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Santa Clarita Diet (New Netflix sitcom with Drew Barrymore)

Started by Small Man Big Horse, February 03, 2017, 07:19:38 PM

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Small Man Big Horse

This is the latest sitcom from Victor Fresco, of Better Off Ted and Andy Richter Controls the Universe fame, two greatly underrated shows which were both cancelled well before their time rather sadly. And yes, he was also the creator of Sean Saves The World, but shhhh, we don't talk about that. Anyway, this sees Barrymore and husband Timothy Olyphant playing two estate agents getting along happily in a middle class suburban world, until
Spoiler alert
Barrymore vomits herself to death. Then discovers she needs human flesh to keep on living, like you do.
[close]
I've only seen the first episode so far but it's a fun affair, fairly light and frothy despite the subject matter, and very enjoyable stuff.

Small Man Big Horse

Episode 2 thoughts: It's very much a silly affair, with
Spoiler alert
Barrymore's murder of Nathan Fillon largely played for laughs
[close]
, and no one's that traumatised / even slightly arsed about it. It kind of feels like a network comedy in many ways (albeit one of the good ones) but with added swearing and gore, yet I like the mix a lot. Highlights:
Spoiler alert
"I swear I did not have sex with Gary. But I did eat his balls." / "But...I jumped." / "Eat the foot. Eat the foot. Eat the Goddamn foot."
[close]

Paaaaul

I've watched the first episode, and I think I'm done.

It's clearly trying to be ironic and is presented in a very exaggerated network sitcom format. It goes too far though and the performances are so deliberately stilted that I found it a chore to get through. Every action is heightened, every reaction is flattened. Everything is detached. There is no heart in it [sic].

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Paaaaul on February 04, 2017, 11:48:43 AM
I've watched the first episode, and I think I'm done.

It's clearly trying to be ironic and is presented in a very exaggerated network sitcom format. It goes too far though and the performances are so deliberately stilted that I found it a chore to get through. Every action is heightened, every reaction is flattened. Everything is detached. There is no heart in it [sic].

Ah, shame you're not enjoying it, I know what you mean about the exaggerated network sitcom format but that aspect's working for me. Along with the fact that I'm very fond of all of the performers. That said the third episode was the weakest so far, and I'm not that involved with the daughter's subplots. There were still some nice lines, but I hope they ramp up the insanity of it all, and that Olyphant's character stops coping as well as he has been, otherwise it could risk becoming a murder of the week show which could get overly familiar and predictable.

Pijlstaart

I've just finished it. Mixed feelings thus far. I thought the first episode was awful, very weak setup, very weak acting, very weak plot, but I stuck through and it's grown on me, wonderfully dark in places. A couple of completely unexpected one-liners had me on the floor. The gore is a little overplayed, and whilst I'm not averse to it, I think it's done a better job alienating people than it has contributing to the comedy. I'm fine with it though, bar the episode one vomiting which felt a bit too dick and dom.

Plot has a fair few holes, which is disengaging. Nathan Fillion and Portia de rossi were in it, which I liked, both good people, but both parts were clunky and unsatisfactory. A lot of the characters played like that, they just didn't make sense, utterly unrealistic behaviour to allow a plot which would be a hell of a lot better if it had to work around half-decent characters. I think the husband guy was the standout performance by a long way, both better written than the others and better acted.
If they do more, and it's a given they will, I'll watch it, but have no faith it'll deliver.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Pijlstaart on February 05, 2017, 01:23:08 AM
I've just finished it. Mixed feelings thus far. I thought the first episode was awful, very weak setup, very weak acting, very weak plot, but I stuck through and it's grown on me, wonderfully dark in places. A couple of completely unexpected one-liners had me on the floor. The gore is a little overplayed, and whilst I'm not averse to it, I think it's done a better job alienating people than it has contributing to the comedy. I'm fine with it though, bar the episode one vomiting which felt a bit too dick and dom.

Plot has a fair few holes, which is disengaging. Nathan Fillion and Portia de rossi were in it, which I liked, both good people, but both parts were clunky and unsatisfactory. A lot of the characters played like that, they just didn't make sense, utterly unrealistic behaviour to allow a plot which would be a hell of a lot better if it had to work around half-decent characters. I think the husband guy was the standout performance by a long way, both better written than the others and better acted.
If they do more, and it's a given they will, I'll watch it, but have no faith it'll deliver.

That's pretty much how I feel, bar that I liked Portia de Rossi in it, but the rest of the celeb cameos were wasted. The ending was annoying too,
Spoiler alert
I'm not adverse to a cliffhanger at times but this felt like nothing had been resolved at all and if it were to be cancelled it'd be extremely irritating. Not quite sure why they'd lock Olyphant away in a mental asylum that looked like it was something from the 1950s either, at least not without contacting his family first.
[close]
The biggest problem I had though was with Drew Barrymore, which hurts to say as I've loved her since I was about seventeen years old, and I still own that issue of Playboy she did, despite it's decaying state. Um, sorry, rambling, but yeah, her character was too unsympathetic and annoying, I'm still not quite sure if it was down to the script or her performance but either way it spoilt the series a fair bit, especially as Olyphant was so good, and I enjoyed a lot of the subplots with the daughter and boy next door too.

amnesiac

Love this, I'm at ep6 so I haven't read the spoilers. Yes, Tim Oliphant is by far the best thing about it. There is an incredibly beautiful moment when he's sitting in a chair watching the sunrise, during his crisis, and says 'The dogs will be here soon'
Spoiler alert
(in reference to the sniffer dogs)
[close]
, delivered such a matter-of-fact way, I thought it was wonderful, like he was on his porch in the wild west just whiling away the hours before the bad guys come.

I really want to know, is it just me who read so much into this line?

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

I've just finished watching this and (cliffhanger ending aside) I thought it was the tops. I might even go so far as to put it on par with prime It's Always Sunny in Philedelphia. Hardly surprising, as Better Off Ted was similarly marvellous. Olyphant was indeed excellent, but the whole cast was on form, I thought.

I do wonder if it really needs all the swearing. I expect it would put some people off watching, which would be a bit of a shame. Then again, it's not like it's a show for prudes anyway.

remedial_gash

Loved it, the swearing is a bit moot when you're murdering people on screen.

easytarget

Speaking of threads about this : http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,58361.0.html

Probably belongs in the Comedy Thread though.

Good stuff, and I'm really enjoying this trend in sit-coms to be episodic - it means more things can happen, show doesn't have to finish back where it started.


Small Man Big Horse

#11
All of season two is now on Netflix. I've watched the first episode and enjoyed it a lot, it felt more consistently funny and Barrymore's performance is less forced, so I hope it continues to be decent stuff.

Edit: The second episode is slightly blander but still pretty watchable. I'm preferring the daughter's plot line, but only as I like the chemistry she has with that geeky fella.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Episode 6 features a mini Deadwood reunion.

I've been ploughing through the new series this evening, so it's all a bit of a blur, but it's as funny as ever. Timothy Olyphant is fantastic in it. As great as Justified was it seems like he should have been doing comedy all along.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Is no one else bothered about this then? A shame if so, as it's really very funny indeed. I watched the whole thing from start to finish in one sitting, although I wonder if that isn't part of the problem for this and other shows. As much as bingewatching has become part of telly culture, I think there's something to be said for doling out episodes one at a time, so that the audience can take the time to appreciate each one.

Small Man Big Horse

I am, I've finished the fifth now and will probably binge the rest over the next day or so. It definitely feels a lot tighter and funnier this year and I'm enjoying it a lot lot more, with my reservations about Barrymore now no longer applying.

My other half is binge watching it and I just can't get over the feeling that it's terrible.

Nowhere Man

I'm kind of surprised by the lack of posts on this series. You may have to suspend your belief quite often (there can be some really stupid moments) but it's just such a fun show to binge watch. It's a perfect popcorn show really. Much more enjoyable if you have someone to watch it with.

Eric (the nerdy kid) is the stand out character for me admittedly, but it feels like all the actors are giving decent performances. (And yes Barrymore's acting isn't as forced as in Season 1)

Small Man Big Horse

I've finished it now and felt it was really satisfying. There was a slight sag around episodes 6 and 7 where it felt like old ground being covered again, but the final three were the show on top form. I wasn't really that bothered about this returning originally but I'm really glad it did now, and hope it comes back for a third year.

remedial_gash

I remember watching the first run and really enjoying it, but I cannot remember anything that memorable about it . Will watch it but maybe watch the 1st again so I remember something, anything.

Pijlstaart

Just finished this, and enjoyed it, olyphant again was brilliant, and as mentioned above, barrymore seemed to have a better handle on her character than last season. Very much a filler season, putting the pieces in place for a longer story, which I think takes the edge off a little too much, low stakes. I'd like a 3rd season, but I've yet to meet anyone who has heard of the show, let alone watched it, and it does feel very under the radar for the number of prominent actors that've been in it. Managed to binge watch it though, and I haven't done any binge watching in months, so well done on that front.

remedial_gash

Okay watched the first 3 of the second season and am loving it, Ramona  is a fun cold bugger and Gary as a head and the waitress. I still can't remember anything much about the first season, but watched 3 eps in quick succession and will be sad when it finishes (or is it 4?) - got to the bit with meatballs with legs, think it's four - bit pissed soz.

Sin Agog

It's hard to believe that Olyphant went from being the most punchable to the most huggable person alive between Go and this.


Sin Agog

I convinced a rather dim (and admittedly pretty lit) friend of my mum's in Wetherspoon's last week that the movie Iris, starring Jim Broadbent, was a live documentary.  Gotta entertain yourself somehow when you're sober.

Sin Agog

Not sure I agree with the post about this season feeling like it had no consequences or stakes.  The first one, maybe, but this one ended with them almost upping ship and splitting the family up forever.  Felt like they delved much more into the ramifications of dining on people (although I guess the Nazis were a bit convenient), and the subsequent fall-out on the nuclear family.  Made some of the "this is a light-hearted comedy so let's make everyone completely glib and say every thought in their head 'cause that's quirky and fun" aspects much more palatable.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

The new series has popped up, seemingly out of nowhere.

Ant Farm Keyboard

And it has been canceled, as Netflix tends to cancel shows after three seasons.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Oh, ploppy pants! This was one of the funniest damn things on the box in recent years and I was interested to see where the plot would go, especially with the last series (in both senses of the word) ending with a pretty big change to the status quo.

Noodle Lizard

I mean, virtually nobody watched it.  Or if they did, they didn't talk about it.

I only saw the first season but I thought it was very, very poor.  Glad Netflix listened to my Yelp reviews.

Brundle-Fly

I loved it. I guess the last episode ties up most of the loose ends but you wouldn't choose to make that a final season finale. Maybe it's for the best now an unrequited love story arc has been resolved. We all know that is often the death knell for any sitcom.