First Note of Love Episode 7: Part One
I re-watched the last few minutes of episode 6 just to catch a glimpse of Charles Tu in the shower. | |
Every time Sea says hi to Neil, he sounds so adorable. He's completely unsure of himself, timid in front of the person he's admired for so long. I eat it up every time; it gives me all the goosebumps, and I get all giddy inside.
The dynamic between these two. Neil is torn between being a mentor to Sea and being emotionally drawn to him. This has become more apparent since last week's episode. Neil's conflict seems to be about feeling the need to mentor Sea while also using him as a replacement for his brother, And still, he is being pulled in by something he can't quite define. Meanwhile, Sea is struggling to live up to his idol and needs to realize how talented he is. The complicated webs they weave. God, I love them so much!
I was curious about what Sea was observing during the closing credits of episode six. It turned out to be Matt's guitar pick! I initially thought they wouldn't show it, but I'm relieved they did because not getting an answer would have been maddening.
Sea's internal freak out because Neil turned off the lights and put on a movie. Is this a date? Then, disappointment. LOL!
I'm glad we have more matte footage, but it's disheartening that Neil thinks Matt was Sea's only idol and continues to hold himself to high standards, feeling that he's not as good as his brother. It's bothering me that Sea has yet to confess the truth to Neil about who inspired him to pursue music. I hope this secret doesn't linger for the rest of the series because that would drive me up the wall. Neil will only continue to grapple with his insecurities until Sea comes clean.
I immensely enjoy the editing in this scene where they zoom in on the brothers practicing with their guitar. The editing makes it feel like you're watching a home video, drawing you into their memories. I appreciate that additional touch.
The emotional scenes in this series have a unique impact due to their rawness. Crying is not meant to be elegant, and it's refreshing that we don't witness the stereotypical one-sided cry, or what I'd refer to as the "pink eye" cry. Both Neil and Sea display genuine emotion with watery eyes and heavy tears, which is more authentic, in my opinion. This is an unpopular opinion from last week's episode, but I feel the same about Reese's "ugly" cry.
"Slowly but surely, I seem to understand that my brother isn't coming back." The subtle ways this drama explains the stages of grief. Sea, give this man a big hug :(
Oh, yes, please play some piano music. It's really stirring up my emotions.
I like how Neil's character grows in this episode. He's learning to be more independent and not rely too much on the person he cares about. He's taking the proper steps to be there for his new bandmate, Sea, who lacks confidence. Neil is helping to ease the pressure on Sea so Sea can focus on his music and grow emotionally. It's impressive that Neil understands the situation and makes changes that benefit them.
Why do I feel the kiss was just a figment of Sea's imagination or a dream?
I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't even notice that six minutes had passed and we still hadn't heard the opening song. LOL
Sea's reaction to the kiss and Neil's confession is understandable. To begin with, Reese ripped apart his work and revealed that Neil is experiencing a loss of funding for their upcoming concert, leading to added pressure and an inability to concentrate at work. He is a private individual who might not appreciate Neil's ability to pick up on this. In essence, both of them took part in pre-couples therapy, (LOL) after which Neil admitted that he only returned to the stage because of Sea and now has romantic feelings for him. Sea is likely still affected by Orca's criticism from episode five.
This is a lot for someone who never anticipated being more than a composer for the band. Yeah, sorry. it was not the best timing, as it seemed like Neil was acting on emotional adrenaline.