Red Oaks (New Amazon Series)

[Small Man Big Horse]

Brief discussion of the pilot here: http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=43898.0

The pilot for this aired last year, hence the thread above, but the series has only just been released on Amazon in full, and I'm enjoying it a lot right now. It had a bit of a slow start but it's gently amusing and often quite sweet, whilst providing one or two big laughs an episode. It has Paul Reiser's best role (and performance) in decades, and Richard Kind's really great too, whilst the rest of the cast are largely on top form, including your lad from Submarine. It's nothing shockingly innovative but I've been finding myself enjoying it a fair deal. It looks great too, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the fifth episode was directed by Hal Hartley, it's not atypical of his films but you can tell it's the work of a really great director.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Finished this now and really enjoyed it overall. It's not a show exactly filled with many laugh out loud moments but it has a warm, likeable tone to it, and some great performances throughout. Was a little unusual in places too, with one episode doing a

Spoiler alert

Vice Versa thing

[close]

between David and his father,

Spoiler alert

which they jokily hint at that it actually happened, and wasn't all a dream

[close]

. Plus the episode where David and Skye visited New York had a lot of cute moments without it ever feeling cliched. The best thing about it though was that it gave Richard Kine a chance to really shine, and I hope if there is a second season he features in it even more. I don't know if there will be though, the AV Club reviewed each episode in detail but only about six or so people commented on them each time, which is bizarrely low.

[olliebean]

Where can I watch this if I don't want to arse around with Amazon who won't let me watch it on the telly unless I shell out extra money for one of their own branded streaming devices? Can only find the pilot elsewhere online.

<edit> Never mind, found it... albeit in low quality.

[drachir]

Where can I watch this if I don't want to arse around with Amazon who won't let me watch it on the telly unless I shell out extra money for one of their own branded streaming devices? Can only find the pilot elsewhere online.

<edit> Never mind, found it... albeit in low quality.

That's not true?! I've got Amazon Video on my Samsung TV and my Xbox... Think my mates are using it on their dodgy Roku thing as well, so I assume it's also available on most stuff!

[olliebean]

I think you can get it on Roku in the US, but they've made the decision not to make the Roku app available in the UK, the cunts. (Note also they won't even sell Chromecasts or Apple TVs any more, in case the poor consumers become so confused they end up buying something that Amazon don't make as much money on as their own devices.)

[olliebean]

Anyway, have now had a go at this, and got so bored with it less than 2/3 of the way through the first episode that I couldn't bear to keep watching. Had another go at the last 12 minutes later but still couldn't make it to the end. I just found myself unable to give the remotest shit about anything any of the characters said or did. I guess it's just not my sort of thing.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Season two of this is now out, normally I'd start a new thread but given the lack of interest / hatred for the show it's probably not worth it. I still think it's a bit of a gem, it started off slowly but quickly became really enjoyable, with Richard Kind turning in a career best and Paul Reiser being a lot of fun as a rich twat.

The second season starts off with David visiting Skye in Paris, only for her parents to turn up and a string of incredibly uncomfortable scenes take place, a lot of which made me laugh, Reiser really is superb at playing cunty types. Plus it was directed by Hal Hartley so it looks fantastic, and is worth seeking out for his input alone.

Edit: Just watched the second episode and it's still a thing of loveliness, and directed by Hartley again (as are three further episodes this year) which pleases enormously, hopefully it'll raise his profile and he won't have to use kickstarter to fund things in the future. Especially considering how superb Ned Rifle was.

[veletision]

I enjoyed the first season.

Nothing amazing but nice and comfortable.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I enjoyed the first season.

Nothing amazing but nice and comfortable.

That kind of sums up the second season. I like it a lot but it suffers from inertia at times, and Craig Roberts is a bit of a blank slate, it's hard to be enamoured with the character, but the rest of them are really likeable and keep me watching the show. Plus it looks lovely, with not only Hartley but Gregg Araki directing a few of the episodes. I'd be surprised if there was another season after this given the lack of online buzz, as the kids say, plus the ending to episode 10 seemed pretty perfect to me.

[steveh]

On the plus side this has been the only Amazon original comedy series that I haven't found it a slog to get through. Agree though that David just isn't a very compelling character - perhaps for the creators there's an element of hey, he's a film maker so by definition he must be interesting. When David's parents and girlfriend's dad are regularly commenting that he has no direction it comes across as a criticism of the show as much as a character trait. The first series had a stronger narrative arc that mitigated some of the problems, but nothing happened in the second series that wasn't expected or signalled way before.

For a show to pull in Hal Hartley, Gregg Araki and Amy Heckerling as directors plus a generally strong cast it's a shame they couldn't do more with it.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Just a heads up to mention that the third and final season is now up on Amazon. It's only six episodes as well, so I imagine I'll binge it over the weekend as it really grew on me during it's second year. Not sure who the directors are this time around as only David Gordon Green is listed as helming the first episode on imdb, but I hope Hal Hartley will be back again.

[veletision]

2 each for Hartley, Green and Amy Heckerling as far as i know

[steveh]

Liked this more than the second series. The show I still find a bit odd though, having established the country club situation in the first series which worked well then deciding to largely dispense with it in the second in favour of David's career before incorporating the club's demise in the third. Actually if that arc had been planned from the outset then I think it would have worked better, but instead the story development comes across as having emerged more piecemeal. On the plus side, the characters are very likeable and nicely developed and the performances are great from pretty-much everyone.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Sorry for the necro-bump but I just got into this and thought it was really enjoyable. Not hilarious but just really good fun easy watching.

I found Richard Kind's character in this great; it's basically the same as the character he usually plays but he's actually likeable rather than annoying, you want things to turn out right for him for once. As SMBH Reiser was great as a cunt. Ennis Esmer was great as Nash with his mad delivery of everything as well.

[Poison To The Mind]

Esmer and his voice should turn up in What We Do In The Shadows as a long-lost brother of Matt Berry's vampire.

[tribalfusion]

Sorry for the necro-bump but I just got into this and thought it was really enjoyable. Not hilarious but just really good fun easy watching.

I found Richard Kind's character in this great; it's basically the same as the character he usually plays but he's actually likeable rather than annoying, you want things to turn out right for him for once. As SMBH Reiser was great as a cunt. Ennis Esmer was great as Nash with his mad delivery of everything as well.

Richard Kind is such an underrated talent. He's probably my favorite on Curb in fact along with Berman when he was alive.

I tried an episode or 2 of Oaks a few years ago and thought it was ok but maybe I'll give it another try.

[Sin Agog]

It got much better the moment it became a vehicle for cool indie directors like Hal Hartley to whet their teeth and cut their appetites.