Well, everyone else has said it but this really is truly fantastic episode analysis... see why I wanted a whole series of these on the comm?? *nom*
Thank you ♥ ♥ ♥ And may I say, oh hey, me too? I'd love to see a series of episode analyses, for sure!
Mind you, I do think I drew the long straw with this episode. Would 1x07, say, would have yielded as much meta goodness as 2x04 does? I don't think so, wonderful curry date notwithstanding. (Of course I'd be delighted to be proven wrong ;-)
Re: your question about the feminist message 'vs.' the Sam story... (and I hope I'm going to be coherent here, because: sleepy Cham + bedtime)
To be honest, yes, I agree that Sam's journey, and specifically his loneliness, are absolutely central to the episode. They have to be, because Sam's not only the central character, but EVERYTHING is necessarily shown from his POV. And Gene, the second main character? Also male ;-) Annie is a very distant third, at best. So we're always going to be seeing everything through Sam's eyes and, to some degree, through his life experience and prejudices.
That said, I do think Ashley Pharoah did a brilliant job at putting together a feminist-themed episode within those constraints. And I do see the Sam!loneliness tale and the female!agency theme as complementary, if perhaps not 100% co-equal, because they dovetail in Sam's conflicted yearning for Annie and Annie's frustrations with Sam. (And actually, when you recall how little airtime Annie has in most episodes, it's staggering how prominently she's featured in 2x04.)
It's similar with 2x02 and 2x03 and 2x06, really. We get a glimpse of the impact that racism and anti-immigrant prejudice and so forth have on Glen, Patrick and the Gandhi family respectively — and to that extent that's what the episode in question is "about"; but Sam is always, ALWAYS foregrounded and so there's a huge in-built limitation in how far those characters' stories can be told. So when you measure 2x04 against those eps in those terms, I think it stands up pretty well.
The way both Chris and Annie assert that women "like" Sam always amused me in this episode and in general because it's not just 2.04 where women clearly don't like Sam.
Wordy McWordisons! With an extra helping of word. *thinks of Eve Olawi*
Sam always strikes me as someone who has internalized a guidebook on how to be respectful to women, but his practical scores still suck.
OH GOD YES THIS. His advice to Chris! *shakes head* You have to wonder sometimes if Sam even hears himself. But then I suppose he really believes he's describing his own behaviour with women.
If anything, I think Gwen is responding to his loneliness/odd duckling sadness rather than out of any particular "like" of Sam.
Ooh, what an interesting idea. Yeah, that definitely could be an "Ooh you poor wee lamb" vibe coming off Gwen, there. (Or it could be culinary pride? Maybe the only canteen dish Sam's ever praised is her much-prized custard recipe? Heh, now you're making me want some Gwen fic. There just isn't enough out there!)
Other than that, just gotta say a big fuck yeah on Sam's amazing wardrobe in this ep. Fanservice of the highest order, that :D
Absolutely! When I was putting together that fashion montage for Sam, I kept thinking of this ;-)
Mind you, I'm still a bit aggrieved that the show didn't pursue the implications of left-dressing-in-sweatpants jogging!fitness!Sam. If Sam believes that 1973 is illusory then why is he working so hard at keeping his illusory 1973 body in illusory shape? But yeah, he's damn cute in that imaginary jogging outfit of his ♥ *hugs him*
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Thank you ♥ ♥ ♥ And may I say, oh hey, me too? I'd love to see a series of episode analyses, for sure!
Mind you, I do think I drew the long straw with this episode. Would 1x07, say, would have yielded as much meta goodness as 2x04 does? I don't think so, wonderful curry date notwithstanding. (Of course I'd be delighted to be proven wrong ;-)
Re: your question about the feminist message 'vs.' the Sam story... (and I hope I'm going to be coherent here, because: sleepy Cham + bedtime)
To be honest, yes, I agree that Sam's journey, and specifically his loneliness, are absolutely central to the episode. They have to be, because Sam's not only the central character, but EVERYTHING is necessarily shown from his POV. And Gene, the second main character? Also male ;-) Annie is a very distant third, at best. So we're always going to be seeing everything through Sam's eyes and, to some degree, through his life experience and prejudices.
That said, I do think Ashley Pharoah did a brilliant job at putting together a feminist-themed episode within those constraints. And I do see the Sam!loneliness tale and the female!agency theme as complementary, if perhaps not 100% co-equal, because they dovetail in Sam's conflicted yearning for Annie and Annie's frustrations with Sam. (And actually, when you recall how little airtime Annie has in most episodes, it's staggering how prominently she's featured in 2x04.)
It's similar with 2x02 and 2x03 and 2x06, really. We get a glimpse of the impact that racism and anti-immigrant prejudice and so forth have on Glen, Patrick and the Gandhi family respectively — and to that extent that's what the episode in question is "about"; but Sam is always, ALWAYS foregrounded and so there's a huge in-built limitation in how far those characters' stories can be told. So when you measure 2x04 against those eps in those terms, I think it stands up pretty well.
The way both Chris and Annie assert that women "like" Sam always amused me in this episode and in general because it's not just 2.04 where women clearly don't like Sam.
Wordy McWordisons! With an extra helping of word. *thinks of Eve Olawi*
Sam always strikes me as someone who has internalized a guidebook on how to be respectful to women, but his practical scores still suck.
OH GOD YES THIS. His advice to Chris! *shakes head* You have to wonder sometimes if Sam even hears himself. But then I suppose he really believes he's describing his own behaviour with women.
If anything, I think Gwen is responding to his loneliness/odd duckling sadness rather than out of any particular "like" of Sam.
Ooh, what an interesting idea. Yeah, that definitely could be an "Ooh you poor wee lamb" vibe coming off Gwen, there. (Or it could be culinary pride? Maybe the only canteen dish Sam's ever praised is her much-prized custard recipe? Heh, now you're making me want some Gwen fic. There just isn't enough out there!)
Other than that, just gotta say a big fuck yeah on Sam's amazing wardrobe in this ep. Fanservice of the highest order, that :D
Absolutely! When I was putting together that fashion montage for Sam, I kept thinking of this ;-)
Mind you, I'm still a bit aggrieved that the show didn't pursue the implications of
left-dressing-in-sweatpantsjogging!fitness!Sam. If Sam believes that 1973 is illusory then why is he working so hard at keeping his illusory 1973 body in illusory shape? But yeah, he's damn cute in that imaginary jogging outfit of his ♥ *hugs him*