The Silence
Updated 2008-10-30 09:11:04
No previouslies, which is odd in a show that has so many ongoing storylines. Instead, we open on Nick and Lisa in couples counseling. She's bitching about how Nick's essentially the Darlings' nanny, since they're a bunch of babies living in the world's largest playpen. And his nanny duties leave nothing, which she emphasize with "and I mean nothing, " which seems to imply he's not really fulfilling his marital obligations if you know what I'm saying. And if you don't know what I'm saying, I mean sex. Nick makes a case for himself, saying how supportive he's been of her wanting to open an art gallery (he'll prove to be a hypocrite about this later). Nick's phone rings during the session, and it really annoys Lisa (she'll prove to be a hypocrite about this later). Nick promises that after Patrick's campaign and Letitia's trial, everything will be better. The therapist tells them that, even though things are bad, the fact that they're being honest about their unhappiness is good. I am not sure that's true, but I'm not a therapist, and I don't even play one on TV, so I won't try to diagnose soap opera characters. Nick gets another phone call, this time from Brian Jr., and he thinks he better take it. Because, seriously, who can resist Brian Jr.?
At a shiny table at the Darlings', Andrea and Brian are screaming at each other while Brian Jr. sits there watching. Andrea says Brian kidnapped their son; Brian says he didn't; she says Brian planted the idea; Brian says "the pygmy" has a mind of his own. After all of that progress last week , they're back to screaming at each other? That's unfortunate. I have to say, though, that not many people could pull off screaming and calling their child a "pygmy," and make it endearing. Somehow Brian manages. But Brian Jr. interrupts his screaming parents to tell them that he wants to be with both of them, and that's why he called Nick, who's standing at the end of the table watching Brian and Andrea with judgment and disgust. You know, because his relationship with his daughter's mom is the picture of health. Brian Jr. wants to stay in New York while he has some time off school in Brazil, so he can split his time. Andrea doesn't think Nick's a fair arbitrator, but Nick says he's not partial to Brian. He's partial to his nephew, because he had to live through his own parents' crap. He tells them they're both adults and need to act like it, and figure this out. Then he leaves. I'm not sure he did too much, lawyerly, there, or uncle-ly either, since he walks off and lets Brian and Andrea continue to scream at each other in front of Brian Jr., who you can tell is so sick of it all.
When Nick leaves the room, he meets Letitia in the hall. She asks him if he could get her excused from house arrest to go to Patrick's campaign party. He reminds her how that didn't go off so well at Ellen's memorial, and that she should probably start acting like she's actually under arrest. Jeremy overhears all of this, and asks if he can do anything to help. Well, since you're sleeping with the D.A., I'm thinking yes.
Simon's in some important business meeting talking about his fuel, blah, blah, blah boredom cakes. Karen walks in and he humiliates her by breaking up with her in front of the entire meeting. The reason? She hasn't responded to his marriage proposal, and it's been a week (a whole week? Gasp!). And, even with no consideration for things that happen later in this episode, this moment right here is enough for a woman to never want to be with, or even look at, a man again. But Karen is an idiot, so you can just guess how that plays out. He sends her away, and goes back to his meeting with a smile, like it didn't matter to him at all.
Jeremy and Nola are getting it on in a fancy, fancy shower. He asks for a favor -- even though she points out she just gave him one; dirty! -- which is to get his mom a "hall pass" to go to Patrick's campaign party. He would totally do the same for her. And he proves this by returning her previous "favor." She says it would be weird for her to ask the judge for this, but he says it would be weirder for him to go to the judge and tell her what just happened. And she loves all of this, because? I don't know. Threats make her horny? She's as stupid as Karen? Anyway, sex and threats seem to work on Nola. This will likely be good information for Jeremy to have.
Patrick and Carmelita are watching news coverage about the polls ( Danielle Root's still slightly leading), and about how rocky Patrick's campaign trail has been. Carmelita likes the way he looks on TV. He thinks he looks fat. He tells her how he was a wreck without her and is so happy now that she's back, and that this biggest moment is theirs, not his. Which means exactly what you think because the next scene has Tripp delivering the most stunted line in the history of Donald Sutherland: "Go. Ing. Public. With. Car. Muh. Lee. Ta? Are. You. Out. Of. Your. Mind?" Was that for effect? Because the effect it had on me was: "Wow. Donald Sutherland forgot how to act." Patrick's done keeping her hidden. He's going public with the relationship election night, win or lose. Tripp thinks it's the worst time to do this, and Nick backs him up, saying this revelation would impair Patrick's ability to govern if he wins. Tripp makes it all about him again, saying it would also steal the thunder of the moment that the two of them (Tripp and Patrick) have been dreaming about for years. Yeah, Tripp, I think mostly you have been dreaming about it and Patrick's been placating you. Patrick says he won't be bullied out of this, because he's not like Tripp; he lives for his heart, not his head. Right then, Ellen's brother, Chase, storms in. Tripp tells him they missed him at the funeral, and asks Chase if he's still hunting quail. Then Chase tells Patrick that he knows Patrick killed Ellen. Patrick starts to tell the truth, "Ellen was the one who..." but Nick tells him to stop, and Chase interrupts him with more accusations -- how Patrick took Ellen away from Chase and their mom, etc. Chase promises to find out what happened and make Patrick pay. Ooh! Exciting! Especially if it doesn't get wrapped up cleanly before the end of the episode.
After Chase leaves, Patrick tells Nick he has to do something. Nick has a conscience and says Chase is kind of right, but Tripp finds this to be "rubbish," because covering up Ellen's death was only to avert misunderstanding. And she tried to kill Patrick, remember? Yes, Tripp, we all remember. And that would have been a great argument if you'd come forward immediately. But now it won't play so well. Tripp doesn't want Chase agitated, since he's the uncle of Tripp's grandchildren. He wants Nick to talk to him and find out what he wants in order to feel safe.
Lisa's looking at an art gallery with a snobby art gallery renter (I don't know what he is exactly, since he seems to have weird requirements and standards, so I don't think he's your typical realtor/leasing agent), telling him that she attracts clients such as Lucy Lawless. Snobby art gallery renter scoffs that Lucy doesn't qualify as an art dealer. Lisa thinks anyone with taste qualifies, but snobby tells her that Bill Gates parks his helicopter on this building and Bono eats sushi here, so he's not just going to rent to some lady he's never heard of who sells art to Lucy Freaking Lawless. I mean, he hated Xena: Warrior Princess anyway, and can't get into all that weird Cylon stuff on Battlestar Galactica (he doesn't say this, but he clearly didn't like the Lawless name drop). He, in fact, calls her a "second-rate client." I kept wanting Lisa to play the Darling card here, but I guess that would make her a hypocrite, so it's good she didn't (especially if she just finds a new gallery later instead of eventually playing that card). She just gets pissy and leaves.
Nick's trying to track down Chase via telephone when he arrives at his office. Daisy tells Nick that the Crown Regence Hotel called and will not be available for Patrick's party tomorrow, because of the political leanings of the new owner. Was it purchased that very day? Because you'd think they'd let him know more than one day before, and honestly? I'm surprised Nick or whoever booked it didn't sign a contract so the place couldn't back out this close. But whatever. This is Dirty Sexy New York, not the real world. Daisy tells Nick that Karen's in his office. He walks in and can see she's upset, so he asks what Simon did this time. She tells Nick about the proposal, and how she didn't say anything for a week because of her four previous marriages. She tells him that Simon then broke up (leaving out the part about it being in a business meeting) and won't return her calls or see her. Nick snits that it sounds like he really loves her. She says he does, but that her rejection really hurt him. Man, she is a naïve idiot. She makes me embarrassed to be a woman. She blames herself, even, for Simon's assiness. She tells him that she let Nick's proposal slip away all those years ago and now this; she only marries the guys she doesn't love and loses the ones she does. And then she asks Nick to talk to Simon. He doesn't want to, because he thinks it might be a good thing that they're over, since he's not sure Simon loves her. She asks Nick to just talk to him and if Simon doesn't love her, Nick can let her know. But will she believe him? Of course not. This is Karen.
Nick meets Chase on a park bench, and wants to hear what Chase thinks happened. Chase thinks Ellen was fed up with Patrick being with Carmelita (Nick's surprised Chase knows), and was going to leave with the kids, so Patrick killed her. And then dumped her body in the house fire to cover it up. Well, at least the first and last parts are right; it's the middle that might need some further research. But he's not looking to send Patrick to jail; just to ruin him by going to the press or the D.A., which will make things difficult on election day.
At the Darling manse, Letitia tells Nick she is so happy that the campaign party was moved to the house just for her, but he didn't need to do that since she got permission to go out. Or, rather, Jeremy got permission for her, through a friend who knows someone in the D.A.'s office. Nick's puzzled. Oh, and he's on the phone with Patrick, who's asking if Chase seems unstable. The fact that Nick's having this phone conversation and this in-person conversation with Letitia at the same time really does demonstrate how much the Darlings demand from the guy. Patrick gets off the phone, and Carmelita grills him on what that conversation was about, because it didn't sound like "standard political ops." This is his chance to be honest with someone, which is what he's wanted to do with the whole world, but he just tells her to "trust me." She does. Why not tell the woman you love the truth, if you were willing to admit it to Dan Rather and the whole world last week?
Jeremy runs into Lisa while they're both voting. He calls her "Mona Lisa," and comments on her "getting her vote on." I would have imagined that Lisa and Nick don't live in the same voting precinct as the Darlings, but since I don't know how voting works in New York (can you vote anywhere? Or just in your precinct?) I won't quibble too much. And maybe they do live close together, since you'd think the Darlings would need Nick close so he could more easily attend to their every whim. Lisa asks Jeremy if he's following her, but he tells her his heart is otherwise occupied. She asks who the unlucky lady is, but he won't tell. She tells Jeremy about the gallery snob who rejected her, and he asks why she didn't mention him. She says the word "Darling" already comes up too often in her life. He respects that position, but tells her she's being an idiot, and says he'll be her partner. She says Nick would kill them both. Jeremy tells her she deserves a gallery and that "it's just business."
Nick's at Simon's office. The thing about Simon's office and living space: Everything is a different shade of orange. What is that about? Simon wonders what brings Nick there today: "threat, request, warning?" Nick just has a question: What is Simon doing with Karen, with the proposal then breakup? Simon tells Nick the truth: He wants Karen for her stock in Darling Enterprises (with them plus the stock he's been acquiring, he could take over the company). Since he knows Karen wants what she can't have, he broke up with her so she'll come crawling back to him. He's telling Nick because he trusts Nick will take the information and put it to good use.
Nick and Lisa are having the "special time" lunch their therapist recommended, and he asks how she voted. She tells him she voted for Patrick and he thanks her "on behalf of the family." I'm guessing he means the Darlings, but it's weird to call someone else's family "the family" to your wife. Shouldn't "the family," according to Nick, be Lisa and Kiki? One would think. Lisa tells Nick about Jeremy's offer to be her partner. She explains she just ran into Jeremy while voting, so it's not like she went to him or anything. Nick, without hesitation, says "No." Because he is Don Draper and this is 1960, and his wife cannot do this without his permission, right? She says Jeremy's not after her, because he's fallen for someone else and, besides, she can set boundaries and handle working with Jeremy. Nick says she's proven that she can't. Which ... is completely true. But I really wish Nick was more asking or suggesting rather than telling, especially since Lisa would have preferred he not work with the Darlings and he jumped into that without consulting with her, despite his past with Karen. And he's not exactly Mr. Boundaries Guy where Karen is concerned either, since he sees her all the time, and is likely to end up making out with her at some point this season. Lisa tries to tell him she already set up a follow-up appointment at the gallery, and he interrupts her with "I don't care. I won't allow it." Yeah, I get his argument, but that right there would be the point where I would decide firmly to go right ahead because he is not the boss. This is 2008, and they are a married couple, and that is absolute bullshit. To me, it feels very much like a Darling thing to do, and sort of proves Nola's point that he's the Darling-est Darling of them all -- thinking he gets to control every situation. He tells her to try to do something with her life in a way that isn't such an insult to everything they're in therapy trying to save, and that "the answer is no" and then thanks her for their special lunch. And walks off. Because he is an ass. That scene so easily could have been rewritten to make me sympathetic for him, but why did he have to be so bossy? Oh, right, because he's Nick DARLING.
Tripp and Nick are meeting about Chase, and his "sharp," close theories. Nick tells Tripp that Chase has lost his job and the bank's foreclosing on his house, since Ellen's checks have stopped coming. So he's desperate. Tripp wants Nick to offer Chase a way out -- money and all that. Nick says he's already in too deep just knowing what they did and doesn't want to do anything that gets him more involved; Tripp says he doesn't want any more covering up either, but then he tells Nick to go offer Chase money and a job. Which is exactly what Nick just said he didn't want to do, but whatever. Tripp's semantics are crazy, though; he sees this as "inviting him in" instead of "buying him off," because he's family. Nick asks what's the status with Carmelita being part of Patrick's acceptance speech, and Tripp says he's going to talk to her himself. Oh, good. I'm sure that will go well.
Lisa shows up at the gallery to tell the snobby gallery guy that it's not going to work out because she talked to her husband, who is the boss of her. The guy's confused because her partner Jeremy's already signed the lease, and is even there (hiding in a closet) to celebrate. She says she can't sign, and goes outside. Jeremy goes after her and she explains Nick's reaction and that this would cost her her marriage. He says that doing it won't cost her anything; telling Nick will, and that she should have her cake and eat it too, because no one deserves it more. She really wants it, and convinces herself by saying Nick doesn't deny himself anything, career-wise. Again, true, but Jeremy's response, "Word," should be enough for her to realize he should not be her partner in anything ever. She makes him tell her that Nick will never find out, and then she signs. Huge mistake. HUGE.
Brian receives a frantic call from Andrea, who has lost Brian Jr. while she was in the shower. She's standing on the street screaming "Brian!" between sentences to Brian. Brian says he'll call the police. Which is probably a bit of a better tactic than screaming on the streets of New York.
Back with Tripp, who is looking creepily at some birds in Carmelita's apartment? Patrick's? I don't know where it is or whose birds, but Carmelita walks in, and Tripp tells her he wants to talk to her about going public with Patrick. He says his concerns are for Carmelita more than for himself. She should just walk away from master manipulator Tripp right now, and talk to Patrick instead. But she doesn't, so he tells her he doesn't want questions to rise about Ellen's death, because it's "complicated." He tells her Ellen didn't die in a fire, and she wants to know what really happened. He asks her to sit down.
Nick's inviting Chase into the family, offering him a job and a paid-off house and money. Semantics: They really help you feel better about your lack of ethics. Chase says "you people" make him sick, but Nick redeems himself for a moment by telling Chase that if he really feels he has to go to the police, Nick understands, and that he's not speaking for the Darlings when he says that. I want to believe this moment, but he's acting so much like Tripp I can't help but see that as a manipulative line to get Chase to think he's not like the Darlings. Anyway, it works, especially when Nick mentions the money again. Chase calls Nick and the Darlings "you people" again as he accepts the offer for his silence, and then tells Nick he sounded a lot like Tripp Darling, who must be so proud. Nick looks a little ashamed of himself, so at least there's still a soul in there. For now.
Patrick's watching the election coverage from his headquarters in the Imperial (Darling mansion). Patrick's doing well results-wise, but not so well personally since Carmelita hasn't shown up yet. He asks Nick where she is, but he doesn't know. Tripp walks in, and Nick spots Jeremy grabbing a bottle of liquor. He follows Jeremy out, grilling him on how he got a motion from the D.A.'s office to allow his mom out of the house. Jeremy credits his crackerjack legal mind. Nick asks who he's friends with that has that kind of pull. Jeremy knows he can't keep evading, so he sips the liquor and screams, "We're serving domestic limoncello?!" and then excuses himself to go yell at the help for this disaster, calling the limoncello "Toxic!"
Brian and Andrea are in the hall describing Brian Jr. to a police officer. Brian says, "He's about 4 feet tall and has a face like a Smurf." So cute. But I am starting to think he's going to give Brian Jr. a complex about his height. Why does Brian think he's so short anyway; has he never seen a kid? I mean, it's not like he has other kids who just disappeared from the show or anything. Andrea corrects him that Brian Jr.'s exactly 4-foot-2, and gives the cop a picture. Brian, not happy about being corrected, tells the officer Andrea's the one who lost their son. I love how neither of them acts panicked and no one else at the party seems to care at all. I mean, what happened to all of Nick's earlier concern for his nephew? I get that Patrick's campaign is important, but I would think Brian Jr. would be more important to the family. I know the episode couldn't focus solely on this storyline, so other things had to be happening, but maybe they shouldn't have had this take place during this time, because it is the kind of thing the whole family might get involved in.
Nick runs into Karen, who asks if he talked to Simon. He tells her he did, and he doesn't know how to tell her this. She's like, "Oh, he doesn't want to marry me?" He tells her that Simon actually does want to marry her, but that he's using her for her shares in the company, and that Simon actually told him this. She doesn't believe Simon would tell Nick that, and calls Nick a jerk for wanting to keep her waiting forever. She thought he was better than that. And she walks off. Simon is an evil genius, I guess. Although manipulating a person as stupid as Karen cannot be difficult, so mostly just evil and not so much with the "genius." I just wish Nick had seen it coming and not told her any of this.
Carmelita walks into Patrick's campaign headquarters, and he's genuinely thrilled to see her. I love how much he loves her. She tells him she knows everything, so she can't stay. She knows he didn't kill Ellen, but that he moved her body to avoid a scandal. She can't be with someone who could take part in this lie (I wonder if she'd feel differently if he'd told her instead of Tripp?). She doesn't know who he is anymore, and has to leave. I love that the woman who was sleeping with the married man can't be with someone who lies. Um, aren't affairs built on lies, Carmelita? He begs her to at least tell him who told her this before she leaves. We don't see it, but we cut to Tripp and then Patrick storming up angrily, so I'm thinking she told him who it was. He is acting on pure emotion here, with no regard for the spectators here to celebrate his election. He tells Tripp to stay the hell out of his life, and his voice raises to a level that attracts Nick's concern from across the room. Tripp felt telling her was necessary. Nick comes up to stop it, but Patrick tells him to stay out of the "family matter." Tripp wants Nick involved, though, and asks Nick to please explain to Patrick why he did what he did -- that it would have been "unseemly" and wouldn't have been safe for Carmelita (but you can tell her safety is tacked on to make it seem like there's any other reason here than what people will think of the Darlings). Patrick asks why none of this is about him, but all about Tripp. Tripp asks Nick to explain to Patrick that he did the right thing. Nick can only muster, "I know that's how you saw it." Patrick realizes he's right since Nick's paid to buy Tripp's crap and doesn't even buy this. Tripp gives a guttural moan of "Good Lord," and his eyes glaze completely over, and he falls to the ground. Patrick, to his credit, registers immediate concern. Sort of how he did with Ellen.
The whole family's at the hospital with Tripp, and the doctor tells them Tripp shouldn't have any lasting damage to his heart. Because he doesn't have one, obviously. They watch on a TV in the hospital lobby as Patrick's declared the election winner, and the new Sen. Darling. The whole family's proud of him. Even Brian manages a "Will wonders never cease?" But why is he here when his child is missing?! Speaking of, though, Jeremy walks in with Brian Jr., whom he found at election headquarters. Andrea's so happy to see him, she runs over and give him a hug, but Brian's not letting him off that easy, asking him where he's been. Brian Jr. says he didn't want to see them fight anymore. Smart kid. He says he took the subway to Coney Island, but got lost coming back when it was getting dark. Brian says the important thing is that he's safe, and he better not do that ever again. They hug. Awwww.
Patrick goes in to see Tripp, and Nick congratulates him on his win. Patrick looks at Tripp, unconscious in the hospital bed, and compares him to Freddy Krueger waiting for a chance to kill again, which makes me love Patrick even more. He's so a teenage boy in every way, down to his "film" references. He tells Nick he's not angry, because he now understands how Tripp lives, works and operates -- that victories have costs. Patrick thinks he should taken more Tripp and less Patrick to D.C., but even that won't make Tripp happy. I'm not sure what to make of this; does this mean Carmelita's gone for good, and Patrick's resigned himself to that? That's how I took it, but I love Patrick mostly for his deep affection for Carmelita, and I don't want to lose that. So I hope they wouldn't bring her back for two brief episodes and take her away again.
Brian picks up a sleeping Brian Jr. and Andrea starts to talk; but Brian interrupts to say he knows it's her night, and he knows how eager she is to have another chance to lose him. She tells him she'd rather they both take Brian Jr. home and figure out how to work this out together. You know, like parents who are putting their child before their own selfishness. They leave. Nick walks up to Jeremy pouring coffee. He apologizes for being rough on Jeremy earlier, and then tells Jeremy his phone's dead. Jeremy, being an idiotic Darling child, gives Nick his phone and tells him to keep it because he has extras. But with the same phone number? How does that work? Karen's in Tripp's room talking to him about the Simon problem. She doesn't know what to do. Letitia walks in and tells her she will have to learn to make decisions without Tripp's help. But God forbid you ask your mom, who might actually care about someone other than herself. Karen knows, and she gets up and leaves. Nick comes in and tells Letitia to go home, since her house arrest waiver ends in ten minutes. She turns on her way out and points out that Nick's the last one by Tripp's side, out of everyone. I'm not sure how to react to that, and I don't think Nick is either.
Karen walks in as Simon's watching the election news on his computer. It's hard for me to write about this scene without wanting to throw things or tear my hair out, because Karen's level of stupidity here is rarely surpassed on TV outside of America's Next Top Model and VH1 reality shows. She starts crying -- and I don't buy for a second she's a good enough actor to do this without meaning it, so they better not ever backtrack on this or make her end up being the one playing him -- and tells him how sorry she is, and how she loves him and if the offer still stands she wants to marry him. Ugh! Idiot! You won't listen to Nick, who has always cared about you despite you being a selfish, self-indulgent narcissist, and whose job it is to protect your family? And not only won't you listen, but you rush right back to Simon? Karen is seriously dead to me. I have hated a lot of TV characters, but Karen Darling might have just risen to the top of my hate list. He obviously tells her the offer still stands, because he wants the company. They hug and he looks smug and satisfied.
Nick hits redial on Jeremy's phone, and Nola's phone rings. She sees Jeremy's calling and answers with "Hey, Sweet Cheeks." Nick just listens, and she's like, "Hello? Jeremy?" Nick hangs up, and I can't read his expression here at all. He has to know it's her, because certainly Jeremy would have her name in the phone, so even if Nick didn't recognize the voice, he would have just been able to read the phone and see who he just called. Right? So I hope the look is one of, "Gotcha!" Although I'm not sure if he thinks he has her or Jeremy or both, or if he wants to try to use this to win the case. I guess we'll see about that. When he hangs up the phone, Tripp wakes up and asks how Patrick did. Nick says Patrick won.
And now we're back in therapy with Nick and Lisa, and the therapist thinks they've had quite a day. And, are we supposed to believe that entire episode took place in one day? Everything after the previous therapy session? I prefer to think it was a week. Nick says the day had a happy ending at least, and the therapist tells Nick that it did for the Darlings, but what about the Georges' happy ending? Lisa announces (read: lies) that she got the gallery, all on her own with no help from Jeremy. Nick sincerely tells her that's great and he's so proud of her. This time, her phone rings, and Nick holds up both hands (so it's not him dialing from the phone Jeremy gave him) like, "It's not my phone this time." She looks at her phone, and it's Jeremy. She ignores it, but looks extremely suspicious. Nick looks sad, like he knows. But can he know? Or did he just see it on her face? The therapist tells them if they keep being honest, they can overcome anything. Nick looks at Lisa and back at the therapist, and it's over.
Next week looks good and soapy: Jeremy and Nola are taking a bath, but she tells him they have to be careful. Karen is so happy she's found the right man. But we also get a quick shot of her and Simon hugging, and he looks happy and relaxed, while she looks panicked about something. We also see Nick looking at Lisa with disappointment. The gallery? He found out already? Probably not. I mean, how many things are these two disappointed about in each other lately, other than everything? Nick tells Tripp to cut Karen out to save the company. Well, Nick's in charge now, Tripp. Do it. I will be so happy! And we all know that's what matters. Karen's saying, "Don't do this to me," which makes me hopeful it plays out this way. Please, please, please.
DeAnn is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. You can contact her at twopmodmars@gmail.com .
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