Salome the Persian Witch Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Am I the only person watching this? I'm quite enjoying it. I've always loved James Spader, even when he was a pretty boy, he always seemed to have such a rich depth to him. I'm kind of liking the "bad guy" of the week with the overarching mystery arc despite that being a conventional structure. And the young female lead isn't making me roll my eyes - she seems to have some acting chops herself. What are others' thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Soprano Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I've only watched the pilot, but that's only cause I've been pretty bust lately. I really liked it, and I'm gonna catch up with the last few episodes soon. James Spader is a great actor, and I totally loved him on Boston Legal ( which is probably one of my favorite shows ever ), so it's great to see him back on TV again. The female lead isn't all that bad either. Anyway, gonna catch up with it soon, and I'll post my thoughts on them later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I like it...though I know it's bad.Guilty pleasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bronn of Sunspear Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I watch it for Alan Shore's spea....Sorry, James Spader's speaches. :)The lead female is good too. However, i find some of thw show itself hard to swallow. Like before they released Raymond, and they had him in that over-the-top cell that looks like it would hold Magneto. But I guess small things like that are to be expected with cable TV.So like Sci-2 said.... Guilty pleasure, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterOJ Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I'm enjoying it. I just turn my brain off while watching for the most part. I'm sorta surprised they brought the whole thing between Keen and her husband to a head so soon. I was pretty sure that was going to be a season-long story arc. But, I am glad they did. I think having her fret about him for most of the season would have been much too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I'm enjoying it. I just turn my brain off while watching for the most part. I'm sorta surprised they brought the whole thing between Keen and her husband to a head so soon. I was pretty sure that was going to be a season-long story arc. But, I am glad they did. I think having her fret about him for most of the season would have been much too much. If it was a season long arc, I would have gone mental. I can only handle her lying and not bringing it up so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell is Burning Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 This show is stupid, but it knows it's stupid and doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 i'm unsure whether the police in this or the police in the following are the shitest in history. no wonder the crime rate over there is so high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell is Burning Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 i'm unsure whether the police in this or the police in the following are the shitest in history. no wonder the crime rate over there is so high. The shittiest police force in history is Miami Metro. At least the FBI knows Reddington is one of biggest criminals in history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 This show is stupid, but it knows it's stupid and doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's all good. I'd say, more accurately, that it's a stupid story and knows it but told in a clever way. The overarching plotlines are dumb as hell but the little details are in a lot of places really well done and therefore it's a lot better than we had any right to expect, I think...Case in point, the acting. As previous posters have kind of intimated, the actress playing Liz would, in many other shows, have been someone chosen for her pretty face and not her acting chops, but she's the one carrying what serious parts this show has and she's managing fine, I've been impressed. It also manages to build excitement out of really obvious and basic action sequences, somehow. I mean they're nothing special but they're used well and haven't so far, tried to exceed their ability with their ambition. The writing is also pretty solid - so far it's delivered its myth-arcs with just the right timing of cryptic hints followed by actual reveals, and just swerving the right side of obvious. The moment I started to be sold on it was the pilot, when her scar came up in a conversation which was cut short and I was like 'uggggggggh, this is going to be dragged out for half the season, isn't it' and then twenty minutes later she was talking to the little girl about being brave and hey I've got something special that I hold on to whenever I'm frightened, my daddy gave it to me and I was just about ready to roll my eyes at the cheese and then she shows off the scar, and suddenly I'm like well that's genuinely interesting. Now I'm even fairly convinced that Red isn't her dad as I was fearing- it'll almost certainly be the mysterious 'adversary' that was just mentioned. Which while hardly earthshaking will be a far better solution.It's a weird mixture of guilty pleasure and actual quality and, although I'm a bit doubtful of whether they can take it into really interesting places and a bit worried about the blacklisters becoming samey, for now I'm genuinely quite enamoured of it. It's just written and made with a certain grace I wasn't expecting. Also, Ryan Eggold (the husband) has exactly the same facial expressions as Arthur Darvill (Rory in Doctor Who). It's kind of distracting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mladen Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 snip Nicely written... I agree mostly... This show in the pilot broke the cardinal rule for me --- talking about big bad Serb... I was especially impressed by the stupidity of "Orthodox Serbs don't get tattooed" The idiocy of that line is still bothering me... But, above that, and a bit problematic lead actress, it isn't as bad as some would think. Actually, as you said, it's a nice combo of guilty pleasure and good TV... But, I am one of the greatest fans of Boston Legal, and James Spader's Alan Shore is one of my favorite TV characters, so this show is mainly watched because of him... I am not impressed but I am not disappointed. And given this year's new shows, with Sleepy Hollow, this one might be the only one I will watch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell is Burning Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Now I'm even fairly convinced that Red isn't her dad as I was fearing- it'll almost certainly be the mysterious 'adversary' that was just mentioned. Which while hardly earthshaking will be a far better solution. Yeah, possibly. Seems like they're building this "adversary" as Reddington's main goal, while he used the list (if he even has one) just to get inside the FBI while also removing people he has a personal dislike, since after the pilot, the only one he doesn't seem to have a personal problem is the Chinese guy- he despised the philanthropist/human traffic boss for some reason, had already tried to kill the guy that didn't feel pain, had some relation to one of the "stewmaker" victims, and disliked the guy that used disasters to cover up his murders because of his methods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salome the Persian Witch Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 The shittiest police force in history is Miami Metro. At least the FBI knows Reddington is one of biggest criminals in history. :rofl: The moment I started to be sold on it was the pilot, when her scar came up in a conversation which was cut short and I was like 'uggggggggh, this is going to be dragged out for half the season, isn't it' and then twenty minutes later she was talking to the little girl about being brave and hey I've got something special that I hold on to whenever I'm frightened, my daddy gave it to me and I was just about ready to roll my eyes at the cheese and then she shows off the scar, and suddenly I'm like well that's genuinely interesting. Yes - that's exactly what I'm talking about. It's surprising. And the actress isn't light and fluffly, but she's also not trying to hard to be taken seriously. (Perhaps the character is - but not the actress) he despised the philanthropist/human traffic boss for some reason, And even that was a beautiful moment - when for a second near the end of the episode, we got to see his mysterious black body guard have the human trafficker's brand burned into his shoulder! I do like the fact that we're getting larger chunks of information for "mysteries" than would normally be doled out, I'm surprised I'm enjoying some of the other characters (like Parminder Nagra of Bend it Like Beckham awesomeness) and I can't say enough about James Spader. Who knew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Wolf Smith Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I am watching it, but not loving it. I am interested in the sub-plot (of what's going on w/ the husband/Spader's connection to her) then to the main plotlines. It is the highest getting the highest ratings of a new show this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddler Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I love the show. The stories may be a little bit generic and laughable at times, but Spader and Boone are just awesome together. The chemistry and acting there keeps me looking forward to the new episodes each week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I also love the music choices. Robot Koch and Alice Russel for the win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salome the Persian Witch Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 I also love the music choices. Robot Koch and Alice Russel for the win. Actually, yes now that you mention it. I have thought often that I loved the soundscape and the use of music. It was an absolutely stunning choice at the end of last episode. When I heard Emika's "Wicked Game" it almost took my breath away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthmail Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 This is the only show I make sure I have to watch every week. James Spader chews on scenery like no man. And I think that anyone that says the writing is stupid is probably stupid themselves. Just saying. I'd pull the punches a bit but its my birthday and I've had a beer and I don't give a fuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Wolf Smith Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 And I think that anyone that says the writing is stupid is probably stupid themselves. Just saying. I'd pull the punches a bit but its my birthday and I've had a beer and I don't give a fuck. Cheers to you then. You get a pass. I will have a beer for you. and my ex-gf whose birthday is today also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 This is the only show I make sure I have to watch every week. James Spader chews on scenery like no man. And I think that anyone that says the writing is stupid is probably stupid themselves. Just saying. I'd pull the punches a bit but its my birthday and I've had a beer and I don't give a fuck. Happy birthday, you crazy bastard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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