The "special guest" in this episode certainly did not fail to surprise the present reviewer. On one hand you wish they didn't go there, but on the other hand you realize you're watching a Julia Child made-for-HBO series and you say sure, why the hell not. Let them cook, as it were. Indeed, it works out fairly well in the end, in large part due to the nuances of the given actor(s), and it also adds some nice perspective to the relationship between Julia and Paul.
Beyond that, I enjoyed the episode. As with the Paul storyline, the other storylines very cleverly play with different perspectives. We have Alice advancing her own television program, building upon the success of Julia's program. This is a rather natural reflection of what is happening in reality - the Julia HBO program provides a vehicle for its social justice argument. This parallelism undoubtedly offers a rich topic for post-viewing discussion - who knows, after all it may be the case that the social justice argument is actually the vehicle for a Julia Child HBO show. Plenty to discuss there with your viewing companions. Another layer of complexity is added to the game in the conclusion - while one may critique the seemingly anachronistic dialogue and characters associated with Alice's program, the storyline itself is no fool - Hunter's decision could be taken as a way of recognizing how this particular storyline may have been "out of place" in the 60s, bringing us back to an acceptable authenticity of the time period while at the same time planting new seeds of sociocultural discourse to consider.
As in previous episodes this season, I enjoy the Avis storyline quite a bit and am eager to see exactly where the conflict between her and Julia is coming from and where it's headed. Fitting in well with this notion of doubles, perspective games, and shifts in point-of-view, it may be the case that it is as troubling for Julia to see a mirthful Avis as it is to hock saran wrap on her program. In other words, Julia's continuing conflict of old vs. New, static vs. Dynamic, etc. Is highlighted in this episode and appears to form the bonding theme of the entire season.
Beyond that, I enjoyed the episode. As with the Paul storyline, the other storylines very cleverly play with different perspectives. We have Alice advancing her own television program, building upon the success of Julia's program. This is a rather natural reflection of what is happening in reality - the Julia HBO program provides a vehicle for its social justice argument. This parallelism undoubtedly offers a rich topic for post-viewing discussion - who knows, after all it may be the case that the social justice argument is actually the vehicle for a Julia Child HBO show. Plenty to discuss there with your viewing companions. Another layer of complexity is added to the game in the conclusion - while one may critique the seemingly anachronistic dialogue and characters associated with Alice's program, the storyline itself is no fool - Hunter's decision could be taken as a way of recognizing how this particular storyline may have been "out of place" in the 60s, bringing us back to an acceptable authenticity of the time period while at the same time planting new seeds of sociocultural discourse to consider.
As in previous episodes this season, I enjoy the Avis storyline quite a bit and am eager to see exactly where the conflict between her and Julia is coming from and where it's headed. Fitting in well with this notion of doubles, perspective games, and shifts in point-of-view, it may be the case that it is as troubling for Julia to see a mirthful Avis as it is to hock saran wrap on her program. In other words, Julia's continuing conflict of old vs. New, static vs. Dynamic, etc. Is highlighted in this episode and appears to form the bonding theme of the entire season.
