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Bloodline |OT| Netflix - S1 up now - Chandler, Mendelsohn, Cardellini *S1 spoilers*

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S

Salsa

Member
the show is pretty good at leaving you in some sort of middleground about how you feel or "who's side" you're on really

I mean, you know what's terrible and what isnt and all that, but the show walks a really hard line where you can't quite place blame or feel too black and white about it. basically accomplishes what sets out to do pretty well, and it's very hard, from writing to conveying it by acting
 
D

Dabanton

Member
Watched the first two episodes of this yesterday and I'm loving it. The pace and the characters are very interesting. Although this isn't a binge show for me I think I'll be doing this two episodes at a time.
 
B

Booshka

Member
Just put together the G/A/F connection for this show. The name Mendelsohn is of Polish/German origin, Ben Mendelsohn is Australian, and he is playing a Florida Man in this show.

Pretty impressive.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
jond76 said:
Danny
was a giant fuck up. He pushed too hard. What a mess he created.
Click to expand...

He was also kind of an idiot. Leaving the cocaine in those suitcases, right out in the open? Like, you just open the door to the shed and BAM! there it is. He didn't even try to cover them up with a tarp or something. Even after he knew his family was onto him, when he knew the feds were sniffing around, he made no effort to try to move the coke or to tell his associates what was going on.

It was kind of refreshing though, since I initially though he was a Count of Monte Cristo-esque mastermind. :D
 
G

gdt

Member
On episode 4. Digging the hell out of this, but it's hard not to see Coach Taylor in John.

This show is gorgeous. Makes me wanna move there -_-
 
S

Salsa

Member
RatskyWatsky said:
He was also kind of an idiot. Leaving the cocaine in those suitcases, right out in the open? Like, you just open the door to the shed and BAM! there it is. He didn't even try to cover them up with a tarp or something. Even after he knew his family was onto him, when he knew the feds were sniffing around, he made no effort to try to move the coke or to tell his associates what was going on.

It was kind of refreshing though, since I initially though he was a Count of Monte Cristo-esque mastermind. :D
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that was his plan?,
he wanted to bring down the family with him. he put them in their property in plain sight so feds found them

Ashhong said:
How is chandler? Worth watching for him alone?
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he's chandler being chandler. american boy scout. show is worth watching cause of Ben Mendelsohn, believe me.
 
T

tim.mbp

Member
So can I say it was way cool how, season spoilers:
the 'narration' turned out to be John's speech to the political movers and shakers.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Ashhong said:
How is chandler? Worth watching for him alone?
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Absolutely not. His character (and performance, tbh) is fairly weak. Watch for Ben Mendelsohn though. He's the standout.

SalsaShark said:
that was his plan?,
he wanted to bring down the family with him. he put them in their property in plain sight so feds found them
Click to expand...

I mean, I know that
taking down the family was a goal of his, but he seemed to actually think he was going to get away with that last deal and seemed pissed when he found out they took the coke.
 
G

gdt

Member
Ashhong said:
How is chandler? Worth watching for him alone?
Click to expand...

He's kinda the Coach but not as strong I guess? Sort of like a Coach that wants to be good but made some mistakes. It's a fine performance but so far there's nothing really standout about it or the character. Mendelson is the standout here. But John is still I guess the main character...but mostly he reacts to whatever Ben/Danny is feeling or doing.
 
B

brianjones

Member
not liking this after 2 episodes

the quality cast is barely keeping it watchable for me

i just find the writing really flat and kind of terrible .. there was a scene in the first episode where they argued for 5 minutes about where danny was gonna sit at the table.. wanted to turn it off then

and reusing those same awful plot devices from damages

i can already guess that dannys gonna continue to fuck up in the future and everyones just gonna be reacting to that

can't say I'm surprised there isn't much discussion about this show honestly
 
B

Booshka

Member
brianjones said:
not liking this after 2 episodes

the quality cast is barely keeping it watchable for me

i just find the writing really flat and kind of terrible .. there was a scene in the first episode where they argued for 5 minutes about where danny was gonna sit at the table.. wanted to turn it off then

and reusing those same awful plot devices from damages

i can already guess that dannys gonna continue to fuck up in the future and everyones just gonna be reacting to that

can't say I'm surprised there isn't much discussion about this show honestly
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Danny is a lot more conniving and intelligent than just a fuck up to react to, stick with it a couple more episodes I say.

I'm starting Episode 7 and liking it, there are misses here and there, but Danny's character is good, cinematography and setting is interesting, so I am staying with it.
 
G

gdt

Member
Yeah holy shit at the last bunch of episodes. Everything was just so tense, excellent final act.

Buuuuuut I just wish it was 1 season and that's it. I feel like the story wrapped up great but they put 3 hooks in there for another season.
 
F

Frog-fu

Banned
On episode 10 now.
Danny has become a completely unsympathetic character. The guy is just a miserable, parasitic cunt. What happened to him after Sarah died was terrible, but it was 30 fucking years ago. Since then he has been nothing but a disappointment, a lowly opportunist that takes advantage of John's guilt and the way he misleads his mother, putting the family business in jeopardy, and the fact he tried to blackmail his own sister (though she's a disgusting bitch too) - it's all just so fucking deplorable. Mendelsohn is a great actor though, he's owning his role.
 
H

HP_Wuvcraft

Banned
Frog-fu said:
On episode 10 now.
Danny has become a completely unsympathetic character. The guy is just a miserable, parasitic cunt. What happened to him as after Sarah died was terrible, but it was 30 fucking years ago. Since then he has been nothing but a disappointment, a lowly opportunist that takes advantage of John's guilt and the way he misleads his mother, putting the family business in jeopardy, and the fact he tried to blackmail his own sister (though she's a disgusting bitch too) - it's all just so fucking deplorable. Mendelsohn is a great actor though, he's owning his role.
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Are you kidding me? Like, are you kidding me?
What happened to Danny was fucking traumatic and puts an entirely new light on the character. He became his father. Like, are people honestly saying that it was the right thing to kill him? His entire life, he was abused by his dick family (mentally and physically) and then they fucking KILL HIM? wtf.
 
G

gdt

Member
HP_Wuvcraft said:
Are you kidding me? Like, are you kidding me?
What happened to Danny was fucking traumatic and puts an entirely new light on the character. He became his father. Like, are people honestly saying that it was the right thing to kill him? His entire life, he was abused by his dick family (mentally and physically) and then they fucking KILL HIM? wtf.
Click to expand...
I'm not saying what happened to him is right. But what he was doing TODAY put them and John specifically in a position where they felt that's what had to happen. I mean cmon, Danny brought all this down on the family and that brought it down on him.
 
C

Creamium

shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuup
I'm 5 eps in and I'm completely hooked. This show is incredible. It's actually put me off from starting Bloodborne. The acting is great all around, and I love the slow pace. One thing I dislike is
that the flashbacks are too frequent and obvious, it's pretty clear what happened. But maybe there's more to it.
I don't remember Ben Mendelsohn from anything, but so far he's doing an incredible job as Danny.

This show also looks great. Beautiful shots, incredible opening credits to set the mood.
 
F

Frog-fu

Banned
Just seen episode 11.
OK, yeah, no shit Danny deserves to fucking die. I'd see red if anyone was fucking around with my kid like that.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
brianjones said:
i just find the writing really flat and kind of terrible .. there was a scene in the first episode where they argued for 5 minutes about where danny was gonna sit at the table.. wanted to turn it off then
Click to expand...

i agree. this series is terrible. i'm halfway through and I just find these exchanges badly written. the cast alone is getting me to finish it out of obligation.
 
F

Fantastical

Death Prophet
brianjones said:
i just find the writing really flat and kind of terrible .. there was a scene in the first episode where they argued for 5 minutes about where danny was gonna sit at the table.. wanted to turn it off then
Click to expand...

Eh, I don't see why this is terrible. The show is a drama about a family and their relationships. They obviously care a lot about maintaining an image and this scene in particular detailed each person's personality, what they think about Danny, and how they deal with conflict.
 
Gray Matter

Gray Matter

Member
Seriously?

Not even joking, one of the worse endings I've ever seen. So many plot points left unsolved and a new one just brought into play. Such bullshit.

Still, enjoyed watching this nonetheless.
 
B

bigmase21

Member
Gray Matter said:
I can't believe John actually
killed Danny.
.
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Totally saw that coming.
You don't mess with a man's child like he did with John's daughter.
That was the turning point where I knew it was going to happen

I see Danny's son being a complete dick around episode 6 of season 2 and John getting in his face and saying "I killed your father" and momma Rayburn walks through the door
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
“The first four episodes sort of function as the first act of a thriller,” says co-creator Todd A. Kessler. That approach wouldn’t fly in a more traditional TV format, where the first few episodes of a new series have to repeatedly establish the show’s premise and characters on behalf of new viewers tuning in. Though there were times when Netflix executives asked if “Bloodline” should move faster, Mr. Kessler says, the show’s producers didn’t want to rush it. “We really approached this as a 13-hour movie,” he says.
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It's cool that the Netflix format is really allowing people to explore the potential of the long form series. Like the TV analogue of a novel, they're right in that it really wouldn't work on any platform or in any other manner.

I'll need to give this series a watch sometime.
 
W

WarrenMax007

Member
Watched all episodes. Show is just a little above average. There is only one interesting character - Danny. Everyone else is pretty meh. Mama Ray is especially annoying.
Mendelsohn's performance is awesome. Chandler on the other hand, and he was supposed to be one of the best actors in the cast, is pretty bad here. He has a boring look in his eyes and his delivery is flat. Everyone else is ok, nothing special.
Pace is pretty hardcore. It's very slow. And there are not enough good qualities to hold interest.
All episodes spoilers
and i'm not happy that they killed Danny. All of the other characters are meh. He was the most interesting and Mendelsohn is the best actor in the cast. Even if he'd stayed, i stopped empathizing with him. The way his family treated him was awful, and i was on his side. But when he started trying to set them up and especially when he took John's daughter out on a boat, there was no going back.

There are things to be explored in season 2, whether i'm going to watch it or not is a question.
 
F

Frog-fu

Banned
Finished the season.
Really enjoyed it. I feel as though I'd be happier if the show was called Bloodlines instead and focused on a new family every season. I feel as though the first season could have worked great as a self-contained thriller. Still, there is room for more, and I will be tuning in.

HP_Wuvcraft said:
Are you kidding me? Like, are you kidding me?
What happened to Danny was fucking traumatic and puts an entirely new light on the character. He became his father. Like, are people honestly saying that it was the right thing to kill him? His entire life, he was abused by his dick family (mentally and physically) and then they fucking KILL HIM? wtf.
Click to expand...

No. Are you kidding me?
Danny had 30 fucking years to get over it. Yeah, family can suck, but does not - under any circumstances - justify the shit he has done. He's was a parasitic piece of shit that blamed all of his failures on his family instead of taking any responsibility. What his father did to him was inexcusable. What his mother did to him was excusable. What Danny did to his family in return, however, was equally inexcusable. I was on his side for the first five episodes, I found him a very sympathetic character, but the longer the show went on, the clearer it became that Danny was a fuckup and would always be a fuckup.

Gray Matter said:
Seriously?

Not even joking, one of the worse endings I've ever seen. So many plot points left unsolved and a new one just brought into play. Such bullshit.

Still, enjoyed watching this nonetheless.
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Are your username and avatar simply for show or do you genuinely not know how dramas work?
 
D

Derpyduck

Banned
I discovered Damages last month, so I'll give this a chance since it's from the same guys. I just hit season 4 of Damages and all of a sudden they're saying 'fuck' and showing tits and ass. I assume it changed networks. Is Bloodline more network-friendly or more HBO-esque?
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
I've finished 6 episodes... I'm not really hooked, just slowly wading through it. I don't find myself particularly caring about any of these individuals nor the family as a whole. Granted, the latter is always a high hurdle for me, the whole concept of families needing to be kept whole for some vague, primitive reason has always been foreign to me.

And unlike in Damages, I haven't found the couple flashforwards to be that intriguing at all.

SalsaShark said:
oh also Linda Cardellini is turbo HOT
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It's almost unfair.
 
G

gdt

Member
Derpyduck said:
I discovered Damages last month, so I'll give this a chance since it's from the same guys. I just hit season 4 of Damages and all of a sudden they're saying 'fuck' and showing tits and ass. I assume it changed networks. Is Bloodline more network-friendly or more HBO-esque?
Click to expand...

No nudity but plenty of cursing and some detective gore to be had.
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
I had this big post written up and must have accidentally closed the browser or something and never posted it. Too lazy to do it all again!

I did enjoy the show though. Good, not great. The pace didn't bother me too much. I liked piecing stuff together and thought the flashbacks/flashforwards came together in a satisfying way. Not sure on the tease for Season 2
the bit with Danny's son seemed especially lame and as others have said, I wonder if this will work without Danny at the center.
Still I will certainly watch the next season if/when it rolls around. Thought the acting and scenery was generally good throughout the season as well.
 
C

Creamium

shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuup
I finished it. Apart from the final minutes, I loved it. The
cheap teasing to a second season felt so forced, especially with Danny's son. It would've been perfect if we had the cop tease, then credits and no chance of a second season. Just tease the family being outed, but leave it at that. I have doubts a second season would be as strong as the first. Like people said, Danny was the glue that held everything together in this show.

The final minutes were such a shame, it really detracted from the experience imo.

But yeah, this definitely was a show ideal for binge-watching. This just wouldn't have worked in a weekly format. I loved the slow burn and brooding atmosphere, even though
Danny got closer to a stereotypical villian as the show went on.

btw: very surprised by the lack of posts in this thread. You'd think a Netflix orginal would automatically attract some attention, but... not so much
 
V

Vahagn

Member
I liked the show. I'm a big Chandler fan from Friday Night Lights and thought the acting was superb. I minored in English Lit, so slow pacing isn't really that big of a deal for me, tons of classic novels would make molasses green with envy.

I will say though, the single worst part of an otherwise outstanding show for me would be the
detective work. Tons and tons of fuckups in my eyes. 1. Rafi Quintana calls Danny tons of times. The detectives don't bother to check who the hell he's calling? Sure, maybe it's a burner, but I don't recollect any conversation of a burner until he's given one by the guy who eventually comes to try to kill him. 2. They know that Eric O'Bannon is involved for weeks, yet no one tails him to find their mystery "4th man"? 3. Danny and Eric O'Bannon run that gas smuggling thing for quite a while. No one figured out to install some better cameras at the location that the gas is being siphoned?
 
S

StopMakingSense

Member
Vahagn said:
I will say though, the single worst part of an otherwise outstanding show for me would be the
detective work. Tons and tons of fuckups in my eyes. 1. Rafi Quintana calls Danny tons of times. The detectives don't bother to check who the hell he's calling? Sure, maybe it's a burner, but I don't recollect any conversation of a burner until he's given one by the guy who eventually comes to try to kill him. 2. They know that Eric O'Bannon is involved for weeks, yet no one tails him to find their mystery "4th man"? 3. Danny and Eric O'Bannon run that gas smuggling thing for quite a while. No one figured out to install some better cameras at the location that the gas is being siphoned?
Click to expand...

1)
I think the clear assumption was that they'd been using burners the whole time.

2)
Hard to tail people to the super remote locations they were doing most of their dirty work.

3)
There was no connection to the gas siphoning to the smuggling till very late. Otherwise it was just a petty crime thing.
 
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