Patterns are means by which we can find some sense of normalcy in a crazy world, and even if the pattern happens to be self-destructive or at the detriment of others or just plain dumb, we tend to want to return to what we know, to what we’ve seen before. For, any semblance of uncertainty can throw us for a loop, sending us on a spiral downward before a pattern pulls us back up again. Temporarily.
The Bridge is at its best when it’s embracing the unique world that’s been built up, the intriguing characters and the unsettling, strange mood hanging over every scene. When it descended into a fairly black-and-white revenge plot last season, much of the world-building was put on hold, but thankfully, “Sorrowsworn” is another step in the right direction.
“You’ve done this before. You’re a business major. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Perhaps no other line better sums up Nathan For You than this one. Every week, it’s hilarious watching each person go along with whatever crazy plan “Very Good Grades” Fielder’s concocted, trusting his “expertise” as he slowly crafts whatever situation he wants to craft. In “Liquor Store/Exterminator/Car Wash”, we see someone who simply does whatever Nathan asks; as much as people usually believe at first, they’re later skeptical, but this man listens and implements without question.
Pictures are snapped every day with a rapidity that makes you wonder: “Will I ever really look at this?” The answer may be yes, but oftentimes, it’s the other way around; yet, that doesn’t prevent us from pulling out the phone at every chance we get and attempting to capture a fleeting moment in our lives. For, we’re a species that craves the feeling of a tangible object, a physical representation of the memories that perpetually accumulate over the years.
“Act as if you belong here.”
Prison deprives you of a “normal” life, and while sometimes, you may deserve the punishment, for innocent people who’ve lost years for something they didn’t do, it’s especially devastating to look back and realize that they were failed by the law, that there were things they didn’t get to do because of a flawed system. Daniel isn’t someone who holds any deep-seated grudges, but there’s been a gradual build of frustration within him, an, as I put it last week, accumulation of weights piled onto his shoulders.
It’s time to see things from the dog’s perspective. In “Forward”, we operate under the assumption that Wilfred truly is is own entity, that he has his own way of looking at things, that his way of looking at things isn’t just a twist on Ryan’s views. As a result, it’s a nice and refreshing take on things, but it also signifies a desire to bide time on the part of the writers.
“Yankee” was about people operating in the same location as each other, but operating in seemingly disconnected manners; we saw characters out searching for answers, scattered, with feelings of isolation creeping in at every turn. “Ghost of a Flea” begins to move these characters toward each other again, and the more fluid nature of the episode serves as a significant improvement over the premiere.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a fucking nerd.”
Nathan Fielder’s deadpan is a thing of beauty. The mock seriousness he brings to every interaction is one of the main reasons for the awkward tension that results and the genuine reactions that slip out, and in “Pet Store/Maid Service”, we continue to see that technique being utilized. However, there are two stand out moments–or sequence of moments–that portray a Nathan Fielder we haven’t really seen before.
“I think I’m the only friend you have left.”
Pain is a fundamental aspect of the 24 universe, whether it be physical pain due to an ass-kicking by Jack Bauer or the very real and deep emotional scars that are ever present in our characters’ psyches. From the opening sequence of Live Another Day, we see the guilt and the stress and the exhaustion across Jack’s face, and we know that the years have not been kind to him.
“Work…it’s where I belong.”
A script is a means by which we can find some semblance of structure, of stability, of requirements and guidelines, and we oftentimes will retreat behind what we perceive to be a life script, something that takes into consideration the values of society, mixes it up with our comfort zones, and dictates what we should do and what we should feel. Because of this, the identities that arise and the problems resulting from the identities we display to the world are simply false fronts.
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