Last night's episode by itself is fine. I was hoping for a little more given how close we were to the end. That's my only complaint.

I'm not missing any of this show as it's one of my favorites and I'm excited to see the end. But I can still be disappointed in some of the structure and decisions this year.

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Especially since the actors call all the shots re: scripts and what not.Actors choose to do the work or not. TV is not like film. A lot of actors become self-aware that the series depends on them, even to the point where some actors become EPs. Look at Michael C Hall, Dexter (the series) would not continue unless Hall chose to continue it...in his image.

A show like Leftovers that gimped into its final season, you bet your ass these actors wanted enough spotlight before they signed on.

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Oh come on. Let's be clear. This show is a beautiful train wreck that will close with 3 seasons and only 28 episodes. For contrast, Lindelof's beautiful non train wreck first season of Lost was 24 episodes. The principal actors all signed six season deals in a show that is amongst HBO's lowest rated. These actors, while talented, have no power. None. They are doing what they are told. They are not executive producers. They didn't "demand power/say/whatever before signing on to a final season. They were already contractually locked.

This. Yet another instance of The Debt being a blowhard on a subject he'd like you to think he knows a lot about, but is really just way over generalizing based on a few instances he can recall.

But Michael C Hall and Lauren Graham were producers of ****ttty season 8s of Dexter and Gilmore Girls yo because of their super attuned insight of their characters beyond that of the actual writers.

Let's pretend nobody ever heard of late season commercial success VANITY CREDITS.

In The Debts mind, I guess Kaley Cuoco is the writing show runner of HBOs next prestige drama? In all fairness, she 's probably as good of a writer as Nick Pizzolotto.

I mean sure, there are plenty of instances of an actor working with the director to "hone" their character or whatever. Happens all the time. But I don't think people realize how much both actors and especially models are treated like puppets on set. SO MUCH prep has already gone into that day's work that the actor actually reading the lines is almost an afterthought. It's like going through the motions at that point. And they're very rarely involved in the development process. The vast majority of TV actors - even some of the biggest names - get their scripts for the episode mere days before the shoot. They're almost like viewers - just as surprised as the rest of us as episodes unfold week to week - except they're getting them at the script phase instead on the TV, and have about as much input. Sure, the actors are the ones who truly sell the dialogue, and their performances can obviously help inform where the writers take the character in the future, but overall, this whole vanity/power thing on the part of an actor - to the point of being able to influence a character's fate or arc - is extremely rare.

Is next week the finale?

Two more episodes left.

His point was literally "The Walking Dead has always been ****ty" because the actors took over the super powerful writing. Yeah, the chick who died in Prison Break got Frank Darabont fired after 6 eps bc she wanted more control of her character. He didn't get fired for being a ****ty showrunner on a ****ty show to start with, who was then only replaced with equally ****ty but cheaper showrunners. No, it's the talented but no-name actors and their powers and demands ****ing everything up.

20ag07 said:

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His point was literally "The Walking Dead has always been ****ty" because the actors took over the super powerful writing. Yeah, the chick who died in Prison Break got Frank Darabont fired after 6 eps bc she wanted more control of her character. He didn't get fired for being a ****ty showrunner on a ****ty show to start with, who was then only replaced with equally ****ty but cheaper showrunners. No, it's the talented but no-name actors and their powers and demands ****ing everything up.

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Jump to conclusions mat!

So many seasons where nothing really happens and it's a character "driven" drama. The thing is actors dont need to "take control" of their stories most of the time because the show runners are just as "artsie" as the actors and the actors are sold on the concept of high minded drama, like "are we going to kill this kid or let him go?" That was the the drama for an entire half season and the actors ate it up.

Can someone help me with the beach ball baseball story and what they were comparing it to?

I thought that was a very powerful episode. A major character saying her goodbyes and then killing herself absolutely moves the needle with me. While I am interested in some kind of resolution/explanation, this show has always been so much about the struggle/journey of its characters. We are now starting to see some of them reach some kind of closure and that is just as important to me as tying up the departure/apocalypse story.

I have really enjoyed this season.

Btron said:

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Can someone help me with the beach ball baseball story and what they were comparing it to?

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It's the ocean walker. "If it's not too deep"

Btron said:

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Can someone help me with the beach ball baseball story and what they were comparing it to?

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Nora was comparing the usher's job of crushing the fans' fun to her job post-departure of crushing people's hope for an answer.

Last episode showed why Laurie left her family and joined the Guiltly Smokers.
She lost the baby and her patient's questions pushed her over the edge.

I went back to watch the first episode to be sure, but the patient with Lorrie in this latest episode is the same woman from the opening scene of the series.

PooDoo said:

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Last episode showed why Laurie left her family and joined the Guiltly Smokers.
She lost the baby and her patient's questions pushed her over the edge.

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I still believe the GR and the departure is due to that one quiet unspoken thought we have about folks "I wish you were gone".

The show opened on a woman dealing with a crying baby while she was on the phone, then she wished it away. Laurie confirmed she was pregnant, then she wished it away. Kevin was cleaning up after an adultery session, and he wished her away realizing he loved his wife. Nora, iirc, was entertaining a job she was super excited about, but her husband had reservations because of the kids, she secretly thought "if I didnt have a family I could do this."

Laurie's arc is a question of her motherhood and guilt. From "another" child nearly dying (snapping her out of it) to devoting herself to her son.

Nora's arc has been about her self-hatred and restoration, and her rejection of restoration when Kevin asked to conceived.

Kevin's arc has been all about responsibility and the ability to control himself (and those demons in his head).

I thought Kevin was actually in the middle of the act when the chick disappeared?

dave94 said:

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I thought Kevin was actually in the middle of the act when the chick disappeared?

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It is unclear how far they were. All it shows is him naked and he lifts the sheets and she's gone.

I guess I was remembering it as an even more unsettling experience for him.

I honestly can't guess how they will wrap it up. Maybe Kevin dies to learn the rain song, comes back in the midst of the beginning of the flood, sings and the rain stops, the clouds part, the sun comes out, he smiles at Kevin Sr, then credits roll. Maybe he dies and isn't able to come back. Maybe we see the departed floating around in space...who knows? Can't wait to see how they finish it!

I'm at the point right now that I don't care if how it all ends. I don't think anything at all will happen, honestly. I fully expect the finale to happen, and literally nothing interesting happens. I expect the show to end with no closure, no questions answered, and no new vanishings.

But even if I'm 100% wrong, I won't care. There was a time when I loved this show. I thought about it during the week, replayed in my mind over and over again what I'd watched, and tried to figure out what was happening. But for some reason, now I just want this thing to end.

If it weren't for the fact my DVR is set to record it and that my brain is programmed to watch TV on Sunday nights due to Breaking Bad (from a few years ago), Game of Thrones, and Silicon Valley...I'd probably have stopped watch 1 or 2 episodes into this season.

The completionist in me and the side of me who doesn't like to watch stuff that no longer interests me are having a war right now. Since there are only 1 or 2 episodes left, the completionist will win...but I'm REALLY struggling to give a damn.

et98 said:

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I'm at the point right now that I don't care if how it all ends. I don't think anything at all will happen, honestly. I fully expect the finale to happen, and literally nothing interesting happens. I expect the show to end with no closure, no questions answered, and no new vanishings.

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That's pretty much the plan and has been all along. The show is about pain imho. Either you are a fan or not.

I care but am concerned the ending will be like lost.

They've been departed all of this time

the showrunners have said from day one, they will not answer the reason for the departure.

TexasAggie008 said:

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They've been departed all of this time

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Australia is ONE GIANT ISLAND!!!!!

And was used originally as a jail... Like some sort of purgatory.

<snipped>

some things are funnier in your head, until you actually type them out....

By the way ... Montana body-slam congressman looks just like the dog shooter in season 1/ one ep this season ... cant take credit for the observation because I heard it on the Ticket this morning but seeing the news coverage throughout the day and night it's definitely spot on

(Not meant to be political , don't derail please)

Meg... has gotten fat.

I liked this one overall.

That said, I do not like what the preview for next week hints at.

Wasn't the preview 95% shots from prior episodes? I think only a few images of Norah were new material.

Now THAT was a fantastic episode.

It was nucking futs. But that kind of nuts is what this show is. Enjoyed it.