Typical fictional couples are either dreamily happy or miserable, but Ball and the other writers seem to recognize that a history of big conflicts and breakups and sticking points don't mean that two people are incapable of being happy together. After all of the therapy and nitpicking and hysteria, seeing David and Keith finally relax and take things in stride is comforting. Although they were a little awkward together and tough to accept as a couple during the first season, at this point they've got more chemistry than Rachel and Ross, Sam and Diane, and Donna and Josh combined. Michael C. Hall has such a liquid face; every second thought and passing mood floats across his features like little waves in a pool. Paired with St. Patrick's macho stoicism and oddly palpable vulnerability, every scene with these two is riveting. You'd be hard-pressed to find a richer, more realistic depiction of married life than the one offered in their scenes together. Staunch opponents of gay marriage, take note.

Meanwhile, a very different picture of marriage is being painted by Ruth (Frances Conroy) and her new husband, George (James Cromwell). For all of her stodgy parenting, Ruth is in many ways far more spontaneous and impulsive than her daughter, Claire (Lauren Ambrose). Having just married a man she hardly knows, Ruth finds herself struggling to incorporate George into her life without the cooperation of her family. In fact, her kids are so rude to George it's amusing, but it's one of the only aspects of the show that doesn't seem all that realistic. A subtler approach -- having the kids try to interact with George and fail, then get snippy -- would be more compelling. As it stands, it's a little too clear to the kids (and therefore, to the audience) that George is bad news, despite the fact that his character isn't really revealing that many warning signs, outside of vague statements he makes to Ruth like, "You've lived your life one way. I've lived mine another. The costs are different" or "I'm looking forward, not back." Either a severe and sudden turn to the dark side on George's part, Tony Blundetto-style, is forthcoming, or future episodes will feature a few more hints at what George is all about. As it stands, he may be one of the flattest characters on the show, but Ruth's uptight chirpiness, alternating with a strange, almost ethereal grace and luminosity, bring life to their scenes together.

Meanwhile, Claire's scenes are livelier than ever. "I'm sick of everything being so fucking awful all the time," she announces to her family at the kitchen table in the first episode. Fed up with the hysterically melodramatic antics of her drama-queen ex-boyfriend Russell, Claire is ready to move on to bigger and better things, making new friends at school and finding new sources of inspiration. Suddenly she's waking up to all of the possibilities in life, sexually and otherwise.

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