Hoorah!!! finally I get back here with a half working brain, reasonably ready to keep multiple strands of thought suspended in my mind.. phew.. (I'm exhausted already)
Okay I'm totally on board with you jo - yep things were very up and down with Lee and Amanda huh.. especially in the first 5 episodes.. I think I've come up with an order for those I am happy with - I hope you have too.. if not check out the thread on JWWM..and see what others have thought.
so for episodes 6-9 of Season 3 are the next set of episodes I've been tossing around the order of.
This is (in airing order) :
Sour Grapes
Utopia Now
Reach for the sky
J. Edgar's Ghost
Beyond that I don't know about yet.. as I'm only blogging flight to freedom now (episode 10) but it does seem like these 4 eps are together.. not split at all by the first 5 episodes..
So I had a look at the furnishings in Billy's office - as he has a few different things on his back wall that come and go - but this didn't really help me with the order. nor the changing lamp on his desk.. I sort of gave up on that avenue.. because it was obvious that order didn't work. lol I can't find the piece of paper I wrote it all down on now.. oh well too bad..
So that didn't help..
Production order? well as we know - this didn't help with the first 5 episodes and it does seem as we walked through eps 6-9 that the eps had been reworked, lots of script changes.. and I think eps were filmed out of order somewhat..
Why?
well Sour Grapes (as jo mentioned) just doesn't fit right before UN, RFTS and JEG - and it is first in production order.
I've come up with a errr 'draft' order - and for once it is not based really on how I see Lee and Amanda progressing - it's based more on other elements. Except the tag of Sour Grapes - the way Lee and Amanda are so knowing in that tag and both ready and expecting to share a kiss? It's way too early for this. and this leads me to push SG further into the season..
Looking at the arc of Dotty and Amanda over these 4 episodes has helped me arrive at an ep order I'm happy with for now (though if you can see a reason why it won't work please share )
I've gone with the order of:
Utopia Now
Reach for the Sky
J.Edgar's Ghost
Sour Grapes
In ALLA Amanda is going on a work dinner and Dotty is busting to know more, thinking it's not a work dinner.. but Amanda is tight lipped..
Dotty seems happy Amanda is going out.. but.. frustrated that Amanda isn't sharing..
In UN - Amanda's note goes missing,
Dotty is exasperated: "That girl!!!"
and Dotty is frantic with worry.. the episode ends with Dotty on the phone to Amanda upset that Amanda didn't leave a note.. and things seem unresolved between Dotty and Amanda..
Dotty: "…you know that I trust you and that I love you very much, and I know that you wouldn’t purposely do anything wrong but—" and Amanda cuts her off to finish the phone call.. I think the look on Dotty's face when she realises she has been hung up on his interesting.. like- I think Amanda and I need to have a little talk! Dotty is not happy!
In RFTS - Dotty nags Amanda about making sure she doesn't miss the play
Dotty: "Amanda you know your son will be disappointed if you don't make the play."
Dotty really gets stuck into Amanda on the phone for missing Rip van winkle -
Amanda says she'll explain to Jamie when she gets home.. and Dotty responds: "you better! He's not going to like it!"
Amanda says she hopefully won't be long coming home, and Dotty replies: "I hope not!"
Dotty speaks to Amanda in the most direct and (to me unkind) way - it's like Amanda's working long hours has come to a head here. Dotty tells her off for it.. more or less.. this is very unusual for Dotty
In JEG we have Dotty fascinated by the leaks about politician's private lives.. and eventually,
Amanda arrives home from work late one night, and Dotty says: " Dotty: You know, Amanda, you do things today that you never used to do. I mean, sometimes I don’t even think I know you any more."
she shares with Amanda that she is chastened by her interest in the leaks - and feels very strongly that this is wrong, she now realises this was not a good thing for her to be doing.. ( maybe this is parallel to her realising her interest in Amanda's private life needs to be more respectful?)
In sour grapes, Dotty isn't buying Amanda's line about explaining to her later (about the red wine soaked dress)
Dotty Responds: "Sure you will!" (as if to say - I don't believe you when you say that anymore)
[Maybe it's interesting too that it is Dotty who interrupts Lee and Amanda's kiss]
It seemed to me that Dotty's issues with the changes in Amanda, her keeping secrets, and working long hours - has all come to a head for Dotty. Amanda hasn't changed though because of this - Dotty has.. Dotty has worked through it and come to accept that Amanda has a right to her secrets, and that she works long hours and is not as available as she was when the boys were little..
And I think this fits nicely with Amanda's growing professionalism, and commitment to her work..
sitting the test in RFTS.. and being especially included on the case for Sour Grapes (she wasn't involved by accident.)
Then, I like JEG before Sour Grapes because I felt in JEG Amanda flubbed her support of Agnes - but in Sour Grapes she is very competent in supporting Penny-not so pushy.. so I took JEG as a learning experience for Amanda in how to help traumatised people and be respectful of them - without mothering them..
As for Lee and Amanda? I think UN is 6th as this really cements her as up to the task of being Lee's partner..and explicitly puts out there the changes that have already been happening between them especially since the start of season 3..
Sour Grapes 9th because of the tag's near kiss..
the other two eps? when it comes to Lee and Amanda I don't mind, it could work either way .. but I find with Dotty's arc it fits better with RFTS and then JEG.
So there you go.. this time around I didn't base my order solely on Lee and Amanda as there is a little up and down there .. and why they nearly kiss in SG and then don't in FTF? well not sure on that one..it's too soon for me to ponder that - I'll need to be further into season 3.. I do remember it's a while before they kiss over all - This is my current thinking..
So what do you all think? any reason why this order won't work??
UN
RFTS
JEG
SG
Okay.. hope all this is remotely understandable! byee for now!