Thoughts on Shane's Episode 6 Meltdown and Ilya's response to it
So Tierney mentioned in an interview that he didn't expect Hudson Williams to go big and dramatic with Shane's freakout after the dad caught Shane and Ilya together at the cottage. Tierney expected it to be more contained. He thought it was way too much at first, and that he'd have to edit most of it out, and it was only later, in the editing room, that he decided it worked.
The thing is that Shane does have a much more quiet, contained freakout later in the episode, in front of his parents — the kind of freakout that was probably closer to what Tierney was originally expecting, where he shrinks in on himself and hides his face and goes quiet and small.
The contrast between these two freakouts is so telling.
It's says so much about Hudson Williams' understanding of Shane, and his understanding of Shane's relationship with Ilya that he chose to go big and dramatic for Shane's initial freakout when he's alone with Ilya, and chose to shrink it down in front of Shane's parents.
It tells the audience that Shane doesn't feel like he needs to contain himself in front of Ilya. Shane feels like he's allowed to have the big dramatic meltdown in front of Ilya, without being afraid of what Ilya will think of him or wondering whether it will change the way Ilya sees him. Shane lets loose in front of Ilya in a way he would never allow himself to let loose in front of any of his other friends or loved ones. He allows himself to lean on Ilya.
And I think this, more than anything is what gives Ilya the confidence to invite himself to Shane's parents place and come out with him.
This vulnerabilty Shane shows Ilya when they're alone is what gives Ilya the confidence to stand beside Shane in front of Shane's parents in a Boston t-shirt and say that he and Shane are lovers, that his name is Ilya, not Rozanov, that he would love some more pasta and some more good Russian vodka, thanks. This is the reason Ilya can sit in the Hollanders' dining room like he belongs there, like the extra seat at the table exists specifically for him to fill.
Shane gave him this big, dramatic demonstration of complete, perfect, unconditional trust, to let himself lean on Ilya, so show Ilya this panicky, dramatic, uncontained side of Shane that no one else has ever been allowed to see.
And it's easy, after that, for Ilya to give Shane his complete, perfect, unconditional support in return.
Ilya doesn't have to question whether he's wanted by Shane, whether he's needed by Shane, whether he's a burden to Shane, whether he deserves Shane, or whether he's good for Shane. He knows.
He knows because Shane told him, not just with words, but with his whole chest, his whole body, his whole everything, that Ilya is his person.
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