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Posted in: Review, Starz, TV | Tagged: comedy, courteney cox, greg kinnear, horror, Review, shining vale, starz
Shining Vale Season 1 E06 Review: Doing Deals & Greg Kinnear's Butt
STARZ's Shining Vale embraced the better parts of its comedic style while turning up and listening in on the horror aspects of the story it's trying to tell. Warning, though: if you wish to avoid spoilers of any kind you should stop reading here.
Shining Vale did take the real struggle of being a published author and explained it well without hitting viewers over the head with it all. The quick-witted comebacks and phrasing used in many scenes in this episode amplified the talent very much present in this series. I did love the honest and somewhat brutal interaction between Kam (Merrin Dungey) and Pat (Courteney Cox) when discussing the book. It's a friend trying to restrain the personal in order to explain and critique a client's work. Sadly, there's some truth to dealing with ageism mixed with sexism in many industries, as it's particularly shown in Shining Vale with publishing, prioritizing certain genres over others (ex: YA novels over erotic women-centered novels).
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- Source: Starz
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- Source: Starz
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- Source: Starz
The comedy of Shining Vale intermixed with some harsh realities thrown at Pat, with some meaningful and others just pure sexism, brought me into her world. I was focusing on her issues even when confronted with other problems. Things were directed back to the house, Rosemary (Mira Sorvino), and generational trauma and regret. Many central themes came together and could link up no matter what the scene was. Some scenes felt oddly short or as if things could continue on momentarily but wouldn't, such as with some of the scenes with Jake (Dylan Gage). I can't put a finger yet on how I feel about Terry's (Greg Kinnear) character so far. But there is something insightful and well-done when it comes to Terry, he's the progressive but without the concern to look inward or at the ways Pat is treated by those around her. That is something I will say is fantastic about the character because it's all too real in itself.
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- Source: Starz
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- Source: Starz
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- Source: Starz
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- Source: Starz
Shining Vale does an excellent job at throwing in references to The Shining in episodes. For example, the scene with Terry in the bedroom calling Jake over from the doorway to sit with him on the bed is almost shot-for-shot the same as the classic horror film. Although mixed in with it being a teenager trying to sit on his dad's lap made it funny and that's something I'll love this series for. People making a remix of Terry quitting his job at the bar was a great add-on to the episode and truly dug into his cycle of depression to focus energy and then into slumber. I will say the scenes and timing at the end of the episode were fantastic and one of my favorite parts of this series yet. If they continue to add in these truly horror-centered moments in the episodes it'll end up being fantastic week after week.
Shining Vale Season 1 Episode 6 "Chapter Six - Whispering Hope"
10/10
STARZ's Shining Vale S01E06 "Whispering Hope" embraces the quick and efficient comedic moments as well as the potential for true horror within the episode. This series stuns with well-placed quick moments of dread placed alongside laugh-out-loud moments right afterward in this episode.
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STARZ
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