Wherever your heart leads

This week’s episode honestly left me quite bewildered. I’m undecided whether I should feel excited about the long wished for intimacy Bette seems to share so easily and comfortably with Gigi (I mean seriously, the “ass grabbing” in a public place made us all hold our breath for a second, right?), the endearing head touches between them, Bette calling her “my girlfriend”, and the ecstatic happiness she so clearly rediscovers through the art world. Whether I should blame Bette for casting what may have been the first stone in destroying their relationship by responding completely unreasonable to the support offered in her blind panic about Angie? Or blame Gigi for possibly allowing that one incident to be enough to bruise her ego and move on to Dani? Whatever may be going on with Tina, when for whatever reason she wasn’t there for Angie meeting her sister? (Tina and her phone, or rather the absence thereof, have occupied the fandom TL ever since, by the way.) And should Pippa, the artist superstar that is capable of bringing tears of pure bliss to Bette’s eyes by her work alone, be her new and real love interest, maybe we ought to welcome that wholeheartedly, as we know that the one thing Bette really needs in her relationships is to experience that true connection on both soul and intellectual level. I’m sure my head will be spinning around these questions quite a bit until future episodes will bring more light to them.

As for a “connection on both soul and intellectual level” I think it’s safe to say that Nat’s polyamorous dates have made Alice realize that their relationship is lacking too much of such a connection. However much she wants to understand and grant her partner the freedom to explore her polyamorous needs (imagine even asking “so, how was it?” when your partner comes home in the morning after having spent the night with someone else…), observing her being intimate with another on her dinner date makes the scales fall from her eyes. While she’s still ducked down behind the table awkwardly, martini in hand, her decision becomes clear: she knows she can’t do it. No judgement passed, but this kind of relationship is not for her. What Alice and Bette since long have in common, I feel, is their quest for that one true match to complete their lives. Alice had that with Dana, Bette had it with Tina. Maybe that memorable line “it doesn’t compare!” is still true for them? And maybe comparison in itself is a bitch out to ruin any possible happiness that may have already crossed their paths? Anyway, Alice went out the door and will undoubtedly find comfort in Tom’s bright, caring and cheerful presence. Comfort, and very possibly more!

One might argue that Shane is more or less on that same quest, ever after leaving Carmen at the altar, but she seems much more worriless about it. Moving with the tides and having a good time in the “in between”, whatever that looks like or however long it lasts. And as fleety as she may be in her romances, as unwavering is her loyalty in friendships, as Tess becomes more and more aware of. Personally, I’d take a “Shane-to-go” as bestie anytime! The scene with the three of them outside waving and watching Angie meet her half-sister is funny, sweet, emotional and more or less sums up their entire friendship over the years. They are there for each other at all the important turns in their lives.

In other “luck be a lady” news: Angie actually does have a half-sister, who resembles her a lot, and she gets to meet her for the first time. Events appear to indicate more intricate backstories to come (biological dad dying? Or maybe more complicated family ties?). Micah and Maribel’s friendship tightens to the point where they are now each other’s first “go-to” person, appreciating both the calm understanding as well as Maribel’s quick, witty tongue. Finley’s relentless talking and joking around everyone, however, is repeatedly making me shout out loud “learn when to shut the f*ck up”! Sophie, whose house has been significantly stripped by Dani taking her stuff out, has forgiven Finley and we’re slowly starting to feel their love again. But should they be each other’s person? Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see it! And we get to know Gigi’s work environment through Dani’s house search, accompanied by her father. Which also presents us with some info to both Dani and Gigi’s cultural background, though sadly most of that was in un-subtitled Farsi, so my understanding of it is limited to translating their facial expressions into “life mustn’t always have been very easy”. More accurately, this is my understanding of everyone’s backstory in general, subtitles or no subtitles 😉