tremé was awful, overbearing forcefeeing of david simon's BIG VIEWS. i feared boardwalk empire had a similar level of heaviness/tediousness (i didn't watch episode 2 till this week) but i love it now, it is worth sticking with.
― I see what this is (Local Garda), Friday, 29 October 2010 21:31 (2 years ago) Permalink
overestimating the BIG VIEWS argument of Treme imo.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Friday, 29 October 2010 21:33 (2 years ago) Permalink
but i think when your mouthpiece commits suicide it is an intentional complication of those big views.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Friday, 29 October 2010 21:34 (2 years ago) Permalink
David Milch is a total school of life autodidact. That New Yorker profile is one of the most fascinating things I've ever read. The guy's a genius, and I almost got the impression the Ivy League had more to gain from him than he it.
Here's a taste:
[Robert Penn] Warren had arranged for Milch to begin teaching seminars in fiction and poetry at Yale that year and to work on a two-volume textbook anthology of American literature that he and Lewis were editing with Cleanth Brooks. It didn’t take Milch long to acquire a cult following; his classroom style was vibrant, earthy, and often derisively funny, and details of his avocational exploits enhanced his mystique. For instance, he was a gambler who knew a great deal about horse racing and was writing a screenplay set at a racetrack. (Were his students also aware that he was an alcoholic and a heroin addict?) Depending on how one interprets the data, Milch was either bedevilled by self-destructive urges or possessed of keen survival skills that sustained him in the face of unhealthy compulsions. A superior student—he graduated summa cum laude and won the prize given for the highest achievement in English—he was an unlikely member of the jock fraternity (Delta Kappa Epsilon; George W. Bush, president), which provided a venue for his main extracurricular activity: drinking.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/02/14/050214fa_fact_singer
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 29 October 2010 21:34 (2 years ago) Permalink
Some great Milch stuff at The Idea of the Writer. His lectures tend to be more about his experiences than anything else, but they're still enjoyable. I seem to remember really liking the USC Religious course one myself.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Friday, 29 October 2010 21:36 (2 years ago) Permalink
In fact that might be place where he discusses John from Cincinnati being about preventing genocide through mercantilism.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Friday, 29 October 2010 21:40 (2 years ago) Permalink
man, i would say treme is three (3) times as good as john from cincinnatiand (almost?) as good as deadwood
― a pun based on a popular ilx meme (forksclovetofu), Friday, 29 October 2010 23:10 (2 years ago) Permalink
Dude, Treme is nowhere near Deadwood quality. Deadwood was just a zillion times more entertaining, the only thing that kept me watching Treme was the great cast, and I doubt there's any force of nature that could get me to watch a second, John Goodman-less season.
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 04:57 (2 years ago) Permalink
shrug
― a pun based on a popular ilx meme (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 30 October 2010 05:00 (2 years ago) Permalink
Deadwood is the greatest show of all time. Treme is very good, but it's about equal with John from Cincinnati (though for different reasons). Treme has a lot of potential and a great community vibe, so I think it's worth sticking with.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Saturday, 30 October 2010 05:02 (2 years ago) Permalink
the Cult of Milch makes me a little suspicious/skeptical, honestly. i liked deadwood a lot but it was really pretentious, and some episodes just didn't work. it felt like twin peaks levels of bad-with-the-good sometimes.
― by another name (amateurist), Saturday, 30 October 2010 07:28 (2 years ago) Permalink
pretty sure it wasn't 'the greatest show of all time.' it had a couple of the same flaws as 'boardwalk empire' -- gratingly 'upscale' violence against women, bit slow -- though obviously it pisses all over 'boardwalk empire' [via ian mcshane crushing it].
― it's always random in wackydelphia (history mayne), Saturday, 30 October 2010 10:57 (2 years ago) Permalink
How many dramatic TV shows have been better than Deadwood? You could probably count them on one hand. I'm not saying it was perfect, but 'pretentious' doesn't really scan as a great criticism to me, or at least not one that I really care about. I mean, I don't have anything really interesting to say about the show except that I liked it a whole lot, but is pretention really bad if the show is still massively entertaining? Is it really a lot more pretentious than The Wire? That's a show which I love but also found much more wearying with its laser-like focus on being an IMPORTANT show about IMPORTANT things. I guess either it works for you or it doesn't.
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 12:04 (2 years ago) Permalink
i'd put deadwood in top ten tv dramas
― a pun based on a popular ilx meme (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 30 October 2010 13:33 (2 years ago) Permalink
I think Deadwood is very enjoyable on a surface level. I don't know what's pretentious about that. John from Cincinnati was probably pretty pretentious though. Also 'upscale violence against women' - yawn.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Saturday, 30 October 2010 13:36 (2 years ago) Permalink
deadwood was amazing but it's lack of a conclusion hurts the series as a whole I feel, or think; I mean I never finished watching it once it got cancelled. maybe I should.
I think HBO has had a solid run with dramas again lately. Boardwalk Empire and Treme are both excellent.
― akm, Saturday, 30 October 2010 14:28 (2 years ago) Permalink
It's a shame that Deadwood got cancelled, but it was hugely successful at what it wanted to do during its run, so I can't hold anything against them. Even the third season, which I found to be unsatisfying first time through, improves immeasurably upon second viewing.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Saturday, 30 October 2010 14:32 (2 years ago) Permalink
The last shot is pretty depressing, which sort of flies against the optimism of the series, but it's fitting in its own way.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Saturday, 30 October 2010 14:33 (2 years ago) Permalink
i liked the first season of deadwood okay but i couldnt really get into the 2nd. mcshane was great, but i felt like i had enough.
― candid gamera (s1ocki), Saturday, 30 October 2010 15:34 (2 years ago) Permalink
did u watch the third
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 15:35 (2 years ago) Permalink
no should i
― candid gamera (s1ocki), Saturday, 30 October 2010 15:59 (2 years ago) Permalink
tbh i thought most of dude's "shakespearean command of language" was a lot of lorem ipsum mumbo-jumbo
ha, yes, i'm listening to these idea of the writer lectures and most of the sentences remind me of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorless_green_ideas_sleep_furiously
― caek, Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:02 (2 years ago) Permalink
Season 3's the worst so I dunno if I could recommend it to someone who was sick of the show by s2, but there's some cool stuff in there... like one of the most memorable fight scenes I've ever seen on film or tv.
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:06 (2 years ago) Permalink
― candid gamera (s1ocki), Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:07 (2 years ago) Permalink
Now you don't need to bother!
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:09 (2 years ago) Permalink
Also 'upscale violence against women' - yawn.― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Saturday, October 30, 2010 2:36 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Saturday, October 30, 2010 2:36 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark
all im saying is these shows are a bit too tasteful
but 'boardwalk' is way way worse on that score
think 'deadwood' had a pretty good non-conclusion conclusion -- it always ducked the really massive 'oh shit' possibilities, not just in the third season
― it's always random in wackydelphia (history mayne), Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:21 (2 years ago) Permalink
Boardwalk is too tasteful? I don't follow you. It doesn't seem very tasteful to me.
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:22 (2 years ago) Permalink
Deadwood wasn't cancelled, which just adds to the myth. It simply stopped. But then again, Milch et al. sort of boxed themselves in by using real characters. When one of your major villains is a future US senator, you can't just kill the guy off.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 30 October 2010 16:45 (2 years ago) Permalink
the way deadwood ended def brought it down a notch a two ime - still v classic tho
― ice cr?m, Saturday, 30 October 2010 17:42 (2 years ago) Permalink
original idea was to include the historical flood and fire that each destroyed the town and other wild shit - iirc hbo canceled it then changed their mind but milch was already working on that piece john from cinini so he was gonna do two movie length eps then that never happened neither - agreed it couldve been more compelling if he didnt worry abt historical feality
― ice cr?m, Saturday, 30 October 2010 17:47 (2 years ago) Permalink
Yeah, I could've dealt with season 3 ending the way it did if I knew there was more coming, but for that to just be IT - eugh
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 17:49 (2 years ago) Permalink
can we go easy on the deadwood details? planning to watch it at xmas.
― caek, Saturday, 30 October 2010 17:50 (2 years ago) Permalink
guys caek still hasnt seen star wars so just chill
― ice cr?m, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:00 (2 years ago) Permalink
yeah i mean you can talk about star wars vs. beverly hills buntz in generalities but please no details
― caek, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:04 (2 years ago) Permalink
SPOLIER bullock and swerengen get gay married final ep is their honeymoon in CINCINNATI
― ice cr?m, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:13 (2 years ago) Permalink
Dan VS The Captain was one of the most intense things i've ever seen in a drama. Kinda feel like rewatching deadwood again now!
― a pun based on a popular ilx meme (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:17 (2 years ago) Permalink
the season 1 veronica mars shit was the coldest shit i've ever seen
― omar little, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:18 (2 years ago) Permalink
the movie length pieces never ever ever happening + john in cinci being difficult to justify really soured me on deadwood in retrospect.
― a pun based on a popular ilx meme (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:18 (2 years ago) Permalink
kind of surprised major #teamolyphant bro s1ocki has not seen s2-3
― it's always random in wackydelphia (history mayne), Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:25 (2 years ago) Permalink
i dont like frowny deadwood/diehard olyphant
― candid gamera (s1ocki), Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:27 (2 years ago) Permalink
i accidentally wrote that in caps, shoulda left it like that
sardonic justified olyphant is better though i always liked the fact that in deadwood his character was pretty much insane
― omar little, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:29 (2 years ago) Permalink
ya i like olyphant with a lil twinkle in his eye
― candid gamera (s1ocki), Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:29 (2 years ago) Permalink
he was really good in 'the crazies' too imo though that movie was kinda bullshit
― omar little, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:30 (2 years ago) Permalink
the season 1 veronica mars shit was the coldest shit i've ever seen― omar little, Saturday, October 30, 2010 2:18 PM (17 minutes ago) Bookmark
― omar little, Saturday, October 30, 2010 2:18 PM (17 minutes ago) Bookmark
I had to think about this for a minutebefore I realized it wasn't a non sequitur! I think that was the first time I ever noticed Kristen Bell, and yeah that episode was amazing IMO.
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:39 (2 years ago) Permalink
That ep is vital, too, because it marks a real shift in the show. I've told lots of folks on the fence about Deadwood after one or two eps to make it to the Kristen Bell ep, which really emphasizes the show's theme of degrees of evil. Like there;s evil, then there's evil so evil it makes the first evil only seem modestly evil.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 30 October 2010 18:55 (2 years ago) Permalink
ha totally, at 1st yr all this swerengn fellow is quite awful, by the end hes a saint in comparison
― ice cr?m, Saturday, 30 October 2010 19:00 (2 years ago) Permalink
i always liked the fact that in deadwood his character was pretty much insane
― omar little, Saturday, October 30, 2010 2:29 PM (31 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
its a more realistic view of a moralist than usual 4 sure
― ice cr?m, Saturday, 30 October 2010 19:02 (2 years ago) Permalink
Yeah when he's introduced you're just like oh here's our squarejawed noble hero, but eventually it just turns out that he's a bully and a dickhead?
― Princess TamTam, Saturday, 30 October 2010 19:09 (2 years ago) Permalink