Lovecraft Country (Sky/Now) TV Show Review & Comments

[Tom Davies]

Hold the front page, they've given Tom something decent to watch.

It might not be decent. I might just be a shill for Big Woke

 

[captainarchive]

I've watched the first two episodes and find the Lovecraftian horror mix with 50's racism confusing. It just doesn't work for me.

Does it help to know Lovecraft was a white supremacist, anti-Semite and Nazi Sympathizer?

 

[gunark]

The car ‘chase’ / road trip in ep1 was nearly as tense as the road trip in The Plot Against America. Both horrifying, grounded in reality.

 

[Valen]

Ahh SKY, the compression specialists that ruined arguably the biggest episode of Game of Thrones set at night!

 

[encaser]

@Tom Davies To clarify pre-wash/watch; Lovecraft was a racist who wrote in that vein and then Matt Ruff, who is also white, writes this piece based around the main horror/story elements with black protagonists but then black writer/producers Green and Peele rework this to add their version of a more authentic take on the feelings and sensibilities of those characters further?

 

[Panavision]

I have watched all three episodes.

The first episode gets going 30 minutes in. A new spin on the car chase -- it was terrific, never seen that before. The racism of that time is still shocking to me, man I hate racists, losers. So it was good to see racist scum get their comeuppance.

The second episode was boring. I lost interest. Finding the father didn't have any emotional impact on me.

The third episode was okay, marked improvement, but it's not really creepy. Very little suspense. It also meanders a lot between episodic and mythology. Not quite sure of the vision of this world. It doesn't fulfil its ambitions.

 

[GT One]

I must confess that I knew nothing about H.P. Lovecraft's pulp sci-fi / horror output but I am enjoying the quirkiness of this Lovecraft Country series which has high production values and an excellent screenplay.
Baring in mind the current politics in America the cynical viewer could think that the racist aspects of Lovecraft Country do seem to have a few political points to make that some black activists may still find relevant in today's America, a similar theme is also being explored in the excellent Umbrella Factory as well, with the time travelling also set in the racial segregation period of the sixties,
Why two somewhat similar shows featuring the same time period of American history should have been released more or less together is interesting, but perhaps it is reminding those who have selective memories about JFK, the Apollo moon landing, the glory days of America's Camelot 60's and 70's past not to take anything for granted.
I agree, based on the first three episodes, Lovecraft Country should become one of the must watch shows in 2020, but whether it will achieve the same fan base that Netflix's 'Stranger Things' or Amazon's 'The Boys' has, we shall have to wait and see.

 

[GT One]

I have watched all three episodes.

The first episode gets going 30 minutes in. A new spin on the car chase -- it was terrific, never seen that before. The racism of that time is still shocking to me, man I hate racists, losers. So it was good to see racist scum get their comeuppance.

The second episode was boring. I lost interest. Finding the father didn't have any emotional impact on me.

The third episode was okay, marked improvement, but it's not really creepy. Very little suspense. It also meanders a lot between episodic and mythology. Not quite sure of the vision of this world. It doesn't fulfil its ambitions.

Spoiler

.I'm pretty sure the invisible barrier car crash was first used in an X-File episode.

 

[Evinger]

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure the invisible barrier car crash was first used in an X-File episode.

Please put things like this in a spoiler! I cannot now forget reading that & I have yet to see the series

 

[outoftheknow]

@GT One - I realise what you posted may not seem like a plot that shouldn’t be revealed - but I think it is as noted by @Evinger. I have edited the text to add the spoiler.

As a bit of friendly Mod advice - Can we all please remember to read and think about the advice given in the sticky

Before Posting Here Read This: Spoilers (and how to add them) And Good Etiquette

Over the last couple of weeks we have had people posting plots of programs and films that have spoilt the enjoyment of others. What is a Spoiler? A spoiler is something that gives a major plot line away such as a major character being killed, past characters coming back, aliens turning up, or...

www.avforums.com

before revealing details of a plot or event in an episode?

Thanks

 

[Garrett]

@GT One - I realise what you posted may not seem like a plot that shouldn’t be revealed - but I think it is as noted by @Evinger. I have edited the text to add the spoiler.

As a bit of friendly Mod advice - Can we all please remember to read and think about the advice given in the sticky

Before Posting Here Read This: Spoilers (and how to add them) And Good Etiquette

Over the last couple of weeks we have had people posting plots of programs and films that have spoilt the enjoyment of others. What is a Spoiler? A spoiler is something that gives a major plot line away such as a major character being killed, past characters coming back, aliens turning up, or...

www.avforums.com

before revealing details of a plot or event in an episode?

Thanks

 

[encaser]

This is quite good but a bit predictable with interchangeable race swaps on who's really the smart guys and the obvious fall guys. Yes, that sounds a bit no smellies Sherlock given the writing and producing team but therein lies the lack of invention at times. The whites are basically stooges; as either posh/wizard clans' wo/men or lower class racist idiots. I had expected to have at least one token good white but no - you know, the wise old white guy/hapless working class or soldier, that would be black in other white led dramas.
I can see how the Right and/or Trump viewers would be choking on their crackers at this and pointing to how racist the black characters are to whites at various points and it's all just written as justified for the blacks to be so with no critical redress. Scenes like using a white servant, adopting the clothes and living style in the mansion as if it's just redressing the balance and not seen as coming off the backs of the black slaves used to fund it all that the whites were being criticised for but it's sing and dance time for the black characters?
However, I have no problem with the switch at all. Living in those days (and still, by extent), it's plain to see why a healthy mistrust exists and when you're faced day-to-day with at minimum dirty looks of mistrust or worth must deeply instil all manner of feeling.
Instead, I found points like Leti getting away with mass vandalism lazy writing, whereby the viewer was clearly meant to be you-go-girlin' it, with none of the others getting picked up and being able to stand up to police. Black people were having all manner of civil rights abused by the police and incarcerated (again, still) and it felt off. Most of the drama is filled with how the black people can't so much as breathe at a white but then throws it all aside when it feels like it.
This is good but does seem to labour at times as to where it's supposed to be going or what it is. When viewed as a bit of a mash up sci fi drama with a clearly leaned to conscience it's certainly worth a view.
I certainly don't see myself in the racist whites, get angry over the portrayal and if I did take offence would hope it led to a reexamining of self as opposed to turning it off.

 

[Tom Davies]

This is quite good but a bit predictable with interchangeable race swaps on who's really the smart guys and the obvious fall guys. Yes, that sounds a bit no smellies Sherlock given the writing and producing team but therein lies the lack of invention at times. The whites are basically stooges; as either posh/wizard clans' wo/men or lower class racist idiots. I had expected to have at least one token good white but no - you know, the wise old white guy/hapless working class or soldier, that would be black in other white led dramas.
I can see how the Right and/or Trump viewers would be choking on their crackers at this and pointing to how racist the black characters are to whites at various points and it's all just written as justified for the blacks to be so with no critical redress. Scenes like using a white servant, adopting the clothes and living style in the mansion as if it's just redressing the balance and not seen as coming off the backs of the black slaves used to fund it all that the whites were being criticised for but it's sing and dance time for the black characters?
However, I have no problem with the switch at all. Living in those days (and still, by extent), it's plain to see why a healthy mistrust exists and when you're faced day-to-day with at minimum dirty looks of mistrust or worth must deeply instil all manner of feeling.
Instead, I found points like Leti getting away with mass vandalism lazy writing, whereby the viewer was clearly meant to be you-go-girlin' it. None of the others getting picked up and being able to stand up to police. Black people were having all manner of civil rights abused by the police and incarcerated (again, still) and it felt off. Most of the drama is filled with how the black people can't so much as breathe at a white but then throws it all aside when it feels like it.
This is good but does seem to labour at times as to where it's supposed to be going or what it is. When viewed as a bit of a mash up sci fi drama with a clearly leaned to conscience it's certainly worth a view.
I certainly don't see myself in the racist whites, get angry over the portrayal and if I did take offence would hope it led to a reexamining of self as opposed to turning it off.

Solid legitimate criticism.
There's some TV-land logic in there for sure.

 

[steviedr]

PQ on Sky Q while only Hd is very good

 

[pressure]

I haven’t seen this yet cos I don’t have sky so will wait for this to stream in 4k somewhere but OMG @Tom Davies that is a barn stormer of a review, really well written.

 

[SunnyIntervals]

Umbrella Factory? shurely shome mishtake; Umbrella Academy; which for me is unmissable, must watch tv, while Lovecraft Country is okay but I probably wouldn't miss it if I stopped watching.

 

[Hampy1972]

Seen the first four episodes..
Been entertaining.
Enjoyed it so far.
8/10

 

[bootyman81]

Episode 5...well that was definitely something!

 

[encaser]

Well. Episode 5 could be a self-race hating critique but I doubt it.
Some decent moments in between the watered pace for the magic chase.
Christina remains the most interesting character, with her spider-like plots.

 

[Rambo John J]

Anyone else notice the little nod to Candyman in ep5?

Spoiler

 

[bootyman81]

The effects work in this was pretty amazing, we’ve come a long way from ‘Dallas’ or ‘Dynasty’

 

[bootyman81]

Episode 6
Meet me in Daegu
My favourite episode so far, by quite a bit

 

[Tom Davies]

Episode 6
Meet me in Daegu
My favourite episode so far, by quite a bit

Looking forward to it this evening. It's been so consistently great.
Not all of it at the same level of greatness but even so. I'm massively enjoying having something to look forward to every week.

 

[DpM]

This looks great, but once again I'm appalled it's only on Sky/Now TV, the latter of which I am happy to call 'unwatchable' quality on the big screen. Ah well. Like Watchmen, I will wait patiently, then buy it. Thanks for the review – really excellent read.

I take it you see horrible banding etc? I just went from a 50" 2014 HD sony LCD to a 65" B9 OLED and man this program looks terrible in dark scenes, I was thinking there was an issue with the TV.

 

[richp007]

Decided to dive into this tonight. Don't know a great deal about Lovecraft to be honest, but the opening episode was very solid.

Loved the look and feel; and all I know is there's some bizarre turns to come in later episodes, so it has me intrigued.