Montana
Champion
Only 4 episodes in, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Definitely some top tier television, heh.
OT: Movies/TV Shows
- Thread starter BeLeafer
- Start date
Only 4 episodes in, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Definitely some top tier television, heh.
Yeah... I mean if you want to compare Ray Donovan to The Sopranos, Breaking Bad and The Wire then maybe you're not going to think it's a "top show." I have no problem putting it in that group... unless there are only like 5-10 top tier shows ever.
That's pretty funny. Like you said, way over the top.... you could do that with every show ever.
The mileage thing is ridiculous. A. who cares? I've never once even thought "that doesn't make sense geographically" while watching a TV show. B. Sure it's 60 miles if she goes from home to yoga then to the school... but their house appears to be in the middle so it's like 30 miles to each one... the mileage from the 2 furthest points doesn't matter.
Montana
Champion
I suspect it's a LA thing.....if you live there, and know all the areas they're talking about as it's part of your day to day life (as well as know how insanely slow it often is to travel around LA by car)......these decisions likely stand out to one more so than they would to you or me.
I figure travelling 30 miles in LA for a Yoga place, for instance is probably the height of absurdity....as you're talking hours of commuting tacked on to your day......but yeah, it's not even worth breaking down, as he's obviously doing it for humour.
I just got a kick out of how anti-Donovan the first thing I found was.
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MyNameIsJonas
Well-known member
Show Me a Hero was a tad slow, and the side stories involving the non mayor characters i found lacking somewhat, but it was a real strong effort, with rock solid cast.
Specifically Oscar Issac and Catherine Keener
Specifically Oscar Issac and Catherine Keener
MyNameIsJonas
Well-known member
In no way would i call Ray Donovan top tier, but i also wouldn't limit myself to shows that are just top tier.
How many shows would you consider top tier though? If you only have 5 or 10 all time "top tier" shows then sure. But I figure there are like 5 or so "top tier" shows in production at any given time. It falls into the top 5 or so shows on TV right now.
MyNameIsJonas
Well-known member
leafman101
Well-known member
Who cares though. The fact that most people wouldn't call Ray Donovan a top tier show has absolutely zero impact on your enjoyment from it.
Montana
Champion
I read a director say something once that's always kind of stuck with me in terms of my tastes and/or the prism through which I absorb and appreciate any art form, whether it's a books, Graphic Novels, film, television, theatre, whatever.....
Art has three main things that it can kind of strive for and/or achieve...#1 - To Entertain. #2 - To Educate, and in the rarest of circumstances #3 to enlighten or elevate.
First and foremost anything worth watching pretty much has to accomplish #1, to be entertaining. In some instances artists are able to pull off both making entertaining art, while also educating their audience, and in the third instance they pull off something that can impact the audience member on a level that makes them see/understand the world around them in a new more meaningful way, or really touch them on a deeper level.
God tier stuff is able to achieve all three, and really phenomenal stuff is usually able to achieve the first two......A ton of popular stuff (imo) only aims for, and is lucky to achieve #1......but we're also kind of living through a golden era in which we've gotten a shitload of stuff on television, in which an awful lot of art has been able to achieve the first two, if not all three....The Wire, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Deadwood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, The Daily Show, Colbert Report, Louie, Band of Brothers, True Detective (S1), Generation Kill, John Oliver, 30 for 30's, etc etc........television has started pumping out material that's accomplishing some really special art, instead of primarily churning out content meant for escapism & "turning my brain off".
A big part of the equation though as well, is how much the viewer actually wants to be a active participant in the process.....or, like most of us just want to be passive entertained (in which case even something like Breaking Bad which might be great on two or three levels, can still be just simply entertaining, if we don't want to exert any effort or thought into examining the underlying messages attempting to be conveyed).......same thing applies to a Kubrick movie, or a Pynchon novel, Miller's Dark Knight Returns, or most of Alan Moore's work, etc etc.....There are many facets through which different people can absorb the same piece of art. Each of which are perfectly valid.
None of which is to say that there's anything wrong whatsoever with something just aiming to be, and succeeding at, being entertaining......plenty of my favorite stuff from the last year only aims to achieve that, or I only choose to engage with it on that level even if it is trying to accomplish something else as well. (Plenty of Superhero movies, many 30 minute comedy shows, Adventure Time, wrestling, etc etc)
All of which is just to say that 'Ray Donovan' strikes me as a show that solely aims to entertain (again, which is a perfectly worthwhile & valid goal).......I'm just not sure it's to my personal tastes, and with so much absurdly good media available to us these days, even when a show achieves being entertaining it can be tough to make the cut. Especially when it's got 3 seasons worth of material for one to slog through.
/2 cents.
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BG
Well-known member
12 episode seasons, and the acting and writing are really dynamite. The show is really hitting it's stride in season 3 - but I don't think you can just jump in now, you really need to get to know the characters and their stories from the first 2 seasons.
I know how you feel though - I have a lot of entertainment on my list, but too little time and energy to invest in anything/everything.
I know how you feel though - I have a lot of entertainment on my list, but too little time and energy to invest in anything/everything.
I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised by Ray Donovan. There is a lot more depth to the show than you are expecting.
Re: OT: Recent Movies You've Seen
This movie is a one of good(not best) movies in my list. worth a watch.
This movie is a one of good(not best) movies in my list. worth a watch.
JackBurton
Well-known member
Re: OT: Recent Movies You've Seen
"Self/Less" had an interesting plot, but fell into clichés. It also has the look and feel of a cheap tv movie(Surprising considering the guy who directed"The Cell" made this one).
"The Gallows" is yet another "Found Footage" horror film. With it's plot, there wasn't a need other than for budgetery reasons. One plus is Kathie Lee Gifford's daughter is in it and holy shit she's hot.
"Self/Less" had an interesting plot, but fell into clichés. It also has the look and feel of a cheap tv movie(Surprising considering the guy who directed"The Cell" made this one).
"The Gallows" is yet another "Found Footage" horror film. With it's plot, there wasn't a need other than for budgetery reasons. One plus is Kathie Lee Gifford's daughter is in it and holy shit she's hot.
MyNameIsJonas
Well-known member
Self/Less.....i feel like that movie gets maid with a different title and different handsome actor every 2 years....same sort of premise either way.
This magic (thing) will make you less regular and more awesome but there will be consequences and you'll regret being awesome and the sinister man who gave you the ( thing) will have withheld some truth
This magic (thing) will make you less regular and more awesome but there will be consequences and you'll regret being awesome and the sinister man who gave you the ( thing) will have withheld some truth
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
I thought Colbert was not great. Seemed nervous and a bit awkward (like "I can't believe I'm doing this"). Even his interview with Jeb seemed off. He'll get better.
But I don't think I can watch the broadcast. The amount of commercials they jam in between segments is outrageous.
But I don't think I can watch the broadcast. The amount of commercials they jam in between segments is outrageous.