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[Wiktor]

I have no use for this model of programming. I respect the idea to try something new on Amazon's part, but the vast quantity of amazing TV out there right now, I have no desire to waste an hour(or more) on shows that don't at least have a guaranteed first season. Like the show, wait a year if you're lucky? And worst case scenario, something like The After, which actually got picked up but isn't coming. Make the decisions yourself Amazon, and give us the shows when they're ready.

Meh. Everybody is doing it how you want. It's nice to see at least one channel doing it differently. I think it's fascinating experiment and it' a joy to follow it. I understand it's not for everyone, but you can just wait for full series and ignore the pilots.

 

[teruterubozu]

I have no use for this model of programming. I respect the idea to try something new on Amazon's part, but the vast quantity of amazing TV out there right now, I have no desire to waste an hour(or more) on shows that don't at least have a guaranteed first season. Like the show, wait a year if you're lucky? And worst case scenario, something like The After, which actually got picked up but isn't coming. Make the decisions yourself Amazon, and give us the shows when they're ready.

I'm kind of with you on this. I was really into the first 2 waves of pilots, but the whole process got old fast. I might watch Man in the High Castle, but like you said, I don't want to wait 16 months for episode 2, if it ever gets approved.

 

[Cornballer]

- Onion A|V Club takes a look at all of the new pilots

 

[The Illiterati]

it's not for you, it's for people willing and interested in taking a chance on this stuff and planning to give them feedback. how does this hurt you in any way? you don't want to watch something before there's a guaranteed first season? ok, then don't? as is they are "making the decision themselves" and "giving you the shows when they're ready".

this is sort of like saying "i wish software companies wouldn't do betas, i just want the finished software when it's ready".

I simply said I have no use for this, not that they shouldn't do it. I just think it is honestly a waste of time, especially as I said when even shows that are positively voted on aren't kept around. Ultimately I think the whole thing only leads to frustration. Enjoy it if you like, I just don't think feedback really has any value in this situation.

 

[GavinUK86]

Yup, Man in the High Castle was pretty darn good. Best of the bunch for sure. I really hope they pick it up after that cliffhanger.

 

[ivysaur12]

Point of Honor sounds truly horrid.

 

[Cornballer]

- NY Mag quick reviews on all of the pilots

 

[Cornballer]

- EW's pilot reviews

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Hand of God and Red Oaks were picked up to series. Will premiere in 2015.

Hand of God is friggin' horrible.

But I may get a Prime account because I do love Alphas and Mozart, and Amazon sure does seem like it is picking up steam.

 

[Wiktor]

Hand of God is friggin' horrible.

But I may get a Prime account because I do love Alphas and Mozart, and Amazon sure does seem like it is picking up steam.

I liked Hand of God a lot, especially since it became obvious

Spoiler

he wasn't crazy and there was some supernatural force at work. Kind of like Frailty

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Point of Honor sounds truly horrid.

to be fair you said the same thing about Jane the Virgin ༼ ◔ ͜ʖ ◔ ༽

 

[hom3land]

Point of Honor sounds truly horrid.

I lasted 20 minutes. Was so hollow.


The Phillip K. Dick show though, that was on point. Would gladly watch more of it. They did a really good job of explaining the world without beating over the audiences head.

 

[faridmon]

I really don't like the fact that, the ones I will like, will have chance of beikng picked up or not.

 

[WarrenMax007]

I haven't watched Mad Dogs yet, but i saw UK original and lol at critics. And i mean WOW. IndieWire wrote that it has "horror elements" when talking about some things that were in original and now EW writes that "it wants to be taken seriously" and i mean wow. It's not a serious drama people. It's a black comedy/thriller. It supposed to be a little over the top. It's even in the official synopsis.

Mad Dogs is an hour-long dark comedy

 

[Grizzlyjin]

I love Amazon pilot season, I just added all the non kids ones to my watch list. Time to check them out.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

The Man in the High Castle is legit.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

The Man in the High Castle is legit.

Yep, I'm only half way through it and I'm already a fan.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Really interested in seeing what they've done with The Man in the High Castle.

I expected to love the book but wound up hating it because 25% of it is people consulting the I Ching. Most of the rest of divided between people arguing about jewellery or providing clumsy exposition about the state of the alt history world by reading the novel-within-a-novel and discussing it with each other.

 

[teruterubozu]

I expected to love the book but wound up hating it because 25% of it is people consulting the I Ching. Most of the rest of divided between people arguing about jewellery or providing clumsy exposition about the state of the alt history world by reading the novel-within-a-novel and discussing it with each other.

I'm a huge PKD fan, but Man in the High Castle is one of my least favorite of his works. It was one of his earlier novels when he was still finding a voice.
I'm still excited about the pilot though - gonna start in a few here.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I liked Hand of God a lot, especially since it became obvious

Spoiler

he wasn't crazy and there was some supernatural force at work. Kind of like Frailty

When did this happen?

 

[WedgeX]

Man in the High Castle had a damn high concept. And the pilot managed to follow through. Having never read the novel it feels like a colliding of Red Alert and the Dark Tower. I really need for it to become a series now.

Point of Honor was bad. The acting was not great. Its pro-Southern stance is boring. Was glad when the pilot finally ended. Those dresses were....something else.

 

[Tugatrix]

They might get one next month:

finally, I loved the pilot

 

[ivysaur12]

I really, really enjoyed Man in the High Castle. Besides how weird it was that twice, the two sisters randomly cross, everything else worked really well. And it looked beautiful.

Salem Rogers was fine. It was funny line to line and could be a lot better with a room/showrunner. There's potential there.

 

[Ingueferroque]

Surprised to see they are adapting The Man in the High Castle. Great book. But it's so rare to see PkD adapted well in cinema.

 

[Stinkles]

I might have been living in a cave, but I am a Prime suscriber AND a massive Philip K Dick fan AND a massive TV binge watcher and I JUST found out about Man in the High Castle.


Am I a weird outlier or is Amazon really not good at marketing this stuff?

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Will these be available to the public like last time?

 

[Minus_Me]

Can these be seen by Canadians?

 

[impact]

I have no use for this model of programming. I respect the idea to try something new on Amazon's part, but the vast quantity of amazing TV out there right now, I have no desire to waste an hour(or more) on shows that don't at least have a guaranteed first season. Like the show, wait a year if you're lucky? And worst case scenario, something like The After, which actually got picked up but isn't coming. Make the decisions yourself Amazon, and give us the shows when they're ready.

This

Because they canceled The After when it was far better than any of these aside from the WWII one. Why the hell watch an episode to a show that's probably not going anywhere?

 

[ivysaur12]

This

Because they canceled The After when it was far better than any of these aside from the WWII one. Why the hell watch an episode to a show that's probably not going anywhere?

The After was one lf the worst professionally produced pieces of television of I've ever seen. I don't say this often, but it was very rightfully canceled.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

The After was one lf the worst professionally produced pieces of television of I've ever seen. I don't say this often, but it was very rightfully canceled.

Agreed.

It had a nice concept, but every single piece of it (art, set, casting, etc.) felt like it was shot out of an air cannon at a white canvas.

 

[ivysaur12]

Agreed.

It had a nice concept, but every single piece of it (art, set, casting, etc.) felt like it was shot out of an air cannon at a white canvas.

Also, apparently it was a complete mess behind the scenes and they hadn't shot a single frame 9 months after a series pickup. Even if it was the greatest pilot in the world, it makes sense to pull the plug.

 

[teruterubozu]

Just noticed they put up Justified Season 5. Yeah the pilots will have to wait.

 

[ivysaur12]

I still can't over how good the opening credits for Man in the High Castle are. Damn. I mean. Wow.

 

[Ruken]

Watching The Man in the High Castle right now. It's been worth watching for it's take on a German east coast and Japanese west coast alone.

And now I just saw the twist... wow. Even more interesting now!

 

[ivysaur12]

Day 1 reviews:

Mad Dogs - 244 reviews, 4.5/5 average
Point of Honor - 166 reviews, 4.0/5 average
Man in the High Castle - 379 reviews, 4.8/5 average
Cocked - 109 reviews, 4.1/5 average
Salem Rogers - 147 reviews, 4.0/5 average
Down Dog - 170 reviews, 4.1/5 average

Besides the fact that Mad Dogs and Man in the High Castle will get picked up, I wonder what they'll do with the rest. I could see Point of Honor getting passed over for Man in the High Castle, and one of the comedies going.

 

[whytemyke]

Man in the High Castle was freaking awesome. Hope that gets made.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

they hadn't shot a single frame 9 months after a series pickup.

.... whut.

And this is Chris Carter?

 

[MichaelFassbender]

Mikey "F-Bomb" Fassbender reviews part 1: The Man in the High Castle

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN. All I got to say. Would have been nearly flawless, if not for the addition of DJ Qualls. Seriously, no one needs that dude. A lot of promise with this one, not as ham-handed as I thought it'd be. The last shot got me, for real.

Will update later. Going through all these in turn.

 

[Ingueferroque]

I'm hmmm about Man in the High Castle.. It's too ambitious for their limited budget, and the acting/writing is painful.

Is there a trope for when the writing of a scene cares more about trying to set the scene/world/past of a character by way of an awkward and forced conversation?

Hard to explain what I mean.. so here is a transcript:

"How do i know youre not a spy?"
"A spy?"
"The resistence, what's left of it-- is shot through with them."

..why would the main dude not know what a spy is?

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Man.

That is a title sequence.

Jesus Christ Almighty.

 

[MichaelFassbender]

Mikey "F-Bomb" Fassbender reviews part 2: Down Dog

Not bad! The narration is a lot more natural than you'd expect. Lot of good one-liners (SVU-reference) and characters that would work within the world. Not a lot of negative points other than the occasional dragging. But all in all, it's not bad for a first off on a comedy.

 

[Ingueferroque]

Man.

That is a title sequence.

Jesus Christ Almighty.

High Castle? Yeah it was nice.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

The Man in the High Castle is legit.

Awesome. This is the one I was most interested in.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

High Castle? Yeah it was nice.

Just got to the twist. 22 minutes in. I'm hoping there's another one.

 

[MichaelFassbender]

Mikey "F-Bomb" Fassbender reviews part 3: Salem Rogers: Model of the Year 1998

Eh, it's alright. Some nice ones ("You're like the AIDS of people") and bonus points for the inclusion of Scott Adsit (a personal favorite of mine). Don't know how much farther it can go. Seems like a spin-off of the format of Todd Margaret.

 

[Exis]

I am saving High Castle for last, watched Down Dog and Salem Rogers and they are simply showtime tier. I liked Down Dog simply cause I do yoga and know a lot of people like that.

I really liked Mad Dogs, I would totally watch more or it and will track down the UK show.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

High Castle was fantastic.

Spoiler

What do we think? Actual alt-universe or brainwashed society?

 

[GavinUK86]

I'm hmmm about Man in the High Castle.. It's too ambitious for their limited budget, and the acting/writing is painful.

Is there a trope for when the writing of a scene cares more about trying to set the scene/world/past of a character by way of an awkward and forced conversation?

Hard to explain what I mean.. so here is a transcript:

"How do i know youre not a spy?"
"A spy?"
"The resistence, what's left of it-- is shot through with them."

..why would the main dude not know what a spy is?

he wasn't saying "a spy?" as in what the fuck is that, he was saying it like "a spy? why on earth would i be a spy?".

i'm curious to know how many here have read the book?

 

[Fantastical]

Man in the High Castle sounds really good. I'll probably check that one out.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I mean the concepts for the sequels for MITHC were all science fiction-based, so I'm more along the lines of thinking the twist in the series is going to be sci-fi.

Which is why I'm really, really looking forward to where it goes as a full pick-up.