Final Farewell: Grief and Growth on 'Somebody Somewhere'; If 'Silo' Now Sucks; Prepping for Another End

Hey everyone. It is taking it down the TV and streaming podcast for the Alabama Take website and production company. We're going to be talking about three things. The ending of Somebody somewhere. We'll talk about a few of the episodes from this season of Silo on Apple tv. Plus we'll also talk about the penultimate episode of what we do in the Shadows from FX and Hulu. But you don't have to run off just yet because we discuss things. Spoiler Free to begin. Alabama Take projection. So abortion.

Surprisingly underrated. It's exciting to be here this week because the Alabama Take was nominated for best Indie website of the year 2024. And I just got word that doesn't exist because I just made it up. Breaking news Self nomination. I'm

still excited to be with Adam and Donovan. No spoilers in this part. Instead, we'll say goodbye briefly here and then more thoroughly later to the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, which ended its third and final season last Sunday. Where does season land for you? And then you can even talk about where it stands for you as an entire three season show. Well, my rating of this season is are you made of stone? And one of the things I did like about this season and the whole thing is it really took.

It was kind of a moving forward story, but it was also like a part of someone's life, part of several someone's life in three distinct chunks. So I really didn't feel like it was like it's a three season show, but I didn't really feel like it was like a beginning, middle and ending show. I mean obviously the end, the first season kind of has to do some setup. Yeah, I don't know if that makes sense.

It was almost like three chapters in a book as opposed to like we're starting and going up and down and this is, this is not a criticism, by the way. I thought that was the kind of like easy naturalism of that really worked for me.

Yeah, I'll piggyback on that and say that as it rounded the corner and we knew that the plane was about to land, it really became clear that the strength of the show is that I think if we went back to season one and watched episode one, two, whatever, we would be shocked at the difference in the relationships that everybody has. And at no point do you feel like major breakthroughs or bust ups. It's just a real life. These people moved along and we were there with them.

I suppose that if you wanted more traditional drama from a show, you may have complaints about season three, but if this show is for you. And I'm with Donovan, meaning if you are not made of stone, then I think that this was a very successful landing of the plane. I assume that the writers are working on the spin off show where Fred Rococo becomes Ken State, Kent State, Kansas State's defensive coordinator. Fantastic. He got to go in the field. I think he'd be good at it.

That going on the field bit, we praise the perfect realism and nods to like the environments that we grew up in. But how many people do you know who lived their entire lives in, say, Tuscaloosa? And they got to go on like a patch of grass that has been within five miles of them at almost all points in their life. And it's like it is the mountaintop. You know, if it was during or right after a game, it's the mountaintop. Yeah, he just delivered that line. So to briefly praise some of the actors.

He just delivered that line so perfectly where it's just like, you see, like, yeah, this is like the players are like warming up or whatever. This is the biggest day of Free Fred Rococo's life. Murray Hill's got great energy as an actor. Hilarious guy. I've watched his. Some of his, I guess you call it stand up. He kind of just puts on a performance or show. I watched a few minutes of that on YouTube. It's. It's entertaining and put. Put a smile on your face for sure.

Donovan mentioned, said the word naturalism. What a great way of thinking about this show. And it goes hand in hand with what Adam was saying about how if you watch the first episode, there might be some relationships you might not recognize. And let's do that for a second. Do you guys remember when Sam comes back to town, she. She gets back on her feet by working at like an act grade, essay grading. And that's how she meets Joel. Yeah, it's how she meets Joel.

It just cracks me up because I give the act at our school every. It's like six times a year. And I just gave it yesterday. And it's just so funny to. And I also teach, so I have to like score these essays sometimes just on my own. But like, that was like a mini thing. And it was such a. I say mini thing. That was a job for her. And it's truly a job. You just don't keep forever. Probably if you're Sam, you don't.

The only type of person who keeps that forever is like the supervisor in that first season, you know, where it's like, there might be something kind of wrong with you if you've made this your career. It's a very special kind of show. It really hit for me this season especially. And we'll get into why on the. Yeah. On the. After the spoiler, because I guess I have to pinpoint a few things to explain myself.

We'll also get into the Apple TV plus series that's currently airing its second season every Friday. I think that's Silo. This show is based off of a trilogy of books and stories by Hugh Howie about a future society that's forced into silos underground due to circumstances with the earth. The air's inhospitable to mankind. Or something like that's happening. Shoot. Yeah. You don't say. I kid you not. What does it do to everyone's butt? That's a really fine question that's yet to be explored.

I feel like we're gonna find out pretty soon with all these drones. Show stars Rebecca Ferguson is a mechanic from the lower part of the silo and Tim Robbins as the mayor in charge of the whole shebang. I almost said Tim Robinson and boy and boy. Would that be a different show? A very different show. No. I don't know how to drive. I don't know what any of this shit is, and I'm fucking scared.

Adam, is there anything you want to mention here with no spoilers about the show second season, or do you want to kind of just wait? I'll say that this show has a habit of boring me and making me feel like we're out to sea and then suddenly pulling me back and I have to see the next episode. Wow, that's so well said. That's funny you said that. Because I think that a lot and it frustrates me. Yeah. Okay. And I think this may be a problem with other Apple shows.

I started thinking about it specifically with Silo and sort of kind of going through my. Previously watched on Apple tv and there's a lot that I only made it two, three, four episodes into and then bailed on and I don't know what it is. Well, okay. Yeah, I don't know either. But what is it about Apple TV show that it's not nearly as good in its second season? Hmm. Ted Lasso kind of dipped. Not horribly, but it did. You're really scared, Lane. Because I'm really excited about severance.

Well, that's what I'm saying now we got severance. I was building to that. Yeah. Gotta be worried. It's interesting. But, you know, Silo in particular, not the other ones. As much? Well, shrinking. But that's a odd comparison. Here's what I'm getting at. It's a. It's a rush bit of TV for our age. In a way, it's almost like how TV shows used to be. You get a new season almost a year to the day that the first season started. Silo did that.

And that might be what's causing a few problems with this show. In particular, it has to be an expensive series to produce. It looks really realistic. When we started discussion about Silo earlier five weeks ago, I compared it to how a couple of Disney plus series. It's hard to sometimes settle in and believe what's happening because the sets look so cheaply made at times. But that's not the case with Silo. I believe I'm in a Silo or, you know, underground, whatever.

It's well done, it's well produced, the sets look great. But what's the dip? Is it the. Maybe the writing has to be rushed and that could affect the acting, which is something I think we'll get into a little bit with this. Some particular scenes on in the spoiler section, but anything else, I'll bite my tongue. Until then, I suppose. Let's do that. Also. Later, Donovan and I will get into what we do in the Shadows, as it too is winding down its television run with its sixth and final season.

I only have a couple questions there, really, to set up the finale, because we are. We just watched the penultimate episode, so there's probably nothing new I will say here about the FX Hulu comedy what We do in the Shadows, other than. I have been still been recommending this. I just recommended it yesterday to someone who had no idea. I've been trying to get my wife to watch it as well. So that's two people recently. And I've been like, you know, it's funny.

Don't be bothered by the premise that it's vampires. No, it's not. It's not that kind of show. It's not that kind of show. Although if you got any knowledge of the tropes of vampires, that'll. That'll tickle you. It'll make you laugh. I've been pleased with it. I think even in this last season, it's been keeping up, like, the quality of what it was, you know, not that, like, it's never been. Like, every episode's a knock out of the park. But it's usually been consistently good.

And I think this one is still consistently good. We've had some. I'll get into some of my thoughts. Once again, shame on me. I should be able to talk about something without spoiling it, but there's some specifics I want to bring up. Well, you get. You get so deep into something, you've kind of said everything. Non spoiler. You can stay for after a minute. Right. That's fair.

I feel like FX has used all of the advertising budget for what we do in the shadows that they should have used over these seasons, like in the last three weeks. I see commercials for that everywhere. I mean, you should watch it. Don't be slighted by the vampire stuff. It's. It's almost the. In the vein. Not almost. It is in the vein of the Office, this fake documentary. But they're just filming these three vampires who are also roommates, and they have a human helper who.

He's the guy who gives the side eye to the camera. Like these fucking idiots. Playing a straight man. Yeah, he's a straight man and he is. Which it's funny because he's gay and. Yeah. Anyway, that's another little joke. But it's so funny. It is good. It is good. They get good guest stars too, weirdly. Oh, they do. Good point. Yeah. Okay, this podcast, taking it down in our home site, the Alabama Taker. Thrilled to use the script if you have a podcaster.

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All right, we're going to talk about the last two episodes of Somebody Somewhere of season three, likely its final season. There has been questions pop up online. Is it truly the last season? Will it get resurrected somewhere else? It just seems to be its last. Let's just treat it as such. I'm of the school of thought that it's okay for things to end. So am I. Especially when it seems like it's on the creator's timelines, you know, where it fits. Does that make sense?

Yeah. And I've gotta be honest here, that I'm not 100% sure exactly how it came to be. Did they know it was ending very much along the way of doing the third season? Like, they already had everything written and then it just sort of worked out. That will be fine for a season and series finale both. But HBO decided that that would be its last season. I don't think it was the creators 100%. It seems like it's working for him, though. Or. Sorry.

They're working with it, I guess, is what I really mean. That's very true. And. But because they do something very wise, their last episode of any season could serve as an end to the story they're telling. And that's probably how most television series should be. Yeah. It's like, you know, this could be the end of this part. You can imagine what happens next. And I think that works here, too. I think so, too. I think that's almost kind of. You said it, Blaine.

That's one of the strengths of what they've done is it just puts you in that space where it's like, I don't have to answer all the questions, but I can imagine maybe what would happen. I can hope or not hope, whatever. We sat on the penultimate episode on purpose because we knew we'd devote quite a bit of time to the show. I think we all loved it. Would you. Am I using too strong of a word here for the two of you? It was really good. I will struggle to remember individual episodes.

Sure. Maybe not individual moments. Cause there were some truly. We work blue. We're talking poop humor here. There's a lot of good quality shitter humor going on in this program and some poignant moments as well. It's almost like a feeling that you take from the show instead of, like, individual beats where, you know, when you're talking about. I think it's in your words, it's okay for shows to end. And I agree.

Obviously, there's some outliers where, you know, if they had cut Game of Thrones off early, there would have been pitchforks in the street, that sort of thing. But that's such a. This is the opposite of that. You know, this is plot driven, but in the way that, like, literary fiction is plot driven. That's a long answer to say, did I love this show? I mean, yeah. I mean, I think it's one of the better shows.

It almost takes time to, like, settle the dust on, say, the last five years of television and say, this was one of the better shows in that. That time period. I can't think of a show that will replicate the feeling this show gives me when I watch it. And shortly after I've watched it, I can't think of one that does it. Some movies do, but not. Not a show. It's really great in being vibes based. Well, not just like running on vibes, if that makes any kind of sense.

Like there's actual substance there. Yeah. Well said. Yeah. If we may, I'd like to pull back a full episode. Start with the penultimate of the season and series. It was titled. As much as I like not feeling so. You might remember that line too. The plot. I think we all feel that way. Yeah. Love it. The plot's more or less about Joel and his attempt to figure out his own mini breakdown after. Thank.

That perfect Thanksgiving episode, his reconnection with Sam and Sam's walk with the Icelandic fellow who has such a deep voice. We get more. More lines from him than ever in that one. Is this the first time we've ever seen anybody listen to a podcast on a show? A specific one at that. Like we get the top. It's one I know of. My wife listens to it some. Joel backs into the car and like. Because he was listening to a podcast. That was funny. Yeah. It propels him to come to Sam.

Like I had this breakdown. I've. And it also has built up to me that I've had this wreck. Yeah. This fender bender. Can I insert here the physical humor that is Joel crying. Yes. Like obviously that's the double edged sword of the show. Right. Is like this. It can be funny and kind of not tragic, but important, emotionally important at the same time. Like it's so relatable. Who hasn't? You know, you got your shot of adrenaline.

But his whole freaking out after the accident and like being mad at the little old lady and then she calls him like he does. He does such a good. Like you're laughing the whole time. He does such a good job. This is the episode that gives Fred Rocco 3 minutes of screen time and he kills it where he says single line. Sometimes I want to be a bad, bad boy because he's eating the hamburger. Instead of the salad. He lied that he was getting. Yeah, he was lying about it. I love it. So good.

How many times have I done that? A ton. The music in this series wows me on how perfect it slots into what's going on. It's designed by Amanda Jones and there's a one I can name in this episode between the scene where Trisha advises Sam to. To change before seeing the Icelandic guy and she's yeah. She's trying to figure out, is this going to work? Does it fit well? And there's a, like a five note, maybe four note piano figure, and that's it. And it melted my heart.

It warmed me simultaneously somehow. Anyway. It just set me up to. To really feel and see Sam's nervousness that created her indecision there on what to wear. I 100% have made a list of conversations, especially for the phone back in the day. Oh, yeah, when you had to talk on the phone, I would have a list, a little post it note and be like, oh, yeah, I want to. And sometimes it was like, I don't want to forget to say. But sometimes it was like, okay, it's a girl I like. I'm going to call her.

What. What can I talk about? Talking points. Talking points. Yes, of course. I'm so glad that was portrayed on screen. Her list, though, brings me to, like, this balance, which is a good word for this show, for what it. What it gives us. It helps me forget that she's been through turmoil, grief, and that juxtaposes her hotspot and so many other facets of her life. She's the woman who's gonna rub her boobs in your face, but then she is also nervous and grief stricken. Yeah, I agree.

It is a great job of someone who uses, like, humor and theatricality and has a big, outsized personality, but is also, you know, like. Like many of us is like, has parts that they're deeply, deeply insecure about. And I think, like, you know, in some ways, the whole show's kind of been about, like, Sam being brave. Brave enough to. To let those more vulnerable parts be touched or touch others. I think they did a really nice thing.

And I know that we'll probably talk about this relationship specifically as we continue on, but the sisters learning from each other in this way, that's one of the relationships that I thought of at the top of the show that you could almost hardly believe how these two relate to each other in the final episode compared to episode one, two, three. Donovan, you saying kind of balancing the grief and with the bluster, so to speak.

Whereas her sister is so pragmatic and I'm sure thought that, oh, Sam, that's the one who does all the artsy stuff, you know, whatever. And by the end, they kind of grow towards each other in this really nice way that those parts of the personality start to balance out a bit or at least are appreciated by the other.

I loved for the two just how they were able to like, kind of something like we said with Joel in the Thanksgiving episode, just like articulate the things that they appreciated about each other. Yeah. And that's. That's. I don't. I mean, it's. It's cool, it's powerful. And that happens a couple of times with the characters, which makes it a nice period on the end of this series is sentence. Yes. The Icelandic guy says, I don't like how you always put yourself down.

I liked how that was given a full beat. I guess you could say it was. Yeah, it was really good. That scene also gave me two other things that I found very, very nice and well done. Used the phrase emotional infrastructure. What a phrase. After she got. She gets kissed. But then it sets them up to be as far apart in the frame as possible. It's beautiful shot because you get this Winterfield behind them and, you know, she's debating on leaving.

And I just love it when you get these compositions that also either help tell the story or also tell the story. So if you sent that in an image, you could probably guess some of the emotions that are happening there. He's been an interesting guy this last season. Not talking a lot. It's what's not said. It's. You know, you're picking up these little details and it's. As we're talking now, I'm kind of thinking about, you know, Sam arrives in town. Do you guys remember where she came from?

Because she's coming back from somewhere. New York, right? Was it New York? Has she come back from New York to kind of tend to the family business? I want to say that's right. She comes back a bit through blown by the waves of circumstance, you know, whereas he displays this emotional intelligence to say something like, I don't like how you put yourself down. It's also there for completely solid reasons. Like, he's made a decision to be where he is. He's gone there to study agriculture.

Now he's doing this thing. And there's, you know, Fred has his own through line of like, soil study and all of this stuff that's, you know, for the nerds. I'm raising my hand here amongst fun to follow. But she runs across this guy who just seems more grounded than her in so many ways. And they do such a good job of that with saying so little. Like, for such a. He is like a literal large presence on screen, but he also just seems completely comfortable in his skin.

It's funny you say he's grounded and he works with the ground, as does Fred Rococo. Who's also pretty grounded too. Yeah. And there's just a level of intention where the other characters are. Maybe they stuck around somewhere where they already, you know, they grew up there. They've just learned to make it work. And he has made a decision to be there. I feel like that has to mean something. Yeah, it does. Yeah. I would completely agree with what Adam said.

I don't know if I can articulate it well, but it worked for me. Probably sympathizing more with the one who tends to bluster. I liked that Iceland has the like for Sam. It's probably kind of really scary to get to reach out and try and get to know him because he doesn't seem like he needs anything. No, he, you know, you're. You're kind of vulnerable when you're dealing with someone who doesn't really need anything.

Well. And everybody in her life is kind of like a sparring partner conversationally. Yeah. You know, and like they're obviously everybody's very intelligent. They're talking to each other both like wit and empathy. And he, he just doesn't seem as interested in the constant one liners, you know? Yeah, yeah. Yes. Which made him in the first episode seem like he might be an antagonist type figure.

I remember first episode of season three, I thought, oh, this guy may not be very nice, but no, he's just kind of quiet and self assured. Yep. I love the Debussy call back at the end of the episode. It's my favorite classical piece of music. One of the few I can recognize and say, oh, that's debut. Say, probably a lot of people can. Yeah. I started this third and final season about a month and a half after my dad's death.

And I saw those frank conversations Trisha and Sam have about Holly as the most real ground. You know, that fear that you have that you might forget somebody is so visceral. Yeah. I still have my dad's voice in my ear. When I, when I used to call him, the first thing he would say was he would answer the phone. Hey, son. That was his line. And I still hear it and I hang on to it. And when they get into the last episode when they start talking about Trisha mainly, who's very concerned she.

That her grief isn't up to par. And it reminded me so much that this show is as much about grief as it is friendship. And I love that. Yeah. I liked that scene with the sisters very much. I've never had anyone as personal as like a parent die, but even just folks in my life who have died. Like, I felt. I guess it must be universal, right? Like, the fear of, like, I'm forgetting you, I'm going to forget you.

And, like, you get to the point where you're like, oop, I had a good moment and didn't think about how I was sad. That's. That's on me. That was a bad thing I did. To me, that conversation felt like the. If you wanted the typical HBO swing for the fences kind of end of a season, end of a show moment. That was the heart, the meat of the whole thing to me, because they. I mean, do they talk about their sister in the third season otherwise? Hardly. Hardly. Not much.

She's alluded, I mean, sort of alluded to where, you know, Trish starts to. And I think this actually, like, perfectly sets up this scene where Trish is like, no family should have to go through that. Talking about cancer fundraisers. She's like, well, you know, almost like she's forgotten that. Of course, Sam knows. We both know. And I thought that was really a good setup for this.

It does set up her position really well, too, because there's a level of Remove from her own emotions when she says that, because she's clearly not identifying it as the same thing that others go through. I mean, I know that's obvious, but it's such a nice prelude to what I, Again, I think is kind of the most important conversation in season three. Yeah, we're shifting into the final episode, and there's such, to me. Profundity, I suppose. Is that the word? When Sam says the sadness isn't her.

Yeah, that was meant to get one. That was moving and what I perfectly well said, and I needed to hear that. And I bet there's a lot of people out there that needed to hear that. It's a show about grief and loss and what to do about that, how to move on from that. But it's also tied into how friends are there for you, whether in the form of your sister or your. Or just friends that aren't family.

Sam walking Joel to Church in that final episode reminded me of, you know, she's not into that in the least, but she still takes time to walk him there. We've kind of alluded to it. Maybe one day I'll really figure out how to talk about it. But I've loved the portrayal of Church in this show through Joel and Brad. That was one of the moments in this last episode where it just felt really profoundly not that everything's gonna be okay, but that you can move forward. Like, you can move forward.

You can say the things that are important to people. Right. Like when Sam leads him in there and he sees the pastor, it kind of reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son. Right. Because in the parable of the prodigal son, he runs away. He spends all his money. Well, he doesn't run away. He leaves and spends all his money. And he's there and he's like, oh, I'm so miserable. Why am I eating dirt? I could go and work for my dad again and be a servant and have better than this.

We're told that as the son comes to the house, the father sees him from a long way. So the son's rehearsing what he's going to say to apologize, basically, and the father sees him from a long way off and runs out to him. And I just thought that was exactly that with Joel, because it was like he's in his head, and she's like, I just missed you so much. I missed you. I missed you and the person you are. I don't need your apology. That's not what this is about.

And I thought that was just like, it's not a big scene, but it just really, really solidly worked for me. Yeah, it put a. An institutional face on kind of the feeling of the whole thing of, like, finding your people and that there are. Sometimes you just know. You know, and that relationship the two of them had and he had to. That church just encapsulated that, like, of course you're supposed to come back where you been. Right. This is where you belong. Yeah. Just that kind of return.

Not that it's like, oh, I came back and everything's reset, but in the. Like, I went through what I went through, and I'm. And I'm back here and I'm. That I'm the person who went through what I went through. Even. Not even big. Big field, just life. And, you know, you lived your life, too, and now we're, you know, we're stronger. The actor who plays Brad had some. Really great sport, good sport award. Yes. He had some really nice acting moments that were very small but wonderful.

First of all, of course, Brad grades at home. Yes. You know, that's what a nice. As someone who is married to someone who grades at home, because where else do you grade? I was like, this is very familiar to me, this scenario where one person has to grade and the other person doesn't. Blaine, do you grade at all? There is one time a year where I Have to. And the rest of the time, I have made it a vow not to do that. Very interesting. Yep. It's tough. But the.

But Brad's grading, and he looks up and Joel tells him about going to see Pastor Deb. And he has. The actor who plays Brad has this moment in his eyes. I think his eyebrows lift up like almost a blend of, oh, that's great. And, oh, what's coming next. Yeah. This whole series has been a bunch of actors who should have been in more stuff already. Oh, yeah. And maybe they will be. It's great. I hope so. Everyone has just been so good.

But I applaud the show loudly for never resorting to flashbacks of Holly. And yet it still hit the emotional beats, I think, with that part incredibly well. Yeah. I thought that this episode, this final episode really works well. I will say. I will say that the. I will say the penultimate episode, for me, might have been the best of the series. I'll throw out some notes here that I think makes it a wonderful ending.

The Jeep upgrade felt like a nod to everything's going to be all right and no longer dealing with this Ford Ranger. Not that it was a plot point, but you. You can almost see it coming. Well, it's also like an acceptance of my sister can help me. I will let her. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. I don't have to. Not that she was paying a penance by driving the little old truck, but she's got a little more luxury in her life now. Yeah. And just the. Like, I can move forward. Right? Like, I can. That's okay.

I'm not gonna explode. She phone calls her dad. It was almost an acknowledgement that Sam's going to. It's another acknowledgement that she's gonna make it, that she is doing well, and it allows you to say goodbye to these characters. And then the final one was. I thought it was a really intelligent move to have Sam volunteer to sing, rather than all these other times where she was asked to and she put it off or him and haunt about not wanting to sing or someone made her.

There's a nice progression there to say, I think I'll sing for y'all. Felt like a gift she was giving, too. Some of the vibe around the last one, I was worried that she had gotten bad news from a doctor. I know that this is a weird pull, but, like, you know how, like, you're dealing with. Fred is dealing with health things. And then her doctor tells her, you got to get in shape or waiting for more of your blood work to come back. Blah, blah, blah. Because there was an element of.

She got some closure with her sister. She got to tell Joel how much he means to her, all these things. And then she sings the song. It's like, is she. Is she about to go to the hospital to start chemo or something? Oh, wow. I don't know why I felt. Because this would not be that show at all, you know? No, I don't think so. I don't know why that was in my head. I think we kind of alluded to this, right? We did, yeah. We worried that the brug's gonna get yanked out from under.

You're afraid you're Charlie Brown with the football because this has happened to you before. Yeah, yeah. This show has really just been. This is what it's like to, like, live a life in the background of all this stuff that's going on. Like, yeah, you still have arthritis. Yeah, you need to lose weight. Ye. There's unresolved stuff with, you know, Fred's wife and things like that. That's what life is, right? Like, it never wraps up. There's always something. Yeah, that's true.

Are we going to Varsity Donuts? Are we driving to Kansas? Manhattan, Kansas. The Little Apple. Adam, have you ever been to Manhattan, Kansas? You're. You're the traveling musician. Like, I have this. I feel bad that I'm going to say probably, but I don't. There are places that we just, like, stopped, you know, for a night or something. I've never played there. I know that. Oh, okay. Well, then, okay, that's fine. If you've never played there and you. And you don't remember, I think that's fair.

You know, I'd like some donuts. But even more than that, I'd like to be on the field while the team warms up. Yeah. I thought you were going to say, I'd like to be a part of catch club. I would break my neck. I'm about Joel's level of athletic ability. Joel is a very good sport about it. You and I would fit right in with their catch club. Catch club is so funny with, like, Frederic Coco just absolutely taking the dad role. We're like, all right, good hustle. Let's go. So good.

Let's get into just a little of Silo this second season. Adam messaged me last night that he had problems with Silo the second season. And, I mean, I'm interested. It's not even Festivus yet. We're getting close. But I'm interested to hear what you. What problems you have you said it was bad acting was one of them? And first of all, I think I want to ask really broadly, what is bad acting for you? Like, can you differentiate between bad directing and bad acting?

Because sometimes I am curious on if I'm getting it right. That's a tough. I mean, the short answer is no, I'm not qualified enough to tell the difference. But the longer answer and what I would throw in is bad writing or hurried writing or any of these things. How many episodes are out now? Five. Five total. Mm. I'm complaining about episode two. So we're right back to what I said about the top.

At the top of the show about we do the whole song and dance of we have the plate of food, it's dinner time, what are we gonna watch? This show rarely scraps to the top of the heap, especially since we've had somebody somewhere and say nothing and all this going on. So we finally watched episode two and looked at each other and we're just like, what this is. It has never been this.

It's that old cliche of, like, almost every character you thought the actor was saying, I am going to act in this scene. You know, just kind of overdone and didn't have the same grounding that it's had in the past. And especially after episode one being kind of a one woman show. Right. Of her going through. And I thought she did a really good job of that. And I'm intrigued by all of the world building and the mechanics and the big story. Yeah. And then it just kind of. I don't know.

I didn't buy the beats in episode two. Episode two was the one that did not have Juliet in it. She's not in it at all. That might have been the problem, you think? I don't know, because the question's there. So now both plot lines in and out of the silo have interesting realities to deal with. You know, like, I think it's fascinating how power works because the implication from the show is that for society to function, someone has to be in charge and make decisions for the collective good.

And at some point, you know, spoiler, the collective good decision was, we're gonna lock that door and create whatever myth we need to keep you from going outside, because it really will kill you. But they're not leveling with the people about all of the details. You end up with this inquisition into how much nuance the public can deal with and how much information the public can deal with, which I think is 2024 going into 25 is an excellent time to ask these questions. Yeah, it really is.

And I think that there's a huge opportunity there. And then of course, you're dealing with. With her, it's pure discovery, you know, that she is getting concrete answers. So there's like both a story, scientific world building set of questions and a sociological set. Yes. And socioeconomical because there are the levels which are blatantly there to represent class. The mechanical are the lower class and they have to do the shit work. But at the same time they're keeping the silo running. Right.

And you wonder too, like, did they build the silo this way or does. I mean, obviously they did build it. You put the engine room in the bottom. But like over time you're giving more powerful people better housing, better whatever. Like, was it more egalitarian to begin with? Are the things that I wonder. So do you remember with that second episode exactly who or was it everyone? You felt like this is kind of bad acting. This is bad writing. Yeah, I was just curious. I'm sorry, what? Throughout.

Yeah, yeah. Even Tim Robbins, because I feel like he does a pretty good job in anything. It pained me to say that I think there was bad acting in this because I like Tim Robbins so much. I find him interesting on screen, even as a. He's very, in this role, almost too straightforward of a villain. Like, where's the nuance with this guy? Saying that might be some of it. It could be.

But I would give him more of a benefit of the doubt on the character, you know, that he's playing within certain guidelines. Whereas like Common, I think is just. Okay, you want to talk about him? Because he, since day one, since episode one of this series, he has not been good. And I've just never found him to be that good of an actor. I find it interesting that he's chosen to be almost exclusively an actor because he may need more acting classes. So he's not great.

Well, he's asked to do a lot in this show. Yeah, he is. And he. And he just can't hold his ground with the rest of these. He's a very one note, maybe two note kind of actor anyway. Yeah, I don't know, maybe. Maybe I should shift some blame to the writing. I felt like the stuff in the. The little almost Spartacus kind of scene in the engine room or in the mechanical level was kind of like.

I don't want to complain too much, only having seen the two episodes and it's hilarious that I am voicing an opinion at all here in public about two episodes of a season when there are five out. So obviously, I'm not an actual informed viewer. No, it's fair. I think, you know, we're limited on time. We can only watch what we watch. And I don't think you're wrong. And I'm seeing some of this in episode 5. Though I will say I think it gets a little better.

My issues are what you said much more succinctly at the beginning of our episode today. Every episode feels like three or four episodes at once in a bad way. Like, there are many threads that they've decided to toss out there, and for that to be confined to a silo, it's a little overwhelming. And every episode seems to be about 10 minutes too long. Yeah, I agree with that. Its pace is a little dilatory at times. It's just.

Now, I get that Juliet is going to take time to do what she's got to do, but at the same time, you're thinking you're not telling me much about her or the story where she is in the time you're given. But I find the story very interesting, mainly because of, you know, what. What are they trying to hide? What are they trying to. Why are they trying to maintain control in. In the Orwellian sense that they're doing? What's wrong with just being open and honest? Because that seems.

That would definitely control me, you know, hey, Blaine, don't go outside, because the air will kill you. Okay, then you're in charge. Tell me what to do next. But. But there's something else going on we're not getting. And we know who you voted for. That's funny because. No, that's funny. You got me there. I. I can still breathe outside, thank you. You can now. No, you know, it's a pretty Orwellian story, and how I'm interested. It's not a vital piece of television for me, but we all live in.

Silos of our own making. They have siloed people off in this show, that's for sure. Yeah. Let me tell you about my mind silo. Anyway, let's talk about disclosure and if humanity is going to be able to handle it. You got simple question. This is similar to what we do at the top, where you say, should we watch this show, Blaine? Should I keep watching? Yeah, I think so. I think I'm going to. Yeah, but you're gonna get the. I mean, this is not a spoiler for you.

Everybody who's watched up through the five episodes won't be spoiled either. You're Gonna get the Steve Son character. He's just dangling out there like a damn carrot. Well, they haven't shown him to you. You get the. Yeah, you get the hint of him at the end of episode one. You don't return to Juliet in episode two. You're gonna get a lot of him. And I think that he's got a story to tell. He always does, doesn't he?

Yeah, well, he's playing a very Steve Zahn kind of character, but at the same time, it's. That's a little different. I think you'll see. You'll see. Especially in episode five, the one I watched last night. I was thinking about his character and what he's gone through and why he's saying what he's saying. I don't know. There's some interest there. See, that's another. They open the door of this character who has chose not to go out right. With the rest of his silo stayed behind.

And then it's like we talked about it after episode one. It's a question of human endurance in some way. Like the will to live when. Like, why. Why are you living other than a natural desire to not die? Yeah, I think about that a lot with this show. I mean, that's kind of the basic motivation, which seems like a, well, duh kind of statement, but especially somebody's isolated underground for potentially years.

So I, yeah, I want to hang out with Steve Zahn and instead I had to hang out with Common. Good point. What a terrible party that would be. You know that he's holding court on the other side of the room, but you're stuck over here with. He's like the column I just finished Derry Girls. He's the Common is the column of the situation. Right.

Donovan. I know. We'll discuss what we do in the shadows next week because by then it will have aired its final episode of the series. It'll be all. All over. Turn out the lights. The party's over. So this may be more of a compare and contrast bit to set up next week's final episode. Yeah, it's another show we're saying goodbye to. But has this season dipped in quality? I don't think so, really. Honestly, every season kind of had some episodes that I was like, I don't care as much.

The highs have been high for me. Okay, well, I did like the Madness of March. I like the one. That was a good one. That was. That was top notch. The. The one where they're filming the detective show. That was pretty good. And Nandor Convinced they're under attack. Pretty good. Okay, that gets me into what I'm not. Naja with the banana phone. Oh, God. That was an all timer for me. So its primary purpose is to be funny and I feel like the jokes have dropped.

But when it's sort of self contained, it's really weird because I'm very interested in this through line. It's managed to do and hold my interest of Guillermo becoming a vampire and still being a part of their crew without being a vampire and also not being a familiar. Where does he fit? What are they gonna, you know, do with him? And I am interested in that through line story. And it seems to have resolved probably last season, which might be the problem.

But when it's a self contained episode and it doesn't have much to do with that at all, I think it. The jokes land better. Okay. And except for the group running from Jerry's the whole vampire party and when Jerry got killed, Jerry the vampire. This is another case where I don't think it's funny to anyone but me. But like Colin Robinson quotes the warriors to be annoying. Oh, no, that's good. And then it's actually the Warrior. And then they actually do the Warriors.

And then they do the Warriors. Yeah, okay. Also Colin Robinson being like, you know, I can't fly, as he's like running. And also the gag of Laszlo seeing a baseball bat and saying bad. He's like, I said I turned into a bat. Because I said, well, there I did it again. Yes, that's a good one. But I think the reason why that episode didn't work as well is because the group aren't at each other. They're, you know, they're, they're trying to get away from a much larger, larger vampire group.

And they're, they're kind of having to rely on one another and be buddies. They had to mildly pull together. I like it when they're kind of bickering, even if it's not harsh at all. It's just, just a slight bit of like Nandor left and created his own army and we gotta, we gotta go get him and we have to bicker with him a little. That's funny. I do think it is. I think that this season has dipped with its jokes because it's relied on the monster way too much.

I don't mind him being there, but boy, he's taken up some joke time. Not screen time, but joke time. It's not landing for me. I'm a little annoyed by him. The penultimate episode was actually for me, probably the funniest he'd been. Cause I agree with you. Like, it was. It was. It was. He's been fine. The stuff, like, the. Him being, like, the head of. Of the railroad. That was good. That was okay. Yeah, it was pretty good. And then I did, like, he goes. Cries in the bathroom, and he's.

You know, Colin and Nandor are bickering. Not Nandor. Colin and Lazlo are bickering over the monster. Yeah. They kind of both want to be the dad. And then it blatantly referenced in the elevator that they are the dad. And he tells them to kiss. Kiss. Some of that's okay, but I don't know. I don't know that I care about the monster having feelings and crying in the bathroom that much. I don't care about it in as much as it's a funny joke.

I think the show does a pretty good job of having that plotline of Guillermo, though, because I did. I got kind of pumped seeing Nandor stick up for. I will say, like, for being a show kind of about nothing. That's right. It really. They really have actually always kind of done a good job of threading the needle. That's Guillemo and Nandor's relationship. Yes. Where.

Especially with, like, Nandor coming to this because he's a selfish, immature immortal coming to realize that Guillermo would mildly mean something to him. That's true. That would be sad if Guillermo wasn't in his life and they've actually done, like, if the finale is about nothing, fine, Whatever. But if it's gonna be about this kind of little thing that they've actually done an okay job of teasing out without banging me over the head with it, I'm fine with that, too.

If we just get a nice resolution for. For Gizmo. That's such a good gag. It does seem like that might be where it's heading. We'll find out. We'll state more about it next week, but. And I'm fine with that because honest, like, how do you end a show like this? Yeah, you just gotta. You just gotta end it. Yes. At some point. Choose an arbitrary thing that happens, and that's the end. Bye. Nandor sticks up for Guillermo with the canon capital boss. That's good.

Guillermo was one of my least favorite characters in season one, and he has grown. He's really grown on me. On me so much. He gets one of his greatest moments in the penultimate episode where he reveals to the boss that the cameras are really part of his crew, and he snaps his fingers and points to them all and they do this nice edit where it's like power empowering Guillermo in the moment.

I love that it's just him collecting evidence about Canon Capital, about all the illegal stuff that's been going on. Yeah. He's going to report them to the sec, which Nandor does not understand. That was funny. Also good. But not. It's not. Again, it's not that funny. But like, as Guillermo is trying to explain to Nandor, he's just inventing Batman. You know, as they leave. Yeah. He's like. Like Robin. Oh, no, I don't think we should be Robin people. And he gives the classic.

I don't know who that is. Yeah, it's good. It's good. Was the peak probably seasons two through four or five for the humor. Well, the funniest episode will of course always be. I think that was season two with Jackie Daytona, human bartender. It was two or three. Yeah, it was two or three. Whenever he has to get. But you know, they actually like the bits kind of kept me going. Yeah. Like the through fair of like. Was that season four where Lazlo has to raise a baby? Colin Robinson.

That was four in that. Was it? Yeah. Was it four? Actually. That's good. That actually works. That actually really works. No, it is a bunch of dislike. There's a bunch of individual episodes that really, really work. Yeah. I do wonder, are they going to reference the Jackie Daytona bit again? Because they have to realize that's the fan favorite. Yeah. I will say too, that the way that they built Guillermo's role to be funnier. I thought that actually built through as the seasons went on.

Like the one where he was. They figured out he has Van Helsing blood and they've got him locked in the cage. But it's really him trying to save their egos while also protecting them from. I felt like that was in a rising motion and that worked for me. Yeah. I was curious if he could kind of. Powers might not be the right term, but I was curious if he could use his abilities against humans as well. But then we see it with the balls. He rips the disc. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, cool. He can.

He's gonna get the boss there, but he's more in control of himself, you know, he's our. Guillaumer's a good guy. Yeah. One episode does not make a season. But we will come back to this and discuss, you know, the season as a whole after next week. Just to see where it. How it ends, what it does as an ending. That's probably how we'll view it next week through that lens of season as a whole. Yeah. I hope the finale makes me laugh. I'm a little concerned that like.

Yes. Putting extra expectation on it. Yeah. And honestly, like a show like this really shouldn't have like a load bearing episode, you know, that's true. And so I'm curious if that'll. It'll be like, yeah, you know, it's the finale. So we had the, you know, I. Don'T know, the penultimate seemed to maybe take care of some of that though, with Nandor saying, hey, we're actually comrades rather than. Yes, you know, you're a part of my army. You're my right hand man in my army for real.

I just have one last thing to say, which is that America, we've taken some wrong turns and there's some people that we've decided to view as less than human. America, these are the queer icons you need. As Nandor explained to us, there are boy wives and girl wives. That's good stuff. So good. We'll end with that. Yeah, it's a good ending. You can follow Taking it Down as well as our website, the website that hosts us the Alabama Take.

You follow all of us on social media, reach out, say hello, and then follow the podcast in your favorite podcast app where you listen to things and you'll see us each Tuesday morning. For Adam and Donovan, I am Blaine and we'll talk later.