I'm back with part 2 of my review now that I've finally managed to read everything posted here. Pretty much all I wanted to say has already been discussed so I'll add a couple of things more:
Lindsay: I'll probably sound like a hypocrite because I repeatedly asked for a better Lindsay --both the character and the acting-- and now that my wish has been granted, I realize it's not enough. This Lindsay-is-a-whole-new-person situation is unrealistic and too forced for me and it's not about Anna this time -she was pretty convincing and made me root for her in almost all her scenes.
I agree with everyone that she is acting like a caring, responsible wife and mother, but people don't change that much in a short period of time. Let's not forget that they haven't been married for that long: if I remember correctly she was 7 months pregnant just before the wedding, so I'll put her at 7-8 months at that moment. I guess that no more than a couple of months passed between Lucy's birth and the shooting, add another month until "Epilogue" and they've probably been married for aprox 4-5 months. Since Lindsay left on maternity leave just after the wedding and Lucy was born the same day she returned, it's safe to say they haven't been together like a
real couple until the birth. And with a newborn and a demanding job, I seriously doubt they had time to discuss their multiple issues: it wasn't that long ago that Lindsay didn't want to tell Danny about the baby or marry him and she apparently changed her mind moments before the wedding. It's obvious that these two have a huge communication problem and they couldn't possibly had the time to address it with everything that has happened since they got married, so the underlying fears are still there. They just don't magically evaporate with a marriage.
I agree that being married means a stronger commitment, therefore it's understandable that fears and doubts are temporarily put aside to build a solid foundation for the relationship, but they don't disappear with the exchange of the vows, and ignoring them will only bring more trouble in the future.
I can understand Danny lying about his chances of recovery to protect Lindsay, but why didn't she go to the doctor with him? I know, probably because Danny didn't want her to worry excessively or because they couldn't find a nanny or whatever excuse, but then why didn't Lindsay ask Hawkes or Sid for their professional opinion? If she claims to know Danny she should suspect that he isn't telling the truth or at least she should try to learn what's the best way to help him cope emotionally and physically. That shows IMO that nothing has changed with these two, even though they probably believe that they have put their problems behind them now that they are married.
I believe that Lindsay loves Danny -I've always believed it although I don't care about their relationship- so I predicted that Lindsay would act different if only for fear of losing Danny. Now, I'm glad that the writers choose to show this side of Lindsay, but it feels a little too much: what I really saw is that she was trying to put a brave front for Danny like she has probably been doing since the shooting. She can't afford to lose it with a newborn and an injured husband, but that doesn't mean she's not suffering and feeling alone. She was too reassuring and too optimistic and I found it hard to believe her, she sounded as if saying it out loud would make things easier. It seemed to me that she was trying to comfort both of them, not just Danny.
Lindsay can't possibly go from miss "it's all about me" to "I'll be at your side cheering you up forever and ever, no matter what, I'm unbreakable". She's been there before, she knows that Danny is difficult to handle when things are a mess, so even though they both are more equipped emotionally to deal with things this time, it's still too early and I doubt that Lindsay feels so brave as she sounds. She has to be terrified and unsure of what to do. She should lean on somebody else or she'll lose it and that's not what Danny needs. His optimism seems to be hanging by a thread, probably because Lindsay is acting the way he needs, but why if she can't do it anymore? Lindsay should seek comfort and advice in her friends and colleagues. If she continues doing this alone, I predict trouble in D/L land.
At least I hope the writers acknowledge that the transition between being married because they were having a baby and being a solid couple shouldn't be a smooth one in terms of realistic writing.
Danny: Am I the only one that noticed that everybody seems to be walking on eggshells around him? They all seemed to accept that Danny is doing fine because he seems so and because he has Lindsay who seems very strong and supportive, so nobody is trying to reach out to see how things really are. The only one that seemed to sense that Danny is not a-ok was Flack and poor thing has a lot of things to worry about. It really proves how close they are -and it made my day- but he can't be 100% there for Danny this time and I doubt Lindsay will be strong enough if this ends up in a major breakdown.
There was something wrong about the way Danny acted, like he was breaking in the inside but trying to be his old self in the outside and even when he was speaking to Lindsay and he seemed a little bit more defeated he still sounded too nonchalant for Danny. That's just a facade IMO and that's why I hated that they showed us this scruffy, ragged Danny to prove he's really having a hard time instead of
really showing us how he is feeling.
I hate unsubtle writing and NY's scripts are sometimes very in-your-face. It was unnecessary to show Danny that way because Carmine would have made us feel and believe Danny's pain without all the cheap, unsubtle visuals. Or at least have Danny talk with somebody other than his wife so we can judge how he really is. Being Danny, he will try to avoid adding more burden to his wife's problems with his fears.
If we have to believe in what we see, Danny is going to be a total optimist by next episode since his 10% feels like a 100% with all the support he is receiving.
I'm sorry but that's bullsh*t.
