I Woke Up For This?

Coming out to a loved one

A spontaneous romantic moment

Put the actor on family feud

Put the actor on family feud.

Put the actor on...

I've watched a lot of slowburn romance. Scully and Mulder, Booth and Brennan, Castle and Beckett, Tony and Ziva, I could go on. I love slowburn. I love the level of emotional investment that comes from tuning in episode after episode, week after week, month after month, season after season, year after year. Watching years of buildup and pining, growth and development. It's a really special kind of storytelling that only really happens in a week-to-week cable show. There's nothing like the feeling of finally seeing them kiss, or confess, or get together after literal, actual, real world years of waiting.

I've never seen a queer version of it, though. Because queer characters are still a risk, because every show wants to establish it's queer narratives off the bat. Frankly, most queer relationships on TV are kind of insta-lovey. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing! It can be done well. And I know that for a lot of people waiting for a ship to come into fruition feels scary--what if it's baiting, what if the show gets cancelled?

I get that.

But I love this kind of thing, I live for the slowburn. For the aching, the suffering, the waiting, the drawn out tension. No matter how many times I've seen it, I eat it up everytime. And I've been desperate to see a queer version of that trope play out. To get to a place in representation where writers can take the risk of telling that kind of story, in a primetime procedural drama, without it being baiting, without it getting cancelled.

I'd been on this website too long (12 years maybe) and seen the hope, teasing and eventual mockery that has befallen so many of the best of shows and ships. Making queer audiences feel small for reading into the subtext, or often just text, of their shows. To get a man in his thirties discovering his sexuality, to maybe end up with the slow burn of the century and the most organic unfolding of queerness in network television. We could actually have this.

The end montage was obviously Ted’s dream for the future and not even subtly so jot that down

Actually just gonna add that this is the show’s way of telling us the potential these characters have and what Ted wishes for them but without his presence it’s up to them now

Roy mouthing alone to Goodbye, Farewell broke me because he’s clearly the one who put together the choreography

Also Dani singing? My most beloved

Jaime and Roy clashing one last time might have pissed some people off but this was always a rock in their shoe that they needed to address and we see that their relationship can and will survive it

I like Rebecca’s romcom ending even if I wanted her to end with Ted.

Ted going back to his son was necessary and the whole point. He always blamed his father for abandoning them. When he came to Richmond he was all but running away from his family in hopes things would magically fix themselves. Instead, he put in the work and healed. But his biggest triggers were always connected to him missing his son’s life. In the end, Ted’s growth was the point so he could go back to them and be the best version of himself for them and for himself.

Ted not talking while Rebecca rambles was actually perfect. Old bitter Rebecca would’ve never opened up like that. But old Ted would’ve also rushed to reassure her or try to make a joke or cheer her up. This time, Ted lets her speak and then sticks to his guns, even if the truth is uncomfortable for others. He allows himself to do this for himself and not to please others.

Beard staying for Jane was foreseeable given the toxic codependent nature of their relationship. Happy perfect endings don’t exist. His story is still developing.

Furthermore, the real growth came from Beard letting himself choose something regardless of what Ted is doing and breaking himself free from a cycle of guilt and feeling in debt.

I know it was in the dream but god I hope Roy gets therapy. We did see the roots of him wanting to change and be better and accept the help he needs so he’s in the right path.

Keeley/Roy/Jamie is still endgame in my heart. Eventually. Once all three are in the right place.

The himbos singing made me cry. A lot.

Even if it was in the dream, if Jamie actually chose to reconnect to his dad somehow I think it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He would get to do it on his terms and only because he chose to have him in his life to some degree. Which might simply be being civil and talking from time to time, so long as his father keeps putting in the work to better himself and takes steps to make amends and apologize and acknowledge all his wrongs. Who knows. It’s an open ending.

Loved everything about the match.

Glad Van Damme got closure from Rani Dojas and that Dani acknowledged his part in what happened and tried to make amends.

CANT believe they made me feel sorry for George.

The cold open was a tease but I loved to see what could’ve been (and who says Ted and Rebecca didn’t find each other while running away from all that noise and one thing less t another…)

I wish we’d seen Sam’s restaurant and his cute chef one last time.

Actually wish we’d had a little bit of all the other himbos.

And finally

Finally

I… don’t think it was the series’s finale. I don’t know. I might be wrong but lately all interviews from the cast suggest deep down they hope something else will come and maybe they’ll be like “you know what, this story isn’t over” or something.

That last scene and the musical cue with Ted’s final shot felt so dissonant to me. Like there’s something still unfinished there.