Punching Water

[annundriel]

I am too tired to say anything particularly intelligent or insightful about Southland. Mostly I just want to flail about things.

Southland - "Punching Water"

LOVED tonight's episode.

- I'm not sure I would have asked this if shetiger hadn't asked it first: did Cooper know who the red-head was when he asked Ben to pull her over?

- Pretty much if John and Ben had a scene together, I was happy. I loved John's face when he saw Ben come arrive at the station. And then his reaction to getting split up and stuck with Dewey. (Though I was happy to hear that Cooper's the best.) And the way he watched Ben through that lunch.

AND THEN THE BEN-NAPPING. I wanted him to do it. I was hoping he'd do it. And then he did! It was only marred by knowing he'd stick Chickie with Dewey. Which he also did. Poor Chickie. (Speaking of Chickie...threesomes? There should be some.) Ben did jump at the chance to go with him, though. And then there was the scene at John's car and then Ben was all "love's a bitch" and he left....

I'm using "and then" way too much.

The point being - if I even have one - that I really like what I'm seeing in the relationship between John and Ben. I like how we've seen them progress, from people who are just TO and boot to real partners. That it's totally believable.

- Sammy is killing me. I don't know when he became a character that mattered more to me, but he did.

I mean, I love them all (except Dewey). But Sammy kind of kills me. :(

- Speaking of, I thought he and Nate were particularly cute tonight.

- I hate when kids are involved. Hate it.

Sal's speech, though, his rallying of the troops...that was good.

- I liked Ochoa. I'm still not sure about her overall, but I liked her. And I REALLY, REALLY wish that Lydia had beaten the snot out of Dewey.

Comments

[ember-firedrake.livejournal.com]

WHEN BEN SAID "LOVE'S A BITCH", HE WAS TALKING ABOUT JOHN. And I loved Ben's face during the Ben-napping, it was priceless. :D

But YES, pretty much this to everything you said. I really enjoy this show, it's wonderful to see character development handled so well. :)

[annundriel.livejournal.com]

HE TOTALLY, TOTALLY WAS. Ben's face is awesome all of the time. I love it.

I think I've said it before, but if not - I am SO, SO HAPPY you decided to give this show a shot!

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'did Cooper know who the red-head was when he asked Ben to pull her over?'
Could be. I mean everyone else knew about (and apparently slept with) Sally the Badge Bunny. Maybe John thinks that if Ben is busy with a new girlfriend, he'll stop asking John about his back (John did tell Ben to pull over the car in the first place so he wouldn't have to talk about his back). Either that or it's some kind of Boot rite of passage.

'- Sammy is killing me. I don't know when he became a character that mattered more to me, but he did.'
True. Poor guy, can't ever catch a break.

'I like how we've seen them progress, from people who are just TO and boot to real partners. That it's totally believable.'
Me too. I loved Ben's 'love is a bitch' line because it showed just how comfortable Ben has gotten around John; in the first episode of the series Ben was all 'yes, sir. yes, sir' and very quite. I can't help but think that Ben told John about his car being at Sally's because Ben was hoping to get a ride from John. He seems to really enjoy spending time with John.

'AND THEN THE BEN-NAPPING.'
Oh the Ben napping- loved it. Poor, poor Chickie though. I don't know who I feel worse for; John because Chickie is going to kill him, or Chickie because she got stuck with Dewey.

'And then his reaction to getting split up and stuck with Dewey. (Though I was happy to hear that Cooper's the best.) And the way he watched Ben through that lunch.'
Loved those!

I think me favorite scene has to be John kicking down the motel door and grimacing while did it- even when his back pain isn't focused on in the episode, it's still there. Love the subtly of that.

[annundriel.livejournal.com]

Maybe John thinks that if Ben is busy with a new girlfriend, he'll stop asking John about his back

That's sort of what I was thinking. At least, I figured that he didn't care who they were pulling over - recognition or not - because he just wanted Ben to drop the subject. Who it turned out to be may have just been luck.

I can't help but think that Ben told John about his car being at Sally's because Ben was hoping to get a ride from John. He seems to really enjoy spending time with John.

I absolutely agree with your observation about Ben's "love's a bitch" line. That along with how "whaaat" they were about working alone and how eager they were to get back together really shows how much they've become equals. Or something closer to equals.

And as for getting a ride from John - YES. When I made this post, I couldn't remember why Ben was loitering around John's car, so I didn't mention it, but that's what I thought, too! He seemed like he was waiting for John to offer, or like he wanted to ask. And maybe it was just me, but I thought he seemed a little disappointed when she showed up.

I think I feel worse for Chickie. I mean, I know she can hold her own and John should probably be worried, but I wouldn't wish Dewey on anyone.

I think me favorite scene has to be John kicking down the motel door and grimacing while did it- even when his back pain isn't focused on in the episode, it's still there. Love the subtly of that.

YES. When he did that I thought, crap, that's not going to be good for him, but I wasn't sure they'd acknowledge it. But there it was, tucked right there without them putting any sort of spotlight on it. Wonderful. (Poor John, though.)

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'He seemed like he was waiting for John to offer, or like he wanted to ask. And maybe it was just me, but I thought he seemed a little disappointed when she showed up.'
I saw that too.

'Or something closer to equals.'
That sounds about right. Michael Cudlitz even said in an interview that while John and Ben's working relationship has evolved, at the end of the day John still calls the shots. It will be interesting to see what the writers do once Ben becomes a full fledged cop.

'I think I feel worse for Chickie. I mean, I know she can hold her own and John should probably be worried, but I wouldn't wish Dewey on anyone.'
Yeah. Poor, poor Chickie.

'But there it was, tucked right there without them putting any sort of spotlight on it. Wonderful. (Poor John, though.)'
That was wonderful, but than I like that the writers think their audience is intelligent enough to pick up on things like that. Although I could do without people saying A. John's not gay because he doesn't 'act' gay or B. they haven't mentioned John being gay in a while so they must have dropped that plot line. What are the writers going to have to do to 'prove' that John is gay, put him in bed with another man? Not that I would object to that one bit.

[annundriel.livejournal.com]

Although I could do without people saying A. John's not gay because he doesn't 'act' gay or B. they haven't mentioned John being gay in a while so they must have dropped that plot line.

Are people really saying that? Because...wow. Just. Wow. ::facepalm::

I mean, what about "Garbage Calls" from season one? That whole scene where Cooper was a smartass when he was asked, "Do I look like a faggot to you?" and he answered, "I don't know, what's a faggot look like?"

I mean, come on, people. The phrase "act gay" should just be erased from people's vocabulary.

Anyway. Sorry. I didn't mean to get kind of ranty there, but that's really frustrating. And, yes, while I wouldn't mind John being put in bed with another man, they really shouldn't need to prove anything.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'Are people really saying that? Because...wow. Just. Wow. ::facepalm::'
They are and yeah it's frustrating. I even mentioned that Dennis scene to them too. Apparently, John doesn't have the 'right' personality to be gay.

'And, yes, while I wouldn't mind John being put in bed with another man, they really shouldn't need to prove anything.'
Hear! Hear!