HBO discussion

[Dr.Strangefate]

Re: HBO Series

I stopped watching after five episodes because I still didn't care about anything happening. It was all good... but nothing hooked me.

 

[ProjectX2]

Re: HBO Series

You should try watching it all again when the first season has finished. I think it (like almost every other HBO show) will be better in one chunk.

I also think it has the best cast on TV.

 

[Dr.Strangefate]

Re: HBO Series

see... but the wire episode one hooked me, six feet under episode one hooked me, same with Deadwood, Rome, Eastbound, curb your enthusiasm, and i'm sure there are more HBO shows that are slipping my mind. I've never had the whole "well, i'll stick with it for now" problem with HBO, except maybe with True Blood, which is a wholly different type of show which can sustain itself on frivolity when it lacks substance...

Five episodes in, and the show didn't know what it was... I think they went easy on it because Scorsese signed up so it didn't go through that rigorous an editing process. With the budget and cast involved, there's no reason it shouldn't have been better from day one. It seemed like each of the first directors had a COMPLETELY different take on Nucky. It just seemed shoddy. It seemed like someone -trying- to do an HBO show.

 

[ProjectX2]

Re: HBO Series

Boardwalk Empire is the first and only HBO show I've watched as it aired. If I didn't have a whole season of a show available when I watched something like The Wire or Deadwood (or even Mad Men), I might not have got into them (it took me half a season to get into both (probably three seasons before I was really invested in Mad Men). I too thought the first few episodes of Boardwalk Empire were a bit messy but I stuck with it because of the talent involved and I'm glad I did because the last few episodes have been great. I also think this first season has been set up (Nucky, Jimmy, Margaret and Nelson are all figuring out what they have to do to survive in this new world) and I think the second season will be great from the start.

As for Nucky... I think he is the weakest character. He's not bad but he doesn't compare to characters like Tony Soprano or Jimmy McNulty or Al Swearengen. In fact, as the season progresses, I think almost every other character has been developed more than Nucky Thompson and they are all easily more interesting than he is. They only introduced the masked marksman guy three episodes ago and he's already been well fleshed out and has become one of my favourite characters.

 

[Zombipanda]

Re: HBO Series

Hm... I'm worried about Doc's assessment of Boardwalk Empire. I've been looking forward to seeing it.

Did anyone watch Treme?

 

[ProjectX2]

Re: HBO Series

Hm... I'm worried about Doc's assessment of Boardwalk Empire. I've been looking forward to seeing it.

Did anyone watch Treme?

I watched the pilot and really liked it but I decided to wait until the whole season was over (see above ) before I watched the whole thing, which I will probably do just before the second season begins.

 

[Bass]

Re: HBO Series

see... but the wire episode one hooked me, six feet under episode one hooked me, same with Deadwood, Rome, Eastbound, curb your enthusiasm, and i'm sure there are more HBO shows that are slipping my mind. I've never had the whole "well, i'll stick with it for now" problem with HBO, except maybe with True Blood, which is a wholly different type of show which can sustain itself on frivolity when it lacks substance...

Five episodes in, and the show didn't know what it was... I think they went easy on it because Scorsese signed up so it didn't go through that rigorous an editing process. With the budget and cast involved, there's no reason it shouldn't have been better from day one. It seemed like each of the first directors had a COMPLETELY different take on Nucky. It just seemed shoddy. It seemed like someone -trying- to do an HBO show.

This is really about empathy. If you empathise with a character, you'll forgive almost any flaw because you don't want to ruin the magic, and if you don't, every possible flaw will be magnified ten times over. A story can sway people into empathy, but sometimes, for some people, it's just not possible. I've not seen BOARDWALK EMPIRE but your problem of it seem to stem solely from just not feeling anything for it. Who knows why? Maybe it's expectations and if you come back to the show in a few years, you'll be won over. That's how it was for me and THE BIG LEBOWSKI. I hated it first time round, saw it about five years later, and couldn't have enjoyed it more. Maybe it's because it just sucks and it's dated and you've already seen through it, and over time others will agree. That's what it was for me and LOST. I hated it sixteen episodes in (or whatever) and despite later highs and lows, it turned out to be a big pile of go-nowhere ****.

Hm... I'm worried about Doc's assessment of Boardwalk Empire. I've been looking forward to seeing it.

Did anyone watch Treme?

Like Proj, I've only seen the first two episodes and I enjoyed it and want to see more.

 

[Goodwill]

Re: HBO Series

That's how I was with the Big Lebowski too.

I do agree that Nucky is the least dynamic character for the show. Everyone else is capable of doing the grunt work... Nucky on the other hand is a diplomat, however corrupt he may be. I would like to see him get his hands dirty a bit and have more worth while character moments rather than the inconsequential "I don't get along with my father" kind of thing.

 

[Zombipanda]

Re: HBO Series

I watched the pilot and really liked it but I decided to wait until the whole season was over (see above ) before I watched the whole thing, which I will probably do just before the second season begins.

Like Proj, I've only seen the first two episodes and I enjoyed it and want to see more.

I saw about an episode and a half and despite really appreciating the acting and the writing, I had a hard time sitting through it.

I hope that's just because I was trying to watch it on a computer screen. Sometime after Thanksgiving, I'm going to find the whole season and shoot it to my big screen.

 

[ProjectX2]

Re: HBO Series

I also hated The Big Lebowski when I first saw it. Weird.

 

[Bass]

Re: HBO Series

I saw about an episode and a half and despite really appreciating the acting and the writing, I had a hard time sitting through it.

I hope that's just because I was trying to watch it on a computer screen. Sometime after Thanksgiving, I'm going to find the whole season and shoot it to my big screen.

It's because it's about poor people in New Orleans talking about the rent.

It's not thrilling stuff at all. Once you get your mindset into how quiet and soap-opera like it's going to be, you can enjoy it. But there's a reason THE SOPRANOS isn't about a waste collector arguing with his family, but a mob-boss. The mafia is just exciting. TREME is David Simon and the rest trying to say, "**** cop shows. Why can't you just have a show about poor people without there being crime?" It's odd and you need a different set of expectations to enjoy it. It sounds patronizing, but I don't mean it to be. You wouldn't go to see THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and expect to see Clint Eastwood shoot up Iowa, UNFORGIVEN style. You'd go with sunglasses so you could pretend you didn't cry your eyes out (which you did) and prepare yourself for two adults talking about them being soulmates. And you'd love it because it's awesome. But if you go in, with the mindset that maybe, just maybe, Clint Eastwood will shoot up Meryl Streep's husband and you wait and wait for it, you will never enjoy it.

By the same way, forget that TREME is meant to be even remotely exciting, or even remotely HBO-ish. It's not dark, it's not violent, sexy, or exciting. It's just emotionally dramatic, and it does that wonderfully well.

But if you don't want that from your TV, no matter how much you prepare for it, you won't enjoy it. You've got to want that kind of show, else you won't enjoy it, no matter how much you realise what type of show it is.

I also hated The Big Lebowski when I first saw it. Weird.

I wonder why we all just didn't get it first time round. I don't get why I didn't find it funny.

 

[nigma]

Re: HBO Series

the not having a goal has made me stop watching the show on a regular basis, its still a great show. i'll wait for a few more episodes and then watch it in chunks.

 

[ProjectX2]

Re: HBO Series

Game of Thrones starts soon.

 

[bluebeast]

I am beyond excited for Game of Thrones.

 

[nigma]

I don't know how I missed this show. I don't know why nobody was else was watching this show. I don't know why i didn't rob your house to steal your pills so i could sell them to junkies and buy this on DVD.

what show am i talking about?

Treme, its set about 3 months after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. following the life of about half a dozen people as they try and rebuild.

what makes this a great show? the genius of David Simon,who has re-team with "The Wire" writer-producer Eric Overmyer. also from The Wire are Wendell Pierce as Antoine Batiste a trombone player. and Clarke Peters as an Indian Chief. (one of the most moving performances in the show). also notably on the show are Khandi Alexander and John Goodman. what also makes the show great is the music. and i think i'm in love with Lucia Micarelli she plays Annie as a violinist

watch this show.
I don't care. if you have to knock over a convince store to get the money
I don't care. if you gotta stick up a John and take his money.
I don't care. if you gotta toss someone in front of a moving bus to rob them while you pretend to help them to get the money.
I don't care, if ya have to sell your kidney. you do it.
I don't care. what you gotta do, you do it. and you find a way to watch this show.

This show will not disappoint.

a sampling: if only we had this during the inauguration
[video=youtube;WcKvCjO4JlM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcKvCjO4JlM[/video]

[video=youtube;Mws6p0MGp6U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mws6p0MGp6U&feature=related[/video]
[video=youtube;jzWDuRCcSZQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzWDuRCcSZQ&playnext=1&list=PLE0751FC6449C29B0[/video]
[video=youtube;mDandoEaqME]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDandoEaqME[/video]

 

[SSJmole]

I'm excited for game of thrones. Starts here monday just 1 day after usa that's great.

 

[ultimatedjf]

I'm finally getting into MILDRED PIERCE, and now there's only two parts left for me to watch. It's slow going, but ultimately rewarding.

 

[ProjectX2]

Game of Thrones gets better every week. HBO will probably cancel it after season three.

 

[Goodwill]

Game of Thrones is pretty good. I'm surprised I like it, too, as I am not a big Sean Bean fan. The Imp is a great character, my personal favorite, and the show is very good at ending on a suspenseful note. So far I enjoy it, without even knowing much of anything about the books.

 

[ProjectX2]

Tom Hanks' Playtone Productions is set to produce a six-season, open-ended series, American Gods, for HBO, based on Neil Gaiman's award-winning novel.

The series-in-development, revolving around the question "are you a god if no one believes in you?" is executive produced by Goetzman and Hanks, with Bob Richardson, and Gaiman on board as executive producer and writer.

Each of the six seasons will be of 10-12, hour-long episodes with a budget of around $35-40 million per season, targeted to debut on the cable powerhouse in 2013 at the earliest.

Rich in religious folklore that spanned millennia and featuring deities from Greek and Nordic mythology, and even the Judeo-Christian monotheistic God making an appearance, in the contemporary U.S., American Gods will be effects-heavy to do justice to the awe-inspiring power of the divine beings. "There are some crazy things in there. We'll probably be doing more effects in there than it's been done on a television series," said Goetzman.

I can't imagine it getting six seasons but I'm just glad it seems to be going ahead.