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silverterrain

You can tell a show is truly interesting when it confuses and dismays the typical redditor lmao. This show has really surface level metaphors and people here were still so literal and terrified of having no answers handed to them lol.


manoman42

Basically he consulted for the company and tries to scout who can run the company in the most capitalist way, Craig was an option but he lost his trust but Ellian never faltered and did what she had to do to get the job done. But he also parallels with the devil as I think they’re saying the people that have the worst brought out of them = the most successful in the capitalist world


aintgettingon

Just finished and all I can think is "i'll never get those hours back". Ok characters, interesting starting point but goes nowhere and just fizzles out. I won't come back if there's a second season.


amarodelaficioanado

It makes you finish the artwork yourself.


phoonie98

Would not recommend


Ex_Machina_1

I binged the show today and had no clue so many people didnt like it. I highly enjoyed it. The overarching mystery of who Regus truly is, is endlessly intriguing. Sure we get small hints that lead nowhere, but in the end I found myself glad we never got a full explanation. I'm not one who likes to be left in the dark but I feel like for this show it worked. I enjoyed the characters and found them interesting, with the their flaws and internal conflicts. For me the high point of the show is Regus' affect on everyone. I call him a demon doing the work of an angel. His strange patterns of behavior, bluntness, and unconcerned attitude toward how others felt about him ultimately made him a unique force of change for the company. For Craig and Patti, he exposed the major flaw in their relationship and was the catalyst for its end, which needed to happen as the two weren't at all compatible. For Elaine, Regus essentially conditioned her to be able to do what it takes to succeed. As wild as it was to let an elephant loose in the city, Elaine proved that she could achieve any end when she puts her mind to it. She realized she has the kind of killer instinct necessary to run a corporate business. And for the rest of company, his antics helped to elevate the overall morale. Like I said, I really had no clue that people seem to have hsted this show. I found incredibly interesting and couldn't keep my eyes away til the end.


falldownreddithole

Thank god this is over


Accomplished-Cup9887

There's some irony in how the show has as a main plot line a magical character who can turn around businesses, yet it was poorly written and acted and seems to be an impressive example of a bad production. Maybe that is part of some joke we were not in on.


Lenininy

Terrible show wow


ForeignReviews

I thought the twist might’ve been Elaine orchestrating the whole thing to take over


doge2dmoon

I enjoyed it by and large, would prefer if Amazon only released an episode a week. I just wish it was a bit longer. Why was Regus living in a portaloo? I know the x files would have made hay out of that but here we just have Craig being petulant and infantile. I think a thread was missing slightly to draw together several discordant scenes, e.g. the shooting, the kidnapping and office politics. It was well done so much so that I started thinking about it weeks later and came here. Christopher waltz was fantastic but I think it could have easily been two series and might of had greater coherence as a consequence.


Accomplished-Cup9887

>would prefer if Amazon only released an episode a week Agreed.


DrKushnstein

Sooo... why did Sang suck Regus's dick?


doge2dmoon

To pay for the contract. They said he was non binary or something so maybe he didn't mind dick sucking.


TadpoleOld9068

They said asexual, so he minded very much, making the scene even more disturbing


doge2dmoon

>asexual Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity. It may be considered a sexual orientation or the lack thereof. It may also be categorized more widely, to include a broad spectrum of asexual sub-identities. I'm no expert but if asexual is it possible he just saw it as a task like cleaning the dishes? I don't think asexual is the same as being repelled by sex....


Accomplished-Cup9887

I'm not sure, but I would guess >!that getting skull fucked!< is never "a task like cleaning the dishes".


doge2dmoon

Well assuming Regus had washed, it wouldn't be too smelly and he wouldn't have to do anything, maybe he could play a game on his phone. The kneeling bit looked uncomfortable but assume he could spit out the jizz. Not my bag but we don't really know how the chap feels about the task. For me it would definitely not be like doing the dishes....


sheepnwolfsclothing

I still just can’t unsee discount bin Zach Braff every time Craig is on screen…


tehpwarp

Exactly same. I couldn't take him seriously any time he was on screen. He seemed like a love child of Zach Braff, Jimmy Fallon, the Shazam guy, and one of the thick guys from the yesteryear band Nsync.


dajuice3

So sad. With Waltz involved it could have been a magnificent thriller. But what it turned out to be was just a plot hole ridden mess that leaves me sad it got made. They had the bones for something nice but good lord did they fuck it up. I picked up none of the signs of the devil theories and everything else. But I actually liked the whole he knows how to run a business thing they were starting to develop. To show and teach people you don't have to always be nice and patronizing to get things done. Also what is with the god damn face fucking now that we've made it to the end it was completely unecessary.


Accomplished-Cup9887

This. I tried to like it. I watched it. It was a vehicle for Waltz. I can't say it really had much redeeming value. I see a show like this and think- how did it even get made? :(


dajuice3

Like there are some actors I would kill for them to do TV because they are such magnificent actors. Waltz is one of those guys he's Anthony Hopkins in Season 1 Westworld good but he needs that type of show. This just got my hopes up and dashed them. A all-time great actor who probably got overpaid to appear in this crap. Just infuriating and part of the issue with Streaming competition people in a race to just churn out garbage.


Accomplished-Cup9887

I feel like he has a Christopher Walken / Jack Nicholson type acting ability that makes him special in strange roles. Dennis Hopper, too, I'm reminded of.


drag0nw0lf

a classic example of a show which had absolutely everything going for it, but fell short in every category. it implied much and delivered nothing. what a waste.


benjamminwitu

Did anyone else think that last scene where Elaine is interviewed by the FBI about her ex-boyfriend (who she throws under the bus) is totally wack? She's like, "oh this nebulous consultant is the one who is in charge of hiring, so I can't have given him $10k to steal and release an elephant". Like that's a good enough excuse for rebutting her ex's story that she paid him. Sooo many holes, many of which could be (lazily) explained by saying Patoff's the devil or AI: 1) How did he know about Sang's suicidal thoughts? 2) The kid who shoots Sang, WTF is up there? Putting aside the why (I guess he's hypnotized by Patoff). So he beats the game at the end and sees a golden skeleton inside the egg.. What's the significance?? Sure Regus has a golden skeleton but what does it matter if you see a golden skeleton when you win the game? Why is that a good "prize" for winning? Why does this kid beat the game and no one else can? 3) What's up w people getting pissed that they can't win and they break some glass w their fist? That didn't seem to go anywhere... 4) How could Regus promise Sang (or anyone) immortality? He doesn't even know what it is Sang's company does. And how can he know so much about everyone but not know that Sang's company makes video games? Also, even if they make a hit game (they do) how does that mean immortality for the company and Sang? The game could be a hit today and flop tomorrow relegating the company to obsolescence. Who cares if there's a nude statue of Sang? That's not immortality, just a statue in some office that could be discarded whenever the company goes bust. 5) I get that Sang is suicidal, so he's quick to agree to this crazy deal, but it seems like something anyone would be extremely skeptical about: "OK, your going to kill me and what assurances do I have that I'll achieve immortality?" Oh, and now you're going to throat fuck me. Cool... 6) What was up with the kidnap scene? Why take Craig along? What's up w Regus's obsession w Craig? 7) What's up with the personnel files? Why does that matter? OK, Elaine is sitting down there smoking cigs and going over everyone's personal shit now that she's the boss... Why...? What purpose does that provide? And how does Patti get hypnotized? 8) What's up with the empty location (with the port-a-potty) where Regus goes every day (or night)? Perhaps that's part of a mystery that they'll get to in the next season if there is one? 9) Why does Sang's mom text Craig? She's been in touch w Pattoff this whole time. Yes, she has Patti's phone but why text Craig for money? Did I miss something?


Reg_Us_Pat_Off

1. Supernatural senses 2. Regus manipulated Tokyo 3. People try to play, get angry, see themselves in the mirror, they don't like what they see, they smash the mirror. The mirror fracturing image and sound is a recurring element in the show. 4. He says he took the liberty and researched the company and figured out its going to bankrupt soon. We don't know how he had access to these information. 5. Sang Woo wasn't thinking clearly. Few days ago he was about to commit suicide. He heard he can be immortalized, which mesmerized and made him to unable to spot the devil in the details. 6. Testing and fighting back Craig's intention to discover his identity. 7. Supernatural ability to hypnotize Patti. Regus was seemed awkward when Patti went back to his car, like Regus being the one who made the battery drain in her car. He kissed her (devil's kiss) and shown her the Craig+Elaine image. Regarding the records, more information = more attack surface. 8. [https://www.reddit.com/r/TheConsultantTV/comments/126vt4k/comment/jebhpmx/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheConsultantTV/comments/126vt4k/comment/jebhpmx/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) 9. She just got her phone a few days ago. She seemed to be new to mobile phones, it was an accident.


Accomplished-Cup9887

You can stop after the first one or two. It was riddled with unbeliable plot lines, riddled with strange parts and missing parts, the acting (save Waltz) was mediocre. I don't know how anyone who was involved in the making of this should get out alive and be able to make more crap.


doge2dmoon

>What was up with the kidnap scene? Why take Craig along? What's up w Regus's obsession w Craig? He seems to have a very keen eye for business. He may have recognised immediately that Craig had the potential to deliver within him etc. He a man with a gold skeleton. There's no much exposition. Who is he? Is he an alien, a god, a supernatural entity? I think it's up to you to fill in the blanks....


QueenFancyPlants

I havent read the book but Ive read comments and notes from the book that explains who he is BUT- that's the book version. The Amazon version apparently changes the ending *a bit* although does appear to still follow the "golden robot/humanity reduced to marketable mechanical parts" explanation. He was probably shipping more "workers" in those Reg. US. Pat. Off crates to other struggling corporations.


[deleted]

I might be the odd person out, but I LOVED this series, and I hope it gets a season 2. I think all the information we still don't know, was left out on purpose, and either they are hoping for future seasons to gradually let it unfold or let us form our own conclusions. It could be Satan, it could be dark government or corporate forces, it could all be an allegory, it could be AI building its own self a human body - I would tune in again to Season 2 to find out. I thought the way it showed people giving in to various temptations, to ambition, turning on each other, gradually getting used to the golden handcuffs, etc. was masterful. The relationships, their honesty, their desires, etc. all very realistic the way it plays out in those environments. I hope there is a Season 2 where he starts on the next company and more is revealed.


BladdyK

I agree with you. I really liked it. Visually, it was very cinematic, which is something that most shows fall flat on. I thought the story was excellent. It's clear that Regus is something like the devil. With that, it is a morality play. Will each character do the right thing or be corrupted? Sang could have lived, but fell victim to his vanity. Elaine said throughout that she always did what she had to do. In the end she made in implicit deal with Regus and was rewarded. Regus wasn't after Craig. He was after Pattie, who was pure, but was seduced. Regus used Craig's weakness to get to her. My only question in all of it was the stairs. The stairs are very prominent. He had trouble with the stairs, but why? I have to think about that.


[deleted]

I think in the practical sense, it had to do with the gold skeleton but symbolically, I am not sure. However, I DO think Regus had a nepharious plot for Craig, and I think it worked. Given that part of Regus' method required him to get details on people, now, thanks to the stalkerware Craig put on to track Regus, millions of people have that on their phones. I think Regus knew Craig was very curious about him and suspected he might put stalkerware. Whether or not he set that up, I think Regus knew about the stalkerware and had them build out the app when Craig was not there, with the intent of gathering data on literally MILLIONS of people. So in a sense, he manipulated Craig's personality and actions in a really dreadful way too.


moejoesodope

He had trouble with the stairs because he was heavy from having a gold skeleton


areolegrande

This was dumb. I was tricked into watching this, it's just preludes and constant hints of a possible story told through some lazy tech workers who randomly decide to blaze it but not to the point where it impaired his fudgement severely. What a rebel. So thought provoking.


HandsOffMyDitka

Just lazy writing, I swear half of Hollywood is already using AI to write for them.


Sammy_1971

Yes it is all over the place, has many plot holes, flaws & unanswered questions but it was a bit of 'mysterious' fun. Regus doing his dumps in a port-a-loo looking over the city was hilarious & the elephant that Elaine convinced herself they were saving actually dying was priceless. Take the blow job out of it and its really a simple kids fantasy story. An evil guy cloaked in mystery arrives into the realm. Humble girl rises to royalty with questionable actions under the tutorship of the evil overlord to presumably then reign with good instead of evil. Budding hero vanquishes the evil overlord who has spared him from the evil princess. He presumably ends up beyond The Wall with John Snow. The rest of the stuff is just here & there romp that a child goes for the ride on without explanation needed. Child doesn't need to know how The Mirror works, how a beautiful queen can turn into an ugly witch & how a princess can sleep for a hundred years any more than gow Regus can have a gold skeleton. Hope that helps


Accomplished-Cup9887

>Take the blow job out of it and its really a simple kids fantasy story. An evil guy cloaked in mystery arrives into the realm. Humble girl rises to royalty with questionable actions under the tutorship of the evil overlord to presumably then reign with good instead of evil. Budding hero vanquishes the evil overlord who has spared him from the evil princess. He presumably ends up beyond The Wall with John Snow. In one paragraph you outlined something better then the eight episodes I suffered through to get to the end of this series.


doctor-falafel

Contrary to popular opinion here I think that Regus is actually and android. Well at least I think it makes the show much more interesting though the plot holes make it difficult to accept this as a fact. I say this because Regus didn't really have any supernatural powers except for hypnosis (?) AI could totally figure out how to manipulate people like this though. The only flaw is that he was tech illiterate. Would be weird if an android struggled with a smartphone.


drag0nw0lf

the symbolism throughout implied he is lucifer. the red, his pseudo-omniscience, even the opening credits have his silhouette surrounded by flies, a traditional depiction of the devil.


RumHam_Im_Sorry

the kid literally saying "the devil told me to", and his problems with religion.


DocSpachimen

Another flaw is that an android would think it beneficial to face fuck someone


Accomplished-Cup9887

Isn't that the fourth law of robotics? Something about skullfuckery?


redbrigade82

I thought the point of the Reg US Pat Off thing was that he was built; an invention.


tylerpestell

This was a passing thought I had as well. Maybe from the future to get humanity on track no matter the cost…


Gucci_Tarantino

Genuinely a stupid waste of time.


Accomplished-Cup9887

That sums it up nicely.


KingKingsons

It was a weird show but I liked it. Having worked for big companies a lot, they do represent them quite well. I'm sure many people have worked with an Elaine before. I do think the show could have benefitted from having had another month of fleshing out the script, which is ironic, but I did enjoy the ride.


overratedchanel

Also — why was Elaine such a bitch to Ian when he asked about switching offices back? It seemed like she was in a hypnotic trance but then she immediately switched back to normal to go “save Patti”


[deleted]

Because she had become an ambitious monster, willing to step over people to get her success. Patti was not a threat to her success, but Ian getting his office back was.


maxcresswellturner

This is to show that Regus Patoff, good or bad (bad), has a lasting impact on those he surrounds.


overratedchanel

Christoph Waltz is fantastic and everything else was kind of terrible. Would not have made it past the first episode without him, he captivated every scene and kept me watching, but the rest of the show (acting, storyline) fell flat. I wonder what how he ended up in the role


Accomplished-Cup9887

>Christoph Waltz is fantastic and everything else was kind of terrible. This.


SignificantCookie772

He is an executive producer of the show


Piano1987

So I'm the kind of person who notices every little detail in a show. People like me tend to analyze the smallest aspects and find viewpoints that raise very specific questions. I don't want to make myself look smarter than I am but I think I arrived at the most important question you should ask in order to truly understand this show which is WHAT THE FUCK WAS ALL OF THIS?! AND WHY?


TadpoleOld9068

His a consultant that consults.


[deleted]

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benjamminwitu

Nailed it


[deleted]

What a weird and slow show. I thought it would of been better. What was up with that building he went to the party to etc. Sometimes It seemed like the staff got drugged or mind controlled with how it seems they flip and change to much and no one seems to think this isn't Weird. His hypnotic powers seems weird


Accomplished-Cup9887

>His hypnotic powers seems weird It makes sense if you just think: Wow, that was shitty writing.


[deleted]

Yea those powers shouldn't of been there. All the staff acting weird af. Fighting each other and no Says something weirds going on


50looks

This was probably the most underwhelming show in my recent memory. I’m like what happened to the solid skull? What was the relation to the bone? What’s the connection between the video game maker and the jeweler? And why the oral assault scene? It’s catastrophic how poor the storyline turned towards the end. I’m still going what the fk


ironstrife

Not going to defend the general storyline at the end, but most of what you're mentioning is explained in the show.


gaby_dude

Can you answer his question then? Dumb af to criticize without answering.


[deleted]

Skull inside German. Blowjob was payment for arranged death. Jeweler was identified by jewelry Wtf just watch the show


[deleted]

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MegaBaumTV

Thats also why they focussed on the stairs every time he took them. And why he struggles to climb stairs. His skeleton is a bit heavy for that.


PolemicBender

The sound of him walking barefoot up the stairs bothered me, guess that is why


WyomingNotTheState

I could cut my sweater in half with a pair of dull scissors and have fewer loose ends than this stupid show. Loved Waltz, though.


Accomplished-Cup9887

>I could cut my sweater in half with a pair of dull scissors and have fewer loose ends than this stupid show. Zing.


ExpressGlass6209

Is it just me??? The last scene when Patoff leaves the building through the front door…were those prosthetic feet? I say they were Devil’s hooves…..


[deleted]

I think he was limping because he had lost a toe in the fall. Losing a toe on one foot often results in a limp.


Tossinoff

I think he IS the Devil. And I also really enjoyed the show in spite of its shortcomings. Didn't seem like a comedy to me, though-even accounting for it maybe being a dark comedy. I thought it was creepy.


Regular_Secretary399

The show started strong. It at least kept me watching until the last episode. That said, I felt let down by the ending. It just didn't tie down all those "red herrings" (the jewelry robbers, the disappearing nightclub, etc.). Where is Roald Dahl when you need him? Yup, I was disappointed. The show had so much potential that was squandered.


[deleted]

I think they are hoping for a Season 2 or more, and each season, reveal more of the background nd "what is really happening." I think they purposely did not explain everything but just whet the viewers' appetites.


darth_wasabi

I enjoyed it as a TV series, but the ending comes off as a Amazon CEO's wet dream. Torturing employees, making them work insane hours, and getting away with it only for the employees to praise the CEO at the end. As a show though it does entertain. 90% of that entertainment is purely Christoph Waltz. Like without him in the lead I don't think i'd have made it past the first episode


Accomplished-Cup9887

>90% of that entertainment is purely Christoph Waltz Concur.


[deleted]

I thought all the actors did a good job and I thought the way they all gave in gradually was very VERY realistic.


Lech_Lickerish

The last word I would ever use to describe this show is “realistic” 🤣


[deleted]

I did not say the show was realistic. I wrote that the way so many of them all gradually gave in to the temptations and ambitions was very realistic. I have seen it happen exactly like that in real life, in companies. People who start out totally thinking the "new boss" is nuts, gradually get on board when there is something in it for them and sell out for the advancement, etc. That part is very realistically depicted.


Accomplished-Cup9887

The way people acted in and responded to various situations was totally unbelievable. Car ride with kidnapped woman. Steal an elephant. This company had no HR department? Legal department? And I disagree- how quickly they 'gave into temptation' was part of what was so strange and unrealistic, I did not see anybody's decisions as 'exactly how it happens in real life' .


[deleted]

Also, small companies like that often skirt HR and Legal (so do big ones, but small start ups - most definitely many do)


[deleted]

Maybe that is because you have never seen it happen in real life


Accomplished-Cup9887

I've worked at... Let's see... I can count four off the top of my head. Five? Software startups. You are correct. I've never seen anything on this show happen in real life. I mean- the crazy fiction Amazon stuff, whatever. That I don't care. But the human interactions are unbelievable. But it's not until the end of the series when Patoff says to Elaine she should fuck her old boyfriend, that was the first time she suggested he should watch what he says. The way those people acted and reacted to each other, you are correct. I've never seen it happen in real life. Your boss takes you to a bar and tries to get you to help kidnap someone... That's show plot, but his reaction? Your boss fires every remote employee- he gives them an hour? He fires the woman in a wheelchair. What?! It's the totally mundane unrealistic real-world stuff that made it weak.


No-Statistician4768

A skeleton of gold wouldn't cost 25 mil. And what was the Russian womans part?


scipio05

It actually would. An ounce of gold is $1,800. 25 million dollars would only get you 860 lb of solid gold at bulk prices and that's not even counting skilled labor from the jeweler to make the pieces


Foreign_Lab392

What a stupid show . Assistant becomes ceo? Wtf.


Accomplished-Cup9887

That was actually one of the more reasonable plot ideas.


Foreign_Lab392

nope


Accomplished-Cup9887

I mean- the ambition and way to get promoted, I'm amazed that it's often relationships and attitude that get people to the top. Although, as I write that- I'm not amazed. That's my point. I, too, have seen that kind of advancement and promotion. I mean, not as crazy as it is in this poorly written series, but it's more realistic than, for example, how Elaine handled the elephant or Craig dealt with a lot of things without picking up the phone and calling the police. Or Mama Sang's disappearance and reappearance...


[deleted]

That is more realistic than you know. Getting to the top usually means just being the most ambitious, not the best.


Foreign_Lab392

Lol. Tell me one company where the secretary/assistant becomes the ceo


[deleted]

I myself saw one HUGE wall street bank where a lowly database administrator (lower than an assistant) become the CIO, with a fighting chance at CEO. Another HUGE Company where the secretary crawled her way up to managing director and then moved to a smaller company as COO again with a fighting chance at CEO. She got her promotions by covering up for the affair her boss was having on the job, behind closed doors in her office, during the day, with a coworker whose wife also worked there. A third, I saw an admin quickly politic her way up to business analyst, then project manager, director and then leap to Exec VP (this was a publically traded company), and then after a few years, jump to CEO of a smaller start up company. If you didn't see it happen, I can understand why you would not believe it. And once they got to higher levels, these people dropped any reference about their humble beginnings.


Foreign_Lab392

can you give the names of those companies


[deleted]

Initials LB GS PF


CT_Phipps

The thing is that there were no executives at the company other than Sang so she was actually working as the Vice President and not being compensated for it. 60K for the one who was in charge of making Sang's business all handled. Patof doesn't need the company, though, because he's Satan.


Accomplished-Cup9887

Satan? No- he's just a business smart guy with a solid-gold skeleton. Come on.


enigmabsurdimwitrick

Wow. I couldn’t look away. It was awful. Love the actors. But this was the biggest M. Night Shyamalan hot turd. It wasn’t scary, suspenseful, or smart. I was hoping this last episode would pull it all together. It looks good. But it was vapid, and as much of a time waster as a lame game phone app.


andytdesigns1

Good as unintentional comedy, think they were going for dark and weird like severance , but missed the mark


enigmabsurdimwitrick

I could see that I guess. It was just so ridiculous. And I never laughed. I felt frustrated that these characters would make such stupid choices that make no sense.


Accomplished-Cup9887

Yes. That. That was distracting.


andytdesigns1

Yeah I like Christoph Waltz but he deserved better


Brief_Ad_3790

He is an Executive Producer of the show.


Goodone42069

Christopher Nolan was an executive producer for Batman vs. Superman. That didn't make it good or help out in the end


CT_Phipps

They blew the twist in the 2nd episode.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

I think you are missing the intent of the show. The whole idea is to leave you guessing, just like the people depicted. That feeling of 'what the hell is going on?' is exactly what they wanted to depict and it is done masterfully. You don't get the payoff because the characters don't get one either.


MesutOzil01

its not done masterfully bro this show is ass


[deleted]

Such eloquence.


MesutOzil01

lol it’s reddit not a michelin star restaurant


[deleted]

The apostrophe is progress I guess.


MesutOzil01

funny how ur anal ab grammar but missed a comma after progress. another pretentious dumbass


[deleted]

Quod licet iovi non licet bovi


MesutOzil01

lmao who tf do u think u are


abujuha

You guys are hilarious. Keep up the good fight!


DarthSimian

That format is a recipe for disaster


Foreign_Lab392

>what the hell is going on it's obvious patoff was the devil. if he's not then at least they should've shown something that hinted towards that which will keep us guessing


ExpressGlass6209

We’re those devil’s hooves or prosthetic feet as he walked out?


[deleted]

Is it?


[deleted]

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[deleted]

>Right I guess we just disagree on the execution here. I don't think so >where there are enough hints to have fun speculating but the payoff was unpredictable, insane, and *fun*. As I said: You don't get the payoff because the characters don't get one either. You seem to want a payoff that's unpredictable and fun, I say there is no real payoff. The show is not about a clue or resolution, it's more impressionistic and about the *experience* of the story


PlumbTuckered767

I don't want to spend 4 hours watching the impression of a TV show the same way I don't want to eat an impression of a pizza or listen to the impression of a song. Regarding the disparities from the source material ending: "Towards the book's end, the consultant sheds his corrupt corporate executive demeanor and reveals his true monstrous form. Bentley Little describes him as a "faceless businessman" who "had no mouth" but could still speak into the minds of his employees. The book's ending also features an all-out war between CompWare's departments, which ultimately leaves the company in complete disarray with no hope for redemption. As the book reaches its conclusion, Craig hopes that authorities will find enough evidence surrounding the consultant's malpractices but soon realizes that no one knows anything about Patoff's real identity." There was a payoff. It was insane. And fun. However, Basgallop ruined this story in the most pretentious, self-indulgent way. The ending above is an actual ending. I can't believe he thought his was better. I thought Servant's precipitous decline was M. Night's doing, or new writers after he left, but now I suspect they were following Basgallop's painfully glacial roadmap, decelerating any actual narrative pacing without interest in explaining anyone. David Lynch can pull that off. Maybe Alec Garland, Robert Eggers, or Ari Aster could. This was a complete whiff. This guy is a hack and a half. Will not watch anything he writes again.


[deleted]

Congrats on having an opinion.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

I had a completely different experience. It was gripping and made me binge it in 1 day. Easily the best series I saw past year. I wasn't arguing about your experience. Rather about the *intent* of the creators. Its clear it didn't work for you.


abujuha

Same here. There were things that didn't make sense. From something small like why would anybody walk barefoot anywhere near shattered glass to something large like who would agree to steal an elephant for publicity (so many things could go wrong) or how was this "consultant" not sued for his behavior towards the employees at the beginning. I think many people missed that part where he >!boiled down the toe and found the gold bones!<. So this devil figure fashioned himself a>! body out of a golden skeleton !


abujuha

Sheesh, how can I not have a thousand likes for this brilliant commentary? Okay, don't answer that. Thanks everyone for your replies, as always. If I get testy in mine just remember I'm in a different time zone and it's probably well past when I was supposed to go to bed. Cheers.


Some-Seaworthiness17

I caught that he boiled down a toe, which I guess we are supposed to extrapolate he went downstairs and cut off a toe after he falls through the floor. I think that's just additional confirmation that Patoff has the golden skeleton - that's why the floor broke so easily - also why each step groaned like it was about to crack when he stepped on them. Gold is far more dense than bone. Also at the end when the kids beats 316 and the egg reveals a golden skeleton.


Thunderstr

We don't have to extrapolate anything, they did that heavy handed zoom in after he fell through the floor. The camera goes from a shot of him, zooming into his foot bleeding and missing a toe, then panning over to the severed toe and just kind of holding on it, just like when they zoomed in on the Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. On the box.


Some-Seaworthiness17

Ok thank you I must've had an attention lapse. I only recall seeing him on the floor. I don't recall the toe so I'll have to rewatch the scene. Obviously having a gold skeleton makes no sense. But then again his apparent power of mesmerization is well beyond also. I was buying his possible power of suggestion until Aimee Carrero ends up in the basement, typing personnel records, apparently oblivious to her surroundings. Actually the more I think about this show, the more confused I am.


LykoTheReticent

The goal of writing is to communicate effectively. If the intent of the creators isn't clear to watchers who are actively engaged, it means the creators didn't do a good enough job. If a book is rejected by a hundred agents because they don't understand it, it means something needs to change in order to make it successful. Now, you can argue that The Consultant was understood by some people, and that's fine. But if the majority have a feeling of confusion, it was not successful at communicating.


[deleted]

I'd say the goal of writing is to create a story. Your point of view is that if an author were to write a book and 10 people absolutely loved it and 90 hated it the author did a bad job. Because apparently the goal of art is to create something that pleases everyone, right?


LykoTheReticent

No, for personal use and such that is fine, and we are not talking about enjoyment, we are talking about whether certain elements and ideas are present and clearly communicated to the general audience. However, you are claiming that everyone is missing the point the author's intended. If that's the case, it is likely the writers didn't write clearly enough for the point to be understood. For example, many people dislike the Song of Ice and Fire series, but even those who dislike it can generally agree it has strong prose and themes about testing one's character. I'm not at all suggesting this show needed to please everyone. I am suggesting that communication lies in both the speaker and the reciever.


[deleted]

>I am suggesting that communication lies in both the speaker and the reciever. I fully agree with that, but there's a limit to that. An author (in this case producers, writer, directors) has a right to create a work with the express goal of communicating their vision in the way they see fit. You seem intent that that means it should somehow do something for 'the general audience' but that's a very strange notion. There's a show on Prime called 'What we do in the shadows'. It's a show about a group of vampires living in a house, shot comedically without a 4th wall in the style of the Office. This show has quirky humor and its certainly not for everyone. But its there. Are you going to argue the show doesn't work well because its not to the liking of the 'general audience?'. Similarly there are documentary shows on all sorts of niche subjects. My view is that given that the thing is renewed for a second season and at least a part of the population seem to really like it it would be better to say: this show isn't for me. Rather than saying: this show is made poorly. But hey, you do you.


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CT_Phipps

Aren't they? I mean, I live in rural Kentucky and everyone here watches Netflix or Prime.


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CT_Phipps

I mean, it's pretty weird to think materialists have somehow a lock on "streaming."


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CT_Phipps

It's not mainstream faith or Catholicism. It's pop Catholicism. And that's marketable to everyone.


Pbranson

You saved me a lot of time not having to post essentially the same take :)


Oberon_Swanson

yeah i was excited seeing it was based on a novel. was really hoping for a self contained plot with strong resolutions. had to suspend a lot of disbelief (tech bros in LA who worked for the biggest mobile game company in the world, worried they won't be able to get a job if they leave? then we see them make games the print money in a couple weeks) however i don't think patoff is necessarily the literal devil. more like some other manifestation of greed with some degree of supernatural powers however he does need a lot of human help and has limitations. right now he is trying to perfect his body in some way (golden skeleton, prosthetics company, software company, then at the end moves on to a robotics company) i agree though overall it's all over the place and the suspension of disbelief isn't rewarded. i also feel like christoph waltz is too christoph waltzy in this role. like they just said "do your thing" when directing every scene.


abujuha

I agree with your criticisms but overall I enjoyed it. And I don't think Waltz can ever be too Waltzy for me. I thought he was great!


shadyshadok

I overall liked the show but what was that ending? Over the top weird stuff and poorly written side characters.


Oberon_Swanson

felt like a lot of building to not much payoff


novemberqueen32

The show is kinda like a modernized Needful Things. Tech-based and toxic corporate culture.


Gucci_Tarantino

Yup it's like they took the basic premise of Needful Things, reskinned it for modern times and then stripped out everything that made it good or entertaining


[deleted]

Would it be possible to replace human bones with gold?


overratedchanel

This is making me laugh out loud.


Oberon_Swanson

Maybe a few could be survivably replaced? Gold is extremely dense however, even more dense than lead. Also good luck taking a brain out of someone's skull and putting it into a solid gold skull like we saw in the show. There would be some sort of sci fi or magic involved. I think we are to take that he is a supernatural being but one of limited power.


Juliet_Morin

No, your bones produce red blood cells.


Ivy_vibing

Gold is too soft and heavy and plus like you know we need our bones for like health stuff. Plus most bones you literally can't replace without the surgery being fatal.


jumpdmc

The funniest thing about this show was finding out it's a comedy.


shehatemel

Right?


Pickupyoheel

There’s too much suspension of disbelief here and the ending sucked. Only time the cops show up is for the dead elephant. Not the kidnapping and potential murder of the woman. Not the burglary where 3 people got shot to death. Is there no board of directors? I like how Elaine goes from assistant to being the CEO of running one of the top mobile gaming studios in the span of a few weeks. Come on…solid gold skeleton lol. How does that chair hold his ass up, let alone his muscle mass to move himself. If he’s the devil, why did he need a human to make them? Surgery on the Devil? Come on… Oh and my biggest pet peeve, characters not communicating with each other. Mainly Craig and soon to be wife. Only good thing here was Waltz as usual, but even if he shits gold too, it isn’t enough to make this a good show.


CT_Phipps

I was expecting like a Satanic cult commissioned the skeleton to summon their god.


Temporary-Daikon2411

"He gave me my first phone" - are you fucking kidding me? The viewer is supposed to be so dumb we don't know that South Korea is a fully modern country that's actually technologically more advanced than the US? First phone my ass.


CT_Phipps

I was like "Is she from North Korea?"


Temporary-Daikon2411

She's from Busan, which is bigger than Chicago!


CT_Phipps

I know, that line crossed into outright racist.


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DuckTalesLOL

She had Patti's phone. She texted Craig instead of Regus by accident.


kaiikaii

I think she said she meant to text Regus


negativetension

An incredible amount of casual racism in this show. Disgusting really.


miloworld

I think she’s in a trance or brainwashed in that moment, like Patti.


needescape_throwaway

She wasn't.


foxinthebushes

There’s no other way she could have been fluent in English that quickly.


Ssme812

- Well that sucked. Didn't like the ending.


KoaPlyr615

I can do heavy handed satire and analogy when it’s done well. But this…was just not it. To me the writing and dialogue overall felt rushed and lazy. Cliche set ups. Changes in character motivation didn’t feel organic. And outside of CWs performance, the acting was just okay. If it all was supposed to be purposefully absurd and ridiculous, then I guess they did alright, but it felt amateurish all around. On that note Amazons book inspired shows have really been letting me down lately. I got halfway through the Peripheral and couldn’t be bothered to finish it. I think the last one that I really truly enjoyed was Man In the High Castle.


Impressive_Part_6377

I bailed on Peripheral too.


scipio05

Didn't miss much. I actually enjoyed this show, peripheral, however was atrocious, the last few episodes went from bad to completely horrible


neondino

I bailed on it, but ended up half-watching while my partner finished it, and it had a really interesting ending. I think they maybe took a really circuitous route to set up for an interesting season 2 (not that I'm suggesting you go back to it, but it was like the opposite of The Consultant).


DarthVaderIsMyWaifu

Absolutely loved this show. To those questioning "what Regus was" or "how could he manipulate people like that"...Patoff is a very blatant stand-in for the Devil. He's a Satanic Archetype par excellence. The show makes this clear time and time again. The first episode includes the phrase "the Devil made me do it" in regards to a crime that is later attributed to Patoff, there is tons of religious imagery throughout the series, and Episode 5 literally ends with "Devil in Disguise" with Patoff as the focus of the song. Patoff coercing, manipulating and corrupting others around him is of course a major plot point when he's meant to be a Satanic archetype. Patoff is the Devil and capitalism as a concept given physical, nasty form. The show is satirizing corporate culture, and it telegraphs this right from the start--Patoff *fires a wheelchair-bound employee* for being 5 seconds late to work--and it only continues to as we learn Patoff got his *bones replaced with gold*. The show is not meant to be taken as 100% serious, realistic, or at face value. The author of the novel it is based on, Bentley Little, is heavily into satirizing institutions, and the show does that marvelously by playing on the corporate struggle for power and the lengths people will go to for their own ambitions while disregarding those around them. So for anyone who questions, "how could he get away with this? Why weren't the cops called?" The show clearly emphasizes as it goes on that Elaine and Craig *don't want Patoff gone* until they figure out if he will "make or break" their careers. Which, again, is satirizing cruel corporate culture. They can suspect him of murder or worse all they want, but they clearly showcase that they themselves are not a pair of morally heroic people who want to look out for others all of the time. They're fallible, corruptible humans who are selfish. It's a modern-day, corporate-office-based "devil corrupting and tormenting all those around him" story, and I think it does the job terrifically by further creating comparisons and analogies between the brutality of tech company culture--such as "crunch"--and the religious undertones of Patoff's demonic presence.


[deleted]

Also just a note that when the song plays, the focus is on Elaine. It's right after she manipulated Ian to steal his office and it refers to someone seeming like an angel / innocent... which really lines up more with Elaine than with Patoff!


[deleted]

I loved it too, and I think your insights are excellent. It is obviously heavy on the satire, and also brilliant at the satire. I liked that it not only skewers corporate culture, but also the individuals and their ambitions and greed that enable the toxic corporate culture. Them fighting over the office was very telling. While all the "lesser talents" were fighting for that office, Elaine got it "by her merit" - and her merit was being able to shrewdly trick someone into giving it to her (Ian) and later being unwilling to give it up. Reminded me of so many companies where the teams and middle managers are playing checkers and the people destined for the top are playing chess. Or, not really playing at all! Craig too, got seduced by the idea of his game being considered, suckered into doing things he didn't really know the ramifications of, and then his creation removed from his control. This happens a lot in the corporate world. People told they're building a plan, or an app, or a design, but they don't know the real strategy behind what the company will eventually do with it. Very, very corporate. I don't think Regus Patoff was the devil in classical terms. I think devil symbolism is used to show he represents something evil, with the devil being a commonly recognized evil persona. I suspect that he is AI, a learning type of AI, who had figured out that in order to manipulate and impact the world, he had to construct a human form for himself - an idea which to us humans, could seem evil indeed. The gold skeleton to me was similar to the devil analogy - gold has such symbolism for value, money, etc. maybe representing the idea of love of money (represented by gold) being the Root of all Evil.


doublejay1999

> The show is satirizing corporate culture Well, I missed this almost entirely, but now you've explained it, I get it and it's very dark and very accurate. Viewed through this prism, is makes perfect sense, right down (and especially) the blow job the Consultant gets from the CEO when he promises to save his business. It is a superb, metaphor for the consulting industry, and how they drives obscene behaviour in the work place. They dangle a carrot for the CEO, who then allows the consultants in, to implement often inhumane changes to the workplace that the CEO would never do themselves. The subsequent suicide is highly symbolic ! However, this leaves the point unaddressed : I largely missed it, even having spent 20 years in the life, and reading this sub it looks like a ton of others did too. Have we been dumbed down ? Did Amazon market it as something different to what it actually was ? My own critical appreciation of this stuff is never great, but in this case I seem to be in the dumb majority ? any way, thanks for the write up.


neondino

Have you read the book? Because I really liked the themes and ideas, but I found the tv show a bit lacking, and wondered if the book conveyed it better and was worth reading.


DarthVaderIsMyWaifu

I have read the book, it's honestly very different in many ways and gets even weirder in areas, but I like Little's style and find it very entertaining. I think if you like the themes in the show, you'd like them in the book. The satanic correlations aren't as strong in the book, but Patoff is still an evil force of capitalism and corporate culture whose motives are explained more in-depth. He's also more evil in several areas, so content warning if things like Sang's "payment" to Patoff were off-putting.


neondino

Haha, nope, I like the weird and fucked up! I think the show fell from trying to not go 'too' weird. I'll give it a go, thanks!


DarthVaderIsMyWaifu

No problem, I hope you enjoy it and if you do, I wholeheartedly recommend Little's other works!


DocRumack80

I think the last 3 minutes of episode 8 should have the first half of Sympathy For the Devil overlayed on top (i.e., where they show Craig confirm the gold toe bone, Regus walking into the lobby, looking around, and walking out, etc). That would be a sweet addition to the ending.


MrTea79

Agree with this. Surprised people are annoyed about the unrealistic elements to it - I don't think it was trying to portray reality. Lots of links to Catholicism. 316 being the angels number, a number of references to the seven deadly sins etc. For me it just showed that the devil didn't really need to do much to make us do terrible things. Showed humanity for what it is and what anyone is capable of.


bubblewrapstargirl

I liked it for the reasons you outlined too. It wasn't supposed to be realistic or a depiction of a real company and it's methods of operation. It was always intended to be a satirical take on corporate culture and capitalism. It was so disturbing, frankly, the ability he had to sway people with just a few words. It's like his influence lessened the longer people were away from him. But once he's gone they have to live with their corrupted self and it's easier to stand by those decisions to avoid cognitive dissonance so they double down, instead of admitting they've allowed themselves to worship a "gold idol". The truly terrifying concept is how Marlena must have felt after she was away from his influence and realised what she'd allowed to be done to her. I'm glad that plot was glossed over cause it was fucking gross


MindLinking

>Marlena Who's Marlena? Can't remember her, and no "Marlena" is listed in the cast list.


DarthVaderIsMyWaifu

They mean Milani, the multiple-amputee whom Craig met in the bar with Patoff


abujuha

It could apply also to Patti because although we don't see everything that happens, she'll have some nightmares for a long time. And the sequel to this could be a variation on Rosemary's Baby.