Better late than never...I just finished watching this and found it a quite frustrating watch, for some of the reasons you mention and in the other comments. The topic of whether a woman feeling joy or pleasure has to end in tragedy (in film, books, etc.) is an important one, but I don't feel like this series ever truly explores this. Also, the show is extremely manipulative. It's one thing to reveal the rape in the last episode, but to include Catherine's voice-over, implies that we are in her POV at times, which I don't think we ever were. I did start to wonder if we were in the story of the book or the "true" story in many scenes (starting probably episode 3 or 4). I am curious about all the voiceovers, from all the different characters (or was it just Catherine and Stephen?) I'd have to go back and check, but often the character's VO spoke over other characters' scenes, so I'm a bit unclear on what it was telling us.
I found all the characters unlikable and 2-dimensional. I kept with it because the editing and pacing kept me sticking around. But, in general, it all was like an artsy British soap opera. Kevin Kline gave a masterclass in overacting. I kept expecting Sasha Baron Cohen to break into Borat voice. If he did I might have liked it more.
I think one podcast described this show as the snow you hate watch or something to this effect. I can see this. You can’t look away even with Kline’s overacting and Cohen’s frantic moping that he’s not man enough. I liked the aspect of being completely thrown in the last episode by the gotcha though I also think if you watched carefully there were signs (at least the one I mentioned) that alluded to Jonathan being something ominous. I liked that the show challenged our biases of which I found myself having a number, however manipulative. I’m not mad at it! Was disappointed in myself
Yeah, it was a hate-watch. I am not sure the show effectively challenged my biases. I didn't dislike or judge her for her perceived affair -- the show didn't hint that the "flashback" scenes in Italy were merely what the mother made up for the book until much later. And it was unclear if the voice over/s was/were supposed to be the author's words or the character's. It was hard to understand if Catherine's standoffishness and cold demeanor were what the 'book' said or her actual character. And it was hard to believe that Stephen never looked in his wife's locked drawer for however many years were supposed to have passed. I wouldn't be disappointed in yourself, it was weak storytelling. But it's good that it made you rethink your biases. I found Catherine the most sympathetic character from start to finish, which doesn't say much about the depth of all the others.
VO for the mutually consenting adult scenes was from the author/Jonathan's mom. That was another, "gotcha" of the unreliable narrator and taking her word for the story. Catherine not speaking up for so long was so annoying, but then again trauma and "nobody asked!" (as the kids like to say) and also no one cared to listen, least of all the Baron hubby
I love "the baron hubby" = barren. I guess it was the "gotcha" aspect that frustrated me, it was more a manufactured gotcha rather than a "look what was in front of you the whole time" kind of gotcha. I feel like I recall voice over in the present-day scenes too, which is why I didn't fully view the VO as solely from the book. Maybe it was my inattentiveness, but I prefer to blame sloppy storytelling (it's never my fault!). Happy Hanukkah!🕎🕎
To “barren”!! Happy Hannukah friend! Here’s to another year of lovely listening and watching and more importantly friends to share it with and critique it.
I stuck with Disclaimer, but thought it would have worked better as a shorter series, as the first few episodes dragged – and the cat stole too many scenes. I heckled it a lot while watching. Found it quite hammy at first.
The drowning scene was genuinely gripping and really cinematic, and the final couple of episodes were good. Though it irritated me that it took Cate so long to tell Stephen her version of events, and Stephen all of about 10 seconds (off camera) to bring Robert up to speed at the hospital!
Thanks Wendy. Even Stephen had a cat. And that cat basically is the hero because it wakens Catherine from her roofied stupor. I thought all the cats were the same but the most offensive thing to me was either first or second episode when Catherine waits for Robert to come home with a delicious fish she arduously prepares for what feels like hours of fish and cat shots only to feed the fish to the cat?? That pissed me off to no end.
It’s a show I have on my to watch list, so I’m only reading the whole article after. On a side note: I loved the first season of The Morning Show, but somehow couldn’t get into season 2. Sometimes that happens for me when there’s too much time between seasons. Have you watched season 2?
I’ve watched seasons 2 and 3! 2 is sorta painful but if you can get through it, it’s worth it. Sure a lot of the storylines are way over the top and dialogue a bit questionable at times but I will always tune in for the drama
Thx for watching shows so I won’t have to. Hehe. “Disclaimer” sounds like a very un-Steefel household show.
It’s intense and it’s hard to stop watching
Bwaha! Ditto.
Better late than never...I just finished watching this and found it a quite frustrating watch, for some of the reasons you mention and in the other comments. The topic of whether a woman feeling joy or pleasure has to end in tragedy (in film, books, etc.) is an important one, but I don't feel like this series ever truly explores this. Also, the show is extremely manipulative. It's one thing to reveal the rape in the last episode, but to include Catherine's voice-over, implies that we are in her POV at times, which I don't think we ever were. I did start to wonder if we were in the story of the book or the "true" story in many scenes (starting probably episode 3 or 4). I am curious about all the voiceovers, from all the different characters (or was it just Catherine and Stephen?) I'd have to go back and check, but often the character's VO spoke over other characters' scenes, so I'm a bit unclear on what it was telling us.
I found all the characters unlikable and 2-dimensional. I kept with it because the editing and pacing kept me sticking around. But, in general, it all was like an artsy British soap opera. Kevin Kline gave a masterclass in overacting. I kept expecting Sasha Baron Cohen to break into Borat voice. If he did I might have liked it more.
I think one podcast described this show as the snow you hate watch or something to this effect. I can see this. You can’t look away even with Kline’s overacting and Cohen’s frantic moping that he’s not man enough. I liked the aspect of being completely thrown in the last episode by the gotcha though I also think if you watched carefully there were signs (at least the one I mentioned) that alluded to Jonathan being something ominous. I liked that the show challenged our biases of which I found myself having a number, however manipulative. I’m not mad at it! Was disappointed in myself
Yeah, it was a hate-watch. I am not sure the show effectively challenged my biases. I didn't dislike or judge her for her perceived affair -- the show didn't hint that the "flashback" scenes in Italy were merely what the mother made up for the book until much later. And it was unclear if the voice over/s was/were supposed to be the author's words or the character's. It was hard to understand if Catherine's standoffishness and cold demeanor were what the 'book' said or her actual character. And it was hard to believe that Stephen never looked in his wife's locked drawer for however many years were supposed to have passed. I wouldn't be disappointed in yourself, it was weak storytelling. But it's good that it made you rethink your biases. I found Catherine the most sympathetic character from start to finish, which doesn't say much about the depth of all the others.
VO for the mutually consenting adult scenes was from the author/Jonathan's mom. That was another, "gotcha" of the unreliable narrator and taking her word for the story. Catherine not speaking up for so long was so annoying, but then again trauma and "nobody asked!" (as the kids like to say) and also no one cared to listen, least of all the Baron hubby
I love "the baron hubby" = barren. I guess it was the "gotcha" aspect that frustrated me, it was more a manufactured gotcha rather than a "look what was in front of you the whole time" kind of gotcha. I feel like I recall voice over in the present-day scenes too, which is why I didn't fully view the VO as solely from the book. Maybe it was my inattentiveness, but I prefer to blame sloppy storytelling (it's never my fault!). Happy Hanukkah!🕎🕎
To “barren”!! Happy Hannukah friend! Here’s to another year of lovely listening and watching and more importantly friends to share it with and critique it.
Interesting review, Beth, thanks.
I stuck with Disclaimer, but thought it would have worked better as a shorter series, as the first few episodes dragged – and the cat stole too many scenes. I heckled it a lot while watching. Found it quite hammy at first.
The drowning scene was genuinely gripping and really cinematic, and the final couple of episodes were good. Though it irritated me that it took Cate so long to tell Stephen her version of events, and Stephen all of about 10 seconds (off camera) to bring Robert up to speed at the hospital!
Thanks Wendy. Even Stephen had a cat. And that cat basically is the hero because it wakens Catherine from her roofied stupor. I thought all the cats were the same but the most offensive thing to me was either first or second episode when Catherine waits for Robert to come home with a delicious fish she arduously prepares for what feels like hours of fish and cat shots only to feed the fish to the cat?? That pissed me off to no end.
The earlier episodes of Disclaimer were a slug, but the last two, pure masterpiece. I'm glad I didn't DNF'd
Same! It’s a “stick with it” show and it will pay off and it does. Thx for sharing Sara!
It’s a show I have on my to watch list, so I’m only reading the whole article after. On a side note: I loved the first season of The Morning Show, but somehow couldn’t get into season 2. Sometimes that happens for me when there’s too much time between seasons. Have you watched season 2?
I’ve watched seasons 2 and 3! 2 is sorta painful but if you can get through it, it’s worth it. Sure a lot of the storylines are way over the top and dialogue a bit questionable at times but I will always tune in for the drama
FOR THE LAST TIME
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