Xixax Film Forum

i'm guessing 99% of you have not seen this show. it's on CINEMAX... so you know it's gotta be wholesome.

i gave it a try because the Exec producer is Alan Ball (six feet under, true blood). hands down this is the BEST action series on TV right now. the fight scenes are incredible! and natch, the sex scenes are practically softcore porn. but all in all, this and True Detective are my two favourite shows right now. 

What a stupid name though.

If someone if wondering what type of show this is: Amish gangsters - this gives an idea. It is trashy pulp, where they jump over the sharks on weekly basis - there is no such thing as too ridiculous in this show. I love "Banshee" for the exact reason - it doesn't try to be mature.

There is almost no humor in the series, yet it can be funny as hell thanks to bat shit insane approach to almost everything - even sex scenes are over the top. Few words about violence in the show - firearms aren't brutal enough. Most conflicts end up with few minute long hand-to-hand combat sequences and they look great.

One thing that I didn't like about "Banshee": shaky cam. I had problems going through some episodes. For this reasons it isn't the best show for binge watching.

I didn't pick season two yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Quote from: Mel on February 23, 2014, 09:27:09 AM
One thing that I didn't like about "Banshee": shaky cam. I had problems going through some episodes. For this reasons it isn't the best show for binge watching.

I didn't pick season two yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

meh i binge watched season 1 and didn't notice the cam thing at all.

i was worried season 2 would drop off in quality but i'm still just as glued.

how bout that fight with the boxer??

SPOILERS

Quote from: cine on February 23, 2014, 12:46:16 PM
how bout that fight with the boxer??

My favorite clash would be with Proctor. It maybe is shorter and less effective than fight with boxer, but is way more personal. It has also great ending: "lets go back to the business". Beside Kai is such a lovely character.

If we go beyond Hood, fight between Ana and Olek is hard to top.

I noticed an increase in overall quality in Season 2, the show beefed up it's cinematography and everyone has a better handle on their characters. This is trashy tv done right. The premise is ridiculous and every confrontation ends in brutal hand to hand combat, but the "zero fucks given" tone of the show makes it very fun to watch. There was one sequence in a recent episode involving a sniper that was one of the most inventive action scenes I've seen on TV. This is my new favorite guilty pleasure, but I don't really feel that guilty.

only a few episodes in, very difficult not to read yalls spoilers.
even though im just starting, i agree with cine in that this and TD are the best shows right now.
i don't really find the show as mindless entertainment as some do.
i think the writing is clever, it's incredibly compelling, and it is the least boring thing on tv.

Quote from: 03 on February 24, 2014, 01:50:57 PM
only a few episodes in, very difficult not to read yalls spoilers.
even though im just starting, i agree with cine in that this and TD are the best shows right now.
i don't really find the show as mindless entertainment as some do.
i think the writing is clever, it's incredibly compelling, and it is the least boring thing on tv.

glad you like it. now, the big question.... have you been watching AFTER the credits? because every single episode, there's a 10-20 second vignette that either shows something from that ep or teases something for the next one. it's a nice touch.

i figured that out almost near the end of season 1, so went back and rewatched all the little snippets. i like the way they do it, in that the clip is either important or just something little extra.

i'm ready for some good ol' Banshee chat after watching episode 8. holy SHIT.

Two episodes in. Not bad. Fun villain. Entertaining enough to keep watching.

I can't get over how much the main guy looks like Scott Speedman. Every time he does something bad, it's like, what would Felicity think of this?

Quote from: cine on February 28, 2014, 08:49:29 PM
i'm ready for some good ol' Banshee chat after watching episode 8. holy SHIT.

WHOA WTF. ok so do we wait for other people to get on board or just go ahead?

Quote from: 03 on March 01, 2014, 04:38:07 AM

Quote from: cine on February 28, 2014, 08:49:29 PM
i'm ready for some good ol' Banshee chat after watching episode 8. holy SHIT.

WHOA WTF. ok so do we wait for other people to get on board or just go ahead?

haha yeah, as if. even something as popular as House of Cards season 2 received a grand total of 7 posts from 5 members. there is no hope for discussion.

Emmett's big scene was one of the most rewarding scenes i've seen on TV in a LONG time.

also, fun fact but i'm sure you noticed... Skinhead Sharpe is Ginger from True Detective. so if you have a character who's a REALLY shitty person, Joseph Sikora awaits your call.

I'm loving the Wire/True Detective crossover this show has going.

Spoilers:

That kick to Emmett's wife's belly was one of the most upsetting things I've seen on a TV show, especially for how nonchalant it was. That jailroom brawl was extremely cathartic, especially contrasted with Emmett's monologue at the end. It's such a simple notion, "people are racist", but he really sold how much it can wear someone down. This show does such a good job walking the fine line between campy entertainment and brooding melodrama. As soon as they busted out
Proctor's box of toys, you knew they would come into play. Speaking of which, Proctor could make me shit my pants just from doing push ups.

spoilers but who cares





anyway that episode was ridiculous. this show gives us a place to appreciate completely nonsensical happenings within a super realistic environment. the belly kick has got to be the Irreversible or Antichrist of tv scenes. the retribution was disgustingly satisfying. no more words, this show is the shit of the shit.

cine what did you think of the last two? i was pretty disappointed.

Quote from: 03 on March 17, 2014, 05:10:10 PM
cine what did you think of the last two? i was pretty disappointed.

same. few cool moments here and there but otherwise way too much exposition and build up for an underwhelming finish. ep 5 & 10 (when they go to the house where Racine pops up), i actually had to pause it and wonder if i had accidentally downloaded some sorta weird Banshee Origins Backstory Bonus Episodes instead. the show never needs endless exposition and i would imagine no one tunes in for that. i sure as hell don't. so yeah, really dragged on for me.

as for the final ep, it was mostly predictable, too. the last few scenes were all i cared about.

uh... SPOILERS EVERYONE (just you and i)

SO. THAT SAID.... season three is looking GOOOOD. Kai is ready to end Hood, Gordon has almost hit rock bottom, Nola Longshadow doesn't know about her dead brother and Street-Fighter-character Chayton is coming back to town. lots and lots of good action to come.

im glad you said that about ep 10, because i was a little confused, too.
they usually distinguish a flashback with the weird blurry thing, and so i guess that threw me off.
the stories in this show are pretty awesome for the most part, but as a side dish for the amazing action and chuck norris on acid stuff, so as you said, the exposition was pretty pointless. heres to season 3 though, lets get retarded.

I thought the church escape scene that opened episode 9 was the best sequence the show has staged yet. I don't really care about Rabbit and the show never did a good enough job at establishing what a psychopath he was, so I'm glad that story is wrapped up I guess. Next season looks fun.

yeah i just rewatched ep09, and that was actually the better episode of the last two. church escape was badass. can we start calling him asian lafayette?

Some reactions to the pilot...

It lived up to the "trashy TV done right" promise. Quite fun. I will probably watch more.

SPOILERS for the pilot.

Proctor is already a decently complex character, although his name is dumb and I feel like they could have gone with a more compelling/distinctive actor. It's funny though, I feel like they've already laid his cards on the table, so I'm not sure where else they can go with him.

The bad girl teenage daughter stock character annoys me and will surely continue to annoy me, but that happens. She's worse than the one in True Detective, but so far better than the ones in American Horror Story and Homeland. I predict that the protagonist will take her under his wing at some point. He seems to be showing a lot of interest in her and her age, so either that or he's into underage girls.

The Slavic gangsters are just silly right now. Hopefully there will be less mustache-twirling in the future. Or is that what I want? Honestly not sure.

The hairdresser is instantly my favorite character. More of that.

Interesting thing about the show's premise. I understand how ridiculous it is; unseen sheriffs being shipped cross country certainly can't be a thing. But I immediately loved it and felt defensive of it, because it's such a fun idea.

I'm sure this is explained in the next episode or two, but if they're going to pursue Proctor, obviously they needed an outsider who had no chance of being in his pocket.

The courtroom scene was perhaps the most problematic in the pilot, mostly because everything that's happening there is so important and so many character are established, but in the moment you think it's just a random scene with a bunch of plain-looking middle-aged white gentlemen talking in a courtroom and it kind of washes over you.

So, question, the real sheriff was eating a steak at the bar, but who cooked that steak? Does the bartender have an unseen kitchen staff? Does he have a grill going out back?

I assume the real sheriff told people, friends and family, where he was going. When they suddenly never hear from him again, won't they get curious? Maybe call the sheriff's department? (No spoilers please.)

i love you jeremy. if this is what you come up with for just watching ONE episode? i absolutely cant wait for you to finish the first season. it makes me pretty excited, the journey you're about to take. dont worry, you are going to fucking love this show. and now, i can't remember if this is episode one or two, but they make it pretty clear that the dude has no friends or family to speak of. and the bartender is also the cook, yes.

Promo for Season 3. I love the promos this show makes.

Anyone watch the season 3 premiere? Taking out a military convoy with a bow and arrow is the kind of ludicrousness I love from this show.

Hmm maybe I'll have to pick it up again. Is the teenage daughter still annoying?

They should do a teenage remake of Thelma and Louise with the daughter from Banshee and Dana from Homeland. Then have them drive off the cliff in the first scene.

And the car lands on Violet from American Horror Story.

The daughter is annoying but a little less so this season because she's older. The rest of the show is pulpy joy.

SPOILS S03E03

this last episode was ridiculously fun.

my one complaint is that Proctor's man servant/terminator killed Nola, I liked her.

otherwise it was great, that obese guy was like a Bond villain and died like one.

Teaser for the final season. Damn I'm gonna miss this show.