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The Wack Donnellys

senor bananagrabber Posted at 12:30 on Tue, 02/27/2007
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Did anyone watch The Black Donnellys last night?  From Paul Haggis, it's about four Irish brothers from New York who gamble, cheat, steal, fuck, brawl and drink.  Sounds great, right?  It would be if the storyline weren't so convoluted.  It's the pilot and there's a lot of set-up to get out of the way, perhaps, but the show needs to slow down and give its characters at least some redeeming qualities.  The brothers don't even seem to take good care of each other.  Oddly enough, that kind of unrelenting pathos works well in comedy (cf., Seinfeld, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) but if they're not even funny, the characters' mean-spiritedness is just a drag.  Could be good, but the pilot did not bode well.

Comments

finally watched it

muertemaria's picture
muertemaria Posted at 12:51 on Sun, 03/04/2007

I think its like a bad baby sopranos like the muppet babies are to the muppets. Maybe if they slow down the plot it will end up being better, but with this pilot, they tried to introduce to much, too many people, too many plot lines. After 30 minutes when the commercials came up I was really hoping it was over because I was already done with the show.

I was still enjoying Studio 60. Not a ton, but it was entertaining for me. I am sure the salaries on that show were too big to keep it around if it wasn't doing well.  

I LOVED

LC's picture
LC Posted at 17:24 on Sun, 03/04/2007
the muppet babies..they'll make your dreams come true... Can't stop singing that song now. Have to admit I never stopped watching Studio 60 either, though it was painfully bad I just couldn't pull myself away. Thankfully Top Model has stepped in to fill that embarrassing void that it left.

I think it has potential

langster's picture
langster Posted at 13:27 on Tue, 02/27/2007

in addition to the above mentioned, they also shoot up, murder, kindnap, draw and try to protect one another. all in one episode. i think the do-whatever-it-takes-to-protect-each-other is what is "redeeming." but, why have the "sensible" brother turn into a thug so quickly? unless the show is about him running the irish neighborhood and fighting the italian mob?

nevertheless, it is much less convoluted, and a good replacement, for studio 60, which all signs say gone.

i tend

travis Posted at 17:02 on Tue, 02/27/2007
to agree w/ angela. i think it was a case of trying to set up too much in the first episode. and the "good brother" is definitely going to end up running the irish neighborhood. its a hell of a lot better then studio 60 - which i expected more out of.

sniff sniff

sesolf Posted at 14:09 on Tue, 02/27/2007
i actually still love studio 60. i know they didn't set up the storylines so well for long-term drama, but i love the characters and the premise.