Impastor - General Discussion

[Raja]

Okay, what's going on here?

 

The big laughs were fake cancer hooker and coffin hideout.  Smaller laughs included Buddy losing control, forgetting his gig (again) and shouting profanity in front of his congregants.

 

Isn't this supposed to be "ne'er-do-well pulls a long con, making it up as he goes along, sliding by on his wits and charm"?

 

Buddy's an idiot and I wasn't charmed.

Buddy is an idiot but I don't see him as a long time experienced grifter pulling the long con but just a compulsive gambler making it up as each situation arises.

 

I am looking forward to more of Mrs Schmidt, we don't do humor. I am guessing a religiously mixed marriage since he is the congregation's president yet she hasn't been seen yet at "Buddy's" church.

[Chickp]

Least favorite episode here too. What I was really looking forward to was how Buddy was going to handle the funeral and eulogy! I'm a Lutheran pastor and real funerals are crazy. There is SO much material there! They better step it up in the next ones. 

[candall]

Least favorite episode here too. What I was really looking forward to was how Buddy was going to handle the funeral and eulogy! I'm a Lutheran pastor and real funerals are crazy. There is SO much material there! They better step it up in the next ones. 

Oh, they stepped up. 

Buddy hides out at the local hourly with a former gun moll.  That's in the standard job description, right?

 

I'm tickled to have a real Lutheran pastor on this board.  I'm guessing this show will be a fun topic at the next regional conference.

 

And yes, it's absurd to handwave away every professional responsibility and commitment where Buddy would be expected to officiate.  I was looking forward to Buddy cleverly spinning his extensive knowledge of, say, Kansas lyrics.  But no.  Sermon #2:  cover blown.

[SmithW6079]

I thought the blonde was the woman Buddy already slept with; was that another woman who just appeared in the pilot?

This episode was pretty bad. Buddy's a dick with no redeeming qualities. At least in the pilot they hinted at some kind of redemption.

I know the David Rache character is supposed to be the "villain," but I have more sympathy for him, mourning his dead dog and loveless marriage than Pastor Asshole.

[SmithW6079]

Rules of Engagement was actually a pretty good, low-key sitcom.

It had its moments, but I never liked the surrogate pregnancy story line with Sara Rue.

[Raja]

I thought the blonde was the woman Buddy already slept with; was that another woman who just appeared in the pilot?

 

I think that was the prostitute in the second episode. The blonde and the gay men in town where thinking they could be Buddy's spouse.

[Chickp]

I mean, one of the reasons why I was so interested in this show is that lots of pastors feel like we're just faking it. It's a super weird job and there are so many situations where you HAVE to sort of fake it and hope for the best. I have lots of stories.  

 

And there are ten million sermons on the internet that he could google and just plagiarize for subsequent sermons, but I would love to see if he actually took a crack at writing one instead of the (spoiler) stuff. 

Edited August 14, 2015 by Chickp

[Chickp]

Ugh. I just don't care about this stuff. As someone said on the last episode thread, how did his 2nd sermon go?  Did he have to make a hospital visit? Come ON. 

[Chickp]

  I'm guessing this show will be a fun topic at the next regional conference.

 

It's already a big topic of discussion on the main Lutheran clergy FB group. We're such a weird little tribe; it's kind of fun when Hollywood tries to write us even semi-realistically. 

[jbrecken]

The first time they were on a show together on "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane," Sara played a recurring character who was pretty much the opposite of Dora, rude and evil. 

[formerlyfreedom]

Buddy shares a surprise about Russell with Russell's parents and then gets a big surprise of his own. Elsewhere, Alexa instructs Dora in the art of self-love.

 

 

[nodorothyparker]

They really seem to be fast losing focus on their premise here. I can appreciate wanting to flesh out some of the main townspeople, but to make another character also living under an assumed identity, really? And you'd think with Buddy already on shaky ground now with no money as an escape route and again owing money to a bookie the last thing he'd be stupid enough to do is get mixed up in another criminal situation or risk drawing that kind of attention to himself. Maybe he really is this dumb, but if that's the case he shouldn't be smart enough to keep the con going.

This is quickly wandering into run of the mill TV stuff. I did like him making up the parable of Jesus and the stop sign. It was clearly ridiculous but still made the point he was trying to make to move things along. That's the kind of thing I want to see from this show.

I do like what Sara Rue is doing with the role.

[aradia22]

I'm loving this show. The casting is great. I love Michael Rosenbaum and Sara Rue but even the other side characters who haven't gotten the most screentime yet seem to have promise. I like that it's a show that seems to know what it wants to be and has a strong voice. It's actually funny which is amazing and surprisingly rare for comedies. TVLand is killing it. Right out of the gate, this is stronger than Younger. 

[aradia22]

 

So there is potentially some kind of a supernatural redemption arc. Buddy was incredibly lucky, at the least, for an accident to kill both people who were planning to kill him but not kill him in the trunk.

I'm interested to see how far they'll go with it. I do not mind some supernatural fun in my shows like Dead Like Me or Reaper or Deadbeat or iZombie or Pushing Daisies... OK, look, a lot of death clearly. ;) But I think finding a balance is difficult if you don't fully commit. I didn't watch them but shows like Eli Stone and that one that Anne Heche had have a harder path to walk. 

[aradia22]

 

I couldn't believe Buddy didn't at least google what he would be expected to do either.  Or ask a few questions to feel Dora out on the specifics after she gave him the church program.  It's obvious that he's really liking the setup he has as Pastor Barlow, so you'd think he'd be willing to put in at least a little bit of work at keeping it. He's clearly someone who thinks well on his feet, but the entire premise is going to quickly exceed the suspension of disbelief if he continues to be this lazy and halfassed about it.

So clearly they wanted Michael Rosenbaum to have a little bit of fun lampooning televangelists which I'm totally OK with after this week's John Oliver. But I think you can explain it with the plot. Buddy might have looked up a sermon online but then Dora gave him the program and he assumed everything would be laid out for him including the sermon, not knowing any better.

[aradia22]

 

This episode didn't feel as tightly focused or plotted and it suffered for it.

I agree that this felt like a weaker episode but I still had fun with it in parts. I think this is where the show finds its footing between episodic and serial. I get that each week will be about Buddy finding himself in a tough situation and getting himself out of it. But this week felt more contrived. Really? He bet all of the pastor's savings on a football game? There are so many more interesting schemes he could have gotten involved in to set up shenanigans.

[aradia22]

I'm not giving up on the show yet but I do not like the turn away from the basic humor of the small town of Ladnor and the day to day life of a pastor. I want more of Dora and the tall gay character who has a crush on Buddy. I don't need an action show. 

[HunterHunted]

Pretend to be in a relationship because I lied to my parents and vibrator accidentally controlled by someone else. Sitcom cliches that were so dumb and hoary even a decade ago. While I like the actors, I have no faith that the writing will improve. Here's hoping it's cancelled and they show up on far better vehicles for their talent.

[Corgi-ears]

Wait. There have been other sitcoms on which someone left a vibrator in her twat? (Was that in fact the implication?) The show's pretty bad, but I can't say I remember that "trope."

Edited August 20, 2015 by Corgi-ears

[Mecca]

I've defintely seen that joke used before, but I can't for the life of me remember where I've seen it.  My question is, why didn't she take it out?  I know that she was in a rush to get to the meeting, but it would have taken 2 minutes to run to the bathroom and do what needed to be done.

[candall]

I haven't seen the show yet, but this thread is quite entertaining.

Edited August 20, 2015 by candall

[Mecca]

I'm willing to bet that it will probably be funnier in your head right now than it actually is once you get a chance to watch the episode.

[LAgator77]

So according to the license plates this show takes place in Florida... Where everyone dresses in layers and you bury dead bodies in the mountains... Okay. When a show can't even get a location right, then why bother with anything else. 

[SmithW6079]

I've defintely seen that joke used before, but I can't for the life of me remember where I've seen it. My question is, why didn't she take it out? I know that she was in a rush to get to the meeting, but it would have taken 2 minutes to run to the bathroom and do what needed to be done.

On "The Exes," Holly's vibrator shorts out (it's a plug-in) and causes a fire.

Poor Sara Rue for having to do those scenes. She deserves better.

I really want Buddy to get caught and thrown in jail for the rest of his life, now that he's a murderer and tried to cover it up.

Edited August 20, 2015 by SmithW6079

[Mecca]

On "The Exes," Holly's vibrator shorts out (it's a plug-in) and causes a fire.

 

 

I had to do some detective work, but I figured out what I was thinking of!  Apparently, it wasn't a tv show I saw this joke on, but a movie.  "The Ugly Truth" with Katherine Heigl that came out a few years ago did exactly the same joke.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BckP3Qn4J8Y

[Corgi-ears]

Damnit. I was hoping that it would turn out to be from Golden Girls.

 

I'm still boggled by the...physics. The Ugly Truth's scene appears to involve a pair of vibrating panties. Dora's "Silver Secret" is clearly a "smooth, sleek" vibrator that...is hands-free? Controllable via Bluetooth by your phone? Because you might find yourself very far away from your own clit? And/or needing your hands for other things, like household chores, when masturbating? And then somehow Dora goes to a book club while the vibrator is...what? Stuffed down the front of her panties? Which you would think at the very least ruins one's panty line.

 

I'm possibly overthinking this. Or perhaps THE SUBPLOT WAS STUPID.

[HunterHunted]

Damnit. I was hoping that it would turn out to be from Golden Girls.

 

I'm still boggled by the...physics. The Ugly Truth's scene appears to involve a pair of vibrating panties. Dora's "Silver Secret" is clearly a "smooth, sleek" vibrator that...is hands-free? Controllable via Bluetooth by your phone? Because you might find yourself very far away from your own clit? And/or needing your hands for other things, like household chores, when masturbating? And then somehow Dora goes to a book club while the vibrator is...what? Stuffed down the front of her panties? Which you would think at the very least ruins one's panty line.

 

I'm possibly overthinking this. Or perhaps THE SUBPLOT WAS STUPID.

Typically these hands free devices are marketed towards playing with your partner. Your partner controls how you get off, which makes it doubly absurd that Alden has the app on his phone but doesn't know what it is. And yes it is really ludicrous that Dora was so pressed that she left the vibe in and didn't even think to pull it out on the drive over.

[Raja]

Typically these hands free devices are marketed towards playing with your partner. Your partner controls how you get off, which makes it doubly absurd that Alden has the app on his phone but doesn't know what it is. And yes it is really ludicrous that Dora was so pressed that she left the vibe in and didn't even think to pull it out on the drive over.

Having spent my life with someone who claims to have never masturbated I do wonder as a "Catholic lite" Lutherian where would Dora fall. Using an app instead of her own hand as justification.

As for all the junk on a phone it may be generational I got all kinds if stuff on mine always updating even when I keep pressing delete at that time. Now I just ignore those scores of icons.

[VartanFan]

 

So according to the license plates this show takes place in Florida... Where everyone dresses in layers and you bury dead bodies in the mountains... Okay. When a show can't even get a location right, then why bother with anything else.

 

I thought the real pastor was driving up FROM FL to wherever (but north of NYC??) when he saw Buddy on the bridge.  I guess I just thought he hadn't changed stuff over yet.  

[formerlyfreedom]

Buddy has to face the police, Alexa and Schmidt when Kenny's dead body is found. Later, a young photographer catches Buddy in a compromising position.

 

 

[aradia22]

 

Pretend to be in a relationship because I lied to my parents and vibrator accidentally controlled by someone else.

They were dumb but I was happy to see plots that were more about small town life and less about the murder Buddy just committed. It wasn't as funny as the early episodes but I'm not ready to hope for their cancellation just yet.

[Mecca]

I came into the episode a little late so when Buddy was having sex with the prostitute in the woods, I thought it was the other blonde chick.  They look so much alike.

 

Of course some annoying kid sees them getting it on and has to blackmail Buddy.  I really dislike the trend of having kids act like they are so much smarter/older than most kids that age really are.  It's not funny.  

 

If I were that kid, I wouldn't have been happy with just putting stickers on some boobs.  That's no where near the "under the shirt" action he was negotiationg for with Buddy.

 

I knew they were going to make a MLK joke.

 

I barely rememeber how the dead body plot was resolved because it was so contrived.  I really wanted to like this show, but the writers are making it very hard.

[BooBear]

Yeh the writing on this show is so 1978 threes company. Though Michael Rosebaum does really make me laugh.

[aradia22]

Hrm. I'm hoping that now that they've sidestepped this pointless thing with Kenny that they can get back on track. This felt like another contrived story. Really? The woods? In the morning/afternoon? Couldn't you meet at night and make sure to keep Dora away from the house? I don't... nonsense. Also, he needs to start trying to learn about how to be a pastor again. I miss that.

[candall]

Well, he has displayed zero interest in learning anything it would take to pass himself off as a minister, so rather than continue the fallacy that he can just "wing it," I think they probably plan to keep going with the Jack Tripper shenanigans.

 

I'm disappointed.  There's some rich material in artificial religious fervor.  Again, Kansas lyrics:

 

Carry on, my wayward son. All we are is dust in the wind.

[SmithW6079]

I really wanted that kid to bust Buddy. It's not so much that he's a con man, but that he's a stupid con man.

The prostitute and the shop owner look too much alike; that was a casting mistake.

[formerlyfreedom]

A new family’s arrival in town could mean the end for Buddy. Dora asks Buddy to help her overcome a bizarre addiction. Schmidt has a rendezvous with Ashlee.

 

 

[ElTVaddict]

I've defintely seen that joke used before, but I can't for the life of me remember where I've seen it.  My question is, why didn't she take it out?  I know that she was in a rush to get to the meeting, but it would have taken 2 minutes to run to the bathroom and do what needed to be done.

I believe it was in a Katherine Heigl movie.

[ElTVaddict]

The writing for the kid was disgusting!

[giovannif7]

Impastor has been renewed for Season 2 according to TVLine.

[Mecca]

I haven't been keeping up with the ratings.  Has it been doing well?  I assume so since it's been renewed, but honestly, I'm a bit surprised.

[SmithW6079]

Impastor has been renewed for Season 2 according to TVLine.

Really? Wow. TV Land must be desperate for original programming. This show is terrible.

[HunterHunted]

I actually liked this episode. Buddy's bullshit took a bit of back seat and instead focused on the church, including bingo, church business, recruiting new parishioners, and how Buddy is getting his sermons written.

[formerlyfreedom]

Buddy faces more perils when an unexpected delivery threatens to expose him and a hired assassin comes looking for him. Elsewhere: Schmidt's wife accuses him of having an affair.

 

 

[Mecca]

I was actually surprised to learn that Dora lied about needing the money back for a vacation.  She doesn't seem like someone who could pull off that kind of lie without showing at least a hint of it not being true.  She had me convinced.

 

I liked the scene where Buddy was pretending to be the janitor while trying to convince the rich couple to join their church although I still find it unbelievable that no one knows what weed smells like. 

[SmithW6079]

...although I still find it unbelievable that no one knows what weed smells like.

I don't partake, nor does my circle of friends (at least while I'm around). I'd be hard pressed to identify the smell.

[BooBear]

I actually liked this episode. Buddy's bullshit took a bit of back seat and instead focused on the church, including bingo, church business, recruiting new parishioners, and how Buddy is getting his sermons written.

Yes I like that we got a break from Buddy as a bad guy. I kind of wish they would lay off with that. We get it.  I don't know if they are going to hook Dora and Buddy up but I love how they are good compliments. Dora is very good and I think that rubs off on Buddy and he sort of gives her permission to be more bad which I get the feeling she wants to be.  I was also surprised that Dora made up the story but even more surprised that Buddy didn't use that as a reason not to give her the money back.

[ketose]

I'm still trying to figure out which version of Stayin' Alive that was.

[formerlyfreedom]

In the Season 1 finale, Buddy flees Ladner after realizing there's a hit out on him. Also: Dora becomes a town hero; and Schmidt makes a surprising announcement.

 

 

[Mecca]

I'm sure Dora will be fine, but Buddy isn't winning any points with me for leaving her alone in the first place.