Ray Donovan - Season 4

Half way through Season 4 and no thread for it! Guess SH members aren't keen on this show. I think it's easily the best premium cable prime time show since The Sopranos!

Lots of great twists and turns this season and as always Jon Voight as Mickey always screwing things up.

 

I'm a die-hard fan but.....this season isn't as good as seasons past. Still very watchable though. I had SUCH high expectations when I saw that Ted Levine was going to join the cast this season, but he's been severely underutilized. Same goes for Lisa Bonet. They decided to focus more on the family side of the story and while I enjoy the main characters/players this season feels flat. As is often the case, it's the writing that's the culprit. Originally created and written by Ann Biderman (NYPD Blue, Southland), the show simply hasn't been the same since she left. While it's commendable that they've decided to focus on breast cancer and post partum depression, I think their doing the show a disservice. The overall feel of the show has become somewhat depressing, although it's a drama, it still managed some pretty funny/fun bits in the past. This season it's just gone from dark to darker with no relief in sight. It's a fine line when a crime drama goes the family route. The Sopranos was the best at it, and even they floundered from time to time. it ain't easy!

 

Ugh, this sounds awful. I haven't seen any of the current season, but this has me thinking maybe I won't bother for now. The show runners should put banners up all over the office reading "RAY IS A FIXER! RAY IS A FIXER! RAY IS A FIXER!". Why is it so hard to focus on that? The detours to his daughters rapper boyfriend or her trying to seduce a widower teacher or his wife having an affair should be short and not take up too much time.

 

I'd like to kick his daughters a$$. She makes me nuts with her persistence in screwing up every bodies life.

I have not seen season 4 yet, but I love the show. I think there have been threads on this show.

 

I've loved the show and I will continue to watch but this has been the weakest season by far. Not bad, but not up to the level of the previous seasons.

 

Yeah, Jon Voight kills it in this show. Ray is badass and all, but his O.G. dad is my favorite character

 

There has for each season but nothing for Season 4 at the time of my OP.

 

I think that's the point. Ray can fix anything except his own family.

Chad

 

Yeah, I get that. Someone on the show (usually his wife) spells that out to him every season, so its not like its a subtle theme. I just don't find Ray's family issues nearly as entertaining as when he (and Manny and the under-utilized Lena) are working to squash some issue.

 

This past episode was the best of the season. It took (IMO) too long to get here but the show's finally getting back to form. Ray's back to racing the clock while attempting to 'fix' problems, YAY! Tellyawhat, one of the highlights of the episode was the welcome return of some humor to what's been an overly somber season. The trifecta of Ray, Micky, & Cochran was perfect this week. Highlights was Micky using the dead con (hysterical!), and Cochran telling Ray; "I wasn't always like this. You were born a s***bag, I was worn down". I wish there was a way to make Hank Azaria part of Ray's team as he has great chemistry with Schrieber, don't see it happening though. With the season so near its end, it's too far gone to fix but it's great seeing the old 'spark' in the creative juices, it bodes well for next season!

 

I love this show most of the time

 

The scene with Mickey and his dying cell mate had me HOWLING!

 

Best episode of the season, maybe ever. I always love it when Ray has to take a Hollywood bigwig and basically torture him in order to give up information necessary for his dark purposes. I have no problem with them waterboarding a Hollywood agent.

And now we got the kid with the gun (revealed in the preview). Things are getting dicey.

 

I was waiting for a shot to ring out during the christening party and kill the baby. I wonder who he's going to shoot?

Chad

 

Well, that would take care of that loose plot element.

I got the impression that the changes happening this season (like quickly getting rid of Bunchy's Hispanic wife) were part of the departure of showrunner Ann Biderman last year and new people taking over.

 

she wasn't there last season
So I don't think she had anything to do
With Bunchy wife

 

I'm with you, this was a really solid episode. Waterboarding a sleaze-ball agent, this show has it covered.

I think this season has been just fine, if you remember the plot usually thickens as the shows progress. It's already had some great moments, the re-introduction (yet again) of Cochran, gotta love that guy, the lounge singer with those covers of ELO, the horseshoe heist .... I'm really down with this show

 

One of the funniest things for me was that the movie star decided to walk in and watch the talent agent getting tortured. Yikes...

I also laughed at the casting of Reginald Vel Johnson (from the Die Hard movies and the sitcom Family Matters) as the fat cross-dressing sitcom actor/murderer. If we're lucky, Mr. Johnson will wind up sharing a cell with Mickey Donovan.

 

I agree with others, slow start but the last episodes were pretty great

 

The acting continues to be first-rate. One of the finest casts of any show on TV now. Dash Mihock and Eddie Marsan in particular are very impressive, but everyone is doing great work.

 

One episode left after last night's ep. Looks like it's going to be an All Donovan's vs. The Russian's all hands on deck shoot-out season finale. The kids with Bunchy & Teresa; have to think someone central to the Donovan family is going to get knocked off to keep the show fresh and get people excited for the 5th Season. I think it could be Bunch and Teresa or more likely Terry since he collapsed suddenly in the gym.

 

its amazing how he's always in Hot water ,I guess he wll just kill that Russian big wig This show is very much like Sons of Anarchy (minus the many more bodies, they could never reverse the mistakes they made ,even though they did more stupid things)

 

Last nights episode got me to thinking, while it's (hopefully) a smokescreen, it seems like everybody's not going to come out of this season intact. Presently facing their mortality is Terry, Abby, & Avi. Oddly enough, the character of Bridget has been so seldom seen this season I'm wondering if there may be a behind the scenes explanation, which may or may not lead to her character not returning next year. So I've added her to the list. I think Bunchy's wife is generally disliked so much that her future isn't guaranteed either. I than thought to myself that it can't be Terry, he's kinda/sorta the heart & soul of the show, but than Abby & Avi are also very much part of that equation. Which got me to thinking how Ray Donovan might actually be surpassing the Sopranos as far as how they use/depict the family dynamic as part of the dramatic narrative. Coming from this OG longtime Sopranos fanatic, that's mighty high praise indeed!

 

My hope is that the son gets it, he's needed a tap on the noggin with something large & heavy for quite some time now...

 

Love this show but this season has been the weakest. Story lines that are unnecessary in my opinion, breast cancer and incest what a mix.