Episode 406:
Future Films and Botched Bets
I’ll be honest here. I’ve known about Brian’s lump since November 5. Yes, I remember the exact day… it was that traumatic. Then just a few days later I heard about Vic dying. Ugh! As a viewer of this show, I was excited because I knew this would be really great drama and I knew Gale would do a bang-up job portraying Brian’s angst, and Sharon would kick ass in her grieving scenes. But as a lover of these characters, well, it sucker-punched me in the stomach.
I heard that 406 was it. The lump and the death in one episode. Two for the price of one – cheapskates. So when I got my grubby little hands on 406 and put it in my DVD player… it took me over an hour to push play. I just kept thinking, if I don’t watch it, then it doesn’t happen.
But I mustered up the courage and with tissues in one hand, the other covering my face, I pushed play, armed and ready and peeking out through my fingers. The first 30 minutes were some of the funniest B/J bits in a long time so I came out of my misery and was thinking, ‘Wow, I love this episode!’ I was happy, laughing my ass off in some parts. This is why I love Brian and Justin together. Then Emmett and Michael knocked on Vic’s door carrying the pots and pans… and I knew this was the scene. Again, if I don’t watch it, it won’t happen. I turned it off. Yeah, I know, stupid.
More courage mustering followed and I tried again. From the beginning, of course… every scene from the “stah” to the “bet” just cracked me up. B/J not funny?? Come on! When they’re not wielding guns, perusing violin players, fighting accusations of molestation and facing a major illness, they are very funny. Then… Emmett and Michael again, carrying pots and pans… then the discovery of Vic… then the breaking of the news to Deb (Hal was great there, BTW – I know, shocker!). Agh!!! I was a blubbering idiot. Death is not my idea of entertainment. How could they do this? He just found love and was starting to build a life… Assholes!! Why, in all good dramas, is finding love equivalent to a death sentence? Makes me want to tell Brian and Justin… “Run for your lives!”
It was rough but I got through it and the writers must know how I am because they were smart enough to let me catch my breath with some really cute Justin flirting… ahhh… before hurling me right back into it again. Okay, deep breaths. Then the slap!! GASP!!! Gee, I felt it. Right across the face. It stung and burned. Then, well… you know, the final ball dropped, so to speak.
I’m just going to say this upfront before moving on… death and illness get to me and I have a tendency to mask those feelings in humor. So if the next four recaps seem a bit “off” to you, that’s why. Those two things that I don’t deal with well are going to be the focus and I have no idea where I’ll go with them. You’ve been warned.
The theme? I couldn’t really find a central theme this time that fit all the characters so I look at it this way… We are transitioning. From Melanie’s career issues to Lindsay’s career issues. From Justin’s inner demons to Brian’s inner demons. From Hunter/Michael/Ben family unit issues to Michael/Ben relationship issues. 405 closed some doors, 406 opened some new ones.
Kinnetik
Brian’s little party was about more than just celebrating his success of branching out on his own. It kind of gave us a synopsis of where we stand after five episodes. And of course, a la Shanda Leer’s songs in 401, we have one conversation segway-ing into another.
Client: That new campaign you came up with for us is a stroke of genius.
B: Thanks, Charlie!
Client: Of course.
B: Stroke me some more.
Brian: His business is booming, he is on his way, or already there, depending on how you look at it. That chapter in his life is over by a sheer stroke of genius. He can now focus on other things. Justin, perhaps? Just kidding. Justin got his own storyline independent of Brian so I guess it’s only fair that Brian get one too. But first things first… before he can truly celebrate, he must clear his debts or his conscience or his ego… depending on how you look at it. Still gotta be that man in charge, huh Kinney? What is it going to take for him to figure out that he can’t always be so in control of everything around him? Sometimes you need others… “A man needs to know when to ask for help…” But you know what? Forget all that. Asking for help doesn’t mean that you’re not obligated by conscience to pay it back. Justin only took that school loan from Brian in 214 because he insisted on paying it back... with interest. So I never had any doubt that Brian wouldn’t pay back the money. Doesn’t everyone that receives a charitable offering? You get back on your feet and you either pay it back outright or you then give to someone else to pass the kindness on? So I don’t see this gesture of repayment as a sign that he hasn’t changed. I would have expected this same action from any character on the show. However, it is noteworthy that he didn’t repay it by way of passing the generosity on, he paid it back outright and quickly. That was dirty money to him because he didn’t earn it. So for me… it’s not that he paid it back, it’s just that he did so quickly and tidily. So Brian is happy, successful, on top of the world… and just like love in all good dramas… that is not a good sign. Oy vey!
Lindsay: So these are the people that make you rich?
B: Mmm hmm. God love ‘em.
Lindsay: Hasn’t done squat this season so far so I find it rather interesting that they bring her to the front during this scene… a scene where she’s practically parading around as Brian’s spouse, giving off this illusion of them as a straight couple… then later introduce her to a straight man that’s obviously got her all confuzzled. Hmm. Very interesting indeed. I don’t really care, but I kind of like this Sam Auerbach, he’s a feisty piece of shit, but I still like him. But I guess my real interest here is because ever since she and Brian sat in the principal’s office at that preschool, well, it’s just bugged me. There’s something up with her.
B: And here’s your cut of the action.
L: Bri-an.
B: The Concerned Citizens for the Truth would like to thank the Citizens of Liberty Avenue for their generous support…
L: Brian, it was a gift. A way of saying, “Thank you”.
B: Well, now it’s my turn. Besides, you know me, I’ll only blow it on booze, debauchery and the Armani spring collection.
L: Well in that case…
Melanie: …Case closed. Jeanette and Anna have their son back and an unfair decision’s been overturned.
Melanie: Um, no need to explain anything here. Case closed. Story done. Lindsay’s turn for a storyline. Oh, and she sprouted a mid-section, seemingly overnight. And I hate her hair this year.
Ted: Congratulations, Mel.
M: Well I owe it all to you.
T: Me?
M: For reminding me to have the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to accept the things I can’t.
T: I’m still working on that myself…
Ted: Now that Ted is “back at work” which is a far cry from “jerk at work”, he’s really ready to fix these issues with Emmett. His career is doing well, his recovery is doing okay… but his love life is still a wreck. There’s big, unresolved issues not only with Emmett, but Blake as well. Poor Ted.
Emmett: …I tried to make it work but living alone was just too fucking lonely.
Deb: Too lonely fucking, right, Em?
E: Now she’s living in sin.
D: Or right across the hall from it.
Emmett: Oh Lordy! I’m with Michael on this one. “Maa-aah!!!” I think it’s great that Emmett’s going to live with Deb, I really do. And I think it’s great that Emmett’s not going to be stifled because of it, but I don’t need to hear interaction of this kind. I wonder if the same rules apply to Emmett as they did to Justin… “No tricks past midnight.” Anyway, Emmett hasn’t really done squat this season either. His catering business is still successful, he’s tortured Ted, yelled at Michael and moved in with Deb. I’m ready for him to get a storyline and now that he’s settled at Deb’s, hopefully he’ll get a nice juicy one.
J: Just make sure to put the toilet seat down. Deb gets a little touchy.
Justin: Well we saw his closure and from his behavior here, we now know that there aren’t any residual effects from his time with the Posse, Cody or Hobbs… it’s all been flushed down the toilet. He’s finally clean of the whole mess. I must say… Randy’s hair grew really fast – it was only a three week break… right?
D: Especially at 2:00 in the morning. But listen, I’d rather fall in then put up with that ingrate that I used to live with…
Deb: Still harbors a grudge that Vic didn’t invite her to the dinner party. That just sucks, and we all know why now… Ugh! Angst ahead for Deb. But it’s interesting that we’re seeing Deb’s cleavage now. I guess they’re going to dress her up or push her up some this season. That’s nice. (Think Brian thought so too… or was that Gale? LOL) Maybe she’ll get a date this season.
Vic: The ingratitude of those publishers rejecting your second novel.
Ben: Well, when it comes to the bottom line, there’s no such thing as loyalty.
Michael: You’ll find another publisher.
Michael/Ben: They both got foster parent privileges over Hunter. Michael’s silly comic book is hailed to be genius. Ben’s dramatic period novel is deemed to be a big snooze. Ben’s ego is crushed. And believe it or not, it appears that he has some DDAM lurking underneath that mild-mannered exterior. Dr. Dave Alpha Male syndrome. And I must mention… while Hunter connects with Ben on the spiritual level because of their positive status, its nice to see that physically he can connect with Michael over this Hollywood thing.
Anywhooo, with the wrap up/small talk done, it’s time for a toast/speech. Brian clinks on his champagne glass.
Cynthia: Attention, everyone!
Justin: He’s gonna give a speech. (whispering to Ted… ahhh, he knew… giddiness)
Brian: Come with me. (whispering to Lindsay… aaah, what are they doing? …confusion)
Lindsay goes gleefully. Brian steps up on the tiled makeshift stage. It’s actually part of the steam room or orgy room. Like an old ledge or bench or something. It’s kind of neat. He takes Lindsay’s hand and pulls her up. And yes, I’m fully aware that Lindsay had a big hand in raising the money for him in 401… but still… it just feels weird.
B: I’d like to thank everyone. My clients (a gesture to the crowd), my employees (a gesture to Cynthia who he then pulls onto the stage), my friends (a gesture to Justin who then nods his head as if he’d been waiting for his cue to step up as well) for being here tonight to help launch Kinnetic. It hasn’t been easy. They say that the market is shrinking. They say that it’s the wrong time to start a new agency. Well, I say, don’t believe a fuckin’ word. Especially in advertising!
But I thought Kinnetik was the “no bullshit” era of advertising. Oh well. Everybody laughs and cheers.
Brian turns to Justin and plants one on him. Right on the kisser. Ahhh. Rejoice. Rejoice. It is very fitting that Justin’s on the stage with him. He stood by him at the end of 314 when Brian was poor and destitute so now that he’s back to being rich and successful, he stands by him again. What has me giddy about this little scene is that it means they’ve now officially taken their first vow. For richer or poorer. 314-406 for Justin, and Brian taking Justin in and paying for his schooling in S1 and S2.
Charlie, the client that was stroking Brian earlier leans over the Deb and says, “The guy’s got balls!” To which Deb replies, “You don’t know the half of ‘em!”
Yeah, well, we’d like to have had the chance. But we never will now, will we, Cow/Lip??
Brian taps the base of his glass on the tip of the bottle of champagne. It breaks off and spews all over the place. Everyone cheers again. I can’t imagine drinking from that bottle now that it’s all broken off so I’m assuming that opening the bottle that way is a christening of some sort like breaking a bottle over the bough of a new boat. If Justin would have christened the office with him last week, maybe he wouldn’t have had to do it this way. I am relishing in the hope that the spewing bottle is symbolism for the functionality of his lone remaining ball. You think? ones.
Yes, this is a Justin scene, but it’s just a set-up for how he finds out about the Rage offer, the primary focus of the scene is the Vic/Deb dilemma. So I’m giving the dialogue only as a means to make an observation that will ultimately affect B/J later.
Michael: Justin! Justin! Check this out.
Justin: What is it?
M: An email. Look who it’s from.
J: Brett Keller. The director?
M: Batman II. Pharmacy Cowboy. V-Men. He says he’s a big fan of Rage.
J: That’s awesome!
M: Yeah. Especially the part where he says he wants to make it into a movie.
J: Are you serious? A movie?
Deb: A movie? Who’s makin’ a movie?
M: Brett Keller, ‘would like to float the possibility of turning your brilliant comic book into a live action feature’.
D: OMG! OMG! I always said you’d be rich and famous one day! I did. I can’t breathe!
Deb starts hyperventilating and needs to sit down. Michael and Justin are very concerned. Justin, sweetheart that he is, asks for some water for Deb.
Here’s the observation… this little drama queen moment that Deb is having is very telling about where Michael gets his “it’s all about me” attitude. Here, Justin and Michael should be queening out over this opportunity and Deb’s focus should be on congratulating them. Instead, Deb not only takes credit for “knowing” that something like this would happen eventually for HER son but proceeds to totally spaz out and the attention has to turn to her. Vic runs over out of concern for her and what does Deb do? She basically gives him the boot, suddenly not so overwhelmed, suddenly not so in need of attention. It was obviously all bullshit, a subconscious act to turn every big moment to be about her. She does it again with Vic later which causes their final rift. And Michael does the same shit with Ben after Vic dies. When Ben went to Michael’s old room to console his partner in his grief, he never once mentioned the Keller deal. Not once. He was going to put all that aside to support Michael and he said as much. Michael, the little shit, accused him of it anyway. And what about Hunter in 401… his rant about Hunter turning that trick for money was all about how HE had risked everything for him. Like mother, like son. And I have a sinking feeling that this selfish streak that he has will come rearing its ugly head again in the future as HIS best friend faces an illness that could hurt MICHAEL if he dies.
And that’s why for the most part, I can’t stand Michael. His compassion for others is misleading and not really genuine. It’s always about me, me, me and how what you do in your life, effects ME.
Kinnetik
Justin comes into Kinnetik to tell Brian the news. Simple banter, right? Well, and I may be a complete nut, but I see more than that. There’s all kinds of relationship/personality undertones in this scene. Specifically, the first sign of some hidden insecurities on Justin’s part, and more of the twelve-year age gap between him and Brian. On a broader scale… the little things that show just how much Justin means to Brian and how he wants what’s best for him.
J: He wants to make Rage into a movie.
C: Brett Keller? That’s fantastic!
B: (To Cynthia, acting as if he’s not paying attention to Justin) Are these rates firm?
C: As my abs! I bought one of those machines.
J: Did you hear what I said?
B: He wants to make it into a movie. (Hehehe. He was listening but goes back to talking business with Cynthia) Tell them we’ll book the next three issues if they knock off 15%.
J: Aren’t you proud of me?
Justin is obviously wanting some kind of acknowledgment from Brian that he’s achieved something great. Hell, he won’t celebrate birthdays, only achievements… so I don’t blame Justin for thinking that this certainly qualifies as that.
Flashback to 302 and Justin’s interaction with his Dad over the tuition money. Craig made mention that little Justin used to run to him beaming about his achievements, desperately wanting his father to be proud of him. With Craig out of the picture, Brian has to fill this empty place in Justin’s heart. There’s this little something underneath the surface with Justin. An insecurity about his achievements. This is one of the reasons why I never saw Justin staying with Ethan very long. Ethan was cocky and full of himself. So is Brian. But the difference is Brian’s is mostly bravado and Justin saw through that. He was onto him. Brian needed him to tell him how great he was because Brian didn’t really believe it. That gave Justin a sense of purpose in the relationship and made it more real when Brian supported his endeavors. Ethan, on the other hand, believed his own hype. He didn’t need Justin’s approval or pride for him to think he was the best. And I’ll say this much again, it’s not about some sick, twisted kink of man/child… that’s not what I’m saying at all. Brian is successful in his career, Justin looks up to that. Brian’s acknowledgement or pride in Justin would be insurmountable in building Justin’s self-esteem when it comes to his place in Brian’s life.
There is only one comparison here between Brian and Ben and how they are reacting to this news. They both believe it’s probably not going to happen. It’s just a thing and will pass by with not much of a blip. But that’s where the comparison ends. Brian will not poo-poo this for Justin, he’ll just not get overly excited and remain cautious. Ben, because of his own jealousy wants to squash this every chance he gets. Yes, it’s a long shot. But geez, do you have to crush their hopes and dreams? For what? To make yourself feel better? Can’t handle that some teenaged kid and your community-college-drop-out boyfriend might actually be rewarded for their creative genius? Tsk. Tsk.
J: I’m gonna be rich!
B: Good. Now you can pay back the thousands I spent on your aborted education.
Two things here. Brian’s “good” is immediately explained by the follow up sentence about the loan Justin owes him. He’s trying to bring Justin back in focus. Success is not measured by the size of your wallet. It’s about being the best. With their age difference and the fact that they’re in complete different stages of their lives, I think Brian is trying to tell Justin here that it’s not a competition between them. Justin becoming rich at this stage is not what’s going to impress Brian. He doesn’t expect that kind of success from Justin right now. I believe all he expects Justin to do is work an honest job for honest pay (the diner) to get him the spending money he needs to be responsible for himself and study hard in school to make the most of the money that Brian spent on his education. With the age difference, the expectation of what is success is varied.
We know that education is important to Brian. From what we know about Brian, he used his education to get out of his house. To become more successful than his father. To become more successful than his attackers. He has pushed Justin to go to the right school, offered to pay for his schooling, and tried to talk him out of sacrificing his education for his political beliefs in 313. Brian knows that Justin needs his education to truly become a success. Not just now, but for the future as a whole.
J: Who needs school when you have a pic-shah deal?
B: You still won’t have a degree.
Just like in 213, Justin blew off school because he was making so much money dancing. For Justin, he’s measuring success by the amount of money. If he’s rich, he’ll be a success. This seems almost odd and a total reversal. Money is important to Brian but he gives it away freely and pushes everyone around him to better themselves. For Brian it’s about being the best, not necessarily the richest. The expensive clothes and the loft and the car are all part of the image. Making enough money to not have to depend on anyone else is the most important thing to Brian. His idea of being a failure is having Gus one day show up with an envelope full of money to give to his father.
Money is seemingly not so important to the ‘starving artist’ type person that Justin is but yet he’s constantly throwing away or ignoring his education for quick money. I just find it interesting and something that I’ve never noticed before. It’s like he’s trying to keep up with Brian… an insecurity that stems from the age gap.
As much I believe that the age gap worries Brian because he thinks Justin will leave him eventually when he’s too “old”… I think it also bothers Justin because he thinks he’s not good enough for the successful Brian. He’s just a kid bussing tables at the diner. Brian doesn’t see him that way, he sees him as a student bettering himself for the future. But like all teenagers that want their futures to start now, Justin is anxious to get on with the rich, famous, and successful part. It’s up to Brian to reel-in the floundering teen and get him refocused on the big picture… his education and a stable future.
J: I already have an idea for the first feature. Assuming of course, that there’re going to be numerous sequels. JT gets even with his bashers, goes to Hollywood, and becomes a staaaahr!
B: Wow, where’d you get that brainstorm?
J: How about we go to Babylon later and celebrate?
B: Sorry, it’s a school night.
Of course he means work night for him, but it’s also another slap that Justin should be in school. I had a conversation with someone about this. They had said, “Wow, Brian really has changed. He’s turning down a night at Babylon.” Well I disagree. I believe that the only times that we’ve seen Brian hang out non-stop at Babylon was in 201 and 301-303. And what was going on in those episodes? Justin was missing. It was his pain management. Other than those times, his visits to Babylon, to me, always seemed like a weekend thing or maybe twice weekly. It was Woody’s where they had the occasional after work beer and early evenings. How many times have we seen Brian working on work stuff at home in the evenings. I’ve just never viewed him as the type that partied every single night. I always saw him as more responsible than that. Except of course, when he was hurting and missing Justin. But when he does party – like Saturday nights – he goes all out. So I didn’t see this line as being part of some new Brian, just the same old responsible Brian trying to instill that value onto Justin as well as get in one more “go back to school” hint.
Justin is disappointed that Brian doesn’t seem to be so impressed with his news. He turns to leave.
B: Cynthia, when is the deadline on that run?
C: Noon tomorrow.
Okay, so now Brian knows that he doesn’t have anything pending for early morning. And he’s always said that he only celebrates achievement… so really, why not? What would be the harm? It won’t effect his work, Justin did achieve something worth celebrating… he decides that as his partner, he needs to toss the boy a bone and be a good little boyfriend.
B: Hey, Spielberg!
J: Huhhh?
B: One drink.
J: O-kay!
Justin turns around to leave, flipping his jacket over his shoulder and strutting like the “stahhhr” that he is. This whole scene is very hilarious for Justin. He’s portraying a goofy and silly comedian and Brian’s his straight man (so to speak).
Wasn’t Spielberg some whiz kid that dropped out of college and made movies at a very young age? Is that the reason for the reference to Justin here? Just curious.
Deb’s House
Sorry folks, I know it’s not a B/J segment but we have to talk about this scene. Not because of the continued ball remarks (Angel’s balls my ass… if angels had balls no way in hell, or heaven, would Brian’s suddenly be in jeopardy) and not because of what is being said, but because of what Emmett is doing. He’s painting Deb’s front door. Don’t laugh. This scene is important. It’s amazing, besides I’ll tie it to Brian in the end (don’t I always?).
I can’t explain why some stuff jumps out at me but every now and then something screams significance and I become relentless in my quest to find out what it is. This is one of those times. And if there is anyone out there who still believes that Cow/Lip don’t know what they’re doing; well, this should convince you otherwise.
Emmett is painting the door… RED!! There is a reason and it’s not the one that Emmett gave Deb about standing out in the neighborhood. We learned in 314 that red was Emmett’s color. Every shot of him in the episode had the color red in it. As part of the Pride Flag, red signifies LIFE. At Babylon in 314, Brian said some things that come into play here. 1) Red is the new black. 2) He called Emmett the grieving widow Schmidt. 3) He told Emmett on the dance floor – paraphrased for symbolic importance here - to choose life by walking away from Ted, instead of death by staying with him. That is why Red was the new Black. Choose life over death.
And just to make sure that we made this connection (and to prove I’m not completely insane), Deb hands Emmett his hot chocolate in a Pride Flag mug. If you will remember, the Pride Flag was the thing that inspired the color assignments in 314. Cow/Lip said so on the 314 commentary.
So this is why Ted is in this scene where they introduce the red door. Ted is part of the symbolism and it ties back to Emmett being his grieving widow. But I’ll explain Ted’s purpose in a minute.
If red is the new black and black normally symbolizes death, then Emmett is, in a sense, marking Deb’s house for impending death. And well, we all know death came, didn’t it? So red being Emmett’s color from 314 explains why he was doing the painting and not Deb herself even though she was the one touched by death.
So why a door and not something else? Last year there was a movie starring Keifer Sutherland and Kyra Sedgwick called Behind the Red Door. Guess what it was about…
On its webpage, the summary is stated as this… “A man dying of AIDS reunites with his estranged sister to make amends before his impending death.” Vic was not only HIV positive like Hunter and Ben; he had full-blown AIDS and was dying. Deb, his sister, was estranged from him due to their fight. So even though they didn’t get to reunite and make amends like the characters in the movie that doesn’t mean there isn’t a very strong parallel to Emmett painting Deb’s door red, this movie, the estrangement between Vic and Deb, the reunification that never happened and the striking juxtaposition of Vic/Deb to Ted/Emmett.
Ted’s purpose for being in this scene is to tell us that him and Emmett WILL make amends. And we know from the later scene after Vic dies that Emmett does read Ted’s letter. Emmett learned from Vic’s death and how it’s affecting the estranged Deb. He knows he couldn’t live knowing he didn’t make up with Ted… his best friend. Ted is his Vic. And in a sick, twisted way, maybe Ted and Emmett reconciling their friendship is Cow/Lip’s way of making amends to us for killing Vic when he and Deb were at odds. His death was painful enough… but now… geesh, it’s just awful because of Deb’s situation.
So this scene was…
1) A throw back to 314 - Brian’s line of Em being a widow and red is the new black and red being Emmett’s color.
2) A synopsis of current events - Ted and Emmett’s estrangement vs. Vic and Deb’s estrangement.
3) And foreshadowing for future events - Emmett and Ted making amends and Brian’s situation. (But that ties to black being the new red so I’ll leave that for next week’s recap.)
As you watch the next few episodes that deal with life and death… look for the reds and blacks because this all ties in together. Trust me.
I’m in awe of this scene and their attention to the details of meaningful symbolism over several episodes. Complete and utter awe. It was sheer genius. And that is the shit that keeps me glued to this show.
Babylon
Babylon… and the third B/J scene so far this episode. What did we do to earn this scrumptious reward?
Justin and Brian are perched in a secluded seating area, getting drunk and checking out the “sites”. It appears that Brian’s offer of one drink has turned into quite a bit more than that. But then again, this may not be the same day. It’s hard to tell anymore. But they are definitely lit as their slurred speech indicates, not to mention the animated hand gesturing and the dueling feet reminiscent of the dueling cutlery from the Birth of Rage episode in S2. Like I’ve said a hundred times, it’s the little things. Aaaah, sweet. But this playing footsie image isn’t just for cutesiness, it’s to give us yet another stark image emphasizing their age difference. Brian’s expensive boots vs. Justin’s red Converse sneakers. They are wanting us to remember this because undoubtedly as Brian faces what’s coming it will plague his mind.
B: You know the problem with our extracurricular one-fuck only policy?
J: Is that after awhile you start asking yourself, ‘Am I doing this because I want to do it or because I need to do it? And if I need to do it, is it to prove to myself that I’m still young and attractive? Or cause I think I’m unworthy of being loved?’
B: Or maybe it’s because I’ve already had every fuckable guy in this city.
This entire scene is a multi-purpose set-up. Using Justin as the vehicle, this last bit was Cow/Lip’s way of outright telling us what Brian’s problem is. He denies it, of course with a final kick to Justin’s foot, but we and Justin know better. Being young and attractive is what it’s all about for Brian. And due to his upbringing, he feels unworthy of being loved. So we have to remember all this as his storyline progresses. They want us to know this as fact. In fact, it’s this fact that has me worried. They are shoving it down our throats so we won’t forget it. We all know how well Brian dealt with turning 30 and this bit of news that he may be sick is a hundred, no, a thousand time worse. Not good. Not good at all. TV drama means happiness and bliss begets death, illness, disfigurement (you fill in the blank). Eck. I ache.
This next part, the bet, is to introduce the doctor who finds the lump and to get Justin back in school.
J: What about him?
B: Ah! The scent of fresh meat! The thrill of the kill.
J: Too bad, Simba! It’s me he’s checking out.
B: In your dreams!
J: You wanna bet?
B: What’re the stakes?
J: If I win, you take me on an all-expense-paid trip to Ibiza.
B: It’s pronounced I-bee-tha. And it’s a long way to go for a bathhouse with sand.
J: And if you win?
B: If I win - you go back to school.
J: No fuckin’ way!
B: Your call.
They could have had any trick find this lump (well, not exactly, but I’ll explain that later) and Brian could have just continued to push Justin to go to school but instead they created this elaborate bet. Again, I think it was brilliant. It not only provided all these things I’ve already mentioned but it gave us some of the funniest B/J scenes we’ve had in a long time. They know how to push each other’s buttons and they know how the other is. Neither would turn down a bet so it’s a valid competition… and my, my, my… the stakes are very high!
Oh, it was also a wake up call to those fans that are desperately wishing for B/J monogamy to prove their love and commitment. It ain’t gonna happen folks. They’ve given us scene after scene this season to prove that they’re together (and happy and blissful – oh no!). Unconventional maybe, but together, nonetheless. Monogamy has nothing to do with it.
J: No, wait. Wait! Alright. Okay, you’re on. ‘Cause I know he was checking me out.
I really love that even though Justin may have some insecurities about his life status where Brian is concerned, it’s nice to see that he’s at least very confidant about his own youth and attractiveness. You know, being blond and having a great ass. Hee!
J: Shit, he’s gone.
B: He who hesitates doesn’t get laid.
Mmmm, jello shots. I love those. So let’s see, what did this scene give us again? 1) Another gentle reminder of their age gap. 2) The philosophy behind Brian’s NEED to trick. 3) The set-up for the chase of the good doctor with the bad news. 4) The set-up to get Justin back in school. 5) An opportunity for humor in an otherwise dark episode. 6) A clearer indication of their continuing unconventionality. 7) A peek at Justin’s confidant sex appeal. AND… 8) A small shout-out to Disney. Not too sure about why, but oh well.
Wow! Pretty amazing for some seemingly ridiculous dialog about the perils of trying to get laid. I guess since they’ve decided that they don’t need to show us the sex to tell their story anymore, they’ll at least have them talk about it.
Comic Book Store
Justin’s checking his email at the comic book store. Ben is there to pick up Michael for a lunch date.
J: Shit!
B: Problem?
J: No, I’m just waiting for an answer from an email.
B: Must by pretty important.
J: Michael and I wrote Keller back and told him we’re interested in his offer.
B: I’m sure big-time directors have hundreds of calls and e-mails to answer. He’ll get back to you when he can. That is, if he’s still interested.
J: Why wouldn’t he be?
B: You know how it is out in Hollywood. They’re hot on something one minute and cold on it the next.
J: I’m sure he meant it.
B: I’m sure you’re right.
The conversation seems to be over but then Ben thinks… if he can’t get through to Michael then he’ll work on Justin.
B: What if he turns it into a piece of shit?
J: We won’t let him.
B: Once you sell it, he can do whatever he wants… make Rage straight.
Oh yeah, that’ll put the fear into the kid. Ben – the little shit. Grrr. But before he can do any more damage, Michael comes down the stairs. And can I just say that I like the stairs. I guess they were there all along and were just behind that door that Brian pushed Michael up against when he offered himself to him. Hmmm.
B: Ready for lunch?
J: We need to get a lawyer.
M: For what?
J: Keller could turn Rage into a singing warthog and there’s nothing we could do about it.
M: What have you been telling him?
B: To be careful, that’s all.
M: It’s not gonna happen. He told us he loves Rage just the way he is.
J: How do we know he’s not just saying that?
M: Thank you. Thank you very much, Ben! Now if you don’t mind, I would appreciate it if you would just butt out!
B: Be happy to.
Oh Justin, Justin. So easily swayed. It makes me crazy. But… the thing that bugs me the most about all this is that Ben is right. It’s his motives that are questionable. And because Michael knows the motive is based on Ben’s jealousy, he’ll ignore the fact that it really is sound advice. So I guess if you look at it that way – Justin being swayed so easily is really just him soaking in what Ben told him and realizing for himself that it’s important to cover all your bases. But I think this introduction of the “motive behind the action” theme will come into play more at a later date. And just not just with Brian and Deb later in this episode.
Okay, someone fill me in… Singing warthog? Simba? What’s with all the Lion King/Disney shout outs this episode? I have to be missing something and well, it’s driving me crazy. Was there a gay movie of some kind that ended up not being so gay after Disney got their hands on it? Or am I just neurotic?
Liberty Gym
Ahhhh, my favorite scene of 406. Or my second favorite. Oh hell, I can’t decide. Like I said the first 30 minutes of this episode is probably the most entertaining stuff ever on this show. Just all kinds of funny stuff here. Not to mention the snippets of their personalities and characters that we’ve never seen before so there’s lots of fanfic fodder to be gathered from here.
And this is the fourth B/J scene! My gosh!
At the gym, we see a folded up piece of paper slip from one hand to another. The paper gets shoved into a pocket. Then we hear the voice that goes with the hand. Justin! At the gym with Brian! Now you know that that’s a fangirl giddy moment. Hee!
J: That’s the eighth one so far today! If I’d have known what a fleshpot this was, I would have signed up years ago. Not that I need it. I have the perfect twink physique.
Ummm, Justin? Don’t you think it may have something to do with the fact that being new to the gym, you’re fresh meat?? But regardless, I love his confidence. It’s just sooooo adorable. Brian just grins with a huff. But then he sees the Babylon fresh meat guy across the way and sees his opportunity to get Justin back in school. He sends the boy off to play with the kiddies so he can get to work on the grown-up.
B: Then why don’t you put it to use?
With a grin and not being one to miss an opportunity for some fun, Justin goes. Brian meets up with ‘fresh meat’ and sits down on a nearby work bench.
B: Did you just start here?
S: Yeah. I’m new in town.
B: Score one for Pittsburgh. My name’s Brian.
S: Shane.
B: It’s nice to see a fresh face.
Interesting. NOT! Other than his pick up line to Justin in 101, we haven’t heard what the Stud of Liberty Avenue says to his tricks to pick them up. They either go with just a glance or he whispers something in their ear. So for us to actually hear this interaction is a little bit unsettling. It killed the mystique. It’s lame. “My name’s Brian.” What the hell is that? So totally lame and it makes me worried. Since they started working together, Ted’s been shown to have picked up some of Brian’s way with words. (Talk with Mel in 405) Could this weak pick up dialog here be an indication that ‘Happy-pride-How’s-it-goin’? Ted’ is rubbing off on ‘My-name’s-Brian Brian’ just like confidant-Brian is rubbing off on insecure-Ted? Say it isn’t so!! I swear, if Ted starts banging prospective clients at the office in order to win their business… well, that might just kill me!
And since when does Brian give a shit what their name is? Is this some of Justin’s influence creeping in as well? Remember 120? And Shawn?
But I will say this much about this carefully constructed dialogue. Not once does Brian compliment the guy. He says, “Score one for Pittsburgh” after the guy says he’s new. I emphasize “new” here. Then he says “fresh face.” Not hot, not good-looking but fresh as in never been touched by Kinney. That’s not saying that the guy’s a total troll. Brian would have to think he’s at least decent enough to be fuckable to be worthy of him. Bet or no bet. Some have wondered why this guy should deserve to have the stud of Liberty Avenue and the King of Babylon falling over themselves to get him… so my point is just that he’s the object of the chase because he’s new and fresh so it doesn’t really matter if he’s hot or not. But I find it interesting that Brian never says he’s hot or anything even though he’s trying to pick him up. His only compliment is that he can spread his legs. But I ask you, is that really a compliment or just an acknowledgement of capabilities?
Justin, on the other side of the gym is still working on his guy.
J: Okay, I’ll give you a call.
This should put an end to the idea that those S2 rules are still in place. They are history and have been since 220. They don’t live together so there’s no “home by 3” rule to adhere to. 403 put an end to the kissing one and now this one squashes the “no names or numbers exchanged” rule. So that leaves just the “no repeats” rule. But you know what? That was one of Brian’s policies before the rules and long before he even met Justin so I never really saw that as a rule between B/J anyway. Besides, when they talked about it at Babylon, Brian said “one-fuck policy”, not rule so that’s more proof. So now we know their relationship is beyond needing rules for them to feel secure in what they have. It’s about knowing and understanding that you’re important to the other… same thing those rules tried to establish but failed miserably.
Justin turns to go back and find his boyfriend and sees him across the room, talking to the fresh meat/bet guy and sporting the biggest shit-eating grin on the planet. Justin, not one to go down without a fight, isn’t giving up just yet. And I must say… he thinks quick. I’m impressed with his plan. Evil, evil twink. He enlists the aid of his new friend.
J: Shit. Hold on. Can you actually do a favor for me?
Unsuspecting Brian is still working on Shane. They aren’t in the showers yet? I’m perplexed.
B: You know, it’s not everybody who can spread their legs like that.
S: Still can’t go as far as I’d like.
B: Well I would be happy to help… stretch you.
Ooooh, nasty talk… with visuals. Or am I the only one that actually pictured that? Whoops. Justin’s new friend saunters over and whispers into Shane’s ear. Brian is confused… curious… what is going on?
S: It was nice talking to ya. I gotta go.
He’s dumped. Uh. Has that ever happened before? Now he’s even more confused. But it’s the evil grin on the evil twink’s face that gives it away. I admire Justin’s guts in being honest here. Most would have run the other way spreading a rumor like that about Brian…
J: The one that got away, huh?
B: And I was halfway up his ass.
J: He must have heard that nasty rumor. You know, the one about you having crabs?
B: I wonder how that happened?
J: Pack the sunscreen, we’re going to Ibiza.
B: I wouldn’t ditch my textbooks yet!
I love Brian in this part. More of his drama queen act and more of Gale’s comedic talent. He’s ultra silly, ultra goofy. Just love it.
Everyone knows that I’m a Brian lover… so am I being a traitor if I love it when Justin nails his ass? Evil, evil twink! I am mildly surprised though that Justin giving him crabs didn’t upset him. Dang, that was harsh. But I guess it just goes to show that Brian is a good sport. If a deal’s a deal then a bet’s a bet. And just like the rest of their relationship, this friendly competition is “rules” free. As they say… all’s fair in, um, tricks and bets??
But what was up with Brian sticking his hand down his pants at the end? Was he gonna whip it out? Was he gonna scratch his imaginary crabs? Heee!
SIDENOTE: I’m skipping over the whole Vic/Diner thing because of the obvious. I just can’t deal. Luckily for me I only recap B/J and they’re not in those scenes so I’m justified in passing over them. Would you believe that I fretted over the fact that Brian might actually be the one to tell Deb or at the very least be with Mikey when he did. But alas, I got a reprieve. Whew! But, um, Hal was really good there, huh?
Woody’s
Skipping all the other stuff we land at Woody’s where Justin is drinking alone when he spies his ticket to Ibiza watching football on the TV at the bar. He pounces.
J: You into football?
S: I hate football.
J: Then why are you watching it?
S: So some hot guy will come over and ask me if I’m into football.
J: I’m Justin.
S: Shane.
J: I saw you at Babylon the other night.
S: Oh?
J: Yeah. You were cruising the hell out of me. Then you just disappeared.
S: One of those emergencies; couldn’t be helped.
J: Well, lucky for us, I found you.
S: You Pittsburgh guys sure are friendly.
J: It’s a small town with a big heart. You been here long?
S: A week… still living out of boxes.
J: Why don’t I help you unpack?
S: Why don’t you?
Now this is how you pick up someone! He’s confidant, flirty and dirty without being overly nasty. And his eye-flitting is just to die for. He’s got the sexiest blink I’ve ever seen. Who could resist that? It’s the same one he used on Brian back in 308. It just turns those big, bad top types into mush. And he knows it! AND… was totally working it. Evil, just evil.
Speaking of big, bad tops… Brian bringing the big, bad news…
B: Hold it.
S: Say, aren’t you the guy from the gym?
B: Yeah, the one with the bad case of crabs. Fortunately that’s cleared up.
J: Too late. I won. You can book our flight tomorrow.
B: Nobody’s going anywhere. The bet’s off. Vic’s dead.
J: That is really low, even for you!
B: It’s true.
And if the news that Brian was delivering wasn’t so sad and tragic, I’d probably be laughing that the evil twink thought that Brian was saying it just to stop him from winning the bet. Justin knows Brian so well and knows that Brian doesn’t like to lose and would generally stop at nothing to win. Poor Brian, he’s so misunderstood. Well… not really.
Deb’s House
Okay, here we go. Shit.
Debbie’s house. Everyone is there. Michael and Emmett are trying to comfort Deb. Rodney is a mess. Ben is quiet and you can just imagine what’s going on inside him. Hunter is quiet. Brian and Justin walk in. Justin immediately goes to Deb…
J: I’m so sorry.
D: Thank you, Sunshine.
**sniff**
Brian grabs Michael and holds him. Michael seems to break. Ben reacts, getting up out of his chair and approaching the hugging best friends. Jealousy? I don’t know, but he certainly got up fast.
B: What the fuck happened?
Ben: His heart. The doctor said his cholesterol was sky high from the meds he was taking.
M: No warning, nothing.
H: I thought the meds were supposed to keep you alive, not kill you.
Ben: It doesn’t always work that way.
Besides the upcoming slap, I think this was the part that tore into my heart more than anything else. I always felt that Hunter was sort of un-phased by his HIV status but this seemed to hit him like a ton of bricks and it just wrecked me. The first time I saw it, I distinctly remember gasping then a lump got stuck in my throat that I couldn’t seem to swallow. Ben told him about the false impression those rock climbing ads gave out but I still don’t think it registered until now. Harris did a great job with that look of shock and realization. He made me feel it.
R: I thought we’d have more time than this.
E: You guys should have been together a lot longer. It’s so tragic.
B: Hamlet’s tragic. Those shoes are tragic. Vic was on his deathbed four years ago. All this… was gravy. He knew that.
D: What did you say?
B: Going this way. It could’ve been a lot worse. If you ask me, he was fucking lucky.
Deb is angry, she hits him. Slaps him right across the face. And I mean hard, practically pushing him off the stool he’s sitting on. Justin is stunned. Brian is shocked.
D: Nobody fucking asked you! And who the fuck are you to decide how long he should have lived?
B: The truth hurts.
D: Get this shit-head out of my house.
Now this is where the defender of Brian has to step in. I’m fully aware that I will be in the minority here so when you flame me, be gentle. Think back to Michael being pissed at Ben. He was pissed, not because of what Ben said, but because of the motive behind what he was saying. It may have been the truth but what made it hurtful was the ill-intent behind the truth. Well, Brian is just the opposite here. He does speak the truth, like Ben did about Keller and like Michael tells Ben later in the bedroom scene. But Brian’s motive was pure, it was not said with hatefulness or hurtfulness behind it. Right before he said, “He knew that,” he looked at Deb with a look of compassion. He knew she was hurting and he was trying to console her. He had no ill-intent and I think that’s very important here.
Now I’ve argued with people over this… that what Brian said was wrong and he should have known better. But you know, who really knows what will comfort people at times like these? If his motive was pure, was he wrong?
And that’s where I differ with Michael. He excused Brian’s comment, “He shrugs off everything, it’s who he is.” What Brian said was very Brian, but I don’t believe for one second that he was shrugging off Vic’s death. Look, Brian gets the news, he goes to find Justin first and foremost. One, he’s his boyfriend, but more importantly, Justin lived with Vic and was probably close with him yet Justin is not someone that Michael would seek out to tell. And having someone like Ben call him on the phone, well, that’s just bad taste. So Brian did the right thing. He went to find Justin and give him the news. The two of them go straight to Deb’s and when he walks in he immediately goes to comfort his best friend. After he peels himself from Michael, he goes to Deb, squeezes her shoulder and sits down right in front of her. He wasn’t backing away from what was happening… he was fully acknowledging their pain and was offering himself to first Michael and then Deb. He was right there. That is not the acts of a person shrugging off a death. Returning to an orgy in progress, that’s shrugging off a death.
I strongly believe his comments were not to shrug off what happened but to comfort by offering what he thought would be a positive spin. Rejoice in the fact that they had four years they didn’t expect him to have and rejoice in the fact that it was quick and without suffering. These things don’t make the hurt go away but they do offer some small bits of comfort. Is it tragic? Yes. Is it hurtful? Yes. But like Michael said, “Don’t tell me how to respond.” Everyone responds to death differently. Seeing the good things is Brian’s way of easing the pain. He’s a realist. In his mind, they knew this would happen one day. Doesn’t mean you don’t wish that the time could have been longer, of course you would. It’s kind of like with his father. He seemed to face all sorts of emotions when he got the news that Jack had cancer and would probably die soon. He cleaned out his closet with Jack then. He dealt with his emotions over it then. So when Jack did die, he wasn’t really effected, he could shrug it off because to him, the issues, the shock, the feeling of loss had already been dealt with. And in a way that’s what he was saying here. This knowledge came about four years ago.
So because of this lack of malice that I see, I say he did not deserve the slap. Am I mad at Deb? A little, but not really. I’m feeling Brian’s pain over it, but Deb is grieving so she gets a pass. After the slap, Brian quips – that’s his defense mechanism kicking in. It hurt him. And I don’t mean physically. Deb has been like a mom to him and was probably his safe haven from abuse. So for him to get slapped by her had to be devastating. And you can see it on his face when she tells them to get him out of her house. He’s beyond shocked, beyond hurt… so of course he does what he always does when he’s feeling “unworthy of being loved,” he goes to get a blowjob. Maybe he shouldn’t have said what he said but without the malice behind it, I just can’t say he was wrong to do it.
Brian gets himself together and leaves. Justin runs after him.
J: Brian, wait up. She’s upset. Just tell her you’re sorry.
B: There’s only one problem… I’m not.
Melanie and Lindsay show up, meeting them on the sidewalk. Amazing how easy it is for them to find babysitters on such short notice.
M: We just heard.
L: How’s Debbie?
B: Nothing can keep a good woman down.
M: Are you leaving?
B: They ran out of ice.
L: Brian? Did something happen?
J: Just go in, we’ll be there in a minute.
And isn’t that a couple-y thing to do? Pushing people away so you can deal with your spouse alone.
B: Not me.
J: Where are you going?
B: We have a bet, remember?
J: I can’t believe you’re thinking about sex at a time like this.
B: A time like this is exactly when you should be thinking about it, while you can.
I am just a tad surprised that Justin wouldn’t be clued into Brian “needing” sex right now. He was the great philosopher earlier, he knows how Brian copes with pain. He, of all people, should understand this quest of Brian’s is not about “while you can”, it’s about I don’t know what else to do to cope. And I love the fact that he wants Justin to go with him. He pulls him in for a kiss undoubtedly to get his blood pumping and make him horny so he will. You can see Justin arching back trying to break free. A Brian kiss like that might just make him go and he knows the proper thing to do is stay, not only in support of the family, but because that’s where he wants to be to feel his part of the loss. He doesn’t have this “need” that Brian has… He finally breaks free, dips out from underneath Brian’s arm that had a firm grip on him and hightails it back into the house.
Brian goes to deal with his pain on his own. The pain on his jaw as well as the pain in his heart.
There’s been some talk about how Cow/Lip may gloss over this incident and never have Brian and Deb talk about it. Well I hope they do let it go. It would be out of character for both of them otherwise. They both said and did hurtful things without thinking. When Deb comes out of her grief, she will realize Brian meant no harm and was trying to comfort her. Brian will realize that Deb doesn’t really want him out of her life and that she was just acting out because she wasn’t herself. Besides, sorry’s bullshit and neither one of them ever says it. When Deb was a shit to Ben in S2, she never apologized to him – she just told him his food was coming right up. But they both knew that was her way of saying she was wrong and she was sorry. I see their amends as a silent stare, a small smile, maybe a nudge or a hug but it will be played out as if the words aren’t necessary because they both will just “know”. And that’s the way it should be.
Babylon
The backroom and Brian in pain management mode…
It’s long, very long and we see a myriad of emotions playing over his face. He’s bouncing back and forth from sheer pleasure and escape to hurtful thoughts and misery. I’m beginning to think his way of blocking the pain isn’t working as well as it used to. Some things just can’t be masked especially when the things are all about your fears. Just ask Justin about the ability to suppress your fears. It works until you run into it and then there’s nothing you can do but muster the courage to face it. So just like Darren’s bashing was the catalyst for Justin’s rage coming to the surface… Vic dying is what does it for Brian. Justin running into Hobbs at the construction site was what made him realize that the rage was fueled by his fear of Hobbs. The discovery of the lump is what does it for Brian later.
It’s these varying looks that tell me why this scene was so long. They wanted to make sure that we saw them, more proof that Justin’s comments were right on target. We needed to see that Brian actually had to concentrate in order to suppress the pain enough that he could enjoy what is being done to him. Otherwise we’d be sitting back shaking our heads at him and thinking that Michael was right, he was shrugging off Vic’s death. But he wasn’t, and in this scene, it’s plain to see. It’s Vic’s death and Debbie’s slap that has him so plagued.
And once more… this scene wasn’t supposed to be hot, it was to be more about the sadness of the situation… but dang, I can’t help but really enjoy Gale when his mouth’s hung open and he’s gasping. I’m just a sucker for that… can’t help it.
After a very emotionally painful few minutes, it’s all over and Brian puts his game face back on…
S: Like that?
B: Yeah, I always like winning a bet.
S: You got a great cock.
B: That’s the first time anyone’s ever said that to me. Thanks.
S: Although there is something I’d like to talk to you about.
B: Sorry, I don’t do _______ (can’t make out what he says)
S: I’m a doctor.
B: You wanted to get paid to probe my prostate?
S: I just thought you should know, you’ve got a lump on your left testicle. If I were you, I’d have it checked out. The sooner the better.
Brian is needless to say, shocked… stunned… and walks away from Shane with a look of total devastation on his face. I can’t think of another word to describe it better.
Okay, I mentioned earlier that anyone could have found a lump but then said “not exactly”. This is the “not exactly” part. Normally, the discovery of these kinds of lumps is made by a sex partner. Some have questioned why Justin, who is shown down and around that area quite frequently, wouldn’t have noticed it. He’s an artist and would be very in tune to Brian’s body. I have two thoughts. One, he’s 19 so it’s not something that he’d be thinking about or concerning himself with. Two, the lump is probably small and undetectable to the untrained hand. This is why Shane, the trick for the bet, had to be a doctor. Being trained to feel abnormalities means he would find something that a casual trick or Justin wouldn’t have.
Not to mention the fact that this is actually a good sign for Brian’s diagnosis. The key to any cancer scare is early detection so if this lump was small enough that it wasn’t noticeable to anyone but a doctor, then it’s still early in it’s development. Less chance that it’s spread. Which means Brian’s chances are good for a full recovery. And if it hasn’t spread, no need for chemo, hence he keeps his hair. Yippee!
So again, I’m of the opinion that this bet - this multi-purpose, many-layered bet - was just brilliant and it’s nice that they paid enough attention to the details to make Shane a doctor. Which, by the way, explains why he said, “One of those emergencies that couldn’t be helped,” when he explained to Justin why he split from Babylon so quickly.
Now anybody that has paid attention to all the things that they were telling us in this episode and that has even the slightest insight into the Brian Kinney mind… you know what’s coming. Brian will have to face his inner demons. Being in control, being the embodiment of perfection, being young and beautiful, becoming old and diseased… all things that in his mind could make him ‘unworthy of being loved’…
You can tell by the look on his face as he processes what Shane has just told him. He just came face to face with his fears and like Justin was at the construction site, Brian is frozen in place, paralyzed and unable to speak. Devastation. Total devastation. For him. For me. For all of us.
The humor, the drama, the symbolic use of color, the acting… this was by far, the best episode of this season and maybe of the whole series thus far.
