johnnysd

I was thinking about it and the problem I think I have is the fact that it takes place in the Middle East and a fictionalized Syria at that. No way would the wife or kids or anyone would be as oblivious to the dangers and volatility of the region as they are. It would have been better setting it some obscure Baltic country or South American country, some where that it might make sense that the family has no idea of the true nature of the country and people they are visiting.

superdeluxe

Liked the episode. The wife is still clueless and the gay son plotline I know is going to get old quick. I like the daughter because it seems like she has some common sense. Will ride this to the end, I mean already 2 episodes in and only 10 total episodes, willing to give it full run.

Rob V

I'm really digging this show so far. The complaints about the wife and son are very valid but I like the direction Jamal can take this show with Bassam trying to balance him out.

DJariya

Episode 3 of 10


FYI, the writer of tonight's episode previously worked on Medium on CBS and Moonlighting on ABC. He was the creator of both shows.


Previous Threads:

Episode 2
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/620...7-01-14-a.html

Episode 1
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/620...6-24-14-a.html

DJariya

Some very nice shots of Leila fresh from the shower and in her nighty in this episode.

Some good stuff tonight, especially the Political elements with Bassam trying to integrate himself in it. The wife and kids were hardly in it except that one scene with the son, which was bound to happen.

I do like a lot of the elements of the Bassam character being torn by his Middle Eastern roots and the Western culture he's integrated himself in. It's only the third episode, but I don't think the directors so far are getting the best of Adam Rayner. He's been kind of sleep walking so far. The fight with Jamal for example lacked some emotional intensity.

covenant

I was pumped when the TV/MA content warnings mentioned nudity, imagine my disappointment when it was Jamal's doughy son!

Neil M.

This show is at it's best with the politics. Luckily the family stuff was minimal. I'm glad the son finally got his blow job. That was a lingering storyline that I'm glad they resolved. Adam Rayner was much better than in the previous episodes but he's still sort of a weak link. I think it's more direction than his acting ability.

Having said all of that, I wish this show was on HBO. I think it needs to be a little more graphic. Plus, I want to see Leila in all her glory.

PhantomStranger

This was a better episode than the last one, though the pacing feels kind of rushed. The weakest part of the series by far is Barry's relationship with his wife, supposedly a doctor in her own right. Every scene with her makes it out like she's been living in some type of fantasy land for the past twenty years. Now he wants to keep his wife and kids in this dangerous political situation with the potential for sudden violence.

starseed1981

3 for 3 thus far. This one is in for the season pass.

superdeluxe

Still liking this show, also liking the political elements. Like that Barry still have some of his Western ideals (Rule of Law/justice etc) but is also not afraid to get his hands dirty (Letting out his friend's daughter to get info, coming up with a cover up + still giving the public/crowd a hanging).

Nausicaa

I'm enjoying the show, but I really agree with this. And it's weird because FX aired The Shield years ago, which was very heavy, graphic, and violent.

The fictional country in this show seems like a Disneyland version of Syria or something. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the president's council seems awfully small, and the generals seem to lack the ruthlessness I would expect. There is no sense of religion in the show yet, which would seem to be a central part of the country they are trying to depict, and the characters are dressed as Muslims for the most part. They mention pilgrimage in the city under martial law, but it's very much in the background at this point. There is talk of "interrogation", but the prison scene was straight out of Law and Order or something. The family lives in a huge palace, but somehow all the scenes inside of it don't show the gaudy decadence I would expect among mid east royalty. It looks more like a Crate and Barrel catalog. Jamal is a dark character but isn't nearly unpredictable or volatile enough to live up to the show's name. I also don't like all the rote "exotic" arab music they use in the show to add flavor. Seems cheap and tacky.

Still, it's a solid show so far, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention scenes like a young Bassar coldly murdering that prisoner. They just need to nail down the tone of the show a bit better.

Neil M.

I would have liked an approach like The Wire, where the middle east is the setting and they tackle some of the larger issues that plague the area while telling a good story.

PhantomStranger

I doubt you'll see this show explore any serious critique of Islam and its relationship to power in the Middle East. It's set up like The Godfather, more intent to explore the inner workings of the dynamic within this one powerful family.

Red Dog

It seems like an amalgam of the Shah's Iran (an Arab version of it), which was irreligious, and Saudi Arabia.

And I agree with Phantom about how I expect it to approach Islam.

Blaster1

Leila has some nudes out there from previous stuff and some sex scenes Bassam's wife has to be the biggest idiot ever. Hope they can write her out of the show if there is a season 2.

Matt925

I'm afraid by season 3 she is going to be Skylar/Catherine Zeta Jones from Traffic. I also agree with phantom's thought that this will be more like a godfather type story, and they are making her sooo incredibly naive to show how "shocking" her transformation will be.

Overall enjoying the show. Hope it gets a bit better as they find their voice.

My Other Self

This.

The gay son storyline does absolutely nothing for me. I've never seen Adam Rayner in anything else, but is he always this uncharismatic? I find the political aspect of the show interesting and would watch just Jamal, Leila and his regime. The stuff with Rayner and his family could easily be eliminated and I think it'd be a more interesting show.

I'm in for the season because I'm enjoying it for the most part.

dex14

PhantomStranger

They need to do something else with all the white people on this show, their storylines are terrible and dragging the show down. They would be better off at this point by writing the wife off the series. Maybe the people stage an armed insurrection and off her, turning Barry into a cold despot.

DJariya

http://m.deadline.com/2014/07/tyrant...-1-filming-fx/

Tyrant is filming episodes 9 and 10 in Turkey due to the escalating violence in Gaza.

DJariya

Episode 5 of 10


http://www.deadline.com/2014/07/tyra...-1-filming-fx/

The show is moving production of the remaining 2 episodes to Istanbul, Turkey due to the escalating violence in Israel and the Gaza.

The Pilot was filmed in Morocco, while episodes 2-8 were shot in Israel. All the main sets are in Tel Aviv, so the writers have to change the scripts to account for the changes.


Previous Threads:

Episode 4
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/621...7-15-14-a.html

Episode 3
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/621...7-08-14-a.html

Episode 2
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/620...7-01-14-a.html

Episode 1
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/tv-talk/620...6-24-14-a.html

Red Dog

Yeah, I read about the location change. Will be interesting to see how different the show looks.

"A hunting accident"....well that's kind of accurate.

The exiled Sheikh doesn't look Middle Eastern.

The wife is really annoying and so hypocritical and/or just plain stupid. Reminds me of Ray Donovan's wife.

starseed1981

Another solid episode. This is definitely the biggest surprise of the year for me thus far.

PhantomStranger

Jamal's wife is probably the best thing about this show. They need to quickly rein in Barry's wife, give her some kind of humanitarian mission or something, to keep her confined on the sidelines of the main story.

My Other Self

Barry and his family really do nothing for me. They haven't evolved over the past few episodes and don't add anything to the plot. I really don't think Adam Rayner is very good in the role.

Jamal's wife, though.