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ho. here we go again. another reviewer who constantly rails against the tried and true railing against a non-formula program because it doesn't follow the tried and true.
the intention of john from cinninati is mise en scene (i'm referring to the andrew sarris definition of the term) first and character-driven plot device second. and it portrays its intent quite well.
the lack of dynamic tension drove me to distraction for the first forty minutes of the first episode.
then i got it.
instead of using a tried and true plot device to ratchet up expectations and deliver laughs, pathos or thrills, milch confronts with the mystical; practically daring us to deny its existence. that makes following the proceedings a little more work and a little less play, yet it is in-the-moment and exhilarating work.
a bit like surfing.
