Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > TV Talk
Reload this Page >

House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

TV Talk Talk about Shows on TV

House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Old 01-08-12, 04:32 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
 
DJariya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: La Palma, CA
Posts: 78,683
Received 3,550 Likes on 2,542 Posts
House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
By djariya at 2012-01-08

Synopsis:

Spoiler:
A dark comedy about a big-moneymaking management consultant and his high-rolling, low-ethics team. In the premiere episode, they head to New York to concoct a plan for bankers trying to justify their annual bonuses amidst financial chaos. On the home front, team leader Marty discovers his son wants to audition for the school musical, specifically the female lead.


12 episodes ordered for the 1st season

Trailer:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RJefLYL0zDQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Old 01-08-12, 04:41 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
sven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 4,017
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Excited for this one.
Old 01-08-12, 06:35 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Mount Laurel, NJ
Posts: 554
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Watched it this morning (Showtime has it on-demand already). Pretty solid premiere, will definitely give it another chance to see how it progresses..
Old 01-08-12, 09:35 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: US
Posts: 9,631
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Lots of nudity, which is a nice hook.
Old 01-08-12, 11:57 PM
  #5  
DVD Talk Legend
 
whotony's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: ^ Kristen Bell
Posts: 22,985
Received 575 Likes on 419 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Nudity is good but not enough to make it watchable.

It was just ok. Some of it went over my head I guess.

LoTs of breaking the fourth wall from Cheadle.
Old 01-09-12, 04:31 AM
  #6  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 1,987
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

I really liked it.

Was going between liking the consultants and then hating them for the spin they were giving the banks.

But that was no doubt the idea.

But the whole restaurant scene was hilarious and jaw dropping.
Old 01-09-12, 09:26 AM
  #7  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
madcougar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 6,691
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Wow. That was awful. The bit with the kid who dresses in drag was just... strange.

Too bad Pam's sister from the Office didn't drop trou.
Old 01-09-12, 09:59 AM
  #8  
DVD Talk Legend
 
spainlinx0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 18,673
Received 487 Likes on 286 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

I feel like this show thinks it's a lot more clever than it really is.
Old 01-09-12, 11:09 AM
  #9  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Marina Del Rey, California
Posts: 10,044
Received 14 Likes on 10 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

That was not a great start at all. The show didn't come off as smart as it would like to be. I'll stick with it for another episode or so....but I would expect a show with that talented a cast to come out of the gate stronger.
Old 01-09-12, 11:31 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Very far away..
Posts: 4,995
Likes: 0
Received 87 Likes on 66 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Originally Posted by spainlinx0
I feel like this show thinks it's a lot more clever than it really is.
Exactly. Marty never seemed like the genious they tried to sell, and all his breaking-the-fourth-wall explanations were super self-explanatory
Old 01-09-12, 11:59 AM
  #11  
DVD Talk God
Thread Starter
 
DJariya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: La Palma, CA
Posts: 78,683
Received 3,550 Likes on 2,542 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

"I was squirting Greg!!"


I thought it was hilarious. Loved the restaurant sequence and the lesbian sex scene. The stripper with Marty was just recently on 90210.

The scene where Marty was going through the giant index cards trying to bullshit the new client was funny.

"Use Indecipherable Jargon"

As mentioned the part that I thought was really weird was Marty's son dressing up in drag. I initially thought that he was a girl. But hey at least Marty got to bang the MILF with the big boobs while the Grease production was going on.

A little surprised that this show is from the creator of Dirt, the FX drama.
Old 01-09-12, 12:12 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
sven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 4,017
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Didn't really care for it. Reminded way too much of Californication which I also did not like.
Old 01-09-12, 01:03 PM
  #13  
Moderator
 
Groucho's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Posts: 71,383
Received 122 Likes on 84 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

I thought it was funny that after all the jokes we made in this forum about naked Don Cheadle, that was in fact the very first thing we saw.
Old 01-09-12, 04:26 PM
  #14  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,676
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Originally Posted by DJariya
The stripper with Marty was just recently on 90210.
Thank you!! That was bugging me trying to place where I saw her before.
Old 01-09-12, 05:01 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Very far away..
Posts: 4,995
Likes: 0
Received 87 Likes on 66 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

^ She's probably best known as Isabelle on "The 4400".
Too bad she lost so much weight.
Old 01-10-12, 08:26 AM
  #16  
DVD Talk God
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Directionally Challenged (for DirecTV)
Posts: 130,193
Received 602 Likes on 486 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Originally Posted by spainlinx0
I feel like this show thinks it's a lot more clever than it really is.
I had the same impression, although the restaurant scene was awesome.
Old 01-10-12, 08:31 AM
  #17  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Goat3001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 17,116
Received 23 Likes on 11 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

I really enjoyed it. I feel that it might be trying a little too hard to fit into the Entourage/Californication mold though. I do think it has potential and the characters are indeed likable so far, in the way Hank Moody is likable. So I plan on sticking with it.
Old 01-10-12, 12:10 PM
  #18  
DVD Talk God
 
Deftones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Arizona
Posts: 80,962
Received 1,359 Likes on 922 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

I must've mistaken the premise for this show. Somehow I thought they were sports agents or something. Oh well, it wasn't too bad. I'll keep watching.
Old 01-10-12, 02:50 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Goat3001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 17,116
Received 23 Likes on 11 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Originally Posted by Deftones
I must've mistaken the premise for this show. Somehow I thought they were sports agents or something. Oh well, it wasn't too bad. I'll keep watching.
I can see why you thought that. The previews made it seem like they had some glamorous job, like a sports agent. And I don't know about you, but when I think 7 figure, bad ass job... I don't think management consultant.
Old 01-10-12, 06:30 PM
  #20  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 14,020
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Pretty awful episode, but I'll give it a few more tries since I like the cast, and nudity. Mostly nudity.
Old 01-10-12, 08:02 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Posts: 23,487
Received 195 Likes on 151 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Ep. was okay, but relied way too much of the "break the 4th wall" gimmick. That will get old real fast.
Old 01-11-12, 01:39 PM
  #22  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
clckworang's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The toe nail of Texas
Posts: 9,547
Received 750 Likes on 488 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Originally Posted by whotony
Nudity is good but not enough to make it watchable.

It was just ok. Some of it went over my head I guess.

LoTs of breaking the fourth wall from Cheadle.
Originally Posted by spainlinx0
I feel like this show thinks it's a lot more clever than it really is.
Originally Posted by starseed1981
That was not a great start at all. The show didn't come off as smart as it would like to be. I'll stick with it for another episode or so....but I would expect a show with that talented a cast to come out of the gate stronger.
I agree with all this. I finally watched it last night and just thought, "Meh." I already watch Californication, so this will could end up staying in the rotation because of that.
Old 01-13-12, 09:03 AM
  #23  
Moderator
 
Geofferson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: The Village Green
Posts: 39,752
Received 90 Likes on 76 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Marty is no Zach Morris

I thought it was a decent episode -- the restaurant scene was great and Marty's final speech to the board was pretty good too. Regardless of how this season goes, I"ll likely stick around since this is sandwiched between Shameless & Californication.
Old 01-13-12, 09:43 AM
  #24  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Posts: 17,135
Received 814 Likes on 569 Posts
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

The episode was alright... will wait a few more episodes to see if it's worth sticking with.

The kid dressing as a girl just reminded me of the son on "The Riches" who did the same thing. Still bummed they cancelled that show.
Old 01-13-12, 01:33 PM
  #25  
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 21,580
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
re: House of Lies (Showtime) -- Series Thread -- S: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell

Pretty dull overall. Agree that it's trying to cover too much ground already covered by other shows. Will give it a couple more episodes to show improvement before giving up on it.

Hate to see more clones like this when fine dramas such as "Men of a Certain Age" get canceled.

Thought I recognized the trophy wife who made the scene in the restaurant as the cult leader's wife in True Blood (the one who fell for Jason). Seems that she specializes in the "fall for somebody on the spot & throw yourself at them" scenes.

Googled her (Anna Camp) to confirm that she was the True Blood character & was surprised to find out that she was the actress who appeared nude with Harry Potter in the Broadway version of Equus.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.