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Post by mllemass on Jun 2, 2024 22:35:49 GMT
The Gloria dance scene with lyrics. In one of the early interviews, Benedict said he was nervous about filming that scene because all or most of the extras were professional dancers. Ha! This still makes me smile no matter how many times I watch it.
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Post by queenzod on Jun 2, 2024 23:07:02 GMT
I also wish it had centered on Vincent, Cassie, Eric, and Edgar for like 85% of the show, and moved all those other social issues to the background. There’s ways of bringing the social issues into the main characters when needed. Cassie might have a friend dying of AIDS, they may know several homeless people, they can talk about poverty and urban decay over the dinner table in a lead up to their estrangement instead of jumping right into their fight and Edgar running off.
That way you grow the interest in this world they live in through characters you can relate to and focus on. I feel there were just too many plot lines going on and the main acting family didn’t have enough time to really explore their characters and the unwinding they were going through.
I guess, in general, I’m not too keen on the writing structure (like I could do better, lol).
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Post by mllemass on Jun 2, 2024 23:45:35 GMT
I was particularly bothered by Cassie smoking while she knew she was pregnant. The education about the effects of smoking has been around until at least the 1960’s. I remember my older cousin trying to get her father to quit smoking back then, and kept quoting her teacher. And in the 1980’s, they introduced smoke-free places of employment and “smoking areas” outdoors. In my very first job, I inherited a desk from a smoker who left filled ashtrays in the desk drawers. Yuck!
There was finally one scene where Cassie’s goes to light up a cigarette but throws it out, instead.
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Post by roverpup on Jun 2, 2024 23:49:51 GMT
Well we watched the rest of the series today and both of us enjoyed it very much.
While I still think Patrick Melrose was much better, I won't have any problem recommending it to anyone who wants to see an interesting story with exceptional acting.
Dan (who likes Cumberbatch but isn't obsessed with him like I am) thought the whole series was outstanding.
He REALLY liked all the acting and was very intrigued with the storyline. He actually was the one encouraging me to sit down and watch it. And he always wanted to slide right into the next episode. That for him is an outburst of enthusiasm!
While I agree the plot was overstuffed, I don't think it ruined the main storyline. I thought they brought the different plots together nicely in the end.
If I was in charge I would have dropped the whole thing about new condo development and corrupt politicians. And I would have developed Vincent's mum more as a character.
I didn't find anything wrong with how they handled the issue of homosexuality. The attitudes were spot on for the time. I absolutely hate it when shows "modernise" attitudes and make the out of sync with the times.
As far as the villains I didn't see anything wrong with that either. Some were gay others weren't - that's life. Characters were pretty well rounded IMO. I never totally hated nor loved any of the main characters.
BC brought a real human aspect to his character. He was a terrible drunk and drug addict, but the humanity remained behind his eyes, so you knew he had redeeming characteristics despite his initial "jerk" veneer.
And he did his time in Dante's "inferno" as punishment, so it was a process of growth for him.
I also liked, very much, that it was a happy, but not too happy of an ending.
Nobody came out of it unscathed nor completely transformed.
The gay cop took on the corruption and made tremendous strides but still couldn't live his life openly.
Vincent found and started to reconnect with his son, but we leave him with only starting his road to wellness.
Cassie didn't get back together with Vincent, but she did find a good partner in the father of her soon to be born baby.
Edgar was only in the initial stages of reconnecting with his father, but I think it was demonstrated that would take some time.
If they had tweaked any one of those stories and made them more "modern" or "quickly enlightened" it would have ruined it for me.
But they didn't. So I was very satisfied in the ending.
Yes, the main plot was conventional, but I don't take that as a negative. Sometimes a more conventional story format makes the series more accessible to a wider audience.
Being more esoteric (and don't get me wrong - i LOVE esoteric material) isn't a bad thing but sometimes you have to be EXOTERIC to reach the casual viewer. There's no shame in that either.
As one of the executive producers of this series I think BC can sit back and think "Job well done!".
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Post by onebluestocking on Jun 3, 2024 5:27:34 GMT
I finished it. It seems like someone else wrote the last episode. I'd watch a whole series just of BC puppeteering, though.
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Post by sgev1977 on Jun 3, 2024 9:58:50 GMT
I think Morgan really wanted to mix her love for the New York of 1970’s American gritty films and Nora Ephron’s romantic comedies but yeah it was disorienting.
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Post by mllemass on Jun 3, 2024 11:23:57 GMT
Which part was like Nora Ephron? I’ve seen everything by NE, and didn’t find anything like that in Eric.
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Post by roverpup on Jun 3, 2024 11:43:11 GMT
I'm curious about this too.
Nora Ephron was known for "happy, happy" endings and rom-com chick flicks.
I didn't see any resemblance at all to NE's style or content in Eric - especially the final episode.
I'm also curious as just how people who didn't like the plotting of Eric would have ended it?
I found the ending kind of bittersweet. There were elements of hope and closure, and also ones of loss and despair. But that rings true to life, doesn't it?
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Post by queenzod on Jun 3, 2024 16:14:10 GMT
For me it was the little bridge they were sitting on which was reminiscent of the one at the end of You’ve Got Mail. And there was a treacly tonal shift I found a bit jarring. I’m glad Edgar came home but it was too pat, too trite, too Weinstein, if you will, the way his genre of movies play on the heartstrings in a clearly manipulative manner.
I’m going to have to watch it again and see if I like it any better. Oh, no! Another viewing of a BC project. How shall I survive? 😉
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Post by mllemass on Jun 3, 2024 16:36:27 GMT
That bridge was more than a cute place to meet like in You’ve Got Mail. Vincent had replicated the real bridge for Good Day Sunshine because it was his only good memory of spending time with his awful father. And it’s where he asks to meet his father at the end to tell him how awful he was.
Now, with Edgar coming over the bridge as Eric, it represents hope for doing better going forward. I think what makes it work even better is that imaginary Eric is still there, but farther away and keeping an eye on things.
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