Tell Me You Love Me

Having spent 10 weeks with characters searching for answers and trying to make the best decisions they can, I find it hard to stop watching. So tonight's first-season finale (there will be a second season) had me gasping nonstop.

The biggest surprise was watching Jamie avoid Hugo at the minimart, then eventually slap that wedding invitation on his windshield and end up at the notary public's office waiting to marry him. Jamie is so energized by Hugo that in her session with Dr. May, who was very distracted by the death of John, she explains that it was fate that brought them together. Though seemingly inattentive (asking Jamie questions about the gas station), May is still perceptive and unintentionally antagonizing Jamie by telling her she's working hard to convince her of her never-ending love for Hugo. But nothing is holding Jamie back when she snaps, "You're wrong. I'm sure sometimes that happens." (Oh, no she didn't!)

Carolyn, disturbed by Palek's decision to leave, was spewing venom first when blocking the door and calling him a coward like his father, then saying in front of Dr. May he'll never see the baby that will hate him. (If May was distracted, this sure got her attention.) I can understand the hurt of having someone you love leave, but Carolyn, who is smart enough to see the warning signs, was too self-absorbed to think this would happen. Even though Carolyn retracts and apologizes, it doesn't bring Palek back until she has her miscarriage. Carolyn repeatedly says she's fine, but with her glassy-eyed look we know she's not. So does Palek, who holds her while lying on the bed.

The restaurant scene was my favorite and it was one awkward moment after another. While Dan goes on and on about how miserable he is and how happy Rita is now that she left him, Katie spots dessert. She takes one look at Hugo and gives him a lingering stare. I initially thought they might have had a past connection until he tells Jamie that a "lady is checking me out." Then as Katie leaves, still glancing at their table, I had to laugh when Jamie thinks Katie was actually looking at her.

If Jamie felt weird when Hugo revealed he heard about her screwing the cook, it was immediately trumped when Anya came to the table to wait on them.

The scene we've been waiting for all season happened when Dave went to the kitchen to kiss Katie and they ended up having sex. Or were they just releasing pent-up frustration? (And Katie was on top, just how Dave likes it.) But the clothing left between them shows that there still is a barrier to overcome and they must take care of themselves before they can help the relationship.

This was all after a few nasty words are exchanged and Katie, thoroughly disgusted, snaps, "Then leave me, Dave." In therapy, Katie mentions she learned that not having sex isn't what's wrong — it's that they don't really know each other. (This is emphasized when she gutturally responds to Dave, "I don't want to be who you see!)

In the end, all of the couples are together, but did any of their problems go away? Katie and Dave made the most progress in understanding what's not working. Carolyn and Palek are probably done, and how long before Jamie and Hugo end up in another soul-shattering fight? I think these stories can continue into Season 2. Do you?

Some of May's words of wisdom:
• Dr. May to Dave and Katie: "The one thing a therapist can do, perhaps, in times of darkness is to turn a light on…. The trick now is not to be so stunned by the glare that you want to turn it back off."
• The dedication in her book Bed Dread: "To Arthur, for listening, and to the men and women who have the courage to be happy."

Final thought:
Thanks to those who regularly read this blog and especially those who took the time to comment. It let me know I wasn't the only one absorbed by these complex stories.

This show worked on every level: exceptional acting, thoughtful writing and detailed direction, particularly by Melanie Mayron (who directed several epsiodes, including the last two). Centering more on character motivation than plot, the show could be especially challenging for those who found it to be a mirror that they just didn't want to look into. Everyone brings different experiences with them while watching and those who stayed were rewarded with a rich viewing experience. I can't remember when I was last so glued to the screen.

So until next season, to use Carolyn's words, I think I'm done.

For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

The couples we've been following so closely went through some changes this week, mostly by their own choosing.

Rita is separating from Dan, and it upsets Katie's world. Katie is freaked out that this could be the answer to her marital problems. Even though she is surprised that Katie is surprised at her actions, Rita has proven that having a baby is not a good solution to save a marriage.

Unsatisfied with redoing the patio every year, Katie makes changes by seeking a job interview, going clothes shopping and getting a makeup makeover (with "Love Crush" blush). It not only shows Katie asserting herself and elevating her self-esteem but using avoidance tactics and being somewhat irresponsible by dropping her family responsibilities and ditching therapy.

Dave, now stranded, goes mano a mano with Dr. May, which was probably the most open and in touch we've seen him yet. He loves Katie but resents her and wants to know if their feelings can come back. We later learn that Dr. May was stumped by Dave's sentiments but told him that something better can come by sticking it out. When relating the situation to Arthur, his calm reaction seems all knowing and says: "You just can't grasp what we have from his point of view." I'm wondering if May is second-guessing her own reasoning, which I hope doesn't cause her to rethink her feelings for John.

Jamie is probably the one who is most aware of her complex problems, but she can't avoid repeating mistakes. She wants to run when she's with a guy but is afraid to be alone, so she stays in relationships not knowing whether it's the right move. Jamie knows changes have to be made and tells Dr. May that she is breaking her pattern of not saying "I love you" when Nick says it to her. Dr. May gives her three options on handling her situation. When Jamie tells Nick the truth that she wants to slow things down, he splits.

Carolyn is hoping to share their good news with Lauren (Kate Trotter), Palek's mother, and though initially discouraged, she gets her moment. As Lauren goes on and on complaining that the "movement" of people expressing their feelings is rude, it provokes Palek to blurt out that they are expecting. Carolyn is happily surprised. And though this is the only moment Palek appears to be a proud father, it's really to shut up his mother.

Early on, Carolyn assures Palek she will be strong enough to get them through any worries of having a child. But walking out on her job isn't the way to do it. (Palek asked, "Well, are you going to walk back in?") Adding on the pressure of an unwanted baby plus learning their house needs $50,000 worth of mold removal, it's no wonder Palek has a panic attack. Carolyn offers him no comfort when she begins talking about herself while he's lying in a hospital bed. Perhaps Carolyn's manner is much like his mother's, which could be what attracted him to her in the first place.

When visiting Dr. May, they now sit at opposite ends of the sofa where they had previously been seen seated next to each other. Carolyn explains she needed Palek when she quit her job but he went and had a panic attack. With an admission like that, it's no wonder the guy wants out of his marriage.

Random thoughts:
• Carolyn to Palek, when looking at the sonogram: "No one expects you to fall in love with a grain of rice."
• Carolyn was looking in the wrong place for a motherly connection with Lauren, so why admit to her that Palek was unhappy?
• Does a house full of mold do more than symbolically suggest a bad-breeding environment?
• Mason to Jamie: Anya "sounds like industrial cleaner."
• Did Dave really mean he would have liked another baby?
• Next week is the season finale. Without looking at the previews, what are your predictions for the couples? (Will Palek split? Can Katie and Dave work things out? Is Jamie capable of living alone and breaking her pattern of serial dating? Does Dr. May have the answers to keep her own marriage a happy one?)

For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

Becoming a sexual person is a memorable part of growing up, but how many can say that it started when watching the movie Swimfan? Isabella can. She is becoming a young woman, exploring the changes in her body and poses questions about them to her mother. As someone who now wants to avoid talking about sex in therapy, Katie seemed to respond sensitively and was comfortable telling Isabella it's OK to touch herself.

Dr. May is two minutes late for their session and Katie is ready to bolt. But therapy must be working because the tables have turned. Dave is now the one who wants to stay and talk. I'm not clear on Katie's about-face regarding therapy. She is probably getting closer to the heart of her problem and is afraid to go there. With Dr. May firing direct questions about orgasms and sexual positions (he likes Katie on top, she prefers the opposite), Katie is out of her comfort zone. I don't think her revelation of wanting to raise another baby will ease the pain — it will only mask any existing problems.

Speaking of having a baby, Carolyn isn't getting much support after announcing she's pregnant. Palek looks horrified, her boss says it's bad timing, and her sister Mason is surprised to learn she was trying. Only the mothers at the birthday party are excited. Carolyn is given hope when seeing Palek in the jumper with the kids. This playful side of Palek is deceptive and I suspect shows him reverting back to being a child instead of becoming a good parent. He stopped a boy from crying but was he actually moved by viewing an image of himself?

Palek's story may have had the most depth and was the hardest for me to inspect this week. He ditches Carolyn to visit Dr. May alone and reveals his father ditched him when he was 3 years old. Palek is frightened of his wife's pregnancy because he has no good role model for fatherhood. Palek despises his father yet is much like him (he even sounds like him), especially when admitting he wants to run out on his unborn baby. It seems like the conflict with his father has created an internalized hatred he can't escape. Moving annually from house to house won't fix that. Hopefully running to Dr. May will help.

Nick is also unsettled and moving in with Jamie doesn't help. She remarks that the single bag he brings is too big, and complains that he should have asked before fixing the toilet. They fight and then have bad sex. (Will she end up taking Nick to therapy, too?) With all of these negative signals, Jamie asks him to stay when he starts to leave. Prompted by a "toxic" dinner with Mason and Terrence (Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones), Nick tells Jamie she is beautiful and asks why people stay together if they make each other miserable. She doesn't know, then is silent when he says to her: "Tell me you love me."

Random thoughts:
• Could Katie have negative body issues, which is why she encourages Isabella to sexually explore herself?
• Rita made Katie (and me) laugh when she loudly announced to other customers in the restaurant: "Yes, we're talking about sex… someone has to."
• Dave explaining why they should stay in therapy: "It's like when you clean out the garage and you have all this crap on the floor… you can't leave it like that."
• Katie tells Dave she wants a baby and he says, "It's like putting the chicken before the egg."
• Mason is cynical regarding relationships. Does she need a visit with Dr. May?
• May and Arthur ponder whether they would have been good parents. Some feel you can't understand what it's like to be a parent without having had a child. Is that a fair assessment and does it hinder Dr. May's effectiveness?

For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

There were a lot of lies uncovered this week by way of honesty. And in some cases, it was the best policy. Let's break it down.

With the kids away for the weekend, you'd think that glances at each other's naked bodies would be the perfect catalyst for Dave and Katie to get it on. But they don’t. It becomes apparent at the restaurant when Rita and Dan leave them alone at the table that Katie and Dave are unaccustomed to touching. When looking around the dining room wondering if other couples are "doing it," it seems that public displays of affection confuse them. They identify intimate gestures as signs that people aren't having sex and can't tell if a caress is honest and meaningful.

Back home, Katie confesses she was faking her orgasms and Dave seems to be slowly opening up, admitting that things changed after they had kids. These baby steps are honest moves that could help to bring them closer together.

Hugo got my sympathy vote after losing control and crying after Jamie told him she was dating someone. And I almost believed Jamie wasn't faking her feelings for the sensitive guy when undressing him and slowly making love that seemed emotionally charged.

Jamie was honest to Nick, telling him about the one-nighter. She countered that move, and floored me, not only by bringing Hugo to her therapy session but by blindsiding him and confessing she cheated during their relationship. Sensing her own weakness and convinced that they would repeat a pattern of fighting followed by makeup sex, dumping Hugo in front of Dr. May might have been cold but was perhaps the smartest thing for Jamie to do.

Palek is ready to sell when he gets a reasonable offer on the house, but routinely moving once a year disrupts any attempt to become settled and reflects escaping problems. Carolyn hates what Palek does for a living, but his job is a failed attempt to create a happier home, one that he most likely didn't have growing up.

While packing, Palek moves in to kiss Carolyn and they have sex on the floor. But she gives a look that clearly says she's faking it. Making another move after a night out with the boys, Palek is angered when Carolyn truthfully says no and just wants to sleep. I don't know if a new suit — or the salesgirl — will make him smile, but the fact that Carolyn's home pregnancy test turned up positive is certainly not what he was shopping for.

May might have been the only one not faking it this week. She was totally honest with John, saying it was the fantasy of an idealized relationship with him that got her through "the difficult times with Arthur." Perhaps veggies in curry sauce waiting for dinner helps, but May does her best to reassure Arthur she loves him. They kiss.

May's words of wisdom:
• To John: "Endings need to be treated with as much care and gentleness as any other part of a relationship."
• To Jamie and Hugo: "We ask a lot of love. All the things we don't like in ourselves, we expect that love somehow will change. That's a pretty difficult task for something so fragile."

Random thoughts:
• Have you been listening to the comments of the "real couples" interviewed after the episode? I'm not sure they add a fresh perspective, but it is nice to see people of color and a same-sex couple included.
• Can you tell whether a couple is having sex at home when observing them in public?
• Is Nick a better match for Jamie than Hugo?
• Did Dave and Katie really changed after having children or was there always an intimacy problem?
• When Carolyn says no to sex, was Palek's reaction out of line after he had sex on demand with her for a year?
• For those who've previously commented otherwise, Carolyn wipes!
• Would you ask Dave for relationship advice? His buddy Jeff was dumped and Dave consoles him by saying being 44 years old and divorced with a kid isn't so bad. Jeff's response is a resounding "F--k you!"
• Dave may be giving in to the ways of therapy when telling Katie: "Maybe that Foster is onto something."

For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

The tale of Katie and Dave kicks off the episode with them visiting Dr. May, and immediately I'm hooked. Ally Walker and Tim DeKay deliver their lines so naturally and with such spontaneity it's hard to imagine it's scripted. Dave is still resistant to therapy, first wanting to leave the session early, then defensively turning Katie's words around to put the blame on her. Dr. May recommends forgetting about sex to remove any burden and expectations. Later, we learn that May and Arthur were in therapy, but whatever advice they got isn't appropriate, at least yet, for the "fragile" Katie and Dave.

Though few and far between, I love the much-needed injection of humor when Rita and Katie dish at the diner. Sherry Stringfield always gets Ally Walker to burst into hearty laughter and I can't help but crack up at her reactions. Rita knows her husband views porn on their computer, leading curious Katie to check out Dave's Internet history. (He reads Consumer Reports and ESPN.) She explores a porn site and eventually leaves the Web address undeleted. It's only a matter of time before Dave discovers it.

Jamie said she was "tangled up in sex" when she was with Hugo, so let's see if I can untangle this scenario. Jamie used Nick for sex, not out of love, but because she wanted him to need her more than Anya. Nick wanted to get back at Jamie for thinking of Hugo, so he comes over for sex. But I'm guessing that Nick didn't mean it since he invites Jamie to meet the family at a party for the adorable Aunt Rose. Jamie tells Dr. May she feels "useless" when alone, so perhaps both Jamie and Nick have abandonment issues.

And speaking of abandonment, Carolyn and Palek divorce themselves from Dr. May. They should consider staying in therapy to work on their relationship or it's most likely going to drift away. Rushing back to the office, Carolyn wants to get back on the fast track of becoming a partner, and to tell the lunch-cart lady to spread the word that she's not pregnant.

Screaming kids is what it takes for Palek to choose his words carefully and finally confess to Carolyn that he doesn't want to pursue having children. And to distance himself from the whole infertility issue, he announces he's putting the house on the market. At the open house, Jamie shows up with Mason who confides that she fantasizes sexually about brother-in-law Palek. (Uh-oh!) Seemingly drawn to the bedroom, Jamie meets Carolyn, whose favorite author is French Romantic-era writer Victor Hugo. Coincidence?

Random thoughts:
• Jamie's tattoo means "heal."
• Did all of the L.A. Law fans notice Susan Ruttan as Nick's mother?
• After an intense sex scene with Arthur, did May sneak in a visit with John (Ronny Cox) or was this one authorized?
• I wish Katie wouldn't regularly back down and apologize to Dave, who ultimately says they've become "one of those couples" and uses the lame line "you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube."
• What's up with Dave suddenly and inappropriately asking Katie in front of the kids if she wants to have sex?
• Did Palek lose interest in having children because they couldn't have them or do you think he never wanted them? And if that's the case, isn't that something to discuss before marriage?
• Dr. May says: "Sex shouldn't be the measure of whether a marriage is succeeding. In other cultures it isn't." Why is it in this culture?

For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

It was difficult deciding whom to discuss first this week, as each couple gets deeper into their stuff. So as Dr. May says, "let's talk about what nobody wants to talk about."

I'm always wondering what Carolyn will do next, and insemination day kept me guessing. In spite of the fact that her chances of conception aren't confirmed to be at least 50 percent positive, she smiles nonstop and takes high highs to new heights. Her online search for indications of pregnancy creates psychosomatic symptoms, like sensitive breasts, fatigue and increased appetite. Not only did she surprise the food cart lady by actually ordering lunch, but she also surprised me by choosing her as the first person to announce that she's pregnant, hoping that saying it will make it real. She gets a congratulatory cookie.

Low lows return at home when dozens of pregnancy tests come up negative.

Palek's expression said a thousand words while watching a dad juggle his crying son, a cup of coffee and a cell phone.

But Palek already has parental issues, and keeping his father at a distance won't break their strong connection. His mother must see it, too. She calls Carolyn crazy (!) for thinking Palek sounds like his father on the phone. And her ex-husband built the house she is selling but doesn't ask the advice of her son, who also constructs and flips houses. Turning Palek's old bedroom into a garage may be practical, but contrasted with his memories of dear old dad attending ball games and an art opening when he was younger, mom comes up short in the caring department.

The writing on this show blows me away. It's thoughtful, very specific and never arbitrary. When Katie prominently trips at Dr. May's doorway, it signals her loss of control and that therapy is a stumbling block or an obstacle for getting closer to David. They resist Dr. May's recommendation for a lock on the bedroom door to give them private time, but David brings one home anyway.

I hadn't anticipated David pulling a Greta Garbo, "vonting to be alone" and leaving Katie asleep on the sofa. The biggest obstacle for intimacy is his locking the door and literally shutting her out of their personal space. He then lies, saying the door was stuck. Katie forces a passionate interlude but finds no joy as David has already pleasured himself.

Happy time in their bed is when David is reading a story to Josh, who lies between his parents, creating another obstacle by physically separating the married couple.

Conflicted Jamie tells Mason she is quitting sex but is hot for Nick and latches on to him. When he flip-flops, is he merely being cautious or playing a game? Nick says he won't meet for a drink, then does. And later he begins to leave her apartment to rest up for his softball game, then stays. (I should have known she'd show up at the playing field.) As Nick says, they may not be over their exes yet, but would they make a better match?

Random thoughts:

• It's interesting to note that when David arrives home from the store, he bought Katie a can opener (to help feed and nourish) and he uses the door lock.
• David appears to love Katie, but because of his sexual avoidance of her, can we consider he might be gay?
• When Carolyn tells Palek she can't "do this" anymore, is she referring to getting pregnant, to their marriage or both?
• Can we assume that Palek's father cheated on his mother, and is there a chance his name would happen to be John?
• At the bar, Mason tells Jamie that men look at sports differently than they do women. Do they? Does Nick?
• Though Nick was responsible enough to say he didn't have a condom, Jamie was responsible enough to have one.
• Mason calls Jamie "retro" for wanting a committed relationship. Are committed relationships becoming less conventional?


For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

Was anyone surprised when David said he wanted to join Katie in her therapy session? I've been anticipating this moment and it was worth the wait. The elephant in the room isn't initially addressed when Dr. May asks about their anniversary. David loved the steak and the TiVo, but Katie mentions her disappointment with the purple teddy and that he never made a move on her after she showered. David previously stated he didn't want to be blamed and erupts when (rightly?) assuming Katie is doing just that. An awkward silence ends with his angry outburst about how buying household necessities and reading bedtime stories are not sexy. He might be a financial provider but resents nourishing his family. Katie's response: "Our entire life… that's what you just trashed."

The thought of Katie at the Hair Fairy checking for nit infestation is another turn-off to David. While pumping gas, he stares at the scantily clad ladies on a billboard for America's Next Top Model.

Isabella's doctor tells Katie that the average age for menstruation has dropped from 14 to 12 years old, due to too many environmental estrogens in our "milk, meat, plastic wrap and milk bottles." Katie reacts to the "horror story" by frantically throwing out everything in the house made of plastic. While this overly cautious act is meant to retard her little girl from entering adulthood (and delay any similar unhappiness), it's ironic that Katie also throws out Isabella's Barbie dolls, a symbol of her youth.

Sonya Walger's face amazingly relates the frustration and exhaustion of Carolyn persistently and unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant. (Ripping out a paper towel dispenser gets the point across, too.) The first sound we hear in the opening scene is the 1975 song "I'm Not in Love," by 10cc. Carolyn's blank stare shows she is either thinking about the gloomy lyrics or that she has made her decision and will take action to get inseminated.

After relating to Dr. May that her OB/GYN said she's physically fine, Carolyn searches for a few more answers when she meets with a former boyfriend (who now has two boys) and asks if they "created a karmic debt" when she had an abortion in college.

Palek appears to maintain a good perspective when he says they'll be "OK" (not fine) if Carolyn is not pregnant, but his actions say something else. He misses a therapy session and hasn't been taking Carolyn's calls. He doesn't seem to relate to his workers who want to spend time with their children on Columbus Day. And when Palek buys two suits, one black and one blue, the colors may represent an outward expression of his bruised feelings.

Jamie's distrusting Hugo and defining herself through sex reveal codependency issues. For Hugo, connecting only sexually was like a drug, and now he's "in detox." Her initial visit with Dr. May peels away layers of Jamie's personality. Her parents forced her into therapy after discovering her in a sexual situation when she was 14 years old. (Were there bigger problems at home?) Confiding that she is uncomfortable with being monogamous, we see that Jamie is what she feared in Hugo.

Random thoughts:

•Palek meets David at work. Will their paths cross elsewhere?
•David isn't showing the usual signs of having a midlife crisis (like buying a red sports car.) Is it simply family fatigue?
•Katie wonders if they had children too soon. Would a delay have changed things?
•Given Carolyn's situation, the song "I'm Not in Love" has more than an obvious association. It was rumored that the band 10cc chose their name for the amount of semen produced after ejaculation. (It's actually less than that.)
•What do Jamie's tattoo symbols mean? And did she inflict physical pain on herself just to feel something?
•Jamie meets a possible love thing, Nick (Ian Somerhalder, formerly of Lost). Can her $110 sessions with May change her path or is Jamie doomed to repeat the Hugo story?


For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

As each episode exposes more layers of the characters, this one uncovers some underlying feelings of hurt.

Katie and David's 12th anniversary creates more angst than joy. Katie dismisses any opportunity to celebrate alone with David and tells Dr. May that spending a night in a hotel would be a stupid idea. Then when Rita (Sherry Stringfield) and Sally (Anne Ramsay) offer to watch the kids, Katie declines.

David takes Isabella (Aislinn Paul) shopping for Katie's anniversary gift but has no clue what would please her. He looks terrified when Isabella finds what she thinks is the perfect present for her mother: a purple merry widow. This lingerie item is appropriately named for the state of their affairs, but the color carries much significance. Apparently a favorite of adolescent girls, the choice of purple seemed to represent a purple heart, something received when suffering or wounded. When the family is together at the restaurant, David is out to lunch, having no problem with Katie unwrapping the intimate item in a public space.

Katie's gift for David is TiVo. (Television is the great escape!) When he kisses her in thanks, it looks like a passionate moment will follow. But without making a move to do more than that, nothing happens. They sit on the bed, turned off, like the blank TV screen in front of them.

Phone sex may be adventurous, but for Carolyn and Palek it's really about getting Palek's sperm tested. It also shows distance and lack of intimacy.

Palek is told he has "good sperm," which ultimately isn't good news for the overachieving and successful Carolyn. She doesn't like to lose, which is why "game night" doesn't interest her. When they learn another couple is expecting, Palek wants the same joy and announces they are trying. Feeling it's her fault, Carolyn blurts out antagonistically that it's been an unsuccessful year.

Later, at home, Carolyn tries to apologize to a distant Palek. She wins this round with overly aggressive makeup sex, but it's like something he is doing to her rather than with her. (Does she deserve a purple heart when she says that she is sore?) While talking in bed, they equate angry sex with an angry baby. Palek comments that his parents must have had phone sex when he was conceived since he feels disconnected to them, not realizing this is what he and Carolyn were doing earlier.

Jamie isn't connecting with anyone nor getting helpful advice. Mason (Kate Towne) makes a point of leaving men before they leave her. Skeptical friends say marriage is obsolete and monogamy won't last more than six years. Jamie walks out on Marcus (Rhys Coiro) when she realizes he's no substitute for Hugo. (Marcus immediately calls someone else when she leaves.) Obsessed with resurrecting the relationship, Jamie will not mourn and tries to reach Hugo by telephone again, and again, and again....

Arthur surprises May at her office with news that he spoke with John. She doesn't like it. But Arthur reassures her it's OK to see John as long as she returns home to him. Later, May and Arthur share a passionate moment in their bedroom, showing that it's possible to work through and get past the hurt a partner has caused, and that making love is not only for the young.

• Would a real therapist relate she had problems in her 43-year marriage during a session?
• Are the thoughts of Jamie's friends a current trend, and are guys the only ones ready with a backup plan like Marcus?
• Would many men or women have the maturity and trust that Arthur has for May?
• Who deserves a purple heart the most this week?


For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.

Since there was no posting last week for the premiere, I am going to dive right in and combine my impressions of Episodes 2 and 1.

This totally engrossing drama about three couples with relationship problems not only has great acting but raises questions about the differences between sex, love and intimacy. Does sex equal love? Can we love without intimacy? And while the sex scenes may be titillating, their true meanings are found not only by examining why and when it's happening but by contrasting that with what is said during therapy sessions.

Jamie and Hugo are twentysomethings engaged to be married. Though Hugo (Luke Farrell Kirby) says he loves Jamie (Michelle Borth), she overhears him doubt that anyone can be attracted to one person for the rest of his or her life. This is a huge red flag for Jamie. As her jealousy grows and her trust wanes, Hugo tries to reassure her by vowing to be monogamous. But can he stay true? Are her accusations of him flirting irrational? They retain a passion for each other and continue to have spontaneous sex, but is this the result of raging hormones or an attempt to avoid talking and understanding what makes the other tick? In any case, trust is an issue, and she plans to leave without working it out.

Carolyn and Palek mark their one-year anniversary of trying to conceive a baby with a visit to their therapist, Dr. May Foster (Jane Alexander). As their session begins, they turn off their cell phones (signifying their connection to others?). Carolyn (Sonya Walger) says she doesn't blame Palek (Adam Scott) for not being able to get pregnant, but her actions suggest otherwise. Carolyn lies about going to the clinic, and is so obsessed with having a baby that she considers insemination by an anonymous donor.

Palek's actions also speak louder than words. He tells Dr. May that sex with Carolyn is great, but later on he would rather watch a football game and eat a sandwich than have sex on demand when Carolyn says she’s "estrogenic." He also refers to himself as a "sperm machine."

Dr. May gives them a homework assignment: to temporarily forget about getting pregnant. With the pressure lifted, they find private time in a bedroom while visiting Palek's mother. Their sex now seems more like lovemaking because of the spontaneity. Does Carolyn's intense desire for a baby suggest something lacking in the relationship? And is sex for reproduction instead of intimacy pushing them apart?

Katie and David is probably the most interesting couple of the three. When Katie (Ally Walker) sees David (Tim DeKay) manually stimulating himself, she realizes what they aren't doing, and haven't done in a year. The fact that David is sneaky about it shows that he still has sexual urges.

They say they love each other, but their conversations end up being about the kids. And David substitutes material objects for affection when he wants to buy Katie a new car. Or maybe it's to buy her off so she won't visit Dr. May, since he's afraid that her therapy sessions will turn them into a "couple with problems."

Katie thinks having sex will help fix the marriage. Will it? Dr. May suggests that Katie remember herself as a sexual person. We next see her stimulating herself first on the bed, then in the bathroom, then giving up. These two aren't communicating, verbally or intimately. Can just knowing they love each other be enough?

May and Arthur are in their sixties and appear to maintain a healthy love life. Arthur (David Selby), who is retired, assists May in choosing photos of intertwined nude bodies (without faces) for a book she is writing called "Bed Dread." Later, May returns a call she received from "John" and says she cares about him. Who is John, and why does May convey a serious tone when she informs Arthur of the call?

Where are these couples headed in their relationships? Can they withstand the scrutiny of therapy?

For more Tell Me You Love Me, check out our Online Video Guide.