I don't get it...

For some reson I'm just not into this series.

Malloy (David Paymer) is not convincing as a crime boss... and the FBI cast has no personality.

Tonight ep was hollow... I'll give it one more chance, at least until L&O:SVU goes back to new eps.

Link to the thread about the pilot

Paymer is not convincing as a boss, imo.

Leslie Hope is really doing a great job at playing a complete bitch, so much so that I don't care for her character at all.

I like Roy (undercover Fed), Amiel and the cute SA w/ the accent - that's about it.

I'll keep watching because there is nothing else on at this time of the year.

The whole Malloy not liking kids thing was a bit cliche. I'll keep watching.

Paymer doesn't bother me, but the show hasn't hooked me yet. It reminds me a bit of Kingpin (not the plot) in that it's taking some of the best elements of cable shows and trying to merge them into something more broadcast networkish, and it's just not working.

I really like Leslie Hope, though. She was so horribly used in 24 where she was supposed to be likeable, and yet I wanted Gaines to slit her throat because she was so damn stupid and annoying; but here she's supposed to be somewhat unlikeable in her approach, and it works.

It's annoying how everyone refers to each other as Special Agent all the time. "Special Agent in Charge Bob, I'm Special Agent Steve, and this is Special Special Agent Special."

The biggest flaw I see so far is that the crime family is more interesting than the FBI. With a show like The Wire it is very balanced, and everyone who walks across the screen is a great character. Here, only some of them have risen above mildly interesting.

das

I have liked the show so far.

Me, too.

I think David Paymer's Malloy is a really interesting juxtaposition to what we get out of James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano. Same is true for their wives.

I don't have a problem with seeing a "weaker" mob boss here. Paymer's portray is good and I hope as the show progresses, we see him more as a quiet storm, the almost nerdy mob boss who's really hell on wheels. we'll see.

The guy who plays Roy - really like him. Leslie Hope - a total bitch and a great performance. Leslie Bibb - jury's still out for me. I liked her character better here than the pilot, but I'll have to see what they do with her before I'm confinced.

Yeah - I don't think there is a cookie-cutter mob boss. Besides, why would the mob boss in a place like Richmond be like a mob boss in a place like New Jersey or NYC. I hope we see some back story on how Malloy got to where he is.

I just hope in the last episode of the series, Roy puts a bullet in Malloy and then says, "that's that with that then."

das

Anybody who thinks Paymer is unconvincing should look up Meyer Lansky, the inspiration for Hyman Roth in The Godfather, Part II. David's made it clear that that's who he's patterning this guy after, and it fits.

I totally agree. I think he's all the more chilling because of his nonimposing appearance and quiet, controlled manner. He also shows intelligence in that he will listen to advice and take it if it seems right to him, but his will is powerful and single-minded in pursuit of his goals.