A few things: The book is fantastic. My strategy was to read the interviews, then hop around for episodes I loved. Of course, Alan's writing is so propulsive, I just ended up flipping through all of season 5 in one go.
I agree that the font is too small, though. That observation - plus my next point - leads me to conclude that my 52nd birthday this week marks "old man" status: A Man on the Inside is glorious. I watched the last four episodes last night. What a beautiful show. Danson remains charming and vulnerable, and the spotlight on the veteran actors is so welcome. The tone can be jumbled - Sally Struthers and Stephen McKinley Henderson aren't even acting on the same show - and the show treats the "mystery" with as much importance as a hot dog wrapper - but it works.
Mike Schur is the most open-hearted and humbly courageous filmmaker of our generation. While the show is ostensibly about aging boomers, it's really an exploration of the loneliness epidemic and the value of "work" (which it defines as "doing something that makes a difference to others, however small.") I hope we get a second season.
My 12 y/o daughter walked in as I was watching the last episode. She's binged The Good Place three times through, so she was immediately interested in Danson (and loved a cameo in the finale).
I put Cheers on next - Sam was literally unrecognizable to her. Time, man.
A comment concerning the Severence season 1 recap (specifically Episode 9):
I rewatched the series over the last 2 weeks. In Episode 9, I don't believe that Kobel (as Mrs. Selvig )ever intended to kidnap the baby. The sequence was that Devon needed to leave the baby to have a private conversation with Mark. Mrs Selvig, as Devon's lactation consultant and confidant, offers to hold the baby. As Mark leaves the room, he greets Selvig as Kobel. Selvig/Koel realizes that Mark is really innie Mark, and the Overtime Contingency has been triggered. She rushes out, but it's not clear that she has the baby (although that would be a reasonable assumption). As innie Mark concludes his reveal to Devon, he asks about the presence of Kobel, and eventually, Devon realizes that Selvig is Kobel. This, of course, prompts the ultimately successful search for the baby. Nothing in this sequence implies that Selvig/Kobel intended to kidnap the baby.
It stuns me still that streaming shows don’t take advantage of creating a great opening credits sequence. Mostly eliminated from broadcast due to upping commericals, a streamer could easily provide one.ER had such an evocative and memorable one. And an opening sequence for the Pitt wouldn’t have to mimic that. How brilliant would it be just to show different images of the cast arriving at work and then immediately cut to each of them getting in their cars or waiting at the bus or subway station after a grueling shift. Just the contrast showing the toll what o cured within the Pitt took. Wordless, silent before and after shots intercut w nature scenes of the city
The opening credits sequence is the one place on each episode they don’t have to constantly spend money on. Do it once, well, and then simply leave it be or tweak each season as needed. But this bit of video is paid for already and can only enhance the view if if done well. I never skip the openings for Pachinko for instance as it gets me in the mood for the show BUT most streamers wisely have a "stop intro" link the user can click. So we get to choose our own adventure
In the article about old people on TV, you mentioned the relative lack of mobility issues on A Man on the Inside. This made me think of the recent movie Thelma, with June Squibb, in which mobility issues provide some of the plot points, including but not limited to the scooter she boosts from Richard Roundtree. (RIP.)
Alan, your discussion of how you watched the Severance episodes resurfaced an old question I come back to when reading your recaps (especially the denser ones): What is your process for watching and then recapping a show? How many times do you watch an episode before writing a recap? And how do you seemingly easily recall characters and details from earlier episodes or seasons? Good note-taking? Excellent memory?
Good note-taking, primarily. And I very rarely watch episodes twice. I did that for a time on Mad Men, but then when screeners went away and I had to write them live on Sunday nights, I had neither the time nor energy to continue doing that.
I just finished Kite Man Hell Yeah and ended up really liking it. If that’s all she wrote, I hope they can bring some of those characters to Harley Quinn. The Bane/Goldilocks story was hilarious but surprisingly poignant! I will miss Golden Glider and Malice.
I don’t normally read multiple reviews for a show - Severance is an exception. But I did notice a couple of times that the reviewer said they had seen the first 6 episodes. I was curious if this was common - some reviewers (like yourself) getting more to view in advance than others? Is it a credibility / reputation thing ?
I noticed this pattern as well. Another critic had been given only 6 of 12 Shrinking episodes this season, while Alan got 11. Maybe it’s an Apple TV+ thing?
I received the book on Tuesday. I'm about 135 pages in. I'm enjoying it, but I do wish that your publisher had used a slightly larger font. I suspect that it wanted to minimize the cost of the book. I get it, but the layout is particularly tight in my opinion.
You more or less suspect correctly. There were many discussions of various page counts, and what they would cost both the publisher and the consumer. Paper's not cheap. Do I wish the font was a bit bigger? Yes. Do I understand that we didn't want this to feel prohibitively expensive? Also yes.
I appreciate the comments about the font. I was going to go for the "hard copy" but will wait for the Kindle version. At 66, I'm not ready to join Ted Danson at Pacific View but some concessions to age must be made.
As someone who loved the journey of The Return but is still VERY conflicted about the ending, a part of me wishes they'd left it on the note Fire Walk with Me ended on. BOB is still in the world, but Cooper's in the lodge protecting Laura. There was more hope there than people gave credit for.
I've always wondered how much Jeopardy! edits those interviews. It's sometimes obvious that there's no way the contestant could tell their story in 20 seconds, but I've never been able to notice an obvious cut.
Well, they do cut back and forth between the contestant and Ken, so it's not impossible. On the days I was there, there were definitely some reshoots during the commercial breaks if Ken needed to say something more clearly. I don't recall if any of his interview responses were redone, but they definitely didn't have the contestants reshoot anything.
They for sure edit the interviews. My mom was on the show 20 years ago and Alex asked her about her work as a civil rights attorney. He said something like "oh what kind of job discrimination do you see" or something like that and my mom gave way more details about racial intimidation and sexual harrasment than a gameshow wanted to air. So that was cut drastically.
When I was on the show I think my anecdotes more or less aired as is. But I was a bit more concise haha.
A few things: The book is fantastic. My strategy was to read the interviews, then hop around for episodes I loved. Of course, Alan's writing is so propulsive, I just ended up flipping through all of season 5 in one go.
I agree that the font is too small, though. That observation - plus my next point - leads me to conclude that my 52nd birthday this week marks "old man" status: A Man on the Inside is glorious. I watched the last four episodes last night. What a beautiful show. Danson remains charming and vulnerable, and the spotlight on the veteran actors is so welcome. The tone can be jumbled - Sally Struthers and Stephen McKinley Henderson aren't even acting on the same show - and the show treats the "mystery" with as much importance as a hot dog wrapper - but it works.
Mike Schur is the most open-hearted and humbly courageous filmmaker of our generation. While the show is ostensibly about aging boomers, it's really an exploration of the loneliness epidemic and the value of "work" (which it defines as "doing something that makes a difference to others, however small.") I hope we get a second season.
My 12 y/o daughter walked in as I was watching the last episode. She's binged The Good Place three times through, so she was immediately interested in Danson (and loved a cameo in the finale).
I put Cheers on next - Sam was literally unrecognizable to her. Time, man.
A comment concerning the Severence season 1 recap (specifically Episode 9):
I rewatched the series over the last 2 weeks. In Episode 9, I don't believe that Kobel (as Mrs. Selvig )ever intended to kidnap the baby. The sequence was that Devon needed to leave the baby to have a private conversation with Mark. Mrs Selvig, as Devon's lactation consultant and confidant, offers to hold the baby. As Mark leaves the room, he greets Selvig as Kobel. Selvig/Koel realizes that Mark is really innie Mark, and the Overtime Contingency has been triggered. She rushes out, but it's not clear that she has the baby (although that would be a reasonable assumption). As innie Mark concludes his reveal to Devon, he asks about the presence of Kobel, and eventually, Devon realizes that Selvig is Kobel. This, of course, prompts the ultimately successful search for the baby. Nothing in this sequence implies that Selvig/Kobel intended to kidnap the baby.
Re opening credits
It stuns me still that streaming shows don’t take advantage of creating a great opening credits sequence. Mostly eliminated from broadcast due to upping commericals, a streamer could easily provide one.ER had such an evocative and memorable one. And an opening sequence for the Pitt wouldn’t have to mimic that. How brilliant would it be just to show different images of the cast arriving at work and then immediately cut to each of them getting in their cars or waiting at the bus or subway station after a grueling shift. Just the contrast showing the toll what o cured within the Pitt took. Wordless, silent before and after shots intercut w nature scenes of the city
The opening credits sequence is the one place on each episode they don’t have to constantly spend money on. Do it once, well, and then simply leave it be or tweak each season as needed. But this bit of video is paid for already and can only enhance the view if if done well. I never skip the openings for Pachinko for instance as it gets me in the mood for the show BUT most streamers wisely have a "stop intro" link the user can click. So we get to choose our own adventure
In the article about old people on TV, you mentioned the relative lack of mobility issues on A Man on the Inside. This made me think of the recent movie Thelma, with June Squibb, in which mobility issues provide some of the plot points, including but not limited to the scooter she boosts from Richard Roundtree. (RIP.)
Alan, your discussion of how you watched the Severance episodes resurfaced an old question I come back to when reading your recaps (especially the denser ones): What is your process for watching and then recapping a show? How many times do you watch an episode before writing a recap? And how do you seemingly easily recall characters and details from earlier episodes or seasons? Good note-taking? Excellent memory?
Good note-taking, primarily. And I very rarely watch episodes twice. I did that for a time on Mad Men, but then when screeners went away and I had to write them live on Sunday nights, I had neither the time nor energy to continue doing that.
I just finished Kite Man Hell Yeah and ended up really liking it. If that’s all she wrote, I hope they can bring some of those characters to Harley Quinn. The Bane/Goldilocks story was hilarious but surprisingly poignant! I will miss Golden Glider and Malice.
I don’t normally read multiple reviews for a show - Severance is an exception. But I did notice a couple of times that the reviewer said they had seen the first 6 episodes. I was curious if this was common - some reviewers (like yourself) getting more to view in advance than others? Is it a credibility / reputation thing ?
I noticed this pattern as well. Another critic had been given only 6 of 12 Shrinking episodes this season, while Alan got 11. Maybe it’s an Apple TV+ thing?
I received the book on Tuesday. I'm about 135 pages in. I'm enjoying it, but I do wish that your publisher had used a slightly larger font. I suspect that it wanted to minimize the cost of the book. I get it, but the layout is particularly tight in my opinion.
Congratulations.
You more or less suspect correctly. There were many discussions of various page counts, and what they would cost both the publisher and the consumer. Paper's not cheap. Do I wish the font was a bit bigger? Yes. Do I understand that we didn't want this to feel prohibitively expensive? Also yes.
I appreciate the comments about the font. I was going to go for the "hard copy" but will wait for the Kindle version. At 66, I'm not ready to join Ted Danson at Pacific View but some concessions to age must be made.
As someone who loved the journey of The Return but is still VERY conflicted about the ending, a part of me wishes they'd left it on the note Fire Walk with Me ended on. BOB is still in the world, but Cooper's in the lodge protecting Laura. There was more hope there than people gave credit for.
What's the best way to rewatch Breaking Bad, El Camino and Better Call Saul?
Order of release, I would say. That, or Breaking Bad, then El Camino, then Saul.
Fully agree. These guys were skilled enough to not require we rejigger the order.
I've always wondered how much Jeopardy! edits those interviews. It's sometimes obvious that there's no way the contestant could tell their story in 20 seconds, but I've never been able to notice an obvious cut.
Well, they do cut back and forth between the contestant and Ken, so it's not impossible. On the days I was there, there were definitely some reshoots during the commercial breaks if Ken needed to say something more clearly. I don't recall if any of his interview responses were redone, but they definitely didn't have the contestants reshoot anything.
They for sure edit the interviews. My mom was on the show 20 years ago and Alex asked her about her work as a civil rights attorney. He said something like "oh what kind of job discrimination do you see" or something like that and my mom gave way more details about racial intimidation and sexual harrasment than a gameshow wanted to air. So that was cut drastically.
When I was on the show I think my anecdotes more or less aired as is. But I was a bit more concise haha.