The Killer Snark Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Okay, so I'm posting again for an update, having seen both Salem Rogers and Down Dog. The first of these has met negative to fencesitting to quite positive reviews, and I was pleasantly surprised to find I rather liked it. It's derivative as hell. You've seen the main character already as the mean girl in a thousand high school comedies. The solipsistic narcissism of the main character is also reminiscent of the characters in Girls. It's a lot of fun, though, and occasionally quite witty. It's obvious that it does depend a bit too much on Leslie Bibb's 'taller version of Rachel McAdams' charm and penchant for cutely exagerrated facial expressions. She's relied on too much to sell the parts that comedically don't hit their target, because it's pretty hit and miss. It would probably get better if it got a full season, though, and I did enjoy it overall. Down Dog, on the other hand, has had nothing but negative reviews quite rightfully because it's truly fucking awful. The basic premise of a guy who coasts through life because he's a magnet for every beautiful woman he meets is flawed as a pitch from two perspectives. This sort of thing has been done before and better ln programmes like the much more nuanced Hung; men won't root for the main character here because his luck in life is out of proportion to his personality, which is zilch, because the character is so underwritten. Women won't like it either, because the female characters are ciphers who only exist in order to throw themselves at the lead. For either camp to hold an interest in anyone in it, they would actually need to have characters, which they don't. There's nothing here as a concept beyond a guy who gets a lot of pussy because women like the way he looks. Which brings me to another point. It is supposed to be a racy dramedy, but isn't explicit enough to be erotically exciting, isn't comedic on any level, and has no dramatic framework either. It lasts for half an hour but seems to go on for an hour. The actress who plays Figueroa in Orange is the New Black is in it, but she's wasted in her role. It's absolute rubbish. Avoid it like the plague. Editing in - Well, I've just went back on my word and watched the pilot of Point of Honor. First off, only moral absolutists would claim that there were no good people in positions of privilege in the South or forced to fight for the secessionist States, and that everyone analogous in the North was a moral paragon, individual human nature and history in its finer details being as it is. But many would still find this programme problematic; it does smack just a tad of baseless revisionism. The main problem for me, though on the plus side it does boast some lovely female specimens in period dress with the three daughters, is the lack of pace or drama here, or a sense of characterisation extending beyond the female characters. It's not bad, but just a trifle dull. Watch it by all means out of curiosity, safe in the knowledge it's very unlikely they'll pick this up for a full season. It simply is not strong enough to counter the criticism it's had for being politically disingenuous, though I never found it offensive, just not that interesting overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdawnb Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 On the basis of the recommendations here I watched The Man in the High Castle and Mad Dogs. I loved TMHC, excellent premise good acting, cinematography and writing. I hope this one gets the go ahead. Mad Dogs was almost intriguing until The guy in the cat mask showed up. It was so stupidly out of place I promptly lost all interest. It was like all of a sudden it tried to be somewhat derivative of Tarantino and failed miserably. Plus, they were whiny assholes. I was kinda hoping cat guy would shoot them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Killer Snark Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 It's pretty much a given that Man in the High Castle will get the go ahead, even though objectively it misses the kooky depths and otherworldliness of the source material. It's still the only pilot of the four I've seen I'd consider to be of an excellent quality. Of the rest, I'm hoping Salem Rogers gets a go ahead because I do see some potential in it and I've always liked Leslie Bibb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexal Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Mad Dogs was almost intriguing until The guy in the cat mask showed up. It was so stupidly out of place I promptly lost all interest. It was like all of a sudden it tried to be somewhat derivative of Tarantino and failed miserably. Plus, they were whiny assholes. I was kinda hoping cat guy would shoot them all. Happened in the original. Something very similar. I thought it was creepy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 On the basis of the recommendations here I watched The Man in the High Castle and Mad Dogs. I loved TMHC, excellent premise good acting, cinematography and writing. I hope this one gets the go ahead. Mad Dogs was almost intriguing until The guy in the cat mask showed up. It was so stupidly out of place I promptly lost all interest. It was like all of a sudden it tried to be somewhat derivative of Tarantino and failed miserably. Plus, they were whiny assholes. I was kinda hoping cat guy would shoot them all. That scene was much more Lynchian than Tarantino-esque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdawnb Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 That scene was much more Lynchian than Tarantino-esque Yeah, you're right. It just came out of the blue and really didn't play well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 News on Amazon's first two drama pick ups: Bosch is scheduled to air in its entirety on Feb. 13, while The After has been rightfully cancelled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Killer Snark Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I watched The After's pilot a while back and found it watchable mainly because Arielle Kebbel was in it, but it was a bit of a mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Anyone checked out Bosch? Cast looks good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Anyone checked out Bosch? Cast looks good I binge watched it, and thought it was good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commodore Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Bosch is very good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Mad Dogs and High Castle got picked up for full seasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Mad Dogs and High Castle got picked up for full seasons Looks like Amazon got it right here; these were easily the best two pilots this time around. Of the other pilots, Down Dog, Point of Honor, and Cocked all got the ax, while Salem Rogers got a second script ordered, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope of it getting any farther than that. In other news, Mozart in the Jungle has been renewed for a second season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Killer Snark Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Mozart in the Jungle derserves renewal, because it is excellent. I've still not seen Mad Dogs. I don't think anyone would be dismayed in any manner over Down Dog and Point of Honor getting the ax. I am quietly unhappy about Salem Rogers, because I thought that was an amusing little show and thought it at least deserved a limited run to see if it would develop to be a little less hit and miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teng Ai Hui Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 I'll third Bosch. I just watched the first 3 episodes in one sitting, now anxious to find time to finish the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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