I got your notif for the comment, but I can respond up here too. I'm willing to agree to disagree with people on the no-chemistry thing, since there do seem to be a lot of Richard fans coming out of the woodwork, so I figure that there has to be something there that I'm just not getting.

I have never once in my life remembered that Christian Bale was British until someone reminded me.

It WAS pretty mind-blowing, though. One could even say it was explosive. It was bloody brilliant. Just a real wide-eyed shock.

That would probably be the best way to do it. I don't think the keeping-him-offscreen thing is sustainable either, especially when the precedent just makes it seem kind of hackneyed now—and the show airs immediately before another show that does the same thing with the president.

Yeah, they did, which is what makes me wonder if you might not be right. I'll be disappointed if they do go that route, but maybe they could make it work with good enough writing, or if they just go balls-out and lampshade the ridiculousness of it.

I don't know if I could get on board with recasting Peter Gregory, partly because it would be disrespectful and partly because I don't think anyone else could do it justice, but I thought the way things turned out for Pied Piper in the end really opened the door for Peter not to be necessary anymore.

Yeah, it occurred to me as I was typing where you probably got the confusion from.

S'all good. I may be being too hard on Richard. I can reserve some judgment until next season.

Damn. Way harsh, man.

Exactly. Man, now I'm kind of bummed about what could have been.

I feel like I would have liked the Thor franchise a million times more if Jane had been played by Keira instead. You're right, she's just way better and more likable.

I don't know who Rachel is, but I don't believe Monica would find him attractive because he's barely capable of holding a conversation. Richard is the human equivalent of oatmeal, except that oatmeal would be better at running a business. He's inoffensive, great at coding, and occasionally grows enough of a spine to…

Huh, that's interesting. I always liked Keira Knightley more anyway, just in general, so I won't argue with anyone's reasons for preferring her.

Which one is supposed to be hotter? I guess Natalie Portman, maybe? She has softer edges than Keira, but I don't know.

I have never known a woman (who liked men) who would not leap into bed with Jeff Goldblum. Jeff Goldblum is made of smoldering sexual magnetism. These days, he is a silver fox who puts John Slattery to absolute shame. EVERYONE is head over heels for Jeff Goldblum.

Oh my god, this is hilarious. Say Monica's "friendzoning" him, next! He's such a nice guy—she owes him!

Ah, I see where I went wrong. I didn't notice any witticism. Are you sure it's there?

That's funny, I didn't realize that Monica was asking Richard out in the real world. I thought she was asking him out in the fictional television show this forum exists to discuss.

I'm a plain-looking woman who doesn't know how to talk to guys in person, has no social life outside of academia, and gets super awkward and weird and tongue-tied around attractive people.

Aw, I actually liked how rah-rah she was being. It felt sweet, because it's not that I don't buy that she likes Richard as a person—I totally believe she does and that she'd be rooting for him, and not just because she's invested in the company and has a financial stake in wanting them to succeed.