S02.E04: What Big Ideas

[LoveLeigh]

A young girl dies in a massage parlor fire. Who is responsible for her death?

[revbfc]

Did anyone else have a few minutes chopped off the front end of their recording?  

[sheetmoss]

Yep - and  later on too it skipped.  It seems almost every eppy  I have issues - same was happening with Sharp Objects

  I have DirecTV 

[BingeyKohan]

I liked seeing Nan Goldin but I’m afraid her cameo was in service of a show not quite cool enough for her. There’s still something off about this season for me. Larry saved this episode for sure. The graveside scene killed it (so to speak). This should not be a show that uses the melodramatic trope of characters filing away from a grave one at a time, until only one is left, in the pouring rain no less!

[Beezella]

I could never remember which pimp was which, but after that, I will always remember which one is Larry. Guy works out.

I love seeing ridiculous things happen in the filming. Arguments, scenery falling over, makes it all even seedier.

I'm really liking Irene. She handles things well in that tough business.

[numbnut]

Larry doing porn is pretty funny. I wish they had a better wig for the actor. That curly fro looks too fake.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Oh. My. Was not expecting that. How you doin', Larry? (But that was a prosthetic, right?)

[meep.meep]

A lot of things happened in this episode, and some of it kept my interest, but it seems like either the writing or the direction is not creating dramatic tension so that you want to know what will happen next week.  Why end on the funeral?  End on the killing and Vince's reaction in the car.  End on Larry Brown acing the porn shoot.

Is it a requirement that they hit on every group of characters during every show?  It's Vince and his bar, then Abby and hers, then the gay bar, then the parlor, then the cops, then the porn movies, then the mafia guys, etc.  It's too much.  No dramatic tension.

[javiersando]

I still don't understand what's the point of having certain characters on the show, and by "certain characters" I mean Abby (although the same could be said about Frankie). What does she bring to the story or the show?

[BingeyKohan]

1 hour ago, meep.meep said:

A lot of things happened in this episode, and some of it kept my interest, but it seems like either the writing or the direction is not creating dramatic tension so that you want to know what will happen next week.  Why end on the funeral?  End on the killing and Vince's reaction in the car.  End on Larry Brown acing the porn shoot.

Is it a requirement that they hit on every group of characters during every show?  It's Vince and his bar, then Abby and hers, then the gay bar, then the parlor, then the cops, then the porn movies, then the mafia guys, etc.  It's too much.  No dramatic tension.

So true! And what story is there in Paul and his ambitions anyway? I mean I like him, but the storyline there is basically: Can an upscale gay bar succeed? Does it need mob protection? is that it? Is he just a placeholder until next season when they'll use him as the point of entry into AIDS and the gay community? We're definitely treading water with him and his world it feels like. And why so many scenes in the dry cleaning business? He's now already washed his hands of it? Definitely some head-scratching choices.

[Beezella]

1 hour ago, BingeyKohan said:

And why so many scenes in the dry cleaning business?

I thought that was very funny, he was so incompetent. Took him down a peg. Some gambling win!

[tennisgurl]

I really dont care at all about the mob stuff. The stuff at the dry cleaning business is funny, but whenever the mob guys arrive, I lose interest. I try to stay invested, but its so hard! 

Larry doing porn is freaking great (and HI LARRY!) and Candy is a pretty solid director. She really knows how to get a good performance out of the actors, even when it doesn't involve sex. She has big ideas, but I worry about her getting what she needs for her red riding hood porn. 

Does the show know that you can just focus on some people some times, and then come back to them later? It feels like some of this is treading serious water. Also, CC can sense the writing on the wall, that he is going to be losing his place in the sex industry soon, and is trying to stay afloat.

[Arcey]

14 hours ago, sheetmoss said:

Yep - and  later on too it skipped.  It seems almost every eppy  I have issues - same was happening with Sharp Objects

  I have DirecTV 

Wow, so interesting to hear this. I also have DirecTV and a very near full DVR. So I've been having the same freeze-frame/skipping problems too, and thought it was due to my DVR being too full. I also had it in Sharp Objects. But I don't remember having this problem until the last month or two, so I figured it was on my end. I don't think I've had the problem with HBO shows in general, and now will pay more attention to what show it's happening in. I think I may have it on other stations as well.

I don't want to get new equipment, because then you lose everything that's been recorded to your present DVR, and I don't want that to happen at this time (or ever, I'm sure).

[Moxie Cat]

15 hours ago, sheetmoss said:

 

Yep - and  later on too it skipped.  It seems almost every eppy  I have issues - same was happening with Sharp Objects

  I have DirecTV 

 

Yes! Me too! Also Directv! As mentioned above, I also thought it was because my DVR is kinda full but I'm glad to see that might not be the case.

I have had to record the Deuce at other times to try and catch the missing parts, but oddly, sometimes it's the same part. For example, the shoe-shining scene in the premiere froze at the same part, on different recordings. This episode froze up 3 times, I think. I have had this issue on other shows occasionally, but the Deuce is notably bad every week.

@Arcey, word to everything in your post. Me too.

[slippity slack]

5 hours ago, BingeyKohan said:

And what story is there in Paul and his ambitions anyway? I mean I like him, but the storyline there is basically: Can an upscale gay bar succeed? Does it need mob protection? is that it? Is he just a placeholder until next season when they'll use him as the point of entry into AIDS and the gay community?

Totally agree! I like Paul but his storyline isn't going anywhere. I think they are saving him for an AIDS story unfortunately. And what's with his horrible wig?

Loved the Larry scenes. That final pose for the photo shoot with the big smile--ha!

They could lose the mobster scenes and still cut back on Vincent and Frankie scenes. I want more Lori, Candy, Darlene, and Ashley. And Abby--although I don't get that scene with the photographer--they have an open relationship? Abby didn't seem too happy about it.

[Arcey]

18 minutes ago, Moxie Cat said:

I have had to record the Deuce at other times to try and catch the missing parts, but oddly, sometimes it's the same part. For example, the shoe-shining scene in the premiere froze at the same part, on different recordings. This episode froze up 3 times, I think. I have had this issue on other shows occasionally, but the Deuce is notably bad every week.

I did that too, recorded a later showing to see if I could see what I missed the first time. I had better luck than you did, Moxie. My second recording didn't skip in the 2 places it did the first time, and it turned out, there was a fair amount of conversation I missed, and it was quite interesting. So I'm glad I did that. Usually I just move on and figure I probably didn't miss much anyway. It's SOOO annoying! Now I may call DirecTV to see what's up. I'll post if I find out anything.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

3 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

She has big ideas, but I worry about her getting what she needs for her red riding hood porn. 

I think she just found her Big Bad Wolf, though (I feel like Max Bialystock in The Producers when he shouts "That's our Hitler!" I adore Akinnagbe.

I agree with Slippity Slack that they may be setting up Paul for Season 3 when they explore the AIDS crisis and how it affected the whole scene ... I had also wondered, idly, watching the creation of the classy club/townhouse, if perhaps they might go in the direction of the Upstairs Lounge tragedy in New Orleans (especially with battling firebugs) but agree the AIDS angle is much more likely. 

Edited October 2, 2018 by PamelaMaeSnap

[Moxie Cat]

The differences between the pimps is actually getting interesting. Larry has some brains and isn't (too) afraid to humble himself to make some money. CC has some decent ideas (I do think his camera angle was worth exploring) but his short temper and attitude work against him. And then there's Rodney, still just hanging out on the streets and disparaging the ladies.

I'm definitely more interested in the female characters on this show, but the pimps were worthwhile this time around. 

I do wish Candy had gone to the female writer instead of the hippie guy. 

[DangerousMinds]

1 hour ago, slippity slack said:

Totally agree! I like Paul but his storyline isn't going anywhere. I think they are saving him for an AIDS story unfortunately. And what's with his horrible wig?

Loved the Larry scenes. That final pose for the photo shoot with the big smile--ha!

They could lose the mobster scenes and still cut back on Vincent and Frankie scenes. I want more Lori, Candy, Darlene, and Ashley. And Abby--although I don't get that scene with the photographer--they have an open relationship? Abby didn't seem too happy about it.

IIRC they have always had an open relationship. Abby wasn't happy that her friend left her show early.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Also, I'd like to see more Bernice!!! Nice to see her this week if only briefly!

[Moxie Cat]

37 minutes ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

 

Also, I'd like to see more Bernice!!! Nice to see her this week if only briefly!

 

Along those same lines, I'd love to see a little backstory on most of the main characters. We saw a little of Darlene, via her trip south and Bernice. But where did the pimps come from? Ashley? How did she get where she was? How did Lori get into prostitution, back in the Midwest? And damn - Shay! 

And - what happened to Vincent's boys and his ex? We've seen Candy's son a couple times now, but are we to assume that Vincent has no role whatsoever in his boys' lives? 

[txhorns79]

Quote

I agree with Slippity Slack that they may be setting up Paul for Season 3 when they explore the AIDS crisis and how it affected the whole scene ... I had also wondered, idly, watching the creation of the classy club/townhouse, if perhaps they might go in the direction of the Upstairs Lounge tragedy in New Orleans (especially with battling firebugs) but agree the AIDS angle is much more likely. 

I think AIDS will devastate a good majority of the characters on the show.  I mean, it ravages the gay community, it's going to cause significant changes in the production of porn films, along with probably wiping out a good portion of the prostitutes.  At least in terms of Paul, I hope they don't do that story with his character unless they have something new to say.  It's certainly realistic for the times, but it's also been done many, many times before.     

[javiersando]

I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong, but many storylines in this show seem very predictable. Of course, we may be wrong, but seems like many of the characters have very defined paths, as some others have pointed out:

- Paul: Gets AIDS.

- Lori/CC: The "Star '80" story.

- Eileen: Her son discovers she's in porn, becomes a successful director.

- Darlene: Goes to college.

- Frankie: Gets whacked by the mob.

.....

Edited October 3, 2018 by javiersando

[Armchair Critic]

Oof that bad wig is doing Abby no favors and it ages her. Vincent is not going to be able to easily extract himself from the parlors like he thought he could. I enjoy when the pimps are made to look foolish in front of their girls.

[BingeyKohan]

On 10/1/2018 at 9:08 PM, PamelaMaeSnap said:

I think she just found her Big Bad Wolf, though (I feel like Max Bialystock in The Producers when he shouts "That's our Hitler!" I adore Akinnagbe. 

I hadn’t thought about that! That would be great though: if Lori is Riding Hood and Larry is the Wolf there will be some interesting tension between Larry and CC. Now I think all Larry’s talk of his perfect teeth were setup for the ‘what big teeth you have’ scenes!

[PamelaMaeSnap]

SO many possibilities ... the Lori/Larry/CC interpersonal tension ... PLUS Candy's turning Little Red Riding Hood into a modern-day fable about pimps and prostitutes! 

[txhorns79]

Quote

Vincent is not going to be able to easily extract himself from the parlors like he thought he could.

This is something I truly don't get.  Hasn't Vincent been working for these people for years at this point?  How is he possibly that naive about how they operate, and why a person typically can't just walk away? 

[sistermagpie]

7 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Oof that bad wig is doing Abby no favors and it ages her. Vincent is not going to be able to easily extract himself from the parlors like he thought he could. I enjoy when the pimps are made to look foolish in front of their girls.

Every time I see her I wonder how much effort it must take to turn that beautiful head of hair into that awful Leather Tuscadero look. (Meaning how Abby does it, since the character isn't supposed to be wearing a wig.)

[txhorns79]

Quote

Every time I see her I wonder how much effort it must take to turn that beautiful head of hair into that awful Leather Tuscadero look.

I was wondering why she even bothered wearing a shirt, since her boobs were clearly visible through the white tank top they put her in. 

[DangerousMinds]

12 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Oof that bad wig is doing Abby no favors and it ages her. Vincent is not going to be able to easily extract himself from the parlors like he thought he could. I enjoy when the pimps are made to look foolish in front of their girls.

The actress playing Abby is 38, I believe.

[Brooklynista]

On 10/1/2018 at 12:44 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

Oh. My. Was not expecting that. How you doin', Larry? (But that was a prosthetic, right?)

It's exactly what I expected it to be. Thank you HBO.

[thuganomics85]

No surprise, Frankie can't even handle a dry-cleaning business.  He really is hopeless, huh?

Larry getting into porn is turning out to be a great story.  Gbenga Akinnagbe is really getting a chance to shine this season.

So, C.C. is the one who thought of the whole "POV" genre in porn.  A bit silly, but I got a kick out of it.  Still wish Lori would break from him soon.

Vincent and Abby suddenly having an open relationship seemed to come out of nowhere.  Then again, their relationship is probably in trouble now, especially since she has to suspect that he knows more about the parlors then he is claiming.

The mob stuff is still kind of dull.  And Paul's story does seem to be treading ground as of this moment.

Candy is still the best.  I hope her movie gets made!

[The Mighty Peanut]

I swear I came to say something on topic, but I lost my train of thought because I stream HBO from an Apple TV, I don’t use DVR, and both the Deuce and Sharp Objects skipped or froze regularly. My cable provider is Xfinity,  but I’ve seen Sharp Objects skip at a friend’s house and she used Frontier for cable. Very weird. Does anyone else have issues with Last Night Tonight frequently crashing? 

[DiabLOL]

I had no sound (on HBO only I tried other channels) and had to watch using subtitles! Anyone else?

[Rinaldo]

On 10/1/2018 at 12:44 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

How you doin', Larry? (But that was a prosthetic, right?)

I'm assuming it's real until reliably told otherwise. Gbenga Akinnagbe famously appeared nude off Broadway a few years ago, and his physical generosity was widely noted.

[Medicine Crow]

1 hour ago, Rinaldo said:

I'm assuming it's real until reliably told otherwise. Gbenga Akinnagbe famously appeared nude off Broadway a few years ago, and his physical generosity was widely noted.

Woo hoo!!!  It looked really real to me!!  Damn!!!

[msrachelj]

On 10/1/2018 at 4:35 AM, sheetmoss said:

Yep - and  later on too it skipped.  It seems almost every eppy  I have issues - same was happening with Sharp Objects

  I have DirecTV 

me too. it froze a few times. another show also. don't get me started on direct tv and their upgrade that  is noting but shit. months now and still not fixed.

[msrachelj]

On 10/1/2018 at 7:00 PM, Arcey said:

Wow, so interesting to hear this. I also have DirecTV and a very near full DVR. So I've been having the same freeze-frame/skipping problems too, and thought it was due to my DVR being too full. I also had it in Sharp Objects. But I don't remember having this problem until the last month or two, so I figured it was on my end. I don't think I've had the problem with HBO shows in general, and now will pay more attention to what show it's happening in. I think I may have it on other stations as well.

I don't want to get new equipment, because then you lose everything that's been recorded to your present DVR, and I don't want that to happen at this time (or ever, I'm sure).

i bet it's all part of the problems they are having with the upgrade they did on the genie. it sucks.  recorded shows disappear from you guide, you have to search for them in the upcoming or recorded programs and if you recorded them a while ago be prepared for it to take 1/2 to go thru shows that you cancelled or deleted. what a USELESS feature.  i have called, i have complained. they don't care. join hands with verizon and the others who have you by the balls.