The Handmaid's Tale - Hulu

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Deesky, Apr 29, 2017.

  1. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    i'll save that game for the finale. my odds might be slightly better!
     
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  2. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia

    yeah for me the magic was in the show was the original premise.....now we're off the source material and it feels like any other dystopian future streaming show. very well acted though, and the music design etc are top notch
     
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  3. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    i agree with the acting assessment. how much can they really do with the whole one step forward, two steps back of the plot itself though? even fiennes and strahovski seem at least vaguely aware their characters have little left to say or do in this story.
     
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  4. Mylene

    Mylene Senior Member

    No way Joseph would have listened to Leo Sayer. One look at him says he's a Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, Harry Nilsson kind of a guy.
     
  5. But if the whole premise now is to get June out of Gilead with her whole family intact, what else are they supposed to if not show how it all goes down?

    It's obvious to me that the pieces are being put in place for that. We say chess pieces, but is that any different from any other drama?

    Im with you on that very last scene with the closeup of June, though. I was riding high on the episode until that 3-second blast of June's seething face. That moment killed it.
     
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  6. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    That's what you get when the lead actor is also an executive producer.
     
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  7. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia

    same as Claire Danes on Homeland....youre gonna get 2-5 full freakouts per season
     
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  8. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    I was wondering if the "gift" for the baby might have a tracking device?
     
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  9. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia
    yeah its odd how the show feels so different from last season
     
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  10. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident Thread Starter

    It seems like they end every episode like that now. Last season's final episode did the same thing, which I commented on at the time as being rather cheesy, and now it's drinking game worthy.

    I watched the last two eps back to back, and previously the first three eps, and what comes through is just how much they're spinning their wheels. Yes, there are hints of exciting developments here and there, but it's never sustained for long, which is frustrating.

    It can be shown in a more propulsive manner, without filler diversions. Imagine if the time was spent with a tense, suspenseful narrative with no filler and still made use of all the actors' excellent skills as amply demonstrated over two seasons. Not a great season so far.
     
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  11. I think it has more to do with having writers try to stretch a premise beyond its natural concluding story source. While there have been interesting episodes, I find that the series has strayed too much from the
    i agree that they are sett No up things but they are doing so at a glacial pace bringing in more subplot elements that are filler rather than moving the story naturally forward. The first five episodes could easily have been digested, compressed, etc. into two strong episodes rather than breaking out the same story elements (the main ones) over the course of five episodes. This is the same flaw that has hampered many of the Marvel Netflix shows (indeed, it seems a lot of shows lately). With episodic shows it is less of an issue because you have main plots that are self contained or carry over elements but they don’t become the main focus until later rather than slowly develop them and scatter them over the course of 10 or so episodes.

    The over reliance also of these close ups to demonstrate her anger and resolve also takes it into melodramatic area all too often.
     
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  12. Yes thst seems likely to me.
     
  13. I mean, get what you guys are saying, to an extent. I despise padded storytelling just to fill up space. I have no stake in this show, so its like, yeah, I'm still calling it like I see it, and also yes, I lambasted the hell out of Ep.1 of this season. So, no, this season isn't perfect by a long-shot. However, I feel that it's a natural progression, nonetheless, and I can't think of any moments that I would excise...which is why I quoted you, because in theory, they probably could have made 3 episodes of the 5, but not 2.

    The first episode would have to tackle the aftermath of June leaving the baby behind, which would be a full hour, but not handling it like they did.

    Okay, technically you could have chopped all of Ep.2.

    There's a chance you could have combined Ep.3 & Ep.4, taking out all of baptism biz. So, that would be 3 episodes, with leaving Ep.5 intact. But man, that would be packing a lot into on episode in the middle, unless Ep.3 is chopped entirely, as well. It could work without Ep.2 & Ep.3. But they didn't do it that way, so no use in bellyaching over it. :)
     
  14. Which is as it should be. I’d rather have too much plot than not enough. Herein lies the flaw of season two. I will say that parts of four and five improved on the first two. My wife gave up watching it because, as she noted, June would have been killed after the first season or be made an example of so that burst the bubble of the show for her.
     
  15. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia
    we're on S3 but I know what you mean.....my sister bailed on it and she was all in for 2 seasons. I got no one irl to kibbitz about the show with. I wonder if it would've been better to kill june off at the end of s2 and start with a new lead. kind of like (a certain showtime show.....)
     
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  16. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    no more june, and a season all about emily would have been bold, fresh, and exciting. she's not given nearly enough time.
     
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  17. DigMyGroove

    DigMyGroove Forum Resident

    I don't understand all the complaints about Season 3, I for one have been quite satisfied, but I guess I'm in the minority. While I very much liked last week's episode in Canada, the video of Luke with the baby that acted as it's catalyst was preposterous. Luke's a smart guy, I can't imagine him knowingly allowing himself and the baby to be videotaped. But I can forgive that given the execution of the episode that followed. I do agree about the June closeups however, they've got to be lessened and only used when most essential.
     
  18. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    I checked out after ep.2 - stopped caring about any of the characters also the never ending darkness of that dystopian world is too damn depressing.
     
  19. You're too happy. You might ought to get that checked out. :)
     
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  20. Mylene

    Mylene Senior Member

    At least they haven't stooped to a road trip episode ;)
     
  21. mdm08033

    mdm08033 Senior Member

    The single character road trip episode is the one they submit to the Emmy awards.
     
  22. GentleSenator

    GentleSenator what if

    Location:
    Aloha, OR
    i really don't know how anyone can not think the show is spinning its wheels now. yikes.

    nice to see meloni cast in a role he's comfortable with: predator
     
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  23. Leviethan

    Leviethan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I’m just waiting for him to hump a fridge and fondle his sweaters.
     
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  24. Scotian

    Scotian Amnesia Hazed

    They've certainly made a boring, flat, frustrating mess out of this season.
     
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  25. Mylene

    Mylene Senior Member

    How about his for a twist. Christopher Meloni plays the same character as he did in Oz :laugh:
     

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