MovieChat Forums > Enlightened (2011) Discussion > Amy finally had a small redeeming moment

Amy finally had a small redeeming moment

posted 11 years ago by quiet451
20 replies | jump to latest

Against all odds. When Amy got off the elevator to talk to the head of the company and told Molly Shannon's character that Tyler had nothing to do with the whistle blowing scheme, I for once felt happy for Amy......for just a second.

She is the most destructive, psychotic and self absorbed character on television. I have learned to almost root against her and root for her to fail, but I really didn't want to see her bring Tyler down too. So thanks Mike White for giving us that much.

Also, as much as I am curious as to what might happen next, I REALLY hope that this is the end of the show. It would mean ending in perfection in my opinion.

[–] Kompressor_Fan 11 years ago

I was just talking to a buddy that is also a fan (and only watched the ending last night) and we were saying the same thing. So many of these shows wind up going so far off the rails when they get into multiple seasons that they ruin what the show was originally about.

We were both saying how, although it would be fun to have a third season, that in a sense it would be perfect to just end the story right here. They took the story, and the characters, through a full arc. This season ended perfectly, and with an ending that not only made sense, but was satisfying.

[–] cosmosblack 11 years ago

I think the show would continue to be brilliant - especially since the creator always had three seasons in mind. I want to see his entire vision completed - although many seem happy enough with 2/3rds of the vision which probably won't look good for a renewal when HBO sees that a lot of 'Enlightened' fans are so ho-hum about a season 3 and are already discussing the series like it's over.

[–] chas437 11 years ago

Excellent point. In a way, to have the series end here, would preserve its excellence. What you say about the arc of the plot is exactly right. There are so many series that go on and on into redundancy, well beyond the time when the original premises and storylines have been realized. As much as I love the series, I wouldn't have a problem if it ended now.

Who's High Pitch?

[–] sjynyc 11 years ago

She is the most destructive, psychotic and self absorbed character on television.
_______________________________

Did you miss the moment in the finale when she was getting coffee, saw that the article came out...and she didn't even buy it to read it?

That may not seem to be of any relevance... but it is HUGE. She had moved past her own vanity. She didn't care what was said about her, she didn't need to read about how brave she was.

She is not as self absorbed as you would think, and least not by the end. Most people would want to read about themselves out of sheer curiosity if not vanity.

[–] cucamonga-jacobus 11 years ago

Amy Jellicoe is not just self-destructive -- she's like a grenade that repeatedly goes off causing collateral damage. You are correct that someone who is vane would want to read about him/herself, but Amy Jellicoe is not vane. Indeed, she is self-absorbed. She is incapable of seeing life from any other perspective than her own. She thinks that whatever is going on in her mind is the only thing that matters.

[–] Madeline5 11 years ago

Our culture encourages people to be self absorbed.

No surprise there.

It doesn't condition us to be kind, altruistic and thoughtful.

Amy isn't different from anyone else. She's a product of marketing and sales, of unworthy aspirations that we're sold on from cradle to the grave.

Maybe those around her in the office who know how to play the game, just hide it better.

We're conditioned from infancy to adulthood to be self absorbed. It permeates everything. It's how they get us to buy their stuff and make them rich.

I-phone, I-Mac, I-this, I-that. It doesn't get more obvious.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/201006/are-today-s-youth-even-more-self-absorbed-and-less-caring-gener

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257715/Study-shows-college-students-think-theyre-special--read-write-barely-study.html

We've been bombarded with it, and yet expected to behave as if we're not, or haven't been conditioned to be this way. What a contradiction.

People who are aware of the expectations, just conceal it.

We certainly aren't being conditioned to be otherwise.

The thing that annoys people about Amy's character is she's completely open, almost innocent in acting out as the product of her culture's conditioning. Or rather, she's not been thus far aware that she's been conditioned, and still too naive to hide it from others.

What people don't like about Amy is what they don't like about themselves and people they know.
Conditioning is strong. That's why it's used.

It takes a lot of shaking up of one's life, to SEE things for what they are.

[–] Kompressor_Fan 11 years ago

What people dislike about people like Amy is that she (or they) are reckless, irresponsible, and immature. Not everything people dislike in this world is somehow a reflection of ourselves, Dr. Freud.

Believe it or not, some of us like to be able to go to work in the morning and not have to exist in an office of swirling drama, or put up with the clueless morons who create those dramas. Simple pragmatics....I work to make a living, not to make friends with "the innocent" or "the altruistic." In fact, althought I am friendly with co-workers, they are not my friends....there is a difference. That I can do on my own time, if I choose, with people outside of my workspace, thank you.

There are workspaces in life, and playgrounds. Balanced, mature individuals understand the difference....the unbalanced and immature do not.

[–] koko-10 11 years ago

She didn't need to buy the newspaper because her mother got it at home.

[–] MisterMofo 11 years ago

She is the most destructive, psychotic and self absorbed character on television.

Eh, I dunno. I think Hannah Horvath may be slightly more deserving of that title.

You don't wanna lay me on the ground.
You wanna bury me beneath it.

[–] chas437 11 years ago

I wouldn't call it a small redeeming moment, but rather a completely redeeming moment.

Who's High Pitch?

[–] Lancer01 11 years ago

agree with the OP on everything.

Amy is hard to like because she's so self destructive.

as for another season, i think 2 is enough the way the ended it.

There was a good balance between the characters work life at Abbadon and their personal life. If they come back without Abbadon or another workplace, and only concentrate on the personal lives, the show will lose what it is about.

Also, I think this show is a great piece for the times we live in. It's a glimpse into corporate america, with all the office politics. Maybe a bit exaggerated (or not depending where you work), but pretty spot on.

[–] chas437 11 years ago

Well, in my mind, Amy is completely redeemed. I don't care that people think she's a flawed and unlikable character. She set out on a difficult, courageous almost quixotic mission to bring down the crooks that ran Abaddon. She succeeded in her mission, despite a myriad of challenges and set backs.

You are right about how this show fits with the time we live in. I think this show initially reflected the 99% movement, as well as the rise of the whistle blower to a degree. The 99%ers were still going strong when this series first aired.

Who's High Pitch?

[–] garko-1 11 years ago

The moment I made peace with Amy's lack of awareness about how she comes off to other people was in the first season when she and Tyler are photocopying flyers for her Women's Association of Abaddonn. She looks at the sheet and coos with pride "Look Tyler! WAA!"

I mean, that's not exactly the acronym you would want for a group which purportedly shows women in a powerful light.

WAAAAAAH. So endearing.

But really, she went through a lot of crap not just in the narrative present, but in her past, and her future doesn't look very bright either. Because of that, I cut her lots of slack. I find it kind of disturbing that so little compassion is shown toward her.

[–] crackedmuse 11 years ago

I find it kind of disturbing that so little compassion is shown toward her.

I agree. I thought the last scene completely vindicated her. The craziness and pain comes from having too much hope. Not just hope for herself, but for all the people who feel trapped with no way out, or have settled for less than they deserve, or simply given up. She's keeping hope alive for them, too. It can drive you crazy, which is why so many others have forfeited it. But it truly is a beautiful thing. And without people like Amy willing to pay the price to sustain that hope, the world would be a terrible place.

[–] mrmad2001 11 years ago

How many innocent people in that company are going to end up homeless and living on the streets because of her "hope". Maybe some big wigs go to jail, and a bunch of products are taken off the market, but at the end of the day she just hurt a lot of smaller people.

[–] garko-1 11 years ago

Or maybe Charles Szidon and the politicians who colluded with him will be reassigned to laundry and kitchen duty at the state pen, and Abaddonn will end up having to clean up its act. Remember, as Judy in HR informed Amy, they had already laid off a lot of people while Amy was in rehab, and at the end of season two, they eliminated an entire department, all without Amy's help.

Did you not see the episode where Omar explains Cogentiva to Amy? The system was being designed to lay off and underpay people, so the "smaller people," as you (and Leona Helmsley) put it, were already getting shafted... BY ABADDONN.

[–] malichi6 11 years ago

From what I learned from an insider, Mike White's intention was to only create two seasons of episodes for this show -- so basically, this was an extended mini-series. Therefore, your wish will most likely come true that there won't be any more to episodes to come. Personally, I think it's good to leave some ambiguity on the fate of the characters and just let viewers decide for themselves on what that should be. That being said, I have to say I will miss "Enlightened" -- it had some excellent acting, characters, and writing.

[–] MitchumsGal 11 years ago

Incorrect. Season 2 was supposed to be part of Season 1, but he had to many stories he wanted to tell with the characters. He has plans for Season 3 but it will be up to HBO.

E N L I G H T E N E D

[–] malichi6 11 years ago

Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

http://www.vulture.com/2013/03/enlightened-mike-white-season-3-plans.html

[–] Peterican 11 years ago

Too bad it's been canceled.
:(

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni49411497/?ref_=hm_nw_tp_t1

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