Good point. I’ll give you that character’s changes.
Just thought of another: Bruce Greenwood’s character has improved in the past few episodes: he’s been gone!
I bow to you all for being able to stick with this series and have any interest. I watched week one but have been unable to build up enough interest to catch up via video on demand since then. Sad when I find CSI reruns more appealing.
I agree with an earlier comment and can’t understand why this is being broadcast on Sunday night instead of Big Love
I think we’re hampered in our understanding of these people because we never got to know them before things got crazy. Or crazier than usual.
For all we know, Butchie may have had periods of sobriety where he tried to connect with Shaunie. What does a cokehead look like after 15-20 years of steady using? Not like Butchie, I’ll betcha.
We really don’t know much about them. They can’t have been like this for the past 15 years, can they? Who could survive that?
Maybe John was the catalyst that finally broke the family.
I don’t know how else to describe this show other than to say it is a painful cock-tease. Every time you start to think “something” is going to happen…nada.
I think the only reason I bother to watch is to see if there is a payoff somewhere.
I would not recommend this show to anybody, but will keep letting them diddle with my diddle, but boy - this whoreshow had better be worth the effort or I ain’t leavin’ a tip on the nightstand.
According to this Milch doesn’t know what it’s about.
I’m only watching it now because I started and want some form of payoff hopefully Al Swerengen, Dan and Wu turn up with knives and pigs and eliminate the entire cast.
Deadwood was far better than this, and had much more interesting characters.
I gave up weeks ago. My husband has expressed interest in watching, but the episodes are just sitting in the Tivo queue, especially since Psych, Dr. Who, Eureka, and 4400 have come back.
I agree the show is a tease. At first I thought it might be cool, since confirmed supernatural shit was happening, and the characters acknowledged it (cf. Lost). But then the characters just kind of went about their weird-ass business and acted nothing like real people. I have better things to do with my time.
But I’ll keep reading here, because I’m curious how the season will turn out, whether there will ever be revelations (heh), and basically WTF is going on.
Did anyone think that the business with lottery-winner-guy talking about turning the motel into a theater, and how could anyone not find that interesting, was a bit of an “up yours” to people complaining about the theater plot from Deadwood?
I agree with the general consensus here… I’m finding that watching the show is becoming a chore, not something I look forward to. But I’m still intrigued.
I guess I’m in the minority, because, as I indicated above, I don’t find it a chore, I’m definitely looking forward to each episode. I’m really hoping that it comes together, even though:
– In the past, Milch has had trouble coming up with payoffs to meet his build-ups (I’m looking at you NYPD Blue); and
– I’m prepared to concede that this show might be evidence that Milch is back on drugs.
I alway love the dialogue though, no matter what.
(Hell, I even watched The Big Apple. Did anybody else do that? Huh? Didja? …I think I’m David Milch’s bitch.)
It is kind of odd. Strange timing and backtracking. I like odd. I wait to see where it goes. It could have a spectacular crackup at the end.
Episode 9 is in the books (8/05). Didn’t we just have a Shaun is missing episode a few weeks ago? Again I have to ask, why this instead of Deadwood?
Spoiler from the previews:
They said in the previews that the season ender would have some answers. I’m not sure that I believe it.
On the bright side, that was a nice tramp stamp that Tina was showing off early in the episode. 
How many more episodes this season? I’m trying to stick it out to the end but it’s getting tougher and tougher.
You think Conchords is about something. I watch them both and like both. John has to go somewhere fast .Last episode is next week. They have some very interesting actors in the cast.
I believe the upcoming episode is the last.
I just today discovered the episode summaries written by Steve Hawk. They add some much needed insights on Milch’s thinking.
I found the Hawk summaries at another board – not through the HBO website. Hell, I couldn’t even find these at the website.
I cheated. I watched the last two weeks. It’s only fair, as I can’t really trash the show without sticking around to the end.
Apparently Shaun is gone. Just like this show.
We’ll find out next sunday night what it all means, or maybe not. Mitch will be up in the air again, we might find out why Butchie’s implants smoked, and where oh where is Zippy?
Was that Johnny Fever from Cincinatti in the last episode? Wait. John from Cincinatti. It’s all making sense now… As god as my witness, turkeys can’t fly, but Mitch can!
Fuck this show. I would be so pissed if I were anyone involved in Big Love and get thrown to monday night over this. I will now cook 800 hot dogs, which makes as much sense as this ridiculous exercise in stupidity.
Yet I watch it to the bitter end
Thanks for that - it certainly does add something the show has been lacking . . . I know - sense!
From Milch’s own words, it seems his goal is to avoid conveying anything in a direct manner, avoiding dialog or action which might elucidate any type of meaning, and instead to communicate his themes in some subliminal fashion. Very, uh, artistic, but in the end it just makes the show suck.
Well, I didn’t notice it, but over on that other board people are saying that they saw Zippy as a small bulge in the chest area of one of the stick figures. 
or :rolleyes: You decide.
Yeah, that’s really . . . so the idea is that nothing happens except subtext? Gosh, that’s . . . well, you know what I’m saying.
If Shaun is gone ,how do you have a season 2?
Finally caught up on the past two episodes, and I’m thrilled that I only have to suffer through one more hour before I never have to think about this POS again.
Amen. Both Cass and especially Tina are smokin’ hot, and at least make me feel better about all the time I wasted watching this dreck.
The whole show so stupid as to boggle the mind. Linc gets bought out for 65 million?! They had better be talking about pennies. If they mean dollars, then that’s nothing but a viscious attack on the intelligence of every single viewer.
It’s just so remarkably bad in every conceivable way. I can imagine the pitch meeting:
David Milch: “I have an idea for a show about the fucking second coming set in fucking modern times.”
HBO Executive: “I don’t know how that will play to our liberal audience.”
DM: “They’ll fucking love it. In my show, Jesus is a fucking retard.”
HBOE: “I love it! The only thing is, my nephew has a hard-on about surfing, so I promised him the next new show would have lots of surfing.”
DM: “No fucking problem, I’ll fucking write it as The Retarded Jesus Saves a Bunch of Worthless Surfing Losers. That’ll really fucking piss off all those fucking whiny, annoying fucking Deadwood fanboys. God fucking damn I fucking hate those fuckers.”
Seriously, is Milch incapable of writing a single line of dialogue without some form of the word “fuck”?
I can play too: Fuck David Milch.
I think I gave up on day 7. It just wasn’t holding my interest anymore. If the finale gives some kind of clue what’s going on perhaps I’ll catch it.
I did love most of the supporting cast, Garson, Guzman, O’Neill, Perry, Van Holt, Keala Kennelly. They were superb and deserve better. I have to agree the theme song rocks and I have to get a copy.
Oh, and Ellis Dee they only said “cocksucker” about six times in JFC so that’s not so bad. 
Have to add: If nothing else this show has taught me to spell Cincinnati correctly without checking.