Ray Donovan

[P-Jay]

The 'Fixer' element has always played second-fiddle to the 'family stuff', Mickey was introduced in Episode 2 of season 1 - it's always been a show which was frustrating for me, more so then even the Sopranos - at least in that you could expect that AT LEAST 50% of any episode was a bunch of gangster doing a bunch of gangster st.

In RD though, it teases you with a bit of cool stuff, then bombards you with the mundane.

[Halb]

Losing the kids would be a start...and yah, time for MIkcey to go.

[RustyBison]

This is such a good season, I'm finally up to date now. Highly recommended for someone looking to start a series.

[944fan]

Must have been cold on the set when Katie Holmes was filming her scenes.

[SWoll]

greygoose said:

Funk said:

I really liked the first couple of seasons but really can't stand Mickey now. He's clearly shoehorned in more because he's a 'big name' and his character is starting to grate.

If I'm honest, none of the story lines are particularly any good so far this season, Mickey's would be funny if they weren't so bad. I'm actually on the verge of jacking it in, it's getting progressively worse. I said it ages back but the story needs to get back to Ray being a 'fixer' which is the entire premise of the show. It's become too 'soap opera'. I don't give a monkey's about the children or that Shirley Temple audition. Frankly the show's a mess.

Agree totally, it was a good idea originally but got lost in all the family stuff and Jon Voight.

The best thing about season 1 was the 'family stuff' IMHO, including Micky's scenes with Sully. the fixer stuff, while entertaining, felt very episodic very quickly for me. I find both Bunchy and Terry excellent characters and thought the storyline was compelling.

Season 2 I found rather weak, I lost interest after about 4 episodes and ended up catching up on it a couple of weeks ago by skimming through the episodes so I knew what was going on for season 3. Couldn't care less about the reporter, the rapper or the wife's affair. All very dull.

Season 3 has started well I think and I'm looking forward to where it goes. Jon Voight's character is supposed to be utterly unlikeable so he's doing is job well and Ray's new 'totally not giving a fk' attitude should be fun.

[RobinBanks]

I like Ray Donovan, but I'm getting bored with Mickey's stty efforts to be a pimp.

And it's weird seeing Lovejoy being sinister and malevolent.

[Funk]

RobinBanks said:

I like Ray Donovan, but I'm getting bored with Mickey's stty efforts to be a pimp.

And it's weird seeing Lovejoy being sinister and malevolent.

I wish someone would shoot Mickey in the face with a tank.

As for McShane being sinister and malevolent, check him out in The Pillars of the Earth. Great mini-series.

[a311]

Funk said:

RobinBanks said:

I like Ray Donovan, but I'm getting bored with Mickey's stty efforts to be a pimp.

And it's weird seeing Lovejoy being sinister and malevolent.

I wish someone would shoot Mickey in the face with a tank.

As for McShane being sinister and malevolent, check him out in The Pillars of the Earth. Great mini-series.

Check out Deadwood too, awesome show.

[RobinBanks]

Thanks for the tips, guys.

I'm really enjoying McShane's character in this. Andrew Finney focuses Ray so there's less dead time.

[Funk]

Ok, this week's was better. Still too much Mickey though and his hapless idiot act is wearing thin - thought he was supposed to be some tough Boston mob-style guy? He can't even shake down a few nerds for the coke they've blitzed...? Surprised that borrowing money off the Armenians turns out to be a st idea?

Will someone please slot the tt?

Also is it mandated that Katie Holmes' nipples MUST be prominently displayed in shot?

[RobinBanks]

Funk said:

Ok, this week's was better. Still too much Mickey though and his hapless idiot act is wearing thin - thought he was supposed to be some tough Boston mob-style guy? He can't even shake down a few nerds for the coke they've blitzed...? Surprised that borrowing money off the Armenians turns out to be a st idea?

Will someone please slot the tt?

Also is it mandated that Katie Holmes' nipples MUST be prominently displayed in shot?

Yeah, I'm still bored with Mickey. And his son who drives the Cadillac who does nothing for the story.

Hopefully they're building it into something big/good for the story. His character has potential, but he's just a really st pimp at the moment.

I'm glad that Finney was brought in. At a guess Ray will be caught in some family fight which could or could not be entertaining. At the moment he seems unsure whether to go with Paige or Andrew

[Halb]

[redacted]

[vxr8mate]

I fear this season will be the last.

The writing seems lazy their's obvious plots and unbelievable characters.

The whole Donovan daughter and her teacher seems so orchestrated I'm praying it doesn't happen.

Micky's take down of the pimp was well beyond belief as his him looking after the we's cheeky daughter.

Are we really expected to believe a politician can spring Ray's bro after what he did?

And don't get me started on how Ian McShane's character will now turn very bad.

I could go on but I won't as I feel I'm highlighting the obvious flaws this once great show now has.

[RobinBanks]

vxr8mate said:

Are we really expected to believe a politician can spring Ray's bro after what he did?

And don't get me started on how Ian McShane's character will now turn very bad.

I could go on but I won't as I feel I'm highlighting the obvious flaws this once great show now has.

The governor does have that power, but really it would be pretty impossible. It would bring up a lot of questions that would pretty much get him done for corruption

[Halb]

Doesn't seem all that improbable, given the illness, the death threats, and California's corruption.

[RobinBanks]

Good point. Parkinson's disease, compassionate grounds, risk of staying inside.

I should have thought that through

[vxr8mate]

Halb said:

Doesn't seem all that improbable, given the illness, the death threats, and California's corruption.

What about the murder of another inmate?

Self defense or not I doubt they would get him out in one night.

[RobinBanks]

America's pretty big on self defence as a legal defence though, right?

Also it's that brawl that put him in danger of being murdered. They would have a responsibility to protect him while he's in prison - getting him out could do that.

[a311]

Ah Micky strikes again, this time he's in bed with some eastern Europeans (Albanians??)

Can't pay back his loan so now they want a stake in his business and they've threatened his grandson if he doesn't take the deal.

The priest that's appeared a couple of times hasn't came to anything yet. They really seem to make up a lot of this as they go along.

The brother in jail I thought had a bit more mileage than they got out of it. I can't put my finger on it but there's something about it I like and keep watching it for....

[Halb]

vxr8mate said:

Halb said:

Doesn't seem all that improbable, given the illness, the death threats, and California's corruption.

What about the murder of another inmate?

Self defense or not I doubt they would get him out in one night.

I got the impression that he was set to get out anyway, with all the extenuating circumstances but bureaucracy would stall it for months, all the governor did was to queue jump him?