Amazon Video has released three pilot options for new potential original series. Prime members can watch and give their opinions on screeners providing insight to witch show Amazon Video will turn into a series. Saturday night, I exchanged re-watching repeat episodes on Netflix while writing, to give my full attention a few shows that could be the next HIT series.
The pilots I Love Dick, The Tick, and Jean-Claude Van Johnson are drastically different from what I had expected and from each other, so it will be interesting to see what viewers choose as their favorite.
Jean-Claude Van Johnson
It’s hard to decide what I feel about a show based on a past his prime actor known for incomparable fighting skill and technique, play himself in a show about a washed up actor with incomparable fighting skill and technique; trying to make a comeback. But from the last seen, I definitely want to know what happens next.
Love Phylicia Rashad who plays Jean-Claude’s agent, or secret agent supervisor… not really sure.
There is a love interest (past and present), Vanessa. The storyline between her and Jean-Claude is so stereotypical for a special ops duo in films, that it sort of fell flat. Yet, something in me wanted to see if he would make it in time for dinner, or she would answer the door, or if she would trade him in for the new guy. It brought about that same sensation felt when dramatic irony pans our in films. You’re yelling at the character, “It’s not what you think! Hear them out!” but you know that’s not going to happen. You know it’s going to lots of time before s/he even answers their phone again.
The hair guy… I definitely want to know more about him. His flashbacks followed by his responses are quite funny. His hair though… it reminds me of those Disney tween shows where they are wearing a really crappy disguise, yet no one knows recognizes them except the audience. Ugh.
I really enjoyed the director’s character. He’s a pseudo-creative type where in reality just happens to be a successful, sought after, young director that is actually a talentless douche probably bankrolled by a well-to-do family.
I Love Dick
Firstly…. Suki (Phoebe Robinson)? YAS.
Devon (Roberta Colindrez) seems she will play a larger role, and that’s definitely exciting. She’s mellow, blunt, and very perceptive. So, YAS!
Varying ages, races, and genders? YAS. There could be varying sexual orientations as well, but it’s episode one. So they’re not giving away all the good-good early.
Storyline thus far? I get it am on the cusp of like and yawn, because I find the direct attack on women such a common intro that we end up solely focused on how the characters prove the attackers wrong (or right, in some cases). Ok, the storyline is deeper than this, but this particular one is unsettling to me. Chris is immediately enamored with Dick, and throws out all her beliefs just for this sexual admiration to be returned. That is what is unsettling to me as I think this situation is so common in real-life. Women throw away parts of themselves to be with someone or be someone, for a person who doesn’t value them. I think that sort of dialogue in indie films and real-life, need to be approached better to showcase more self-love and control. Maybe flip the script a little.
Chris (Kathryn Hahn) comes off entitled and self-serving, making me not feel bad for her partner not defending her film during dinner. She was so concerned with impressing Dick that she overdid it; making it awkward for everyone.
Dick (Kevin Bacon)… Well, he’s there. He speaks some truth and seems quite smooth, but I sense that persona is just a guard against showing his true self when swarms of people admire you. It seems almost cult like, except he doesn’t seem to really know what to do with it. I totally agreed with Dick on the unpaid use of the music in Chris’s film, though.
Sylvere (Griffin Dunne) Chris’ partner? Not sure how I feel about him. He seems very cocky and horny. Horny isn’t the word I was looking for, but sex-driven felt to strong. He reminds me of those older men in period pieces who are holed away tinkering at their masterpieces only stopping to eat, catch-up with their male buddies, and have random women feed their sexual urges when they desired. Like, come on, dude… Chris wrote a letter to your mentor about the lustful feelings she had for him, and rather than being like, “Woah, you’re fantasizing about a man you just met? The same man who struck a cord in you to decide to stay? A man I came to Marfa, Texas from the Big Apple for, so he could show me the ways of enlightened writing techniques? That’s whom you’re writing sexually constructed letters to? Hell, nah!”… he sleeps with her. He takes off his saggy boxer briefs, and roughly (and quickly) pounces on her like a dog in heat. And she took. Which made me question whether her pompous persona was really a cry for help. Because it’s very apparent, neither of them is good for each other, but Chris, especially, isn’t good for herself.
I want to know who is Phoebe Jarrett.
The Tick
I got all the way to the end and it’s a, “no thanks!” I don’t like Marvel comics, superhero type anything. I think I watched a Batman years ago – the one with Val Kilmer in it, I think. Was he in Batman? Even Birdman was hard to get through because of the superhero persona, but begrudgingly I did because the acting was great. It was truly the superhero aspect that annoyed me.
The Tick was so hard to stomach I don’t even remember any character names. I want to say Toby was a character. Whoopi Goldberg was in the beginning and her mannerisms felt so forced and contrived, it was cringe worthy. For those who love this genre of anything, you may really like it. It’s sadly not my cup of earl grey, but it could definitely be yours.
Keep it 100 all day, everyday,
xTillie
P.S. Who did I vote for? Well, that’s for me to know and you never to find out. ::wink face::