Review of Episode 4.11

"It's A Man's Life"

Episode written by Ted Gannon

This is my first review of a Series 4 episode, so let me just get the preliminaries over with. First of all, Series 4 simply doesn't hold a candle to Series 1-3. It's dark, depressed, and subdued. Not the stories necessarily, but the overall atmosphere, from the weather to the lighting to the sets. It just all seems more Gothic. Maybe Assumpta's death sucked something out of the town and its inhabitants. Series 4 is also much more of a drama series. Series 1-3 nicely defied that description due to the steady stream of jokes and humourous situations. However, even though "wacky" things still happen, it's not enough to pull the show out of the serious drama category, which is a shame.

Having said that, this was one of my favorite episodes from this Series, which is why I'm doing it first, out of order. There were a few gripping moments, some wonderful character angles that we don't normally get to see, and a couple of really good, classic (in the sense of "there's the Ballykissangel I know and love"-classic) gags.


There are three stories in this episode:
1.    Niamh Goes "Shopping"
2.    Dermot and Kathleen Go to Cilldargan
3.    Donal Goes Diving

Niamh Goes "Shopping"

It's not just the clothes she's after, it's a whole new life. One without Ambrose or, apparently, Kieran. Isn't it nice when you can just up and dash out for a day of shopping, and not worry about who's going to look after your kids? Not because you've got a good sitter lined up, but because you have NO CONSCIENCE WHATSOEVER. And who paid for those new clothes? I can only hope that she and Ambrose have separate credit cards. Kudos to Ambrose, at least he made the effort to make sure Kieran was well-looked after. If I were the judge at their child-custody hearing (which unfortunately we'll never get to see), I'd have to come down on Ambrose's side.
 
Points against Niamh:  Points in favor of Ambrose:
She abandoned her child. He handed his son off to the local vet for care. (Handy if Kieran had needed to be wormed.)
She runs a pub and works evenings. He is a fine, upstanding member of the Garda National, and can pretty much set his own hours.
She meets other men on the sly and lies about her whereabouts. He is well versed in the finer points of non-moving traffic violations.
She drives an olive green station wagon. He drives a cool squad car with lots of lights and sirens.

Now, keep in mind the unironed shirt bickering scene. Didn't that remind you of Niamh and Ambrose's marriage preparation class which they had with Peter 'way back in the Glory Days (Episode 1.3):

Ambrose: Tis a lonesome wash doesn't have a man's shirt in it, right enough.
Looks like Niamh isn't right with you on that one any more, buddy.

Watching this whole situation with Niamh, Ambrose, and Sean develop, I can't help thinking that Niamh is WRONG! She's wrong, wrong, wrong! I can sympathize with the dead-end feeling. I can sympathize with the desire for change. I can even sympathize with blaming Ambrose for her lot in life. But. You do *not* go into a pub after having run out on your husband and son (even if only for the day) and have drinks with another man. You do *not* sit down at the bar and complain about your marriage to said man. You do *not* accept his slimy little compliments with increasing interest. And you so do *not* lie to your husband about what you did and who you did it with. Unless of course you wish to end your marriage. But even then it's wrong!

And Sean! Which head is he thinking with? 'Under no circumstances could you be considered boring...Ambrose is a lucky man.' Please. That is not the concerned neighbor talking.

Just wondering: Ambrose thought that Niamh went to Dublin. That's an hour from BallyK. I'm guessing shops there are open until 7pm on Tuesdays (correct me if I'm wrong). Ambrose accused Niamh of coming home "hours" after the shops had closed, so she must have come home after 9pm, I'd guess even later. She was actually in Cilldargan, which is only about 10 kilometers away (as the crow flies, maybe it's longer by road, but not that much). What were she and Sean *doing* all that time? Because you know they were together.

Nice solidarity between Brian and Ambrose. Brian did a good job of trying to cheer Ambrose up with this one:

Brian: Well I know one thing. Niamh loves you. She's mad about you.
However, I'm sorry, but that's not true. I don't know who Brian was trying to kid, himself or Ambrose, but Ambrose already knows better. I'd always had the feeling that Brian thought Ambrose wasn't good enough for Niamh, but now we know it's actually the other way round!

Final note: Wasn't Brian great with the little one! I'd say that was more than a little of Tony Doyle coming through.

Dermot and Kathleen Go To Cilldargan

Excuse me, I just have to get this out first: EEEWWWWW! They kissed! On the lips! Ew ew ew!

OK, I'm back. Sorry to the older folks among you, but it just wasn't attractive. Nuff said. You may berate me now.

It was so nice to have the story of why Kathleen remained a spinster and how she came to own the shop, speaking of which, where did she get the money for that? She gave Dermot 1,400 pounds back in 1964, which must have been quite a lot of money, and then when he didn't come back, she just turned around and bought the store. She must have had quite an inheritance. I'll bet she's got millions squirreled away behind the Cheeze Whiz. Y'know, with resources like that, she could have hired a private detective to track Dermot down all those years ago.

Time for our annual math lesson. Dermot says he's been living in Coventry for the past 35 years. Now, I figure Kathleen's 60ish. Assuming Dermot moved to Coventry soon after going to England (although he lived in London at the beginning, at least, since he had drinking buddies at Charing Cross), then he would have left when Kathleen was about 25. I can see her waiting for him for a year, maybe two at the outside, but by then she must have realized that he was never coming back...heck, he could even have been dead, for all she knew. She would still have had plenty of years of youth left to settle down and have a family, if that had been what she wanted. Now don't you start up with, "But he was the Love Of Her Life, the Real Thing, she never got over it, any other man would never have measured up, etc. etc." Because if that were so, wouldn't she have at least tried to find out what happened to him? And if she was too much of a lady or whatever to go chasing him up and down the length and breadth of England, then really he wasn't *that* important to her in the first place. Remember, nothing can stand in the way of True Love, not even R.O.U.S.'s (Rodents Of Unusual Size). So I don't think Dermot leaving was the sole reason that Kathleen remained single. Maybe that's also why it was so easy for her to forgive him, why she was so gracious and charitable during their entire meeting.

Loved the song, I'm still humming it..."Sure she's Irish..."

Hands up, who thought it was kind of icky that Dermot named his only daughter, "Kathleen"? You know what I think, I think his wife's name is Kathleen, too. Karma.

Dan Dan the Farmer Man

Wait, you say. There was no mention of this story in the introduction to this review, you say. Where the heck did this come from? you say. My sentiments exactly. Here we were, halfway through the episode, Kieran had already gone through one sitter, Liam and Donal had already salvaged one golf ball, Kathleen had already revealed her entire life story, and WHAM! There are Emma and Sean strolling through a field. Left field, I'd say. At first I though my VCR had messed up and I was watching part of another episode entirely. No kidding! But pretty soon we find out that we're just tying up a loose string from the previous episode (4.10, "Births, Marriages, & Deaths"). This story consisted of three scenes, only two of which had any dialogue, and was completely unnecessary to any sort of greater series-spanning plot or character development. Junk it, I say.

Donal Goes Diving

This was great! The slurry spreader! The frog suit! The gathering for the "Our Father"! Just when I thought it wouldn't get any wackier, it did. The Soviet satellite was a stroke of pure genius, so much so that we can forgive Ted Gannon for putting in that nonsense about Danny. The weather was perfect for this story, too, all kind of misty and dank. It wouldn't have played right if it had been sunny. I could truly feel the damp and the chill, not to mention that cold feeling that Liam must have gotten right in the center of his gut when he realized that Donal was gone...and he'd be to blame.

I thought it really took nerve to make a joke out of Donal's death, especially after the fallout from the last death in town. Add to fan fic idea file: "Amongst Friends 2", the episode following Donal's death by drowning -- Liam walking all the way from the golf course back to town...a tenacious newspaper reporter snooping around and trying to dig up dirt on the rumour of a downed spy satellite...Aiden being Orla's only customer at the pub, since everyone else is off their food, due to the suspicion that Donal's corpse is compromising the town's water supply...the remaining cast members meeting on top of the mountain overlooking Lough Tay, for a wake of tasteless bar snacks and corny toasts...Liam packing up his truck and then leaving town on foot for parts unknown, leaving us to wonder: Where's the body? What did Liam do with his truck? And why oh why didn't Liam admit his feelings for Donal sooner?

It was a nice juxtaposition of Kieran playing with the toy bulldozer and Donal and Liam bickering over the mower. Who's three years old here?

Random Thoughts

1.    Runner-up for the "Why Did I Even Show Up For Work Today" award: Emma.

2.    What was the point of the scene between Ambrose and Michael?

a. To instruct potential tourists on the parking regulations in Ireland.
b. To fulfill Bosco Hogan's contract stipulation that he appear in at least six episodes per Series.
c. To show how Ambrose was Extremely Busy doing official Garda Things and couldn't take care of Kieran
    himself.
3.    Winner of the "Why Did I Even Show Up For Work Today" award: Orla.
        Did you even notice she was in this episode? You are a true Ballykissangel fanatic if you can quote even the gist of
        her single line. (Cheat here)

4.    Niamh looked really good in that suit.

5.    What does Niamh see in Sean? Please. Bald, gut, and three-days' growth of beard. Yeah, that's attractive. Plus there's
        something funny about his teeth.

Mildly Amusing Lines

1.    Liam: The frogs are in for a fright....I mean imagine aliens shoving a great big pipe down through the clouds
        down on the earth.

Wasn't that the premise of one of those 1960's low-budget "horror" movies: "Plumbers from Outer Space"?

2.    Siobhan, into phone: Those little dogs are very highly strung. Yes. Yes all right, fine. Bye-bye.
        She hangs up the phone, then mutters to herself: Your little dogs should be extra highly strung, Mrs. Quinn,
        from the nearest lamp post.

Don't let Rolf Harris hear you say that!

3.    Kathleen: I know, a lot of people think I started where she left off. I suppose you mind everyone else's business,
        when you have none of your own.

4.    Siobhan: Listen, I would give that child Prozac if I had it.

Amen, sister!

5.    Liam: Donal me old mate, are you familiar with the phrase, shot at dawn?
        Donal: No.
        Liam: Well trust me, you will be.

Bang!

Lines That Beg To Be Analyzed

1.    Dermot: Well you don't sound as if you're from these parts.
        Aiden: Well I suppose you could say I'm...passing through.

How did he know he was going to be axed after Series 5?

2.    Niamh: Have you seen the car keys?
        Ambrose: If you'd leave them in the same place--
        Niamh: I don't want to leave them in the same place!
        Ambrose: What does that mean?
        Niamh: You don't know?
        Ambrose: If I did I wouldn't be asking you would I.
        Niamh: So work it out.

Ambrose, you thick, she's saying that she feels like she's stuck in a rut! She wants a little change of pace, how about trying "The Lumberjack and The Wood Fairy" tonight instead of the same old "The Garda Bags Another One"?

3.    Ambrose: So who did you meet?
        Niamh: I met no one.

Nope, sorry, no matter how you twist that, it's a lie. Next time, try, "I met a very nice salesgirl, at least she paid me a compliment on the shoes. Is it any wonder I'd rather spend the day amongst strangers than come home to a reception like this?" Remember, Niamh, the best defense is a good offense!

Nitpicks

1.    When Siobhan went inside to answer the phone, there was no blanket draped over the play pen, but when she went back out, the blanket was there. Hey presto! Also, the angle of the sun had shifted significantly. Maybe she took a nap in between realizing that Kieran was missing and actually going out to look for him.

2.    When Liam points to the CCCP on the satellite, in the wide shot his hand is facing one way, but in the close up his hand is facing the other way.

3.    When Brian is playing Native Peoples with Kieran, he says, "Kieran...Kieran Brian Quigley Egan..."

Flashback to Episode 3.12:

        Peter: Kieran Peter. I baptize you in the name of the Father...And of the Son...And of the Holy Spirit.

Huh? So what is the kid's name?

4.    Dermot tells Aiden that he's been living in Coventry for the past 35 years, but then at the end he asks Kathleen if he can write to her once he gets back to London. Maybe he recently moved house.

Review written by Margaret Pattison