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[TheOddOne]

Series premiere today:

Season 1: episode 1 "Pilot" (Directed by Peter Berg, Written by Damon Lindelof & Tom Perrota)

Spoiler

Three years after millions of people – some 2% of the world’s population – vanished into thin air, residents of Mapleton, NY weigh the pros and cons of a “Heroes Day” tribute to the local “Departed.” Attempting to maintain a sense of normalcy in his strained community, police chief Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) faces additional challenges at home with his daughter, Jill (Margaret Qualley), who’s lost in a cloud of apathy with her friend Aimee (Emily Meade), and son, Tom (Chris Zylka), who has gravitated to a cult led by the charismatic Holy Wayne (Paterson Joseph). Also of concern is a silent, white-clad group of chain-smoking men and women called the Guilty Remnant, who team up in pairs to stake out people and places around town. As tension in Mapleton escalates, the lives of Laurie (Amy Brenneman), an unexpected member of the Guilty Remnant, and Meg (Liv Tyler), a recently engaged young woman, converge.

 

[jesu]

Christopher Eccleston and Liv Tyler?
I'm in.

(Eccleston minus the northern accent, that'll be different)

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Hope it's good.

 

[Brakke]

Lindeloff is a war criminal ok the battlefield of writing. But I'll check out an HBO pilot.

 

[Bloodrage]

Huh? I thought this was starting in July. Definitely watching tonight. Justin Theroux is awesome.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Huh? I thought this was starting in July. Definitely watching tonight. Justin Theroux is awesome.

Justin is one the big reasons I'm excited for this. Always been a fan, looking forward to seeing him lead a cast.

 

[royalan]

Welp, my plans for the weekend fell through, so I might just watch this.

I think my problem with Lindelof's approach to these concepts where the narrative is driven by a big central mystery is his reliance on the mystery, despite his claims that he really wants audiences to be focused on the characters. In Lost and Prometheus, Lindelof always went back to the central mystery--and grew it and made it more complex--as a means to drive the narrative and keep tensions high, instead of letting his characters carry that burden (which is exactly what Children of Men got so right, since someone brought it up. 20 minutes into that movie and you don't even give a shit about the big mystery). And then he's shocked when people care more about the mystery (and his ultimately piss-poor handling of it), and not his paper-thin characters.

The early reviews seem promising, though. Although I am concerned by all the emphasis they're putting on how bleak the show is. It's coming off as overcompensating for something that might not be all that great once the season actually gets started (The show is really bleak and dark and depressing and tonally similar to wading through a thick, soul-sucking sludge...but it gets good! We swear!).

 

[Loakum]

I'll watch it. I desperately need something to fill in for my Game of Thrones void. True Blood is failing miserably in that regard. I'm hopeful The Leftovers will actually be good.

 

[Dennis]

With all the great reviews I am at least going to watch the pilot.

But I fear the eventual Lindelof gut punch of stupid.

 

[dead souls]

Hope it's good.

Same here.

 

[General_Frags]

Might watch it, but Lindelof is such a hack writer, just look at how bad LOST was (Season 3 onwards).

 

[GalacticaN7]

Gonna give it a shot tonight. Seen some fairly favorable reviews.

Looking forward to impressions later in case I don't watch until tomorrow.

 

[dorkimoe]

Can't wait. I'll watch anything lindelof does

 

[Cornballer]

It's about to start.

 

[paskowitz]

Is this on HBO GO?

Edit: Now it is.

 

[the_firewithin]

Wtf poor dog

 

[helloresolven]

Early leader in the clubhouse for biggest asshole.

 

[Cornballer]

Buddy Garrity.

 

[royalan]

Justin Theroux wet and shirtless....

Already this is starting off on the right foot.

 

[whytemyke]

AV Club was in love with the first three episodes

 

[royalan]

...then hopefully things are going to pick up because this is incredibly boring so far.

 

[criesofthepast]

Anyone know the name of that app? Like the spin the bottle kind of thing? Looks funny.

I don't think its a fake app either because I've seen it in other shows.

 

[Judderman]

This show has been a big ol' bag of ¯\_(&#12484_/¯

 

[royalan]

I feel like I'm not supposed to be laughing every time the people in white are on screen. But I am.

They just look so fucking stupid standing there chain-smoking.

 

[The Culture Vulture]

Wow. This better have a hell of a cliffhanger or hook to get me to check out the next episode.

 

[BigWeather]

They just look so fucking stupid standing there chain-smoking.

They're like a bunch of French mimes.

 

[Judderman]

I feel like I'm not supposed to be laughing every time the people in white are on screen. But I am.

They just look so fucking stupid standing there chain-smoking.

I started laughing when there was that pickle dedication on the radio.

 

[criesofthepast]

I'll only continue watching this since nothing else is on and my GF and I want a Sunday night show to watch now that GOT is off. This pilot is meh though.

 

[DrEvil]

show is weird so far... autoerotic exphycsiation was bizzare, no idea where the hell its headed.

 

[Vire]

Can't believe I wasted an hour of my life watching this drivel. I'll look long and hard before trusting an AV Club review again.

 

[criesofthepast]

Seriously I need the name of that app. For research purposes.

 

[royalan]

Yeah, I really don't know what those critics were smoking. This was the most boring hour of television I've watched in a really long time. I can't think of a single good thing to say about this pilot.

Then again, I can see why this would get good reviews. Everything is just dark enough, just bleak enough, and every action treated with so much weight...it's the type of thing that gets praised because you don't want to be caught out there on "not getting it."

 

[Judderman]

These white clothes wearing people are straight trollin'.

 

[paskowitz]

This is probably the worst HBO pilot I can remember.

 

[the_firewithin]

Stupid mayor lol

 

[criesofthepast]

What's with the cigarettes? Who are they? Why white jumpsuits? The only good thing about this episode was the James Blake song from the trailer. This entire episode is badically the trailer so don't even bother watching it if you missed the episode lol. Just watch the trailer it is better.

 

[royalan]

NOOOOOOO

THEY TOOK SHAQ!!!

 

[helloresolven]

I'll give it one more episode, but this was a whole hour of meh.

 

[The Culture Vulture]

NOOOOOOO

THEY TOOK SHAQ!!!

and Tony Bourdain.

 

[Loakum]

...then hopefully things are going to pick up because this is incredibly boring so far.

It was better than tonight's True Blood.

This is probably the worst HBO pilot I can remember.

Nah, The Newsroom was way worse.

 

[the_firewithin]

No more crazy ass Gary Busey? I wouldn't want to live in that world either

 

[Judderman]

Will our protagonist ever apprehend the vile canine killer? Find out next time on The Leftovers!

 

[The Culture Vulture]

Will our protagonist ever apprehend the vile canine killer? Find out next time on The Leftovers!

Also the gummy worm girl subplot has me on the edge of my seat.

 

[Xevren]

Ugh, didn't care for it one bit. Not even going to bother with the rest.

 

[vehn]

Was they're any nudity in this?

 

[The Culture Vulture]

Someone post the Jacksonville Jaguar Fan GIF because that was my reaction to this pilot.

 

[BigWeather]

Yeah, I'm not feeling it. I've got to wonder what HBO is going to do -- what compelling TV have they got coming for Sunday? GoT, sure. BWE is in its final season, as is True Blood (mercifully). Anyone know of any upcoming series to fill the void? Oh yeah, True Detective -- that's good.

 

[royalan]

Was they're any nudity in this?

We just got a little ghost penis in that dive shot.

Some hot Theroux thrusting-ass action earlier. But that's it.

 

[criesofthepast]

Someone post the Jacksonville Jaguar Fan GIF because that was my reaction to this pilot.

Lol yup

 

[Vire]

Yeah, I'm not feeling it. I've got to wonder what HBO is going to do -- what compelling TV have they got coming for Sunday? GoT, sure. BWE is in its final season, as is True Blood (mercifully). Anyone know of any upcoming series to fill the void?

True Detective Season 2.

It's pretty good.