Wicked City - General Discussion

[smiley13]

So it seems that the nurse (can't remember her name) was intended to be a victim until her beeper went off and she said it was her babysitter.  

 

The crazy guy was shown being trusted by a neighbor to watch her daughter.  So are children this guy's weak spot?

[queenanne]

Yeah, the music is on point.

[queenanne]

I have no problem with the idea that a woman would be a sadist, or murderer. But I find it a bit unbelievable that she would go from zero to sixty so fast. If she has such a sadistic streak, I would expect her to be picking on her own kids, but she was shown being nice to them and teaching them to be nice. Sure, she crushed the spider, but lots of people kill spiders without a second thought, so that doesn't really rank as a serial killer warning sign the way killing a pet would.

 

But she was teaching them to be nice, and specifically to the spider.  "Do No Harm"; and in my experience, Hav-A-Heart types wouldn't squish the spider.  Also it might be a little jarring if they jumped to her finding and killing a mouse, because then people would figure out in the pilot that she's a psychopath.  

 

But she's a potentially psychopathic mom, and it gives new question to a story of why the kids' father might have run off, which I think is unusual, so I'll go along with it for a bit.  

Edited November 1, 2015 by queenanne

[LeGrandElephant]

then people would figure out in the pilot that she's a psychopath.  

 

 

Did anyone watching the pilot not figure that out? Even if they hadn't see the ads which make it 100% clear. 

 

I agree that teaching the kids to be nice to the spider, and being unsqueamish enough to pick it up, but then STILL crushing it in such a deliberate way, shows that she's off. I just feel like its a very long way from there to murder. I also feel like most women psychopaths probably abuse their kids (easiest target, if they have them), but I think kids have been shown to be Kent's soft spot, so I assume she won't be hurting any kids either. I guess they could reveal that she's done worse things in the past to show her evil tendencies, maybe contributing to her husband having left her, but then wouldn't he want to protect the kids from her? I basically have a hard time believing that she can hold it together to be a good single mother for so long, which means a LOT of time spent around kids not losing your temper and hurting them, and then just suddenly make the switch to extreme violence and murder. 

 

Only semi-related, but I actually grew up in a house where we always caught spiders and took them outside. We used our bare hands if we recognized the species as non-poisonous (and we had books of insects native to the area to make sure we could recognize as many as possible), or would catch it in a tupperware if we weren't sure. One time my mom even spent hours trapping a rattlesnake so she could let it go safely in the state park, after animal control said they would only come kill it but not trap it. (And then my parents were surprised when I announced I wanted to be vegetarian!) 

[queenanne]

Did anyone watching the pilot not figure that out? Even if they hadn't see the ads which make it 100% clear. 

 

I agree that teaching the kids to be nice to the spider, and being unsqueamish enough to pick it up, but then STILL crushing it in such a deliberate way, shows that she's off. I just feel like its a very long way from there to murder. I also feel like most women psychopaths probably abuse their kids (easiest target, if they have them), but I think kids have been shown to be Kent's soft spot, so I assume she won't be hurting any kids either. I guess they could reveal that she's done worse things in the past to show her evil tendencies, maybe contributing to her husband having left her, but then wouldn't he want to protect the kids from her? I basically have a hard time believing that she can hold it together to be a good single mother for so long, which means a LOT of time spent around kids not losing your temper and hurting them, and then just suddenly make the switch to extreme violence and murder. 

 

I think we could have thought, based upon the ads, that she was Stockholmed or point-of-no-returned it into his ambit, rather than joining it with comparable ease because she's got sociopathic markers.  I don't necessarily think we can assume she doesn't treat the kids badly just because they seemed to like her in the 90 seconds we had with them; also in retrospect, she looked like she was getting off on hurting that elderly patient taking out his stomach staples (sutures?).  From what *we see* she doesn't treat the kids badly, but it's early days.  She could be Munchausing them.

 

I also don't know if I'd go as far as "kids are his soft spot" either, because I wouldn't exactly describe him as being nice to the neighbor's kid (ignoring her to watch footage of his handiwork on murder themed newscasts doesn't scream kid-friendly).  I think he won't outright orphan kids, and suspect this has something to do with self-interest from himself being a mistreated child in the past. 

[Primetimer]

Look who's talking, Wicked City -- and look out for your cultural references, too, because Music-Video History Cop's got a ticket quota.

Read the story

[sekay87]

I have to say, I see potential in this show. I agree that picking such a specific year is problematic in terms of being factually accurate, but I don't think the show is taking itself that seriously. Further, I don't even think it's targeting an audience that would have been old enough during '82 to remember specifics. I think it's targeting people who loved Chuck Bass. I'm one of them, and seeing Ed Westwick play a sociopathic serial killer is perfect for Tuesday night guilty pleasure. I'm into it and will stick by it until it inevitably gets cancelled.

[Free]

This show is reminding me more and more of Aquarius.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

 

I don't even think it's targeting an audience that would have been old enough during '82 to remember specifics. I think it's targeting people who loved Chuck Bass

 

Oh, no doubt that's true. But if it's also targeting people who don't care for bad profiling science, scenery-chewing, or cop-show clichés, it's got some work to do. (And I think it's taking itself suuuuuper-seriously even if the actors are trying to have fun. That Bucket guy was hilarious.)

 

I would keep watching it if I weren't covering it; I don't hate it even though it's bad. But it's probably doomed.

[mjc570]

Sorry, I tried, but I'm done with this show.  I can't even say why, because I really like Ed W.  I don't know, it just doesn't seem interesting, maybe because I've watched too many cop shows.  It's a bad sign when little things (like Paco using the expression "reach out to") bug me. 

[smiley13]

I did not like this episode as much as I did the first one.  So now Betty is bi-sexual?  That came out of left field.

 

And how in less than a day did Kent close down a fully operational shop?  He had customer's vehicles there and employees.  Where did all of that go?

 

I did not like Karen and Diver hooking up.  Can't people just be friends and co-workers?

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Decent pilot, here for Sisto and the music.

Haven't seen GH Alumn Jamie Ray Newman in long time.

Here she pops up as Cheater Cop's wife.

His side chick, played crazy ass vamper Violet on True blood.

The partner Det. Matador is quite smug and annoying.

Swimfan seems to be equal parts Cray Cray and desperate for a man.

[belladonna77]

I wish this show was something Netflix had put together, so I could just binge watch this show.  Every week I think that Betty and Kent couldn't develop a stranger/dysfunctional relationship and then they go further.  I love it.  This is the best trashy TV.

 

But did reading the Phantom of the Opera push Kent over the edge or was he already over the edge and The Phantom of the Opera just added to his insanity?  I'm honestly kind of bored by the police procedural part of the show and mainly watch for Betty and Kent.  

[Free]

But did reading the Phantom of the Opera push Kent over the edge or was he already over the edge and The Phantom of the Opera just added to his insanity?

 

He obviously had his own issues being a serial killer and all that.  I think he liked it because of the literary parallels between him and the Phantom.

[belladonna77]

He obviously had his own issues being a serial killer and all that.  I think he liked it because of the literary parallels between him and the Phantom.

I see that now, especially with the preview that was shown.  

[smiley13]

This was a much better episode than #2.  I am glad that they have started to delve into Cooper/Kent's background.   So his first kill was a woman he loved and he began killing in his teens.  Plus there is a striking resemblance between Vera and Betty.

 

I do wonder how Betty's former boyfriend will play into this since he was lurking outside and saw her leaving with Cooper/Kent.  

[obxchick]

Things started to get interesting this episode! I like the scavenger hunt of sorts that Kent sent Karen on, and I'm curious to see where that leads. I wonder if he'll figure out that she's now working with the detectives and try to stop (aka kill) her, or if he'll keep up the game. I have a feeling that the little girl Kent babysits (?)will somehow play a role in his being caught, too...like she's going to see that wanted sketch at the library or on tv, or something.

Also, I love the music on this show, but I hated the cover of 'Should I stay or should I go' in this episode. Please, Wicked City, don't go the way of Grey's Anatomy!

[Free]

I do wonder how Betty's former boyfriend will play into this since he was lurking outside and saw her leaving with Cooper/Kent.

 

He most likely won't last too long.

[reggiejax]

But

t did reading the Phantom of the Opera push Kent over the edge or was he already over the edge and The Phantom of the Opera just added to his insanity?

 

He obviously had his own issues being a serial killer and all that.  I think he liked it because of the literary parallels between him and the Phantom.

 

I agree, Phantom of the Opera was what he latched on to because he identified with it because of what he felt were similarities to his own existence. A lot of famous killers can be connected to a piece of art, be it a book, a song or a movie. The most notorious examples are Charles Manson and The White Album, Mark David Chapman and Catcher in the Rye, and John Hinckley and Taxi Driver, though it was Hinckley's obsession with one of the film's stars, Jodie Foster, that  drew most of the attention.

 

Also, I love the music on this show, but I hated the cover of 'Should I stay or should I go' in this episode.

 

I am not reflexively against covering classic songs, but that version was just awful. I get why they went with that version, the tempo was far more in line with what they were trying to portray onscreen. And we all know how hard it is to segue from an uptempo number into something serious. But if it means having to endure the butchering of a classic, it isn't worth it. 

Edited November 12, 2015 by reggiejax

[Former Nun]

Giving up on this series.   I like the criminals' work, Sisto's character's dysfunctional home life...not infatuated with the cop-partner relationship or that of the young reporter and her "editor," but the "magical crime-solving skills" of Jeremy Sisto's character finally killed it for me.  Too silly and unbelievable.  Buh-bye!

[TheRabbi]

Some of the dialogue and police procedural work is a bit hokey, but I'm still enjoying this. I hope ABC lets this air it's entire series, because the ratings are absolutely pathetic. The axe could be dropping at any moment

[Surrealist]

Things started to get interesting this episode! I like the scavenger hunt of sorts that Kent sent Karen on, and I'm curious to see where that leads. I wonder if he'll figure out that she's now working with the detectives and try to stop (aka kill) her, or if he'll keep up the game. I have a feeling that the little girl Kent babysits (?)will somehow play a role in his being caught, too...like she's going to see that wanted sketch at the library or on tv, or something.

Also, I love the music on this show, but I hated the cover of 'Should I stay or should I go' in this episode. Please, Wicked City, don't go the way of Grey's Anatomy!

 

I think the show is getting interesting too.

 

I like Karen and look forward to seeing that part of the storyline unfold. Also, I was briefly excited when a brief clip of one of my favorite songs "Just What I Needed" started playing. I, too, wasn't real sold on the "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" cover.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Surrealist

[LeGrandElephant]

Wow, only six replies, that's not a good sign. 

 

And how in less than a day did Kent close down a fully operational shop?  He had customer's vehicles there and employees.  Where did all of that go?

 

 

I also didn't understand that. Was he the owner of the upholstery place? I hadn't caught that but I guess it makes sense if he re-upholsters his car after each time he kills someone in it. However, if he has an established store, how did he shut it down so fast, and even if he did, shouldn't they still be able to track him through it? They should be able to get his name at the very least, and probably also fingerprints, maybe even photos if they can track his name through any kind of database for a driver's license or something. I know they didn't have yelp back then but I don't think it was so easy to just disappear all info about a business. 

[Former Nun]

Some of the dialogue and police procedural work is a bit hokey, but I'm still enjoying this. I hope ABC lets this air it's entire series, because the ratings are absolutely pathetic. The axe could be dropping at any moment

 

 

TheRabbi, this show has so much potential--the premise and angle are interesting enough.  There's no excuse for bad writing...no excuse.   Most TV writers are in a union, so I don't know why the quality of shows should be better on HBO and Showtime than on network shows.  "Manhattan" is an excellent example of a network show with good writing, good research, and great acting.  I'll blame producers.

[WendyCR72]

Wicked City has the dubious "honor" as the first outright cancellation of the 2015-2016 TV season.

[Surrealist]

Wicked City has the dubious "honor" as the first outright cancellation of the 2015-2016 TV season.

 

Welp. There goes that.

 

I feel bad for the cast and crew.

[stonehaven]

I was about to watch the last episode on Hulu...guess that saves me..I liked the time period aspect but the show offered nothing really knew..except making that creepy killer guy seem sorta normal...

[formerlyfreedom]

I will miss Jeremy Sisto on my tv every week.

 

Other than that, I have...nothing.

[TheRabbi]

I was kind of liking this. It's been a pretty terrible fall season for new dramas in my opinion, and I certainly liked this better than stuff like Blindspot and Quantico (though I am regrettably still watching both of those). The other new one I liked, The Player, also has gotten canceled. On well, there's certainly plenty of other shows to keep occupied with. RIP

[LeGrandElephant]

Cancelled after three episodes? I didn't think it was spectacular but I didn't think it was bad - better than a lot of other new shows this season. Weird.

[smiley13]

Wow, I hope that they will make the rest of the episodes available through On Demand.

 

ABC the show killer strikes again,  They killed GCB, Pan Am, Forever and now Wicked City.

[WendyCR72]

Wow, I hope that they will make the rest of the episodes available through On Demand.

 

ABC the show killer strikes again,  They killed GCB, Pan Am, Forever and now Wicked City.

 

In this case, though, I don't think ABC had a choice: The last episode had only a 0.4 rating. And I think less than two million viewers.

[LeGrandElephant]

I saw the ads because I was watching other shows on ABC online. Did they advertise it elsewhere? I saw another website speculating that it was mostly an advertising fail, that people would have watched it if they'd known about it. I don't know. Anyway, its not like I'm especially upset or anything (not like something like Firefly getting cancelled), but I am surprised because I thought it was a perfectly serviceable 80s nostalgia crime show, and I figured it would at least last the whole season. 

Edited November 17, 2015 by LeGrandElephant

[obxchick]

I'm pretty bummed they axed this show after just 3 episodes. I thought it was pretty good and was really starting to get into it. Figures.

[Lion18]

How does a show get cancelled after three episodes? It left us with no finish

[WendyCR72]

How does a show get cancelled after three episodes? It left us with no finish

 

 

When a show goes from 0.9 to 0.7 to 0.4. ABC really had no choice this time.

[WendyCR72]

Per TV Line, ABC has finally put the unaired episodes of the show online on Hulu.

[Palomar]

ABC has finally put the unaired episodes of the show online on Hulu.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up! They are now on our cable On Demand as well.  Watched episodes 4 and 5. It's definitely building and I know it's going to be a letdown not getting the full season after I finish the episodes posted, but I'm finding the shows compelling. 

Edited December 29, 2015 by Palomar

[Ailianna]

Any idea when Episode 8 will be available?

[WendyCR72]

Any idea when Episode 8 will be available?

 

In that TV Line link I posted, someone supposedly involved with the show claims filming for it is almost done.

[Darian]

Comcast had all episodes, including 8, on OnDemand as of today. I half-watched them all, to the point that I don't know if things are plot holes or I just missed parts.