This is exactly how far I've made it so far too. I'm going to try to press on a little further though, because I have a friend who normally has similar opinions to me who's current with the show and really enjoying it.
I HATED THE PILOT. Ugh. I didn't originally check out the show when it first aired because of the pilot. The combo of her using sex (and, of course, a blow job!) to get info + rape backstory + the total skeeziness of Philip's rage somehow being this big turning point in their relationship = NO. And what I think bugs me most, five eps or so in, is that, in the overall scheme of the show, I don't know that the show thinks their relationship *is* that dark. Like if it really were treated as dark and screwed up, I think I'd like it more, but the show kind of wants it to be partly that, and partly some kind of real romance? Like suddenly Elizabeth is having genuine feelings for him (lol no) and the show focuses a lot on how events affect the relationship, but what I wanted was something a lot more twisted and complicated, where Elizabeth really, genuinely cares more about the mission than him? And given the situation, it should be more twisted and complicated? IDK it's this weird combo of spy shenanigans and high stakes and...typical relationship drama. Which I guess is supposed to be the appeal, but I don't buy it.
It doesn't help that I am 10,000 times more interested in Gregory, and am 10,000% sure that will not go anywhere good. I'll eat my hat if he survives season 1.
I do think it gets a little bit better in regard to Elizabeth not always being the subject of the sexual politics, and their continuing political conflict over Russian loyalties? But I haven't gotten far enough to see how this plays out long-term.
no subject
I HATED THE PILOT. Ugh. I didn't originally check out the show when it first aired because of the pilot. The combo of her using sex (and, of course, a blow job!) to get info + rape backstory + the total skeeziness of Philip's rage somehow being this big turning point in their relationship = NO. And what I think bugs me most, five eps or so in, is that, in the overall scheme of the show, I don't know that the show thinks their relationship *is* that dark. Like if it really were treated as dark and screwed up, I think I'd like it more, but the show kind of wants it to be partly that, and partly some kind of real romance? Like suddenly Elizabeth is having genuine feelings for him (lol no) and the show focuses a lot on how events affect the relationship, but what I wanted was something a lot more twisted and complicated, where Elizabeth really, genuinely cares more about the mission than him? And given the situation, it should be more twisted and complicated? IDK it's this weird combo of spy shenanigans and high stakes and...typical relationship drama. Which I guess is supposed to be the appeal, but I don't buy it.
It doesn't help that I am 10,000 times more interested in Gregory, and am 10,000% sure that will not go anywhere good. I'll eat my hat if he survives season 1.
I do think it gets a little bit better in regard to Elizabeth not always being the subject of the sexual politics, and their continuing political conflict over Russian loyalties? But I haven't gotten far enough to see how this plays out long-term.