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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 14, 2019 11:44:13 GMT
S2 E3 "Off Ramp"Now that is more like it. A+ television and probably the best episode of this show so far. I'm quickly coming to the realisation that Tom, Laurie, the Guilty Remnant and all the stuff that is currently loosely linked to it, is my favourite thing about this show. The main thing I don't like about the show, is the way they'll dedicate entire or almost entire episodes to one set of people, or one story thread and not reference other ones on screen, but it wasn't a problem at all with this episode. Kevin, Nora and Jill may have well have ceased to exist, as the world of Tom and Laurie is infinitely more interesting. The emotional punches in this episode were off the charts, the performances brilliant, and some of the scenes were just dynamite. The scene with Tom and Meg was particularly excellent and even Liv Tyler couldn't ruin it. I have to give props for that scene with the publishers too. I've mentioned before that I find the show a little po-faced, but that scene was great craic. I expected her to just start yelling and screaming at him, so when she actually dived across the room and started beating on him... . Then even funnier was the fact that the two other people in the room didn't try to pull her off him. Perhaps that was just sloppy directing, but I'm choosing to believe it was deliberate and they just wanted to see their jackass boss take a little beating. This episode really has me hyped for whats going on in half of the show. I'd really like whatever is to come over in Miracle to start matching it.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 15, 2019 19:20:49 GMT
S2 E4 "Orange Sticker"
So Nora, Kevin and Jill didn't even get a chance to build a proper house of cards, before it fell down. We had a lot of who believes in what and in what in this episode. Some people believe in god and some don't. Some people believe the world sorta ended and some believe in mini three person raptures. One man believes he's not suicidal, even though the ghost of suicide past tells him she saw him try to off himself...but then surely she's a figment of his own broken psyche. Then I suppose if she was, she would probably know if he tried to kill himself, as she is him. Then again, she may not be a ghost, or a figment of his imagination; something more nefarious perhaps. Who knows with this show, but then that's the point I guess; mystery. So I'm coming around to Jill. The town of Miracle seems to be doing her some good at least. She's been positively sweet so far this season. Of course, if last Season is anything to go by, the characters I like either die or get written off...so bye Jill. Anyway, this was a strong episode, and after the disappointing second episode, I'm pleased.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 16, 2019 19:33:06 GMT
S2 E5 "No Room at the Inn"
So this show is finally hitting a stride of real high quality, even if they do insist on over-focusing episodes on one set of characters and practically nothing else. I don't think I'll ever be okay with this, but it'll be the last time I criticise it, cause what's the point I guess. Ultimately, it was great to have more time spent on Matt. He's a damn good character and whenever the show focuses on him it seems to excel itself. This episode was no exception. He really seems to be an inherently good person, but then his decency makes him and incredibly stupid and gullible person. He's sort of like a live action Ned Flanders, and Ned would occasionally lose the perfect veneer just like Matt. I don't quite get why he replaced the guy in the stocks on the outskirts of the town. If it's a case of 'poor me, poor me' martyrdom, then whatever you boring gobshite, but if it's heading in the direction of some leadership role in an invasion of the town, then I can live with it.
Anyway, that's three winners in a row, which is I think a first for the show.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 17, 2019 19:21:56 GMT
S2 E6 "Lens"
So, for a show that sidelines characters as much as this, it was somewhat surprising and irritating that it would dedicate the opening three minutes of an episode, to a fairly inconsequential character making a trip to Erika and Nora's street. This could have been covered in 30 seconds and not made the episode any worse. Still, that grumble now down in words, lets move on to better times. I got to see more of and learn more about Erika, which was great, John has had more focus thus far and he's a chore at best. The interplay between her and Nora was cool, but it was painfully obvious it wasn't going to end well, as this is how men write women. Heaven forbid they don't fall out with each other. I'm torn on that big scene with the two towards then end. We had yet another monologue of ramblings made to sound profound by a talented actor, and then when it ended Nora basically says what I'm thinking..."lady, you're talking shit" and I smile. Also refreshing was Kevin being honest with Nora about him being haunted by Patti. I always like in films and TV when characters tell other characters important things, that they should tell them, because they're important. It's far too rare, so wonderfully refreshing. So while this was a step down from the previous three great episodes, it was still very good.
Sidenotes
I knew Matt was just trying to recruit...the sneaky little shit. Nora is sort of an arsehole, but pretty much everyone in this show is an arsehole to varying degrees, so I still like her a lot. What's up with Virgil, I'm officially intrigued. It'll be a "miracle" if anyone has a window left in their house by the end of this Season. Use your words children.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 18, 2019 18:37:51 GMT
S2 E7 "A Most Powerful Adversary"
This one took a little while to get cooking, but once it did, it was a doozy. Ann Dowd can do no wrong on this show so far, and she brings out the best in Theroux for sure and thank god someone does. In an interesting way though, as good as this episode was, there isn't much to ponder. This one kind of answered some questions, which was nice. It also didn't pose that much in the way of new ones for once, which is also nice. Obviously, what next after the cliffhanger ending is a question, and knowing this show it'll probably be the Season 3 finale before it deals with it, but hey ho, there you go. Also good news was Laurie making it into the main plot again, but I am confused as to why Chris Zylka is in the opening credits as a main cast member..I've had almost as much screentime this Season as him.
Sidenotes
Arsehole of the Episode (a new prize I'll be giving from this point) goes to Nora, for being a shitty girlfriend. Laurie needs to do something with her hair. It's a mess. For a former cop, Kevin has no game at all. Poor Mary is being shifted from pillar to post right now. Still, she probably doesn't mind, or she's not one to complain at least. Also, a lady called Mary in a town called Miracle is now pregnant...has anyone being checking on what the man up stairs was doing on the night in question.
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Post by Sharbs on Jul 18, 2019 20:09:22 GMT
literally can't wait for your next update
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 19, 2019 18:49:02 GMT
S2 E8 "International Assassin"
I was very concerned for this first 5-10 minutes of this episode, that it was going to be something in the vein of "Restless" from Buffy, or "The Test Dream" from the Sopranos, which are high water marks in television for me, and I didn't think this was something this show could do well, but thankfully it wasn't that sort of episode, and the small elements that paralleled with those other ones, were nicely done, and often quite funny. I like when this show has a little silliness in it, as it does it rather well when it allows itself.
So, what of the episode itself; well the first thing to mention is the scoring, which is something special. This show is typically wonderfully scored, but this episode was just impeccable. Those little touches of The Godfather theme were also adorable. The Godfather reference itself was cool, and I'm pleased that they referenced the fact the were making it. I used the word impeccable already, but I think it could be used again to sum up this episode. It was really great television, I mean really and truly great. As ever Ann Dowd knocked it out of the park, but Justin Theoroux was the MVP for once.
Sidenotes
Arsehole of the Episode: Wayne...cause you have to lock the toilet door when you're taking a shit. I noted a little Bride / Karen Kim elements to the first encounter Kevin has with violence in the episode, but perhaps I'm reading too much into it. Justin Theroux is sorta like a human Ken Doll. He should be in that new Barbie film. Also, on the subject of Theroux. I could picture him as James Bond, 5 - 10 years ago. I love that they seem to be developing some real mysterious stuff, and I'm assuming Australia is important in what's to come.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 20, 2019 16:53:23 GMT
S2 E9 "Ten Thirteen"Solid but unspectacular episode, the streak of super high quality definitely ended. I've noted previously that I don't care for Liv Tyler and nothing about this episode really changed that. I do enjoy the Meg character though, and with a different actress in the role, she'd probably be one of my favourites in the show. She's got this adorable campy villain quality about her. I wasn't too surprised with the big reveal at the end, as I sorta suspected those girls had just run away, though I didn't suspect it was here where they would pop up again. Sidenotes Arsehole of the Episode: Meg obviously, but purely for not having any follow through with the grenade. Adina Porter should be in everything. It was nice to have that scene when Tom called out his mother on her bullshit. "I wanted to make you pregnant"...
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 20, 2019 18:34:22 GMT
S2 E10 "I Live Here Now"
I was pretty happy with the finale in the end. I wasn't sure for a while, and I thought that it might end up being somewhat of an anticlimax like the Season 1 finale, but it got it together and turned out to be a winner of an episode. It was nice that the disparate threads of the show finally converged, to a certain degree at least. Also, it's not a bad thing when this show has a little heart on occasion, and it definitely wasn't afraid to show it this time around.
Sidenotes
Arsehole of the Episode: Meg again, for teasing another explosion. You better blow something up in Season 3 bitch. Can anyone claim they wouldn't play with the up / down bed in Laurie's position. "Fix that Jesus"...oh Nora, you sassy cow. So the whole "Jarden Party" invasion, ended up looking a little Cecil B. DeMille. I was half expecting to see a busty maiden frolicking on a golden calf. Do you think John and Kevin's mutual "I Don't Understand" was a shout out to the viewers. I'm totally imagining a Walton style good night scene for the group from the final moments.
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Post by DeepArcher on Jul 20, 2019 18:58:31 GMT
That season two finale is maybe one of my five favorite TV episodes ever ... though I think the third season overall is my favorite, so I hope you enjoy and I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 23, 2019 19:54:35 GMT
S3 E1 "The Book of Kevin"
An interesting return. We had plenty of catch up to do, and surprisingly almost everyone who was in the town at the end of the last episode was still there three years on. Of course, Meg was not, as after all that teasing me with explosions, she got exploded. This show is such a sneaky one. I feel like I could do without the Guilty Remnant returning, as so far, as much as I enjoyed them to an extent, the show has sort of wasted them.
So immortal Kev is interesting, but Dean's theory on dog people was way more interesting and I was willing to go with it, but I'm assuming his demise means I don't need to anymore. Shame.
On the subject of going with it, I guess I'll just accept the random marriage of Laurie and John, which I hope will have some flashback explanation, other wise why bother. Also, if John is hanging around, but Erika is gone, then this show can go tape a plastic bag around it's neck and jump into a poisoned lake.
How about that ending though. I was sure the person on the bike was going to be Kevin Sr. with long hair, but who'd have thought it. I have no fucking clue. Alternate universe? Glimpse into the future? Either way, shorter hair is the way to go for Carrie Coon.
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Arsehole of the Episode: Whatever way you fall on what she and John are doing, he shredded the money whereas she looked like she'd prefer if they kept it, so Laurie takes the prize. This show currently has more beards than the Tony Awards. It was all reasonably cheerful until Jill turned up. She's like a joy vacuum. What happened to Lily...weird. Matt was a giant pain in the arse this week, and I think he's going to be a peculiar nuisance this Season. People really love throwing stones in the show, but I'm guessing they're all sinners.
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Post by cheesecake on Jul 24, 2019 2:09:33 GMT
I love reading these write ups.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 25, 2019 19:17:16 GMT
S3 E2 "Don't Be Ridiculous"Pretty solid episode, though I'm not going to be singing its praises or anything. All the same, nothing was bad at all, but nothing exceptional either. It was just good TV. I really do enjoy Nora's anger, when she lapses into it. Her veneer of calmness and composure is pretty thin at this point, so it's unsurprising to see her lash out, at those around her and herself. I feel somewhat like Kevin has stagnated as a character. I know he has this whole coming back to life thing going on, but he just seems like a benched lead right now. I figure he'll become central again sooner or later, but I really do want it to be sooner. I've started to think recently about how I'd deal in a situation where 2% of the worlds population disappear, so likely some people I love and care about do; and I then consider that against varying ways in which the people on this show deal with it. I can't help thinking that I'd cope a lot better than most of the people in the world of this show do. I can't help wondering, with not long left of the show, if at its core it is a condemnation of humanity as inherently weak. I know it has a lot more threads and subtexts than simply that, but for now that is how I'm assessing it in a simplistic manner. SidenotesArsehole of the Episode: Matt for his continual lying about helping people for selfless reasons. Oh look, we're in Australia. Lets break our the didgeridoo soundtrack and a Kangaroo . I was half expecting to see Alf Stewart, Bea Smith, Paul Robinson and Mick Dundee sitting around a table and calling each other drongos, while drinking cans of Fosters. That opening theme music Wu-Tang Clan Group It sucks how things went for Nora when it comes to Lily It's cool seeing Brett Butler in something. I always liked her on Grace Under Fire. Thankfully we saw Regina King again, and what a fantastic pair of legs she has.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 29, 2019 19:31:01 GMT
S3 E3 "Crazy Whitefella Thinking"
Well, I never expected a whole episode to be handed over to Kevin Sr. alone, and I wasn't so sure at first that it was a wise choice, but by about a third of the way through the episode, it picked up speed. I guess right about the time he got to Christoper Sunday and told his kooky chicken tale. It's hard to tell sometimes with this show, just how much they want you to take seriously and how much is just nonsense for nonsense's sake. I don't personally have major a problem with it, but this close to the end it still seems somewhat lacking in focus. Yet, those final fifteen minutes or so and the five with Grace in particular were great stuff. Her monologue across the table from Kevin was absolutely heartbreaking, and perhaps the best single performance in an episode of this show so far. One assumes that the gospel according to Matt, via Kevin Jr. is trash, but that doesn't mean Kevin Jr. himself isn't important all the same.
Sidenotes
Arsehole of the Episode: Matt for his general Mattness That opening credits version of "Personal Jesus" is a fucking abomination. This might well have been the funniest episode of this show. It has some great one liners, physical farce and of course the demise of Sunday was hilarious. This episode really stood out for the use of the work fuck and its variations. The show has a strangely low amount of cursing for a HBO series, so with Kevin Sr. cursing up a storm, it seemed sorta odd.
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Post by EythorAH on Jul 29, 2019 23:01:08 GMT
Crazy Whitefella Thinking is one of my favorites of the whole series. Loved the setting, the humour and all the hurdles he has to go through and it really made me fall unquestionably in love with Kevin Sr. Plus Lindsay Duncan is a revelation
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Jul 30, 2019 19:50:23 GMT
S3 E4 "G'Day Melbourne"So time has come to an end for those crazy, crazy kids. Well it was a pretty rough break, so I'm assuming it has. It is interesting that it ended so quick. They're a couple who for the most part seemed to always be quite honest with each other. He about kidnapping women who then kill themselves and then haunt him, and her about hiring hookers to shoot her. Who'd have thought they'd fall apart over keeping themselves to themselves too much. Well, obviously there is more to it than that, but that's how the writing mostly decided to go with it. Elsewhere, the whole interview Nora had with the team of folks that want to do whatever it is they want to do was rather cold and clinical. It is intriguing though. I don't expect that it is a scam, and I assume it has something do do with this older Nora we briefly saw a few episodes ago who 'didn't' know Kevin Garvey. I'm sure that the whole you've been turned down thing won't last. The latest descent into bonkers for krazy Kevin was an odd one. Outside of being something that pushed him emotionally to point where he was ready to have a bust up missus, it didn't seem to serve much purpose. Perhaps it was just to give Laurie and John some screentime... So yeah, it was a tough day for no nonsense Nora and krackpot Kev, so a row was inevitable. The key moment of the whole argument was when Kevin accused Nora of wanting people to feel sorry for her, which is true, but she's not alone. As far as I can see everyone in the world of this show wants people to feel sorry for them, every bit as much as they are feeling sorry for themselves. SidenotesArsehole of the Episode: The presenters of G'Day Melbourne, who can fuck off with their shaming of people who don't like pancakes. I don't and I am not 'untrustworthy'. I was going to give the win to Dr. Textie McNoTalk, but then I grew to really like her. That graffiti alley that Kevin chases 'Evie' down is fantastic. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Kevin has no game. To call him a bull in a china shop, would be unfair to bulls. “I borrowed some of your duct tape." That kind of relationship banter will make me miss these guys. Letting one baby die to cure cancer in the future does seem like the only logical answer, but then it might be 25 - 30 years before it happens, so you know...lots of people will still die of cancer in the meantime. This show seems to feel the need to visually remind people of things, by showing quick flashes of previous episodes. It is a notable problem I have with it. It does it way too often, and should respect its audience enough to not hammer them over the head. Halfway through Season 3 and it is my least favourite Season. Still, I'm only halfway through, so who knows.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Aug 1, 2019 19:24:19 GMT
S3 E5 "It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World"So I've thought it over and I think this episode should have been called "Matt the prat is such a twat, he probably still thinks the earth is flat". I'm not sure where it all went wrong with this character, but I have to believe it is down to poor writing / character development, as it isn't the fault of Christopher Eccleston, he's doing a fine job with this shoddy material. I genuinely cannot stand Matt anymore, he has to rate in the upper echelons of TVs most annoying characters. This episode though, he reached tidal proportions of dickery. It was a crushing combinations of self righteous hypocrisy, and the inflexible sort of Christianity, that makes your average decent religious person look bad by association. Then you had levels of childishness on display that are unacceptable from any one who has two digits in their age. At one point I was expecting him to ask Laurie to put her hair in pig tails so he could pull them. He literally threw a tantrum on the bridge of the boat. What a monumental fuck-knuckle he is. So on to the episode itself. Well it wasn't exactly a winner for me (insert a well worn comic book guy quote here). The whole boat thing seemed like utter nonsense, that was most likely meant to garner some laughs, but ultimately didn't. I guess you could say this was just another bunch of people trying to have something to hold on to, but I think it could more simplistically be boiled down to the fact that sometimes people like to dress up and bang. I also have to say that Season 3 really seems to be stretching the rather thin premise of this show to a level which is quite close to breaking. I don't see any growth in the show, which wouldn't be so bad if I felt it was in a good place with three hours left, but I don't feel that it is. I think that so far, its third Season has been rather sloppy, directionless and wildly inconsistent in quality. SidenotesArsehole of the Episode: For the 3rd time in 4 episodes, it is obviously Matt. If he does die, I hope its in the next episode and painfully. The only times I loved this episode were the moments when Laurie gave Matt both barrels. The opening scene on the submarine was quite good, and fair play to that guy for being that nude in that many angles, but he really should fluffed a bit. Line if the episode has to be "it's Mary's word versus mine". I really liked Ferry God, I think I'd prefer him over Kevin Khrist. If Michael doesn't add something a value in the next three episodes then he really needn't have come back for season 3...not that he added much value to season 2 either.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Aug 2, 2019 16:27:59 GMT
S3 E6 "Certified"
I've always thought that this show is at its very best when it is just dealing with the raw emotions of how people dealt the departure, both in times closer to it, and seven years on as we now are. So unsurprisingly this is was far and away my favourite episode of Season 3, and it really reminded me of how great this show can be, which I needed after the last episode.
You have an awful lot of remember when in this episode, which is typical human behaviour in a heavy situation, which the main players of the show all imagine themselves to be in right now. The peak remember when was Nora's beachball story when she, Laurie and Matt were at the coast. That was a cracking scene and probably the best moment of Carrie Coon in the show so far, although I imagine she still has some big stuff to come. Matt couldn't even ruin that scene...although it probably helped that he had almost no lines.
So it seems Kevin Khrist has decided to kill himself again and this time to become some sort of cross dimensional messenger boy. I guess being cop just doesn't have enough excitement after so many years. It also seems like Nora is going to get into that machine whether the folks in charge like it or not. This is the part of the show I'm most invested in as I get towards the end. I'm finding it hard to care about the whole apocalyptic flood thread.
Sidenotes
Arsehole of the Episode: Nora for trying to take Laurie's lighter. As an ex smoker, I know that you don't fuck around with peoples lighters. Small town Australian police are not faring well. Nora is right, smoking is cool. 'I only have 100s' is definitely the line of the episode. If Laurie is dead I'll be disappointed. I love the character and I think Amy Brenneman is probably the MVP of the whole thing, unless Ann Dowd makes a return and gets to be crazy brilliant again.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Aug 2, 2019 18:10:07 GMT
S3 E7 "The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)"This was a pretty cool episode overall. I do enjoy these kooky scenarios they cook up for when Kevin visits this other place, and they went full ham on it this time around. It was nice to see Killer Kev back, and his tangoed brother the president (shout out to Trump?) was fun too. I was also glad he had no valuable responses to bring back to those who sent him with questions, as their selfishness didn't need to be rewarded. Having Patti back was obviously a joyous event and her stating plainly about the constant contradiction that is Kevin Garvey was cool. It is nice sometimes when a character speaks for an audience. It was also nice to see Kevin finally come to some realisations about who he is, and why he is his own problem. It was also nice to see him perhaps accept that he can still fix his life and be happy. It's a shame that it seems like Laurie couldn't do the same. Clearly our finale is going to revolve around Nora, seeing as Apocalypse Now became Apocalypse Not. I'm excited to see how it all ends, hence me watching the final three episodes all in one day, when I had rather staunchly stuck to a rule of no more than one episode a day until now. SidenotesArsehole of the Episode: Meg takes the win on her return. I've talked a lot about her failures to explode something, and she was in the vicinity of fucking nukes and still failed. I've officially had it with this bitch. Justin Theroux's penis really is the joke that keeps on giving. The code is 6969...so childish. Thank God for God.
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Aug 2, 2019 20:10:55 GMT
S3 E8 "The Book of Nora" So years have passed and I am settled in for a long and confusing finale, but instead I am given the most straightforward piece of television this show has ever offered. Once I realised things were how they appeared to be, all that was left was to see how things played out for our oft dysfunctional pair. I think it's hard to describe this as anything other than one of the most beautifully written, paced, performed and directed episodes of television I've seen. Honestly, with a show as weird and sometimes bonkers as The Leftovers, the kind of finale we were given is the most out of left field thing the show could have done. That wedding scene can go down as one of the great wedding scenes in the history of film and television and when you think about some of the great wedding scenes of film and television history, that is some grand company to be in. The writing was gorgeous and while the metaphors hung heavy, they were still lovely in their bluntness. The chemistry between Coon and Theroux was sublime. Then later when Nora told Kevin her tale of dimension hoping, it was just more proof that sometimes, someone just talking is all you need to make something unforgettably powerful and completely engrossing. I'm happy that Kevin and Nora have each other again, and I choose to believe that they will live out their days as a couple, managing to be as happy as they can allow themselves to be. I think one of the key lessons of this show is that sometimes, when it comes to your own happiness, whatever impact others may have on it, if you allow yourself to be happy, it might be the main step in getting there. SidenotesArsehole of the Episode: Everyone who hung one of those plastic chains around a goats neck. Morons! Nora really was at her best in this episode. From telling Matt that maybe they'd let him keep her fossil, to having one of her classic angry outbursts at the sinning nun, she was on fire. Her shock on the phone to Laurie at having to use the word 'Happy' to describe Kevin, was hilarious. Who can blame her though. Poor Bruce, I hope he gets his erectile dysfunction sorted. So that's that then. This long and painful journey is over. I use the word painful purposefully, as sometimes this show was rather painful to watch, as it was often dark, often heavy and occasionally gut-wrenching. Of course occasionally, but thankfully rarely, it was just painful to have to go with some of the choices made by the writers in telling the story. It felt directionless at times, but it got to a rather pleasing conclusion. It gave me one of the great seasons of television with its second season (the first was no slouch either), and the finale can stand up proudly as one the greats. It did not blow it. stephen and anyone who took the time to read my rambles.
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Post by stephen on Aug 2, 2019 20:23:39 GMT
You are a legend for chronicling your journey so thoroughly and briskly, Johnny. I am sorry you didn't adore the series to the extent I did, but it does indeed seem like you were taken by some of my favorite characters (Ann Dowd all day!) and that final episode is one of the greatest finales in history for sure.
What's your next journey? May I suggest Hannibal?
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Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Aug 2, 2019 20:40:07 GMT
You are a legend for chronicling your journey so thoroughly and briskly, Johnny. I am sorry you didn't adore the series to the extent I did, but it does indeed seem like you were taken by some of my favorite characters (Ann Dowd all day!) and that final episode is one of the greatest finales in history for sure. What's your next journey? May I suggest Hannibal? That moment when you've typed out a response to someone and hit create post and a mod has merged your thread with another one . Still, I'll have to read the other posts in the thread now and see what others have to say about stuff. So, what I was saying and will now say again. I would actually say that I loved the show to an extent, but just not to the extent of what I consider the greatest of television shows. For me the show sort of lost the run of itself in the third season, so after the excellent first and brilliant second, it just dragged itself down a bit. Still, it is great TV all the same, and has some masterful individual episodes, including the final three of season three. Hannibal is watched, and it is in that group of television shows that I consider the best of the best.
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Post by Sharbs on Aug 2, 2019 21:52:45 GMT
This show is top-3 ever for me, so it has been an absolute treat to relive this through you even if there wasn't a single Lindsay Duncan plaudit.
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Post by stabcaesar on May 22, 2020 13:28:47 GMT
Just finished it today. This show is the shit. I love all the season finales and many individual episodes (The Most Powerful Man in the World, Lens, International Assassin etc.) are pure genius. The writing and the cast and the MUSIC are unbelievably good.
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Post by The_Cake_of_Roth on Jul 1, 2020 23:56:52 GMT
Summer of 2020 has officially become my "Catch Up On TV Shows I'm Hopelessly Behind On Because I Never Watch TV" period.
Warning: Contrarian opinion ahead
Finally decided to watch this after hearing so much praise for it, binged the whole thing this past week... and came out very mixed on it overall. Judging by what I've read of people's thoughts on the show here, I definitely seem to hold a minority opinion regarding the show's quality from season to season. For me, the first season is unequivocally the best, with each season afterward getting progressively worse. I still like the second season, but I found myself not really caring for the third very much at all, aside from some standout episodes and scenes.
I loved the first season for its thoughtful, somber meditation on grief and the different ways people process and end up externalizing grief... it was bleak and melodramatic at times yet psychologically compelling all the way through, and the worldbuilding was great and believable. While the second and third seasons are certainly more go-for-broke, ambitious, and I guess "unique" and "creative" on the surface, the show weirdly transformed into something simpler and ultimately less interesting for me.
After the relative groundedness of the first season, the supernatural elements became too literal, and by season 3 the show was just too far removed from what I liked about it at the start. Season 2 at least had the central mystery of Evie's disappearance driving it, but season 3 felt more directionless to me... I was bored by the Jesus-Kevin and Bible stuff, and Nora's storyline was really the only thing that I was invested in after a certain point. While I didn't love season 2's "International Assassin" like some do because I found it rather self-indulgent, it at least fleshed out Patti's character in a way that was thoughtful and moving, but season 3's "Most Powerful Man in the World" was just exhausting and tedious to me.
Before watching the show, I knew going in that people described how it often revels in ambiguity, and doesn't provide answers to certain things. I don't need a TV show to explain everything to me (I mostly loved Twin Peaks: The Return), but after a certain point, a lack of narrative clarity crosses over into what feels to me like laziness on the part of the writers, throwing stuff at the wall even if it doesn't make sense, and using the mysticism of the show's premise to excuse plot contrivances.
This brings me to the show's conclusion, which felt like such a bizarre contrast of over-explanation next to the vagueness of came before, giving the show a pat, sentimental ending that I kind of hated. I realize that some people interpret the conclusion as ambiguous, but I don't really think there's anything to support the possibility that Nora wasn't telling the truth in that last scene. Like if she did in fact stop the process of going through, Matt would have known about it, and I find it hard to believe that neither Matt nor Laurie would have told Kevin about her whereabouts during those years. And even with the confidentiality agreement between Laurie and Nora, I don't really buy that Laurie wouldn't at least tell Nora that her husband is using his vacation time to search for her in Australia... so given the assumption that Nora is telling Kevin the truth, the mystery of the whole show's premise is just reduced to an easy answer that feels like a compromised Hollywood move in the worst possible way.
One last point about the music: I love the main theme, but after a while it became grossly overused, thrown into every moment of pathos, and began to lose its impact.
tl;dr - contrary to what seems like the consensus, I really liked the first season and parts of season 2, didn't care about the rest.
Favorite episodes: "Two Boats and a Helicopter," "Guest," "The Garveys at Their Best," "No Room at the Inn," "Lens"
MVPs = Coon and Eccleston
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