The overriding question looming as this episode started: What kind of hell might Shaun raise about his new status as literal ASD poster boy (poster man), and how would Salen react to it? Or, to jump right to the next step: What would happen when Salen refused to take it down?

Maybe it was just an extension of the “Rationality” that gave the episode its name, but I saw several other battles splintering off throughout the episode. Where did the rationale lie in each situation? Maybe it depends on which side you reside.

I’m leaving the Park & Morgan side of the episode out of my own analysis; in fact, there’s not a lot of #Shea-specific matter to cover this week either (though they’ll still get some time in the blog if you keep reading). The bulk of the “Rationality” episode belonged to Shaun, Glassman, and Salen, in various combinations, so that’s what I’m focusing on this time. I ain’t mad about it by the way; we know Glassman’s issues have been building, and where there’s Glassman there’s Shaun…. At least in some capacity; at least for now. Let’s see where the battles take us--

• As most of us predicted, Shaun was none too happy with his involuntary billboard appearance.

• As most of us predicted, Salen was unapologetic while still treating Shaun with respect (much as she behaved in their previous clash).

• What we probably didn’t predict: a revisit-in-48-hours challenge, with the “use reason, not emotion” catch. (which, conveniently, is about the space of time in a typical TGD episode.)

• Should the billboard stay up or not? Apparently it’s going to, and who can fault Shaun’s reasons for agreeing to it. We pointed out how strongly he felt about being “in the press” for the S3 “Influence” episode in early 2020, but maybe this should be taken as another step in his personal growth? 

• On the other hand, I’m pissed that Salen did what she did without repercussions… was she really going to re-evaluate her decision, as Shaun asked? I doubt it. Then, next thing you know, she doesn’t even have to pretend she did. Gaaaaaaah! This is why we can’t have Nice Things.

• By the way-- I’m assuming that somewhere out there is a study on the fact that an unusually large number of people say “7” when asked to pick a number between 1 and 10. I’m sure said study plays into Salen’s next lines, which was the pull quote we saw from the TGD account this week… “We aren’t nearly as rational as we think we are. Not in the way we see the world; not in the way we think about the world…” But like Shaun, I do not understand what she thinks that proves. (And for the record, I chose the number 3. HA, Salen! Deal with that, you freaky little enigma.)

• They started out so well; Shaun was instantly impressed when Walt knew how many pediatric papers he’d written (who wouldn’t be?). But Salen’s requirement of them to treat him like medical personnel crossed the line into annoyance and frustration rapidly. 

• Shaun has enough trouble communicating with the medical professionals he works with all the time-- now he’s required to take his tone with patient family members, and tone with his peers, and assimilate them into one?
  

And she’s most definitely not involved in the best moment: Shaun telling Holly that while he’s not sure Walt would make the best doctor, he is a very good father… “one of the best I’ve met.” It’s too bad Walt didn’t know just how big a compliment that was, coming from Shaun… but he and Holly seemed to relish it nonetheless.

• OK, calling this a “vs.” situation seems dated and unfair. Lea’s in an ever-evolving place now where she surely feels Glassy’s pain from previous years, and in spite of that (or because of that?) she feels his help is necessary to Shaun’s peace of mind.

• But what makes this a “vs.” is where Glassman’s head is at this point of the season. Unlike the previous episode (“Measure of Intelligence”), Glassy doesn’t look over the top of his glasses at Lea like she’s irritating him, asking for help he doesn’t feel like giving. This time, she’s asking questions about Glassman that he’s surely asking himself when he’s not getting a garage visit from every character under the TGD sun. She wants basically the same thing as last episode-- Go do what you do, Glassy; go talk to Shaun and follow through accordingly-- but our wonderful, wise Lea changes tactics this time, making it all about Glassman before the scene ends. 
  

• What Lea had NO way of seeing, though, was her own foreshadowing. She saw Shaun and Glassman each struggling in their own way and thought things would get better for both by re-joining forces. But things are different now. Glassman can’t feel “every victory” with Shaun the way he mentioned to Lea last season (the “Parenting” episode) when he’s feeling so defeated in every single way. 

• But hang on, we’re getting to all that in a minute. My point here is that when Lea asked “Why are you still in town?” she never expected Glassman to seriously say to himself That’s a very good question…  and when she turned that old MG into an absolute work of functional art once again (Sorry, I used to have a BIG thing for MGs), she never expected him to pack his bags and drive away. She’s obviously insightful, but she’s not in his shoes. It’s a big difference.

• Speaking of foreshadowing— maybe we ALL should have seen this coming when most of Glassman’s scene in the “Measure of Intelligence” episode came out of his garage. Last week, it was a home for woodwork, for painting, for winemaking… this week, there was no sign of those things. In their place—the one thing you expect to find in a garage. But not for long, in this case…

Before he saw Salen, though, Glassman caught up with Shaun as Lea requested. Let’s start there.

Because, among other reasons… Salen is the one person on the show who doesn’t seek Glassman’s approval and/or advice. What she wants from him instead is too mundane for words. Even if he was impressed enough by her professionally to dive in without incentive, it would be unbearable for him. It IS unbearable. Especially when he loses his leverage. So let’s go back to that. 

• First off, he went to bat for Shaun without telling him he was doing so… noteworthy if only because it was a point of possible contention that the writers chose to scoot past this time.

• Thank goodness they at least had Glassy point to the fact that the billboard was “possibly illegal” (somebody had to, right?). But Salen’s reaction (“why are you coddling Shaun?”) was annoyingly cool… as if to say yeah, so what, I’ll manipulate Shaun into agreement by tomorrow so “illegal” will be a moot point.

• And I want to further come down on Salen for calling Glassy towards Shaun “patronizing”, then turning around and advising him about the mistakes parents can make with their kids… always a rich thing to point out when you’re not a parent yourself (OK maybe she IS a parent-- we don’t know yet-- but the vibe I’m currently getting is NOT)...

  • BUT… we further we went in this episode, the more I said Is she right? And Damn, does she have to be right all the time? (to quote another character in the show)

• And yet! Glassy moves past any discomfort he feels with Salen’s words and lays down a new deal: I do your interviews; You make Shaun believe that he convinced you (and take the billboard down) and the next thing you know, they have a deal. She’s all about empowering Shaun until it becomes a bargaining chip for what she wants/needs for success, and then it’s “screw it, I’ll say whatever you want”?  That’s the brass tacks for her. Business is the bottom line.

And… that’s why round one of this battle went to Glassman.

BONUS QUESTION: Over on Twitter, Reader/Commenter Syl indicated Salen’s pointing out parental shortcomings would be especially egregious if Salen was as aware of Glassman’s history as she is of others at St. B. Do you think Salen knows about Maddie? Honestly, I’m hoping she doesn’t. That would add a layer to her already multi-tiered persona that is very discomforting.

• He wants to blame other factors-- Shaun & Lea’s engagement, Salen’s takeover, maybe even Debbie’s need to be her own person-- and then, seeing a common denominator, thinks he’s doing the right thing in taking himself out of the game. First by holing up at home, then by driving off to Anywhere. But who’s the one who can’t deal with change now?!  At least Shaun’s resistance is rooted in a disability, and he never gives up the struggle to adapt. Glassman, meanwhile, is older, and stuck in his ways, and stubborn, and… and… well, maybe it’s because it’s simply all too much, all at once. At least for him. 

For the most part, their job as a unit was very much in the background this time. I like the way their billboard reaction shots were essentially bookends for the episode— it starts with their initial reaction, then (almost) ends with them re-visiting their reactions… maybe, say, 48 hours later?

• Otherwise, we got a re-visit to their chat at the start of 5x3: Shaun wanting to come at Salen with the facts as he sees them; Lea pointing out that isn’t what the 48 hours is about. This time Shaun doesn’t get a lot of time to ponder whether this is “good advice” or not, as Mateo interrupts with news about Holly. But that requires him to figure it out on his own…

• I noted on Twitter that this was the first time we witnessed ShaunVision with Lea in the room. It reminded me that, back in early S3, ShaunVision was taking place at their apartment when Lea padded into the kitchen for a late-night snack and sent ShaunVision crashing everywhere (I called this the “Still talking!” scene when I was ranking pre-relationship scenes of theirs at the old blog). 

• But nowadays, ShaunVision blooms after talking his feelings through with Lea, leading reader/commenter Steven Hamburg to suggest that she’s become his muse. Definitely an idea I can get behind!

“Oh there’s something in my mind that’s killing me

There’s something that this life’s not giving me

Would you say…

Oh we don’t know if we leave, will we make it home

But we all know if there’s hope, then we’ll be okay”

“We Don’t Know” by The Strumbellas (the music that played over the end of “Rationality”)

As Glassy drives off into the night, and a new page of his personal journey gets underway, I think about a number of un-Glassman related things:

1. The Salen takeover has drawn several battle lines, many of which were not even seen in this episode: Park’s wariness vs. Morgan’s aiming to please… Lim’s determination to fight vs. Andrews’ apparent determination NOT to… and Wolke and Jordan (who were left out of the episode completely) are coming at this takeover from different POV’s as well. But the one with Glassman is key-- that’s why it’s getting the most attention right now.

2. How long will it be before all the different little battle lines involving Salen become one big, fat one that unites the St. B staff in ways we haven’t seen before?

3. OR, how long until Salen reveals a layer that does a much better job of meeting the people where they’re at?
   

   
   

That would be the more rational way to go… wouldn’t it?