Cornballer
Member
New episode tonight:
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Manhattan - The story of the first atomic bomb - Tuesdays on WGN America
- Thread starter RatskyWatsky
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RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
That was a pretty good episode this week. I loved the scene where Liza discovers that everything is irradiated.
godofcookery
Member
wow, I didn't even know this show was a thing, i am very interested in this premise! are there any places to catch up properly?
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Hulu +
firehawk12
Subete no aware
If the premise is the science, you probably should look elsewhere.
As a period soap opera, it's amusing.
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
Yeah, it isn't very good.
Or did she? By the end of the episode I wasn't quite sure if that happened or if she was just having a paranoid hallucination.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
godofcookery
Member
Cornballer
Member
New episode tonight:
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Poor French lady.
Cornballer
Member
New episode tonight:
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Welp, I didn't see it all unraveling in that manner.
I almost wish this was something else other an a WW2 period piece. I would have gotten over the fact that it's not really about trying to tell the story of the Manhattan project and all the random affairs, mental breakdowns, and lesbian affairs would have just been something to poke at rather than distractions from what I would consider the real meat of the show.
It's not like Oppenheimer had a boring life anyway, and having the show be about his affair, his supposed Communist ties, and of course about his ethical concerns about the bomb would have been far more interesting than spreading those stories around a few characters.
As it is, the show doesn't have the gravitas of a show about the most earth shattering development in the 20th century, nor does it quite work as a prime time soap opera. In fact, tonally, it reminds me a lot of Aaron Sorkin's Newsroom.
I almost wish this was something else other an a WW2 period piece. I would have gotten over the fact that it's not really about trying to tell the story of the Manhattan project and all the random affairs, mental breakdowns, and lesbian affairs would have just been something to poke at rather than distractions from what I would consider the real meat of the show.
It's not like Oppenheimer had a boring life anyway, and having the show be about his affair, his supposed Communist ties, and of course about his ethical concerns about the bomb would have been far more interesting than spreading those stories around a few characters.
As it is, the show doesn't have the gravitas of a show about the most earth shattering development in the 20th century, nor does it quite work as a prime time soap opera. In fact, tonally, it reminds me a lot of Aaron Sorkin's Newsroom.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
It should have just been sold as Mad Men: The Fourties and people probably would be more interested.
As it is, the science stuff is probably a bore to some people and the soap opera stuff is a bore to others. No one is really satisfied.
As it is, the science stuff is probably a bore to some people and the soap opera stuff is a bore to others. No one is really satisfied.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I don't really understand why Ackley killed himself.
I took it as him reacting (more extremely) the same way as Winters did when asked 'What if implosion didn't work?'. Winters couldn't even register it. Akley just couldn't accept Thin Man being a failure, or having to explain why, or that he already knew.
Superb show.
Napoleonthechimp
Member
I enjoy watching it.
I think Winter's approach of trying to bring Ackley into it was the right one but unfortunately Ackley was too invested into thin man
Night Hunter
Banned
http://deadline.com/2014/10/manhattan-renewed-season-2-wgn-amercia-850780/
Season 2 is a go
Nice. The bad numbers had me worried.
Season 2 is a go
Nice. The bad numbers had me worried.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Hm, I suppose. It just seemed like a very over the top reaction and I don't think the show did a good job of establishing just how involved Ackely was, emotionally, in Thin Man.
Cool.
Cornballer
Member
Season finale tonight:
Cornballer
Member
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I thought the finale was pretty good too. I'm glad the show was renewed because that wouldn't have worked as a series finale at all, haha.
rocketskates
Member
Booooooo my favorite character is gone :/
Quite shocked at the reveal though.
Overall, with this and Salem, I'm happy about this new WGN.
Quite shocked at the reveal though.
Overall, with this and Salem, I'm happy about this new WGN.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Who? Ackley?
firehawk12
Subete no aware
So did they get renewed? I'm curious if this worked out for this unknown network.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Yes, it was renewed. It's also been pretty well received by critics, despite the lukewarm reception here.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
I think I came in expecting a serious look at the Manhattan project, which colored my expectations tremendously.
I assume they'll pull back the cliffhanger and find a way to bring Frank back though. Although I hope they don't.
I've been beflecting back on the show now that it's over and I've got to say it's been pretty much solid disappointment for me. I loved the attention of detail spent on the time era, but the writing was complete shit to me. They spent way more time on the drama and subterfuge then the actual development of the bomb. And to think I thought they would have an active trinity test at the end. I guess they had to pad it out for further seasons. The thing I absolutely hated the most was the psudo historical accuracy with the people. They used a couple of actual people (Oppenheimer) but the rest were completely made up. There's enough documentation of the projects out there to at least use the correct names for the scientists. Having to try to figure out what was real and what was TV bullshit really tried my nerves. I didn't see anything about the lead developer on the thin man committing suicide once the project was found to be a failure.
On a side note, I learned a lot while reading up about the actual development. One thing that I found amusing was reading about the experiences of the workers at the enrichment plants. They saw tons and tons of raw material coming in but nothing being produced. Almost all of the workers at the plants had no idea what they were actually doing. Even the managers of the plants were kept in the dark. If someone started asking too many questions they were escorted off and fired from the project.
On a side note, I learned a lot while reading up about the actual development. One thing that I found amusing was reading about the experiences of the workers at the enrichment plants. They saw tons and tons of raw material coming in but nothing being produced. Almost all of the workers at the plants had no idea what they were actually doing. Even the managers of the plants were kept in the dark. If someone started asking too many questions they were escorted off and fired from the project.
rocketskates
Member
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
He's essentially the main character so I'd be very surprised if he didn't come back next season.
rocketskates
Member
I'm hopeful, as it will be interesting to see how they do it, as he's pretty much condemned as a "traitor" at this point for telling his wife. I'm sure Charlie will pull some strings as his new position entitles him to certain things.
You're better off reading about it than trying to get any historical accuracy from this show. They deviate so much from history it might as well be fiction.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
The show is fiction though. It's not even trying to be historically accurate.
Grizzlyjin
Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
You know, I pretty much wrote this show off completely. But I started watching WGN America's other original show that premiered last year, Salem. Had fun with it, it's stupid but fun at times, so I figured I would give this a shot.
Very impressed with Manhattan. Slightly disappointed that this really doesn't go into the science of the Manhattan Project as much as I'd have hoped, but it is definitely a solid drama series with a unique backdrop. I actually binge watched the entire first season on Hulu in a day, which I almost never do.
If you're a Mad Men fan like me, you'll be able to predict a lot of the character arcs as they crop up. That being said, definitely still a good period piece. Even thought I didn't get the science stuff I expected, I can always read up on that in my free time.
I'm kinda surprised GAF didn't like this show more. For a first season of a show, I thought it was extremely solid. Maybe people wrote it off as another "Me too!" period drama trying to get the Mad Men fans. That was honestly my biggest concern going into the show, but after watching it, it didn't really come off that way. The show was pretty subtle about it, very few moments that screamed "Look it's the 1940s! See how different things were..."
Kudos to WGN, they're doing a great job with their original programming right out the gate. Bring on Manhattan Season Two!
Very impressed with Manhattan. Slightly disappointed that this really doesn't go into the science of the Manhattan Project as much as I'd have hoped, but it is definitely a solid drama series with a unique backdrop. I actually binge watched the entire first season on Hulu in a day, which I almost never do.
If you're a Mad Men fan like me, you'll be able to predict a lot of the character arcs as they crop up. That being said, definitely still a good period piece. Even thought I didn't get the science stuff I expected, I can always read up on that in my free time.
I'm kinda surprised GAF didn't like this show more. For a first season of a show, I thought it was extremely solid. Maybe people wrote it off as another "Me too!" period drama trying to get the Mad Men fans. That was honestly my biggest concern going into the show, but after watching it, it didn't really come off that way. The show was pretty subtle about it, very few moments that screamed "Look it's the 1940s! See how different things were..."
Kudos to WGN, they're doing a great job with their original programming right out the gate. Bring on Manhattan Season Two!
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
robertsan21
Member
Wow, they are starting filming the next season NOW?
I thought the next season would start very soon...whats the release date for the next season?
I thought the next season would start very soon...whats the release date for the next season?
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Yeah, that surprised me too. I would have thought they'd be farther along at this point.
There isn't a release date yet, but it'll probably be late summer.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Season 2 will premiere on October 13 at 9/8c. "It will focus on the events leading up to Trinity test: the first detonation of an atomic weapon, which happened 70 years ago this week."
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Neve Campbell is also onboard for a recurring role as Kitty Oppenheimer.
Looks good, I'll be watching again.
Looks good, I'll be watching again.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
New key art:
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