State of the #SHEA Part 24: I'm Glad You're Here (the "Fault" Winter Finale)

 

SHEA SEEDS…

I HAVE A HOLIDAY CHALLENGE FOR ALL READERS.

 

With TGD going on hiatus until January 11, #Shea fans will of course be deprived of any chance to see Shaun and Lea sharing their first Christmas season together as a couple.

 

But… what if WE took some guesses at what that might look like?

 

Here’s my idea:

1)   Interested readers shoot me an email (NOT a comment or a Twitter DM): KLawrence997-at-gmail-dot-com.

2)   Sometime in the coming week, I’ll send you back a little survey to get your personal input on things that might've come up during #Shea’s holiday season. (I haven’t put this survey together yet, but it would just be some questions about traditions, food, decorations, gifts, etc.)

3)   Later this month I’ll compose at least one post based on the responses I get. The more readers participating, the more likely I’ll break it into multiple posts.

Sound good? If so… let me hear from you! 

(But only if you're interested)

 

GLASSY IS BACK!

You may have heard by now that both Richard Schiff (Dr. Glassman) and his wife Sheila Kelley (Debbie) came down with COVID-19 around the same time the pandemic-centered “Frontline” season premiere aired in early November (how ironic). In fact, Schiff’s case of it was serious enough to put him in the hospital for several days. But the good fantastic news is that he is not only on the road to recovery now, but was back on TGD set late last week, taking (masked) photos with both Freddie Highmore and Paige Spara. Here’s a write-up on his ordeal.

🍏🏎🍏🏎🍏🏎🍏🏎🍏🏎🍏🏎

There was no way for TGD Winter Finale 2020 (4.5 “Fault”) to hit the dramatic heights of TGD Winter Finale 2019 (3.10 “Friends and Family”)—especially when they had half as many episodes as usual completed, therefore not nearly as much of a story arc in place-- so I was relieved it didn’t even try. What we got instead was a spotlight on Shaun and newbie Dr. Asher Wolke that packed quite an emotional wallop, but allowed the lion’s share of the drama fall to Dr. Wolke while a decidedly more mature and restrained Dr. Murphy felt his pain (and fault-by-association) from the distance of a fourth-year resident.

And on the way to and from that climactic moment in the OR that saw their patient die on the table, #Shea fans were treated to a round of scenes, and moments, that demonstrated Shaun and Lea coming into their own in ways we could only pray for when they shared their game-changing embrace in Wyoming a year ago.

The pace of “Fault” was different; we knew that when a) the episode opened with an in-progress diagnosis, b) that diagnosis did not involve Shaun; we didn’t see him until his Good Helicopter Doctor moment a little later (hovering while Olivia and Locke took on their first patients solo)… and b) the opening credits hit only a minute after the show started.

Consequentially, Lea and Shaun didn’t share a scene together until midway through Act 3… when Lea emerged from what I presume is now “their” bedroom (we’ll find out soon enough if Shaun’s mattress-on-the-floor has been retired, I guess) to check on Shaun and at least a dozen how-to-be-a-better-manager books. While I hope and expect to see more scenes like this in the future—one of them burning the midnight oil while the other tries to get them to turn in for the night—we already had one in that past. Remember when Shaun was trying to distract himself from his difficulties in connecting with Carly, and Lea called him on it while making a late-night fridge run? I nicknamed the scene “Still talking!” on my list of favorite #Shea Smaller Moments; you can read about it here to jog your memory.

Of course, back then the scene ended with Shaun reluctantly leaving to take a walk with Carly, while this one ended with Shaun enthusiastically leaving to… um…get sleepy, courtesy of

Lea. Again we’re reminded what a difference a year makes…

(By the way, did anyone else think Shaun was making a motion to unbuckle his belt the moment he turned and headed to the bedroom? Since he typically walks with his hands folded in front of him, it was hard to tell if he was “just” walking, or multi-tasking…!)

Anyway, this scene (and the two #Shea scenes that followed it) captured Shaun’s progress as nicely as did any other part of the episode:

·       He took Lea’s advice on watching TED talks as a more efficient way to complete his crash course on mentoring. (Or he would have until “getting sleepy” superseded all other events of the evening.)

·       When he was walking-and-talking with newbies Wolke and Olivia (I’ve decided I’m calling the new guys by their last names and new ladies by their first), he managed to catch himself before divulging why he got too “sleepy” to finish their self-improvement assignments. While this particular accomplishment doesn’t count as a #Shea moment, I hope you can infer why I included it 😊

·       While there is quite a bit to be said about the #Shea “Date Night” scene (and I’ll dig into that shortly), I should probably start with the interesting news that “Date Night” wasn’t intended to happen at first! This was revealed on Twitter a few days back when Melissa Reiner, an autism consultant for TGD who periodically gives brief insights for certain scenes on the show, shared that Shaun was going to decline the date night suggestion in the original script. According to Reiner, she felt it was important for Shaun to take Lea up on the idea to show growth from the time he abruptly abandoned dinner plans with Carly (in the “Unsaid” episode last season, I believe) in order to research a solution for a case.

+   I don’t mind telling you guys that while I usually find Reiner’s insight clips very interesting, I was extremely put off late in S3 when she clearly took a side when discussing the infamous “Fixation” episode (one guess as to which side). I’m still trying to figure out where the “insight” was that time. BUT, she seems to be out of the Lea-bashing business now and I guess that’s what counts.

·       Oh, and I know it goes without saying that Shaun’s

physical moments/minutes with Lea continue to be a work in (incredibly promising) progress, but that last minute of the episode—showing him take Glassman’s words of wisdom to heart as he “took comfort from the one he loved” – was a beautiful gift with just the right amount of dialogue (almost none) to communicate that comfort to the rest of us. And to the

gentlemen out there reading this, please don’t hate me for saying the following: I think TGD was extra-fortunate to have a woman director on “Fault” (Vanessa Parise, who also has directing credits for The Resident and Chicago Med this year) because I’m not sure that scene, particularly the rack focus shot of Shaun and Lea’s fingers entwined, would have been as captivating with a man in the director’s seat.

+   And I’ll tack a not-so-fun fact to that while on the subject: according to womenandhollywood.com, only 30% of prime-time TV is directed by women… though to TGD’s credit, women have directed 16 of the show’s 61 episodes to date.

Meanwhile, Shaun’s ever-evolving counterpart scored several points of her own in “Fault”—some weren’t even of her own doing! 

·       “Someone needs you… more than I need you.” Clearly the words of a woman who is making a solid effort at being less selfish, even though some of us have questioned her claims of being so all along. But "Date Night" was a solid test for her. Did you see that elaborate setup—tables, lanterns, food and drink, From Here to Eternity playing on their own projector screen? Did you see and hear how impressed she was?

·       And did you hear what kind of week she was having? System update that went “bananas,” tons of complaints, total nightmare? Our girl is STRESSED. And yet, Shaun’s bad week is almost always going to out-“bad” Lea’s in that a life, or lives, will be on the line. Not that he’ll always see it that way, but Lea’s likely to…

+  …At least, for now. A number of fans have indicated that Lea has thus far been more selfless in this relationship than she should be. But will Lea push back a little more the longer she and Shaun live together? It’s a variation on the theory that couples are on best behavior when “playing house;” the difference is that Lea’s much more capable of this than Shaun. Will there come a time when she feels like she’s giving TOO much? And how will the two of them respond as a result? It’s just one of many possible conflicts to come on their journey. 

·       Lea’s mother came up in conversation again… the second mention in three episodes. Last time Shaun referenced her when he made the candid comment about Lea’s “adenoidal” voice; this time, Lea referenced her when talking about warm milk as a sleep aid. Keep

in mind that when Lea has mentioned her family up to now, it has primarily been about Donnie (her seemingly estranged brother) and her beloved Grandpa Rod (from whom she inherited the Striped Tomato). That, and the family’s general dysfunction, is all we’ve heard in THREE YEARS of “knowing” Lea on this show. A Mom mention in 4.3? Another in 4.5? Conventional wisdom is starting to shout foreshadowing! at us. Could Mama Dilallo be making an appearance on TGD later this season?

+   If you’ve followed this blog since I started writing about #Shea in S3, you’ll recall that both Lea’s family and those who might best portray Lea’s family were the subject of much discussion over the summer. (If you’re new, or want a refresher course, click here and here.) What we’ve really been gunning for is a #Shea trip to Hershey, PA, and a chance to get familiar with the entire Dilallo clan. But if the pandemic, or anything else, makes such a trip impossible this year… yep, I’d definitely welcome an opportunity to visit with Lea's mom. (What was that Lea said about “actual prescriptions” her mom had…? Is this a seed being planted about Mama D having issues with controlled substances? We’d better keep our ears open for more clues when the show returns in January.)

·       I have to admit that one of my favorite Lea moments of the week came when she was nowhere in sight—because in the space of about five seconds, Shaun answered Olivia’s Date Night response “What does she like?” with a laundry list of SEVEN Lea faves. And the writers could have brought up ALL the expected ones (including tequila and karaoke), but instead they gave us two “givens” and let Shaun’s breakneck speed introduce us to the rest. Can you name all seven?

o   CARS   

o   CODING

o   ZELDA, BREATH OF THE WILD (video game)

o   SAUVIGNON BLANC (wine)

o   SKITTLES

o   RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE (TV Series)

o   CAMPING

Is this list the cure for what ails us in terms of Lea’s character development and backstory? HA! Of course not. But it served as a mini-catapult of sorts towards getting to know her just a little bit more like Shaun knows her. Which was a joy to hear.

 

·       What about that film they were watching? How about that entire "Date Night"—that looked like it took a while to set up, and yet was over in less than two minutes? I can try and fill in a few blanks…

+  The film was From Here to Eternity, the 1953 war drama that won eight Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director (Fred Zimmerman), and Best Supporting Actor/Actress for Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed, respectively. (Thanks to reader Steven Hamburg for ID’ing the film; I’m not familiar with many war films though I should probably make an exception for this one… a classic!)

+  The idea for "Date Night" that Shaun went with seemed to be a hybrid of Wolke’s suggestion (“everyone likes movies”) and Olivia’s mention about a great experience “camping at Big Sur.” The result was, not-so-coincidentally, something that TGD could pull off at a time when traditional date night locales—eateries, theaters, other public places—are pandemic no-nos.

+  It was also very cool! Raise your hand if a significant other has ever staged such a fine, custom-made outing for the two of you. (If so, you should share in the comments. I want to know!) Yeah, Shaun has the help of North Hollywood magic, great writers, blah blah blah… but do you have any doubt that the character those writers have created can do all that for his woman? I don’t.

+   And by the way did you see Shaun’s dimples pop after he clinked glasses with Lea early in the scene? I wish I got a shot of it to share. I didn’t. Take a look… it’s precious.

                                  

+  Confederation Park in Burnaby (part of metropolitan Vancouver) was the location of the “Date Night” scene… and thanks to Pamela, a reader and Vancouver resident, here’s a look at the approximate location of “Date Night” in the daytime. “It was easy to find the exact location by me locating the tennis courts which you can see behind the movie screen,” Pamela says. “There's the picnic table where Shaun had placed the snacks, including (I'm assuming) Lea's favorite Sauvignon Blanc.” Pamela went on to say that is was super chilly the night they shot that scene (Monday, 10/26); in fact, you can see their breath in some of the shots.  

+   And for those with additional curiosity of how location shoots for big TV shows work, here’s a copy of the Notice of Filming that was posted for locals to see.

+   As I said earlier, what we saw of “Date Night”

lasted less than two minutes… but as you see here (and can see even more of it here) , it would appear that there was more to the scene (or there was an additional scene shot there) that, sadly, was not used. Some of us

speculated that it might have been the very beginning of the date that we didn’t see, but as I look at it and see scenes from the film in the background (as opposed to the film’s opening credits), I wonder if this part came

later. Then again, depending on the camera shot it might not have mattered what was on the movie screen… ANYWAY, I sent a tweet to the director (the aforementioned Vanessa Parise) to see if I can get any clarification 😊 If she responds, I’ll let you know!

Got any #Shea thoughts, on the “Fault” episode or otherwise? Please leave them in the comments!