Wow, HBO has another potentially great one on their hands.. Just watched the first episode tonight and was blown away. the previews looked horrible I thought. And other than Sam Waterson overacting in a few scenes, I was really impressed. Anyone else see it?

The show is awesome because it's being scripted by hands-down the best dialogue writer in TV or Film, Aaron Sorkin. If you've never seen "Charlie Wilson's War", check it out.

Hmmm. The trailers looked horrible but maybe I'll check it out.

With Wilfred and Workaholics back and Breaking Bad in 3 weeks my DVR is gonna be croooowded

Hey heat,

I sat in awe. I cheered. The pilot is an instant classic.

But how do you follow that up? If HBO has the right answer to that question, this could be one of the best to ever come from them. I love these characters, although I'm thinking someone might have to drown Don.

LoneStar

LS

I love your baseball analyses but can't agree on the Sorkin series -- I think Sorkin's done some brilliant work, but this just felt like Sorkin going to the well with Sorkinisms from the past -- his rhythms are so predicable -- every character sounded like recycled West Wing riffs -- I think this is self-indulgent, trite work from a guy who has the ability to do much better, but is way too enamored with himself. The opening riff on how America used to be on the side of right was total nonsense -- has he never read any history? Hawaii? The Philippines? Mexico? Cuba? We've been invading and pushing countries around for our own purposes forever. The Monroe Doctrine? Iraq and Vietnam were just more of the same. Sorkin is so far off base it was embarrassing.

The best part of the hour was the actual news cast -- and if you want to see a much better, tenser version, take a look at Broadcast News, the segment where Hurt does his first solo report on the fly... sorry, for me, this was Sorkin at his annoying worst.
Lollard

Hey lollard,

Well, to each his own.

I loved it, and since I didn't watch a single episode of The West Wing, I guess I wasn't in any position to see any resemblances or retreads. And no, it's not that I had a problem with The West Wing...there are a lot of quality shows that just didn't/don't come on at good times for me. I've never seen Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Wire, and others. Between career, family, cooking, baseball, and working out, I watch maybe 1.5-2 hours of TV total a day. But I also read for entertainment an equal amount of the time.

I do agree regarding the actual newscast being the best part of the pilot. And as I posted earlier, it's going to be difficult to match that scene sequence going forward.

LoneStar

Hey, LS,
You're absolutely right -- these things are all a matter of taste and temperament. But I admire you not slumped in front of the TV for hours on end... I'm in the "biz" and I often joke I've never worked on a show I would have watched except they were paying me... one thing -- on bent knees I beg you to give The Wire a chance. It's the best thing I've ever seen on TV by a mile. It's incredibly dark but so good it's hard to believe - it's not even TV really, it's more like eavesdropping on conversations. Anyway, if you decide to waste a few hours, that's the thing to watch... at least in my opinion. And how about them 3 shutouts? I've been an avid fan since my father took me to see the Giants at Seals stadium and I never thought I'd see that... and against the Dodgers no less...
Lollard

Hey lollard,

There's actually quite a few shows I'd like to go back and revisit.

The Wire is definitely one of them. I have no idea why I didn't watch it when it was on, other than the fact that once a show has been on for a year, and becomes known as a hit, I tend to feel like I already missed the boat.

Stupid, huh?

LoneStar

LS,
No, not at all -- I have the same impulse -- or maybe we're just both dunderheads -- anyway, that's what Netflix is for...
Lollard

Hey lollard,

You know, I just started using the HBOgo app on my phone to pull up archived shows I can watch while I'm on the stairmaster. Maybe I'll start The Wire from episode 1 while working out. To date, I've been watching individual episodes of Deadwood and the Sopranos.

Thanks for the idea!

LoneStar

Hey, LS,
Funny, I just found the HBOgo app (my son alerted me, naturally) -- it's a great App - I'm using it on the ipad -- very cool... and an excellent way to pass the time on whatever torture device we're using -- I may give that a try myself.
Lollard

PS -- if you decide to dive into The Wire, let me know how you like it.

So I've heard - one I'll have to check out - thanks.
Lollard

I watch RG and Veep. Veep has a few parts that make me chuckle and anything with Gervais makes me laugh. Extras was the best comedy in the history of television imo.

Of course I was born in England, raised on british humour so that might mean I'm a bit biased.

Well, I hate to be the guy who rips one in the elevator. But I was so excited after the Pilot I went to check what the reviews had to say. I ran into a couple of reviewers that apparently were given the first 3 episodes and they say it's all down hill after episode 1, to the point episode 3 becomes unwatchable.. I'm so bummed, hopefully it isn't true, but hearing it from a couple different reviewers worries me.

Hey heat,

Man, if that's the case, it will be a tremendous disappointment.

But as I said in my first post in this thread...I knew it was going to be tough for them to come up with a product at that level on a consistent, on-going basis.

LoneStar