Comments on The House Next Door: John From Cincinnati Mondays: Season 1, Ep. 10, “H...

For this pastor, the final episode was 48 minutes ...

2007-08-16T01:14:00.000-04:00

For this pastor, the final episode was 48 minutes of gospel bliss. Sure, it was raggedy and confusing and frustrating along the way, but what a payoff: all the connections, the overwhelming importance of community, the willingness to endure pain for the greater good . . . Who can ask for anything more from the television gods? And then Ecclesfan with the leap of faith to the Parable of the Prodigal Son. I loved Deadwood, I loved this, this hit and miss three ring circus of wounded healers drawn to the light.

I, like Bill, can now see a little bit better, have a little more courage.

Eccles, here you are! What you've written about B...

2007-08-16T00:55:00.000-04:00

Eccles, here you are! What you've written about Butchie is beautiful and true. Thank you for that.

Watching a second time, I realize that MissDaisy is right; the first half or so is pretty perfect. It's the second half that lost me; it's the second half that has the qualities that I objected to above.

How strange and unfair (to the makers) that if a part does not work, it mars the whole. I really had not realized how good the first half was until watching again and looked for it.

Keith,Thank you once again for your thoughts on JF...

2007-08-15T11:07:00.000-04:00

Keith,

Thank you once again for your thoughts on JFC. I began reading this site as a Deadwood fan. I used to read Alan Sepinwall's NYPD Blue site, and was delighted to see that he is a contributer here as well. A big thanks from this Milch fan to all you guys.

A note of Cissy, Butchie, and Bill Jacks:

I think the moment when Cissy, who did not smoke in this episode, began to soften somewhat towards Tina was after she asked Shaun’s mother what she wants. Tina responds, “This.” Tina wants what she ran away from fourteen years ago. She wants the weight; the responsibility; the opportunity to do some good. I loved seeing Tina and Cissy standing side by side at the end. It may not be all Champaign and roses between those two, but it is a start – a beginning, which is always a good place to begin.

While watching the early episodes I remember admiring how Butchie treated John. He admonished him to “be adult around our possessions.” That is such a fatherly thing to say. He takes John by the hand, leading him about, telling him to be careful in traffic, and even taking him to the bathroom to dump out. I thought if only Butchie wasn’t so strung out and damaged he could treat Shaun the way he treats John, and be a father to him. In the finale, a clean and sober Butchie does precisely that. He tells John to stay put, and takes Shaun by the hand. Butchie, who didn’t bother to close the bathroom door in the second episode while John dumped out, is suddenly all decorous about how both Shaun and John should change out of their wetsuits in private, closing the bathroom door. In part, this might have had to do with Butchie’s confusion about exactly what John and Shaun had been up to in “Cincinnati.” But, I think this also speaks to Butchie’s growing sense of responsibility. He puts his own clothes on “the boys.” The scene reminded me of the Father in the parable of the prodigal son who puts his best robe on his son who had returned from a far country, dressing his son in familiar clothing while rejoicing because his son, who was dead, is alive again; the son who was lost has been found.

Butchie talks to Shaun as his father. When Cissy comes to get him while Mitch is floating near the ceiling, Butchie responds again in a responsible way, heading home to help, and taking Shaun with him. John is Shaun’s friend. However, what Shaun needs even more than a friend is a father, and Butchie is stepping up, getting in the game. I used to smile at the “F” on the door to Butchie’s room because I thought it could stand for his favorite cuss word. The “F” could also have stood for failure. I believe it now stands for Father. Butchie is earning that. I will always be thankful that David Milch, Kem Nunn, and Brian Van Holt gave us Butchie Yost.

One final word from me on Bill Jacks: Bill swore he would never again climb the stairs to the room where his wife died. Climbing those stairs was just too painful for him. We could see that during John’s vision/sermon at the Snug Harbor in Episode Six as Bill says, “I cannot do this, I cannot do this.” However, Bill did climb the stairs in order to give Shaun and Butchie the privacy and room required to meet together. Bill also climbed another set of stairs in Episode Two. He climbed those hospital stairs in order to bring the dead back to life. Bill found the courage he needed when it mattered most. He did what he thought he couldn’t do in order to help others. This is another little touch we so often find in the writing of David Milch. I eagerly await his next project, and I am grateful for what he gave us in John From Cincinnati.

go ahead, you'll be lead through. follow the polic...

2007-08-15T09:14:39.431-04:00

go ahead, you'll be lead through. follow the police officers. you'll be lead through. lead them through. go on through. you're being lead by the police officers--the COCKSUCKERS! that forgot to take my cuffs off. go on through. here's a drug casualty, thinks this car's NORmal. go ahead, the homosexual in the hybrid. go on. you're being lead through. look at the breasts on these women; this country is DOOMED. but go ahead, have fun.

Yes, Ed O'Neill was absolutely sublime.

2007-08-15T03:48:00.000-04:00

Yes, Ed O'Neill was absolutely sublime.

Thank you. Your writing helped focus some stuff go...

2007-08-14T22:27:00.000-04:00

Thank you. Your writing helped focus some stuff going on in my head. Although I will miss the show, I'm very happy with the end.

Very sorry the plug has been pulled. I'm in the ca...

2007-08-14T15:15:00.000-04:00

Very sorry the plug has been pulled. I'm in the camp of those who feel the finale tried too hard to wrap things up, and annoyingly left other subplots to dangle; but when it worked, it worked very well. Ed O'Niell's spectacular work was well rewarded with the final soliloquy--too bad quirky unwatched shows don't yield Emmy nominations. He was a revelation throughout JFC.

I'd be remiss if I didn't note my disappointment that "The Chinaman's" brief appearance didn't have him yelling "San Francisco c*cksucker" for old time's sake (Deadwood fans will understand). Perhaps HBO will now unleash Milch to finish that piece of business.

Thanks for your insights throughout, Keith. They definitely helped me stick with this ragged, but ultimately rewarding series. My head is stuffed with zeros and ones.

From Hollywood Reporter, the show's been canceled....

2007-08-14T07:29:55.840-04:00

From Hollywood Reporter, the show's been canceled.

Que sera, we've got the ten.

Nobody seems to have picked up on John's "mother o...

2007-08-14T04:49:00.000-04:00

Nobody seems to have picked up on John's "mother of my father" line at the end - referring to Kai. Surely this means Kai is pregnant with the next incarnation of "Father"? Making her the new Mary and Buchie the new Joseph?

It seems to be set-up for season 2, imo.

I agree the finale was sloppy. Disjointed. After...

2007-08-14T04:37:00.000-04:00

I agree the finale was sloppy. Disjointed. After ten episodes of this show however, i can't say i'm surprised really. All in all i gotta say it still has me. Even in it's awkward fitting camo wetsuit kookfilled weirdness (that is extremely hard not to pay attention to being from san diego...).

It had me at Al Bundy. For those who love writing, and goddam good acting of that writing... Just for his alone the show was worth watching. No one deserves an Emmy like him after one season.

The other thing that needs to be said is that the best part of the finale, and maybe the top three of the series so far (john's monologue, and shawn waking up to the sounds of TV On the Radio being the first two...) Kai's friggin lip hit with the air drop landing to close it all. Kaela K.... Mother of God indeed!

Unfortunately, TV Guide and E! are reporting the s...

2007-08-14T02:32:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, TV Guide and E! are reporting the show is done. Although I don't think the show ever hit the same high levels of creative consistency as Deadwood (not even sure if it's fair to compare the two, IMHO), it was pretty compelling viewing nonetheless.

Also, in response to the observations made about the telescoping story line, did anyone else notice the mention of the Doc returning from Cincinnati 20 years younger during the parade? I may have misheard that one, though.

Thanks for a beautiful and telling analysis of the...

2007-08-14T02:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks for a beautiful and telling analysis of the finale. Loved this show, and the artfulness it brought to the small screen. Yes there was a lot to parse, but you've caught more of it than any other review I've seen.

"LeChaim, shug booty."Also, I can't quit thinking ...

2007-08-14T01:06:42.656-04:00

"LeChaim, shug booty."

Also, I can't quit thinking of Con Stapleton there in the parking lot, barking -- "Country, I took you off line."

I want this show to continue. I've come to love m...

2007-08-13T23:30:00.000-04:00

I want this show to continue. I've come to love my weekly bafflement, my increasing degree of caring about these characters, and the characters'willingness, ability to transcend themselves via their own bafflement. Compare this show with the heavy-handed "Saving Grace." OMG! The latter slaps you up side the head. The former invites you to open your mind as you watch others open theirs and live in faith. Not some hidebound, rule-encrusted symbol of faith, but directly experienced faith--faith in being part of something larger than oneself, whether it is one's family, community, or "higher power."

Please, HBO, hang in there with this show. Some of us don't want a show that scores 100% on the multiple-choice test of understandability. In fact, following the 100%-right path leads to the land of Idiocracy.

Erin-I'd have been remiss if I hadn't mentioned th...

2007-08-13T21:03:14.499-04:00

Erin-

I'd have been remiss if I hadn't mentioned the surf sequence. But that was the opening to my review. :-)

I was glad to stick with the show, and it absolutely came together for me in the finale. There's so much to engage with, and I feel like I only scratched the surface in these pieces. Should a second season come, I will certainly continue this project.

Thanks for reading.

Am I all alone here? I wondered throughout the who...

2007-08-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

Am I all alone here?

I wondered throughout the whole series at what point did Milch realize/discover that he had to wrap in up in 10, not 12 episodes. I couldn't guess. Until last night.

It's clear to me that it's likely that it was not until after shooting the ninth episode that the cutback occurred. The most obvious indication of this is the introduction of The Chemist in that second to last episode, a character who, to all appearances, was set up to play a relatively important role, only to virtually disappear in the finale.

In my view, the finale, while containing isolated moments of beauty, was ravaged by telescoping (e.g., the whole deal with Stinkweed and The Yosts); awkwardly truncated story lines (The Chemist, The Hawaiians); and generally rushed disjointed sloppy pacing.

This is frustrating and sad to me. With whatever quirks some people complained about in Deadwood, the essential momentum and pacing of the story was never threatened. By the end of season three, even the acting troupe's place had taken shape. Not to say that we were not left with threads that were clearly meant to be picked up again. But the finale -- whatever your take on the meaning of it, whatever your level of satisfaction with it -- was paced appropriately; it unfolded in keeping with the pacing and tension that had been building all season.

This finale failed in that regard for me. And, really, I can only imagine that it was the best Milch could do on sudden notice that he would have not three, but one episode left to finish his season.

Am I nuts? Am I missing something more purposeful here?

Keith, I appreciate your patience in deconstructin...

2007-08-13T20:59:44.235-04:00

Keith, I appreciate your patience in deconstructing this show; you are a true believer. I have stuck with it through a stultifying season, hoping that the brilliance of DEADWOOD--besides the recasting of the actors and the echoing of metric dialogue and its delivery-- might shine through. It hasn't for me. But there was one bright note in the season finale that you didn't mention--the thrilling surf sequence accompanied by Dylan's "Series of Dreams." Besides the opening credits and Greyton Fletcher, this was the highlight of the entire season.

I don't think the series came together in a satisf...

2007-08-13T17:16:40.416-04:00

I don't think the series came together in a satisfying way. Let's hope there still is time for Milch to get those Deadwood movies going.

My fear that the show won't be renewed tempered my...

2007-08-13T15:40:00.000-04:00

My fear that the show won't be renewed tempered my enjoyment of the finale but I smiled nearly the whole time. I loved all the sweetness and kindness and recognition that something "big and huge" was happening. The characters hadn't lost themselves in the change but the change was happening.

I stopped trying to figure out the what and why of John very early on in the series and just simply enjoyed the "who" these people are and "how" they became family, human, more than human over those 9 days and 10 episodes.

I'm sad to see it go but would really like it to come back.

Loved the series, totally, deliriously wonderful. ...

2007-08-13T15:31:00.000-04:00

Loved the series, totally, deliriously wonderful. What programming can and should be. The END? First half was pure joy but the second part seemed cobbled together. Praying for another season, at least.Thanks, Mr. Milch. I'll keep on believing.

We'll see what happens, anon. Updated music listin...

2007-08-13T15:21:01.478-04:00

We'll see what happens, anon.

Updated music listing through Episode 10:

1) "Johnny Appleseed" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, from album "Global A Go-Go": JFC Theme Song

2) "The Perfect Ending" by Harriet Street, from album "Cold and Comfortable": JFC Promos

3) "Going Up the Country" by Canned Heat: Ep. 1 - Vietnam Joe's Van

4) "Sun/Rise/Light/Flies" by Kasabian, from album "Empire": Ep. 1 - End Credits

5) "Tic" by Kava Kava, from album "Maui": Ep. 2 - Surf Tent

6) "Staring at the Sun" by TV on the Radio, from album "Young Liars (EP)": Ep. 2 - End Credits

7) "Time to Say Goodbye (Solo Version)" by Sarah Brightman, from album "Classics": Ep. 3 - Hospital Escape

8) "Boogie Chillen" by Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, from album "Alone & Acoustic": Ep. 3 - Kai Sees God

9) "Feeling Good" by Muse, from album "Origin of Symmetry": Ep. 3 - End Credits

10) "Unisono" by Control Machete, from album "Artilleria Pesada - Presenta": Ep. 4 - John Gets into the Van

11) "Un Di Felice, Eterea" by David Byrne, from album "Grown Backwards": Ep. 4 - Cass' Vision

12) "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel, from album "So": Ep. 4 - Butchie & Kai Love Scene

13) "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" by The Yardbirds, from album "Birdland": Ep. 4 - End Credits

14) "Tonight's the Night" by The Shirelles: Ep. 5 - Butchie & Tina in the Diner

15) "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by Elvis Costello, from album "King of America": Ep. 5 - End Credits

16) "And When I Die" by Laura Nyro, on album "First Songs": Ep. 6, inspiration for Bill & Freddy's Duet

17) "And When I Die" by Blood, Sweat & Tears, from album "Blood, Sweat & Tears": Ep. 6, inspiration for Bill & Freddy's Duet

18) "My Favorite Things" by John Coltrane, from album "My Favorite Things": Ep. 6 - End Credits

19) "Watching the Wheels" by Matisyahu, from album "Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur": Ep. 7 - End Credits

20) "The Tennessee Waltz" by Patti Page, 1950s recording available on album "Patti Page: Golden Hits": Ep. 8 - Barry's Vision

21) "When Love Comes to Town" by U2 & B.B. King, from album "Rattle and Hum": Ep. 8 - End Credits

22) "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam & Dave, on album "The Essentials: Sam & Dave": Ep. 9 - End Credits

23) "Series of Dreams" by Bob Dylan, from album "The Bootleg Series, Volumes 1-3 (Rare and Unreleased) 1961-1991": Ep. 10 - John & Shaun's return

24) "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard, on album "The Georgia Peach": Ep. 10 - End Credits

All series incidental music by Johnny Klimek & Reinhold Heil

I thought the whole series was a huge disappointme...

2007-08-13T14:16:00.000-04:00

I thought the whole series was a huge disappointment;
do you think HBO will renew for another season?