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HBO's Lovecraft Country |OT| 1950s Jim Crow Lovecraftian Horror by Misha Green (83 on MC)

rude

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,812
And they can stop with the spoken word stuff. It was novel the first time, but it didn't even fit for this episode.
Zoe said:
I don't know what they're trying to pull with the "pity the white woman" thing with Christina. Seems out of place considering what the rest of the series is about.
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she's supposed to parallel the relationship between Atticus and his dad. They're trying to set up her and Atticus having some sort of bond I guess
 
Arkeband

Arkeband

Banned
Nov 8, 2017
7,663
A lot of the script/pacing issues that people handwaved in the first episode reared their heads in full force in episode two - in addition to inconsistent CGI and bad sound mixing.

It's a shame because the (lead) actors are putting in serious work. This episode was just a flurry of Things Happening, but like others are saying, it probably needed another episode's worth of content to actually make the viewer invested.

I don't really know what to think of the magic and whatnot on display, I'm not the biggest Lovecraft nerd but this seemed like an even further departure from that aspect of the show. AFAIK any magic in his writing was either granted to very specific individuals or was like "alien math", not this weird Sabrina stuff.
 
Trejo

Trejo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,830
When they showed the preview at the end of the first episode I legit thought it was like a tease for the rest of the season or at least the next few episodes so I was like "wow I wonder how they get to that point eventually" but nope, it was all in the second episode lol.

I agree that this episode sped on by at a breakneck pace and crammed way too much in so unfortunately, as a result, I feel like the death of uncle George didn't quite have the impact they were probably going for.

I'm still quite interested in where the show goes from here though.
 

Deleted member 31817

Nov 7, 2017
30,876
How was the new episode without spoiling it? Wondering if it's worth watching rn or if I should wait until tomorrow
 
Neece

Neece

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,199
rsfour said:
I'm not quite sure how I feel about that ep. I certainly didn't think it'd end that particular bit in 60 mins; and


Uncle George died
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It was hard for me to feel anything about that because while I like the character and want Courtney B Vance to be featured throughout the series, I also saw Jurnee's character die like 15 minutes before and she got brought back to life. When you do away with the stakes like that it's hard to take another death seriously just a few scenes later. I was like, am I supposed to be sad here? Only thing I really felt was "this would be a waste of Courtney B Vance if his story ends here."[


btw, why is this spoilered?
 
CloseTalker

CloseTalker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,583
That was an almost impressive drop in quality for only two episodes. It usually takes shows multiple seasons to go so far off the rails, this managed to do it between episode one and two. The lead actor is also kind of terrible? The co-leads are all quite good, but Atticus over emotes in every scene to the point of absurdity
 
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Lotus

Lotus

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
105,666
Bruh where did the quality go? This is only episode 2, and yet it was all over place, and the pacing was fast as fuck, acting was off, etc.

I'mma keep watching, but damn
 
Daysean

Daysean

Member
Nov 15, 2017
7,383
Whew, forgot that the second ep aired and decided to check out the thread before checking it out tomorrow to get hype
These reviews whew
 
Big Baybee

Big Baybee

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,775
Thread is really disappointing me. This show is great and it feels like people are tripping over themselves to come shit on it. Meh.
 
Orion

Orion

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
6,768
I mean, a woman helped a cow give birth to an alien and so much other shit happened that I only just now remembered this.
 
Dusk Golem

Dusk Golem

Local Horror Enthusiast
Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,804
I said this before this episode aired and was hoping to give kinda' a heads-up, but yeah it was pretty much what I expected. Really fast paced and will confuse people, just like the book.

All I'll say is go by the three episode rule for this series, I think things will start to really clear up and pick back up with people next episode and the episode after. There is an excellent story here and the tone and pace of this episode will retroactively make more sense later.
 
Pendragon_1095

Pendragon_1095

Member
May 9, 2019
850
This episode crammed way too much but I'm still invested. The acting was still very strong, well the trio's acting. One meh episode isn't enough for me to drop a whole season. I will say is that I was never bored.
 
Arkeband

Arkeband

Banned
Nov 8, 2017
7,663
Dusk Golem said:
I said this before this episode aired and was hoping to give kinda' a heads-up, but yeah it was pretty much what I expected. Really fast paced and will confuse people, just like the book.

All I'll say is go by the three episode rule for this series, I think things will start to really clear up and pick back up with people next episode and the episode after. There is an excellent story here and the tone and pace of this episode will retroactively make more sense later.
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I'm assuming reading the events of this episode written down, with additional context and things like what was pointed out above (that the Vietnamese fighter was speaking the fake language the cult), makes it a little less silly. We went from quasi-Lovecraft to a Prometheus allegory to the Book of Genesis within the span of like ten minutes. Also, characters dying and then being brought back during a single cut to black scene transition. It's a hurricane of WTF.
 
DrEvil

DrEvil

Developer
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
2,641
Canada
The musical scoring in this episode was bad.
Every scene had droning or bombastic bioshock-esque music behind it and it would come and go at will.

Oh, he picked up a Book with no context? DUNDUNDUNDUNDUN


Second ep feels like they're diving head first into Get Out and Us territory a bit too quickly without really setting much else up beforehand.
 
Imperial Bishop

Imperial Bishop

Member
Oct 26, 2017
35,564
Was not expecting the whole wizard cult stuff to end like that. There's gotta be more setting up that's going to connect back to the Adam cult and the portal scene at the end.
There were two moments in this episode that had me shook. I'm really interested to see the direction this show goes, because based on the Ep. 3 preview it seems to be seemingly unrelated to this particular cult.

Also

NOOOOOOO! Uncle George really bit it. Part of me wants to believe he'll come back like Letitia somehow, but goddamn! This is too much.
 
Failburger

Failburger

Banned
Dec 3, 2018
2,455
Arkeband said:
A lot of the script/pacing issues that people handwaved in the first episode reared their heads in full force in episode two - in addition to inconsistent CGI and bad sound mixing.

It's a shame because the (lead) actors are putting in serious work. This episode was just a flurry of Things Happening, but like others are saying, it probably needed another episode's worth of content to actually make the viewer invested.

I don't really know what to think of the magic and whatnot on display, I'm not the biggest Lovecraft nerd but this seemed like an even further departure from that aspect of the show. AFAIK any magic in his writing was either granted to very specific individuals or was like "alien math", not this weird Sabrina stuff.
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I've never read the books cause fuck lovecraft but in Call of Cthulhu (tabletop game) magic is very much a thing. Whether it be aliens fucking with physics or telepathic powers or sigils of power or literal fucking magic.
 
Cosmic Bus

Cosmic Bus

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,012
NY
My enjoyment from the premiere to this episode is well represented by that silver Bentley smashing into the invisible wall. Awful, awful hour of tv after having such a great time last week. 😩

DrEvil said:
The musical scoring in this episode was bad.
Every scene had droning or bombastic bioshock-esque music behind it and it would come and go at will.
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Yeah, I hated the music so much, and the anachronisms they've done in both episodes really bug me. The score itself sounds like it belongs in an entirely different show, and it's horribly implemented to boot.
 
Tater

Tater

Member
Oct 30, 2017
2,585
Wow, I'm glad you guys are here. There was so much in that episode, by the end I was just left with "what the hell did I just watch?!?" Glad to know it's not just me.

One thing I was unclear on -

What happened with the portal? The implication was that the ring that caused some problem, from the smoke and stuff, but was that actually it? Or was it the lineage thing that Uncle George hinted at? I'm so confused as to what went down there.
 

Deleted member 32822

Banned
Nov 13, 2017
9,537
I've never read Lovecraft Country, but I have read an anthology of Lovecraft's most famous works. To what extent does the book actually use his creations and imagery?
 

rusty chrome

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,640
Another excellent episode for me. Can't wait to see where this goes. Wish they'd dropped it all at once but that was never going to happen. I love this show.
 
Gengahrrr

Gengahrrr

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,227
Fuck that pacing. Whole episode could have been it's own movie.

CGI was network television quality too.

Like another poster said, the main actors are doing their thing, but the next episode has a lot to make up for.
 
Imperial Bishop

Imperial Bishop

Member
Oct 26, 2017
35,564
I'm way more invested in Tic and his dad's personal history than the diet racist wizard cult. Wiping them all out in a repeat failed attempt at immortality is fine.
It feels like the big catalyst for the rest of the weird shit that's gonna happen this season.
 

rude

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,812
Tater said:
Wow, I'm glad you guys are here. There was so much in that episode, by the end I was just left with "what the hell did I just watch?!?" Glad to know it's not just me.

One thing I was unclear on -

What happened with the portal? The implication was that the ring that caused some problem, from the smoke and stuff, but was that actually it? Or was it the lineage thing that Uncle George hinted at? I'm so confused as to what went down there.
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I think the ring was sabotaged by Christina. The camera lingered on her holding it in her hand and touching it for too long. not to mention William, her right hand, obviously knew the mansion was going to burn down again.
 
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Jeremy

Jeremy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,639
Sega Dreamcast said:
I've never read Lovecraft Country, but I have read an anthology of Lovecraft's most famous works. To what extent does the book actually use his creations and imagery?
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There are a few monsters and a cult so far. It doesn't feel particularly hopeless or grim.

It's almost more like it's made by someone who has seen a lot of the mythos repurposed in comic books and movies (or even just someone who has read a lot of Weird fiction) than by someone who has read the original Lovecraft stories. The characters have read Lovecraft, and it references the works, but it's mostly its own thing.

The setting is not at all like a typical Lovecraft story, and there's only a little bit of creeping insanity so far.
 
bye

bye

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
8,419
Phoenix, AZ
This was bad, had a feeling about the pace of the show in the first ep and this episode took all of those problems and amplified them over an hour
 
Dmax3901

Dmax3901

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,865
Yeah this episode was definitely weird and not just content-wise. There's something about the way the show moves from one scene to the next that lacks cohesion.

Like, as an example: the three of them are treated like royalty, then tormented with visions, then invited to dinner, then the cult got pissy when Tic ordered them to leave... but then the big bad was like I don't give a fuck about any of that we're gonna use you in a ritual. Why fuck around with all the other stuff? Why obey his order at the dinner? Why shoot Letty and the uncle only to let them be brought back to the house?

I get we're not supposed to know all the answers yet but this episode was just odd and confusing rather than intriguing.

Acting from the main characters is great though.
 
Fatoy

Fatoy

Member
Mar 13, 2019
7,220
I've only watched the first episode so far, but I agree with the comments that, production-wise, it feels very loose and scrappy - and not in a good way. I mean, the period details, costumes, sets, and so on all look great, but the editing and sound mixing make everything feel really muffled and mangled.

There's a really stark contrast between this and the Perry Mason reboot, which looked similarly expensive in terms of period detail, but felt better put-together in editing and mastering. Which is irritating because I thought Perry Mason was badly written and plotted, whereas Lovecraft Country has a lot more promise in those areas.
 

Hark

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,161
Ngl, thought this was one of the weakest stories in the book. Felt abrupt and poorly placed within the overall story (though unfortunately it's necessary to set up a lot). I don't think the show helped in any way.

There were some real shocking editing, music and shot choices here. Felt particularly amateurish when they slapped on a badly graded LUT during the first scene with the dog totin' sheriff. Also the CG has just been awful at times.
Also not sure if it's the (Australian) Binge app or my TV but the sound mixing is some of the worst I've encountered. My group genuinely missed multiple lines despite having the volume cranked way up.

BUT, still into it. Still confident they can do some great work, they just need the stronger part of the material.
Waiting for Episode 4+ which is when, imo, the book hit it's stride.

Also I feel like they should have advertised the anthological style of the story more, because I'm seeing a lot of people are surprised by the preview for next weeks episode.
 
RoninRay

RoninRay

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,593
Tater said:
Wow, I'm glad you guys are here. There was so much in that episode, by the end I was just left with "what the hell did I just watch?!?" Glad to know it's not just me.

One thing I was unclear on -

What happened with the portal? The implication was that the ring that caused some problem, from the smoke and stuff, but was that actually it? Or was it the lineage thing that Uncle George hinted at? I'm so confused as to what went down there.
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It was the ring that Christina gave him. She set the whole thing up. She wanted to kill all of them so she can get more power in the order. At least that's how Christina AKA Caleb in the book did it
 
rsfour

rsfour

Member
Oct 26, 2017
16,749
Despite how weird the ep was (and probably could've been split into 1.5-2), I'm still in for the season. Really dodgy effects unfortunately.
 
Ignatz Mouse

Ignatz Mouse

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,741
I personally love the breakneck WTF pacing and the GSH as well. My only issue was some bad CGI here and there. Show is great.
 

Zelas

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,020
Dmax3901 said:
All of what?
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Dmax3901 said:
Like, as an example: the three of them are treated like royalty, then tormented with visions, then invited to dinner, then the cult got pissy when Tic ordered them to leave... but then the big bad was like I don't give a fuck about any of that we're gonna use you in a ritual. Why fuck around with all the other stuff? Why obey his order at the dinner? Why shoot Letty and the uncle only to let them be brought back to the house?
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The guests were said to be zealots who were blindly devoted to the rules of The Order and Samuel was said to be the typical "affably evil" trope who was entertaining his guests.
 
NameUser

NameUser

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,981
I think an issue with the anthology route is that it can feel like they're just throwing a bunch of weird shit out there, taking inspiration from a bunch of stories, etc. And it's harder to make the story feel satisfying. Like this episode did a few things I hate, two episodes in. Like the fake out deaths and dream sequences.
 
CloudWolf

CloudWolf

Member
Oct 26, 2017
15,597
Yeah, this was an odd episode. Still in though.

One thing I found really off was the way they handled those visions. The way it was edited now was very confusing.

Also, was there a scene missing or something? It was really odd to see Atticus and George communicating through the wall, even though I don't think it was ever established Atticus knew George was behind the wall. I mean, it's just a small thing, but still it could do with a short set-up.
 
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