tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post519574764373778321..comments2024-03-26T19:08:32.544-04:00Comments on That's alls I know: Five Foreign TV Dramas You Shouldn't MissTommy Kraskerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12564935526936828636noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post-1277506229466892342018-01-03T10:34:53.145-05:002018-01-03T10:34:53.145-05:00Fixing it now -- thank you so much! I had obvious...Fixing it now -- thank you so much! I had obviously seen both "Dupla" and "Ojos" listed online, and the version I screened had "Ojos" listed on it, so I guessed -- and guessed wrong! Thanks again for the correction.Tommy Kraskerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564935526936828636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post-8800618379941227902018-01-02T23:33:18.403-05:002018-01-02T23:33:18.403-05:00Hi, Tommy. The original name of Merciless is Dupla...Hi, Tommy. The original name of <i>Merciless</i> is <i>Dupla Identidade</i> ("double identity" in Portuguese). <i>Ojos sin Culpa</i> is the name the TV show receive on the Spanish version.Lamounierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00225447169375363236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post-20556422660004442212017-11-12T23:51:51.544-05:002017-11-12T23:51:51.544-05:00That's interesting: we had discussions here ab...That's interesting: we had discussions here about a couple of the supporting players in Merciless, and whether some of their acting was just too much -- and yes, we felt as you did, that it was one of the (few) elements impossible to judge without speaking the language. In particular, obviously, with Edu's girlfriend, who was given to fits of rage verging on hysteria, it was hard to say if those fits were effective, or annoyingly OTT. To us, it seemed like she was doing a different show from everyone else -- but of course, given that the show was a mix of genres, she WAS doing a different show from everyone else; it was just hard to tell if her performance ultimately served -- or distracted from -- the narrative as a whole. But given that Débora Falabella, who played Ray, is an accomplished actress with a couple dozen award nominations to her name (and a dozen wins), I figured the performance was probably pitched just right, and simply didn't "translate" as well as the others. <br /><br />And the truth is, Gagliasso was such a revelation, we were disinclined to brood too much about the show's potential flaws. I found him such an extraordinary talent, I wanted to see more. (My instincts when I come upon a performer I find particularly gifted is always to seek out as much of their work as possible, as I did over the last few years with Nicola Walker and Richard Armitage.) But sadly, I can't find anything else of his readily available. Tommy Kraskerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564935526936828636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post-57764058539370045962017-11-12T23:44:04.471-05:002017-11-12T23:44:04.471-05:00Philip and I never got through Zoo. Our interest h...Philip and I never got through Zoo. Our interest had long been waning, and then when we got (temporarily) displaced by Hurricane Irma and returned home to a backlog of programming, we just couldn't muster the enthusiasm to finish it. That was true of a lot of summer series -- thus, our turning to foreign programming, which felt fresh and exciting. If you do decide to try one of the shows I described above, start with Valkyrien. From what I know of your viewing preferences, I think it'd be the most to your liking. Its tale of a doomsday prepper -- and the actions he takes to guard against the end of the world (and the diverse group that he chooses to align himself with) -- is not only timely, but fascinating. A show quite unlike any I've seen.Tommy Kraskerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564935526936828636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post-38635900540931794812017-11-12T19:44:21.422-05:002017-11-12T19:44:21.422-05:00I’ve only seen Merciless and Valkyrien, but I’m te...I’ve only seen <i>Merciless</i> and <i>Valkyrien</i>, but I’m tempted to agree with your assessment of both. I did however find it hard to work out whether some of the supporting-player acting in <i>Merciless</i> was truly effective or a tad over the top. It’s often hard to judge the quality in foreign dramas—particularly in dramatic or histrionic scenes—when all you have to go on are subtitles, body language and facial expressions. <i>Merciless</i> seemed to ricochet between genres and tones, which made it doubly hard, I think. But Gagliasso was tremendous: easily as dark as Dornan, but with a script that allowed for both lightness and charm.<br /><br />I found <i>Valkyrien</i> both atmospheric and thought provoking. So many tangents—I have no clue what that amateur film-crew excursion was about—yet I didn’t mind them at all. The premise was so compelling—from its depiction of a doomsday prepper and his understanding of the potential calamities threatening mankind, to the way the various characters came together and adapted to their new circumstances and environment—that I didn’t question the detours at all. I just followed the characters and trusted the narrative. Great Drama!Paul Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6768495027896028196.post-79294403323403432382017-11-11T03:50:39.479-05:002017-11-11T03:50:39.479-05:00Wow! I's literally heard of none of these! Mig...Wow! I's literally heard of none of these! Might have to check some out - though with the 4 CW shows back I'm being kept busy! We'll both have at least 10 free hours now that someone at CBS has finally mercy killed Zoo.Child of the 70shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15045667514712502457noreply@blogger.com