Monsieur Spade (1 Viewer)

[Duane R]

Anybody catch this on Sunday? I thought it was pretty decent. Clive Owen in the title role, pretty good production values, and something a bit different to watch.

 

[NeilO]

I saw the preview appear in my feed for two other AMC shows I record. It looks intriguing. I have recorded it and am looking forward to seeing it later in the week.

 

[Malcolm R]

Same. I recorded it but haven't watched it yet.

 

[Matt Hough]

Takes a long time to give background on a large cast of characters. I've always liked Owen, but he's not my idea of Sam Spade. Still, I'll watch until the end.

 

[jayembee]

My wife and I watched this last night. We both liked it. Production pedigree is there: it's made by Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, whose previous TV work includes Homicide: Life on the Street and Oz.

The story so far is interesting. And Clive Owen does a great job, but I can't honestly say that one would think he's Sam Spade if that wasn't the name he was given. At least, thankfully, he didn't try to channel Bogart (or even Ricardo Cortez ).

 

[NeilO]

Just watched the first episode. Definitely a slow burning episode and I was not sure who all the players were at various times in the episode. Still, I am intrigued enough to watch the second episode later this week and probably will keep on until the end.

 

[NeilO]

Second episode was more intriguing and moved a lot faster now that most of the groundwork was laid down from the first. My high school French has come back more as I compare what they say vs the translation captions.

 

[NeilO]

I am also watching "A Murder at the End of the World". I was about to watch the third episode of this and realized that I couldn't do that. Rotating between Clive Owens' performances was too weird. So, I am increasing my pace of watching "A Murder ... " and will come back to this when I finish that.

 

[Matt Hough]

Boy, there were a zillion commercials with episode three last night. Yes, I had it on the DVR so I skipped over them, but I was having to zap by them (seemingly) every five minutes.

 

[NeilO]

Watching the third episode and looking for 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 but not finding them.

[Finished] Yes, the acts seemed shorter and so more commercials. I was quite surprised to see Dean "Mayhem" Winters in a small role. Definitely getting more intriguing.

 

[NeilO]

Building up some more in episode 4. More answers to various questions. It is supposed to be a six episode limited series. I am assuming that the main mystery of this season will be resolved. It seems there is too much to resolve in just 2 more episodes.

 

[jayembee]

Ep 4 was probably my favorite of the series so far. It seems like the pace is ramping up. The plot with the kid is moving along, Teresa is teetering on the edge of getting into some serious shit, and it looks like the secret of the painter and his mother are quickly coming to light.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, I'm glad to see the subplots getting some much-needed attention, but it still hasn't coalesced into a whole for me.

 

[NeilO]

Just watched episode 5. Things are definitely coming to a head. We now know a lot more. Oh, and they keep translating "merde" into different words. I guess it depends on the emphasis given to it.

 

[jayembee]

Just watched episode 5. Things are definitely coming to a head. We now know a lot more.

Agreed. I also noticed that the preview for the next episode describes it as "Season Finale". I guess they're up for more if this does well enough.

Oh, and they keep translating "merde" into different words. I guess it depends on the emphasis given to it.

I especially loved when Jean-Pierre was roused from sleep, and said "merde". The subtitles said "Jesus".

 

[Matt Hough]

Agreed. I also noticed that the preview for the next episode describes it as "Season Finale". I guess they're up for more if this does well enough.



I especially loved when Jean-Pierre was roused from sleep, and said "merde". The subtitles said "Jesus".

Yeah. I noticed that, too. They don't mind using the f-word in subtitles. It just seems strange.

 

[bujaki]

Agreed. I also noticed that the preview for the next episode describes it as "Season Finale". I guess they're up for more if this does well enough.



I especially loved when Jean-Pierre was roused from sleep, and said "merde". The subtitles said "Jesus".

Merde=Jesus??? Subversive subtext, to say the least. A better translation would have been a simple Shit or Fuck!

 

[jayembee]

Merde=Jesus??? Subversive subtext, to say the least.

Which is what made it so funny!

A better translation would have been a simple Shit or Fuck!

"Shit" would have been the correct translation.

 

[NeilO]

All wrapped up in a 1.5 hour slot. Looked like an hour of show and a half hour of commercials.

I think most identities are revealed, questions have been answered and the plotlines have come to a conclusion. As far as I can tell, there won't be a second series, but if it did well for AMC and someone comes up with a good plot, maybe we will see Clive Owen's Spade return.

 

[jayembee]

My wife and I did a "WTF?" as the denouement brought in a previously-unseen character who wrapped everything up. If not for the fact that Alfre Woodard's awesomeness provided a delightful put-down of every character not named Sam Spade, we'd probably have thrown our shoes at the TV.

That said, we did enjoy the journey, and would be happy to watch a second season of Clive Owen doing a turn as Spade.