Well, you know, I could have said that. With many more words. It is interesting, contrasting, say, language in the Simonverse,with Deadwood-speak.(Have you watched any "Wire" yet?, most gallant Hecubus?) They both create words with dialogue(much of dirty) But with very different approaches. Like the iconic scene where two murder po-lice can sum up a whole scene with just:
"Fuck."
"Motherfucker."
Of course, that owes something to the brilliant deliveries of Wendell Pierce and Domenic West, whom I think are one of the greatest teams ever...The Western District Abbott and Costello or something. They say everything you'd want to say at a time like that, using only those words(Because Terry McClarney told DS once that homicide detectives will form a language out of just that.)

I saw Brokeback Mountain last night. I didn't know it was possible to show both anger and heartbreak using only the flesh that joins the base of your nose to your cheek but then Linda Cardinelli, somehow, managed it. It was like something you'd train in Tibet to do.

Also, I kinda love Anna Faris' career path. It's like her true love is gross-out comedy but she has bills to pay so, y'know, she takes smaller rolls in tender, independent movies.

Hated 6 Feet Under (but was sometimes unable to stop watching it)

Of all the HBO shows I've sampled, Six Feet Under was my favourite. I thought the schematism of The Sopranos and Deadwood stifled the kind of richness that appears to come about, but usually doesn't come about, by being schematic. Six Feet Under just seemed to wander on that richness by accident.

Just wanted to point out that Deadwood and The Wire are deliberately slow over the first few episodes. They're working on the slow burn over a long arc, where a careful viewing towards the beginning of the season will be incredibly rewarding by the end.

All the characters on 6 Feet Under made me want to smack them. A Lot. And that's why I hated it.

I don't think Kurosawa disappears into the vast number of Westerns any more than Joh Ford does. Or, more to the point, that he disappears into the vaster number of "Lone Swordsman" films from Japan and other Asian countires.

All the characters on 6 Feet Under made me want to smack them. A Lot. And that's why I hated it.

This. There was not a single character I cared about, even a little.

Yeah. Kinda. Plus, it's like I got white-middle-class daddy issues right here. Who knew I'm groundbreaking? Like Lauren Ambrose. And Peter Krause. But I'm a sick fucker so I would have liked it better if the whole show was as goofy as what killed the dead folks. But I'm a...unique demographic, to put it mildly.

All the characters on 6 Feet Under made me want to smack them. A Lot. And that's why I hated it.

Oh, yes. But Emma Bovary would drive me to drink and, yet, I'd be a poorer person for not having met her. And more than occasionally, I find myself doing or having done something totally smack-worthy.

Microscopic examination of characters in fiction is kind of where I live.

My wife and I were one of those "split on 6FU" families. I hated it. She loved every minute. All I can say is NARM.

Notice how much I'm resisting my pre-formatted argument 7-a-III (the cross-influence of Ford, Kurosawa, and Peckinpah)?

Notice how much I'm resisting my pre-formatted argument 7-a-III (the cross-influence of Ford, Kurosawa, and Peckinpah)?

Admirable restraint! Go off and think about Hawks and Sturges for a while and come back with some thoughts about Jarmusch and Ozu.

I really liked 6FU, but only watched the first two seasons. Rachel Griffiths was amazing. Also really liked Lauren Ambrose. Disliked Alan Ball's influence at times, but generally throught the writing was strong. I understand the Smack Factor dislike, but I felt that way about Thirtysomething but could also acknowledge that it burrowed into weird itchy dramatic places that I'd never seen before. I think I only really wanted to smack Hope.

erika, I haven't seen The Wire yet. When I spot a decent used copy at Amoeba I'll pick it up, I promise.

I really got sucked into the world of Carnivale but felt it unspooled too slowly and to too little effect. Still, it had a handful of really great moments.