THE BIG C “Divine Intervention” Season 1 Episode 10 - I had a chance to watch tonight’s episode of THE BIG C, and I have to say that “Divine Intervention” is very good. It weaves together threads from throughout the season while seeming to address head-on some complaints viewers have had about Cathy and giving some fresh perspective to those complaints.
The events of “The Agony and the Ecstasy”–Adam’s accident and Paul’s request for a divorce–are obviously weighing on Cathy, which is a good thing. One thing Cathy, for all her self-involved behavior, has not done since her cancer diagnosis is engage in much actual introspection, so I’m happy to see her forced into it here. While I haven’t felt the rage toward Cathy some viewers have, her behavior has been occasionally difficult to watch and it’s interesting to see other characters hold up a mirror to her so she can look beneath the surface of both those actions and her overall situation. Also interesting is that, as the title infers, religion (this television season’s biggest trend continues) plays a role because that is something that hasn’t yet been explored. It’s done well here and is both touching and funny.
We get to see Andrea in a different light and, as always, Gabourey Sidibe shines. My favorite interactions are usually either between Cathy and Andrea or Cathy and Marlene, and this week is no exception. There are excellent, moving scenes between both pairs. There’s also a really fun scene between Adam and Andrea, and I’m thrilled to see more of Andrea`s life.
Most of Paul’s storyline, while probably necessary plot-wise, doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the episode. Sean is superfluous except with him comes the return of Rebecca (Cynthia Nixon), which is more than welcome. Cathy and Rebecca’s friendship and estrangement feel real to me and their chemistry is very natural.
“Divine Intervention” is a pay-off episode. There’s a moment early on that I think will have a lot of people cheering and another one later on that will have viewers nodding along. Laura Linney knocks this episode ridiculously far out of the park in both the showy and the quiet moments and I just love her portrayal of the very complicated Cathy. I especially like how this episode moves the story along organically through the characters without sacrificing character development, and I think The Big C is in very good shape going into the season’s last three episodes.
I hope you’ll come back and post your thoughts about “Divine Intervention” after you’ve watched it tonight.
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