467 replies to this topic

[hardy har]

I had never heard of this until to day, but here's the vague bullet-point synopsis:

It's about “a team of cutthroat management consultants who will do anything in their pursuit of money.”

I could not stop giggling at the teaser.

Oh, I did a TWoP search for this before I created the thread and didn't find anything. So, apologies if I missed a pre-existing thread.

[HoneyBee]

House of Lies: First Look!

The series, based on Martin Kihn’s hit tell-all book How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time, revolves around dueling corporate management consulting firms. The cast also includes Ben Schwartz, Josh Lawson, Dawn Olivieri and Glynn Turman.

The new poster was nice, but it's weird to see everyone wearing suits/formal while there are sharks behind them. I get the whole shark thing, like lawyers, they're pretty slick.

Btw, is this suppose to be in drama or sitcom section?

Edited by HoneyBee, Nov 1, 2011 @ 4:00 AM.

[Pharangese]

I can't wait for this!

[bulldawgtownie]

Honeybee, the brief promo I saw made me think it's supposed to be a comedy. That said IMO almost all of the comedies that get shown on premium cable channels tend to be dramas with a few jokes thrown into them.

I can't wait for this show. Don Cheadle is a seriously underrated actor.

[Sara Sunshine]

Btw, is this suppose to be in drama or sitcom section?

I think its classified as a comedy - at least, I hope so with Ben Schwartz as a main cast member!

[alynch]

Okay show, you have Kristen Bell in the cast and you're on a premium cable network. I'm not going to say you have a civic responsibility to take full advantage of this opportunity, but ... I don't know how to finish this sentence.

Edited by alynch, Nov 2, 2011 @ 1:02 AM.

[HoneyBee]

New teaser featuring Kristen Bell (paired with Emmy Rossum's Shameless)

the brief promo I saw made me think it's supposed to be a comedy

You're right, I just saw that promo with the tag 'Comedy With Balls'. and Big Cojones.

Edited by HoneyBee, Nov 7, 2011 @ 1:32 AM.

[Scrb]

"Okay show, you have Kristen Bell in the cast and you're on a premium cable network. I'm not going to say you have a civic responsibility to take full advantage of this opportunity, but ... I don't know how to finish this sentence. "

Will she step up to the plate like Emmy Rossums did with the nudity?

[Merve]

New promo.

It's not funny at all, but I'm hoping this means they're saving all the jokes for the actual show. Nothing irks me more than when all the good jokes are ruined pre-premiere.

[HoneyBee]

It's not funny at all

I can imagine they're showing a dramedy version of the show, because this is Showtime. Not pure comedy like The Office or 30Rock.

[ThatPoshGirl]

Arg, I really want to watch for Ben Schwartz, but I find Kristen Bell so bland and unwatchable.

[Pharangese]

The only reason I want to watch this show is BECAUSE of Kristen Bell (and Don Cheadle). I've been a fan of her since Veronica Mars, and that was a twisted show. The only bland thing about her is her romcom movies, and I don't think that's her fault. It's like watching Ralph Fiennes in Maid in Manhattan, even a good actor can be bland if playing romcoms. She's a pretty good actress, and a good show can bring the best of her.

As for nudity, I don't know. She's okay being half naked, but I don't know about full nudity.

[arc]

I can imagine they're showing a dramedy version of the show, because this is Showtime. Not pure comedy like The Office or 30Rock.

Also, the reported executive producers don't seem to come from the pure comedy world.

[HoneyBee]

Entertainment Weekly: First Look

The biggest ­challenge for their characters is fending off the crackling ­sexual tension. ''Their relationship is very complicated,'' ­Cheadle explains. ''He torments her, 
he supports her, he outs her on stuff, 
he protects her on stuff. At the end of the [season], you go, 'Oh, these two are tangled up.'''

I hope these two have good chemistry.

Holy shit, Kristen Bell looks so YOUNG. How the hell is that possible? She looks exactly like she was in Veronica Mars, maybe younger.

[Pharangese]

Holy shit, Kristen Bell looks so YOUNG

Which is going to be problematic, because if she and Don Cheadle have sex scene, then it would be uncomfortable to see. KB looks 17...

[FurryFury]

I love KB, but I've never seen Don Cheadle in anything and, well, to tell the truth, I really wouldn't want to see them as love interests for each other. Because for me, he's the antithesis of hot. I think I'll still check the pilot, but I'd definitely prefer to see Kristen together with a sexier (and younger) guy.

[HoneyBee]

KB looks 17...

Damn. She's 31 actually.

[Numb Nut]

Don Cheadle is a seriously underrated actor.

I don't think he's underrated at all. Both the industry and audiences recognize how talented he is. He's not a megastar like Tom Cruise but he definitely has enough pull to get a project moving forward.

love KB, but I've never seen Don Cheadle in anything and, well, to tell the truth, I really wouldn't want to see them as love interests for each other. Because for me, he's the antithesis of hot. I think I'll still check the pilot, but I'd definitely prefer to see Kristen together with a sexier (and younger) guy.

To me, KB looks her age (about 30). But as much as I love Cheadle for his versatility, this role where he's supposed to be a "ladies' man" feels a bit off. It's like the showrunners set up the project for Idris Elba (who's megatalented and versatile like Cheadle but also sexy as hell) but the deal fell through.

Edited by Numb Nut, Nov 19, 2011 @ 5:08 PM.

[Numb Nut]

OK, after seeing the pilot screener, my notion stands: Cheadle is charismatic but lacks the sex appeal needed for the part. Elba would have been perfect. That said, the show wasn't bad. I just didn't care about the characters. (Cheadle's character is an alternate version of Macht's on "Suits," but I liked Macht's character right off the bat.) I also didn't have any interest in his job, granted a lot of it I didn't understand even with all the address-the-camera explanations. His team kept talking about how they were screwed but I didn't feel it, especially after Cheadle says he makes seven figures a year. They didn't seem to be a struggling company. Maybe the stakes should have been clarified. What will happen to each team member if the deal goes to hell? I like Cheadle and Bell's dynamic and banter so I may watch just for that. The son was cute but mega-annoying, like he's done too many cereal commercials.
ETA: spoiler tags since the premiere hasn't aired yet.

Edited by Numb Nut, Dec 18, 2011 @ 2:56 PM.

[cmm226]

To me, KB looks her age (about 30). But as much as I love Cheadle for his versatility, this role where he's supposed to be a "ladies' man" feels a bit off.

I agree.

Do people normally talk with all those curse words all day, every day? I'm a normal person, I think and I interact with many normal and not normal people every day but I don't know anyone who talks like that.

Elba would have been perfect.

Truer words have never been written (at least in the last 5 minutes).

[WileyCoyote]

Will she step up to the plate like Emmy Rossums did with the nudity?

We see a shot of her in her underwear, doing basically er... a lap dance... in that first teaser. So I'd say, er... somewhat. Part way. More than on network TV, at least.

The only bland thing about her is her romcom movies, and I don't think that's her fault.

Eh, at least a little her fault. She's had really bad judgement in picking movie projects. She lucked out with a few broader comedies, but the rom-coms were all bottom of the barrel.

Really with her its all the writing she's given. I've seen her a lot on Craig Fergusson's show, and while she's quite charming, without words being fed to her, she's not super-witty. She needs good words fed to her, and then her strength is in the delivery, since she does "smart ass" better than just about any other young female star out there. Give her good "smart ass" words from a good writer, you'll get back the best "smart ass" delivery possible.

Edited by WileyCoyote, Dec 18, 2011 @ 5:17 PM.

[ElymianDucat]

Ok, I've seen the pilot and I,liked it. It's not great, but what pilot is?

As for specific things, I think the schtik with the crossdressing son is going to get old really fast. Would a school really even let a boy audition for a female role?

Besides that there where some really funny moments. The "fistfight" in the restaurant was hilarious because both the guys were either too drunk or too... what's the opposite of badass? Seriously, neither of those character knew how to fight. Speaking of which, for a woman that's supposed to be in the closet, Anna Camp's character had a surprisingly accurate gaydar. She didn't only noticed that the stripper was into girls, she also figured she'd be up for a bathroom quikie.

Edited by ElymianDucat, Dec 19, 2011 @ 9:59 AM.

[balevinson]

I've seen her a lot on Craig Fergusson's show, and while she's quite charming, without words being fed to her, she's not super-witty.

I respectfully disagree. I think she's funny and very quick. But I've yet to see any of this in her movie or TV work.

Craig Ferguson 4/14/11
She talks about House of Pies at around 4:00.

Another good appearance...
Craig Ferguson 9/14/10

I think she needs a new management team. One that will help her put more performances like these on the big screen.

Edited by balevinson, Dec 19, 2011 @ 11:29 PM.

[WileyCoyote]

k, someone I knew had a copy, so I watched, and here's my spoilerbarred reaction to Episode 1

Cheadle - I agree with what was said in this topic that he's not the obvious sexy lead. That said, he's still probably a damn good choice because they can let the story maybe imply its his money or slickness making him a magnet to women, and play to his strength--the fact that this character is supposed to be the slipperiest character in the room. And Cheadle fits that part perfectly. He's the fast talker, and that's what the role requires more than the sexy factor.

Bell - While the writing on this show fell down in a few places, it didn't with what they gave her. And she IS great with good lines to read. I don't quite have a handle on her character yet, but that's fine, because you can sense that's a deliberate choice. She may be Marty's Jiminy Cricket, his conscience, or she may be his "partner in slime". Or some combo. I think we're supposed to be unsure. While she doesn't show any overt scruples yet getting in the way of their business, she's clearly shown as the character most unafraid to tell Marty exactly what she thinks.

The other two guys in the team are kind of formless now. We need some development on them.

The ex-wife is a good character so far, but at some point, even with this being an over-the-top comedy, they need to show some redeeming quality in her.

Marty's Shrink Dad is a bit of an odd character, although I see the potential in him. Marty's cross-dressing son was a bit of a miss for me, because I don't think the show found a good way to joke about that kind of subject.

Edited by WileyCoyote, Dec 22, 2011 @ 5:01 AM.

[Numb Nut]

More pilot talk. It's not spoilery but just in case...
I agree, Cheadle is always great, and I can see his character's charisma and money as a draw, but Elba is just as talented despite the hotness. Check out his work. I'm not so keen on the ex-wife as an actor. She seemed like a completely different character in the opening scene, not a drunk version of the same character. The son character plays more like a writer's joke than a real person. I hope they tweaked the role after the pilot to be less of a gender-bender punch line.

Edited by Numb Nut, Dec 22, 2011 @ 9:04 AM.

[EmbiggenedSoul]

I had read about this show quite awhile ago, and because I am a management consultant, was pretty curious about it, then I completely forgot about until I caught a preview for it last night on Showtime. In addition to being excited about the premise, I really like both Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell so I am really looking forward to the show. It looks like good trashy fun with some skewering of big business and consulting.

Edited by EmbiggenedSoul, Dec 23, 2011 @ 10:07 AM.

[WileyCoyote]

I had read about this show quite awhile ago, and because I am a management consultant, was pretty curious about it, then I completely forgot about until I caught a preview for it last night on Showtime. In addition to being excited about the premise, I really like both Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell so I am really looking forward to the show. It looks like good trashy fun with some skewering of big business and consulting.

Okay, but be aware that it (at least the pilot) bears little resemblance to actual reality (I'm NOT a management consultant, but have certainly met with my share of them over the years). I can safely say that without spoiling anything. Its using some real buzzwords and situations, but other than that its a complete over-the-top "interpretation", with characters who are well... slightly insane. It looks like it will make for good TV though.

[ElymianDucat]

Okay, but be aware that it (at least the pilot) bears little resemblance to actual reality (I'm NOT a management consultant, but have certainly met with my share of them over the years).

I figured as much, but I've long come to expect it. Almost every profesion that is portrayed in TV bears little resemblance to the actual thing. I've heard doctors who were ready to throw shoes at their TVs during while watching ER, and US lawyers foam at the mouth while watching The Practice. Hell, even Buffy complained about the fighting in kung fu movies!

Lucky for me, being an economist it's highly unlikely that I'll ever be in that situation.

[JoeSpacely]

Yes, but is it better than Free Agents?

To me, KB looks her age (about 30). But as much as I love Cheadle for his versatility, this role where he's supposed to be a "ladies' man" feels a bit off. It's like the showrunners set up the project for Idris Elba (who's megatalented and versatile like Cheadle but also sexy as hell) but the deal fell through.

Perhaps Cheadle will grow into the role. Playing so many steadfast roles can skew an actor's image to the public (I couldn't imagine Denzel being a bad guy before "Training Day", for instance).

BTW, I had to remember who Idris Elba was. I kept thinking Malik Yoba, and wondering why everyone was carrying on about him being a better casting than Cheadle.

[Betsyb]

Well, I wish no one had ever mentioned Elba since he is an insanely attractive person and, yes, very talented. He would have been great and now I can't stop seeing that. But, that being said, I do think Cheadle is already pretty good and I think he will grow into it and be amazing. I think it is like William H. Macy on Shameless. Great actors who aren't used to this TV format or the kind of characters they are playing.

Love Kristen Bell. I also don't think she looks that young. She is just fresh faced and very short.

Edited by Betsyb, Dec 29, 2011 @ 11:03 PM.