like trying to sign my name with my left hand. Or dancing with only one shoe.

Now, with the senior events of a spectator-free 2021 U.S. Nationals teed up to start (TODAY) January 14^th, I’m following along with mixed emotions. Japanese Nationals took place—with an audience—but as I understand it, they were cautioned against vocal cheering as it could increase the risk for contagion, even with masks on. Russian Nationals happened too, also with an audience. But with five COVID-related withdrawals amongst the four disciplines… a much more “relaxed” (to put it mildly) approach to safety measures… and at least one athlete (I think it was eventual champion Anna Sherbakova) competing with a persistent fever, it really sounds like it should have been canceled.

Canada, a nation with considerably better COVID numbers that the U.S., canceled their own national championships earlier this week. Ours, at least, was moved—a while ago—from San Jose to the same Las Vegas “bubble” situation that was used for 2020 Skate America last fall. But with infection rates so much higher, and the event itself being so much larger than SkAm (even with the junior-level events happening next week), with more people involved from more parts of the country… again, I’m left with a very “iffy” feeling from the whole thing.

BUT, the show goes on. In fact, it’ll start with Senior Pairs SP, same as always. I know Peacock (NBC’s new streaming service) is the place to go for the most complete coverage, but since I’ve got NBC SN at my disposal, I’ll likely just stay with that and “big” NBC. (Unless there are a few days left on my Peacock free trial from SkAm… I should probably check.)

Here's a schedule (via NBC Sports) if you need one.

I know I usually make predictions for Nats, but with a whole lot less to look at and work from this season—attendees of SkAm notwithstanding—I don’t feel equipped to do what I usually do. (Which is make mostly mediocre predictions, I know… you’ll just have to get by without them this time.) The beloved Jackie Wong, on the other hand, has done a better job of keeping up over at Rocker Skating and you can find HIS predictions here…

Also, here’s an article by Lynn Rutherford on the Las Vegas skating bubble itself—a worthwhile read from Rutherford, as always.

As for me, I’ll offer up what I can on each discipline. Let’s compare notes, shall we?

 

PAIRS

 

+  The big U.S. success story this year may be a surprise in that it’s about the dissolution of two top teams and the rise of their remains. In other words, The Knierims are no more in terms of a skating team—they’re still married, but Chris has retired. Meanwhile, the team of Denney/Frazier broke up last spring too. Knierim/Frazier is the result, and if their SkAm debut was any indication, they’re already in quite good shape to medal at Nats. Maybe win it, too.

+  On the other hand, past champs Kayne/O’Shea broke things off just about a month ago—so we’ll have to wait and see if/when either one emerges with a new partner.

+  Other teams that were scheduled to compete this weekend but aren’t include Burden/Rounis, Deardorff/Johnson, and McIsaac/Sadusky.

+  That leaves eight teams to compete with Knierim/Frazier this weekend, including former champs Cain-Gribble/LeDuc, last year’s breakout stars Calalang/Johnson, and Lu/Mitrofanov, who edged C-G/L for bronze at SkAm.

 

LADIES 

 

+  I’ll be honest, and say outright that I want Mariah Bell to win this thing. Karen Chen has one win, Bradie Tennell has one win, Alysa Liu has TWO wins, but at age 15(!) she’s having to make the adjustments many young skaters make when they add a few inches here and there, and consequently she’s currently competing without her triple axel and quad jump superpowers. So… maybe not a three-peat for her. Maybe.

+  Tennell and Chen are both solid possibilities too, if SkAm was any indication. But, again, without a lot of competitive opportunities this year it’s a toss-up for me. But if Bell isn’t able to show off her SP (P!nk’s “Glitter in the Air”) and FS (ABBA medley) anywhere else this year—and with 2021 Worlds facing a strong possibility of cancellation, that may be the case—I’d love for this to be her year.

+  The big news at SkAm for ladies was the strong impression made by Audrey Shin, a 16 year-old who was supposed to compete the JGP, but was given a SkAm spot after the JGP was canceled… and finished with a bronze! So consider her a part of this medals mix…

+  … as well as Amber Glenn (armed with a 3Ax this year, though she hasn’t yet landed it in competition), Starr Andrews (who I’m hoping has a more difficult 3/3 back in her arsenal), and Gabriella Izzo (9^th at Nats last year). Paige Rydberg, who was among those competing at SkAm, was forced to withdraw last week with a positive COVID test. And Gracie Gold is among the competitors again; unfortunately, she did poorly at SkAm (12^th) so if she’s able to make Top 10 at Nats I think that would count as a “win.” There are 17 skaters total in this discipline.

 

MEN

 

+  With Nathan Chen widely expected to win his fifth National title in a row this year, the discussion goes to Can anyone else squeeze Jason Brown and Vincent Zhou off that podium with Nathan? And If not, who might at least position himself well for a sneak attack next year?

+  Because of all the programs at Nats, Jason Brown’s SP and FS are the two I’m still most excited to see. I’ve seen “Sinnerman” (the SP, a Nina Simone piece previously used by Canadian skater Nam Nguyen) in practice, and I think I’ve seen his FS too (to “Slaughter on 10^th Avenue,” a sentimental fave of mine) but it’s been a while. Vincent Zhou will likely be as formidable as ever—always with his own mostly-successful set of quads, yet always in Chen’s shadow—but Brown’s the one I’ve (still) got my eye on at all times.

+  Though no man has so far scratched from Nats due to COVID, one—Andrew Torgashev, who finished 5^th last year—WD due to injury. So the main guys to look for outside of the Three Most Likely to Podium include Tomoki Hiwatashi (4^th last year) Alexei Krasnozhon (6^th last year, now with a quad loop), Maxim Naumov (last year’s Junior Men Champ), and Camden Pulkinen (7^th last year). Like the ladies, there are 17 men competing in all.

 

DANCE

 

+  The battle remains the same this year as last year: Hubbell/Donohue vs. Chock/Bates for the top spot, with Hawayek/Baker expected to hold down bronze (especially with last year’s pewter medalists, Carriera/Ponomarenko, staying home due to COVID exposure).

+  C/B have apparently kept their “Snakecharmer” FD and “Too Darn Hot” RD from last year; they won with these, bringing their U.S. titles to two in all. H/D have also won 2 U.S. titles to date; however, they’re using new RD and FD material this year. They won SkAm with it; C/B, on the other hand, have yet to compete this season.

+  Haw/Bak split the difference, keeping their RD (the Saturday Night Fever medley I ADORE, changing just one portion of it to make it even more fab with the addition of “Boogie Shoes”)… but going to a new FD that melds Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” with Phillip Glass. Not gonna lie; I generally cringe when I know Phillip Glass’ music is nearby. But this Glass Fusion, as I will call it for the duration of this season, I’ll continue to give the benefit of the doubt since I just enjoy Haw/Bak so much. And I’m watching Tanith White share her appreciation for it (at SkAm) as I write this—she’s applauding the mood/tone/organic nature of the program as a whole—so I trust her judgment more than most!

+  Others to look for: Green/Parsons (5^th last year), Lorraine McNamara and new partner Anton Spiridonov, Eva Pate/Logan Bye (7^th last year), and Molly Cesanek/Yehor Yehorov (competed at SkAm 2021). There are 11 dance teams competing in all.

 

That’s about all I’ve got to say—how about you? Leave a comment if you like, and maybe I’ll see you on Twitter this weekend as things unfold. Follow me @KLBSt8ofSk8, and follow Nationals with the hashtag #ToyotaUSChamps21.

Newbie New Year's Resolutions, and An Embarrassment of #Shea Promotional Riches

 

 

Would you believe I’m already dealing with a writing dilemma? A good dilemma, as dilemmas go, but a dilemma nonetheless. Several of them. I’ll try to summarize: 

n My original plan was to write something about TGD Newbies last week, then follow it with some sort of “Lim” preview heading into Monday’s TGD return.

n  Then on New Year’s Eve, ABC dropped one helluva hydrated hint as to an upcoming #Shea situation.

n  Then came more hints about the “Lim” episode in general.

n  Which tipped us off to the fact that, apparently, Lea’s birthday is in January.

n  Then we got a slew of promotional pics for “The Uncertainty Principle” (4.7), an episode whose title we’d also been pondering…

n  And THEN, late in the week, came yet another intriguing title for episode 4.8! 

Plus, I’m still working on my annual holiday letter to friends and family (chill out, they all know it’s a “new year’s” letter, it's been this way for years, unfortunately)… 

Plus I’ve got to get all our holiday stuff back into the packing tubs so we can shove it all back into the attic before my young, capable teenage son heads back to Purdue. 

AND… welp, as you might be aware… current domestic events of the week have been distracting, to say the very least! 

Nothing is written yet, other than what you’ve just read. I wanted to get something completed and posted by Saturday so that y’all have reading material to get through Sunday and Monday. But I write slower than I’d like. And—as noted already—am distracted.

And here we are... early Sunday afternoon (Eastern Time) as I post this. (Sigh. I did what I could.) Let's dig in...

🍏 🏎🍏 🏎🍏 🏎

NEWBIE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS 

After grabbing an ample share of the focus in episodes 3 through 5 of the season, it appears that TGD “Newbies” may be laying lower for a while upon return. (Yes, I know it doesn’t look that way in ABC’s promo for “Lim,” and I’ll get back to my little beef about that.) But now that we’ve had a few episodes with them, I’d like to go out on a tiny limb (no pun intended) and embrace January with some good-natured New Year’s Resolution suggestions for the fine foursome.  

For Dr. Asher Wolke, who was devastated by the events of
the “Fault” episode when we last saw him:

n  + Have a good cry, a week of meditation, or whatever activity brings him some comfort (singing show tunes? Archery? Pottery?) as he recovers from losing his first patient.

n  + Invite that one sister (I think it was a sister) that he still talks to for a visit to San Jose.

n + When we first met Wolke, he spoke candidly of how he “started dating men” after leaving his faith and family behind. But by his own admission in “Fault,” he hasn’t done much dating yet. Perhaps 2021 is the year that should change! 

For Dr. Olivia Jackson, who got to deal with that stroke patient in the first part of “Fault”:

n + Raise her voice on occasion (figuratively and literally—sometimes she reminds me of “the low talker” on the Puffy Shirt episode of Seinfeld)

n + Find a happy balance in her familial interactions with Andrews

n + Embrace her introverted nature… “Don’t wonder if playing ragtime piano alone in her apartment is ‘interesting’,” I’d tell her. “Know that it’s AWESOME!”

 

For Dr. Jordan Allen:

n   + Work on honing those instincts; she’s prone to speaking out when she feels strongly about something (which is great) but not particularly selective of the arena in which she chooses to do so (which is problematic).

n +  If she gets bored being “single”… consider a dating website. (She could ask Morgan for details, depending on how adventurous she feels.)

n + BUT—if Jordan feels any new medical innovation designs coming on, she might want to just hang on to that “single” status a while longer… or at least until she gets her finances completely secured.

 

And for Dr. Enrique Guerin, who I believe revealed himself to be polyamorous in a recent episode (intimately involved with more than one partner at a time) so I’m not sure if he needs dating assistance or not…

 

n  + Carve out more surfing time

n  + Consider writing an online relationship advice column (he’s pretty good at it!)

n  + Keep up those contacts in Costa Rica… just in case this St. B gig falls through. (I’m just sayin’.)

 

🍏 🏎🍏 🏎🍏 🏎

THE #SHEA SHOWER 

I’m not sure if we’ll ever be more captivated by two and a half seconds of video as we have been by the ABC promo for “Lim,” which debuted during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and instantly eclipsed anything Miley Cyrus and/or Megan Thee Stallion was (almost) wearing that night. I mean here we #Shea Shippers were, just trying to get into 2021 without contracting COVID or encountering any more 2020 bad luck, when WHOA! Shirtless Shaun (OK, more than shirtless we presume) in the shower, looking curiously at an equally “shirtless” Lea—once she disrobes, that is—beaming flirtatiously as she joins him.

Considering what we HAVE and HAVE NOT been treated to thus far in Shaun and Lea’s journey, this possibility of a shower love scene is rather unprecedented. Considering it turns up in a promo for an episode that is Lim-centric? Doubly surprising.

And yet, what might come off as titillating in any other show has potential to go a variety of directions on TGD… that’s part of the intrigue. How receptive will Shaun be to Lea sharing his shower space? Will the impracticalities of the “situation” be frustrating for him? Will he be overwhelmed, from a sensory aspect, in a bad way? 

And in any of those situations… will he have resolved his issues enough by the end of the episode to show up in Lea’s shower by episode’s end? 

I think it’s safe to say that all of us are ready to find out. ASAP. (Or sooner.)

 

 🍏 🏎🍏 🏎🍏 🏎

The rest of the LIM promo

 Here’s the catch on that #Shea shower scene though… we’re not really sure when we’ll see it. This week’s promo alluded to it, yes, but it also felt like it could be a tiny trailer for the next part of the season in general. The audio in the 15 second version was all Shaun: I’m trying to be a better doctor… a better boyfriend… better at the things I’ve chosen. Kind of generic, right?

And when it expanded to a 30-second promo a few days ago, those lines stayed… and a few were added, including a couple from Lim. As in Lim, the one this episode’s supposed to focus on.

Might #Shea be getting some steamy screen time alongside Dr. Audrey Lim’s personal crisis/coping time? It seems that way, but to watch ABC’s promo, you’d never know Lim was getting a spotlight at all. She’s seen, yes, but in all instances she’s interacting with Shaun. Contrast that with the promo from CTV (Canada) for the same episode—which hopefully you can see HERE. #Shea shower tease aside, I find the CTV version infinitely more compelling.

As #Shea fans we should probably take stock in ABC’s version; it suggests a decision was made that the #Shea clips are more persuasive to ABC’s (American) viewers than shots of Lim looking distraught, barking at Shaun to “grow up,” or tearing through the night on her motorcycle. In the wake of all things Melendez, promoting #Shea—especially the sexier side of #Shea—is refreshing. I guess I just wish it wasn’t at the expense of Christine Chiang superfans in U.S. who are even more excited about Monday as we are.

 

🍏 🏎🍏 🏎🍏 🏎

Lea’s birthday

We found out, via the 30-second “Lim” promo, that Lea’s birthday is fast approaching!

All we really know thus far is that Shaun’s putting himself to the test and searching for an “awesome” gift. Does it involve the cowbell we saw in promotional pictures for episode 4.7? The cross-country ski simulator we saw in that same batch of pictures? Those stuffed frogs he’s holding when talking to Lim and Morgan? The speculation is already intense, and we’ve only known about it for a few days!

I don’t know why it occurred to me to wonder this—I know precious little about astrology—but I know enough to know that if Lea’s birthday is now presumed to be sometime in January, she’s either a Capricorn or an Aquarius (depending on her actual birthdate, which I presume won’t be revealed). Based on the descriptions below, I think she sounds more like an Aquarius… what do you think?

Capricorn Dec’ 22-Jan’ 19

The pragmatic Capricorn can sense at once whether a new concept is going to work. Their forthright attitude also means that if they think you fall short, they will have no problem telling it “to your face”. Capricorns are great at improvising too. They are quick to adopt good ideas and can make all the necessary adjustments to make them perfect for the given situation.

Aquarius Jan’ 20-Feb’ 18

Those born under the Aquarius sign are generally erratic. Their behavior and temperament are so unpredictable that it is impossible to define their personality type. However, they usually make wonderful first impressions. At first sight, an Aquarius will come across as a most charming and well-mannered person. People find them very interesting company as they are active and adventurous by nature.

And in case anyone’s wondering… Paige Spara (Lea) was born 8/9/89, making her a Leo… and Freddie Highmore (Shaun) was born 2/14/92, meaning he’s an Aquarius.

🍏 🏎🍏 🏎🍏 🏎 

“The Uncertainty Principle”

With the official description of the January 18 episode focusing on Morgan and one of her patients, it was hard to say what role, if any, #Shea might play. Then came the PHOTOS! Three scenes worth of PHOTOS!

 

And that’s where we see that cowbell I was talking about…

 

And the cross-country ski machine…

And THIS, a much better look at Lea’s office than we were first treated to in 4.3 "Newbies."

If you’ve zoomed in on those photos like I have, you see they’re generally outdoorsy shots, presumably from Spara’s personal collection. There’s a dog involved, and I guess Spara herself (I don’t think it looks like her, but my close-up is very fuzzy; if others say it’s her, I’ll go with that)… along with some other people who could be taken to be members of “Lea’s” family.

Are these people going to get a closer look if Lea makes direct connections with family this season? I hope TGD knows we’ll be all OVER that!

(Oh, and I was trying to read the titles on Lea’s bookshelf too… the only one I successfully made out was The Seat of the Soul, a bestseller about spirituality that was first released in 1989… coincidentally the year Spara was born, as I mentioned earlier. Can any of you decipher other titles?)

One other thing about this episode… some of you may have known this already, but I didn't… if you look up “The Uncertainty Principle” you’ll find that it is a physics term. More specifically, a quantum mechanics term—here Wiki’s definition:

Any of a variety of mathematical inequalities asserting a fundamental limit to the accuracy with which the values for certain pairs of physical quantities of a particle, such as position, x, and momentum, p, can be predicted from initial conditions.

Got all that?

How this will apply to Morgan’s patient, or Shaun and Lea, or anything else in that episode remains to be seen. But quantum mechanics jumped out at me, leading me to wonder if this could be something in Lea’s wheelhouse of knowledge… 

🍏 🏎🍏 🏎🍏 🏎

And did you see the title on episode 4.8 (to air 1/25)? “Parenting”?

My head spins yet again with the possibilities: is it a topic that arises for the first time with Shaun and Lea? Is it a reference to Lea’s parents? Obviously it could be neither of those, but the double meanings of so many TGD episodes leads us down this curious path…

Until around the same time I initially posted this, which is when the summary of “Parenting” was released:

 

The team treats a teenage gymnast who experiences complications from her intensive training; Shaun meets Lea's parents for the first time.

 

SHIPPERS!!

 

THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!

 

I can only presume there’s going to be much more information about this in the next two weeks, but for those who might be new… we have discussed this, and the casting possibilities for it, since last summer! For anyone who wants a refresher course on our discussions thus far…

Scroll to “Meeting Lea’s Family” to read the initial post…

 

… and HERE is where you can see all the suggestions thatcame up once I posed the question about casting Lea’s family via Twitter.

 

AAAUGH! LET’S GET STARTED WITH THE REST OF SEASON 4 ALREADY!

 

(Speculation, fully-formed theories, and general comments are welcome, as always.)