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Boss (on Starz) - season 1 thread

post #1 of 32
10/15/11 at 4:11pm
Thread Starter 

If you have StarZ, you've already seen big segments of the premiere and more, as they keep running the highlight reel.   I admit, this could be some great Friday programming.  Kelsey Grammer as a Chicago Mayor who discovers he has a terminal illness.

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post #2 of 32
10/20/11 at 6:00pm
Thread Starter 

The opening episode is available through onDemand.

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post #3 of 32
10/21/11 at 12:32pm
Thread Starter 

The reviews are absolutely positive.

 

Slate:  http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2011/10/21/boss_with_kelsey_grammar_the_next_great_american_tv_show_.html

 

"Is this the next great TV Show?"

 

Salon: http://www.salon.com/2011/10/21/boss_is_kelsey_grammers_show_the_new_wire/


"The heir to 'The Wire' "

 

Cinema Blend: http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Boss-Review-Kelsey-Grammer-Delivers-An-Outstanding-Performance-Starz-Drama-36225.html

"Fantastic"

 

Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/boss-tv-review-250296

 

A "Game Changer" for Starz

 

 

Quote:

Screw that, Boss says. Politics as a triumphant idea might have been a great forum for Aaron Sorkin to write soliloquies about tough choices and moral righteousness, but Boss strips it down to the ugly truth. Nobody is happy unless they win at all costs, ethics and morality take a beating when you're trying to please constituents and stay elected, and people who seek power and then use it like a sword aren't halo-wearing types. Which, by the way, makes a great backbone for a series. Safinia has gone beyond the obvious (Chicago? That's like shooting fish in a barrel, right?) by sticking Grammer's Kane in a brilliant predicament right from the outset.

 

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post #4 of 32
10/21/11 at 8:19pm
Thread Starter 

Now that it's aired:

 

Kelsey Grammer is flat out fantastic in this role.   There are moments I thought it went wildly over the top, but so what?   His performance was solid.


The scene where the "young gun" delivers his spiel and Grammer finally gets up and says "this f--- kid!"  that was great stuff the "I've heard this stuff before, you're building a career intentionally to go far.."

 

The use of soundtrack was great.. like really great.   Background music that just hit the right notes.   Early ominous tones, then a slow building soundtrack that always followed the characters (For example, when Kane was with his wife, Tori Amos "Battle of Trees" played light in the background), but when they picked something, it followed those characters or relationship, and that was a great subtle touch.

 

One of the better setups I've seen in a while.   I'm definitely in.

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post #5 of 32
10/23/11 at 10:40am
Here's hoping for more bonus Kathleen Roberson footage...
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post #6 of 32
10/28/11 at 1:47pm
If that's the sexy librarian assistant, YES. I'm not sure what was going on with the daughter. She's a nun, works at a clinic, was she trying to score hard drugs? Might have been interesting if Kane had confided in her and she was risking it all to get his medicine. I'm not a big fan of the "seemingly good girl nun falling hard," but I don't even know if I understood it.
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post #7 of 32
10/28/11 at 1:52pm
Thread Starter 

I don't think she's a nun.  I think she's a protestant priest who had a problem with addiction and is trying to stop.   That's why she through it away.   But yes, on the more librarian assistant ;)

 

This & Homeland are the two best new shows on the air this year (IMHO), I prefer homeland, but this is really good stuff.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg_S_H View Post

If that's the sexy librarian assistant, YES. I'm not sure what was going on with the daughter. She's a nun, works at a clinic, was she trying to score hard drugs? Might have been interesting if Kane had confided in her and she was risking it all to get his medicine. I'm not a big fan of the "seemingly good girl nun falling hard," but I don't even know if I understood it.


 

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post #8 of 32
10/28/11 at 9:02pm
Thread Starter 

Great second episode.  This show is incredibly well cast.  Some nice views of the librarian to boot.

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post #9 of 32
11/5/11 at 5:23am
Thread Starter 

Whoever is scripting this show, it may be over the top, but it does have real forward movement on "what's going to happen?"   I am now really wondering how the Governor's race is going to shake out.. I keep expecting our dirty librarian & treasurer's trysts to come to light

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post #10 of 32
11/7/11 at 4:41am

Im liking the show.

 

It took the third episode for me to realize all the naked women are in his head.

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post #11 of 32
11/11/11 at 1:22pm
Thread Starter 

Salon & others are talking about emmy buzz.   They are right; Grammer's performance here is one of the best of a male lead I have seen this season.

 

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/11/kelsey_grammers_boss_cables_greatest_performance/singleton/#comments

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post #12 of 32
11/12/11 at 6:02am
Thread Starter 

I'm wondering what kind of job they are going to try and throw at the kid to get him to not run for Governor.. or to drop out.  I can't see the governor having a really effective pitch there; I'm hoping the kid sticks it out.   We'll have to see where that goes.   

 

I loved the ending, where she speaks to her dad; the seeming realization that Tom may be headed down the same road - or is she the leak to the press?

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post #13 of 32
11/12/11 at 8:59am
I think the kid is just trying to play the governor's olive branch and pulled the rug out from under him.
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post #14 of 32
11/12/11 at 6:42pm

Very good episode highlighted by some really excellent scenes like the one mentioned above and when his wife confronted him.

 

Good stuff.

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post #15 of 32
11/12/11 at 7:31pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonZ View Post

Very good episode highlighted by some really excellent scenes like the one mentioned above and when his wife confronted him.

 

Good stuff.



I did really like the scene with the farmer at his farm "look, even as governor, I wouldn't have control over this.. I know it sucks.  That's about what I can tell you, the truth".   He doesn't need the cameras.   He's building a word of mouth buzz.

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post #16 of 32
11/19/11 at 8:32pm
Thread Starter 

I am now completely unsure of where they go with this.   Does the kid turn on Kane?   If his end goal is the White House, going becoming Mayor of Chicago stops that dead.   He has to know that.  Meanwhile, is the offer too tempting to pass?  

How does Kane get out of this, and who is the leak?

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post #17 of 32
11/25/11 at 9:13pm
Thread Starter 

And the race shifts.. Kane beats Round 1, but I'm not sure how it plays out... Kelsey Grammer has been great in this.

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post #18 of 32
11/27/11 at 6:25am
Pretty horrifying scene at the end with alderman being buried alive.

So is Kitty preggers?
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post #19 of 32
11/27/11 at 8:16am
Thread Starter 

Wouldn't that be the way to destroy his candidacy.. "I'm carrying your love child to prove you cheated on your wife.."
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Sun View Post

Pretty horrifyingl scene at the end with alderman being buried alive.
So is Kitty preggers?


 

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post #20 of 32
11/28/11 at 3:02pm
My wife has been watching this series. I watched part of a recorded episode today. I didn't see enough to make any comment about the script or acting, but the cinematography almost gave me motion sickness. The almost constant panning of the camera - slowly in, slowly out, slowly left, right up, down and combinations thereof were too dizzying for me to continue watching. The extreme closeups were also annoying.

I regret that I didn't have a chance to make an informed judgment on the series itself.
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post #21 of 32
12/2/11 at 6:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Bernardi View Post

My wife has been watching this series. I watched part of a recorded episode today. I didn't see enough to make any comment about the script or acting, but the cinematography almost gave me motion sickness. The almost constant panning of the camera - slowly in, slowly out, slowly left, right up, down and combinations thereof were too dizzying for me to continue watching. The extreme closeups were also annoying.
I regret that I didn't have a chance to make an informed judgment on the series itself.


The camera techniques haven't bothered me, but I will say this show does some things with the camera I don't remember ever seeing in a television series.  Particularly the over the shoulder shots where an out of focus figure takes up more than half of the screen to focus on the person sitting across from them.

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post #22 of 32
12/3/11 at 5:24am
Thread Starter 

Kane is definitely one bad man.     But he used his own counsel, played a confidence plan, and managed to get Kitty to upend everything about Zajac's plan to run for mayor.


What I find really interesting here is how much they focus - in a silent way - on the "power behind the throne".   Mrs Kane definitely views herself as the power behind Tom; which may or may not be true - she definitely provided him the start.   But Mrs. Zajac is also the one with the talent to put him in the right place, right time, and to push him toward something.  You get a feeling he wasn't really a person who was motivated for the political life, she pushed him. 

 

And the willingness to garner sympathy through his daughter.. OUCH.

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post #23 of 32
12/3/11 at 8:07am
Wow, what a bone-chilling episode.

Grammer needs to submit this episode for his Emmy nomination.
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post #24 of 32
12/9/11 at 8:20pm
Thread Starter 

Season Finale... I figured it'd go dark but... wow.   Very surprised at exactly HOW dark the thing would go.. that ending was BRUTAL

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post #25 of 32
12/9/11 at 10:09pm

I thought that was one of the best season finales Ive ever seen.

 

 

 

Loved Beethoven on guitar playing continuously through the last 10minutes. Very effective.

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post #26 of 32
12/10/11 at 8:28am
Quite a load of Shakespearian tragedy on display last night, very well done. Where does this show go from here (that's if Starz brings it back in light of so-so ratings).
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post #27 of 32
12/10/11 at 12:10pm

Wow, that was pretty compelling TV.  Although I'm not even sure I understood everything that went on.  Who ordered the hits on the nurse and Ezra?

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post #28 of 32
12/11/11 at 9:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottH View Post

Wow, that was pretty compelling TV.  Although I'm not even sure I understood everything that went on.  Who ordered the hits on the nurse and Ezra?

Before the finale I thought that Ezra was silently "taking care of business" but it appears that Kane directly is ordering the hits. Kane thought that the nurse was leaking information to the press but it was really Ezra who was, her hit was an unfortunate mistake. Ezra had become disgusted with Kane's tactics and was facilitating his fall from politics.

I didn't get this at first but my wife pointed out that the entire exchange between Kane and Ezra in Kane's office was not real but rather Kane imagining how the conversation would have gone as Kane's hit man was dispatching Ezra. Note that after Ezra's hit the next scene Kane was alone in his office with Ezra's "confession" playing out in his head.

I am really surprised that I liked Boss as much as I did considering my distaste for all things politics but the acting on this show, especially from Grammer, have been unreal great. That whole seven minute beginning to the finale with Kane and his wife was as good as tv as I have ever seen. If Grammer doesn't win an Emmy for this, it'll be a crime.
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post #29 of 32
12/11/11 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 

He's got tough competition with how good Homeland has been.  It'll be interesting, good to have a year where Mad Men isn't eligible and get some run for others; but it's two freshmen series that really got me this year: Boss & Homeland..  


Grammer was sensational; I loved how he played that entire scene in his mind at the end, imagining what Ezra thought of him, why Ezra was the one who facilitated the fall.

 

Someone was right: the opening "battle" between Kane and his wife.. and her sacrifice, when she came home to tell him and he was on the floor - damn, that was some brutal television
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by mylan View Post


Before the finale I thought that Ezra was silently "taking care of business" but it appears that Kane directly is ordering the hits. Kane thought that the nurse was leaking information to the press but it was really Ezra who was, her hit was an unfortunate mistake. Ezra had become disgusted with Kane's tactics and was facilitating his fall from politics.
I didn't get this at first but my wife pointed out that the entire exchange between Kane and Ezra in Kane's office was not real but rather Kane imagining how the conversation would have gone as Kane's hit man was dispatching Ezra. Note that after Ezra's hit the next scene Kane was alone in his office with Ezra's "confession" playing out in his head.
I am really surprised that I liked Boss as much as I did considering my distaste for all things politics but the acting on this show, especially from Grammer, have been unreal great. That whole seven minute beginning to the finale with Kane and his wife was as good as tv as I have ever seen. If Grammer doesn't win an Emmy for this, it'll be a crime.


 

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post #30 of 32
12/11/11 at 4:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mylan View Post


Before the finale I thought that Ezra was silently "taking care of business" but it appears that Kane directly is ordering the hits. Kane thought that the nurse was leaking information to the press but it was really Ezra who was, her hit was an unfortunate mistake. Ezra had become disgusted with Kane's tactics and was facilitating his fall from politics.
I didn't get this at first but my wife pointed out that the entire exchange between Kane and Ezra in Kane's office was not real but rather Kane imagining how the conversation would have gone as Kane's hit man was dispatching Ezra. Note that after Ezra's hit the next scene Kane was alone in his office with Ezra's "confession" playing out in his head.
I am really surprised that I liked Boss as much as I did considering my distaste for all things politics but the acting on this show, especially from Grammer, have been unreal great. That whole seven minute beginning to the finale with Kane and his wife was as good as tv as I have ever seen. If Grammer doesn't win an Emmy for this, it'll be a crime.


See, I'm not convinced it was Kane that ordered the hits.  Why did he ask the nurse "who did this to you?" if he was the one that did it to her?  It's not like he was putting on a front for someone else since no one else was there.  And as for Ezra, why would he even need him dead?  My money is on the wife being behind both hits.

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