Homecoming - new show from Sam Esmail

bizmarkiefader

On Amazon prime right now. Did anybody check this out? Julia Roberts plays a grief counselor for a center for reintegrating soldiers coming back from active duty, but there seems to be something else the people who run the place are really after.

Through 2 episodes it's super intriguing so far. Julia Roberts and the rest of the cast are great. I'm really loving Bobby Cannavale from the brief glimpses we get at him. It's got a lot of the Esmail flair and shot composition you see in Mr Robot. 

adobo1148

Just finished it, really compelling stuff. The guys could definitely watch this in half day, and do some  Bald TV  coverage. It can try your patience but at 30 mins per episode it's hardly a slog to get through. Easily digestible but pretty dense stuff for the fellas to chew on. Esmail pulls out all of the tricks, there's even a shot of a guy wearing a hoodie ala Elliot Anderson. Also, stay for the post credits stinger after episode 10.

Doctor_Nick

Oh wow, that's what it is? 

It's an adaption of the Gimlet podcast with the voice talent of Oscar Isaac, Katherine Keener and David Schwimmer, among others. Excellent first season....  

pavlovsbell

Non-spoilery:

I've seen five episodes so far and am really enjoying it. I really like Esmail, but I bailed on Mr. Robot because I found it too overwrought. I prefer this -- you still get the paranoia, claustrophobia, dread, and tension, but it's dialed down to an intriguing, not overwhelming, level. The compositions are more classical, but you get complicated tracking shots and split screens, yet they don't feel flashy for the sake of being flashy. I dunno, I think he has the tone nailed down, and I especially liked the fifth episode, which had many moments of levity.

Julia Roberts is doing some fine, understated work, and Stephan James is so very charismatic.

In addition to the Hitchcockian and Seventies conspiracy-thriller vibe, the entire soundtrack is snippets of music from those films (and some more recent films), which was incredibly difficult and expensive. 

Kate23

I liked it as well. 
Wish they'd delved more into the chemical sourcing and dosing ....but that wasn't the point was it. I think the only hint was the "Manchineel" sign outside Colin's office; all other office areas had normal benign tree names. 

Shum

Binged this today and really enjoyed it.  I love the half hour drama format.  It allows for much tighter story telling and I hope it catches on, especially after so many other shows keep trending towards longer, more bloated episodes.

Giovanni

Doctor_Nick said:

Oh wow, that's what it is? 

It's an adaption of the Gimlet podcast with the voice talent of Oscar Isaac, Katherine Keener and David Schwimmer, among others. Excellent first season....  

Had no idea that's what this was based on. I really enjoyed the podcast so I'll have to check this out. 

I'm totally looking forward to Cannavale playing Schwimmers role, he seems perfectly made for it. 

Doctor_Nick

I wonder how off it's going to seem to me, especially if they reuse some of the dialog.  I'll be interested to see if Cannavale goes for the same neurotic aggression that Schwimmer did.

Giovanni said:

Doctor_Nick said:

Oh wow, that's what it is? 

It's an adaption of the Gimlet podcast with the voice talent of Oscar Isaac, Katherine Keener and David Schwimmer, among others. Excellent first season....  

Had no idea that's what this was based on. I really enjoyed the podcast so I'll have to check this out. 

I'm totally looking forward to Cannavale playing Schwimmers role, he seems perfectly made for it. 

Garthgou81

It must be kind of weird being Schimmer and having someone else cast in your role. I was looking at Schwimmer's IMDB and its pretty slow. 

Doctor_Nick

Especially since he kinda played the same character in Band of Brothers.  Worst drill sergeant ever.  

Garthgou81 said:

It must be kind of weird being Schimmer and having someone else cast in your role. I was looking at Schwimmer's IMDB and its pretty slow. 

pavlovsbell

Just finished episode 9 and got a thrill out of them using Handel's Sarabande from the Barry Lyndon soundtrack. Aside from the Kubrick connection, I thought it was an interesting outlier from the conspiracy-thriller tracks, and it made that scene even more dramatic and doomed.

For those who have listened to the podcast, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Cannavale vs. Schwimmer. I was blown away by Schwimmer -- I mean he elicited a visceral reaction from me. Cannavale is fine, but his character is completely different and rather boring and generic to me.

MrX

pavlovsbell said:

Non-spoilery:

I've seen five episodes so far and am really enjoying it. I really like Esmail, but I bailed on Mr. Robot because I found it too overwrought. I prefer this -- you still get the paranoia, claustrophobia, dread, and tension, but it's dialed down to an intriguing, not overwhelming, level. The compositions are more classical, but you get complicated tracking shots and split screens, yet they don't feel flashy for the sake of being flashy. I dunno, I think he has the tone nailed down, and I especially liked the fifth episode, which had many moments of levity.

Julia Roberts is doing some fine, understated work, and Stephan James is so very charismatic.

In addition to the Hitchcockian and Seventies conspiracy-thriller vibe, the entire soundtrack is snippets of music from those films (and some more recent films), which was incredibly difficult and expensive. 

Mr. Robot "stripped down" is a perfect description of this show. I really dug it, Esmail is doing some of the most interesting stuff on tv just in terms of how it looks and feels. Also thought this show had some of the better phone conversation scenes that I've seen on tv in a while - which isn't something I would usually think about, but they're done so well here that they really stand out. And yes the score is fantastic.

adobo1148

I really wish we could get the guys in on this. I know they’re swamped but this would be worth their time. Imo This is the best show Ive watched this year.

pavlovsbell

Dolly zooms can be overused, but this is the best one I've seen recently not only because of the emotional impact that hits like a ton of bricks, but also because it serves a narrative purpose. I assume this thread is non-spoilery, so I'll spoiler tag this:

I like that the aspect ratio was used not only delineate the two timelines, but that it also served to show how Holly's memories were blocked off by literally boxing her in, and how she's trapped herself. Later, after she deliberately doses herself, the bars close back in on her. Brilliant.

pavlovsbell

An almost comprehensive list of the tracks used and Amazon's Spotify playlist.

@adobo1148  That finale stinger was something else. Hong Chau is having a great year (her episode in Amazon's Forever was great). I love how the opening and closing credits play over a static scene -- it's different, and it adds to the voyeuristic/surveillance feeling.

Doctor_Nick

2 episodes in and I'm having weird podcast reactions. I like the three leads from the podcast better so far- Katherine Keener is somehow a little more naive, lost and wholesome appearing than Julia Roberts, who seemed almost downright mean rather than scared, when the G-man tracked her down at that restaurant.  Oscar Isaac is more charismatic and better at weaving the story than the guy playing Walter Cruz on the show.  And Schwimmer's anxious adenoidal aggression does more for me than Cannavale's laid back bro aggression.

pavlovsbell said:

Just finished episode 9 and got a thrill out of them using Handel's Sarabande from the Barry Lyndon soundtrack. Aside from the Kubrick connection, I thought it was an interesting outlier from the conspiracy-thriller tracks, and it made that scene even more dramatic and doomed.

For those who have listened to the podcast, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Cannavale vs. Schwimmer. I was blown away by Schwimmer -- I mean he elicited a visceral reaction from me. Cannavale is fine, but his character is completely different and rather boring and generic to me.