Meta: What Makes a Love Interest? (Rules s4)-- DFvQ

[xandromedovna]

CW: queerbaiting, arranged marriage, toxic relationship, workplace abuse, cultural imperialism, amatonormativity, implied pedophilia, implied incest, fatphobia, misogyny, Orientalism, racism, codependency, BDSM

As we saw, structurally Timmy’s introduction puts him forward as a love interest for Russell, albeit as a queerbaiting joke. That said, an appeal to romantic structures is really the only plausible justification for why their relationship is so all over the place given how infrequently Timmy appears in s3, and s4 only expands the bierotic space their relationship occupies. We’ll return to how their story troubles the amatonormativity of romantic plots, but currently I want to focus on how s4 builds up their relationship as a complicated interpersonal connection instead of simply a plot device, a connection that troubles the idea that becoming the love interest is a good thing.

 

Timmy only appears in 5 episodes of s3, and Rules relies on our understanding of sitcom tropes to speedrun their relationship in such a way that they can throw him and Russell into wacky plots without doing the background relationship work the other couples have had two extra seasons to build. We are encouraged to see them as having an unbelievably toxic work relationship that is nonetheless underpinned by actual friendship. Such a complex and paradoxical bond would ideally take years to develop, but instead we are simply told that this is how they feel about each other by virtue of the fact that Timmy is the assistant who sticks it out where others could not. In order, Timmy’s first five appearances characterize him as:

• an optimistic ladder-climber who knows his worth but plays the game (3x2)
• a frustrated babysitter whose job apparently entails posing as his boss’s husband (3x5)
• a fed-up assistant eager to leave Russell for a more appreciative boss (3x6)
• a savvy wingman who keeps Russell honest and considers them friends (3x9)
• an unwilling proxy tasked with pretending Russell’s worst misdeeds are his own (3x10)

Clearly as a recurring character in a sitcom there was little concern for character continuity (a problem that only worsens for him as the series progresses), but it’s still intriguing that their friendship and the gross (in both senses) imbalance of power are not seen as mutually exclusive and may in fact be co-constitutive. Because Russell’s abuses of Timmy are so egregiously unethical and absurd it strains credulity, there needs to be some justification for why Timmy stays that isn’t too disturbing for a sitcom (though they don’t quite manage to escape the fridge horror). And the justification seems to be that they really do care about each other, even if they bicker like every married couple ostensibly does. (There’s also a not-superficial resemblance to sadomasochism; for starters, consider how Timmy exclusively calls him ‘Sir’…)

There are traces of this in s3; when Timmy is about to leave Russell for Audrey, Russell messages him saying he finally read his report and “happy two-monthiversary” (3x6). And when Timmy is Russell’s wingman during the sex bet, he says: “Well sir, I’ve come to see you as not merely a boss but also a friend, and friends are there for one another” (3x9). These moments blur the lines between personal and professional relationships, perhaps as a send-up of the ‘work husband’ trope, and indeed as the series progresses, several of their relationships uncomfortably bridge the office and the bedroom (e.g. Allison, Liz, Radha).

Season 4 doubles down on both the workplace toxicity and the emotional investment, providing plausible support for the show’s assertion they care about each other by demonstrating why. They do this by instituting a love triangle that demonstrates love and respect on all three sides. Timmy is currently betrothed to Suneetha, whom he has never met due to theirs being an arranged marriage, as is customary. Russell’s objection is predictably Eurocentric and amatonormative, expressing disbelief at how ‘backwards’ the arrangement is. Timmy defends the practice in principle, saying “Sir, this has been a custom in my culture for centuries and I will not be the first person in my family to challenge that” (4x4). A few episodes later he does in fact break the tradition in favour of Western conceptions of romantic love, but the episode gestures at portraying this as a personal decision of Timmy’s.

While on the surface Russell’s justification is cultural, it quickly becomes clear his objection is rooted in a more personal investment in Timmy’s life:

Russell: It’s Timmy. He’s on his way to the airport, he’s about to make the worst mistake of his life.
Adam: Hey wait a minute, this has been bugging me, Russell, so I gotta ask: he’s okay with an arranged marriage, so why do you care so much?
Russell: It’s complicated. (4x4)

In his next scene, Russell goes to the airport to stop Timmy in a send-up of the pre-9/11 film and TV trope of stopping one’s beloved at the gate (how he, or Timmy for that matter, got through security is not explained):

Russell: Okay, look Timmy, umm, I haven’t been totally up-front with you about why I’m against all this. Uhh, I know I’m not exactly known as Mr. Romantic—
Timmy: Oh I would disagree, sir, most women swoon when they see the No Fat Chicks placard on your office door.
Russell: Okay, okay, alright here’s the thing: I actually do believe in love, alright? I believe there’s a special person out there for each and every one of us. And that person isn’t chosen by your family, it’s chosen right here, inside.
Old Lady: Just kiss him already!
Russell: Get outta here, you bat.
Timmy: Sir this is your weakest ploy yet.
Russell: It’s not a ploy. Why do you think I go through so many women? Maybe it’s because my Uncle Glen hugged me in the pool too much when I was a kid, I dunno. I think it’s because I’m searching for that special person, and that’s kinda what you’re giving up.
Timmy: You’re being sincere.
Russell: Yes, I am. You deserve to find your own special person.
Timmy: Well, I’ve never seen this side of you before, Mr. Dunbar, and to be honest for the first time I think you may actually have a point.
Russell: I do. Don’t you want what everyone wants? The moment you see her and you realize your search is over? (4x4)

Up until this point, the implication is that Russell doesn’t want to lose Timmy to this woman they don’t even know, possibly but not necessarily for his own amorous intentions. At any rate, this rare moment of sincerity from Russell demonstrates how important his relationship with Timmy is to him.

Ironically, at this moment we are introduced to Suneetha, with whom Russell falls in love at first sight and whom Timmy himself finds attractive enough to continue with the marriage. However, unlike every other interaction between Russell and women we’ve seen so far, and to his friends’ surprise, he refuses to devise a scheme to steal her from Timmy:

Russell: You know I would never cross that line.
Adam: Oh actually, I don’t think that’s a thing people know about you. So what are you gonna do?
Russell: What can I do? I just have to sit here and wallow in my own misery knowing that the one woman I want, I can’t have. (4x5)

His respect for Timmy is stronger than his impulse to pursue the object of his desire, showing he really does value him despite treating him appallingly the rest of the time. In return, Timmy confides in him about his doubts:

Timmy: I should never have consented to an arranged marriage, and now I feel it’s too late for me to back out, but I’m too young, I’ve hardly even dated anyone, y’know? What should I do? (4x7)

Russell’s priority in this moment is helping Timmy figure things out, and in doing so he reveals just how close they’ve become to each other:

Russell: Better a broken engagement than a broken marriage.
Timmy: That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking. But I’ve just been so afraid, too afraid to say it out loud. Thank you for your counsel, sir.
Russell: Listen, I’m not just gonna stand here and watch my best friend make a life-altering mistake.
Adam: He’s your best friend? (4x7)

The queerbaiting at the heart of this plotline continues as Russell and Adam roleplay Timmy and Suneetha to show him how to break up with her. By stacking queer romantic tropes on top of one another, Rules opens up bierotic space that posits Timmy as Russell’s endgame romantic interest.

When Timmy does break things off with Suneetha, Russell, assured of Timmy’s disinterest, immediately asks her out, causing Timmy to assume that Russell didn’t actually care about him and was just manipulating him so he could get with Suneetha. This is a very reasonable assumption considering Russell’s track record, but Adam intervenes to point out just how out of character this entire situation is.

Adam: Uh listen, Timmy, Russell’s not always a great guy, but I gotta defend him here. He’s been in love with Suneetha since he first laid eyes on her.
Timmy: I’m sorry, what?
Adam: It’s true. But he didn’t do anything out of respect for you. He waited til you broke up and made sure it was your decision.
Timmy: I can’t quite believe it, umm. Oh, perhaps I was wrong about him. (4x7)

That Timmy cares for Russell as well becomes clear when he secretly teams up with Suneetha to give Russell a memorably romantic goodbye:

Suneetha: Since that first day at the airport I’ve had these feelings for you as well. […] I tried to hide them, I didn’t want Timmy to know. […] Russell, as much as I’d love to stay and see where this goes, I can’t. I must return to Mumbai. But we’ll always have this moment. This perfect moment will just belong to us. [she kisses him] Goodbye Russell. (4x7)

Triangulating Russell and Timmy’s desire through a woman who ends up being simply a plot device and intermediary is predictably sexist and Orientalist yet in keeping with many other homoerotic narratives. Suneetha’s arc, as will Radha’s after her, uses the affections of brown women as a conduit for men’s same-sex bonding.

This is but one instance this season where we get a glimpse at Russell’s hidden depths through his relationship with Timmy. Another important one—also centred around Russell’s racist encounters with Timmy’s culture—occurs when Russell’s request to hang out is refused due to a dinner party Timmy’s throwing:

Russell: I was just checking my schedge and I’m free tonight, what say you and I go out, get some steaks, martinis, and see where the night takes us?
Timmy: While I appreciate your hopefully unintentional homoerotic invitation, I am otherwise engaged. […]

Russell: Just out of curiosity, umm, why wouldn’t I be invited, hypothetically?
Timmy: Oh it’s not hypothetical, you’re literally not invited. (4x11)

Russell crashes it anyway, insults Timmy’s cooking and heritage, breaks his air conditioner, and contaminates the food Timmy spent six hours preparing (to be fair these last two were accidents), ruining Timmy’s chances with his date and leaving him at his wits’ end. When Timmy finally snaps, Russell reveals why he really came:

Russell: Maybe I have trouble being alone.
Timmy: And why is that my problem?
Russell: [sighs] It’s not. I just knew that if I, uhh, y’know, came over here you’d let me in. (4x11)

Once he apologizes, he offers to take Timmy out to make up for it, giving him the night out with him Russell wanted in the first place. The lengths he goes to to get his way with Timmy are disturbing and unhealthy and frame their entire relationship as one between incredibly controlling lover and increasingly trapped beloved. But because at their core these moments are desperate emotional bids from a lonely, emotionally stunted man, we are encouraged to empathize with him and root for them regardless of how unhealthily that affection is expressed.

The maddening part about being a Rimmy shipper is that their relationship is hopelessly entangled in racism and abuse culture, which makes for a narratively compelling dynamic that can richly fuel four seasons and many a fic, but is nevertheless deeply troubling in a sitcom that seems to find these aspects funny. The show does make attempts as it goes to address these components, but these episodes tend to create more problems than they solve and expose the limitations of the sitcom format when it comes to addressing racism and abuse culture when most of your main characters (and creative team) are privileged white people. At the end of the day, what makes Timmy and Russell’s relationship so fascinating to watch is precisely what makes it so problematic: given how wrong they are for each other, why do they keep coming back for more, and what does it say about those of us who want them to?