After finding myself lost among this week’s incredulous number of plot twists and strange confrontations, it took a while to really discern where I stand with Ringer anymore. It’s had so many opportunities to reach some sort of soapy pinnacle, but has fallen short at almost every single hurdle. In ‘You’re Way Too Pretty...’ a massive amount of plots started to merge, but among the somewhat intense drama, things just aren’t making a whole lot of sense. Yet the excitement and hoopla is strangely enthralling, so much so that I just can’t look away.
Bridget struggles with Andrew’s confession in ‘You’re Way Too Pretty to Go to Jail’. Henry attempts to keep Bridget from discovering the truth. Tyler finds himself in danger when he takes some key evidence from Siobhan to the SEC.
As I discussed last week, Andrew’s transformation into a dark, illusionary con artist was nothing short of baffling. This episode addressed my concerns by giving Andrew some semblance of a motive with regards his unconventional trading practices, and while I sort of understand this twist a little better, I just don’t understand why it’s having such a strange backwards effect on Bridget. She’s expressed as recently as episode 14, her desire to return to her old life, and stop lying to those around her. Andrew made that decision, and took a chance on her yet it took a talk with Malcolm to actually get her to realize that. She more than anyone should understand what it’s like to hold something back for fear of hurting those around you.
The flashiness and excitement was pretty fun though. The episode was still rife with a lot of the usual flimsy catalysts, but I found myself getting sucked in by the whole thing, and just enjoying the ride for what it is. Tyler’s murder lacked any real power at all, and I doubt it will have any long lasting effect on those responsible, but it’s still a major turning point in the show’s wacky ponzi scheme. Judging by previews for next week, it looks like the more appealing story of Siobhan’s dark past is finally going to get some more attention, I just hope that the show doesn’t cop out just to get another cheap cliff-hanger out if it.
While on the topic of Siobhan, there were a number of scenes with her that I actually quite enjoyed. Her character work is still very inconsistent, but watching her manipulate the situation in New York all the way from Paris is actually quite fun. Though one has to question Malcolm’s intelligence for not thinking anything strange behind her phone call, I sort of like her being this puppet master/villainess using everyone’s feelings against them. Let’s just move her somewhere closer, like the Hamptons or something?
Some story arcs finally started to make sense this week, the most important of which was Agent Machado’s strange affixation with the Bodoway case. So far he’s been a one-dimensional plot device, nothing more than another obstacle to Bridget’s masquerade, but here a deeper, more emotional connection emerged. The strangely horrific nature of Shaylene’s murder sort of played on his desperation to seek justice against her killer, and bring Bridget back home, and for the first time I actually didn’t feel myself nodding off every time he showed his face. Weird...
I know I’m repeating myself, but Ringer is still falling short. As a superficial one time only deal, it’s perfectly fine, but as a quality drama it’s just a let-down. Regardless, I’ll still be here next week, waiting for some answers...
6.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment