TiVo Community Forums Archives - NBC's "Mister Sterling"

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NBC's "Mister Sterling"
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Posted by: disco

Man, I wish this show started at the BEGINNING of the season! I love it! Set up a season pass before the first commercial break!

Posted by: appleye1

Yep, I agree except I kind of wish he had shocked his dad, his girlfriend, the Dems, and everybody else by aligning with the Republicans. That would have made for even better TV. But this is Hollywood after all.

Regardless, I look forward to watching it.

Posted by: avaloncourt

We found it to be pretty good and set up a SP for it. Hopefully it will remain the same quality.

Posted by: johnjohn

All pilots suffer from the burden of introducing characters and relationships while telling an interesting story. That said, I thought this pilot showed a lot of promise. The "swearing in" montage was pure filler, the staffing changes were predictable, and the "I work for Democrats" rant seemed to be written for a 3rd-grader, but there was a lot of room for interesting characters, interesting story lines, and interesting relationships. Can the creative minds behind the series map out some interesting story arcs and hire decent writers to execute them? I guess we'll find out.

All that said, I'm adding the SP.

Posted by: ehopper

Well, I haven't seen it. I have read various reviews, most of which are fairly negative. Some have been reviews from mainstream publications and some from political publications. As you can imagine, the political publications aren't too thrilled to have another hour long commercial for Democratic ideas. I guess it is just totally impossible for Hollywood to consider following a REPUBLICAN around and let the character spout Republican talking points for 60 minutes a week. (Yeah, I know, he's an "independent", right, I'm sure we'll see equal time :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: )

The mainstream reviews have also been negative. First, they've panned the idiotic premise of the first episode that no one knew his party affiliation. That is silly, no matter what the ideology. Also, I'm willing to bet we see Josh Brolin without his shirt in the first three episodes.

Posted by: dthmj

Well, I missed it. I had been watching something on NBC, and hit the "thumbs up" on one of the Mr. Sterling commercials... I checked last night to make sure it was on the To Do list, and it was. This morning, no Mr. Sterling... History shows that it was to record on NBCE, channel 300something... We have our locals, we get NBC on channel 5, which was the channel I was watching when I did thumbs up. I've now gone back in and set an SP for the right channel...

Posted by: johnjohn

quote:
Originally posted by ehopper
Well, I haven't seen it.

Well then, exactly what do you have to add to a thread regarding the show?

If you actually watched the show, you'd see that party politics is portrayed equally badly on both sides. Actual issues are pretty much glossed over. It's all internal machinations.

I'm critical of the show so far, but only for the things that actually happened on the show, not for how I project my political views on to Hollywood. It has the chance to be interesting with the right writing crew and creative direction. And no more montages.

Posted by: BrettStah

dthmj, go into Messages and Setup, Preferences, and Channels I Receive. Type in 380, and then look through those channels and unselect the ones you don't receive (probably from 380-389).

Posted by: BrettStah

We're going to keep watching it after seeing the pilot. It has some promise.

Does anyone else think the main actor looks like Harry Hamlin, by the way?

Posted by: mrmike

Hate to drag the politics on, but why is it that Republicans believe in the free market for everything except TV programming and movies? If they got some scripts and a staff willing to put a Republican "West Wing" on the air and they thought they could make money at it, you don't think they would? Surely they're a business like any other, why doesn't free market pressure work there? Why hasn't some bright Republican entrepreneur started a production company and gone after this huge untapped market? Just curious.

-MM
P.S. I kinda liked the show, but some of the dialog was hackish. I'm hoping it improves as the characters develop some depth.

Posted by: grecorj

Liked what I saw, I'm sticking with it for a while.

Josh Brolin was pretty good -- by the end of the show you realized this guy isn't as naive as he seemed in the beginning (over his head, but not naive).

Posted by: bobjohnson

quote:
Originally posted by mrmike
Hate to drag the politics on, but why is it that Republicans believe in the free market for everything except TV programming and movies? If they got some scripts and a staff willing to put a Republican "West Wing" on the air and they thought they could make money at it, you don't think they would? Surely they're a business like any other, why doesn't free market pressure work there? Why hasn't some bright Republican entrepreneur started a production company and gone after this huge untapped market? Just curious.

-MM
P.S. I kinda liked the show, but some of the dialog was hackish. I'm hoping it improves as the characters develop some depth.

We (conservatives) believe in a free market economy. It doesn't mean that we believe all markets are truly free. That's where you're getting hung up. One of the markets where there are oligopolistic behaviors, and a large barrier to entry is entertainment. This isn't based on some wacky notion that conservatives pulled out of the ether, it's based on empirical data.

Posted by: MauriAnne

I thought the show looked interesting, and meant to record it, but just plain forgot.

Can someone fill me in on the premise?

Thank you!!

Posted by: disco

Thrust into political office after the un-timely death of the senior Senator from California, William Sterling, Jr. (son of a popular Democrat ex-governor of California) is forced to navigate the murky world of Washington politics with only the help of his resourceful staff to guide him.

Posted by: emory

I took photos when they were filming this show downtown near union station. I still have them somewhere. I'll look around.

The show wasn't out yet and I didn't know if it ever would be.

Posted by: mrmike

quote:
Originally posted by bobjohnson
We (conservatives) believe in a free market economy. It doesn't mean that we believe all markets are truly free. That's where you're getting hung up. One of the markets where there are oligopolistic behaviors, and a large barrier to entry is entertainment. This isn't based on some wacky notion that conservatives pulled out of the ether, it's based on empirical data.

I understand the point, but I don't buy it. The success of low-budget and indie films has never been larger. A decade ago Hollywood was much more of an oligopoly than it is now. A "Jackass" with a cheap video camera and a stupid idea can parlay it into a movie deal, yet smart businessmen with motivation and an agenda are somehow beaten down by the system? I'll be the first to admit that the critics and the entertainment media (and even a fair number of the distributors) are more left than right, but still.

-MM

Posted by: hckylvr88

I generally avoid programs that deal extensively with political themes, but I thought I'd give this show a shot and I really enjoyed it. I have an SP on it. I think for a pilot it did pretty well. Keeping that same level is important. I hope they can do it. Of the programs that I watch, most of them are CBS shows, but I am finding some more NBC programming sneaking into my life. It is pretty interesting. Is it a change on NBC's part, or is it a change on my part? Hmmmm.

Posted by: bobjohnson

quote:
Originally posted by mrmike
I understand the point, but I don't buy it. The success of low-budget and indie films has never been larger. A decade ago Hollywood was much more of an oligopoly than it is now. A "Jackass" with a cheap video camera and a stupid idea can parlay it into a movie deal, yet smart businessmen with motivation and an agenda are somehow beaten down by the system? I'll be the first to admit that the critics and the entertainment media (and even a fair number of the distributors) are more left than right, but still.

-MM

Fair enough. But there is still a bias (which you admit), and the oligopoly still exists. The smart businessmen with motivation are making headway, which explains the success of Fox News, but that is still a small island in a sea of the liberal media. Furthermore, you answer your own question. The key is motivation. Not many conservative billionaires have any desire to go in on television dramas. Even if they did, tell me a network that would actually carry them (since they're almost all liberal)? As stated earlier, the barriers to entry are huge, so for the foreseeable future, the status quo will remain, and that so happens to be tremendously liberal.

Posted by: mrmike

quote:
Originally posted by bobjohnson
Fair enough. But there is still a bias (which you admit), and the oligopoly still exists. The smart businessmen with motivation are making headway, which explains the success of Fox News, but that is still a small island in a sea of the liberal media. Furthermore, you answer your own question. The key is motivation. Not many conservative billionaires have any desire to go in on television dramas. Even if they did, tell me a network that would actually carry them (since they're almost all liberal)? As stated earlier, the barriers to entry are huge, so for the foreseeable future, the status quo will remain, and that so happens to be tremendously liberal.

Don't want to drag this on any longer, really, but I still don't buy it. You've got several unsupported assertions there, starting with "The Big Five or Six" are liberal. NBC is owned by GE, CBS and UPN by Viacom, ABC by Disney, WB by AOL/Time Warner, and the Lowest Common Denominator Network, er Fox by News Corp/ Rupert Murdoch. These are "tremendously liberal" companies or people? Rupert would put out the "Chimps on Speed" Channel if he thought he could get sponsors for it, and so would any other savvy media mogul. If there was a huge untapped market for right-wing TV drama, someone other than Kirk Cameron would be cashing in on it in a big way. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

-MM

Posted by: Mr. Funny Pants

The commercials killed this one for me before it ever debuted.

It looks so achingly earnest, but the real killer was the lead actor. He delivered every line in every commercial like he was a lobotomized quaalude addict.

A lobotomized quaalude addict that is also a really really really horrible actor.

Posted by: murgatroyd

I had seen some of the promos and thought that the actress in the ads looked awfully familiar, but I couldn't place her. So I finally went to NBC's website to look her up.

Good grief! It's Audra McDonald!

Damn, damn, damn -- now I have to watch. They had better give her something worthwhile to do. Otherwise, it's a criminal waste of talent to have her in a supporting role. She has more than enough star power to carry her own show.

Jan

Posted by: BBQ Chicken

^ never heard of her

Posted by: Family

In a year where there have been few decent first year shows... this one is Ok. Junk TV... agreed, but at least it is not another doctor/lawyer/cop show.

And stop whining Republicans. I can't remember the last Democrat I voted for at either the President/Senator level, but this show isn't about left/right/conservative/liberal. It's about someone being dropped into the system and recognizing the adsurdity of it. Is this scenerio realistic? No........... but it's probably pretty accurate.

Posted by: Turtleboy

Isn't the lead charcter a Goonie?

Posted by: biker

quote:
Originally posted by Turtleboy
Isn't the lead charcter a Goonie?

hehe ;)

Posted by: hookbill

I've got an SP set for it. I think it's a great show. Yes, him being put into office without anyone knowing his pollitical affiliation is a bit absurd, but I can get by that. After all it is a television show. For reality I'll watch C-SPAN.

Posted by: Turtleboy

I think I read somewhere that this show takes place in the same universe as the West Wing. So if it's really successful, look for the inevitable NBC crossovers.

Posted by: whitson77

God I hope not. West Wing has gone down the toilet. And yeah Turtleboy, Josh Brolin played Brand in the Goonies, LOL. good catch.

Posted by: Turtleboy

quote:
Originally posted by whitson77
God I hope not. West Wing has gone down the toilet. And yeah Turtleboy, Josh Brolin played Brand in the Goonies, LOL. good catch.

Not only that, he's Barbra Streisand's stepson!

Posted by: whitson77

quote:
Originally posted by Turtleboy
Not only that, he's Barbra Streisand's stepson!

I'd rather be Brand. ;)

Posted by: grecorj

After 3 episodes (the last of which was the weakest one so far, IMO), I've decided to stick with it, even though I can't see it being picked up again this fall.

My wife and I decided that this is a perfect "Friday" show -- one you don't have many expectations for, are willing to miss from time to time, and doesn't tax your brain too much after a long week.

Posted by: cheerdude

So... how much does that cost? :)

Good show, so far. Gotta agree with grecorj... with the wasteland of Friday evening - this is a decent show.