TMC
07-12-2022, 05:05 AM
https://jacksonupperco.com/2022/07/12/the-ten-best-empty-nest-episodes-of-season-four/
Season Four is the year where this series’ lack of motivated character growth finally becomes a problem — not only because its premise is no longer regularly invoked via narrative, which means the storytelling needs all the help it can get to remain connected to the “situation,” but also because there’s a lot of teased and denied change for leads who should be more honestly explored in plot. That is, in the first half of Four, specifically, we’re asked to spend one-off episodes believing unlikely suggestions such as, for instance, Barbara will have a baby, Harry will get engaged, and that the family will move. This is insulting. Why? Well, we know episodic TV requires maintaining the status quo — the basic “situation” must persist week-to-week — but because this season is going out of its way to propose major tweaks that are unlikely to occur and indeed don’t (a.k.a. “schmuck bait”), it’s patterning a terribly insincere use of character.
Season Four is the year where this series’ lack of motivated character growth finally becomes a problem — not only because its premise is no longer regularly invoked via narrative, which means the storytelling needs all the help it can get to remain connected to the “situation,” but also because there’s a lot of teased and denied change for leads who should be more honestly explored in plot. That is, in the first half of Four, specifically, we’re asked to spend one-off episodes believing unlikely suggestions such as, for instance, Barbara will have a baby, Harry will get engaged, and that the family will move. This is insulting. Why? Well, we know episodic TV requires maintaining the status quo — the basic “situation” must persist week-to-week — but because this season is going out of its way to propose major tweaks that are unlikely to occur and indeed don’t (a.k.a. “schmuck bait”), it’s patterning a terribly insincere use of character.