Downward Dog - General Discussion

[TresGatos]

I adore Timothy Omundson and I hate that he had a stroke. I thought the scene where Nan didn't think to use a coaster on his beautiful furniture really showed how far apart they are in life and that she only seems really grown up in relation to Jason who does seem to have a good heart and the potential to grow. I also thought she should have offered to clean up after Martin even if Eric shouldn't have ignored Nan's warnings about Martin's sensitive stomach. I will deduct points from this episode due to the lack of Pepper.

[TresGatos]

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Have they even said what he does for a living?

I don't think we have. We were discussing at home whether he might have some sort of job like at a pizza parlor or if he just sold weed for a living.

[TresGatos]

Horrible news about the cancellation! And this episode saw the return of Pepper! So bummed. I hope TBS might pick it up. It would pair wonderfully with People of Earth.

[zibnchy]

I'm with you all on the horrible cancellation news. I love Ned, he's such a good boy. And I just want to say Allison Tolman is so very charming. I saw an interview and she is so normal and lovely. Is there a chance another network will pick it up? I normally don't bond with sitcoms early in their run because of stupid decisions like this.

[JudyObscure]

22 hours ago, zibnchy said:

And I just want to say Allison Tolman is so very charming.

I first saw her when she starred in a season of "Fargo."  Her portrayal of a nice normal young women (cop) made all the gruesome goings on of the bad guys bearable. I haven't been able to watch a season since.

[JudyObscure]

I just saw that tonight's final two episodes don't start until 10 o'clock.  There's a reason I allowed myself to commit to an 8 o'clock show.   Doggone it!

[Bronzedog]

Pepper's "butt candy."   I'm really going to miss this show.

[monakane]

35 minutes ago, Bronzedog said:

Pepper's "butt candy."   I'm really going to miss this show.

It tasted like evil and fruit.

[Ms Lark]

Martin rhapsodizing on cat poop! Disgusting and hysterical at the same time. 

[luna1122]

I'm just so sad. Both of the last episodes were sweet and sad and poignant. (was I the only one hoping Keith Carradine would show up as Nan's dad?). I still want to know a lot more about her family dynamics, but sadly, guess we won't get to. I loved Jason showing up for her at the end, to help her search for Martin.

I'm really gonna miss this show.

[krankydoodle]

I was lukewarm on this show when it started, but it really grew on me. The Pittsburgh setting is refreshing and I love the weird bits they insert like Martin's vision of how wolves and humans first came together and the scary animation they did for Pepper in the previous episode. And I never expected it to make me tear up, but sure enough, Nan's panic at losing Martin and the sight of him frightened and alone in the woods hit me hard. The one thing I really didn't like about this episode was Nan's boss. He was over-the-top crazy, and I found it unsettling rather than funny.
 

I saw a nice article on the show on Vulture (Why 'Downward Dog' Deserves to be Rescued) and it made the AV Club's Best TV of 2017 So Far. I hope the positive buzz helps it gets picked up by another channel.

[TresGatos]

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I hope the positive buzz helps it gets picked up by another channel.

I want to like, like this, like 1,000 times!

[monakane]

55 minutes ago, TresGatos said:

I want to like, like this, like 1,000 times!

I knew it would be cancelled.  I think it's the kind of show that needs some time to grow on an audience and network TV does not allow for that.  I'm hoping Netflix or Hulu will step in.

[iMonrey]

This is definitely a show for "dog people." I about had a panic attack when Martin was lost in the woods - honestly. That's probably my worst fear WRT my dog. He did get out of the back yard once without a collar and I almost had a heart attack. I genuinely felt Nan's angst.

Sad the show is cancelled - it wasn't really ROTFLMAO funny but it was sweet and different. 

[iMonrey]

I really don't understand what the heck Nan and her co-workers do for a living. If it's some sort of PR firm or advertising agency, who is their client? Who is paying them to come up with feel-good campaigns and apps? I just don't find the environment relatable at all. 

And maybe Nan does have unrealistic expectations about herself and others, but she wasn't wrong about Jason being irresponsible. It's one thing that he accidentally left the gate open and Martin got out - that could happen to anyone. But . . . he didn't even realize Martin was gone. How long had the dog been wandering around town before he finally came back and Nan found him on the front porch? All that time and Jason didn't even notice he was missing. She wasn't wrong to be pissed off at him, or wrong to expect the minimum of responsibility when he was supposed to be dog-sitting.

[possibilities]

I want the to come back somehow, and have Pepper and Martin become friends. Nan could take her in and they could have double the fun with both animals having monologues and their shared adventures while Nan's at work.

[possibilities]

I think the ad campaign was for a clothing brand.
 

I agree about Nan's anger with Jason being legitimate. Still, she was drawn to him for a reason. They kind of balance each other out because she is stressed all the time and he never is. It's realistic that a person like him would not be willing to take the criticism or cop to his own BS, and for her to take ALL the criticism and always feel like she's wrong and be willing to "be the bigger person" and apologize.

[gesundheit]

My face turned into a fountain after Martin was alone in the woods and nervously said "and I couldn't hear Nan anymore." That was just the sweetest. And the little cap at the end about his narcissism. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make Hulu pick up this show. It's so wonderful.

[Bronzedog]

Pepper reminds me of my dog's neighborhood nemesis.  The cat visits my dog's friends daily and the cat totally intimidates my dog.  If my dog sees a neighbor holding the cat, he whines and cries.  If the cat is laying on a neighbors steps, my dog will march up to the cat and the cat will inevitably smack him in the face.  Hey!  My dog was here first!  These people were his friends first!  I really hope someone picks up this show!

[Evagirl]

This is a real sweet show.  The LOL parts are very subtle.  I guess it depends on each person's sense of humor.  Like (yeah, I know) when Nan found the dead bird on the welcome mat.  Martin said he knew it was the work of the serial killer - Pepper.  Then Nan went to dispose of the bird and Pepper's head slowly popped up and Martin started backing up, I howled with laughter!  Martin is the kind of dog whose expression doesn't change much at all, but when the dialog is plugged in, his expression will match it - every time.

Wow, I'm gonna miss this show.

[zibnchy]

So I actually teared up when Jason showed up to help Nan. I was expecting it, because I have watched a lot of tv, but there was just something so beautiful about it.

I was actually a bit worried about Martin. Lake monsters are no joke! 

I think it's a sign of a really good show if it makes you forget for a second that you're watching TV. I really hope somebody picks this up.

[TroopinFairy]

I started crying when Martin was really lost and was talking about how he didn't feel apart of the "wild" world or "Nan's" world. I'm not sure why I did, it just happened. Sad about this show being canceled. We need to be able to watch other shows besides stupid game show reboots ABC! 

[MrWhyt]

5 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I really don't understand what the heck Nan and her co-workers do for a living. If it's some sort of PR firm or advertising agency, who is their client? Who is paying them to come up with feel-good campaigns and apps? I just don't find the environment relatable at all. 

seemed pretty clear to me that they were doing PR for some clothing store chain.

[HeyThere83]

I liked what little I saw of this show. Now more than ever I have come to appreciate shows that have heart without telling you repeatedly how many tissues you will need that night.

 

*eye roll*

[rubaco]

I still haven't caught up with all of the episodes, but I've thoroughly enjoyed the ones that I have seen. Just wanted to share this article, in which we learn that a return to ABC is a tiny bit possible, and "other outlets have also called expressing interest." 

[Sup wit dat]

I will miss this show way more than I care to admit, LOL!  It's been great light-hearted humor!  The final episodes were hilarious and I hope the show continues somewhere because I'll be tuning in for sure.

[AnnieBeez]

6 hours ago, MrWhyt said:

seemed pretty clear to me that they were doing PR for some clothing store chain.

I thought they WERE the clothing chain, but I could very well be mistaken. I really don't care about the work stuff.

[Evagirl]

8 hours ago, MissHavisham said:

I thought they WERE the clothing chain, but I could very well be mistaken. I really don't care about the work stuff.

Me either.

[MrWhyt]

9 hours ago, MissHavisham said:

I thought they WERE the clothing chain, but I could very well be mistaken. I really don't care about the work stuff.

yeah what wasn't clear was if they were an external firm or an internal branch of said clothing chain. But not really a necessary distinction in the grand scheme of things.

[wonderwoman]

Yeah, the "how many tissues" thing can get old.  I am so sad to see this show go. And this episode felt as though the writers had an inkling that they wouldn't be back, yet should they find a new home, there's plenty of material to play. Other shows should take note: with so much uncertainlty, particularly on network television, unless they know for certain their show will be back, writers should structure season finales as possible series finales.

[Qoass]

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I want the to come back somehow, and have Pepper and Martin become friends. Nan could take her in and they could have double the fun with both animals having monologues and their shared adventures while Nan's at work.

That would be so cool:  they could do the dual perspective thing like they have on The Affair!

[TresGatos]

Firsts the great things which was everything Pepper related. I loved the waking up and finding that "Pepper had left one of her psychotic death threats" on their doorstep and how insane it was to become accustomed to a serial killer leaving a fresh body" leaving a fresh body everyday. I loved how Martin came to the logical, but totally wrong, conclusion that nobody wanted to be home because they were afraid Pepper would kill them and how Martin imagined that people would throw parades in his honor if he killed Pepper and how Nan might, at long last, get him one of those trophies as the camera shows a memorial (ashes?) of a previous dog, Sadie. And the part where he kept the little Girl Scouts from breaking through the door! Just fantastic!

Then when Martin attacked. Even though I knew Martin wouldn't really kill Pepper, maybe because we had a cat, Sting, who was killed by a stray Beagle, it had me biting my nails, but she looked so small and scared and then "she basically destroyed my face." I loved the animation that accompanied that bit. I really did.

Now the not so great parts which is all the work parts but, if someone else picks this up, that can be tweaked. When Sam asked Nan if she read the terms of service and she said she hadn't I said, "That was an entire South Park episode" and you can't convince me that Nan and Jason don't watch South Park. Likewise, the ridiculous bits about Sam permanently deleting the photos, I said about halfway through "why doesn't she post the original dog photo and take photos of the staff to post and seems like other photos would pour in pretty quickly" and that's basically what happened.

Still, I like the female vibe in this episode with Nan, Sam, Jen and Gwen with the main problem being Kevin who can easily transition out. I did like the part where Martin destroyed all the "test cats." I really liked how Sam, the owner of the Original Cuddle Kitties, was wearing a cat shaped necklace and had little cats printed all over her blouse. I would have loved an episode where Sam volunteers to watch Martin while Nan goes away for a weekend and she has six cats or a cat and a litter of kittens she was fostering. So much wasted potential!

Then the last little bit, well, all I could think was, "You kiss Nan with that mouth!" but I will remember the tenacity of his love and am very sad we did not get enough time to acclimate to the wonder that was Downward Dog.

[TresGatos]

I was a little bummed that there was no Pepper in this episode at all but I figured the neighbor was keeping her in after the Martin episode even though my spouse joked that Pepper had to be put down because Martin was the 17th dog she's attacked. I loved Pepper and her little ninja self!

In this episode, I really liked how Martin's riff at the end about his own narcissist ways echoed Nan who, unless I missed it, did,'t ask her dad what he planned to do after selling the house. When he was telling her to take anything she wanted because he "didn't need much where he's going" I expected Nan to ask where he was going but she didn't and from that point on I was afraid he was dying so I'm glad it didn't go there. Likewise, at the end they say  she should visit again and Nan says if there's still a house to visit but no curiosity or mention about her dad's future plans.

Kevin was off the chain psycho in this episode. During his violent office rant I expected security to come and escort him off the premises and his just showing up at Nan's house was just creepy. If someone else picks this up I hope they have him off to Tibet or I'd be worried about a workplace shooting. So Nan could take over Kevin's position or she could poach Jen, Gwen, and Sam and start her own PR/Marketing firm or she could by the family homestead and it could go in a Northern Exposure direction but I like the Pittsburgh location and Martin is a city dog. Also, there was mention of her mom and a sister who we never got to meet. I will miss this smart, funny, well written, show,

[luna1122]

17 minutes ago, TresGatos said:

 

 

Then when Martin attacked. Even though I knew Martin wouldn't really kill Pepper, maybe because we had a cat, Sting, who was killed by a stray Beagle, it had me biting my nails, but she looked so small and scared and then "she basically destroyed my face." I loved the animation that accompanied that bit. I really did.

Oh, i'm so sorry to hear about your cat, that's tragic. I had a cat named Sting too! I also knew, of course, Martin wouldn't really hurt Pepper, but I was still anxious too, and the line about her being so small and scared broke my heart a little. I love Martin, and all dogs, but I'm a cat person at heart.

17 minutes ago, TresGatos said:

 Likewise, the ridiculous bits about Sam permanently deleting the photos, I said about halfway through "why doesn't she post the original dog photo and take photos of the staff to post and seems like other photos would pour in pretty quickly" and that's basically what happened.

I said the same thing...post the pics and tell everyone else to post their own too. And then they did.

17 minutes ago, TresGatos said:

Still, I like the female vibe in this episode with Nan, Sam, Jen and Gwen with the main problem being Kevin who can easily transition out. I did like the part where Martin destroyed all the "test cats." I really liked how Sam, the owner of the Original Cuddle Kitties, was wearing a cat shaped necklace and had little cats printed all over her blouse. I would have loved an episode where Sam volunteers to watch Martin while Nan goes away for a weekend and she has six cats or a cat and a litter of kittens she was fostering. So much wasted potential!

Then the last little bit, well, all I could think was, "You kiss Nan with that mouth!" but I will remember the tenacity of his love and am very sad we did not get enough time to acclimate to the wonder that was Downward Dog.

I'm still hoping we get more. I want to know more about Nan's family, her mom and her sister, and what happened to make them all fall so far apart. I want Martin and Pepper to actually eventually become friends. I want more history on Nan and Jason, and more future. I've lost so many shows I loved and they didn't come back (still holding out irrational amounts of hope for Hannibal), but maybe we'll get lucky with this one. I sure hope so.

[pennben]

i had to take a beat after Martin's line "about every seven years she seems to dress me up in a costume" to figure out the dog year reference, but that made me laugh for a long time. 

Im so sorry this show was cancelled, it was just a low-key, slightly off-beat show that won me over quickly. 

Edited July 1, 2017 by pennben

[possibilities]

Does anyone know if it's actually being shopped around, or are we all just hoping because (and I count myself among this group) we all really want it to come back.

[Diana Berry]

On 6/29/2017 at 7:37 AM, MrWhyt said:

yeah what wasn't clear was if they were an external firm or an internal branch of said clothing chain. But not really a necessary distinction in the grand scheme of things.

Like others, totally didn't understand their job

[rubaco]

Reason #438 why this show should come back: I want to see more of and know more about Jeff and Sprinkles. Are they as intelligent and introspective as Martin? Who is the alpha? Is Sprinkles OK with his/her name? The questions are endless.

[Diana Berry]

I'm  sorry this show was cancelled.  Even though I always felt this show was too cool for me ( or I'm not hip enough)and I'm not in the demo it's trying to reach, it really grew on me.  Personally, I can't stand the work aspect or Jason.  I would have Nan and Martin and take it a different direction to have it appeal to a wider audience. Only time will tell.

[AnnieBeez]

4 hours ago, Diana Berry said:

I'm  sorry this show was cancelled.  Even though I always felt this show was too cool for me ( or I'm not hip enough)and I'm not in the demo it's trying to reach, it really grew on me.  Personally, I can't stand the work aspect or Jason.  I would have Nan and Martin and take it a different direction to have it appeal to a wider audience. Only time will tell.

I didn't feel like it was trying to reach a narrow demo. I'm 55 and love it. My mom is in her late 70's and loves it. I think anyone who's ever loved a dog is the demographic.

[luna1122]

I didn't ever feel this was going for a specific demographic either. (I love dogs but have never been owned by one, but by many, many cats)  I liked the cool/weird workplace and the co workers, and I adore Jason. When he showed up for Nan to search for Martin and ran to her in a huge hug, I lost it a little. No matter their future, or if they're a good COUPLE, those two get each other and love each other. I find the dynamic very sweet. I also want to know more about Nan's obviously fucked up family. I want to meet her mom that ran off with the dentist, and I want to know what her relationship with her never before mentioned (I think) sister is.

Dammit.

[tribeca]

Poor Martin.    All scratched up. My little dog was attacked by our neighbors fat cat.  That giant cat use to taunt our dog and walk on top of our fence.  One day big cat jumped in our yard.   First you see the dog chase the cat around the pool.  Then next the cat was chasing the dog.   The cat ended up scratching our dogs eye.  It was a close call and the dog almost lost her eye.  

Its interesting that Nan always goes to Jason when she needs help.  I didn't really like what he said and was disappointed he didn't help her with Martin.  

Edited July 5, 2017 by tribeca

[tribeca]

Was so worried for Martin alone in the woods.  Loved that Jason showed up to help find Martin.  Martin seems to love Jason too.  Wonder if Nan is going to take the job.   This was the first episode that I didn't like Nans boss.  He was acting dangerous crazy not funny crazy.

Did Nans friend get back together with her rich boyfriend?   

[amaranta]

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Not gonna lie, I'm pissed off that DD is cancelled while the kardashians go on forever.  What is wrong with this picture???

I am also so sad about this beautiful show being cancelled.  The timing stinks because watching it has really helped me cope with the unexpected death of my beloved rescue.  I will miss Martin tremendously - on the bright side this loss is inspiring me to get off my butt and rescue a new dog hopefully this summer.  There are many Martins out there :-)

I've been going through the exact same thing; my girl went without warning about six months ago.  This show was really helping with the loss, providing a bit of catharsis, and assisting with getting in the mindset to look again for another rescue.  Now I feel badly I put off watching until I felt "ready." I'm going to miss Martin and this sweet little show.

Boo ABC.

I have some medical stuff I have to take care during the next month or so and then Petfinders, here I come.

[amaranta]

On 6/24/2017 at 0:08 AM, luna1122 said:

I'm devastated. Like, really. 

 

On 6/24/2017 at 7:47 PM, Evagirl said:

I will miss this show very much.

 

On 6/28/2017 at 9:04 PM, rubaco said:

I still haven't caught up with all of the episodes, but I've thoroughly enjoyed the ones that I have seen. Just wanted to share this article, in which we learn that a return to ABC is a tiny bit possible, and "other outlets have also called expressing interest."

I, like, never do this but I went to Twitter and posted on @downwarddog_abc [/Martin voice]

I usually reserve my disappointments and remonstrations for current events, insane leadership, etc.  But I did it for a TV show.  Somehow I don't think my whopping 15 followers will care.

(Oh yeah; I did it once for Chuck coming off Netflix - forgot that.)

[BigBlueMastiff]

I love this show so much. I love Nan, Martin, the friends and coworkers, such a fun cast, and Martin is the best!

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Its interesting that Nan always goes to Jason when she needs help.  I didn't really like what he said and was disappointed he didn't help her with Martin.  

I think Jason is an easy crutch, he knows it and pushes back sometimes. I think this is one of those times. Nan needs to understand that Jason is not at her beck and call, you can't give mixed signals, and expect people to just accept it like everything is cool. 

Please bring this show back!!!