Ep 225: Treme, Survivor, Ray Watch

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Treme is the new David Simon drama on HBO. We review it for your listening pleasure.

Also, by request, Nelly does a run down of the latest season of Survivor in anticipation of tomorrow night’s finale.

Brett discusses some bad reporting in Ray Watch.

Hey you. Come and celebrate the wonder of the Eurovision Song Contest with Boxcutters.

Also you can tell us stuff: by email or on the SMS us on 0458 288 837 (0458 CUTTER).

If you’ve seen the second last episode of Lost or you don’t care that much about the show or spoilers, here is the link to the YouTube clip of the entire six seasons of LOST re-enacted by Cats in 1 minute.

We’ll have something more here after Josh has had a chance to watch the Lost finale.

In the meantime, talk amongst yourselves.

13 Comments

  1. Daniel B says:

    I've watched the first 5 eps of Treme, and I really wanted to like it, I really really did, but I am yet to get into it's groove, It has the same pacing and direction as The Wire, but I found that it had much more interesting characters and spoke to a larger audience than Treme, great music though.

  2. catbrain says:

    Hey Brett, you really need to stop the othering: just because Italian pop music isn't to your taste, doesn't mean that it's shit.

    Nelly, I have rarely watched Survivor and have very little interest in it, except when you talk about it. I could listen to you talk about the characters all day. Nice work.

    And never be ashamed to watch The Bold and The Beautiful – it is the Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Popular Daytime TV Soap – Current”

  3. What? No comments on the 'Lost' finale? Or the 'Survivor' finale?? Or the 'Lost-Survivor' finale???

    Via Jimmy Kimmel-



    ____________

    For what it's worth… I thought Survivor petered out BADLY in the last 3-4 episodes (and it usually does as the remaining competitors get whittled down, but moreso than usual) as everyone folded like a cheap deck-chair before the Russell-Parvati alliance; Only Sandra fought on, and therefore thoroughly deserved the win. Of course, had they had one extra week and gone for a final two instead of a final three… well…
    …would have made the whole thing waaay more interesting.
    And for anyone who checked out the Reunion Special: Is Jeff Probst not the best TV host currently going? Not just Reality show, but best overall? Funny, quick, commanding, relaxed – really, could probably sub in for a Leno or Letterman if required, and it's truly astonishing to think he's hosted 20 season of survivor over the last 10 years… do the math: it's a lot of time a long way away from home, for one show.
    And the way he handled Russell was a CLINIC in taking down the bully – if only the show's contestants could argue as clearly *!*
    _____

    Then there was 'Lost'. Well, I watched the finale… I feel better about the BSG finale now. At least BSG *tried* to tack on an explanation (at the last minute, and deeply unsatisfying at that). Lost was … pleasant, but infuriating. I suppose the shows writer's decided to sacrifice the goodwill of the current audience in favour of the shows long term legacy. By not explaining the Island, what it was or why it was important, by keeping the mystery going it will probably serve the show well – sometimes NOT resolving is the best option (see, “the Prisoner”, aka 'Exhibit A') – so I expect the legend surrounding the show will endure.
    Still seems like a copout now, though.
    Maybe Talia had it right… it really was just 'Gilligan's Island' for the 2000's…

  4. Darren Boxcutter says:

    I have watched the first 2 eps of Treme. Its a slow burner. Great production, great characters. Hopefully it speeds up a little.

    Also loved the last episode of Lost. Its best not to ask any outstanding questions just take it for what it was.

    Also I got tickets to Hey Hey next week. I'll send Daryl your love.

  5. I was a Survivor addict in the early days but lost interest after a few seasons. Listening to Nelly has revived my interest though and I made sure to watch the finale so I would be all set for her no doubt long and detailed analysis!

  6. Ummm… 'othering'? I'm not sure what you mean.

    Clearly Italian musical skill runs rampant in classic disciplines such as opera but I really think there is a void in the Italian ability in and contribution to pop music and I say that from a perspective of being immersed in the culture – living and working with and amongst Italians in Italy for a number of months – and having the opportunity to attend more than half a dozen events with musical performances from small village Saint's days celebrations to the travelling European Lollapalooza type festival.

    On reflection, there would probably be some conflict within the country if they were to have to decide which performer or band to send to the competition and that may have more to do with it than any self-awareness. There's a strong separatist movement and divide between the north and south of Italy as it is – consensus on such a massively important decision must be almost impossible in that environment and could easily lead to riots in the streets.

    I don't make any of these comments prejudicially – just saying from experience.

  7. Having watched four eps, I'm still kinda waiting for the true primary character or storyline to emerge but it seems that's not going to happen. I don't think there's any grand arc that will rule them all at the end of the season.

    I do wonder why my personal feeling is that Antoine Batiste is the central character as it was very quick to settle in my mind. I'm not sure if it's because of the familiarity with Wendell Pierce as Bunk, that he seemed to be the most important person in the opening scenes as they negotiated the lower payment for the band for the parade or the fact he's the most straightforward, gigging muso of the central characters that plays to my own predilections.

    Clarke Peters' Chief seems the most interesting and important character at this point – with loads of potential for reveals but they're just bubbling along for the moment.

    With the music being so front and centre and really being a character in itself and dominant to everyone else, I could handle it going nowhere for a long time while we learn new snippets about everyone if it continues in this vein.

    On Lost, is there anything to say? I'm not sure I completely get the explanation but there will likely be some clarifying discourse on the usual suspect sites soon enough when I get a chance to have a read. Apparently some asshole on Nova drive gave a MASSIVE spoiler on Tuesday or Wednesday and old friend of Boxcutters, Ryan Shelton, almost went over the desk at him live on air. I found it very moving, especially with some reunifications, and particularly because we were saying goodbye to these characters we've spent a lot of time with over the last six years.

    I can only assume those who were still with Lost were accustomed to allowing unresolved questions to stand without demanding immediate answers.

    Tickets to Hey Hey hey? You're not being flown in for Red Faces are you? Tell Willy I said it's time for lunch.

  8. My life's work is complete – I have succeeded in getting at least 2 people interested in Survivor! How wonderful. Thanks for lovely comments.

    As for the Finale, I wasn't a Sandra, fan but I am now. She kicked arse at the final tribal (especially getting the “heroes” on side by pointing out that she tried to get rid of Russell) and was a thoroughly deserved winner. She played it very well.

    As for Probst. Ahhh, Probst. He is, quite simply, the best. And I couldn't agree more that he handled Russell exactly as he should be handled. A real treat to watch him in action. Both he and Andrew O'Keefe (for a local flavour) are my favourite hosts – other hosts do well but they have writers and all sorts of support, Probst and O'Keefe work with shit and spin it into gold. That's impressive.

    Now, I won't say this again so take it in, I even kind of sort of liked Coach in the finale. !!!!!! I know he's MENTAL, but he seemed to at least be trying to get some insight. I hope he and Jerry spend some special adult time together.

    The most irritating gong goes, as usual, to Rupert. What a tool! As far as I'm concerned he's a control-freak bully who just hides it better than Russell. There aint' enough tie-dye in the world to hide your true colours big man.

    Thomas out. I got nothin' for ya.

  9. &^$%&%^(*^&)^&*(%^&*(%^&*^&*()*(&^&*)%^&*(^&*()&*(&*(_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Ahem.
    At what point did we decide we have a RIGHT to know every single aspect about a politicians private life? Particularly, their sex life? I realize this will shock the 'journalists' who reported the story, but it turns out that some people have a complicated relationship with their sexuality? I know- who knew ? If such a 'story' hits a newsroom's desk, there should be a few questions that need to be answered before doing the story:
    a) Is it illegal? (i.e., did it involve bestiality, hard drugs, paedophiia or misappropriation of public funds?)
    b) Is it relavent? (i.e., does it say something about their character, along the lines of the too numerous to count American right-wing homophobic politicians caught in scandal?)
    c) Will this knowledge benefit/i> the public in any way?
    If the answer to at least two of those questions isn't 'yes', stop and take a good, long look at yourself.
    Finally, like Josh mentioned,
    this is teh kind of thing that people have killed themselves over. It's not a bloody game! It's not entertainment! It's fucking around with a real person's life. It's almost a witch hunt- to deliberately try and destroy someone's career, someone's family, their psyche, their life.
    If “the State has no business in the bedrooms of the Nation,” why should the Nation have any business in the bedrooms of the State?
    It's so utterly morally reprehensible. I'd say I was too disgusted for words, but clearly… I am not. πŸ˜‰

  10. Oops. Bolding and italics fail.

  11. That network happily gives plum on-air roles to alleged perpetrators of physical abuse (Matty Johns, Matthew Newton) and complete arseholes (Kyle Sandilands, Brian McFadden), and has the utter cheek to ruin one man's life because he happens to be gay.

    If ever there were a sound reason to completely boycott an Australian free-to-air broadcaster, this is it.

  12. Katinspace says:

    Treme is awesome and the characters! oh my god especially the female characters. I love the wire but god damn there are some sexist pigs in that show. Treme is like being let into a secret world which I knew nothing about, the music, the second line, the Indians and even the food.

  13. Katinspace says:

    πŸ™‚ the point of that last post was just to say thank you for reviewing it and bringing it to my attention.

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