LANGE, FALCO and METCALF Rule Episodes 2 and 3 of "HORACE AND PETE"

LANGE, FALCO and METCAL RULE EPISODES 2 and 3 of "HORACE AND PETE"

“It’s sad that it’s so hard to show your feelings when you really want to,” mumbles Leon (a wonderfully understated Steven Wright), one of the patrons that forms the nucleus of the 100 year old “Horace and Pete’s”, midway through the second episode of what is quickly becoming Louis C.K.’s masterpiece, “Horace and Pete”. The weight of that line looms over both the aforementioned and proceeding episodes (i.e. #’s 2 and 3) of C.K.’s miniseries like a thesis statement.

In contrast to the series’ shatteringly brilliant pilot, where the men with all of their foibles and complexities ruled, C.K. decides to turn over the bulk of the work to three legendarily brilliant actresses here – Jessica Lange, Edie Falco and Laurie Metcalf - all of whom handle his witty and cutting material deftly, with strength, grace and nuance.

Lange and Falco rule episode two.


Falco’s levels of rage and desperation, though familiar, seem entirely new within the boundaries of this world. She’s not as guarded as she was for seven years on Nurse Jackie, nor as witty, not as much as she is wired. Falco has always been able display a sense of truth and humanity that is both unflinchingly real and crushingly funny. She’s definitely both here, but I find her more haunting and unnerving than she has been in years. She should be a contender for the Emmy.

Lange dominates the episode, however, showing sides and shades of her craft and brilliance she hasn’t displayed so beautifully since her Oscar-winning turns in Tootsie (Best Supporting Actress 1982) and Blue Sky (Best Actress – 1994).

I think by episode 2, it’s certainly arguable that this may be Lange’s best role and performance, along with Big Edie in “Grey Gardens” and Fiona Goode in “American Horror Story: Coven”, since “Titus”. She’s as natural and unmannered as she has been in a while here and C.K. has a way of catching the magic of this legendary actress in action that’s both exhilarating and refreshing. There’s no pretense or fussiness. As a writer, director and co-star, Louis allows Lange to slowly bud until she finally flourishes into a hothouse violet in a sexy and funny segment that recalls Lange’s earlier work in “King Kong” and specifically “Tootsie”, while also paying homage to Marilyn Monroe in many ways. In fact, I often caught myself thinking: This is exactly how Marilyn would’ve done it had she reached Lange’s age – 67.

What’s virtuoso about Lange’s work here is that she manages to build a performance from two distinct and almost diametrically opposed versions of the same character. Marsha isn’t as course as her characters on American Horror Story. Sure, she can shoot the *beep* with the boys and call a spade a spade, but she’s also lonely, depressed, hungry and searching. Lange beautifully catches all of the multi-colored facets of this diamond in the rough, while also limiting the pathos of the character – something not common with Lange –to give her to us fresh and spontaneously. You can almost imagine C.K. casting his spell on Lange and freeing her up a bit. One minute she’s breezy, youthful, effervescent and sexy as hell, the next minute she’s older, more sullen and sunken in; drained and viperous to boot.

She certainly deserves an Emmy for her supporting work here, and especially as a way of championing this milestone already classic.

If Lange deserves all the praise and all of the awards for her poignantly effervescent work in episode 2, Laurie Metcalf deserves ALL OF THE AWARDS and then some for her riveting, flinchng raw nerve portrayal of a woman torn between carnal desires and a deeper, more conscious calling. in episode 3 She’s le piece de resistance, giving an undeniably shattering performance. She literally toes the line between a splintering homemaker and a self-degrading adulteress. Gifted with the best material of the entire cast so far, and the space and time and to go full force, Metcalf does just that, and perhaps gives the most electrifying performance of the series to date.

For nearly 50 minutes, she shoulders the bulk of what could’ve easily been a somewhat shocking if mundane episode with skill and precision. She grips you with fear, giddy lust, guilt and pathos in a way I haven’t seen a long time in television or film. She’s riveting here and nearly single-handedly elevates the show to a new level, setting the bar for the rest of the cast, who no doubt will be up to and able to meet the challenge.

Awards bodies and committees were established for performances like the ones being given on “Horace and Pete”, but Metcalf is why winners of those same awards were made. She deserves an Emmy as a guest contender. Really: THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WHO CAN COMPARE. SORRY BOUT IT; NOT SORRY.

In the end, the women on “Horace and Pete” – if they could be collectively classified as anything – are women who 'don't show their feelings when they really want to,' to paraphrase Wright's character, Leon.

Perhaps what Sylvia is really feeling is that she can manage with her malady and emotions just fine. She has her daughter and family and she’s already receiving treatment. Her anger and sense of justice is what’s truly driving her to ensure that “Horace and Pete’s” is sold and forgotten forever. Who could blame her? She’s lost two brothers and was subjected to years of abuse to some degree because of the bar.

Maybe what Marsha really wants is not a man or lively chatter or even a drink – not as much as she wants the sense of safety, warmth and nostalgia the bar gives her. She’s wants Horace back.

And, well, we already know what Sarah really wants because she’s decided, against her better judgment and advice from Horace, to continue on acting out exactly how she feels. There’s a certain poignancy to that directness with herself and with her ex-husband, Horace, that is both scarring and liberating.

“Horace and Pete” is turning out to brilliantly be able to do both: to scar and liberate the viewer all at once.

EDIT: Both episodes 2 and 3 - especially the latter - contain C.K.'s best work as well. Truly sincere and touching.