Sharp Objects on HBO

[cyclonefence]

Anybody else enjoying this creepy show? I really like it, especially Patricia Clarkson, but something is bugging the hell out of me. On "Calhoun Day," a celebration honoring stalwart Southerners, the pageant put on by high schoolers involves repeated playing of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Do the show runners not know this was the Northern anthem? Is it a joke I'm not getting, that the high school music teacher is so stupid *he* doesn't know it? WTF?

[hlthe2b]

1. Well, the whole skit was supposedly originally a joke according the show runners

that they decided to include because it brought the town together:

The story goes that Zeke Calhoun — who Camille (Amy Adams) refers to as “our founding pedophile” — fought for the South in the Civil War while betrothed to Millie, a young girl from a Union family who Camille refers to as her “great-great-great-grand victim.” According to the tale, some Union soldiers traveled South to capture Calhoun “dead or alive.” But Millie, who at this point was pregnant, refused to give up her husband.

Camille says in the episode that it’s how Millie resists the soldiers that the townspeople love. The story ends with Millie refusing to reveal to the Union soldiers where Zeke is hiding, prompting them to tie her to a tree and do horrible things to her — “violations,” as Camille says — to the point of Millie losing her baby.

When Richard (Chris Messina) questions why this dark story merits a holiday, Camille counters, “We don’t have a lot of happy stories around here.”

Maybe since the "heroine" was supposedly from a Union family, they gave her this nod?

[cyclonefence]

2. Maybe so

I pay pretty close attention, but I did miss the fact that the brave and much put-upon Millie was a Northerner. It's such a smart show that I'm sure now, thinking about it, that it's intentional and meant to be funny. Maybe I'm just too much of a literalist to have a sense of humor!

Thanks for the info.

[hlthe2b]

3. Seems the entire essence of the town is up for ridicule. MO was a Border State after all...

but one heck of a lot of Southern sympathizers.

[cyclonefence]

4. You're right

OTT doesn't begin to describe it, and now I know why I like Clarkson's character so much (she's the reason my husband can't watch the show)--we finally learn why people have to take their shoes off for that floor! I wish I could roll with the alcoholism and self-mutilation as easily as I can with everything else, including the posed little dead girl with her teeth pulled out.

[Sherman A1]

6. And a whole lot of those supporting the Union

Missouri also had the 3rd highest number of battles within it's borders during the war. Virginia was first, Tennessee 2nd followed by the "Show Me State". A whole lot of things happened during the American Civil War in Missouri.

[procon]

5. You have to pay attention to every scene or you'll miss some seemingly

inconsequential tidbit that opens up a whole new set of possibilities. The flashbacks reveal still more hidden bits of the story. The cheerless characters are not very likeable and deeply flawed, but the protagonists persevere despite the danger and all the obstacles against them solving what's behind the unsolved crimes. The other supporting cast are absolutely atrocious as the residents for that perfidious, corrupt town, they are the small-minded gossips and snooty society matrons from the dying reign of the old South.

If you like really good murder mysteries, this suspenseful series is filled with OMG, unexpected plot twists and surprising developments. At some future date, I want to binge watch it from the beginning.

[cyclonefence]

7. Me too

I want to sit and watch every episode, one after the other. I had a hard time with the first two because my husband was so freaked out by the self-mutilation that half the time I was waiting to tell him when he could look again and so missed a lot. He has officially retired from watching it, so some night when he's playing poker, I will binge.
I think it's exceptionally well-done and even paying half-attention, I can see the subtle humor. It's clear to me that the cast enjoyed themselves mightily, which always makes for a good show.