the break-in episode

[wiseguy182]

I wanted to say that this was my favorite episode of one of my favorite shows. Bea and Betty really acted their buns off here, and it was another example of GG dealing with an important topic that you didn't see too often in shows of the day (well, sitcoms at least)

That being said, there are several little things that nag me about this episode:

1. As awesome as it makes the girls out to be, can you really see them at a Madonna concert?

2. Rose shooting and almost killing Blanche/Lester is a huge WTH moment for me. I understand she was paranoid, but almost killing 2 innocent people is very serious. Particularly since her aim was really bad. And at one point Dorothy says she has hand grenades? What's next, a harpoon?

3. The girls never should have been in that house more than a few seconds after returning from the concert. They should have went to a neighbors and summoned police. Granted it did allow Dorothy to have that great monologue about the gun, but it was very unwise and unsafe as the perps could have still be in there.

4. I never got Blanche's claim about the mace, insisting she thought it was hairspray. Hairspray isn't something you want in your eyes either, and I got the impression that she was using it as eyedrops they way she was talking about being blinded.

5. Rose's claim about being afraid of large dogs doesn't make sense, as Rose is a huge animal lover, as is Betty White IRL. Perhaps what she meant to say is that she was afraid of attack dogs, that would have made more sense.

6. I wonder why that one scene was cut. It never airs in the episode, but it shows up in the intro: it's the scene where Blanche struts out in her nightgown and Dorothy looks on irritated.

7. Blanche's comment to Dorothy at the end "they stole your stole, your beautiful stole, you can't replace it, they don't make 'em anymore." Yet the stole had been returned? I didn't get that.

But all oddities aside, I thought the scenes just before the shooting and the one with Rose in the parking lot were really chilling.

[lauracrook]

Originally Posted by wiseguy182

I wanted to say that this was my favorite episode of one of my favorite shows. Bea and Betty really acted their buns off here, and it was another example of GG dealing with an important topic that you didn't see too often in shows of the day (well, sitcoms at least)

That being said, there are several little things that nag me about this episode:

1. As awesome as it makes the girls out to be, can you really see them at a Madonna concert?

2. Rose shooting and almost killing Blanche/Lester is a huge WTH moment for me. I understand she was paranoid, but almost killing 2 innocent people is very serious. Particularly since her aim was really bad. And at one point Dorothy says she has hand grenades? What's next, a harpoon?

3. The girls never should have been in that house more than a few seconds after returning from the concert. They should have went to a neighbors and summoned police. Granted it did allow Dorothy to have that great monologue about the gun, but it was very unwise and unsafe as the perps could have still be in there.

4. I never got Blanche's claim about the mace, insisting she thought it was hairspray. Hairspray isn't something you want in your eyes either, and I got the impression that she was using it as eyedrops they way she was talking about being blinded.

5. Rose's claim about being afraid of large dogs doesn't make sense, as Rose is a huge animal lover, as is Betty White IRL. Perhaps what she meant to say is that she was afraid of attack dogs, that would have made more sense.

6. I wonder why that one scene was cut. It never airs in the episode, but it shows up in the intro: it's the scene where Blanche struts out in her nightgown and Dorothy looks on irritated.

7. Blanche's comment to Dorothy at the end "they stole your stole, your beautiful stole, you can't replace it, they don't make 'em anymore." Yet the stole had been returned? I didn't get that.

But all oddities aside, I thought the scenes just before the shooting and the one with Rose in the parking lot were really chilling.

This is one of my fav episodes too great acting and really funny but yes it has a serious undertone to it. Hope I can help to answer some of your questions:

1. Well I could see Blanche at a Madonna concert as she is always trying to give the impression she's younger than she actually is- maybe she convinced the other girls to go with her? Who knows...

2. I agree when I first saw that shooting scene it alarmed me and shootings are no laughing matter. However, I think it was to show how paranoid Rose had really become and how frightened she was of burglars. It built up to the scene to- Rose stating she bought a gun and then Dorothy noticing that Rose would sleep during the day and stay up all night with the gun etc. People with paranoia can do drastic things so this scene was probably just highlighting the fact.

3. Yes the girls should have immediately gone over to the neighbours and called the police instead of going inside the house and staying in there. Then once the police established there's no danger then the girls could go in and see what's been stolen. But that doesn't make for good tv LOL

4. Blanche was either trying to spray her fringe area (which is closest to her eyes) or when she pushed down on the nozzle maybe she accidentally didn't realise she was directing it at her eye area. (I have done that before with hairspray and not noticed which way the nozzle bit was pointing and sprayed it in my eyes...OUCH!)

5. Technically it wasn't a large dog I think she said she was a little girl when a cocker spaniel "attacked" her (but when you're little every dogs considered big) maybe she rekindled her love of animals later on in the season

6. This one I DO know the answer to- the scene is indeed in an episode but it isn't the break in episode. It is from season 1 though but it's the episode where Rose loses her job at the grieve centre and whilst she's looking for other work she tries to mentor clients at home and tells one of them (Milton) that he can call day or night.
So late one night Milton rings and Dorothy answers and goes in to wake up Rose (and of course she's irritated its the middle of the night after all) and as she's leaving Rose's room she scares the hell out of Blanche who is coming out of her room to see who was on the phone. Dorothy is still frustrated and then Blanche states and walks down the hall "I'm not gonna be able to get back to sleep now...sigh....I'm as jumpy as a virgin at a prison rodeo! haha funny line!

7. Dorothy's stole was indeed stolen and was returned to her after the caught the burglars and I think Blanche was just reiterating the fact and also paying her out about her fashion choices (and also Blanche was just happy she found her jewellery that she thought had also been stolen)

Hope this helps

[wiseguy182]

Originally Posted by lauracrook

6. This one I DO know the answer to- the scene is indeed in an episode but it isn't the break in episode. It is from season 1 though but it's the episode where Rose loses her job at the grieve centre and whilst she's looking for other work she tries to mentor clients at home and tells one of them (Milton) that he can call day or night.
So late one night Milton rings and Dorothy answers and goes in to wake up Rose (and of course she's irritated its the middle of the night after all) and as she's leaving Rose's room she scares the hell out of Blanche who is coming out of her room to see who was on the phone. Dorothy is still frustrated and then Blanche states and walks down the hall "I'm not gonna be able to get back to sleep now...sigh....I'm as jumpy as a virgin at a prison rodeo! haha funny line!

You are correct. An oddity though, is that the episode you mentioned "Job Hunting" was the second one produced, yet didn't air until the end of season 1, for reasons which I am uncertain and hope someone can explain to me. It aired well after the break-in episode. You can tell "Job Hunting" is a very early episode due to the hairstyles and several of the scenes being used in the 1st season (and subsequent) theme intro.

[ramled]

See my responses below in italics....

1. As awesome as it makes the girls out to be, can you really see them at a Madonna concert? Good point. I think the writers just took some creative license to make fun of Madonna. It made for a good laugh.

2. Rose shooting and almost killing Blanche/Lester is a huge WTH moment for me. I understand she was paranoid, but almost killing 2 innocent people is very serious. Particularly since her aim was really bad. And at one point Dorothy says she has hand grenades? What's next, a harpoon? I see your point. I think the show was still developing its boundaries and developing the characters in this episode. It hadn't hit stride yet. Season 1 Rose may have bought and shot a gun, but the Rose we know by the end of the show would never have done so. I agree in that respect.

3. The girls never should have been in that house more than a few seconds after returning from the concert. They should have went to a neighbors and summoned police. Granted it did allow Dorothy to have that great monologue about the gun, but it was very unwise and unsafe as the perps could have still be in there. True, but it was necessary for the laughs it needed. Perhaps the writers should have wrote them leaving the house and acting out in the police station. Hindsight is 20/20.

4. I never got Blanche's claim about the mace, insisting she thought it was hairspray. Hairspray isn't something you want in your eyes either, and I got the impression that she was using it as eyedrops they way she was talking about being blinded. I think this is perhaps the worst, most over-acted, yet not funny, lines they ever gave the Blanche character. Rue had not sunk her teeth into the character by that point at all. When I look at that scene today, I kinda cringe, because that was just not Blanche, nor was it Rue's style of acting. She over-acted, and it was awful and not funny.

5. Rose's claim about being afraid of large dogs doesn't make sense, as Rose is a huge animal lover, as is Betty White IRL. Perhaps what she meant to say is that she was afraid of attack dogs, that would have made more sense. True, but we did not know (nor did the writers) that the Rose character was such an animal lover at this early point in the show's development.


But all oddities aside, I thought the scenes just before the shooting and the one with Rose in the parking lot were really chilling. Agreed, that was a little too strong for what the show became. Again, first season out, they are creating their boundaries, deciding how light/rough they want to make the show. I think they learned their lesson after this episode and never had that rough outdoor mugging vibe again. Anything dangerous happened off camera from then on. And I agree with that move for the show.