"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
I saw the trailer last night while watching the finale to GIRLS, I thought I saw Norbert Leo Butz so I rewound it. It may be interesting and I usually like Netflix's original series.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
Butz has a pretty large role so far as one of the siblings in the family. I am on episode 2 and I'm not sure what to make of it yet. I was a HUGE fan of the polarizing DAMAGES, and there's certainly some of that here. It's a family drama done in the style of a thriller like DAMAGES. It works at times and it doesn't work at other times. Some of it feels a bit too much like BROTHERS & SISTERS where it should feel more like SIX FEET UNDER. My main issue so far is that the family spends so much time apart that it's hard to get a real sense of how these people relate to one another and what type of history they share. Also, Sissy Spaceck has so little to do in these first episodes and even when she does have more to do in the second episode, it's still not as interesting as what she can do. I'd be curious to see what others think. I'm definitely going to keep watching since the second episode was a lot stronger (it also took me a couple episodes to really get into DAMAGES).
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
So I saw five episodes yesterday. Obviously, I'm all in. Like I said in my earlier post, it took me a couple episodes to get into DAMAGES, and it was the same with this show. Episode 3 is fantastic, and pretty much deals with all the issues I had with the first two episodes. Sissy Spaceck's character only gets more and more interesting (though I still wish she was more of a main character). Linda Cardellini, whom I've never been particularly impressed by or that interested in before MAD MEN, shines here with a role that could have been cliched in the hands of a lesser actress; she's incredibly natural and exciting on screen. There's no "acting" here, just her being one with her role. In fact, the acting across the board is pretty spectacular. Norbert Leo Butz, Ben Mendelsohn (who will most likely get award attention for this), Kyle Chandler, and Sam Shepherd are all fantastic, and over the episodes they develop a tense chemistry that works wonders for the material. The editing and camera work are also terrific. I highly recommend giving this show a chance, it's quite a gem and a great addition to Netflix's impressive lineup.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I saw the trailer last night while watching the finale to GIRLS, I thought I saw Norbert Leo Butz so I rewound it. It may be interesting and I usually like Netflix's original series.
Wait. What? You saw the trailer for Netflix's new show while watching HBO's GIRLS? Netflix airs trailers on HBO? Or are you saying you were both watching GIRLS and watching Netflix at the same time???
HorseTears, there really was a trailer of Bloodlines on HBO! I thought it was as strange as you do! I see commercials for Netflix originals on regular TV, usually for House of Cards I believe.
I also started watching the show and noticed other Broadway stars Steven Pasquale and Katie Finneran, so that was fun.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
That's really interesting, gypsy. Unless HBO has some stake in Bloodline, why on earth would they be airing a promo for a competing service? They don't even have ads. Sorry, I'm a marketing guy so I find this stuff fascinating. Will have to ask a pal at TimeWarner.
Looking forward to checking this show out this week. Hope it doesn't get as ridiculous as Damages did in its later seasons.
Ohhhhh, you know what maybe happened, HorseTears? I missed the finale to Girls live so I had to watch it on demand. It must have been Comcast's fault I saw the promo. That makes more sense, I think.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
Is this similar to Hemlock Grove? I could only stomach a few episodes of Hemlock. I think I finished the first season, but didn't care to watch the rest.
Isn't HEMLOCK GROVE a horror show? This is not a horror show, it's a family drama with a thriller component.
I finished the season on Saturday. I thought it was a great show, not without its fault, but the overall effect is chilling and intriguing. The level of acting from everyone is simply stunning. I have no idea how they are going to do a second season given the developments that end the first season, but I'm intrigued. I reiterate Ben Mendelsohn will get nominated for a slew of awards (and if he doesn't, let's start calling out the snub). Linda Cardellini has a much less showy/significant role, but she's surprisingly my favorite of the lot along with Mendelsohn. Spacek is under-used though she's a genius, how I wish she'd have played Violet Weston either on stage or film.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Hemlock Grove sucked. This doesn't. Everything is very obvious though, the points they're trying to make are so painfully clear, it's kind of embarrassing. LOVE seeing Norbert Leo Butz find success again, though.
Finally watched it. Fantastic performances keep it afloat, but the writing isn't there. Bland, forgettable dialogue and a frustrating writer's room strip tease that keeps threatening to reveal a narrative but never does.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali