I disagree. Yes, I'm watching, but only to see how far they can push a two-hour movie into 8 tedious hours. The scenes at night at home are so dark I can barely see what's happening; Rusty and Barbara have zero chemistry - how did these two ever wind up together? Bill Camp is a highlight as is Molto but it's plodding, slow, and over the top, IMHO. Season Two? please don't tell me they are going to end on a "to be continued". My guess is on the son which might lead to Season Two but otherwise? I'm out
I love that you disagreed, Maggie! You must be even more surprised by the show's huge success than I am. I also agree about the lack of chemistry between Rusty and Barbara. In a writer's room, maybe one of us would have suggested some tender scenes or flashbacks so we have a reason to care about their life as a couple. After all, we know how and why Rusty and Carolyn P clicked (backstory: they cooperated on a case involving an abused young boy). What about Rusty and Barbara?
Cheers to Peter Sarsgaard as Molto--frustrated, petty, and a lonely guy with a cat. Ha!
I also agree that I'm worried they're going to end without telling us who did it. That would feel like a cheat! How far can they veer from the source material? What's season 2 if it doesn't involve Rusty and Jake at all? Thanks for commenting!
oh I LOVE this piece and how you break down the differences in approach to what is essentially the same story. Me and my husband are obsessed with the show we watched the entire thing (that has been released) this week. I love watching Gyllenhaal put on that mask and hide whatever sinister shit is lurking beneath his handsome face. There is so much terror in thinking how you are one "wrong place wrong time" away from being sent to jail....
Yay! It sounds like you think he is both possibly innocent (in the wrong place/wrong time) but also hiding some nastiness beneath the surface. I agree that both are possible and I'd argue that speaks well for Jake G's acting! Do you have any top choices for who the guilty party may be or whom you wish it would be? (You don't have to answer if you don't wanna!)
Ben and I binged this a little behind everyone else but after we finished it I went online to see how the source material ended, and I like that they shook it up a bit. (I'm assuming anyone in the comments isn't worried about spoilers!!) It also sounds like Barbara was much more interesting in this show, although I don't feel like I understand WHY she needed their family to stay together so badly. (As a girl mom, I most related to the part where she was like...what am I teaching her by staying?) Thank god they changed it from Carolyn having slept with everyone in the entire book, including the judge? I was reading the wikipedia page like whaaaaat. I also love how Peter Sarsgaard can play ANYONE. Good guy, bad guy, bad guy who seems good, good guy who seems bad, cat guy, lollolol. The men in this show have PERSONALITY DISORDERS, my lord, but it was fun!
I disagree. Yes, I'm watching, but only to see how far they can push a two-hour movie into 8 tedious hours. The scenes at night at home are so dark I can barely see what's happening; Rusty and Barbara have zero chemistry - how did these two ever wind up together? Bill Camp is a highlight as is Molto but it's plodding, slow, and over the top, IMHO. Season Two? please don't tell me they are going to end on a "to be continued". My guess is on the son which might lead to Season Two but otherwise? I'm out
I love that you disagreed, Maggie! You must be even more surprised by the show's huge success than I am. I also agree about the lack of chemistry between Rusty and Barbara. In a writer's room, maybe one of us would have suggested some tender scenes or flashbacks so we have a reason to care about their life as a couple. After all, we know how and why Rusty and Carolyn P clicked (backstory: they cooperated on a case involving an abused young boy). What about Rusty and Barbara?
Cheers to Peter Sarsgaard as Molto--frustrated, petty, and a lonely guy with a cat. Ha!
I also agree that I'm worried they're going to end without telling us who did it. That would feel like a cheat! How far can they veer from the source material? What's season 2 if it doesn't involve Rusty and Jake at all? Thanks for commenting!
oh I LOVE this piece and how you break down the differences in approach to what is essentially the same story. Me and my husband are obsessed with the show we watched the entire thing (that has been released) this week. I love watching Gyllenhaal put on that mask and hide whatever sinister shit is lurking beneath his handsome face. There is so much terror in thinking how you are one "wrong place wrong time" away from being sent to jail....
Yay! It sounds like you think he is both possibly innocent (in the wrong place/wrong time) but also hiding some nastiness beneath the surface. I agree that both are possible and I'd argue that speaks well for Jake G's acting! Do you have any top choices for who the guilty party may be or whom you wish it would be? (You don't have to answer if you don't wanna!)
I WANT it to be Sarsgaard but that seems to easy. I just really don’t know!
Ben and I binged this a little behind everyone else but after we finished it I went online to see how the source material ended, and I like that they shook it up a bit. (I'm assuming anyone in the comments isn't worried about spoilers!!) It also sounds like Barbara was much more interesting in this show, although I don't feel like I understand WHY she needed their family to stay together so badly. (As a girl mom, I most related to the part where she was like...what am I teaching her by staying?) Thank god they changed it from Carolyn having slept with everyone in the entire book, including the judge? I was reading the wikipedia page like whaaaaat. I also love how Peter Sarsgaard can play ANYONE. Good guy, bad guy, bad guy who seems good, good guy who seems bad, cat guy, lollolol. The men in this show have PERSONALITY DISORDERS, my lord, but it was fun!