This week’s Necessary Roughness was all about the personal drama rather than the team drama for once, and the big news is that Dani and Matt finally decided to break up over her lack of desire for more kids, even though he was about to propose. I was wondering why Jeanette had turned up again, alone and pregnant, and I guess this is the reason. Too bad — I liked them together and wouldn’t have minded seeing it go on longer. However, I don’t like the old chestnut of “I hoped you’d change your mind.” You can’t count on people to change their minds about stuff that important, and I am glad Dani stood her ground, since it’s more realistic.
Anyway, Dani has got enough stuff to deal with without the show throwing her into more love life turmoil … I think she may be headed for that eventually, though, since tonight there were a couple of heavy hints that Nico is into her. I actually really liked the idea of Dani and Nico in the first season, since I think Callie Thorne and Scott Cohen have great chemistry together (and I also once saw Cohen at the pharmacy, and he is a fine looking man in person). They haven’t had much to do together this season, though, even if they are apparently always texting, and Nico may have a love interest of his own for a while, so Dani may get a bit of a breather.
I found the stuff with TK confronting his own demons while preparing to go to trial to be really powerful, and Mehcad Brooks hit it out of the park, to mix my sports metaphors. The show is doing yet more commentary this season on the way athletes are presented in the media, and it does a surprisingly good job of portraying that for a light summer show, mostly because of Brooks’s talent. I am glad TK pulled it together and kept calm at the trial, since he did not deserve to be shot. Now if only he’d stop popping what I guess are painkillers! Because otherwise he seems to be getting back on track.
The story of Mukesh, the spelling bee kid with the overbearing mom, was actually cute. Since it tied in thematically to Dani’s story a bit, and since it was a break from sports stars and the kid was adorable, I didn’t mind it. I am surprised, though, that Dani didn’t actually attribute his stuttering to cognitive dissonance by name, especially since it threw out Jungian dream analysis, etc. earlier on. I saw his crush on Hope coming from a mile away, though. So cute!
Notes and Quotes
If there are more annoying kids on television (outside of a kid’s show), I don’t know of them. Are we supposed to think that this is a case of the shoemaker’s children going barefoot, or do the writers really think that’s acceptable behaviour?
I think I could have gone for Nico and Dani if they hadn’t shown me Matt/Dani and Nico/Gabrielle, especially as Gabrielle was presented as the love of Nico’s life. I hate shows that play musical beds as if a soulmate lasts only until the last song is played at the school dance. I’m hoping that the break-up is only temporary and they’ll find their way back again some season.
I watch this show because the characters are likable and it’s the best representation of therapy I’ve ever seen on TV. I’ll keep watching, but if Dani and Matt are over for good, I won’t have as much fun.
I have to agree with you, Kate. I know everyone has been cheering for Nico/Dani but I am not one of them. I found the relationship that Dani and Matt shared to be refreshingly sweet and romantic. I really really really like Matt. He is motivated, smart and interesting. And I can see why she may be done with children in the sense that she is in the process of raising two teenagers to leave the nest. But she was a young mother with a young (and cheating) husband. I cannot think that she wouldn’t somehow be interested in a different and more loving family relationship where she could be supported as a mom, a wife and a co-worker…? Almost like a do-over?
I am glad I am not alone in watching the show with a heavy heart that these two are no longer together.