paulvdb August 28, 2017 Share August 28, 2017 Quote The video of Matt's escapade with the girl in the box goes viral. Link to comment
Corgi-ears August 28, 2017 Share August 28, 2017 Episodes writers, I know you probably reverse-engineered the idea of naming Matt's game show "The Box" and its contestants being boxed up so that you can, especially in this episode, make jokes about Matt being "in her box." Was it worth it? Would you like to reexamine your life choices? I feel like you should. Link to comment
iMonrey August 28, 2017 Share August 28, 2017 Maybe I was just in a better mood but I felt this this was an improvement over last week's episode. I enjoyed all the reactions to people watching the viral video of Matt and the fact that ratings went through the roof because of it. He finally got his window! The audition scene with the actor in the wheelchair was funny too. The randomness of The Box is really hysterical because they put all these weird visuals in the background without addressing them, like some guy dressed up as an insect or a stalk of celery or something weird without any explanation. 4 Link to comment
wendyg August 28, 2017 Share August 28, 2017 When the whole thing came down about the viral video I really did miss having Diane, Matt's ex-wife, call to yell at him. I can't fault the writers about that: there wasn't really time. But she was great. Link to comment
ganesh August 28, 2017 Share August 28, 2017 6 hours ago, iMonrey said: I enjoyed all the reactions to people watching the viral video of Matt and the fact that ratings went through the roof because of it. Stuff like this always kills me if the actors can sell it right. Because whatever idea I have in my head is going to be much worse if they actually showed anything. I liked all the cuts to the different parties too. They're checking with legal but no one knows the rules. 6 hours ago, iMonrey said: The randomness of The Box is really hysterical because they put all these weird visuals in the background without addressing them, like some guy dressed up as an insect or a stalk of celery or something weird without any explanation. I noticed that too. I was dying. Because based on the game, that was an option someone chose to do to someone else and it makes absolutely no sense. I guess they use the bathroom in the boxes? How? I'm thinking way too much about this, but the video was online. I don't see how the FCC would have any control over an internet feed. I could totally buy something like this happening irl. That last line of dialogue killed. It reminded me when Pee Wee Herman opened the VMAs after he was arrested for indecent exposure. 1 Link to comment
scrb August 28, 2017 Share August 28, 2017 Yeah this show has depicted the absurdity of the US TV market. What was it in earlier seasons which was supposedly destroying Pucks in the ratings, some cartoon? And of course Pucks itself was turned into some monstrosity due to network interference. Always remember that "we got Matt Leblanc" was repeated as a punchline. Show doesn't shy away from the gross. First Matt worries he'll be remembered only for the scandal, like Janet Jackson is remembered for the nipple, even though it didn't even squirt ruins Bev's meal. Then his first words after he's back on the show is "anyone got Windex." So it wasn't enough that he masturbated. They try several times to have the viewers visualize the money shot. At least there weren't cracks referring to "money shot." 1 Link to comment
ganesh August 29, 2017 Share August 29, 2017 It was a show with the talking dog! I forgot to add that the remark about the video with the chicken getting bat mitzvahed killed me. It had a little hat! 1 Link to comment
RedMal August 29, 2017 Share August 29, 2017 This was certainly better than last episode, but it felt like a filler. The episode started with a scandal that could ruin Matt's career, but 30 minutes later when the episode was coming to end, everything was better than ever. For season this short, I would prefer fewer but bigger storylines, not this story-per-episode style. But who knows, maybe this is important for the bigger picture, but as of now it didn't feel it had any reason to happen. Link to comment
ganesh August 29, 2017 Share August 29, 2017 It did have a reason. For Matt to be hired back, he demanded a 13 episode order of a show for himself. With a guarantee that all 13 would air. So maybe he'll get the others on board to work on the show. I'd like to see what Shawn and Bev can do without any network interference. 3 Link to comment
iMonrey August 29, 2017 Share August 29, 2017 Quote For season this short, I would prefer fewer but bigger storylines, not this story-per-episode style. Is this season going to be shorter than the previous ones? I hadn't heard that. Link to comment
RedMal August 30, 2017 Share August 30, 2017 Oh no, I didn't mean it's shorter. Just that this show always has short seasons. On 8/29/2017 at 6:44 PM, ganesh said: It did have a reason. For Matt to be hired back, he demanded a 13 episode order of a show for himself. With a guarantee that all 13 would air. So maybe he'll get the others on board to work on the show. I'd like to see what Shawn and Bev can do without any network interference. Oh right, thanks. Either I forgot about that or it flew over my head. But that explains it. Link to comment
AllyB August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 On 8/29/2017 at 0:55 PM, RedMal said: This was certainly better than last episode, but it felt like a filler. I think that what felt quite like filler was Bev and Sean still under Tim's thumb on The Opposite Of Us. We know Tim will keep making their lives miserable and it's as frustrating to watch as it would be to live through it. Though hopefully with Matt's new series being guaranteed, next week will be the last of Tim for a while. I did think that Sean was super chill about showing Bev the video. I can buy that Sean and Bev would reconcile after Bev and Matt had sex. And even resume their friendship with Matt, as it's essential for the series. But I just can't see Sean casually showing Bev that video and no awkwardness arising between them. 3 Link to comment
romantic idiot August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 I think he was ok because it was supposed to be gross. Link to comment
ganesh August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 I was thinking maybe Shawn and Bev can't get away from Tim because they can't buy themselves out of their contract or something. So I could see Matt offering to do that to get away from Tim only if they work on his show. Bev wouldn't like either option, so it would be funny how she would end up choosing to work with Matt. Link to comment
iMonrey August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 I'm trying to guess what would happen in real life if . . . for example . . . Jeff Probst was caught on camera having sex with one of the Survivor contestants somewhere in the middle of the game. I have a hard time believing that ratings would go through the roof. More likely, people would be so outraged the show would end in disgrace. But then, Survivor has been on the air for so long people are already getting tired of it, whereas The Box is a brand new thing and more like Fear Factor than Survivor. Still, audiences today are so predisposed to distrust reality shows, I still think something like this would get a show yanked off the air pronto. Link to comment
ganesh August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 I think in this show universe, Matt was just so charismatic that he was able to, wait for it... ...pull it off. He was actually fired for it. They didn't anticipate that the ratings would hit Idol levels. On the show Matt said several times that "he was the show." So maybe there was something to that. I suppose if the advertisers still pulled out after they aired the show, they probably would have had to can it. Bob Barker was accused of sexual harassment and nothing came of that. Not exactly the same, I know. I can't really think of a super charismatic game show host today, but Richard Dawson was coked out of his mind all the time and he was one of the most popular hosts of all time. 1 Link to comment
xaxat August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 3 hours ago, ganesh said: I was thinking maybe Shawn and Bev can't get away from Tim because they can't buy themselves out of their contract or something. I think they stick with it because it's theirs. Much like they tried to make Lyman's Boys work, they want to make this work. Although, unlike their first effort, they know how difficult that will be. We've got Sean, Matt and Bev back together, but we really need Carol as well. It feels like the focus of the show has switched to a straight up parody of the industry instead of the story of a bunch of unlikely friends working together in the industry that it was in previous seasons. I didn't think the wheelchair joke was funny at all. I don't watch this show for cheap "humor". (Except for some scenes with Matt.) Link to comment
ganesh August 31, 2017 Share August 31, 2017 They didn't have any options once they started working on Pucks though. Matt is sitting on a 13 episode order of a tv show now. Link to comment
whiporee September 1, 2017 Share September 1, 2017 That was laugh out loud funny. The smile on Matt's face when he was sleeping -- Sean's casual way of showing Bev, and Bev's casual way of showing Carol. All the way around funny. I agree the Tim stuff is getting old. I think Sean should just go back to his original threat and let Tim have the whole thing. It'll crash and burn and the'll be free of Hollywood bullshit. But watching him just treat them badly has gotten stupid. Link to comment
iMonrey September 1, 2017 Share September 1, 2017 (edited) Unless Helen Basch is just batshit crazy (and she might be) I don't know why she'd want to sabotage The Opposite of Us just to get back at Carol/Bev. If the show tanks it's going to look bad for her because she green-lit the thing and every other network out there was competing for this show. She'll be known as the one who destroyed it. Plus Sean and Bev could go over her head and speak to Elliot Salad (although I don't think they've ever met him). Really, the idea that they'd stick with the show after Tim was put in charge is the flimsiest part of the whole premise seeing as they were ready to bail on it at the end of Season 3. Just something I have to overlook I guess. Quote I think in this show universe, Matt was just so charismatic that he was able to, wait for it... ...pull it off. He was actually fired for it. They didn't anticipate that the ratings would hit Idol levels. On the show Matt said several times that "he was the show." So maybe there was something to that. I guess they're also kinda-sorta hinting that everyone who saw that video was impressed by Matt's massive tool and that's why ratings were even higher. People who hadn't even been watching to show saw that video then decided they wanted to see more of him. Edited September 1, 2017 by iMonrey 1 Link to comment
ganesh September 1, 2017 Share September 1, 2017 I think the show is going to tank. Tim seems to spend more time on food than writing. It takes them forever to go through one line of dialogue. Link to comment
Inquisitionist September 7, 2017 Share September 7, 2017 On 8/31/2017 at 11:43 PM, whiporee said: That was laugh out loud funny. The smile on Matt's face when he was sleeping -- Sean's casual way of showing Bev, and Bev's casual way of showing Carol. All the way around funny. I agree! Just watched it last night, and there were several times I guffawed out loud. I'll have to go back and make note of them. :-) Link to comment
Sader87 September 20, 2017 Share September 20, 2017 Art Fleming passed away in 1995 btw :) Link to comment
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