Sunday, July 19, 2009

Hung, "'Strange Friends' or 'The Truth Is, You're Sexy'": Public indecency

If I wasn't on vacation, I'd write about how I think "Hung" continues to get more fun -- highlighted in this episode by Tanya's loud defense of her pimping credentials -- but since I'm not back on the clock until tomorrow morning, I'll simply ask what you all thought of it.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved Hung tonight. My appreciation for Tanya is certainly growing.

I do have to express my shallow disappoint for the lack of shirtless Tom Jane.

TimmyD said...

I'm really loving this show but man, I wish it was an hour.

LA said...

Anyone have any information on who performed the song the show ended on?

Thomas Jane and Jane Adams were perfectly cast. Only a few episodes in, and I can't imagine anyone else playing these parts.

Unknown said...

I agree that the episodes are just getting better. I love Jane and Jane.

The "I'm sorry" cookies were classic.

Tanya saying how her mother called her "desperate" was perfect. I said before that Jane Adams always plays a perfect "pathetic", but calling it "desperate" works too.

I liked that the episode didn't begin with a flash-forward. I wasn't a big fan of that in the first two episodes, so I'm glad it's not going to be a "thing". In general I like flash-forwards, but it seems kind of awkward on a half-hour show.

I know I'd enjoy this show even more if I could wait for the season dvd and watch it all at once. Either that, or like TimmyD says, if it was an hour long. Half and hour a week just doesn't seem like enough progress. (On the other hand, Entourage is perfect the way it is. I wouldn't want to watch a whole season at once.)

vic said...

For me it's not that half an hour isn't long enough to progress the story, it's that it's so damn engrossing that I just want more of it to watch!

Alan, in previous posts I believe you made the point that the kids aren't really necessary, if anything, they take away from the flow of the episode. While I disagreed with that for the prior two episodes, here they felt entirely tacked on. The Anne Heche character especially had what felt like a few completely throw-away scenes.

I loved the little hint at the end of the episode that Ray has a potential new client next door, and of course, Adams was firing on all cylinders.

Should we be expecting a second season pick-up soon?

Side note: I'm high on HBO love at the moment. Finally got around to watching The Late Shift. Damn, that was a good film.

Josh said...

After last night's episode featured some hinting at Anne Heche's lack of fulfillment, I'm convinced that at some point this season Anne Heche will inquire about the services of a Happiness Consultant...

dez said...

Tanya is a bad pimp. She should never have let Lenore get away with what she did! I'm hoping for some comeuppance for Lenore.

Definitely enjoying this show very much. Was also cracking up thinking of what the reaction would have been had the husband bitten into the cookies instead of the wife :-)

Mike F said...

This was the first episode I really really enjoyed. After a slightly awkward start, I feel like they found the show in this episode.

With its Sunday night lineup, HBO is giving me a rare solid block of shows that I really enjoy watching. I know a lot of y'all don't appreciate Entrouage or True Blood...but I enjoy them all.

Anonymous said...

In the second to last scene, was Lenore removing anti-theft tags from clothing that she'd shoplifted?!

Unknown said...

The show is witty, fun and also has a sense of taboo. Thomas Jane is absolutely perfect for this role.

Once again, HBO has made another winner.

Orion7 said...

Anonymous,

Yes, Lenore was using some gizmo to take the theft detection tag off of the dress she was wearing, implying she'd stolen it. She is a real piece of work.

Orion7 said...

LA,

The song is by LARP, or the Los Angeles Resource Project. This is their MySpace page, with their recording of the song:

http://www.myspace.com/larpmusic

7s Tim said...

Since Emily mentioned shirtless Tom Jane, I have a weird question: Do they shave his chest hair to have a muscle sculpting effect? I haven't really ever seen him shirtless before, at least not that I recall, so in the previous episode I kinda thought it looked like he shaved to make himself look more in shape (or more likely the people in charge of that, the chest hair wranglers lets call them, probably did it).

LA said...

Orion7 - Thank you!

vic - I'm hooked on True Blood, too, if for no other reason than to see Alex Skarsgard and Nelsan Ellis knock it out of the park each week.

Kim said...

@7s Tim

I thought Thomas Jane looked like he had airbrushed ab definition last week. The shadows just never changed when he moved around. Weird. At least he has chest hair & hasn't fallen into the wax/shave it all off thing so many male actors seem to do lately.

vic said...

LA: I'm kinda surprising myself with how much I love Alex Skarsgard. I mean, he is a prick, but damn it if I don't just start giggling every time he comes on screen. The show has hit the perfect balance between shtick and drama. And I love that the unlike all the other HBO shows that I fall in love with, this one has strong ratings, so we have no need to worry about it not getting a second season (I can't wait for the second season of The Life and Times of Tim - I must have watched each episode a good three or four times, perfect background viewing).

The main thing that gets me about Hung is that in every other role I've watched Thomas Jane in, I've found him to be quite mediocre. But when watching this show, I honestly can't think of a better actor to take the role. A perfect match, where his standout performance is strong enough to make me overlook any weaknesses in the show.

vic said...

7s Tim: Yeah, when I think about it, other than the opening credits, I can't really remember him shirtless. I guess we got a glimpse when he was in bed with Tanya, but I'll have to wait for the DVD (on super slo-mo) to be certain.

Gah, Sunday can't come soon enough.

dez said...

And I love that the unlike all the other HBO shows that I fall in love with, this one has strong ratings, so we have no need to worry about it not getting a second season

This *is* True Blood's second season.

Going back to Hung: I don't know if TJ manscapes, but I wouldn't be surprised if they use tricks to make him look more buff. The guy likes his drink, and I doubt he's totally given it up in favor of working out for the role. I could be quite wrong, of course :-)

vic said...

Dez: My bad, I meant third.

But yeah, back to the point, whatever keeps Jane happy, and keeps him giving such a stellar performance, I'm fine with. I for one didn't find any of the supposed air-touching overly conspicuous.

dez said...

It's nice that Thomas Jane is fit, but given that his character's main attraction for the women buying his services is what's in his pants and not under his shirt, I don't think TJ needs to be perfectly fit for the character to work. I wouldn't mind a scene showing him with a bit of flab and the client commenting on it, only to forget all about it once he drops his drawers :-)

John Coulter said...

I like the show alright. But Thomas Jane is not schlubby enough. I know he is trying his hardest. Plus there is no way gentically Thomas Jane and Anne Heche could produce those kids.

They should have cast someone a little more on the Paul Giamatti side. It would make it all much more believable.