Fun
Knit to This: Toxic Masculinity Trifecta!
Dear Kay,
I’m starting to think I have weird taste in TV. These days, I’m drawn to a mishmash of soapy Virgin River, tear-soaked This Is Us, and six movies set on submarines.
The latest weirdness: I’m deep into a combo-binge, because a mono-binge just isn’t enough for me now that the pandemic has taught me how to watch seven seasons of Alone in snappy fashion.
I’ve pretty much got a Comparative Literature course going, watching three television series that are all the same story: sons overcoming the tyranny and abuse and expectation of their fathers.
Billions. Damian Lewis is the hedge fund scoundrel trying to escape the legacy of his brutal father.
Succession. AKA Billions only smarter. Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin (and Sarah Snook and that other brother who’s fecklessly running for president) try to curry favor with their bonkers media mogul father Brian Cox, who has tried to escape the legacy of his horrible father. Tragedy and comedy all day long.
Yellowstone. AKA Succession on a horse. Everybody’s trying to get the patriarch of a ranch the size of Rhode Island to love them. Kevin Costner looks fantastic, wears his Carhartt like a boss, but the guy’s a mess. All he wants is to keep his promise to his long-dead daddy not to lose the ranch, so his real estate strategy is to destroy anybody coming after his 200,000 acres. While simultaneously sitting alone at the grand dining room every morning feeling sad that nobody will have eggs with him. (The trailer up top is hilariously over the top and 100% accurate.)
When you watch these three series simultaneously, it starts to feel like nobody ever had a good dad, ever in the world. The women are all over the place, dealing with men who are basically out of their minds with ambition, greed, and anger. It’s hard to know whom to root for, so I guess I’m just rooting for justice to prevail? Throw the bums out, all of ’em!
There’s lots of transportation porn—black SUVs, black sports cars doled out like birthday cards, black helicopters standing at the ready any time of day or night. The black Dodge Ram pickup trucks at the Dutton Ranch are never dirty. Rich folks love a black vehicle, turns out.
Also: it gets tricky to keep all the boardrooms straight. Billions: all glass. Succession: all glass. Yellowstone: what a boardroom would look like if Sundance Catalog got hold of it.
Curious to hear what you all think of these shows. Please don’t mention any spoilers, which I realize is basically impossible as I write this post. I can’t even read Twitter when a new episode of these shows is on!
Love,
Ann
Y’all need to add Ozark to this list.
Yes!
Don’t forget my favorite, Rip! He’s playing surrogate dad to Yellowstone’s youngest, new member, Buddy.
My friend David Bomba won an Academy Award for the set design on Ozark!
I agree. Ozark is great!
And Ruth the best one of the characters!
Went to Nashville for a weekend to run Rock n Roll 1/2. While having pizza and beer at our cozy VRBO my friend says to us-Have you seen Yellowstone? We got in six episodes before we had to leave. The rest is history.
You ladies are Nutz!!! Ann, you start with Kevin Costner who would have my loving, rapt attention reading the New York White Pages! I took my then-teen age daughter to see the Kevin Costner movie, Tin Cup, where he plays a golf pro. My daughter decided in the first three minutes after watching Kevin’s character in rayon golf knickers hitting practice balls that he had the cutest ass around! She’s in her 40’s and hasn’t changed her opinion!
Sorry to say though, shows like Billions, Succession, and even Yellowstone (though Kevin dressed in anything Western Cowboy-type is…OMG! I’ve got to go to confession!) are just a wee too edgy for me. Give me a good ol’ rom-com any day!
My book/iPad/pattern stand from one of my previous Field Guides goes with me everywhere! It remains my Number 1 favorite anything! It’s like a metal blankie! I don’t know how I lived before you wonderful women included it in my field guide! I throw karmic thank yous into the wind every day because I have this marvelous book stand! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And thank you for that tasty little bit of Kevin Heaven!
Betsy!
Can’t leave out Paul Giametti’s repulsive father in Billions. He certainly has a hand in driving the narrative.
I’ve started rewatching the original (and IMO still the best) Dallas which comes with a boardroom, a ranch, and a Daddy with a capital D. The opening montage and the soaring theme music pull you right in.
Not just the sons. Don’t mess with Beth in Yellowstone.
I want to be Beth Dutton when I grow up. BTW, I’m 60…
Me too, and I’m almost 80 …
She is my hero!
Thanks for the trailer. Won’t be watching Yellowstone. Somebody mentioned Dallas (my years-back Friday night guilty pleasure – except the haircuts). Where can I find it? Dallas series seems like Mayberry after the last several years.
Dallas is available on Prime Video, and it was out on DVD some years ago. Each season was sold separately, as a boxed set. You might find the DVD version at places that sell used DVDs,
I’m with you; I’d rather be watching “Dallas “, or Miami Vice!
I must disagree that Succession is smarter than Billions. I think Billions far more interesting, more depth of character (even if that they are all versions of one character) – but it’s a con-man [sic] show + everything else ( o spoilers here) all wrapped up in snappy dialogue. Plus NYC & every location is a full blown character in the show; and they get points for certain kinds of character diversity. A few seasons do drag, but they always pull it off in the end.
I wholeheartedly agree. And Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti are the best actors in any of these series — but Jeremy Strong is getting close.
Succession is one of the few shows that I watch that makes me forget to knit. Love. Tempted to try Billions. Thanks for that recommendation.
I don’t knit to Billions, every word and every shot give so much info. Plus if you rewatch one needs to be alert for Easter eggs.
Oops, I think do you mean Paul Giamatti, not Damian Lewis. But neither of them glow without each other and Maggie Siff.
I don’t knit to Yellowstone if I did I might miss out on a mumbled comment from Rip or a snarky response from Beth!
Not sure why we like this show but we do. It’s like Shetland – beautiful scenery with a side of murder.
Shetland is amazing!
Agreed! You just can’t beat Britbox.
By the time I got to the last season of Succession, I didn’t care about any of the characters. I finished it but I was so bored with the lot of them. And, I sure wouldn’t call it a “comedy”.
I started Yellowstone at the suggestion of family/friends and am “on the fence” (haha) about it. The Costner part keeps me coming back! My 31 year-old son loves it and wants to now head west to become a cowboy! Coming soon, we have 1883 with Sam Elliot ❤️ about the beginning of the Dutton dynasty. That trailer looks amazing!
I’m trying to watch Succession but I hate all of those people so much.
In other news – YOU GOT ME ADDICTED TO ALONE! Way back when you wrote something to the effect of, “ you think YOU’RE a maker? THESE people are makers”, I had to check it out. I got hooked. I’d watch and knit and get to the cliff hanger at the end and have to go on, then I’d get to the end of the next episode but I’d be in the middle of a row so I’d let it roll to the next one. Lather, rinse, repeat and then oops! It’s 1 AM! This set me up for the bad habit of staying up until 1 or 2 and then getting up at 9. It was bad.
I’m reformed now. I ran out of Ali e episodes and turned on that bedtime app on my phone and now I’m asleep by 11. I’m just hanging on until Season 8 is syndicated so I can watch it. I don’t have cable TV.
I find that I only like watching it with other people now. It’s a favorite with houseguests! And, not knitting content, but how about those nets!
Fathers in westerns? Could we acknowledge Bonanza? Kind of the granddaddy of them all!! For those who don’t know anything about the Ponderosa Ranch and the three sons of the Cartwright clan, don’t fret. It satisfies all the predictable character tropes. A brainy-type for the eldest son; a goofy one for the middle, and the baby is the good-looking innocent. Extremely light viewing – not sure if it’s even viewable these days. Not to worry – between Billions, Succession, Ozark, etc., there’s plenty to watch that might keep the brain engaged during the acres of stockinette we could be knitting.
Quit watching Yellowstone – too violent and hateful for us. Succession was ok at the beginning, but boring toward the end. I prefer sweeter feel-good moments during my TV watching, such as The Great British Bake-Off, Call the Midwives and most of the Masterpiece Theatre shows. Why fill our minds with more violence passing as “entertainment” when the real world is so angry and scary? I might add that we don’t watch the news for the same reason, soooo depressing! I choose to create what is under my control, ie my own little happy friendly knit-filled corner of the world.
Same same on all counts!
Agree! Why such hate from the Yellowstone characters when the show is set in such majestic beauty?
Agree.
“1883” starts tomorrow. Sam Elliot. You’re welcome!!
Oh does it? Gonna set to record that right now! Guess I love a man in a horse
yes thank you! bowing from the waist…..
Did you write this all by your lonesome self? It’s very good.
I would like a list of your submarine movies to share with my husband. Have you seen Black Sea?
My husband is a huge fan of Greyhound with Tom Hanks on Apple TV+
“Run Silent, Run Deep” – 1958 WW2 movie. I saw this one when I was young. Not sure if you can find it anywhere but it was the first time I saw torpedos shooting through the water. The image has stayed with me.
Yellowstone is sacred in my house.
It was MY show until my husband stole it and memorized the words to every episode.
We hire men from our local halfway houses and sometimes I can hear them tossing around lines from the show. Of course, everyones favorite is “he’s going to the train station.”
Love to see the faces on the Yellowstone uninitiated when everyone laughs but them.
I do like manly mens shows. Longmire was great. He was manly and trustworthy and protective.
I’ve just finished Longmire, and loved every minute of it. I’ve even got a t shirt with Henry’s Red Pony phone answer message on it.
Yellowstone! Ack! Every character (including Costner’s character) is detestable. They just murder people. All the time. Murder them. Who appointed this family as judge, jury and executioner? And don’t get me started on Beth.
AGREE!
My thoughts EXACTLY, Susan!! My husband loves the show. I watched the first season and all I could think of at the end is there isn’t one person there that I could care about. Horrible, horrible people. After the first season I just put in my earbuds and listened to a book while knitting. Much better use of my time 🙂
I’m also all for binge watching – rewatched all of Downton Abbey while knitting 2 baby sweaters on deadline in Oct/Nov – but I haven’t been able to get into Yellowstone, the only one of the 3 listed shows I’ve seen at all. Maybe because I live in MT(?) even Kevin C can’t overcome the annoyance I feel at the inaccuracies about “real” life on a real working ranch.
Try Longmire. Much more of a realistic feel and much more heart. ❤️
My husband watches more than I do, gave up on Billlions but like the 1st 2 seasons, persisted with Yellowstone, but we both discovered Succession just this week while I started my color explosion throw! Both of us weep through This is Us and we spend time together watching the British baking show on our spinning bikes. And did I mention he’s 80?
Almost got divorced 27 years ago right after we got married when I found out that he watched Beverly Hills 90210….. but we have learned to learned we can soap together over the years …
I think I get enough toxic masculinity if I look at the news, it’s not so entertaining for me. So for now I’ll stick with my Korean TV – drama, romance, comedy, everything! If you saw my Netflix profile since the pandemic started you’d think I lived in Seoul instead of Pennsylvania….
Yellowstone, it could be so much better. Kevin Costner is easy on the eyes and the scenery is beautiful but there’s not a lot of satisfaction after that. Ok, I do need to add in Kayce and Rip, they’re cute, handsome and cool. After the beautiful panoramic views of the mountains and views of the their lodge made of massive beams and river rock, I am left wanting more substance from the plot and the characters. Kevin Costner’s grunting three word sentences every now and then don’t cut it. Beth’s hardness and hate for any living thing wears thin. I want more from these people. I want the plot to come close to the grandness of the ranch and the majestic beauty of the scenery. Some of the lines are down right foolish. Why the hate Beth? Why no loyalty Rip? Rip beats his number one ranch hand Lloyd, (who is branded with the Yellowstone “Y” on his chest) almost to death for a fight in the bunk house. Really? It just doesn’t fit.
Beth Dutton is my Idol! LOL If only she would knit, she would be perfect! She keeps all those cowboys, and even Board Chairmen, in line.
Have you seen Godless? Has a plethora of strong women in it too.
I just rewatched Godless and I don’t often rewatch. Really liked the women in that!
Yes to Godless!!
Love Yellowstone I want to be Beth Dutton her intelligence and fast talking ask kicking gives me such delight!
My husband started watching Yellowstone, and I really tried. But then every time I looked up from chores, crafts, whatever, some new person or creature was getting killed. I have decided that by the end of the series no living creature will exist in Montana. Not for me!
So much murdering! It’s like their default solution to pretty much any problem is: welp, gotta go murder somebody. Kayce says he’s never murdered anybody, only killed when attacked, but I’m all: RILLY KAYCE?
I used to love watching Yellowstone, especially for the scenery, but the violence has just become so gratuitous I can’t take it anymore. I prefer a show that helps me escape to something more redeeming like Schitt’s Creek, Ted Lasso, and This is Us. Great stories with no one being murdered or horribly abused.
LOVE Yellowstone! What’s so funny is that I don’t usually like westerns. Don’t know why I like it so much. As for Succession & Billions, they’re just not my up of tea.
I’ve not seen the other to, but Yellowstone? Yeah. Just what you said. At the same time, its pretty accurate. I live on a family farm and am living a poor man’s version of the same thing. Hubby died, left everything to me. My kids live nearby but don’t farm. The nephew wants to farm but doesn’t want to change anything. I’ve been telling the farm manager to tear out trees, clean up messes, etc. Nephew’s head is about to explode!
Who needs a plot when you have–
When you have men in well fitting wranglers, sporting the perfect scruff, wearing cowboy hats, and able to sit a horse. They could be reading a telephone book…
Have not seen the prequel series but has my older man crush, Sam Elliott.
Hugo Weaving portrayed one helluva creepy, despicable father in Patrick Melrose.
Beware of The Power of the Dog. And for repressed but appealing, Longmire.
We watch this every week and we have a cattle ranch. Our trucks aren’t new and never clean! TV always makes things glamorized, but it is a good life and a good feeling to know you are providing food for the world. We all have to eat, despite what peta likes to protest! Support your local Rancher!
I keep wondering what future archeologists will think of all those bodies at the bottom of that cliff on Yellowstone. Cowboy version of elephants’ graveyard?
Can’t stand the dad on succession, he’s out for himself.
ALL THREE SHOWS! And I actually said the same darn thing about Yellowstone is Succession on a Ranch. I love them all. It’s like a train wreck.
Yellowstone: I like Jimmy but why the separate storyline , probably time will tell.
Beth has become predictable and repetitious ly annoying! ( overacting) All shows have great clothes especially John Dutton jackets. KC never washes his hair . Men are all murderers and seem to get off with it.
Billions :a bit outdated now but good actors
Succession : spoiled annoying rich kids with lulu dad.
But in spite of it all I want to know what they are all up to so I watch and laugh .
Brit shows are great
I only watched segments and you about describe what I thought thus the segments. My son was watching 1898(not sure exactly on title) all I caught was that wonderful voice of Sam Elliott