AMC - Monday 01/03/2011

[Kylie]

I think it makes perfect sense that the episode ended with Erica and Caleb kissing. She always promises things. She always knows what she has and that she should value it...yet, she always messes it up. She wanted/needed Jack to take the supportive role that Caleb was taking, and that's something she craves. A man who stands by her, even if he thinks she's wrong.

I loved the episode, kiss included. Her falling apart was totally believable. I know some people saw it in Erica weeks ago, like I did, but she has clearly been unraveling almost since after Kendall fired that shot. I hope there's follow up and it wasn't just a one time thing.

[AMCFan2]

I am honored to be one among many

Yep. That's what I said, It's sickening to watch them push something that doesn't work and when the two actors have zilch for chemistry,it's downright painful and hurts the feel of the episode and the show, IMO.

I have been wanting a story like that for Erica (and Jerica) for years. Nobody wants to make Erica less than glamourous and less than a bimbo-like teenager. It's so sad because she can be more than that with a little acceptance of age.

[Jonathan]

I'm actually annoyed you didn't pull any of my quotes.

[marceline]

The scene with Erica melting down all over Kendall was a good one. Both characters are guilty of what they're being accused of but they both do it with full knowledge and permission of the people around them because that's the way they want it and more importantly because they're exactly the same. Erica likes being in control. She likes being the one her children can run to. Kendall likes being Ryan/Greenlee/Zach's savior. The problem is being Rylee's savior cost her Zach and being Kendall's savior is costing Erica everything.

What I loved is that we got to see two very real issues bump up against each other: Erica's addiction vs. Kendall's grief. It's perfectly natural for Kendall to be focused on herself. She's had to endure the holidays without her husband who's only been dead a month. At the same time, the holidays are an especially difficult time for people dealing with addiction and the extra stress of Zach's death, Jack's obsession with Greenlee, Kendall wigging out and blacking out is a perfect storm of triggers to send Erica back to using.

I'm just sorry that they used this treasure trove of character-based opportunity just to set up another Erica-based triangle. I think it would be so much more powerful if Erica continued to struggle with her sobriety and Kendall's genuine need. Binks could channel her inner Mona and try to bring some sense to fractured family. Reese could come over from Paris to be with her wife and Reggie could finally come home from basketball camp to help everyone deal with Erica's addiction (No. I'm not letting go of that!) After all, Reggie has experience with drugs in the home.

[Pine Charles]

I think Reese cheated on Bianca (no idea if with a man or woman). That's probably why Bianca gets all bitchy & defensive whenever someone else mentions Reese and wonders why she's in Europe (rather than with her wife and daughters).

[EricMontreal22]

Was catching up, but briefly I thought it was largely a great episode--except the script didn't quite deliver IMHO. Oh and too many of those zooms.

[AMCFan2]

IA with all of this. The only thing that ruined it for me was that revolting kiss. It was out of place in the episode and the way Erica spoke to Mona about Jack, made no sense. IT was contrived garbage, IMO. I would love to see Erica fall off the wagon and a story like that which would include the entire K/M clan. I especially love the idea of Reggie's return and now that Natalia is gone, how about Dani Frye returning as well to be his love interest.

[jfung79]

Just watched this, OMG great episode! The "Inside the Light" treatment works really well when used sparingly and for the right characters, rather than as a standard thing every week. I agree the best scene was Erica's breakdown in front of Kendall about the many roles Erica has to play and Erica missing her mother and not being a rock like Mona. Little-remarked upon, but I also liked Asher's scene with Caleb where he has finally softened towards Caleb and then later is reluctant to pretend to be trying to throw Caleb off the roof. I agree the final line about not messing things up while Erica was kissing Caleb was great, irony. It's hard for me to decide if the show planned for the shooter to be Kendall all along. The clues are there in the writing if you look back, but the flashback didn't show David/Ryan.