#hightown 3x07

[booasaur]

This ask has no spoilers!! just general thoughts lol. Your idea of saving The Ray Show Hightown to binge was absolutely correct. I was disappointed in the ending but would’ve been more annoyed had I been a weekly watcher. Not sure if you’ve seen the finale but the ending was so emotionally and narratively removed from the first and second season that it makes me wonder what exactly the plan for Jackie was… it was just so dismal and bland. I feel like I get where they were going if I’m being generous, but none of it landed for me at all. If you’d asked me how this show would’ve ended even in s2 this wouldn’t be it. So hollow.



Ah, thanks for being so careful about spoilers! Always appreciate the thoughtfulness.

I actually did end up checking out just the finale and mostly just skipped around to Jackie's parts, so I was like, oh, okay, I guess things are going well for her again??

I would have liked to see Ray's comeuppance on screen and it was sad that Renee seems to have been completely dragged down by him, but despite everything, I'm glad Jackie got to be okay at the end. That was probably about as good as could be expected for her, given the issues she's been dealing with so recently.

That scene with Leslie seemed a bit of a sop given the reaction at the end of season 2, it was so brief and so (too??) emotionally intelligent for them but... I"m always of two minds when it comes to Safe f/f storylines or endings, where you can tell they don't care enough about the relationship to actually give them plot-impacting conflicts and story, but they also want the credit for the rep, and it's like, I mean, yes, I do want more, but I am also grateful for no BYG or completely written off characters?

I mean, if I'd watched the whole season, especially weekly, I'd probably be more pissed but I feel like I said my goodbye to the show already so Jackie getting her okay ending with even a hint at maybe a reunion with Leslie and also Ray being destroyed from two directions...as a season, eh, but as an ending, I'll take it.

Also, my girl Charmaine stayed winning. :D

[juanabaloo]

hi! this is so random but I just found hightown and saw you in the tags I was wondering if you recommend it? I wanna watch something with a lesbian couple but it's hard to find shows (I tried station 19 but got bored easily besides the appears couple is on season 3). anyway would u say it's a good written show and good rep? like is it worth it? thanksss

hello hi! i highly recommend Hightown if you are a Monica Raymund fan, she plays Jackie - the supposed main character. (Monica was on the first 6 seasons of Chicago Fire if you happen to be into firefighter shows.) i have randomly seen a few eps of both Chicago Fire and Station 19 (Maya x Carina is the couple you were watching for i think?) and they were just alright.

it's hard to know if you would like Jackie / Hightown without knowing what else you also like. (related, my top 5 sapphic movie recs)

(also disclaimer while i am flattered i'm not a lesbian, i'm bi so def not an expert on lesbian rep)

OK so i'll try to pitch this without too many spoilers.

Pros for watching Hightown

it's short! 3 seasons is only 25 episodes total

Monica Raymund!! she's truly amazing and gorgeous

if you watch BTVS and like Faith Lehane, Jackie to me is like an older but still very fuct up Faith

rated TV-MA in the USA (versus TV-14 for Station 19 and Chicago Fire)

sex and nudity is rated severe in the IMDB parent's guide (versus mild for the other 2 shows)

Jackie has sex and enjoys it, with different women

Jackie is clearly a lesbian and shows no interest in men

there are other women on the show you may find attractive (Renee played by Riley Voelkel, along with fewer appearances by: Charmaine played by Imani Lewis and Leslie played by Tonya Glanz)

Jackie is in a relationship with one woman at some point in the show

the chemistry between Jackie and the one woman is really good, for both sex scenes and softer moments

MILD SPOILER: the relationship lasts for a while (more than a few episodes)

MILD SPOILER: neither Jackie nor the relationship woman die during the show

Cons for watching Hightown

there are a lot of other sex scenes that don't involve Jackie that are hetero (Ray or Frankie)

Ray takes up too much space in the story IMO (i don't find Ray very attractive, so maybe i am biased. i don't mind the space Frankie takes up, and he IS attractive.)

"lesbian couple" is too strong a term for the relationship Jackie has with the one woman

if you believe ACAB - well this is a cop show. Jackie may be a "fish cop" but she's still a cop. (i believe ACAB and just hold my nose.)

not really a con - totally separate from ACAB Jackie is not a good role model. so she might not be good rep.

the one woman has some struggles with understanding her own sexuality (related the show pretends no one is bi)

not really a con - drugs (specifically hard drug use) is rated severe in the IMDB parent's guide

not really a con - Jackie is a real mess, and her struggle with sobriety is a major theme of the show

not really a con - Jackie has a rough relationship with her Dad

there's a lot of angst and drama in this show. if you want a solid lesbian couple / sapphic couple to watch, i don't recommend this show. but if you want to watch Jackie having sex and also root for her and this one woman, you can. if that is your plan then you can basically only watch S1 and S2 and skip all of S3 except for 3x07 the finale. So that would be only 19 episodes.

i can say more but trying not to spoil things. ask if you have more questions!