Review – Episodes – Episode 7 (S01Ep07)
Sex as Revenge 101
This week:
Matt admits to Beverly that Sean didn’t sleep with Morning. Sean goes to see Matt to say goodbye. Pucks gets some testing.
Pluses:
This episode was always going to be predictable, but they handled it well.
Matt unable to keep a secret or even glaze over the truth successfully.
Best fight scene in a long time, very funnily done.
Board room scene.
Minuses:
Matt hanging around a fight.
Sean being indignant, as the only reason he didn’t pursue was because he was shut down by Morning.
The ending, once the Beverly and Matt incident occurred was always going to happen. I didn’t count on Sean finding out so soon. This was a quirky little show that I certainly enjoyed. It will be interesting to see if it comes back next season, and how they are going to make a show about making a show a la Grosse Point.
#threeandahalfbritimportpandas
Review – Episodes – Episode 6
Yeah, Joey was created when Friends was big, but I was hungry while choosing the scents.
This week:
Beverly is hurt and lashes out. Matt is in the middle and takes advantage of his situation. Sean has to make the best of a bad lot. The fate of Pucks hangs in the balance.
Pluses:
Beverly’s and Matt’s seaside discussion about why Pucks isn’t Lyman’s Boys.
Sean calling and calling.
Merc and Sean at lunch – just how quick Merc moves on.
Why Merc had lunch with Sean.
Cinamon.
Matt’s décor.
Tamsin Greig's acting as she tempers her hurt, with contempt and anger.
Minuses:
Matt being a dick.
Bad CGI.
The end is in sight, not just for this season, but for Pucks, Sean and Matt’s friendship, and Sean and Beverley’s marriage. While the next episode is a little predictable – does anyone not think that Pucks will get picked up? While I know some people just haven’t embraced this series, I do rather enjoy it.
#fourpandas
Review – Episodes – Episode Five (S01Ep05)
No really, who have you got to play Lyman?
This week:
LeBlanc, Sean and the plastic surgery queen, Morning, head to a Rape Benefit. Beverly gets jealous and her and Carol share some secrets.
Pluses:
Beverly in the final shot - fantastic acting.
Character development of Sean - not the Morning arc, but why Beverly doesn’t trust him.
Carol almost genuine.
Even when you are enjoying/tolerating success, someone is more successful.
Some great throw away lines regarding the Rape Benefit - Including the Rape Goodie Bag.
Male thinking.
Minuses:
Would like to see more of Tommy (?), their old assistant.
This episode showed us exactly why Beverly was leaving Sean in the pilot. Even though it was done with humour, the pain was evident. Great episode.
#fourandahalfpandasinthedark
PS. I have just seen Episode Six and it was brilliant! The "next week" section looks even better!
Review – Episodes – Episode Four (S01Ep04)
And that is why female characters aren't gay on tv.
This week:
Matt gets smashed at a dive bar over the loss of custody of his kids. Beverly and Sean decide to rescue him. We see two very different sides of LeBlanc’s character.
Pluses:
PSSST! Which is your car.
Lack of privacy and bad choices in Hollywood.
Spanish.
LeBlanc character development.
Beverly in the morning.
Minuses:
Not a lot actually happened in this episode. It was all about developing LeBlanc.
I remember finding it really funny, but it wasn’t memorable.
Sometimes I think this show is like Chinese. Really yummy on the consumption, then less than filling and frequently unmemorable.
#threepuckspandas
Review – Episodes – Episode Three (S01Ep03)
An arm? Without a hand, yes, but an arm?
This week:
We are at read through stage. We meet the rest of the cast. Watch some filming. Sean goes to Vegas and we learn about Matt LeBlanc’s penis.
Pluses:
The long view to a character being a lesbian.
LeBlanc and his member.
Tamsin Greig’s timing.
Sean thinking he looked hot in Matt's car.
Nothing is what it seems, even if some looks at you dead in the face and tells you they are looking at you.
Morning Randolph as Juliet Grey.
A couple of total laugh out loud moments for me.
Minuses:
I can see the US market not getting the humour.
The Merc eating scene - shockingly over done.
The more I think about this show, the more it feels like a UK show made in the US - given that is what they are trying to do in the plot, it makes me think about the analogy even more. Alternatively, I could just be looking for subtext where there isn’t any. It is definitely improving each week.
#threepandas
Review – Episodes – Episode Two (S01Ep02)
Merc hangs himself while his blind wife tells yet another story
This week:
The Lincolns catch up for lunch with Matt LeBlanc and reconfirm their knowledge that he is 100% wrong for the show. The network however couldn’t care less and the show is going to be a hit with LeBlanc as the star. A hollywood hills dinner party just sees them sink ever lower into the mire that is “show business.”
Pluses:
I do like the running joke with the guard of their gated community.
Fish out of water scenarios.
Merc’s wife and Merc’s abject lack of respect.
LeBlanc twisting for his own mercurial gains.
Minuses:
Starting to feel a little worn in parts.
I know I said this last post, but I do want to see them during the re-write and production phases, as I think that is where this show can really get its witty dialogue happening, rather than relying on situational comedy.
#threepandas
Review – Episodes – Pilot: Episode One (S01Ep01)
It is like everyone is a caricature of someone they have worked with and hated.
Synopsis:
The Lincolns (Green Wing stars Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan) are a BAFTA winning, husband and wife writing duo, of a hit show in the UK (Lyman’s Boys). They are wooed by Hollywood to do a US version of their successful, high brow comedy show. With the promise that all the work is done (the scripts will just be recycled), they agree cross the pond. However, as we all know, things in Hollywood work differently to the real world, and they are quickly in over their head and their show is spinning out of control.
This week:
We start in the current and commence our trip back to see how we got there. The Lincolns realise very quickly that nothing in Hollywood is what it seems.
Pluses:
Really liked Myra the unfunny head of comedy (though I think she will get old fast).
The lack of sincerity of everyone and the fakeness of everything (including the house fixtures) in Hollywood.
I didn't mind the character Carol.
Good representation of a husband and wife.
"Matt LeBlanc" *dead silence*
Minuses:
It didn't really seem to gel. This episode was more like a flashback vs the retelling of how we got to where we are.
Disingenuous is one thing, but constantly the joke wears a little thin.
Did they really think it was going to be OK - I mean didn't they read their contract?
Seemed slow.
On the whole, this episode of Episodes didn't instil me with much confidence until I saw the "next episode" preview - and that looked much better. I think once we get into the actual making of the show it will pick up, and I am looking forward to being a fly on the wall when they try and rewrite an intellectual comedy for Matt LeBlanc. It is getting some extra panda love for it being a clever concept.
#twopandas
