I Want To Talk About The Evolution Of Theo's Appearance.

I want to talk about the evolution of Theo's appearance.

I mean, look at that glow up! That doesn't even look like the same actor, let alone character.

In season 1 he looks a lot like his teenage self: kind of greasy.

Mabel, Tim, and Oscar looked younger in their flashbacks. And to me at least, Theo really didn't. Out of all of them, he's been given the least opportunity to change, to grow up.

Then in season 2 (really just 2x07; in 2x04 when he's talking to his father he looks like his season 1 self) he looks more mature and put together. He's less awkward, more free.

In season 3, the trend continues and it's no longer subtle. He looks quite different, older for sure. He's more relaxed. We see him engage with his friend and his interests, have more fun.

He looks a lot like his dad, while Teddy is just a painting in the back of Uma's closet nowhere to be seen.

I'm obsessed with how the farther removed Theo is from Teddy the more grown up and well he looks, and I'm obsessed with how he looks so much more like his dad in a season where we don't even hear about them interacting.

(I'm also curious if, upon interacting more with his dad, Theo will look more disheveled, to show backsliding.)

I'm obsessed with how he suddenly looks a lot more like Will.

To be clear I don't think whatever symbolism is there in the glasses + beard addition (on some level we can't help but become our parents no matter how hard we try?) is necessarily intentional— I'd have to see season 4 before forming an opinion for sure, but I do think it's more likely that it's just a normal look for James Caverly and the time skip between seasons meant that it wouldn't be weird for Theo to look pretty different. Plus, they've now set him up as a potential love interest for Mabel, so he should probably look as attractive as possible.

But still, in a show that has an ongoing theme of family, it's all very interesting. I think season 4 will have a siblings theme of sorts (posts about why). I'm hopeful that Teddy will return and we'll finally see Theo and Will interact. (Note: as far as I know, Nathen Lane's absence and Ryan Broussard's low screen time were more so due to scheduling conflicts then creative decisions.) I'm also hopeful that we'll see a little more of Will's feelings about Oliver's heart attack and the circumstances leading up to it— because once again, Oliver prioritized the theater over his family, which is, ya'know, the root of all their issues.

And speaking of conflict, we've seen a plotline about how DNA doesn't matter (Oliver and Will,) and one about connecting with biological family after a long and painful separation (Loretta and Dickie.) I wonder if season 4 will have something of a push-pull between the two. Considering the actors' chemistry, it's hard not to imagine Theo and Will connecting if given the chance. (And I do think they'll get a chance at some point, or they wouldn't let the actors talk about it in the aftershows.) Given Teddy Dimas, it's hard not to imagine them having complicated feelings about that. Rounding back to the potential symbolism of Theo's new look re: (fear of; you can't help) becoming like one's father, Will experienced that in season 2 with his son's play. It's also been a theme/fear in Charles' life, so very much in these writers' wheelhouse.

There's no ending to this post, it's just a part of Theo's character arc I really enjoy, and I'm excited to see it continue.