Debuts on HBO

[Johny Cee]

So....

Anyone else catch the new episode of the Sopranos or the premiere of Big Love?

Sopranos:

Felt light for being the first episode after 2 years.  Way too much time devoted to whatever the low-level soldier's name was.  Certainly a twist at the end....

Going to end there as not to drop too many spoilers.

Big Love:

It was interesting.  Well written,  alternative viewpoints. 

Nothing grabbed me as much as the intros to Deadwood or Rome.

Were the promos for "Elizabeth I" for a new HBO series,  or a one off movie?  That could be interesting.

Edit:  New Deadwood in June.  Yah!

[WayAbvPar]

Edit:  New Deadwood in June.  Yah!

I just heard this. When the last season ended, they said S3 would start in March. Those fucking cocksuckers better make with the new season and the like, or I will slit their fucking throats for 'em.

Swedgin! Hang Dai!

[Rasix]

I liked the Sopranos episode.  Last scene had me worried though.  Junior is fucking crazy.

As for Big Love.. we're TIVOing it, but I accidentally flipped to it for a second and saw a naked Bill Paxton.  Not sure I'm going to give this one a chance.

[tazelbain]

Sopranos: kinda sucked but I accept that it is a building episode.
Big Love: It's ok, but I think re-runs of Futurama is better. The only interesting character seems to be the oldest daughter who deciding if she wants to embrace the family's lifestyle(religion) or run away from it.  But everyone else is pretty forgetable.

[Abagadro]

I think the devotion of so much time to the underling's story is going to be for the purpose of juxtaposing the "way out" of the life that Tony is going to try to accomplish.

[El Gallo]

Every single episode of that show has made me want to smash Christopher's skull in with a crowbar just a little bit more.  I can't wait until that motard gets what's coming to him.  Preferably by Phil. 

My man Sack being in prison makes me 

[SnakeCharmer]

Sopranos:

Intertesting season premier...A bit disjointed.

It almost made me think the entire episode was composed of scenes from future episodes. 

Couple thoughts:

After Geno whacked Teddy S at the direction of Chris, he whiped blood from his cheek on a map in his car.  Shortly after he's talking to the FBI?  Something isnt right...Makes you wonder if he got busted, the murder of Teddy S was pinned on him (verified by blood sample), and he copped a plea.  Also, before he hung himself, he was speaking to Silv about getting out, and Silv's mood wasnt his normal self...Almost depressed, when he said "i wouldnt bother him with it right now"...

One of the guys said (I think it was Chris), "Whatever happens, the captains will be taken care of"...

Chris's order to Geno to take out Teddy, he was speaking on behalf of Geno's captain (cant remember who that is), as if the captain had enough to worry about (filling in for Tony / acting boss?).  Also, Chris seemed a bit out of sorts, hurried, rushed, distraught.  Something wasnt right.

Other things didnt add up...I'll post more later..About to head home from work ;)

[Morfiend]

I watched it. I didnt think it was anything special. Like it has already been stated, very disjointed, not sure if thats what they where going for or not. For me Sopranos was always one of the "push the envelope" type shows. After 2 seasons of "The Shield" Sopranos just feels a bit Meh to me. Ill still watch it, but I also wont shed any tears if my DVR forgets to record a episode or two.

[SnakeCharmer]

It was a bit of a sublime episode, reaching a crescendo at the end.  Gonna watch it again tonight pay a bit more attention (I really want TiVo...). 

Interesting how they didnt show scenes from the next episode like they usually do.

[Johny Cee]

Big Love: It's ok, but I think re-runs of Futurama is better. The only interesting character seems to be the oldest daughter who deciding if she wants to embrace the family's lifestyle(religion) or run away from it.  But everyone else is pretty forgetable.

The family's lifestyle appears to be spiritual without any organized religion, beyond the bare minimum to keep the Prophet and the rest off their backs.

I think that was the point of the new waitress talking to the daughter,  and with Nikki who seems to feel a spiritual hole that she's trying to cram consumer goods in.  Nikki feels lost without the structure,  which is why she tried to voice reservations about going back to the outside with her father.

On the other side,  a corrupt and rigid hierarchy embodied by the Prophet's family.

Interesting takes on religious people,  covering the gamut from the wacko (Roman the Prophet,  Rhonda his 14 year old "wife") to the rational-spiritual (Barb the first wife, daughter) to the innocent, well-meaning, and involved (the new waitress).

The daughter's prime motivation seems to be a feeling of abandonment because her father is stretched between the three wives and their children....

Well, we'll see.  If the show continues along the path of addressing family, consumerism/materialism vs. spirituality vs. religion, and the stress of life it might be interesting.  If it devolves into empty stereotypes and shock! moments (I'm looking at you, middle three episodes of Rome), then blah.

I do think that Rome pulled itself out of potential rut (I never want to see Octavian's mother having sex again,  or engaged in childish scheming unless it almost immediately bites her in the ass) for a great ending arc.  Pullo and Verenus!

And I wouldn't mind some more Cleopatra.....

[Furiously]

My cousin-in-law is one of the writing assistants on Big Love - so I'll be happy to pass along any comments :)

[Big Gulp]

And I wouldn't mind some more Cleopatra.....

Yeah, she definitely made me happy in the pants.  Plus the fact that Rome seems to have no problem being known as "The nudest show ever!" doesn't hurt it any.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Plus the fact that Rome seems to have no problem being known as "The nudest show ever!" doesn't hurt it any.

Well, as they say... "When in Rome..."

Sorry, someone had to say it.  Figured I'd be the one going to hell for stupid puns tonight.  It fits my mood.

I watched the Sopranos with the husband (when the storms let the dish work properly, that is) and all I could think at the ending scene was "You've got to be kidding me.. what a fucking cliché."  The husband called it about Uncle Junior losing it though earlier in the episode.   Personally, I didn't get the storyline with the one guy trying to get out, maybe because I don't follow the series as closely as my husband.  I hadn't really paid attention and didn't remember that guy, so when he killed himself at the end, it just seemed a cop out.  Since I didn't know his history, the huge desire to retire from the family and move to Florida left me "meh" about his situation.

Disjointed is a good description, but I'm sure there are going to be things that happen in later episodes where we go "Oh yeah!  That was hinted at in the season opener!"  I'm wondering what the whole scale thing was with Tony.  Pretty funny to see him just start taking off clothes there.

[Abagadro]

My cousin-in-law is one of the writing assistants on Big Love - so I'll be happy to pass along any comments

Some of the Utahisms were off. No one who didn't live here would notice though.

I'd be willing to review the scripts for them if they want.  :mrgreen:

[Margalis]

And I wouldn't mind some more Cleopatra.....

Yeah, she definitely made me happy in the pants.  Plus the fact that Rome seems to have no problem being known as "The nudest show ever!" doesn't hurt it any.

Big Gulp, I respectfully ask that you please stop shoving your heterosexuality into all of our faces. Please take your radical agenda someplace more appropriate. Thanks.

(No, I'm not serious)

[Hawken]

"Gotsada Malanga!"

[Johny Cee]

Good episode of the Sopranos tonight.  Some of the set up from the previous episodes is coming to fruition.  Tony is up and back in business,  and I was cracking up at a bunch of things tonight.

Robot Chicken was kind of meh.  I hope Seth Green didn't burn out all his creativity in season 1.

First promos I've seen for Rescue Me's new season, too.  Looking forward to it.

[Fabricated]

There's a new season of Bullshit on the way too, so I'm stoaked. Now all they need to do is get Season 3 on DVD.

[Johny Cee]

Okay....  Thoughts on the season of Sopranos so far?

I'm liking it.  Tony and the gang dealing with an out of the closet Vito.  Pauley Walnuts going completely off his rocker.  A major confrontation with the NYC family drawing inevitably closer......  Hell,  they're trying to kill Frankie Valley ("the mayor of munchkin-land").

I'm a little put off by the sheer number of actors from Goodfellas that are starting to show up.  Christopher/Spider,  Phil Leotardo/Billy Batts have been around for a while.  They've since added the fast talking guy that owned the restaurant in Goodfellas as some NY family guy.

The number of people that could conceivably get killed off keeps escalating, too.  Pauley and Phil Leotardo were the frontrunners, until Vito got outed and Johnny Sacs had the crying jag at his daughter's wedding.

In my dreams,  I want this to turn into a bloodbath between the NY and NJ families.....  Mmmmm.

There's also a pretty big spoiler floating around about upcoming episodes involving Finn (Meadow's fiance).  I'm not going to put it here,  but you can find it by going to Ain't it Cool News and checking the TV section....

If true.....   it's going to really stir the pot up.

As for Big Love, I lost interest a while ago.  Been glancing at Thief on FX, but that's not holding my interest either.

[Abagadro]

I'm a little put off by the sheer number of actors from Goodfellas that are starting to show up.   Christopher/Spider,  Phil Leotardo/Billy Batts have been around for a while.

Don't forget Lorraine Bracco (Karen) and Tony Siroco (he is in the very first cab-stand scene when Liota starts his narration, his name is Tony Stacks).  Even Vincent Pastore had a bit part/nonspeaking role in Goodfellas.