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Post by wkw99 on Jun 12, 2013 4:21:11 GMT -6
The Wire had the unfortunate timing to be on a pay-cable network BTS (Before The Sopranos). Once that show broke the barrier, it seemed that all the critically acclaimed/Emmy Worthy shows were HBO or Showtime property. Dolphin can attest that Friday Night Lights is the same. The marvelous writing, acting, and just plain wonderful portrayal of small-town life and a good marriage weren't recognized until the show was gone. Kyle Chandler got lucky in the last season, and his Emmy was well-deserved. (Even if he did beat out TO! )
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Post by lbookie on Jun 12, 2013 10:26:20 GMT -6
So speaking of Deadwood, I finished Season Three yesterday. Gah!! I did NOT want it to end there! *SPOILERS IF YOU HAVENT WATCHED* Hirst needed to get what he deserved. Love the show but it was a very unsatisfying ending.
Have any of you watched The Sheild? I wanted to watch because of Walton Goggins but I'm not really feeling it. Walt was hardly in the first four episodes and he's the only character that seems vaguely interesting- his decent into hell for his guilt. Any thoughts on if I should press on and watch more?
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Post by Dolphin on Jun 12, 2013 14:13:45 GMT -6
The Wire had the unfortunate timing to be on a pay-cable network BTS (Before The Sopranos). Once that show broke the barrier, it seemed that all the critically acclaimed/Emmy Worthy shows were HBO or Showtime property. Dolphin can attest that Friday Night Lights is the same. The marvelous writing, acting, and just plain wonderful portrayal of small-town life and a good marriage weren't recognized until the show was gone. Kyle Chandler got lucky in the last season, and his Emmy was well-deserved. (Even if he did beat out TO! ) Yes! Both The Wire and Friday Night Lights are really great shows. Michael B. Jordan (The Wire) joined the cast of Friday Night Lights in Season 3. Kyle Chandler really did deserve his Emmy for his portrayal of Coach Taylor. (And I think TO deserves one too for his portrayal of the iconic Raylan Givens!! Definitely to be nominated this year.) In my view, FNLs was so good because of the writing, casting, acting, music, locations. Kyle and Connie Britton are said to have portrayed the 'best TV marriage on television.' And all the chaos of the football crazy town of Dillon, TX goes off all around them as they serve as anchors. Like Justified, both The Wire and FNLs were ratings challenged despite being critically acclaimed. It was their fan bases that kept them going. Justified could come into its own during it's last seasons.
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Post by mondayschild on Jun 12, 2013 22:59:51 GMT -6
weegie,be prepared to go on a mission for seasons 3-5. The series is addictive. It helped that I live near and am familiar with Baltimore, MD, but nonetheless, I couldn't stop watching. And yes, Idris Elba IS a plus.
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exdusm
Junior Member
Posts: 89
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Post by exdusm on Jun 13, 2013 21:25:57 GMT -6
Have any of you watched The Shield? I wanted to watch because of Walton Goggins but I'm not really feeling it. Walt was hardly in the first four episodes and he's the only character that seems vaguely interesting- his decent into hell for his guilt. Any thoughts on if I should press on and watch more? Greetings everyone and welcome to members new here since the finale. I haven't been around to post since the end of season 4 but I look in occasionally. I like the new look. I had hoped to read that Walton and Tim had win the CC award. 1bookie, since you asked about The Shield, most definitely I'd say continue. You'll be rewarded. But I am a huge fan of the show, therefore biased. Take it slow until you are soon addicted, popping in DVDs all night. Regarding Walton, I thought the same as you after the first 2-3 episodes: not much Walton. Like Justified, Walton's character initially was not planned to be continued. In fact, the producers were cool to Walton and his character. But the strength of Walton and his acting changed everything. As Shane Vendrell, Walton's acting sensibilities mess with your head just as he does as Boyd in Justified: you hate to love him and love to hate him. I also wondered how they could maintain the series' premise for more than one season. Little did I imagine. I am biased, but I am here to tell you that Walton is almost the star of the series by season 4. Chiklis is very good, but WG is clearly the greater presence and actor. From season 5 on until the 7th and final season, Walton is a one-man tour-de-force, delivering jaw-dropping performances episode after episode, season after season. His physicality is hypnotizing and sexy. Season 7 is almost unbearable to watch because Walton is sublime. If you stay completely unspoiled, the 7th season- and Walton- will blow you away. I am on my 6th watch-through, but my hands still shake and my heart beats faster in anticipation when I get to season 7. That continuous high-wire dramatic tension is almost unbearable, but I can't not watch. IMO Walton's performance in TS establishes him as one of the best (my best!) contemporary American actor, criminally underutilized in film. Not to be missed is Walton's emotional reaction/response after his introduction by Chiklis at the series-finale wrap party (a Season 7 DVD extra that will bring tears to your eyes), and the casts'/crews' reaction to Walton! They LOVED him. I never tire of watching it or him. I love Walton. His acting makes me cry sometimes. His Olyphantness has the same power, as evidenced in Justified, but has not had the opportunity to let it all out raw and naked like Walton's characters. As much as I mad-fangirl-love Justified/The Olyphant, my opinion is that The Shield is probably the best series in over-all story telling, construction, ensemble performances and individual acting achievements. It works because it is almost all CHARACTER driven, and NOT a procedural. and the arcs are coherent (which is rare) from 1-7. Unspoiled, you cannot see it coming. Unspoiled, I watched as a marathon over last summer and I am still in awe each time I rewatch, occasionally still surprised because there was just so much going on I missed something. I enjoy re-listening to Shawn Ryan and the writers/directors & some of the commentaries in the 'extras' on the dvds. Where The Shield excelled is interweaving multiple engrossing and coherent story arcs that all come together, culminating in an explosive finale season and the best ever series final episode. Also, the series deftly juggles multiple characters- main, secondary, guests, recurring, one-offs. They are well-integrated and balanced in each episodes, getting due screen time, with realistic and organic character evolution. Secondaries interact with the primary characters and each other in ways that not only move the story arcs along- often in surprising ways- but also are character revelations. Even late-entry characters have a weighted presence and influence the events. It all matters in the end. I will not spoil one moment (and almost everything is a spoiler with ever-surprising twists and turns), but you should not pass on getting involved with the detectives of the Strike Team: Mackie (Chiklis); Shane (Walton);"Lemonhead" Lemansky (Kenny Johnson in a uniquely affecting character rendering); and Gardocki (David Rees Snell). The other Detectives: "Dutch" (Jay Karnes in an touchinigly nuanced, magnificent character arc-loved him!!)and his partner Claudette (CCH Pounder is simply brilliant and should NOT be missed in her extremely well-written/developed character arc), and the politically ambitious Captain (Benito Martinez); Officer Danni (Catherine Dent)- a realistically strong female character treading in a sea of testosterone as she is tasked with training her partner, new Officer Julien (Michael Jace) who struggles with personal issues. There are guest appearance arcs by the likes of an amazing Danny Pino who appears starting with the very violent and shocking first episodes of season 2. Season 2 is the catalyst. Glenn Close, Anthony Anderson, Forrest Whitaker, Laurie Holden, Natalie Zea, Paula Garces, John Diehl and other co-stars are all VERY strong and influential. Justified characters and dialogue are the best. But after The Shield, it makes it very hard for me to accept from Yost and the Justified writers their excuses that they cannot credibly integrate the secondary characters (ie, Tim), don't have enough time, giving the impression they don't know what to do with some characters and have to struggle with the overall story direction. Early this year I finally got to finish The Wire, also a very satisfying and addictive series. I had to wait so many months on the public library reserve list to get each season, but I did it.
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Post by Dolphin on Jun 14, 2013 8:51:14 GMT -6
Exdusm, when you mentioned the shortcomings of the Justified writers regarding secondary characters ... I blame the networks. There is such pressure to create a show that continues to hit the ratings numbers in a 13 episode format. And then, when it does hit their numbers, they want the writers to jump even higher and go off in a different direction to create another show for the network.
However, over 5 seasons, I think they could or could have come up with a Tim-centric or a Rachel-centric episode by now. They've done it for criminals (Dewey, Dickie, Mags, Quarles, Nicky Augustine, Sammy, etc.) ... but not for Raylan's fellow marshals. The closest we ever got was the roadtrip with Rachel in 'Long in the Tooth.'
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Post by ripetebook on Jun 14, 2013 9:39:45 GMT -6
I think their issue honestly is that the show was advertised as the story of a US Marshal and his return to Kentucky and even we tend to "complain" when we are shortchanged when they don't give us enough Timothy/Raylan. It makes it hard on them to satisfy all and not screw up the story in doing so. I think they do a super job with the budget and restrictions placed on them. I love well-rounded but without heavy use of Raylan...well it would not be JUSTIFIED.
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Post by Dolphin on Jun 14, 2013 11:28:05 GMT -6
I think their issue honestly is that the show was advertised as the story of a US Marshal and his return to Kentucky and even we tend to "complain" when we are shortchanged when they don't give us enough Timothy/Raylan. It makes it hard on them to satisfy all and not screw up the story in doing so. I think they do a super job with the budget and restrictions placed on them. I love well-rounded but without heavy use of Raylan...well it would not be JUSTIFIED. It goes back to the standard 10 to 13 episode cable season. One of the constraints you mention. When there are 26 episodes in a season on the networks, they can afford to do the occasional co star-centric story ... maybe even directed by a TO or a Walton if they were interested. And they would 'press up' the directorial aspect ... and we'd accept a Raylan-lite episode. But we don't have the luxury of that formula. Kyle Chandler directed one episode in Season 5 of FNLs on Direct TV, and I was surprised how much he was in that ep. It was not Coach-lite. (I think in their case, they knew it was the last season of the show, and if he was going to direct, he'd better do it.) Of course, he acknowledged that he relied heavily on the crew ... a crew who had been working together for 5 seasons. He did a great job. Chandler was not a producer on FNLS, as TO is on Justified. I can't imagine TO would have time to direct with all his producer duties. All this change in television is not always good. And that is what we old timers are here to remind you youngin's.
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Post by ripetebook on Jun 14, 2013 11:38:38 GMT -6
I ain't no youngin...I recall those old ways. I think the 13 episode thing works in the quality dept. Andre Braugher once said that the 26 episode thing...when they returned from the Xmas break...well they "phoned in their performances" meaning the drive ended and they just did their lines. In the 13 format every minute counts. Just watch TO and Walton...OMG they are driven to give the best they have and are loving every minute....
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Post by wkw99 on Jun 14, 2013 12:53:48 GMT -6
I ain't no youngin...I recall those old ways. I think the 13 episode thing works in the quality dept. Andre Braugher once said that the 26 episode thing...when they returned from the Xmas break...well they "phoned in their performances" meaning the drive ended and they just did their lines. In the 13 format every minute counts. Just watch TO and Walton...OMG they are driven to give the best they have and are loving every minute.... Due respect to Andre Braugher, who's a fantastic actor, but have any of his shows since Homicide; Life on the Street gone more than one season? As a viewer, I appreciate a longer season. I can understand why the actors might like the shorter season because there is more time for other work, but I would love to see Justified expand...maybe do two seasons a year with a break like AMC does with The Walking Dead?
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Post by Dolphin on Jun 14, 2013 15:54:08 GMT -6
I ain't no youngin...I recall those old ways. I think the 13 episode thing works in the quality dept. Andre Braugher once said that the 26 episode thing...when they returned from the Xmas break...well they "phoned in their performances" meaning the drive ended and they just did their lines. In the 13 format every minute counts. Just watch TO and Walton...OMG they are driven to give the best they have and are loving every minute.... I know you're not. You and I are closer in age. I'm pointing out that there are limitations, or pros and cons, to both formats.
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Post by Dolphin on Jun 14, 2013 15:55:35 GMT -6
I ain't no youngin...I recall those old ways. I think the 13 episode thing works in the quality dept. Andre Braugher once said that the 26 episode thing...when they returned from the Xmas break...well they "phoned in their performances" meaning the drive ended and they just did their lines. In the 13 format every minute counts. Just watch TO and Walton...OMG they are driven to give the best they have and are loving every minute.... Due respect to Andre Braugher, who's a fantastic actor, but have any of his shows since Homicide; Life on the Street gone more than one season? As a viewer, I appreciate a longer season. I can understand why the actors might like the shorter season because there is more time for other work, but I would love to see Justified expand...maybe do two seasons a year with a break like AMC does with The Walking Dead? I'd love to see Justified get a 2 season renewal. (Same as FNLs did.) It gives the writers a lot of freedom.
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Post by motorcitymade on Jun 15, 2013 10:47:37 GMT -6
I heard tom Selleck say that 26 weeks was gruelling. Why not have 13 on/13 off? Isn't that what The walking dead did??
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Post by siss13 on Jun 15, 2013 13:12:51 GMT -6
I would love the 13on/13off season as well, but a production budget has to allow for that kind of shooting schedule. I'm not sure Justified has been granted that kind of budget.
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Post by lbookie on Jun 21, 2013 10:26:25 GMT -6
Well now I'm reconsidering my decision to stop at episode six of The Sheild, exdusm! I know it takes awhile for a show to get into its groove but it all felt so pained and dated. The dialogue was contrite and the acting subpar. But it must get better. I've only ever heard amazing things about it. I defected to rewatch Battlestar Galactica and when I'm done ill try again.
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