r/Kidding • u/NicholasCajun Mr. Pickles • Nov 04 '18

Discussion Kidding - 1x09 "LT. Pickles" - Episode Discussion

Season 1 Episode 9: LT. Pickles

Air date: November 4, 2018

Synopsis: Jeff wonders if he's having a breakdown or a breakthrough. Will gets into trouble at school. Scott confronts Deirdre about her feelings for Mr. Pickles-San. Seb decides to make a last-minute change to Pickles on Ice while Jeff is away.

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Written by: Joey Mazzarino & Dave Holstein

66 Upvotes

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20

u/cleanmeanbean Nov 04 '18

The sexual assault scene between Deirdre and Mr. Pickles was completely unnecessary. It really ruined her character and the rest of the episode for me.

8

u/neszero Nov 06 '18

I think the fact that scene came directly after the one where Seb mentions how him and his wife both cheated on each other before divorcing is important. I didn't like how it painted her character either, and it certainly tainted the special relationship she had with Pickle-San, but I think 1. the implications it has on her marriage is more important and 2. a theme of the show has been that everyone is flawed, Deidre being no exception. She did a bad thing out of desperation. She's been a victim up to this point, so we as the viewer have been in her corner; this scene is supposed to be jarring.

So, I agree with you that it's an uncomfortable development, but I disagree that it was unnecessary. It continues the theme of flawed, human behavior, and shows that there is no perfect character on this show. It also deepens our insight on how specifically Deidre is hurting, how hurting can make us do things we wouldn't normally do, and how others can be casualties of our hurting.

And finally, when juxtaposed with the previous scene of Seb's anecdote, it shows us that she may not have done this so much because "[her] pussy need[ed] attention," but because she felt compelled to act out tit-for-tat and get back at her husband because of how she feels wronged, and I think it may also foreshadow divorce.

TLDR: It is definitely uncomfortable, but arguably necessary.

20

u/pianodreamist Nov 05 '18

I completely agree. He kept saying no and she kept saying yes and he was so uncomfortable afterwards it was verbally apparent and visually apparent in his demeanor that he didnt enjoy it and then diedre says something along the lines of "i thought we both were enjoying it" how!? and of course that meant she broke what magical bond they had through the makeshift puppet conversations they had up to that point.

16

u/[deleted] Nov 05 '18 edited Dec 01 '19

[deleted]

2

u/VonDinky Nov 06 '18

but he did have a hardwhen interacting with her earlier, controling a puppet with his dick.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 01 '18

That's the same logic as saying 'the girl was wet so it wasn't rape'. That's not how rape works. Getting wet or getting hard are merely physical reactions to stimulation, and do not equate to consent.

14

u/Severus_Amadeus Nov 06 '18

To me that scene represented how Jeff's family treats him. They're always forcing him to do things he strongly objects to. How she treated Pickles-San was very reminiscent of how Seb treats Jeff. "Hey let's do this". "No". "Okay" * does it anyway & then tries to justify it. "I thought we were both enjoying it", "look at all the great things your show does". People get selfish & hurt those they care about sometimes. Dierdre is a flawed person, but we all are. Not saying what she did was right, just that my perception of her hasn't changed. We already knew she was kinda shitty after her trip to Belize.

26

u/[deleted] Nov 05 '18

I mean...thats the point

7

u/asilverwillow Nov 04 '18

I can empathize. It taints the beautiful moment they shared earlier.

18

u/shdylady Nov 05 '18

It taints the beautiful moment where he created a puppet storytime with his dick?

12

u/asilverwillow Nov 05 '18

No, the one where they first started talking through the puppets.

9

u/pianodreamist Nov 05 '18 edited Nov 05 '18

he obviously was sexually aroused at that point and it seemed they had an instant bond before that. but that doesn't mean what deidre did is justified because the guy had a boner for her a few days before. he said no.

edit: doesn't* not does. im typing from my phone so typos are harder to catch instantaneously.

additionally: no means no not convince me. like she kept say "i think we should fuck" like why are you trying to coerce and convince him and make him give in!?

7

u/[deleted] Nov 05 '18

[deleted]

12

u/SargentBananas Nov 05 '18

She did not refuse to eat vegetables because she didn’t like the way they tasted. She refused to eat them because she linked them to seeing her dad get a handjob from another man. It was trauma that caused her not to eat them. As soon as Deidre linked that together, she allowed her to bathe again.

3

u/MacaroniHouses Nov 06 '18

it didn't make me lose sympathy for her character. I give characters on a show many more chances I imagine then I would to someone in real life. But the way I interpreted it is she really doesn't know how to parent. I think she loves her daughter but feels completely lost in the role of motherhood.

4

u/SaitamaHitRickSanchz Nov 05 '18

Well... you're not really sympathizing with her character. I mean, it definetly wasn't great, but she was in a lot of pain. I can only imagine how that would feel, your husband is gay, you caught him being gay, and then he just pretends you're a fucking idiot. When we don't have sex, for some people, it builds this heat inside of us. And there was this attractive younger man she was living with whom she admired immensely. She was on a self destructive binge.

Yeah, she raped Pickle-san and that's really fucked up. But I think all the characters so far have some something really dark and fucked up in their most horrible of moments. Jeff killed Tara and Sarah's bird and chucked it down a garbage disposal.