The Big C

Contrary to what others think on this board, the feelings that Cathy goes through and what she sees are too real for me. I am diagnosed with a brain tumour and I see things, hear things and stick my fingers up to the world.... Cancer makes you see all too clearly all that life's about and what its worth living for. This prog has kept me going through my my darker days. This is a series not to be missed and I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a good laugh and a cry at the same time... Ally McBeal with cancer thrown in (Even though Billy did die of a tumour in that series too).. I would also recommend this to carers of people with cancer, cos to me its how I feel all of the time.

I have watched all 9 episodes so far and can't get enough. I became intrigued with the concept while watching a Laura Linney interview on The Daily Show. It's often funny, sometimes hilarious, often sad, and sometimes downright heartwrenching. The characters are quirky, conflicted, don't know how to express their feelings, and are frequently nasty, self-involved, and make mistakes, while also being caring, noble, and giving, just like real people. The show takes a sensitive and difficult subject that is usually not discussed, and deals with it using a large dose of humor and the occasional portion of pathos.

Laura Linney's character has spent her life doing what everyone else has expected her to do, and hasn't a clue who she wants to be. She decides to try and figure that out before it's too late. I understand her desire to keep her disease a secret so that she gets to live as much as possible before she dies. She could "buy" the attention and understanding of her husband, son, brother, and others she cares about if she tells them about the cancer. However, then she would not only be surrounded by sadness and despair for her remaining days, she'd be suffocated and everyone would assume the cancer is the cause of her behavior when in reality it is merely the catalyst.

I watch a lot of shows that I like, and many that make me laugh; but few touch me as this show has. Sometimes the image in the mirror isn't the prettiest person in all the land, but this is about learning to be comfortable with - even love - what we see. To do that, we first have to see the true image, not the one we think we should see or the one we wish we saw.

When I heard of this show for the first time I was skeptical about the fact it's supposed to be a comedy and it's also about cancer. How could cancer and comedy be related? Well this is the perfect example for it. The whole series is a roller-coaster of emotions. One minute you laughing out loud and the next minute you feel like crying. You get very attached to the main character Cathy Jamison played beautifully by Laura Linney. This series makes you think about what is essential in life. Is it important to have a lot of money or other material things? No not really, the only thing that matters is your health and being a good person. I really enjoyed this whole show, all actors play their characters very well. The story is well written and keeps you bonded with the characters during the whole series. Certainly worth a watch.

"The Big C" walks on the thin line. Comedy and drama, love and lack of love, sweet but in the end has to be bitter. The creators and producers have to be talented if they want to walk that way and till now they really are. Laura Linney is simply great. She always is, but now is more than ever. She makes the situations easy to be watched because the subject is complicated and can hurt a lot. But instead of suffering with it, we enjoy everything what's happening: we smile, we feel. Feeling, being touched by honest emotions, is something you don't get all days, not in shows and either in real life. "The Big C" doesn't deserve only a good chance, it deserves the fidelity you give to big shows and this is one of them. Try it and you won't regret it.

I just finished watching the entire series and have to say I was pulled in from the start and found the show to be incredibly delightful in so many different ways. One minute you're laughing your ass off and the next moment you're fighting back the tears. The character development is phenomenal and the show is so well written as it portrays all sides of life: funny, sad, messy, awkward, raunchy and heart wrenching. Laura Linney's character and her brother were the anchors of the show, they both brilliantly acted their parts and had a strong unbreakable bond you don't fully recognize until the end of the series. It melts your heart. I loved the mix of characters over the course of the series, every character had relevance and depth. I honestly don't have a single bad thing to say about the show. Brilliant!