Hello and welcome to Big Gay Energy.
I'm Caitlin. And I'm Fiora.
Come along with us while we dive into the fun and nuances of
queer media. Representation matters, and
we're here to talk about it. Cheers, queers.
What's on the big gay agenda today, Fiora?
Today we're continuing our discussion of Gap, the series.
We're going to start by jumping into all of the scenes from
start to finish. We'll see how long this takes
because there are many things to say about this show.
But before we jump into all that, some quick housekeeping
courtesy of Caitlin. Yes, if you're watching this
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representation. Thank you Caitlin.
Didn't even take a breath during that.
Yay, Caitlin. All right.
So we are going to jump into all the scenes.
This is going to be somewhat in chronological order.
I say somewhat because I organize this by the trajectory
of like, Mon and Sam's relationship.
So we're not going to start episode one.
We're going to go a little bit further back in time creating a
gap. If you will.
And talk about the meet. Cute, maybe?
I wasn't sure what to call this, but they meet over a puppy is
all I'm saying. Like.
Cute. The pup cute of all the things
they meet over a puppy, which is really cute, and I fucking love
that. I'm sorry.
I mean this. Is my ideal meet cute?
Like now? I would love to happen, right?
But but maybe minus? The car?
Yeah. Why does?
It have to be a hit and run in the middle of my meet.
Cute. Why?
OK, I have so many questions about this because they're in,
and I don't even know elementary school.
High school. I think high school, 'cause it's
Sam's like, I don't know, up there in age in terms of
children. And then that's where Mom's mom
works as a teacher, I guess. And so mom's there petting the
puppy and then some rando is just like backing up towards
mom. But they're like, there's no
street. I don't know where they were
going. They were just like, slowly
backing up towards this child. It's so weird.
But, you know, Sam saves the day, and that's how they meet.
This is some rando is trying to add it up for Mon, you know?
Well, they were in a parking space, right?
I have no idea. I couldn't really see at the
angle we were given because it's like from Mon's point of view.
So you're like, ground up. So all you see is this car.
And the guy's like, oh whoops. If they didn't, like, start
freaking out, they're just like, oh, OK.
No, no. No remorse. 0 fox.
It's like you almost killed a child and he's like, my bad.
And like, then I don't know where he went because then he
stopped backing up and he's just like, OK.
So like, clearly the backing up wasn't that important to this
guy. It was very weird.
But anyway, I wanted to quote something too, because like, the
big take away from this is that like, basically like, Mon's
first impression of Sam is like, enchanted by Taylor Swift.
Like is going. On in her head where she's like.
So you hang on a second. I was enchanted to meet you.
Yeah, that's literally Mon in this moment, because she is just
taken by Sam smile, basically. And I wanted to quote.
I quoted the English translation of basically.
The the book. Synopsis that this was based off
of and this is it's told from Mon's point of view, which to me
the show feels like it's from Mon's point of view.
So it says when we met, when we were kids.
Her charming smile is forever imprinted on my memory and I
want to see her again. So literally this moment when,
like, Sam smiles at her is like, that's it, It's over for Ma.
And she's just like, I will follow you to the ends of the
earth because she's like seriously enchanted.
Like that is the best descriptor of like, what's going on, That's
crazy. And then I just want to add that
this dog. Has so much.
Screen time. Oh my.
God, I love the. Dog man and is like the best
through line and the most confusing to when we were
watching the the initial first episode or two and then then
they they they answered it and we figured out like what's going
on but like this. This dog, though, is like a key
piece to this relationship at the in the beginning, in the
beginning, the perceived relationship.
At the beginning. So what I'm hearing is that the
dog is the OG ship captain. The dog's like, let me just
stand by this car real fast and then he's like, he like the dog
is. Looking like between the two of
them, he's like. And he's like, not now, but in
like 30s. These are my ears, yeah.
It's gonna be a thing, yeah. 10 years.
Three. That dog was one fucking smart
dog. I hope they gave him.
Lots of treats. OK.
So not only is it cute, I love the dog again, They had their
audience in mind. They're like lesbians dogs.
Like it could have been a cat too, but the cat would have,
like, fucked off and we never would have had to meet cute like
there's never one. Sam went and saw the cat again.
This whole story wouldn't happen, so it would.
Have to be a cat. That acted like a dog.
Correct, exactly. So I'm here for the dog, but in
hindsight this whole meet cute between the two of them I think
is very very revealing when later when you like are more
introduced to Sam and Maude. So from Sam's point of view but
she tells Ma and the reason why like this is a big deal.
She's like she couldn't keep the dog basically.
And to me that was a a hint immediately from Sam that like
she lives in a controlling household because she's like
clearly loves the dog, wants to keep it, but like cannot.
So like as a minor it must be her family kind of thing.
But at this moment when they meet this is her sisters are all
alive. So this is pre her grandmother
taking full control of her life. So at this point, Sam does not
have all of those emotional walls that she built to kind of
protect herself from her grandmother and like the life
her grandmother wanted to lead. So I think that's why mom gets
the enchanting smile from Sam, because like that is it's
actually Sam she's meeting. She's not meeting like the
traumatized version of Sam that like happens later through like
the course of her life because of her life experience.
So this is the Sam who very much like speaks her mind.
Like, she says, very open. And honestly, like, I want to
keep the dog. But I can't.
So like if you would have. This was Sam.
When we, you know, when they meet later, like that's Sam
would never say that, you know. So this is a very much more
open, honest Sam who's saying exactly what she feels.
She has her emotions like written on her face and she's
undeniably herself, which is the mean point.
So to me, I think that that's significant that Mon like is
enchanted by that version of Sam.
Like actually who Sam is and that's who left an impression on
Mon. I think that is the key of this
whole take away of the whole flashback.
And it's important for kind of like what gets them through all
the weirdness later when Sam's like when Ma's like this isn't
who I remember, like something's wrong here, you know, like she
has every right to be like red flag, red flag.
Because this, the Sam she met was very like open, very honest,
very caring, like a loving person.
Like even though they had short moments together.
Like it's very clear just like by looking at Sam and like
seeing how she behaves about like a allegedly as a puppy
watch a reaction video for those opinions.
But this is a very open and honest Sam and and I think it's
important that that's who Sam who mom like really imprints on
essentially that's an interesting but not wrong choice
of words. The imprinting on like it's not
wrong but Twilight vibes. Yeah sorry.
That seems that's where I learned the word.
I still don't know what that means because I in the context,
I was younger when that movie came out and I think I saw it in
the theater without having seen the other ones.
It was really weird and I was like, what is this word and the
way they made it sound. I.
I think it I. Thought it was a lot dirtier.
Oh, no, no, no. I was thinking more of like a
baby duckling. Like they imprint.
They're like, Oh yeah, I have an emotional connection to you
immediately. And I will follow you to the end
of the earth. You're my protector, my
guardian. You're my everything.
I did not mean that in a Twilight way.
Well, that's that's why I had the two, like, very conflicting
respondents to it. Yeah, this is all Stephanie
Byron's fault. Yeah, you're a terrible writer,
and I hate you. Anyway, I'm still on the OR,
continuously using the word enchanting.
And now she knows what she did. I know.
No, Caitlyn's gonna distract it. But there's a Taylor Swift is
just relevant to everything. Yeah, it comes up multiple times
exactly. It's always in my brain.
OK. Anyway, so from Mon's point of
view, the other thing that's really revealing about Mon in
this, in this, not only this is where her stalkerness starts,
the origin story. What I think is important here
in their interaction is that although Mon is really young,
she emotionally connects with Sam very, very quickly.
Hence the imprinting. And her first action is to like,
ease Sam's sadness, like, without thinking she's like
basically to her mom, she's like, well, we can keep the dog.
Like, she's making, she's crying and it's making me
uncomfortable, like like immediately.
She's trying to like like fix things and like comfort Sam and
kind of like be there, which is such a Mon thing to do.
And that's something that like is a hallmark of Mon's
character. Like the entire time.
Like, she's very open about her feelings.
She's very emotionally intelligent, even when she's
little and is very good at like giving people what they need
kind of thing. She's very of a comforting
person, I would say, and like immediately without hesitation.
With Sam, she's just that person and is what Sam like, needs in
the moment, which is just very Mon.
So I love that about them. Yeah.
And while that could get tricky being so like I'm willing to
give you what you're looking for in an emotional like that could
get like she is a strong person aside from being like very.
As you said. Emotionally intelligent and
like, emotionally aware and trying to fix the situation or
make Sam specifically feel better and like she is still
able to say no or you're pushing my boundary or Oh yeah, for
sure. So I think that's also an
important thing to just like. Mentioned as well.
Because it could be taken advantage of really easily.
That's that's. Yeah, yeah, that's not evident
in the flashback. But like, yeah, Mon is a very
strong person for sure. She's just, she's very
empathetic. Like that's who Mon is.
So we see that in the flashback. OK.
So other like flashbacky thing I want to talk about is what went
down to the gap between the past and present like with Sam and
her family, like I think it said it reaction like who hurt you,
Sam, who hurt you. But we get it in the flashbacks
like Sam, like it's very clearly when we meet her, the president,
she's a deeply traumatized human being.
So I just want to like basically overview the bullshit that goes
down with Sam's family and I want to refer to I have a hard
time calling Sam's grandmother grandmother.
I wanna call her the grand man. And I don't know if you've ever
read. Why you kept?
Writing. That.
I was. Writing the post if you've
watched. And or read The Ballad of
Songbirds and Snakes, which is The Hunger Games prequel
Cornelius Grandmother. They call her the Grand Man.
And like, she just reminds me a lot of Sam's grandmother.
It's just this very royal, imposing person.
And so like the Grand Mam, and that's who Sam thinks of her as.
She's like it's not touch always touchy feely.
It's very much like she's a stately, like I obey you kind of
thing. So I will refer to her as the
Grand Mam, 'cause I can't. Get that on him.
Also, phenomenal book. Go read it.
But listen to this first. OK, so where are you?
And Sam is the youngest of three daughters and they are all under
the care of their grandmother. And I didn't catch this the
first time, but the names of all the girls, like kind of speaks
volumes about like how they are perceived in their family.
So the basically their names mean the birth order.
So first first daughter is oh God, is it Nong Nong.
I'm gonna say this wrong. I will butcher names and to be
fair, I butcher English names. So yes, you know, Theora is I.
Can't name. Spelling and names.
Yes, I'm really about it. Nguang, I think, is her name, so
it means first song is the second child, it means 2nd, and
Sam's full name means 3rd. So literally they're named by
their birth order, which is very revealing.
And the reason it's important is because their family has a
direct bloodline to the Thai rule family.
So I wanted to take a second to just talk about the Thai rule
family to kind of like put this in the context of like where
we're at right now. So Thailand historically had a
monarchy. Thailand was originally called
like Siam and it was ruled by an absolute monarchy.
So kind of like Henry the Eighth England kind of thing where like
you know, the monarchy was ordained by the religious, the
religion in that area which is Buddhism.
And like they had absolute rules.
So what the king said goes kind of thing.
So King had all the power basically.
One of them was interesting actually.
I didn't know this. Thailand was never colonized by
England. So, like, go Thailand because
England fucking was like putting a flag here, your mind now.
And apparently they never did that to Thailand.
So like, good, good on you. OK, You escaped British rule,
which is nice. In 1932, they basically were
like, fuck the absolute monarchy because all the monarchies in
the world were collapsing and they're like, no, no, no, let's
do a constitutional monarchy. So that's basically what England
has now. We're like, there's a royal
family. They're like figureheads.
They have like ceremonial roles. They have some degree of power,
but really parliament is what rules everything and that
there's like an election process with them.
So it's kind of constitutional like where there's like
representation of the people, but like there still is a royal
family that like. Exists.
What do they do? Then.
I don't. I don't understand the.
Royal family stuff, Royal family do basically.
They over, They're like the head of parliament essentially.
So they like bring Parliament into session and like I think
they have some voting power. So they do play a role
ceremonially in the government, but they don't.
It's not like I say this, it's therefore it's law.
Like it still has to go through parliament, but they have some
like sway, basically. That's all I know, go watch the
Crown if you want to learn more about that because they they do
talk about their role in parliament, but they're
basically just a figurehead. They're they don't really do a
whole lot. It's a lot of it's ceremonial, a
lot of it's diplomacy. But like they they do have a
role in the parliament. Like it's not like they they
just sit there and look pretty like they do, like bring things
to section. Like they they have a ceremonial
role, but they can't be like an it's not absolute where they're
like. This is the law.
Now Parliament makes the law, they're kind of like and they
have some, some voting power. I just don't know the specifics.
They they have. Some power, but it's not
absolute power and a lot of it is like figurehead diplomacy
kind of stuff. I assume Thailand is very
similar based on what I found because it's like the similar
set up but unlike England a bunch of parts throughout
history since that was instituted like they were under
like military rule. So this is what you were talking
about with YouTube. So from 2014, 2017 they were
under military rule. So like basically like
parliament the the military was in charge.
That's almost like absolute monarchy in a way, where like
the head of the military was in charge of everything I assume.
But during that time period one of what they did is they they
created, they made YouTube off limits.
Actually they censored a lot of Internet.
YouTube was one of the things that they censored by the
government because essentially there was a video that was there
that was considered offensive to the monarchy.
So what would have been like Sam's family and they basically
were like fuck this and they banned all access to YouTube
amongst other websites. And a lot of it was like
websites where like could have sparked rebellion kind of thing.
So let's see. I already said that.
OK. So we talked about what the
royal family does and doesn't do, so succession.
So how do you like get the next monarch?
So traditionally it was males only, kind of like what you
think of like, OK, so it goes to like the first force, first born
son that becomes the next ruler and kind of the line gets passed
down that way. So it's males only.
But in 1974 they amended it in Parliament and made it possible
for like a Princess to like be named successor.
So the contest of the show, like if something crazy were to
happen, like it's possible that like Sam's family could be, even
though it's all daughters, they could be in line because women
can succeed the throne kind of thing.
If like everybody else was wiped out basically.
Not that that would happen, but theoretically, like England
basically, which is common with like any kind of monarchy,
usually there's a religion that kind of keeps their, their let's
them hold on to power because like if God said that I'm in
charge, like people are more likely to be OK, yes, I'll
follow you. So in Thailand that's Buddhism.
So like the royal family, they have to be Buddhists basically.
Let's see. And I think this is important
because there's some scenes later with like Mons family
where they have interesting behavior and I think it kind of
ties back to this like the Buddhism thing and I'll bring it
up when we get there, but I want to talk about it now.
So the legend now about the royal family is that the king,
the first king was an incarnation of the God Vishnu
who is a basically one of the Buddhist gods.
And so basically because the the kings are reincarnated gods,
therefore like they're worth worshipping and people they're
they're not the same as everybody else.
Like it's another gap if you will.
Like they're they're not only have royalty, they're like
divine in a way. And because of that like link to
religion, they can claim moral authority and that their blood
is pure and things like that. And so the reason I think that's
important is because there's some behaviors with certain
people with Sam, like you notice with Mon's family, whenever
they're with her, they sit very straight up.
Anytime Sam lowers herself, they lower themselves.
It's very much like my head can never be above the God kind of
thing. So they kind of like behave like
that around Sam. So I think this thinking of like
royalty equals divine is still kind of prevalent in like you
know older generations just probably why Sam gets away with.
Some of his shit, she probably wouldn't.
Be getting away with because, like, people think she's part
God, right. So I thought that was
interesting. That's the monarchy.
So, all right. So basically, Sam doesn't have a
lot of power as being a member of the royal family, but she
inherits a bunch of money. It's a lot of respect.
There's an element of she's divine by her bloodline kind of
thing. And so it gives her this, like,
unique social status, that kind of thing.
All right, back to the bullshit. So the grandmother very much has
drunk this Kool-aid about the Royal family and because of that
puts impossible expectations on. The oldest always the oldest,
because the oldest is the. Heir because women can inherit
things they you know otherwise the grandmother probably would
have been like to her daughter or son or whatever.
Be like you need to have a boy that never comes up.
It's just she laser focuses on the oldest and so.
Sam's sisters do not handle this well.
I don't know what that was. My webcam is dumb, all right?
Sam's sisters don't handle being the heir very well.
So Lady Yong pieces the fuck out immediately and just lives her
best life. And when she leaves, Lady Song,
the middle child, now becomes the new heir.
The grandmother starts putting all her focus on Song and then
she eventually escapes because she can't live her life and that
does not end well. And ultimately it leaves Sam as
the last remaining successor, so and grandmother's sole focus.
So really with Sam, a lot of the problem is like she inherited
all this expectation that was never supposed to be hers to
begin with. Like she's the third child, like
she was never supposed to be in this position.
And like overnight her life completely changes and like
suddenly she's the heir. Like, but I think that that
fucks her up so badly. And not only that, like now she
has no sisters like it, just she's alone and now the heir.
Like that. That's a lot.
For a child. It is, and they aren't allowed
to do what makes them happy. Like basically they're just.
Anything that makes you happy, you're probably.
Not allowed to do it. And the scene where, like we
learn this is I I feel like it's very sad because the grandmother
burns all of lady young. 'S.
Paintings and it's something so simple that makes her so happy.
But the grandmother say she's a disgraceful grandchild because
of it, because of paintings, and then she burns it all.
I think it's more so that, like, she wanted to do that as a
perfection. That was the problem.
It wasn't that she was painting, per SE.
Why? Is she?
Starting the paintings. Because she's like you cannot be
this you are the heir that's what she's that's the statement
she's making here like and that that is the problem.
The heir has to be a you know a certain be a certain way
according to grandmother. And you know Lady Noam was not
about that she's like no I wanted this is what makes me
happy. This is what I want to do, was
like, no, you can't be the heir and do this.
So now I was like, fuck this shit, I'm out and she leaves and
still, and you've noticed later, she's still painting.
She's like, I followed my pageant, my dream.
I gave up my inheritance, I gave up the divinity, the royalty.
I'm a starving artist begging Sam for money.
But like, whatever, I'm happy. Begging.
Everyone for money, actually, that was the funniest scene.
That was very funny. That was so funny.
But anyway, yeah, but it is sad. It's a it's a compromise though.
Do you want to be powerful or do you want to be a starving artist
and like the sisters like? I want to be an artist.
And she just did it. Yeah, which is says a lot about
her, you know? I mean it.
Worked out well for her, but we can't say too much for ladies
song. Oh no, ladies.
Song. Trigger warning also Queer and
grandmother did not. Take.
That very well. Like at all?
So the grandmother hit song because she says that she won't
break up with ice. Ice is her girlfriend, Caitlin.
It was on her birthday too, which is the part about all of
this. That was her birthday present.
A slap from Grandma. Just saying.
I I know. I'm surprised that grandmother
remembered her birthday. She's the heir, she had to
remember. OK, fine.
But no wonder Sam is terrified of her, like and 'cause it's
like the exact same thing that she's going through, but she?
Doesn't. Have someone to talk to like at
least song has ice to like. Be comforted by Sam has no one,
and so Sam is terrified. But at least the other two are
probably happier without having to live up to these expectations
because they got out. And I do want to note that I
wrote this fact before the car crash.
OK, but maybe Song is happier dead than having to deal with
grandmother. Wow.
Yeah, I did want to. So there's one part like so
after she gets slapped or like hit in the face, she takes the
most. Dramatic fall?
Oh. Yes.
Laughed so. Hard and I was like this is not
the. Point of the scene.
But it was like the most dramatic.
And then she just falls and I was like, oh man.
So. No, but very funny.
That scene, though, is hilarious, though, because she's
like, obviously, like, fleeing and she's so upset.
And there it's a if you see the house later, it's a giant
fucking house. And there's like one tiny table
with the cake on it, and she beelines for the table with the
cake and like, falls into the cake.
It's like it, I'm like, you had 30 feet around you to walk, not
walk at that. And it's so like soap opera Y it
makes me laugh every single time.
Even though, like, it's a really sad scene.
And I was like, this is unnecessary and I love it.
I love that it's in here. There's there was no need for
this. It feels like they were trying
to lighten the mood a little bit, 'cause like it is really
heavy and it is a really like scary queer thing to experience.
And people have experienced similar things.
So, like, it kind of felt like they were trying to lighten the
mood a little bit and so it was just very dramatic.
It definitely lightened. The mood for me, I don't know if
that was the intention because like, song falls into her
birthday cake. So to me, I think it's supposed
to show like her entire birthday.
Like this is supposed to be a happy moment.
And like, now she's devastated and she falls to the ground with
the birthday cake, which is like, blow out the candles,
hope. So it's like the collapse of her
hope. I just thought it was funny
because I was like, this is unnecessary and I think it's
hilarious And like, it was an avoidable situation.
There's no seat of clear space. I think it's funny.
Sorry song, but like, that was pretty funny.
I'm not going to lie. OK, so yeah, trigger warning.
So song in a mess like gets out of there and starts driving,
which like don't drive when you're.
Upset. That's a bad idea.
She basically calls ice and she's like, Yep, told Grandma.
And now now we can be together, Save me because I'm sad and is
driving to ICE. I guess, like, they don't really
make plans. She just starts driving and
basically it gets hit by a car because she runs a light.
And so they go to the hospital and she basically doesn't make
it through the surgery. She was just like dice, but like
everyone convenes at the hospital at some point.
It's like ice is already there. And what's sad about this scene
is basically This is why, Like when people are like, what's the
big deal? Why do you need to legally be
married? Because of all of the stuff that
comes with that. So the problem with not having
same sex couples, same sex relationships, legally binding
and recognize is this scene when Song goes to the hospital and
she's trying to get the doctors to tell her what's going on and
they're like, are you a direct family member?
If you're not, I can't tell you anything.
Are like, are you you're not her spouse obviously because you're
not a man. So I cannot tell you anything.
Like legally the guy even says like I wish I could tell you
like showing that he's open minded, but he's like legally I
can't tell you anything. So this is like I I think it's a
good message in here to be like This is why marriage equality is
so important for on a legal basis it's stuff like this that
like you know straight couples take for granted song like, so
ice is completely iced out basically of this interaction So
she doesn't learn anything until like the grand ma'am and Sam
show up because grandma was like that's my granddaughter.
Tell me what the fuck's going on.
And they're like and the doctor's like, Oh yeah, OK
you're here. She's dead.
She didn't make it. She's dead.
That bitch is dead. And so everybody breaks down
dramatically And I want to talk about how grand the grandmam
teach a treat treats ice because remember young impressionable
Sam is here. And Sam when song was like, no,
I'm going to tell grandmother. I'm going to tell her.
I'm going to tell her Sam is in the background going like, no,
don't tell her. Don't tell her because she's a
coward and like Sam's like, I would have done this, I would
have done this. And then the end.
Result is, not only is her sister dead, but she witnesses
how ICE is treated by the grandmother.
The grandmother turns on her immediately and blames her,
blames ICE for songs that she's like, if it wasn't for you, my
granddaughter would still be alive.
She's like hitting her with her like this little domestic
violence with her purse and Sam watching this and it's being
like, oh shit. So I think like later on when
Sam is basically turning into her, you know, older sister, I
think there's an extra layer of fear here because she saw
exactly how this scenario plays out.
If I tell my grandmother, not only that would it potentially
and badly for me, but more importantly, like my partner
might get like abused by the and who knows what the grandmother
did to that girl afterwards? Like she's a very powerful
woman. Like, did she threaten her
family? Did she like exile her from
Thailand somehow? She put a head on her.
Right. I was so worried she was gonna
do that to mono on some point. I'm like, we're getting into
mafia territory at this point. She's like, I will eliminate
you. Like, so I think, like, for Sam,
like, she has every right to totally be afraid, like later
because she watches her life play out, like right here, and
it's not good. She learned something from every
sister from from Nong. She learns never speak Your mind
freely because she taught her that lesson where she's at the
piano and she's like, I look happy, but I'm not happy.
I'm just trying to appease Grandma till they get her to
leave me alone so I can paint in private.
And then from song she basically learned, don't be gay and don't
tell your grandmother you're gay because that will end horribly.
So you know, she's a deeply traumatized person.
And the sad part is like you're saying now now that all her
sisters are basically gone. Like, Sam is literally alone in
that giant house with her grandmother.
That is the only person she has. And so she's young and very
impressionable. And so you really can't blame
Sam for a lot of her behavior later and how she turns out
because she's trapped. She's a trapped child who
doesn't know any better. And, you know, this culture is
very like, places a lot of respect on elders.
Like, it's elder revering in a way where like, what the elders
say kind of goes, and she's growing up with an elder.
So, you know, it's no surprise that Sam turns out the way she
does, like, this was so traumatizing.
Like, I'm surprised she was as adjusted as she was.
Like, this is a lot, you know? Yeah.
And I think another thing to just like reiterate is like Sam
was there for each of the sisters, just like leaving her
life the reasons behind why. Like, they both left.
Like, she was there. She witnessed everything.
It wasn't like it was done and they just left her and they
didn't explain what happened. Like, that's traumatic in
itself. But then, this is a whole nother
level of trauma of she. Saw.
Everything. And like, that's that's a lot.
That's a lot to put on a child. Like that too.
And it's heartbreaking every time something like that
happened she would try to like go after her sister and like
comfort them. Like her first reflex is to go
comfort her sister. But then the grandmother's
always like, no Sam say where you are and then she would just
like immediately listen to her grandmother Like it's really
sad. There's so that that conflict of
like what Sam wants versus like doing what her grandmother wants
like is is there the whole time. And it just it's like this
endless cycle for her that it gets harder and harder for her
to break out of. Like it's it's really tragic.
I love me some tragic characters and like Sam is very tragic.
Like it's. Sucks.
Something else I wanted to note that I think is also really
interesting. I think I put it later but I
would say no. The interesting thing about Sam
too is not only those like her only her only support system is
the grandmother. But if you notice like her only
non familial support system are the friends she made prior to
losing her sister. So like her friend group is the
same friend group from like high school.
So we saw it like Mons sees them later, like T, Jim and Kade,
they're still they're only friends.
Like still. And she was friends with them
before all the shit went down with the sisters, before she was
traumatized. And then Kirk.
I don't remember if he was introduced by the grandmother or
if like, they knew each other from childhood.
I think it's implied they knew each other from childhood, but
like those, that was the only time Sam made friends was like
before all this trauma happened. After the trauma, Sam does not
bond with anybody else until she meets Mon, which is insanely
sad. Like.
So not only she's just so lonely and isolated and it's like she
can't bond with people, It's really sad.
Like I feel so. Bad.
I mean would. You be able to bond with
anybody. If everything you're told is you
can't do that, you can't be that you can't can't say how you feel
like, who's going to be friends with you also.
Yeah. And so I I find it really
interesting that she's still friends with Kate T and Jim
because they mentioned later the grandmother doesn't like them
and she's still friends with them.
So I find it really interesting that, like, she lets the
grandmother control her life to a certain degree, where it's
like she's like, I'm not willing to give up my friends.
Though. That have always been there for
me. She, like, does stick with them,
which says a lot about Sam's character.
Like, underneath all the trauma, you know?
Yeah. It also shows how queer people
just find each other. Yes.
Like for real? Yeah.
How? Like, 'cause, I mean, she
clearly didn't know she was queer, but she found all the
queers at her school. Probably she did.
She did. One thing I love in the
flashback, though, is when OK for some reason.
Like, Song takes Sam to go when she meets up with ice and Sam is
just sitting there and just this is like, you guys are so cute.
I love that moment where she's like, oh, look at you guys.
Like not a judgmental sister at all.
She's just like you guys are, so.
Cute. Yeah.
That's your future, girl. I know.
And. Who's to say that the older
sister is? There's no way that the older
sister is not queer. I mean, really, it's.
Just. It's just.
Fluid. Well, did you see her hair color
too? Like, look at the dyed hair and
like, just. I'm here for it.
I'm here for that whole family being.
Queer as fuck. I love it.
OK, so that was the flashbacks. So let's jump into the present
where Sam and Ma actually meet in episode one.
So let's just go through this. I first of all love how the show
opens. It opens with Mon immediately
talking about being crazy in love.
OK, that's her first line. I didn't do that Caitlin.
That's actually the one. She's like, you've never been
crazy in love before. Then she mentions Sam is her one
and only idol and then goes up to the stalker wall and plants a
kiss on Sam. Sam's the.
Stalker Wall the. Stalker wall.
No. If she not, no, she's gay.
I don't understand this because she's like then she has like
almost a making out dream with Sam.
And I'm like girl, what does idol worshipping mean to you?
I just wanna know and I'm like. Ish.
Yeah. I.
It just immediately opens up with Mon being thirsty as fuck.
Like immediately. It's thinking immediately.
I mean, it's a really, it's a it's a great way to start the
show though. Great.
I believe that. Yeah.
But I was confused.
And they're like, oh, Mon doesn't know she's attracted to
say, I'm like. How?
That's all you've been showing me.
Yeah, I know. I mean, there's two, like, from
from our, like, point of view. Yeah, obviously they're they're
attracted to each other. They have been since the moment
that Mon has, like, laid eyes on Lady Sam, like she was like,
what is this goddess like? Who is this?
But then I mean. It's.
When it's such a like a repressed thing and and you're
like it can't be that. No, definitely not.
She's. Literally.
Daydreaming about kissing her, right?
That's where I'm confused. I understand, like being like,
I'm really obsessed with this person.
I don't know why, but she literally has a Daydream.
Like multiple daydreams where she almost kisses Sam and I'm
like, how does that not click? This is your Daydream.
Your brain is conquering this like you can you.
It's repression. Repression.
And it will say, OK, I'd say this to be funny just because
I'm pointing, but I just this made me laugh when I was
watching it. And I'm like, mom, how could
you? But I understand there are
people who like go through different journeys and who just
don't figure it out till later. And that's totally fine.
I'm not making fun of you. If this was your experience and
it took you a while to figure it out.
I'm not. I just when mom's brain is
conjuring, almost making out with her, that's where I'm
confused. The rest of it I get.
I'm just, I need to point that out because that that is
literally how it opens. And then Mom's like, what do you
mean I like Sam and I'm like, Oh my God, OK, anyway, so let's
talk about the stalker, The stalker wall or the Sam Shrine.
So she looks at it and there's like literally pictures of Sam
everywhere, and pictures of her next to Sam.
Again. Like, come on now.
There's also a picture of a still from Inside Out the Disney
movie which I caught when I was making the screenshot and I was
like, huh? So thoughts anyone on why Mon
has on her Sam shrine? So I when I saw this, I was
like, damn. Thing I had to text her.
But I'm like, that's amazing. Like that's so random to be on
this wall. It's so.
Random. And I definitely, I definitely
did not catch that. But I love that she has this
photo because it is a great movie.
And since that movie I have, I have quite a bit of thoughts
about this. Apparently, like this is
something I just wanted to go all in on.
Please go. So since that movie is all about
how important your emotions are, I'm thinking it symbolizes how
confident Mon is with like, who she is and her feelings.
She seems very in tune or attuned I guess.
I don't remember writing that word, but I whatever, it doesn't
matter. Rather than Sam, who tries to
push everything down so she, like understands.
It all. But then I looked again.
OK, so like. I did many, many takes of this.
So this photo is when all the emotions are looking at the land
created by core memories. And I'm thinking it could also
be that Sam was her core memory growing up, and it built who she
is today. Yes.
Oh man, that's so good. Caitlin.
Caitlin wins the analysis award. Damn, that's good.
Yeah, 'cause, like, Sam is 100% her core memory.
It's her. It might be her only memory.
That's why she has to keep, like, all these photos around,
'cause she's like, I need the memory out of my brain and it
just it's puts it deeper. No, that's real good.
I love that this one will not be crushed.
OK, If you had to though, if, if they were, if they were a
character in the movie, who is Mon and who is Sam?
Which emotion? Sam.
Is probably. Disgust.
Sam's face. Reminds me of disgust.
For some reason. And then Mon, I feel well.
I mean, we're very limited with the emotions that we have.
Well, yeah, in the first movie we get more in the second one
that it's not out yet. But I think I think Mon is
pretty much joy. I think so, no.
That's why they're grump. They're grumpy and sunshine.
Like sunshine and happy like, yeah, I agree.
OK, all right. So they go on this train because
this. So anyway, So then she gets more
confusing for us because then Mon and Yuri are getting ready
to go out to this concert and Knop mentions the term idol.
So I didn't know what this meant for a while 'cause I think this
means something, it obviously means something different in
like Asian cultures and Thailand.
So he's like ha ha, idol's not really my thing.
And then they get to the what looks like a concert and then
when mom's at the stage like Sam is on the stage, so.
Naturally, at the beginning of this we all thought Sam was a
singer because we're talking about idols.
She mentions the word idols. Then we get to the idols, and
the idols are singers. And I was like, OK, so Sam's a
singer. So I was so confused for like
the first few episodes, 'cause I'm like, is she a singer who
also has a company? Like when did she start singing?
Never gonna have to be a beauty company because all the singers
have a beauty company. Right.
I was like, is this like a sponsorship company?
Like, what is this company? So I don't think it necessarily
means like Singer. I think it just means celebrity.
Like Idol means like, is synonymous with celebrity.
So Sam is a celebrity because she's royalty.
And like, you know, that's why, you know, so freaking.
What is it? People magazine had like one of
the royal members from England on it today.
Like, they're not pop singers, but they're celebrities just by
like their status kind of thing. So I think it's the same thing
why on earth Mom is conjuring her at.
Singing and dancing. That's something Mon should
think about a little bit more deeply.
Therapy. OK.
So when I started rewatching again, I finally realized what
was going on and that they were going to see Yuri's idols, which
made Mon Daydream that her idol Sam was actually performing
correct. See, they I'm telling you, they
again mess with the lighting funny like they there's not
enough distinction between reality and dreamland or so,
yeah. Well, kind of like.
OK, but also how does this? End it.
Ends the Daydream with Mon a breath away from making out with
Santa. So cool that she's thinking
about her idol. But this is how if he's thinking
about her idol. And what I'm getting from this
is that Mon has been conjuring sexy daydreams about Sam for
like, who knows how long this has been going on.
And she has two in this one episode, so it's like her.
Daydreams, you know. I'm like.
With girls, just lean in. So we talked.
About her saying that she didn't know that she was gay until she
met Sam. But I'm like.
Is it when? She first met her as a child or
when she's older at work because, like, she's very gay in
these fantasies. I know, I know.
I'm like, I'm pretty sure Yuri knows Yuri.
Sorry, that's on the buck, Yuki. I'm pretty sure Yuki knows,
because she's the way she talks to Mon in this opening scene,
like later when she gets the job.
Yuki's like, your head might explode.
Yeah. Yuki's the the friend.
She's like you're you might actually start exploding if Sam
starts singing and I'm like, yeah, like exploding in all the
ways. Like I think.
I think your friend is like I think you're a little too in.
I think you're the way I'm into. These men, which I believe Nancy
told us are the same people from they're also from idol factory,
I think. Secret crush on you.
Yeah. Oh cool.
Yeah, so I think. That's kind of how they're tying
the two, take the two shows together, which I'm fine.
I love that meta Ness. So that mean those two guys were
actually into each other because that's how we were reading it
when we were watching the reaction video, I don't know, I
didn't watch. The show.
I still think they're into each other anyway.
That's odd about that. I don't know if you guys had
anything more to say about this this dream, this very platonic
dream that Mon is having about Sam.
I'm. Telling you it's.
Just like repression. It's just like it is not that
you can have dreams and not have feelings.
Like it's fine. Like everything's fine and the
world bliss just on fire around you.
You know? Like that's kind of what?
It's fine. It's fine.
Yeah. Yeah, just fine.
It's just idol worship. Yeah.
Just normal idols.
It's just normal. Yeah.
I mean, Yuki does it with her men, so it must be fine.
It must. Be fine.
OK, other aspect of the show that I thought was interesting
and also terrible is that Mon is like half Thai, half British,
like her dad's English. And so she faces low key racism
the minute she is like on boarded into like, Sam's
company. I felt so bad for her, 'cause
the whole time they're like, oh, you speak our language.
And then they're like, you look very pale and like all this
stuff. Like, she's constantly facing,
like racism and like, she handles it very nicely, but
like, I feel bad for Mon, so. That's not nice.
No, but I mean it's it's a, it's
a thing that does happen for. Sure.
Yeah, yeah. And in like if you're used to
only having a lot of 1 ethnicity and then somebody has a mixed
ethnicity, like we in America are kind of lucky I guess in the
sense that like you know, in the sense that we have, like we
have. Tons of.
Like, there's not I Lucky's not the right we're the melting pot.
We're the melting here. That would make people accepting
here. No.
No, it doesn't. Yeah, but it makes no sense.
But. Continue.
We we just have a lot of people, a lot of different people here
versus a more ethnically. It's like a.
Singular ethnicity in a country. Homogeneous.
Yes. Thank you.
So I I think, I think it's more of a, like, she stinks out.
Yeah, exactly. It's like, and it's not her
different. Yeah.
And they're like, oh, you speak our language because that was a
huge thing to think. But the irony for me is that the
company's name is called diversity.
And then they're like giving her crap for like being a, like,
they call her a Halsey at one point.
I'm like that's not what I was. The translation sounds like such
an American thing to do. Oh my God.
Be low key racist to their face. Absolutely.
And have. I'm not saying we're called
diversity. Oh my God.
To what? I like diversity.
Yeah. Have a company called diversity
and be the least diverse company experts.
Exactly. So I found that funny.
Not funny, but like, ironic. Ironic.
Funny. I I like that we eventually
found out the name of the company, yes.
Because. The first episode we were
watching was we we were going like all over the place, Like,
is it just the company? Are we?
Is it just about SEO? Like our first episode was
basically theorizing what the hell the show was about?
Yes. So I'm glad we figured out it
was the the company's name is diversity, which exactly, and it
took a very hot minute to figure out what the hell the company
even did because they don't really explain what's happening
and what Mom's doing so very quickly.
Like I don't know exactly what the whole company does, but the
section that mom gets on boarded into is the content creation
department for. I still don't really understand
what they do. And my question?
Digital marketing. Firm.
OK, and so digital marketing firm.
OK, and this is the content creation department.
My question though is how the fuck are they paying all these
people? There are so many people just in
this department, so this applies.
There are multiple departments. Because.
How are how are they paying rent is my question and these people.
I got a theory. Do it.
So maybe Sam was given quite a bit of start up money to begin
with because, you know, they're rich and I'm assuming Kirk and
Sam had to like talk sweet talk grandmother into this or
something. But like it was like part of the
deal or something. Yeah, I mean that's that is kind
of what I assumed with it as well, 'cause it just, it feels
like that. I mean, that doesn't really get
mentioned really. How they do?
This works. 'Cause they don't seem to be.
Making a profit at that's what I'm saying.
And it's year 4 into the company, so getting start up
money is one thing, but it's year four and they have one
Facebook page. How are they paying all these
people? She's.
Got. Power.
She can get people to give her money and finance it.
Then why is she struggling if that's the case?
Like the whole crux of right now is that.
She's coming. She has.
She probably has to pay back. She obviously, like, struck a
deal with the grandmother to like, not be married and to be
like, let me try and be a businesswoman for like 5 years.
If I succeed, you'll let me keep doing it.
And if not, I'll be like you and Mary Kirk and have errors or
whatever. So we're coming up on the last
year of the original deal and like, things are not going well.
So I'm just like, how is she paying these people?
If like, it's not going well, it's year four.
Maybe she. Has five years of.
Pay. Like, not just.
Start up money. It's like much money.
There's so many people in that office, although she does
comment, she's like mom, I don't pay you enough to like, buy me
gifts. So like, she's aware she's
underpaying everybody. So like, maybe you know, she's,
you know, capitalist at heart, I suppose.
Or she doesn't pay her enough to get her the gift.
That she would want. Well obviously.
I mean she does though. She gets the gift she wants.
OK, so anyway, in this scene 2 we are also introduced like when
they when mom first get through all the people she's going to be
working with. I want to point out one person
in particular that I have a problem with, and I will bring
up many of my tests. The head of HR, which is
annoying. I'm just annoying.
I will circle back to her later because I think she should be
fired. OK, all right.
Then you get into Sam and Mon's reunion, which is a complete
disaster. Like, it's just a mess.
And I love it. They there's gay staring,
obviously across the room because that's how you meet
somebody that you've been, like, pining for for a decade, you
know? Sam says absolutely nothing to
Mon. She's like, I don't know who the
fuck you are. And then just in front of Mon
and everybody proceeds to just fire two people.
So this is like Mon's introduction to the company is
just Sam firing people. Which, wow, what a first day.
But yeah, what a first. Day Terrible.
I hope my first day at my new job does not go like that.
Well, I just so when Sam does walk into the building, Mom is
just standing there in. The way of the.
Thing not moving like a deer in headlights.
Like not making eye contact, but like just.
In. Watching it was like, just sit
down, please, just sit down. We just just sit down.
Just there's There's so many empty chairs.
They sit down. You know what the office set up
reminds me of? Like in school where nobody
wants to sit the front of the class, That's what the office
everything in the back like is far away from Sam's office as
possible. And gets a front row seat.
Yeah, she's like. Literally.
Star Trek. And that is a really good point,
something to bring up early on. Is it eye?
Contact. Ma does not do that.
Like with Sam in the beginning, we'll get to that later.
But through the firing, Ma learns the cardinal rule of the
office, which is like, literally don't date other employees.
Which I feel like should be something annoy.
Ma'am. What's into their paperwork when
they start is like, don't fuck other your employees.
Like shouldn't. Isn't that like standard office
etiquette that you have to sign? So this shouldn't be surprising
when people are getting fired for this.
Like, I feel like they shouldn't have to sign objects.
But I love that Sam's like, she's like, listen, if you want
to be together, go somewhere else.
No office romances because good, good last words there, Sam.
We'll see how that works out for you in a minute, but I'm really
confused about this cause. Isn't Sam breaking that already
anyway with Kirk? Not that she wants to, but
still, I wonder if, like, it doesn't count quote 'cause he's
not really in the office. That, or Lady Sam is not
actually in love with Kirk. Yeah, there's no romance there.
There's no romance. There, everyone else, they think
they oh, I. Know it's ridiculous, but maybe
it doesn't. Count.
You know, again, noise should be fired.
Like, noise should be fired. Like, where's HR?
Mm hmm. I agree.
Yeah, Sammy's a hypocrite in this whole situation.
Like, even from the job, like you're saying, Caitlin.
OK, so let's get into the gay stuff.
So while that's Mon's first introduction to everything,
later she run, physically runs into Sam, or falls into her.
We'll say not once, but twice. And the second time we get this
ridiculous bracelet incident, which it's very contrived,
obviously. So the incident is that Mom's
hair gets caught in Sam's, Sam's bracelet, and Sam's freaking out
that her hair is going to damage the bracelet, which like, is
that the softest gold on the planet?
Like, how is that going to damage your bracelet girl?
I understand he's trying to demonstrate that Sam has no
feelings for people and she's here for her shiny toys that
make her happy. But what was the scene?
It's it's contrived and meant to be comedic.
But like it's. Hair.
And you can see like, Mon the hair into the bracelet and like,
they're just like moving it like so funny.
Oh my God. It's hilarious, but like, again,
it's slapping Mon in the face with the fact that Sam has
changed and she's not that loving person she first met.
But Oh my God, was that seem hilarious?
Because it's like, guys just like, breathe and like, pull the
hair out. It's really not that challenging
for. I mean, if you have to just cut
it, like, I mean, Sam was already there.
She's like, I'm going to cut your hair because I'm like,
guys, try harder. Just try harder, all right?
After her first day of fuckery at the office, Mara goes home
and we meet Nop, which is her childhood friend.
Thought it was? Nope.
Whatever. I think it's not.
It's not. She says It.
And personally, I didn't like him in the beginning because
especially in the scene because he acts like, basically like the
unrequited love interest for mom where he's like been her friend.
He's basically like considers her family, his family, like he
calls her parents like mom and dad basically.
And in the scene he basically is trying to act like her
boyfriend, even though, like he's not.
She's being possessive of her in like this way that she's not
reciprocating. So it felt creepy in the
beginning, Like, oh, so men are two women where they're like.
I. Think if I try harder, she'll
eventually want to date me and she's like, no, I don't want to
date you, but I love the course of their relationship as the
show goes on because he actually like turns into like this super
ride or die for her. That.
Has these beautiful conversations with her later in
the in the course of like her queer journey that I really
appreciate. So their their friendship.
Evolution is one of my favorite aspects of the show.
Honestly, it really confused me when he called the parents mom
and dad though. So I was like, I thought he was
the stepfather's son. I mean that's that's fair.
But it's like a cultural thing and a sign of respect to like
call her dad, dad and like when Sam comes over she calls like
her mom, auntie. Like they're not related, but
they're but basically it's a sign of respect to be like, you
know I respect you kind of thing and like for mom to call Sam's
grandmother. Grandmother like it's a it's a
respect thing, but I understand that that it seems confusing in
the beginning, but the context of him trying to be act like her
boyfriend makes it hopefully not inside of.
Them I don't. I was very confused.
I didn't like him in the beginning, Yeah.
And it's valid. Yeah.
I didn't. I didn't like that how
possessive he was being. And he's just like I I'm, I have
a like. A.
Claim. Yes, exactly.
Thank you. A claim over her.
And like this is how it's going to end.
I've already have the approval of your parents like I call them
mom and dad. Like I'm already in this family
like so that that at the. But I.
But I agree with you Theora like once the like the relationship
ends up developing into a good solid friendship and one that
should hopefully like last. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I agree. And like it it and it comes from
Montu, who like sets the boundary with him and then he
takes it as stride. He's like, OK, yeah, yeah, it
hurts a little bit. But we've been friends forever.
Let's keep being friends. So I love that.
I love that friendship. Like, in the end, it's really
beautiful. Anything else, Caitlin?
You have no. No, no.
OK. All right.
OK, let's go back to the dog. So in the present, the same dog
is in Mom's house because it's a very distinct looking dog that
they picked to play the dog. And I think that throughout the
one crime committed by Mon is that she very much underutilized
the dog. Seriously.
And Sam's love of dogs like that was like her ace in the card
deck and like she did not play that card properly and it took
her way too long to play the dog card.
OK, I have a problem with that. Like you could have brought up
this dog so much sooner and one lady said I'm over way sooner.
And you know, also your dog looks the fucking same.
You could have brought your dog to work and like, damn, that was
really dumb. And then I love it.
I love it. Somebody was like, hey, how
about, yeah, somebody was like, hey, how about you take your dog
to work and just tell Sam it was the other dog?
Because they look the fucking same.
Because they are the same. They're.
The same have the. Same actor.
Dog. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
In the subtitles it says that the new dog is the baby of the
other one. I think they.
No, it says, it says. How about this?
Why don't you take sing to see her and tell her it's the big
sua, the dog that she asked us to keep.
It's not. But they're just wanting to make
it seem like, so that it's, like, still alive.
Like, it's Yeah, 'cause like at this point, Mom's like, well,
she, how could she not Remember Me, which is one of the most
ridiculous things in the show. I'm like, you were a child.
You were both children. What do you mean?
I wouldn't remember you. You look different.
And mom is like, Mom brings up the best point where she's like,
well, maybe if she doesn't remember you, she's gonna
remember the dog. Which personally I would
remember a dog over a person so like and especially one that
looks. Identical, yeah.
This is a very. Distinct looking dog like I
would remember this dog over the child that I that doesn't look
the same anymore. That does not look the same.
No exactly. So this was Mon's biggest
failure. Yeah.
Mon also says something that's put a pin in for the rest of the
show, or basically. Like she's she's.
Mon at this stage is like out of school, like graduated from
university. I think the schooling system is
like England. Whatever, She's graduated, she
is done. This is like her first job post
graduation, basically starting at Sam's company.
So she's basically like, well, I've, you know, obviously I've
been stalking Sam forever and if this doesn't work out, I'm going
to go back to England with my dad and just try to make my life
there and start new. So mom says that.
She's giving herself an ultimatum, like either I do well
here or I fail and I go to England.
So she says that at the beginning and it comes up at the
very end. So I just wanted to point that
out. It must be nice to have options.
Other country options. Right.
I'm like, I'm just going to go there.
If this doesn't work out. OK, so let's talk about Sam
grandmother and the company. So we kind of talked about this,
but I think this is a very interesting detail.
So Sam basically cuts this deal with her grandmother to have a
career before she gets married. Because remember if you go with
the flashbacks like song. Michael, Michael, I just loudly
clicked. If you go back to the flashbacks
when Sam goes with Song to see Ice, the conversation with the
grandmam at that time was Song. You just graduated.
You should be getting married. Like immediately the grandmother
after graduating was pressuring Song to get married.
So basically, Song was Mon's age when Grandmother was pressuring
her to get married. Sam somehow cut some deal with
her to be like, listen, I'll get married after I can have a
career or get my career started, basically, which is interesting.
So it kind of shows that the grandmother is capable of
compromising in some way, at least with Sam.
Granted, Kirk is around and Song didn't have a Kirk, but still
like, she still gave her that leeway, which I find very, very
interesting. So Sam has a lot of pressure on
her, obviously, because she has to make this work because she
doesn't think I want to marry Kirk.
She likes Kirk, so the job is constantly stressful to her
because the job is something she chose like.
This is like Nong's art. This is.
You know, her choice, she keeps saying over and over again, like
this is the only thing that makes me happy.
So she's trying to preserve her happiness that she chose to do
so. This is not the the job is not
something grandmother chose for her.
This was Sam's choice. And I think that's really
important because Sam. Hardly takes action on something
she actually wants and something that is fully her choice.
And the grandmother cut A5 year, deal with her, She's like be
successful in five years and you can keep your job basically and
keep doing that. You don't have to be like a stay
at home mom and like live the life I lived basically.
So to me, I kind of read this out, like in a way it's Sam's
form of rebelling because her sister didn't get to do this.
They were forced into the marriage track and being a stay
at home mom and like she's forcing Don to like do pretty
girl things like play the piano and entertain guests and that
kind of stuff. She doesn't seem to do that with
Sam. She seems to let Sam like have
some autonomy as long as the grandmother can like still kind
of control it and like monitor her.
So in a way it's Sam rebelling, like within the confines of the
rules the grandmother set up. So I find that really, really
interesting that Sam has a degree of autonomy and can do
something to make the grandmother proud.
She's like, I want to make you proud with this career, but like
they don't see eye to eye. I'm like what pride is because
the grandmother's like do what I say, That will make me proud of
you. Which like, sucks.
Like I'm sorry. Poor Sam.
Like this sucks. Yeah.
I mean, I think the only thing that's in Sam's favor is that
she's already set up with Kirk. There is a plan.
There is, like for the grandmother, like the
grandmother's, like you're marrying him no matter what.
I'll give you 5 years like this is already set in stone.
This is where we're going. You can have your five years to
play around and be a fool, and then you're going into and
getting married and doing what I'm telling you.
So. I I mean I think.
I think that's what why the grandmother is like yeah sure.
Go ahead play. Play your games, play like, do
what you're. Wanting to do like 'cause you're
going to end up. Marrying him anyway, Yeah.
But I think what the grandmother really wants is her not to work
and to be a stay at home mom. So the fact that she made this
or like stately wife or kind of thing or arm candy or whatever
the hell. But I think the fact that she
made a deal where she's like if you succeed you can keep doing
this, I think that's different for the grandmother.
So it like it kind of shows that like she's capable of changing
when it comes to Sam. So I think it kind of like not
four shadows, but kind of like shows a little bit about like
your relationship when you get to the end.
So I don't think the end with grandmother is a huge surprise
because it's kind of set up to show that like she does treat
Sam differently, even though she's very much like I, you need
to obey me and that kind of stuff.
She's willing to compromise with Sam to a degree as long as like,
again, the grandmother's still kind of get getting what she
wants, but like, Sam is also getting what she wants.
So like the compromise is still there.
It's not off the limits entirely.
That's. The fear of like the
grandmother's fear of losing another.
Grandchild. Then like she's.
Kind of giving in because this is the last heir or grandchild
left in the in the family. No, that's a really good
question. I think that's definitely part
of it, but I think that Sam was always her favorite.
She's also the baby. Because I think it's because
she's the baby. Because as the baby, the
grandmother's expectations were never on her until there's
nobody else. So like Sam had the luxury to
like just be the loving, fun, carefree child with the
grandmother. Like she's always the one with
the grandmother, like comforting her and stuff.
And as the baby with no expectations on her, she, she
had the privilege of being in that role.
But once like the role switch and now she's the heir, like
that's when everything started kind of changing and she had to
like kind of hide herself and like start behaving differently.
And so I think that they had a stronger relationship than Sant
than the other siblings had with the grandmother.
And I think that's what what persists.
But I think that fear for the grandmother's absolutely there,
that, like this is my last grandchild, like, you know,
'cause like she, it's a very old school way of thinking where
it's like you have to pass on the bloodline, you have to pass
on the divinity, like the royalty.
Like I think that's that's very much influencing her
grandmother. And like that very much you do,
as I say, kind of like mentality that's very like conservative
thinking versus like progressive thinking.
So the grandmother's very much like the conservative figure and
the one with all the power in this family and like as the, you
know, the, the matriarch of the family, like, yeah, you do what
they say. That's part of the culture.
But so I think it is interesting she does do compromises with
Sam, Despite that her having that, you know, the grandma and
having that authority. But I definitely think that's.
Part of it she's afraid that like this is this is my last
chance like and notice it's never, it's never her fault.
It's always like, well, no, you're just a terrible person.
And the song, it was ice that did it.
Like her inability to sing her own fault I think is is part of
what's causing this whole flester fuck, you know.
Mm hmm. All right.
And so, OK, let's get to the Sam and Mom's episode.
So as the as the episode kind of goes on, I think what's
interesting about Sam and Mom's, Sam gets really intrigued by Mom
because Mom is the very first person to challenge her in a
very, very long. Time.
Grand the grand Mamma son. The grandmother has been
challenging her forever. This is somebody who, like,
shouldn't be challenging Sam, but does like.
Even Kirk is a humongous pushover.
Like, huge. And So what I find really
interesting is that from the beginning, Mom does have power
over Sam. I'm going to talk about their
power dynamics a lot because that's part of the gap thing
between them. There's a power imbalance for a
number of reasons. But Mom does have power over
Sam. She just, it takes her very long
time to realize she has that. But I think Sam kind of
recognizes that on some level. And so she kind of, like gives
in a little bit without like being a pushover.
But I think she finds that intriguing.
Like when somebody challenges you, it's interesting and it's a
fun dynamic. So if you look at them like Mon
has like soft power where she can kind of like influence Sam
without Sam realizing it. Whereas Sam has like tangible
power, like she's the boss, she is royalty, she has money, like
all of those things. Like very overt power versus Mon
has this like soft power. And like Sam doesn't know how to
handle it really. She just, like short, circuits
her brain a little. Bit which is.
Makes their dynamic a lot of fun, and I think Sam says it out
loud to Mon. Like when she kind of challenges
her, she's like, you're the first person since I've started
this company to ever, like, challenge me, which is fun.
But Mon again, like from the flashback to now, she's somebody
who isn't afraid to fight for what she believes in.
She isn't afraid to like, say how she feels and like, stand up
for herself and what she wants, which is something Sam does not
possess at all because Sam is a pushover.
And so it's like another gap. And so Sam's like, OK, you want
to challenge me? I challenge you.
And this is when she challenges her to get this ridiculous
amount of followers for their second Facebook page.
Or she's fired and she has one month like 500 K followers in
one month. Hold on.
It's not her Facebook page because.
They're not even on Facebook right now.
They're on Facebook. That's the only thing they've
done. And they have a website.
It's the website page I think is what they're trying to.
Get Yeah. This is insane.
Just. Creating diversity pop too.
Like this is brand new. Brand fucking yeah.
But like, I would have quit immediately.
Yeah, who's crazy? What a crazy like.
But again, it's Sam like wielding her power that she just
this is the problem I have with them.
In the beginning. It's just the boss employee
thing, because Sam has the authority to wield this insane
power over Mon because she's her boss and Mon doesn't really have
autonomy here. Like Mon's option is quit and
give up on your dream, which is really harsh and like fucked up,
you know? But.
It's. Kind of hot because Mon is like
bet. Like we got this.
We're gonna do it. We're gonna rock this.
Like I will show you. And so like, I'm kind of here
for that, Like I'm. I'm not mad.
I'm. I'm not mad.
That's true. Mom does.
Mom likes challenges. Not gonna lie.
I mean, Lady Sam just in herself is a challenge.
And that is very queer. I think that's very.
That's partly why Mon's intrigued.
I think she's a challenge in multiple ways.
It's challenging because she's like, I thought I knew you and I
don't. And also like you're literally a
puzzle and a mystery, like. Aside from all of them.
Yeah, so it is fun. Later they go out to this
Welcome to the team dinner for Mon, which is awkward as fuck.
Let's just OK because Sam's there and it's just making
everyone uncomfortable. So I love that Kirk is like the
party guy. He's like, yeah, don't listen to
her, let drinks are on me like everybody.
Don't quit. Sounds fun, but something I want
to point out from this dinner that I think is important and is
something that constantly gets sprinkled out throughout the The
show is like the food thing. So when they they sit down to
eat, it's important to note that like, Mon tries to start eating
and everybody's like, what are you doing?
What are you doing? What are you doing?
You can't eat. First Lady Sam is the honorable
guest. She has to start the meal.
Kind of thing. Like, it's a ceremony thing.
But Sam like, feeds Mon. Like she takes, like without
saying anything. She just like, grabs the piece
of whatever she ate. She's like, oh, this is good and
gives it to Mon. She doesn't give it to Kirk.
Like she gives it to Mon. OK, so I find this in a very
interesting detail because like. Kirk.
Did it to Sam when they were having dinner with the
grandmother a couple of scenes ago.
To me it reads as like this. Affectionate kind of gesture,
like the transfer of food is like, you know, like food's a
love language kind of thing. Like it kind of like reads like
this, like unconscious thing that Sam is doing and she does
it like throughout the entire show, Like Sam constantly is
like almost like showing affection to mom like
immediately. So I think that's the
interesting little like, I don't know if you guys read that
differently, but I thought that was hot little thing.
It's just hot. Like, put it in her mouth.
Yeah. It's, I think.
I think it was a. Nice like 'cause it was the the
dinner was very tense. Like it was but.
Like, Oh my God, comedically tense.
Like. So it was very it was a funny to
watch it, it was a funny situation but like you can feel
the tension and then so this kind of also was a like breaking
of the tension also. Where they were.
Like it was almost like she was. I I can see where how you're
reading it as an affection. I'm also seeing it as like I'm
accepting you as part of this team.
Like a peace. It's also a peace offer offering
but it's also unknown. Sexual tension.
Overturn. Yes.
That's where my affection was coming from.
I was like because Kirk did it. Yeah, yeah, I know.
I agree. Because like it it, it almost
like it also like puts them in their own little world in this
like moment, despite being in a crowd, which I thought was also
a nice little touch. And they just, they keep, it
keeps happening like this. So I just, I like that it starts
in the beginning and like, Sam consistently keeps doing that.
All righty. Any other thoughts about episode
one before we move on to episode 2?
No. Let's move on.
So Episode 2. So after Sam saves Mon from
another super slow car crash. I love that.
Super slow. I love that there's two There's
this fun slip up that happens when they're communicating where
Sam calls Mon babe, which again is this.
I don't understand the translation, but it must.
I was like, was that a mistranslation?
But the way Mon reacts leads me to think that it's not because
she's like, do you realize that you just called me?
I've known you for two seconds. Well, it's in 10 years.
But, you know, you think you just met me yesterday, like this
morning. So this is weird.
So I think this is a real thing that happened and not a
mistranslation, because I think the point of this is that Mon
throws Sam off her game. I think that's the whole thing
because this whole interaction and the car whole car crash that
never was follows the the scene where Sam overheard Mon
essentially like defending her against the employees that were
drunk and bad mouthing Sam basically.
So I think that that threw Sam off because she's like nobody
defends me and then this slip up happens.
So I love this detail. I think it's cute and it's I
think it's showing you that Sam. The walls are coming down girl.
She doesn't even know there's a breach.
There's a breach. In the barrier.
I mean, I feel it also just kind of shows that Sam's a person
cause bait can be. Used in multiple.
Contexts as well. So depending on what the
translation is, it could be like a romantic type thing or just
like a friend. Totally.
Yeah, totally. So either way it you're right,
it's breaking down. Some.
Either walls and it's. And I think that's really a
really nice added thing of like, OK, so Sam is actually a person
too. Like, it's not just this scary
boss lady, right, 'cause that's all we hear.
All we hear is that she's terrifying and she's not the
same person mom meant when they were children.
So the slump up. Is what she a man boss?
She and mom boss. And later Mom becomes the boss.
And that's my favorite episode. But I don't want to jump ahead
to that even though I want to. But here, like, the slip up is
important. It humanizes Sam.
Which is exactly what you're saying.
And I love that mom catches it and she's like, do you realize
what you just did And Sam's like, what?
No. I didn't like it clearly was not
planned and just yeah, it's there's a breach in the barrier
already and it's been one episode which I just.
I love. And Sam keeps doing slip UPS.
So then after that happens, Sam, unprompted, like, gives mom her
jacket, a jacket out of the car and like, proceeds to lecture
her about drinking. Which sounds really funny.
But the point of this conversation, as Mom points out
she's like, oh, you're worrying about me the way, like a family
member would like showing me that you care.
Not just like giving me an affectionate nickname, which is
the the babe slip up. Romantic or not, it's still an
affectionate, like, you're my friend kind of thing still.
And so is this behavior. She fed her at dinner and then
is now giving her a jacket. So this is a lot all at once
after meeting this terrifying human being.
And I also think it's supposed to kind of be like, subtle
seduction. Totally.
Oh, I hope so. Like, it's hot.
Like giving somebody, like giving somebody your jacket.
Like are you cold or not? Like, OK, wait a minute.
First of all, Sam's like, wow, your top is really thin.
Sam, why are you looking at it that closely?
Sam, I'm. Saying, that's what I'm saying.
Like, do gal pals do that, Sam? I don't know.
But I'm not entirely sure if these are like, conscious or
unconscious things that she's doing right, which also makes it
fun. Then again, we're like, we're
friends now. So she's like, well, when you
get home, you need to text me, which is like, you know, classic
like friend behavior. Like I want to make sure you
didn't die. Especially because, like, I
think part of part of Sam's fear is that, like, you're a
unmarried woman who's tiny, It's Ma's like 4 foot and 100, like
less than 100 lbs. Like she's tiny.
She's like, you're going to get abducted.
Please let me know you didn't get abducted.
So But I don't understand this because Sam's like, call me or
text me or whatever. Then Sam gives them on her phone
Like Sam gives them on Sam's phone and is like give me your
number and that's the end of the exchange.
How the fuck is Mon supposed to text you?
You have her number, not the other way around.
I don't understand this like. I figured this one out OK.
OK, because this was like literally the.
Only note that I have wrote in my.
Phone and it. Confuses.
The crap out of me. So Sam asked Mon for her line
ID, as in her ID number, which is basically like how we use
WhatsApp. So Mon adds herself as a friend
in Sam's phone and then I believe Sam will show up in her
recommendations at the very least, if not already friends.
So that's how she's able to find her.
So it's like a friendship. Kind of so more.
Like Discord, I feel like, OK, that makes way more sense
because I thought, like I saw this language in another Thai
show and I thought it's just like related to like phone
number, like line ID, like phone number.
But OK, it's an app, It's an app.
OK, thank you. I was just like Sam because he
likes to put unrealistic expectations on Vaughn and I was
like. They have the same.
Color as WhatsApp too, which is very intriguing.
Hmm. Maybe just like similar.
I guess apps are like ones that rip off the other.
Who knows? OK.
Love that, All right? So let's see.
Oh, go ahead. Cool.
I was just going to say like the this jacket, though he's never
leaving Mon's site. Like Mon is never returning that
jacket. You never see it again.
It's going. It's going in a shadow box on
the wall. Shadow box.
Shrine. It's no tacked up to the wall
like I think we never see it again.
And the reason we never see it again is because it's under the
covers and Mon like leaves. With it.
We never see it again like that is Mons.
Sam never asked for a back ship like that.
Happened. Like it's just it's just my
jackets now. Also, I love how nobody actually
wears jackets in the show. They just it's on the shoulders.
But like Fashion Girl wear the jacket, it's cold.
I love that. It's just fashion, fashion,
baby. OK, so like the next scene that
is important to talk about is another bullshit scene that
we've had we've seen twice in Asian cultures now.
So the first time we talked about this is Nexo Kitty, But is
there something in their Asian cultures that make them message
or call someone and then say they don't have time for them?
Oh my God, that's my favorite scene in Exo Kitty.
So for contacts like Sam, finally Sam was like, Mom
doesn't text her back because mom's like, she didn't really
mean that. She's my boss.
And like, royalty, she doesn't want me to text her.
That'd be weird. That'd be weird.
It's like, 1:00 AM This'll be weird at, like, 2:00 AM Sam's
like, what the fuck? Why didn't you text me?
I thought you were dead. And then Mom's like, oh, I'm
sorry. So then she, like, texts her and
she's like, call me, and then she calls her and then she's
like, what? The fuck are you calling?
I think this is a demonstrated Sam's contrarian because she
can't ever say what she means. But also yes.
And the scene in Exo Kitty was hilarious because like one of
the characters his mom calls him and then immediately is like, I
don't have time to call. You talk to talk to you and it's
like you called him. What do you mean?
Which is my favorite scene? But yeah, it did give me Exo
Kitty vibes, but I think it's this is just Sam being
contrarian. I don't know what the fuck that
Exo Kitty was seeing was. Actually, though, that was one
of the weirdest things I've ever seen.
That was in my present mother. Yeah, I mean, this is this is
just Sam's Sam getting emotional whiplash.
I mean, sorry Mom getting emotional whiplash from Sam.
Which is a unfortunate cycle that we're trapped in like the
rest of the show, because Sam cannot express herself properly.
She needs. She needs royal therapy like she
needs so. Much.
Therapy. So much that that poor girl's
traumatized. I so I interpreted these scenes
slightly different and we'll we'll get into my interpretation
a little bit later, 'cause this happens, comes up again, the
texting stuff. But like, I don't know if I've
just been in like interesting situations with people I was
talking to or dating or whatever in the past.
But like, this is not not hot, you know?
Like, it's like, don't text me, text me.
Like, you know, it's like going. It's like playing with emotions.
It's like making it. I mean.
Again, not condoning it. It was it was rough.
But like, I'm trying to be a challenge.
She's like, yes, exactly. Like it's just like, there's
more to it than just like, don't text me.
Why are you calling? It's like it's like the push and
pull thing. Right.
And to be fair, Mon is always up for the challenge of like, what
the fuck do I do to, like, please her kind of thing.
So yeah, I yeah, it's a it's a it's a power move.
It's it's like lighting a candle.
Cole, this is like her lighting candles.
Which is like I have all the power Look at my yeah, let's
watch you light a candle. I know, but it's just, it's a
because then Mon is like, even in these, like situations where
you're you're seeing Mon kind of confused.
She's like trying to figure out a way of working around this
tough exterior and like, finding who Lady Sam actually is.
So she's trying to figure out how to communicate with this
person. Who's.
So like, prickly at this point, and it's.
I don't know, I I think it's a fun play kind of thing that
they're doing. I understand that it's probably
not the healthiest and therapy is necessary, but I also don't
hate it. You know.
Yeah, I'm not saying I hate it. I just feel bad for Mom, 'cause,
you know, he's like, what the fuck do you want from me?
But it doesn't. It ratchets up tension,
basically. Like, not the friendship kind,
Not the friendship. Not the friendship.
Absolutely. All right.
So Speaking of friends, Speaking of friends, we are introduced to
Sam's friend group because they all meet at a restaurant.
Because basically like to talk about Sam and the shit with her
grandmother. Essentially, my favorite thing
about this is the first introduction we get to.
Jim. I fucking love.
Jim. Caitlin, when you texted me that
we were very close to getting gym as an interview, talking
about a character from our flag means that I thought you meant
this gym and I was like how? And Oh my God, because I love
this character so. I mean I could try if you want.
I don't know. I would love.
She's just. I fucking love this character.
So the first intro and her first line is hey honorable lady
stupid, stop swirling her. Like.
That's the intro. I love these nicknames for Lady
Sam. They are the best thing.
Oh my God. Like, yes, it's.
So. Funny that they they just dig
into her, like just make fun but in a in a friendly, like,
teasing way. But, like, they really, they're
like, you're an idiot. Like you understand that you're
a noble person or whatever, like a lady.
But. You're an idiot.
Like. Just.
Yes, they call her out on her bullshit all and I love it.
And like it's like, OK, the problem with like being in power
and and not having anybody on your level isn't nobody
challenges you and calls you under your bullshit.
Which is why Sam is intrigued by mom to begin with.
So I love that her friends are just always like that with her.
It's very candid and they're very like you're being a fucking
idiot right now and Sam like actually listens to them.
So I imagine like this was kind of always their dynamic or like
they're just very honest with her and and you're right it's
not malicious. It's very just like friends
teasing each other. So and I love that they take her
title and they're just like twist it to like dig at her and
like, they're like we love teasing Sam, one of our favorite
things. And I like watching it.
So yeah, right. I wonder if this started though,
'cause they were friends. Since.
Before like like you said. You were saying?
Yeah. So if they were friends before
the two sisters left, yeah, they I I wonder if like, they Because
they knew her before she was the heir.
I wonder if this is just like a continuation of that, like
teasing play versus if they met her after she became the heir.
I don't know if they would have this kind of relationship.
I don't think Sam would allow that because she does not allow
that with literally anybody else.
The exception becomes Mon a little bit like with like being
able to tease her because even when Mon starts teasing her,
she's like, why are you teasing? Because those that she's only
used to them doing it, she never lets Kirk do it.
She's like. Don't be inappropriate.
Don't like, breathe on me like get away, like, but meanwhile
they can like air her dirty laundry when they're all like in
their friend group and she doesn't give a shit.
So yeah, I agree. I think that this is again a
remnant of like Sam being stuck in the past in a way because of
her relationship with her friends.
She met pre being the heir. And they clearly are incredibly
like close enough to like make fun of the honorable lady to her
face and make a mockery of her title.
I think that's huge. Well, I also.
Think that. Lady Sam also does not wanna
have this title, like down. Does not care, does not want it.
She uses it to her advantage when necessary.
But I I don't think she like that's.
I don't think that's who she is at her, at her core, yeah.
No, this is not the. Kind of person she wants to be.
I agree. And and she was never supposed
to be her to begin with. Right.
She was like the the spare
spare. Like she was never meant to be
the air. So like, yeah, I think she was
thrust into this life. She didn't want, wasn't supposed
to have, and she just handled it the best she could, you know?
And I what I like is that she kept these friends and she kept
them close. And so to me, it almost shows
that like the version of Sam that Mon fell in love with or
was impressed, you know, imprinted on however you want to
phrase it. Like it shows that that Sam is
still there. It's just buried under the
trauma of it all, you know. So there's there's hope, you
know, for Sam, right. And that's that's important.
Like I'm glad that they started showing us like that.
There is hope to like the redemption of this character.
Yeah, I agree. Like they show it early rather
than like wading halfway through the season and be like, oh, Sam,
is it evil? Like it.
It's very apparent from the beginning, like you said.
I agree. I mean that's that's important
for how they, how they kind of pace the character development,
I think is the strength of this show.
Mm hmm. Yeah, definitely.
So the friend group is here, they assembled because to
support Sam, because the grandmother again is is
pressuring her and as we said their dynamic is just so, so
cute and just precious and I fucking love them.
And one thing that comes out during this conversation is Sam
confesses to to them like the company is my only source of
happiness. So.
And she says it in relation to basically living her life the
way her grandmother wants her to live, like having a husband,
having kids, not having a job. And Sam admits that she doesn't
want that life for herself and like, doesn't see herself doing
that. She feels very and I think it's
a lot that she says she feels comfortable enough to admit her
truth to this friend group. And she would never say this to
her grandmother. I highly doubt she'd ever say it
to Kirk like this candidly. And I think the the key here is
not just the friends that she's saying it to, but the fact that
they're quote, UN quote like behind closed doors, like
they're out of the public eye. They're kind of in their own
little secluded part of the restaurant and she's like being
very candid with them. So, but unfortunately, like kind
of to your point, Cole, when we were talking earlier about like
the deal the grandmother caught, not caught made with Sam about
like delaying marriage for the career thing.
It's for Sam. The company, like, really, at
the end of the day is delaying the inevitable that like
grandmother's going to win in the end, she's going to marry
Kirk, she's going to have kids like have heirs, blah, blah,
blah. But.
So Sam like by cutting this deal, it doesn't solve her
problem. It's just like a Band-Aid in a
way. It's like not really a.
So it's showing that like Sam is not great at like following
completely through for what she wants.
Unlike Song and her other sisters like who were just like
fuck it. They got to their breaking point
and they're like I'm doing me, Sam like will ultimately yell to
grandmother. Like, ultimately she feels the
the guilt. Yeah, she feels the guilt.
She feels the guilt. And I think she can kind of read
grandmother's reaction because, like, you like, grandmother's
not really trying to rob the sisters of their happiness.
That's not what grandmother thinks she's doing.
Like, to grandmother like she, her version of love is like
setting them up to succeed in the life in the way that she
succeeded. Like she's like, this is what
success looks like for a noble woman.
It's marrying a good man, having kids, keeping the bloodline
going, keeping the power, like solidifying the family power.
That's a good life. I did that.
That's what I want for you. And by setting you up to succeed
like that, that's how I'm showing you love.
So when when all the sisters are like, I don't want this
grandmother's not seeing that as like them sticking up from what
they want. She's seeing that as a rejection
of who she is because they're saying I don't want your life
grandmother and grandmother's saying you're rejecting me
personally. So that's where all of this like
vitriol, like when when song said it, that's what the vitriol
kind of comes out because grandmother feels like she's
being attacked when they reject quote her.
So I think, like, Sam, having seen that play out twice, is
very aware of that. And she doesn't want to, like,
reject or hurt her grandma. Like, it's still her grandmother
at the end of the day, even though she's being a Dick.
You know, like, your grandmother doesn't think she's harming Sam,
but like, she is. And that's kind of like the
tragedy of it all, You know, this like, endless cycle of,
like, I'm doing what's best for you by, like, denying you what
you want. And I just look at the friends
or, like, the friends clearly see that.
And they're always like, what the fuck with the grandma kind
of thing. Like, they see what's happening
very clearly and support Sam. But like ultimately Sam is just
on this trajectory of giving grandma what she wants.
It's it also kind of seems like the friends are like exactly
what you're saying, like they they see the situation unfold,
but they're like you have to come to this conclusion
yourself. We're going to try and help you
see the different pieces, but ultimately we can only be here
to to be your friend. And when you decide for yourself
that this is the life you want or don't want, like that's when
you will make this decision. So I I think that's also very
like an important thing for this friend group too is that they
understand that like they can only say so much, they can only
give so much help or like words of wisdom.
And. Lady Sam has to make the choice
on her own. To.
Follow what her grandma's saying or to follow her truth.
Yeah, I think it's, it's also contrasting the grandmother in a
sense because like you said that they are there to support Sam,
they are not there to impose on to Sam like the grandmother's
doing. So they're like, you know, tease
like, well, we could get Barry and solve all these problems
right now, run away. And like, they don't try to,
like, heist Sam out of the situation.
They're there to just like, support her with whatever she's
going to do. They'll voice their opinions,
like you're saying, but they don't impose their will on her.
They try to manipulate her and tease her and ship, but they
don't like, but it's for her own benefit.
They're not like to get Sam to be like, what do you fucking
want Sam? Like, come on, we know what you
want. We want, we need you to
recognize it kind of thing. But they don't ever try to,
like, impose anything on sandalwood.
It's it's the opposite of the grandmother.
Showing affection in different ways, I guess is a way to look.
At it, Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's that and it's just.
Very much like they're trying to just like you're saying help
support her and just be there for her as somebody else that
she instead of it only because it's the grandmother's, her only
family at this point. Like that she there, the friends
are there to, like, keep her mind open to other
possibilities, 'cause, I mean, it's all, it's a bunch of queer
people. Like, it's just queer people.
So it's just. Trying to.
Keep. And I mean, that's also kind of
a hint of like the future like. With.
With Sam too, but totally, totally I.
Mean it's. It's just.
I don't know. I just.
I really like this friend Group A lot, I think.
I think them all, like discussing life choices is
extremely relatable as well. Like just getting around, like
having what are they having? Like brunch or something and
just discussing life choices and.
I love that they. All me, like always.
Like it's all of them. Like even when like Kate is
filming, she like Will, FaceTime.
I love that they're they get all get together like constantly.
It's very sweet. Yeah.
And then this is also where when we find out that Jim right is
pregnant too and then that ends up being our like timeline of
what is happening like the time. Of.
How long it takes this stuff to happen?
Yeah, totally. Which I Which is very helpful
because there's not a lot of passage of time information
given in the show. Bye call, bye call.
Yeah. No, not at all.
So yeah, Jim's pregnancy is is helpful and also hilarious
because Oh my God, Jim and that baby in the pregnancy are just.
She Jim was. Just like, Oh my.
God Jim was. Like the Comic Relief and also
terrified cautionary tale of, like, why some people shouldn't
have kids. It's like she doesn't know what
the hell she's doing, and none of these queers know either.
No one corrects her. They're like, whatever, get the
back I. Think it's just her?
And they're like, no, Like tea eggs are on.
Like, like does not help. Like this bitch don't know what
she's doing either. Like, it's just funny.
I love Jim. Oh my gosh.
OK. So next scene we end up with
learning that Kirk, who's Sam's not only like fiance, so like be
trolled via the grandmother kind of situation, he's also her
business partner. Like they run the company
together. Which probably was part of the
deal, like you were saying, Cole.
But Kirk behind Sam's back is scheming with some rival
company. I don't know the name of this
company. I don't even know the name of
the boss. I don't care.
It's inclusivity. Sure, it's yeah.
Diversity, equity and inclusion. DEI.
So. But anyway, the boss lady of
this company, the key point is she's 100% into Sam, right?
OK, It's just not a straight person either, right?
Because there's no heterosexual explanation for the scene where
they meet and it's like. Hot.
Yeah, just like sexual. He's like flirting with Sam
immediately. But also like when she's talking
with Kirk, she calls Kirk like your beautiful lady.
Like she starts like, laying it thick to Kirk when Sam's talking
to me in the room. And then it cuts.
Kirk leaves and it cuts away to her computer screen and she has
this like gorgeous, like shot of Sam in, like the diversity
office. And also like, it was the exact
outfit Sam was wearing the day before this conversation with
Kirk. So, like, how did she get this?
Where did this photo come from, What she have it?
And it's like, she's just like staring at it.
So she's trying to get with Sam, is my understanding.
She doesn't give a shit about her company.
She's like here for the beautiful Sam.
Kirk, you're just. In the way, Yeah.
I mean, if they like merge companies, there's like a
marriage, right? Yeah, right.
That's legally binding. I'm just saying there's there's
queerness all over the show and this, this was a power move if I
ever saw one. And Kirk has no, Kirk had no
idea. He's like he has no gaydar, is
what I'm saying like 0 because just saying he has zero, he
shouldn't be surprised by the end of this season.
No. We.
Shouldn't be like there were so many Taylor clips on.
I gave so many signs. Like Kirk, there were so many
signs. Mm hmm.
Anyway, OK, so let's get to Lady Boss's headache, because that's
probably the big part of the rest of this episode.
So anyway, they're they're in the office really late.
Mon and Sam and Mon ends up taking care of Sam was like the
bottom line. And then eventually, like, they
get in a taxi together because Sam obviously can't drive
because she's having like a straight up migraine.
And like I don't have migraines. My partner has migraines and
they're awful and debilitating. And so Sam seems to get
migraines is my understanding. So she obviously can't drive her
fancy sports cars. So they get in a taxi together
and like Sam is like falling all over Mont like the whole time.
That's like before she even has the drugs.
She's just like you're my pillow right now don't move.
And this is where I hate the boss employee thing because
like, mom has no autonomy in the situation to be like, can you?
Also, like, what the fuck? Were these migraine pills?
Because why so tired? Like, immediately, like,
immediately she takes the pill. It hasn't even absorbed into her
bloodstream yet. And she's all right.
It's like, was it, what was it, this painkiller?
What was the painkiller? It really?
Because Kirk's like, you have to go to a specialty pharmacy and
I'm like, is it oxy? Like, what is she taking?
Because, like, this makes her way too tired to be like it was
a dealer. On the street, OK, the.
The Royal Dealer. And be like.
You're going to go in this alley.
You're going to meet, you know, Allen.
Don't ask questions. Just take what's in the bag.
Give him some money, go straight there.
Don't make any other stuff. Don't make eye contact.
Which MOD doesn't do. She's like, got it covered.
Yeah, those. People like.
And just I do like though that mod does call Kirk and Kirk is
able to help. Yeah, for sure.
Like I do like that there's just like it was a very sweet.
Like you can tell that Kirk does care for for Lady Sam, whether
or not it's like a right situation for both.
Of them, that's another. Story.
But he does care and he has known her for a very long time.
So it was it was just nice that Mom was able to call Kirk and
get some help because Sam was not in any.
Place to be able to help herself at this point.
No, absolutely. And like, you know, somebody who
has like chronic migraines. Like, I'm sure he's been in this
situation before, but he knew exactly what to do.
And you're right, like that is a concept.
Like he does actually like care about her on some level.
But you have to imagine that he also like, has a very vested
interest in this from a status perspective and he doesn't seem
to wield that. But like.
I'm sure it's. Mixed in there.
It's a complicated relationship, but you know there's there's a
friendship there. On some level I assume but.
I don't know. That's what it looks like.
All right, so after the the so the car.
One other thing we get from the car ride is that it ends up at
Sam's place first. So we get a look at Sam's, like,
gorgeous mansion that she lives in by herself.
And when mom sees it, she's surprised by this because she's
like, oh, I thought you were gonna you lived in the palace
because, like, that's that's where her song lived and no one
lived. They lived with the grandmother
in, like the palace, like her palace or whatever it's called.
So it is odd that she doesn't actually live there with the
grandmother. She has her own place, which her
sister's never had. So I I was wondering if this
maybe was part of that whole arrangement.
Like, let me be on my own quote. I mean, obviously, you know,
privilege, but like, let me be on my own away from you while I
be a business woman kind of thing.
So I thought that was a really interesting detail because the
other sisters didn't get that grace.
They were forced to live with the grandmother under the same
roof, which is kind of like a cultural thing where, like,
unmarried women live with the family.
They don't live by them. This is very atypical that she's
an unmarried woman living by herself.
Granted, she's engaged, but she's still unmarried.
So this is an atypical situation again.
So, like, I think this is part of the grandmother's a
compromise with Sam, which is an interesting detail.
Yeah, I have to agree. I I think it's it.
I think it is a compromise of some of some kind, whether like
I it might be. I mean, how old were the the
sisters when they left? Were they like, she's 29.
Yeah, she's almost 30. The song was Mon's age.
She was like early 20s because she, she had just graduated
from, like, college, university or whatever when she kind of,
like, passed away. And then the other sister, I
don't know how old she was supposed to be to be.
I don't even know her age or what their age gap is.
Yeah, 'cause, like, maybe it's just like at a certain point.
I mean, they're wealthy as all, like, they're so wealthy for
sure. Maybe this, maybe this house was
supposed to be for the heir. Yeah, could be.
Maybe this was supposed to be like, where they lived when they
got married. Yeah, And she's just taking a
while. So the grandma was just like,
OK, I mean, you're going to get this house eventually anyway, so
you might as well living in it now, Maybe, You know, like it
could just it could just be like, it could just be an age
thing. Too like maybe?
After 20. 5. Like that because that would be
about the. Four or five years.
Point. Like she was given a house
because she's supposed to get married.
But she was like I. Actually want to do business
instead? Yeah, that's true.
Maybe this is where she's supposed to live with Kirk
eventually, and she's like, hey, how about that?
How about that? He's not even allowed in the
house, which I love the detail. He's like, he's not allowed in
there either. So once Mom drops Sam off at her
house, Sam tells her to text her when she gets home.
So she takes the cab and goes home.
And this is where I need to, like, just talk about how much I
hate their relationship, at least in the beginning, because
I feel like it's so abusive, emotionally abusive between
them. And it's not even just like the
power imbalance. Because Sam tells her not to use
her name. Because she calls her Sam and
she's like, why are you? Using my name.
But then she's, she says lady or whatever.
I don't know what she says, but lady boss, that's what they
whatever they call him at the office.
And then she's like, don't be so formal.
Text her when she gets home. But she shouldn't have texted
because Sam has a headache. But when men calls, she says
she's upset about that as well. Like, that's not how you treat
people, like, tell them what you want.
And I really like that Mom does stand up for herself and forces
Sam to see how she isn't being fair because she says I don't
understand what you want from me.
Exactly, Lady. Boss.
Yeah, I mean on the surface like this scene is hard to watch
because Mon is getting emotional whiplash like and that happens a
lot. And I think Sam, the problem is
like Sam doesn't really know what she wants.
That's. I mean, Sam is contradictory, as
we learn, as a form of self preservation, which her oldest
sister taught her to do as a like a Berry, like she's like
have your poker face on when you're happy and when you're
sad, smile like to never, like let people know you and like so
you don't get hurt. It's a way to like protect
herself. And Sam's been living like that
since her sister's died, like with the grandmother.
So like, yeah, she's contrarian as a form of self preservation.
But in the scene she's constantly contradicting
herself, which is not normal. So I think that this is less of
a Sam being like, I'm telling you the opposite and I want you
to infer I mean the opposite the way her friends do.
I think Sam genuinely doesn't know what she wants and I think
she's has all these emotions from on and doesn't know what to
do with it. And she's just like, I don't
know, I'm feeling all these things and she cannot
communicate that at all at this point and is just like freaking
the fuck out. I think she's freaking out on
something. Also what were in those drugs?
I think she's, I think she's a little.
High I don't. Know what's going on.
Also, so there's that don't do drug skins.
Unless your doctor tells you to do drugs, then do drugs.
But Sam is an emotionally stunted person.
Like let's be real and I think that Mon is her Pompeii.
She's just like, what the fuck? And like they're just coming out
of her like a volcano and she doesn't know what to do with
this. But the fucked up part of this
whole exchange, 'cause I can under irrationalize.
And I understand your feelings, Caitlin.
Like the first time I watched this I was like, wow, this is
poor Mon. Like, you know, I think what's
really fucked up about it is Mon's take away from the
conversation. It's not about like, why is Sam
being like this. She takes ownership of this
situation and is like, what is it about me she doesn't like?
And she's almost like, like, like she beats herself up about
the way Sam is acting, not questioning, like, why is Sam
doing? She gets there later where she's
like, why is Sam being weird? And then figures it out through
the aid of Sam's friends and be like, got it.
This is a defensive mechanism. And so I hate this Herman
because she's just left with all this unresolved like anxiety
about this conversation. And I think it's clear in this,
in this scene that like, Mon doesn't really understand her
own self worth at this point when it comes to their dynamic
to her. And this is the problem I have
with this whole thing is like, Sam has all the power and that's
how Mon is perceiving this whole situation.
But if Mon really could see like beyond the mask, beyond the
bullshit, she would understand that, like that's really not the
case. Like, Mon is affecting Sam, and
Sam doesn't know what to do with it because, like, when they cut
back to Sam, like when they hang up on the phone, like, Sam looks
unnerved, like in shock a little bit.
Because I think that she doesn't understand what's like.
They're both having emotional reactions, and I don't think
either one really understand why they're having these very
intense emotional reactions to each other.
And they just handle it differently because they're
they're different people. And Sam is horrible at
confrontation. Like, notice anytime she has to,
like, apologize, she can't even do it because like she she's
terrible at confrontation. So like this is just her trying
to lash out at Mon because she's like she's having these feelings
and she doesn't know what to do with it.
She's trying to like throw it on Mon and Mon's.
Like I don't know what you want from me, like because I don't
like Sam knows either and that like and they're hurting each
other in the process and like it's just a cluster fuck of.
Emotions is, I think, is what it is.
So then the other. So OK, so while yes, I agree
from Mon's point of. View, it does seem very.
Rough like it is, she's taking it very personally.
She's taking it very negatively and harshly, but.
Kind of like. What Theo Theo was saying like I
think Lady Sam is having a lot of conflicting emotions about
this and is not sure like what is happening.
She wants to be close but doesn't know how to be close.
She is unsure how to express herself.
She wants one thing, like wants one thing, but does something.
Completely. Different.
She's she's like kind of trying to flirt and is doing it really
badly. And it's like, like really
badly. But like, so Mon is taking it
personally because she's like, why are you saying this stuff to
me? Or why are you acting like this?
And I'm pretty sure Lady Sam is trying to flirt with her like.
And it's not. Going too well yet, but I also
think that Mon is able to, and like we've mentioned earlier,
she's very empathetic, so I think she's going to which.
Can. Bite her in the ass, but like.
I think it's. Going to help her in this so
she's able to kind of. She wants to.
See it from Sam's point of view. So I think.
That's what's going to help her like kind of stick out, stick
this relationship out and kind of see what happens and where
this goes. But I think that Lady Sam just
does not know how to talk to people and does not know how to,
like, express feelings, does not know how to, like, interact in a
not hierarchy kind of way. So.
And she's also afraid of getting close to girls specifically,
like women. Like people she's interested in,
like actually interested in. So she's trying to keep her
distance, but she's extremely intrigued by who Mon is.
I think something, I think what boils down this whole
interaction and why it's such a cluster fuck is I think Sam
wanted Mon to stay with her. That was the whole thing.
And I don't think she knew how to say that, either because of
the drugs or and or because she doesn't know how to say that.
Because, like, I think this is probably one of the first times
in a very long time Sam actually wanted something, like genuinely
wanted something for herself. That had nothing to do with the
grandmother, nothing to do with delaying the marriage to Kirk,
which is what the company is. She actually wanted something
for the very first time. And I think that scares the shit
out of her and she doesn't know how to communicate that.
So she's just like saying all the things to try and get Mon to
come to her, but like, it's a failing, It's a cluster fuck.
And it's just, yeah, I think she wanted, I think she wanted Mom
to stay and that was the whole thing.
And then it was just a cluster fuck.
It's like AI want you to stay, but only if you want, right?
That's what she's always like and.
She's like, I'm or it's dinner time.
It it's dinner time. That's her way of being like, do
you want to go out with me? And Mom has to put it together.
She's like, do you want me to eat with you?
Is that what this is like? She's just.
Like emotionally immature and like just not have the like
verbal, like the words to put together and connect her
feelings with. Like.
What she needs to say to get that?
Yeah. And then I She also grows up
with Sesame Street. Right.
Yeah, for sure, Probably not. Probably not.
I think this is also. When we get into the like, scary
story, Oh my God, isn't this like a cute character quirk?
This is this is so weird but basically like so.
Mon I I. Thought this was really
important 'cause it continues throughout the throughout the
show as well. Mon basically had found out that
from Kirk that Lady Sam is afraid of.
Like doesn't like scary stories and is afraid of like anything,
like literally anything scary. So I think Mon ends up trying
to, like, be flirty back. I think she finally, yeah,
figures out that maybe Lady Sam is kind of flirting, but, like,
in platonic way. Like, they're not flirting yet.
I think she's they're not. Oh, I can get under your skin
with this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah. But like in a flirty way like.
It's a. It's a in a gal.
Power kind of. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, So I I just, I thought
this was so funny. So then she starts, like,
telling Lady Sam, like Mom starts telling Lady Sam a, like,
scary story. And it's like, oh, don't like
look under your bed. Like you can't do it like it's
gonna be like a window. Yeah, yeah.
That one's my favorite. Yeah.
And then so. And then, of course, Lady Sam
ends up being terrified and is like I this is rude and stays up
all night basically. And then so then the next day I
thought this was important too. The next day, Lady Sam is mad
but like. Hot.
Flirting, man. Yeah, yeah.
And yeah. I.
Love that. Scene She's just like.
I can't. Believe you did that.
It just like tilts the glasses down and it's so great.
It's so funny. Again, Mod has more power than
she. Thinks she doesn't let she.
Figures out how to push her buttons.
She's like, this is fun but I love that she does this and then
she's like, I don't know why Sam's mad at me.
My girl read your text. I can't.
I can't figure it out. I have no idea.
Mod is like amnesia sometimes and I'm like mod just read the
text you. Anyway, you said it.
This is hilarious though. I do.
I love that that's a it's a cute character quirk that Sam has
where she's afraid of like horror stuff and just.
Anything. Scary.
Not even horror. It's just like.
There might be something under the bed.
It's like a super. So she was talking about like
legends in that area. So it was like a superstition
thing. But yeah, it's very, it's
hilarious actually. There's a cute character,
there's a cute one later where they're sitting down to watch TV
together and Sam's going through the channels and something
startles her and she goes like this.
Like we don't see it, but she's just like.
I know it's. I know it's just.
Like, it's funny. And of course like.
With the fingers open, yeah. Exactly.
I'm like, you can see that. But anyway, and she goes, it's
really cute. I love that they keep.
They keep that going, all right. Well, that.
Concludes episode one and two. I think we will pause the rip of
that pause, pause our discussion and conclude this episode here.
So if you like Gap the series, keep listening because we're
going to get through the entire season scene by delicious scene.
We hope you enjoyed this. Please connect with us on
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time, hydrate for Lesbian Jesus and get up all over the place.
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