"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Ray Donovan 7.6: Phone Booths and Cellphones



Some profound media theory in tonight's episode 7.6 of Ray Donovan, from the mouth of the redoubtable Sandy.  She remarks, when a cellphone is the object of discussion, that she prefers phone booths to cellphones, because of, well, the things that a man can do for a woman in a phone booth but not in a cell phone.  Of course, that could also well be what a woman can and can't do for a woman in a phone booth, but I'm guessing that's not or wasn't the way Sandy rolls.  It is true, and now a great point of historical observation, that cell phones have all but eliminated phone booths, though based on my casual observation, they just may be making something of a comeback in New York City.  Whether it's for the reason Sandy stated ... ok, enough of that already.

Meanwhile, we got another good hour of story on tonight's episode.  Smitty continues to be in fine form, and he and Terry had some outstanding scenes, from the bathroom to the car.  I'm really not liking Detective Perry.   She left Terry alone, not really able to drive his car.  She has to know, given how much attention she's given to the Donovans, that he has Parkinson's.  At very least, she must have seen him shaking.  And her boss told her to drop the case.  I'd say she's out of control, lacks a heart, or both.

The closing scenes with Ray and Daryll were significant and top-notch, too.  The two have always had something of a tension or a history between them.  At this point, Daryll is also more upset than usual because he killed someone.  And he doesn't appreciate Ray trying to interfere with what Daryll, Sandy, and Mick are doing.  But accusing Ray of racism is unexpected.  What Daryll saying that just to rile himself up, or has Ray really been racist to Daryll?  Condescending, yes.  But I'm not sure I'd say racist.  And that's what made those scenes so interesting.

This whole season has a subtly different, more psychologically sensitive approach than the earlier seasons.  That's maybe one of the reasons I'm liking it as one of the best.

See also Ray Donovan 7.1: Getting Ahead of the Game ... Ray Donovan 7.2: Good Luck ... Ray Donovan 7.3: "The Air that I Breathe" ... Ray Donovan 7.4: Claudette and Bridget ... Ray Donovan 7.5: Bing!

See also Ray Donovan 6.1: The New Friend ... Ray Donovan 6.2: Father and Sons ... Ray Donovan 6.4: Politics in the Ray Style ... Ray Donovan 6.6: The Mayor Strikes Back ... Ray Donovan 6.7: Switching Sides ... Ray Donovan 6.8: Down ... Ray Donovan 6.9: Violence and Storyline ... Ray Donovan 6.10: Working Together ... Ray Donovan 6.11: Settled Scores and Open Questions ... Ray Donovan Season 6 Finale: Snowfall and Mick

See also Ray Donovan 5.1: Big Change  ... Ray Donovan 5.4: How To Sell A Script ... Ray Donovan 5.7: Reckonings ... Ray Donovan 5.8: Paging John Stuart Mill ... Ray Donovan 5.9: Congas ... Ray Donovan 5.10: Bunchy's Money ... Ray Donovan 5.11: I'm With Mickey ... Ray Donovan 5.12: New York

See also Ray Donovan 4.1: Good to Be Back ... Ray Donovan 4.2: Settling In ... Ray Donovan 4.4: Bob Seger ... Ray Donovan 4.7: Easybeats ... Ray Donovan 4.9: The Ultimate Fix ... Ray Donovan Season 4 Finale: Roses

And see also Ray Donovan 3.1: New, Cloudy Ray ... Ray Donovan 3.2: Beat-downs ... Ray Donovan 3.7: Excommunication!

And see also Ray Donovan 2.1: Back in Business ... Ray Donovan 2.4: The Bad Guy ... Ray Donovan 2.5: Wool Over Eyes ... Ray Donovan 2.7: The Party from Hell ... Ray Donovan 2.10: Scorching ... Ray Donovan 2.11: Out of Control ... Ray Donovan Season 2 Finale: Most Happy Ending


And see also Ray Donovan Debuts with Originality and Flair ... Ray Donovan 1.2: His Assistants and his Family ... Ray Donovan 1.3: Mickey ... Ray Donovan 1.7 and Whitey Bulger ... Ray Donovan 1.8: Poetry and Death ... Ray Donovan Season 1 Finale: The Beginning of Redemption


It started in the hot summer of 1960, when Marilyn Monroe walked off the set of The Misfits and began to hear a haunting song in her head, "Goodbye Norma Jean" ... Marilyn and Monet

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