MTV's Finding Carter - Episode 1.05 "The Heat"
Carter learns what real police work is about as she finally starts to bond with Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Taylor attends a party that quickly gets out of hand.
It's strange but the things I really enjoyed the most from "The Heat" had almost nothing to do with Carter. The big Taylor kissing sequence? Wonderful. Grant being awkward with his online girlfriend? Great. David's plan for a divorce but then trying to recreate his first date with Elizabeth? That was good too. Even the relationship between Carter and Elizabeth had some major thawing this week. All of that stuff was great but Carter is still the center of this universe. After last week becoming too comfortable in this house, she buckles down on finding Lori - which is one of the least engaging stories at the moment. Basically Lori gets to pop up at the end of every episode and just seem more and more crazier while Carter becomes more obsessed with finding her as she simultaneously becomes more relaxed with her real family. It's a very awkward and precarious dynamic that doesn't always excite as well as some other aspects of the show. That is the grand narrative of the season but right now, I'm really appreciating the smaller moments that help build these characters.Plus I have to admit that I'm shipping Max and Taylor pretty hard. Max gets so many great lines this week including the bits about the burritos, Taylor's study cards and the speech he has planned to say to Lori. He's a great character but Taylor gets some pretty exciting feistiness this week. Sure, now it seems like all the guys will be chasing after her. Gabe already seems pretty obsessive. It's so hard to keep track of these guys and girls and who is interested in whom. Everyone seems into Carter. Then everyone seems into Taylor. Then everyone seems into Crash. Sooner or later the show will need to simplify and commit to certain pairings. However, the only good guy is Max with Ofe having his moments as well. Nevertheless, it was fun watching Taylor experience her first kiss and then going all in with Gabe and Max.
And then, there was Carter going to work with Elizabeth. It was fun watching both of them just let go and enjoy being with each other. They left the animosity elsewhere and had fun knocking in doors and shooting at cardboard bad guys and each other. But of course, real life then come roaring back. Carter, then, had to learn the "big" lesson that it's not always easy knowing who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. Ugh! That was one cliche piece of writing right there. And yet, it was a life experience that opened up those two to a potential actual relationship. Carter's not gonna start calling Elizabeth mom. But now that Elizabeth is giving up the search for Lori, it makes both of them available to try and understand the other.
Some more thoughts:
- "The Heat" was written by Elle Johnson and directed by John Terlesky.
- I was super worried Lori was going to do something to Max when he didn't want to cooperate at the very end. Thankfully, it didn't come to that but she is definitely getting crazier.
- How in the world did David not know that divorce means Elizabeth would get half of all of the money? Another very poorly written scene.
- Although I do respect David a bit more for knowing that Elizabeth is having an affair. She's not that subtle but he's not so focused on his book to not notice a change in her behavior.
- Seriously, how awkward awesome was that scene between Carter and Grant?
- Yeah, Bird just has sex in the middle of her party. What a lousy host!
