I love this show and both enjoy your recaps and so hope it gets picked up for season 2. It took me a little while to get into and ultimately love both true blood and six feet under. Same with this show; it took a few episodes but now I love it.
Funny note: I was at UPS yesterday and the total bill came to 11.11 !!!!!
And there was no one there to share it with. The cashier had never heard of here and now let alone watched it. Sigh
2
I've stuck with this show because of some good actors, and in spite of the many annoying characters, improbable occurrences, and supernatural element that remains as foggy as at the show's beginning. I wouldn't mind it being a one-season show. Agree with commenter about this being a big disappointment from Alan Ball.
Is it possible that the white man posting BLM posters was an agent provocateur, intent on provoking some type of reaction in order to discredit it? I think it's possible. Either way, this show really doesn't need to bang me over the head as in that scene, or in the argument over the head scarf, to make its point. I do get it.
I’m loving the show despite its flaws. I don’t think Audrey and Greg are meant to be sympathetic characters, especially Audrey. The point is there are parents like them. Kristen summed it up in the scene with Ashley and Greg in the kitchen “mom is always like this” gesturing with her hand about 4” from her face, “while you’re (Greg) a block away”.
I agree that the black lives matter white guy was stupid and unrealistic (how could they put that in?) but despite that I think the show is really good and I hope it has a 2nd season.
3
I don’t find Audrey, nor Greg, all that sympathetic. Audrey strikes me as a narcissist who uses martyrdom and philanthropy for the optics: “look at me - I’m a saint!”. I don’t know enough about Greg, but early success seems to have stunted him quite a bit.
This show is not perfect, but it’s ambition is impressive.
And Ramon’s hair drives me crazy too. It just looks really unhealthy.
3
This show is terrible and it's hard to believe the creator of Six Feet Under is responsible for this atrocity. I think the fact HBO has not announced a second season is pretty telling.
2
I enjoy watching the show but am at a loss as to where it's going? I do feel all those social pressure around me and am aggravated by them. However, they are shoved in our collective faces and seemed forced as a result. Ramon: please wash your hair! It is the same tattered exact mess every week.
The headscarf scene was ridiculous,
1
This show is chasing its tail.
The show is looking more and more like Ramon's hair: unkempt and a potential nest of lice. Maybe that's the metaphor implied for the times we're living. Hasn't translated into very compelling narrative however.
3
The show (and acting performances) are just good enough to keep me tuning in but I keep hoping the storylines and character development will get more interesting and am continually disappointed.
There were a heck of a lot of guns of various types in this episode (Ashley, Greg, Navid/Kristen). And then we had Farid nearly committing spousal abuse. I hope this isn't building up to a murder.
I can't tell if we are meant to take seriously the characters' lament that we are living in dark times. Our technology, wealth, and overall comfort have never been higher. Crime and violence are down, in the US and worldwide. The characters seem to be alluding to the unseen Trump factor, but, other than his general obnoxiousness, I don't see how he impacts our everyday lives in any way. Maybe he's loosened some of Obama's environmental rules (that had not yet gone into effect to begin with).
2
Too much. Too slow.
1
Greg's Sisyphus lecture was the first coherent philosophical discourse in the whole series so far. How satisfying, too, that he accepted the involuntary six-month leave as a gift.
Duc doesn't exactly fit the absurdist hero profile, since he hasn't yet acknowledged and embraced the futility of striving, the inevitability of failing, and the choice to carry on anyway. But maybe he will eventually, thanks in part to his most recent humiliation.
The raving "Black Lives Matter" guy was a ridiculous caricature and completely unbelievable. The scene actually pissed me off as another hyper-exaggeration in a show crammed with them. It was simply a plot device to drive Ashley more decisively into the shooting range.
Farid seems closer to a psychotic break than Ramon at this point. I find him and his son to be the show's most sympathetic characters.
I'm sorry they took the predictable romantic route with Navid and Kristen. They have no sexual chemistry and made much more credible platonic allies.
9
I think Duc got a smack in the face about the inevitability of failing —and falling — in this episode. He failed to overcome his colitis, he failed to conceal his GI flair from the woman he’s attracted to and then he fell and hurt himself when trying to escape from the woman’s presence so he wouldn’t embarrass himself. But knowing this show, I bet the writers skip right over such a great opportunity for this character realize his failures and mature/relax a little.
And like everyone else, I just don’t see progression for any of these characters. If they do progress it will be too far in the future for me. This show is too slow and repetitive. Nobody watches TV in order to see things happen at a real-life pace. We watch TV to see a sped up imitation of real life.
The song "Under The Milky Way" by The Church played during the episode's closing credits was an interesting choice...."wish I knew what you were looking for.....might have known what you would find..."
I hope this show is renewed for a second season.
5
Same, thought that was a perfect ending song... and wouldn't mind a second season (please just kill Audry off though...)
2
Your recap is so good, better than the show... Very enjoyable.
1
Great recap. I have a feeling Navid at the computer is connecting his dad and Ramon and we may find out things aren't so coincidental.
Love your recaps and thoughts, keep up the great work!
5