Get Shorty

I couldn't find anything else to watch Sunday evening, and saw this being advertised on Epix, and gave it a look. It was the first series episode named: "The Pitch".

I was drawn into this show slowly, but solidly, to the point where I couldn't leave the TV to use the restroom, or get something to eat until the last bell had rung. It was truly the best series opener by a network other than HBO, I personally have ever viewed.

Chris O'Dowd has found a home here as the mobster with a lot more on the ball than your everyday hit-man. The rest of the cast is perfect, along with the cinematography, directing, and locations.

If this show picks up an audience, I feel sorry for HBO come award season.

Put aside an hour and give this a look. I am extremely confident you will be very happy you did, and you'll be looking forward to the next episode as much as I am.

I won't give this a ten, since they could still fumble his up. But. One season in, 8 episodes, 7 hours 20 minutes in, and we have 2017's best new series. I came in this with no expectations, and this little show has been a constant joy and a must-see/top-of-the-pile amongst all Sunday shows.

Sure there was this nice little movie from the mid 90ies based on the same Leonard story, but this is next level : great if not amazing acting from underused actors, great balance between dark comedy and lightness, mostly acceptable violence, very cool and unusual characters, the plot constantly surprises with supposedly great ideas systematically getting south, etc... It's quirky, entertaining, extremely well acted (Sean Bridgers is getting the role of his life with his mormon hired hand assassin turned on-stage screen writer!), charming, and it always leaves you wanting for more. Also, there's no character that is really annoying, and there's a variety of them.

Along with The Deuce and the Handsmaid Tale, the best new show I've seen all year, and maybe the best show of them all, at the very least the one that I look the most forward returning.

Edit (fall 2018) : I did give it a ten after second season, since this is The best show around these days, absolutely. Season two starts a lttle slower, but soon catches up, and even manages to give the show a very satisfying conclusion , despite that it was announced this was getting a third season. They probably weren't sure this was a done deal and wrote it as if it was the final episode, with open ended threads. Hope they keep on the same level.

Don't Compare to Film or Other Series Like It...This is really nothing like the film (besides its plot, but consider it a standalone take with the same name and not a remake series) or other shows like it such as say, Breaking Bad, or Fargo...Id say its really like a mix of both. Great dry humor and great acting. Im not sure why the rating and some reviews are relatively low and bad...Consider this a complete standalone and im sure you'll enjoy. Funny, witty, humorous yet dark...Loving it so far.

Getting towards the late summer end of year, there's almost nothing worth watching of quality. Except this gem. Superb casting and throughly enjoyable story with lots of quirky humour.

Chris O'Dowd is superb as the movie obsessed thug trying to make his way in that other cess pool of deceit and treachery called Hollywood.

But I leave my applause for Ray Romano living a duplicitous life with the vicious drug dealing matriarch of the crime gang. As the producer of trashy B movies he's living in his own real life version of the trash he sells. A different drug for the masses. But he shows his vulnerable side by actually liking his murderous girlfriend and having some morals and ethics. Satire!

It's a great show. The only other show that's equally entertaining at the moment is Better Call Saul (BCS). I might even rate this slightly above BCS. If Queen of the South with a somewhat similar female led drug gang, was a tragi-comedy, while a great show in itself, would not even get close to Get Shorty.

I've given it an 8 as we're only a few episodes into Season 2. If it keeps going this way, I would be reviewing at 9+.

Get Shorty was such an amazing series! It has to be one of the most underrated series I can think of. I literally couldn't stop watching this once I started. I binged the entire series as fast as I could. I didn't think Chris O'Dowd could pull off the tough guy but he is excellent in this. This was one of Epix first original shows and was on when Epix was first starting off as a network so not many people knew about it. Because of that this show wasn't promoted the way it should've been, if this would've been on a bigger network or streaming service this show would've been huge and even award winning. I'm glad we still got three great seasons though. I can't recommend this show enough!