Ray Donovan [Showtime] [** Spoilers **]

Caught up on the episodes to date and still really enjoying it. The performances and in particular, Voight and Schreiber are outstanding but episode 5 really highlights the shows shortcomings. We're almost 5 hours into a 10 hour story and already we have more questions than answers. The show goes out of it's way to paint Micky as some truly evil figure but he never feels threatening. Instead he feels like a live wire, someone whose actions aren't predictable but a long way from the Machiavellian character he's been painted by the other characters.

A lot of the supporting characters seem to be repeating the same actions week after week, Bunchy spends every episode moping around in a constant state of arrested development and the writers don't seem the least bit interested in expanding upon anything that makes him interesting. The same goes for Terry who has over the first 4 episodes came to the front as one of the shows most interesting characters but all this was thrown away in episode 5 where Terry went from being a sad sack love shy loser to the other man. It just didn't ring and seemed almost as if the writers had accidentally mixed in the pages from a later episode.

There's a lot of potential in the show but it needs to get a move on in introduction the pieces of the overall puzzle. You can't keep the viewer in the dark or offer slivers of information for too long before people just stop watching.

snausages

Yeah, it's hard knowing what this series wants to be. The family aspect of it fragments it more than it keeps it feeling cohesive.

FloatingVoter

Ep.6

Poor twerp on acid reminded me of some mushrooms I took once in Limerick. I loved the toys coming to life. Don't think he did.

deco nate

now that was a great episode!!

Not a bad episode this week though yet again the relationship between Ray and Mickey seems to be far more interesting that anything the writers have shown us to date. I'm dieing to find out just what he could have done to leave Ray with so much hate for his father, after all from everything we have seen of Mickey he's came across as a pretty decent bloke. Granted his social skills aren't all that and he has no idea how to conduct himself around his family but he's certainly not the figure of pure evil that the show has been selling him as.

I really hope that the coming weeks can deliver on the promise that the show contains. It seems to be constantly threatening to go from being merely very, very good to exceptional TV but week after week it fails to cross the line.

Diddy Kong

Deleted User wrote: »

Not a bad episode this week though yet again the relationship between Ray and Mickey seems to be far more interesting that anything the writers have shown us to date. I'm dieing to find out just what he could have done to leave Ray with so much hate for his father, after all from everything we have seen of Mickey he's came across as a pretty decent bloke. Granted his social skills aren't all that and he has no idea how to conduct himself around his family but he's certainly not the figure of pure evil that the show has been selling him as.

I really hope that the coming weeks can deliver on the promise that the show contains. It seems to be constantly threatening to go from being merely very, very good to exceptional TV but week after week it fails to cross the line.

To be fair I don't think I am seeing that! He is enabling his own son, Punchy, who is trying to stay off the sauce, in the latest episode he is giving a beer to his early teen granson. As for all the jokes he has been making about Punchy's abuse (half-nelson), and the meeting they went to. I just don't understand how the other's are not seeing this!

I am really enjoying this show, Voight just plays the sleeze perfectly. I am not so sure about Ray's missus, surely she must have some clue about what he does for a living...

Dermighty

The best show that's airing at the moment I feel.

Tipsy McSwagger

Best episode so far. I don't think there is anything better on the box at the moment (until the greatest tv show of all time Breaking Bad comes back Monday).

Diddy Kong

Diddy Kong wrote: »

To be fair I don't think I am seeing that! He is enabling his own son, Punchy, who is trying to stay off the sauce, in the latest episode he is giving a beer to his early teen granson. As for all the jokes he has been making about Punchy's abuse (half-nelson), and the meeting they went to. I just don't understand how the other's are not seeing this!

I am really enjoying this show, Voight just plays the sleeze perfectly. I am not so sure about Ray's missus, surely she must have some clue about what he does for a living...

He's a sleaze bag there's no doubt about that but he's far from the evil character he's painted at. He comes across as a deeply flawed individual who has no understanding of boundaries or how to interact with people. He's quite vile at the best of times and not a particularly nice person or someone you'd want around your kids but he's far from the evil figure Ray seems him.

spank_inferno

meh... I've given it 4 episodes and I know I'm going against the grain, but I don't think its much good at all.

Most annoying thing is the accent of wife Donovan..... there mut be plenty of actresses who can do a Boston accent... this lady unfortunately cannot.

John Voigts characther is too OTT to be in any way realistic.

evilivor

spank_inferno wrote: »

Most annoying thing is the accent of wife Donovan..... there mut be plenty of actresses who can do a Boston accent... this lady unfortunately cannot.

The Norn Iron accent is very hard to mask.

Conmaicne Mara

Best episode yet. Loved the acid trip

sweetie

Maybe I missed it but why us mickey trying to get back at Elliot gourds character?

Paully D

sweetie wrote: »

Maybe I missed it but why us mickey trying to get back at Elliot gourds character?

My interpretation so far is that we don't know exactly why, but it is definitely something to do with Ezra (Elliot Gould) playing a part in the setup that sent Mickey down.

sweetie

sweetie wrote: »

Maybe I missed it but why us mickey trying to get back at Elliot gourds character?

The actor character whom Mickey has sent threats to shot Ray's girlfriend with Mickey's gun while on Mickey's drugs. Elliot Gould, Ray and the others conspired to have Mickey take the rap. It's why they are all so afraid of him, they expect him to take revenge.

Paully D

Superb episode this week. This is really picking up now.

Deleted User wrote: »

The actor character whom Mickey has sent threats to shot Ray's girlfriend with Mickey's gun while on Mickey's drugs. Elliot Gould, Ray and the others conspired to have Mickey take the rap. It's why they are all so afraid of him, they expect him to take revenge.

Ah, that's what it was. I knew I had missed something. I shouldn't have watched that episode half asleep :pac:

Mc Love

Brilliant episode as always! Easily becoming one of my fav's!

snausages

In spite of all its weaknesses it's very watchable. 7 eps in and only one dud so far (the golem).

ben.schlomo

Another excellent episode, great pace, interesting characters, great acting, lots of intrigue and mystery.

Zero-Cool

If the actor guy shot Ray's girlfriend, why is he so pally with him and work for him, even if he was on drugs at the time. Is the main source of his hate for Mick that it was Mickey's drugs that caused the actor to kill the girlfriend?

sheehy83

sheehy83 wrote: »

If the actor guy shot Ray's girlfriend, why is he so pally with him and work for him, even if he was on drugs at the time. Is the main source of his hate for Mick that it was Mickey's drugs that caused the actor to kill the girlfriend?

I'm assuming that either Ray didn't particularly care for the girl or Ezra was able to offer more money than Ray could ever imagine earning. The hatred for Mickey seems to stem from before the shooting and I'm assuming that it has something to do with Ray's sisters suicide.

Loved Mickeys line in the bank, " last time I was in a bank I had a stocking on my head"

sweetie

watched 'the Golem' on sky go last night. Loved the 'nosey c**t' line!

Dermighty

The last episode wasn't as strong as the others, If Jon Voight is not a regular character I think the show would lose most of its appeal, he's the best thing in it.

I don't mind the wife, she is meant to sound like a trashy Boston knack.

The daughter needs to die though!

ben.schlomo

Dermighty wrote: »

The last episode wasn't as strong as the others, If Jon Voight is not a regular character I think the show would lose most of its appeal, he's the best thing in it.

I don't mind the wife, she is meant to sound like a trashy Boston knack.

The daughter needs to die though!

Agreed, weird brow freaks me out.

spank_inferno

Dermighty wrote: »

I don't mind the wife, she is meant to sound like a trashy Boston knack.

The daughter needs to die though!

Problem is..... its a poor impression of a Boston Knack.

A local would have been better.

& I agree though, neither Donovan child adds anything to the show.

JONJO THE MISER

Just watched all 7 episodes over 3 days, love this show, the only new show i actually like over the last year or so.

kaimera

Making my way thru the episodes so far, very ****ing good.

EyeSight

i get the feeling Mickey may have sexually abused his daughter. Thus the hate from Ray.
His wife is annoying, a bit like Carmella in the Sopranos. Loves the money, knew all along how it was earned, but wants to complain still.
Some of the criticisms in this thread are fairly poor. The people complaining about there being a lot of unanswered questions should wait until the season ends.

What happened to the guy in rehab who was messaging Rays son?
Why did Ray need Sully to kill Mickey? Surely he knows another "guy" to do it. His reason for wanting someone else with as much hate to be the killer is lame

EyeSight

EyeSight wrote: »

i get the feeling Mickey may have sexually abused his daughter. Thus the hate from Ray.
His wife is annoying, a bit like Carmella in the Sopranos. Loves the money, knew all along how it was earned, but wants to complain still.
Some of the criticisms in this thread are fairly poor. The people complaining about there being a lot of unanswered questions should wait until the season ends.

What happened to the guy in rehab who was messaging Rays son?
Why did Ray need Sully to kill Mickey? Surely he knows another "guy" to do it. His reason for wanting someone else with as much hate to be the killer is lame

It's not that there are unanswered questions that's the issue but rather how the show keeps rehashing the same issues week in week out. I'm still loving the show but that's more down to the performances than anything else. I imagine that way wants Sully to kill Mickey as he wants Micket to see it coming, he wants him to know that it was his own son who facilitated it all.

snausages

EyeSight wrote: »

Some of the criticisms in this thread are fairly poor. The people complaining about there being a lot of unanswered questions should wait until the season ends.

It's a valid criticism. I like it but like Darko said it makes for repetitive viewing. I would have dropped it if Jon Voigt and some of the others weren't so fun to watch.

Mc Love

One of the best episodes of the series last Sunday!

Paully D

I wasn't expecting that ending this week :eek:

kaimera

Paully D wrote: »

I wasn't expecting that ending this week :eek:

Ah in fairness, it was kinda obv as the two of them were talking and then he turned his back on Mickey.

He shoulda taken the glass with him too.

DubTony

kaimera wrote: »

Ah in fairness, it was kinda obv as the two of them were talking and then he turned his back on Mickey.

He shoulda taken the glass with him too.

And those pictures. But I suspect they'll fit perfectly into a frame.

MonkstownHoop

Where is the next episode?

MonkstownHoop

MonkstownHoop wrote: »

Where is the next episode?

Labour Day Weekend in the US means that most shows skip a week.

MonkstownHoop

Deleted User wrote: »

Labour Day Weekend in the US means that most shows skip a week.

Well thats ruined my monday

bradolf pittler

Brilliant episode tonight,best of the series in my view,

mikeys got the upper hand now and sullys gonna be coming for ray

And whats the song that was played at the end?
cool tune

kaimera

Between this and breaking bad today...dayum.

Cracking episode

It's about time but as it comes down to the line Ray Donovan finally gets moving. Fite Nite is by far the best episode of the show to date and for the first time this season the 52 minutes wasn't simply a meaningless repetition of the same themes and moments. Abby is still quite annoying and if one were to take a shot every time she asked Ray what he's doing you'd be on the floor in no time.

I think the week long break was a god send for the show as there was a sense of urgency that was heightened by the fact that memories of the last episode were duller than usual. That said Fite Nite is far from a classic episode of Tv and more and more it's becoming clearer and clear that the show started life as something else. The pacing is glacial and there simply isn't more than a few hours material here hint at Ray Donovan initially existing as either a film or a miniseries and it's only now, nearly 9 hours in that we're getting to the meat of the story. Fite Nite has a lot of action and the lack of the supporting cast is a plus. The emphasis is squarely on Ray and while as the credits roll not a single thing has been resolved for the first to date it feels like we're going forward and not simply rehashing the same old things.

MonkstownHoop

"Alright alright he was half a fag"

Heckler

Apart from the odd bum episode I think this series as a whole has been great. Liev Schreiber is perfect in the main role. Wife and kids are a bit annoying and Mickey is ott but i like Bunchy and especially Terry.

James Woods was scary when he did what he did last week and Rays crew are well done as well.

Mickey is an odious ****er (props to Jon Voight) and the sooner he gets sent to Belize the better.

snausages

Just saw that the latest ep is out on the usual channels a day early. Not sure if it's a leak or something else.

MonkstownHoop

snausages wrote: »

Just saw that the latest ep is out on the usual channels a day early. Not sure if it's a leak or something else.

thanking you

kaimera

jesus christ Ray.

Bunchy is quality

JONJO THE MISER

Delighted Ray is going to get what is coming to him, i despise him, thinks he is a tough man and tried to kill poor old Mickey.

Torqay

Certainly one of the best episodes so far.

"God help you, Ray!"

Not even God can help him if they can pin the murder of a federal agent on him. The icing on the cake would have been the two detectives showing up at the gym to confirm Mickey's alibi.

Kudos to Ann Biderman, she has created yet another great show... pity they have axed Southland.

Heckler

Torqay wrote: »

Certainly one of the best episodes so far.

"God help you, Ray!"

Not even God can help him if they can pin the murder of a federal agent on him. The icing on the cake would have been the two detectives showing up at the gym to confirm Mickey's alibi.

Kudos to Ann Biderman, she has created yet another great show... pity they have axed Southland.

Loss of Southland was an utter shame. Must have been one of my favourite shows in the past 10 years. The hell is wrong with people they don't appreciate these shows. The mind boggles.......

Heckler

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Delighted Ray is going to get what is coming to him, i despise him, thinks he is a tough man and tried to kill poor old Mickey.

Mickey is the one of the most cvntish characters i've seen in a long time. The sooner he gets a bullet the better. Ray could be fvcked for the g-man though.