The Curse - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Anticipate Here!

[AnimeMania]

The Curse, a half-hour comedy series that explores how an alleged curse disturbs the relationship of a newly married couple as they try to conceive a child while co-starring on their problematic new HGTV, home improvement television show, Flipanthropy.

Emma Stone, the wife who is trying to conceive a child

Nathan Fielder, the husband

Benny Safdie, the producer of their HGTV show

Corbin Bernsen

Barkhad Abdi

Constance Shulman

[BetterButter]

 

[BetterButter]

 

[AnimeMania]

The Curse is a 10 episode Comedy TV Series streaming on November 10, 2023 on Paramount+ with Showtime and Showtime OnDemand, while airing on November 12, 2023 on Showtime at 10pm.

Asher and Whitney Siegel are a newish (one year) married couple who are trying to have a baby, while attempting to make a reality TV Show called "Flipanthropy" for a HGTV-style network. They work with their producer, Dougie Schecter, who happens to come with his own baggage. They are steadily acquiring a number of local residences and want to flip the houses and convert them into “passive houses”, expensive, carbon-neutral, eco-friendly houses that have a "mirrored" exterior, that have a devastating effect on the avian wildlife in the area. They hope to sell these houses back to the struggling residents in Española, New Mexico. 

After focus testing the show, the focus group love Whitney and hate Asher. While filming a segment for Flipanthropy, Asher believes it will improve his negative image if he is seen giving a little girl selling cans of soda in a parking lot, $100, but once he thinks he has the shot, Asher immediately takes the money back. Upset about what just transpired, the little girl puts a curse on Asher, which might provide a rationalization for everything that transpires afterwards.

The Curse explores the American issues of exploitation, gentrification, racism and classism, through a comical lens. 

Nathan Fielder as Asher Siegel, 36 year old co-star of the "HGTV style" home renovation show “Flipanthropy”, he gets cursed after offending a little girl. 

Emma Stone as Whitney Siegel, 35 year old wife and co-star of Asher Siegel, who has a compulsive need to be "liked" and is hoping to conceive a child. 

Benny Safdie as Dougie Schecter, producer of the reality show “Flipanthropy”, willing to do anything to get the perfect shot.  

Corbin Bernsen as Whitney's father, a local slumlord 

Constance Shulman as Whitney's mother, a local slumlord 

Dahabo Ahmed as Nala, a young girl selling candy in a parking lot, source of the curse

Barkhad Abdi as Nala's father

Christopher Calderon as Fernando, unemployed Española resident hired to work for “Flipanthropy”   

Hans Christopher as Actor

Michelle Campbell as Carmen

Bennie Taylor as Neighbor #1

Timothy Oakes as Alejandro

Alexander Poncio as Vic

Jerry G. Angelo as Officer Martinez

Diana Navarrete as Maria

[BetterButter]

 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E01: Land of Enchantment

Newly married couple Whitney and Asher Siegel set out to make a show.

Premiere Date: Friday, November 10, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, November 12, 2023    Showtime    10pm     

[Maire]

Please watch this so I am not alone with this weirdness. I expected a Safdie and Fielder production to be strange but .....

[Nellise]

I watched it and then was surprised to find it here under "Comedies".

Edited November 12, 2023 by Nellise

[sadie]

This did not read as a comedy. Maybe a black comedy but I didn’t find it amusing or clever in that way. I really dont know what to describe it as. I’ll keep watching to see where it goes. 

[sheetmoss]

The husband's character reminded me of a cross between Ray Romano's Everybody loves Raymond, Raymond, and Curb your enthusiasm's Larry David's Larry

[AnimeMania]

S01.E02: Pressure's Looking Good So Far

Whitney attempts to forge new alliances.

Premiere Date: Friday, November 17, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, November 19, 2023    Showtime    10 pm  

[txhorns79]

I just watched the first episode.  I almost turned it off after having to watch Asher pee, followed by his father in law's cringeworthy discussion of their small penises. I get that they are going in hard on the cringe.  The failed reality show pilot with the severely burnt man keeping his face behind a mask while doing an f'ed up version of The Bachelor tells me all I need to know about Dougie.

I'm interested to see where it goes, but I do wish they had edited out what feels like filler.     

[bilgistic]

Almost everyone and everything on this show is painfully cringey. The Gatorade stunt was just beyond.

I really wanted the governor (Brownie from "Reservation Dogs"!) to publicly call out the Native artist on her bullshit.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E03: Questa Lane

A focus group gets into Whitney’s head. 

Premiere Date: Friday, November 24, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, November 26, 2023    Showtime    10 pm  

[Mr. R0b0t]

On 11/20/2023 at 9:42 PM, txhorns79 said:

I just watched the first episode.  I almost turned it off after having to watch Asher pee, followed by his father in law's cringeworthy discussion of their small penises. I get that they are going in hard on the cringe.  The failed reality show pilot with the severely burnt man keeping his face behind a mask while doing an f'ed up version of The Bachelor tells me all I need to know about Dougie.

I'm interested to see where it goes, but I do wish they had edited out what feels like filler.     

The fire burns oooon.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E04: Under the Big Tree

Good news for the Siegels is dampened by tensions in the neighborhood.

Premiere Date: Friday, December 1, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, December 3, 2023    Showtime    10 pm  

Edited December 1, 2023 by AnimeMania

[The Solution]

I got caught up on this show today. There's 3 hours of my life that I won't get back.

 

[ctmd]

I just binged this show over the weekend. Can "Uncomfortable" be a genre? Neither funny nor dramatic, I have just found this show to be unrelentingly tense and uncomfortable, which I think is compelling in its own right. It's almost like a highly funded student film or a thought experiment. The acting is interesting, as this awkwardness is probably how we all present in real life....

[Misty79]

Common advice in creative writing is to cut out anything that could be classified as superfluous. This show feels like it's deliberately 70% superfluous. Long cuts, conversations that go nowhere etc. And yet I'm finding it mildly compelling. It's different, I'll give it that.

[ljenkins782]

On 12/4/2023 at 12:33 PM, ctmd said:

I just binged this show over the weekend. Can "Uncomfortable" be a genre? Neither funny nor dramatic, I have just found this show to be unrelentingly tense and uncomfortable, which I think is compelling in its own right. It's almost like a highly funded student film or a thought experiment. The acting is interesting, as this awkwardness is probably how we all present in real life....

Exactly. I was very surprised to find this show under the Comedy section here, there's nothing funny about it. 

I can't figure out why I find it even a little interesting, most of the storylines are meandering and I can't follow along with them. Like, how does the casino stuff fit into the house stuff and the tv producer's storylines are baffling. 

But the acting is excellent if cringe-y, uncomfortable viewing is the goal. That scene of trying to recreate the sweater incident had me crawling out of my skin.

I'm very curious to see an interview with the actor who plays the husband, I'm wondering if he's kind of an awkward guy in real life and that's why he got the role or he's just a great actor nailing the mannerisms of a super awkward person.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E05: It's A Good Day

Whitney and Asher struggle to see eye-to-eye in the hunt for a homebuyer. 

Premiere Date: Friday, December 8, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, December 10, 2023    Showtime    10 pm

[Mr. R0b0t]

On 12/5/2023 at 3:52 PM, ljenkins782 said:

I'm very curious to see an interview with the actor who plays the husband, I'm wondering if he's kind of an awkward guy in real life and that's why he got the role or he's just a great actor nailing the mannerisms of a super awkward person.

I would suggest seeking out some of his other work and I think you will see how and why he fits this show so well.  I'm partial to The Rehearsal myself. NOTHING else like it on tv before or since.

The Gaza strip joke in the show was very unintentionally topical.  Was that Dean Cain as the blue lives matter guy?  If so, what a real life meets art moment.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E06: The Fire Burns On

A plan is hatched to spice up the show.

Premiere Date: Friday, December 15, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, December 17, 2023    Showtime    10 pm

[bilgistic]

I find the Dougie character so completely repulsive.

[AnimeMania]

Here is the original Pilot Episode of HGTV's Fliplathropy.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E07: Self-Exclusion

Whitney and Cara become closer as Asher's past comes to light.

Premiere Date: Friday, December 22, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, December 24, 2023    Showtime    10 pm

[ChiCricket]

I got halfway through watching the second episode...and I just couldn't bear the cringe factor anymore. It's not funny to me at all.   I'm an old lady though, so maybe this just wasn't meant for me. 

PS the girl getting into the creep's car was the tipping point for me..I don't even want to know where they're going with this. 🤮

Edited December 23, 2023 by ChiCricket

[ljenkins782]

On 12/23/2023 at 1:58 AM, ChiCricket said:

I got halfway through watching the second episode...and I just couldn't bear the cringe factor anymore. It's not funny to me at all.   I'm an old lady though, so maybe this just wasn't meant for me. 

PS the girl getting into the creep's car was the tipping point for me..I don't even want to know where they're going with this. 🤮

Is it supposed to be funny? I mean, I know it's in the comedies section here, but I can't really understand how it's supposed to be funny.

It actually stands up as a drama, but the title part of it is the piece of the show that doesn't make sense to me. Like, all the curse stuff seems like a total aside and unless they tie it all together somehow later on, it really feels like the part of the show that could've been left on the cutting room floor (and the title would have to change). 

But the main pieces of the show are actually somewhat interesting, like Emma Stone being the cringe-y white savior character who's constantly putting her foot in her mouth and trying to act against her parents while still relying on them. And the unraveling of the relationship that didn't make sense from the start with the awkward guy that doesn't seem to share her world view and doesn't fit into her life socially and has a hard to overlook physical defect. I'd be curious to know the backstory of how they ended up together, but it makes perfect sense that she's having major regrets.

The director guy's backstory with the drunk driving accident is just whatever to me, but the direction they're taking now with him undermining the couple is kind of interesting too. It's very Jon & Kate Plus 8 to watch them filming these scenes of a marriage breaking down. 

And the friction with the local community is interesting too, I feel like there's enough in those storylines to sustain a show and every time they cut back to the young girls and the curse storyline, it feels like a non-sequitur. 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E08: Down and Dirty

Asher and Dougie have a boys' night out; Whitney explores her artistic side.

Premiere Date: Friday, December 29, 2023    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, December 31, 2023    Showtime    10 pm

[Stuckathome]

I heard such great things about this show....but after slogging through almost 4 episodes, I give up. The story is just slogging along and I find the leads incredibly annoying and cringe (the tiny dick conversations, masturbation scene, the fake charity with the kids, the performance artist). They remind me of so many ultra liberal couples I know (and I consider myself liberal).....

[ljenkins782]

The best part of this past episode was Kara's friend playing that exaggerated version of a Native American and Whitney falling for it hook, line, and sinker. That's the first genuinely funny thing I've seen on this show.

I'm struggling to understand the Asher and Dougie relationship, it seems like Dougie is undermining Asher in almost every way, but were they friends before? I wish they would tighten up the storylines just a smidge so I could follow along better, because there are interesting nuggets in there but the choice to tell things so slowly is making it harder.

[candall]

I think the Dougie/Asher history is that Dougie and his pals kept Asher around to have someone to torture and bully.  Asher recalls all this torment in a positive light--e.g. that they cared enough about him to show him some "tough love," etc.

Asher fondly reminisces about various instances where Dougie and the others were mean to him.  "Hey, remember when we __________________ and you did _________________ to me for a joke?"  Eek.

 

 

Since I invariably root for the underdog, I should be sympathetic to Asher, but he's so petty and superficial and oblivious, I can't get it going.  There's hardly anyone on this show who isn't just horrible. 

I guess that's what makes it so interesting.  I definitely look forward to each episode when I see it appear on my dvr.  Let's see how these vapid Hollywood faux environmentalists can be even more offensive!

 

 

 

 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E09: Young Hearts

Dougie gets a surprise visit. The Siegels go bowling.

Premiere Date: Friday, January 5, 2024    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, January 7, 2024    Showtime    10 pm

[Pep]

This is like a train wreck you keep returning to to see if any of the cars have moved. News flash: they haven't. 🙄

[Badlands]

What... was that??

I think this Asher line from episode 9 was important: "Because I know you, baby. If you didn’t want to be with me and I actually truly felt that, I’d be gone. I’d disappear. You wouldn’t have to say it. I would feel it and I would disappear.”

There was also a line in the last episode where he said something about her having a "little me inside you." I guess it was some kind of rebirth. Asher was stuck in the house, like a baby in a womb, was released by the doula, and then was set free by cutting the tree branch, like the baby was via the C-section.

Or something. 😄

[AnimeMania]

S01.E10: Green Queen

(Season Finale)

Months later…

Premiere Date: Friday, January 12, 2024    Paramount+ with Showtime/Showtime OnDemand
Premiere Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024    Showtime    10 pm

[Cotypubby]

What the fuck was that?

The finale felt like a completely different type of show.

[Beezella]

I thought I'd seen weird before but. . .

[Beezella]

Possibilities: 1) Dream sequence, 2) Psychic break for Asher  3) Suddenly Sci Fi

4) Weird writing?

[ctmd]

That was the season finale?? it was such a bizarre episode. Definitely felt like a clear metaphor for Whitney in labor, complete with her trying to pull Asher with the towel (aka umbilical cord). I was expecting him to get out of the house or float away and we'd cut to the baby fully born with both parents present. I suppose what made this episode most interesting is not knowing whether the events were supposed to be real or dream/fantasy. 

[MaggieG]

I'm wondering if that was actually Asher's baby. 

[Mr. R0b0t]

9 hours ago, MaggieG said:

I'm wondering if that was actually Asher's baby. 

Spoiler

Asher was the baby.  Everything he experiences in the back half of this ep mirrors the experience of the baby.  He had a baby's penis. 

 

 

or not.

[ljenkins782]

22 hours ago, ctmd said:

That was the season finale?? it was such a bizarre episode. Definitely felt like a clear metaphor for Whitney in labor, complete with her trying to pull Asher with the towel (aka umbilical cord). I was expecting him to get out of the house or float away and we'd cut to the baby fully born with both parents present. I suppose what made this episode most interesting is not knowing whether the events were supposed to be real or dream/fantasy. 

I think it was a series finale, not a season finale. I went looking for some explanation of what the hell I just watched and it seemed to indicate that IF the show returned, it would be with different actors and different characters.

If this is it, my reviews are mixed. The acting was stellar and the cringe factor was deliberately turned up to 11 and it was effective. But there were just too many themes floating around at once and I feel like they could have edited it down to something a little more cohesive, the content was there. 

And that final scene of the ceiling/roof/treetop went on WAY too long. It was almost half the episode! They could have achieved whatever metaphorical meaning they were reaching for with a much shorter sequence. 

FWIW, the metaphorical significance I heard that made the most sense was that Asher "disappeared" the way he said he would if he ever really thought Whitney didn't want him there. 

[Pep]

That was the most absurdly ridiculous dreck I ever watched. I kept coming back to it in hopes there would be some sort of less-than-nonsensical closure. Wrong again! 🤨

[pasdetrois]

I watched the first episode, in part due to the series' northern NM location. Annoying and actually horrible.

[SourK]

I just watched this, super late as usual -- and it was my favourite series I've seen in a long time. I probably wouldn't classify it was a comedy, primarily, but I did find it very funny at times -- in a super dark way. I also just really, really dug how uncomfortable it was.

One thing that I found weird about the series is that I think it started off by focusing the negative impact Asher was having on other people and ended by hyper-focusing on Asher -- to the point that other people are an afterthought and almost the whole last episode is about empathizing with him while he get sucked into the sky.

It kind of shifted my understanding of the show -- like, "Is this story about class stratification, or is it about Asher?"

And I was left with a nagging feeling that the series might have always been about Asher -- and about maybe revealing that, despite initial appearances, Asher is not the worst person in this marriage.