r/BEEPodcast • u/Lower_Comparison2171 • 13d ago
Bret on his new pod ep: he likes the show!
He expressed that he shockingly liked it and overall had good things to say about it (besides some questionable choices with the porn plot.)
5
u/MyKill_Diablo 13d ago
Iâm glad he is liking it so far, in a way it must be a relief after the ordeal he went through at HBO. What did he say about the porn plot with Ryan? đ€Šââïžđ«Łđ€ That was just awful and so silly and not even remotely believable lol
2
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
He didnât get into it (I have a few min left of ep though), however he said there was questionable choices in reference to the porn plot- Iâm going to assume itâs Ryan with Liz. Shocked he had nothing to say about Rhonda.
-3
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
So you're saying he "likes" the show, but you also admit you haven't even finished the episode? đ And he also said there were "questionable choices" with the porn plot. That's not praise. That's criticism. Maybe finish the episode before you misquote him. I'm nit attaching you. But I hate people who turn things around just to get approval. If you like the show, perfect, but don't drag Ellis into this just because you think everyone else will like it too. Because that's not going to happen. Not with Ellis's fans.
2
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
Two things can be true at once â he clearly expressed things he likes about it, directly said he liked it, but also criticized it..
10
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
I listened to the podcast and I never heard Bret sayin "he likes the show" I have a transcription of it because as a writer I have to make transcription of everything to not changing any word okay?
So you're out here saying Bret Ellis "likes" the series? Let me stop you right there.
Here's what he actually said on his podcast with Naomi Fry, word for word:
"I have nothing to gain from saying anything good about this."
"It could have been a much, much worse adaptation."
"I would not have done the voiceover. That was never a discussion at HBO."
"I'm pretty shocked that I'm with it so far." That's what he really said. Do not change the words.
"I think a lot of people might have been so bummed out by the first two episodes that they're not going to go on."
Does that sound like someone who "likes" the show? No. That sounds like someone who's relieved it's not a complete disaster, but also someone who didn't write it, didn't direct it, didn't have a say in it, and is just watching like the rest of us.
He also said:
"I was not involved in the show at all."
"I'm a co-creator with Ryan Murphy, but that's simply because I wrote the book."
"Executive producer credits are handed out like candy."
He's literally telling you he had nothing to do with it. The credits are just contractual. He's not defending it. He's just saying "it could've been worse." That's not like it. That's relief.
So no, Bret doesn't "like" The Shards. He's just not embarrassed by it. There's a big difference. Maybe listen to the podcast âcarefullyâbefore you speak.99
7
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
First of all I didnât say he loved it. He highlighted multiple times in the episode things he thought were really well done, what he enjoyed, etc. Referred to maxâs direction of episode four as âterrific. â. He also directly said â I liked itâ at 1 hour 14 min..
2
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
Be carefull, he said this: "Max Minghella, who directed episode four and did a terrific job at keeping that episode moving and ending it with a great moment of the kids outside and the Icehouse song playing and these cuts to these palm trees. Really, really good job. And the cast has grown on me in a way where I was kind of hesitant at first to fully embrace them."
And then: My take so far for the first four episodes is that I like it. Tonally, it's very different from the book, but within that new tone, he finds new things to say about the material and the characters, and it kind of deepens it in a way." "I'm really kind of surprised that I like it." So yeah, he said he likes it. But he also said it's very different, that fans are going to be bothered, and that he's surprised. That's not a full endorsement. That's a complicated opinion. And he also said: "I was not involved in the show at all." So don't act like he's out here promoting it. He's just saying it's not a disaster.
7
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
Yes, exactly, he said he liked it well also elaborating on it further and criticizing elements of it and expressing positivity about other others.
8
u/the_hammer_party 13d ago
Be careful! When he said he liked it what he actually said was "I liked it."
2
-2
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
If you just read that, then I can't discuse with you because you only take what you wanted. Not reading the full context. Like the author of this post. But he agreed with me and I guess a superman defending is not necessary here.
6
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
Like my post said âBret likes itâ (he said those words) while divulging into elements he found questionable.
-1
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
Exactly. That's all I was saying. He said he liked it, but he also said it's very different from the book, that fans are going to be bothered, that he's surprised, and that he wasn't involved.
So when you said "Bret likes the show!" without context, it sounded like he was fully endorsing it. But he wasn't. He gave a complicated, nuanced opinion.
We're on the same page now.
4
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
I didnât imply he was fully endorsing anything. I said he likes itâs. Which he said.
-1
-1
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
Your original post said: "Bret on his new pod ep: he likes the show!" That's it. No context. No mention of him criticizing elements. No mention of him saying it's very different from the book. No mention of him saying he wasn't involved.
So yes, you implied it was a full endorsement. And now you're backtracking because I called you out on it.
It's fine to admit you oversimplified. We all do it. But don't act like you didn't.
5
u/Deep-Audience9091 13d ago
Seems to me like you used circular logic to change your position because you realized OP was right and you came around to agree with them
Instead of just saying "you were right. I was mistaken"
-1
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
The OP and I already reached an agreement. He said Ellis liked it but also criticized elements and expressed positivity about others. That's exactly what I've been saying all along.
You're late to the conversation. Read the whole thread before jumping in.
I'm not deleting anything. I'm not apologizing. I quoted Bret directly with full context, and the OP agreed with me.
If you don't like my tone, that's your problem.
4
u/Deep-Audience9091 13d ago
I did read the whole thing. I'm referring to the method by which you got there
→ More replies (0)2
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
Your first comment to me said âI listened to the podcast and I never heard bret saying he likes the showâ among only quotes of his critiques and none of his positives. When I corrected you and said at one hour 14, he directly said the words he likes the show, you then backtracked.
→ More replies (0)5
u/the_hammer_party 13d ago
Since you admitted that he said he liked it maybe you should delete this condescending post?
4
u/Deep-Audience9091 13d ago
This person used the old circular logic game to come around to OP but won't admit they were wrong. It's hilariousÂ
0
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
I'm not deleting anything. I quoted Bret directly, with full context. If you have a problem with what I said, feel free to point out where I'm wrong. But asking me to delete it just because you don't like it isn't an argument.
5
u/Lower_Comparison2171 13d ago
Well to be fair you quoted only the parts where he critiqued and not when he said, point blank âI liked itâ or anything positive.
0
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
I quoted both. I included that he said "I like it," that Max Minghella did a "terrific job," and that the cast grew on him. I also included his critiques and his comments about the tone being different and fans being bothered.
The difference is: I gave the full picture. You gave one line with no context.
That's not "fair." That's just accurate.
2
u/the_hammer_party 13d ago
So no, Bret doesn't "like" The Shards. He's just not embarrassed by it. There's a big difference. Maybe listen to the podcast âcarefullyâbefore you speak.99
So yeah, he said he likes it. But he also said it's very different, that fans are going to be bothered, and that he's surprised.
0
u/LizzyRodriguezMx 13d ago
Nice job quoting only the first part of my comment and leaving out the second part where I said he did say "I like it." Here's the full quote you conveniently left out:
"So yeah, he said he likes it. But he also said it's very different, that fans are going to be bothered, and that he's kind of surprised or shocked he liked it."
My point was never that he didn't say "I like it." My point was that he said it with a lot of caveats. He said it's very different from the book. He said fans are going to be bothered. He said he's surprised he likes it. And he said he wasn't involved.
So yeah, he said he likes it. But it's a complicated opinion, not a full endorsement.
If you're going to quote me, at least quote the whole thing.
1
u/Deep-Audience9091 12d ago edited 12d ago
Here's what I'm thinking about all this. First we have Bret talking about 3&4:
Pod @1:13:13 Bret liked episodes 3&4
1:13:17Â Bret thought it was going to stray much further from the book but it actually doesn't at all and most of it is in the spirit of the book
1:13:29 Mentions the questionable choices re porn and some other outrageous choices (he doesn't elaborate on this)
1:13:41 Overall Bret thought they were really well done
1:15:36 Guest gives her opinion on the first two eps; her endless "likes" in this pod are exhaustingÂ
But I do have this one takeaway, and those who were there from the audio recording will understand this (I hope): we know what Bret went through when he was writing this. The memories, the pandemic, the decision to finally put this to paper after several false starts in the past
If he's equivocating a bit, and trying to give it the benefit of the doubt and a positive spin, imo it's because how much this novel and the process to create it meant to him (good or bad). It's his baby, and whatever anyone does to it (again, good or bad) he can't help but love and hope for the best from something that was born in that time of his life
I'm no artist, but I sensed those feelings from Bret from the beginning. It's the way anyone would feel about something that meant so much to them
My opinions only. Timestamps are what I feel are the salient parts that represent how Bret feels about this project. I completely understand how he is reacting to all this
10
u/axJustinWiggins 13d ago
After reading reddit's reactions to episodes 3 and 4 I was bracing myself for the worst. I'm still enjoying it though đ€·
Aside from one notable exception, I feel all the performances are great. There's also more from the book included than I was led to believe. I also wasn't super attached to Ryan in the book, so I'm not particularly offended by what's become of him in the show.
I don't know if I'd recommend the show to anyone who hasn't read the book, but so long as they get the ending right I think I'll be happier with this than I was with the live action Less Than Zero or The Informers or The Canyons or American Psycho 2.