Final Season of Rectify

Can't wait

Looking forward to this. Blue_Leaf, how do you rank Rectify against The Leftovers and Mad Men?

They are all some of my favorite programs of all time so it's a bit tough, but if I had to rank them it would go like this:

1. MAD MEN
2. THE LEFTOVERS
3. RECTIFY

MAD MEN is definitely number one, but I will have to see how the final seasons of the THE LEFTOVERS and RECTIFY turn out before I make my final decision on those two. I will say season two of THE LEFTOVERS blew me away and made its way to one of my all time favorite programs. RECTIFY is a such an incredible show in all ways. The acting, writing, and directing are top notch, with an emphasis on the wonderful ensemble of actors and the characters they play, each with their own highly developed personalities and existential dilemmas.

So, to answer your question. I feel MAD MEN is the better show and the verdict is still out between THE LEFTOVERS and RECTIFY, but all of them are superior and highly original series.



"Whither is fled the visionary gleam? Where is it now, the glory and the dream?"

Interesting. I just had recommended Rectify to someone because I kind of finally figured out the type of show they might like, and here was their description.

It draws you in from the very first moment. The cinematography is breathtaking and works perfectly with the background music. Every single shot is framed/composed in a way that can be taken out and already tell an entire story. There are so many scenes where you can watch in isolation, admire and reflect upon. The acting is absolutely phenomenal, with characters having immense depth.

This show is both rewarding and punishing, because this is the sort of art that will spoil you, as you will not be able to look seriously at some of the tv shows that are out there. In this, every detail means something. You value them at least as much as plot advancement. The story demands careful attention, and often repeated viewings - every single detail is there for a reason.

There is no black and white. No formulas. It goes in unexpected directions and it defies tv conventions. It defies you. It's just a mesmerizing, philosophical and heartbreakingly beautiful piece of art.

I don't think this particular person has seen The Leftovers and Mad Men, but I was thinking about how I thought these three were your favorite shows, and although I've seen them all, I know you go back and watch some of these episodes several times and was wondering if you could draw any similarities.

WOW. I only wish I could express myself and my opinions in such an eloquent and heartfelt manner as this person has. I agree with everything that this individual has described. I have previously focused on writing and character development when it comes to both film and television first, but with a show like RECTIFY every element from the acting to the cinematography is brilliant. Normally I might find a series that moves in this rather slow pace hard to keep up with, but with RECTIFY I immediately became captivated with each and every faction of the show.

I always re-watch the previous seasons before a new season begins and have all ready re-watched seasons one and two. One of my biggest downfalls when it comes to watching both television and movies is listening to the background music, scores, songs, etc. This time around I am making it a priority to focus in on the music and cinematography more than the story-line as I, after this many viewing, am quite familiar with the more obvious aspects of the show.

I particularly liked the fact that the individual mentioned that it defies tv convention which I find one of the most alluring and fascinating aspects of the series.

I would say the biggest similarity between the three shows is their originality and the fearless ways they all three present themselves to the audience. They all choose creativity and inventiveness over convention and need for popularity by the masses. RECTIFY, I would say, takes the most chances in the way it was created and presented, but all three have taken an unorthodox road when creating their respective shows and I would consider them all to be members of the avant-guard television community of which I have a highest respect for and are generally the shows I ultimately find the most engaging and thought-provoking.

"Whither is fled the visionary gleam? Where is it now, the glory and the dream?"