Finally saw this last night. I was enthralled. It’s like this show suddenly gelled over the last few episodes.
Nicki: She’s trying to get Barb to leave by encouraging her moments of anger with Bill, perhaps? What a game player. She tries to enlist Barb in her cause, only to stab her with a verbal ice pick when Barb won’t play along. She doesn’t seem to have anyone’s interests at heart except her own. She showed up at the wedding simply to ensure nothing big went down without her being involved.
Oh, poor Barb. So seriously torn. She sees what their (hers and Bill’s) choices have done to Ben and she’s trying to save him. She wants a relationship with her mother but doesn’t want to leave Bill (yet?). She didn’t answer when Bill asked if she wanted him there but asked him instead if he wanted to be there.
My heart ached for her when Nicki told her that she was lucky if she got 1/3 of the information - “it’s not Bill and Barb anymore.” She had years of Bill telling her everything, of being sure she knew everything about him and what he was doing…and now there’s secrets and minefields and things he doesn’t think are important enough to tell her. Now Nicki has important information she has no clue about and Margene’s going out with Bill socially without so much as a hint from Bill.
Bill’s left her behind in many ways, Ben is choosing his father’s path…no wonder she feels bereft and is trying to find someone who loves her. She wanted her mother to hug her and say she loved her and that she was special…but there are conditions for her mother’s love and approval, and she can’t bring herself to meet them. (and hearty applause for Burstyn from me, as well. Brought me to tears.)
Clearly Ned either knows about or is involved in the gaming thing and has no problem with it, but just wants his domestic life kept out of it.
Margene has perhaps been tainted by Nicki. Remember Nicki in the flashback scene in the hospital and how worried she was about being a baby factory? I have to wonder if there are behind-the-scenes conversations taking place. Perhaps Barb has allowed Nicki to do a lot of Margene’s “education” and I think it’s backfired because Nicki has a lot of preconceptions brought with her from JC. Plus, Nicki is very position-aware and jealous and now Margene’s being very aware of Bill “choosing” Barb over her. Nicki’s the one that talks about the relative positions and duties of first wife versus second and third wives. Nicki’s the one talking about “sublimating her jealousy for the Principle.” Nicki’s the one who knows and spouts the theory and rules, not Barb and not even Bill.
My biggest problem with Bill is that he’s manipulating his wives and not being honest with them. He expects them to roll with whatever punch he throws, but doesn’t give them the chance to be prepared.
I absolutely loved Wanda screaming that Frank was “gonna get” Kathy. Definite overtones of “Neener neener NEENER.” Apparently Kathy was okay as long as Joey was unenthusiastic, but as soon as Joey showed some warmth towards Kathy…watch out. (Either that or she’s just flipped her lid the other way again.)
Also, her blurred facial expression in the background when he said into the phone, “No one was murdered.”