Wasn't going to do this but decided to have a little fun with The Dynasty on Apple TV, which started on Friday night with the first two episodes. These aren't going to be comprehensive reviews, but quickie recaps via categories. What I have so far (you can make suggestions for new ones in the comments):
Synopsis
Best Quote
I Didn't Know That
That Was Cool
Goosebumps Moment
LOL Moment
Biggest Nitpick
I Wished They Asked
Belichick Watch
Kraft's Moment of Glory
Episode MVP
Lingering Question
I will say, I think Patriots fans are going to love it. It's really meant for you guys. The direction and editing are outstanding. I have a few issues with it, as we'll get into, but it's really well done and worth the money. If you're interested in purchasing (if you haven't seen Ted Lasso and Black Bird - Hijack and Silo were solid as well - it's a good excuse), following this link to purchase will help BSJ.
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EPISODE 3: BORROWED TIME
Synopsis
Parcells-Kraft divorce, Patriots win their first Super Bowl, and Tom Brady becomes a megastar overnight. (Length: 40 minutes)
Best Quote(s)
Bedard:
Giardi: "Kraft had no real background in football, and in his inexperience, took the draft away from me and he gave it to somebody else," said Bill Parcells. "I felt like some people that were incompetent were making decisions for the organization personnel-wise and I didn't like it. And I knew I wasn't going back to the Patriots." The Tuna still simmers.
I Didn't Know That
Bedard: The Lawyer Milloy hotel room story — right after Damien Woody said Belichick asked the team to put individual stuff aside. No wonder Bill cut his ass before the next season.
Giardi: Ditto.
That Was Cool
Bedard: "We're out of gas. If they get the ball in overtime, I don't know if we can stop them. This drive is do or die." - Ernie Adams.
Giardi: The Edge (U2) talking about the "contravesty" between Bledsoe and Brady at U2's pre-Super Bowl press conference.
Tedy Bruschi talks about Drew Bledsoe putting aside his ego and what that meant: "Drew could have messed a lot of things up. But as frustrated as Drew was, he was still very supportive to Tom. That meant a lot for me to see. All the stuff Belichick says, like 'Do your job' and putting the team first, Drew was like living that. There's a 100 million-dollar quarterback doing what's best for the team. That's where I think the 'Patriot Way' started."
Goosebumps Moment
Bedard: The leadup to the Patriots being introduced as a team. Pat Summerall's voice ... "Ladies and gentlemen..."
NOT Jon Bon Jovi. "My team"? Come on, man.
Giardi: The shot of Brady with his hands on his head, in near shock that they had won the Super Bowl. That was young Tommy. That was young me. Great times.
LOL Moment
Bedard: Brady saying Belichick was still effed up the morning after the Super Bowl and reeking of booze.
Giardi: "My room was so small, I think it came with an oxygen tank." - Lawyer Milloy bitching about his hotel room at the Super Bowl.
Biggest Nitpick
Bedard: No mention of the Bullseye defensive gameplan against Marshall Faulk?!!!
Giardi: Seriously. How the eff do the producers leave that out? I wrote about this as one of Belichick's greatest game plans. He literally instructed all of the defense to smack Faulk every chance they got, sometimes in lieu of rushing the passer. Hit him first, then go. Fail, producers. Fail.
I Wished They Talked About
Bedard: The Patriots had not one, but TWO special teams touchdowns in the Steelers game — including Troy Brown's punt return for the first score — and all we got was Bledsoe.
Giardi: Willie McGinest trash-talking Jerome Bettis to start the episode then no recognition of holding the "Bus" to eight yards on nine carries. Special teams and turnovers won the Steelers game.
Belichick Watch
Bedard: No comment from Belichick on winning the Super Bowl, any justification for the Brady decision and all he went through in Cleveland? Nothing?
Giardi: Was he in the episode? Seriously. You got his answer about giving up the room to Milloy, a snippet from the podium, and what else? If not for Damien Woody and Bruschi pumping his tires, I would have assumed the team was self-coached had I been dropped off of Mars five minutes ago.
Kraft's Moment of Glory
Bedard: "I figured out that the main source of revenue during the game came from the parking lot and the stadium. Over the next decade I made moves to buy the stadium and the land around it at really a low cost. No one realized how important that was. There must have been 20 buyers who came in and tried to buy the team. But once they figured out I had the revenue, they walked away." - Kraft.
Giardi: RKK's postgame speech after the Super Bowl win over the Rams will be something I'll always remember. Give Jonathan an assist, but the owner nailed it.
"We are all patriots. And tonight, the Patriots are world champions."
Patriots Hardo Moment
Bedard: The Patriots' defense manhandling the Rams' offense and talking crap about it on the sidelines.
Giardi: Along those lines, Tebucky Jones just smashing receivers. He wasn't the smartest player but what a punisher he was.
Drew Bledsoe recalling what he remembered before the game-winning drive against the Rams. when someone told Brady to be careful. "We're big underdogs in this game. No one expected you to be here. No one expected us to be here. F*** it, man. Go."
Episode MVP
Bedard: Tedy Bruschi. I think I could listen to him read the phone book and I'd be ready to run through a wall. ... And Pioli was pretty freaking good again, especially with the Spygate tease at the end.
Giardi: Ty Law. "We about to rock y'all's ass." Then, of his interception for a TD, " I ain't gonna lie. That was probably one of the easiest interceptions I've had in my life. ... you bullshitting. You ain't - 'What you talkin' about, Kurt?' - I know you ain't about to throw that." Gold, Jerry. Gold.
Lingering Questions/Comments
Bedard:
- Kraft talks in disbelief about going to the Super Bowl like it was a foreign planet ... he was just there five years earlier.
- Kraft was a self-made businessman? Not 100 percent true - he took over the business of his wife's father. Did it bring it to new heights? Sure. But it wasn't like it was from scratch.
- We just gloss over Pete Carroll?
- They sped through Super Bowls 2 and 3 in about 5 minutes.
Giardi:
- Troy Brown was critical both in the AFC title game and the Super Bowl. Can I get the man on camera?
- Charlie Weis play any role in Brady's development? A word on him, or from him?
- The 2004 Patriots team was a friggin' wagon. As Greg mentions, they get glossed over. Why?
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I'm just going to leave this here every week just as a reminder:
