2. "this show is a brilliant mess" In response to Reply # 0
I enjoy it quite a bit, but at the same time it feels like the writers don't quite know what kind of show they want it to be: a violent thriller? A comedy? The sudden shifts in tone can be jarring at times. From scene to scene I don't know if it's going to be laugh out loud funny or super dark. I suppose it's really not that different than what Tarantino did in his first few movies.
Still, Henry Winkler is great. The actor who plays Hank is hilarious (except at the end of this season opener). Bill Hader is surprisingly great in a mostly serious role. And it's always fun to see Janet popping up in another show, even though she seems wasted here now that I know what she can bring to the table after watching The Good Place.
And yeah I don't like the GF either. Like in the later (awful) seasons of Dexter), I think she's only there to show that Barry is cold and calculating as an assassin, but is otherwise relatively immature, gullible and emotionally stunted.
4. "I see the comparison, but" In response to Reply # 3
Breaking Bad executed it in a much better way. There were comedic parts to be sure but no matter how many times Jesse said Bitch there was never any mistaking the show for a comedy. Outside of Bob Odenkirk (who is great in his Better Call Saul, but sticks out in Breaking Bad IMO), the jokes never break the serious, deadly nature of the show. In Barry they seem to switch genres practically scene to scene. For me at least it is doesn't altogether flow.
But don't get me wrong, I'm just nitpicking, it's one of my favorite shows right now (way below The Good Place and not counting GoT, which will devour everything when it comes back this Sunday).
5. "i LOVE the abrupt tone shifts" In response to Reply # 2
it kinda parallels the contrast and messiness in Barry's world.
I've never seen a show stretch it this far in both directions. it feels sloppy for sure because for the most part Barry is the only character taking anything seriously and everyone else is in a different show, but somehow they're making it work.
10. "Best show on TV. I've never laughed as hard at an episode of TV" In response to Reply # 6
certainly for not such a sustained period.
This was an incredible left turn that is so different in some ways and still so much of what Barry, the show is. Taking a black comedy of this caliber into all out absurdist/surrealist mindfuckery for an episode is bold. To pull it off to the degree they did is masterful.
Everyone did SO much heavy lifting in making this episode work (dad/daughter/Hader (both in front and behind the camera)/Root).
I look forward to this more than Thrones at this point.
This show is fucking flawless and the best thing on TV right now hands down from the writing to the directing to the acting no one is fucking with this show.
Hell I didn't miss notice Winkler and Corrigan were absent this week and they are turning in career best work week in and week out.
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A lot of you players ain't okay.
We would have been better off with an okaycivics board instead of an okayactivist board
14. "I've just been binging to catch up; long time since I laughed this hard" In response to Reply # 0
This show gets me in the way Anthony Jeselnik's first comedy special - Shakespeare - got me. We all look the same in the dark and in the light, it's just a matter of shading.
15. "My favorite show on TV currently " In response to Reply # 0
When S1 ended, I loved it but was hoping they wouldn’t come back for another because it almost seemed too perfect. Didn’t want to risk them fucking it up.
S2 surpassed my expectations tenfold. This show is simultaneously excellent as a comedy and as a drama. Can’t wait for the next one.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86672 posts
Tue May-21-19 11:12 AM
18. "Here's what I imagine:" In response to Reply # 17
Cops will tell Gene and his fam that it was the Chechnyans-- a.k.a. Hank, who will now be seen as Crime Lord Numero Uno. Barry will go along with this story, so Gene will have no choice but to accept it on the surface... while simultaneously never shaking the idea it was Barry.
So Gene will probe at Barry in class to try to get to the truth of what Barry knows about that night. And because Gene holds real psychological sway over Barry, Barry will struggle to keep it together. Basically, it will be like how we expected the Hank and Walter feud to go on Breaking Bad (but Breaking Bad brilliantly just had Walter tell Hank straight up instead, lol).
21. "great second season. AMAZING season finale" In response to Reply # 0
It played out like an absolute nightmare. Barry was taking down enemies and allies alike.
I really hope they know when to quit with this shows. Like they do 4 or 5 seasons then gracefully peace out. It would be a shame if they pulled a Dexter.