• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Sneaky Pete - Ribisi / Cranston - Season 1 - All episodes available now on Amazon

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Ri'Orius

Member
Lifeline said:
Really liked the season overall. Probably the best Amazon has made. I do have some gripes with the way it ended, but overall can't wait for the second season.

Ending was a little too clean and convenient, I hope the second season has more things going wrong.
Click to expand...

See, I kinda disagree.
Hot Cousin is now in with the Native Mafia, Grandma and Grandpa both have guilty consciences, Hothead Cop's career is still boned, and at the end of they day none of them even got paid. I thought they got enough trouble throughout the series, I really wanted Marius to bring home a win, and he was so close... if only the Native American guy hadn't demanded both the cash and Hot Cousin's services, which honestly feels like just a huge, largely undeserved, "screw you" to the fam.
 
Grizzlyjin

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Ri'Orius said:
See, I kinda disagree.
Hot Cousin is now in with the Native Mafia, Grandma and Grandpa both have guilty consciences, Hothead Cop's career is still boned, and at the end of they day none of them even got paid. I thought they got enough trouble throughout the series, I really wanted Marius to bring home a win, and he was so close... if only the Native American guy hadn't demanded both the cash and Hot Cousin's services, which honestly feels like just a huge, largely undeserved, "screw you" to the fam.
Click to expand...

Season Spoilers

I actually liked where it left everyone just because there are enough threads for a future season. The slate is basically clean, but you can see where things would go if there is a Season 2. I'm betting that hitman works for a group and they'll come looking. The family business is going to be laundering money, which should be a hot mess. And NYPD is definitely going to be sniffing around to find out what really happened to Winslow.

The only thing that felt really tacked on was the very end with "Pete" getting snatched again. I'm cool with the idea because it obviously brings Marius back into the fold and expands on his con more, keeps him close to the family, etc. What bothered me is that I just digested so much and then they shoved more on my plate.

I wonder if Eddie and Karolina are just going to be gone, or if the show would split between Bridgeport/New York and Vegas. Cause the idea of Karolina running a small casino with Eddie and Marius working security sounded pretty dope too...
 
W

Werd

Member
I liked most of it, though (Episode 10)
the ending with so many previously unmentioned (FBI informant, etc.) things going just right and the Oceans 11 esque meet up at the end with a bunch of team members we've seen for 10 minutes of screen time felt a bit contrived and like it was cut from another show. Would have preferred to either spend more time on that plot to justify it, or just a simpler solution.

I tried not to get too hung up on plot holes or such in this kind of show, but the identity switch with the prison records did bother me a bit. Felt like that wouldn't hold up to the slightest scrutiny by the family (he got caught robbing both a bank and a gun shop under different names presumably within a short time frame and got out in 3 years?), and we don't see real Pete again for any effect there... though I guess it caused a decent season 2 plot tease at the end.

But overall it was a fun enough watch and the leads were good, I'm in for season 2 if it continues.

Edit: oh, and I wanted Marius to call out Carly for
being so holier than thou on discovering real Pete's gun range robbery when she's shoplifting, stealing cash from presumed family, deceptively using a mysteriously insecure police PC, etc. Obviously not exactly the same level but geez.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Up to episode 4 - the amount of swearing is a bit much, but overall I'm enjoying it. Cranston's speech at the end of episode 4 was great.
 
K

Katana_Strikes

Member
Very good show. Best Ive seen in a while from original shows. It was a fun show with great characters. Throws a bit at you with both story and characters so you have to keep up.

Set up nicely for another series hopefully.

And yes, while the Saturn isn't the best damn video game console ever it's still awesome so was fun to hear that out of nowhere haha.
 
J

J_Viper

Member
Finished the first two episodes, and it's a damn fine show so far.

I can definitely feel the CBS-ness of the Pilot, but the second episode is a lot closer to something like Justified in the writing and character work, which is a given considering the folks working behind the scenes.

Cranston is so great.
 
N

Niraj

I shot people I like more for less.
I have to give this a shot at some point. Hopefully posting this is enough to remind me at some point lol
 
I

Incendiary

Banned
RatskyWatsky said:
Up to episode 4 - the amount of swearing is a bit much, but overall I'm enjoying it. Cranston's speech at the end of episode 4 was great.
Click to expand...

I just finished episode 4 and came to post that Cranston at the end of the episode has basically sold me on the show. It was good before, but if there are more moments like that (and I'm sure there will be) it'll be great.

I'm a little sad that the show continues to run the "con man could have identity blown but conveniently has something go his way right at the end" trap that all stolen identity shows feel like they have to do, but it's not enough to hinder my enjoyment of it. Overall, it's good and worth watching I think.
 
T

taoofjord

Member
Just finished it. Compete binge watch in one day! It's certainly not a masterful show by any means, and I didn't care for the last episode all that much, but it was damn entertaining for sure. I'm in for season 2 if it gets good reviews. While the whole show is very contrived and convenient (it doesn't try to hide it) and does everything in the name of fun, I am worried Season 2 will take that too far into eye roll territory.
 
E

Endorphineforeverybody

Member
So after two episodes. I liked it, will continue to watch. Great cast all around so many familiar faces. Victor Williams from king of queens was a big suprise. Justified, the wire. And the soundtrack was good.
 
Grinchy

Grinchy

Banned
This was a fun little show. It's not something I'm going to go around telling people they have to check out, but it was pretty solid and very fun. There were a lot of very questionable things that kept it from feeling as real as they were attempting to make it feel, but I could look past it.
 
I

Incendiary

Banned
Just finished watching the season - man I hope they do a second season. It'll be interesting to see what carries over. All the casting was awesome, especially Bryan Cranston.

RustyNails said:
Didn't like the pilot.
Click to expand...

I'd watch at least the second and third episodes because the rest of the series is radically different than the pilot. You can see in the pilot where all the procedural elements are - they'll be catching a bail runner every week, possible quasi-sexual tension between the con man and his "cousin" and some background drama with him having to protect himself from the family who may or may not be on to him. But they drop all that pretty much immediately in the second and third episodes in favor of a more serialized, Netflix-esque story with some branching twists and turns. There's a little bit of forced drama with the usual con tropes but overall it's much better than the pilot would have you believe.
 
TVexperto

TVexperto

Member
I think the pilot was the best episode and I wish future episodes would have been more in that style, like more fun and more case of the week and more stylistic choices like him noticing all the small details, I liked that in the pilot
 
Grizzlyjin

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Cornballer said:
‘Sneaky Pete’: Bryan Cranston Drama Series Renewed For Season 2 By Amazon
Click to expand...

dqtf7cE.gif
 
L

lt519

Member
Through 8 episodes my wife and I are loving this. It's got that same hook and lure that Breaking Bad did with the odd situations the characters navigate themselves in and out of. I'm also a sucker for con movies, so this is right up my alley. The casting is great. Just some fun TV. Also looks phenomenal in 4k and HDR.

Just finished, that's some fun television!
 
E

Error

Jealous of the Glory that is Johnny Depp
Just wanted to chime in and say this show is really good. Based on the first 2 episodes anyway. Performances are great.

And hmmm Karolina Wydra... hmm yeah.
 
T

TripOpt55

Member
Four episodes in and really enjoying this so far. Great cast and really tense in varying ways, both high stakes and low at times.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
Finished it.

I thought it was a lot of fun, if not a little too complicated/convoluted. The cast was great across the board.

Cornballer said:
I'm surprised to hear you say that because it isn't something I noticed.
Click to expand...

It was just jarring to hear so much swearing in the episodes that immediately followed the very CBS-y pilot. It took me a while to adjust to it.

Werd said:
I liked most of it, though (Episode 10)
the ending with so many previously unmentioned (FBI informant, etc.) things going just right and the Oceans 11 esque meet up at the end with a bunch of team members we've seen for 10 minutes of screen time felt a bit contrived and like it was cut from another show. Would have preferred to either spend more time on that plot to justify it, or just a simpler solution.
Click to expand...

There were a lot of super convenient things like that throughout the season and it kind of made the whole thing feel a little too slick. Hopefully they can get a better grasp on that aspect of the show next season.
 
S

Sloane

Banned
Just finished watching it. Thought it started out pretty good but overall I'd call it average at best. Don't regret spending time on it but it really doesn't have a lot to offer other than its great cast. (Although I didn't entirely buy Ribisi as a fantastic con man, the guy always looks and acts like he's lying half the time anyway.)

The thing that bothered me the most, a few way too convenient plot points aside, was that they never really played out the "the family might realize he's not actually Pete" angle. Breaking Bad always did those long, drawn out, metaphorical bomb under the table scenes masterfully but here it just feels like a side note, even when the girl starts to figure things out for half an episode or so. The stakes also fell a little flat since the show never gave me any reasons to root for any of the characters.

Maybe Yost figures it out for season two, similar to Justified, but so far I'm not really feeling a strong vision for this show.
 
R

RustyNails

Member
Ok, I stuck to your advice GAF. After hating the pilot and tuning out, I gave it another shot. Wow the show turned out to be wayyyy better than what I thought. Currently in episode 6 and all sorts of shit is about to go down. Bryan Cranston looks to be having a hell of a time, so really happy for him. Giovanni Ribisi is a great choice too. I feel good for him and I dont. Its a feeling that is always at odds with each other. I want to know who is Marius, really. The guy is wrapped in so many layers of deceit and pretend, its an enigmatic onion waiting to be peeled.

Ugh, dont like the 16 year old cousin. She's annoying. I dont know if its the actress or the character. Rest of the cast is fine too, especially the grandparents and even side characters like the goons, pawnshop guy, etc.

So I'm saying I'm glad I took your advice, and I thank you. So anyone in a similar boat who got bored from the pilot, dont tune out. Breakout show of the year.
Error said:
And hmmm Karolina Wydra... hmm yeah.
Click to expand...
Bruv, I know right. It should be illegal to be this hot.
 
T

this_guy

Member
I'm about 5 episodes in. The show is ok but not great, and truthfully I don't have any desire to finish the series. I might let it play in the background.

I thought Goliath with Billy Bob Thornton on Amazon Prime was much better.
 
S

stenbumling

Unconfirmed Member
The first half was alright, kinda flat but good performances I guess. Actually don't remember much of anything through episode 2-5. The other half was magnificent though. Just lovely, especially
the hostage scenes at the office
.

Could've had more Marin Ireland though.
 
N

Night Hunter

Banned
I liked it, mostly because of Ribisi, Cranston and Martindale, but writers need to stop with that whole twist shit. I mean I now in a post GoT world this shit is all the rage and whatnot, but 99% of the time it feels rather cheap.

If you have to actively not show me something just to surprise me with it later, chances are good that it won't actually feel earned.
 
L

Lifeline

Member
Night Hunter said:
I liked it, mostly because of Ribisi, Cranston and Martindale, but writers need to stop with that whole twist shit. I mean I now in a post GoT world this shit is all the rage and whatnot, but 99% of the time it feels rather cheap.

If you have to actively not show me something just to surprise me with it later, chances are good that it won't actually feel earned.
Click to expand...

Yeah the finale and the whole
they had the upper hand all along
felt really unearned. Otherwise though it was a great season.

why did they even need the money, when he could have convinced Cranston to let him catch Muckergee to help make up his debt
 
Mossybrew

Mossybrew

Gold Member
I'm glad I stuck with the show. Didn't care much for the pilot, the next couple episodes are kinda slow, but the show just keeps gathering steam and finishes really strong.
 
H

HIGH DEF JEFF

Banned
2 episodes and Im done.
Pilot is like any other regular TV pilot..its in such a hurry to set everything up AND have a situation to solve.

Shows or movies about con men in a modern setting dont work. No one would fall for that shit. I'll just watch The Sting.
 
R

RustyNails

Member
HIGH DEF JEFF said:
2 episodes and Im done.
Pilot is like any other regular TV pilot..its in such a hurry to set everything up AND have a situation to solve.

Shows or movies about con men in a modern setting dont work. No one would fall for that shit. I'll just watch The Sting.
Click to expand...

Take my advice, watch the whole thing through. I was in the same boat as you.

Finally finished the season. 8.5/10
 
R

riotous

Banned
Just marathon'd in 2 evenings; absolutely loved the show. None of the complaints here, while understandable, bothered me. While pretty much everything eventually works out, each "oh shit he almost got caught" moment was almost always immediately replaced with another stressful potential issue.

I really enjoyed the final episode as well; I knew right away
that Cranston catching on with the con was part of the plan
but didn't really know what was going to happen in the end. About the only issue I had was
almost no explanation of what the blonde guy was doing there; or maybe I missed it? I kind of assumed he was just another player trying to make sure Muckergee won a lot?

Lifeline said:
Yeah the finale and the whole
they had the upper hand all along
felt really unearned. Otherwise though it was a great season.

why did they even need the money, when he could have convinced Cranston to let him catch Muckergee to help make up his debt
Click to expand...

I don't think Muckergee was actually cheating; the entire con sort of relied on that fact since if he was cheating it's possible Cranston would have caught on to it before the con could play itself out. They also made it clear that Cranston refuses to budge on established "deals"; he owed him the 100k before midnight, he didn't owe him help with Muckergee.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

  • Locked
Amazon's Sneaky Pete (Giovanni Ribisi, Bryan Cranston) pilot now available
25
4K
xxracerxx replied
Details + photo released for Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams TV series (C4/Amazon)
28
4K
dukeoflegs replied
Top Bottom