For Alex - The Battle Continues - S1 Ep 3

[larenoz]

 First off, this isn’t a post about having a go at Alex but he is the focus of the post so other characters actions aren’t addressed. The comments on this post are specifically about Alex’s actions in this ep only. Holding Alex to account for his actions is not blaming him for his actions. I love Alex Manes. He is a great character whose been through a lot. But you can be a great character while still having flaws (all the great characters do, it’s usually an integral part of what makes them great). So this looks at one sequence in the show where Alex unintentionally hurts someone else. It doesn’t make him a bad person, but it is unrealistic and does a disservice to his character to ignore those flaws and the consequences they bring. Because it is working on, and overcoming our flaws that let’s us be better people. 

 

Some thoughts on Ep 3. The thing that makes the drive-in scene so painful is that it starts off so hopeful. Alex knows he hurt Michael earlier at the Airstream when Isobel turned up. He didn’t mean to, but when he so emphatically shut down the idea of Michael telling Isobel about them, he just added weight (unintentionally) to Michael’s sense of not being good enough, of not being public worthy, of being good enough to fuck, but not good enough to be seen in  with.

 

So when Alex comes up to Michael at the drive-in, making the first move, I think he does so with the best of intentions. He knows he hurt Michael and this is him attempting to make it up to him. To show him he’s not afraid to be seen with him in a very public setting - one tied very closely to both of them - Isobel for Michael and the military for Alex.

 

The framing of the whole drive-in sequence is interesting. Unlike so many of their interactions, this one takes place in outside in daylight. Alex is wearing light cloths (white patterned shirt, light denim jacket - so different to the dark, blend in colours he usually wears), it’s a fun family event. Everything says lightness, happiness, fun. It’s as positive environment as they have ever been in together. 

 

Yet, as the sun sets and the light darkens, so does the mood. We know what’s coming as soon as we see Alex and his father interact. The bile that Jesse spouts has just enough truth in it to get its hooks into Alex. He knows what his father is, he knows what he’s capable of, yet even knowing all this, Alex succumbs to it. Because despite everything that has happened, Alex still isn’t ready, he still isn’t able to break away from his father. He is a work in progress. He’s still fighting that battle, he is yet to win it.

 

And this is what makes the whole sequence so heartbreaking. Alex has gone in with the best of intentions to do right by Michael, but all he succeeds in doing is wrecking him further. Raise his hopes, then dash them. And the absolute worst part is that Michael isn’t surprised - he’s resigned. He hoped for a different outcome but he didn’t really expect it. But even knowing all this, he still let Alex in, he still gave him another chance. And he always probably will, because for Michael, Alex is that person, the one person he will never be able to deny, because as he so simply states, they’re cosmic.

(Comments encouraged and welcome)