MovieChat Forums > Rectify (2013) Discussion > Why didn't Teddy tell? (Early S2)

Why didn't Teddy tell? (Early S2)

posted 8 years ago by asktheages
31 replies | jump to latest

Re-watching the show, on S2E1. We see Teddy is obviously embarrassed and humiliated by what Daniel did to him. It's understandable that Teddy would lie to Tawney about his stained paints or his neck injury, because of how humiliated he is.

I understand this reaction accounting for him waiting so long to tell Tawney/family what happened, but I still wonder why he didn't? Given how angry he was over Daniel and Tawney's thing, he did have that window between the coffee incident and Daniel's beating to tell Tawney. The beating obviously made him hold off, because it'd have been bad timing I suppose -- but he's there telling Daggett, of all people, about it just an episode or two after Daniel awakens.

I still wonder, though, why he wouldn't tell Tawney or Ted Sr. or even Janet? If he's comfortable telling the sheriff, why not his wife or father or step-mother? Especially his wife, who he wanted so bad to stop from hanging around Daniel.

Alternately, do you think that if Teddy had told Tawney before their marriage imploded later in S2 -- would she have severed ties with Daniel and been closer to Teddy?

It's just interesting to ponder, like I said I totally understand why Teddy kept silent for a while (to family at least), but it's surprising he managed to do so.

By the way, just an interesting note/connection to Season 4: When Teddy first wakes up after the coffee assault, the first thing he sees is the inflatable red dancing man floating around. He then is seen looking distractedly at the dancing man later the following day, likely recalling what happened. In S4E6, Physics, Teddy of course shoots the very same red dancing man. Is he lashing out, however unconsciously, at the experience which caused him so much pain and loss?

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

he didnt tell because of pride, and small town southern american culture, people talk, gossip, he didn't want that

i also remember him actually plugging in that red man in the episode, it wasn't until he was drunk it was "on shot one kill" time,

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

I just think it's ironic, because the Sheriff was probably one of the worst people to tell if he wanted to avoid gossip or the wider community knowing, as of course Daggett told the Senator within -- what, 3 or 4 days, tops?

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

he obviously was hurt, and wanted to hurt daniel, but he didnt want to hurt the family,
it wasn't until he found out that tawney and daniel slept together(in a non sexual way albeit, that he finally tried to press charges, and was ultimately too late,
i think his later character development is due to the events of drip, drip, and the counseling,
i am just glad dagget has been off the senators dick since s03e01

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

Yeah, I like Daggett a lot since S3 or even since S2. When he refused to let anyone get in the way of investigating Daniel's beating and then going after Bobby Dean, it said a lot about his character, and from then on he seemed to become more impartial and more moral in the way he conducted himself. Hell, even in the beginning he was never that bad (not on the Senator's level anyway) -- just a bit like, how C.J. said last week, someone suffering from a widespread case of "tunnel vision" in seeing Daniel as the clear perpetrator.

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

Dagget was only a deputy, during the daniel case, most thing were "above his pay grade at the time" as he put it, it wasn't so much tunnel vision that had him caught, but Paulie vision,
plus he was at the senators cabal in the first episode so he already had in his ear the homegrown senator of paulie, on of the most respected men of the town,
it wasn't until he saw more cracks in the case, and the senators bias, slowly he began to pull away
the the senator had that "stroke of luck", no need to talk to the big wig anymore, he was in charge, and something didn't smell right,

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

Because then he'd have to reveal what provoked the incident, which he never has to anyone. Imagine the reactions of all of his family if they find out that he is the type of person who would taunt someone about their gang rape. Teddy is very good at keeping up fronts and the truth about that incident would obliterate all of his appearance of civility at that time.

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

his family would judge, at the time, half of paulie would have his back for the taunting, it wasn't until trey was ironically arrested for a murder her didnt commit, that the tides changed,

its a macho, heteronormative thing,

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

That's true, but even if the full story were told, I think people (maybe even some of Daniel's family) would be more appalled and concerned by what Daniel did than what Teddy said. Or, Teddy could certainly frame it in such a way that made him sound better: "I just was asking him about these things he told me, and I know it's really wrong of me, but I might have provoked him by saying something really hurtful. It was wrong, but I was in a bad place because of him and Tawney. I should've never said it, but he should've never laid a finger on me either!" Etc.

Then again, as you say, he is concerned with keeping up that front. BUT, Teddy does seem to have changed. I'm not sure if it's since Season 3 or so, with the counselling and separation, or even since the coffee incident itself, but Teddy's seemed to be less concerned with keeping that front and more interested (like most of the characters now) in just getting the damn truth out there, no matter how unpleasant it may be.

So maybe Teddy of early S2 can't quite do it, but the Teddy of S4? I think he'd have told Tawney or whomever about what Daniel did to him in a moment. That emotional convo he had with Ted Sr. in the prospective tire store last week -- that was something S1 Teddy would have never said, and it just shows how much he's evolved towards a kind of emotional maturity and a need for transparency and sharing one's feelings. Maybe it was the counselling that helped with that after all more than anything else.

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

teddy was an angry teddy in season 2, culminating in the charges, after he pushed tawney away by saying all thoose spiteful things,

season 3 , once daniel is leaving, and i think part of his reason to take the plea deal and not fight, is because of the strife the "cracking" incident caused in the family , especially between him and ted sr, who had good rapport before,

once daniel left he felt a burden that tawney wouldn't be around the tempatation, the jealous machinations of a typical man, therapy, and time away from tawney, gave him time to reflect on how sorta c u n t y, he had been to daniel,
and i mean you wouldn't just go talking to someone who had spent 20 years in prison like that, especially if you hardly know them,

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

S1: Insecure Teddy
S2: Angry Teddy
S3: Wounded Teddy
S4: Lost Teddy? Drunken Teddy?

Yeah, I never mean to sound like I'm defending what Teddy said at all. S1 Teddy was so clueless about a lot of things, but it's as if he suddenly became wiser (if not necessarily better) after the coffee attack. Basically, it humbled him. And then definitely Daniel leaving gave everyone room to breathe and Teddy and Tawney room to grow.

(When it comes down to it, though, I completely disagree with the viewers who say that he deserved the attack/"had it coming" for his horrible comments, or something like that [which is ironically promoting and perpetuating the very thing they're supposedly railing against].)

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

he never deserved what happened,
impulsivity is a common symptom of ptsd, but it was in poor judgement what he insinuated,
you tell any rape victim that maybe they didn't resit cuz they wanted it, they will be "triggered" in what ever their own way is,
Daniel is broken almost to the point where he seems aspergic at times, socially retarded to not be PC,
he shouldn't have opened up about his sexual assault before he knew teddy,
i think besides teddy the only person he told was chloe, and of course the PTSD therapist,
but during his first speech with teddy about the soul devouring eyes, he seemed purely sinister, that speech was so powerful and resonating, and first made me doubt his complete innocence

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

Of course, not disagreeing with that. I'd usually be more sympathetic to Daniel but because he basically (though not exactly) gave Teddy the same horrific trauma that had been forced onto him, I find it hard to be too hard on Teddy. The show is good at making you see all sides, though.

You could argue that Teddy should have known better than to say that, but I guess he was just too cocky and clueless at that point, he really had no clue. He had cornered Daniel about the Tawney situation just a moment before, and gotten a seated Daniel to agree quietly that he shouldn't be near her. He had the upper hand at the moment and felt maybe even invincible. I don't think he had any idea what Daniel was capable of, or obviously of the gravity of what Daniel went through (despite the golf course monologue). Afterwards, he probably realized all too well what it felt like to go through what Daniel did, which of course was mainly the intention of the attack.

I think that Daniel's graphic golf course monologue was basically a verbal version of the coffee attack, in a way. A kind of "You really want to know? Well, I'll tell you in the most sickening detail." It wasn't intended to be, but to Teddy it came off as a provocation, or as rubbing Teddy's nose in it. Daniel shouldn't have said it, but of course at that point as you say he was not very socialized, just a day out of death row and still thinking in that mindset probably. S2-4 Daniel is much more quiet and keeps to himself about those experiences, he'd never share them to a virtual stranger like Teddy anyway. It was a bad time for both characters, they were like oil and water and that coffee attack was almost bound to happen.

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

Of course, not disagreeing with that. I'd usually be more sympathetic to Daniel but because he basically (though not exactly) gave Teddy the same horrific trauma that had been forced onto him, I find it hard to be too hard on Teddy. The show is good at making you see all sides, though.

i wouldnt even say the trauma he inflicted on teddy was anywhere near the same as what he went through over 20 years, starting with finding hannah dead(or killing her in rage what ever it turns out to be),
teddy himself said he didn't think he meant to harm him , just teach him some kind of sick lesson
he didn't tell dagget what precipated the argument, he just used his fight or flight relex's in the case of his minor trauma
Daniel himself has admitted many times he knows what he did to teddy was wrong,
but he can't express emotions properally through words, i guess when you are locked up in a cell next door to your rapist, and your best friend who gets executed, communication does become a very narrow avenue,

You could argue that Teddy should have known better than to say that, but I guess he was just too cocky and clueless at that point, he really had no clue. He had cornered Daniel about the Tawney situation just a moment before, and gotten a seated Daniel to agree quietly that he shouldn't be near her. He had the upper hand at the moment and felt maybe even invincible. I don't think he had any idea what Daniel was capable of, or obviously of the gravity of what Daniel went through (despite the golf course monologue). Afterwards, he probably realized all too well what it felt like to go through what Daniel did, which of course was mainly the intention of the attack.

the golf course scene definately caught him off guard, but his initial reaction was to buy him a porno mag, (which daniel used),
They had never met, neither teddy or daniel knew what they were getting into and it was a clash of egos, one ego too naive, the other ego, way too un-naive to fix,
and when push came to shove, the coffee came to crack

I think that Daniel's graphic golf course monologue was basically a verbal version of the coffee attack, in a way. A kind of "You really want to know? Well, I'll tell you in the most sickening detail." It wasn't intended to be, but to Teddy it came off as a provocation, or as rubbing Teddy's nose in it. Daniel shouldn't have said it, but of course at that point as you say he was not very socialized, just a day out of death row and still thinking in that mindset probably. S2-4 Daniel is much more quiet and keeps to himself about those experiences, he'd never share them to a virtual stranger like Teddy anyway. It was a bad time for both characters, they were like oil and water and that coffee attack was almost bound to happen.

in episode 6 chloe told daniel to drop his mask, to stop acting like a bad boy, because he wasn't one and it was a defense mechanism,
i think this speech was part of the mask, part of the image he tried to display to those he wasn't comfortable with
notice he often deflects with humour
but also notice his demeanor in s03e06, when it is him, his mom, and amantha talking about the fritters, that is his inner child, the innocence of daniel,
behind the mask of horrible torture, and isolation,

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

Right, that's why I said "basically (though not exactly)." Definitely not as bad as the assaults Daniel experienced, and especially if you include all the other things he's gone through of course, but that doesn't minimize the act's wrongness. Daniel did seem to feel awful about it and I'm sure regretted it terribly. He seemed to understand what it must have done to Teddy and surely knew how badly it tore up the family.

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

Ted sr asks him how he is gunna handle this
episode later, he signs plea deal,
i think that was the plea deal unbreaker,
he considered the banishment to be punishment for his one true crime, what he did to teady,

never meant to imply you thought otherwards, just wouldn't have chose basically as my words,
but what do i know, i am pretty drunk

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

Yeah, it makes you wonder how different the show would have been if Daniel hadn't assaulted Teddy. In a way, it's just as much an inciting and pivotal event in these characters's lives as is Daniel's imprisonment and release.

Fair enough, I know what that's like. And Teddy does too. Just don't let Daniel coffee crack you, that damn libtard.

[–] prairie-16766 8 years ago

Nobody says Jr deserved it. Where do you get that?

Some of us (including me) said Jr never should have been verbally abusive to Daniel.

[–] asktheages 8 years ago

I've seen people say a lot of different things online. Not conflating your view, which I agree with, with the other.

[–] Whatlarks 8 years ago

Only very occasionally does someone say he deserved it, and not by any of the board's regular posters.

Two examples, from a single thread some weeks ago:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2183404/board/nest/263372958?d=263435950#263435950

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2183404/board/nest/263372958?d=263566437#263566437

"You must not judge what I know by what I find words for." - Marilynne Robinson

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

Ok, I'm a regular poster who said that Teddy 'had it coming', but I don't mean that in literal terms. I meant that it was satisfying to watch in that moment in terms of poetic justice because S1 Teddy was portrayed as a very strong antagonist who waded into utterly taboo territory with that goading. Also, he 'had it coming' meaning that I was unsurprised that some kind of retaliation by Daniel happened - Teddy was poking a bear with a stick.

[–] Pequod88 8 years ago

Why didn't Teddy tell?

Pride. To tell of the lesson Daniel taught would have meant sharing why the lesson needed to be learned. Teddy sneered at Daniel's having been raped in prison. He went so far as to suggest Daniel must have wanted it, for clearly any man who did not wish to be raped would have successfully fought off his attackers. Daniel demonstrated the folly of this assertion.

Daniel was wrong to provide the demonstration. Yet, Teddy's provocation cannot be ignored.

Teddy was embarrassed by the nature of the lesson. The real pain, I believe, came from the shame at having to examine what his provocation said about his character.

[–] Whatlarks 8 years ago

Yeah, that's exactly right. The thing that strikes me reading the explanation is that this character did feel that shame. That capacity makes him so much more interesting; otherwise he'd just be another thug.

That shame is clearly communicated by Crawford via facial expression, body language and tone of voice, in every scene in which the subject is invoked. His performance is a marvel - every beat of shifting emotion registers.

He's also playing a richly drawn character, who may just be the most complex in the series. To be fair to the other actors, Teddy's character is by nature relatively transparent; he's like a walking billboard of emotion, lol. He's like those unfortunates with pale skin whose faces and ears and necks flush so easily in social situations.

This season I've found Teddy's smiling face haunting -- the incredible force of will to fight off intense contrary emotions and muster up a mouth and eyes distorted into a picture of compassion and pleasure when clearly he's experiencing great pain.

In these moments he's seemed like a much more complex, real-life Joker. I think he has genuinely felt a measure of compassion, for example in his divorce scene with Tawney. That requires empathy, the category of experience Rebecca clarified for him when he expressed understanding of Tawney's history for the first time. Regardless, I felt there was real self-sacrifice involved in that divorce scene.

Same with his off-screen decision to share Bobby Dean's intel. I felt quite a bit of suspense wondering if Teddy was going to tell, or give in to petty impulse and take revenge on Daniel by staying quiet.

"You must not judge what I know by what I find words for." - Marilynne Robinson

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Ava_T 8 years ago

I think it was a combination of things. Pride, embarrassment, shame, and already knowing which way the wind blew re: Daniel and the family. To even question Daniel's guilt or innocence was viewed as high treason, and reporting the assault would only alienate him further from the family.

He also truly loves Janet, and doesn't want to hurt her anymore than she's already been. You can see how tender he is with her at Daniel's bedside in the hospital, which he also may think of as a type of karmic justice already served.

Rectify - parody pix
https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-TLG67x/

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

Bobby Dean owes Daniel, he could have had him sent to jail for atempteded murder, and sexual assault, (peeing on someones face, in their bloody wounds is a lot different then cracking the ass with coffe)

we have never seen Teddy talk to the counselor about daniels non sexual assault, but i am sure it has happened, and i am sure she put some perspective on it,
i don't think he is ever gunna be buddy buddy with Daniel, but i think he has some respect for what he did to him, compared to what he could have done,

Bobby dean mighta said something like "it felt good at the time, but now after everything that has come to light, the guilt weighs so heavily that sometimes i can't breath"

"in some cultures you would be indepted to this man" "not in this one"
he gave him the information "trey went back" and hoped it helped, and teddy passed on the information(which is not something he would have done in season 2, or even three, he even passed on the apology

[–] prairie-16766 8 years ago

I think it's simply because the weasel known as Teddy would have had to admit what he said to Daniel.

Also, the porn magazine was also meant to humiliate Daniel.

Teddy is the Great Humiliator. But Karma came to bite him in the ass, or even his balls. No wife, no business, one leg useless (for now). Teddy should bite the bullet and ride his shameful self off into the sunset. Maybe he can take a porn magazine with him for comfort.

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

i don't know if the porn magazine was exactly meant to humiliate daniel,
it was a bit degrading,
but Daniel had just told him about the prison rapes, and "not fighting it"
alot of homophobia exists on a plane of obliviousness, and he figured, well might aswell give him what some stimulation, Daniel isn't computer literate,
the geture may have been crass. but i think he had good intentions mostly, even if there was a snide tone his voice, and a smug grin on his face

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

trey willis?

country club christopher ?