Series premiere review: 'Political Animals' - 'Pilot': Bud or Bubba?
What did everybody think of the new USA miniseries?
Sigourney Weaver in "Political Animals."
I posted my review of "Political Animals" on Wednesday. Now it's your turn. For those who tuned in, what did you think of Greg Berlanti's soap opera spin on the Clinton family story? Did you prefer the political material, the personal subplots, or even the material on the downfall of the newspaper business? Did you buy Ciaran Hinds as an alt-reality Bill Clinton? Enjoy Sigourney Weaver jousting with Carla Gugino? If you're a fan of the usual USA dramas, how did you feel about something this off-brand? And do you intend to watch the whole miniseries?
Have at it. Because it's airing in such a crowded timeslot, and because I'll be dealing with press tour, etc., for the next few weeks, I'm not going to be doing weekly posts on this one, but will endeavor to check back in after the final installment airs.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupkronicfatigue
July 15, 2012 at 11:32PM EST Reply to Commentthe accents are brutal
mcm99 The Clinton-like ex-husband was terrible. It was like he was on a different show. Sigourney deserves better.
July 16, 2012 at 5:15PM ESTLiz
July 16, 2012 at 12:01AM EST Reply to CommentMaybe I'm just incredibly naive, but would a reporter really win a Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the president's extramarital affairs? Seems kinda tabloid-y for the Pulitzer people.
Now, if the reporter had won for, say, covering the impeachment proceedings related to a series of extramarital affairs, that seems a little more plausible to me.
Zach Susan Berg is in many ways a Maureen Dowd stand-in... not as overtly as Elaine = Hilary, but pretty close. And Dowd won a Pulitzer in 99 for her Lewinsky coverage.
July 16, 2012 at 2:40AM ESTViginti
July 16, 2012 at 6:18AM EST Reply to CommentConsidering that i'm still yet to watch any other USA show past the pilot the fact that I'm almost excited to see where this show goes says something. The way it handled the two women at the core of the story and their place in the power structure of politics seemed unique. I just hope that it doesn't follow The Newsroom in a third way and drop off drastically from here, even though you two suggested that the second episode showed signs of just that. I guess we'll see.
Fuller Thoughts: http://deerinthexenonarclights.com/2012/07/16/political-animals-pilot/
doucettek It is a limited series run, meaning it's basically a series disguised as a mini-series. It will have an ending, but this way, Weaver can back out after 1 season to pursue film projects (and not get stuck in TV hell like Glenn Close) and the show doesn't really have to be canceled, so to speak...
July 16, 2012 at 10:37AM ESTB
July 16, 2012 at 8:07AM EST Reply to CommentI loved it. It was fast-paced, engaging, and Sigourney just kills it.
Etoile*Noire
July 16, 2012 at 9:17AM EST Reply to CommentEnjoyable and much better than the usual summer fare. Loved the use of the Staple Singers' classic "I'll Take You There".
Jacob
July 16, 2012 at 10:44AM EST Reply to CommentI really liked it. Interesting plot, and some wonderful dialogue. The mom's searing blast of Susan at the party was fantastic -- I actually had to hit rewind and watch it again, I enjoyed it so much.
I did have some issues with the journalism portrayals (considering that's my field), but I suppose that's pretty par for the course when journalism's in TV/movies.
I was surprised how unlikeable they made the Bill Clinton analogue (and Garcetti, as an Obama analogue). Maybe it's coming from the "West Wing," but I guess I'm not used to quite as cynical a portrayal -- after all, I'm pretty sure Jed Bartlet wouldn't trade three innocent Americans' lives for a nuclear pact with Iran.
ANR I was thinking the exact same thing during that Garcetti scene - also no rant questioning the virtue of a proportional response? But I found Political Animals much easier to watch than Newsroom; I don't spend half my time wanting to yell at all the female characters.
July 16, 2012 at 7:46PM ESTTrilby Garcetti? Couldn't they think of a different name? It is practically Carcetti, the politician on The Wire. Are either of these names even NAMES?
July 17, 2012 at 9:41AM ESTRhonda84 Don't you remember Gil Garcetti? LA District Attorney during the OJ trial.
July 17, 2012 at 3:08PM ESTOnlyMe
July 16, 2012 at 11:43AM EST Reply to CommentCiaran Hinds just didn't work for me at all. The writing wasn't as there as it was for some of the other characters - the attempt to make him behind-the-scenes unlikable actually just made the character really weird. The performance was also not in line with the rest of the show.
With that exception, I really liked it. Weaver, Gugino, and especially Burstyn are incredibly fun to watch.
const56 I really enjoy Ciaran Hinds' work a lot. However, which casting director thought his accent would work? It was distracting and really poor. Aren't there any actual American actors from the south who have accents?
July 17, 2012 at 11:26AM ESTOther than that, my wife and I enjoyed it. Much better than Newsroom which takes itself WAY too seriously.
Dorothy Langman There may well be Southern actors but not too many, I think, as accomplished in 'Acting' as Ciaran Hinds. Get over the accent, and concentrate on the acting. Ciaran Hinds will deliver!
July 17, 2012 at 5:16PM ESTTrilby No, sorry, he is repulsive. Not at all like Bubba who was smooth and good-looking.
July 17, 2012 at 6:02PM ESTghoti
July 16, 2012 at 3:43PM EST Reply to CommentWrite a I don't think I'll continue watching this. I thought it was silly and simplistic.
That's OK on a show like Everwood, which was like a vacation to a place that really doesn't exist. This, however, is supposed to take place in a VERY real setting and the characters are based on very real people.
This idea isn't terrible, but I think Greg Berlanti is the wrong person to execute it.comment...
JedyKnight
July 16, 2012 at 4:47PM EST Reply to CommentI agree with most that Sigourney & Carla's performances are the best, Sigourney's kids im still in a wait-&-see mode.
I know that some reviewers did not like that a strong female character is portrayed as having her (ex)husband as weak spot, but i thought it was realistic that sometimes a strong person can be really intelligent and resourceful and still be reduced to a a standard mom not knowing how to be tough to her wayward younger son or elimianate her feelings of love and reliance in an ex husband.
Speaking of which i believe Bill Clinton has enough great traits and great weakness to be a compelling character by himself, this stand-in of him seems to be too exaggerated to the point that seems to be in a reality of his own (belonging more to a 30 mins satire sitcom), i know he is not supposed to be the actual Clinton, but if you are making her very much Hillary why make him a racist clown, that part didnt sit well with me. (and I dont fault the actor, or his broadness, I think he is just interpreting the material he is been given).
Also the (ex)First Son having doggy with his fiancee seemed like a scene cut from a Starz show (Boss maybe), i mean that it felt gratuitous, if the intent was to show she is a little tightly strung that she will still be discussing engagement-related issues while having sex, they could have made the scene a little more subdue.. i didnt mind it much, just felt inserted in for shock value.
All and all, i really liked it, plus in 6 eps i think they can tell strong story.
Trilby
July 17, 2012 at 9:39AM EST Reply to CommentThe husband was just AWFUL. What were they thinking! I was so disappointed in the whole thing actually, after the tidbits I'd read about it. It is just run-of-the-mill middle-brow TV fare with a bit of cursing and simulated sex. It looks old-fashioned to me.
Sigourney didn't look that great on my HD screen... Too bad about that, you know? But Ellen Burstyn looked kind of gorgeous! But the husband? No, just no. He reminded me of Patrick on SpongeBob. Physically, that is.
lis
July 19, 2012 at 1:03AM EST Reply to CommentI love Sigourney Weaver and she was really classy. But I didn't love the show. Not sure she's enough to keep the rest afloat.
Ireneinidaho
July 19, 2012 at 2:31AM EST Reply to CommentWhy is a usually fine actor like Ciaran Hinds doing a campy Rick Perry impersonation? That was really bad. Other than that, the show has enough good characters and some interesting plot lines, so we'll check out a couple more eps. May have to FF through the ex-prez/husband scenes tho. Just so grating!!
Now if I can just get a barely readable Captcha so I can post!!!!!