Washed Away
Written by Ryan Murphy
Directed by Craig Zisk
10
"Perfect"
Connor (to his therapist): "I wish I felt like my parents really loved each other, that's all".
And this week gentle viewers, Nip/Tuck decides to take a wander into the future as in two decades worth of forwarding as this episode opens up with a 20 year old college kid named Connor McNamara is talking to hi shrink in a pretty futuristic office about his current woes.
It's certainly an intriguing way of opening up one of the series most water cooler and classic episodes as the breakdown of Sean and Julia's marriage is relevant in 2006 and of course, 2026.
In therapy Connor muses about how he somewhat feels responsible for the break up of two people who have weathered various storms in their union, even though I doubt there is a single audience member or a character who would actually blame Connor for being responsible for his parents separation.
His therapist certainly doesn't see Connor as responsible and as he sympathetically listens to the lad talking about getting surgery on his other hand, the therapist encourages Connor to get his family into a room and talk to them about his feelings. What exactly is going on with Sean and Julia that twenty years later the otherwise level headed and rational Connor feels he needs to see a therapist?
Back in 2006, the **** hit the fan as not only has a hurricane named Lenore is hitting Miami and has managed to go from Category Two to Category Five in less than a day and is forcing a mandatory evacuation but Sean and Julia not only worry about operating on Connor's other hand but they can't also connect with one another or be angry over each of their infidelities with each other.
Julia isn't exactly desperate to know why Sean cheated on her with Mad Monica as she's more or less deduced his reasons were the same as hers. She's also quick to pop over to Marlowe's, who is leaving for Florence and tells him that she's letting Sean operate on Connor to Marlowe's objection. It's a complex with Peter Dinklage as Marlowe does seem genuine in his concern for both Julia and Connor without overtly attempting to vilify Sean but at the end; it's Julia who doesn't wan to hurt either Sean, Marlowe or Connor.
However Julia takes Marlowe's advice and tells Sean she won't let him operate on Connor, which finally ignites a reaction and the two let rip on each other. Although nothing new is revealed between the two, you are given the distinct impression that their marriage may actually be over.
Getting married for the sake of a child isn't exactly the best reason for anyone to tie the knot, especially if the love isn't there and poor Connor was never going to be enough of a reason for either Sean and Julia to stay with each other and like Julia later says to Marlowe, upon refusing to go to Florence with him, she is essentially better off when she isn't depending on someone to give her a sense of self. The first half of Season Three and working in De La Mer showed us that too.
Instead Julia plans to take Annie and Connor with her to New York to live with Erica and naturally, Sean thinks that once again, he has to pay for both of their mistakes. In a touching scene with Annie, the middle child asks if she and/or Connor are the reasons for their parents latest split, to which Sean reassures that they're not.
Back in 2026, Connor talks briefly about having a close relationship with Marlowe, going as far as to say that his former nanny became his godfather. Yes, despite being the man Julia cheated on him with, Sean was able to like Marlowe enough to let him play an active role in Connor's life. There's a great scene in 2006 where Sean and Marlowe put their differences aside and show mutual respect for one another. It's the kind of subtlety and writing that proves no matter how outlandish this series, it's most definitely not a soap opera.
Sticking with the future, Connor is in a restaurant with a much older Julia and thirty old Annie, who is somewhat more vapid with age and has problems that are primarily played for laughs. She's also played by Jan Brady/Jennifer Elise Cox and if she were my sister, I'd emigrate. Am I supposed to care that she dresses like a teenager and still blames her parents for her own problems? She'd make Kimber look mature.
It's a good thing that future Connor is likeable with Pretty Persuasion's Stark Sands giving a very sympathetic performance as Cox mostly chews through her scenes. Granted, future Annie's a riot and gets some brilliant lines to shoot at everyone but I think I would've hired a more subtle actress or even Anna Farris than the overactive Jennifer Elise Cox.
The restaurant scene is for the benefit of getting Sean and Julia in the same room and despite the tension between the long divorced pair, both Connor and the naff Hugh Hefner clone, Christian (escorted by two ladies) manage to keep them from drawing knives at each other. It seems Connor has also pulled in the best surgeon to do his hand and that surgeon is Matt. No I'm serious and in twenty years, Matt will look more attractive and despite ever hardly being in school will be a highly skilled surgeon. Talk about improbabilities.
The dinner scene is also helped with Annie's special brand of attention; Christian still proving that age won't stifle his libido (despite needing Viagra). It's a scene that makes me miss Six Feet Under, which is strange because this episode is mostly doing the same thing that "Everyone's Waiting" did as well with the characters.
Anyways Julia later quizzes Connor about why he didn't ask Sean to do the surgery and the lad admit despite the encouragement she has given him, he has never accepted his own handicap and didn't want to pick sides between his parents. It's a fair answer and the scene is merged with older Matt accusing Sean of abandoning Connor yet again during a critical time but that is soon resolved when Connor asks Sean to assist Matt in the surgery to which Christian ensures that he does.
Matt's reputation as an excellent surgeon is solidified with his sympathetic coaxing Connor into counting back from ten as Sean and Christian help him out in the most clean and least painful looking surgery ever seen on this series. It's a really great scene between two sets of father and son and my, hasn't technology advanced in two decades?
Post surgery, we deal with one more fit of melodrama when Annie is arrested for stealing painkillers and when bailed from jail, lays into Sean and Julia's bad parenting. Throughout the episode she's brought up Julia flushing Frisky 1 down the toilet, the Princess Menses party and her parents losing it over her curiosity of understanding Connor's condition. Julia and Sean apologise, a slightly joke is made out of it and Annie seems to forgive them but Jennifer Elise Cox is undeniably hammy at times.
Back at recovery Connor and Marlowe are discussing Christian and Connor's choices (Marlowe accepts the operation on his hand was his own decision), before nurse Jan takes a picture of Connor and his family: Julia, Sean, Matt, Annie, Christian and Marlowe. Hey, guys, where the heck is Liz?
At the end of the flash forwards Connor shows his new hand to his therapist and as much as he was glad that all his family were together in one room for him, he still admits that he wished he felt his parents really loved each other. I love that he says in a dignified manner and that is doesn't border on spoiled child syndrome.
In our last two looks of 2006, Matt calms an upset Sean and vows not to abandon him and this was during a time when Sean really needed to hear that particular speech. Sadly though while Sean may still have his house and his oldest child around him (and Christian, when's he not fawning over Michelle), this episode ultimate confirms the exits of Julia, Annie and Connor.
Joely Richardson's departure has been long rumoured this season but this episode is now the confirmation as Sean has to drop Julia and their younger children to the airport after the hurricane and it's a particular bittersweet goodbye scene expertly played by both Dylan Walsh and Joely Richardson that manages to stay away from being mawkish. Julia, I might be in a minority but you'll be missed.
Also in "Connor McNamara 2026"
Patient of the week: In 2026, it's just Connor who wanted his other hand fixed but in 2006, there is no-one. We don't even see McNamara/Troy this week.
Connor (to his therapist): "My Mom told me people will love me for my green eyes and big heart but I've come to realise that girls like it when you can unhook their bra straps by themselves".
Did anyone else find the trailer for Dirt, slap bang after the opening credits downright annoying? FX, control yourselves!
Julia (to Sean): "You can forgive me for sleeping with your best friend but you can't handle that I made love to a man that looks different".
Marlowe went to Florence when he was nine years old and talked to Julia about the place being the start of the Renaissance. This episode heavily alludes to changes.
Marlowe: "You just need me to take care of you"
Julia: "Actually I need to take care of myself".
Annie: "Why are we sitting alone at this huge table? Is this a metaphor for the chasm in our family?"
Connor: "No I was saving seats for your spirit guides".
Future stuff: Annie suffers from bulimia and agoraphobia, Christian married but wouldn't do it again, Sean remarried and Julia looks a bit like Erica. There's also a McNamara/Troy in Beijing.
Annie: "Just so you all know, I had an abortion last week".
Sean: "Thanks for putting words in my mouth"
Christian: "You're welcome".
In the future we learn that a man can marry two women but gay men still can't? It's the first Ryan Murphy has ever been vocal about gay rights or politics really.
Sean: "No you go be with your family. Hold them, protect them, don't screw up like I did"
Matt: "I am not leaving you".
Sean (to Julia): "She's thirty years old; we don't have to protect her"
Annie: "Yeah, like you've ever done it in the past".
No Liz, Kimber, Michelle or Gina in the year 2026? How could either of these women not factor in twenty years time with the rest of our characters?
Sean: "Mean? We're agreeing with you"
Annie: "I know, I hate it".
Chronology: A week or so since "Merrill Bobolit" in regards to events in 2006. Connor says Sean and Julia split when he was six months old so shouldn't be 2007 by now?
Annie: "How are people gonna clean up all the mess?"
Julia: "People rebuild. That's what we do".
Julia: "I love you, you know"
Sean: "I love you too".
Standout music: Sufjan Steven's "All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands". It's a beautiful song that has also featured on the equally brilliant Weeds.
Dodgy older prosthetic aside and maybe Ryan Murphy shooting himself in the foot if viewers aren't satisfied with these as future events, "Connor McNamara 2026" is easily the best episode of the season and the competition has been pretty big for that achievement. A brilliant guest spot for actor Stark Sands as future and a wonderful departure for Joely Richardson's Julia, this episode excelled everywhere.moreless
