Episode Report Card Couch Baron: A | 2 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Roman Holiday
By Couch Baron | Season 3 | Episode 8 | Aired on 10.04.2009
The next morning, Betty's alarm goes off, and she gets up with an expression that suggests she's looking forward to facing the day. Junior League: Better than coffee. After a couple of jumps ahead in time to show her bustling through her day, she goes upstairs and joins Sally at her cosmetics mirror. She touches up and blots her lipstick and then checks her eyelashes as Sally watches, silently fascinated, and when Betty finishes and walks away, Sally looks back at her own image and smiles. I don't know if I've said it yet, but the girl playing Sally (Kiernan Shipka is her name) has been just brilliant this season, which is such a rarity among child actors. Also, note the number of words in that scene.
The hearing's time has come, and Betty, Francine, and the younger woman who came to Betty's house last week are nervous, because they're next and Francis hasn't shown up. Again, swooping in at the last possible minute to save the day. This guy knows all the tricks. Anyway, after some confusion on the schedule that makes it clear that the mayor (who's played by Mark Metcalf, by the way, which makes him a little hard to take seriously) isn't all that jazzed about even hearing from the Junior League, Francis finally makes it, and Betty positively glows upon seeing him. He stands and introduces himself as "Governor Rockefeller's Director of Public Relations and Research," and produces a written request from the Governor's office for further study; he goes on that the project was initiated based on the mere assumption that the water in the reservoir was "lacking." Mayor Metcalf points out that there was indeed a study done of that issue, but Francis claims that the Governor now feels that said study was inconclusive. After taking a look at the letter, Mayor Metcalf accedes to "the Governor's" request without bothering to confer with his fellow trustees and orders the immediate suspension of the development of the new project, much to the ladies' delight. Betty looks back at Francis and smilingly mouths a "Thank you," and he looks back at her adoringly...
...and then the two of them are walking through the parking lot with Francine, who gushes her admiration for his coup before asking how long he thinks the study will take. He confesses he has no idea, but offers that there's a saying in politics: "When you have no power, delay." I feel like that would sound more impressive in Latin. Francine tells them she's got to go, and Betty says likewise before asking Francis if he's driving to Albany, a question that gets a rather unceremonious negative in response. Francine then takes her leave, and Francis walks Betty to her car, or actually, her Dad's Cadillac. On her way out of the parking lot, Francine gives Betty a little conspiratorial wave, so she's certainly aware of what's going on between Francis and Betty, even if there's a question of degree that's unanswered. And when they stand by her car, it's clear that he's hoping she'll make it easy for him as he says he'd love to buy her some coffee, but he's afraid there's nothing open at this time. And while we're focused on the tension between them, it's easy to miss how his statement also drives home how boring and limited suburban life can be. God, I love this show. Anyway, Betty says it's just as well, as she really needs to get back. Before she gets into the car, though, she thanks him again, saying he really came through, despite how busy she knows he must be. He replies, "I think you'll find that I put my heart into things when something's important to me. Or someone." I always love analyzing the subtext of the dialogue on this show, but that line pretty much speaks for itself, I think. Betty gets into the car, but he leans down and sticks his head in the now-open window (which is a continuity gaffe; the window was still up in the cut right before this), saying he saw how happy she was in there. "Dear God. Did I have anything to do with that? Because that would make me happy." This is a very interesting moment, because it's fairly obvious that she's not planning on taking things any further, but it's not clear whether he'd be satisfied with her acknowledging they have a connection and that she feels something for him outside of the reservoir issue, or if, despite the "This is it for me" message she's silently exuding, if he's going to press for something more. In other words, after she says he did have something to do with it and he leans in and kisses her, it's not clear whether he's agreeing to say goodbye. After a moment, she bids him good night, he tells her to drive safely, and she heads off, but not before giving him a look in the rearview mirror.