Secret Diary of a Call Girl...Season 3 Spoilers to Finale

[rabid1st]

So, I just finished watching Secret Diary of a Call Girl's season 3 finale. And I was once again really moved by Billie Piper's acting. The girl can wring pathos out of anything. I say this because I did have some troubles with the arc this season.

I am afraid that in the moment of Belle's betrayal, I only felt teary eyed because Billie can wring tears out of a stone monument. I didn't actually feel very sorry for Belle. True, her beloved had lied to her, but her beloved was a loser from the moment she met him. And the emotional lines were very finely drawn. It took me a bit to even find the line there. I mean, so what if he sleeps with prostitutes, I thought...YOU are one. But then, I started thinking about what that represented to Belle.

At first, it read to me as if Belle were looking down on her clients. I mean, why is it okay for her to see a male escort or for her clients to see her...but not okay for Duncan to see Bambi. Then, I thought it might be about the lying. Take that lovely bloke in the opening episode that couldn't even tell his wife he took sugar in his coffee. He was a lying liar who lies. Hannah participates in his lies, even delights in them. So, what's the difference?

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it really was about trust. Duncan wanted to know Hannah...but only so he could use Belle. He didn't simply fall in love with a woman who happened to be a prostitute, the way Ben or Bambi's boyfriend did. Duncan wanted a prostitute for a girlfriend. He wanted to imagine that she was like him, so being who he was was okay. And the sad thing is, Hannah would have probably supported him in being himself...if he'd been himself. She might not have loved him though, which is why he lied. The difference between Duncan and Hannah is subtle here (and again...the way Billie gets so angry at him, I would have loved to see her light into the Doctor that way...but then that wouldn't have been Rose).

Hannah feels guilty for seeing a male prostitute as herself. She's a woman with a boyfriend and it's cheating. Also, she tells Duncan everything. She eventually justifies her orgasmic experience with another man by performing in character. And that is where the difference with Duncan is...he's a character all the time. As Hannah says in the chapter she sends out, he can't have a real relationship because he's always pretending to be someone he's not. At least, Hannah knows that she's not really Belle. Belle is her job and her friends also understand that.

All that said, I was thinking the concept of Secret Diary had gone as far as it can go...but I wonder. Certainly, they have milked all the standard titilation they can out of it, but then the real reason to watch, is Billie. I think now that the REAL Belle has stepped forward, they could do a quite meta finale season of the show. Hannah and Ben could try being an oridinary couple...find a place, culitivate some neighborhood friends, puzzle her family with his lack of ambition and what it is she might see in him. And the book could be made into a television series...or maybe a feature film. All that press scrutiny and hiding out could cause something to break. The truth could come out so that Hannah's family and other friends can react to it. Also, Hannah could find herself facing the same challenges as the real Belle is facing now. It would be great if Hannah and Ben set up house and Hannah got a top notch job as a writer or researcher...something respectable, that could be threatened by the prostitute fall out from her past. Only to end with her lovely interview with the actress that plays her on tv and an overall comment on the way the show stirred up people.

That could be too self-absorbed for the Brits though. But I think it would make the show relative in a very meta way if it commented on itself.

Comments

[xlostangelx.livejournal.com]

I had real issues with the finale, but then again I have serious issues with the show in general. My biggest problem though was Belle's lack of a realization that this is what she causes in other people's lives. She provides men the opportunity to treat their girlfriends/wives the way she was treated by her boyfriend. There is a bit of a karma thing there, which the show did not explore, but I think they should have. Prostitution is never a victimless crime, even in Belle's case where she obviously is very much a willing participant. The victims can be children and wives/husbands.

However, we are very much in agreement about Billie Piper. I kept with this show because I find her utterly charming. I hope she does something more worthwhile and interesting in the future because this material is way beneath her talents.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I must say I was quite bothered by the double standard myself. But, then, as I said, I tried to wrap my mind around Belle's mindset and finally came up with the situation I outlined in the post. I think the writer's muddled it all a bit when Belle spoke of his "infidelity" because, as you say, she is part of the infidelity of many men. And just as culpable as they are, legalities aside.

However, I think that Belle probably views the lack of trust issue in terms of allowing him access to her Hannah persona...and so she LIVES the double standard, as it were.

And Billie is totally charming. My hope is that she one day gets to really stretch those acting instincts. She should play some hefty stage role or film role. Because I was totally not down with Belle's tantrum at the wedding...but Billie sucked me in and had me in tears. And I loved how multi-layered she makes the absurdly light plots in that show. As you say, they are not aware enough as writers to make it transcendent...which is what I would hope for in a fourth season. Maybe I should just hope Bill and David do that Miracle Mile movie.

Rae
happy to see you out at my blog. :grin:

[xlostangelx.livejournal.com]

While I think you are probably right in how Belle perceives it, her perception causes problems. The biggest problem being, if there is nothing wrong with being a prostitute why must she "be" someone else to do the job? If prostitution is a simple exchange of goods like a plumber or factory worker then why does she need to be someone else to do the job? I mean, my plumber who in real life is Steve an avid football fan doesn't feel the need to be Andy a no nonsense pipe layer when he comes to fix my kitchen sink.

Sorry, I could analyze the completely muddled and nonsensical message this show sends all day.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I was going to go along with your plumber analogy until I thought about laying pipe and decided that wasn't where we should go with a hooker debate.

Sorry!

I am happy to hear that you are looking at gainful employment, though sad that it is not in the legal field. All of that high end education and your back with your original art oriented degree. Still, I remember that you decided on NYC as a place to study, in part, because of the museums...so this is probably fitting. Good luck with your temporary job becoming a more permanent post.

Rae

[mrs_roy.livejournal.com]

I think perhaps, prostitutes aside, there is a very telling tale there, say one that reflects true life some what XD Or then again, that could just be my Bavid love!

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Just because she had a client named David...with a particular kink...that could be totally coincidental. David is a pretty common name. :wink:

Rae

[mrs_roy.livejournal.com]

That didn't come out properly, let me try again. *Clears throat*

Woman with a partner, seeing somebody else, lies about true feelings, comtentment in another mans arms .. You know .. general stuff *Shrugs* ;)