Well, it was certainly difficult to watch but I call BS on the reviewers who said that the episode compromised the integrity of the series as a reaction to their discomfort with seeing their beloved character undergo complete terror, most of all in the form of total humiliation. Yes, I saw many opportunities for David to gain control of the situation, seize his captor's gun and kill the f****r already!, and I also saw the instant calculations I might make if I were hoping for one last thing that might make it end and save my life. Part of what was amazing about this episode, and which forms an interesting juxtapose to the negative reactions here is that Keith is always present, in the form of the cell phone David keeps trying to get a hold of, but he just can't appear as a superhero, nor can trust in his enduring love give David the strength to just kick some ass and emerge triumphant. Remember the first couple episodes, when they had those quirky funeral home ads? I thought *that* was going to be the Six Feet Under "paradigm" (wrong word, BTW, and people should know that almost nobody uses that word correctly), but it wasn't. So much of the beauty of this series is its ability to continue to surprise, to absolutely defy formula, to encapsulate intense human experience - and human suffering, obviously - without ever falling into the maudlin. It's an amazing episode.
Also, not sure where it's going or whether it will ever present a concisely describable meaning, but the "follow the dog" motif that has emerged over the last 2 episodes (and maybe more if I've missed any signs) is intriguing.
Also, not sure where it's going or whether it will ever present a concisely describable meaning, but the "follow the dog" motif that has emerged over the last 2 episodes (and maybe more if I've missed any signs) is intriguing.