DIVORCE has two bad guys now – Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Robert (Thomas Haden Church). Robert has re-mortgaged the house; bought shady properties and has absolutely no money to show for anything. This tightens Frances’ chest because she didn’t see this coming. It’s ironic seeing the cheater hyperventilate about things done behind her back. I understand that she is upset, but a major part of her being upset is the arrogant notion that she knew everything that was to know about her husband. I have this motto that whenever you’re in a relationship, whatever you’re doing is exactly what your partner is doing. If you’re keeping secrets, then s/he is also keeping secrets. I think it’s karmic retribution that no one have a leg up on anyone else. So, I would suggest that Frances get off her high horse and chalk it up to the universe knowing all things and paying her back at the right time.
Frances’ cheating is still hurting Robert. He has moved into the asshole phase of grieving. He accosts a few old flames in hopes of getting some cutty. His goal is to hurt Frances. He seals the deal with a mother from his kid’s school, and after, he feels like crap. When he tells Frances, she is indifferent. Robert points that out, and she still has a blank face. Jesus, she is cold. I say that she’s cold because he stands on her porch with a puppy dog face, sad that he just had sex with someone else. Yes, he’s telling her to hurt her, but he’s also telling her because he’s remorseful. He mentions that when she had sex with her cheat buddy “34 times,” he never suspected anything. There was nothing in her eyes or actions to make him suspicious, and that scares him. Frankly, that scares me. Frances must be a bit of a psychopath to not let on to her scandalous rendezvous. Over the course of who-knows-how-many-years, she was able to operate covertly. That is nuts. And that is what Robert was married to.
Conversely, Robert is a bit nutty, too. Making financial decisions without Frances’ knowing is scandalous, which means he is very talented at keeping secrets as well. He is no saint, but I do have to say that if I were to compare the two evils, Frances’ is worse. And her response to his sexual encounter proves this.
I don’t think Frances was ever in love with Robert. I can only imagine that when he was courting her, she decided that he was the safe choice for her. He would be predictable, which is what she needed. And seeing that he wasn’t as predictable as she assumed, this pisses her off, which makes her the ultimate asshole.
I believe that Robert wants to save his marriage, but Frances is just so over it, either because she was never in love with him or because she fell out of love several years before these divorce proceedings. I was a cheerleader for them getting back together, but because of Frances’ behavior, I’d like this marriage to die. Robert deserves a lot better than Frances. He is currently acting like a baby butthole because he is hurt. It’s understandable. Frances is not doing anything to quell his hurt, and that’s really messed up. If they were to call off the divorce, Frances would have to reinstate some type of love and care. At this point, she’s devoid of it, and again, maybe she never had it for Robert in the first place.
Season 1, Episode 7 (S01E07)
Divorce airs Sunday at 9PM on HBO
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Jennifer spends her nights writing, her days securing insurance for TV shows, and her in-betweens blogging about the silliness and seriousness of life on her blog.
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Jennifer Ford | Contributor
