They only had a month to take the movie short and make it a full blown film, and not even full time (since he was also in pre- production). It would have been a miracle to come up with an amazing script, even with experienced writers.

I agree with showing versus telling, except that in post-production they don't have the luxury to shoot enough to show, so they were stuck with tell.

Considering how he took Len's feedback, I would say it's not race or gender, it's equal opportunity apathy.

The blatant feedback sandwiches were hilarious. Although Affleck wins the night with "I'm not big on farce"… I'm still giggling about it.

Before I knew who it was, I thought "wow, harsh use of the song to refer to Lowe's son being kidnapped"… then you see Aileen. Yikes.

I don't think Jimmy was being a good boyfriend, or particularly sensitive. I think he was trying to fix her for his sake, not hers. He knows he can't deal with Gretchen's shizz, so he's trying to spackle over the cracks. Never works.

Holy passive aggressiveness, (not my) Batman!!!! Everyone was giving it this week.

Cookie was around when Tupac was shot in Biggie's studio (launching the east coast/west coast war)… But she doesn't know to keep a guard at the door of her studio?????

My reaction whenever Boy Barry was on screen: "Whoa! Wait…whut? What? Wait..whuuut?" culminating with real Boy Barry's pic "Wait…oh my gawd!" I dunno why my brain couldn't process Boy Barry, but there it is.

Is there a support group for mouse defenestrators? I still bear so much guilt for doing it… but dammit he didn't pay rent.

In thinking about what you said, I'll concede that I've made a couple of big assumptions. I assumed that Movie budgets work like project budgets, in that you estimate the work and costs, a budget is approved which lowballs your estimate, and the budget has a ceiling. Maybe a chunk of budget wasn't allocated, or there…

I agree with your point, but "fight for what you want" is a nebulous recommendation. They effectively blew Jason off, because they knew there wasn't budget for it. And they easily could've done then what Ben later did after the doody hit the fan.

But that's why I suspect this whole thing might be scripted. If I'm HBO, I want the liability nailed down before shooting. If I'm the insurer and someone wants to insure the stunt, I'm going to make them pay an arm and a leg for last minute plans. I don't see the stunt crew's union being too friendly about last minute…

I think the whole story didn't make sense, period. HBO had to approve the script, so they knew the flip existed for a couple months. How would they not be all over that because of the liability concerns? And thus, how would Jason and Marc not be aware of this?

I want to call shenanigans on this storyline. They're calling for a dangerous stunt, and days before it's scheduled everything isn't locked down? Are we supposed to believe they'll be able to lock down the insurance for a stunt so quickly, when they can't even lock down permission to do night shooting?

And wasn't the "painting" of Jamal a ripoff of the famous Bob Marley painting?

It's a little obscure, but there's always "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)"….

I'd just like to point out…

That's what I meant; Jane's standards are too rigid and he can't possibly change enough to fit them. Not that he isn't trying, but I don't see her changing enough (or much at all) to make it work.

I think that's why they can't work, and why I kinda hope he gets back with Petra. Jane will never think Rafael lives up to her standards and he'll always feel like he can't change enough; Petra may never want better for herself than Rafael which would make it work.