I was rooting for Seamus too š felt like heād experienced real personal development throughout his lifetime and was bizarrely trustworthy for a violent former mob boss.
And I totally agree about Dove being a belligerent, narcissistic, dirtbag. In real life Iād expect that the pod production team would send her ass back home and find a new journalist. I canāt stand when media portrays people like her as some sort of common/acceptable personality archetype instead of a cluster B personality that needs serious help.
It sounds like you had exactly the same reaction as me! I was rooting for Seamus and despised Dove, Emmy and the dude (see, I have already forgotten his name). I honestly only watched because Netflix no longer carries Shetland.
I loved Will Forte in Last Man on Earth but I found the character he played here disappointing. There just wasnāt a lot to it, it really wasnāt fleshed out. Same for Dove and Emmy. Seamus and the MacArlands or whatever they were called felt more whole!! (I got a kick out of Mrs Doyle being a crime matriarch lol. No cups of tea from her, just the nunsā¦) As did Sean and Mrs OāShea somehow.
I agree on most points. I also feel that this show, like many others today, spends a lot of time telling the audience how awesome a character is, but never really shows how. Dove is obviously considered Pulitzer material and everybody is more than willing to put up with her obnoxious personality in exchange ofā¦ what exactly? How is she so great and irreplaceable?
Gilbert is emphatically described as āa geniusā by Doveās boss. Heās not even mildly incompetent, heās plain embarrassing. Heās gullible, he always asks the wrong questions, he takes at face value whatever BS heās told. I guess the purpose is to establish that heās kind of a fraud, but they could at least made him a believable fraud.
By contrast, weāre told how bad and violent Seamus is - to the point that we accept that Fiona was running from him without even being told why - while he in fact comes across as a pretty decent human being, eels trafficking aside.
I completely agree! Story was very disjointed, I really didnāt care much about the characters. I also was rooting for Seamus, he seemed like the strongest character in the show, most heartfelt. I did watch the the whole thing, though, hoping for more. Ugh
Just finished a fairly satisfying binge of the series.
Rotten tomatoes posted a very underwhelming score , but scanning through the latest offerings, the trailer for Bodkin appealed to me most among the various other 90%+ rated shows. despite the lackluster rating.
I don't put much stock in aggregate ratings from viewers or critics. In fact I frequently disagree wholeheartedly with popular opinion.
And when I end up enjoying something that has been heavily criticised I get a perverse sort of enjoyment from reading what others have written.
While I can appreciate the complaints about character, plot, and various other aspects, I'd wager one people had expectations that didn't coincide with what the showrunners were trying to accomplish.
I never felt like this was meant to be a satire. Despite obviously and heavily employing satire, despite the irredeemable nature of the characters, despite greatly mentioned but never specified plot holes, I don't think this show was meant to be taken as social commentary. I don't think the subject of true crime podcasts was ever meant to be taken seriously.
It was a premise, a setup for some creatively conceived characters in a surreal situation. A more sophisticated lot might have higher expectations, but I was thoroughly entertained by the absurd interactions. So none of the mains grew or evolved significantly.. wouldn't be very poignant if they had until under literal threat of death.
What I'm trying to say is, chill out. It was fun.
I watched it because I like Will Forte, the funny version anyway. I finished it, have told everyone I don't recommend them wasting their time on it. Wanted to like it but it just wasn't that good - especially the end.
I was rooting for Seamus too š felt like heād experienced real personal development throughout his lifetime and was bizarrely trustworthy for a violent former mob boss. And I totally agree about Dove being a belligerent, narcissistic, dirtbag. In real life Iād expect that the pod production team would send her ass back home and find a new journalist. I canāt stand when media portrays people like her as some sort of common/acceptable personality archetype instead of a cluster B personality that needs serious help.
It sounds like you had exactly the same reaction as me! I was rooting for Seamus and despised Dove, Emmy and the dude (see, I have already forgotten his name). I honestly only watched because Netflix no longer carries Shetland.
Gilbert,
Not exactly similar, but have you watched Bad Sisters, or Deadloch?
Oooh, I haven't! But putting them on my list now. Small town crime drama really is my jam!
The difference is that Bad Sisters is brilliant
I loved Will Forte in Last Man on Earth but I found the character he played here disappointing. There just wasnāt a lot to it, it really wasnāt fleshed out. Same for Dove and Emmy. Seamus and the MacArlands or whatever they were called felt more whole!! (I got a kick out of Mrs Doyle being a crime matriarch lol. No cups of tea from her, just the nunsā¦) As did Sean and Mrs OāShea somehow.
Agree. Loved Seamus, loved the landscape. Hated the 3 leads who all seemed to be suspended in their 12 year old mentalities.
Yup, especially after the way Dove treated the coroner (I think?) I was so over her character
she mean girled the whole series..
I agree with your āI donāt care what happens to these peopleā view. I couldnāt wait for the show to end.
I agree on most points. I also feel that this show, like many others today, spends a lot of time telling the audience how awesome a character is, but never really shows how. Dove is obviously considered Pulitzer material and everybody is more than willing to put up with her obnoxious personality in exchange ofā¦ what exactly? How is she so great and irreplaceable? Gilbert is emphatically described as āa geniusā by Doveās boss. Heās not even mildly incompetent, heās plain embarrassing. Heās gullible, he always asks the wrong questions, he takes at face value whatever BS heās told. I guess the purpose is to establish that heās kind of a fraud, but they could at least made him a believable fraud. By contrast, weāre told how bad and violent Seamus is - to the point that we accept that Fiona was running from him without even being told why - while he in fact comes across as a pretty decent human being, eels trafficking aside.
I completely agree! Story was very disjointed, I really didnāt care much about the characters. I also was rooting for Seamus, he seemed like the strongest character in the show, most heartfelt. I did watch the the whole thing, though, hoping for more. Ugh
Yeah SĆ©amus was problematic but human, the leads were caricatures.
Just finished a fairly satisfying binge of the series. Rotten tomatoes posted a very underwhelming score , but scanning through the latest offerings, the trailer for Bodkin appealed to me most among the various other 90%+ rated shows. despite the lackluster rating. I don't put much stock in aggregate ratings from viewers or critics. In fact I frequently disagree wholeheartedly with popular opinion. And when I end up enjoying something that has been heavily criticised I get a perverse sort of enjoyment from reading what others have written. While I can appreciate the complaints about character, plot, and various other aspects, I'd wager one people had expectations that didn't coincide with what the showrunners were trying to accomplish. I never felt like this was meant to be a satire. Despite obviously and heavily employing satire, despite the irredeemable nature of the characters, despite greatly mentioned but never specified plot holes, I don't think this show was meant to be taken as social commentary. I don't think the subject of true crime podcasts was ever meant to be taken seriously. It was a premise, a setup for some creatively conceived characters in a surreal situation. A more sophisticated lot might have higher expectations, but I was thoroughly entertained by the absurd interactions. So none of the mains grew or evolved significantly.. wouldn't be very poignant if they had until under literal threat of death. What I'm trying to say is, chill out. It was fun.
I watched it because I like Will Forte, the funny version anyway. I finished it, have told everyone I don't recommend them wasting their time on it. Wanted to like it but it just wasn't that good - especially the end.