Looking forward to the Henry Winkler interview. I'm always amused when I see him now, especially out of character, how when I was 6 or 7 in the mid-70s, he was not only the coolest person in the universe, but the coolest possible person in the universe.
Haven't watched the finale yet but the structure of this final season has been somewhat frustrating to watch even though I'd agree this season has been better than the last two, and I've really enjoyed this show even with its occasional meandering subplots and wacky character arcs. Probably likely this is the last big budget Peak TV series not based on an existing IP, which is very sad, but they really made sure you saw every last dollar that was spent on this lavish production! Like watching a Golden Age musical every week, but with lots of swearing.
Kind of a sad end for the CW's Arrowverse, an ambitious project that managed to pump out over seven hundred episodes of connected superhero universe and even managed to (kinda/sorta) do Crisis on Infinite Earths on a low rent TV network budget. Had you told early 80's, teenage me that such a thing would exist in the future I would have been incredulous and excited beyond measure.
It's The Flash that I feel saddest about. The first season was amazing and fun and subsequent seasons became increasingly weighed down by angst, melodrama and repetitive story lines. I became increasingly unhappy with a show I took to calling "Sad Barry, The Bummer Flash" and eventually noped out after they fired Hartley Sawyer for some decade old tweets. Dibney's journey felt like it had some of the old spark that the early Flash did and with him gone, there was nothing left for me.
I thought I would try to watch the final season as a send off for the show that, at the very least, brought me excitement by having Gorilla Grodd and King Shark in live action, but I couldn't get through the first episode. It was just more of the same stuff that prodded me to leave years ago.
In the end, Arrowverse was done in by undercooked melodrama and huge changes in the TV and streaming landscape. Goodnight, sweet prince. We'll not see your like again.
Depending on how long the strike lasts, what the landscape becomes, and how much time you find yourself with, young Alan would probably enjoy that last season of Legends of Tomorrow. It moves on from weaker storylines of the previous season, allows the characters to do some new things, and has a solid story. It also, of course, sets up a new season that never happened, but that feels appropriate, like an 80s comic ending its run with no closure.
Good to know. I think some of the storylines about hell and the magic weren’t really doing it for me, and then the final season debuted at a time when I was busy with other stuff, and I just never got around to it
I think the writers felt the same way, based on the direction they took. It doesn’t suddenly become must-see at the end, but it is fun watching those actors clearly enjoying themselves. Matt Ryan specifically is clearly having a ball.
I’m finally bingeing Happy Valley, which is one of the best cop show I’ve ever seen, and so obviously a direct antecedent of Mare of Easttown. The third season is remarkable not just for the long gap and how Ryan got so tall and deep-voiced, but also for Catherine having grown more outwardly even-tempered but all the more intimidating for it. What an amazing, subtle transformation. You always want her on your side, but God forbid you cross her in any tiny way.
I stuck with all the DC CW shows in large part out of an inability not to but (a) the fact that they did 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' still boggles the mind, with revisitations of old projects I would never have dared hope see in the mix, and (2) Alan, I must say, despite some caveats like Small(ville)-Universe Syndrome, the atrociously named 'Superman & Lois' is really a whole 'nother thing very worth checking out.
Cannot think of the last time this happened to two big shows on the same night but Veep aired its series finale a week before Game of Thrones did theirs. As for broadcast TV, Friends and Frasier both ended within a week of each other in May 2004. Over the span of 10 days in May 1992, The Cosby Show and Golden Girls both aired their series finales, and then 2 weeks later MacGuyver aired it series finale.
Since it seems that the strike will last awhile, would you still want to interview the show's creators of the recent finales after the strike or would it be too belated?
Just want to say that for anyone undergoing "Succession" withdrawal next week, a good cure would be Edward St. Aubyn's "Patrick Melrose" novels (there are six in all). Set in the world of the contemporary British aristocracy, these novels are blisteringly witty and feature characters who make the Roys seem like the Brady Bunch. I haven't yet seen the Benedict Cumberbatch TV adaptation--I'm holding off until I finish the novels.
Quick question. Have enjoyed your work and recaps for quite a while and have followed you from Newark forward I think. But I'm an old person who will probably miss a "folding socks" show like NCIS-LosAngeles more than shows like Succession or Barry wonderful though they may be - just not my taste (not much of a Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul or Game of Thrones person either - alas way out of the mainstream on critical favorites). That said really enjoy Rian Johnson type takes like Poker Face on older formats. So my question, any critics out there to read you'd suggest who writes intelligently about the shows somebody who enjoys the 90-minute resolution Brit shows like Vera or Endeavour or even the 60 minute NCIS's or Poker Faces might enjoy reading. Often the AV Club folks or Vulture critics will deal with some of the more popular (less critically cutting edge) shows, but wondered if you might have any other suggestions. (Admittedly I'm in the demographic where when I listen to Ringer's wonderful The Watch and Big Picture and Rewatchables episodes they come ad-free because I assume the ad-folks don't want to pay for my listen.) I don't begrudge the lack of interest in these types of shows, but just wondered if you could point me in a direction other than The Guardian.
Thanks Alan. Appreciated the Poker Face coverage and others. I'm sure it's hard to make compelling one-hour non-Wolf universe shows like Poker Face or there would be more of them. Have not dived into Episodic Medium but was looking for something a little more sophisticated than TV Line provides. That said, the shows are not particularly sophisticated so I get it. Just wish there were more lower stakes / ell-made shows like the old Slings and Arrows than the Successions and Breaking Bad. Should I just move to Canada, eh?
Confess, Fletch didnt go straight to VOD, it was in theaters. I was the only one in my theater seeing it, and possibly the one in the country.... but it was technically released in theaters!
Sally and the cop on the Barry - I thought it was because his eye was bleeding and when she heard the intruders in her house one of them was yelling about being poked in the eye so she realized he was one of them. Or maybe she was just hallucinating that the eye was bleeding and it was one of them.
For “Succession,” I keep wondering if they’re ever going to tie the loose ends from that weird scene from an earlier episode (maybe the fourth one this season) when Gerri, Karl and Frank discuss the newfound will. It seemed clear to me that the trip somehow doctored that document - any chance that factors in to the finale?
L look
Looking forward to the Henry Winkler interview. I'm always amused when I see him now, especially out of character, how when I was 6 or 7 in the mid-70s, he was not only the coolest person in the universe, but the coolest possible person in the universe.
I had a Fonzie action figure by Mego and I'm not afraid to admit it.
Mrs. Maisel’s finale went up today, too! I haven’t watched the last episode yet, but I’ve found this season to be a step up from the past few years.
Oh, yes. I gave up after the end of last season, and completely forgot it was ending this week.
Haven't watched the finale yet but the structure of this final season has been somewhat frustrating to watch even though I'd agree this season has been better than the last two, and I've really enjoyed this show even with its occasional meandering subplots and wacky character arcs. Probably likely this is the last big budget Peak TV series not based on an existing IP, which is very sad, but they really made sure you saw every last dollar that was spent on this lavish production! Like watching a Golden Age musical every week, but with lots of swearing.
...and Barry followed by the season finale of Somebody Somewhere, itself an underrated gem
Kind of a sad end for the CW's Arrowverse, an ambitious project that managed to pump out over seven hundred episodes of connected superhero universe and even managed to (kinda/sorta) do Crisis on Infinite Earths on a low rent TV network budget. Had you told early 80's, teenage me that such a thing would exist in the future I would have been incredulous and excited beyond measure.
It's The Flash that I feel saddest about. The first season was amazing and fun and subsequent seasons became increasingly weighed down by angst, melodrama and repetitive story lines. I became increasingly unhappy with a show I took to calling "Sad Barry, The Bummer Flash" and eventually noped out after they fired Hartley Sawyer for some decade old tweets. Dibney's journey felt like it had some of the old spark that the early Flash did and with him gone, there was nothing left for me.
I thought I would try to watch the final season as a send off for the show that, at the very least, brought me excitement by having Gorilla Grodd and King Shark in live action, but I couldn't get through the first episode. It was just more of the same stuff that prodded me to leave years ago.
In the end, Arrowverse was done in by undercooked melodrama and huge changes in the TV and streaming landscape. Goodnight, sweet prince. We'll not see your like again.
Depending on how long the strike lasts, what the landscape becomes, and how much time you find yourself with, young Alan would probably enjoy that last season of Legends of Tomorrow. It moves on from weaker storylines of the previous season, allows the characters to do some new things, and has a solid story. It also, of course, sets up a new season that never happened, but that feels appropriate, like an 80s comic ending its run with no closure.
Good to know. I think some of the storylines about hell and the magic weren’t really doing it for me, and then the final season debuted at a time when I was busy with other stuff, and I just never got around to it
I think the writers felt the same way, based on the direction they took. It doesn’t suddenly become must-see at the end, but it is fun watching those actors clearly enjoying themselves. Matt Ryan specifically is clearly having a ball.
I’m finally bingeing Happy Valley, which is one of the best cop show I’ve ever seen, and so obviously a direct antecedent of Mare of Easttown. The third season is remarkable not just for the long gap and how Ryan got so tall and deep-voiced, but also for Catherine having grown more outwardly even-tempered but all the more intimidating for it. What an amazing, subtle transformation. You always want her on your side, but God forbid you cross her in any tiny way.
I stuck with all the DC CW shows in large part out of an inability not to but (a) the fact that they did 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' still boggles the mind, with revisitations of old projects I would never have dared hope see in the mix, and (2) Alan, I must say, despite some caveats like Small(ville)-Universe Syndrome, the atrociously named 'Superman & Lois' is really a whole 'nother thing very worth checking out.
Cannot think of the last time this happened to two big shows on the same night but Veep aired its series finale a week before Game of Thrones did theirs. As for broadcast TV, Friends and Frasier both ended within a week of each other in May 2004. Over the span of 10 days in May 1992, The Cosby Show and Golden Girls both aired their series finales, and then 2 weeks later MacGuyver aired it series finale.
Since it seems that the strike will last awhile, would you still want to interview the show's creators of the recent finales after the strike or would it be too belated?
Should I rewatch the last season of Happy Valley before starting this new one? I don't remember much about it.
Just want to say that for anyone undergoing "Succession" withdrawal next week, a good cure would be Edward St. Aubyn's "Patrick Melrose" novels (there are six in all). Set in the world of the contemporary British aristocracy, these novels are blisteringly witty and feature characters who make the Roys seem like the Brady Bunch. I haven't yet seen the Benedict Cumberbatch TV adaptation--I'm holding off until I finish the novels.
Quick question. Have enjoyed your work and recaps for quite a while and have followed you from Newark forward I think. But I'm an old person who will probably miss a "folding socks" show like NCIS-LosAngeles more than shows like Succession or Barry wonderful though they may be - just not my taste (not much of a Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul or Game of Thrones person either - alas way out of the mainstream on critical favorites). That said really enjoy Rian Johnson type takes like Poker Face on older formats. So my question, any critics out there to read you'd suggest who writes intelligently about the shows somebody who enjoys the 90-minute resolution Brit shows like Vera or Endeavour or even the 60 minute NCIS's or Poker Faces might enjoy reading. Often the AV Club folks or Vulture critics will deal with some of the more popular (less critically cutting edge) shows, but wondered if you might have any other suggestions. (Admittedly I'm in the demographic where when I listen to Ringer's wonderful The Watch and Big Picture and Rewatchables episodes they come ad-free because I assume the ad-folks don't want to pay for my listen.) I don't begrudge the lack of interest in these types of shows, but just wondered if you could point me in a direction other than The Guardian.
I wrote about Poker Face weekly here, and I think Episodic Medium hits some of the shows you’re talking about. Ditto TVLine.
Thanks Alan. Appreciated the Poker Face coverage and others. I'm sure it's hard to make compelling one-hour non-Wolf universe shows like Poker Face or there would be more of them. Have not dived into Episodic Medium but was looking for something a little more sophisticated than TV Line provides. That said, the shows are not particularly sophisticated so I get it. Just wish there were more lower stakes / ell-made shows like the old Slings and Arrows than the Successions and Breaking Bad. Should I just move to Canada, eh?
Confess, Fletch didnt go straight to VOD, it was in theaters. I was the only one in my theater seeing it, and possibly the one in the country.... but it was technically released in theaters!
Theatrical and video same-day release for Fletch.
Sally and the cop on the Barry - I thought it was because his eye was bleeding and when she heard the intruders in her house one of them was yelling about being poked in the eye so she realized he was one of them. Or maybe she was just hallucinating that the eye was bleeding and it was one of them.
I believe that particular dialogue in the house was her memory of what the biker had said.
Oooh missed that!
For “Succession,” I keep wondering if they’re ever going to tie the loose ends from that weird scene from an earlier episode (maybe the fourth one this season) when Gerri, Karl and Frank discuss the newfound will. It seemed clear to me that the trip somehow doctored that document - any chance that factors in to the finale?
*trio not trip
I think they thought about doctoring it or disposing of it, but didn’t. No way would they have voluntarily put Kendall in charge.