Boston Pubic - going downhill fast! (1 Viewer)

[SteveA]

I became hooked on Boston Public last year because it was one of the freshest, most original shows on TV. Now, it appears to be degrading rapidly into a Melrose Place-style soap opera! Anyone else watch this show and agree? The "hook lady" storyline is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Just plain ridiculous.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Yeah man, I'm totally getting the same impression.
Some of the dialogue between the Vice Principal and the hook lady was funny. It's also cool to see a quirky romance story on TV that doesn't involve gorgeous model-actresses pretending to be in high school.
Problem is, this has nothing to do with high school! Uch.
They're focusing a lot on the personal lives of the faculty rather than on their relationships to the students, parents, and each other.
Jeri Ryan's character has added nothing but eye candy to the show. Michael Rappaporte's character has more potential. And remember when Lipshitz used to be a real character? Now he just sort of appears once or twice an episode to say something annoying.
I don't get the "smell this shoe" thing. That woman first used the "shoe" thing because her kid throw up on her shoe, so it made sense. Now it's the "shoe of smut?" What the hell?
My loyalties to TV shows are heard earned but strong. I'll keep watching (also, I'm hopelessly in love with Jeri Ryan :b), but maybe I'll have to reevaluate it.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I watched all through last year, but didn't jump back on when the boat came back around. Nothing you're saying is making me regret that decision

 

[Jodee]

It's still good TV, although they haven't yet hit the stride they had last season.

The show still has it's classic funny moments, so far this year it's been the hook lady and Michael Rappaport's character. The way they have shown Kathy Baker rely on her hook in the background of scenes (dunking a tea bag, eating a breadstick, etc.) have been funny & surreal. Michael Rappaport seems to be stealing all of of Harry Senate & Lipschultz's classic bluntness.

Last year Harry Senate had all the funny, blunt lines, but his character has been woefully underused thus far this season.

Also, they have not yet developed any interesting students so far this year. Last year they had Cheryl Holt and her hilarious Internet cartoons, and the sad girl known as teh Blob, among others.

Hopefully Harper's daughter looks interesting, I'm sure she'll be developed more.

The episodes haven't been A+ like last year, but still better than most crap on TV. And there's promise to get better.

 

[Chris Hicks]

I think the "smell this shoe" woman should be written off. It is just to damn annoying now. Besides doesn't she have work to pay taxes on her $19,000?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

My mom's a teacher and watched exactly once. She said she's never seen anything so contrived, and she's right on the firing line at a VERY urban HS

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The show is sort of like the Simpsons: the writing is going downhill, but its still good.

They really shouldn't have added so many cast members, they were fine last year. Jeri Ryan and Michael Rappaporte are nice additions, but at the expense of Lipshitz? I think not.

They should get more into the students. The hook lady thing is funny, but its not in the same vein as the rest of the show. Why the hell is she still on the show anyway? I could care less about her.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Hook Lady is on the show so Guber can get laid! I just want to see the scene where they're under the covers and you see this one hook clawing at the wall in a lustful manner...

I like Lauren Davis's hairstyle this year.

I loved Hook Lady using the hook to write on the chalkboard, now that's spooky!

Senate still got in a few zingers on Rappaport's character.

Marla needs to take a huge chill pill.

What happened to Sharon Leal's character?

Anyone think Rappaport's character and Ronnie will hook up? (Bad pun).

Poor Louisa.

 

[Jodee]

I'm waiting for someone to make a joke about Guber getting a "hook job"

 

[Alphonse Brown]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that the writing is slipping a bit; however, I still tune in just because the 1st season was so good and because there are just enough laughs to keep it better than most shows.
I am mad that Marilyn Sudor (Sharon Leal's character) wasn't even in last nights episode!
I miss the computer animations from last season, too, but I do like that Louisa is getting a storyline for once.
(Damn Guber, 9 years???? He needs some...even if it is from hook lady!)

 

[Don Black]

I think the hook thing is ridiculous. The plot has completely detracted from the end of S1. It's getting too Ally McBeal for me. I liked it better when it had the same tone as The Practice.

I do though also like that Louisa has finally gotten a plot line.

 

[Craig S]

you see this one hook clawing at the wall in a lustful manner...

Unfortunately, we probably won't see that scene - remember she & Guber were looking at prosthetics near the end of the episode. :frowning:

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think the show is a mix of Ally McBeal and the Practice. Thats why they are serious and have good speeches from people who get laid by Captain Hook's transexual identity.

 

[David Lambert]

Everyone keeps mentioning Ally McBeal. If there's a show worse this year than last year, it's Ally. BP is down, Ally is down. I don't care about watching either one any more.

I expected Dark Angel to be worse this year than last year. It's not. It's as good (not better, just as good). I still want to tune in each week and catch it. I didn't expect to want to.

I agreed with the producers at Ally, and their decision to can Downey Jr. after all the trouble he got into. I can't imagine they would do anything else, after all the chances they gave him. They sure compensated by letting a bunch of other good actors go and hiring some real nincompoops to take their place! And now no Biscuit, either. Sucks.

Back to Boston Public: It's going down fast. Jeri is hardly there, so you can't say it draws in the Trekkie factor too much. Senate's a real downer this year. The Hook Lady thing's gone waaay to far. I can't stand the daughter of the principal at all. But all in all, the lack of interesting students is the worst part. Hook-lady's son was only interesting when he was a mystery; that's over. The sex website thing isn't the same as Holt .45 at all. And we can only have so many gang-member stories that all sound the same.

They need to jump-start this show ASAP, or I'm tuning out.

 

[Derek Miner]

Unfortunately, I have to agree that Boston Public is searching desperately for a good story. The plotlines this season have been, at best, episodic. Quality shifts from week to week, and sometimes within each episode. They've also sacrificed storylines with the regulars for the new cast members. At least we finally saw SOMETHING involving Louisa, considering she's been nearly invisible since she broke up with Milton in Season One.

I like the potential of some of the stories, but I think there's much too strong an emphasis on Guber and Mrs. Peters. I'm also dreading where they could take their story. I fear some shock twist coming and it probably won't fit the show very well.

Despite the problems, I still find Boston Public very watchable. And David, I agree that they lost some good cast members on Ally McBeal, but I think they're doing pretty well with what they have. For some reason, they're really big on the new cast members on that show, too...

= Derek =

 

[Mike Broadman]

Yes, Harry Senate! I totally forgot about him, and he was my favorite character. I loved that scene when he brought in the gun to class. His performance was fantastic. The only thing he did this year was tell the college recruiter that the student cheated on the application. And that was one of the best things to happen this year. We need Senate back.

 

[Michael Reuben]

And now no Biscuit, either. Sucks.

He's in next week's episode (12/3). The previews touted "the return of John Cage". I don't know if it will help, though. Despite the addition of many new characters, Ally McBeal isn't doing much more than recycling old material. It needs the kind of jolt that Downey brought it last year, and quickly.

M.

 

[TimDoss]

I still look forward to Boston Public each week... but

the one thing that I'm sick of is that fucking shoe

lady. Someone needs to smack the writers upside the

head. Lose her. Quick. I think that the hook lady

is up to something with Guber, maybe her and her son

are in on something together to bring him down or

something. Whatever is going on though, Guber needs

to back away slowly and not make eye contact... she is

one freaky woman. Run dude.... run away! run away!!

And did Louisa have a reduction between seasons? I seem

to remember her being a little more top heavy.

Ally I just wish would go away.

 

[Jason Boucher]

I feel like an idiot saying that I think the show is better this year, given the previous posts. I admire David Kelly's ability to shock me every week. I admit that the show has become something more of a guilty pleasure rather than a quality drama, but so what. I do agree thay enough is enough with hook lady. However, I am glad that Harry Senate has been written out. The new characters are much more interesting and smile. No one mentioned the outstanding acting of Chi McBride. Not counting the Sopranos, his character is probably my favorite on TV.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The only downside to this show this season has been the writing. The acting is good for what its supposed to be, but the actors aren't given good material.

The first episode or two was pretty good, but it hasn't been as good as last season.