S-Town
- Thread starter TikkiB
- Start date
hiccup
King of the Vagabonds
I thought it was a beautifully constructed portrait of a man, and a town. But the way some people were presented at different times did feel a bit cynical. Like they wanted me to feel a certain way, rather than letting me make my own mind up.
Still, best thing I've listened to recently. It's really stayed with me since I finished it.
Still, best thing I've listened to recently. It's really stayed with me since I finished it.
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
Well
I think they played a fine line contextualising some of the characters' racism, one of the poorest counties in the poorest states in the Southern US is a place where racism and ignorance flourishes.
Lord Camomile
Yipchaa!
Ah fuck it, I'm going to have to start listening aren't I?
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
If you can listen to the end of Episode one and not be fucking riveted, you are dead inside.
[sits on hands, bites lips]
hiccup
King of the Vagabonds
Well, it wasn't the
racist attitudes I was thinking of so much, more the way some people were initially painted as having a heart of gold (Tyler etc), and others almost dismissed as one-dimensional villains (the cousins), only to be shown later to be not that at all. It just felt a little manipulative, the order and timing of some of the information. A minor niggle though really.
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
hiccup
King of the Vagabonds
Ack, sorryPlease tag the episode that spoiler is for
QOTH
Well-Known Member
I finished listening to it yesterday. I did feel at the end it got a bit prurient and voyeuristic, but mostly it was great - sad and funny and eccentric and it captured just how *complicated* people are.
I liked that there wasn't an obvious hero or villain, and I liked that there was that progressive disclosure that showed one side of the story and then challenged me with the other side just as I'd formed a conclusion as to who the heroes and villains were.
I liked that there wasn't an obvious hero or villain, and I liked that there was that progressive disclosure that showed one side of the story and then challenged me with the other side just as I'd formed a conclusion as to who the heroes and villains were.
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
Ack, sorry
I've gotten to the end of episode 6. I gave it a break after hiccup's spoiler, but I realised quite soon into the next ep it wasn't too serious a spoil (so apology accepted, and sorry if I was too spike)
I don't mind the way it's told, for starts most serial/this american life series follow a similar format, and I understand that for verisimilitude they let the show unfold, so as Brian "discovers" something new we learn something new, much like if we were there for the months and years of the investigation.
Plumdaff
joy in people
I enjoyed it, and yes, it has stayed with me. Really worth a listen.
It showed a type of small town Southern life, flaws and all, with a detail and nuance you rarely see. In particular, an intelligent, queer, rural Southern life.
I did think it suffered from having a very straight viewpoint on the needle play - that was the only bit I thought verged on prurient because of the narrators own assumptions
I did think it suffered from having a very straight viewpoint on the needle play - that was the only bit I thought verged on prurient because of the narrators own assumptions
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
Not quite the same but 'Casefile' is good - every episode follows a different crime that's happened over the world (usually murders). The guy who narrates it has a lovely voice and some are fascinating.
ska invita
back on the other side
INCLUDES SPOILERS
Just finished listening to this....left me with a lot of thoughts.
The host, Brian Reed...like others, he did grate a bit. Not sure I trust his attitude.
The music that finished off each episode was IMO so twee and ill fitting with the mood of Woodstock and the stories presented [ "A Rose for Emily" by The Zombies]. It could just be a matter of taste, but in my mind I blamed that decision and what felt to me like a misreading of the subject on Brian! It kind of matched him somehow.
Obviously it was very consciously structured, and the narrative created was very effective. But the music choice made me wonder what were they trying to say with it all.
Racism has been mentioned on the thread. Clearly its KKK country and its a poor and 95% white backwater of the south.
IIRC there was one verbatim inclusion of the word 'nigger' in the whole 7 hours, and it was trigger warninged and given context. Yet Brian says in the final episode that John B, although supposedly very conscious and against racial and sexist attitudes would on several occasions say sexist and racist things to Brian. That contradiction was part of the complexity of his personality. I presume these were recorded, yet they weren't aired and we only have Brian's nod to them to go on.
I guess what it leaves me feeling is there is an attempt to airbrush, or at least soften, that side of John Bs character, and perhaps that of other characters, like Tyler, to make them as sympathetic as possible. The way it is presented shows most of the main participants in a complex, semi-tragic, but above all positive light. It made me wonder what wasn't included........and what was the reasoning behind that. I wonder if Id feel the same way if Id heard some things that were left on the proverbial editing room floor.
Also on the issue of backroom production, it left me curious how many other stories were under investigation at the same time...just generally curious about the production process and how it developed, adn how that matches the storytelling.
There have been accusations made that its exploitative poverty porn, and also that the outing of John shouldn't have happened.
I didn't get a poverty porn vibe off it all - the opposite in fact. I guess if anything I felt like it was a little airbrushed. What comes through most was a sense of dignity and intelligence of all the participants, people who probably would be written off by many otherwise, and I also wondered if the lack of visuals of the podcast format helped to dodge some of those negative sentiments.
The outing is more complicated. It gave the impression that John really wanted to be investigated...he obviously knew who Brian was and how big a following the other podcasts had, so I came away thinking he was going into it with eyes open. In fact Im pretty sure he described himself on recording as a "quasi homosexual" at one point, amongst other references. Hard to know for sure.
Anyhow, regarding John B himself: I found myself relating to him in a variety of small ways, especially the disgust at the modern world that drove so much of his character. I am curious about his finances though....lots of contradictory things came up so impossible to judge i guess. Did anyone feel more certain about it? The fact he was meant to have so much gold, coupled with the fact he was into this fake gold electroplating process made me think maybe any gold he had was fake?
It gave the impression that he didnt have to work if he didnt want to, and I really got that renaissance man of leisure vibe about him.
Boarding up his moms windows was a particularly grim note that seemed skirted over a little, and left me wondering about his dark side.
Just finished listening to this....left me with a lot of thoughts.
The host, Brian Reed...like others, he did grate a bit. Not sure I trust his attitude.
The music that finished off each episode was IMO so twee and ill fitting with the mood of Woodstock and the stories presented [ "A Rose for Emily" by The Zombies]. It could just be a matter of taste, but in my mind I blamed that decision and what felt to me like a misreading of the subject on Brian! It kind of matched him somehow.
Obviously it was very consciously structured, and the narrative created was very effective. But the music choice made me wonder what were they trying to say with it all.
Racism has been mentioned on the thread. Clearly its KKK country and its a poor and 95% white backwater of the south.
IIRC there was one verbatim inclusion of the word 'nigger' in the whole 7 hours, and it was trigger warninged and given context. Yet Brian says in the final episode that John B, although supposedly very conscious and against racial and sexist attitudes would on several occasions say sexist and racist things to Brian. That contradiction was part of the complexity of his personality. I presume these were recorded, yet they weren't aired and we only have Brian's nod to them to go on.
I guess what it leaves me feeling is there is an attempt to airbrush, or at least soften, that side of John Bs character, and perhaps that of other characters, like Tyler, to make them as sympathetic as possible. The way it is presented shows most of the main participants in a complex, semi-tragic, but above all positive light. It made me wonder what wasn't included........and what was the reasoning behind that. I wonder if Id feel the same way if Id heard some things that were left on the proverbial editing room floor.
Also on the issue of backroom production, it left me curious how many other stories were under investigation at the same time...just generally curious about the production process and how it developed, adn how that matches the storytelling.
There have been accusations made that its exploitative poverty porn, and also that the outing of John shouldn't have happened.
I didn't get a poverty porn vibe off it all - the opposite in fact. I guess if anything I felt like it was a little airbrushed. What comes through most was a sense of dignity and intelligence of all the participants, people who probably would be written off by many otherwise, and I also wondered if the lack of visuals of the podcast format helped to dodge some of those negative sentiments.
The outing is more complicated. It gave the impression that John really wanted to be investigated...he obviously knew who Brian was and how big a following the other podcasts had, so I came away thinking he was going into it with eyes open. In fact Im pretty sure he described himself on recording as a "quasi homosexual" at one point, amongst other references. Hard to know for sure.
Anyhow, regarding John B himself: I found myself relating to him in a variety of small ways, especially the disgust at the modern world that drove so much of his character. I am curious about his finances though....lots of contradictory things came up so impossible to judge i guess. Did anyone feel more certain about it? The fact he was meant to have so much gold, coupled with the fact he was into this fake gold electroplating process made me think maybe any gold he had was fake?
It gave the impression that he didnt have to work if he didnt want to, and I really got that renaissance man of leisure vibe about him.
Boarding up his moms windows was a particularly grim note that seemed skirted over a little, and left me wondering about his dark side.
D'wards
IT'S YOUR DECISION DANIEL
Have a listen to Adam Buxton podcast ep49 .
Him and Louis Theroux have a fantastic conversation about S town, which they both loved. They try and do impressions of John, Brian and the bloke who keeps shouting out in the background.
They really examine Brian's intonation, and the NPR way of talking and vocal fry.
They both agree that John had such a beautiful sing-song voice that really made the series .
Him and Louis Theroux have a fantastic conversation about S town, which they both loved. They try and do impressions of John, Brian and the bloke who keeps shouting out in the background.
They really examine Brian's intonation, and the NPR way of talking and vocal fry.
They both agree that John had such a beautiful sing-song voice that really made the series .
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