Heels - General Discussion

[ybrik]

This was another good episode. Good insight into side characters. Especially the women on the show. 

Glad Jack listened to Ace about the promo. Though how has he never thought of doing this type of promo till now? These type of promos have been done for years. Also glad Jack offered and Ace asked for advise about being a heel. This episode was definitely dealing with wrestlers living their gimmick even to their own detriment like Wild Bill.

Got some insight into Willie. Though I was like Jack when she mentioned sex with Wild Bill. Glad her husband had that moment at the end and wish Willie had gotten one more good punch in. So is it supposed to be implied the daughter is Wild Bill’s?

Curious why Bill thinks the dad’s suicide was Jack’s fault.

I was really disliking the Grandmother after the dinner scene. I understand being angry and being hurt still but to basically force all of that on her grandson was just not acceptable. Definitely needed those two scenes at the end with Jack’s wife and Ace. Also think seeing his mother like this is why Jack didn’t put up an argument when his wife took a job. 

Really liked the Bobby and Crystal scenes. I would like to see Crystal interact with some of the other wrestlers more to get an idea of how they see her as well. 

[benteen]

Another really strong episode.  I loved the angle that they shot in the car wash.  That was a lot of fun and pretty awesome.

Wild Bill has been a great deal of fun on this show and giving Chris Bauer more to do will only help this series going forward.

Interesting that the big company "up North" is located in NYC instead of Stamford, CT, where the WWE has its headquarters.  They have made references to both Vince McMahon and The Rock so they are acknowledging the history but likely not naming the WWE or where they are actually located.

Also was really annoyed with the grandmother but liked her interaction with Staci.

Freddy Rumsen from Mad Men was right to tell Jack that the name Duffy is too regional for a company that he wanted to take national.  Not to mention, Jack's company just seems SMALL even by independent wrestling promotion standards.  It seems like he doesn't even have close to a dozen wrestlers on the roster.

Looking forward to more.  I'm glad that Jack has given more creative control to Ace.  Nothing can hurt a wrestling company more than having only one person making all of the decisions.

[statsgirl]

Episode 1.5  Swerve

Quote

When the South Georgia State Fair shows interesting in featuring the DWL at this year's state fair, it's on Jack to close the deal with an electric night of matches; Bill, Ace and Crystal have their own ideas.

 

[benteen]

Another great episode.  Ace continues to be an absolute asshole.  It's easy to see why he's a heel.  

Chris Bauer remains the MVP of this show as Bill Hancock.  He is never not funny.  Nice bit with him going into business for himself and forcing that match with Jack and Ace.  It's good for business.

Crystal is definitely emerging as the star of DWL and her promo was great.  It annoys the hell out of me that Jack can't see he's got an absolute star with her and setting the show in current times means Crystal should already be a wrestler and not a valet.

[Dowel Jones]

Bill is definitely a supreme schemer.  Setting Crystal up like that to undercut Jack and his league is devious to the nth power.

The irony here is that Jack spends so much time on the script when he could just use the real life drama to put on a show.

[greekmom]

Damn Ace is such an ass.

I cannot believe he hurt Bobby Pin like that for real and probably ruined his career.

Bill is an ass.

[statsgirl]

The graphics of the broken leg were brutal.

For all his manipulations, Bill really called it that Jack and his mother indulge the man child too much.

[tv echo]

Edited September 18, 2021 by tv echo

[statsgirl]

Episode 1.6 House Show

Quote

It's the day of Big Jim's baby's baptism and a new beginning for everyone in Duffy; Jack's running around town prepping and promoting the upcoming match at the fair.

 

[tv echo]

The Hero of ‘Heels’ | New York Live TV
New York Live    Sep 22, 2021

 

[tv echo]

Inside the Costumes of Heels | STARZ
STARZ    Sep 29, 2021

 

[greekmom]

Interesting. Willie was Tom's valet but lover to Bill and now partner with Jack.

Ace is going to be sorry he and Crystal broke up.

Still feel sorry for Bobby Pin.

[statsgirl]

Episode 1.7 The Big Bad Fish Man

Quote

The South Georgia State Fair is only a couple of weeks away and Jack's doing all he can to keep his professional and personal lives intact; Staci has suspicions that Jack played a role in Ace's unexpected Heel-turn.

 

[Avabelle]

Seriously struggling with Ace. He’s such a fucking whinge. I don’t know how anyone can stand him. He’s so nasty.

[statsgirl]

The flashback scene where Jack tries to get his father to be realistic about the DWL and Tom reacts by taunting him and physically wrestling seemed very King Lear.

I don't know if Ace was just terribly parented by both of his parents or if he's actually developmentally slow. He seems to have a good heart (going to Gully to defend his brother, inviting Crystal to join him) but he makes terrible decisions. AL's facial expression as Jack punched out Gully was brilliant though.

How many of us have been Wiilie "I said I don't want to talk about it!"?

[theschnauzers]

With the flashback in this episode, I was finally able to see the David James Elliott inside the character of Tom. Camera angles or something.

[juno]

Episode 1.8 Double Turn

Quote

The culmination of all Jack's efforts finally pays off as the DWL is featured on the biggest stage in its history, but when outside-thering drama enters the squared circle, there's a lot more on the line than the championship belt.

 

[tv echo]

Heels: Stephen Amell on the Big Season Finale and Wrestling Authenticity
By Mike Cecchini   October 10, 2021
https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/heels-stephen-amell-season-finale-wrestling-autenticity/ 

Edited October 11, 2021 by tv echo

[marcee]

Such a good finale. I have lots of thoughts - but the one that's sticking is Wild Bob facing serious shame in order to give Crystal her shot and make sure the show was successful. That was some good TV.

[juno]

Just a terrific episode to cap off a great season. From the writing to the acting to the cast choices everything was top notch.

This episode will go down as one of my favorites of this and any season. From Staci's honest talk with Jack, to Ace's decision to actually be a good guy in public, to Willie's realization that Crystal was a star and deserved more respect than what she was getting, to Wild Bill realizing that Crystal was a star and getting her to back him as his valet.

But those last 3 "hell yeah" minutes.

To Ace realizing he was screwed by Jack with the tissue throwing, to Jack's apology, to Ace literally trying to kill him, to Crystal realizing that the match was going bad and the show was in danger of falling apart and deciding to act and save the show, to Ace finally realizing what wresting was all about and deciding to put-over Crystal and Jack doing the same, to the look of joy on Crystal's face when she is about to suplex Jack as she takes in all the cheering, to Wild Bill deciding to embarrass himself with his "accident" and take out Gulley, to the wonderful moment when Crystal raises the belt in victory, and lastly the smile Ace gives and small nod that he did the right thing and finally became the good guy/face.

Absolutely my favorite show of the season!

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by juno

[greekmom]

Great season finale.  Cannot believe how things turned out.

I hope there is a season 2.

[CherryMalotte]

17 hours ago, greekmom said:

I hope there is a season 2.

Oh boy me too!  I was a fan of the WCCW back in the day, have always enjoyed it (Jimmy Garvin!) so much, and while I don't watch much of it these days this was a great series and brought back some great memories.  The acting and storylines were superb.  Kudos to all!

[tv echo]

Heels comments made during SA panel at Wizard World Chicago on Oct. 16...

Edited October 16, 2021 by tv echo

[statsgirl]

On 10/11/2021 at 12:00 PM, juno said:

Absolutely my favorite show of the season!

Mine too, which was a huge surprise because I had no interest in wrestling.

I think it's because the show is so well written and acted, it works on several levels, not just as a show about wrestling. Parents Spade really did a number on messing up both their kids, and Crystal and Bobby Pin are people to root for. Staci and Willie are awesome.

I hope it's gets a season 2, it deserves one.

[tv echo]

A few Heels comments in this interview...

Stephen Amell Interview
Pop Star Extraordinaire Maya     Oct 26, 2021

-- When asked if he needed to do anything special to prepare for his new show Heels, SA: "Well, any role that you do is like learning a new subject in school. ... When you start, you don't know anything, right? When I started as Oliver Queen, I mean, I hadn't picked up a bow and arrow since I was like 12 years old. Right? Like, I had no idea. What's my superhero voice like? How do I walk in a superhero suit? What's Oliver like? What's the history of this character like? I didn't know any of that. So it's the same thing taking on Jack Spade in my new show, which you are not old enough to watch yet, Maya. Do you understand? ... Not yet, not yet... Soon, though. Soon. Give it a couple of years... (Maya interjected that she was 18.) Oh, okay, then never mind. I'm sorry. My bad, my bad. ... But when it comes to any new role, you know, you just have to start with basically the equivalent of, you know, a blank page. Um, you need to figure out where the character's from, what his interest are, what his motivations are, what he holds dear. And then you need to look at any of the ancillary things that - that are going to come with playing the character. In this case, getting in a pro wrestling ring and looking believable as a pro wrestler in an independent professional wrestling circuit. So you just have to learn the basics. How to throw a punch. How to hit the ropes. How to fall on your back without smacking your head.  You have to learn all of those things. And the first rule of thumb, I think, is to begin at the beginning, don't skip any steps, master the basics first before you worry about anything else, and listen to the advice of people that are experts in that field. I need to learn a Southern accent. So you talk with an accent coach, a dialect coach is what they call them. I need to be doing pro wrestling. So you talk with someone who's a pro wrestler. ... Yeah, you just find people that are better at it than you are and learn from them. And don't be afraid to steal from them a little bit, too. It's the good kind of stealing. It's not the bad kind of stealing."

-- SA: "I went to a doctor's appointment today. And had a good chat - I had a good chat later with some people about the second season of Heels potentially happening."

-- When asked if he has a ritual or routine that he does before he starts filming a scene, SA: "Well, before I start filming a scene, I always like to figure out what my scene partner wants to get out of the scene., because I'm a pretty easygoing person to work with. Um, you know, I -  I make choices and I make decisions and I'm very prepared. But, when I played Oliver Queen and when I'm playing Jack Spade, I am working more than anyone else. So, as a result, I - you know, I always want to figure out how they want to go about doing their work So, you know, right before a scene, I try to stay as relaxed as possible. That's my ritual. Because, if things have gone correctly, that means that I've done all of my preparation. Right? Like, there's no - there's nothing new to - there's nothing new to discover. There's no last minute cramming like you would last minute cram for an exam. No. You study. You let everything settle in your brain... I like saying, you let it marinate. And then, by the time you're actually doing your work, you're all relaxed."

Edited October 27, 2021 by tv echo

[AnimeMania]

‘Heels’ Renewed for Season 2 at Starz

Trey Tucker (Bobby Pin) and Robby Ramos (Diego Cottonmouth) have been promoted to series regulars for Season 2.

[juno]

1 hour ago, AnimeMania said:

‘Heels’ Renewed for Season 2 at Starz

Trey Tucker (Bobby Pin) and Robby Ramos (Diego Cottonmouth) have been promoted to series regulars for Season 2.

Great news. We get to see champion Crystal reign supreme. Wooo yeah!!!

[tv echo]

Edited November 4, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Stephen Amell: Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette
Renee Paquette    Premiered Nov 8, 2021

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Female Stunt Performers From ‘Hawkeye’ to ‘Kung Fu’ Talk Kicking Butt and Trouncing Stereotypes on TV
By Whitney Friedlander    Dec 13, 2021
https://variety.com/2021/tv/features/hawkeye-kung-fu-stunt-performers-stereotypes-1235128318/

Quote

Taylor Towery, a stunt performer on “Heels” who has also played a zombie no less than 10 times on “Fear the Walking Dead,” comes from a family of stunt performers. Both of her parents have worked in the profession, with her dad Russell Towery serving as stunt coordinator on productions including “The Walking Dead” and USA Network’s “Queen of the South.” Her brother, Dawson Towery, is a stunt performer and coordinator. Her mother, on the other hand, “didn’t have that same experience.”

“Sometimes [women] got to do things, but a lot of times, you’re riding shotgun and you’re not letting the females drive the car,” Towery says.
*  *  *
Towery was a Level 10 in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Program, the highest level, but she didn’t know much about wrestling before she worked on “Heels.”

“I think the biggest thing that they had to teach us is the way that you perform in a wrestling ring,” she says of the experts who work with her on that show. “The way that you sell a hit, and the way that you take what they call a bump — when they’d hit the ground really hard — is different.

“In stunts, it’s all about how am I going to throw this punch to where it sells for the camera,” she continues. “But in the wrestling ring, it’s how am I going to throw this punch or this kick so that it sells for the audience, which is all around.”

Such nuance of character, story and world is key for all shows. “If somebody kicks me in a real fight, my reaction is going to be different than if a superhero kicks me and now I’m going flying,” Towery, who has also worked on Fox’s “The Gifted,” says.

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by tv echo

[AnimeMania]

Heels: The Complete First Season arrives on DVD February 15 from Lionsgate for the suggested retail price of $34.98.

Feature Run Time: (8 Episodes) 468 Minutes

[tv echo]

This video was posted by Stephen Amell on Tik Tok on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022 (he was in Los Angeles)...
https://www.tiktok.com/@stephenamell/video/7058725959180127534

-- Jan. 29th was "officially Day 1 of training for Season 2 of Heels"
-- "We're going to camera on the 8th of March right now."
-- He plans to "chronicle" his Season 2 journey.

Edited January 30, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Heels got 3 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations....

Nominations Announced for the 2nd Annual Critics Choice Super Awards
February 22, 2022 
http://criticschoice.com/2022/02/nominations-announced-for-the-2nd-annual-critics-choice-super-awards/ 

Quote

(Los Angeles, CA – February 22, 2022) – The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today the nominees for the 2nd Annual Critics Choice Super Awards, honoring the most popular, fan-obsessed genres across both television and movies, including Superhero, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror, and Action. Winners will be revealed on Thursday, March 17.
*  *  *
TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE SUPER AWARDS

BEST ACTION SERIES
9-1-1
Cobra Ka
Heels
Kung Fu
Lupin
Squid Game

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION SERIES
Mike Faist – Panic
Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game
Alexander Ludwig – Heels
Ralph Macchio – Cobra Kai
Omar Sy – Lupin
William Zabka – Cobra Kai

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION SERIES
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1
Kim Joo-ryoung – Squid Game
HoYeon Jung – Squid Game
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer
Olivia Liang – Kung Fu
Mary McCormack – Heels

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by tv echo

[AnimeMania]

Probable that Season 2 has started filming.

 

[tv echo]

Edited March 16, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

 

UPDATE:

On 2/27/2022 at 10:39 AM, tv echo said:

Heels got 3 Critics Choice Super Awards nominations....

Nominations Announced for the 2nd Annual Critics Choice Super Awards
February 22, 2022 
http://criticschoice.com/2022/02/nominations-announced-for-the-2nd-annual-critics-choice-super-awards/ 

Heels did not win any Critics Choice Super Awards (Squid Game won the 3 categories in which Heels was nominated).

Edited March 17, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Inside Line: Scoop on Stranger Things, The Boys, All Rise, Heels, Sweet Valley, Call Me Kat, The Orville and More
By Matt Webb Mitovich / June 13 2022
https://tvline.com/lists/stranger-things-will-steve-die-demobat-bite-season-4/ 

Quote

Do you have any info about Season 2 of Heels? –Steve V
What if I told you that Starz’s Stephen Amell-led wrestling drama will have some Arrow tie-ins during its sophomore run…?

[AnimeMania]

Heels Season 2 Wrap Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfgLinQDE51/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=d668a197-7619-494b-ade4-85abf1423437

[tv echo]

[statsgirl]

On 3/17/2022 at 10:16 AM, tv echo said:

Arrogant much?

Sometimes I like Stephen Amell. And sometimes I don't like him at all.

[AnimeMania]

Heels Season 2 returns to Starz on Oct. 9. 

[slayer2]

On 10/4/2021 at 2:52 PM, Avabelle said:

Seriously struggling with Ace. He’s such a fucking whinge. I don’t know how anyone can stand him. He’s so nasty.

Yes and I'm struggling with everyone except Crystal and frankly I'm struggling with her too. Why is this show so sexist? It's supposed to be 2021? Did they miss the invention of women in the WWE, what the fuck? And the fact that Crystal has to apologize and cry every five minutes for attempting to be anything other than a glorified whore? It's just hard to go from watching Fighting With My Family to watching this and even that was somewhat difficult at times. It's like they missed the invention of women after 1962, Crystal is more talented than all of them yet seems to prefer being a call girl to Ace or a babysitter and translator to dumb as a box of rocks, Bobby. Who writes this crap? Ugh. 

Edited to add: I fast-forwarded to the end and it's so unearned that that Willie woman is cheering her on as if she's been in Crystal's corner the entire time when she's been treating her like a stripper. Not to mention Jack should have apologized to Crystal for not giving her a chance not Crystal for taking the mike. Who knew that old guy would end up being the most reasonable person on the show. Ugh. Pass. There's enough sausagefests in the world without me adding another to my watch list and I'm no fan of Stephen Amell (funny because I adore Robbie). I really like Alexander Ludwig but not so much here. The Canadian in me is almost sad about it.

Edited October 22, 2022 by slayer2

[AnimeMania]

Heels Season 2: Stephen Amell Offers Timetable for Delayed Episodes

Lionsgate attempting to split from Starz, has caused both companies to try to determine which "Titles" belong to which company, causing all kinds of problems like the cancelling of the second season and the removal of the first season of Dangerous Liaisons from the Starz. It is also causing the delay of new programming on Starz, like Heels Season 2.

[tv echo]

'Missing' Shows, Found! The Latest on All Rise, Cruel Summer, The Nevers, Warrior, Last Kingdom and 28 Others
By Matt Webb Mitovich / February 15 2023
https://tvline.com/lists/missing-tv-shows-renewed-cancelled/the-alienist-season-3-tnt/ 

Quote

HEELS (Starz)
...
Last aired:  Season 1 of the family/wrestling drama aired Aug. 15 through Oct. 10, 2021; renewal came a few weeks later.

Current status: In an Inside of You podcast appearance recorded in September 2022, series co-lead Stephen Amell said, “Heels is coming out eventually,” hopefully in the “first or second quarter of 2023.” (According to Amell, the delay is the result of Lionsgate splitting from Starz, which they acquired back in 2016 for $4.4 billion.)

Edited February 17, 2023 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SA was at Fan Expo Vancouver on Saturday (Feb. 18)...

[statsgirl]

Quote

Stephen is very hopeful for a 3rd season of @HeelsSTARZ

 He wants to focus on acting this year.

Uh, what was he focusing on the first two seasons of Heels? 🤔

[tv echo]

Just watched video of SA's panel at Fan Expo Vancouver. In context, SA was asked if he was interested in doing his own podcast and he replied that he wanted to focus on acting... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKP7X-Lu08

-In response to fan asking if he would start his own podcast, SA: "My focus right now is - for the past 10 years or so with my career, my career's really been spoon-fed to me, by which I mean - when I booked Arrow, and we're shooting that for essentially 10 months out of the year, I could choose if I wanted to do something in the two months that I had off from the show, which in some cases sometimes I was doing press, sometimes I did Code 8, one time I did Turtles... And then I went straight from Arrow to Heels. And I haven't really had time off from Heels because we've been - our schedule has been so up in the air because of the pandemic. So at the beginning of this year, I really - I'm very hopeful for a third season of Heels. I know the second one's coming out... We have to promote the second Code 8. But other than that, I don't really know what I'm doing... I want that focus to be on acting. So it's important that I get out there and hustle. Um, you know, like, one of the reasons why it's nice to be up here right now is because I'm leaving this convention and I'm staying in BC to shoot a movie for a little bit. So it's like cool, like start a podcast, you know, that'd be great. It's a good idea, but I want my - I want my focus to be on acting at the moment."

Edited February 22, 2023 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Google translation:

Quote

Stephen revealed that he thinks the second season of #HeelsStarz should debut in the middle of the year. He said James Gunn should call Greg Berlanti." #ECCC #ECCC

[tv echo]

From Arrow panel at Emerald City Comic Con on Mar. 4...

-- SA: "It's not confirmed yet, but I would - I would guess the second season of Heels is due out around the middle midpoint of the year. ... I would like to do something with WWE or EW potentially around the launch of the second season. So that will probably entail getting into the ring."

Arrow Reunion: Stephen Amell, Juliana Harkavy, & Colton Haynes at Emerald City Comic Con 2023
Literary Hype Woman   posted Mar 6, 2023

Edited March 8, 2023 by tv echo

[SilverLake0315]

Stephen was at GalaxyCon in Richmond, VA this weekend and he said the trailer for season 2 is imminent. That will include the premiere date. He feels like he's about a week out from being able to share.