April 7, 2020
.
Just One More Episode …
###
The first time Blondie and I said Just One More Episode was in 2001 with “24” It was a pre-NETFLIX world. A friend sent us the CDs of several seasons and we “binged” thru a weekend.
**
I have binged OZARK thru Season 3. That earlier column leads to related topics about “binging watching” and “streaming”. How I do it, how YOU do it … and so on. How movie people pick actors for certain parts. Does a part define an actor … or an actor define the part? …
.
First… Wrapping Up OZARK.
Many of you have NOT watched OZARK on Netflix and probably won’t. So I won’t go too deep in the weeds.
OZARK is Dark and Intense and definitely R-Rated… with a Capital “R”. A strip club with nekkid wimmen is a reoccurring location. There are a few graphic sex scenes… and a pile of headless Mexican cartel soldiers. You have officially been warned.
You can reread that earlier column for my initial thoughts after Season 1. I finished Season 2 & 3 in a little over 2 days. Not sure if there is an exact definition of “binge-watching” but thats how I did it.
I never lost interest at any point in the 30 episodes. And… I felt that binger’s deep sense of Now what do I do with my life? when I finished the 30th episode.
I got to know the characters. There is a lot of character attrition in OZARK… i.e. High Body Counts. The cremation oven at Marty’s funeral home stays busy, thanks to Nelson and The Langmores, Navarro’s Sicarios, The KC Mob, and The Snells.
Of the many OMG What Just Happeneds over the 30 episodes… I believe “Del says _____” was the #1 Shocker for me. Jason and Darlene Snell go for a walk in the woods” was #2.
.
WARNING: If you are driving along the 2-lane backroads around Lake of The Ozarks, Missouri and you see any sort of a roadblock up ahead. Either – 1 – slam your car in Reverse or – 2 – do a bootlegger “Y” turn and head back where you came from QUICKLY. Someone is about to “bleed out” on the asphalt. Don’t let it be you.
.
I am not a movie buff especially with current movies TV shows and the current crop of actors. The only actor in OZARK that I had ever heard of was Jason Bateman – “Marty Byrde” – the male lead.
In the first few episodes, Marty’s wife “Wendy” ( Laura Linney) has no screen presence… a washed-out wimpy blonde housewife. As episodes build her character evolves in on-screen appearance – she gets more “attractive” – and definitely becomes a co-lead with “Marty”.
The actor that plays “Buddy” in the basement – Harris Yulin – also played in Clear & Present Danger and Scarface. But I never knew his name.
The ensemble of reoccurring characters includes a handful of actors I will now forever identify as “thats the guy/gal that was _____ in OZARK”.
Two such actors from “24” are Chloe and President Logan. I met Greg Itzen / “President Logan” 8-10 years ago. We discussed the “perils” of being type-cast so strongly that the viewing public can never see you as any character BUT ______!
OH… There was one other “24” character who went on to achieve everlasting fame as a “a special friend of BobLee’s. His name was ……. AgentPierce! … Now you know!
.
I am fresh from watching OZARK… but the actors in OZARK I can see becoming like Chloe and President Logan are:
Ruth … Wyatt … Darleen … Helen … and Ben. …
If you watched OZARK, Who makes Your List of Most Memorable Ozark Characters.
Do Not Be A Spoiler for the 1,000s that will now hurry to binge OZARK because BobLee Said I Ought To.
I don’t know anything about “acting”. I assume the script creates the “character” and Central Casting searches its data base to find an actor who fits that character profile … “we need a midget with a wooden leg who speaks with a lisp”…allowing that the perfect match can bring a special dimension to a character that exceeds what the script calls for.
I imagine when “they” were auditioning for Ruth – Darleen – Helen – and Ben that “the suits” screamed YES when they saw the actors auditioning. Add The Therapist to that bunch.
Characters that are written to be “quirky” to the point of Quite Insane have to be the most fun to play. There are a LOT of VERY Quirky characters in OZARK.
For OZARK to-be-viewers, remember I said that when you meet Darlene Snell and Ben Davis. YOWSA!
Netflix has not formally announced OZARK-Season 4, but Jason Bateman says the cast and crew fully expect there to be a 4 and likely a 5. Season 3 ends with enough main characters still alive to keep it going … despite that High Body Count I mentioned earlier.
.
Q: BobLee, is there any “politics” in OZARK.
A: A little tiny bit. Wendy’s background includes “… was involved in Obama’s Campaign”. And there is a right-wing lobbyist who plays a secondary part. But neither element is really relevant to the plot.
.
I just did a quite remarkable job of NOT being a Spoiler. KUDOS to me.
###
As noted… “24” was the first show Blondie and I ever “binged” back in 2001. A friend sent us the CDs of the first 2-3 seasons and we literally “stayed up all night” watching. The most-used phrase in binge-watching is – of course – JUST ONE MORE EPISODE!
Other series Blondie and/or I have “binged” include BOSCH … HOUSE OF CARDS … MISS FISHER Murder Mysteries … AGATHA RAISIN and THE MANAGER. I’ll do DEADWOOD eventually.
Don’t take a decision to “binge” lightly. With a multi-season show… Are you willing to devote 20-30-40 hours of your life to the task?
LONESOME DOVE was not originally a streamed show but can now be “binge-able”. Did you know that Larry McMurtry wrote THREE more LD screenplays – Two prequels and One sequel to the original saga of Gus McRae & Woodrow Call. I enjoyed all Four. Google LONESOME DOVE for more info on the other movies and how to watch them. The Final one – Streets of Laredo – has James Garner playing an old Woodrow Call on his last adventure.
I’ve tried various ways to “binge”. We have a large (40″) flat-screen in our living room and a “30” in our bedroom … BUT… I prefer watching on my 21″ IMac desktop. I can pause the show to open another window to browse or check email. I have my “best” $60 over-ear headphones and an ergonomic chair. With the other options, I tend to fall asleep. It works for me.
.
Movie/TV Characters that I Believe Should ONLY Be Played By One Actor are…
Rhett Butler & Scarlett O’Hara > Clark Gable & Vivian Leigh
Holly Golightly > Audrey Hepburn
James Bond > Sean Connery … DUH! … RIP to Honor Blackman who passed away this week. Her obituary actually included. … She was BobLee’s All-Time Favorite Bond Girl
Rambo > Sylvester Stallone
Hannibal Lechter > Anthony Hopkins
Matt Dillon > James Arness
Gus McRae > Robert Duvall
There are 100s of others you might pick.. Tell us in a Comment. BUT… BobLee’s List is OFFICIAL!
.
More BobLeeSays … Click HERE!
.
