Ozark [Netflix] (***SPOILERS***)

jack presley

I can't see any similarities with Fargo.

FrancieBrady

jack presley wrote: »

I can't see any similarities with Fargo.

The idea that the place (the Ozarks) is almost a character or affects the characters would be very similar in my view.

Occono

I'm more inclined to watch something than Netflix than from anywhere else, just because, well, Netflix is the only streaming option that works properly in Ireland. I agree with the general consensus that it's decent but flawed but I enjoyed it well enough and hope for more seasons. I see it getting smoother next season.

Ruth was the best character, every scene with her was great and her arc was effective. I wish

Russ had survived instead of the FBI guy, the FBI guy is just weird and I'd rather see the story of the gay criminal hick learning to live with himself....and maybe not killing and stealing so much. The flashback episode confused me until I learned later it was non-linear.

walshb

Finished this last night. Super show. Fast paced the whole way through, with excellent characters and dialogue. Really impressive stuff.

Fred Swanson

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FrancieBrady

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No.

TerrorFirmer

I've only watched the first episode but my immediate reaction is that it's not particularly good, yet manages to be enormously entertaining.

It really goes at 100mph which is both a flaw and a good thing - you're never bored admittedly, but events do seem ridiculously far fetched as a result and it doesn't quite gel right.

Some cool individual scenes in it though and Jason Bateman is, as always, incredibly watchable.

Cupra280

Watched the series over the course of a week.

It had good points and it had bad points. But, I enjoyed it, especially seeing Jason Bateman and Laura Linney playing characters that are poles apart from the roles they usually play.

There will have to be a season 2, and I will definitely be watching.

Ally Dick

I am 8 episodes in, and am hooked. I find wordy, heavy drama suits me at the moment, as we have had a death in the family, and are trying to process the grief. This show seems to suit my mood! I found True Detective season 1 similar. I was unemployed at the time, and I loved the heavy dark script. Maybe in happier times, I might not be so interested in shows like these!

steve_r

Finished this earlier. Mixed thoughts overall:

The good
- The main cast is generally very good, in particular, Bateman
- Lots of good twists

Killing the lover, killing the business partner,
the drowning scene at the end

which caught me off guard.
- The family members generally have interesting arcs and how they react to the events is interesting and they are developed well over the course of the series.
- Ruth and Russ are also very good characters who are very well played.
- The setting itself has potential but...(see below).

The bad
- The concept isn't that original.
- Some of the actors (FBI guy, and Dil) are not great - they are fairly generic and almost stereotypical.
- The direction seems a bit uninspired. There not many memorable visuals or striking scenes. It appears to me to be a show driven by writers and not directors. All the scenes are the same drab color scheme and visually it's not an interesting show to watch.
- Jacob has the potential to be a great villain (and certainly the right actor with Peter Mullan) but for whatever reason, it hasn't happened yet.


Overall it has potential and I can see why people like it but I do hope it improves.

Agent Coulson

Renewed for a second season.

Slydice

blade1

Just putting on the last episode now and looking forward to it.
Despite one poorish episode somewhere in the middle this gets 8 out of 10 for me.

Snake Plisken

Wow that was fantastic really brilliant, it did have a Breaking Bad vibe in that every time Marty though he had everything under control some new issue would happen to screw his plans up! Brilliant performance from Jason Bateman and he did a great job directing a lot of the episodes! The random violent scenes were realistic and well done.
I am really delighted that it has been renewed for a second season, it must be getting good views on Netflix thanks to strong word of mouth!

murpho999

Just finished this today.

I enjoyed the last three episodes as Ep 8 gave some back story and the last two picked the story up in a big way.

Found the middle parts to be quite a slog.

I just didn't find the characters very interesting or likeable and would not have cared what happened to them. Felt the show was too bleak and serious and just lacked some humour and likeable traits in some of the characters.

Also, the show has nothing in common with Breaking Bad or Fargo. I hate when studios do that. Just promote the show on its own merits and not use other shows as a comparison.

TerrorFirmer

Just watched the finale and I have to say I really like the show. The opening few episodes are a bit ridiculous albiet entertaining, but it does even out quite a lot over the course of the 10 episodes and sort of corrects itself, if that makes sense - the opening episode really suffered from never taking its foot off the pedal from the five minute mark, I think. Cast is good and I generally like most of the characters.

I don't get why people are tripping themselves up to point out that it's 'nothing' like Breaking Bad - the general tone and backbone of the show is not entirely dissimilar, so I think it makes perfect sense to pitch it at people who enjoyed BB.

Alf Veedersane

Almost gave up after episode 1.

Glad I stayed on.


But Jesus on a bike, I really don't like Laura Linney.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Alf Veedersane

Fred Swanson wrote: »

She is a fine actress. They have cast her in a very unlikeable role. She normally plays fairly likeable characters, it is a complete change for her.

I think it's her voice. It's not that I don't think she can act, nothing of the sort...as you say, she's playing the role of a character you're not supposed to be sympathetic to.

Bandana boy

I really liked this ,it has some similarities with BB but this is a far far better season 1 than BB had .
I am looking forward to a second season , kudos to SB for a comedic actor he played this brilliantly and his role as a director was top notch.

Azatadine

Just finished it too. Brilliant! Some great acting throughout.

sheroman01

Just finished it today. Really enjoyed it. Not amazing per se, but something about it kept me interested. Bateman was incredible, such a class actor. Always so calm and real. Some lovely scenery in it too.

sheroman01

walshb wrote: »

Finished this last night. Super show. Fast paced the whole way through, with excellent characters and dialogue. Really impressive stuff.

Jaysus, one thing this show is not, is fast paced! A super show indeed, but very slow building. Which is no bad thing, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

ButtersSuki

Finished it this week. It was grand; not amazing but certainly not crap either. I find the pacing uneven, going from slow and detailed to very rushed - and often in the same episode -

One week Marty has $8m to launder, the next it's the last run? Come on.

. I also find

Peter Mullen's accent all over the place and inconsistent and they do that thing where in a lot of his scenes his back is to camera to hide this (this may be just me spotting this?)

and likewise with Del

his accent slips from Mexican to full on Yank at times

. What made Breaking Bad great was the attention to detail (even if that was subsequently debunked as being inaccurate on shows like Mythbusters etc., and I don't think this has it). I'm not asking for a "Dummy's Guide to Laundering Mexican Cartel Money", but it would help if more detail was provided on the efforts Marty has to go through to launder this cash. A good summer at a sh*tty bar & motel and a strip joint isn't washing $8m. Bateman, Linney (don't get the criticism, she's almost always excellent) and Mullen

(accent aside)

deliver from an acting perspective, but some of the supporting actors aren't as good for me. The show started and ended strongly, but some of the middle episodes were, for me, not great. I seriously considered not finishing it at one stage but I'm so OCD with TV and books that I honestly can't not finish something if I start it. Had it been better thought out with more attention to detail and paced more consistently (slower) I think it would have been a lot better. The ending was a bit bizarre

killing Del and Mullen just talking about it as if it'll be grand and if not we'll deal with the cartel - yeah right!

but it will be interesting to see where they take it for season 2 and beyond (if they do that).

MICKEYG

What was the significance of the daughter almost drowning and then surfacing all refreshed?

Shane St.

Like some others have said definitely pacing issues. The middle episodes were abit of a slog to get through but the last 2 were great.

Shane St.

Like some others have said definitely pacing issues. The middle episodes were abit of a slog to get through but the last 2 were great.

De Bhál

just finished this first season last night.
Good show, great actors and acting let down a bit by a bit of a poor (a bit ludicrous) story line. Very watchable though.

Yer man going into buy the gun was funny and scary if it is that easy to purchase a gun like that.

The backstory episode was very good especially the end when Bateman realised just what he'd signed up for.

Agent Coulson

Took a few months but I finally finished it.

I have to say I enjoyed watching it old school style one episode every week or so.

Slydice