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Amazon.co.uk Review
The world conspired to give John From Cincinnati a single season run on television screens, courtesy of HBO. And yet, thanks to the endurance of the DVD format, it’s surely ripe for discovery by those who missed it first time round.
It’s from David Milch, the creator of one of HBO’s finest ever shows, Deadwood. This time, though, it’s in the present day, and focused on the Yost family. Described as surfing-royalty-turned-society-misfits, the Yosts are a complicated family whose life changes when a stranger by the name of John walks into town. And that’s when things gets really very interesting, with often quite oddball events following in his wake. Starring Rebecca De Mornay, Bruce Greenwood and Austin Nichols, even in its weaker moments, it’s a fascinating and very ambitious show.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that John From Cincinnati struggled to snare a mainstream audience though, given the sheer audacity of some of its thinking (and we’ve no intention of spoiling it here). There’s such a collision of ideas and subtexts here that it can be sometimes quite a job to keep on top of it all. But put the effort in, and the rewards, just as with Deadwood, are rich. It’s challenging, intelligent television, and even though we only got ten episodes of it, it’s hard not to be grateful for them. --Jon Foster
DVD Description
From the creator of the award-winning series Deadwood comes HBO’s mystical, mysterious and provocative new drama. Just north of the border, in the tired coastal town of Imperial Beach, California, live three generations of Yosts: surfing royalty turned society misfits. The Yosts’ reign and reputation, once defined in the curl of a perfect wave, has been eroded by years of bad luck, addiction and hubris. But just as things are looking like they can’t get worse, a stranger named John arrives – and the Yosts’ banal existence is lifted into something profound, miraculous and, possibly, universal.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Much like Carnivale, another HBO series cut down too early, John From Cincinnati is a singular vision and an all-too-rare supernatural drama with a sense of real maturity to it. It is also pointedly surreal from the beginning and, unless you're paying attention, easy to get confused by; characters speak in curious code, frequently referencing past events the audience isn't privy to; an off-the-cuff remark in one episode may not gain relevance until two or three episodes later. Because of this, J.F.C. is a show perfect for DVD. It not only rewards but requires repeated viewings, and in returning to it over, you'll usually find something you hadn't spotted before. It's a David Milch show, and so the writing is of a very high standard, and as expletive-strewn as Deadwood was, especially in the opening episode.
The cast, which ranges from first-time performers and amateurs to seasoned character actors and old Deadwood regulars, are a mixed but entertaining bunch, with Ed O'Neill's tortured ex-police officer Bill Jacks standing out. Fans of The Wire might also look out for Paul Ben Victor who played Spiros, giving a demented turn as twitchy Palaka.
If you don't mind the weird, then this is for you, and if HBO had given it a chance they'd have had something to rival Twin Peaks for in-depth character-driven kookiness. As it is, we'll have to settle for this; a mesmerising ten-episode arc, that, though open-ended, has as many memorable, touching and laugh-out-loud funny moments as many shows that lasted for years.
This is definitely not for everyone, and the 5 stars I've given above will likely baffle some. The show is initially very difficult, but pretty soon what comes across is an addictive story told in a unique manner. Some people will hate it, but those who don't will adore it. A real shame it wasn't given more time by HBO.
The cast, which ranges from first-time performers and amateurs to seasoned character actors and old Deadwood regulars, are a mixed but entertaining bunch, with Ed O'Neill's tortured ex-police officer Bill Jacks standing out. Fans of The Wire might also look out for Paul Ben Victor who played Spiros, giving a demented turn as twitchy Palaka.
If you don't mind the weird, then this is for you, and if HBO had given it a chance they'd have had something to rival Twin Peaks for in-depth character-driven kookiness. As it is, we'll have to settle for this; a mesmerising ten-episode arc, that, though open-ended, has as many memorable, touching and laugh-out-loud funny moments as many shows that lasted for years.
This is definitely not for everyone, and the 5 stars I've given above will likely baffle some. The show is initially very difficult, but pretty soon what comes across is an addictive story told in a unique manner. Some people will hate it, but those who don't will adore it. A real shame it wasn't given more time by HBO.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I don't watch much TV, but what I do watch tends, these days, to be from the US: just a handful of shows, which include The Shield, The Wire, Lost, and Deadwood. My latest favourite is John From Cincinnati, David Milch's follow-up to Deadwood. John From Cincinnati is a wonderful show, sadly cancelled after a mere ten episodes. This doesn't surprise me, as this show, a strange mixture of family drama, surfing, and mysticism, is often difficult to follow and offers no easy answers to its mysterious questions. Deadwood fans will note that many of the cast of that show appear in this one too.
In a sense, John From Cincinnati, is a familiar idea: a dysfunctional family is visited by a strange, stranger, who proceeds by his influence to correct the ills of the family. As the series progresses, this benign influence begins to extend, not only to the surrounding community, but out, it is hinted, to the rest of the planet as well.
The mysterious John Monad (Austin Nichols), with his comically expressive face, described by another character as "A tall drink of water with a poodle hair cut," appears apparently from nowhere, doesn't know how to shake hands or cross a road safely, but is able to produce out of his previously empty pocket, a roll of money, a credit card (with unlimited credit on it), and a phone (with infinite minutes). Strange things happen during his visit: a man begins to levitate, a dead bird returns to life, a brain-damaged boy is healed. John is not able to talk directly about himself or the events he puts into motion. He can only repeat back in variations what others have said to him, creating much Johnspeak: quotable and oft-repeated phrases which he's obliged to fall back on.
Not for the casual viewer, John From Cincinnati demands concerted attention. It is often annoyingly inscrutable, but it is also amusing, tender, and heartrending. The innocent John, contrasts sharply with the very fallible humans who make up the rest of the extended cast, enhancing the otherworldly quality that the character has. This strange white figure has already, at least in my mind, become an iconic TV character. It's sad that we'll never see him again.
In a sense, John From Cincinnati, is a familiar idea: a dysfunctional family is visited by a strange, stranger, who proceeds by his influence to correct the ills of the family. As the series progresses, this benign influence begins to extend, not only to the surrounding community, but out, it is hinted, to the rest of the planet as well.
The mysterious John Monad (Austin Nichols), with his comically expressive face, described by another character as "A tall drink of water with a poodle hair cut," appears apparently from nowhere, doesn't know how to shake hands or cross a road safely, but is able to produce out of his previously empty pocket, a roll of money, a credit card (with unlimited credit on it), and a phone (with infinite minutes). Strange things happen during his visit: a man begins to levitate, a dead bird returns to life, a brain-damaged boy is healed. John is not able to talk directly about himself or the events he puts into motion. He can only repeat back in variations what others have said to him, creating much Johnspeak: quotable and oft-repeated phrases which he's obliged to fall back on.
Not for the casual viewer, John From Cincinnati demands concerted attention. It is often annoyingly inscrutable, but it is also amusing, tender, and heartrending. The innocent John, contrasts sharply with the very fallible humans who make up the rest of the extended cast, enhancing the otherworldly quality that the character has. This strange white figure has already, at least in my mind, become an iconic TV character. It's sad that we'll never see him again.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you believe in the Old Testament...then this show is for you.....ripe with religious symbology, it is a dire warning about what is to come...the constant references to 9/11 and "towel heads" points up the message...the Apocalypse is coming......or not!!
The show ended too early, the last episode looks rushed and the many characters speaking in 'tongues' is dense and needs rewinding many times to catch everything....the used car salesman is particualarly hard to follow. Links' final speech is verrry badly written and makes not a lot of sense....but for me the most touching part is the 3 mokes who turn out to be Johns' disciples....brilliant!!
The show ended too early, the last episode looks rushed and the many characters speaking in 'tongues' is dense and needs rewinding many times to catch everything....the used car salesman is particualarly hard to follow. Links' final speech is verrry badly written and makes not a lot of sense....but for me the most touching part is the 3 mokes who turn out to be Johns' disciples....brilliant!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Second Coming for surfers- surreal genius to discover on DVD
Complex, challenging, surreal, awkward, powerful, confusing...no wonder this show never made a second season. But do you know what? Read more
Published 22 months ago by M. W. Hatfield
random and boring...
Thought this was worth a gamble being HBO, as most of their other programs are great, but I was wrong. It's very random with abstract storytelling that goes absolutely nowhere. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2010 by P. King
no character characters
an interesting idea but in the absense of any likable characters it wasn't a good purchase
Published on 7 Nov 2009 by Mr. Matthew J. Pearson
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