All Episode Discussion

[yourdreamer]

Quote

Series Premiere.  Frustrated and stuck at an unfulfilling job, disgraced journalist Beth Burgess (Kate Beckinsale) finds possible redemption in the story of a lifetime when Toni Plimpton (Jules Latimer), an incarcerated mother convicted of murdering her husband Wallace, reaches out to her to help prove her innocence. Air Date: Oct 13, 2021

So I guess I am the only person who has seen this yet.  I thought Beckinsale's character was super out of touch with pretty much everybody in all of her relationships (husband, coworkers, ex-coworkers, possible new interviewee).  She was very "me me me" about everything.  I am interested in the mystery of who killed Toni's husband (I was a little squirmy watching his death scene).

[oldCJ]

I watched the first two episodes. My rambling thoughts: I do not understand where the “comedy” is. So far the dead fish is the only character I have found any sympathy for. That and maybe the niece whose aunt is such an a$$hole that she didn’t bother to buy her a birthday present. Kate’s character started as unlikeable and by the end of the second episode is utterly despicable. The actress playing Toni is amazing in her role, which has been the only highlight. Not sure if I am going to bother watching episode three. 

12 hours ago, yourdreamer said:

(I was a little squirmy watching his death scene).

Oh yeah, that scene was just… something. 🤢

[judyri]

I'm watching because there's like nothing else to watch that's new.  But yeah, I agree she's pretty irredeemable.  Passing off her niece as the woman's daughter was just a new low for TV.  CBS exclusive shows are horrible, like Mayor of Kingstown, they are all such terrible people that I could care less about their fate.

[4evaQuez]

Since this is the only post, I guess it's okay for me to talk about my thoughts on the whole season. I watched the entire season yesterday because I was in a Kate Beckinsale mood, and I saw this on her Wiki page. Overall, I enjoyed it. The 30-minute runtime made it easy to watch, I think Kate Beckinsale usually does a great job carrying schlock (Underworld franchise and several other B movies), and I always love disgraced/fell-from-grace protagonists who are seeking redemption. 

My biggest pet peeve is the inconsistent tone. This show really belongs more in the drama category than the comedy. I can't think of one time the show ever made me smile let alone chuckle. Also, I thought it was a really odd, peculiar, and almost nonsensical to make the Pop News Office the center of comedic relief. I also am not certain why the "Pop" news publication felt like it was at least two decades behind popular news. Who is Taylor Swift dating? How 2015. A Harry Potter slideshow. How 2010. It would be okay if that was mixed in with some more relevant pop news, but it wasn't. I also didn't care for the coworker killing the guy being played for comedic relief or the firing. It just felt odd and Beckinsale's character just didn't mix in well with wacky hijinks. 

I love Kate Beckinsale - as previously mentioned - but she seemed too glamourous to be Beth. Perfect hair, makeup, tailored clothing, people telling her how beautiful she is. There's a moment where Kate Beckinsale is driving a Subaru, and I did laugh out loud at the absurdity of Kate Beckinsale being in a Subaru.

Additionally, I didn't hate Beth. I actually liked how unlikable they made her, but I didn't like how unaware they made her. For being unlikable, I was okay with her lying to Toni about her niece/Toni's daughter because Beth did seem desperate enough to do anything to reestablish herself in high society. I also liked the "revelation" that Beth did make up a quote, and that moment of honesty leading her to the real killer.

However, beside from being pretty, I wasn't certain why other people liked Beth. She seemed so self-absorbed that I couldn't imagine anyone opening up to her. I also couldn't imagine her caring. I also was shocked at how unaware of others she was even when the seedy scenario was so obvious. Going to a tanning salon, filled with men, staring at her quixotically, and then the woman immediately taking off her shirt in the salon. I mean the woman pretty much had to put Beth's foot in her mouth before Beth realize it was a front for sex work. It seemed obvious to me the moment Beth walked in the door. I actually think the combination of Beth's self-centeredness with her horrific journalism skills did make Beth's "revelation" completely in-character.

Lastly, I didn't really like the Toni/Beth friendship. I didn't see them as the kindred spirits the show was selling, and I actually didn't care for Toni. I also don't think the show accomplished the racial commentary and prison industrial complex commentary the show was hoping to state. The show mainly acknowledged injustice without exploring it, and I'm not certain Toni was a victim. We know she's innocent, but I don't feel we know enough about the case to say she was railroaded. What we do know is she was in an abusive relationship which gives her a motive, there were witnesses to this abuse, she has no alibi, and apparently Wallace's criminal activity was hidden from the trial which would eliminate other  suspects. That's obviously not an airtight case, but I can at least see how she was convicted. I think the show either should have dropped the racial commentary aspect or actually devoted more time to it to develop the racial injustice. Personally, I would have cut out the husband/journalist affair plot, the Pop News plot and just have Beth working as an independent online journalist, and the Tuna plot as I mostly found that boring.

Anyway, I actually would mind if there is a second season. I kinda wish there would be a new plot as I'm not sure where the Toni plot can go from here.