Pindrop

This show is ridiculous. I assume the writers must have a competition to come up with the most absurd and unbelievable plot development and the winner gets to write the next scene.

Yes, Kirkman needed some major changes, at least the version of him that existed after his learning-the-ropes arc was over in the first third of the first season. I cannot understand how experienced writers (I assume, but judging by how amateurish a lot of the writing was, perhaps not) still have a Mary-Sue (or, more accurately, several Mary-Sues) at the centre of the show. There are multiple problems with a Mary-Sue; they are unrelatable, they are unbelievable, and they are unlikeable, but worst of all they remove all of the following from the writer’s toolkit; any conflict (other than superficial and juvenile black/white) with other characters; any threat/stakes provided by the possibility of failure; any character arcs through learning from experiences/ mistakes; any overriding narrative thrust that is about anything other than propping up the Mary-Sue’s awesomeness. The main problem with this show was that Kirkman (the version of him beyond the first third of season 1, that is) was such an insufferable prick.

That was kind of my point, that with the zombie reveal they essentially wrote themselves into a cul-de-sac.

Yes, I had the feeling the film-maker was cherry-picking, and it started to irritate me. The entire structure of the mini-series felt manipulative, and seemed to be tailored towards shoring up the results of the film-maker's investigations, rather than providing a balanced picture.

A far more apt title.

I am glad they get a chance to wrap it up properly, because it really only has one more season in it. Since the show jumped the shark at the end of last season there has been a dramatic fall in quality, and they have dead-ended themselves in terms of potential plot developments. Either it becomes an international zombie-pocalypse (but with one business-as-usual Police precinct where everyone seems oblivious to the outside world, except when the bad-half of the plot requires them to take notice), or they find a cure.

It is a shame it has been cancelled, but on a positive note, hopefully I’ll never have to watch Steven Strait’s “acting” again.

I certainly agree that Happy Valley is one of the best shows in this genre I have ever seen. That WAS superb!

I am unsure that tvtropes.org can be considered an authority on anything other than filling pages with nonsense in order to sell advertising space. TV shows are often reductive and dumb in the handling of all their archetypal characters; I don't think anyone comes out of it unscathed.

I think the operative word in the above is “teen” rather than “female”; and that teens of both genders can be subject to hormonal changes that can turn them irrational is a trope for good reason.

No, my version got cancelled then as well.

I’ll join in, but it is a straight copy/paste from one of my posts in another thread (because my opinions haven’t changed):- Season 1 arc: After the bombing, Texas secedes and other states threaten to follow. There are real anti-Union antagonists that the President must contend with (rather than petty straw-man Republican caricatures for the Democrat writers to hit with sticks). Civil War is on the horizon and the President must use all his guile to prevent it. Meanwhile as a B plot the FBI/CIA (not one woman) hunt down the bombers. Season 2 arc: It seems that civil war has been averted by the unmasking of the bombers, but the US has lost its standing and influence and must rebuild, while on a world stage the lost influence has created tumultuous times in many US protectorates, an emboldening of US enemies and worldwide recession. Europe is under increased pressure to fulfil the lost US role and a wave of red is sweeping in from the east.

When I watch a show I always assume that Season 1 is the story the writers/show runners want to tell, and anything beyond is the goodwill the producers/networks want to sell. I am quite content with one good season of a show, anything more is a bonus.

Odd indeed; I can only imagine the initial concept is of some interest and they want to hit the reset button? Why the heck would anyone buy a show about a conceited, holier-than-thou Mary-Sue President gunning down straw-man Rublican caricatures like some latter day Messiah; while a bulletproof one-woman army singlehandedly shoots down all the world’s terrorists? That is an absurd premise for a show!

I don’t consider the finale a cliffhanger. The face reveal was long overdue and caused elements of the show to stagnate, or worse, circle the drain. This is the big moment the show has been endlessly, tediously building towards and it should be the culmination. Leave it now; there is nowhere else to go. It also irritates me that the US networks insist on such overlong seasons. Almost every show I watch would be vastly improved if it were 8-12 episodes and the plotting was tightened.

I felt the same, I just could not wrap my head around it. I think the money must have been secondary to the game/rush for both of them, because it was a bloody awful plan if the primary purpose was to obtain $250k. Like you, I think Rothstein is the - erm - "genius", and Marjorie was along for shits and giggles. Also, on the subject of the FBI, I got the impression from the dark-haired guy that he was a little green, a little too nice and a little too lassez-faire.

I watched Season 1, but I am really struggling with Season 2. It is so relentlessly bleak and serious. Writing a dark show is easy, introducing levity to manage the tension and balancing it against the serious drama is what requires talent, and this show has none. It is grating with me.

All I know is that euthanasia is sometimes the kindest option. This season felt like wheel-spinning. Half of the characters stagnated and the other half became one-note caricatures of their former selves, or simply slipped so far out-of-character so as to be unrecognisable. Nothing happened for entire episodes, then the plot would suddenly leap forward in the most trite and trope-ish manner (a love triangle, again, over a character that sucks all the fun out of the show- really?). The pacing was all over the place. The cast was bloated and there were too many pointless B, C and Z plots that no-one cares about, or cameo appearances with no purpose. I will miss what this show was in seasons one and two, but this season; good riddance.

Marjorie is a classic psychopath; she exhibits all the traits. I think it may be in Part 4 where some of the FBI's apparent incompetence is explained (state Police withholding information), but even taking this into account they were spectacularly inept at locating and questioning potential witnesses. I won't say more as it will encroach into spoiler territory.

Cancelled? I had stopped watching halfway through this season anyhow. Guess I was not alone.

I am pleased because it has promise. they just need to work on the plotting; less plot induced stupidity; less coincidence and serendipity; less literal deus ex machina and flip-flopping from said machine (good-evil, good-evil repeat ad nauseum), and; I do not know what the hell they do with Dr Smith without some major retcons, since they have walked her down an irretrievable/irredeemable path now. More Toby Stephens, who, together with the production values, is the main reason I am appreciative of a second season.

Just binged this. What a surprisingly good show; it was not what I expected (and was dreading) at all. My expectations: some tedious teen angst involving too-cool-for-school precocious twats. The reality: A darkly humorous, bittersweet gem of a series.

I see it has (unsurprisingly) been cancelled. I stopped watching two episodes into Season 2 when it was clear the interesting initial premise had been completely forgotten and the one-woman action-hero crap was still a large discordant part of the show. I have said before that they horribly wasted a great high-concept idea in Season 1. What it should have been: - Season 1 arc: After the bombing, Texas secedes and other states threaten to follow. There are real anti-Union antagonists that the President must contend with (rather than petty straw-man Republican caricatures for the Democrat writers to hit with sticks). Civil War is on the horizon and the President must use all his guile to prevent it. Meanwhile as a B plot the FBI/CIA (not one woman) hunt down the bombers. Season 2 arc: It seems that civil war has been averted by the unmasking of the bombers, but the US has lost its standing and influence and must rebuild, while on a world stage the lost influence has created tumultuous times in many US protectorates, an emboldening of US enemies and worldwide recession. Europe is under increased pressure to fulfil the lost US role and a wave of red is sweeping in from the east. Much better.

A new four part documentary on Netflix. It is overlong and doesn't come up with many surprises but it is still an intriguing and compelling case. Worth a watch.

Chandler Bing: in reality after the 100th sarcastic comment the only response he would get was "shut the f*** up" Starbuck in the BSG remake (specifically in the mini-series and Season 1): I know that they recast the role as a female and she was supposed to be a swaggering hard-ass, but it was just too much! It felt like the short kid at school who would compensate by calling everyone out for fights. She was also quite astonishingly unpleasant to most people around her. Everyone in The Big Bang Theory, but especially the canned laughter: Which may as well be a character because, frankly, it has more (unearned) screen time than anyone else. Essentially a character is bad when it is clearly trying to achieve one thing but misses. If Chandler's remarks were intended as relentlessly irritating, he would be fine. If Starbuck was intended as an arrogant narcissist who swaggers around like a 14 year old boy in the playground, then she would be fine. If everyone in the Big Bang Theory, but especially the canned laughter were intended to make you throw your TV out of the window and then hunt down the cast, writers, producers and directors with a gun, then they would be fine. Unfortunately they weren't.