BL S3Ep14 Also, Happy Birthday, Mr Spader.

Memo to Partners: Wombat & Savage has sent Alan Shore a bottle of single malt Scotch for his birthday

Savage: Loved it that Clarence left Clair's employ and is now Alan's secretary. Alan can't be accused of sexual harassment, though Denny seems a bit too interested in Clarence as Oprah.

Clair making it official, that he is her man, gave him a lot of confidence, The way he handled her dressing down which was really her declaration of love was perfect.

Wombat: They've hit one of those strides again I think. And Clair and Clarence are interacting with the rest of the cast.

Wombat: Though the last episode reminds me how much I've missed Paul Lewiston.

Savage: Don't think they know what to do with Paul now that the daughter story is played out

Wombat: True but Paul always played an important part in the show, even when he wasn't opening up to anyone personally. He was the classical, by-the-books lawyer who did everything he could to keep the insanity in check, and to me that was crucial to the feel of the earlier episodes You can really find yourself if you have a few administrative straps to comfortably kick against. And he provided the same dynamic when things got off the hook. And I've always been interested in his relationship with Denny, as well as his with Alan.

From what I've seen, for the most part he doesn't like Alan very much, but he respects him. Alan doesn't respect Paul much at all, but I think he likes him. And then there are the rare moments when they're in harmony and all seems right in the Universe. If I were on the writing staff I'd be submitting all kinds of subplots involving him. Though maybe he's just given up on imposing any kind of order on a firm that clearly belongs to the madmen.

Savage: Agree that Paul provided the compass. Where was he? Wasn't even on.

I would like to see more of him also, but I believe that Clarence is going to be the grounding now. He's very accepted, interacts well with everybody. Provides rational advice and can morph in Oprah.

Though as a Transgender Black man who was working as a secretary for his new girlfriend, but passed the Bar, Clarence must have issues that need to be worked out. Just a thought. Yes, Paul Lewiston is very needed, as BL is too sensitive to make Clarence into a cartoon figure. While he's finding his center, it should take awhile.
Wombat: The other thing about Clarence is that if he's going to learn the sheer bravado of lawyering in the BL universe from anyone, it's Alan. And he has Clair to help him with his confidence.

Savage: Clarence gave some interesting advice to Brad's rival, Jeffrey for Denise.

Wombat: The Brad-Jeffrey rivalry has very real ramifications now. My hope is that Brad realizes that if he lays on the pressure he'll almost be assured as to what Denise's decision will be as to what to do with the baby.

Savage: Denise has to go for the abortion so that Brad can fight it, and provide fodder for the partners to become divided on.

Denny to Alan: "there are two Americas, your America--idealistic. The other America that thinks homosexuality is a sin and elects presidents."

Brilliant brilliant.

Denny, in his too preppy for words pinker than my blog pink tie and hankerchief has a way of making that other America come to life for me.

Wombat: It should be noted though that he didn't say that he lived in the other America

Savage: Think he was shaken to the core by his visit to New Orleans and his trial, but can't admit any changes in feeling.Wombat: Reminds me of this map that was passed around after the 2004 election. I didn't feel like an American anymore for a while after that. Wondered if it really did belong to the backward-ass gullible fucks who got fleeced by that who's who of white collar criminals. I was in a blue state and I still had a lot of arguments with idiots who steadfastly took up positions on subjects they knew nothing about. And when I demonstrated superior knowledge of the issues they tried to play it off like that meant I was pretentious. I never did run into anyone who gave a name for the "disorder" of homosexuality though. I don't know what I would have done.

Savage: "Same sex attraction disorder?" Amazing to think that sexuality could be changed at a faith based initiative for $40,000. And they blamed the victim. The poor deluded Judge who at 70 still lives with his mother, and has a sexual disorder, but isn't Gay.

Wombat: I absolutely cannot believe that I didn't see that coming

Savage: Neither did I, and another unforgettable line; "only in America, a country that celebrates its prejudices...." Alan

Wombat: I for one, am proudly prejudiced against suburban white dudes who cock their ballcaps and listen to shitty hip-hop.

Savage: BL's becoming broader yet more subtle about issues. Goes for humor not slam it in your face.And the forgetting medicine? Forget your problem by medication. Or forget the feeling, rather. It's bound to live in your conscious. It's an issue that really could happen. "If we could take a pill and forget some of our experiences, who are we?" Shirley "our memories our experiences, that's who we are. Are we really prepared to turn that over to the drug companies too?"

Wombat: Of course we are. They'll have it as soon as they can grab ahold of it. We already give them purview over our personalities. As much as ADD meds are an enormous help for others, I hated who I was when I was on them. We've given them our psychology, too. Take, for instance, the case of Viagra. The default response for erectile dysfunction, a condition which can be physiological or psychological. If it's psychological, one would think that there would be an interest in getting to the bottom of it. But now that there's a little blue pill...

Savage: Alan and Denny planning a sleep over. Priceless.

Girlfriends do it. Why not straight males?

Wombat: My friends and I still do. though in truth it's been less sleepovers as such as all-night videogame-overs, watch-adult-swim-until-you-pass-out-on-the-couch-overs. Also, booze-overs.

Cue the music

Wombat: Welcome to the critical offices of Wombat and Savage. Or whatever. We're here to provide analysis of the comings and goings at Crane, Poole, and Schmidt. Or anything that strikes our fancy. We're not in the business of setting limits for ourselves. We're here to give our takes on the latest episode. In my opinion, it's the best so far. Pia?

Savage: Couldn't stop laughing. It was a truly hysterical though tender show--all that love. Sort of pre-Valentines Day

I wonder if this is intended to lead up to a Valentine's Day episode. There's a lot budding right now. Denise seems to think better of Coho now, and they're already in the sack together.

Poor Denise--two friends with benefits doing the modern day dance of the duel over her. Embarrassing

That was actually my thought exactly about Denise, but honestly, I think the fact that they were both having sex with her was just one more front in a war that would be going on anyways. The problem Brad and Jeffery is that they can't deal with how alike they are. Sure, the stakes are higher with sleeping with Denise than both showing up to the party as Buzz Lightyear (if I recall that same basic conflict happened in Toy Story 2 but don't quote me), but it's the simple law of physics that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

Two objects can never occupy the same space but they can meld and so can a third. Some PHD in physics has probably done a study of form, function and threesomes. Which just might be veering into territory never before explored in network TV

I wonder how many PHDs in physics have ever had threesomes. Then again I bet if he was smooth enough he could come with all kinds of suave lines about super strings and the particle-wave dichotomy. It'd be a great leap forward for network TV. I can't remember when they've ever explored threesomes or quantam mech. If this does happen they may be the only cutting edge show to still do the trademark fat man and attractive woman pairing.

What's her name and Clarence.

Clair, yes. Clair and Clarence. Which I suppose was a bit of a giveaway, but you know, hindsight. They look perfect for each other.

Should have known from the names. But he was a drag queen, and she appeared to be his savior. Looking at how sad and vulnerable she looked before Clarence came to the party as Oprah, and how happy she was when they began to dance, my heart did a whole pitter patter be still thing. For Clair and a person who looked like Oprah but was so manly. He turned out to be the knight. It was so damn romantic. Would have never believed that. Though I don't think you're supposed to be so open about dating your subordinate :) They're really in love. It's nice

Ah, but you know what Alan said. Frequent viewers know anything goes over there. Dick Cheny dancing with Shirly Schmidt... let alone Danny Devito

Guess the daughter is a permanent cast addition--Denny in love :)

How about Vanessa? Showing up in the yellow dress. That's not exactly a vague signal. And Alan as Shirley. Sorry, I mean Shirley Schmidt-ho.

Alan really has been doing too much drag, but looked great, and it's in the old fashioned way---my father dressed in drag for a New Years Eve Party once--it was just pure fun, no hidden sexual thing.

It was amazing how well he looked as Shirley. And the balcony scene had such a layered treatment of what Alan, Denny, and Shirley mean to each other. Alan should have told Denny that the price of admission was his blessing to pursue Shirley.

They are the top and come to think of it only wanna be in my head TV couple. Shirley and Alan. Would show the world a few things. It's not the Harold & Maude age gap. Two consenting adults. My heart would flip for that one.

I'm surprised at myself for how much I want that to happen. And should we be keeping count of how many guys in drag Denny hits on? That's two episodes in a row. Though I suppose the sexual tension between Alan and Denny didn't need much help =P

The sexual tension is high yes, but remember Denny Crane was 100% pure Republican, and would never act on those instincts, sober or after just one or four Scotch's. Some more maybe, though he would regret it in the morning. I have heard many things about the Scull and Crossbones--ultimate Repub club. Their retreat is rumored to have seen much action, among other things.

But it was morning when he grabbed Clarence/Oprah's ass. I don't think he'd had enough time to get buzzed.

Wasn't this a show that focused on First Amendment cases? It's always been character driven, but is evolving into a show about human nature.

Any good show that involves humans is going to be about human nature I think. But for me it's all been there. For all his larger than life bravado, Denny is at times more human than anyone else there. And Alan, well, it's an understatement to say that he's a multilayered character. Paul seemed like a stiff, cold businessman until we learned about his daughter. And of course Daniel Post. The only one who hasn't been deeply explored has been Coho, and he's new. He'll get his.

All in all, lots to look forward to from Crane, Poole, and Schmidt. And because this effort has been late in gestation, we'll check back in in four days.