[7.4/10] There’s a storytelling device I’ve always enjoyed that I’ve come to dub “the Tevye effect”, after the main character in Fiddler on the Roof. It’s a situation where a character argues strenuously against some newfangled or nudging idea that he gets from friends and family, only to then put it into practice like nothing’s changed when push comes to shove.
We get that from two sides with Siegfried today. Tristan needles him a bit over not getting back into the dating scene and being too deferential to jerky clients. Siegfried puts up his usual fuss. (And apparently Dorothy has been put on a bus to Greece, which is a bummer, since I liked the two of them together.) But he goes out and chats up the flirty divorcee at the much ballyhooed Daffodil Ball, and tells off the client in the process. It’s a small thing, but it’s entertaining to watch Siegfried get his groove back, and pleasant to see him use his cutting bon mots on someone outside of his friends and confidantes for a change.
That said, it maybe goes a little too far? Again, it’s rousing to watch Siegfried throw his weight around to a picky client, bringing his full staff in white lab coats, knowing the value of his services, and underscoring the fact that they won’t’ fight for the “scraps” of this jerk’s business. But something about popping a pus-filled stomach into the guy’s face was a bridge too far. Every once in a while, this show devolves into sitcom-esque buffoonery, and it takes me out of the quasi-realism of the show.
But the other part of Seigfried’s life that gets a bit of a push is the more important one, at least to the audience. The show continues to play up James’ dilemma about whether to return home or stay here. A big part of that is whether the practice will progress to meet the times. Siegfried gripes about his system and uts up a lot of puffery about “always progressing” (hence the title), but in the end, he not only takes James’ suggestion about putting Tristan to work, but makes a genuine encouragement to James to bring any new ideas to him with a promise he’ll listen. The basic setup of the show demonstrates that the writers know the power of a seemingly intransigent person bending, and this is a great example of it.
The other part of James’ dilemma is, of course, Helen. He doesn't just want to stay for the practice, but for her. And by god, I like them together! I’ve been cold on the romance pretty much since it started. But what do you know? If you let two characters actually spend time together, talk to one another, confide in each other, share scenes where they do more than vaguely make googly eyes at one another, you can build some on-screen chemistry and make the audience invest in their romance. There’s a nice throughline here of James’ sweaty charm and his kindness and encouragement in getting Helen back out after the bit of scandal of her called-off marriage. But honestly, the best thing about this one is just letting James and Helen be flirty and fun with one another for a while, rather than saddling them with the “passion of forbidden love” angle neither of them could pull off.
Otherwise, Mrs. Hall has her own love interest, a British Ned Flanders type, and I don’t know how I feel about it. Their chaste flirtation is cute enough, but can we give this crew something to do without pairing each of them off less than ten episodes in? Likewise, Tristan is over Maggie despite the business in the Xmas special, and we get a silly sitcom-esque subplot about him trying to get through his vet adventures in time to go to the dance. Sure? His duel with a hog’s pimple is pretty dopey stuff, as is his snogging with the latest farmer’s daughter, but whatever.
Overall, sometimes the show runs a little broad for my tastes, and the need to inject some kind of relationship drama for literally every main character is a bit much. But there’s some great examples of prickly Siegfried being more pliable than he seems, the first genuine sparks of the otherwise trying Helen.James romance, and a good object lesson on both counts for why, despite his bigger hopes and responsibilities, James may yet want to stick around.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2023-05-18T06:14:48Z
[7.4/10] There’s a storytelling device I’ve always enjoyed that I’ve come to dub “the Tevye effect”, after the main character in Fiddler on the Roof. It’s a situation where a character argues strenuously against some newfangled or nudging idea that he gets from friends and family, only to then put it into practice like nothing’s changed when push comes to shove.
We get that from two sides with Siegfried today. Tristan needles him a bit over not getting back into the dating scene and being too deferential to jerky clients. Siegfried puts up his usual fuss. (And apparently Dorothy has been put on a bus to Greece, which is a bummer, since I liked the two of them together.) But he goes out and chats up the flirty divorcee at the much ballyhooed Daffodil Ball, and tells off the client in the process. It’s a small thing, but it’s entertaining to watch Siegfried get his groove back, and pleasant to see him use his cutting bon mots on someone outside of his friends and confidantes for a change.
That said, it maybe goes a little too far? Again, it’s rousing to watch Siegfried throw his weight around to a picky client, bringing his full staff in white lab coats, knowing the value of his services, and underscoring the fact that they won’t’ fight for the “scraps” of this jerk’s business. But something about popping a pus-filled stomach into the guy’s face was a bridge too far. Every once in a while, this show devolves into sitcom-esque buffoonery, and it takes me out of the quasi-realism of the show.
But the other part of Seigfried’s life that gets a bit of a push is the more important one, at least to the audience. The show continues to play up James’ dilemma about whether to return home or stay here. A big part of that is whether the practice will progress to meet the times. Siegfried gripes about his system and uts up a lot of puffery about “always progressing” (hence the title), but in the end, he not only takes James’ suggestion about putting Tristan to work, but makes a genuine encouragement to James to bring any new ideas to him with a promise he’ll listen. The basic setup of the show demonstrates that the writers know the power of a seemingly intransigent person bending, and this is a great example of it.
The other part of James’ dilemma is, of course, Helen. He doesn't just want to stay for the practice, but for her. And by god, I like them together! I’ve been cold on the romance pretty much since it started. But what do you know? If you let two characters actually spend time together, talk to one another, confide in each other, share scenes where they do more than vaguely make googly eyes at one another, you can build some on-screen chemistry and make the audience invest in their romance. There’s a nice throughline here of James’ sweaty charm and his kindness and encouragement in getting Helen back out after the bit of scandal of her called-off marriage. But honestly, the best thing about this one is just letting James and Helen be flirty and fun with one another for a while, rather than saddling them with the “passion of forbidden love” angle neither of them could pull off.
Otherwise, Mrs. Hall has her own love interest, a British Ned Flanders type, and I don’t know how I feel about it. Their chaste flirtation is cute enough, but can we give this crew something to do without pairing each of them off less than ten episodes in? Likewise, Tristan is over Maggie despite the business in the Xmas special, and we get a silly sitcom-esque subplot about him trying to get through his vet adventures in time to go to the dance. Sure? His duel with a hog’s pimple is pretty dopey stuff, as is his snogging with the latest farmer’s daughter, but whatever.
Overall, sometimes the show runs a little broad for my tastes, and the need to inject some kind of relationship drama for literally every main character is a bit much. But there’s some great examples of prickly Siegfried being more pliable than he seems, the first genuine sparks of the otherwise trying Helen.James romance, and a good object lesson on both counts for why, despite his bigger hopes and responsibilities, James may yet want to stick around.