elm,
Nice post. I happened to have come across an article posted today with Exec Producer Chad Hodge interviewed about this episode. Before getting to the particulars I was a bit surprised he went so far as to advocate for certain understanding angles on the questions raised, unlike the usual "it is open to interpretation" or "it says what it says" approach. Here's the interview link:
http://screenertv.com/television/good-behavior-ep-todd-williams-sean-isnt-just-bad-guy/
In any event on the whole Sean angle, while I agree with the general point that Sean is not a over the top wholly bad guy, there were two things I had problems with in the interview that relate to some of what you covered, elm.
First is about sleeping with Sean. I get your take that at least in terms of giving clear consent Letty hardly gave that, and Sean was quite, well, assertive. But that is not the view Mr. Hodge has of the encounter. Instead he refers to "chemistry" with Sean and anger at Javier, and nowhere to whether Letty was in effect overcome with alcohol's effects on her decision-making. Instead he says:
"One of the hardest things [with the show] was casting the role of Sean. The challenge was finding an actor where you would believe Letty was with this guy. Where you can see that, even though now she thinks he’s so evil and he did all these bad things to her, you can understand there’s a chemistry there — because the chemistry between Letty and Javier is so great. I was nervous that we weren’t going to find an actor where you would believe that Letty was with this guy, and I think there’s a chemistry there..."
I find the reference to casting of Sean being "one of the hardest things" and being "nervous that we weren't going to find an actor where you believe" in the asserted chemistry to be quite revealing. Hodge in effect knew it was a stretch, and is left saying "I think" it worked.
Well it didn't. They were asking too much of the actors in the scene. Too much to overcome in the way that all into the mix were drinking and drugs, Sean's unexplained arrival at the door, Letty overcoming her anger at Sean, being angry at Javier (for what?)... On and on. Just not plausible. Sorry.
The other thing which is troubling is more on the thematic level. Earlier in the interview Hodge explains how Sean not being "totally" evil is part of the overall theme of the show that "all people" are some mix, and "what do 'good' and 'bad' really mean?" Well I think most people know what they mean, and even if we concede as we must that people tend to be some mix of good and bad, there are still relative differences in degree, and so the "all people are" theme is really rather empty and I would also say pointless.
No, the real point of the show is explained when Hodge says the episode was meant to be a roller coaster of emotions. It was, but so much so as to have become implausible.
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magic1762
8 years ago
What chemistry? The producer, Chad Hodge, is trying to put lipstick on a pig. The chemistry is between Letty and Javier. They've spent 8 episodes building on that. The show's credibility blew up in E9. Letty turns her back on Javier because he wouldn't assassinate Sean....that 'evil' guy she ends up sleeping with! Ridiculous. Letty came off as a whining, self consumed bitch and Javier her door mat. I agree with many points in the above posts. There are so many holes in the script, I'm not sure how they patch them up and have any credibility left. Better writers could save this show.
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elmimich
8 years ago
kenny
Thanks for the reply and the link. I thought that they might be trying the chemistry thing- it seems like Sean still wanted to get with/control Letty, but I just didn't see it the other way. Obviously, he has some pull over her, but the fact that she thinks he is evil and wanted him dead makes the whole scene seem implausible. Then again, I didn't think of her being angry with Javier- maybe that pushed her to do it as well. Now that I've sat with the episode for a day it is better. I was so shocked and mad when it happened.
Still don't like all the issues with the custody/jail stuff though.
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magic1762
8 years ago
I agree. Custody battles are rarely entertainment. The storyline should center around Javier and Letty.
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kenny-164
8 years ago
elm,
I don't know about the "get with" part. Sean's approach coming into the scene back in episode 8 and continuing through the hearing was to take a very aggressive take no prisoners approach toward Letty. Telling Jacob he was "concerned" she might commit suicide before the hearing is hard to square with getting with Letty, for example. No, the whole set up is too implausible.
Another thing about the "get with" notion is I didn't see the way Sean showed up at the door of the motel room as intentional, toward encountering Letty. He thought Javier was with her. I am not even sure he knew she was in there.
The anger at Javier? Not only was that stupid, at most she was ambivalent about Javier, and did not argue with her mother when she told Letty more or less it was a mistake to turn Javier out. How this "anger" was supposed to justify in her mind having sex with someone she previously characterized more or less as satanic makes no sense.
Another thing is at the time I saw the scene in the motel room I did not get the impression that Letty was overcome by being high as the reason the sex encounter proceeded as it did, yet others here posted how it had to be a big factor. Hm. I didn't think it played that way, and Hodge making no mention of under the influence as a factor I think supported my view of the scene.
Unfortunately that only left "chemistry" to support what amounted to a major plot turn, major because it "explained" Javier giving up on Letty. Unfortunately because chemistry was not plausible. As I noted those making the show relied too much on the actors to make this work, and it didn't work, not because of the actors. It was too implausible given the narrative.
Finally what is the encounter supposed to say to us about Letty and where she is in her life, compared to where the show had been up until there? I can't make sense of it. It seems rather than have a plot develop in a way that makes sense and supports some overall thematic point, that they chose to go instead with the "emotional rollercoaster", the shock value, not to mention a prurient angle, even though it made no sense.
Very disappointing in a show I had come to like rather much.
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elmimich
8 years ago
Your conclusions also make sense. I think that we are all in the same boat that while some episodes so far had some plot/writing issues, overall it was interesting and engaging. Episode 9 messed everything up. Agree that while they may have written that Letty and Sean should have chemistry, it didn't play out that way because of how the characters were created. I've rewatched the episode with this in mind and it is still a stretch. I can only hope for an awesome finale.
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kenny-164
8 years ago
elm,
Since I liked your posts on this, I am frankly glad we are in agreement, except since we agree that means you have not provided some insight into the show that might have made me like it better! heh.
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elmimich
8 years ago
kenny-
Sorry for not providing anything new- on the flip side, you brought up the interview with Chad about the supposed "chemistry" between Sean and Letty. I have felt better about the episode after a second viewing and hearing everyone else's criticisms. At least I wasn't crazy for not liking it. Can only hope for a solid finale in 4 days!
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