Boss - Starz Original Series w/Kelsey Grammer

[JSngry]

I don't watch much of anything, but my wife & I gobsmacked all of Season 1 last Saturday on On Demand. Other than the obvious default "cable drama" flaws (all cable sex looks alike to me, as do all cable "normal people"), I found myself being drawn into the show, and finding my already-in-place ideas about "the nature of power" more than reinforced (which is probably why I liked it...).

Anyway, haven't seen Season 2 yet, and understand that there will not be a Season 3. Low ratings, etc. Not sad, so many shows tell a story, then have to keep telling over and over because they keep getting renewed. Hit it and quit it, ok?

Hell, I didn't even know that Starz did original programming..not something I would care about, really. But here this one was.

Anybody else look at this?

[jazzbo]

I've been planning to check it out, and your review has pushed me over the edge into ordering a used copy of the blu-ray. Seems interesting. To be honest what has held me back is that. . .Grammar's voice and some of his mannerisms (especially Fraser era) really remind me of one of my best friends from college. . .and it makes me miss those times with him. If that makes any sense. Thanks for spurring me into an order.

[JSngry]

There's some typical "cable drama" bs, might be more that you prefer (or not), but...I never watched Frasier, found it too "cute" for my ongoing tastes, but the whole thing comes down to "is it evil or is it just that if he doesn't do this, who will be the somebody else who does? Because somebody else will, somebody else always does, so...", and that is...not cute. Not cute, and not really answered, so...very real in the end, imo.

Plus some great quotes, such as "“what we need is the illusion of change. Change on the outside, continuity on the inside.”

and

“(People) they want to be led. They want their disputes settled, they want their treaties negotiated, they jobs dispensed, their mutinies punished, and they want their loyalties rewarded. To those who lead them to all they want, they give power. It’s a covenant, unspoken and elemental. When one part fails, it needs to be fixed.”

Now that line made me shiver when I heard it, but...evidence to the contrary?

It's not a "fun show", I'll put it that way. No idea what Season Two is all about, but Season One...yeah...good stuff, and to be avoided at all costs if one's idealism gets easily offended. Whoever Farhad Safinia is (I'm not a "watching now" type of guy, so maybe I should know?), I'd like to hear more....

[jazzbo]

I'm very likely to like it.

Edited June 9, 2013 by jazzbo

[JSngry]

Does the name Farhad Safinia mean anything to you? He's the writer/conceptualist behind the show, and...interesting POV, if this is any indicator.

[GA Russell]

Season 1 - $12.49

http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Season-1-Kelsey-Grammer/dp/B005S97ULU/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1370748507&sr=1-2&keywords=boss

Season 2 - $18.49

http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Season-2-Kelsey-Grammer/dp/B00B2TU1R0/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_text_y

[jazzbo]

Yeah, not bad DVD prices. I'm buying these on Blu-ray though, when there's a choice I go with Blu-ray.

Jim, Farhad Safinia wrote the screenplay to Apocalypto and worked on the Passions of the Christ (have seen the former not the latter). Then he did Boss. Based on Apocalypto I'd say he has something to say. . . . Looking forward to it.

[Dan Gould]

I hear Kathleen Robertson, late of Buffy, gets nekkid so that's enough to make me wish I had Starz.

'Cable sex' or not.

[kinuta]

Boss was an outstanding serious drama and tv at it's best.

Two seasons seemed a reasonable length given the medical facts. Quality is more important than spinning a story out for corporate profit. If anything it 's even better on second viewing.

[jazzbo]

I've watched the first season, and have the second season ready to watch soon.

A very good Starz drama, keeps in the stars "manner" (I don't have a lot of problems with that) and yet tells a good yarn with some depth. Reminds me of Damages in a way, and also of another two season Starz drama, "Crash."

And there's Hannah Ware in it. She's lovely.

I've worked in state government, put in almost three decades, and I've seen glimpses of this sort of behavior by those in power of a smaller scope, but with just as much desperation and intent. Makes all this seem very real to me. I bet the second season is good.

There's another element to this that strikes home to me and makes it seem realer than it probably is: my mother is struggling with dementia, I often think she may even have Lewy Body though it's never quite been diagnosed.