MovieChat Forums > The Sinner (2017) Discussion > Seems pretty good so far

Seems pretty good so far

posted 8 years ago by PrimeMinisterX (8859)
31 replies | jump to latest

Just finished Ep 1.

I'm not totally bowled over, but I enjoyed it enough to go ahead and pencil in the second episode for next Wednesday.

Jessica Biel is doing a pretty kick ass job here, in terms of her performance. I'll say that she might not be an A-level actress, but even if she's not, she's certainly trying to be.

The score on Metacritic right now is a 70. That seems like a fair score to me. At least after one episode, I'm feeling like it's a well-made show, telling an intriguing tale. Not a great show, but better than average.

It is, at the very least, better than what USA usually produces. I have always felt like their original programming is pretty shitty. There's just something about it. It feels . . . I dunno, sterile. This is better than their usual stuff and it seems that they think they have something big here. The advertisement is splashed all over the IMDB homepage and before the episode tonight there was a countdown clock and during commercial breaks there was also a countdown showing how long until the break was over. I think they're attempting here to become a major player in terms of original cable programming, along with networks like AMC and FX.

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[–] bohemianroxie (2478) 8 years ago

I don't know about all their other shows but I have noticed USA has been working on upgrading the quality of their programming with things like Mr Robot...so I'm not surprised.
I think, so far...that Jessica Biels and Bill Pullman are doing a fantastic job. I'm not necessarily a fan but I'm not a foe either. I'm not looking for things to nitpick about..
I'm finding the show intriguing enough to continue...very curious to where it will go.

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 8 years ago

I also noticed that Mr. Robot seemed to be an improvement, and something of a turning point for the network (even though ultimately the show failed to hold my interest).

And I agree on Biel and Pullman. I haven't even seen Biel in anything in years, so it's interesting to see her as this older, more mature woman and actress.

Hopefully this show will an interesting way to fulfill its premise. My worry here is that it's going to be turn out that the guy she killed sexually assaulted her at some point in the past. If the reveal ends up being that rote and predictable, I'll be terribly disappointed.

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[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

I am not a Biel fan but will give this a look because of the favorable reviews

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 8 years ago

Check it out.

It's only eight episodes, so it won't be much of a time commitment regardless.

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[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

probably binge it when the season is over

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

I did like the first episode as well. I dont think they will go the predictable sexual assault route.. I think its more sinister. If that baby wasnt a girl I would have thought it was the baby grown up, that she killed, lol

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[–] Sandman3 (1454) 8 years ago

Just watched the second episode and liked it as much as the first episode. And I agree with the poster that said:

"Jessica Biel is doing a pretty kick ass job here, in terms of her performance"

http://cdn3.darkhorizons.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/trailer-jessica-biel-is-the-sinner.jpg

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[–] exatera (3966) 8 years ago

Yeah, I think this is the most serious and demanding role I've ever seen her in.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

2nd show was good as well. A 7 time punch..we shall see what it reveals.

Oh and if they show her mother eventually, I would love to see her ass kicked, lol

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 8 years ago

You mean second episode? If so, yeah, I would say it was of consistent quality with the first.

The writers seem to be pretty good at keeping the audience off balance.

A few points of discussion:

- She keeps lying. Why? Why is it exactly that she doesn't want to be honest? And does she really, truly not know why she killed the guy? Did she really not know him?

- She makes the statement, "What makes you think I want my life back?" This is while sitting in prison. How could prison be better than being with her husband and child?

- Who is JD? Is JD (who apparently is a friend of the husband) actually the person who she had some kind of relations with, and the guy she killed reminded her of him? Maybe this whole thing is about an affair she had and now she's consumed by the guilt over it?

I'll also say that I could do without the religion angle. As far as I can tell, it's not really enriching the story in any way and it's just an attempt to take shots at Christians (and this is coming from someone who is not even a Christian). So I'm just not sure why all that is even in there. Maybe it will make sense later down the road, I don't know.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

You make all good points. I thought JD was the nickname of the guy she met in the bar, whom she got pregnant from..But then she was lying so Im lost on that right now. There is something up with the detective (besides the obvious masochistic element)..I think that will unfold.

They keep showing that lace fabric intertwined with the religious element so I think they are connected somehow.
Coras father slept in the same room as her. I believe they showed some incident of abuse, but it was so fast that I am not convinced its the father..Perhaps the mother? She was disturbed to say the least.
Lets re-visit all these points again after the 3rd episode.. Until then.....

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 8 years ago

Well remember there was the conversation between the female cop and the husband, where the cop said the name JD and the husband reacted in a way that we could tell me knew a JD. I think she even asks him, "Does that name mean something to you?" and he says no, but it's obvious that was a lie.

Also, I do remember Cora's father going into the same room to sleep, but he does it under duress. He even makes the comment about how he'd "like to sleep in his own bed for once." That of course opens up the idea that she may have been abused, but unless I missed it nothing has been shown directly to confirm that.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

Yes the husband know a guy named JD and asked the drug dealer guy to set a meeting up with him. But Cora brought up the name JD first, and said it was the nickname of the guy she slept with..So lets see what happens the 3rd episode....

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

Ok what was your opinion of the 3rd episode? that lace fabric was the wallpaper of the room she was held in. I believe she was held hostage and has PTSD.

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[–] Sandman3 (1454) 8 years ago

Ok what was your opinion of the 3rd episode?

I will have to get back to you on that. I had it set up to tape and we had a heavy rain storm. I am on satellite and it did not tape. Glad they are repeating it tonight at 11 PM. Already got it set up to tape.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

Sorry for any spoilers

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 8 years ago

I thought ep 3 was okay but it lacked the punch of the previous two episodes. I didn't feel like it drove the plot forward very much and really didn't tell us a whole lot we didn't already know. Obviously there is the major moment at the very end, but until next week we won't even know what that was about.

Perhaps you're right about her being held hostage. That could be. I guess we'll find out next week . . . maybe. The writers seem pretty intent to hold back as much information as possible and tease payoffs that may not actually pay off.

I also leave open the possibility that we're going to be surprised and find out that she actually was never abused, but instead she's just a crazy, freaky girl, similar to Rosamund Pike's character in Gone Girl. That's unlikely, though.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 8 years ago

Yes they are holding back info big time. Kind of like they are doing with Ray Donovan this season as well. Lots of flashbacks.
I like Sinner though. Its different, and keeps my attention. Ok lets all check back in next week..

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[–] exatera (3966) 8 years ago

I wonder if this is the formula they are going to follow in every episode now? A twist at the end?

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 8 years ago

I dunno, I guess we'll see.

As long as its done well, I don't really have an issue with it, but the writing has to be quality.

In any case, we only have give five more episodes left so the plot is going to have to develop pretty rapidly.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 7 years ago

This episode felt a bit awkward to me..The hypnosis scenes were miraculously forthcoming, and the detective in the room was not necessary/protocol.

Ok why do they focus so much on the detective anyway? We get he has marital issues, and he is trying to mend things with the wife ( I doubt its gonna work,,he feels too stuck with her) so is there a tie somewhere with his storyline?

Wasted time with Coras husband and the female cop.. and now the clues are rolling in so fast just to tie up the season. Poof, and its all coming to light..not credible enough for me, but I do love the show, and Biels acting.

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[–] exatera (3966) 7 years ago

Yeah, all throughout the episode last night I had the feeling that the show is already going downhill.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 7 years ago

I think theres only a few episodes left..Lets see what next week brings...

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 7 years ago

The whole phenomenon of "recovered memories" is pretty interesting and has a strange history. Go look up the book Michelle Remembers, if you're not familiar with it. It was a supposedly true account of a girl who recovered memories of being abused by a Satanic cult when she was a child. But then not an ounce of evidence could ever be produced and now the book is considered discredited.

The psychiatrist lady says in the show that the memories could be real or they could be false, or the could be a mix of truth and fantasy. So they could pull a twist on us where all this information is recovered and at least some of it ends up being untrue.

In any case we're at the halfway mark. I think what we have on our hands is a show that wants to be great but that is going to end up only being fairly good. Worth the watch, but it's not quite everything I hoped it would be.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 7 years ago

Again, you make great points PrimeMinX,,,, I do look forward to the show, which is a plus, love her acting, and will watch the whole season. I will try to get the book you suggested..Ive always been interested in anything psychological and sounds like a good read..Thanks!

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 7 years ago

I would read up on the book first so you know what you're getting into:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Remembers

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 7 years ago

I figured we were starting to get too deeply nested but I left some thoughts on ep 5 below.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 7 years ago

At this point, all I can say is OH BROTHER. I mean the detective (who is really on my nerves now) dosent take her to the room with the wallpaper? Then they waste tons of time having to return to the golf club twice? He dosent show her the masks in the room? I bet if she saw those hanging on the wall, she would spark her memory.
Plus, enough with the detectives sexual issues. Either embrace it, or get therapy but enough already. We get it.
Sorry for venting, but I cant help it, lol
Still love Bhiel even though the scenes with her sister was a bit over the top..But I guess that was the point.
Any thoughts?

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 7 years ago

Another slow episode, but if the next-time-on preview is any indication, then it might be about time for shit to hit the fan.

Does the detective know about the room with the wallpaper? I don't remember him going there.

As for his sexual issues, I'm not even sure what purpose it serves in the story really. It's also interesting that now that his wife finally seems ready to move on he's pretty broken up about it. I always assumed he was mostly trying to make the marriage work so that he wouldn't hurt her, not that he really thought there was a lot of hope for success.

Also, the sis-on-sis sexy time was weird.

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[–] [email protected] (1367) 7 years ago

When he first discovered the golf club he went into a room and found the wall with the wall paper. He even ran his hand over it..They showed a closeup. Also, he saw the masks hanging up in the basement storage room. He found out the place had some sexual law suits in the past,,and yet still he never showed her the masks. I should be the detective at this point.
And agreed, I have no clue why they have to bombard us with his sexual issues. If he was easy on the eyes (and if she was as well) well then ok , maybe I wouldnt mind even if I still have no idea what it has to do with the storyline. lol

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[–] PrimeMinisterX (8859) 7 years ago

Just finished episode 5. I felt like the series kind of got back on track with this episode after two meandering, not-very-satisfying experiences in eps 3 and 4.

The introduction of the Beverwyck Club has expanded the story in a way that I wasn't expecting and the story suddenly feels bigger than it ever has before, which I think is a good thing. It's going to be interesting to see where that goes.

It's pretty shitty that the townspeople are willing to blame the rest of Cora's family for Cora's crime, and to go out of their way to punish the family when they had nothing to do with it.

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