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Boardwalk Empire

I tried but I gave up by the second ep, just not my cuppa tea. Shows that glamorise/glorify filthy bottom feeding scum just don't do it for me I'm afraid.
 
Connoisseur said:
I tried but I gave up by the second ep, just not my cuppa tea. Shows that glamorise/glorify filthy bottom feeding scum just don't do it for me I'm afraid.
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You watched Breaking Bad and True Blood. Eric and Walt were scum. But I know what you mean with gangster shows. For me its well written and they are certainly interesting historical and fictional characters. Most of the people in glamorized positions don't get an easy go of it.
 
Straight Edge Society said:
You watched Breaking Bad and True Blood. Eric and Walt were scum. But I know what you mean with gangster shows. For me its well written and they are certainly interesting historical and fictional characters. Most of the people in glamorized positions don't get an easy go of it.
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You forgot Dexter as well. ;)
IMO there were shades of greys to those characters/villains. But I have no interest in watching typical one-dimensional mafia characters who relish in their villainy and have no evident redeeming qualities to them. That's the distinction that I make anyway.
 
Connoisseur said:
You forgot Dexter as well. ;)
IMO there were shades of greys to those characters/villains. But I have no interest in watching typical one-dimensional mafia characters who relish in their villainy and have no evident redeeming qualities to them. That's the distinction that I make anyway.
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They are not one dimensional. Granted their two best characters were Jimmy and Richard, who are both now dead. But they were complex and nuanced and very well written. I would put Richard Harrow up there with the best characters that I have ever seen in a supporting role in any show (including Jesse in Breaking Bad). But he didn't show until episode 6 or something. I don't think many characters are purely one dimensional villains, but Richard, Jimmy and agent Van Alden are as complex and well written as any characters out there.
 
Inigo Montoya said:
Are you implying something about me?
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That you're a dedicated tv Connoisseur? :whistling: :p ;)

Straight Edge Society said:
They are not one dimensional. Granted their two best characters were Jimmy and Richard, who are both now dead. But they were complex and nuanced and very well written. I would put Richard Harrow up there with the best characters that I have ever seen in a supporting role in any show (including Jesse in Breaking Bad). But he didn't show until episode 6 or something. I don't think many characters are purely one dimensional villains, but Richard, Jimmy and agent Van Alden are as complex and well written as any characters out there.
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I'll politely beg to differ SES. Obviously speaking only for myself I don't care for mafiosi criminals because I find them dull. They're actions and reasons behind those actions have and will never interest me.

Heisenberg, Dexter and other anti-heroes of that ilk etc... have more going for them than being dumb ruthless thugs who committ crimes because they simply crave riches/power for the sake of of it.

They are more 'nuanced' and relatable to me you could say. I can empathise/sympathise with those characters on some level which I can never do with your typical mafiosi.

By one-dimensional I didn't meant that they're 100% evil all of the time but that for the most part (80% ) their motivations for their evil deeds are basic (think Mokbel, Carl Williams, Badness etc). They see something they want and they just grab it due to not having any other means of doing so; basic dumb thuggery.
 
Have only seen season 1 on SBS... I have to wait until things are free to air
 
Connoisseur said:
That you're a dedicated tv Connoisseur? :whistling: :p ;)


I'll politely beg to differ SES. Obviously speaking only for myself I don't care for mafiosi criminals because I find them dull. They're actions and reasons behind those actions have and will never interest me.

Heisenberg, Dexter and other anti-heroes of that ilk etc... have more going for them than being dumb ruthless thugs who committ crimes because they simply crave riches/power for the sake of of it.

They are more 'nuanced' and relatable to me you could say. I can empathise/sympathise with those characters on some level which I can never do with your typical mafiosi.

By one-dimensional I didn't meant that they're 100% evil all of the time but that for the most part (80% ) their motivations for their evil deeds are basic (think Mokbel, Carl Williams, Badness etc). They see something they want and they just grab it due to not having any other means of doing so; basic dumb thuggery.
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Its fine that you feel that way but just the way you described what you think of these characters shows you don't follow the show. Its not a simple crave riches/power for the characters that I mentioned. Its fine if mafia shows are not your thing, but you can't really boil down characters on a show you have not seen to simple mafia stereotypes.

Sure there are those elements, but characters also deal with racism, politics, war. You said you stopped after a couple of episodes which means you don't really see Jimmy/Richard/van Alden's storylines, which are far deeper than a simple desire for power. The elements you mention are present in Al Capone, lucky Luciano and Nucky to a certain extent, but the characters I mentioned are so much more than that. Its sounds like you just are not a fan of mafia style shows, but like I said, Richard is as good a character as I have ever seen.
 
Straight Edge Society said:
Its fine that you feel that way but just the way you described what you think of these characters shows you don't follow the show. Its not a simple crave riches/power for the characters that I mentioned. Its fine if mafia shows are not your thing, but you can't really boil down characters on a show you have not seen to simple mafia stereotypes.

Sure there are those elements, but characters also deal with racism, politics, war. You said you stopped after a couple of episodes which means you don't really see Jimmy/Richard/van Alden's storylines, which are far deeper than a simple desire for power. The elements you mention are present in Al Capone, lucky Luciano and Nucky to a certain extent, but the characters I mentioned are so much more than that. Its sounds like you just are not a fan of mafia style shows, but like I said, Richard is as good a character as I have ever seen.
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That's fair enough. And you're right in saying I'm not a fan of mafia inspired show, that's one way to describe me I suppose.

I can't stand films such Goodfellas, Godfather trilogy and tv shows like the Sopranos etc... Rightly or wrongly the main characters hold little appeal to me for the reasons I've outlined previously and I find it disgusting that writers and directors try to humanise much less glorify these imbecilic animals.
 
I probably should have watched the first episode of this season before starting this thread. Seriously felt Richards absence in this episode, although it is sort of cool to see things that you know happen in history (wall street crash, rise of the Mafia) and how the characters relate to that event. Its certainly off to a stronger start than True Blood's finale season.
 
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