VM 3.6: Hi, Infidelity

[Matthew]

fotada said:

Huh. Going to have to re-watch this one. I found the pacing to be a little weird.

Things I liked:

* I liked Piz trying to wake up Wallace, that was cute. It felt like a real college moment to me.

* I was really impressed that Wallace chose to give up athletics to stick to his dream of Mechanical Engineering. I really, really admire him for that! I had to take a Machine Assembly Language class twice before I passed it, and my minor was in Computer Science.

* Why are there so many cute male profs at Hearst? Not that I'm complaining, but the Criminology prof and the ME prof are both sort of hot.

Things I didn't like:

* When Logan said, "Do you know who I am?" Ugh. What an a-hole thing to say. It didn't bother me that he stuck his exam in amongst the others, because that seemed more in character. He can be an a-hole, but not a Mel Gibsonish a-hole

* Parker seems a little bit *too* willing to get back into the dating scene after the rape. Piz seems like a fairly harmless guy, but I think it would take a lot longer before I felt comfortable about being the initiator (by proxy through Veronica) of a new relationship.

Things I'm undecided about:

* Keith and his decision to have an affair with a married woman

* Logan's friendship with Mercer

Random: No one probably cares, but I was poking around and found out the guy who plays Mercer is from Michigan. He grew up in Grand Rapids and went to Michigan State University.

I rolled my eyes at first at that, thinking he was trying to play off his psychotic daddy's family name: but when the TA answered in the negative, and Logan shoved his blue book into the middle of the pile and then shuffled them all around, I figured he was actually just testing to see if the TA literally knew his name, and would be able to tell which blue book was his. So I laughed instead.

ETA: Or what Gerrie said, in a more timely fashion and much more succinctly.

[Spaced Out Looney]

pixi said:

fotada said:

Huh. Going to have to re-watch this one. I found the pacing to be a little weird.

Things I liked:

* I liked Piz trying to wake up Wallace, that was cute. It felt like a real college moment to me.

* I was really impressed that Wallace chose to give up athletics to stick to his dream of Mechanical Engineering. I really, really admire him for that! I had to take a Machine Assembly Language class twice before I passed it, and my minor was in Computer Science.

* Why are there so many cute male profs at Hearst? Not that I'm complaining, but the Criminology prof and the ME prof are both sort of hot.

Things I didn't like:

* When Logan said, "Do you know who I am?" Ugh. What an a-hole thing to say. It didn't bother me that he stuck his exam in amongst the others, because that seemed more in character. He can be an a-hole, but not a Mel Gibsonish a-hole

* Parker seems a little bit *too* willing to get back into the dating scene after the rape. Piz seems like a fairly harmless guy, but I think it would take a lot longer before I felt comfortable about being the initiator (by proxy through Veronica) of a new relationship.

Things I'm undecided about:

* Keith and his decision to have an affair with a married woman

* Logan's friendship with Mercer

Random: No one probably cares, but I was poking around and found out the guy who plays Mercer is from Michigan. He grew up in Grand Rapids and went to Michigan State University.

Logan said this so he could hide his paper in the pile. It wasn't asshole - it was tricky. This was a TA who didn't know him.

Oh! OK. I missed that entirely. Clever.

[Spaced Out Looney]

2 thoughts occurred to me as I went to sleep last night:

I like that we're seeing Wallace and Keith come off their pedastals a bit. They're becoming more than the best BFF or best father anyone could have and showing that they can be tempted to do the wrong in under certain circumstances.

There's a lot about cheating so far in this mini-arc. Lots in this episode, but also in Welcome Wagon, Veronica used the internet during that in-class exercise and there was all that discussion about whether that was breaking the rules or not, and in Wichita Linebacker there was that deal with the play book.

Since underlying themes usually tie into the big mystery, I'm expecting it to come into play, except I can't imagine how cheating/breaking the rules could be a serial rapist's motivation.

[Michelle]

pixi said:

fotada said:

Huh. Going to have to re-watch this one. I found the pacing to be a little weird.

Things I liked:

* I liked Piz trying to wake up Wallace, that was cute. It felt like a real college moment to me.

* I was really impressed that Wallace chose to give up athletics to stick to his dream of Mechanical Engineering. I really, really admire him for that! I had to take a Machine Assembly Language class twice before I passed it, and my minor was in Computer Science.

* Why are there so many cute male profs at Hearst? Not that I'm complaining, but the Criminology prof and the ME prof are both sort of hot.

Things I didn't like:

* When Logan said, "Do you know who I am?" Ugh. What an a-hole thing to say. It didn't bother me that he stuck his exam in amongst the others, because that seemed more in character. He can be an a-hole, but not a Mel Gibsonish a-hole

* Parker seems a little bit *too* willing to get back into the dating scene after the rape. Piz seems like a fairly harmless guy, but I think it would take a lot longer before I felt comfortable about being the initiator (by proxy through Veronica) of a new relationship.

Things I'm undecided about:

* Keith and his decision to have an affair with a married woman

* Logan's friendship with Mercer

Random: No one probably cares, but I was poking around and found out the guy who plays Mercer is from Michigan. He grew up in Grand Rapids and went to Michigan State University.

Logan said this so he could hide his paper in the pile. It wasn't asshole - it was tricky. This was a TA who didn't know him.

You're completely right, Pixi, et al. And someone posted this link on LJ that seals it for me. Apparently, the VM writers have been trolling Urban Legends sites:

www.snopes.com/college/exam/doyouknow.asp

Almost word for word what happened!

Oh, and I'm with y'all on the promos for the next episode! I am anxiously awaiting next week. The only thing that worries me is that I know that brings us one step closer to Veronica & Logan breaking up. Is there any way they be snarky with each other without breaking up? Remember Xander and Cordelia and their crazy mixed up relationship? Couldn't they do something like that--where they're secretly together, meet in mop closets, but in public say biting, sarcastic things? Then have the hot makeup sex afterward? Huh? Can we do that, please?

[Sue]

ehills said:

2 thoughts occurred to me as I went to sleep last night:

I like that we're seeing Wallace and Keith come off their pedastals a bit. They're becoming more than the best BFF or best father anyone could have and showing that they can be tempted to do the wrong in under certain circumstances.

There's a lot about cheating so far in this mini-arc. Lots in this episode, but also in Welcome Wagon, Veronica used the internet during that in-class exercise and there was all that discussion about whether that was breaking the rules or not, and in Wichita Linebacker there was that deal with the play book.

Since underlying themes usually tie into the big mystery, I'm expecting it to come into play, except I can't imagine how cheating/breaking the rules could be a serial rapist's motivation.

It's the dean?

"Don't tell my wife."

But say he knows she's cheating on him and wants revenge on her (and women in general).

We know he eats behind her back; watches violent sports behind her back; and doesn't like college kids. So why not cheat (violently) on her behind her back too? We know he's willing to break the law and be violent to get what he wants.

Besides, I don't feel like we know anybody else well enough to make them (TA, Mercer, various profs) being the bad guy really relevant.

ETA: Since I missed solving both seasons one and two by a mile I'd take this as pretty much a total shot in the dark.

(Maybe it's Harmony's husband.)

[Lola m]

pixi said:

lolam said:

It was very well done, that's for sure. I can totally see how it would go just like this for them. But boy, talk about the huge potential for making a bad bad decision.

But so very noir don't you think? I like the darkness.

Oh, definitely! As you said, once they mentioned the movie and from the ep last week, it was, like, destiny!

Ah, gotta love the angst. Even as you wince, you also enjoy.

[Lola m]

ehills said:

2 thoughts occurred to me as I went to sleep last night:

I like that we're seeing Wallace and Keith come off their pedastals a bit. They're becoming more than the best BFF or best father anyone could have and showing that they can be tempted to do the wrong in under certain circumstances.

Good points!

There's a lot about cheating so far in this mini-arc. Lots in this episode, but also in Welcome Wagon, Veronica used the internet during that in-class exercise and there was all that discussion about whether that was breaking the rules or not, and in Wichita Linebacker there was that deal with the play book.

Since underlying themes usually tie into the big mystery, I'm expecting it to come into play, except I can't imagine how cheating/breaking the rules could be a serial rapist's motivation.

Hmmmm. Well, someone was wondering if the rapes were motivated by someone wanting to "get back" at an original woman. Maybe someone who exposed some type of cheating or turned someone in for cheating?

[Sue]

sue said:

ehills said:

2 thoughts occurred to me as I went to sleep last night:

I like that we're seeing Wallace and Keith come off their pedastals a bit. They're becoming more than the best BFF or best father anyone could have and showing that they can be tempted to do the wrong in under certain circumstances.

There's a lot about cheating so far in this mini-arc. Lots in this episode, but also in Welcome Wagon, Veronica used the internet during that in-class exercise and there was all that discussion about whether that was breaking the rules or not, and in Wichita Linebacker there was that deal with the play book.

Since underlying themes usually tie into the big mystery, I'm expecting it to come into play, except I can't imagine how cheating/breaking the rules could be a serial rapist's motivation.

It's the dean?

"Don't tell my wife."

But say he knows she's cheating on him and wants revenge on her (and women in general).

We know he eats behind her back; watches violent sports behind her back; and doesn't like college kids. So why not cheat (violently) on her behind her back too? We know he's willing to break the law and be violent to get what he wants.

Besides, I don't feel like we know anybody else well enough to make them (TA, Mercer, various profs) being the bad guy really relevant.

ETA: Since I missed solving both seasons one and two by a mile I'd take this as pretty much a total shot in the dark.

(Maybe it's Harmony's husband.)

Hmm.
Well, the more I think about it the more I actually believe this is a legitimate theory. I like it.

Has someone else already proposed it previously and I missed the post?

[SpringSummers]

S’cubies!

Are you friend or foe? I’m thinking friend. But either way, take a look at what’s new on the S3 website (www.soulfulspike.com)[/size]:

HI-INFIDELITY: Enemies Lists – by Spring Summers

You can also access this completely orginal, totally un-plagiarized essay directly, by clicking on the image of high-powered foes Rocky Balboa and Mr T., below:

And after you’ve read it, post here on the VM ep 3.6 thread, and let me know what you think. Be merciful.[/b]

[Karen]

No need for mercy. Great review, Spring!

Loved this:

Adults have freedom of choice – they make decisions about when to be sticklers like the TA, and when to be merciful, like Wallace’s coach. Like mechanical engineers, they have to weigh their elasticity against their tensile stress.

Each of the *poor* decisions we saw being made recently were made under duress or in the case of Keith, after a particularly traumatic experience.

In those type of situations, there often doesn't seem to be any other other choice. If Claire faked her rape, how many other of the rapes were also faked? What has happened that has caused a seemingling intelligent girl(s) to take such extreme measures and for what reason?

Keith and Harmony - I hope that's genuine and that she wasn't playing some kind of game. With all the cheating and lying going on, who knows?

I hope Logan comes clean with Veronica soon, too. I like the Mercer character, and I hope that whatever it was that he and Logan were doing over the summer was on the up and up.

[Spaced Out Looney]

Rewatching Notes:

Birds:
-Parker talks about how maybe a beak ended up in her food,
-cut to Keith and Harmony coming out of The Maltese Falcon and them talking about hunting down said bird.
-Finch


Nish threatens the Dean and Veronica. Is she serious?

Piz got a record at a garage sale. some lady threw her husband out of the house. Was thinking that was maybe the Dean and his wife. ETA: So, apparently it's also an urban legend. Um, OK.

Veronica did guess the TA was setting her up before Ratner spoke up.

Logan was telling Mercer about his trick with his exam, and Mercer started babbling about not condoning cheating, etc.

Are Harmony and the Dean's wife attending the same conference? Wonder if they know each other.

Mercer knew Parker's name without being introduced.

prescription of some kind next to the clippers in Mercer's room. And these were hidden in a drawer, which is a rather odd place. And they could check the hair for DNA, right?

GHB is also a party drug, so it may not be for nefarious purposes.

Watching Keith's accident. Keith had pulled out too far, but the other guy wasn't paying attention either to the stop sign or Keith's car.

Tim was Prof's minion for three years prior.

[SpringSummers]

karen said:

No need for mercy. Great review, Spring!

Loved this:

Adults have freedom of choice – they make decisions about when to be sticklers like the TA, and when to be merciful, like Wallace’s coach. Like mechanical engineers, they have to weigh their elasticity against their tensile stress.

Each of the *poor* decisions we saw being made recently were made under duress or in the case of Keith, after a particularly traumatic experience.

In those type of situations, there often doesn't seem to be any other other choice. If Claire faked her rape, how many other of the rapes were also faked? What has happened that has caused a seemingling intelligent girl(s) to take such extreme measures and for what reason?

Keith and Harmony - I hope that's genuine and that she wasn't playing some kind of game. With all the cheating and lying going on, who knows?

I hope Logan comes clean with Veronica soon, too. I like the Mercer character, and I hope that whatever it was that he and Logan were doing over the summer was on the up and up.

Thanks for the feedback, Karen.

Of all the storylines going on right now, I'm probably most curious about what will happen with Keith & Harmony.

I liked the scene with Harmony telling Keith she had gotten the room . . . how awkwardly she approached it, how mortified she got when she saw he was going to say no, how kind Keith was about saying no . . . then the hotel room later was a great scene also.

I get the feeling the campus rape mystery will be resolved soon, since they don't have all season to string out the mystery . . . which is fun in some ways, but less fun in others. No matter who the rapist is, I'm not going to be very invested in the character, I wouldn't think. It won't have the impact of "Aaron is the killer," or "Beaver is the killer."

[Michelle]

Spring, I love your perspective on this episode! You pointed out some things that I hadn't noticed, and put a interesting spin on the things I did.

I love this:

Is Mrs O’Dell the Bad Wife that we see in the hotel room, the one who is sleeping with the prof? Or is she the Good Wife that we see bringing her husband a healthy lunch, the one who seems to genuinely care about, and go out of her way to protect, her husband’s health? And trickier still: Is Keith really a cheater – one of the bad guys, Evil, morally bankrupt Keith - because he gave in to his intense attraction to Harmony, right after a life-threatening experience?

Lots of exploration into bending, if not breaking the rules. Is Logan bad for taking 10 extra seconds on his test? Veronica doesn't seem to think so, but maybe that's in light of finding out Wallace had cheated.

Everything can be viewed in shades of gray. Reminds me a little bit of the Beaver storyline last year. Turns out he was evil, and did some horrible things, but we also felt sorry for him for the things he had to endure from his family and his baseball coach. Which makes me think of Piz. He's being portrayed as Mr. Small Town Nice Guy, but there is also his inappropriate attempt to ask Veronica out when he knew she had a boyfriend. I also found his response to throwing a gutter ball--"Damn it straight to hell" a little telling. Anger issues, perhaps? Everyone else was having just having a fun little game, and he was getting seriously pissed. I don't know, I can't say I'm really invested in finding out who the rapist is, but so far, Piz is my main suspect.

[Spaced Out Looney]

fotada said:

Spring, I love your perspective on this episode! You pointed out some things that I hadn't noticed, and put a interesting spin on the things I did.

I love this:

Is Mrs O’Dell the Bad Wife that we see in the hotel room, the one who is sleeping with the prof? Or is she the Good Wife that we see bringing her husband a healthy lunch, the one who seems to genuinely care about, and go out of her way to protect, her husband’s health? And trickier still: Is Keith really a cheater – one of the bad guys, Evil, morally bankrupt Keith - because he gave in to his intense attraction to Harmony, right after a life-threatening experience?

Lots of exploration into bending, if not breaking the rules. Is Logan bad for taking 10 extra seconds on his test? Veronica doesn't seem to think so, but maybe that's in light of finding out Wallace had cheated.

Everything can be viewed in shades of gray. Reminds me a little bit of the Beaver storyline last year. Turns out he was evil, and did some horrible things, but we also felt sorry for him for the things he had to endure from his family and his baseball coach. Which makes me think of Piz. He's being portrayed as Mr. Small Town Nice Guy, but there is also his inappropriate attempt to ask Veronica out when he knew she had a boyfriend. I also found his response to throwing a gutter ball--"Damn it straight to hell" a little telling. Anger issues, perhaps? Everyone else was having just having a fun little game, and he was getting seriously pissed. I don't know, I can't say I'm really invested in finding out who the rapist is, but so far, Piz is my main suspect.

Interesting thoughts about Piz. I didn't get a serious-angry vibe from him, but I'll have to watch that scene again.

Piz wasn't here the year before though, right? I would think that would take him off the suspect list.

[Michelle]

ehills said:

fotada said:

Spring, I love your perspective on this episode! You pointed out some things that I hadn't noticed, and put a interesting spin on the things I did.

I love this:



Lots of exploration into bending, if not breaking the rules. Is Logan bad for taking 10 extra seconds on his test? Veronica doesn't seem to think so, but maybe that's in light of finding out Wallace had cheated.

Everything can be viewed in shades of gray. Reminds me a little bit of the Beaver storyline last year. Turns out he was evil, and did some horrible things, but we also felt sorry for him for the things he had to endure from his family and his baseball coach. Which makes me think of Piz. He's being portrayed as Mr. Small Town Nice Guy, but there is also his inappropriate attempt to ask Veronica out when he knew she had a boyfriend. I also found his response to throwing a gutter ball--"Damn it straight to hell" a little telling. Anger issues, perhaps? Everyone else was having just having a fun little game, and he was getting seriously pissed. I don't know, I can't say I'm really invested in finding out who the rapist is, but so far, Piz is my main suspect.

Interesting thoughts about Piz. I didn't get a serious-angry vibe from him, but I'll have to watch that scene again.

Piz wasn't here the year before though, right? I would think that would take him off the suspect list.

You might be right, I'm a little fuzzy on some details. But I think the first rape occurred during a prospective freshman visitation day, which would mean that Piz could have been on campus as a prospective freshman. Another rape occurred during the summer--that's the one that Mercer was charged with. But it's not out of the question that Piz could have come to campus over the summer. The other rapes (including the faked one) occurred after school started, so he was definitely around then. Maybe someone else can correct me on this?

Oooh, I just remembered that a rape occured prior to visitation day--the Pacific Islander. So it would appear that Piz wouldn't be a logical suspect.

Never mind. /Emily Litella