Gah, what a boring hour. Or was it two? All the hype over this show, and it came across to me as *My Name Is Earl * with a shitty cast and bad script. I’m sure it’ll have its defenders. Hell, maybe I’m the only one who didn’t like it. But the only way I’ll ever watch it again is if someone can explain it to me and make me think I need to.
A shitty cast? Ed O’Neill? Rebecca De Mornay? Luis Guzman? I even liked Luke Perry.
Heroin addiction. . .multi-generational story lines. . .characters with history. . .mysterious outsider.
I didn’t think the script was bad at all. For an opening hour to introduce and distinguish, what, 8 different characters?
I thought it was a good script, well-acted and introduced more than enough intrigue to keep me interested.
And shit, it had to follow the Sopranos final.
Besides, with Milch creating it, even if you didn’t like the first episode, you gotta give him the benefit of the doubt, no?
I found it baffling but engaging. It reminded me much more of David Lynch than Deadwood. I think I’m intrigued enough to keep watching for a little while anyway. I just hope the show provides some answers and doesn’t become too much of a jerk off about the mysteries.
If John is a space alien or Jesus or a Hindu avatar or David Blaine’s bastard nephew just let us know and don’t be endlessly cute and coy about it. I will assume that Milch has no real answer, just a setup, and I will lose interest.
By the way. Rebecca De Mornay is the hottest grandma EVER.
I’d say that sums up my experience, too.
John reminded me a lot of Jeff Bridges’ character in Starman.
I’ve never heard of it, but that name sounds a bit like the band “Eddie from Ohio”…
Same here. And, I got real bored with Carnivale after a while. Hopefully this goes somewhere logical, but I’m on guard.
Still too early to call either way, I think.
I spent more time looking at my husband and going “Huh?” than I ever did during any other show.
That being said, I liked it. I really want to see where this is going. John had me in stitches.
Incidentally, I wonder if the character’s last name, Monad, is in any way significant. That term has significance (of different sorts) in Hinduism, Classical philosophy and in Gnosticism. Unsurprisingly, one of the possibilities is a designation for God.
I’m disappointed in it, especially since this is the reason that David Milch isn’t doing anything more with Deadwood. On the bright side, it’s got the doper Jim Beaver (whom you may remember was Whitney Ellsworth in Deadwood) in it.
And there’s definitely something up with John. Figuring out the mystery is probably what they intend as the hook to keep us interested.
And I was going to say something about the name Monad, but I see that Diogenes the Cynic already has.
I was intrigued enough to keep watching.
Since they’re resurrected Luke Perry and Ed O’Neill, can Tracey Ullman be far behind?
It is also touched on by Jesus: I and the Father are one… You are in me, I am in Him, and He is in me. Monism is intricately intertwined with essentialism.
Now, this might be so obvious, its not even worth mentioning, but my wife sort of missed it, so. . .
Did y’all notice that whenever someone asked if he had something, he just pulled it out of his pockets. First the Vietnam guy (who I think was Beaver) said, “I can give you a ride, but I’ll need 50 bucks.” Boom, 50 bucks.
Then, Butchie said, “you better have my drugs or my 2300.” 2300.
Then, he said, “do you have something with your name on it” and he pulled out the credit card. (that’s about when it dawned on her)
John from Cincinnati = JC, as in John Connor, as in John Coffey (or whatever the Green Mile guys name was), etc. How lame.
You forgot Jesus Christ. 
It looks moderately intriguing; there wasn’t anything earth-shakingly interesting about it. It doesn’t help that I think surfing is very nearly as boring as golf. I may check out the next couple of episodes, but I doubt it’s my cup of tea.
I noticed it with the $50. The Vietnam Vet guy made a point of being surprised he had the exact amount. His next question should have been: Do you have Halle Berry in there?
Wow. Rebecca De Mornay as a grandmother. Now that makes me feel really old…
I figure that they’re supposed to be late 40’s.
Maybe they had a kid when they were 18. Their kid had a kid when he was 18, and that kid is now 13.
Rebecca Demornay turns 48 in August, and Bruce Greenwood turns 51 in August, so the casting works for your estimates.
I didn’t enjoy watching it very much, but found myself thinking about it several times today, which is usually a sign that I actually like something. It had a strange quality to it, kind of haunting. I’ll give it another week before I cancel HBO at least.