2. "I just stumbled onto S1/S2 two weeks ago." In response to Reply # 0
it's been sitting in my queue forever, and I chalked it up to another mediocre Netflix show that deteriorates over time.
wow -- completely wrong. I didn't know Bateman had this in him, and Linney is equally fantastic. the entire ensemble is noteworthy, however, and all of them are integral (one nitpick -- in a family money laundering TV series, Darlene ends up being exaggerated in a bad way).
hope they find the perfect ending this season, as you can tell the seams are bulging by the middle of S2. and while it owes much to Breaking Bad, I find the characters here just a lot more...realistic and interesting.
Y'all. This shit has been fucking FLAMES this season. I really hope that they can keep this level all season.
The elimination of the weak links (story, acting-wise) from season 2 has paid dividends. That paired with the introduction of Tom Pelphrey, Navarro, and fleshing out of Helen has done a world of good for the show.
The shift in power dynamics and character pairings has really breathed new life into the show. I think I've laughed more in the first few episodes of this season than the entire first two seasons. Season 2 felt hampered by a number of its storylines and characters and significant chunks of it felt repetitive so I was worried heading into this season but so far it might be my favorite season. Fingers crossed they can keep that same energy.
Also, I can tell a Jason Bateman directed episode now before even seeing his name pop in the credits (granted he usually does at least the first episode or two) but every episode he helms just fucking pops and has a rhythm, feel and aesthetic that stands out. If I'm absolutely glued to the screen, chances are Bateman directed the episode. He's insanely talented as a director.
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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
This shit hit harder than a motherfucker. Pelphrey's work in the latter half of the season was just heart-breaking. Laura Linney is out of this world good in this having to go through such wide-range of emotional shifts in certain scenes while making the shifts so subtilely.
This is my favorite season and I think leaning into some of the dark comedy of the show this year really helped it not feel like a mirthless slog like Season 2. There were so many utterly laugh-out-loud moments this season. Pelphrey's 'What the fuck?!' when Ruth came out the trailer w/ the shotgun and especially Sue showing up with her new car and Marty trying to get her to leave had me in near tears.
They've also found a good balance of trashy, lurid ridiculousness and high-caliber drama.
Really great season and I'm READY for next season. Provided the world isn't in utter shambles by this time next year.
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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
15. "linney coming for that emmy mayne." In response to Reply # 13
the back and forth her and wendy regularly had with their eyes. especially when things were going down with the brother. that was some potent non-verbal chemistry/conversation unto itself.
17. "that was the exact scene I was thinking of " In response to Reply # 15
granted, she's called to modulate her performance in pretty every scene she's in as she goes often goes from plaintive to ruthless in a literal blink of an eye but that was exactly the scene I was thinking of.
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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
how long the show runners had their hands on that track since I would imagine they'd have to work on clearing that song months before this aired on Netflix, right?
Pretty stellar promo for that song and the group since it perfectly punctuates that last scene.
"Sean sparks like John Starks, nah, Sean ball like John Wall" - Rest In Power Forever Sean Price.
14. "Pretty powerful season" In response to Reply # 0
SPACE FOR SPOILER WARNINGS
The only minor nitpicks I have is how the FBI agent got turned towards looking out for Marty towards the end and I would have loved to see Wendy make that call to the cartel laywer about her brother. Other than that, I have no complaints. Pretty cool how the women on the show continued to be pivotal plot points similar to last season.
As great at this show is, I have to assume the next season is the last season.
"Sean sparks like John Starks, nah, Sean ball like John Wall" - Rest In Power Forever Sean Price.
19. "my one real nitpick this season:" In response to Reply # 14 Sun Mar-29-20 05:12 PM by Reeq
ruth.
maybe its some cultural bias or something...but i think the show is just a lot better the less they focus on the local white trash element.
i think between seasons 2 and 3...the show wrestled with what it wanted to be. and season 3 won out.
i understand the focus on the local types early on when the show was trying to craft a lane. but now they shouldnt be anything more than additional texture imo.
im cool with them as sparse elements like the darlene appearances, frank cosgrove jr (technically not local), the casino and stable sales, etc.
but you have all of these intelligent/calculating/manipulative characters engaged in a game of multiplayer chess with/against each other. and their motivations/maneuvers propel the storyline in the most realistic/interesting directions.
ruth still being the loud, unsophisticated, impulsive, and perpetually ornery malcontent just stuck out like a sore thumb this season. especially when you consider the stakes involved and incentive for her not to act that way (which she has been made painfully aware of multiple times).
just running around cussing at everybody all day while everyone else pretty much operates in a particularly deliberate way with the consequences of their every word and action in mind (even the byrde kids)...
iono mayne. maybe the creatives feel like they still gotta keep her true to type in order to maintain her identity. but you figure there woulda been some more growth/adjustment with that character.
20. "RE: my one real nitpick this season:" In response to Reply # 19
>ruth. > >maybe its some cultural bias or something...but i think the >show is just a lot better the less they focus on the local >white trash element. > >i think between seasons 2 and 3...the show wrestled with what >it wanted to be. and season 3 won out. > >i understand the focus on the local types early on when the >show was trying to craft a lane. but now they shouldnt be >anything more than additional texture imo. > >im cool with them as sparse elements like the darlene >appearances, frank cosgrove jr (technically not local), the >casino and stable sales, etc. > >but you have all of these intelligent/calculating/manipulative >characters engaged in a game of multiplayer chess with/against >each other. and their motivations/maneuvers propel the >storyline in the most realistic/interesting directions. > >ruth still being the loud, unsophisticated, impulsive, and >perpetually ornery malcontent just stuck out like a sore thumb >this season. especially when you consider the stakes involved >and incentive for her not to act that way (which she has been >made painfully aware of multiple times). > >just running around cussing at everybody all day while >everyone else pretty much operates in a particularly >deliberate way with the consequences of their every word and >action in mind (even the byrde kids)... > >iono mayne. maybe the creatives feel like they still gotta >keep her true to type in order to maintain her identity. but >you figure there woulda been some more growth/adjustment with >that character.
Without saying too much to avoid spoiling things, I think you're going to have a rough go at it for the next season because it definitely appears as if the local 'white trash' element are going to reign supreme as major antagonists or points of opposition next season given how the storylines ended in that last episode.
"Sean sparks like John Starks, nah, Sean ball like John Wall" - Rest In Power Forever Sean Price.
25. "didn't like it as much as previous seasons" In response to Reply # 0 Fri Apr-03-20 11:34 PM by Mynoriti
but i had trouble focusing this week so i may give it another round.
i was fully engaged by the end, and i thought the last 2 eps were so fire that it made me want to start over. I found myself wishing some of this stuff happened sooner. And damn, Nelson didn't keep his word about the warning lol.
I hated Ben, almost to the point he was the jar jar of this season for me. I wanted to kill him myself. The frustration ultimately works because we see how it drives Wendy to break.
Mostly character's i didn't like so much served to play off the ones i do. I wasn't crazy about the FBI agent, but I liked watching Marty trying to find a lane with her. I hated the addition of yet another angsty teenage daughter, but the added layer to Helen as a mom trying to insulate her was pretty interesting.
i disagree with reeq that the locals should be more sidelined. I'm a big fan of Ruth, and her delivery of "bitch wolf" was the most seamless line of the series. as much as i didn't like Ben, it was nice seeing her let her guard down.
Wyatt and Darlene.. that shit was just too weird for words, but somehow 100% believable. I miss the Snells as a couple tho
Not crazy about the dude who played Navarro. i really miss Esai Morales. That final scene tho. damn.
I expected more KC mob than a few scenes with the father, and jerk-off son and his friends.
probably the best acted season all around. but my least favorite
33. "RE: didn't like it as much as previous seasons" In response to Reply # 25 Tue Apr-21-20 03:59 AM by jane eyre
> And damn, >Nelson didn't keep his word about the warning lol.
I foolishly believed he would keep his word!
>I hated Ben, almost to the point he was the jar jar of this >season for me. I wanted to kill him myself.
Lol.
I kept wondering why the Byrdes in theory might attempt to do everything to get what they want in each episode...except get Ben a prescription and slip it in his food or something! That's not an option that seems like it's beneath Wendy or Marty.
> I hated the addition of yet another angsty teenage daughter, but the >added layer to Helen as a mom trying to insulate her was pretty >interesting.
That was my least favorite storyline dynamic--Helen and her daughter. Curious if her son and daughter will play a role in season 4, since they're without both parents, now.
>i disagree with reeq that the locals should be more sidelined. >I'm a big fan of Ruth, and her delivery of "bitch wolf" was >the most seamless line of the series. as much as i didn't like >Ben, it was nice seeing her let her guard down.
I'm a fan of Ruth, too. Seeing her unpeel into the heartbreak she holds about her losses blew a hole through me.
>Wyatt and Darlene.. that shit was just too weird for words, >but somehow 100% believable. I miss the Snells as a couple >tho
When Wyatt told Ruth that Darlene wanted him to meet her mom...I laughed at the absurdity but also bought it.
Wyatt and Darlene are bizarre. I saw where the relationship was going from the beginning, but to actually see it play out was almost as shocking as the last scene of the season.
He said he was in love with her!! I cannot.
>Not crazy about the dude who played Navarro. i really miss >Esai Morales. That final scene tho. damn.
That was one of my gripes about the season....the actor who cast as Navarro.
30. "I loved watching Ben. " In response to Reply # 0
That scene when he was in the cab - an opening scene to one of the episodes - talking to himself / answering the can drivers "how's your day going?" was enthralling.
♥ Inescapably Me ♥
"Love is never any better than the lover" Toni Morrison (The Bluest Eye)
38. "this show is really good" In response to Reply # 0
Definitely in the top tier of newer shows, probably my favorite. I used to love Ruth but she got on my nerves that season.
Spoilers
Ben was annoying but by the end I felt bad for him. I think it is Ruth’s fault. One of my favorite moments of the season was the look on Marty’s face when he sees Ruth punch Cosgrove Jr and throw him in the water. The therapist lady was also hilarious. Overall, just a great season from beginning to end. Great suspense like always, humor, great performances. Loved it.
“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.”
40. "Is Jonah turning into Ben?" In response to Reply # 0
Did anyone else think in the last episodes Jonah was starting to mirror Ben's behavior? Both went to Helen's house to confront her. I believe at one point Ben saying his bipolar disorder started when his dad died. Wendy and Marty really did a crap job of comforting Jonah when Ben died. Jonah turns around and shoots out the window of the house impulsively. The scene of Jonah touching Ben's ashes was heartbreaking. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but bipolar disorder can be hereditary so...
46. "agreed on forced tension and also i just dislike all the characters" In response to Reply # 45 Fri May-22-20 10:53 AM by wrecknoble
none of them has any redeeming qualities. it makes me want to root for a meteor to strike Ozark and eliminate them all.
i watched Season 1 when it first came out and then ignored the show for the past couple of years. a friend of mine convinced me to watch Season 2 and 3 as a quarantine show, mainly so he had someone to chat about it with him. so i did that and completed it while doing laundry over the past few weeks.
i left each episode thinking 'what a dumb show' and then let Netflix auto-play the next episode lol
47. "rewatched this in preparation for S4" In response to Reply # 0
spring 2020 might as well have been 7 years ago
not nearly as down on Ben as i was the first time around, but he was still frustrating
his opening scene in the classroom tells you everything you need to know about him.
he has this deeply protective instinct and is only fighting for what's right, but there's a wire crossed somewhere.
I liken him to a sweet loyal dog who loves you to death the the point where he can't stop biting everyone around to protect you. when you berate him for it, he feels bad, and seems to get it, but he can't not keep doing it.
Wendy took him to that farm all the parents tell their kids they took the dog.
I remembered the end scene, but I straight up forgot Helen was trying to take them out.
just starting S4, i'll jump in that post when i'm done, but I'm not really feeling Jonah taking on angsty teenage daughter role
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