S01.E03: Earth Day

[AnimeMania]

Forced to live “off of the land” on Earth Day, tension within the group erupts as treatment intensifies and hunger pains set in.

Air Date: 8/18/21

[Roxie]

I am wondering what all the sheets of paper (I think?) are on the wall in Masha’s lair. 

[chocolatine]

Is Masha in some kind of throuple with Yao and Delilah? It's highly unethical to have that kind of relationship with her employees, but it seems like that's not the worst thing she's done.

[Anela]

If anyone had killed my pet goat, I would have launched myself at them, the way Carmel launched herself at Lars.

Michael Shannon had me in tears, but I'm glad the wife realized what was going on. 

[chocolatine]

15 minutes ago, Anela said:

If anyone had killed my pet goat, I would have launched myself at them, the way Carmel launched herself at Lars.

For a regular person, yes, but with Masha it seemed to me like she was grooming the goat to be killed, showing it so much affection so that it would be more comfortable around people and not try to run away. Yao was right there when it happened, and if the goat had really been a beloved pet, he would have forcefully intervened.

ETA: FWIW, Russians aren't usually that fond of goats. The Russian word for goat, козел, is colloquially used to describe a stupid man (and the female version, коза, a stupid woman).

Edited August 20, 2021 by chocolatine

[chediavolo]

Totally unfucking believable that people that have been a little hungry for just a few hours go and kill a random goat on the property. 🙄 Poor thing. I think it was a pet because Nicole Kidman mentioned some thing about having to get its teeth cleaned. I think she is just so stubborn and well I don’t know what, insane?  that she can’t even admit to herself that she made a friggin mistake. 

 

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, chediavolo said:

Totally unfucking believable that people that have been a little hungry for just a few hours go and kill a random goat on the property. 🙄 Poor thing.

And they weren't even really fasting. They got fruit smoothies for breakfast and found some walnuts while they were "foraging" (walnuts that happened to be already husked and dried, but I'll handwave that). So they weren't starving by any means.

[stormy weather]

I haven't read the book and don't want any spoilers, but does anyone know if there is ANY reason why Masha should be Russian? Because Nicole Kidman is doing a terrible job with the accent and she doesn't behave or look Russian at all, so I'm wondering if anything significant (other than me being less annoyed with her terrible acting) would change in the story if the character was, just sayin', Australian? 

Michael Shannon is great, as always, and I agree about the absurdity of being "starved" after half a day of not eating, which basically means skipping a meal, something that I'm sure has happened to everyone more than once except we don't go around killing goats as a result. BUT, we know almost for sure the staff have been spiking their smoothies, so they must've put something in there that justifies that kind of aggressive behavior (although it was mainly the guys. And Carmel.)

[Anela]

7 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Totally unfucking believable that people that have been a little hungry for just a few hours go and kill a random goat on the property. 🙄 Poor thing. I think it was a pet because Nicole Kidman mentioned some thing about having to get its teeth cleaned. I think she is just so stubborn and well I don’t know what, insane?  that she can’t even admit to herself that she made a friggin mistake. 

 

I thought so, too. Although I knew something would happen to the goat, because shows like this rarely show an animal like that, without hurting or killing it.

[lucindabelle]

Who else was weeping buckets during Michael Shannon’s speech. The Bon Iver music too. He really sold that. I knew all the time he was hiding his grief and playing the strong dad for everyone.

the awful thing is that while it’s not his FAULT, in fact he’s not wrong- sometimes just interrupting someone DOES stop the plan. 
 

so sad.

[chocolatine]

7 hours ago, stormy weather said:

I haven't read the book and don't want any spoilers, but does anyone know if there is ANY reason why Masha should be Russian?

She was Russian in the book. But then again, almost everyone else in the book was Australian, and the show changed that.

Spoiler

The show also changed Masha's backstory. In the book she had a heart attack because she was overweight and stressed out from her job. In the show she was shot in a parking garage, implying that she'd been involved in criminal activity.

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by chocolatine

[lucindabelle]

In the flashback to getting shot, it looked like Masha dropped money on the ground. Are we meant to conclude it was a mugging?

I read the book long enough ago that I recall very little details wise.

I feel bad about the goat.

[chocolatine]

5 minutes ago, lucindabelle said:

In the flashback to getting shot, it looked like Masha dropped money on the ground. Are we meant to conclude it was a mugging?

I read the book long enough ago that I recall very little details wise.

Spoiler

The shooting didn't happen in the book. In the book, her "turning point" was a heart attack. The part that the show kept is that Yao was one of the paramedics who saved her life. The show also changed Masha from a dowdy, overweight workaholic, to a slim, stylish workaholic who also liked to party and have sex.

 

[lucindabelle]

Just had to come back to say I am loving the show- so much I had to read some reviews and recaps.

was shocked that many critics find it inferior to the white lotus. I gave up on that show after 3 episodes. I didn’t believe in the reality of ANY of it- not the characters not the hotelier, nothing. I gather it had a good finale.

this is not really believable either but I don’t get the sense that it is TRYING to be. 

[Anela]

1 hour ago, lucindabelle said:

Who else was weeping buckets during Michael Shannon’s speech. The Bon Iver music too. He really sold that. I knew all the time he was hiding his grief and playing the strong dad for everyone.

the awful thing is that while it’s not his FAULT, in fact he’s not wrong- sometimes just interrupting someone DOES stop the plan. 
 

so sad.

I did. 

[SHD]

9 hours ago, lucindabelle said:

I read the book long enough ago that I recall very little details wise.

Ditto. I mean, other than kind of remembering the writer character and the couple that lost a child, this is like watching a whole new story to me. The plot didn't stick with me because it was probably one of my least favorite Moriarty books. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

13 hours ago, lucindabelle said:

was shocked that many critics find it inferior to the white lotus. I gave up on that show after 3 episodes. I didn’t believe in the reality of ANY of it- not the characters not the hotelier, nothing. I gather it had a good finale.

Critics are ridiculous.  There's women at the forefront of this show and the author of the original book is female so I'm not surprised.  It happens again and again.  

[chocolatine]

FWIW, I don't find either of these shows particularly great, just good enough to watch during the summer when there isn't much new content. Both of them have beautiful scenery and star-studded casts, but the stories are pretty weak and shallow . Eye candy pretending to be high-brow.

[lucindabelle]

To be clear I remember I did LOVE the book, but all I really remembered was the writers arc and the screaming driving down the road- and that Masha drugged them.

I really am puzzled at how this seems to be suffering in comparison with White Lotus. I keep saying I should go back to that but then I just feel like maybe I’d rather organize the sock drawer. 

[Haleth]

The White Lotus: 8 guests plus staff at a resort behaving badly. Nine Perfect Strangers: 9 guests plus staff at a spa behaving badly. Neither is very good. 

[BellyLaughter]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

The White Lotus: 8 guests plus staff at a resort behaving badly. Nine Perfect Strangers: 9 guests plus staff at a spa behaving badly. Neither is very good. 

Yep. The White Lotus was a steaming pile of overrated crap but this isn't any better.

[chocolatine]

1 hour ago, lucindabelle said:

I really am puzzled at how this seems to be suffering in comparison with White Lotus. I keep saying I should go back to that but then I just feel like maybe I’d rather organize the sock drawer. 

You'll feel more productive after organizing the sock drawer.

[lucindabelle]

So I just spent some time reading comments on The White Lotus and I am sooo glad I didn’t watch it. 
it seems like it kept its uneven “satirical” tone, with big gaping plot holes too.

the only engine was “who got killed,” the question of episode 1

bur so far I really LOVE this show. I loved the book too.

mostly I enjoy the characters more.

for example the snotty girls on white lotus- I work with teens- I just didn’t believe in them. It was so exaggerated.

compaee and contrast: we have Jessica the influencer but RIGHT AWAY we get to see her humanity. She’s not JUST a caricature.

and as I said befofe I literally cried during Michael Shannon’s speech.

[blueroses]

Apparently my heart has been replaced with Folgers Crystals, because all I thought this episode was “I’d kill myself too just to never hear Napoleon again.” 

[archer1267]

Quote

Totally unfucking believable that people that have been a little hungry for just a few hours go and kill a random goat on the property.

I have a tendency to binge-read (or binge-watch) something and then largely forget the plot. Did the goat incident happen in the book? I don't remember that. I've seen Michael Shannon do sleazy/oily characters (Runaways, Shape of Water) but never a sad sack middle-aged guy like this. He's killing it.

I gave the book to a friend of mine who went on a spiritual retreat and came back after only a few days in. She had to relinquish her cell phone and car keys (!) upon checking in (the request alone for my car keys would have made me bail). Reading and writing materials were also forbidden in the evening. The breaking point was when they tried to convince her that she didn't need her eyeglasses. It's easy to see Tranquillum as a parody, but I do think there are places out there that cross the line between gently encouraging people to be present vs. mind control.

[Ms Blue Jay]

5 hours ago, archer1267 said:

The breaking point was when they tried to convince her that she didn't need her eyeglasses. It's easy to see Tranquillum as a parody, but I do think there are places out there that cross the line between gently encouraging people to be present vs. mind control.

OMG!

[bilgistic]

Something about Michael Shannon creeps me out on a deep level, so I am not liking him in this. Nicole Kidman looks like a caricature if her former self and her "acting" is horrible. I'm here for Melissa McCarthy and the rest of the cast.

[dmc]

On 8/20/2021 at 2:28 PM, chediavolo said:

Totally unfucking believable that people that have been a little hungry for just a few hours go and kill a random goat on the property. 🙄 Poor thing. I think it was a pet because Nicole Kidman mentioned some thing about having to get its teeth cleaned. I think she is just so stubborn and well I don’t know what, insane?  that she can’t even admit to herself that she made a friggin mistake. 

 

This is my thought.  A lot of people intermittent fast for 16 hours.  They were drugged, it’s the smoothies. Hence the long shot smoothie cinematography 

Edited August 23, 2021 by dmc

[MaggieG]

I'm really liking Tony and Frances. Is it wrong that I'm hoping they hook up?

Has Samara Weaving done something to her face? She just looks different then what she normally looks like. 

[Roxie]

22 hours ago, archer1267 said:

I have a tendency to binge-read (or binge-watch) something and then largely forget the plot.

Me, too - I find it very annoying.

[Nellise]

On 8/20/2021 at 11:52 PM, lucindabelle said:

Just had to come back to say I am loving the show- so much I had to read some reviews and recaps.

was shocked that many critics find it inferior to the white lotus. I gave up on that show after 3 episodes. I didn’t believe in the reality of ANY of it- not the characters not the hotelier, nothing. I gather it had a good finale.

this is not really believable either but I don’t get the sense that it is TRYING to be. 

I hated White Lotus from the start. Reading reviews of it, it seemed like critics didn't actually watch what happened in it but instead made up in their minds what they wanted it to be and reviewed that instead.

I liked this a lot better so far. It's silly, but the characters at least seem like real people aside from Masha. I do keep expecting Samara Weaving to spit out those teeth by accident though.

2 hours ago, MaggieG said:

Has Samara Weaving done something to her face? She just looks different then what she normally looks like. 

She has very very fake teeth in. And they're purposely overdoing it with the makeup, lashes and tan to make her be an influencer.

Edited August 23, 2021 by Nellise

[MaggieG]

7 minutes ago, Nellise said:

I hated White Lotus from the start. Reading reviews of it, it seemed like critics didn't actually watch what happened in it but instead made up in their minds what they wanted it to be and reviewed that instead.

I liked this a lot better so far. It's silly, but the characters at least seem like real people aside from Masha. I do keep expecting Samara Weaving to spit out those teeth by accident though.

She has very very fake teeth in. And they're purposely overdoing it with the makeup, lashes and tan to make her be an influencer.

I figured they were, just something about her looks different. I guess it's the teeth. Her and her hubs (can't remember his name) win the lottery and she got the influencer make-over. Or maybe she was an influencer before the lottery win, who knows

[Nellise]

28 minutes ago, MaggieG said:

I figured they were, just something about her looks different. I guess it's the teeth. Her and her hubs (can't remember his name) win the lottery and she got the influencer make-over. Or maybe she was an influencer before the lottery win, who knows

She's also extremely thin even for her in this. She's like Ally McBeal season 2 thin. So that plus the teeth is making her face be extra angular.

Also, you're not alone on thinking she looks different. She even talks about it on her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSzC0U_IQEB/

Edited August 23, 2021 by Nellise

[chediavolo]

3 hours ago, MaggieG said:

I'm really liking Tony and Frances. Is it wrong that I'm hoping they hook up?

Has Samara Weaving done something to her face? She just looks different then what she normally looks like. 

Love those two also. 

She did that to her face on purpose? !! 😳

[Anela]

12 hours ago, dmc said:

This is my thought.  A lot of people intermittent fast for 16 hours.  They were drugged, it’s the smoothies. Hence the long shot smoothie cinematography 

That, and the comment that they should drink their own smoothies, and not share them. 

[Dminches]

On 8/20/2021 at 2:28 PM, chediavolo said:

Totally unfucking believable that people that have been a little hungry for just a few hours go and kill a random goat on the property. 🙄 Poor thing. I think it was a pet because Nicole Kidman mentioned some thing about having to get its teeth cleaned. I think she is just so stubborn and well I don’t know what, insane?  that she can’t even admit to herself that she made a friggin mistake. 

 

Unless they were drugged.

 

I thought the conversations during the time that the men and women were separate were great.  Several of them really spoke truthfully about themselves.

Napoleon's "grace" speech was very sad.  He is trying to convince himself that he is fine but he clearly isn't.  Maybe he has been spending all his energy helping Heather, not realizing he needs to take care of himself too.

 

[Arynm]

I enjoyed White Lotus, but I am an easy mark. It was an easy watch with great characters.

I know that she is withholding Tony's pain meds, it was obvious that he was suffering from withdrawal.

I did like that the mom called Masha out for drugging them.  In this day and age, most people know when they have been given something. Are we sure Masha is drugging them, or are they having a spiritual awaking? (I kid)

[kassandra8286]

On 8/22/2021 at 11:14 AM, archer1267 said:

I have a tendency to binge-read (or binge-watch) something and then largely forget the plot. Did the goat incident happen in the book?

I do too, big time. When I first read the descriptions of the characters I had to go back to my kindle and skim the first few chapters because none of them sounded familiar besides Frances and Masha. I thought, man, they have really changed this up! Turns out the main characters in the show are the same as the book, I just have a terrible memory, lol.

I'll spoiler tag  the answer to your goat question since it's book related. No plot spoilers.

Spoiler

The goat killing was not in the book. I get triggered by animal abuse/killing in shows and books so I'm sure I would have remembered that. I think the whole live off the land/forage exercise was also a show-only thing. Pretty sure the dig your own grave thing was too, come to think of it, lol. Shows always gotta amp up the drama.

 

[chocolatine]

37 minutes ago, kassandra8286 said:

When I first read the descriptions of the characters I had to go back to my kindle and skim the first few chapters because none of them sounded familiar besides Frances and Masha. I thought, man, they have really changed this up! Turns out the main characters in the show are the same as the book, I just have a terrible memory, lol.

Same. I'm re-reading the book now, even though it's one of my least favorite Moriarty books, because, while I remember the gist of the story, I forgot most of the details.

[ripple596]

The Jessica character in the book had too much plastic surgery, I think.

[Dminches]

People shouldn't be discussing the book in the thread.  Someone always slips or gives away information which ruins it for those who have not read it.

 

[mostlylurking]

When will the new episodes be released?

[preeya]

1 hour ago, mostlylurking said:

When will the new episodes be released?

Next episode is Wednesday 8/25, then every Wednesday thru the end of September.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Am watching NPS because of Luke Evans. The characters in NPS are slightly better than those in The White Lotus, IMHO, less douche. Am not a fan of these 2 actors but I love the dynamic between Tony & Frances. After 3 episodes, the least interesting characters for me are Heather, Carmel, Ben & Jessica.

I never read NPS book so I don’t really know what to expect. As of now, I want to know what’s really going on between Masha and Yao.

It is quite painful to watch Nicole Kidman here in NPS. Her face is scary, her wig is ugly, her accent is terrible and her acting is mehhh. Why can’t they cast someone like Melinda Clarke or some other actresses who give more Russian vibe instead.

Is it me or is Nicole looking more and more like Jennifer Coolidge these days? 🤔

 

[lucindabelle]

I actually think Nicole is beautiful, but her face doesn’t match her neck… I personally think her filler looks great but her neck looks like a middle aged lady. So it’s unsettling. 
 

rhe wig and accent are bad.

[funnygirl]

On 8/20/2021 at 9:52 PM, lucindabelle said:

Just had to come back to say I am loving the show- so much I had to read some reviews and recaps.

was shocked that many critics find it inferior to the white lotus. I gave up on that show after 3 episodes. I didn’t believe in the reality of ANY of it- not the characters not the hotelier, nothing. I gather it had a good finale.

this is not really believable either but I don’t get the sense that it is TRYING to be. 

I couldn't get through the first episode of White Lotus. But I am enjoying Nine Perfect Strangers. Great cast and chemistry, and I'm really intrigued by the story. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m enjoying it too.  I haven’t read details about how things unfold, so I have no idea what the story is really about. I get the feeling things are not as they appear.  

[Johnny Dollar]

This might be a stretch, but Napoleon Marconi = Ted Lasso

[SoWindsor]

On 8/22/2021 at 2:14 PM, archer1267 said:

I have a tendency to binge-read (or binge-watch) something and then largely forget the plot. Did the goat incident happen in the book? I don't remember that. I've seen Michael Shannon do sleazy/oily characters (Runaways, Shape of Water) but never a sad sack middle-aged guy like this. He's killing it.

I gave the book to a friend of mine who went on a spiritual retreat and came back after only a few days in. She had to relinquish her cell phone and car keys (!) upon checking in (the request alone for my car keys would have made me bail). Reading and writing materials were also forbidden in the evening. The breaking point was when they tried to convince her that she didn't need her eyeglasses. It's easy to see Tranquillum as a parody, but I do think there are places out there that cross the line between gently encouraging people to be present vs. mind control.

Omg what retreat was this? There’s a lot of cult like retreats that prey on vulnerable people.

[archer1267]

13 hours ago, SoWindsor said:

Omg what retreat was this? There’s a lot of cult like retreats that prey on vulnerable people.

It was a Vipassana meditation center in the Northeast US. I hesitate to mention which one. I have read about it online and while some put it in the "cult" category, others have benefitted from their 10-day program, and I don't want to knock that.