Studio 60 Pimps Polyamory!

[fullygoldy]

Woo hoo!

Spoilers behind the cuts.

During last night's new ep (Monday), Matt is participating in an on-line auction for a dinner date with ex-girlfriend, Harry.  He is upping Harry's current love interest's bids by a dollar.  "It's at $500."  "Make it $501." However, the auction is to raise funds for an organization that promotes teen abstinence.  Having been a teen (and arguably still locked into that phase of his life), Matt knows that preaching abstinence to teens is pretty useless.  He doesn't want to give these people any more of his money than absolutely necessary (that's the rationale behind the $1 bids).  When the bids reach $1200 ($1201), he tells his assistant to find a non-profit organization that is the opposite of the one hosting the auction so he can contribute an equal amount to them to make his winning the auction a wash.

Lucy:  You want me to find an organization that promotes sex?
Matt:  This is L.A. You ought to be able to swing a cat and find three or four.
(Goldy:  I know! He can contribute to MAPC!)

Later, Lucy comes in and says, "I found you a group.  Loving More."
Matt:  What's that?
Lucy:  They're with the National Polyamory Society.
Matt:  Perfect
(Goldy: Woo hoo! (while falling off the couch) OMG!)

Even later, the bidding is at $4000.  
Matt looks at Lucy:  $4001.  
Lucy:  $4002 to the sex people?
Matt:  Yeah.
When Danny told Jordan to start running, because he was coming for her, I wasn't bothered by it.  I know some people found it creepy or inappropriate, but I thought it was cute, and in-character for Danny.  However, in Monday, Jordan tells Danny that his reference-letter campaign has embarassed her in front of her peers, is unprofessional, and she asks that he stop.  She has a slew of reasons why she does't want to get involved with him besides the not wanting to.  She has answered "no" every time he proposes a date, and now she says "please stop."  Danny says "No." and walks away.

For me, this has officially stopped being cute or funny.  What happened to "no means no" Aaron?  If he truly has feelings for her, and he thinks he's falling in love, then respect should be at the top of the list of ways he's going to express his feelings.   He should respect her wishes and her person.  Danny should grow up.  OTOH, the true reason he can't have an adult relationship with a woman is that he's actually in love with Matt, so why am I complaining that he's screwing up with Jordan?  Well, the screwing up doesn't bother me, just the disrespect.  No always means no, and no one, no matter how cute or clever they are, is entitled to ignore no and create an uncomfortable atmosphere for the object of their desire.  That's creepy.
Loving More gets mentioned on broadcast television!  YAY!!

Comments

[shoshannagold.livejournal.com]

Okay, you're right about the Dating Plan. It's been a long time since I've seen those eps, and I was just going with the overall impression I have that Dana was constructed as semi-hysterical. Maybe it's just that Sorkin hasn't written an emerging relationship that isn't fucked up in some really strange way, which he doesn't necessarily do with the established ones (Isaac/Esther, Jed/Abbey, at least in the beginning).

Heinlein?

[fullygoldy.livejournal.com]

Hey Shosh, I forgot to come back and reply to your guestion!

Heinlein = Robert A. Heinlein, author of numerous sci-fi books, including Stranger in a Strange Land, and Starship Troopers. He is credited widely with the ground-breaking intro of sex into the genre, as well as giving the feminine gender more prominent roles in his stories. Unfortunately, his women, while incredibly smart, capable and talented, are also universally styled as sexy playmates who'll eventually revert back into the feminine stereotypes of the '50s and '60s so the male hero can rescue them in some way. The stories are pretty great, but the characterizations can be pretty annoying in this day and age.

IMO, the thing that saves it is the fact that he's even trying to imagine a world where women are equal, at a time when society would have preferred women to just be June Cleavers. Unfortunately also, in later years, he had a tendency to recycle his plots and devices, so he eventually stopped being interesting.

[shoshannagold.livejournal.com]

He sounds interesting. My shelves are literally overflowing with books that I've been meaning to read, but when I clear through my backlog, I'll have to check out some of his early stuff.

[fullygoldy.livejournal.com]

Let me know when you're ready and I'll give you some recs, even mail you some books if you want :)

[shoshannagold.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That's sweet of you. *hugs*