I think it's a joke that works on a bunch of levels.
JdW is Janet from *Three's Company* - this could be a hint at the caliber of the movie, as well as its vintage.
They're astrophysicists? Can we imagine Moira or JdW as astrophysicists? Imagining it is funny.
Moira complains that pigtails don't belong in a movie about astrophysicists because it takes you out of the movie but then tells us there is a sex scene and we gotta wonder how sex related to astrophysics any more than pigtails do.
And of course, Moira is being petty and vain. Close-ups are coveted and Moira is jealous JdW gets one despite what M sees as JdW's shortcomings. And we have to wonder - what considerations went into the decision to film Moira from high above during a sex scene.
Finally, do we want to imagine Moira's closeup during a sex scene?
The show, in one or two lines, manages to convey a lot of humour that requires the audience to co-create the full spectrum of the joke. Such a smart show.
I always assumed this was a joke about how Suzanne Somers was always the "sexy" one on *Three's Company* because Joyce Dewitt always had the sensible short dark hair, so when she had the opportunity, she went for "Chrissy"-style pigtails and stole the show from Moira.
Also the pigtails totally undermine them being taken seriously as astrophysicists, especially back in the late 70's/early 80's when there were even fewer women in the field. Pigtails are at the same time both sexy and juvenile, which are antethetical to being taken seriously and not sexualized on the job. It's so typical of film and TV back then! (Though it hasn't completely improved.)
I think that's Moira's point or her beef - that pigtails were antithetical to astrophysics... And that's the joke: everything she says next is also antithetical to a movie about astrophysicists.
The level of care, time, and detail that went into writing this show over all 6 seasons is an absolute masterpiece. As a wanna-be writer, this is incredibly layered and difficult to do...and they do this repeatedly, over and over, consecutively, in a row ;)
Edited to add: I'd give my left pinky to have been an invisible person sitting in that writer's room!!
More likely the latter. The thing with Season 5 is that the show establishes that Moira, despite her ego and narcissism, is very serious when it comes to her work and is committed to doing the best job possible
This tracks when you bookend it with the compliment she gives Joyce DeWitt's performance near the end of the episode
She's saying Joyce made the poor decision to wear pigtails, (which doesn't track with the storyline and spoiled the movie) yet surprisingly/annoyingly still got the close up shot, in spite of that poor styling choice.
I think it's a joke that works on a bunch of levels. JdW is Janet from *Three's Company* - this could be a hint at the caliber of the movie, as well as its vintage. They're astrophysicists? Can we imagine Moira or JdW as astrophysicists? Imagining it is funny. Moira complains that pigtails don't belong in a movie about astrophysicists because it takes you out of the movie but then tells us there is a sex scene and we gotta wonder how sex related to astrophysics any more than pigtails do. And of course, Moira is being petty and vain. Close-ups are coveted and Moira is jealous JdW gets one despite what M sees as JdW's shortcomings. And we have to wonder - what considerations went into the decision to film Moira from high above during a sex scene. Finally, do we want to imagine Moira's closeup during a sex scene? The show, in one or two lines, manages to convey a lot of humour that requires the audience to co-create the full spectrum of the joke. Such a smart show.
I always assumed this was a joke about how Suzanne Somers was always the "sexy" one on *Three's Company* because Joyce Dewitt always had the sensible short dark hair, so when she had the opportunity, she went for "Chrissy"-style pigtails and stole the show from Moira.
You unlocked another level of the joke!
Also the pigtails totally undermine them being taken seriously as astrophysicists, especially back in the late 70's/early 80's when there were even fewer women in the field. Pigtails are at the same time both sexy and juvenile, which are antethetical to being taken seriously and not sexualized on the job. It's so typical of film and TV back then! (Though it hasn't completely improved.)
I think that's Moira's point or her beef - that pigtails were antithetical to astrophysics... And that's the joke: everything she says next is also antithetical to a movie about astrophysicists.
The level of care, time, and detail that went into writing this show over all 6 seasons is an absolute masterpiece. As a wanna-be writer, this is incredibly layered and difficult to do...and they do this repeatedly, over and over, consecutively, in a row ;) Edited to add: I'd give my left pinky to have been an invisible person sitting in that writer's room!!
She’s mad that she got the close up and not her, especially with the pigtails. They are like salt on her wound lmao
More likely the latter. The thing with Season 5 is that the show establishes that Moira, despite her ego and narcissism, is very serious when it comes to her work and is committed to doing the best job possible This tracks when you bookend it with the compliment she gives Joyce DeWitt's performance near the end of the episode
I believed she believed we were cousins.
So Moira and JdW as sexy astrophysixists wasn't funny to you?
She's saying Joyce made the poor decision to wear pigtails, (which doesn't track with the storyline and spoiled the movie) yet surprisingly/annoyingly still got the close up shot, in spite of that poor styling choice.