So, how deep are Wilhelm and Simon's feelings for each other? Well, look no further than the lake! It's all a metaphor. Yes, even Simon's fish. And even the Vasa ship...
Coming back here after watching the trailer a billion times to say a ginormous thank you. If it wasn't for this post then I don't think the water metaphor would have clicked and I wouldn't have freaked out over the opening part of the trailer as much as I have. What you've said here is literally IN the trailer!! You've opened up my eyes to so many things :)
Thank you. This means the world to me! Thank you for saying this.
And once season three comes out, it will be interesting to see which things I did get right and which ones I got totally wrong. It's normal to miss stuff or misinterpret the subtext here and there. I'm waiting for it to drop and will be watching it with an open mind. There's always stuff one gets wrong when analyzing the subtext of an ongoing show. That's normal. But at least with the 'water' metaphor, I was pretty certain I did get it mostly right.
Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words of encouragement. Both here and on the other side of the 'wall'.:D To hear that somebody actually takes something away from this little blog is always THE best thing and makes all the hard work and sleepless nights worth it.
Thank you so much for educating us for free on all these metaphorical things. It has opened a world for me that I never had contemplated to examine. I second the one that said that as soon S3 is watched a paid subscription is a definite thing. If there is any explanation to Wilhelm's bare feet and other feet related scenes I would love it!
On a note water.... The bottle Wille shugs from in episode 1 season 1 may look like it contains water but I do think it is Dutch courage... Sorry. A bottle like that, with riped of label is almost certainly filled with moonshine. The only way to make it clearer for us Swedes would be to have the "liquid" in a plastic jerrican.
And sure enough: Once you've watched s3, you can compare what you actually saw on screen to what I had found beforehand in the subtext about Simon's backstory and see how much of it actually panned out and what I had got completely wrong. In short, you'll have the whole experience of the show and can just compare where my subtext-interpretation was way off the mark and where I was spot on (and where it was something in between). I'm sure all of those categories will be well represented.:D
TVM TVM TVM!! The season 3 stills have just come out (and I know they're all for promotional reasons and could be lies) and one of the pictures is of Wilhelm and Simon (basically submerged) in water!!!! Good sign, right?!
Here I'm trying to write the horse thing (I'm just one page in), and you guys keep pulling me back here.XD
I've checked the stills out, and yeah, that's a really nice one. I'm also reasonably certain it actually quotes another film. (More on that later...perhaps...)
Thank you for pointing them out to me; I wouldn't have found out otherwise.
I'm really sorry for disturbing you 😂. I had just seen the stills, I had nobody around me I could freak out to and the first thing I thought of after seeing the water picture was this article, so I came here. Good luck writing!
I saw that you had just subscribed earlier and just wanted to say thank you for the paid subscription and for the lovely words in that note that you sent me with it. Thank you for your trust; I know it's weird to subscribe to some stranger on the internet you barely know anything about, so your trust and kindness is very much appreciated.
And I'm really glad to hear you're working your way through all my posts chronologically (although now I'm almost panicking about what I might have written months ago:D).
Please make yourself at home on this little blog and never hesitate to comment or interact with anyone else in the discussion. You will probably notice that I don't always reply to every comment (or that, when I do, I only do so very, very late). That is purely a function of time constraints and no ill will. Basically, on most night, I have to decide whether to work on the next article or write replies. Working on the next article often wins out. So, please don't ever think I don't appreciate all the comments that I get; I really, really do! And I'm just a bit overwhelmed by it all.
Again, thank you very much for your subscription and for letting me know you enjoy reading what I write.
I've read like 6 of your YR's one right after the other.. my tiny brain could never xD
It always felt like the show had so much meaning and I just couldn't crack it. It's been eye opening and if I admired screenwriting before, now it seems like straight up magic.
I had been looking for someone to explain those deeper meanings within the show and I just so happened to stumble on your blog by accident.
You are incredible and have given me a whooole new perspective, solidifying YR as my favorite show of all time. Thank you so much for all of your entries, I look forward to reading them all!
Also I skip your predictions regarding S3 cause I like to be surprised (but did kinda figured out they're most likely gonna take a dip in that lake thanks to your entries). But rest assured I'll come back to re read all of your entries once I finish S3.
Sorry for the extra long comment and I send my appreciation from Mexico <3.
Sorry for only replying to your lovely comment so very late.
And oh, wow! 6 posts in a row?! Now I'm stunned. That's really humbling. Thank you for letting me know. I really appreciate it.
And don't worry: The predictions aren't really all that spoilery. I don't have a crystal ball either. I just try to make inferences about what might make sense in the context of metaphors that are already established. But I'm sure I'm getting a lot of it wrong. It's just speculation, after all.
Anyway, thank you again for your kind words. That's all the motivation I need to write more.
Like another commenter said ‘I’ve watched this show an obscene amount of times.’ And, every time I finish one of your articles I dive in again.
To add two more water details - one you’ve mentioned but I have to admit I laughed out loud when I watched the scene again. It’s in S2E2 when Markus is offering drinks to Simone. Simone practically cuts him off with a loud ‘Mmm’ when Markus offers the water. I know you mentioned it already but I just couldn’t help not mentioning it again how obvious Simone does not want water anywhere near whatever Markus and Simone have going in between them. He doesn’t even want to hear Markus say ‘water’.
Also, S1E4. Wilhelm returns to school after his brother’s funeral. The choir have prepared a beautiful song. Simone sings directly to Wilhelm but Wilhelm noticeably avoids Simone’s gaze until Simone sings the word ‘ocean’. Wilhelm can’t help but look at Simone at the mention of it.
Love, love, love the mention of the Queen not wanting to get rained on. Chef’s kiss to that catch whether it was intentional or not by the writers/directors. It IS practical she wouldn’t want to get wet but it still works for the water metaphor beautifully.
sorry for getting back to you so late. I apologize; I'm currently really, really deep down the rabbit hole of the character-centred posts, and they eat up so much of my time that I can barely keep up with anything else. (I promise I will get back to your other comments, as well. I haven't forgotten about them.)
And great catch! Brilliant! Thank you so much for pointing out the way Wilhelm looks up at Simon precisely at the word 'ocean'. (See, this is what happens when you're so enamoured with Omar Rudberg's voice, you don't pay attention to anything else: My brain had no capacity left to concentrate on the lyrics, so I didn't catch it at all. Thank you for pointing it out to me. I might have to quote you on this at some point.) So, in case, we didn't already know: Even the lake is technically still too small a metaphor to contain the whole depth of their feelings for each other; it had to be an ocean. That's some very poetic imagery right there.
As far as the Queen's umbrella is concerned, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it means. I've seen that metaphor before. Now if only I could recall which movie or show that was in, but I'm sure it was more than just once. It's not exactly a rarely used, super-specific metaphor that was specifically developed for this show and this story only.
By the way, your article on the dream scene at the beginning of season two, that I promised you to write, is ready and should be posted in a couple of hours.
Love this. And I have some follow up questions, professor.
-- I heard an interview with Edvin that they improvised the "water is cold" line. So maybe it just was lucky to fit the metaphor rather than being Lisa's creation? ? just pondering.
Can you weigh in on a debate we are having over on the Young Royals Reddit community, where we miss you a ton! In S1E3 there is that lovely Facetime scene wtih Erik and Willie (where Erik notoriously does not gender Willie's crush). Erik is drinking something out of a glass. I think it is WATER. Others say it is an alcoolic drink and Erik was secretly an alcoholic and that is why his car crashed. I think his glass of water, plus a half-consumed glass of water on the ledge behind Willie represent their strong brotherly feeling for each other. What do you think?
Thank you. I'm glad you like my little cinematography appreciation corner.
As for the question about the improvised line...I hope it's okay if I just copy-paste a reply I had written a while ago because this is actually a question I'm getting surprisingly often:
"[...]Authorial intent is a difficult topic when it comes to films and TV shows, and it’s, of course, absolutely possible for something unintentional to just happen on set that doesn’t support the broader subtextual narrative of the story.
The interesting question in this context, however, is always: Why was it kept in? If an actor improvises something, is he encouraged by the director to do so? If so, it’s probably because the director realizes that the improvised part fits whatever metaphor, motif or broader symbolism the show has got going on. Another question to consider is: What actually makes the final cut? What improvised ideas just end up on the cutting room floor? Which are kept in? Does the editor think an improvised line fits the broader narrative? Does the director? What about the showrunner? Or the headwriter?
In the end, an actor’s moods and sudden inspirational flashes have to be treated like the weather. Sometimes the weather will change unexpectedly during an outdoor shoot, and then it’s up to the higher-ups to make up their minds: Do we have to stop filming? Or does the change maybe support some other symbolic puzzle piece of our story so that we can adapt to it? In short, there is always a decision to be made because, in essence, filming is decision-making.
Another interesting thing to consider is the fact that actors often make intuitive decisions about their characters that turn out to be right, without even knowing anything about the metaphorical subtext of the script. This is especially true about very intuitive actors. Edvin Ryding (who I think is a stellar actor, by the way) is both: someone who clearly knows his craft, but also an actor who has amazing intuition and can improvise lines and scenes that turn out to be spot on – a rare combination, especially at that age.
So, at the end of the day, the question of authorial intent will always remain unanswered. There will definitely always be viewers who’d like to err on the side of caution and who won’t read intent into something that’s essentially ambiguous. I just tend to fall on the other end of the spectrum: I belong to the If-it’s-in-there-it-means-something crowd.[...]"
I would like to add now that a lot of people seem to assume that TV and cinema are just sub-types of performance art in the same way that, say, live-action theatre is. But that's not true, is it? When you think about it, the theatre stage is a different beast entirely. If you, as an actor, improvise a line on stage, you will either get an instant reaction from your audience or you won't. It will work, or it won't. In any case, chances are, you won't do it again the next night (because your director will have strangled you by then). But whatever happens, happens once and only once, and afterwards there are still a lot of other nights left that you have to get up on that stage again. The performance is then repeated again and again sans improvised line.
TV and cinema, on the other hand, are completely different in that respect. They should be looked at and analyzed in the way paintings or sculptures are. Because once you watch a movie or a show on screen, everything that you see has been selected, edited, cut down and changed in whatever way the filmmakers saw fit. It might look like performance art, but it's actually a finished product once you're watching it. It's not at all like, say, a theatre performance or a live concert. And that's something we should always keep in mind. Just because the characters are moving on screen doesn't mean the things they're saying weren't very, very carefully scrutinized. So, watching a movie or a show is actually far more similar to visiting a museum than attending a theatre performance or a concert.
Anyway, when it comes to your Erik question: I'm kinda low-key considering writing an entire thing about the Erik suicide question. I'm just not sure there would be any interest in that...?
And I have to apologize, but I probably won't return to any discussion-based social media any time soon. I just can't find the time to do so. If I want to continue churning out one article per week (which is a lot of work), I just won't have the time for that. Actually, the moment I decided to leave, it had gotten so bad that I had reached a point where I would have had to decide: Do I continue writing on this blog or do I stop and engage in discussions on social media only. I chose the blog. So, I'll probably stay away for now.
But thank you nonetheless. And how nice of you to invite me back. Thank you for your kindness.
I just noticed that I missed part of this response earlier. So you DO think maybe the Erik suicide theory is valid? I don't think he would have ever done that to Wilhelm!! That rocks my world. I think he loved Wilhelm and made a tragic mistake, and would have never abandoned him. I don't want to ruin your life, but would LOVE an article on that topic! I noticed you are up to 14 articles and counting! I hope to read the newest tonight.
I think the show has (so far) left the question of whether it was a suicide or not intentionally open. But the writers have dropped hints that it was one all over the place, so to speak.
Now, whether they intend to make that official in season three remains to be seen.
Sometimes shows code something in a certain way without ever delivering the goods. (In other words, they just keep the question open forever and leave everything in the subtext.) And sometimes shows give their audience an official reveal and deliver on the subtext their writers had included earlier.
Whether 'Young Royals' falls into the former or latter category remains to be seen.
If you're interested I could devote a whole post to it, as I said. But that would be after the character-centred articles. (Right now we're nearing the end of the metaphor-centred ones in a few weeks. Once I'm done with those, I'll start writing the character-centred ones. So, a suicide-or-not post would come sometime later in autumn.)
Anyway, thank you for your comment and your interest in my blog. There's still a lot more to come. So, I'm happy you're enjoying yourself on my little cinematogaphy playground.
Such perfect insights. I will have many more comments but I had to jump down here to make a comment on that terrific scene with Willie-Marcus-Simon at the ball. I am completely simpatico with your interpretation -- except that I thought Willie grabbing the cake was a nod to "let them eat cake" (Marie Antoinette), as yet another subtle Royal dickish thing Wille could reference. That whole scene was about so much more than jealousy or even love -- it was Willie giving in and trying to fit on the Royal Mantle (or wig). While Marcus said "he was really nice" -- because he did behave like a politie and witty royal -- Simion picked up on the change of tone right away -- "I thought that felt a little strange". Simon realized how close he was to actually losing Willie. Their "relationship" that -- I agree with you -- is always a strong connection looming out there even though they are "officially" broken up looked like it might come to an end.
Yes, absolutely valid interpretation. And particularly fitting, seeing as the phrase, "Let them eat cake," was never actually uttered by Marie Antoinette, but is in its entirety an invention by our old buddy Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whom Lisa Ambjörn seems to like so much that she essentially built an entire show around him. So, yeah, that's absolutely possible.
I mainly liked the other interpretation because it gave me the opportunity to expound on the question of what 'ironic juxtaposition' is.
Such perfect insights. I will have many more comments but I had to jump down here to make a comment on that terrific scene with Willie-Marcus-Simon at the ball. I am completely simpatico with your interpretation -- except that I thought Willie grabbing the cake was a nod to "let them eat cake" (Marie Antoinette), as yet another subtle Royal dickish thing Wille could reference. That whole scene was about so much more than jealousy or even love -- it was Willie giving in and trying to fit on the Royal Mantle (or wig). While Marcus said "he was really nice" -- because he did behave like a politie and witty royal -- Simion picked up on the change of tone right away -- "I thought that felt a little strange". Simon realized how close he was to actually losing Willie. Their "relationship" that -- I agree with you -- is always a strong connection looming out there even though they are "officially" broken up looked like it might come to an end.
I *LOVE* your articles so much -- they give me life!! Your analyses are brilliant, and they're giving me renewed excitement about creativity & art that I haven't felt in a long time. Thank you so much!!
Also on the water metaphor note -- after reading your words here, it also occurred to me that it makes so much sense that Wilmon's first "date" occurs... only when they skip rowing practice together. That both can't exist on the same night, categorically: acting superficially buddy-buddy, and allowing their emotions to deepen and be explored. Such a cool metaphor for them to be playing with. Thanks again!
Oh, that's so great. Thank you very much. I'm so glad to hear that you're getting some renewed enjoyment out of art. That's the best thing that can happen.
And yes! 100% yes to them metaphorically skipping 'rowing practice' (because they can never be just superficial buddies) and going on a date instead. That's exactly what that means. We will explore this very point some more in one of the upcoming articles (I think in about two to three weeks).
Anyway, thank you again for your lovely comment. This just made my evening.
And it is really interesting that you gathered so much from Wilmon talk on their lake date (s1e5) because, guess what, yes, the whole conversation was improvised again. I always like when Simon said the bodyguards might think they are talking about water being cold because that is what they were discussing there, haha.
Thank you so much. I'm glad to see you again. Always nice when people come back and check out another thing because they liked the first one.:)
And yes, the same thing I said about the other improvised scene would apply here too, I guess: If it's not meaningful, why did it make the final cut? In every production (movie, TV show, even documentary), there are countless takes that we, the audience, never get to see because they ended up on the cutting room floor.
But this particular improv scene was left in, and I'm sure the showrunners know exactly why...:)
Damn-I just reread this as I promised. This feels like a masterclass. All your posts, btw. One more reference to water-after the parent's luncheon, Wille is seen walking on the shore smiling, contemplating his weekend with Simon (unless you mentioned it and I missed it) just before disaster strikes. Again, many thanks for your insights!
Chapeau! It took me ages to proofread this post, so for you to be reading it twice...Hats off. And thank you again for your kind words.
As for that scene, yes. A lovely tumblr person has just pointed it out to me, as well. And I'm sure there are many, many more 'water' scenes on that show that I didn't catch. (Another one that was recently pointed out to me was the Queen walking underneath an umbrella in episode six of season one, i.e. she's trying to protect herself from all those pesky feelings (the rain), trying to keep all that emotional stuff far, far away from herself.)
Basically, what I'm trying to do in this analysis series is to identify the metaphor itself, find the pattern, so to speak. And then people can venture off and look for more examples and more scenes on their own. I'm just trying to find the 'decoder ring' that we need to decipher everything, so to speak.
Good on you for catching it, though. I hadn't even thought of that scene.
Thanks for writing this insightful post. I had a different take on the "royal ship Vasa" reference. I believe it refers to the fate of the monarchy. The Vasa was a warship built during a period of empire expansion, and now it is just a tourist attraction in a country that has lost much of the territory it gained during the expansionist time. My take on it is that the Vasa (current goals of the monarchy, which are to maintain a strong grip on the throne for future generations through legitimacy in the bloodline) will sink beneath the waves of Wilhelm/Simon's relationship (agree about deep water representing deep feelings). It will be resurrected in a much weakened and figurehead state that will serve more as a reminder of the past than a blueprint for the future. I think this foreshadows public fallout from Wilhelm's speech (and subsequent revelations about August's behavior, potentially resulting in an embarrassing and de-legitimizing public trial) in season 3 and a weakened monarchy at the end of season 3. All of this is set in motion the night of Wilhelm's initiation, where he makes the Vasa joke.
Coming back here after watching the trailer a billion times to say a ginormous thank you. If it wasn't for this post then I don't think the water metaphor would have clicked and I wouldn't have freaked out over the opening part of the trailer as much as I have. What you've said here is literally IN the trailer!! You've opened up my eyes to so many things :)
Thank you. This means the world to me! Thank you for saying this.
And once season three comes out, it will be interesting to see which things I did get right and which ones I got totally wrong. It's normal to miss stuff or misinterpret the subtext here and there. I'm waiting for it to drop and will be watching it with an open mind. There's always stuff one gets wrong when analyzing the subtext of an ongoing show. That's normal. But at least with the 'water' metaphor, I was pretty certain I did get it mostly right.
Anyway, thank you very much for your kind words of encouragement. Both here and on the other side of the 'wall'.:D To hear that somebody actually takes something away from this little blog is always THE best thing and makes all the hard work and sleepless nights worth it.
Thank you so much for educating us for free on all these metaphorical things. It has opened a world for me that I never had contemplated to examine. I second the one that said that as soon S3 is watched a paid subscription is a definite thing. If there is any explanation to Wilhelm's bare feet and other feet related scenes I would love it!
On a note water.... The bottle Wille shugs from in episode 1 season 1 may look like it contains water but I do think it is Dutch courage... Sorry. A bottle like that, with riped of label is almost certainly filled with moonshine. The only way to make it clearer for us Swedes would be to have the "liquid" in a plastic jerrican.
Thank you.
And sure enough: Once you've watched s3, you can compare what you actually saw on screen to what I had found beforehand in the subtext about Simon's backstory and see how much of it actually panned out and what I had got completely wrong. In short, you'll have the whole experience of the show and can just compare where my subtext-interpretation was way off the mark and where I was spot on (and where it was something in between). I'm sure all of those categories will be well represented.:D
TVM TVM TVM!! The season 3 stills have just come out (and I know they're all for promotional reasons and could be lies) and one of the pictures is of Wilhelm and Simon (basically submerged) in water!!!! Good sign, right?!
Here I'm trying to write the horse thing (I'm just one page in), and you guys keep pulling me back here.XD
I've checked the stills out, and yeah, that's a really nice one. I'm also reasonably certain it actually quotes another film. (More on that later...perhaps...)
Thank you for pointing them out to me; I wouldn't have found out otherwise.
Now back to work.
I'm really sorry for disturbing you 😂. I had just seen the stills, I had nobody around me I could freak out to and the first thing I thought of after seeing the water picture was this article, so I came here. Good luck writing!
I just came here to point out the same -I got so excited by that still and made the link (thanks to TVM!) straight away - fully submerged! 😍
I saw that you had just subscribed earlier and just wanted to say thank you for the paid subscription and for the lovely words in that note that you sent me with it. Thank you for your trust; I know it's weird to subscribe to some stranger on the internet you barely know anything about, so your trust and kindness is very much appreciated.
And I'm really glad to hear you're working your way through all my posts chronologically (although now I'm almost panicking about what I might have written months ago:D).
Please make yourself at home on this little blog and never hesitate to comment or interact with anyone else in the discussion. You will probably notice that I don't always reply to every comment (or that, when I do, I only do so very, very late). That is purely a function of time constraints and no ill will. Basically, on most night, I have to decide whether to work on the next article or write replies. Working on the next article often wins out. So, please don't ever think I don't appreciate all the comments that I get; I really, really do! And I'm just a bit overwhelmed by it all.
Again, thank you very much for your subscription and for letting me know you enjoy reading what I write.
I've read like 6 of your YR's one right after the other.. my tiny brain could never xD
It always felt like the show had so much meaning and I just couldn't crack it. It's been eye opening and if I admired screenwriting before, now it seems like straight up magic.
I had been looking for someone to explain those deeper meanings within the show and I just so happened to stumble on your blog by accident.
You are incredible and have given me a whooole new perspective, solidifying YR as my favorite show of all time. Thank you so much for all of your entries, I look forward to reading them all!
Also I skip your predictions regarding S3 cause I like to be surprised (but did kinda figured out they're most likely gonna take a dip in that lake thanks to your entries). But rest assured I'll come back to re read all of your entries once I finish S3.
Sorry for the extra long comment and I send my appreciation from Mexico <3.
Sorry for only replying to your lovely comment so very late.
And oh, wow! 6 posts in a row?! Now I'm stunned. That's really humbling. Thank you for letting me know. I really appreciate it.
And don't worry: The predictions aren't really all that spoilery. I don't have a crystal ball either. I just try to make inferences about what might make sense in the context of metaphors that are already established. But I'm sure I'm getting a lot of it wrong. It's just speculation, after all.
Anyway, thank you again for your kind words. That's all the motivation I need to write more.
Like another commenter said ‘I’ve watched this show an obscene amount of times.’ And, every time I finish one of your articles I dive in again.
To add two more water details - one you’ve mentioned but I have to admit I laughed out loud when I watched the scene again. It’s in S2E2 when Markus is offering drinks to Simone. Simone practically cuts him off with a loud ‘Mmm’ when Markus offers the water. I know you mentioned it already but I just couldn’t help not mentioning it again how obvious Simone does not want water anywhere near whatever Markus and Simone have going in between them. He doesn’t even want to hear Markus say ‘water’.
Also, S1E4. Wilhelm returns to school after his brother’s funeral. The choir have prepared a beautiful song. Simone sings directly to Wilhelm but Wilhelm noticeably avoids Simone’s gaze until Simone sings the word ‘ocean’. Wilhelm can’t help but look at Simone at the mention of it.
Love, love, love the mention of the Queen not wanting to get rained on. Chef’s kiss to that catch whether it was intentional or not by the writers/directors. It IS practical she wouldn’t want to get wet but it still works for the water metaphor beautifully.
Hey,
sorry for getting back to you so late. I apologize; I'm currently really, really deep down the rabbit hole of the character-centred posts, and they eat up so much of my time that I can barely keep up with anything else. (I promise I will get back to your other comments, as well. I haven't forgotten about them.)
And great catch! Brilliant! Thank you so much for pointing out the way Wilhelm looks up at Simon precisely at the word 'ocean'. (See, this is what happens when you're so enamoured with Omar Rudberg's voice, you don't pay attention to anything else: My brain had no capacity left to concentrate on the lyrics, so I didn't catch it at all. Thank you for pointing it out to me. I might have to quote you on this at some point.) So, in case, we didn't already know: Even the lake is technically still too small a metaphor to contain the whole depth of their feelings for each other; it had to be an ocean. That's some very poetic imagery right there.
As far as the Queen's umbrella is concerned, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it means. I've seen that metaphor before. Now if only I could recall which movie or show that was in, but I'm sure it was more than just once. It's not exactly a rarely used, super-specific metaphor that was specifically developed for this show and this story only.
By the way, your article on the dream scene at the beginning of season two, that I promised you to write, is ready and should be posted in a couple of hours.
Love this. And I have some follow up questions, professor.
-- I heard an interview with Edvin that they improvised the "water is cold" line. So maybe it just was lucky to fit the metaphor rather than being Lisa's creation? ? just pondering.
Can you weigh in on a debate we are having over on the Young Royals Reddit community, where we miss you a ton! In S1E3 there is that lovely Facetime scene wtih Erik and Willie (where Erik notoriously does not gender Willie's crush). Erik is drinking something out of a glass. I think it is WATER. Others say it is an alcoolic drink and Erik was secretly an alcoholic and that is why his car crashed. I think his glass of water, plus a half-consumed glass of water on the ledge behind Willie represent their strong brotherly feeling for each other. What do you think?
Thank you. I'm glad you like my little cinematography appreciation corner.
As for the question about the improvised line...I hope it's okay if I just copy-paste a reply I had written a while ago because this is actually a question I'm getting surprisingly often:
"[...]Authorial intent is a difficult topic when it comes to films and TV shows, and it’s, of course, absolutely possible for something unintentional to just happen on set that doesn’t support the broader subtextual narrative of the story.
The interesting question in this context, however, is always: Why was it kept in? If an actor improvises something, is he encouraged by the director to do so? If so, it’s probably because the director realizes that the improvised part fits whatever metaphor, motif or broader symbolism the show has got going on. Another question to consider is: What actually makes the final cut? What improvised ideas just end up on the cutting room floor? Which are kept in? Does the editor think an improvised line fits the broader narrative? Does the director? What about the showrunner? Or the headwriter?
In the end, an actor’s moods and sudden inspirational flashes have to be treated like the weather. Sometimes the weather will change unexpectedly during an outdoor shoot, and then it’s up to the higher-ups to make up their minds: Do we have to stop filming? Or does the change maybe support some other symbolic puzzle piece of our story so that we can adapt to it? In short, there is always a decision to be made because, in essence, filming is decision-making.
Another interesting thing to consider is the fact that actors often make intuitive decisions about their characters that turn out to be right, without even knowing anything about the metaphorical subtext of the script. This is especially true about very intuitive actors. Edvin Ryding (who I think is a stellar actor, by the way) is both: someone who clearly knows his craft, but also an actor who has amazing intuition and can improvise lines and scenes that turn out to be spot on – a rare combination, especially at that age.
So, at the end of the day, the question of authorial intent will always remain unanswered. There will definitely always be viewers who’d like to err on the side of caution and who won’t read intent into something that’s essentially ambiguous. I just tend to fall on the other end of the spectrum: I belong to the If-it’s-in-there-it-means-something crowd.[...]"
I would like to add now that a lot of people seem to assume that TV and cinema are just sub-types of performance art in the same way that, say, live-action theatre is. But that's not true, is it? When you think about it, the theatre stage is a different beast entirely. If you, as an actor, improvise a line on stage, you will either get an instant reaction from your audience or you won't. It will work, or it won't. In any case, chances are, you won't do it again the next night (because your director will have strangled you by then). But whatever happens, happens once and only once, and afterwards there are still a lot of other nights left that you have to get up on that stage again. The performance is then repeated again and again sans improvised line.
TV and cinema, on the other hand, are completely different in that respect. They should be looked at and analyzed in the way paintings or sculptures are. Because once you watch a movie or a show on screen, everything that you see has been selected, edited, cut down and changed in whatever way the filmmakers saw fit. It might look like performance art, but it's actually a finished product once you're watching it. It's not at all like, say, a theatre performance or a live concert. And that's something we should always keep in mind. Just because the characters are moving on screen doesn't mean the things they're saying weren't very, very carefully scrutinized. So, watching a movie or a show is actually far more similar to visiting a museum than attending a theatre performance or a concert.
Anyway, when it comes to your Erik question: I'm kinda low-key considering writing an entire thing about the Erik suicide question. I'm just not sure there would be any interest in that...?
And I have to apologize, but I probably won't return to any discussion-based social media any time soon. I just can't find the time to do so. If I want to continue churning out one article per week (which is a lot of work), I just won't have the time for that. Actually, the moment I decided to leave, it had gotten so bad that I had reached a point where I would have had to decide: Do I continue writing on this blog or do I stop and engage in discussions on social media only. I chose the blog. So, I'll probably stay away for now.
But thank you nonetheless. And how nice of you to invite me back. Thank you for your kindness.
I just noticed that I missed part of this response earlier. So you DO think maybe the Erik suicide theory is valid? I don't think he would have ever done that to Wilhelm!! That rocks my world. I think he loved Wilhelm and made a tragic mistake, and would have never abandoned him. I don't want to ruin your life, but would LOVE an article on that topic! I noticed you are up to 14 articles and counting! I hope to read the newest tonight.
Hey,
I think the show has (so far) left the question of whether it was a suicide or not intentionally open. But the writers have dropped hints that it was one all over the place, so to speak.
Now, whether they intend to make that official in season three remains to be seen.
Sometimes shows code something in a certain way without ever delivering the goods. (In other words, they just keep the question open forever and leave everything in the subtext.) And sometimes shows give their audience an official reveal and deliver on the subtext their writers had included earlier.
Whether 'Young Royals' falls into the former or latter category remains to be seen.
If you're interested I could devote a whole post to it, as I said. But that would be after the character-centred articles. (Right now we're nearing the end of the metaphor-centred ones in a few weeks. Once I'm done with those, I'll start writing the character-centred ones. So, a suicide-or-not post would come sometime later in autumn.)
Anyway, thank you for your comment and your interest in my blog. There's still a lot more to come. So, I'm happy you're enjoying yourself on my little cinematogaphy playground.
Such perfect insights. I will have many more comments but I had to jump down here to make a comment on that terrific scene with Willie-Marcus-Simon at the ball. I am completely simpatico with your interpretation -- except that I thought Willie grabbing the cake was a nod to "let them eat cake" (Marie Antoinette), as yet another subtle Royal dickish thing Wille could reference. That whole scene was about so much more than jealousy or even love -- it was Willie giving in and trying to fit on the Royal Mantle (or wig). While Marcus said "he was really nice" -- because he did behave like a politie and witty royal -- Simion picked up on the change of tone right away -- "I thought that felt a little strange". Simon realized how close he was to actually losing Willie. Their "relationship" that -- I agree with you -- is always a strong connection looming out there even though they are "officially" broken up looked like it might come to an end.
Yes, absolutely valid interpretation. And particularly fitting, seeing as the phrase, "Let them eat cake," was never actually uttered by Marie Antoinette, but is in its entirety an invention by our old buddy Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whom Lisa Ambjörn seems to like so much that she essentially built an entire show around him. So, yeah, that's absolutely possible.
I mainly liked the other interpretation because it gave me the opportunity to expound on the question of what 'ironic juxtaposition' is.
But yours is nice too. Absolutely!
Such perfect insights. I will have many more comments but I had to jump down here to make a comment on that terrific scene with Willie-Marcus-Simon at the ball. I am completely simpatico with your interpretation -- except that I thought Willie grabbing the cake was a nod to "let them eat cake" (Marie Antoinette), as yet another subtle Royal dickish thing Wille could reference. That whole scene was about so much more than jealousy or even love -- it was Willie giving in and trying to fit on the Royal Mantle (or wig). While Marcus said "he was really nice" -- because he did behave like a politie and witty royal -- Simion picked up on the change of tone right away -- "I thought that felt a little strange". Simon realized how close he was to actually losing Willie. Their "relationship" that -- I agree with you -- is always a strong connection looming out there even though they are "officially" broken up looked like it might come to an end.
I *LOVE* your articles so much -- they give me life!! Your analyses are brilliant, and they're giving me renewed excitement about creativity & art that I haven't felt in a long time. Thank you so much!!
Also on the water metaphor note -- after reading your words here, it also occurred to me that it makes so much sense that Wilmon's first "date" occurs... only when they skip rowing practice together. That both can't exist on the same night, categorically: acting superficially buddy-buddy, and allowing their emotions to deepen and be explored. Such a cool metaphor for them to be playing with. Thanks again!
Oh, that's so great. Thank you very much. I'm so glad to hear that you're getting some renewed enjoyment out of art. That's the best thing that can happen.
And yes! 100% yes to them metaphorically skipping 'rowing practice' (because they can never be just superficial buddies) and going on a date instead. That's exactly what that means. We will explore this very point some more in one of the upcoming articles (I think in about two to three weeks).
Anyway, thank you again for your lovely comment. This just made my evening.
Again, amazing article!
And it is really interesting that you gathered so much from Wilmon talk on their lake date (s1e5) because, guess what, yes, the whole conversation was improvised again. I always like when Simon said the bodyguards might think they are talking about water being cold because that is what they were discussing there, haha.
Really great work, as usual!
Thank you so much. I'm glad to see you again. Always nice when people come back and check out another thing because they liked the first one.:)
And yes, the same thing I said about the other improvised scene would apply here too, I guess: If it's not meaningful, why did it make the final cut? In every production (movie, TV show, even documentary), there are countless takes that we, the audience, never get to see because they ended up on the cutting room floor.
But this particular improv scene was left in, and I'm sure the showrunners know exactly why...:)
Damn-I just reread this as I promised. This feels like a masterclass. All your posts, btw. One more reference to water-after the parent's luncheon, Wille is seen walking on the shore smiling, contemplating his weekend with Simon (unless you mentioned it and I missed it) just before disaster strikes. Again, many thanks for your insights!
Chapeau! It took me ages to proofread this post, so for you to be reading it twice...Hats off. And thank you again for your kind words.
As for that scene, yes. A lovely tumblr person has just pointed it out to me, as well. And I'm sure there are many, many more 'water' scenes on that show that I didn't catch. (Another one that was recently pointed out to me was the Queen walking underneath an umbrella in episode six of season one, i.e. she's trying to protect herself from all those pesky feelings (the rain), trying to keep all that emotional stuff far, far away from herself.)
Basically, what I'm trying to do in this analysis series is to identify the metaphor itself, find the pattern, so to speak. And then people can venture off and look for more examples and more scenes on their own. I'm just trying to find the 'decoder ring' that we need to decipher everything, so to speak.
Good on you for catching it, though. I hadn't even thought of that scene.
Thanks for writing this insightful post. I had a different take on the "royal ship Vasa" reference. I believe it refers to the fate of the monarchy. The Vasa was a warship built during a period of empire expansion, and now it is just a tourist attraction in a country that has lost much of the territory it gained during the expansionist time. My take on it is that the Vasa (current goals of the monarchy, which are to maintain a strong grip on the throne for future generations through legitimacy in the bloodline) will sink beneath the waves of Wilhelm/Simon's relationship (agree about deep water representing deep feelings). It will be resurrected in a much weakened and figurehead state that will serve more as a reminder of the past than a blueprint for the future. I think this foreshadows public fallout from Wilhelm's speech (and subsequent revelations about August's behavior, potentially resulting in an embarrassing and de-legitimizing public trial) in season 3 and a weakened monarchy at the end of season 3. All of this is set in motion the night of Wilhelm's initiation, where he makes the Vasa joke.
Absolutely valid interpretation. And makes total sense. Especially in light of the fact that it's all happening at Wilhelm's initiation party.
I think I just mainly liked how my take connects to the lonely pier that they need to depart from.
Anyway, thank you for reading and dropping by to let me know you've enjoyed it.