NBC's The Slap- Page 4

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 1:32pm

I just watched Episode 1 of the Australian version and it plays much better than the American version.

For starters, Sophie Okenedo who plays the wife doesn't come across as a raving bitch from the first second. She finds many more levels than Thandie Newton does.

The Australian version takes place in a suburban home. I think setting the American version in NYC is a mistake. It would have been much better to set it in Jersey or Connecticut.

There are a lot of other economical choices made in the Australian version that move the story along. The relationship between Hector and his son is more firmly grounded.

Hopefully the American version will get better.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 7:24pm

Mr Roxy said:
"It is a friggin tv show - nothing more or less."

Why are you on a discussion forum??

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 7:51pm

To state an opinon - nothing more or less

That is why others are on it as well. Not everyone will agree with everyone else.

It is really quite simple when you think about it.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:02pm

You know where it's at, man.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:03pm

If the walls could talk, Phyllis.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 8:49pm

"That is why others are on it as well. Not everyone will agree with everyone else. "

Exactly why people are on a forum stating their opinions.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 2/15/15 at 9:09pm

^^^ Amen.


Goth, you and Wiki may be right about the mother of the slappee. I've seen the second half twice now (my husband hadn't seen it) and she still seems like the sister of Skarsgaard to me. It is he who says "Oh, she won't sue" as if he knows her well enough to know what she will or won't do.

But it also appears that Thandie Newton is on the phone with her, apologizing "because it happened at my house". So perhaps their friendship IS the central connection.

I'm sure we'll see...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/16/15 at 7:58pm

I've watched the entire Australian production and I have to say the slap is the most interesting part of the show.

But I see why they chose Baitz to dramatize it. He's experienced at writing middle class people's drama.

Has anyone read the book? Is it any more interesting than the tv show?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 6:27am

I'm not clear on the implied distinction between setting the story in a suburb and setting it in Brooklyn. I've lived in Manhattan and a Jersey suburb, observed children raised in both, and the demographic portrayed is very much in evidence in both. Equally. The implication that city people behave wildly different way ignores the reality in 2015: A Brooklyn townhouse is very close to, say, a Maplewood NJ front hall colonial; both are hip, liberal enclaves. The old city vs. 'burbs distinctions more or less ended in the late 80s/early 90s, if one needs to be specific with a timeline. With housing costs and other issues, the idea of attaching distinctly different mores to "lifestyles" is a dated and rather creaky cliche. To put it bluntly, most people who've left the city in the past 25 years have taken a great deal of "city" with them. The show's decision to use Brooklyn gives it a nice visual distinction, to avoid what many call Spielberg America, i.e. the same old post POLTERGEIST/E.T. look that makes young families look tethered to another time. You can find versions of these families in all of the boros and all over the tristate area. I daresay, they behave in similar ways.

Updated On: 2/17/15 at 06:27 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/17/15 at 10:07am

I'm not clear on the implied distinction between setting the story in a suburb and setting it in Brooklyn.

I'm not sure how the American version is going to handle it, but in the Australian version there was a definite economic distinction (i.e. class) between the parents of the boy and the other people at the party.

Also interesting in the Australian version, there was a Muslim family at the party which created some very interesting dynamics in the Rosie episode.

The implication that city people behave wildly different way ignores the reality in 2015

Whether they do or not, tv shows portray city people as different people. City people are always smart, educated and rich and have sexy jobs. Non-city people are portrayed as blue collar, living paycheck to paycheck and under-educated and have simple jobs. Compare shows like The Middle and Roseanne to shows like Friends, Cosby and Mad About You.

Politics have broken the USA down into Red States and Blue States and I think that plays into this show. Red state people are seen as willing to "hit" their children, while Blue State people wouldn't.

Updated On: 2/17/15 at 10:07 AM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/19/15 at 4:56pm

Episode # 2 tonight kiddies.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/19/15 at 5:09pm

If they follow the Australian format, it's Uma Thurman's night.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/19/15 at 8:14pm

Melissa George is trying to do a Brooklyn accent. Bwhahahaha.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/19/15 at 8:47pm

"Wanna get some ribs in the Village?"

Who wrote this crap?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/19/15 at 9:13pm

I thought it was terrific. Quinto is superb.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/19/15 at 11:44pm

I will agree that Quinto is giving one of his best performances.

Otherwise... For one thing I think Baitz shoulda dropped the voice over. It worked for me with the Ozzie series--here it seems too faux ironic.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 6:24am

I'm very invested in the show, but believe it will tank. We can debate its merits, but the bigger issue is tune-in, and though the characters are 35-40ish, the audience is skewing much older. I don't think the target demo is likely as interested in the incrementally dramatized internecine domestic warfare as boomers. We've lived through more of these nuanced struggles, we have hard-won perspective, we are invested in the way the familial lines are drawn because we've come out on the other side. We are probably (big generalizing here) more likely to reflect on the issues the show dramatizes. I'm not sure people 28-34 are remotely invested in the concept. So whether the show has narration, or Thandie is a selfish bitch, or myriad other issues that can be parsed dramaturgically and otherwise, the show isn't a beacon for the people advertisers most want. That's my overall take, and I bet by the end the numbers are quite low. I won't miss a minute, but let's just say: I'm not 34.

Updated On: 2/21/15 at 06:24 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 10:07am

Auggie, while I understand what you are saying, I have a different feeling. I'm tired of seeing upperclass people's drama. Thirtysomething was more than enough for a lifetime.

What I liked about the Aussie version is that the couples represented different class structures. Their viewpoints were different because their lives were different. That's not coming out in the US version.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 11:45am

Quinto elevates the material and makes it worth watching

The irritating thing is there is about 5 minutes of commercials for 10 minutes of actually show.

Quinto's part is well written. The rest of the characters are underwritten or almost M.I.A. by comparison.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 8:51pm

P.S. to Goth: You and Wikipedia are right: it's clear in Episode 2 that the parents of the slappee are not biologically related to Quinto and Skaarsgard. If they were, the cops wouldn't have made such a big deal about "Greek families sticking together." My bad.

***

I am rather enjoying the show so far. I thought last night--and the reversals in the characters of Quinto and the breastfeeding couple--was quite interesting.

Maybe I'm just happy not to be watching another procedural drama nor a sitcom about young singles who think they are too busy to pronounce entire words.

Updated On: 2/20/15 at 08:51 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/20/15 at 9:57pm

"Maybe I'm just happy not to be watching another procedural drama nor a sitcom about young singles who think they are too busy to pronounce entire words."

Truer words were never spoken. Thank you.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/21/15 at 9:15am

"On NBC, The Slap earned a 0.8, down 27 percent from last week’s 1.1 adults 18-49 rating."

Per my posts above, it's tanking big time. I should have seen this coming, I tend to fall for the underdogs. I hope they don't pull the rest. A .08 is startlingly low.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/21/15 at 9:48am

"Per my posts above, it's tanking big time."

The really embarrassing part is that it's freezing cold on the Eastern Seaboard. It's not like people are turning off their TV to go for an evening stroll. Due to the cold, NBC has a captive audience and they still aren't pulling the numbers.

I want to encourage everyone to watch the Australian version. It has its flaws, but is much better than the American one.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/21/15 at 10:32am

Heads will roll @ NBC over this one

Sort of Like Gracepoint/Broadchurch although I think Gracepoint had somewhat better but unspectacular numbers.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/21/15 at 2:20pm

I watched the second episode today and really quite liked it and am looking forward to the rest! How with investigation of the characters in this event changes our perspective.