ajzepp Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 (edited) Pretty solid pair of shows on Showtime last night. First, the season premiere of Dexter started off strong and introduced a couple promising story lines. After that, I watched the series premiere of Ray Donovan starring Liev Schreiber, an actor I consider to be a little underrated. By the time it was over, my head was spinning given the amount of material and the number of characters they threw at us. I thought there was maybe a bit too much of pedophile/tranny stuff, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I found the main character interesting and I'm eager to see where some of these story lines go, so I'd have to say that episode one gets a thumbs up from me. Gotta love the casting, even with just Schreiber, Jon Voight and Elliott Gould. It will be interesting to learn more about Gould's character, Ezra, as Ray referred to him as "the most important person in my life". In this episode we found him a bit out of sorts as he was burying his wife and failing to shoulder the burden of guilt over past actions. When the show ended I immediately felt justified making the decision to stop watching Falling Skies two weeks ago. Not that they're mutually exclusive, but you know... Anyway, anyone else see it? Or plan to see it? Edited July 1, 2013 by ajzepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I definitely plan on watching...need to watch Dexter later today before I watch anything new Pretty solid pair of shows on Showtime last night. First, the season premiere of Dexter started off strong and introduced a couple promising story lines. After that, I watched the series premiere of Ray Donovan starring Liev Schreiber, an actor I consider to be a little underrated. By the time it was over, my head was spinning given the amount of material and the number of characters they threw at us. I thought there was maybe a bit too much of pedophile/tranny stuff, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I found the main character interesting and I'm eager to see where some of these story lines go, so I'd have to say that episode one gets a thumbs up from me. Gotta love the casting, even with just Schreiber, Jon Voight and Elliott Gould. It will be interesting to learn more about Gould's character, Ezra, as Ray referred to him as "the most important person in my life". In this episode we found him a bit out of sorts as he was burying his wife and failing to shoulder the burden of guilt over past actions. When the show ended I immediately felt justified making the decision to stop watching Falling Skies two weeks ago. Not that they're mutually exclusive, but you know... Anyway, anyone else see it? Or plan to see it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 I definitely plan on watching...need to watch Dexter later today before I watch anything new The one weird thing about Dexter last night was that the episode ends with a bit of a "holy s**t!!" moment, but then in the preview for next week's show it sort of gives an idea of what happens. Very odd. Nonetheless, I'm excited to see this final season...I love how they are contrasting this season premiere with those of seasons past. Typically Dexter is in control of his environment and he's just out looking for a fix. This season starts off completely different...he's in control of nothing, which sets the stage for vulnerability and sloppiness. Can't wait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 (edited) Hmmm...may have to check out "Ray Donovan"...might be good filler between "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad"...all the reviews have been pretty positive, though I get a little nervous when they start comparing something to the Sopraonos right out of the gate. I think Shriver is a really good actor too. If anyone has not seen "Rectify", I would highly recommend it as well. It had a short, six episode, first season on the Sundance Channel It is excellent, from some of the creative people who work on "Breaking Bad". Amazing acting, great dialouge... it is about a guy, in deep Georgia, who gets let off of death-row, after 19 years, when DNA casts some doubts on his guilt. It may not sound earth-shattering, but I can't recommend it enough. Even though the first season ended (picked up for a 12 episide season 2), they re-run it quite a bit, on Thursday nights I have noticed. As for "Dexter", last night wasn't bad. I must say, I have watched from the begining, and my excitement for the show has dwindled a little...but I will see it through... Charlotte Rampling might make a good foe. To me, the show never has matched the early tension of the first couple of seasons when Dexter was playing cat and mouse with Doakes. Edited July 1, 2013 by Buftex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I was planning on watching Ray Donovan, but I found the reviews not to be very good. What reviews did you see? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 Hmmm...may have to check out "Ray Donovan"...might be good filler between "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad"...all the reviews have been pretty positive, though I get a little nervous when they start comparing something to the Sopraonos right out of the gate. I think Shriver is a really good actor too. If anyone has not seen "Rectify", I would highly recommend it as well. It had a short, six episode, first season on the Sundance Channel It is excellent, from some of the creative people who work on "Breaking Bad". Amazing acting, great dialouge... it is about a guy, in deep Georgia, who gets let off of death-row, after 19 years, when DNA casts some doubts on his guilt. It may not sound earth-shattering, but I can't recommend it enough. Even though the first season ended (picked up for a 12 episide season 2), they re-run it quite a bit, on Thursday nights I have noticed. As for "Dexter", last night wasn't bad. I must say, I have watched from the begining, and my excitement for the show has dwindled a little...but I will see it through... Charlotte Rampling might make a good foe. To me, the show never has matched the early tension of the first couple of seasons when Dexter was playing cat and mouse with Doakes. Interesting about the Sopranos comparison...just based on the first episode, I can sort of see a couple of parallels there. I can't see this show approaching that level of quality, but then again Sopranos is among the elite. Agree about the Dexter vs Doakes thing. I was late to the party with this show and binged on the first seven seasons, but he was my favorite opponent, too. Here's a link to the pilot, along with a listing of some feedback from a handful of critics. Keep in mind these people have apparently seen multiple episodes, so hard to get a feel for where the series is going given all the variation among the reviews. I liked it enough to keep watching through at least the first several eps, so hopefully it'll be worth the investment. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/63091 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I read a few not so good things on twitter, and I think Alan Sepinwall is the best critic out there and he said there just isn't much story to it. He said he won't be reviewing it, like he did weekly for Mad Men and others and way back for NYPD Blue. I used to read him every week back then.................He said the first episode was the strongest of the five they got to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I read a few not so good things on twitter, and I think Alan Sepinwall is the best critic out there and he said there just isn't much story to it. He said he won't be reviewing it, like he did weekly for Mad Men and others and way back for NYPD Blue. I used to read him every week back then.................He said the first episode was the strongest of the five they got to watch. Have to admit, the ads did nothing for me...it just looked like kind of a brainless action show...but I have heard good things from a few people...of course, I realize, everyone has different things they look for in a show. When the Sopranos was new (you already know the high esteem with which I hold it) and at its' peak in popularity, there was always an element amongst fans that complained that "nothing happnened" (ie: nobody got "whacked")...to me those "nothing happnes" episodes were what made the show so good. All of the PR stuff I have been reaiding for "Ray Donavan" seems to be implying that Schriever/Donovan is the new Tony Soprano. I will watch the first episode, and if it intrigues me enough, keep watching, unitl it doesn't. Normally, it seems, the first episode or two of most new shows is not typical of the way the show will play out on a week to week basis, only sets up the situation for the characters. Watch "Rectify"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Interesting about the Sopranos comparison...just based on the first episode, I can sort of see a couple of parallels there. I can't see this show approaching that level of quality, but then again Sopranos is among the elite. Agree about the Dexter vs Doakes thing. I was late to the party with this show and binged on the first seven seasons, but he was my favorite opponent, too. Here's a link to the pilot, along with a listing of some feedback from a handful of critics. Keep in mind these people have apparently seen multiple episodes, so hard to get a feel for where the series is going given all the variation among the reviews. I liked it enough to keep watching through at least the first several eps, so hopefully it'll be worth the investment. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/63091 Showtime, for me, has picked up its' game a little...but sometimes I find their series to fall into the "edgy for edgy sake" to the detraction of the story. I know that "Homeland" is considered by many, the best show on tv right now...but I don't get it...may just not be my cup of tea, but I think it is just kind of silly, and very unrealistic. As a movie it might work for me. Showtime has a tendancy to let their shows run way past their prime..."Dexter", "Californication" (despite its' awful title, it started out very good but is just trash now) and "Weeds" are all shows that could have ended a few seasons earlier than they did. Only "Nurse Jackie" seems to get better with age. Edited July 2, 2013 by Buftex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 Showtime, for me, has picked up its' game a little...but sometimes I find their series to fall into the "edgy for edgy sake" to the detraction of the story. I know that "Homeland" is considered by many, the best show on tv right now...but I don't get it...may just not be my cup of tea, but I think it is just kind of silly, and very unrealistic. As a movie it might work for me. Showtime has a tendancy to let their shows run way past their prime..."Dexter", "Californication" (despite its' awful title, it started out very good but is just trash now) and "Weeds" are all shows that could have ended a few seasons earlier than they did. Only "Nurse Jackie" seems to get better with age. That's a good point, and it serves as a good explanation for why I reacted to some of the pedophile themes of the show. It struck me as being an unnecessary plot device given how much other potentially cool stuff was going on, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Nurse Jackie is one of my favorites, although I was getting frustrated this season when the show started focusing on parenting issues and jackie's dating. I like it better when they keep it in the ER...just a personal preference. Morris Chestnut was a great addition to the show and things are just more interesting when they stay in the ER, IMO. They seemed to hint that jackie was going to fall off the wagon next season, and that would be a welcome development...the show is just more fun when she's poppin her happy pills. Since I binged on Dexter I don't have the same sense of how long the show has been on, but I know that others have echoed what you've said about the show getting a bit long in the tooth. I'm glad we're in the final season, and I hope they leave us with some great memories of Dex's final days. I tried to get into Californication, but never did anything for me. I watched/binged on the first few seasons of Weeds, but by the fourth season I started feeling as you did...that the show was just being stretched out well beyond what it should have been. Homeland I binged on last year and liked it, but I don't see it as the best show on TV at all...like you, I've heard others put it on that pedestal, but I don't see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 The first season of "Californication" was really good...sort of a Charles Bukowski fantasy...but then, slowly, Bukowski slowly began to morph into just sleazy David Duchovney, and it just lost its' charms...other than all the hot ladies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 The first season of "Californication" was really good...sort of a Charles Bukowski fantasy...but then, slowly, Bukowski slowly began to morph into just sleazy David Duchovney, and it just lost its' charms...other than all the hot ladies! Oddly enough, HBO has been showing reruns of the Sopranos lately, and watching a few of those from the first couple seasons just puts my current tv viewing in perspective. It's one of the main reasons I finally pulled the plug on Falling Skies, and it's caused me to really take an inventory on the shows Im spending my time with. The hour just flies by when an episode is on, and when its over it's just like, "ahhhh, THAT'S what it feels like to spend an hour with a great show...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Homeland started out great, but really jumped the shark after the first few episodes last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maury Ballstein Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 good call on showtime........Being edgy to be edgy, they always over-do it in hopes to catch HBO. I watched the first episode of Ray Donovan and it was okay. Nothing too great or terrible IMO. I'll give it 3 episodes to see. House of Lies on Showtime is very "edgy" but still fun to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 I just finished watching episode 2 and I'm really enjoying the show. I have the same criticism that I had after ep I, and that is that the pedophilia/sex aspects are a bit much, but I find the Ray Donovan character very interesting. Jon Voigt has truly immersed into this role and the conflict between him and Ray is making for quite a bit of tension and suspense. It may be that even if the show fails to maintain this standard, I still will find it enjoyable given the subject matter. So, two episodes in and the thumb is still up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 I think I'm pretty well set on watching this show...I just really enjoy the subject material and then at the end of tonight's episode we had a James Woods sighting. I'm good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 My Showtime is blocked...something about a feud between CBS and Time Warner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 My Showtime is blocked...something about a feud between CBS and Time Warner yeah. There's this thing out now. It's called DirecTV. Get it. Lol. I always hated TW. Howler ruble quality product IMO. Great for Internet though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 yeah. There's this thing out now. It's called DirecTV. Get it. Lol. I always hated TW. Howler ruble quality product IMO. Great for Internet though. Funny...I am by no means a Time Warner zealot, but the Showtime and NFL Network squabbles aside, I don't really understand the hatred people have for Time Warner. I have had Time Warner for 20+ years, have only ever had my cable go out once (that I know of), customer service has always been excellent (IMO)...not crazy about the costs sometimes, but I just don't understand the perception that their product is somehow inferior. I had DirecTV once, briefly, for about 8 months. Other than the exclusive NFL Ticket option, I don't see anything that makes Direct TV better, or superior to TW. I have a few family members, both in Buffalo and Atlanta who experience frequent reception problems... my brother in Atlanta has a stretch of about 6 consecutive weeks where he missed chunks of Bills games due to signal issues. A friend here in Austin has the same complaint. From what I understand, from the frequent threads on this topic over the years, customer service from Direct TV is contracted out in different areas, so your customer service experiences can vary... My Showtime is blocked...something about a feud between CBS and Time Warner Yes, same issue here...although, our local CBS affiliate, from what I can tell, is still broadcasting. But Showtime, and Showtime "On Demand" are blocked. They are substituting free Starz and Encore in the interim. I have a feeling TW will not charge you for Showtime as long as this is going on. I was on the road all weekend, and had no idea this was going on, until last night, whe I wanted to tune in for the late showing of "Dexter". I suspect it won't go on very long... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I'm not one of those: Ford is better than Chevy iPhone is better than Droid DirecTV is better than TW The fact is I liked the idea of not loosing signal with TW, but I probably did more with them than I do DTV. In fact in I've only lost signals in the worst rains storms. Even when it's snowing, all I have to do is take a broom to it and whammo, back on. I liked that there were more channels (that I watch anyway) than DTV, but DTV is cheaper and the picture quality and sound quality is better IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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