LTTP : Animal Kingdom (TNT TV series)

- OPEN SPOILERS -

Must have watched the 1st season 3-4 years ago and started watching it again about 1+ month ago and after some binging, I finally managed to finish it last night.

All I can say is : what a ride man...

Now, this show may initially seem shallow/vapid with all its "handsome dudes partying and living a fast paced lifestyle" but, it turns out to be more than that when the events start unfolding.
This show's strengths are definitely the writing and the acting from the boys, there's some realm chemistry there and not a dull moment between them since everything is (mostly) fast paced.

Now, there's definitely some cons (like most shows really) like the super gratuitous hetero and gay sex scenes (there's no need for such lewdness IMO with ass and tit shots 2 times minimum in every episode ffs), Ellen Barkin's acting (more on that later) and the writing in the last 2 seasons which isn't as strong/sharp as the previous ones.
Talking about the writing, it's obvious to me that they tried to stretch things out and didn't really know what to do after they had to sack Barkin due to her being a cunt on set (at least that's what I read online).
The flashbacks introduced in the last 2 seasons were uneeded, boring and broke up the action - just let me watch the boys interacting and fook things up, we already know the backstory for Julia, Pope and Baz ffs, then again, they most probably had to fill the episodes up to reach the 40something minutes quota.

Some more thoughts :

- Ellen Barkin is absolutely dreadful in this one, she's always overacting to the point of being comical - every shot of her is literally taking a pose for the camera and start talking.
I understand that the writers wanted to express her narcissism that way but, the end result comes off as incredibly forced and almost comedic - the young actress that played young Smurf was much better at portraying all her flawed traits.

- Again, the sex scenes are oh-so-very gratuitous to the point of not only boring you but getting absurd.Yeah yeah, we get it, Craig is a sex God that has fucked all of Ocean side and Deran is gay - hey, viewer, did you know that Deran is GAY ? here's some extra scenes with him banging some dudes so you can get that through your thick homophobic skulls 😁 (Jake Weary/Deran is amazing in this though).
Game of thrones did the same thing with nudity/sex where I also found it to be cringe - IMO it's just something that feels forced after a while due to it catering/pandering to a specific audience (the T&A one).

- The writing took a dive after S04

- The flashbacks - again - were not only uneeded but boring since they mostly feel like filler - I actually FF a few of them.
Couldn't stand Julia's actress and the mopey young Pope actor.

As for the ending...well, while not original (you could see it coming miles away for all the obvious reasons) is masterfully acted - the moment Deran realizes they've been duped by J, the fear and anxiety he displays is Emmy worthy - as are his final moments with a dying Craig in his arms, while the scene might otherwise be considered as cliche'/banal, the acting on Weary's part is just chef's kiss.jpg, I almost shed a tear G'dammit, it's that muhfuggin' good since you can REALLY feel the brotherly love between them.
Pope gets his due and dies all alone and still tormented from all the mental abuse he received from Smurf while J the snake, even though he managed to escape, realizes that this "doesn't feel as good as I'd thought" while sitting all alone, after all, crime doesn't pay - the same thoughts expressed by the Vietnamese jewel cutter after participating in his own brother's heist just 2 episodes prior.

Taking a look online, most people have been satisfied with the ending since A) it ties up every loose end and B) there's no other real outcome for these type of lowlife, piece of shit and horrible characters, again, crime doesn't pay and money doesn't buy you happiness (only short term).

Some have expressed their desire for some kind of spin-off - either a movie like what El Camino did for Breaking Bad or a new series altogether where it ties the only loose end (J getting his due/being Hunted by Deran), personally though, I think the bittersweet ending is enough, any more of it would just feel milking a good thing.

While not a show that would make it to my top 5, it's still a solid 7/10, it kept me good company for the better part of (almost) 2 months and the acting/chemistry between the guys was really, really good, Jake Weary's (Deran) acting especially was top-notch in the last season, kudos to the guy.
Edit : Shawn Hatosy is also amazing in this.

Have you watched it ? Did you like it ? What's your opinion on it ?
 
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Sounds like my kinda show.

TNT has nudity?

I remember the old Blade TV show got soooooooo close at times but have they gone full showtime/starz now?
 
Sounds like my kinda show.

TNT has nudity?

I remember the old Blade TV show got soooooooo close at times but have they gone full showtime/starz now?

Well, while not as vulgar/lewd as something as Starz's Spartacus (where it features dick chopping and full frontal nudity amongst other things) it's still pretty lewd most of the times, meanwhile, there's not a single "fuck" to be heard in all of its 6 seasons - murder, robbing, mental abuse and gratuitous sex scenes = OK, swear words = BAD apparently 😁
It was the same exact shit with The walking dead where it was OK to show some pretty grotesque and horrible zombie/human mutilations but, God forbid if characters actually used the "F word" though - pretty funny and hypocritical at the same time if you think about it, 'MURRICA man...😁

Anyway, Shawn Hatosy (Pope) and Jake Weary (Deran) are friggin' amazing in this, If anything, It's worth watching it just for these 2.

Cheers
 
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