Board 8 > Twisted Metal TV Series

(+) Yeah! (+)

I am now watching the Twisted Metal TV series.

I think this will be bad.

They put out all ten episodes.

How do they have ten episodes for this? Even at half an hour this is crazy.

The episode names are styled like a license plate number.

While this may have convinced you to get Peacock, let me recommend some quality shows that are bound to be better than Twisted Metal.

The Resort
Based on a True Story
AP Bio
Poker Face

God help me as I start this series.

Fuck. I love Twisted Metal. Had a lot of potential as a TV series. No part of this looked good in the slightest.

Give the Emmy to Samoa Joe

I also thought this looked bad but 70% on Rotten Tomatoes with 23 reviews isn't THAT bad.

Maybe I'll give it a shot but they really should have just let Joe voice Sweet Tooth too.

The trailers made it look absolutely terrible. I'll be shocked if it turned out even slightly decent, but I'm not subscribing to Peacock to find out.

ive been a twisted metal fan since i was 7 years old

im all in.

idgaf.

Episode 1 Completed

Shockingly, this was actually pretty good. The highlight is actually the action. At least in this first episode, the goofy car combat stuff works really well, and I was impressed that it was actually fun to watch and not terrible. A lot of work seems like it was put into making those scenes good.

I think where this show struggles is that they have a number of actually legitimately great jokes and a number of them that don't really land. It's a show where they feel like, for the most part, they need to keep inserting jokes into spots where they don't actually need to be there.

Fortunately, even with bad jokes, Anthony Mackie is still chewing the scenery every time he's there. Great actor. Star presence. I just enjoy every scene he's in and you can tell he's giving it his all.

Stephanie Beatriz's character is for some reason mute. Absolutely bizarre choice for her, because she's a great actress.

As you might have figured out, this is nothing like the story of the games. It's a post-apocalyptic nightmare where there are cities that are secure and people like John, Anthony Mackie's character, who delivers things between cities. They tease you with Neve Campbell's character offering John a wish but it seems like it was made for nerds to get them to think it's like Calypso. Instead, if John does a cross-country delivery, he gets to join New San Francisco and stop driving.

The cop antagonist, Stone, is actually really, really good. He emits a sense of dread, has a twisted sense of justice, and he seems legitimately great. Looking forward to more of him. No complaints.

Sweet Tooth apparently runs Las Vegas. I kind of hope they figure something out with him, because that means he'll barely be in the series. Our first appearance is of Samoa Joe shaking his ass so. We will see... All we get out of it is laughter, which Will Arnett does good with.

So yeah, this was much better than I expected, overall. Kind of actually interested in the plotlines.

No Calypso shenanigans? Boooooo.

Episode 2 Completed

This one was all about Sweet Tooth. And honestly? He's not that bad. Like the rest of this show, some jokes land, but I think most jokes do land with it. Will Arnett is funny but I actually feel like Samoa Joe could've done a fine job of it, because he is really damn good with the physical acting of it. He has a knack for physical comedy.

Stephanie Beatriz's character works better in this episode I think. Got quite a few laughs from me as well.

Even that scene that they showed off with the Sweet Tooth and John Doe fight works better when in the context of the show. Like when it's alone, it kind of sucks. But when you spend a full episode getting into the vibe of the show and understanding that this is how this series is supposed to be, it feels less terrible. It's still not great and overwrought with some bad comedy, but it's not as bad?

Car combat still rules. The Agent Stone side plot is still great and gives the show a sense of seriousness it needs from all the gags.

And yes, they did find a way to have Sweet Tooth continue to be in the show. Honestly, it was a pretty hilarious scene.

And my god, the deep cuts for Twisted Metal fans that I didn't expect. Sweet Tooth's only friend in Lost Vegas is Harold the Lunch Bag.

Overall, this show continues to be more good than bad, which still surprises me. I want more car combat though, but I understand they can't keep filling out the whole show with that due to budget. But honestly, if I get one really good car scene in every episode I'll be satisfied because they deliver.

mcflubbin posted...

No Calypso shenanigans? Boooooo.

Honestly just about every iteration of twisted metal shook shit up considerably, so just go in with an open mind imo. Nobody complained when Black went completely left field

I'm thinking more about it and they really should have just shown the opening scene for this show instead of that Sweet Tooth and John Doe fight. Car combat that was awesome inside of a mall. Had plenty of comedy in it.

They should've just kept Sweet Tooth as a tease at the end of it.

Episode 3 Finished

This was the best episode so far! Actually really good, top to bottom, with very little complaints!

It does a deep dive into the Agent Stone character and it's really interesting and satisfying, especially since it gives us a look at what things were like when the apocalypse happened. Great character building there.

The comedy here actually lands almost every time, with some particularly hilarious jokes as well.

This actually feels like, for the first time, a good show. But they didn't give me any car combat so it missed out on being a great show. Alas.

I still want to know how we got a TV show before a game.

Episode 4 Secured

Man, this one had a ton of references to the games. Completely shocked that they seem to want to show love to the games where they can.

This one is mostly to explore John and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz). They really flesh out both characters with this episode, and Mackie and Beatriz really have a lot of chemistry with one another. I neglected to mention that before, but they play off each other really well.

This episode is about a roaming band of truck drivers who have a sort of colony driving together and they enlist John to make a run for them in exchange for weapons (since they were stripped away in the last episode).

No car combat which makes 2/4 episodes with car combat so far. However, it did have a couple cool scenes with the trucks.

This episode still felt really good and like they got into their groove. They're actually giving these characters a lot of personality and fleshing them out--even the minor ones. I really appreciate that because this show seems actually good as a result.

So yeah, we're slowly getting to the point where this show is improving with every episode. I want more like these two, definitely.

Just watched the first episode, and so far its a fun blend of campy, weird, and crazy, which is enough for me

Episode 5 Viewed

Another very good episode! Guys, I am in disbelief in saying this... But the Twisted Metal TV Show is actually good and I recommend watching it.

Sweet Tooth is back and has a pretty tremendous sequence of scenes. They still feel the need to put in too many jokes with him, but he's really solid in this one. I kinda really love the direction they're taking him now and I can't wait to see how the rest of it shakes out.

We get more from Quiet's story to flesh her out a bit more. We get more from Agent Stone, who drives OUTLAW from Twisted Metal Black! It was pretty awesome actually.

The humor keeps being more consistent. We get some outstanding and bloody action scenes with Sweet Tooth, and CAR COMBAT which puts the show at 3/5 episodes with car combat now.

So yeah, I'm willing to say at this point the show is worth watching. It just keeps getting more consistent in quality with each passing episode.

Oh snap, it's out and it's not awful? Gonna watch this!

Yeah I'm kinda curious to check it out myself now.

Episode 6 Observed

I did not expect an emotional and heartful episode. What in the world. It's actually a tremendous episode.

They flesh out Quiet's past a lot in a bottle episode in a pretty great location for this sort of show. Lots of flash backs that really hit you in the feels when mixed with the present day stuff.

Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz once again displaying outstanding chemistry, and they put their all into this. Great performances from both of them, but especially Beatriz

No car combat though. Feels bad. But this show is definitely far and above what you'd expect and they should honestly jettison their entire marketing team for this to the moon because they did not do this show justice.

3/6 for car combat so far. But they left a stinger I hope isn't just an Easter egg. A road sign has "CALYPSO IS REAL" graffitied on it.

That clip they showed at gamesfest seemed pretty bad, but the the trailer that came out more recently looked maybe good. Once they established what the actual premise was, I could see how it might manage to adapt elements of the show pretty well.

glad to hear its probably good, ill check it out

Episode 7 Looked At

Again, this episode was really good.

I didn't expect a Sweet Tooth backstory to be decent, but it actually was! A good portion of this episode was spent on his development, and it was solid enough for him. To see him be developed into a deeper character was good, and he continues to show more sides of himself.

And then they have loads of Twisted Metal references in this episode too. I expected this show to be a cash-in made by people who don't care about the franchise, but it legitimately feels like they do care enough since they keep referencing characters and other things from the games.

The John Doe/Quiet part of the storyline was mostly world building, and a lot of it. But it was good world building! Fun characters involved too. Their story was lots of fun.

No car combat though. 3/7 now. They keep edging me with Calypso though uggggghhhh stop it.

Good might be a stretch lol. Im glad TC is enjoying it, but just know the show aims for irreverence and camp, and you gotta be willing to let down your guard and just go with it

TomNook7 posted...

Good might be a stretch lol. Im glad TC is enjoying it, but just know the show aims for irreverence and camp, and you gotta be willing to let down your guard and just go with it

The best stuff comes from episode 3 onwards though and tones down on the camp from episode 4 onwards!

I am back on the Twisted Metal ride.

Episode 8 Peered At

This is another good world building episode! And it includes Jason Mantzoukas as an unhinged leader of a group, and that dude is always funny so it was a fun little episode.

We also finally get a little bit of backstory of John Doe the day he first remembered anything, where he found his beloved car. It's mostly just more world building for that origin, but somehow this episode actually made me a bit emotional.

They built an entire episode-long story with this one mixed with his origin and it paid off beautifully. I'm stunned that they could actually have an emotional payoff like this in this show, but they managed it.

Really great episode. Really quality stuff. I think this was arguably the best episode so far. Anthony Mackie did an outstanding job here.

BUT IT HAD NO CAR COMBAT. 3/8 currently.

Also a thought I had was that I think Sweet Tooth not being involved in every episode was the right call. He's good in the episodes we've seen him in, which I think is 4 at this point. But any more than that and I'm not sure how well it works out. Kudos to them for it.

Episode 9 Enjoyed

This episode is mostly a set up to the finale, and god fucking damn this is one hell of a set up. Pretty much did it all perfectly.

It brings Agent Stone and his folks together, Sweet Tooth, John Doe, Quiet, and Twister into the mix all at once!

It gives motivation to everyone for being there, and it's the last stop before John Doe can finish his drop off in New York.

It has some more good character work from John Doe and Quiet mostly. I don't actually have much to say about this one, but I'm actually legitimately excited to see the finale now. Everything is in place for an epic action car combat episode, which has always been the highlight of the show so far.

Car combat 4/9 episodes with the next one having some. So they hit my quota of 50% car combat episodes!

Oh, and I never thought they'd fucking do it, but they did. Sweet Tooth got his flaming head let's goooooooo

Episode 10 END

Yo you want an authentic Twisted Metal experience in live action? Because this episode delivered on it. There's a giant all out car combat battle royale in it and it was so fucking cool. Explosions, really unique ideas done with the cars, and satisfying explosions and drama in it. Just really awesome stuff. If you don't bother to watch the whole series but wanted to see Twisted Metal stuff, definitely check this part out at least.

It gives a good conclusion to the Agent Stone story that feels pretty satisfying given how everything went down. And we also get to see what's up with Raven, Neve Campbell. Pretty interesting development! And we get even more reveals for John Doe and his past!

This leaves off on one hell of a cliffhanger though. There is a LOT left on the table with this, and I sincerely hope this gets a second season. I think it has to pull serious numbers on Peacock though to do so, and the marketing hasn't really been there for it.

Here is what is teased for the second season though: CALYPSO IS REAL and he's hosting a Twisted Metal tournament where the winner gets a wish of anything! John is forced to work for Raven to give her a win. It teases a bunch of combatants including people who died in the show already (or it was strongly implied), and then AXEL. The fucking mad men want to do Axel next season what the fuck.

And then Sweet Tooth is revealed to have survived too in a mid-credits scene. And the cliffhanger was Dollface finding Quiet and being John Doe's sister.

So yeah, overall? It's a really, really surprisingly good show. The first few episodes overload it with jokes, but after those few it does a lot of deep and interesting world building and storytelling. Everyone seems to have put everything into their performances for this show, and the acting was very good for the most part. The humor lands a ton more after those first few episodes too and balances well with the drama.

Honestly, check this show out. You'll probably really enjoy it. The advertisements didn't do this justice, because this show totally ruled and if we don't get a season 2 that will just be a complete shame.

This was the most surprising topic and turn of events this year.

PrivateBiscuit1 posted...

While this may have convinced you to get Peacock, let me recommend some quality shows that are bound to be better than Twisted Metal.

The Resort
Based on a True Story
AP Bio
Poker Face

Which of these shows did not end up to be better than Twisted Metal?

ZaziGuado posted...

Which of these shows did not end up to be better than Twisted Metal?

Uhhh maybe AP Bio but only because it falls off more on seasons 3 and 4. Maaaaybe equal to The Resort and Based on a True Story.

The Resort is a really good mystery show set on an island resort where a bored couple is trying to reinvigorate their marriage by getting really into the disappearance of two kids 10 years ago and trying to figure out what happened. It's funny too! It stars Cristin Milloti and William Jackson Harper from The Good Place.

Based on a True Story stars Kaley Cuoco and is a hilarious show about a couple that befriends a serial killer and agrees not to turn him in if he does a podcast with them so they can become rich. It's a show that slowly gets more and more unhinged as each episode goes on.

Poker Face is a show by Rian Johnson starring Natasha Lyonne, who can tell when people are lying without fail. It's a murder mystery of the week show as she travels around the United States, with a completely new venue. It's extremely clever and the format is that we see the murders happen at the beginning of the episode, as well as the murderer, but through the episode we learn the motivations and how the main character is able to pin the murder on them.

So if you want to check out Twisted Metal with a Peacock subscription, you can watch these excellent shows too with your subscription dollars!

Yeah, I really enjoyed Poker Face.

S2 will probably be enough to bring me back to peacock. (I had a free subscription through comcast that they discontinued last month)

I've only watched the first ep but...

Jakyl25 posted...

Give the Emmy to Samoa Joe

TM is one of my guilty pleasure series and I'm so happy this seems to be good.

I'm going to be devastated if the appearance of characters (Stu and Mike so far) doesn't eventually lead to them getting their cars (Hammerhead).

FFDragon posted...

I'm going to be devastated if the appearance of characters (Stu and Mike so far) doesn't eventually lead to them getting their cars (Hammerhead).

I didn't talk about those characters much, but they had a pretty great arc! I really enjoyed seeing them.

I would say to keep your expectations low for notable cars, but remain ready to be pleasantly surprised by the ones that make it in, because honestly this series could have just given us nothing but tried to pack in as much as they reasonably could have. The last episode was super satisfying for cars though.

Finished through 5.

Flower Power and Twister and both Outlaw teases yes please

Good show.

FFDragon posted...

Finished through 5.

Flower Power and Twister and both Outlaw teases yes please

Good show.

And also GRANNY DREAD.

oh shit yeah

except for the being exploded part

Spectre let's goooo

AND MR SLAM PLEASE GET THE CAR

Jason Mantzoukas is Brimstone?!

this show is so dumb but also so fun

Roadkill looks fantastic.

The people who worked on this were fans of the games.

...end of ep 9 is everything I wanted from this series and if ep 10 follows through I willbhave no notes.

Isn't episode 8 somehow so emotional? I loved that one and it was insane they got me feeling emotions for this show.

And let me just tell you right now that they will follow through on EVERYTHING in episode 10.

Okay, let it be know that I will be absolutely crushed if this does not get a second season. You don't just drop Mr. Grimm and fucking Axel in there like that and not get to follow up on it.

Plus Dollface, who I thought was going to end up being the amputee caravan driver but I guess not whoops.

This show. This dumb camp show. This dumb camp show with some surprisingly deep and earned moments.

I loved it.

Yessss it needs a second season, which promises MORE CAR COMBAT. I didn't expect my favorite part of the last episode to be Twister taking the heat seeking rocket off of John and Quiet and toying around with it, then sending it at the bad guys.

That being all being said, what does the bracket look like?

<ugh gfaqs only allows 15 lines of spoilers so don't look down if you want to stay fresh>

Evelyn II (John Doe)
Roadkill (Quiet)
Brimstone (Preacher)
Twister (Watts)
Flower Power (Amber)
Axel
Spectre (Bloody Mary)
Mr. Grimm
Mr. Slam
Pit Viper
Dollface
Sweet Tooth (Needles Kane)
Hammerhead (Stu... and Mike?)
One of the Outlaws?
Crimson Fury? (Stone)
Darkside (someone from the caravan)

That's a solid roster as is, and they have room for more.

That whole first 15 minutes with The Distance was a masterclass in Twisted Metal love and it was fantastic.

Give me a season 2 of that and dumb shit like exploding the Eiffel tower and I will throw money at the project.

Man I'm so glad this show is actually good. I had no faith but I was like 'Twisted Metal would be SO EASY to make fun, plssssss'

Turns out the writers got that! And they cared! And it WORKED! Crazy concept!!!

This makes me even angrier at the continual botched showings for Resident Evil.

rip lance tho he tried

I've never played Twisted Metal, would I still get anything out of the show?

(The first two are on PS+ so I guess I could try them at least.)

JonThePenguin posted...

I've never played Twisted Metal, would I still get anything out of the show?

(The first two are on PS+ so I guess I could try them at least.)

Yes! It's campy fun with surprisingly good drama in it as the series goes on!