Photo: Liane Hentscher/Showtime
Guest Stars: Steven Eckholdt, Alexandra Hedison, Irene Lopez, Eric Mabius, Meredith McGeachie, Callum Keith Rennie, Holland Taylor, and Lauren Lee Smith
Music by ezgirl
Paris, France 2006
Lara calls Dana from Paris, what was meant to be a romantic rendezvous between the two. She leaves a message on Dana’s answering machine, saying she misses her, wishes she was near. Expresses her desire to come home. Pan to Dana’s empty apartment, the pile of mail accumulating at the door, the unmade bed, and signs of a rushed departure. The Chart lines map Dana to Lara, and then the lines stop.
More Trouble in Paradise
There are lots of things Shane doesn’t know about Carmen, things like Carmen loves classical music, that she once shot a gun, or even that Carmen cheated on her with a girl named Robin. A one-timer post-Cherie Jaffe. All I can think is “Great communication skills, girls.” Open, honest. Nice modeling for the lesbian community. Now that the dynamic duo is “even”, they have steamy sex and start anew. The clean slate club – anyone else a member?
The Return of Tim
Tim’s back! Blonde and muscle-y, happy as always to see Jenny, especially now that she is with Max. Tim is a swim coach in Ohio, married, with Tim Junior on the way. He’s living the suburban dream, what he had hoped for with Jenny, what would have surely killed her and/or any form of her “unique” creativity. Watch them spar and fight, indulge in the layers of unresolved issues between them. Watch Max and Becky, Tim’s wife, squirm, more aware of what they are witnessing. Tim is the measure by which we can gage Jenny’s choices and changes.
Ton Ton
At the nurse’s urging, Alice takes a break from her vigil. She hasn’t left Dana’s side for five days. She takes a walk outside the hospital, catches some sun. Her rays are interrupted by a vision and voice from the past. Tonya? It’s the Ton-Ton, looking slightly subtler but no less magnificent. Having broken up with Melissa Rivers and now deeply regretful that she is not Mrs. Dana Fairbanks, Tonya has decided to pursue pregnancy. “I wanted someone who would always be with me.” Tonya tells Alice that she had been jealous of Alice’s relationship with Dana. Tonya knew Dana cared more deeply for Alice and forever would. When asked why Alice was at the hospital, Alice keeps quiet, mentions only that she is there to visit a friend.
The Bus Stop
Bette flees the silent retreat. She can’t mute the voices in her head. We see her screaming as she exits and I think to myself, “Thank God! Bette’s back. At last.” She walks to the nearest bus stop where she meets two fellow travelers. They muse on their contexts as well as their survival mechanisms, what they do for release. They share their journeys and lessons learned including: “Life is a strange bus trip. I’m just glad we all have a seat.” And, “Don’t forget to scream.” These scenes are rather profound and I laud Rose Troche for their production. They remind us that messages and messengers abound. It is up to us to tap into them.
