George... [spoiler alert]

I watched this series in real time as it unfolded from 2001 to 2005, week by week, episode by episode, and I liked it a lot back then, edgy as it was on so many levels. After it was done I moved on in my viewing habits and tastes, to shows like Weeds, Dexter, and Breaking Bad, and several others too. But I recently found time to binge-watch this show, a second time through, and I am struck by this: While all of the main characters are complex --and that's the greatest thing about this show, the fantastic character development of ALL the main characters-- the one character that jumped out at me the 2nd time I watched as being a particularly tragic figure was George Sibley. I don't know why, but I missed it the first time, the depth of his torment. Quite obviously, George was severely and deleteriously impacted on a life-long basis by the events shown in Season 5 Episode 3, "Hold My Hand," and it also gives insight into his psychological pathologies, which are manifest. George has a history of fractured relationships. 8 marriages, 8 divorces. How many children, we don't know, but he doesn't get along with any of them-- Maggie best of all, but even her not so well. But, apparently, nobody is aware of this history, not Ruth, not Maggie. George himself seems to be only dimly aware. Really tragic, and deftly portrayed.

Get the facts first - you can distort them later!