I have hung in with John from ...
Question: I have hung in with
John from Cincinnati through the first four episodes and will probably stick with it for the first series. After all, I felt that
Deadwood took a half-dozen episodes to find its feet, so I'll give
John the same chance. Besides, I
want to love a show that has both
Luis Guzman and
Ed O'Neill. Having said that, Episode 4 tested my resolve tremendously. Milch seems to be bringing in characters that serve no purpose. They don't move the plot along or illuminate the other characters — they just make me scratch my head (the motel owner, the associate drug dealer, Shaun's doctor). The porn star runaway mother dropping in out of the blue was close to the last straw. If Episode 5 brings us a memory-impaired surfer who was crippled due to Butchie's drug use, I'm outta there. Also, while some of the characters intrigue me, it all gets undone every time
Rebecca De Mornay starts screaming, which is virtually every line of dialogue she utters. Does this show have a director to remind her she's "running the gamut of emotions from A to B”? After rereading this letter, I don't understand why I'm watching this show at all. I've convinced myself — I'm done with it.
Answer: What I love about this letter is how it reflects my own thought process about the show. I want to like it, I feel I should like it, but when I think and analyze my reaction to it, I just give up. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there who are sticking with it in hopes that, like
Deadwood, there's some pivotal moment or payoff (for me, it was the episode when
Kristen Bell came to town and was killed midway through the first season) that convinces us there's more to
John from Cincinnati than over-the-top intellectual posturing. I guess we'll see. Or not see, more to the point.
