I should be doing other things, but instead I'm typing out a long ass post because I know we talk a lot about the throuple implications in Mom City from Keeley and Roy putting their whatever was going on on pause to have their undivided attention on Jamie and stalk him when he took off on his own, Jamie bringing them both home and his mom totally outing that he talks about them both all the time, the side by side posters in Jamie's room (and Jamie pretending like he has to introduce them as if they're not clearly both on his wall and his mom doesn't know exactly who they are), Simon deliberately giving them a tour and showing them the posters and pointing out that Roy's the one player that's poster always stayed, and the whole walking off arm in arm in arm to go get drinks together

And yes all that, but also I don't think we talk enough about "Mommy, I'd like to introduce you to Keeley, and this hairy prick's Roy." Not "You remember Keeley, and this hairy prick's Roy"

No, it's very clearly established that this is the first time Georgie is meeting either of them. And like season 1 Jamie absolutely fumbled Keeley, but he was quite clearly serious about her and quite clearly already a momma's boy and while the Keeley/Jamie relationship certainly had its flaws, it also was strong in a lot of ways. And Keeley was clearly very involved in every aspect of Jamie's life in like a codependent he wanted her around all the time kind of way

And yet Jamie never brought Keeley around his mom before and the writers felt the need to establish that and that no, he's bringing Keeley and Roy home and introducing them to Georgie and Simon for the first time together. Keeley and Roy might be feeling like they're third wheeling Jamie and his mom's moment, but neither of them is third wheeling Jamie and the other or any less important to Jamie historically or currently

And for that matter, even when Roy makes a move to try to get back with Keeley, Jamie isn't in the room and yet his presence quite palpably is (I mean Roy's literally trying to talk things out and get back with her while on Jamie's bed) and that's the point when things turn from the setup that Roy and Keeley are on the path to getting back together into no, that's not something they can slip right back into even though the feelings are still there... And then, there's Jamie, interrupting but not really and really just sparing them both the awkwardness of it and it's like a relief that he's there to intervene

And it's not an oh look, here's Jamie, the obstacle to the romance and Roy's romantic rival that Roy's annoyed to have around like early season 2. It's way more of an actual triangle than the usual love triangle drama that kind of scene would be and there isn't weird tension and uncomfortableness between Jamie and Roy after or Keeley feeling weird being around them

No, they all three happily leave together arm in arm in arm to go drink together. And that (and the whole episode) is very much that Roy tries to help Jamie and fix whatever's wrong with him and it doesn't work. Then Keeley the senior Jamie expert steps in and tries to help him and fix whatever's wrong with him and it doesn't work either. And it's only when they're both there together with him (and with his mom but I'm going to get to that aspect still) that Jamie starts feeling better and anything works. And then Roy tries to fix things with Keeley and it doesn't work then things are so much more natural and uncomfortable once Jamie's back with them because basically the whole episode is look any pair on its own isn't the answer and isn't working on its own anymore because they all three care about each other and are inextricably tangled up in a good way instead of the toxic way it was back when Keeley was pouring coffees together and hoping that would avoid a huge fight

And back to the Jamie for some reason not having brought Keeley around his mom or even having FaceTimed with her with Keeley in the room like look at my girlfriend thing. We know that Jamie's dynamic with his dad is fucked up and he didn't want people knowing about it or the extent of before they'd witnessed it and it became kind of apparent. So if he didn't introduce Keeley to his family and kept her separate from Manchester, he didn't have to get into that or worry about her hearing the shit his dad said or seeing him the same way. And we know that Jamie's bravado is a whole thing and like yeah he is that full of himself but it's also a shield too

And season 1 Jamie doesn't really let that bravado slip outside of the scene with his dad that he didn't expect anyone to witness, for like three seconds with Roy when he admitted that he had a poster of him before immediately swerving to toasting to the idea of Roy dying, and the scene when he burned his boots and let his guard down just to end up transferred and dial the abrasive cockiness up more after

And even when season 2 Jamie let people behind the bravado, it was usually to try to get something. And I don't mean that in a manipulative way, I just mean like there was something he wanted that was a carrot to make him dial back the cockiness and open up. Like when he realized he'd fucked up his career and went to Keeley for help. Or when he went to Ted to try to get back on the team. Or when he started acting differently around the team to try to get them to stop shunning him (and obviously also to try to be a better teammate and whatnot but like them shutting him out was the push that got him to do it). Or trying to convince Roy to coach him too

And then there's season 3 Jamie who is starting to open up to people and drop the bravado just because he wants to or wants them around when he feels like shit. And then there's Jamie catching Roy and Keeley stalking him when he's taking off on his own to go be sad with his mom away from the team. And instead of getting mad at them or telling them to fuck off or asking what the hell they're doing, there's no conflict at all. It's just okay, come on then

Like sure neither of them knew what to say or do to help him, but he knows they're worried and he knows they're his go to people outside of his mom, so sure, why not come along? And he lets them both fully into the last part of his life they weren't in yet and brings them both along. And that's the point that it goes from I don't know what's wrong, I just know I feel like shit to sure come meet my mom and my stepdad (who we never saw Jamie mention in the show and who at least Roy looked surprised existed) and watch me sulk on top of my mom and complain about every single thing that's upsetting me without putting on any cocky act or turning any of it into a joke. He's next to Georgie's Jamie Tartt shrine and it could have been a Roy and Keeley awkwardly listening to him talk about how great of a player he is scene, but no

Instead, it's Georgie being Jamie's biggest supporter but not caring at all about how Jamie plays (in a good way) and Jamie being at his most vulnerable walls down level. And it's Roy and Keeley being the ones a little uncomfortable with that shift and awkwardly sitting there eating Simon's baking while watching this while Jamie seems fully comfortable with them being there for all of this and he isn't even the one that suggests them going off somewhere else for a while

And anyway, I didn't mean to ramble for this long but I just think that says a lot more than if Keeley had been around Georgie before or if they'd been introduced in some happy cocky this is my mom and this is all the pictures of me she has up because I'm such a star kind of scene