The Knick on Cinemax

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 3:39pm

Anybody watch the premiere from last night? Incredibly gory but some of the most eye-popping and interesting cinematography I have seen on a TV show in a while. It takes place in New York City in 1900 with Clive Owen as Dr. John Thackerey who is addicted to drugs, possibly racist albeit in the sense that he accepts racism scaring away patients from an African-American physician becoming his right-hand man. He also has some excellent dark humor even while performing surgeries on patients but I wouldn't jump on the 'UGH!!! Another TV anti-hero'. The writing by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and Steven Soderbergh's direction has a clinical, observing style of what it must be like being a doctor in that hospital with 47 as the average lifespan for men and having electricity in your hospital being revolutionary. You also have the other physicians but who stands out the most are Eve Hewson (Bono's daughter) as the kindly, dedicated nurse, Juliet Rylance who plays Cornelia who Thack spars with over hospital control of personnel, Cara Seymour as the nun Sister Harriet who takes no ****s from anybody while dragging a cigarette, and the two male ambulance drivers who often verbally spar passive aggressively with Sister Harriet. Andre Holland as the African-American Harvard educated, Dr. Algernon Edwards is certainly Thack's foil, but I need to see more of that relationship as the series goes on.

Soderbergh under his pseudonyms edited and photographed this show in addition to directing it, like he has done in Behind the Candelabra and Magic Mike. If you thought him peeling off Gwyneth's skin and the plastic surgery scenes in Behind the Candelabra were too much, prepare yourself. Also, Clint Martinez's anachronistic digital soundtrack is some of the best music from film and television you will hear.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 4:22pm

StrummerGirl is a woman of taste and distinction. I LOVE reading your comments on popular culture, SG. How'd you get so damn cool?

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 5:06pm

awwwww


I watch too much when I am supposed to sleep and read too much when I am supposed to work.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 7:43pm

i haven't much to add that strummergirl hasn't said. It's a very well written and filmed account of a slice of NYC history. I'm hooked.

I did notice two Broadway actors in it, though they were both practically hidden: Melissa Errico under a widow's veil and Michael Berresse behind an enormous if historically correct moustache.

Is this going to be one season or does it have a shot at renewal?

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 8:40pm

Soderbergh confirmed a second season and that he was directing all of the episodes for next season again. Cinemax is an HBO off-shoot and HBO struck a relationship with him when they helped save Behind the Candelabra from dying in Hollywood development. It apparently was Soderbergh's decision to go to Cinemax than HBO which I find curious. HBO surely could've stirred they are **the** place for this growing trend of directors of recognition- we can throw Todd Haynes in for good measure with his earlier Mildred Pierce adaptation- cutting their teeth by making beautiful-looking TV with True Detective and The Knick in the same calendar year. But it was Soderbergh's choice.

Apparently Soderbergh had what appears to be an unorthodox approach to filming the first season. Every scene for the whole season of 10 episodes were shot consecutively based on location for something like 6-8 weeks. I've heard that with a few feature films but never heard that to be a method for a whole season of programming.

Updated On: 8/9/14 at 08:40 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 8:47pm

Just watched it. Mesmerizing. Can't wait for episode 2.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 8:52pm

"Apparently Soderbergh had what appears to be an unorthodox approach to filming the first season. Every scene for the whole season of 10 episodes were shot consecutively based on location for something like 6-8 weeks. I've heard that with a few feature films but never heard that to be with a whole season of programming."

Wow. Interesting. That must have been a rare treat for the actors. I've never said this phrase in my life, but I kinda wish I had Cinemax.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 8:56pm

The pilot's available on Youtube through Cinemax's channel btw.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 9:43pm

I am NOT a big Soderbergh fan, and I know he has only directed some episodes of this (yet they are using his name all over the advertising--wisely. I have no idea why Showtime hasn't done the same with the admittedly less well known Michael Apted and Masters of Sex after his triumphant job directing this season's first three episodes...) But, I am a huge fan of several members of the cast, and I have to agree with Strummer. The pilot--while I had to look away a *lot*--is mesmerizing. I think it could develop into a great show.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 9:58pm

"I am NOT a big Soderbergh fan, and I know he has only directed some episodes of this..."

He's directing all of the episodes for the season. And even so, the cinematography is all done by Peter Andrews and the editing is all done by Mary Ann Bernard, his frequent pseudonyms.

The writing is by a team of Jack Amiel and Michael Begler.

I am not one to get into this debate of whether TV is simply a writer's medium or for some reason an example of maybe 2 or 3 shows that tilt more toward direction suddenly makes TV a director's medium but I do think this show is a really unique case. I am not sure it is shooting and operating like an atypical TV show. I do think Soderbergh has revealed himself to be a major fan of Fassbinder and wants to be like those European auteurs who got to take part in long-form storytelling. He's semi-retired from directing a feature film in Hollywood but in due part because he knows this available for him.

[Esther2]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 10:17pm

As much as I'd really love to watch this, I know I can't. I'm sure all the gore is beyond my limits.


In case anyone doesn't get Cinemax, but does get HBO, it's on HBO right now...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 10:18pm

"He's directing all of the episodes for the season"

I had no idea--I think I assumed, since he was in sorta retirement mode, that he wouldn't be.

I actually would genuinely love to know your opinion more about the TV director vs writer's medium debate--which seems to have come into the fore now after True Detective. You are incredibly savvy about these things, and your opinion is always appreciated.

My presumption (and I've been traveling for a few weeks, so this show snuck up on me--it wasn't even in my radar,) was that this property was taken to him to shape but then after a few episodes he would be done with it.

It is interesting to see how increasingly extremely talented directors have been used on cable shows--Alexandre Aja's direction on the early Penny Dreadful episodes helped make them spectacular, and, while I'm on the fence with The Leftovers' writing, Mimi Leder's direction on the episode two weeks back made me all the more mad that she has never directed a movie that has a screenplay that matches her visuals.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 10:30pm

"As much as I'd really love to watch this, I know I can't. I'm sure all the gore is beyond my limits."

Fwiw, while it is gory (very realistic), the gore is compartmentalized, not gratuitious and so far, has always telegraphed the moment you should look away.

[Esther2]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 10:33pm

Thanks ghostlight2. I may give it a shot then.

Honestly, I'd heard nothing about it, but when I was in NY a couple of weeks ago, I saw the billboard in Times Square and thought it looked interesting. I guess advertising helps sometimes.

[Luscious]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 10:41pm

Checked it out. Appreciate the quality, but too gory and gruesome and real for me. Not a show I would look forward to and enjoy watching. It would feel like a homework assignment. Life's too short. (Especially on this show.) I pass.

Updated On: 8/9/14 at 10:41 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 11:26pm

"I actually would genuinely love to know your opinion more about the TV director vs writer's medium debate--which seems to have come into the fore now after True Detective. You are incredibly savvy about these things, and your opinion is always appreciated."

Warning: Rant provoked not aimed at anybody here but more at a lingering issue I have with TV criticism

People who insist on this debate or that it is now a place for all auteurs or that show-running has reached the level of film auteurism at this stage is a little grating, personally. Namely as I find most of these ideas pushed in TV critic culture than say by anybody who is on the creative side in television. They need to justify what are their pleasures by reconciling their pleasures. I also just don't think TV criticism is not as strong as film criticism or feels like as read in the history of the format let alone TV on a global scale. Many of them often are at a loss in basic film terminology and form which Matt Zoller Seitz chimed in on as being a necessity in today's TV criticism pretty recently. I feel like there is no self-control in TV critic hosannas which often has this whiplash effect. Girls was a groundbreak.... no, now it is not. True Detective redefine.... no it didn't. Every show is having their strongest season ev.... no not really. Every critical praise I see of a show early on is almost constantly walked back, often by the very people who do it. I don't really think that kind of critical circle as trustworthy or really helping in identifying any real trends that show massive change. You think True Detective Season 1 is the best film of the year? Cool. J. Hoberman was listing music videos, TV shows, and even the World Series in his Top 10 list as far as best films of the year for years.

As far as TV in a writers vs. director format, I still think it is by and large an actors format. I feel like we are not far removed from when actors on network made 8 figures. That has changed sense but at least on American TV, the way shows work and are structured where there is the chance of the show going on infinitum, you do need actors to serve story for that kind of period of time. Now a lot of the backbone of the show is the writer's room but my issue is that we are making this about a writer, singular, than writers. Matthew Weiner had several writers under his reign and some of Breaking Bad's great episodes are not even credited to Vince Gilligan. I still think TV has this democratic, group effort but as I noted with TV criticism, people want it to be about one person. I personally think Nic Pizzolatto would've been greatly helped with a writers room as it felt like Fukunaga and Woody Harrelson did a lot of heavy lifting to make sure not everyone is in awe of Rust Cohle monologues because I am beginning to think Woody's perfect stink-face wasn't always scripted thanks to Nic Pizzolatto's way with words publicly.

I do think something like Top of the Lake is certainly a directors' work and this seems to be that way too. I think even something like Walter Hill directing the Deadwood pilot is a notch in the work of Walter Hill, separate from the show. Same for Rian Johnson directing Breaking Bad episodes, even if they are series standouts. But I think these are outliers and not going to turn the TV format upside down. It's the specialty theater side of Television but not a multiplex for the masses kind of groundswell change.

tl; dr- This can certainly qualify as a director's show but it is an outlier in the larger scheme of things. Also, I am happy some online publications are having film critics review this show as I find TV critics spout in praise platitudes to anything 'cinematic' in TV but often do not really back up what they are seeing.

Back to regular scheduled programming:

Yes, it is gory and I think no matter its portrayal the sight of blood and gore at the pretty well-done depiction of surgery scenes is an understandable non-starter for some folks. But for the rest of us, who can ever considering listening to Cliff Martinez a homework assignment?

[HorseTears]

Posted: 8/9/14 at 11:54pm

strummerirl blog. Would read.

Updated On: 8/9/14 at 11:54 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/10/14 at 12:24pm

Uh huh--I would too. I think I need to digest your reply, Strummer, before making my own.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/10/14 at 1:07pm

Sure. If I can make $$$ off of it. Somewhat kidding.

Eric, sorry if the response was loaded, just something that has been on my mind a lot when reading reviews on supposed prestige television.

Updated On: 8/10/14 at 01:07 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/10/14 at 8:59pm

Just watched it again, this time paying more attention to the music. I absolutely love it! Maybe there'll be a soundtrack out.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 8/10/14 at 11:31pm

I know that future blogger StrummerGirl mentioned that the pilot was up on YouTube. Just figured I'd mention that it's also available on HBOGo. I was reluctant to watch the pilot on YT because I didn't want a big tease that would leave me hanging for years until the show was out on iTunes or something. I don't have cable, but I do have HBOGo (big love to my tech-phobic parents!) If HBOGo ends up putting all the eps up - instead of just ep 1 - I'm definitely tuning in.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/17/14 at 7:51pm

Really thought the second episode was good. Not the most groundbreaking writing- in a way like True Detective (despite Pizzolatto hailed as a god of writing) I consider this an achievement of director craft and also think the acting is very good. Thanks in part to Soderbergh's dark humor that was a really effective opening 5 minutes. Fire and death by electrocution coda after a shaping dual-narratives for Cornelia as a woman and Dr. Edwards as a lost elite black man facing shunning by his own race and the tracking shot of the ensemble? Wow.

The loan shark stuff didn't interest me. Didn't seem that way with Soderbergh either. But the plot of Sister Harriet as an abortionist (?!??!!?!?!?) is super intriguing. Also liked the little moment between Nurse Lucy and Dr. Thackery that reminded me a bit of how Don Draper and Peggy Olson behaved with each other early on.

The Cliff Martinez score is now streaming
http://pitchfork.com/advance/512-the-knick-original-series-soundtrack/

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/18/14 at 10:29am

strummergirl, who is funding the Robertsons for their agreement to put Edwards on the Knick's staff? I must have missed that.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/18/14 at 7:45pm

The Robertsons fund and I believe Cornelia is a lot more progressive that she would not bat an eye on a black doctor. The issue is that Barrow is messing with funds, cutting costs even if it endangers the hospital, and stealing from the Robertsons for his loans.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/18/14 at 7:53pm

Oh, so it's the Robertsons' own money, and they will pull it if Algernon doesn't stay?