I think he was adding in cCheers time.
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Obviously BCS is a great show, but I actually think the June Thomas take was probably the right opinion to have before seeing the show.
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Odenkirk was mostly known as a comedic sketch actor and Saul was a broad zany character who was mostly used for comedic relief with a little bit of drama mixed in. Being skeptical that an entire hour long drama could be built around Saul does not seem unreasonable.
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IIRC, there were even rumors at the time that it was going to be more of a comedic [maybe even half hour episodes] case of the week style show. Given what we actually got, I kinda doubt that that vibe was ever actually contemplated, but I think that tonal shift would have been bad. If those rumors played any role in her misgivings about the series, Iâll cut some slack.
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Even for all the praise BCS has received, I think a lot of folks (myself included) are probably still underestimating the difficulty that the show constructed for itself. It built a prequel in which many of the main characters do not appear and in which the fates of many of the characters who do appear are already known [based on what does or does not happen in Breaking Bad]. Building a compelling show out of those pieces while introducing new characters and not doing things that require too much retconning of the original series is pretty darn impressive. I guess you could argue that BB was so good that they deserved the benefit of the doubt, but I wouldnât have been surprised if the show was a complete trainwreck. After all, itâs not like weâre all running around singing the praises of El Camino, so misses are possible even in the BB extended universe.
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Peak Simpsons definitely up there on the list of TV accomplishments and itâs real hard to compare. Simpsons gets big points for VORP, especially from the modern perspective considering how poorly other 90s comedy has held up.
Sticking the landing and producing a consensus top-5 all time series, then taking the risk to come back for more with a different story/cast and nailing that too is a solid edge. Maintaining quality towards the end of a series is a massive difficulty boost that comparable shows have mostly failed at.
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Yeah, dunking on that article seems like results-oriented thinking. What were the odds that another BB spin-off would do as well as BCS? If you told me they were making a Combo spinoff show, Iâd expect it to suck.
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Speaking of long running shows Itâs Always Sunny is on season 15 or 16. Well past the peak but Iâve been enjoying the later seasons, havenât watched the most recent one yet I need to do that.
This sounds like a you problem
Under the Banner of Heaven
8/10
A story of a mother and her baby killed by her in-laws who were increasing radicalized into fundamental Mormonism.
The big division in this is does it represent mainstream Mormonism in a positive light or if, like the original, itâs pretty heavily slanted to throwing in mainstream Mormonism in with the fundamentalists.
I lean towards it slants a bit too heavy. Not in the parallels with Andrew Garfield characterâs relationship with his wife and kids and the fundamentalists increasingly domineering of the women around them, but really in the epic amount of shit that Garfieldâs partner, Gil Birmingham, whoâs the secular audience stand it, puts up with all throughout the series. Just getting it from all sides constantly while also throwing barbs at people for being terrible. Any normal person putting up with that much would have quit midway through the series.
In any case, itâs a good series on the merits. Garfield does great as a moral young detective. Gil does great as his grizzled older partner and the actors for the Laufferty brothers; Taylor St. Pierre, Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell are all great as seemingly mainstream but stern Mormons who descend into madness.
One article I thought was interesting talked about how the series, even while condemning how religion uses misogyny is still fundamentally centers the men, not the women. A more interesting story would be to center the women and especially Daisy Edgar-Jones character who seems like an amazing woman in the series. A small town beauty queen who wanted to do news, devout but increasingly wary of the men in her extended familyâs increasing fundamentalism, until her defiance of them ended with her death.
Hoping this wonât stop at 11 seasons. Really would like to see a BCS prequel that gets into Wernerâs background story - how did he meet his wife, how did he get involved with criminal construction projects, did he ever visit Sydney etc. Lots of potential there.
I donât think your questions have clear answers, only theories. Especially #1.
RE: BCS, I totally thought it was going to suck and didnât watch until season three or something. Didnât really believe people when they said it was good.
I watched the first 4 seasons and thought they were pretty good but started to fall off in S4. The 5th season change was so drastic I didnât even bother, and reviews tell me I didnât miss anything worth watching.
I was in from day one. After seeing what longtime comedic actor Bryan Cranston could do in Gilliganâs hands, and knowing that Odenkirk is exceptionally talented, I had no hesitations.
Who would have thought two of the best dramatic actors of the last twenty years were past their prime 90s comedic actors?
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I am just catching up. I fell off during s4 so have been rewatching it and plan to check out 5. I think the final season starts in June.
I can see how the show would change a lot in s5 even though I havenât gotten there yet.
I had a pachinko machine growing up. Would play it for hours and hours.
Didnât like BCS until 3 at all but maybe Iâm a philistine. Hated Chuck stuff a lot.
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The Saul/Chuck story lines in seasons 1-3 were definitely a slog. As was a lot of Saulâs season 4. The Mike/Nacho/Gus stuff is far superior.
The Chuck story is the foundation of Jimmyâs transformation into Saul.
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I also think Michael McKean put in a great performance in that role, I didnât think it was a slog at all.
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It was a good story, just very poorly paced. Maybe I will change my opinion but I remember thinking a few times that it seemed like there was barely any progression in a half season.
I thought the show declined with Chuckâs exit.
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