S19.E01: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Pet Shop Boys

[Athena]

Graham is joined on his heroic sofa by Oscar winner Ben Affleck, starring as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, his adversary Superman, British star Henry Cavill, and five-times-Oscar-nominated Amy Adams, who plays Superman's squeeze Lois Lane.

 

With music from The Pet Shop Boys, performing their new single The Pop Kids.

[Matt K]

It was pretty boring until the Pet Shop Boys got on the couch. 

Edited March 28, 2016 by Matt K

[dusang]

Agreed.  I think Ben Affleck would have done better with a livelier couch -- he seemed nervous and surprised by Graham's bluntness (like when he called Amy Adams really annoying) but if he'd been on the couch with a Brit who rolled with it more I think he would loosened up (like Matt Damon with Hugh Bonneville).  But Henry, while pretty to look at, is about as lively as an attractive waxwork and Amy seemed a bit stuck in the middle.  Although some of Ben's anecdotes were charming; I kind of love the idea of him paying off the UPS guy to maintain the charade of being Batman.

[Vandy10]

I'm just surprised Ben managed to not come off as a total douche. So...yay?

[attica]

I couldn't figure out if Ben's forehead has been botoxed or lifted. I'm leaning towards lifted, because I'm not sure if botox will make the skin around your eyes look wonky.

 

"Daddy, are you going to the Bat cave?" "Yep, it's where the nanny lives!"  (Too soon?)

 

I think Graham would have preferred to have Cavill on the couch sans shirt, so at least he'd have something pretty to distract from the dull. HC's story about being ignored in Times Square just made me love my fellow NYers (even the temporary tourist ones!). I admit to wincing when he referred to "Central Station", which, um, no, nobody calls it that, ever. Not even tourists.

 

I will give the Pet Shop Boys points for sticking with their recipe. You'd never confuse their sound with any other artist.

 

I understand the Red Chair lady in the sauna's mortification, but I don't know I myself wouldn't have relaxed and enjoyed the attention of 8 French firefighters after a while.

[peeayebee]

Not the best show. 

 

When Amy mentioned a Disney song, I suddenly pictured her as a perfect Ariel.

[sugarbaker design]

"Daddy, are you going to the Bat cave?" "Yep, it's where the nanny lives!"  (Too soon?)

 

 

Never too soon!  When BA told that story and ended it with 'I don't know what kind of therapy he's going to need...', I told myself it couldn't be worse than banging the nanny.

[dusang]

Never too soon!  When BA told that story and ended it with 'I don't know what kind of therapy he's going to need...', I told myself it couldn't be worse than banging the nanny.

 

Yaysus, I'm realizing how jaded and cynical I am because my first thought was, "meh, lots of dads bang the nanny."

Edited April 1, 2016 by dusang

[dubbel zout]

HC's story about being ignored in Times Square just made me love my fellow NYers (even the temporary tourist ones!).

Same here. You were one of a number of Supermans in Times Square, Henry. I cringed at the mention of Central Station, but I cut him some slack.

 

I think Cavill would be a terrible Bond. 

 

Amy Adams was delightful.

 

I understand the Red Chair lady in the sauna's mortification, but I don't know I myself wouldn't have relaxed and enjoyed the attention of 8 French firefighters after a while.

Same here!

[ChicagoCita]

I've been out of town for weeks and weeks, but my dutiful little DVR kept plugging away. I'm so delighted to have Graham back!

 

I have a friend who's quite discriminating and head over heels about Henry Cavill, so I was looking forward to him. I thought he was rather bland. It's usually the Americans who come on and are taken aback by the casualness and irreverence of TGNS, but in this case, I thought that role was taken by Cavill. Maybe when you're that pretty, you don't have to be sparkling and witty.

 

On to 12 new eps of Graham! Two down, ten to go.

[dusang]

I have a friend who's quite discriminating and head over heels about Henry Cavill, so I was looking forward to him. I thought he was rather bland. It's usually the Americans who come on and are taken aback by the casualness and irreverence of TGNS, but in this case, I thought that role was taken by Cavill. Maybe when you're that pretty, you don't have to be sparkling and witty.

 

What'd they call it on 30 Rock?  The Handsome Bubble?

[Bruinsfan]

The thing is, he's really quite charming on US talk shows like with Jimmy Fallon or Jimmy Kimmel. Of course, he also tends to approach those with double-entendre jokes about himself and Affleck, or stories about his own naked misadventures; perhaps he was worried Norton would jump on those a little too enthusiastically?

Edited April 6, 2016 by Bruinsfan

[tenativelyyours]

I think the show does a great disservice to Henry by having him on with Crowe and Adams the first time and now Affleck and Adams again this time.  He is almost painfully deferential according to what I have heard and is still having a hard time breaking past the whole Hollywood thing -- I think while Emma Thomspon claims it. Armey Hammer's comments about Henry seem to indicate it.  Plus it does not help the way he was treated in both DC vehicles -- basically as the guy who fills out the tights and stays quiet.  Crowe and Affleck both have huge egos and both have done everything with their director's approval to put Cavill at a lower rung it sems.  In an odd coincidence I saw him on the red carpet when Man of Steel opened in Beijng and he was very charming and fun.  When he was by himself.

 

I think he would make a great Bond.  Better than the scuttlebutt about Hiddleston or the Poldark guy.  But only as successor to the role after Idris does his three or four as James Bond, imo.  Though I thought the way they reintro'd the Bond mythos at the same time they said goodbye to Craig was odd and left the franchise in an odd place to do its reboot with a new lead.

 

Affleck was looking Beverly Hills Asian when I saw him and now I simply find his face unsettling to look at.  Maybe it will settle like when Tom Cruise showed up at the Oscars with eyes so done he was smart enough to sneak in the back and just present and not walk the red carpet. 

 

I think the show needs to step back a tiny bit from whole casts to pimp movies.  I know many consider the X-men appearance one of the classic episodes but I found it annoying by the time it was over and this latest round just makes it seem more E! news when they gushed and petted the casts than a good fun chat with Graham.  I like it better when the guests are from disparate projects even if sometimes there are some funny behind the scenes stories.  They seem rare and just as often they seem either too put on or simply lack the humor the cast members seem to think they hold.

[dusang]

I've seen Cavill on other shows and I guess we just see different things because he never seems that charming to me -- I saw him tell that exact same Times Square story to one of the Jimmys and it was ... exactly the same.  It's not so much that I really think he's dull, I just think he's been through the Hollywood media-training machinery and he's now as dull as the average American actor on Graham's couch. 

[supposebly]

I don't really care about Superman, and so this show was my first introduction to Henry Cavill and yes, dull is my impression as well.

He barely seems to be present. Isn't Superman supposed to be somewhat magnetic? I guess Cavill is more Clark Kent than Superman, despite the muscles. If he is that dull in the movies, I haven't missed a thing.

 

I really hope he won't become Bond. I'm no fan of Craig but Skyfall was excellent (I only watched Bond movies because of Judy Dench anyway) but if Idris Elba doesn't get it I won't be watching the next round. Those movies aren't that exciting anyway and I need at least one actor that holds my interest and new M is not it. With a main actor that dull.....

[Bruinsfan]

One thing The Man from UNCLE convinced me of is that if they ever make a live-action Archer movie, Cavill should be cast in the title role. Though really, that movie almost makes an Archer one redundant.

[TrininisaScorp]

I actually felt that Henry (and his pretty ass) was better when he was on the first time with Crowe and Adams.  It's one of the first times I've liked Russell Crowe and loved his story about meeting a teen Henry while filming a movie.  Thus, I had expectations of a good show.  It just didn't work as well this time.  For me, the conversation was stilted and Henry didn't have a cute story or two, like he did last time (I loved the one about his little lying nephew).

 

I think Henry isn't super comfortable with the Bond talk, but isn't stupid enough to not court the publicity and the "possibility".  I've seen my darling Hiddles do the same thing I would be finewith either eventually, but really?  My next Bond needs to be Idris.  Period.