Form is just as important as content, my friends.
Never forget that. Content is very important, but how you present that information is equally as important… and somewhere down the line, Ringer has a disconnect with those two things. It works in both ways, actually — on paper, nothing that happens on Ringer makes any sense whatsoever and mostly the show's execution makes up for it greatly.
But other times, it feels so understated, you know? Take for example the picture placed above this very review: why play that cruddy indie pop music when Malcolm opens the door to a very conniving looking Andrew? Why? It makes absolutely no sense. Thrill me, Ringer! Thrill me! It's useless that I say this, months after I stopped writing reviews for this show, but I still feel the incessant need to continue.
Speaking of when I stopped reviewing the show: Hello! Remember me? My name is Michael, and I used to review Ringer on here but then inexplicably stopped. The reason for that is simple: life is hard.
Back then, episode 1.07 or 1.08, the show was very different. I mean, Gemma was still alive. Remember her? Yeah me neither. The point is that the show has grown into something these past few episodes to definitely root for. It started with the faux-cry rape storyline where I didn't know what the heck was happening and has transitioned into this Ponzi scheme story. I sincerely laud Ringer for keeping me on my toes throughout that whodunit, and now this one!
Who the heck killed Siobhan's boy toy? (If you remember my reviews, you also remember I hardly remember anyone's name and I have nicknames for everyone, so bear with me.) Was it Henry? Was it Andrew? Was it Olivia!? Was it himself!? And whoever did it, do they have the real flash drive? (I know, there was a shot of Olivia with the flash drive, but we don't know if that's the real one or not, technically.)
The greatest thing about this storyline, and the rape one, is that they are mysteries that could have taken all season to solve… but this show doesn't care about that. In fact, I'm surprised (in a good way) at how much they stretched the rape story… and I hope they torture us a bit with this murder story, too, all the while throwing red herrings at us to boot! I hate myself, apparently. But, honestly, one of the best things with the second half of this season is that I truthfully do not know where it is going (in a suspenseful way, not in a "can they get their sh-t together?" way) coupled with bigger stories I didn't imagine happening.
But by that same token, some of these storylines are dumbed down so much that I should probably feel insulted. Here's how Ringer describes Ponzi schemes: They're bad. Well, okay. And it uses these huge themes and scandals just as an extension of what they mean as plot points for the core group. I guess that's not technically horrible, but I can't be blamed for wanting more, can I? Juliet's fake rape story did nothing but show us what it meant behind the scenes, but we never saw her testifying or anything to that effect. At times, it just feels a bit narrow. Does this make any sense? I mean, even the Big Bad of the series is a non-factor. Who the hell cares about Bodaway Macawi? Does anyone actually think he's a threat at all?
Agent Eyelashes does (ugh. him. this show's attempt to give him any backstory doesn't change the fact that he's the world's worst FBI agent). Everyone keeps mentioning how scared of him they are. But what has he done, really? In fact, midway through the episode when they were in the middle of their investigation, I thought about how much of a non-threat Macawi has been to the characters, how no one has died. Then, boom — Boy Toy is gone! Yet, still not Macawi's doing.
But as I usually say: just turn your brain off for Ringer and you'll have a heck of a time! This show, right now, is juggling about seven different storylines and mysteries at once. We have new possibilities for who set a hit on Siobhan; Bridget is ever so close to finding out her sister is alive; the Boy Toy whodunit; the Ponzi scheme; Henry and his love for Siobhan that has relegated him to a lapdog… it goes on and on. I suppose some of these stories (for example, having Andrew be the mastermind behind a Ponzi scheme, a threat on Siobhan and Bridget's life, and be a suspect in the Boy Toy murder) could do away with the fact that we should care for anyone on this show. If anyone on this show is capable of being a suspect of anything, should we continue watching?
I have no idea. Does it even matter? All I know is that I'm having a helluva time on Tuesday nights!
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