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Better Things - S2 - Starring Pamela Adlon, Co-written by Louis CK - Thursdays on FX

D

dead souls

Member
Meh, I can't say I really liked this very much. Adlon is great and I'm definitely watching the rest of the season so I hope it improves.
 
B

brianmcdoogle

Member
Liked the pilot, but it felt a bit uneven. Adlon was great, and I enjoyed the writing, and I get what it was going for, but it didn't quite work for me. Hopefully the wrinkles get ironed out.
 
B

big ander

Member
That was an awesome pilot. Every one of the daughters is great and it already has a distinct perspective on motherhood. Loved how elliptical it was. From the titles of the upcoming episodes, later entries will have more clearly defined central stories. But I hope they're taken on in the same manner.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
I also thought the pilot was uneven. The writing felt a bit forced and some of the humor just flat out wasn't funny at all (the graph paper thing in the store, her complaining about the woman on the phone during the voice recording session). Still, I like Adlon and I'm eager to see what the show develops into in the coming weeks.
 
B

big ander

Member
Mildly underwhelming follow-up episode. Laughed at Sam and her mom a ton. The daughters weren't incorporated very well this episode though. On one hand I understand tunneling in on Sam's perspective, the show should be more about how their lives affect hers. On the other, the oldest was such a cliche obstacle it was difficult to care. Still a ton of fun.
 
V

vypek

Member
Some of the commercial cuts were very odd. Anyways, decent episode. The show keeps making me think of Californication. Lol. I'll continue watching it for now
 
N

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
Caught up on the first three. It's ok so far. Not unenjoyable, just not great so far. I'll stick it out.
 
B

big ander

Member
yeah the kids are a huge weak link. They haven't been developed at all. This week was sorta nothing, Sam and Mel were cute and Sam's speech to that guy was interesting. But everything with Mel coming to dinner was too normal.
 
D

Dereck

Member
XRwKgm1.gif


Yeah, the next episode is either gonna be a show dropper or a show keeper. Hoping for the latter.
 
B

big ander

Member
I'm in for the full season but if it doesn't show some more promise I might drop it for season 2. Needs a risky episode of the kind Louie does that breaks its form. The dialogue is pretty great but that alone isn't enough to keep me coming back if most of the characters are nonentities and the stories are shopworn.
 
U

User 479360

Banned
I'm still undecided, myself. I started PVRing it after reading about it on GAF, and have seen all (three?) episodes thus far. I actually just watched the new one yesterday afternoon.

It was certainly nice to see
David Duchovny
, and he was funny. But the show itself is pretty middle of the road. There's nothing special about it, though Pamela Adlon is good.
 
D

Dereck

Member
For me I think the show kind of needs the kids to spice it up a little, even if they're obnoxious, which isn't unusual.

There is a glaring lack of "groove" for this show and I think it's close to finding it, right now it's a little uneven and lost at parts.
 
chris121580

chris121580

Member
I'm really enjoying it. The dinner scene with the mother was priceless and her telling her friend's husband like it is made for a phenomenal scene
 
V

vypek

Member
Enjoying the show even though I can't stand her kids. So awful lol. When I see the opening I always think of Californication's opening. And her voice acting bits in the show always sound close to Bobby Hill to me. Took me a long while in that show's run to realize who she was.
 
B

big ander

Member
The casting stuff in this one mostly worked—I liked it from that one woman's perspective, where at first she seems like a "gender traitor" but you realize it's because she knows all the dudes she works for will give up backing an actress like Sam the second they have a McAdams, so why even put in the effort.

But jesus are the kids a straight-up problem now. Instead of featuring them individually to gradually define each like the pilot promised, they've remained stereotypes that largely exist to yell a fucking lot. Every scene where Sam deals with them all together is painful to watch.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
The kids were much less awful in this one, especially the older daughter. Her scene with Max at the department store was great.
 
U

User 479360

Banned
Whoever writes the summaries for these episodes is a real wordsmith. "There are some thing that Sam needs to deal with" is a fascinating hook.

I think I might drop this. I'm watching the new episode now, and it's just so bland.
 
D

Dereck

Member
OCDChewie said:
I think I might drop this. I'm watching the new episode now, and it's just so bland.
Click to expand...
It's a really by the numbers show, and it would be more bearable if it was more funny or if it had a unique hook. Sad to see you go if you do decide to drop the show, episode 5 for me still isn't anything special but it looks to be going somewhere
 
U

User 479360

Banned
Dereck said:
It's a really by the numbers show, and it would be more bearable if it was more funny or if it had a unique hook. Sad to see you go if you do decide to drop the show, episode 5 for me still isn't anything special but it looks to be going somewhere
Click to expand...

Thanks

I think I'll stick with it after all. The second half of the last episode was better, and I may as well in case it goes somewhere.
 
B

big ander

Member
big ander said:
Seems inconsistent with her characterization so far but I'm open to them trying a new direction
Click to expand...
And I'm glad I stayed open because that was easily the best episode of the show yet. Funniest—the three girls "ew"ing at the first date guy, Frankie and Duke's silent standoff after Sam left, the discomfiting soccer mom completely lacking self-awareness, Phil wandering in in her bra—and the first to take all three of the girls beyond their pilot archetypes. Max's story may've been a little too clean-cut, but it was well written regardless. Duke and Frankie had less going on but their actions still worked as an engine to put Sam in specific and interesting situations.

Awesome song at the end too
 
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