Ringer officially hit the three-episode rule tonight with “If You Want a French Lesson” and I’m not sure if I’ll be back for more or not. Oh, of course, I’ll be back for more. I’m a sucker for even mediocre shows like this. Why? I have to know what happens next, even if I don’t necessarily care.
Ringer has improved with each episode with more intriguing character developments, but I don’t like being totally confused either. Though, that is not my biggest problem with the show. My real concern is that I don’t know who I’m supposed to care about or root for in this complex and contrived story. My best guess is Bridget, but she isn’t really very likeable. I also don’t understand what she is doing.
Bridget thinks that Siobhan is dead; that she killed herself. Now, someone is trying to kill Siobhan. Instead of taking the $50,000 and running, Bridget sticks around and continues to risk her life being Siobhan. She can’t trust Gemma, Andrew, or even Henry. There is no one on her side if she continues to be Siobhan. At least she showed some common sense and smarts by using Agent Machado against the thug stalking and threatening her. Though, what is the big deal about the throw-away phone? Bridget didn’t find anything on it, so what is she missing?
While Bridget is mildly likeable, Siobhan is selfish and ruthless. Did she put the hit out on her sister? Previously, Siobhan received a phone call where a man said “we have a problem”, but in the preview the call was longer and said that “Bridget was still alive.” Poor editing? Did Siobhan expect Bridget to report her suicide? So, when Bridget instead took over Siobhan’s life, did she need her killed to protect the plan? All these questions, but no answers.
I don’t think there is a single straight forward character in Siobhan’s life. Andrew is also a mystery. He treated Siobhan like crap at first, but then completely reversed himself and was nice to her. He has to have a secret, right? I don’t trust him and don’t like him much. His business partner, Olivia, is even more conniving and unlikeable. If she manipulated Gemma and Henry’s withdrawal, what else would she do? I’m not sure who would win the more ruthless battle: Siobhan or Olivia.
While Siobhan’s life is crazy weird, Bridget left quite a mess behind herself. I just realized there is a likeable character: Malcolm. He has stood by her through all this; he even withstood being tortured and drugged to protect her. Agent Machado should be tracking down Macawi instead of looking for Bridget through Siobhan. If he committed a crime before, he will do it again. Unfortunately, Malcolm is paying the price for the FBI’s lack of follow through.
In the end, I understand if the characters did what would make the most sense, there wouldn’t be a story to tell. But, the outlandish choices the writers have made are creating a show that is borderline unbelievable and with characters that are unlikeable. I’m not giving up on this show yet, but I hope the show’s direction becomes more clear. There are too many questions to get a feel for what story the writers are trying to tell.
Other stuff:
Clacked by Carla Day 
on Sep 28, 2011 @ 00:10 EST5EDT
I have a three episode rule as well, so I am done. This show has bored me to death, and all the character motivations are all over the map. I have no idea why anyone is doing anything and the characters don’t seem to either since they all act different from episode to episode, especially the husband.
It’s too bad, I wanted to like this show.
Agreed. I wanted to love this show, but there’s too much on TV and I can’t waste my time on mediocre. If I hear it’s become awesome, I’ll catch up.
Nope … I’m done after two episodes here.
It’s much easier to cut the cord now before I get sucked in and “have to know how it ends” (because I’m the same way, why I couldn’t walk away from Gossip Girl or Smallville, as an example).
It was better than last week, but its still too soapy for my taste. I think I will give it one more chance though to see what happens to Malcolm.
The clerk at the cell phone store told Bridget that he didn’t have the equipment to read the “something like a SIM” on the burner, but that the government could. Bridget’s threat to the unknown caller was that if anything happened to her, the burner would go straight to Agent Machado, who would be able to analyze the phone and trace the caller.
Unless the caller was also using a burned phone. Or Bridget happened to be carrying the phone when she was killed, as she was at that moment.
Hey, Warehouse 13‘s season is over, so Jaime Murray only appears on this show. I can keep watching.