Mozart in the Jungle : Series 3

Anyone watching what do you think?

I thought the latter episodes were better, especially episode 10 and particularly the last scene.

I'm looking forward to season 4.

My apologies for not putting the spoilers up right awaybut at least I remembered today. I plead "Guilty, but still kind of new at some IMDb forum protocols.")

We've only gotten through episode 7. We're enjoying it, but think they dragged out the whole Venice/orchestra lockout/Rodrigo dithering/Hailey all-over-the-place plot lines too long. It should/could have been resolved and brought back to center at the end of episode 2. Half the season seemed disjointed, drawn out, and had too little to do with the orchestra, IMO. Though it was great to see Placido sing and do his short scenes.

I'm not particularly onboard with "Oh look, Hailey is going to be a conductor" with a few sessions of "feel the music" from Rodrigo and Thomas. That quite simply would never happen. I'm willing to suspend disbelief quite a bit. Even though my hubby and I are musicians, we can easily get over the things that aren't spot on, that exaggerate, that are cliches. In fact, we find some of the cliches quite funny as presented because, as they say, some things become cliches because they're true. We don't mind that the lead actors are for the most part not instrumentalists by training. (We did mind some of the dubbed vocals for Alessandra; there was really no excuse for the missteps in some placesthey were being recorded and could have been corrected for pity's sake.) But Hailey conducting is a step too far for me. It certainly isn't ruining the season for us, but it feels forced.

We really enjoyed episode 7. I'd say that was our favorite so far.

Quick question: I know Saffron Burrows plays guitar. Was she playing in the scenes in episode 4?

I'm not a musician but I definitely agree, this new Hailey the conductor thing is just way too much.

I really liked episode 7, I just finished watching it. I was googling to see if the interviews were real but I think they aren't; it was indeed filmed inside Rikers, though. When I started watching it I feared it would be another useless, dragging their feet episode like the lock-in one, but I ended up loving it. Very moving.

This is how people become conductors. You don't spring from the womb as a conductor.

No, it's really not. Conducting is a whole separate area of study. It's much more than waving your hands and "feeling" the music.

I do not understand the blacked out lines. Did you reveal classified CIA information? Seriously, who does the blacking out. ?

Well, here's the thing. I've read posts/threads where many, many members here get "yelled" or "screamed" at for not using the spoiler blackout thing. Since I was commenting shortly after the new season came out, it was my understanding that I should use the spoiler blackout because so many people might not have watched it yet. I've always wondered what the time frame for that is, but that's not important here.

Here I thought I was being polite, following forum rules, and doing the right thing, but I get scolded and mocked anyway. Sigh. Sometimes you just can't win.

I was not scolding, or mocking I was trying to be funny while explaining that I don't know anything about the spoiler blackout lines. I don't know the rules of posts, and I am new in participating to IMDB boards. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.

It's just to hide spoiler info, done by the poster. Put your cursor over the black bars and you will see the text. :-)

Ah. Thank you for the tip. Appreciate it.

Question- how does one black out spoiler information???? I looked under "help" but nothing

Some boards can be really touchy about spoilers, especially with shows that air in different countries at different times. If you ever need to create a spoiler section, just highlight the text you think is a spoiler, then click on the spoiler button above the text box. You'll soon get the hang of things around here.

Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from pet shops!

Thank you. Appreciate your courtesy.

No problem. It took me awhile to figure out the whole spoiler thing, so I understand what you were going through. Things have also become more tense on this site in recent years; the demographics seem to be shifting, and people seem less agreeable sometimes. It helps to know the ropes. Enjoy!

Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from pet shops!

Thanks!

Obviously spoilers ahead, derp!!


I thought it was a good season. All of Rodrigo's moments are still gold for me. I did think they wasted time in the first half of the season with the Italy episodes but I enjoyed seeing Monica Bellucci in an easy but satisfying role.

I've never thought much about Lola Kirke's acting, maybe I just can't help but compare her to her sister Jemima Kirke in "Girls" who I think overall is far superior, but she has always seemed pretty wooden. I would say that, other than Bernadette Peters and an occasional moment from Malcolm McDowell everyone but Rodrigo seems to be relatively flat in their performances. Particularly Saffron Burrows, who may look interesting but who I just don't think is that committed to her acting. I've never seen anything from her that really seems to go beyond the "Oh, look how tall and beautiful and weird looking this woman is." No offense meant to her or her fans, that is at least partially the writers' fault.

I also did not care for the sub-story of Hailey's friend who is so in to this unknown female composer and wants to open some egalitarian hipster "speak-easy" in BrooklynBlech! Boring and vapid to say the least. Why is she even a character?

However somehow the series as a whole still manages to keep me hooked. Mostly I think it's the older leads who are all very charismatic and consistently watchable; also I'm just a music nerd so it's engrossing in that way for me as well.

I saw an article about the show that called it "Hard to like but easy to love." I feel that that is somehow true, that despite what to me are a lot of obvious defects, the show as a whole has blood and verve and keeps me watching, for the most part, contentedly.

Also, I will echo the other sentiments about how ridiculous it is that Hailey is a conductor. Her whole thing has always been that she is supremely passionate about the oboe and then all of a sudden it's just"Oh I will now be a conductor because" And no real justification for her character that I saw. IMO, The last thing we need in season 4 is to have two conductors' story lines competing for screen time.


In season 4 I hope we see more; Rodrigo, Gloria and Thomas and less of Hailey and the young hipsters; no travel episodes which takes away time from the rich NY vibe (even though the past travel eps were good they just take too long to go no where); more music/philosophizing about music etc; more Bradford Sharpe!; and actually develop Rodrigo's romantic line in to something a little more tangible, I like the hinted relationship with the banker ladyenough of the tantrum-throwing divas like Bellucci's character and Anna-Maria.

Anyways, my twoor perhaps 3 cents.

I think Lola is a great actress, and has really done a remarkable job throughout the series. Also, I think Saffron's union negotiating storyline just got tired. Would like to see more of her and the rocker from Episode 4. I love the mix of musical genres, and how the show explores all the ways the artists struggle to make ends meet (teaching, off off Broadway, etc.).

Just finished Season 3. Everything you said was pretty much spot on. I don't watch much TV so this is still worth catching but while some moments were sublime, much was dull or Clichd. I was eager for season 3 but by 4 I may not remember much of 3.

The club is based on Poisson Rouge in NYC. It's a real thing. And the conductor trajectory is incredibly common in musicians' real lives. You get dissatisfied with what your instrumental career provides (reproducing others' music over and over) and go on to conducting or composing, vastly more creative pursuits. There are many successful female conductors, and this is exactly how they all got there.

Yeah, I've no doubt the club is a real thingfor me it still is a hammy hipstery thing to pander to. No offense to people who would go to the real thing.

I would say that composing, as you mentioned, would of been a more interesting route for her to take than conducting which just like playing the oboe is mostly reproducing others' music only your instrument is a whole orchestra. Hardly much different as far as the creative opportunities they would offer.

And, I certainly don't have a problem with her conducting because she's female. Rock on and all thatwahoo. But! Hailey the character, to me, does not at all seem like a conductor based on what I've witnessed from said character. She's meek and awkward and while she did stand up to Thomas at the end that was pretty easy because he was being a total D at the time otherwise she seemed to have precious little aptitude for the craft. She seems exactly like someone who would be an ensemble player and not the conductor thereof, unlike Rodrigo, Thomas or even non-conductors like Betty or Saffron Burrows' character. Maybe that's ageist because they're all more mature and she's wellnot; although since I'm probably younger than Hailey is supposed to beIDK.

Basically, I don't think the conductor plot line for Hailey is very interesting. I'd much rather see more of Rodrigo and the older characters whom in my opinion carry the show. If they must focus on Hailey, I think a great story line for her would be to be relegated to a more supporting role and just buckling down with her oboe practice. And her friend could be cut entirely, I don't really get why her character has been as prominent as she has up til now

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and actually develop Rodrigo's romantic line in to something a little more tangible, I like the hinted relationship with the banker ladyenough of the tantrum-throwing divas like Bellucci's character and Anna-Maria.

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I'm a little confused by this. It's been clear since early in S1 that the show's been working towards the Rodrigo/Hailey pairing. They may well split up again, even after they got together at the end of S3, but it seems clear to me that the show will always bring them back together. It's obvious that Hailey is crazy in love with Rodrigo, and he loves her, although maybe not quite as much as she loves him (yet). I enjoy the two actors together, so I don't have a problem with it.

Overall, I love this show, and don't really dislike anything about it. I particularly enjoy how I love all the characters. The only real problem I've had with it has been Monica Bellucci's truly appalling miming to the singing of her character in the first half of S3. But that's over with now, and I hope fervently for a S4.

"I also did not care for the sub-story of Hailey's friend who is so in to this unknown female composer and wants to open some egalitarian hipster "speak-easy" in BrooklynBlech! Boring and vapid to say the least. Why is she even a character?"

I agree. I live in Prague, and Lizzie was just painful to watch!

And I also agree that the "Hailey as conductor" thing just seemed to come out of left field. Maybe it can work, though.

And I liked Gloria with Pavel :-( I know that was in season 2, but I just watched all 3 seasons recently and didn't want to open the chat boards until I'd finished (to avoid S3 spoilers), but I was disappointed it didn't last longer :-(

I wasn't fond of 'Not Yet Titled.' It was a good premise, but boring as hell. I burned through the whole season Sunday because it was raining, but I agree that the last couple of episodes were good.

question - S3 Ep 1 - why didn't they hire a REAL opera singer instead of an actress (monica belluci?)

I am only on the third episode, so didn't read the other replies here (even though spoilers were obscured by black), but so far I'm not liking it. Monica Belucci is laughably bad.

Thought it was great, particularly the first half Venice storyline and episode 7. Gael Garcia Bernal is the superstar of this show and the rest are his (mostly pretty good) supporting cast, and when this show realises that is when it really hits its peaks. Since episodes 1-5 revolve around him and Monica Bellucci, who is the biggest star other than him to feature on this show, and with the backdrop of *beep* Venice, it's a constant pleasure.

After that the season seemed to slow down a bit, which wasn't necessarily bad but just not as spectacular, and unfortunately less Rodrigo and more Haley (who's good, but not Rodrigo-good). The experimentalism of episode 7 made it exceptional, otherwise it just felt like a soft landing towards the end. Nothing bad, just more comfort viewing than awe-inspiring.

Provided this show keeps taking road trips, featuring Rodrigo as its main character and trying to find guest stars with charisma to match, I'll keep looking forward to the next season.

I loved the first two seasons. I am currently at episode 5 of the third season, and I am having a hard time pushing forward. It's like the whole thing has fallen flat (with the exception of the parts where Malcolm McDowell and Bernadette Peters show up.)

Do push through. The second half of S3 is better, IMO. It comes back to New York and gets back on track.

OK..I'm going to take your word for it and give it a second chance.

Thanks!

I loved the scenery in the Venice episodes, but the plotline felt like a regurgitation of Rodrigo's crazy ex-wife and it all felt woefully out of place. Hailey was also annoying in the first few episodes. She was acting so obnoxious when she was doing an imitation of Walsh and her behavior in Venice. It was better once it returned to New York and the whole Monica Belluci thing was over.

I think Cynthia's character was underused - really, most of the orchestra characters were underused. It was perfectly watchable, but it took me several weeks to watch the whole season whereas I binged on the first two seasons in less than a week.

I just finished the season and I'm in agreement with most of the other posters here. Definitely in regards to who carries the show which I think are Bernal, McDowell, and to a slightly lesser extent Peters. Not surprising since they're all the more seasoned performers and suchwhen they're out of the picture the show is quite noticeably lacking, in my opinion.

And, I don't want to dislike Hailey, but I really do. I just think she is so annoying and it's hard for me to believe someone like her has made it as far as she has (which is funnier considering her whole story line is about her trying to make it at all). Kirke, is serviceable, I wouldn't say she's an awful actor, but she is paired up against some pretty great ones and so maybe that makes it stand out more. I find myself just getting irritated with her when she's on screen too long, haha, which is not a good thing to say or think about a lead characterso I don't know, I wish I had something more constructive to say about that, but it's just a feeling.

I also agree about her conducting plot line. Felt pretty out of left field and with Thomas and Rodrigo already being prominent conductors I don't see why we need another one into the mix, at least, at this time. Maybe it could be interesting if they became something of rivals down the road or whatever (who knows how many more season they'll do though), but it just seems like a pretty unnecessary development.

As for the whole Hailey and Rodrigo finally getting together thingI mean, nothing new there really, yeah? It's a story line as old as time so we all knew what was coming. I did like how we got their day after reactions and they went against how we might of thought with Rodrigo seemingly conflicted about it. I liked that they didn't play that entirely straight, but I don't know how much water that kind of relationship can hold anymore. It's always a nervous line to walk after your "will they or won't they" couple finally couple up. I think they each have enough of their own things going on to lift them (certainly there's a lot of life in Rodrigo on his own), but they did seem like they were setting up potential other love interests or avenues so I don't know what the hell they're doing with all that. I would predict that it'll just be this thing where, like someone else kinda said, no matter what is happening or who else they're with or how far apart life may take them they'll still somehow always end up back together.

Though, if they didn't, and this ends up being a nail in their romantic coffin I'd actually kind of admire the show for subverting a common, cliched story troupe. Considering their dynamic is the crux of the show though, I doubt that'd happen.

Aaaand, this has gotten WAY too long, haha! Overall, I'll also echo the sentiments of others in that this show is far from perfect or even amazing, but in whatever, magical and mystical way it keeps me holding on and watching it. I don't know if that's just cause I find some of the characters too fun to part with, or I like the music, or it's just so damn charming regardless of its missteps, or maybe all of those! Hey, Rodrigo would be proud because I think like he says, this show "plays with the blood" in that it's not groundbreaking, but it has a lot of heart.