The Old Man, Loot, and gentle minions
Life is never as settled as you think it is, plus something about Gru
Hello!
On this week’s episode of Criticism Is Dead, we discuss The Old Man and Loot, two shows about people who have to believe that what they’re doing is righteous.
Click here to listen to the full episode on the web
Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts, or other podcast apps.
01:54 The Old Man, streaming on FX on Hulu, is an expertly directed show for all the spy thriller fans out there.
Cards on the table (again!): Pelin and I are of differing opinions regarding The Old Man. What we can agree on is that it’s interesting to see a coming-of-old-age spin on the spy thriller genre, one in which the reality of the fact is so integral, both narratively and physically. The role of women in this series is also compelling: All these women get sucked into Dan Chase’s orbit, seemingly without a say in it, but what could have easily been a gendered trope is subverted when you realize that the real story is in how they flip the situation on its head and wrest agency and control away from a man who is used to being the savior and the top dog.
What I’m not so into is how opaque some of the characters’ motivations and desires are. I can’t quite follow the logic, which isn’t helped by the customary crypticness of the genre and the increasingly tangled threads of story (I don’t want to be someone who begs for exposition, but, really, I think a little more couldn’t hurt here).
But, ultimately, no matter which side of the debate you come down on, I think there are two more things we can agree on: The Old Man has some of the best fight sequences and dog actors on TV right now.
22:27 Loot, streaming on Apple TV+, tries to have its cake and eat it too in its portrayal of a clueless-but-nice billionaire.
Some might say that it’s impossible to create a biting satirization of extreme wealth and out-of-touch billionaires while also keeping the protagonist (who is an out-of-touch billionaire) likable and sympathetic. As Mike Hale writes in his review of Loot for the New York Times:
You can feel a juggling act going on: The show wants to mock Molly’s privileged cluelessness and then also, as her work with the foundation reorients her moral compass (or simply shames her), to score points for reforming her and for offering facile reflections on class and gender.
So how did Succession pull off the task of showing the depravity of the uppermost echelons, while still making us feel the widest range of emotions for the characters who inhabit that world? Truly superb writing, of the kind that produces real emotional resonance and character specificity. I’m not saying Loot should’ve been Succession — but, really, maybe it would’ve been better if it tried less to be. At this point (admittedly only halfway through the season), it doesn’t seem like the show can carry that additional weight of an attempt at a profound message about growth, accountability, and social conscience, not if it wants us to keep liking the protagonist so much. I have heard that the season finale changes the game, offering a glimmer of something more — and if that’s true, then I’m happy to hear that, but it might be too late for a lot of viewers.
P.S. As of Monday, it’s been announced that Loot has been renewed for a season 2, so I guess some people are watching, after all!
36:08 Plus, culture notes about how Minions: The Rise of Gru became one giant Gen Z inside joke.
Here’s Garbage Day’s explanation.
Bonus links
Interesting package from Vulture on the state of streamers and how showrunners are coping with the unknowability of these homes for their creative works.
Hugh Grant:
We and our silly movies and shows are nothing! NOTHING! nothing! in the grand scheme of the universe. Let the utter inconsequence of our existence be a comfort.
That’s it for now. See you next week!
— Jenny
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Please rate/review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts, WHEREVER, and tell a friend about us.
Inquiries, complaints, and recs for what to watch can go to criticismisdead@gmail.com.
Some credits:
Music: REEKAH
Artwork and design: Sara Macias and Andrew Liu