I've thought long and hard about this reunion. How would they pull it off without Brian doing a complete about-face? I think they did it and I am very excited about this episode. Everyone knows I see Brian as having a lot of demons brought on by his upbringing, and because of Mikey's words in 101, ('when HE came along'), I've always felt that Justin would be his salvation, so to speak. The one to help him release his demons. Not his soul mate and love of his life, just the one to build the bridge that will get Brian to the other side. Whether Justin crosses the bridge with him or not is'nt important. What's important to me is just that Brian actually crosses it.
Yes, we see what we want to see and I think that that was what they were going for with this episode. Nothing was laid out in black and white. It was all played out behind a textured glass, within the safety net of business. It was left up to interpetation. So this is my interpertation - and in it I am going to use several throw backs to explain it:
1) A flashback to the ending of 103 - Let's Hear It For the Boy - when Justin walked into Babylon. The strong, no holding back Justin (stalker, as Brian would say) was willing to fight to get his man.
2) Brian's own words, his mantras coming back to haunt him and crumbling before his eyes.
3) The Rage comic book, of course.
4) More S2 inclusions by the writers for, what I call, damage control.
I'm going to start with the timeline because it's important that this wasn't rushed. Thank goodness for Daphne's rent comment and Mikey's comment about not seeing Ted for weeks because we now know it has been almost a month. They have all had time to move on and set up the next phase in their lives.....Ben/Mikey from the steroid thing, Justin to reflect on Brian & Ethan, Ted to retreat from his humiliation, Emmett to move toward being Teddy's support, and Linds to get back to work. It makes perfect sense that there is a gap between 307 and 308. This separates the first 7 episodes from the last 7 episodes. It was the best place to move things along....Bravo!!
Daphne's Apartment
A lot is happening in there. This was a very funny scene but tells a lot. Justin's boredom/thinking - I am so glad they showed this. His revelation couldn't have come overnight. I'm glad we saw him pondering his life, thinking things out. And the head in the lamp, classic boredom syndrome. How many times have each of us sat upside down in a chair just so we could look at the ceiling and think? LOL at Daphne offering yogurt - I laughed only because of these boards, why not offer custard!! LOL at Justin's dream - being elevated to a higher level, perhaps? But again these boards crept into the scene for me and all I could think about was Brian on the Moon. (Thanks BuffGuy!!) Daphne's comment about Ethan - Not talking about Ethan? Big revelation here, Justin obviously was not in love with him from the beginning, just in love with the idea of what Ethan offered. Justin's thoughts on what Brian would do about him telling him he still loved him, the letter, and suicide attempts perfectly shows that Justin is back to understanding Brian again. The "I know who you are" comment from 206 comes to mind. Daphne's story about her love that got away. Well it's obvious that she's telling him something. Get in his face - let him see you everywhere he goes - hmmmm - stalking? Isn't that what he did in S1? Now we know that we're going to get the old Justin back, but this time maybe a more mature and wiser S1 Justin.
Justin gets the internship
Step 1 in the new stalking plan. (Flash to episode 103 and Justin walking out on to that dance floor with a plan to get his man) So back to "business". Quickly Justin changes the business talk to personal talk and brings up the former relationship. By stating that he didn't know that Brian still had a problem with it, a sign that now he understands that Brian does have a problem with it. "What former relationship?" Brian asks - please, who believes this? You agreed to rules honey - Brian's still in denial, geesh. Obviously it would hurt to see Justin everyday. But if he's going to deny it, then fine - but how could he object then? Confidant Justin calling him on the carpet. "Don't expect any special treatment" - this I can believe - Brian gave him special treatment before (boyfriend vs. trick) and look where it got him. The walls are definitely still up - Justin is going to have to work a little harder. I love the way that they made the business talk coincide with the relationship talk. This is perfect. It allows Brian to discuss it without really discussing it.
Off to Babylon
More of the stalking Justin - fancy that - hehehe. The talk about Ethan and Justin's comment "I don't do boyfriends", another Brian lesson that was taught well. But the problem I had with this "we broke up" conversation is this. If it has been a month and we are to remember that Brian sees him everyday at the diner and on two separate occassions noticed something about Justin (the ring in 306, the clothes in 307), now we're supposed to believe that he didn't notice that the ring was gone??? Ok, I will leave that for the nitpick thread. Back to Babylon and Justin trying his hardest to pick up Brian. Brian rejects him - walls are still up - got to work a little harder - Brian is never easy.
Comic Book
Rage being frozen by Ice-Tina. I see Ice-Tina as Brian's mom and the freezing as Brian's walls - obviously a blowjob from Justin isn't going to break down the walls as easily as JT thawing Rage. He tried the night before - he's got to work a little harder. Obviously real life isn't a comic book story. (I just love this!)
Vanguard
It's just business again - Brian has always loved Justin's smarts and him not needing to take notes and remembering everything that Brian said shows us that Justin is listening to Brian again. He's hearing him again. He's already learned more...well, he has definitely learned where Brian's head is at. Justin's compliment about Brian as a boss is saying that he's responsible for how Justin turned out. That the lessons he taught him were learned, a true reflection to the man at the top. A dedicated and hardworking staff - describes a Justin in stalker mode. More of 103 here - Justin working it on the dance floor. Brian admits to being a little hard on him before. Could this be an apology for the rejection? "Get back to work" - Permission for Justin to continue to work a little harder? Then Justin: "Yes, Mr. Kinney" - an agreement that he plans to do just that?
The nervousness during the presentation - Brian now knows Justin is on the move and Justin knows that Brian knows. Justin wants to do good. Other than setting up the next scene - I don't see anything here other than it kind of puts Justin in Brian's place, setting him up to be considered an equal with the brilliant ideas....again, a possible reflection of the man at the top.
Business talk again - Well I guess Brian doesn't like equal footing. Stalking Justin has moved too fast, and it's time for Brian to retreat from the game. Brian fires him. 103 again - Brian rejected Justin's first advancement. This whole conversation left me reeling. They are saying so much without really saying much. Brian's refusal to give Justin a second chance and his admittance that he shouldn't have given him the first one. Now he's the first one to turn it personal. Is this a regret?
What happened to No Regrets?
Finally, the firing allows Brian to have 'the talk'. Calling Justin's relationship a "little romance" put things into perspective from Brian's point of view, it didn't compare to what Brian & Justin had. "Stupid for falling for the bullshit in the first place" - he told Justin in 220 "they're still using that one" - again he put it into perspective - it didn't compare. "You're young and inexperienced" - he just gave Justin the way out, an excuse - just chalk it up to youth - a lesson not learned yet.
What happened to No excuses?
And Justin's retort of "you're so smart..." - also puts things into perspective - he should have known he was going to hurt after Justin left. "You would have told me I was making the biggest fucking mistake of my life...that I would live to regret it. That what you gave me was worth a thousand...million times more than anything he had to offer - You would have told me that you loved me." WOW!! Justin admits that he now knows just that. Brian doesn't deny any of it. "You never said it" - but Justin still heard it, didn't he? He just admitted to knowing it now. Brian grabbing his waist to stop him - Brian must have heard Justin when he said he shouldn't have LET him walk out the door. Which he did in 220.
Past/Present. 220/308: "You don't/didn't hear what you want/wanted so you walk/walked out" - Brian admitting he felt abandoned by Justin and was obviously hurt - and did care. Flashback to 220 again when Justin asked Brian if he would care if he wasn't there. Well now, he got his answer. "Have some balls, be a man" - I'm conflicted about this....have some balls means to fight for what you want. Is this saying Brian wanted Justin to fight harder in 220? I don't think Brian would have budged back then so what could Justin have done to "fight harder"? I'm not sure. Fight harder now perhaps? "Stand up for yourself" - do something! Act! Quit asking for permission....
The KISS - Brian was obviously stirred - he hasn't kissed anyone in a very long time - I would have expected him to be more moved than he was, but he was still moved. "Stand up for yourself?" "Be a man?" Fight? I saw this kiss as the knock out punch. (103 - Justin taking his shirt off and walking out onto the dance floor - Brian didn't stand a chance then, and after the kiss, doesn't stand a chance now)
Ok, fight - you got it - Justin asks for his job back.
More business talk
Again, as long as Justin talks about the job, Brian can talk about the relationship. Kinney-speak, that Justin can again understand. No more POD Justin. "I've made a few mistakes...I think you'd be making an even bigger one not to give me a second chance." - An admittance of guilt and an accusal that Brian made a mistake as well all rolled into one statement. "I see" - again, no denial from Brian, an admittance that he did make a mistake too? What happened to No apologies? "I understand now..." - no more dreams of romance - no more illussions, I get it, I know what we had, and you don't have to say it. "You also understand that you'll be required to work long, hard hours" - staying with me isn't going to be easy, how do I know you won't walk out again?, the path isn't an open door, it's a wall, are you going to fight to break through this time? "It will be a pleasure" - you make me happy, warts and all, this is what I want. "Never play violin music again" - with all the hurt that he'd felt since the end of 220 displayed on his face - saying don't ever leave, don't cheat, don't lie, stick by me, stick by the commitment. "I promise" - said with understanding and compassion - a commitment to stick around this time and not walk out when he doesn't hear what he wants. (Back to 103 - Brian chooses Justin over the other guys - hmmmm. Let's Hear It For the Boy? Maybe this time it's more like Let's Hear It For the Man.) He got his job back and his man!!
Randy and Gale did it again, IMHO. They took a few words mixed with inuendo and double meanings and made them come alive with a show of honesty, sincerity, compassion and desire. Watching their faces tell the story is simply amazing to me.
And Brian's little mantras?
No Excuses, No Apologies, No Regrets - He did all three tonight - GONE!!
I Don't Do Boyfriends - Boyfriend, schmoyfriend, call it what you want - GONE!!
It's Just Business - Well not always, now is it? - GONE!!!
Back to the comic book
Maybe JT is right and Rage can be thawed out from the spell that Ice-tina (Joan Kinney) cast upon him. Can JT and Rage live happily ever after? Who cares? As long as Rage gets thawed out in the end, that's all that really matters. (Whether Justin is the end result or the stepping stone, it doesn't matter as long as Brian's walls come down.)
I read the boards today and a lot were craving for steamy, hot, knock down sex. And it's sad that some may be disappointed, but to me, this was so much better than that. Did we NEED to see what was going on behind the textured glass at the end? NO. We know from almost every S2 episode that they know how to do that, and do it well together. What we needed to see was the banter, the acceptance of what happened, and the understanding of the new terms. And for me, we saw the talk and a whole lot more. This was better than I had hoped for. And the very best part - it ended with Brian and Justin both smiling.
