Goliath is a new 8-episode series about a washed out lawyer who goes up against his former mega-firm. I’ve always liked Billy Bob Thornton, and the rest of the cast tried their damnedest to make this thing work, and there may even be some Emmy noms in the offing, but you really can’t overcome poor writing/plotting. The washed out lawyer/cop with quirky friends has become something of a meme, so if you’re going to make a new version, it really needs to be riveting. This was not, IMO, and the last episode
failed utterly, was completely unbelievable and even downright stupid.
I’m four episodes into it and am not sure of it. I don’t know if it’s bad but it’s certainly using many tropes.
However, here’s my question for the dopers.
Has anything even close to these kind of dramas ever happened? I have no doubt that big companies use money for bribes to get things stopped. But going to the level that this show (or some Grisham novels) show? Killing people? Framing people? Having hitmen or other criminals available?
I can’t imagine that it goes that far but am curious.
I watched it a few weeks ago. The first two eps were awesome… the next couple not so much. It held my interest the whole way but I was a little dissapointed in the end. It seemed that rather than resolve everything they left some things out there for a possible second season.
Thanks What the . . . ??? for that. I also thought the setup was great and BB was doing a good job. I also liked the lawyer who pulled him into it. I just trailed off because after that initial go, then it started feeling like a standard court room drama.
I enjoyed it, but they left some things dangling which is OK by me. I was kind of surprised that Billy McBride didn’t find a way to make amends with Brittany Gold. Maybe that will come next season?
I never watched Lost, so this was the first time I remember seeing Tania Ramonde since she was the ‘ugly’ girl on Malcolm in the Middle. Holy Cow has she changed!
I really like Dwight Yoakam. I have to remind myself sometimes that this is the same guy who has recorded five Billboard #1 albums, twelve gold albums, and nine platinum albums, including a triple platinum album! Also I wonder what type of relationship he has with with Billy Bob Thornton (they were in Sling Blade, and other projects together).
Dwight Yoakam and Billy Bob Thornton were both also friends with Warren Zevon and guested on several albums, including ‘The Wind’ which had both of them on it. I gather they were part of a circle of friends or acquaintances in L.A.
I enjoyed the series, but the finale was not very good. It seemed rushed and disjointed, like they knew they had to wrap it up and just started throwing things in.
Dammit, they LOST that case. No jury would have found for them. They had no fucking case. The bad guy didn’t need to kill anyone, because they had no evidence. The settlement they offered was a fucking gift and any lawyer worth his salt would have jumped on it because it was in the best interest of his client.
I believe Cooperman was injured in a war and the scene was a dream/imaginary. I want to say I recall that being referenced, and Cooperman referenced serving his country in the army, I think, while on the stand.
It was entertaining but I feel a bit scummy after it. The characters were broad stereotypes, from the disfigured bad guy to the hooker with a heart of Brittany Gold. I also felt slimy about BB’s and Brittany’s end - he was heartless in so many ways with her. A bit too antihero for me and it clashed with the sympathy we’re supposed to feel when he listens to Rachel’s voicemail on repeat after things happen. But it entertained. Billy Bob engages as an actor and the other actors dos well, like Nina Ariadne as Patty the young lawyer.
And finally, I really wish the Brittney character’s arc wasn’t so cliche and yucky. I had never heard of Tania Raymonde but find her really gorgeous, but it felt skeevy thinking so as she got used and tossed aside. That pic from Malcolm in the Middle is hilarious.
Agreed. The characters were great, but the courtroom stuff (and the lengths to which the defendants went outside of court) was so ridiculous that it took me out of it. I’ll watch the next season just for the characters, though.
Oh, and it is funny to keep insulting the judge and asking your contempt tab to keep getting larger? Any judge would toss your ass in the lockup for that.
