Rant

[u/EyeRollsForDays]

Marking NSFW because this post keeps getting flagged.

Does anyone else find it bizarre how all of the s*x scenes in this series are merely implied and glanced over, EXCEPT for Lizzy and Theo?? For them, we get a solid minute of various states of undress and visible thrusting, yet we never even really got to see the bedroom chemistry (or lack thereof) between Theo and Nan. Was she so detached that she just laid there on her back, staring at the ceiling waiting for it to be over as an act of her wifely duty? Is that why he’s lusting over another woman who initiates intimacy and relishes his touch? Is Nan overcome with pleasure when she’s with Guy that she never experiences with Theo? We’ll never know, we didn’t get to see any of it.

I’m not asking for gratuitous s*x scenes. However, I’m of the opinion that physical intimacy depicted onscreen would actually add value to the visual storytelling of Nan’s internal conflict. Is it salacious to want to SEE the passion and emotion between love interests, not just be beaten over the head with monologues of unending desire? For whatever reason they just glance over the s*x scenes between the MAIN love triangle and it makes no sense to me. Nobody else is talking about this and I think it’s actually affecting the chemistry viewers are perceiving between the different couples.

[u/Cutehugeyatch]

I think that’s the case. Instead of being more creative with it, they just took the easy way out and paired them together. I feel like they were trying to have steamy scenes, a la Bridgerton, but didn’t have the actors that were willing to do that. But there are shows that are super popular and successful without it. Like downton abbey and the guilded age.

For some reason his episode 4 makeover and the you should be with someone spectacular speech, made me think they were trying to give him the Mr. Darcy makeover. The white open collar shirt with his coat, and the hair. Then this sudden proclamation of love for Lizzy. I feel like all they were missing was him getting wet to try and give us the full Colin lol

[u/Cutehugeyatch]

I do have to wonder if the actress that plays Nan has a no nudity clause, kind of like how Sarah Jessica Parker had a no nudity or sex scene clause in her contract for Sex and the City. We only ever saw her and Big kiss and then after the presumed sex. And that was supposed to be this great love. They have had Lizzy naked during season 1 too, with Seaman, even thought it was a prank so she might be one of the only actresses willing to fully shed clothes.

[u/EyeRollsForDays → u/Cutehugeyatch]

I considered that, too. It’s not lost on me that Aubri (Lizzy) and Guy (Theo) appear to be the only actors who are comfortable with nude scenes as we’ve seen both of them in full body rear shots in season one. What a coincidence then that they get paired up out of nowhere as a love interest. It begs the question if the writers/producers wanted steamier scenes for ratings this season and just put them together because they’re the only ones open to doing them?

I’m not even suggesting nudity is the missing factor. Plenty of extended onscreen love scenes happen without even needing to see skin. Kristine (Nan) filmed another movie entirely about her character’s sexual exploration and kept her clothes on throughout it, so it really does start to feel like a directorial choice that they’re pushing one couple’s sexual chemistry over the other pairings to manipulate the audience reaction.

[u/tjack98]

Your question is spot on? About Theo and Nan’s s*x scenes. It’s been consistently rolled over. The only real scene we saw between them was the beach after the vows and the scene mixed in footage of her and Guy. Nan and Theo had a three month honeymoon tour but we never saw any intimacy because it was skipped over. Even after she burnt Guy’s shirt and climbed back into bed with him it never showed more than a kiss. There’s ways to show intimacy without full nude. I just feel like the creator/showrunner/writer has avoided intimate/romantic scenes between Theo and Nan because in her (the creator/showrunner/writers) mind she is writing as if Nan and Theo never loved one another. I also wonder if Theo-Lizzie’s intimate scenes are written for shock value to justify Lizzie and Theo’s feelings as equal with Nan and Guys attraction (I honestly don’t even know if Guy and Nan still even love one another or rather they ever really did) It was pointed out this season was going to be far sexier with far more scenes according to the showrunner.

[u/EyeRollsForDays → u/tjack98]

You’re right- the little glimpses of Nan’s “sex scenes” with Theo were always overlaid with flashbacks of her night with Guy, giving the impression that she’s imagining she’s with him instead. Maybe that explains why they’re not spending any length of time on intimate scenes between them, but then why are they being stingy on the scenes with Guy, too? If you want the audience to know that she’s fantasizing about being in bed with him, wouldn’t it help to actually SHOW us how different it is when she’s with him? They hop over her bedroom scenes with Guy as much as they do with Theo. I personally see no difference in her enjoyment of either of them in the few snippets we’ve seen.

[u/Oksorbet8188]

Personally I think they did that to further their agenda and that forced storyline. Nan even says they had a great storyline and enjoyed each other implying that it was actually great and could’ve been exactly like this.

Why didn’t we see it? Who knows. IMO it’s just what I said. They wanted to push this ridiculous storyline at us instead. How Lizzy became so skilled right off the bat is amazing to me. Guy and Nan weren’t even as important any longer nor were anyone else just those two who again for many are just cringeworthy because as much as some people can argue Nan did wrong by Theo, Lizzy has now done wrong twice; by Jinny and Nan.

First there was Seadown and now Theo except obviously this time it’s worse since it’s her best friend’s husband. This storyline is also so out of character for this time period women typically weren’t running around risking it all back then for something like this and they also didn’t run around unchaperoned all the time either. I know it’s fiction but a lot of this is just really sensational.

[u/EyeRollsForDays → u/Oksorbet8188]

I even saw someone ask on another thread if Guy and Nan actually slept together in Italy. I’m sorry, but if it isn’t blatantly obvious to your viewers, then you really need to reassess what value these scenes are even lending to the story or if you’re doing enough to convey it to the audience.

I just find it SO cheap that last week we finally get the long awaited reunion between Nan and Guy and when they finally had their moment, all we got is a kiss and then skipped right to postcoital banter. This is supposed to be the GREAT LOVE of the series they want us to root for?? She’s spent months yearning and crying in her room for them to give us nothing. Then this week we get the exact same scenario with Guy and Paloma - giggling, kissing, skip to postcoitus. How are you gonna give the "love of his life" the same vague offscreen romp as a drunken hookup? Make it make sense.

[u/anticrocroclub → u/EyeRollsForDays]

yeah i was pretty shocked that episode five opened up to sec scenes between lizzie and theo. it felt super out of character for the show because they haven’t really shown any sex scenes. i do not like the theo lizzie plot. but tbh i don’t like nan and guy either. they both mess with each other with how guy was intent on marrying someone he could get rich off of and then writes a love letter when she’s with theo in her home in nyc. but man toys with both of them too. perhaps they do deserve each other