reactionfilms

Great show! It's a wonderful example of a show that has a big impact despite being a little show. I loved "Casual" on Hulu because the characters were relatable, this is the same kind of show. I also grew up in a Lodge environment, so I find the show fascinating because of all the idiosyncrasies of the Lodge and it's odd members. I think the most fascinating part of the show is the dark vs. light aspect taken on by the main character Dud and his sister. When the show starts you might think dud is just another California loser. But it's interesting to watch him reveal why he's making the choice to stay optimistic when he has no reason to be. His sister takes the less optimistic approach, grounded in her debt and contempt for their missing (dead?) father, whom disappeared during a surfing trip off Long Beach. The ensemble cast is amazingly cast. Every character has a purpose and adds to the plot and humor of the story. Some of the best casts are smaller roles that the actors were able to really make the most of. The highlights include Brian Doyle-Murray as a pipe saleman who takes all the credit from Ernie and gives to an undeserving but beautiful employee appropriately named "Beautiful Jeff", as well as a great multi-episode cameo by none other than Bruce Campbell. Lodge 49 finds humor in the dark side of life while still treating it and the audience with respect and intelligence. It's well written characters and the actors engaging performances keep leading you back to the lodge. At one point Ernie says people "always go looking for unicorns when we’ve got rhinos. A rhinoceros is a fascinating animal. All this fascinating stuff right here in front of us. Screw unicorns, man.” We have Lodge 49, and a great rhino it is.

A great new show for those viewers who enjoyed Californication, Weeds and shows with a darker comedic edge. The main characters are well written, and I am excited to see where it goes. Mostly it is a show about trying to believe that love still exists in our culture of online dating, one night stands and cheap sex. I do not think that the show exploits language and nudity just to get viewers. I think most sex scenes presented are handled with care and only are present for the advancing of the story. As with many post modern shows dealing with the grayness of morality in relationships and sex, some viewers will find it offensive. For this looking for a relatable tale of internet dating and broken relationships, this is another interesting show to add to the list.